All,
I’m sure that those involved in web analytics and testing are familiar with tools like HTTPWatch (www.httpwatch.com) and HTTPFox (Firefox Add-in) for testing whether the tagging has been implemented correctly.
Following my post about the CMS Watch report on Web Analytics Vendors I thought that I would mention about some product notifications that I’ve received from Yahoo Web Analytics.
I was going to start my blog this morning talking about SES London and some of the fantastic learnings that people can get from such seminars. However, that is going to have to wait until lunch time when I get more time to post (yes planning 2 posts in one day).
Vista Print…. Well this seemed like a good model and to be honest yes it still is. I was a customer.
For those of you that don’t know – Vista Print is a trans global company and produces business cards, calendars and stuff like that. I’ve used them for my last two sets of business cards (when I was just using name and when I setup my own company). Indeed I’ve received christmas cards from businesses and they look professionally done.
However, why am I writing this blog? Well this is about a business that had a great internet proposition but, buggered it up but (in my humbled opinion) being greedy. I came home from work and opened a credit card statement and there was a strange VPREWARDS.COM listed. Ok is this something from Christmas because remember most of the Christmas shock tends to happen. Questions like “how much was that bloody t-shirt” happen (in my case that isn’t a problem because I need twice as much fabric as the next person.
This was Vista Print Rewards. Something which I’ve never signed up for and never agreed to pay £11.95 (around $18 per month).
“So why didn’t you go to the website and cancel the subscription?”
- Well lets take a look at their VPREWARDS website (see below).
The site is so plain that you begin to wonder whether this is a joke / phishing site? Are they asking me to reconfirm my credit card details? Well thats a stupid thing to think because they already have my money. However, how are you supposed to cancel it when there is no telephone number, no site map, no contact us, no “information” link. Yet companies like John Lewis and B&Q (two very big brand stores in the UK) are advertised as being participants.
Would you like your brand on a site that 1. is being associated with “fraud” and 2. has a website design as crap as that. Ok so maybe this is a microsite? However, this is still a key touchpoint for customers and if you’re read “Landing Page Optimization” by Tim Ash then you’d have picked up some very useful hints.
So where did I go from here – whilst on the phone raising this as an issue with the bank? Lets go to Vista Print’s homepage and see if that is any better. Is there any contact information easily identifiable?
NO!
How about at the footer of the page? Is there an easily identifiable phone number or “contact us”?
I browsed a few links and eventually found that it was “HELP” (rather ironic I found and did chuckle to myself) that contained the information I wanted. Now I understand that this business model is for online purchase configuration, payment and fulfillment is via standard post. However, you do have to guide your customers and let me tell you that trying to put a custom designed card (yes I did it myself) into their system and having to learn about bleeds and so on isn’t the easiest process. Lets face it applying for a credit card is easier!
So once I had eventually found the link it really wasn’t that bad. I didn’t expect them to know instinctively what my query / complaint was about so why the hell should the link be at the top of the page.
However, if you look at this “help” screen you can see some benefits. It is a WebTrends SmartView dream – where the customer clicks is what their issue is. Now you could have a search box and if you had a decently indexed enough list of responses you may get 80-95% but it is always guarenteed that i’ll be that odd 5% where the response doesn’t fit.
Ok so the next step…. clicking on the link should really give me a solution… Right? WRONG!
The link which says cancel your membership by clicking here… Well it just redirects you to the homepage. Now if its a case of needing a membership ID and password then how the hell am I supposed to know what it is. Ah, at last a phone number!!! Ok I don’t mind ringing the States not my mobile/cell either – since they are taking £12/$18 out my account every month without my permission.
I do like they want you to rate their articles…. shame they don’t ask you to rate their service!!.
So points to note:
1. Yes poor experience had by me.
2. Demonstrable poor customer experience, usability and design
3. Make a note of the telephone number above and this post (you may need it). If you don’t believe me then just type the number into Google and look how many negative posts you get just for the telephone number!
See it not just Miles having a bitch about some poor service (which isn’t really typical of a Brit).
Now notes from the Bank:
1. Always contact the bank and ask their advice prior to doing anything.
2. Look at the website and try and find the contact details and contact the customer. In a lot of cases the bank cannot do anything until you’ve tried to resolve this yourself. Make a note of the time/date, telephone operators name, a reference number and anything promised.
3. Don’t shout at the Bank – they are there to help and they are following VISA rules and MASTERCARD rules, not the banks rules. Most investigators will help you by suspending interest or refunding the dispute amount (subject to the outcome).
4. The retailer has the right to contest. Be warned.
5. Apprently, this VPRewards is linked with flowers by internet sites aswell as Vista Print’s own site. I would strongly recommend that all sites you buy things from, look for the “reward programme” box – maybe its already checked!