EasyJet B2B Domain Website - Essay Example

Easy-Jet B2B domain website Introduction: Easyjet’s B2B web pages are meant to serve the needs of corporate travelers whose flights, etc are being booked by their Company. Therefore, the actual goal of the website is to provide useful content and information in an attractive, pleasing to the eye format in order to harnass more corporate customers for easy jet services. Moreover, corporate travelers also for the largest segment of the traveling public, therefore the site catering to them needs to be attractively designed with solid content on each page and the provision of attractive eye catching links. However, there are several areas that may be pointed out where the aim and objective behind provision of this site is not being satisfied and its full potential is not being harnassed, thereby undermining the potential market that exists for easyjet services. Easyjet B2B website: One of the first aspects that easyjet needs to look into is the fact that its B2B link is not clearly visible on the home page. The home page is crammed with several links, of which the B2B link is so small that older viewers who need glasses or those with any kind of visual disability may completely miss the access point. As Jakob Nielsen (1999) points out in his book on designing a good website, simplicity is one of the most vital aspects of designing a website, because the design of a page forms the most visible part of the webpage (p 2). He recommends splitting the material into several pages, but ensuring that each page provides a solid amount of content in a simple, easily viewable form. From this perspective, if easyjet is targeting the business community through its website, then one of its first priorities should be to separate out some of the information on the home page into other pages. For example, the information on airport parking or To/from airport can be included within other pages. There are too many navigation links on this one home page, but the one relevant to the business company is in a very small font and is lost among the other links. Moreover this link is not bolstered with any kind of graphic enhancement at all, therefore first of all the access point must be made more visible and included in a larger font. If it is to stand out on the page, then the link must be bold and highlighted and can be placed separately on one side of the page. Another aspect that must be borne in mind when opening such a cluttered page is the fact that download time will be much more because there are so many links on the one page. This is why simplicity in the page design is of utmost importance. Hence it would be wise for easyjet to examine its page with each single element of the design removed completely from the page, one at a time. If the page appears better and works faster with such design elements removed, then it is better to retain it in its simpler form. Navigation also occupies more screen space therefore this only means that by providing so much navigation and links on a single page, the amount of solid content that is available on the page is reduced and this can be a source of impatience and irritation to the business customer who is looking for quick and easy information on good travel deals. Neilsen (1999) recommends that a web page must contain sufficient content to cover at least half a page and that navigation needs to kept down to below 20%, with this percentage also including the advertising that is done on the site. It is only then that a sufficient quantity of content will be available for the user. Applying this guideline, it may be noted that the easyjet home page with the B2B link has more navigation than content. Apart from the access, the page which opens from the B2B home page link demonstrates the same problem of visibility of the font text. This involves a very important aspect of web design – the question of ‘scanability’ that is achieved by writing concise text. Neilsen (1999) has pointed out that many users may access web pages on a PDA or hand held Nokia phone (p 26), therefore the website design must take into account the differences in screen areas available to viewers. In general, Neilsen recommends a tighter layout for smaller screens and expansiveness for larger screens, which may be achieved by designing resolution independent pages. This will also facilitate a greater degree of viewer control over the visibility of the site by enabling him/her to choose to increase or decrease the size of text and graphics while also ensuring better visibility. The B2B home page appears simple in design, however there could be substantial improvements created in the layout in order to attract the business customer. For example, colors coding is sparingly used, therefore there is an abundance of white on the webpage and while the webpage adjusts to the browser requirement of the viewing computer, the use of concise text as is the case on the B2B home page will show up as large chunks of white space with very small text on it, which is hardly likely to attract viewer interest. Moreover, form the point of view of content, the B2B pages do not appear to satisfy the requirements of providing at least half a page of content, because too much space is given over to white background and navigation links. Moreover, this page does not provide a link to the home page. Viewers may sometimes jump to a particular web page through search engines or through their own book mark menu. However, while the home page states that fares are similar to the ones offered on the home page, no links have been provided, so business customers may be turned off by the dull layout of the site. Every page must have a link to take the viewer to the home page, if necessary. However, the greatest drawback of the B2B pages is the lack of a sufficient degree of content on each page. For example, Broadcom, a seller of semiconductors, was able to earn the global award for product line strategy and their success is based upon the delivery of advanced and innovative processor products for their customers, since the customers are their first priority.(Broadcom report) However, although easyjet’s website needs to target its business clientele, there is precious little informational content provided on the home page on either special fares or concessions available specifically for business customers. There is a need to include more access points to this page, since the only link appears to be through the home site and viewers may not always enter through the home site. From the point of view of content for example, easyjet’s B2B page could be considerably improved by adding on the page, the details of the return date for the flight that must be booked and the percentage of discount that is available. Through the provision of multiple options such as one way ticketing and round trip where return flight dates are also included with discounts clearly specified for number of tickets booked, the business customer’s needs will be well served, since corporate customers are generally in a position where they need to book their tickets in bulk and therefore they are interested in knowing exactly how much discount they can benefit from. But such content is not available on the B2B website and therefore from the point of view of content available on the site, the pages do not satisfy the requirements of half page of content as specified by Neilsen. Moreover, information of specific interest to the business community, such as discounts would go a long way towards enhancing the value of the viewing experience and the fast access to the information that is sought by the viewer. Statistical information that is provided on the website must also be designed as resolution independent pages, so that the facility of zooming on interesting statistics is available to the business user, as also facilities for discounts and the extent of discount available for different instances. Neilsen (1999) has also pointed out that web pages run best when they are viewed on computers of 17 inches and with a resolution of 1024 X 78 pixels, however, the width may often be such that a webpage does not print properly. In order to avoid any problems for customers, it is necessary for easyjet to provide print versions of web pages and include more informational content within its pages, in order to meet the needs of the customers. Easyjet can start maintaining logfiles of users as a part of its website design in order to be able to identify its profile of users and how many business users are directly accessing their link through easyjet’s home page and how many are coming through the search engines, since this will also help to identify the changes that may be required in the website organization that will facilitate easier access to the pages in question.(Norwick, 2001). Hence, in conclusion it may be stated that the two notable areas in which easyjet needs to improve its site is in providing better content for its specific target community – the business users and improving the layout of its pages, as also the visibility of its text and the inclusion of eye catching navigational links for access to multiple pages, especially since most of easyjet’s business is done through its website. References: * Broadcom Report. “Bradcom receives 2006 “Product Line Strategy award” from Frost and Sullivan.” [online] available at Braodcom. * Neilsen, Jakob, 1999. “Designing web usability: The practice of simplicity.” Peachpit Press * Norwick, Elaine, 2001. “Using server logfiles to improve website design.” Library Philosophy and practice, 4(1), Fall 2001. Read More