5 Best Practices when Upgrading your Web Presence
3/11/2010 by Jack Burnett
Re-designing your manufacturing website or upgrading your
company's web presence? Remember the key lean web principle -
continually add value for your customers. Here are 5 best
practices that a lot of small and mid-market companies partipating
in the manufacturing value chain forget that hurt their customers
experience on their website:
Site Map and Sitemap - Create an html Site Map
page in your website to help people navigate your website (it may
help the search engines too). Typically the Site Map link is
in the footer of the website so it is available on each page.
For a lot of links in your site map, you can organize the links
into sections to make it easy to read for people. See our
site map page at www.twinengines.com/sitemap.
Also create an xml sitemap file and upload to the web server to
specifically help the search robots.
301 Redirects - When you launch the new
website, the web page names may change (eg. from
www.yourdomain.com/oldpage.php to
www.yourdomain.com/newpage.aspx). This confuses search
engines spiders and bots, and can temporarily cause lower rankings
and lost visitors. To avoid any confusion, set up a 301 redirect
for each old page of your website to a new page.
Custom 404 Page - A 404 error page is an 'ugly'
error page that visitors see when they go to a non-existent web
page or enter an incorrect url. Create a custom 404 page that
provides an easy way for all those lost visitors to get back into
your website. At TwinEngines, we use our Site Map page as our
custom 404 page so people can see an organized listing of all the
links to information in our website.
Web Analytics - Make sure you have your web
analytics software setup in the master template and all other
templates so it is on every page created in your content
management system. We recommend Google Analytics for small
and mid-market companies participating in the manufacturing value
chain, since it is free and easy to use. Configure Google Analytics
goal funnels to monitor your website conversions (eCommerce
checkout, Request Quote, etc).
Google Webmaster Tools - Google shows how
it views your website and alerts you to any problems, so this is a
great way to troubleshoot issues in your website. Once your site is
registered with Webmaster Tools, leave a comment on Sidewiki
These 5 tips are important features of your new website that
will keep you from losing visitors just because you upgraded your
web presence. They also give you free web analytics and
reporting to help you create a lean web presence that adds value to
your customers.
SEO Tips for eCommerce Website
12/30/2009 by Jack Burnett
I read an informative article about search engine optimization
tips for eCommerce websites. At TwinEngines, one of my duties
is to help small and mid-market manufacturing companies in the
southeast expand their markets and increase sales with B2C and B2B
websites.
I follow my lean web methodology to implement a web presence
that works hard for your business 24/7/365. If people
cannot find you online, then you have committed one of the 7 deadly wastes of
the web - that is, committing time, money and resources
into building a website that your customers cannot find. One
of the tools to eliminate this waste is to enhance the basic SEO
techniques.
The article at EConsultancy titled, Seven
sensational SEO tips for ecommerce sites, addresses
some of the common issues found in eCommerce
websites. One of the tips is looking at your products
and placing them in multiple categories that have unique landing
pages containing their own keyword phrases. Another good tip
is using the singular version of keywords instead of the
plural. This is a good idea since people usually want just
one product and not a whole bunch.
If you need help upgrading your search engine optimization on
your eCommerce website, contact me at TwinEngines and
I'll be glad to create an implementation plan with you. We'll
prioritize these 7 tips and more ways to improve your SEO, creating
action plans with cost estimates. Your employees
should even be able to perform some of these tips
with the content management system of your website.
Lean Web - B2B eCommerce for Binding Supplies Manufacturer
12/17/2009 by Jack Burnett
I helped Presentation Binding Solutions (PBS) with a
new business venture, launching a B2B eCommerce website and
eBusiness management system. PBS is a manufacturer and
distributor of binding, laminating and loose-leaf equipment and
supplies with manufacturing plants in Norcross, GA and Nashville,
TN. PBS needed a web presence and management toolset
that:
- Succinctly describes their value proposition
- Allows businesses to easily purchase their products,
- Provides the administrative tools to efficiently manage
customers, products, and orders.
