Benefits of Backend Software to enhance user experience
You can check out more information on all of these software products at: www.ert2go.com/services/eCommerce.html

Shopping Cart (eCommerce) - Allows for repeat customers.

• This software is a great way to make purchasing your products an easier experience for your customers rather than phoning in an order or coming to your place of business to make a purchase. Clients can purchase items online through your online shop.

Web Blogger - Allows for interactive user experience & lends to credibility. Keeps the user coming back to your site.

• Blogging is a hot market right now and businesses are getting in on it as well. Want to inform your clients about certain products, topics, news regarding your company, etc? Put it in your Blog (i.e. web log) so that people can come to your site for up to date info. Blogs are also used as online journals. Teresa Le, our fitness trainer, has a blog that she uses to inform her clients of topics that she thinks will benefit them. Interesting blogs can keep your users coming back for more.

Events Calendar - Keeps user coming back to your site for updates & gives credibility to your site/company.

• An online calendar is a great way to keep users up-to-date on events, special occasions, appointments, etc. This allows you to post your events (etc.) without allowing others to post events.

Guestbook - Allows for interactive user experience and feedback.

• A guestbook can allow you to get feedback from users on your site or allows you to use it as testimonials, where your clients can post their "raves" on your website for you.

Form Designer - Allows for interactive user experience, credibility & feedback.

• Adding forms to your site can be a great added feature that allows clients to easily interact with you. Most companies have AT LEAST a contact form. If all you have is a regular "mailto:" (ie. mailto:anna@ert2go.com) link that directs people to email you... you can run into a couple of issues: 1) if users do not have their mail service setup (ie. Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express), clicking on the mailto link just directs them to the mail program that is not set up and requests that they set it up. This is annoying to most people. Then they have to copy and paste your email address into their free Yahoo or MSN email client. It's too many steps. 2) Simple mailto links can invite email harvesters to your site. If you like getting spam mail in your email box, use the mailto link. If you don't want spam, use a form. Forms allow users to not only send emails directly through your site without having to go through their mail client, but it also hides your email address from potential threats.

Links Directory -

• Check to see who is linking to you and keep track of your outbound links and reciprical links. If any of the companies that put your link on their site happen to take it off, you'll know about it using this software program.

Contact Form - Allows you to keep contact information handy & gives you credibility.

• This is not a contact form as seen in the Form Designer program above. This form is a program that keeps all of your contacts in a database. You can either access this on the backend or display it on your website... it's up to you.

Forum - Allows user interactive experience. Keeps users coming back to your site.

• Forums are great for the user experience. When someone has a question they can be directed to your forum where they can post their question and get an answer from someone at your facility. This works great if you also have a FAQ page. It also helps to see what products/services need attention... it's a great feedback container.

FAQ Support - Allows for credibility & better user experience.

• This software allows you to list questions and answers that people most commonly ask. It's a great source of knowledge for users so that they don't have to call in to tech support if they can find the answer to their question online. This software can work in conjunction with the helpdesk program.

Customer Helpdesk - Allows for credibility & user experience.

• The helpdesk is like a ticket center. The user has a question, they fill out a quick form that gets sent to your backend software program... you can handle the tickets as you receive them and once the ticket is addressed the users answer gets sent back to their email. The user is able to check the ticket responses online per a link that is sent to their email. All of these question and answers can be transfered into the FAQ program for future users to see.

Website Traffic Stats -

• Keep track of who's coming to your site, how often, how long their staying, and how many visitors you are attracting.

Misc. Tools -

• Password protect your pages, have a "site search" on your site, create site maps, site counters, take mini polls, and even tell-a-friend about this site. These are all small tools that add fun, interactive content for the users overall experience on your website.

News Publisher - Allows for credibility.

• Keep your clients and web users up to date on your company and it's progress or events. Link to publications or TV/radio interviews regarding your company. It's a great way for users to see that you are a real company.

Newsletter - Allows for interactive user experience & keeps you in front of your client with online advertising and information.

• Allow users to "opt-in" and sign-up for your newsletters. Send your newsletters out to all of your subscribers by setting up what time & date you want specific newsletters sent out. This includes sending out advertisements or updates. This software keeps track of all of your subscribers and newsletter articles.

Photo Gallery - Allows for interactive user experience.

• Showcase your products in action, events, artwork, or designs so that users can browse through easily and get information on the pictures as well.

Online Appointment Scheduler - Allows for interactive user experience, keeps users coming back to site for updates, and lends to credibility.

• If you are a chiropractor, dentist, doctor, own a nail salon, or just anyone who takes numerous appointments from clients, consider an online appointment scheduler. It allows clients to go to your website and schedule an appointment online. The information is sent "on the fly" so the minute its scheduled you are able to see it on your website as well. Have your appointment book be right on your computer screen and handy.

All of these programs have a backend component that allows easy accessibility for you to monitor and maintain it yourself. If purchased, I set it all up for you to make using this software easier in the future. It is necessary that I integrate these features into your site as there is integration code that the average business owner cannot do themselves. Also, if desired I can be hired to monitor and maintain this software and components for you. In order to use this software, you must be a client of Oaks Data Hosting as their servers are set up to receive this software already. I will not attempt to integrate these products onto any other server as they are most likely not set up to receive this kind of software.