4:59pm Thursday 15th February 2007
By Andrew Smith
A good website is a key part of modern business. Even start-ups now see it as an essential way of launching a company to a wider audience. It was a priority for Oxford-based journalist Victoria Frazer-Smith, as it allowed potential clients to view the site before making a decision on whether to take on the services of her newly formed firm, North Star Communications.
She wanted a site that encompassed the two arms of her business, North Star Media which deals with writing case studies, press releases, web copy and brochures, along with North Star Tuition involving teaching English to foreign business customers.
And as the website was being launched at the same time as the business itself, typically she was also looking for any extra start-up advice possible.
But she managed to find both when she approached ht2 based in High Street, Oxford as managing director Alan Betts was also a lecturer at Warwick University.
Ms Frazer-Smith said: "In just one day I was presented with a bespoke website that exceeded my expectations. I thought I knew everything about start-ups as I write the case studies for the local Business Link, but I managed to pick up some extra tips from Alan."
Ht2 itself has more than one arm to its business, offering e-learning and its more recent website development side which it calls The Chef's Table.
Managing director Mr Betts said: "One of the problems we had in doing websites for people was that it took a long time for clients to come up with what was wanted and to generate sufficient ideas.
"I asked myself how can we totally redesign the process?'"
The solution was to do it all in one day with the client coming in at 9am with just a few ideas and walking out of the office again at 5pm with a brand new, bespoke website.
This, in effect, means a day of feverish brainstorming activity but as Ms Frazer-Smith discovered, it was an extremely enjoyable process.
She said: "I was so impressed with the positive attitude of the team who managed to develop a few of my ideas into a website that puts across exactly the right image I was looking for to support my company.
"They are extremely talented and managed to give me a website that stands out and reflects the nature of my business."
Initial discussions centred on the type of site required, looking at other websites and discussing their strengths and weaknesses.
After about an hour the first drawings were being mapped out by Mr Betts' son, Ben, who is operations director, designer Gavin Boulton and Flash designer, Juan Pablo Alcayaga.
By lunchtime the website was up and running and by 5pm the finishing touches were being applied, all to the approval of Ms Frazer-Smith.
The site, www.northstarcommunications.co.uk, features an Oxford skyline with twinkling stars above it and occasional appearances in the windows by Oxford characters such as the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland and even a university don.
Below, the key areas and messages of the business are clearly mapped out and users click through for more information.
The final price comes in below £1,000 - many people would pay far more for a less impressive site that took weeks to complete.
The name Chef's Table comes from the idea of a modern restaurant where customers can see their food being prepared in the kitchen.
Alan Betts said: "The customer is involved in the process and can also learn about the web as they are talking to experts."
While the three younger members of the ht2 (it stands for hi-tech, hi-touch) team concentrate on the design and technicalities, Mr Betts senior spends the day directly liaising with the customer, to find out exactly what they want and offering advice.
With a background in banking, he now lectures in subjects such as operations and process management at Warwick University and works closely with the university's world renowned business school and luminaries such as Prof Nigel Slack, formerly a fellow of Templeton College in Oxford.
He started ht2 about six years ago as a "virtual" company offering e-learning programmes for large organisations such as the RBS bank to help with staff training and development.
Then, last May, the decision was taken to open an office in Oxford, drawing on the IT talents of his son, Ben, 23, who had just graduated from Exeter University.
Clients now include publishing giant Pearson, for which it produces CDs to back up books, and the University of San Diego for which it is developing web-based learning programmes.
A further major contract is with the National Trust as it establishes an environmental focus and ht2 is also currently developing another website, www.learningfootprint.com which examines how much carbon is used during a business trip or conference, not just in terms of travel, but also paper and energy costs.
For Ms Frazer-Smith, Mr Betts was an excellent sounding board for her ideas and he was able to make a range of suggestions which will help her with the development of her company.
She said: "I learned so much and I feel the ht2 experience has given me a real head start with my business."
n Contact: ht2: 01865 727020, www.ht2.org North Star Communications, 01865 513883, www.northstarcommunications.co.uk
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