Alamance Community College was scheduled to launch its new website Monday, Dec. 3, providing users a more streamlined and engaging customer experience.
The 9-month project – in partnership with North Star Marketing Communications, Inc. of Burlington – leveraged months of extensive interviews with key users, student focus groups, and e-surveys across the campus targeting students, staff, faculty, donors, and alumni. In addition, e-surveys gathered feedback from local business and civic groups.
“From a customer service standpoint, it was important that the College invest significant time listening to its core constituents and focusing on enhancing the experience for them,” said Dr. Martin H. Nadelman, ACC President. “We believe the new design and functionality provides a more intuitive and informative service.”
A significant difference that users will notice is the College’s focus in the redesign, said ACC Marketing Director Ed Williams. “It’s externally focused – on current students, prospective students and the business community. We’ve also heightened exposure of GED and Adult High School – a significant audience at ACC.”
The College believes the new redesign:
• Provides a consistent and intuitive navigational structure;
• Gives emphasis to most frequently-visited content areas (How to Apply and How to Pay for College);
• Streamlines the enrollment process and improves student orientation;
• Offers easier and increased access to course information;
• Aggregates and highlights key student portals: WebAdvisor, Moodle, Library, college email accounts;
• Provides new content and interactivity under Campus Life, showcasing the College’s diverse student body and student experiences;
• Gives focus to College alumni and increases visibility of the ACC Foundation.
“From the beginning, the College and North Star Marketing discussed creating an enhanced user experience, providing a web site that put prospective students at ease while also creating a sense of anticipation about coming to ACC,” said Dr. Nadelman, ACC President.
In early 2012, the College interviewed eight web site vendors before choosing North Star, whose local clients include the Alamance County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Alamance County Chamber of Commerce, and Tanger Outlets.
“We chose North Star not because they were local but because they were engaged and creative during their proposal,” said Williams, marketing director. “They convinced us they were sincerely committed to advancing the College’s mission and expanding our marketing and branding efforts rather than simply building a stand-alone web site and abandoning us.”
In the coming months, ACC and North Star will be working on mobile applications for the College web site.