Web design and company image

Introduction Anecdotal evidence suggests that many companies are using web sites, together with the Internet, in their efforts to satisfy customers. This is supported by the fact that 'Internet income for businesses in Australia has increased from $5.1 billion in 1999-2000 to $33 billion in 2003-2004, representing an increase of 55% over a period of 4 years' (NOIE, 2003). Additionally, the ability of web site features to influence company image is not only playing a significant role in how these companies cater to their customers' needs, but is a reflection of how important it is to have a website that is easy to navigate, has rich content, and is capable of keeping customers longer on the site. As time is of the essence it is vitally important for the web site's visitors to complete the task efficiently, to obtain information or conduct a transaction in a timely manner. This has been emphasized time and again by Huizingh and Hoekstra (2002), who are of the opinion that the ease of --navigation has a large impact on usability and perceived ability of the web sites. This allows companies to attract the so-called "right" customers, instead of being focused on attracting large numbers of customers. Furthermore, the design of the web site that is capable of helping people to move through information efficiently by providing appropriate links is adding to the company's ability to increase revenue and profit (Block, 1999; Vredenburg, 2003). Some researchers, such as Chatterjee, Grewal, and Sambamurthy (2002), believe that businesses are starting to focus on facilitating more effective transformations to the web-enabled business environments, as well as on the improvement of the user experiences (Vredenburg, 2003). Research conducted by Rose and Straub (2001) found that there is an influence of download time on consumer attitudes toward web retailers. First impressions are one of the most important features of company web site's (McKnight & Charles, 2007). Companies are aware of the importance of first impressions, which are capable of forming consumer mind-set and future implications for use of the web site (Giffin, 1967). Tsalikis, Ortiz-Buonafina and LaTour (1992) also agree that first impressions can be powerful indicators about web sites credibility, as people tend to rely on these. In addition, it is important for companies to understand that the easier the web site use, the better it is received by clients (Melius & Mongezi, 2004). Literature Review Image can be described as a mental representation; idea; conception (Dictionary.com). In another words, the image is a form of cognition. Company image, on the other hand, is 'the immediate mental picture that audiences have of an organization' (Gray & Balmer, 1998). Thus, a company image is an accepted view of what a company stands for. A company image can be roughly divided into three categories: interior and exterior image, physical and virtual image, and internal and external image (NOIE, 2003). A good company image will help a company build close relationships with its clients while a bad one is likely to keep the clients away. Indeed, a good company image can generate many advantages for the company. It is almost impossible to overstate the significance of a good image to a company. In this case, 'a good image is virtually a valuable asset to an organization' (Dowling, 1994). Company image is definitely designed to be appealing to its clients, so that 'it can spark an interest among consumers, create share of mind, generate brand quality, and thus facilitate sales' (Prtz, 2008). Thus, it is important to develop an effective website that can support a good company image and reputation. Ultimately, the survival of the company could, to a certain extent, be attributed to its ability to attain and retain a good image in today's sensitive business world (Gray & Balmer, 1998). In the electronic commerce environment nowadays it is almost expected that customer quality perceptions of web sites play a vital role in a company's success (Zhang, vonDran, 2002). …