week 3 questions 2010

Question 1

Customer centric web is when a business creates a website that is based around the wants and needs of a customer. Business that are creating customer centric websites are relising that a unique experience to websites are the key drivers in increased sales, loyality and word of mouth advertising. By the business' anaylsing the wants and needs of clients using their site/goods it allows the business more effective choices of the design, content, offering, designs or processes available on the business' site.

However, sometimes it is hard to establish a customer centric website because if your home page of the web site does not show the clients benefits for them chosing to buy the business goods or services they are less likely to choose to buy your goods or services over your market competitors goods or services. If the website is not straight foreward and easy to navigate customers may feel frustrated and not want to waste their time on trying to find valuable infomation on a site that is not set out clearly.

Question 2

presence can be defined as "the impression that something is present". A web presence is the presence of a company or person on the web. Business that do business on the web should be more concerned about than firms that operate in the 'real' world' because business that sell their goods or services on the web is harder to stand out opposed to business that sell their goods or services in the physical world. this is because business in the fuctional world can make signs to advetise their business and can be known through reputation and location. However, business that operate over the internet need to be able to put their business on seach engines, side banners on popular websites and over competitive prices over businesses that operate in the physical world.

Question 3

(1)

By real estate agents using the internet and having their own website they are able to connect with people outside their local geographical area, by being online the real estate agent is able to show all of his/ or her property listings therefore advertise the properties to a larger audience compared to only being able to advertise in person.

(2)

Mass media advertising is helpful for the customers looking to buy/sell property who do not have access to the internet. Using mass media advertising by putting advertisements on billboards, buses, newspapers, radio etc it allows the real estate agency to advertise to the general public and not just people who have the internet, therefore due to the real estate being advertised more public places it allows the real esate agencies cliental base to grow.

(3)

Personal contact is also another way to connect and advertise the properties the real estate is hoping to sell/lease. Personal contact can be seen as limited compared to using the web because it does not cover a huge geographical location and is not always accessable like the internet. However this typer of selling for the real estate agent can be better than selling over the internet because it allows the agent to talk and push all the good features of the property and go into more detail about the property being sold.