ABA Banking Journal - August 2007 - (Page 42)

Tech topics Websites: recent New York Times article took the gloss off internet commerce for a minute when it suggested that slowed growth in online sales might be a sign of “internet fatigue.” While some still question that assertion, others believe that there is definitely some truth to the idea of needing to present differently online at a time when the net is long past the stage of novelty act, and Act One, for that matter. At a recent Forrester conference in New York about improving the customer experience, talk centered on the internet and enhancing it into the next generation of web commerce. “More than ever, a company needs, as an online brand, to find a way to occupy that emotional world of aspiration and self identity to really forge a bond with the customer,” said Gaston Legorburu, with consulting firm and branding specialist Sapient, Cambridge, Mass. “Otherwise you are a commodity or fast on your way to becoming one.” To lure overbusy, distracted surfers, the site must be visually pleasing, relevant, and, as with physical design, In a Blue Nile Mood? This diamond-buying site offers an easy transactional experience appeal to the self-identity of the consumer. (See that encourages users to stick with it. Bank websites could do likewise. cover story (page 25). The advent of greater broadband penetration and rich internet website get less linear and “break the page-based paradigm.” applications, or RIAs, which use numerous new technologies, “Easier,” as Rogowski defined it, gives users more control and including Flash, to place embedded functional elements on a gives them easy options for viewing merchandise. An easy site is page, comes as both an opportunity and a threat. a forgiving site, so that you don’t have a scenario where one Opportunity, in that, if done correctly, use of RIAs can help wrong move boots you into a no-win cyber zone. engage customers (think video). Threat, because it will be easy to look tired without them. In fact, in pace with epic Web 2.0 Organized off-ramps changes like greater collaboration with Wikis, MySpace, and Sites that are state of the art, Graeber and her colleagues said, Second Life, are the quieter, feature-related changes that have reduce frustrating full-page reloads, and do things like simplify registration, form fill ins, and other processes. “Some of the best come on board with Flash and AJAX technologies. “What they can do is make a given site easier to navigate and sites make the experience painless,” Graeber said. She cited Bank interact with,” said Cathy Graeber, vice-president, Forrester, of America and Fidelity sites as two outstanding examples of who is based in San Francisco. “It can actually guide a shopper well-designed, often-refined sites with good feature sets. “Fidelity shows you tools in context and asks if you have any or browser through that purchase or transaction set.” RIAs, said Ron Rogowski, also with Forrester, help a given questions about steps in a process you’ve just completed,” said Graeber. Static content, she added, is also less good than multiBy Lauren Bielski, senior editor media content and a layout that supports easy comparison shop- A 42 AUGUST 2007/ABA BANKING JOURNAL www.ababj.com/subscribe.html http://www.bluenile.com/diamond_search.asp?filter_id=1&track=design_state http://www.forrester.com http://www.sapient.com http://www.ababj.com/subscribe.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ABA Banking Journal - August 2007

Contents Editor's Column The Unbankers Snapshot: Do Share Repurchases Signal More M&A Activity Sleight of Mind Goals Behind Proposed ABA/ACB Merger ABA Resources ABA Chairman's Position Should You Sell Those Nonperformers Pass the Aspirin Branch Design - Evoking a Sense of Place Two Banks Take the LEED Move Over, Buddy Service Feature: Bankers' Banks Directory Websites: What's State of the Art for Banks? Citi Mobile to Go Strong with iPhone? Date First, Marry Later Mailbox Banker's Mart To Advertise/Index of Advertisers The Economy

ABA Banking Journal - August 2007

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