1. How much does a typical Web site cost?
The cost of developing a professional quality Web site with proper audience targeting varies
dependent upon a number factors. Most companies start out with an “About The Company”
Web site costing several thousand dollars and then integrate dynamic features and interactive
self-service features into their site gradually.
Sortilego offers Custom Quotations to assist you in planning your
site. We also offer the Business Technology Plan for businesses with
needs exceeding a business Web site.
2. What features can my business site have?
Sortilego is a full-service Internet development company. With our services, your company’s site can be developed as your budget allows. Online purchase systems, customer self-service systems, database query interfaces, and dynamically generated HTML are some of the services that we offer to enhance your sites’ capabilities.
3. What methods of payment are accepted?
Sortilego accepts cash, business checks, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and payment from Advance Credit Corporation for Web site finance plans.
4. How long will it take to develop my Web site?
Site development times vary depending upon a number of factors, namely: size of the site, complexity of the design, and cooperative efforts between the client and the Sortilego representative. The average business site can be completed within two weeks from the time that Sortilego receives the necessary information along with a signed contract and initial payment. Custom interactive programming will increase complexity of design and development along with the corresponding development schedule.
5. How will people find my site on the Internet?
Search engines and directories keep track of the information on the Internet and have various ways of producing lists of sites to people searching for specific types of information. There are many elements involved in attaining proper indexing from search engines and some directories have special requirements for acceptance of a site into their directory. Our Internet marketing experts carefully analyze the goal and target market of your site along with the design and layout to be certain that your site will rank properly for your potential audience. After your site has been completed, it will be manually submitted to the major search engines and directories. Additional promotional services are available as needed to boost your site’s traffic.
6. How will Sortilego get the project finished without being here?
Our design process enables us to collect data from you wherever you are and accomplish the design and development of your Web site efficiently and rapidly. We know the questions to ask to ascertain what will be included in your site and guide you through the process.
7. What is a "customer service solution?"
A customer service solution combines business processes with computer technology to provide your customers with the means to communicate with your company. Voice-mail systems and automated telephone response systems are early examples.
The Internet extends the capabilities of customer service solutions to the Web. Here, customers, employees, business partners, and suppliers can access information and take action on important business takes. Examples include:
Call center activities
- Check orders or account status
- Schedule deliveries or meetings
- Review shipping information and guidelines
- Search through catalogs
- Make reservations
- Ask questions and have them answered
Human resource activities
- Apply for job openings
- Schedule vacations
- Enroll in benefit programs
- Online education and learning
- File reports
- Maintain time and attendance records
8. What types of customer service activities can be placed on the Internet?
The best candidates for customer service activities on the Internet are those that are geared towards self service -- those that do not usually require a continuous two-way exchange of information between the customer and the service representative.
In your business, look for activities that:
- Are documented, repeatable processes, such as providing account status information from an accounting application.
- Are built on recorded, as opposed to individual knowledge, such as information in a database.
- Improve the speed of service you provide over the phone or through the mail, such as tracking shipments.
- Address specific customer complaints, such as responsiveness to voice mail or lengthy telephone trees.
9. How do I get started?
Call 925-699-1154 right now or send an e-mail to info@sortilego.com.
You can also get a Custom Quotation for an estimate of the costs associated with your project.
10. Should I put up the site with just one thing done, or should I wait until everything is done before going online?
Start simple. Choose one or two activities that are the most cost-effective for you to implement -- the activities that best leverage your current information, processes, and people, and moves you closest to your goal.
As you measure the success of the initial site, you can make additions and changes that can move you closer to the goal -- or create a new goal!
Choose one goal (to start with) and then establish a way to measure success. For example, if your goal is acquisition, your measurement of success will be the number of new customers in a time period -- "success is 75 new customers within three months."
- Customer acquisition -- activities that qualify the customer and provide basic information in order to attract a new customer. An example is an online mortgage calculator.
- Customer development -- activities that encourage the customer to do more business with you, such as scheduling shipping or making reservations.
- Customer retention -- activities that make existing customers happier; technical support, product updates, warranty information.
11. What is the difference between a Web site designer
and a Web page designer?
A Web site designer looks at the big picture of your business. He or she ensures that the
customer service site is integrated with your current business systems and with your
business practices.
A Web page designer works with the design and layout of the pages. He or she ensures the pages
look good and perform well.
Your site should have both a site and a page designer. Sometimes this is the same person, more
often it's two different people. Sortilego provides a complete solution which includes both types of professional
services.
12. Should my site use Java, CGI, or ActiveX?
Today, Web site developers can choose many different ways to program applications that work on Web servers to make customer service applications fast and efficient. Of the three, Java applications are generally the fastest to develop, easiest to maintain, and have the widest reach. A Java application that runs on the server (a servlet) can be developed on one computer system and run unchanged on another.
13. How do I get my customers to use the site?
"Quality" customer service is what sets one business apart from the others. By emphasizing quality on your Web site, customers will be attracted to, and feel comfortable using, your customer service applications.
There are five elements of quality customer service (both on the Web and off!):
- Tangibles -- is the site attractive, easy to navigate, and unimposing? (Look at the Braxton Technologies' Web site for a great example.)
- Reliability -- is the information current and correct? Does the site offer easy-to-find help? Is it always running and have consistent performance?
- Responsiveness -- it has to return information quickly and have clear "next steps."
- Assurance -- it has to promote trust by creating a "human touch." (Forums and chat rooms are a great way to do this.)
- Empathy -- it has to show you care; prompt answers to e-mail, free support for the Web application, customizing for each customer, asking for feedback.
In addition to quality, we cannot overlook the importance of advertising and marketing the site as you do the other competitive advantages in your business.
14. How will the Internet site affect my current customer service staff?
Online customer service most often augments your current staff. Routine activities are offloaded to the Web site, allowing staff to spend more time on important activities -- complaint resolution, atypical account questions, and customer acquisition activities.
Long term, the Web site can reduce the needs for additional personnel in the future. Forrester Research estimates that between now and the year 2002, companies that implement Internet-based service will lower their call-center labor costs by 43%.
15. What are some of the page-design guidelines?
In an IBM-sponsored study of Web usability, researchers found the following important in designing a customer service solutions:
- Good navigation:
- Table of contents
- Maximum three-page hierarchy
- Performance -- pages load in 30-seconds; results returned in less than two minutes.
- Convenient search facility.
- Simplicity and consistency.
- Provide a way to get more information -- phone number on every page.
- Several short forms instead of one long form.
- Avoid asking for "private" information like account numbers.
- Current, relevant information.
- Avoid being "busy" or "salesy."
- No dead-ends or "site under constructions."
- Registration only when necessary.
- Watch for grammar and spelling errors.
