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WORST WEB SITE... EVER

joe.pistell

Uncle Joe
Apr 7, 2009
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Joe
Dear Audi USA Exec Team,

Your web site,Audi of America > Luxury Has Progressed, needs to be replaced ASAP. Its costing you sales... Right now... TODAY.


I am walking my father thru Audi A7 research at Audi of America > 2012 Audi A7. OMG, it's a mess. Whom ever is responsible for this, designed it for internal approval. I can tell you that it's never had a usability test by real users, if you did you'd see all the fails (read: lost opportunities).

The Build Your A7 Tool was very 2002'ish.The designer has delivered a UI that will confuse it's users as users have to hunker down and hunt & peck, stabbing at stuff, hoping to find a logical progression of actions to produce the result they seek.

When you complete the sloppy build tool process and take Audi's suggestion to "save" the A7 build (aka lead generator) a new page loads https://my.audiusa.com/owners/sign_in and your taken to some strange page that looks lost and unconnected to your A7 build mission ("Where's my A7?!?). Audi's design leader needs to carry the A7 image and the unique build summary to the lead generating shopper welcome page. Who is it at Audi never took 2.5 seconds to insert the users 1st and last name over the top of the A7 build info to make it very personal! C'mon man! where is your creativity! it's 2012 not 2002!!.

To continue... when I am done with this A7 build and I've built my "personal Audi A7 Space", I expect to be REWARDED with new shopping tools, new product videos (set the hook harder) AND it's time to engulf the user in the rich audi heritage. Where is all the after sale support features? Audi buyers are way up the food chain, a fresh and timely welcome video message from an Audi exec (i.e. Regional Director) will score well.

Next, the confirmation email arrives...
MyAudi email sends features that are confusing and unrelated to the A7 config (what the hell is a MMI?) My 70 yr dad opened his email with his smart phone and the link took him to the non-mobi site (page was hard to read). ...gulp.

There are more examples, but I am done with my free work for the Audi execs. Whom ever has designed this, is poorly equipped to find it's errors. I built my own site, I have to make every visit count. The only way to do this is make the "user experience" job #1. I HIGHLY suggest that you get out side help.

Your cars are very 2020, yet your website is so 2002.

 
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What the hell is a MMI?

Joe, there is a pad on the dash that you can scribble on with your finger. It uses handwriting recognition. It is another way to communicate with the media center and Navigation system. I hope that they aren't driving while using this.
 
An OEM is requiring you to have 47 items on a homepage? Please do tell more, this should be good!
Of course, I'm exaggerating a little, but here is the list from the Toyota rep this morning:

INCENTIVES
Please have the NEW INCENTIVES and OFFERS Posted to your HOMEPAGE as soon as possible.
WEBSITE HOME PAGE MUST HAVES
1. Current Theme - Trade Up Sales Event
2. 0% and Customer Cash Offers on the following 2011 MYs: Corolla, Prius, Avalon, Sienna, Venza, RAV4 &Tundra (2011 and 2012) & Customer Cash on 2012 Highlander.
3. Toyota Care
4. Correct Incentive Dates - November 1 - December 5.
 
Joe,

How about a Jing video describing your frustration? Us Dealer Refresh readers want a better glimpse of your genius. Just writing about it, :blah: :blah: :blah: Incorporating a video.. that's priceless!

True.

For the record JT, that just didn't pop out of my head. You're looking at 90mins of work to create those paragraphs. Writing is easy. Writing with clarity and impact is WORK.

I do like the idea of doing the Jing, i am sure it'll raise the "clarity and impact" of my message. Hmmm... add that to my todo list ;-)
 
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