Contact Us content needs help

[martink]

Okay, so our Contact Us page is terrible and my boss wants me to "fix it" ASAP!! I have ideas on how to fix it, but would really appreciate others' input too. Specifically, aside from including a map and picture of our office building, how is the best way to approach this page. The president of the company feels like we look like we're hiding our info and how to reach us. I woudln't necessarily agree, but 1) what are your opinions; 2) how can I make the page better; and 3) what is proper web convention for Contactu Us pages. I'm asking both in reference to content, appropriate point people (the highest up vs. general info) and location of the page on a site (footer, top nav, etc).

HELP!!!

http://www.gowithcea.com/contact_us.html

Thanks!

MartinK

[Dcrux]

I think you have done a good job. At this point the only thing to do is test. That means have a task list, sit users down, and see what happens.

Tasks are likely reasons people would have to contact you. What is the percentage who get the proper person on the first try? Are 10%, 20%, 30% of those who call in confused about who they should talk to? Are a significant percentage of callers transferred two, three or four times? What problems are there with email?

In other words, what evidence is there of some problem with the contact page?

[sands]

Your CEA Department contacts E-mail links are scrambled using JS and so those using JS disabled browsers would not be able to use any of those links. Would be better to use a form with a drop down CEA Department options.

Otherwise do note the points raised by Dcrux. The more contact forms one creates, and the more complex they are, the more weird entries you will receive. Go by experience.

[davebarnes]

Kelly,

You wrote: "our Contact Us page is terrible and my boss wants me to "fix it" ASAP!!"

It is not terrible, as I wrote yesterday.

Something else (not technical) is going on if "ASAP" is being thrown about. Your boss has a hidden agenda here. For example, sales are down so blame it on the contact us page.

Your 800 phone number is very obvious on the page. If I--as a student or parent--were confused, I would just call. Are your phone procedures working correctly?

One of your competitors has this contact page: http://www.ifsa-butler.org/contact/index.html which does not seem any "better" to me.

As a parent whose daughter just started her semester abroad, I am somewhat attuned to what your website offers. As a parent, I only had 2 questions about study abroad: how much more money will it cost? and you will get Columbia points for this, right? Every other question was really unimportant.

I still don't like the BBB logo on the About Us page. Butler does not have anything similar. I just don't see "academia" and BBB as fitting together. In fact, the BBB logo makes me think that you are some kind of carpet cleaning company that also does study abroad.

,dave

[incrediblehelp]

More tips here:

The 4 Most Underrated Pages on Your Web Site

[martink]

Thanks all. I really appreciate the input! I'll put together a game plan utilizing the suggestions given to make the 'not so bad' page even better.

Much obliged,

Kelly