Looking for constructive feedback on makeover.

**precharge** · 06-29-2006, 10:08 PM

Looking for constructive feedback on makeover.

We have just re launched our new site design, more of a beta launch while we work through some of the bugs.

http://www.precharge.com/

Please provide as much honest and constructive feedback as possible.

**ADAM Web Design** · 06-30-2006, 02:10 AM

To be honest with you, I think it's too divergent in theme.

On the one hand, you're trying to present a serious business concept that's rather unique to a corporate customer base. On the other hand, you use cartoonish drawings.

As much as I hate stock photos, this would be an instance where they can pay off based on the business target market and their remarkable ability to be impressed by BS copy and meaningless images.

The other major problem is that it took me almost 5 minutes to figure out that preCharge was an additional fraud detection service that worked in conjunction with the gateway as opposed to a gateway itself. I pride myself on being a reasonably intelligent man and somewhat versed in this stuff (waits for other Webmaster Talkers who know me to roll their eyes), and if it took me that long, most others won't get it at all.

You need a short slogan that explains exactly what preCharge does (something like "Protecting Your Transactions From Fraud Before the Gateway Point"), or most people won't understand what you're talking about.

I also have an issue with the lack of a top-level menu on some of the pages (e.g. the How it Works section.) I want a way to get back to other pages on the menu and the home page (yeah I know the logo links, but I want an explicit link because I'm being corp-stupid here.)

"Contact Us" is buried. If people want to contact you to buy the service, it should be a top-level menu item. Leave the bottom menu for Legal Information and all the stuff almost no one ever reads.

Some form of pricing would be nice as well, or at least a page explaining that all services are quoted on a custom basis.

Anyway, I think you've got a good idea, but some bad execution.

**precharge** · 06-30-2006, 02:46 AM

Very helpful comments. We will try to incorporate. Thank you.

**Silent77** · 06-30-2006, 03:10 AM

Well I believe Adam covered it all

**vburin** · 06-30-2006, 05:02 AM

Hello,
exclaim at your appearance on this topic. Your have good web development team, from where bugs?
for content some advices:
- forgot about <!DOCTYPE ...>
- '<meta name="robots" content="all">' I self change to 'content="index, follow"' OR 'content="noindex, nofollow"' where needing (search caching)
- '<meta name="country" content="US">' but I know: your are international service
- repeating meta for all pages?
- may be some info OR logo of using technology on your homepage? certificates from brand in business branch?
- page 'Who We Are' (it's 'about'?) don't achieve these goal, now it's concept of your resource - may be better put in homepage.
- CSS may use better...
Regards!

**precharge** · 06-30-2006, 05:27 AM

vburin, thanks for the feedback.

- Not clear when you "say repeating meta for all pages?" The meta tags do change on several pages but not all. Are you suggesting that we don't use meta tags on all pages?

- Can you explain "may be some info OR logo of using technology on your homepage? certificates from brand in business branch?"

- Gotcha on the about us page. We are revamping that one to include info on our partners, our history and who we are.

**LadynRed** · 06-30-2006, 12:57 PM

Adam pretty much said it all.
Under the hood -- your coding... ugh.. dump the tables and 1997 tag soup - the <font> tag is DEAD. You've got a fair amount of information there, do yourself, and your client a HUGE favor and code the site WITHOUT tables, use at least HTML 4.10 Strict and CSS. Maintenance will be easier (and faster), redesigns will be MUCH easier, and your page load times will go down.

- Your navigation must be consistent on EVERY page
- No DOCTYPE
- Might be wise to add the META "content" tag so that search engines will be able to use that in the blurbs on results

To be frank, the robots META isn't really necessary. The robots are going to index and follow anyway, that's what they are designed to do. If you do NOT want them to index or follow on any page, then use the robots.txt file on your server to limit them - or use the no follow Meta on those pages.

**skyjude** · 06-30-2006, 05:43 PM

I think it's quite a nice site overall with a simple and easy-to-use layout. Not sure about the homepage picture though - looks like the guy has someone on their knees in front of him...

**camp185** · 06-30-2006, 10:07 PM

If you can I would let it stretch out, but looks good otherwise. I would kill off that pre charge fraud monitor thing though. If it's important, have it update every 5 minutes or something.

**jason_bristol** · 06-30-2006, 10:45 PM

what's with the tie over the shoulder. I thought that was a bit strange, and just the image of the man in general. If its someone that is part of the business then stat it on the page, beside him. Other wise is has no meaning to the page what so ever. Apart from that. I think its a good site.