We applied our lean web methodology when designing and
creating the web presence and eBusiness management site. The design
and information architecture of the website followed my Web 5S
approach:
- Sort - The website design is uncluttered and
focused on the call-to-actions - becoming a customer and customers
placing orders.
- Set In Order - Information is organized and
arranged so customers can easily find products, place and track
orders. Web and eCommerce analytics are built into the website for
continuous improvement for users.
- Shine - A clean, professional appearance where
visitors see PBS's attention to detail and their great customer
service carried forward from their internal business operations to
their web presence.
- Standardize - Consistence information
architecture and design elements so customers easily and
comfortably browse the catalog and intuitively interact with the
website to shop and place orders.
- Sustain - Inventory, products, and content on
all web pages is managed by PBS through the content management
system (CMS) tool so customers always find accurate
information.
I have identified the
7 Deadly Wastes of the Web. The goal of the lean web
approach is reducing waste when it comes to the customer
interactivity on the website and employee functions in the web
administrative site. I worked with PBS to
create business processes and web tools so not to add cost or time
without adding value to the customer.
Centralizing management of customers, products, orders,
shipments and web/SEO content is an example of lean operations. The
content management system is one component of the web
administrative site that gives PBS one place to keep their web
content fresh, relevant and unique. PBS does not have the
typical bottleneck when relying on a third-party to update content
in a timely manner.
When a company becomes a customer, PBS follows an approval
process to add the customer. The web administrative site
gives PBS one place to manage all customer information and their
orders - credit holds, purchase order approvals, tax exempt status,
shipment carrier accounts and a unique price sheet for each
customer.
While the seamless presentation of the product catalog in the
website is important to the customer, keeping the product catalog
up to date is critical for PBS. The web administrative site
allows PBS to add, edit and delete categories, products and skus to
their product catalog. PBS sets custom attributes to classify all
skus, so customers can sort and search for specific products while
shopping.
Alignment of work processes to not duplicate work processes is
another key lean concept for companies to operate more
efficiently. PBS accepts orders from customers through the
website, over the phone or by fax. However, phone and fax
orders are entered by CSRs in the eBusiness management system so
all orders flow through the company in the same way. Having
one process to manage orders and shipments for online and offline
orders also allows customers to see their complete order
history.
Integration of information systems is another key area for lean
web operations. QuickBooks is PBS's accounting system, and
they did not want to introduce waste by entering orders manually
into the QuickBooks Online Edition software. TwinEngines
integrated the web administrative site to QuickBooks; credit card
orders appear as sales receipts and Purchase Orders appear as
invoices. Sending all orders automatically from the website
to QuickBooks eliminates duplicate data entry and the possibility
of data entry errors.
The website is also integrated to Authorize.Net's credit card
processing system and to UPS's Online tools. This provides
customers with a secure method to place credit card orders, and
confirms shipping addresses for PBS. Shipping charges and
taxes are calculated and presented at checkout giving customers all
the pricing information needed to place their order.
When Presentation Binding Solutions began planning their
business, they turned to TwinEngines because they wanted someone
with experience in both manufacturing and the web, someone that has
experience helping companies scale their business and systems as
they grow. When it comes to a company's web presence,
TwinEngines extends lean principles and value stream management
techniques. Whether your business targets dealers,
distributors and wholesalers or your customers purchase your
products on the web, TwinEngines can help to simplify, consolidate
and eliminate waste.
Your website should work smoothly for your customers, and it
should work efficiently for you, too.
Web 5S - Foundation for Lean Web
11/06/2009 by Jack Burnett
TwinEngines' Web 5S - our methodology for organizing, cleaning,
developing and sustaining a productive web presence; one that works
hard for you 24/7 365 days of the year. Web 5S speaks to the
website design, information architecture, content and calls to
action in your web presence; both your website and web
portal.
- Sort: First step of removing the clutter
inhibiting visitors from finding your website and from taking the
next step that you desire
- Set In Order: Organize and arrange information
so people easily find it; implement analytics for the web Kaizen
loop
- Shine: Create a professional, trustworthy
appearance that includes a crisp, clean presentation of your
company with a focus on the little, simple things that make a big
difference
- Standardize: Establish a consistency of
information architecture including icons and colors
- Sustain: Empower employees to update content
and establish commitment to fresh, relevant and unique
information
We recognize that there is no 'one way' to Lean Web, and your
business is different from any other. TwinEngines helps you
identify the low hanging fruit, and the proper techniques and
methods that are the right fit and best value for your company.
