Interactive Solutions

Interactivity is a word used to refer to a wide range of web capabilities. Interactivity is what causes a web site to remember who you are and what you did the last time you visited. It's what takes the data you enter in a form and save it to a database or redisplay it on the screen for corrections. It's what allows a training program to selectively display the pages about your missed test questions. It's the engine that lets you select a catalog listing by part number or price or description and choose how you want the information sorted. Interactivity can breathe life and personality and utility into your web site. More detailed examples of interactive applications are listed below.

Dynamic Generation of Pages from Database
A standard, static web page contains all the information that is seen on the page. Conversely, a dynamically generated web page is created using data from a source database or file. The web page does not exist until a user clicks to view it, at which time the web page is created "on-the-fly", using the source file. Dynamic generation of pages is useful if the content of the pages needs to be frequently updated. Database contents can be updated online, or by file upload. Dynamic pages allow for a wide variety of applications to be added to your website.

E-commerce
E-commerce sites can be very simple or more complex. Your e-commerce site can be programmed to accept credit cards over a secure connection with confirmation and debiting of the credit card done off-line by your staff. Or it can be programmed to debit the credit card online while the customer waits.

Shopping Carts
Customized shopping cart programs allow you to serve your customers more efficiently: we tailor the features to suit your needs. Areas may be password protected to allow access to different catalogs, based on account stipulations. Shipping charges and taxes can be automatically calculated as per your specifications. Add-ins to a shopping cart include setting up a list of automatic links to complementary products, setting up rotating banners for complementary products, linking to FAQ's on shipping questions, etc.

Catalogs
Catalogs may include graphics, product prices and descriptions that may easily be altered for special promotions.

Parametric Search
A parametric search enables users to locate a product or group of products by a range of parameters. For example, a customer can obtain a list of parts which are 3cm-9cm in size and cost less than $10.

Interactive Training
Your site can respond to the input of the user, focussing on areas that he/she may need more help understanding. This provides a very useful tool to educate and train customers as well as employees in their very own password-protected "classroom."

Knowledge Base
Support your customers online by providing a searchable pool of information which quickly answers their questions.

Online Live Discussion Groups
Provide a forum for users of your products and services.

Surveys
This tried-and-true method of opinion polling has moved into cyberspace. Target your audience with as many questions and categories as needed in a customized survey. Recently, TSI created a 250 question survey for a client in the travel industry. The client received a staggering 1700 responses in 10 days from a small, geographical audience. The responses were logged to an Excel-compatible file. In addition, a program compiled a summary of the results in HTML format.

Auto Responders
After completing a shopping cart transaction, training session, survey page or any other form you may choose to integrate, your customer can automatically receive an e-mail, created in response to their input on your site.

Summary
This is a small sample of interactive web components. Did we miss something that you want to do on your web site? Give us a call at (909) 390-6867 or email us. We look forward to discussing your specific needs.