E- Business Strategies
and Applications
Strategy Formulation:
Customer Interface
CHAPTER 3
5-3
Chapter 5: Strategy Formulation:
Customer Interface
Questions Answered in this Chapter:
What are the seven design elements of the customer
interface?
What determines the look-and-feel of the design?
What are the three content classifications?
Why be concerned with community?
What are the two ways in which websites can achieve
customization?
What types of communication can a firm maintain with
its customer base?
How does a firm connect with other businesses?
What commerce features help websites perform financial
transactions?
5-4
Introduction
Customer interface
is the virtual representation of a firm's chosen value
proposition
Seven design elements of customer interface (7Cs)
Context
Content
Community
Customization
Communication
Connection
Commerce
The 7Cs of Customer Interface
Context Content
Site’s layout and design Text, pictures, sound, and
video that webpages
contain
Commerce Community
Site’s capabilities to The ways sites enable user-
enable commercial to-user communication
transactions
Connection Customization
Site’s ability to self-tailor to
Degree site is linked to different users or to allow
other sites users to personalize the site
Communication
The ways sites enable site-
to-user communication or
two-way communication
Business Model
Business Model
Individually Supporting Fit
Context Content Community Customization Communication Connection Commerce
Consistent Reinforcement
What Determines the Look-and-Feel 5-7
of the Design? First: Context
Context
captures its aesthetics and functional look-and-feel
Dimensions of Context
1. Function refers to the organization and accessibility of information
Section Breakdown is the way the site is organized into subcomponents
Linking Structure enables users to move easily between sections
Navigation Tools facilitate how the user moves through the site
Speed is measured by the time needed to display a page on a user’s screen
Reliability how often a site experiences “downtime”
Platform Independence is measured by how well the website can run on
multiple platforms, including old versions of Web browsers
Media Accessibility the ability of a site to download to various media
platforms
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First: Context (cont’d)
2. Aesthetics refers to the visual characteristics of a site
Color Scheme refers to the colors used throughout the site
Visual Themes help to tell the story portrayed across the site
Context Classifications
Aesthetically Dominant: Emphasis is on the look-and-feel of the site.
This type of site makes heavy use of visual elements
Functionally Dominant: Emphasis is on the display of textual information.
This type of site limits the visual design to a minimum
Integrated: Balance of form and function.
These sites have a clear and appealing theme that support the underlying graphics
Exhibit 5.3: Form vs. Function
-The Design Context Frontier
High Integrated
Aesthetically
Dominant
Frontier is
gradually moving
outward as
technology
advances
Low
Functionally
Dominant
Low High
FUNCTION
5-10
Exhibit 5.4: Aesthetically Dominant
example—[Link]
5-11
Exhibit 5-5: Functional Dominant—[Link]
5-12
Exhibit 5-6: Integrated Example—[Link]
Second: Content 5-13
Deciding What Information to Include
The Content of a website
refers to all the digital information on the site
Evaluating Content
Offering Mix
Content of a site can include products, information, services, or a mix of these three
Appeal Mix
Company's value proposition is projected in the promotional and communications messages of
a site
Multimedia Mix
Refers to the choices of media including text, audio, image, video and graphics
Timeliness Mix
information presented on a site is time-sensitive
Current Content –
Highly time-sensitive information with very short shelf life
Reference Content –
less time-sensitive information with longer shelf life
5-14
A Framework to Understand Content
Classifications
Multiple Superstore
NUMBER OF
PRODUCT
Specialty
CATEGORIES Store
Category
Killer
Single
Narrow Broad
DEPTH OF PRODUCT LINE
5-15
Second: Content (cont’d)
Content Classifications
Product Dominant: Encompasses store sites that primarily sell
physical goods
Superstore
One-stop shop offering a wide range of goods in multiple product categories
Category Killer
Sites offering a comprehensive selection of products and services but only within
a specific category
Specialty Store
Stores offering exceptional quality and exclusivity in single or multiple
categories of products
Information Dominant: Encompasses store sites that focus
heavily on information
Service Dominant: Encompasses store sites that focus on the
services offered, often for a fee
5-16
Exhibit 5-8: Category Killer Example—PetSmart
5-17
Exhibit 5-9: Specialty Store—[Link]
5-18
Exhibit 5-10: Information-Dominant
Example—Fast Company
5-19
Exhibit 5-11: Service Dominant
Example—PlasticsNet
5-20
Third: Community
Community includes a feeling of membership in a group
along with a strong sense of involvement and shared
common interests
Five components determine the shape of online
communities:
Characteristics
Member Motivation
Member Participation
Member Benefits
Interaction Tools
5-21
Characteristics
The more evolved the community the more likely it
is to have these six characteristics
Cohesion- the community develops a group identity
Effectiveness- the group has impact on members’ lives
Help- members feel comfortable asking for and receiving help from other
members
Relationships- interaction between individuals leads to friendships
Language- members develop a specialized language and/or abbreviations
with unique meaning within the community
Self-regulation- the group sets rules for its own interaction and
develops a system for policing itself
5-22
Communities—Elements, Types & Benefits
Why members are How members
motivated to join the participate in the
community community
Community Characteristics
• Cohesion
• Effectiveness
Interaction Tools
• Help
• Relationships
• Language
• Self-regulation
Member Benefits
• Need fulfillment
• Inclusion
• Mutual influence
• Shared experiences/ information
5-23
Community Classifications
Nonexistant- sites that have no community offer no
way for users to interact with one another, on either a
one-to-one basis or one-to-many basis
Limited- sites that offer features such as reading and
posting information, stories, or opinions
Strong- sites that offer interactive community functions
such as chat rooms and message boards
5-24
Exhibit 5-13: Limited Community
Ex. Gillette Women’s Cancer Connection
5-25
Exhibit 5-14: Strong Community
Example—[Link]
5-26
Fourth: Customization
Creating an Individualized Website
refers to a site's ability to tailor itself to each user or
to be tailored by the user
Dimensions of Customization
Personalization:
user initiates & manages the customization process
Tailoring:
Software dynamically publishes unique versions of the site to
address specific user's interests, habits & needs more appropriately
5-27
Fourth: Customization (Cont’d)
Commonly used customization features:
E-mail accounts
Users can send and receive e-mail from the site, using a free,
unique e-mail address
Content and layout configuration
Users can design their own homepage, within limits, by choosing
background colors, layout design, and content sources
Storage
Users can store e-mail, URLs, favorite content, or items they want
to buy
Agents
Computer programs can perform simple tasks upon request, such
as notifying a user via e-mail when a product is in stock
5-28
Exhibit 5-15: Personalization by User
Example—[Link]
Exhibit 5-16: Tailoring Example—Amazon 5-29
Homepage for Two Users
5-30
Fifth: Communication
Keeping in Touch with Users
refers to the dialogue between a site & its users
Dimensions of Communication
Broadcast
One-way information exchange from organization to user.
