Got your company’s data organized and ready to share with clients and customers? Awesome. Now you need to identify the best options to share that data externally. Most likely, the place to start is your website. Take a long, hard look at your website, and ask:
• Does it meet current best standard practices?
• Is it responsive?
• Does it work in a variety of browsers?
• Are portals easily located and login instructions clear?
• Is data complete?
If not, make updating your website your next priority on your road to technological efficiency. Your company’s website is your storefront, and its functionality and accuracy says a great deal about your business.
One of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on at HRG was helping a B2B data company update its website for the 21st century. Their previous website was out of date and not 
very user-friendly, and just didn’t express what a sophisticated, professional organization this business truly is. But they were overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin, and also had a small budget to work with on the redesign. Guided by their vision for what their website could be, I collaborated with HRG’s marketing team and creative director to develop a new, functional user interface that elegantly presented their products and services. The client recognized how important their website was in representing their business, and together we were able to maximize their budget for the project and still exceed their expectations.
Like this client, many manufacturers and wholesalers are paying close attention to their websites. Retailers have been a bit slower to do so. It’s hard to believe, but there are many retailers who still have no online presence. These retailers are missing opportunities. Don’t think you have to compete with the large ecommerce sites, either. A simple website that contains your store’s story, basic information, and an overview of products carried will go a long way towards reaching potential customers. It may not be as costly or challenging to develop an online presence as you think, and lots of resources are out there to help you get started.
The effort you put into organizing your data won’t be worth it if your customers can’t easily access it. Make sure your website is designed with their ease-of-use in mind. What results has your business seen as the result of a website redesign?
Guest blogger Shawn Theesfeld has over six years’ experience at HRG, built on previous experience working within IT departments at Land’s End and Abbott Laboratories. As Software Development Lead, Shawn has worked with clients to solve their technology challenges and make their operations run more smoothly in order to meet the ever-changing demands of end users.