Improvements to Communication Aspects of Our Companys Website - Leviathan Hotel - Assignment Example

Leviathan Hotel TO Supervisor FROM (Student name, Designation ) DATE 27 September 2008 SUBJECT IMPROVEMENTS TO COMMUNICATION ASPECTS OF OUR COMPANY’S WEBSITE 1 TERMS OF REFERENCE This report was written on the instructions of the Supervisor Mr _______ to investigate the reasons and causes for the inability of our website in communicating the right impact on customers so as to positively influence them into patronising the hotel, as also to give recommendations as to how improvements can be made to enhance the communication aspects of the website so that more customers are attracted to try the hotel. The investigation in this regard has been focused on comparing the website of Leviathan Hotel with a very well developed website of a successful hotel such as the Mollies Boutique Hotel, and rectification must be made in this regard so that the viewing of our hotel website proves to be more productive in terms of larger number of patrons and guests. 2 PROCEDURES Information was collected for this report by ascertaining: 2.1 The appeal generated by the website amongst readers 2.2 The levels of colour combinations and page designs 2.3 Convenience in navigating through the website 2.4 How user friendly it has proved to be in benefiting the hotel 2.5 Comparison with pages of another popular New Zealand hotel. 2.6 Whether the right advertising and sponsorship is in place 2.7 Whether all required information is provided in the web pages 2.8 If the content has clarity and whether there is ease of use 2.9 Clarity, conciseness and correctness 2.10 Visual aspects of the site are consistent with latest trends 3 FINDINGS 3.1 (First impression) The first thing that happens on opening the website is the unpleasant sight of a pop up that gives the rate chart showing charges for different services. 3.2 (Homepage) The content in the homepage comes straight to the point in providing details about the hotel facilities. It does not provide for guests or visitors to make comments about the site in contrast to other hotel sites. 3.3 (Website Content) The website content does not address the issues relating to the guest or visitor, but constantly harps on what the hotel provides. A hotel has to provide all such facilities so there is no big deal about repeatedly mentioning the services. 3.4 (History Page) There is a full detailed page on the history of the hotel where mention is also made of a ghost inhabiting a part of the hotel, which will certainly put of quite a few from visiting the hotel. 3.5 (Guest Expectations) The information given in the website is not prioritised in keeping with the aspirations of hotel guests. 3.6 (Navigation) Navigation through the website is not smooth as there is no table of contents or site map and index. This is amply proved by the following screen dumps. Home page (top) (only links here are ‘Email’ and ‘Book On-line’) Home page (bottom) (only links here are ‘Email’ and ‘more info’ and ‘AA’ – New Zealand Automobile Association) 3.7 (Conciseness) The website lacks conciseness in not addressing all hotel issues from the guest’s point of view. 3.8 (Attractiveness) The website has not been made attractive and lacks appropriate bulleted lists or meaningful subheadings. The screen dumps of the website given below amply prove this. If we press the link ‘more info’ (at the bottom, right end of the Home page), we see this page (only links here are ‘Email’ and ‘Book On-line’) Icons which we can see here, are not links, they are only pictures. The only links on this page are ‘back’ and ‘AA’ 3.9 (Visual Images) Visual images such as photographs, drawings, moving images and drop boxes have not been used in the website. 3.10 (Website Maintenance) The “Accommodations and tariffs” page on the website is not operational. Moreover there is not much updating of requisition for booking and reservation as is evident from the screen dumps given below. If we press the link ‘Book On-line’ (at the middle of the top part of Home page), we see the page, which has been broken up due to copying constraints. If we press ‘E-mail leviathan@xtra.co.nz’ we can see this page. After we press E-mail address, this small page opens (pop ups) – about quarter size of full standard page. And there are only so many links on this website. So we can see how badly it is designed and we can compare these in contrast with a well designed website and see the difference. 3.10.1 CONCLUSIONS 3.11 (First impression) The website of our hotel has not taken cognisance of the need of the client to have a pleasant experience in viewing the website. The client is not interested to first see the rates and prices in the hotel but wants to know whether his aspirations of a comfortable and enjoyable stay are fulfilled in the hotel. In contrast, the website of the Mollies Boutique Hotel, which too is in New Zealand, gives its viewer an extreme pleasure feeling, what with the colourful homepage and the soothing music in the background that gives him an altogether relaxing experience. 