Managerial Support Systems - Article Example

In order for a corporation to make a good impression, its website must have the attributes the customer desires. The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the attributes and characteristics a customer desires in a corporate website.Future customers with the highest potential buying power are the generation Y members. Along with this group, all internet users expect and desire certain things from corporate websites. One of the first things a customer desires in a website is good information.

The information about the firm’s product must be presented in a way that the client receives and reads about the best attributes of the product or service and how it is better than the competition. A corporate website serves the dual purpose of serving both customers and other stakeholders. A stakeholder group that utilizes a lot the information provided in websites is investors. Investors of corporations expect the annual report to be available within the corporate website. Other information the investors and potential clients expect from the customer is information regarding the corporate responsibility efforts of the firm.

Corporate responsibility has become a strategic focus that can make a major difference in a corporation’s bottom line. There are different things that a company could perform to improve the services and the quality of its web presence. Customers like to receive up to date data and information and quick service when they make an inquiry. A way to ensure the customer receives the fastest service possible is included in a corporate website an interactive communication system. Online customers expect much more from businesses nowadays.

A corporate website should include either a forum or an online communication system that provides an instant chat room for the customer to communicate with a customer service representative in real-time. A website can substitute the need for having a full-time staff of customer representatives working at a call center. Another characteristic a customer looks for in a website is user-friendliness. A website that is too complex to navigate turns off a customer. The graphics and overall design of a website can enhance its attractiveness.

In our current business environment managers have to realize that a corporate website represents an opportunity to improve its customer service without raising costs. There are virtual companies such as eBay that fully depend on its website as its primary store. The online retail market is increasing because the internet has the potential to reach 6.6 billion potential customers worldwide.