Thursday, 2. July 2009, 07:39:42
One of the basic lessons we learn at User Experience is the importance of Visual Feedback for every actions. Whether it is hardware or software, Visual Feedback ensures the users feel good and lets them know whether the system has done the job or not.
In case of hardware - take a mobile phone for example. When you edit a profile or save a contact or edit a contact a feedback such as "Saved" or "Changes Applied" etc is displayed. In case of software whether it is a desktop application or web application - visual feedback is essential in all crucial actions. What if you delete a file and windows doesn't show a feedback / result like "X files Deleted"? You will not know whether the file has been deleted successfully or not. Though the visual feedback is captured in most desktop applications, web applications are yet to reach there.
Web applications, especially those use AJAX, should ensure visual feedback is shown for every crucial actions. Because normal web sites, applications use the page refresh to create a "some action has been done" metaphor. Where as, AJAX applications does not use such page refresh. So a visual feedback is always important so that the user is not confused whether something has been done or not.
The visual feedback could be a animated icon, or inline-dialogs or layer pop-ups which are easy to close or feature time-initiated self-closing logics.
In user experience, good visual feedback ensures the application is user friendly.
Monday, 29. June 2009, 10:07:54
It is good! I should say - the errors, the syntax errors. God! it reminds me of the old days during which I learned VB and other languages. PHP and MySQL is a best combination that seems to be good for starting your web application development skill.
On Day 1, I learned that storing data in mySQL database requires a couple of preparations. On a WAMP server environment, this is how it goes.
1. Create a Database and then a table inside that Database
2. Specify fields for the table.
3. Write a PHP code that connects to the DB, Stores the data into the DB and optionally retrieve and display the data from the DB.
4. Write a HTML form that collects some data from the user.
- Rajesh Sundaram
Sunday, 21. June 2009, 04:01:11
Running a web service? and do you offer subscriptions to access the service? troubled by the subscription cancellations daily? feeling the bite of recession? Well..here is an idea to retain, regain some of the subscribers. Offer Hibernate option over the current subscriptions.
Many a times, when a subscribers cancels the subscription, you lose them. You lose their contact. In a fairly long time, they may even forget you. And later, when they are able to purchase a subscription, a better service comes up and they subscribe there. Which means, you have no 'hook' or 'handle' to pull those old subscribers / customers back to you.
This is where the Hibernate option comes in. Offer an option to hibernate subscriptions, and that means, the subscriber will not be billed for the time he chooses, and yet he is still a FROZEN subscriber. Imagine this as a sort of Insurance method. May be depending on the web services only a bare minimum access could be given or blocked altogether. Once in a while, send him a reminder, that reminds him of your web service and hibernation (of course, give them some really compelling discounts or offers, so that there is a strong pull). This way you can retain, re-gain some percentile of your old, about-to-quit subscribers / customers.
There are a lot of companies that are downsizing and re-structuring their work force and expenses. Offering hibernate-able subscriptions will make sure they dont go away from you. Once the recession fades out and economy booms, those companies may re-boot, thus making ur subscriber base grow again.
:-)
- Rajesh
Thursday, 18. June 2009, 10:08:33
Right from Mobile phone plans to online subscriptions you find a hell lot of pricing plans to choose from. Often it takes hell (again!) lot of time to analyze the best plan and choose the right one.
Most of the subscription based services focuses on categorizing the plans from low-cost to high-cost models. Mobile phone subscriptions are based on this LC-HC model, where you find the LC schemes has fewer options, less benefits and thus more suited for sparse usage. Plans focusing teens fall in the mid-range with benefits offering extra talk-time in the night, or , unlimited messages during nights etc. Plans that target heavy customers have fixed high-rentals, but they offer more talk time. Though the approach is fairly easy and quick to choose, it doesn't fit for the Web application services.
In my view, web services should offer customizable plan to get more subscribers. Some of the leading web services offers a group of pricing plan.. and they also tag one mid-range plan as "BEST VALUE". In truth, the best value plan may not suit for every one, but yes it may suit for majority of the people.
