Better Web sites through analysis: Sanlam selects NetTracker to monitor, improve Web presence

Sanlam Life has selected the NetTracker Web analytics software supplied by Synergy Computing to improve its understanding of how customers interact with its online presence.

According to Synergy Computing Cape Town branch manager Paul Howard, many large corporations establish sprawling Web presences - because 'it's the thing to do' - and then simply forget about them. "It's one thing to create a Web presence, and quite another to understand how and why clients are using the Web site," he says.

Sanlam recognised a business requirement to track, monitor and analyse the behaviour of visitors to its Web site in order to improve the quality and functionality of the site in accordance with traffic patterns.

Project portfolio manager for IT, Finance & Compliance at Sanlam Life, Bernhard Jurkewitz, explains: "We identified a need for a Web analytics tool that could provide consolidated statistics at enterprise level. The information provided by a consolidated tool would allow the business to enhance its relationship with its clients, and assist in serving as the basis of determining the feasibility of developing new initiatives, serving as the basis for conceptual solutions."

He adds that user behavioural information and trends analysis would allow for informed business decisions in terms of its Web site design.

NetTracker accommodates the entire Web analysis team and empowers Web data analysts. Howard explains: "End-users like marketing, sales and service managers need to do more than just measure their Web site's effectiveness through pre-configured reports. NetTracker empowers them to manage their Web site's success through investigative Web analysis."

Notably, Howard says NetTracker users don't have to go to the IT department or a third-party vendor to query their Web data; all the data they need is stored in a local database where it can be instantly queried by end-users through the reporting interface. "This makes access to reports simpler and faster, giving the Web development team rapid access to reports when they need them."

Jurkewitz says the company compared NetTracker to other similar solutions in the industry, ultimately selecting it on the basis of a functionality assessment matrix and consideration of the solution total cost of ownership. He notes, too, that easy integration with its business intelligence system was considered an important factor in the selection of the technology.

"We implemented the tool in December 2003; a year from now we'll expect to have a better understanding of the effectiveness of the product. To date, however, we are impressed with the presentation layer, which is user-friendly and enables business to interpret information quickly. Because the data is stored in an external database, it also allows seamless integration with other solutions used by the company, with flexibility in terms of manipulation of the data to suit the business user's needs."

He believes tools like NetTracker give business stakeholders the ability to interpret relevant Web site usage data, expand access and use of this information to a wider audience - including Web site developers and business leaders - over time. "NetTracker also proved to be easy to implement and configure, while providing an intuitive interface. It also caters for a broad spectrum of users, providing an executive dashboard for business users and specific data to technical users."

Howard notes that an effective Internet presence can make a significant difference to how clients perceive the companies with which they interact. "Furthermore, the dot-com meltdown has taught us that while a Web site is a critical channel for doing business, it has to be properly structured and designed to deliver value to the customer as well as to the business. NetTracker plays an important role in allowing companies to achieve this."