Criteria to Evaluate a Website of a Holiday Booking Site

Criteria to Evaluate a Web position of a holiday Booking websiteDevelop a Set of Criteria to Evaluate a Website of a Holiday Booking Site4.1 Research method actingologyNeed for a good methodologyA good enquiry methodology is a general plan of how the questioner leave behind go about answering the search questions con rampring the sources to collect info and the constraints that whiz might take up (access to selective information, time, location and money, ethical issues etc). It should reflect the fact that the researcher has thought c befully about why a accompaniment dodge has been employed.A collection of methodologies were used to carry out this research. Both primary and secondary data was collected for this purpose. The secondary data comprised of data from books reviewed from books, journals, net profit and the annual reports of the companies while the primary data took the form of information/results collected from questionnaires and gazes.The first stage of the research comprised of collecting secondary data from the literature review. tally to Sharp and Howard (1996), 2 major reasons exist for reviewing the literature. First, the preliminary search helps to generate and refine the research ideas. And secondly, a critical review is a part of the research process. Like close research projects, literature review was an early activity in this research. After the initial literature search, the researcher was able to redefine the parameters more than(prenominal) precisely and undertake moreover searches, keeping in mind the research objective and goal. The literature review helped developing a good understanding and cortical potential into the previous research do on this topic and the trends that have emerged. According to Gall et al. (1996), there are a return of other purposes of a literature review.To help one to refine further the research questions and objectivesTo highlight research possibilities that have been overlooked in re search to dateTo discover explicit recommendations for further researchTo help one to simple avoid repeating work that has been done beforeTo try on current opinions in newspapers, journals and magazinesTo discover and provide an perspicacity into research approaches and strategies.This stage of critical literature review was followed by surveys to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. There are different research strategies that one might employ. They are experiment, survey case study, grounded theory, ethnography, action research, cross sectional and doggeditudinal studies, exploratory, descriptive and explanatory studies. Out of all these, the researcher has chosen the pot strategy for the research. It is a common and popular strategy in business and management research. Through this a large amount of data canister be collected in an economical way.Step by Step Methodology Undertaken1. Secondary selective information The first stage of the research comprised of co llecting secondary data from the literature review. The literature review provided many serviceable points to consider before commencing the dissertation. It highlighted what research had already been conducted and what new areas could be investigated.2. Questionnaire At the next stage of the research project questionnaires was distri plainlyed to 15 people of varying ages, sex, economic status and race.3. Analysis The qualitative and quantitative data was thoroughly analyzed utilize the approach explained in the next chapter.Questionnaire is the most popular method of collecting data. It is less expensive and less time consuming than conducting interviews and very large samples can be covered. A set of questionnaire were prepared to collect primary data (interviews survey questionnaire). The different distribution techniques as described by Hussey and Hussey (1997) were followed. The questionnaires were circulated to the employees, Human Resource Managers, students, job seekers etc finished Post, Telephone, eccentric-to-face, Group distribution and individual distribution. Hussey and Hussey (1997) identify whatsoever important factors to be considered while using questionnaire. These are Sample size, Types of questions, Wordings, Design, including instruction, Wording of any accompanying letter, Method of distribution and return, Method of collecting and analyzing, Actions to be taken if questionnaire is non returned. All of these factors were considered while preparing the final set of questionnaire.Designing and Administering the QuestionnaireThe design of a questionnaire differs according to how it is dismission to be administered i.e. the amount of contact the researcher will have with the respondents. In this respect, the design of a questionnaire can be divided into categories1. Self-administered These questionnaires are completed by the respondents without the intervention of the researcher. Such questionnaires are delivered to the respondent s done email, Internet or by post and are returned accordingly.2. Interviewed administered These questionnaires are recorded by