Anglian Home Improvements Appoints Foolproof as its User Experience Partner

Anglian Home Improvements (AHI), one the UK's leading replacement windows and conservatories manufacturers, has appointed Foolproof as its user experience partner to help it develop the commercial effectiveness of its website.

(PRWEB) December 21, 2008 -- Anglian Home Improvements (AHI), one the UK's leading replacement windows and conservatories manufacturers, has appointed Foolproof as its user experience partner to help it develop the commercial effectiveness of its website. This follows a highly successful test project using multivariate testing (MVT) alongside traditional user research.

MVT allows lots of different variants of page content to be tested against each other simultaneously. It allows organisations to very quickly identify ways to improve their site. Foolproof devised AHI's MVT project using findings from user depth research, which had revealed which messages and content were really important to consumers when considering home improvements. AHI's aim was to increase the conversion of home page visits to contact centre enquiries. The MVT test dramatically improved conversion, increasing it by 41%.

We have been delighted with the initial results from this project. Foolproof's input has been invaluable. They navigated us through the complexities of MVT and helped us see which things could really make an impact during testing. We are now working with them to find further improvements and efficiencies across our digital platform.

A number of modifications were made to the home page including new calls to action, a new way of presenting special offers and testing a more natural copy style - which more closely matched the language used by consumers themselves in research.

Peter Ballard, founding partner of Foolproof, said: "Whilst MVT is still a relatively new discipline, it's clearly very powerful. The big learning for us is that using MVT and user research together gives you a double-whammy. The user research helps you understand the needs and preferences of consumers and this can then be translated into much more effective tests than would otherwise be developed. Without the consumer insight you are left to rely on gut instinct to guess what the important variables to test might be. The results of this can be hit-and-miss and you waste valuable time and resources.

"The value you extract from MVT is all about what you choose to test. User research allowed AHI to make some really intelligent decisions - and we're pleased that the results have been so dramatic. "

Judi-mae Galer, Online Marketing Manager at Anglian Home Improvements said, "We have been delighted with the initial results from this project. Foolproof's input has been invaluable. They navigated us through the complexities of MVT and helped us see which things could really make an impact during testing. We are now working with them to find further improvements and efficiencies across our digital platform."

"Foolproof has developed a deep understanding of our customers through user research. This means they can advise us on decisions we take as a result of MVT and protect the online brand experience for all visitors - not just those making a sales enquiry. The danger is if you merely followed the results of MVT you could end up with a site that compromises your brand promise. Fortunately, the insight Foolproof brings through its user experience research means that it can help us interpret the MVT results and recommend actions that factor in brand. "

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