3.12 (Homepage) The homepage has not been made attractive and does not have an aura to attract the attention of the viewer in a soothing manner. It does not provide opportunity to visitors to give their feedback about the site hence showing visible lack of concern for their opinion in regard to the performance of the site. On the other hand we observe from the homepage of Mollies Boutique Hotel that the visitor is given the liberty to vent his anger or praise by way of the option page for “Guest Comments”. In this way it literally pampers the visitor to their site into becoming their guest. It is these qualities of a website that bring in more guests and hence generate more revenue. 3.13 (Website Content) Our website appears to be more self centred in portraying the hotel as providing the most economical rates for all hotel facilities, and much of the pages are too much detailed about irrelevant matters such as timings of restaurants and the price of each food item on the menu list. Rarely do we find hotel websites that give such details, since the hotel guest is looking for much more than just competitive rates and the prices of food items in the menu.. In contrast, the Mollies Boutique Hotel website which has higher rack rates for all services has addressed the aspirations of guests in a way that they are offered more utility and satisfaction with a very pleasant experience that guarantees the carrying of fond and pleasurable memories upon checking out of the hotel. 3.14 (History Page) It is not justified for a hotel to literally push upon the viewer to read a long history page of which he hardly has any concern. The history page describes in detail the existence of a ghost on the third floor of the hotel and that it regularly engages in spooky activities. Certainly the normal hotel guest will dissuade himself from visiting the hotel upon knowing that a ghost haunts it, which in all probability is that of a previous owner. 3.15 (Guest Expectations) A potential hotel guest goes through a hotel site to apprise himself of the facilities offered and the aura that goes with it in giving him an experience that is different from what he gets in pursuing his daily chores and routine. For him visiting a hotel implies getting much more than what he gets in his home and his expectations are much more since he will be paying for all that he gets there. The website is a very important tool in getting to know of the hotel in detail, and if it puts of the viewer in any way he will simply go to the next hotel site on his list. In this context our website is too simple and very unexciting in addressing the guest’s aspirations and dreams that he relates with while having a leisurely stay away from home. In sharp contrast, the Mollies Boutique Hotel website gives a dreamy colourful display of each facility and literally lifts up the customer to a level that he becomes too willing to try out the given services. All the restaurants listed on the website portray an ambience and colourful display that idolises every facility in the hotel. Our hotel provides a total of eight pages of which one is not functional, while the Mollies Boutique Hotel website has sixteen pages which can be further navigated through to get more details on different aspects of the services. 3.16 (Navigation) Our website has not been prepared in a proactive way making the viewer unwary of what is in store for him in regard to his expectations from the hotel. There is no means to establish the unique identity of the hotel that he is searching for in view of the several options he has by way of the niche services that are offered by hotels today. From the website our hotel appears to have only one restaurant while the Mollies Boutique Hotel offers a wide array of restaurants with further navigation options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, wine, cellar and bar. One can navigate to the booking option and book a table to avoid last minute disappointments, which is not available at the Leviathan Hotel site. In addition to accommodation at the Mollies Boutique Hotel, several other facilities can be navigated and opted for in regard to incentives, gift vouchers, promotions, corporate concessions, corporate meetings, fine dining functions, meetings, equipment and catering. Sure, our website has failed to act in a proactive way in addressing several issues that would have borne fruit had we been a little farsighted in this regard. 3.17 (Conciseness) It is natural for a hotel visitor to have several expectations from the hotel in regard to giving him the maximum at the least possible cost to him. The marketing strategy and website design should be made in a way that such efforts appeal to the client in a way that he is motivated to opt for the hotel and its services. But the Leviathan Hotel website does not in any way appeal to the customer by giving him something extra so that he feels pampered and important in staying at the hotel. In contrast, the Mollies Boutique Hotel website elaborately takes up issues from the visitor’s point of view by giving him opportunities to get concessions and bargain offers by way of specially priced weekend and vacation packages that certainly appear to give more than what is expected at the given prices. Not only this, the hotel offers an opulence package that provides for extreme luxury at prices that clients cannot think of. Obviously the hotel does not suffer a loss by giving such concessions, but simply time the offers in keeping with the time and flow of guests. Hence our hotel has not been smart enough to keep pace with other hotels in attracting a larger number of guests, obviously at the detriment of revenues and profitability. 