Hack14.Optimize the Implementation Process


Hack 14. Optimize the Implementation Process

Implementation is over half the battle in web measurement, so you want to make sure you do it right.

Once you've selected a vendor [Hack #3], the next step is to get the application up and running and begin collecting data. Regardless of whether you've gone the software or hosted service route, or whether you're using JavaScript page tags or web server logfiles as a data source, taking time to optimize the implementation process can prevent real headaches later on.

2.2.1. Know What to Collect in Advance

Given the complexity of data collection afforded by top measurement applications, knowing what you want to collect before you start is critical. Especially when working with a hosted service provider [Hack #3] or using page tags [Hack #28], having clear expectations about which data will be collected [Hack #19] can save you time and prevent having to explain why you can't generate critical reports. It's also worthwhile at this point to compare the list of data you'll collect to your original request for proposal (RFP) [Hack #9] to double-check that you're getting what you need. If you don't spend the time getting this right, you'll regret it later.

2.2.2. Work Closely with Your Vendor

Unless you're working with the most bare-bones of applications [Hack #10] or building software yourself [Hack #12], I strongly recommend that you plan on spending some time with implementation support staff from your vendor of choice, especially early on. While you may have a clear vision of how you want your data collected and reports generated, many vendors do a poor job documenting their products, making it difficult to rely on the do-it-yourself attitude that so many technologists have.

Most vendors provide at least nominal implementation support for free; if you're spending more than $50, 000 on software or data collection, you should seriously consider purchasing (or better, negotiating at no additional cost) at least one full day of implementation support (reported vendor pricing [1] is listed in Table 2-1).

[1] As reported by Terry Lund in MarketingSherpa's Buyer's Guide to Web Analytics (http://sherpastore.com/store/page.cfm/2146)

Table 2-1. Implementation and professional service fees for top vendors

Vendor

Provide account support for every customer?

Professional service fees (per day)

ClickTracks

No

$1, 200/day

WebTrends

No[2]

$2, 250/day

WebSideStory

Yes

$2, 500/day

Omniture

Yes

$1, 000/day

Coremetrics

Yes

$1, 500/day

Urchin

No

$1, 200/day

Sane Solutions

Yes

$2, 500/day

Visual Sciences [3]

Yes

$1, 600/day

Fireclick

Yes

$1, 500/day

IBM SurfAid

Yes

$2, 000/day


[2] a WebTrends provides dedicated account support to their largest customers.

[3] Visual Sciences was not covered in Terry Lund's Buyer's Guide; this information was independently gathered.

As a general rule and based on my experience both as an analyst and a director of professional services, I recommend one day of implementation support for every $50, 000 spent, given that an average initial implementation takes anywhere between a few hours and a few days. Depending on which data source you choose, you'll face either a nominally complex software implementation or an occasionally arduous page tag deployment, either of which will be made easier with vendor support. If you don't use all of your time during the initial setup, you'll be happy you have that time throughout the course of the relationship.

Once the data collection process is in place, the next step it to start generating reports.

2.2.3. Get the Five Most Important Reports Right Away

Ideally, you already have an idea of what I mean when I say "the five most important reports." These are the reports that either the senior-most decision maker will want to see or the reports that will help quantify a problem that you already know exists and would desperately like to correct. You want to get these reports as quickly as possible once you're up and running. Obviously, if you have to ask someone for a large sum of money, it's prudent to demonstrate as quickly as possible that the money was well spent. Producing the "five most important reports" in short order will help you do that, provided the reports are meaningful and you're prepared to explain them.

Why five reports? Because it's two less than seven and three more than two, of course! Seriously, depending on your company's particular focus, some of the following might be likely candidates for the "most important reports" list:

  • Campaign response and conversion

  • Most popular pages and content groups

  • Product browse-to-buy ratios

  • Top referring sites

  • Key page "stickiness"

  • Checkout process (conversion and sales)

  • Top keywords and phrases

  • Top internal searches

  • Top affiliates by visits and conversion

  • Visitor geographies

Also, if your particular measurement application has a browser overlay [Hack #62], you should plan on showing that to management, encouraging its use by providing basic training.

2.2.4. Get Training, but Have the Right Expectations

Once the system is collecting data and generating reports, you should arrange to provide application training to the appropriate people. While companies often try and gather together all possible people who may ever, in their lifetime, have any reason to use the measurement application and subject them to training, often this is a huge mistake. Instead, a more effective strategy to promote adoption of tools like these inside organizations is to create a group of "power users" and have them stimulate interest. Despite the fact that web measurement tools are a must-have for companies hoping to succeed on the Internet, these tools are widely believed to be for the technically inclined (a polite way to say "data analysis geeks"), so you'll need to allow people to self-select into this group, at least in the beginning.

Ideally, you'll be able to provide training to a group of three to five power users, again by working with your application vendor to ensure that you're sharing the right information. These power users can then start to generate and distribute the right reports [Hack #91] and help other folks in the organization understand what the data is saying. Even when everyone is trained and getting reports, you still want to be sure you have a backup plan, just in case training alone is insufficient to get the results you require from your measurement application.

2.2.5. Know Who to Call

There is no "911" call you can make when you have a web measurement problem. Because there will be problems, make sure that when you're done with your implementation, you have a few phone numbers on hand to call if you need help. Many vendors, particularly the hosted service providers who depend on your annual renewal, have started providing dedicated account management teams to their mid-tier and high-end customers (Table 2-1). This team is your first line of support when you need help.

If you're lucky enough to be provided dedicated account management, take advantage of it! Develop a relationship with your account manager, ensuring that he knows enough about your business strategy and web site to provide relevant answers to your questions. The best vendors provide these folks at reasonable customer-to-agent ratios (about 20:1 is pretty good) so that any one agent is not too overloaded to assist you. Ideally, these people aren't sales people, so you know when they call that they may actually have important information for you. Conversely, if your account manager never calls or calls only to sell you something, or when you email or call him you don't hear back for days, ask for "other help" and let his manager know you need better support. Being proactive in this regard pays off every time, because you're letting your vendor know that you're serious about web measurement and they need to treat you as such.

Assuming you're able to follow the advice I provide in this hack relatively closely, you should be well on your way to web measurement success. Congratulations! You're now better off than an estimated 70 percent of the companies trying to do business on the Internet.



    Web Site Measurement Hacks
    Web Site Measurement Hacks: Tips & Tools to Help Optimize Your Online Business
    ISBN: 0596009887
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2005
    Pages: 157

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