Jumping into the Web can get sticky

According to Doug Pitt, of ServiceWorld Computer Center, there's a lot of things to consider when going online.

Time limitations

A lot of people jump into the Web without knowing how time-consuming it is, he said. Everyone thinks, "if we build it they will come which is OK for the first week," he said. But the second week you have to update. And updating is not an option, but a necessity. If the site's the same a month later, they won't come back.

A lot of time is involved in writing product descriptions, gathering photos, management meetings, tracking orders, tracking visitors, providing customer service. The Web business is totally different from the brick and mortar business, Pitt said. "It's not build it, put it up, walk away and pick up on the sales." A lot of time is required. It's very involved.

To buy or not to buy

Pitt said one of the great things about the Internet is that a company doesn't have to go out and invest in a $5,000 server, software and then develop a page.

"You can try it out. Go to an Internet service provider and go on the Web leasing space from them, using their server, their lines."

Rather than buying a server, he recommends experimenting and seeing if it works. Also, on the issue of equipment, it's important to weigh the company's intentions, look at the size of the company or the size of the project, Pitt said. If its an e-business with venture capital, of course you're going to have to buy equipment, he said, but otherwise there are options.

Keys of site design

"Pictures are everything on the Web. You've got to have them," Pitt said.

Graphics are reflective of the company, said Steve Kirks, of Gabriel Communications Inc. "You don't want something as formal as a mission statement," he added, but you do want to communicate the mission to the designer. Then the designer comes up with the graphic that says that.

When working with the designer, the business needs to be able to express what it wants to do. "Have a stack of pictures," Pitt said. The more information the company can provide, the better. You can't give me too much information," he said. Less information means more legwork for the designer and higher costs to the business.

You know your company and market; they don't, Pitt said. If they have to do the research, you will pay for it.

Additionally, flow is vital. The viewer must be able to get where he wants to go directly and fast. And the information people need the most needs to be up front, Pitt said. Take the top 20 things people are always asking and put them on your site.

Flash and animation are great, but too much can be distracting, he said.

"What is really important is don't confuse them," Kirks added.

Information

The purpose of a site is not just to sell a widget but to gather data, Pitt said

Products like Web Trends allow the site owner track all kinds of information. "I can tell who came to the site, how long they stayed, where they went to and where they came from," Pitt said. And trends in Web business become clear. For example, Pitt said, if he suddenly gets a lot of customers from Florida, that's a clear indication he needs to check out what's happening in the Florida market.

Customer service

Customer interaction is essential, Mylenbusch said. A company will want to provide the same level of service whether online or via phone.

On service, "my expectations are even higher for the Web," Pitt said. "If you don't answer me within 24 hours, too late, I'm gone."