can be in the form of mass mailing, FAQ, e-mail newsletters,
content-update reminders and broadcast events
Interactive
Two-way communication between the organization and a user.
can be in the form of e-commerce dialogue, customer service and
user input
5-31
Fifth: Communication
Communication Archetypes
One-to-One, Non-Responding User
User receives personalized messages to address specific interests or
needs without a need to respond
One-to-One, Responding User
User responds to personalized messages sent by the site
One-to-Many, Non-Responding User
Site messages are announcements that users receive without needing to
respond
One-to-Many, Responding User
Site messages are invitations to users to submit their comments and
responses
5-32
Exhibit 5-17: One-to-One, Live Interaction Example—
[Link]
5-33
Sixth: Connection
Linking with Other Websites
is the degree to which a given site is able to link to other
sites
Dimensions of Connection
Outside Links
Links that take the user completely outside the home site and into a third-
party site
Framed Links
Links that take the user to a third-party site that open in the same
browser window and that are framed by the home site in some way
Pop-Up Windows
Links that open up the new site in another browser window while the
original website stays in the background
Outsourced Content
Content that comes from an outside supplier
5-34
Exhibit 5-18: Outsourced Content
Example—[Link]
5-35
Sixth: Connections Classifications
Destination Site
Provides almost exclusively site-generated content
with very few links to other sites
Hub Site
Provides a combination of site-generated content
and selective links to sites of related interests
Portal Site
Consists almost exclusively of links to a large
number of other sites
5-36
Exhibit 5-19: Destination Site—[Link]
5-37
Exhibit 5-20: Hub Example —Industry Central
5-38
Exhibit 5-21: Portal Site Example—Yahoo
5-39
Seventh: Commerce
Enabling Financial Transactions
refers to the sale of information, products or services
on the site.
Dimensions of Commerce
Functional tools that are the commerce-enabling features of a
website
•Registration •Orders Through Affiliates
•Shopping Cart •Configuration Technology
•Security •Order Tracking
•Credit-Card Approval •Delivery Options
•One-Click Shopping
5-40
Seventh: Commerce (cont’d)
Commerce Classifications:
Low
These websites have the ability to process transactions, but with few of
the tools that enable e-commerce
Medium:
Some websites have no need for all the commerce activities and
contain financial transactions as a necessary feature but not as their
main purpose.
High
These websites are fully equipped with all or almost all the functional
tools that enable e-commerce.
5-41
Exhibit 5-22: Map of 7Cs Framework
Aesthetically Functionally
Context Integrated
dominant dominant
Information-
Content Product-dominant Service- dominant
dominant
Community Nonexistent Limited Strong
Moderately
Customization Generic Highly customized
customized
One-to-
One-to-many, One-to-one, One-to-one,
many,
Communication nonrespondi nonrespondi responding
responding
ng user ng user user
user
Connection Destination Hub Portal
Commerce Low Medium High
5-42
Exhibit 5-23: Foot Locker ([Link])
Aesthetically Functionally
Context dominant dominant
Integrated
Content Product-dominant Information-dominant Service-dominant
Community Nonexistent Limited Strong
Moderately
Customization Generic
customized
Highly customized
One-to-many, One-to-many, One-to-one,
One-to-one,
Communication nonresponding responding nonresponding
responding user
user user user
Connection Destination Hub Portal
Commerce Low Medium High
5-43
Exhibit 5-24: Cool Running ([Link])
Aesthetically Functionally
Functionally
Context dominant dominant
Integrated
dominant
Product- Information
Information-
Content dominant -dominant
dominant
Service-dominant
Community Nonexistent Limited Strong
Moderately
Customization Generic
customized
Highl
Highly Customized
One-to-many One-to-many, One-to-one,
Communication Nonresponding responding nonresponding One-to-one
user user user Responding user
Connection Destination Hub
Hub Portal
Commerce Low
Low Medium High
5-44
Exhibit 5-25: [Link]
([Link])
Aesthetically Functionally
Context dominant
Integrated
Dominant
Product- Information
Content dominant
Service-dominant
-dominant
Community Nonexistent Limited Strong
Strong
Moderately
Customization Generic
customized
Highly customized
One-to-
One-to-many One-to-one,
many, One-to-one,
Communication Nonresponding nonresponding
responding responding user
user user
user
Connection Strong
Destination Hub Portal
Commerce Low
Low Medium High
5-45
Exhibit 5-26: CBS [Link] Homepage