Like the delegates who attended Mick McGuinness’ webinar last week on ‘What Can SharePoint Learn from E-commerce’, I was intrigued by the ways in which common SharePoint issues are being addressed in the world of online retail.

Pure Profit

The reasons for this are purely – and rightly – focused on the bottom line.

Slow e-commerce – and SharePoint – sites generate more support calls, troubleshooting and investments in hardware than a site that has been properly planned from the outset. Yet it’s not uncommon for site development, at least initially, to be led by enthusiasm around design and functionality – the exciting elements of developing an e-commerce site or intranet.

As a marketing professional, it is sobering to truly understand the impact that poor performance can have on company results.

Research from the Aberdeen Group has shown that a one second delay in page load time on an e-commerce site can result in a seven percent loss in conversions, 11% fewer page views and a 16% decrease in customer satisfaction. We’ve all been shopping on line. If we visit a site and make a purchase, the purchase is finalised on the last page that we visit. If this is the case, a reduction by 11% in page views could represent that crucial last communication that leads to a buying decision. The seven percent loss in conversions could just be the tip of the iceberg – who knows how much more trading could have taken place?

Lost Communication

This same, ‘lost’ communication is equally critical to those trying to build a successful intranet experience. Engagement of staff and associated partners is essential to building a truly collaborative online community. Deliver slow service and you’ll find people looking the other way when you’ve got a really important message to share. This is a typical feature of systems that need to distribute a great number of documents and other assets across a wide geographical distance.

Practical Approaches

So to all those who care about a great SharePoint experience, it’s time to unite!

There are real steps that can be taken though to heal a wounded SharePoint intranet but it means lifting the bonnet and taking a peek inside.

To hear more, view our recording of Mick McGuinness’ useful webinar (coming soon) and please contact us if you would like further advice.