Since 1980, when the company introduced the first pre-molded composite kitplane, Glasair, the Washington state firm has been in the forefront of composite kit technology. When it decided to go online, Stoddard-Hamilton hired a Web design firm recommended by an ISP, and the experience was less than optimal. Visitors mentioned it to us, diplomatically, so we went out and found someone who could do the job. The result was a site where users could readily exchange information and easily access the company's hefty instruction manual. In addition, the online technical support led to a reduction in overhead.
Web sites are no longer experiments conducted for fun.
They're a business tool, and they need to be effective in getting a company's message out, helping it make or save money, and promoting interaction with customers. What worked for your company a year ago may not be working now. We spoke with notable design firms and experienced companies to find out how to tell when a site needs a makeover and what to do about it. This old adage has never been truer than on the Internet you never get a second chance to make a first impression. With clicker-happy Web users hopping from page to page faster than an eyeblink, your company's site needs to impress the visitor right at the home page, and it needs to give an accurate impression.