As someone who often searches online for contact details of stores, companies, products, etc, one of the greatest annoyances I have has to be websites that are not updated once the respective details have changed.
After recently hearing about Skinjam and their ability to wrap cellphones with cool logos I set out to find the nearest store to me. Their website indicated that would be Rosebank Mall ("Coming Soon"). That day being a public holiday, it seemed pointless to call the head office number to verify location, but a friend did say that they remember seeing the store there.
So off I went to Rosebank Mall. Upon getting there I walked throught all passages trying to find the store only to find out from Information that Skinjam is NO LONGER at Rosebank Mall. So I view the website from my phone and notice that it (the website) was last updated in 2010! Boy, was I frustrated!
It is general practice that most people these days reach for their phones or laptops to google a name or number or find a website with the information that they require. How then, with this common practice, do companies not see the need for up-to-date information across ALL media platforms?
I work at a company where information is critical (I am in data support services for a fleet management company) and up-to-date information more so. Our CEO lives by this - so any changes to products or contact details has to be updated and distributed immediately. This good habit has certainly filtered thoughout our company and we are not faced with the situation where people cannot find us, or cannot get hold of us. More importantly, we save our customers unnecessary frustration and time!
In my company, this responsibility to keep information up-to-date lies with me. I assume in larger organisations it would be the responsibility of the public-facing departments such as marketing or public relations. Surely within these departments is a person more than capable to handle such a task? Why then is it so hard to carry out?
Dear companies, please do not forget, QUALITY of information is key. Irrespective of what the information may be.
You'd be surprised how many large companies, in this information age, do not see the importance of maintaining their websites. It frustrates me when contact details aren't correct.
ReplyDeleteAmen! I called two seperate companies right now and their receptionists had to refer me to other people in their organisation when all I asked was "Does your company have a BEE rating and on what level?" Needless to say I will not be doing business with them because clearly they are 'special'.
ReplyDelete