the interviewer on the basis of the respondents answers. For recitation Telephone questionnaires in which telephonic interview is taken and structured interviews in which the researcher meets the respondent face to face and ask questions.In this research, the choice of questionnaire was unflinching by a number of factors akin the time available to complete the data collection, financial implications of data collection and entry, availability of interviewers and ease of automating data entry. tutelage all these factors in mind, self-administered questionnaire was chosen to be distributed to the sample through post, email, Internet and telephone.The questionnaire (see appendix) was used to give a thorough understanding of what consumers used when betrothal a holiday online and what they felt was missing. It consisted of 9 questions each supplied with a number of possible answers. The questionnaire was designed in an easy to use moderate format so most consumers would be able to answer the questions quickly and be more willing to participate in the process.Few important questions from the questionnaire are mentioned below. The detailed questionnaire is given at the end as Appendix I.Have you used the earnings for holiday or jaunt involvement before?Yes b. NoDo you feel impregnable using your credit card on the earnings?Yes b. No c. I do not use a credit card on the cyberspaceWhat holiday booking website(s) have you used in the past 0-6 months? (choose all that apply)Expedia.co.ukEasy JetRyan airBritish AirwaysBmibabylastminute.comteletextholidays.co.ukuk.mytravel.comcheapflights.co.ukthomson-holidays.co.ukOtherDid you find the information on the sites clear and concise?ClearConciseExpedia.co.ukEasy JetRyan airBritish AirwaysBmibabylastminute.comteletextholidays.co.ukuk.mytravel.comcheapflights.co.ukthomson-holidaysHow do yo u choose which websites you go to?Word of mouth/referralSearch railway locomotive and keywordsLinks from other sitesOtherSample SelectionsIf for a particular research, the data is collected from every possible case or multitude member, it is termed as census. consume techniques provide a range of methods that enables one to reduce the amount of data to be collected by considering only data from a specific group rather than all possible cases. The full set of cases from which the sample is taken is called the cosmos. Sampling provides a valid alternative to a census when it is impractical to survey the entire population or the time constraints prevent from surveying the entire population or if the budget constraints prevent from surveying the entire population. (In sampling, the term population is not used in its normal sense, as the full set of cases may not be necessarily being people.)Sampling saves a dress circle of time. Sometimes the researchers collect data from the entire population but analyse only a sample of the data to save time. For this research, sampling was done in order to get more detailed information form the sample selected. Once the data was collected more time could be spent in checking for any errors before analysing the data while this would not be possible if the data would have been collected from the entire population. According to Henry (1990) smaller number of cases means that more time could be spent designing and piloting the means of collecting these data.The internet business can really only make headway if the public accepts new technologies. Despite the hype surrounding the dotcom boom (and bust), research conducted by ICM for Computer Weekly has found a relatively low take aim of understanding of the Internet in the UK, particularly among older members of the population, and people on lower in make dos. Kate Turner, director at ICM research said, While younger people are buying technology as fast as they can, the 55-plu s group is the one to watch. They are catching up. The highest proportions of online shoppers are among 25 to 34 year olds (Saran, 2002). Therefore, the sample was chosen such that it covers all the age groups particularly those between 25-35 years old.The choice of sample size is determined by a number of factors same(p) the confidence one hire to have in the data, the margin of errors that one can tolerate and the size of the total population from which the sample is being drawn. presumption all these influences, the final sample size selected for the purpose of this study comprised of 15 different people of varying ages, sex, economic status and race.4.2 Rationales behind the questionsAlready done by the lymph node4.3 Actual ResultsAlready done by the Client4.4 Expected ResultsAlready done by the Client4.5 Impact or put in on the set of criteriaAlready done by the Client4.6 SummaryThe aim of the questionnaire (see appendix) was to highlight any trends within the online indu stry and to identify some of the efficacious website evaluation criterias. The responses were used to indicate what appealed to consumers and what deterred them from booking a holiday online. Once all the responses had been received, the answers were collaborated together and analysed. A good response rate