Mcbride Financial: Web Site Review

Executive Summary

At the request of Mr. Hugh McBride, service request SR-mf-001 was opened for a design to be created in order to improve and enhance the current Internet web site for McBride Financial Services. The Web site will be vital for McBride's success. The company will ensure operating expenses are low by employing only a few brokers and one support person in each office. We will depend upon the company Web site and self-serve kiosks located in the offices to educate customers about the various loans that are available. Also, we will count on these mediums to sell those customers on the McBride Company for their initial and subsequent loan purchases. The majority of our advertising will be directing potential customers to our Web site and, from there, on to our offices. It is imperative that the Web site both educates customers about and sells them on our services. In the following paragraphs, Team B will present the initial results of our findings.

The first section discusses the need to redesign the web site using the latest technologies as well as using colors, fonts, and images which appeal to consumers. This will be completed by a technical web designer familiar with an updated design proposed below by Team B. The website will be hosted on our internal web server running Windows 2003 with the Apache Web server. The hardware within the company is up-to-date with current standards and can be used to host the content for the website. To create the dynamic web pages to display the most current loan information, a database will be created which will load the most current loan rates that are listed. Once the new rates are loaded, the dynamic web page will automatically adjust to reflect the recent interest modifications.

To manage the equipment, Team B recommends having one fulltime employee that will manage the website and equipment. Beyond this, we recommend McBride contract with an outside company to serve as a backup in instances where the on-site tech is not available.

Considering most sales will be made via the Internet and in-store kiosks, advertising dollars will need to be well spend and marketing promotions will need to be addressed. The first step will be to make sure the website is fine tuned for search engine optimization. Once this has been accomplished, the use of Google Syndications and click stream marketing will bring additional customers to the site. Once these features are intergraded to the site, the newly designed website and the competitive interest rates should hook consumers.

The advertisement base will be for the United States, the database for interest rates will include all the appropriate rates for the entire country. The marketing campaign will be ranged from the first time home buyer, to investors, to retirees.

In closing, an effective web site is an extension of the company. The face McBride presents in the online community will be a direct representation and reflection of the company's inner workings. The design that has been presented by Team B focuses on the business goals of increasing profits, turning visitors into customers, increasing sales, decreasing operational costs, increasing traffic, and providing exceptional customer service.

McBride Financial: Web Site Review

Objectives

McBride's main customer focus will be directed towards their Internet presence. The goal of this service request will be to design, implement, and manage McBride's website to meet the growing needs of their corporation. By focusing on a well designed webpage, the needs of the customer and ensuring that all the information within the pages are dynamically updated, these goals will be met. Web site and self-serve kiosks located in the offices will be used educate consumers about the various loans that are available and to sell those consumers on acquiring their loan through McBride Financial.

Intended Audience

The Audience for McBride's website ranges from the new home buyer to the Investment Buyer. The age range that will be targeted is the 23 - 55 year old age age.

Company Message

McBride Financial Services will be the preeminent provider of low cost mortgage services using state-of-the-art technology in the five state areas of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota. We thank you in supporting our mission!

Our customers will receive the most efficient and effective processing of mortgage applications from inception to closing.

Site Functionality

The McBride Website will function to enhance every aspect of the businesses needs. To accomplish this, the website will need to function seamlessly in a local or extended area, at a kiosk in the facility or at a user's home system; McBride's web site must offer accurate and current data which interacts seamlessly with the back end. McBride will incorporate the Seven Layer OSI (Open System Interconnection) Model to ensure safety, security, and accuracy on both user end and system end data transactions.

The site will educate users by providing them with the most up-to-date information on the company. This will include data such as loan rates, types of loans, and rates comparisons and trends over the last few years with projected figures for the near future, to show the