3.18 (Attractiveness) Certainly the Leviathan Hotel website has not been made attractive enough in keeping with current trends which in itself is a major cause for a shrinking bottom line. The visitor to the website must have a pleasant experience the moment he sees the website and should be able to associate with an exciting and charming lifestyle in context of the hotel under reference. In contrast, the Mollies Boutique Hotel website is a class apart in attracting even a casual web surfer to thoroughly read and view all that is portrayed and in all probability there is a strong chance that he may opt to try out the hotel, and will surely remember it as a hotel to think about visiting next time he is in that town. 3.19 (Visual Images) Our website has not exploited the advantages of using visual images such as photographs, drawings, moving images and drop boxes to create a positive impact on the visitor. It is wise to exploit the available technology to one’s best use, which we have failed in miserably and are losing a great deal on this account. It is evident that most other successful hotels have very well designed websites that literally make the visitor have a real life experience by using effective visuals of the facilities in the hotel. Photography is used so that colourful images that are often much realistic than what are available, make the visitor to the website spend time admiring the given facilities and in making use of the other options of extracting required information from the drop boxes and other imageries. 3.20 (Website Maintenance) The fact that the “Accommodations and Tariffs” page on the website is not operational is clear indication that we are not keeping a regular check on the performance of the web site. This creates negative publicity about us since all those who visit the website would like to know of the tariff structure of the hotel once they have apprised themselves of the facilities and options available to them. In contrast, the Mollies Boutique Hotel is updated on a daily basis and there is no scope of any error occurring in the website. Reputed hotels that have an agenda to maintain an impeccable reputation follow stringent code of conduct in keeping the website up to date, which unfortunately we have failed to do. 3.20.1 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.21 (First impression) We should immediately engage the services of a reputed media company and an excellent web designer to look into all aspects of the website and incorporate the latest concept of web communication tools and techniques after eliminating all the out dated and dull contents that do not appear to catch the eye or are not interesting enough to read from the potential guest’s point of view. The media company should be advised to conduct a market research to know of the expectations and aspirations of the clients so as to finally present the website on the basis of market requirements. In this context, a 2004 Neilson survey in Australia found that 65% of online shoppers won’t patronise a poorly designed site, even if it’s their favourite brand.” Hence it is very important to pay the required attention in making a website that appeals to and caters to the interests of clients. 3.22 (Homepage) The media company’s services must be utilised to do the most effective copywriting and designing for the home page which is essentially the face of the company on the world wide web. If the home page creates a positive first impression on the visitor, it will pave the way for him to further navigate into the website for more in depth information, which is necessary for website viewers to be led into becoming actual clients. Just as it happens with the first glance of the Mollies Boutique Hotel home page, the visitor is offered several options of navigating through its website to get a plethora of information, our website too should provide a wide choice to the viewer by way of several navigation options, to vent his desire for more detailed and authentic information. 3.23 (Website Content) If the website provides a pleasant viewing experience that immediately addresses the expectations of visitors, there is absolutely no need for the website to introduce a pop up just to announce the official rates for rooms and services. Instead the pop up could provide some other interesting option by giving, for example, details of the special highlights of the hotel. It is experienced worldwide that hotel customers will never mind paying a little extra for the pleasant experience that is often found lacking in one’s daily routine life style. 3.24 (History Page) There is no need for the history page on the website of our hotel. A person may be interested in the history of a country or a legendry hero, but not of a hotel, which in our case makes a rather proud claim of the existence of a spooky atmosphere within the hotel and the presence of the ghost of a former owner. Such narration of historical facts relating to the hotel is not necessary to be mentioned in the website since it does not add to the marketing strength for the hotel. Hence the history page should be removed immediately. 