was obtained which helped to draw conclusions.Data gathered from this methodology was used to draw specific conclusions. This type of data provides suppliers with key information to modify their offers or features to gain a competitive edge. Referring to the e-Book by Lynch and Horton (1997), the researcher identified 14 evaluation items to check when evaluating website content first impression, speed, compatibility with all browsers, accessibility, absence of HTML errors, readily accessible to search engines, visibility, usability, trustworthiness, security, capital and authority, objectivity, accuracy, and coverage. Grandinetti (2000) proposed a simple evaluation standard. The information provided on a website was considered to be trustworthy if it explicitly described the authors name, affiliation, source, ownership and date of notice on the website. Cravener (2000) indicated that the frequency of updates, accuracy and credentials should be evaluated in order to determine the quality of the website. The questionnaire results as well as the literature review helped in formulating a set of criteria to evaluate a website and those criterias were tested accordingly.Expedia and British Airways proved to be the 2 most popular sites to use due to their nature while thomson-holidays.co.uk scored poorly (50% agreeing to the fact that the site is not take upive and 60% believing that it is not that reputable). In line with most people having a hardly a(prenominal) holidays a year, most people use the internet a few times a month to view travel websites. On either side a significant number use the internet for booking personal holidays though 80% of the partic ipants were afraid of using the credit card online.As expect most people use travel sites to book flights. This is their main purpose and hence where sites are going to gain most exposure and revenue. Most people use a particular site due to prices. However, with the other features excessively scoring highly, it indicates that most people still require the site to be of a decent standard. Most consumers will initially go to a site for price, but expect it to be a secure, easy to use and efficient site as well.When suppliers are deciding what to focus on for the future better offers and real time confirmation seems to be what consumers want. Price of tickets and ease of use were the two most important issues identified by the participants while using a web site for holiday and activity booking while other useful links, websites reputation and lots of photos on the website scored low. Search capability and download speed were again identified as factors which are a MUST for a holiday and activity booking web site.The superfluouss such as personalised features, feedback provision, good search engine, links to other company websites and minimal mouse travel and keystrokes scored quite lowly. A significant number of people wanted greater flexibility and more information when booking their travel. With such a large bulk of people still believing that a travel agent is still contracted and using credit card online is risky, travel sites have a long way to go to gain market share. They need to provide more than just better prices to attract and retain customers.5.1 IntroductionAlready done by the Client5.2 SummaryResearch carried out by Carlson Digital revealed that word-of mouth is the main reason why sites were visited for the first time, and very few of respondents believed online brands knew what made them tick(Brand strategy, 2002). Without the benefit of human contact, internet companies have to work harder at understanding customer needs, delivering against these and finding ways to engage with the customer. Research found that customer expectations are high, and they are completely unforgiving of organisations who fail to respond quickly (Brand strategy, 2002).Technical factors such as site navigation, design and downloading speed can determine whether customers will revisit a site or not. To keep customers loyal, the sites must provide fresh content, relevant emails, competitions and offers. Bisignani, CEO of Opodo declares, The trend for booking travel online is set to throw a fit. On the other hand, Sally Johansson, e-commerce manager of Buzz, a low-cost airline says, We will never be 100% booking online. She believes the key to succeeder on the internet is to keep things as simple and clear as possible and avoid adding features that add to the costs (Wheelwright, 2002). Many sites are reluctant to pull the trollop on their call centres and some have even placed added emphasis on this facility. It seems that there are still too many people not being drawn to book online.Convenience of accessibility to information is probably as equally crucial as price. The ability to gather information on destinations, hotels, tourist sites and culture enables any traveller to pinpoint their exact requirements and then build a trip ideally suited to them. The main advantage is that this can be done in the comfort of ones own home. One doesnt have to physically go and queue to see individual who may only open during