And there is a group of people who turn to other services because they don't find a plan matching their needs. These users were actually looking for a plan that fits their needs.. and they are not ready to suit themselves to a plan that is offered. After a couple of hops, such users will likely to subscribe to a plan which they feel is good and matches their requirements.
So is there a way to such visitors evaluator turns into a subscriber? Of course there is. The answer is - CUSTOMIZABLE PRICING PLANS. Under this model, each feature is charged and the user can select the features / options he need and pay only for those options. Offering a Customizable plan along with fixed pricing plans ensures you gain those extra customers and extra bucks revenue.
- Rajesh Sundaram
Monday, 8. June 2009, 09:12:30
Off late, Sulekha.com is re-structuring the portal. Many pages look inconsistent and many has broken process-flows. Click a link and you will shown a completely different page. Apart from the inconsistencies, the other thing going around is PREMIUM ADS.
It is not clear in sulekha.com's side whether a registered user could post only a certain number of FREE ADS. Because till now, I posted two free ads in the last 3 months, and when I tried to post a third one today, I was unable to select the FREE AD option. Only the premium ad was available to select. No more free ads in Sulekha.com
I am unable to guess anything proper for what could be the reason for such a behavior? Did sulekha run out of cash and desperately looking for milking cash from every free ad user? Or, was it a system error? or was it a limitation of posting free ads? Whatever the heck is, posting a premium ad is totally costly too. It costs Rs.220 for an ad. Thats roughly USD 4.20. I would have happily contributed some % of the earning thru sale by a free ad. But pushing me to publish a PREMIUM AD wont work.
UPDATE : Yesterday I sent a feedback mail and got this reply.
With reference to your email, we would like to inform you that each registered member of Sulekha.com.com is eligible to post a total of 6 free Ads for personal use in a period of 30 days. But, you cannot post more than one ad under the same category.
Had they shown this in the website itself, it would have saved a lot of frustration. :-D Sulekha should focus on more customer experience than spending their efforts in making money. Money will follow once a good customer experience starts to exist.
- Rajesh Sundaram
Saturday, 6. June 2009, 10:39:33
Never thought such a weird problem will happen to my newly bought 320GB Barracuda harddisk. When I reached my home today morning, I found that my system's hard disk is full of ANTS! Not just few... many. Many ants. I was shocked to see ants crawling out of my system and they have installed a base inside the hard disk.
Immediately I pulled out the hard disk and slowly shacked it. Lots of white powder like things were sticking to the disk (probably some food?) and so many ants came out.Finally after couple of minutes I made sure no more ants crawled out. Considering the fact that how many dead ants, food particles are inside and fearing data corruption, I decided to take the hard disk to Chennai's seagate support.
Accel Frontline is Chennai's support handler for Seagate. They have a SeaCare Center at Greams Road. Those who are new to Greams road, just remember this landmark - IDBI Bank office. Near to one end of the greams road, you will find this big IDBI bank office and a lane going in next to it. Get into the lane and you will find a small board saying "Seagate Seacare" at some 100 mts distance. That is the Accel office and service reception.
Upon entering, go to the reception desk and get your token number and wait. Your number will be called or, you will be called directly (depends on the crowd). Give your hard disk and explain the issue / problem. They will check the drive's working condition and warranty status. And based on the evaluation, either they will offer a replacement or a new drive for additional bucks. Mostly you get refurbished disks as replacement.
I approached a girl at the reception and told that if they could check my drive's working condition because it was invaded by ants. She said "Sorry sir. We cannot check the drive and tell you what the status is. We don't do checkings. But if your drive is under warranty, we will give you a replacement". Satisfied, I took a token number and waited for my turn. When my turn came, my drive was checked and I was told that I will get a replacement in next 4 days. I signed a couple of papers and left the place.
The whole experience was fine till now. I hope I get a new drive as replacement. I do not wish to have a refurbished drive. But let's see what's going to happen. :-)
Here are some contact details of this Sea Care Center.
Email : seacare_chennai@yahoo.com
Phone : 044-42015161 / 65
Address : Accel Frontline Services Limited, 132, Greams Rd,Ground Floor, Hussain Mansion. Chennai 600006. Ph : 044-42015132
Wednesday, 20. May 2009, 08:29:55
Working as a User Experience Designer is a funny job. The job's profile requires to interact with multiple departments, various types of people and their egos!
