Web Site Analysis
JJ Sandvig
Midwest Conservatory of Music - www.midwestconservatory.com
1. What are the value proposition and business model (Merchant model, Advertising model, etc.) for this sites?
The value proposition of Midwest Conservatory is that personalized one-on-one music instruction in piano, violin, viola, cello, and oboe will help individuals grow, both personally and musically.
The business model is a Merchant model that provides an online catalog of the instructional services offered, without any order processing. Students are unable to register for lessons or rent instruments online.
2.How does the website integrate to other channels for this company? ( NOTE: A channel can be a retail store, a catalog, direct mailing campaign, etc. )
Other channels of Midwest Conservatory include a physical building where instruction is given, events of the Midwest Chamber Strings ensemble, and participation in Chicago area music competitions.
The website integrates these channels as an informational portal that explains how a student may get involved in the different activities.
3.How do they cater different types of Consumers (Impulsive, Patient, Analytical) and shopping experiences (Utilitarian and Hedonic)? (Attract)
Midwest Conservatory caters to the analytical consumer that is searching for the highest-quality music instruction. This is done by a focus on experienced professional instructors and highlighting their resumes before describing the lessons and workshops that are available. The site caters to a utilitarian shopping experience by clearly describing possible user tasks in the navigation bar and giving extensive detail surrounding them. The site is clearly not geared toward impulsive buyers nor hedonic experiences, as the services offered require some degree of reading and cannot be intuitively understood. In addition, the site structure and design is focused on being informative rather than entertaining.
4. How does this site interact with the customer? What type of tools do they use to improve the customer's shopping experience? (Interact)
The Midwest Conservatory site is sparse in the area of customer interaction. The shopping experience is a simple online catalog that enumerates the types of lessons offered. One way they do improve the shopping experience and encourage interaction is by providing free recordings of prior concerts.
5. How does the site process order placement and payment? (Act)
The site does not offer any online order processing of lesson registration or instrument rental. The only way to register is via the provided email address and phone numbers.
6. How does the site handle delivery, shipping and return? (Act)
Delivery, shipping, and returns are not applicable to Music Conservatory because it offers instructional services and not physical products.
7. How does the site handle Customer Service and technical support? (React)
The site handles customer service related to instructional services exclusively via provided email address and phone numbers. There is no explicit technical support related to website operation, however the assumption is that any inquiry can go through the provided email and phone numbers.
8. How useful is site's navigation design? (Usability)
The Midwest Conservatory navigation design is clean and useable. There is a single-level navigation bar across the top, allowing a user to reach all important parts of the site. There are no other sub-navigation sections and no search capabilities, which is appropriate because of the limited amount of content. It is not easy to get lost in the site, and additional means of navigation may actually become distracting.
9. Is the content well-organized, easy to navigate, visually appealing? (Usability)
The information architecture of Midwest Conservatory is intuitive and well orgainized in a hierarchy of categories. The categories are arranged logically in order of importance, which makes it easy to navigate. The site itself is clean and visually appealing in an understated manner, which is appropriate for the target audience. The color scheme is pleasing and photos help describe the content of their respective catagories. The contrast of the background and font allow content to be read easily and without strain on the eyes.
10. What are some possible improvements or enhancements you would recommend for the site?
The main improvement recommended to Midwest Conservatory is to provide an easier way for customers to act. In particular, it would be beneficial to add an online admissions process and the ability to schedule a music consultation and trial lesson. In addition, students would have a better experience if they were able to schedule lessons and pay any outstanding balances online.