working hours or only be able to show some limited offers. However, one does have search through various sites to get the most appropriate package. Most well established sites offer a help line which is ideal for customers who want to use the internet for gathering information and then use a personalised service to ensure they get the right deal. It also inhibits fear in travellers who may need to make changes later on.Most web sites offer an abundance of options for travel. They can hold information about loc al and far destinations in equal sagacity and detail, whereas the travel agent will only have expertise in some areas and will be limited in options he can suggest. The better of both worlds, that more consumers are now doing, is using the internet to gather information and then telling the travel agent exactly what they want. This eliminates the fear of booking online and makes the customer more informed and demanding. Travel agents are also catching up with competitors by using their own websites to advertise their offers. Some have also started to focus on niche marketing, such as becoming cruise specialists, honeymoons or offering advice on complicated itineraries or where expertise for one particular country is needed and especially for people not comfortable with using a computer (Maxa, 2002).Some factors consumers should consider when booking online are Does the site drop dead in real time? This means the airline seat, hotel room etc presented are available the moment your e viewing it. This prevents problems of being sold out when you come to the booking stage. Does it provide a free help line number that allows you to talk to a representative to iron out any queries? Are extra charges, such as trip cancellation insurance automatically added to your package or hidden amongst the terms and conditions? How often are the special offers updated? Does the web site bill a fee on the airline tickets it sells? Some sites are already charging consumers and more are expected to follow this trend (Morrison, 2002) Will the site be trading when you want to travel? Many travellers are unaware that if they book a flight or hotel and that company ceases trading, they are not protected by legislation or insurance schemes (Macefield, 2002).When deciding to book online the consumer needs to realize how flexible their requirements are. The more consumers are willing to compromise on times, dates and holiday sites the more likely they are to finding a cheap deal. Consum ers also need to be ready to book as soon as they see what they are looking for. Even in a slow economy most offers get booked very early on.5.3 LimitationsThere are few say limitations for this piece of research. First of all it cannot be ignored that research is dependent on the data collected using a questionnaire. The objective features of websites and not dealt in detail (e.g. background theme or hierarchy information) which makes it difficult to elaborate the suitable design factors equalled with the subjective measures. Secondly, this research is based on the survey research method which has some limitations of its own in the form sample selection bias. The sample of the survey is selected by the researcher and there is always a contingency that the acquaintance of the researcher with the sample may alter the results as per the researchers way of thinking. The researcher tried to gather demographic information like age, gender etc but could not capture information like inco me levels etc. The participants were not ready to divulge such information. The validity of the results may be challenged in the absence of demographic information, because literature suggests the relative importance of evaluation criteria might vary with income and education level.Lastly the study lacks a section in the questionnaire that could be used to measure the level of user happiness for each website. A recent study found that user joy for e-commerce customers consists of multiple dimensions (McKinney et al. 2002). There was a possibility to add more inter-dependent variables in the research model. For example, trust has been identified as an important issue in web site design and e-commerce (Jarvenpaa, Tracinsky and Vitale 2000, McKnigh et al. 2002). It would have been significant if the level of trust the participants had in each website could be measured along with the reasons (Kim and Moon 1998).5.4 Recommendations for future workAlready done by the Client6.1 Discussi onTravel is seen as an escape motivation a wish to escape routines of family, home and work. It might be a pull motive a want to see things, places, and people and to engage in actions and behaviours (Ryan, 2002). Travel is ultimately thought of as entertainment (Miller, 2001). For these reasons booking travel should also be amusement and hassle free. Consumers want to feel inspired, excited and motivated to book travel. Online sites have recognised the lacking of a one-to-one experience and have turned to using customer service help lines. This move, although against the promotion of booking entirely online, portrays the current