InformationWeek

What Is Your Net Worth?

World Wide Web sites should offer fresh ideas instead of mimicking traditional media

By James Ho
Issue date: Jan.8,1996

Your business has staked its presence on the World Wide Web. But is your Web site any different from the form-over-substance and me-too efforts that so far seem to be the norm? Amid all the hype, it may not be easy to tell gimmicks from real progress. Is business on the Internet simply going to be a digital substitute for the Yellow Pages, newspaper and TV ads, or home shopping networks? What can customers expect in the way of useful and innovative ideas aimed at getting their business? Here are a few thoughts from one customer on how the Web could really be used to add value.

Tell me what your competitors don't care to let me know. For example: Reports indicate that annual calculations of adjustable home mortgage payments are often erroneous, and this can lead to overpayment. Lenders could include on their Web pages a spreadsheet that could attract potential customers by letting them accurately figure out their loan schedules.

Fine Print
Similarly, despite car dealers' efforts to drop terms such as capitalization reduction, an auto lease is typically a mysterious black box. The customer often doesn't know the exact price, interest rate, or hidden charges that were used to determine the monthly payment. This leaves room for confusion and dishonest practices. Though it may seem odd to think of car dealers voluntarily providing useful information, smart dealers may see the potential in a highly competitive market. The next time I lease, I will be more likely to take my business to whomever has the best page to analyze what I am paying for.

Much lip service has been paid to the idea of customer focus. Business gurus say we are moving from mass production to mass customization. Yet, as I see superstores being replaced by even larger megastores, I am getting less personalized, knowledgeable advice. It's hard to blame sales staff, since products are getting more sophisticated and customers have diverse needs--and retailers cannot train or pay adequately because they must keep costs down to remain competitive. An interactive page where I could get expert advice custom-tailored to my needs would be of great value to me. What exercise machine is best for my body? Which tennis racquet is most suited to my game? Where can I have a vacation worth E-mailing home about?

Overt advertising by doctors, dentists, and lawyers has been seen as conflicting with their professional integrity--and we know who ends up paying for those ads. In contrast, telling us how good you are and how much you charge can be more discrete on the Web. A home page is much less intrusive than an in-your-face TV ad. It's also cheaper and can easily be frequently updated.

Trade glitz for serendipity: Multi-million-dollar TV commercials, no-brainer sound bites, and glossy print ad campaigns are all outgrowths of the passive, static, and programmed nature of conventional media. There is no need to reproduce such effects in cyberspace. There, you cannot capture my attention by hogging the air waves or paying huge sums for magazine pages. Large and small suppliers compete on an amazingly level playing field where the customer has total control over what to see. I am enticed by what I may find and learn in such a dynamic and interactive medium.

Enticing News
To sell me a book, for instance, you will need to do more than present your list of publications, no matter how impressive the design. Instead, try involving me in an electronic discussion on a topic of interest. In the process, you can point out relevant publications that I may indeed consider purchasing.

Finally, don't call me; I'll call you. I promise to visit your Web site--if you agree to stop soliciting by phone, especially around dinner time.

James Ho is the author of Prosperity In The Information Age: Creating Value With Technology--From Mailrooms To Boardrooms (Infotomics, Wilmette, Ill., 1994) and is a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He can be reached at jimho@uic.edu or http://www.uic.edu/~jimho/

This column appeared in Final Word, a forum for professionals with opinions on information management. Your contributions are welcome. IW cannot return unsolicited manuscripts. Please send submissions to: InformationWeek, 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, N.Y. 11030, or E-Mail them to mf aden@cmp.com

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