TwinEngines offers a free website consulting service tailored to
removing clutter in your website design, finding efficiencies, and
creating a roadmap for continual improvement. Call us today
for your free Website Value Stream Mapping consultation.
Lean Web - 7 Deadly Wastes of the Web
11/06/2009 by Jack Burnett
TwinEngines specializes in helping manufacturers and businesses
participating in the manufacturing value chain to be more
effective, agile and connected. When it comes to a company's
web presence, we extend lean principles and value stream management
to identify, analyze and eliminate all sources of
waste. Wastes are known as the seven deadly wastes because
they are like toxins on the web.
The 7 Deadly Wastes of the Web
- SEO: You invest time and money
into your new website with no search engine optimization,
and customers cannot find you
- Conversion: Lost opportunities when visitors
to your website cannot easily convert into customers or sales
leads
- Content: One of many examples: You rely on
your web hosting vendor to update your product catalog, only to
find they are a bottleneck taking 5 days instead of 5 minutes to
make a change
- Alignment: Duplicate work processes to perform
the same tasks for online and offline business
- Processing: Redundant customer service and
sales activities due to lack of workflow control, aggregated
customer information and standardized collaboration with
customers
- Integration: Duplicate data entry and data
entry errors into multiple internal systems supporting different
areas of your organization
- Wait Time: When you cannot fulfill customer
and sales requests in a timely manner due to inefficient
communications and lack of a structured internal approval
process
The ultimate lean target is the total elimination of
waste. In lean thinking, waste is anything that adds cost or
time without adding value. To date, the shopfloor,
manufacturing processes, and the front office have been the focus
of waste. Waste is a big problem on the web too - it affects your
customers and sales. We call our approach to
streamlining processes and eliminating waste in your web presence,
Lean Web.
Top 5 Things to Make your Website Lean
10/22/2009 by Jack Burnett
Web Value Stream Management
TwinEngines specializes in helping manufacturers and businesses
with manufacturing value chains operate more efficiently and
increase profits. When it comes to a company's web presence
for marketing and selling online, we extend lean principles and
value stream management to 5 key areas in manufacturing
websites.
1. Website Value Proposition - Visitor Conversion
- Purchase managers, engineers and your prospects easily find
your website
- Your website makes a good first impression conveying a
professional, trustworthy company
- Visitors to your website take the action that you want them to
take
2. Content Management System
- Eliminate waste inherent when your web/hosting supplier has to
update your content
- Respond quickly to the marketplace and competition
- Simplify website management duties
3. CRM Integration
- Streamline your sales, service and support operations by
connecting your website to CRM systems such as SalesLogix,
Salesforce.com and Microsoft Dynamics
- Consolidate website leads and get them to your sales team
efficiently
- Measure customer conversions and campaigns for continual
improvement
4. Product Catalog
- Seamlessly integrate your product catalog and generate leads
for your internal sales team
- Make it is easy for buyers and engineers to find what they need
and contact you
- Consolidate CAD drawings, how-to videos and specification
sheets
5. eCommerce Integration
- Centralize order processing by integrating your secure shopping
cart to your financial and ERP systems such as MAS, Visual,
QuickBooks and Microsoft Navision and GP
- Provide shipping costs and real-time inventory when customers
place orders, simplifying fulfillment and warehouse management
tasks
- Manage product/sku information in one place eliminating
duplicate data entry
Whether your website targets dealers, distributors and
wholesalers or your website allows consumers to purchase your
products, TwinEngines can help to simplify, consolidate and
eliminate waste for an effective web presence. Your website
should work smoothly for your customers, and it should work
efficiently for you, too.
TwinEngines offers a free website consulting service tailored to
finding efficiencies, identifying solutions and creating a roadmap
for continual improvement.
Call us today for your free
Website Value Stream Mapping consultation.