To bring out the bext UX in the product, the UX guy needs co-operation from every members of all teams. In that process, one will face irritating experiences with people. Especially, people with ego.
Let me give you an outline of an incident happened. One of the proposed UI for the Customer Relationship product I am working on had a "Notes" section. That "Notes" explained the current status of a particular feature. After analyzing various "Text phrases" I chose a simple one which explained the current status of the feature. "This feature is Locked. To unlock, fill the form below and click the submit button". But when the UI was integrated into the product the whole line was changed into a 4 line text that sounded like a documentation. I was shocked and enquired the developers, who pointed the finger to guy who did it. There are two problem's here. One, his un-ethical approach to change a UI content without informing or discussing with UI team. Second, his 'godliness' ego, by which he thought he can do whatever he wanted to. Such bad approaches will tear apart the co-operation and creates a playground to show power-politics.
The best way to make sure everyone is happy is - stay within their boundaries. Suggestions can be given, but they should not be enforced in other boundaries. If forced, then it creates reaction. It could become worse over the time.
- Rajesh
Saturday, 18. April 2009, 04:13:13
Delays can happen in customer support. I've encountered a 5 day delay for my support email. But today I received a reply after 24 days from the date of my complaint filed.
Shop.in.com has a online store and I purchased a Disney pen drive on March 16. I received a package the very next day and the pendrive I received was totally different. It had a flower design on its rubber case, which is different from what I ordered - a mickey mouse character. After some google search I found the supplier is "Mobilewerks" in bangalore. I tried to contact the supplier with number mentioned in the package, but it did not work at all.
Then I sent an email to in.com support. Days went by, but there was no reply. After 24 days, today I received a reply suggesting me to contact the supplier. I was totally surprised by the speed of support and the quality of support. Looks like in.com never cares about helping the customer. They just give the name and contact details of the supplier and let the customer and supplier fight! Amazing.
In a previous post, I wrote that I will never buy anyhthing from shop.in.com anymore. Now I am going to suggest my friends that never buy anything from in.com.
Here is the email contents :
==============
Dear K Rajesh Sundaram
Thank you for writing to Shop.in.com .
We have read the contents of your e-mail and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. Further, we request you kindly contact to the concern person they would do the needful.....
Concern Person Name :- Mr. Rajesh Verma
Contact Number :- 9845252317
Please feel free to contact us for any further assistance.
Warm Regards,
Rajeshri Parab
Customer Support
www.storeguru.com
Contact Us On
Toll Free - 1800 209 1818
Please feel free to contact us for any further assistance.
Warm Regards,
Rajeshri Parab
Customer Support
www.Shop.in.com
Contact Us On
Toll Free - 1800 209 1818
-----Original Message-----
From: K Rajesh Sundaram (------------@yahoo.com)
Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 03:28 PM
To: Customer Service (customersupport@storeguru.com)
Subject: Complaint
I ordered a DISNEY pendrive 4BG. But what I received doesnt even have any disney logo or remark or even a disney character printed on the drive. The product looks very different. Is this a cheat?
Please refund the amount. Let me know the procedure to send the product back to you.
=============
- Rajesh
Thursday, 16. April 2009, 15:11:28
Vin Diesel is back! F&F 2009 is a reload sort of attempt to liven up the franchise. To keep the review short and precise, I will start with the plot.
Not a big plot though. Dom (Vin) takes revenge for killing his girl friend. Brian, joins hands and helps him as well as to brag the Mafia villain.
Goods : Good stunts, Somewhat sensible story (earlier movies had vague story)
Bad : Less cars, inconsistently paced screenplay, less stunts..
- Rajesh
Friday, 10. April 2009, 10:53:04
KRS Automobiles - a pioneer in Heavy vehicle (Trucks, Bus and Mini-Trucks) body building and specialized coach builder has opened their new Plant in Erode.
The plant specializes in R&D of specialized coaches for buses like Volvo B7R and B9R. Also they are into building world-class custom design buses and vans for customers.
- Rajesh Sundaram
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