Implementation means putting your website into operation. There are several phases that you will go through during the implementation process.
Implementing the website
When you implement your website, you will also need to train your staff. You should try to encourage staff involvement and feedback, as staff buy-in can make or break a technology project.
You should also consider setting up a cross-departmental taskforce to manage the implementation process - it will help with staff buy-in. It will also help ensure that the website is compatible with other systems throughout your business - for example your accounts package or customer database.
System testing
Before putting the website live, you need to ensure that it has been sufficiently tested. Poor testing or no testing is extremely risky. Errors that appear later can be expensive to correct - and may damage your business' reputation.
The main purpose of testing is to assess your website's usability, accessibility and functionality. Testing should also look at the response times experienced by users and verify how the site functions under peak loads. It is also useful to see how easily users can access and navigate through the site across different platforms.
Planning the rollout
Decide whether you will have a soft launch to existing customers, or simply make it available on the internet to as wide an audience as possible.
Other issues to consider include:
- How you will market the site - both offline and online.
- Who will maintain the site - will it be handled in-house or will you outsource the maintenance?
- Will your staff need any additional training to maintain the site?
- Who will manage customer feedback and any online orders?
Launching the website
At the launch of the site you need to encourage existing customers to use it. Ensure that you promote the web address in your marketing material and that the website can be easily found on search engines. Search marketing techniques like search engine optimisation and pay per click advertising can help you reach potential customers.