3.25 (Guest Expectations) Our website is very simple without the presence of hi tech effects that are widely used in every sphere of marketing to woo clients and customers. The media company must be advised to use the latest technology in regard to images and presentation of content so as to create a lasting impact on the viewer of our hotel site as being very impressive, pleasant and interesting to navigate through. All the information that provides value to the customer for his money must be presented in a way that the best technology is used to highlight such options for the client. Glittering visuals that make the viewing of the website very exciting must be placed in the right context to make such viewing memorable. 3.26 (Navigation) Being proactive is the order of the day in as far as marketing efforts are concerned. It is essential to communicate to potential clients that we are the ideal choice for them in regard to being the best hotel option for them, and research data has to be used to frame a marketing strategy that appeals to hotel customers. The media company that we engage must be highly competitive in relation to current achievements and past record of success campaigns. The communication strategy in the website must be formulated on the basis of factual data that has to be collected by research done at the hands of the media company. It is a fact that all successful companies of today cannot do without research in activities of their operations, and it has proved to be highly successful in view of available trends. The best way to woo a customer is to communicate with him effectively keeping in view his aspirations and outlook of the target market in question. Hence top priority must be given to such efforts. 3.27 (Conciseness) We must exploit the present opportunity of the boom in the hotel and tourism industry and be smart enough to address the aspirations of tourists and other guests in offering them well presented packages and bargain offers, which is primarily a jugglery of communication techniques to make an illusion before the website viewer into seeing and imagining the given offers as actually proving to be bargain offers. In effect these are all communication strategies framed by appropriate copywriting and design techniques that present an exciting and bargain offer for the potential guest. To survive in the competition such techniques have to be used as is done by the Mollies Boutique Hotel in their website. The hotel has made tall claims of several concessions and package offers that promise to give more value for the client’s money. We too must design our website in such an appropriate manner. 3.28 (Attractiveness) Our website should stake claim to being remarkable in guaranteeing that the stay will be unforgettable and that the guest will carry back fond memories of his stay. This aspect has to be well presented on the website so that the viewer does not look at it as a mere marketing gimmick, hence such a claim has to be supported with past guest comments which authenticate the website claims in addition to positive feedback from media agencies and reviews in other tourism websites and magazines. 3.29 (Visual Images) Our media agency must be advised to include a large number of moving images as also hi tech colourful photographs that create a sense of continuity and bright colourful experiences for hotel guests. All facilities in the hotel must be highlighted in a manner that they create a positive and lasting impression on the viewer. 3.30 (Website Maintenance) It is very essential that the agency taking care of our website maintenance be strictly advised to update the same on a daily basis and that no opportunity is provided to display any technical lacuna that cuts a sorry figure amongst clients and viewers. The fact that “Accommodations and Tariffs” option on the home page is not functional is highly detrimental to the interests of the hotel. In conclusion it is recommended that the website of the Leviathan Hotel has to be made afresh to incorporate a new look that creates a feeling of its being in line with the latest technology as also in meeting all aspirations of the would be hotel guest to keep him in high spirits and in giving him exceptional value for his money. References Cameron Moll, Good Designers Redesign, Great Designers Realign, October 2005, Published in Brand Arts, Graphic Design Catalin Bocanu, Secrets of a Good Site Design, Sept 2007, http://news.softpedia.com/news/Secrets-of-a-Good-Site-Design-65729.shtml, Accessed on 30.9.08 Charles Kelly, Guidelines for Designing a Good Website, March 2000, Aichi Institute of Technology (Toyota, Japan) Gerry McGovern, Web writing: How to judge a good website from a bad one, September 2004, http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/nt/2004/nt_2004_09_06_web_writing_links.htm, Accessed on 29.9.08 Jennif Jones, Six Qualities of a Good Website, Internet-and-Businesses-Online/Web-Design, Accessed on 30.9.08 Reviews of the best websites, http://www.thegoodwebguide.co.uk/, Accessed on 30.9.08 Shane Ettestad, President & CEO of Blue Square Studios, Hotel Website Mythbusters: Search Engine Marketing is the Bait; Content Makes the Sale, May 2006, Leading Edge www.leviathanhotel.co.nz www.mollies.co.nz What Makes a Good Website, http://www.netpotential.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=81&EntryID=7, Accessed on 29.9.08 Read More