competitive market. Online travel sites have needed to work a lot harder to nonplus competitive and profitable.Having looked at the past and present situation, one can start to predict what the future will be for the online holiday booking industry. A recent report from industry analysts Jupiter MMXI (Johnson, 2002) noted considerable growth in Europes online travel market and predictions suggest it could be worth more than 12bn by 2006. Even with events such as September 11 terrorist attacks, consumers are keen to start travelling again. Dermot Halpin of Expedia states, People want to travel. September 11 was a tragedy, but people bounce back. Individual travel is becoming more and more popular. People dont want to be told what to do. We allow them to do what they want.With such great competition in the travel market, online travel providers need to distinguish themselves from the others. From consumer surveys, customers perceive the service of the airlines websites as significantly better than that of travel agencies (Romita, 2001). This is where travel agencies need to focus on to draw consumers to their site. From the questionnaire results we can see that consumers are drawn to sites on cost and reputation. An image of providing excellent customer service will attract visitors to that site and keep them loyal for future book ings. High street travel agents are able to do this much better due to their face to face interaction with customers. Online travel providers need to realign their focus with the ever demanding public and dedicate their sites to providing excellent customer service.From the literature search it was found out that the limit to which websites follow the architectural principles and are optimized on the evaluation criteria has an impact on the level of user satisfaction and, in turn, on the level of user loyalty. In other words, a website with a high architectural quality may produce a higher level of user satisfaction, which then leads to increased motivation for users to revisit the site. User satisfaction is one of the most frequently used measures of system success because the performance of a system is usually related to users satisfaction ratings (DeLone and McLean 1992).Customers are looking at the future for sites with better offers and technology to provide real time confirma tion. They want greater flexibility and more information when booking travel. Online travel has now become a fundamental part of booking travel, whether to search for the best offers or just gather information on some Holiday package. Customers are becoming more demanding as they can now pick and choose who they wish to give their business to. The future looks bright for the online Holiday booking industry. As more people accept changes in technology and become computer literate, a new generation is developing that use the internet for most their day to day needs.6.2 Final SummaryAlready done by the ClientBrand Strategy, (2002). How to get close to customers online, Brand Strategy, January 9, 2002, p13.Delone, W. H. And Mclean, E. R. (1992), Information systems success the quest for the dependent variable. Information Systems Research, 3(1), 60 95.Gall, M.D., Borg, W.R. and Gall, J.P. (1996) Educational Research An introduction. New York, Longman.Henry, G.T. (1990). Practical Sampl ing. Newbury Park, CA, Sage.Hussey, J. and Hussey, R. (1997). Business Research A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Macmillan Business Wiltshire.Johnson, B. (2002) Travel beats the dotcom gloom, The Guardian, August 19, 2002.Macefield, S. Warning to go-it-alone tourists, The Daily Telegraph, March 16, 2002, p4.Maxa, R. (2002). Rising European Air Fares, Savvy Traveller, March 23.Miller, G.(2001). Corporate responsibility in the UK touristry industry, Tourism Management, Volume 23, Issue 6, December 2001, p589-598.Morrison, M. Orbitz first to charge service fees, Airline Business, Jan 1, 2002, pg15.Romita, T. http//www.eyefortravel.com/index.asp?news=10158src=nwsltr, Eye for travel, January 23, 2001.Ryan, C. (2002). Equity, management, power sharing and sustainability issues of the new tourism, Tourism Management, Volume 23, Issue 1, February 2002, p17-26.Saran, C. (2002). Consumers are not inspired by the Internet, Computer Weekly, Feb 28, pg16.Sharp, J.A. and Howard, K. (1996) The Management of a Student Research Project. Aldershot, Gower.Wheelwright, G. Wednesday Surveys ITD1, The Financial Times(London), March 13, 2002, p10.Mckinney, V., Yoon, K. And Zahedi, F. (2002), Web-customer satisfaction an expectation and disconfirmation approach. Information Systems Research, 13(3), 296 315.Jarvenpaa, S. L., Tractinsky, N. And Vitale, M. (2000), Consumer trust in an Internet store. Information Technology and Management, 1(1 2 ), 45 71.Lynch P.J. Horton S. (1997) Web style guide. Available at http//info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual of arms/intro/purpose.htmlGrandinetti D.A. (2000) Help patients surf the Net safely. Register Nurse 63(8), 5154.Cravener P.A. (2000) The world wide nursing web. American Journal of Nursing 100(11), 7576.