One of the keys to having a successful website is to not only get your customers to view the site, but to keep them coming back for repeat visits. For many telecommunications companies, a great way to bring customers back to their website is to go beyond offering information on their business and create a community resource. One MACC client that has successfully adopted this approach is Cordova Telephone Cooperative (CTC) in Cordova, Alaska.
CTC’s website is located at www.ctcak.net. As a way to connect to its community, CTC also has webcams of important locations in town, links to a calendar of local events, school lunch menus and local classified ads. The company also has a news feed for national headlines and local weather information. Kristle McLeod who manages the site, said the company’s two webcams are its most popular features.
“Both are a big hit on our website,” she said. “People can see how the weather is on ski hill and out at the harbor without having to leave the comfort of their own homes.”
While local residents may have visited the CTC site to check out the webcams, they’re learning more about the many services the company has to offer. The site has a prominent Flash movie which rotates images and text to highlight the company’s newest products and special offers.
“People can check out our promotions and products with just a click of a mouse. It’s convenient and has been a great success with us,” Kristle said.
She said the company’s DSL services in particular have seen an increase in customers as more people have seen the available speeds and pricing offered by CTC. She said customers are also calling about promotions the company advertises on the site.
CTC’s website was built by MACC’s Creative Services team in December of 2009. It was developed in a format that allows CTC employees to make changes to the site if they wish and still have MACC associates provide assistance if needed. It is an arrangement that has worked well for CTC as minor updates can be made in-house and help is just a phone call away for more complicated changes.
“MACC has provided a great deal of help and ideas for the site to bring it where it is today,” Kristle said. “We would not have such a successful site without their help.”
The company recently launched a Facebook page, which is linked back to its homepage. While Kristle said they don’t have any immediate plans for new additions to their website, they’re always brainstorming for new ideas to make the site more helpful to their community.