Poorly Designed Websites Hurt Entire Industry, says Abbey National

Abbey National is calling for greater cooperation amongst online retailers following research into online consumer attitudes which shows poorly designed websites are damaging the financial industry.

The bank’s findings are the result of a seven month e-commerce audit, working with research firm Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young's web design wing Darestep as part of the redesign process for its website. TNS found that many users experience ‘net-blur’, where those new to e-banking or e-shopping view everything as ‘the internet’ rather than as individual retailers or companies. As a result they are rejecting whole categories of websites due to poor service or badly designed sites.

Ben Lovejoy of TNS says they believe ‘net-blur’ is a real threat to online retailers. "It is in the interests of all to ensure that websites are not based on what web designers think looks impressive, but rather give consumers what they want in the form they want it."

Abbey National has done its bit to improve matters by implementing a full redesign. Placing the user at the heart of the process, the redesigned site is significantly simpler to use with a reduction in content from 4,500 pages to 1,200 pages and a greater choice of options available from the homepage.

Dr Nick Bryan-Kinns of Darestep, who handled the redesign, says: "By championing a customer-centric approach we have involved users at every stage of development to ensure the new site is intuitively usable."

Initial successes for the site include:
· 10% uplift in online applications as a direct result of the streamlined application process
· 12% increase of daily visits to the site
· 19% increase of repeat visitors to the site
· 12% increase in time spent online
· 25 per cent increase in number of pages viewed, and
· 98% increase in the use of calculators as a result of improved navigation and ease of use.

Ambrose McGinn, Director of Retail e-Commerce at Abbey National said: "As new research into consumer usability becomes more robust, we’ll see internet sites becoming more geared to what the user wants and less about bells and whistles technology. We’ve made a huge leap in learning over the duration of our research and we are open to sharing ideas and best practice with other leading online businesses to eradicate ‘net-blur’ for the benefit of the e-commerce industry."

Since the intention is also to offer customers information and the means to manage their finances through WAP and dTV, as well as more traditional routes over coming years, the challenge to avoid rejection by association will be an ongoing one.

Associated Link: Abbey National website

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