Best Industry Website

2011 Crystal Achivement Awards

The new Windsor site integrates pages designed for consumers and professionals

Large Manufacturer
 

windsorwindows.com

Windsor Windows & Doors

W. Des Moines, Iowa

When Windsor recently set out to re-design its website, it wanted to provide clear information to both consumers and industry professionals. To do so, it created two individual but integrated sites that enabled the company to separate consumer information from professional information, allowing visitors easy access to a large amount of information while minimizing clutter and confusion.

The consumer site is designated by a tan background and the professional site is designated with a gray background. Otherwise, the look and feel of the two sites is very similar. A blue button in the upper right hand corner allows people to quickly move from consumer information to professional information. The sight was designed to provide intuitive navigation allowing viewers to quickly find what they need—whether its homeowners seeking basic information about which type of windows to choose for their home are searching our site, or architects specifying products that need detailed drawings and performance data.

Windsor's home page

Four buttons at the bottom of the homepage were created to take people to popular locations on the site. In addition, a Flash window rotates on our homepage to feature current stories of interest. All of these tools have been developed to provide builders, architects and homeowners quick access to whatever information they may need. Basic window and door information (Windsor 101) includes a glossary of industry terms, a selective photo gallery, downloadable literature PDFs, downloadable case studies, and an energy performance resource search tool.

Small/Medium Manufacturer
 

	Lincoln's site was updated to reflect a new brand identity and provide easier access to a variety of product information.

www.lincolnwindows.com

Lincoln Wood Products Inc.

Merrill, Wis.

In development beginning in 2009 and launched in 2010, Lincoln's website was dramatically redesigned, incorporating the company’s new brand identity, welcoming visitors with bold new colors and a clean uncluttered design. Created by an in‐house marketing team, the site incorporates several features that aid in providing a quality user experience.

The new layout enhances navigation with convenient drop‐down and sidebar menu systems. Redundant navigation paths help users easily find pertinent information from any page. Content is neatly organized into categories, enabling users to find what they are looking for with the most efficient number of mouse clicks.

The site also features up‐to‐date information about Lincoln windows and patio doors to help every visitor, whether they’re a homeowner, dealer, architect or builder. Featuring details on hardware and accessory options, as well as technical data (including performance data or CAD files), the site is designed to be a comprehensive assembly of product information. Additional improvements include the latest company news, downloadable literature, customer support information, educational segments and much more.

Lincoln’s product have also been grouped into series and collections on the new site to make product and option selection easier. Two new lines highlighted are the Revitalize Series of replacement products and StormPoint Series impact products. The five exterior options offered by Lincoln are divided into collections: Distinction Collection (aluminum clad), Harmony Collection (vinyl clad), Innovation Collection (hybrid), Traditions Collection (primed) and Luxury Collection (natural wood).

The company is updating the site regularly to make it the best source for Lincoln’s latest information, including new product availability to important test data. It also promises continued development and enhancement to meet the changing needs of its customers, with new features and tools already in the planning stages.

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Supplier
 

Phantom's home page

www.phantomscreens.com

Phantom Screens

Abbotsford, B.C., Canada

Based on extensive market research efforts, Phantom Screens developed and launched a new website in January 2011. The primary purpose for the new site, created completely inhouse, was to increase the sale of products to consumers—thereby supporting the company’s dealer network. A secondary purpose is to educate and inform the consumers, other partners and influencers in all products in order to facilitate effective purchase decisions. 

Phantom’s research with existing and potential customers found that the areas of improvement needed most included better information on pricing; a greater need for videos and imagery that showed how the product worked; better photography and images to show how the products will fit and look on a home and finally more detail on the retractable screen product’s durability, warranty, etc.

Internally, the company also determined that while its existing site had provided basic information about Phantom’s products and services, its design and content did not convey a message of Phantom Screens being an industry leader. That was another goal in the redesign.

Phantom has added several videos to its site to better demonstrate its retractable screen product line.

The new site addresses the goals in a variety of ways, but overall Phantom’s staff set out to use more visual and interactive features to enhance information flow and accessibility. Ease of navigation was enhanced through reduced click-through pages, intuitive information layout, fast loading pages, less copy, and stronger visuals. Clear messaging was used to help differentiate Phantom from competition, and there is a stronger call-to-action by increasing “Questions?” and “Where to Purchase” touch points throughout the site.

The site also delivers an improved customer experience through the use of more videos of all installed product lines that demonstrate how the screens work and look in one’s home; case studies of completed projects that allow homeowners to learn about different product benefits and see the end results; and features such as mesh selection charts that allow visitors to learn more about different options that are available to meet specific needs.

Finally, the site features easier access to contact info for all distributors and their dealers, so that consumers may easily locate suppliers in their respective areas. The site’s structure also allows for future growth into social media and online service strategies.

With these elements met, Phantom says the new site will enable it to continue its sales growth through increased organic traffic, more customers will be introduced to its products, it will generate more leads and inquiries to its distribution network and generate more awareness of retractable screen products among consumers.

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Other 2011 Crystal Achivement Award Winners:

TECHNOLOGY

Most Innovative Window

Most Innovative Door

Most Innovative Component

Unique Innovation

MANUFACTURING

Most Innovative Plant

Most Innovative Machine

MARKETING

Most Innovative Marketing Progam

Best Product Literature

Back to the 2011 Crystal Achievement Awards main page.