Web Site User Experience 2010: Marketing Software Vendors

Forrester evaluated the user experience of the Web sites of four large business-to-business (B2B) marketing software vendors: Alterian, Oracle, SAS, and Unica. Overall scores were mediocre: No site received a passing grade. SAS came out on top, standing out with a significantly higher score than any of its competitors. Among the usability flaws we uncovered, those which occurred most frequently were hard-to-find content, confusing menus, inefficient task flows, ineffective search, and illegible text. Though flawed, each site also demonstrated some best practices. To improve the online customer experience, marketing software vendors need to focus on providing value that is easy to find. To get started, customer experience professionals at these firms should follow the principles of Scenario Design, design for key persona needs, emphasize usability fundamentals, and build toward a future that is customized, aggregated, relevant, and social.