The Short-term Benefits of a Usability Strategy

The typical software sales process could almost have been designed to favour those products that present a clear, intuitive, attractive and easy-to-use interface to the user.

Usability, and professional interface design, is often presented as a long-term strategy for those involved in software development. There is a common perception that as effective as user-centred interface design can be in terms of creating satisfied end-users, brand loyalty, and repeat business, it lacks something of the 'wow' factor and will not affect the bottom line in the short term.

In our experience, nothing could be further from the truth. Particularly in today's software market, many of our customers report significant and immediate improvements in terms of product sales.

It doesn't take long to figure out why. The typical software sales process could almost have been designed to favour those products that present a clear, intuitive, attractive and easy-to-use interface to the user. Consider the following common sales methods:

Demonstration

Any software sold in a demonstration environment must make a quick (and positive) impression. Those that have benefited from a professional interface design are far more likely to impress potential customers who are, in this environment, basing their judgement on what may often be a superficial first impression. Although it should be stressed that gimmicky graphics alone will not ensure a sale, it obviously helps to have a professionally designed frontend.

In fact, you could go back even further in the purchasing process. Before a face-to-face meeting takes place, high-quality interface design is likely to help products get onto shortlists. When product literature is being used to select a small number of products to investigate further, any product that stands out in terms of presentation will be more likely to succeed.

Evaluation

Allowing customers to use a product for a couple of months is an increasingly popular way to overcome any issues that potential buyers may have. After using the product in his or her own time (possibly alongside several competitors), the customer can make an informed purchasing decision.

Clearly usable products will make a far superior impression during such a process. With no sales person to hold the hand of an evaluator, they must be able to get started with the product as easily as possible. A poor out-of-the-box experience will tend to create a negative impression of the product - nobody likes something that seems impossible to get up and running.

Additionally, poor interface design can mean that users are unable to discover all the functionality within a product. In contrast, well-designed interfaces will help users find and use all the features a product contains, and consequently value it more highly. When features cannot even be found, let alone used, poor interface design is standing between the user and a full appreciation of the product.

Subscription

Software sold by subscription represents a growing trend, particularly in the online software market where B2B purchasing systems or online CRM applications are used on the basis of regular fees or commissions being supplied by the customer. In this instance usability guarantees continued use, beyond the point of sale, which is essential to maintain revenue when selling using this model.

For better or worse, a traditional sale provided revenue up front. The subscription model relies on continued use, and that in turn means long-term user acceptance. Unusable products that frustrate their target audience are unlikely to remain in use for long, especially when the switch to a competing product (sold along the same lines) involves little overhead.