I was talking with a client recently about their website. It was terrible. And this particular client works in the luxury travel industry. Their properties have been named some of the best in Asia by prestigious magazines and their levels of service and food have been praised by the same. So why make a website that doesn't match their other levels of industry standards? Budget I was told.Here in Vietnam I think many clients are misled by the belief that everything is cheap when the truth of the matter is that cheap things are cheap and good things cost more. I find it positively baffling that this particular client spent more on the bathroom in my hotel room than they did on the website that supports their entire business in country. Foolish, I think.
When an entire business rests on the image of a company it makes positively no sense to look cheap or low tech on the web. Poor writing, poor photography, sites that function clumsily all contribute to a brand's personality and having them contribute negatively just doesn't make any sense. Not even if you think you are saving money, because in reality, you are loosing money - potential sales that might be more successfully made if a quality product is represented from the start with a quality look and feel in all communications.
There's no accounting for taste, but there should be. Call the accounting department and double your budget on that website. It's one of the least expensive elements of your marketing campaign and may provide one of the best returns.
