What we did
Right from the beginning of the new millennium, for quite a while, etc.co.uk enabled clients to develop, build and launch a digital business - from providing assistance with the strategic thinking process through to the development of pervasive digital business infrastructures and the launching and branding of the final product. ETC provided the necessary joined up thinking and program management to make the process successful.
Combining innovation, creativity and technological insight ETC forged a reputation as one of the leaders in the digital business arena. So much so, that the future was visible at our innovation centre where digital media channels such as the web, interactive TV and WAP were closely coupled with contact centre technologies providing clients with the insight necessary to launch a digital business and build a pervasive e-business infrastructure.
... and how we did it
Pervasive e-business, experts say, needs pervasive thinking.
Interactive television, WAP and the good old fashioned web must be tightly integrated with the plain old telephone, email and other communications media which all have a part to play in launching a sell side digital business.
Sell side systems must be closely coupled with supply side networks, ensuring that online brochures, catalogues, shopping malls and services are matched with the availability of merchandise in the warehouse or shop and the production processes within the factory. Also, sell side systems and supply side networks for both B2C and B2B must be seamlessly integrated into the business process and technology infrastructure of the existing underlying business. Our consultants have always provided the necessary pervasive thinking to ensure success. Clients could successfully harness ETC's multi-channel solutions to give their business a powerful strategic advantage.
What we did further
- ETC evolved into a leading consultancy and systems integrator that specialised in the development and delivery of multichannel customer service and sales solutions. These integrated solutions improve customer service, retention and profitability. ETC delivered solutions using the Web, call and contact centres, branch, mobile, print, kiosk and interactive TV.
- The Etcetera (etc for short, meaning 'and the rest') website's role later became that of a launchpad for a network of 200 specialist UK shopping and information websites with subjects ranging from jewellery to garage doors and call centres to small business advice.
- The key defining characteristic of each etcetera site was the combination of very specific listings and practical informative editorial developed by our own editorial team. Users could find precisely the results they were looking for alongside the additional information that helped inform the purchase decision and ease the buying process. In other words, the site provided much more than what you would typically expect from a conventional listings website, that provide just a list of online and high street stores that might sell what you are looking for, because the internet ought to give you more than that. Users got a combination of a directory of stores and websites along with the six most popular items that related to the search, a list that was quite dynamic, based on what other people were looking for.
- Happily enough, customers also liked the feature 'Questions & Answers' about the items they looked for, supplied by Yahoo Answers; an ever changing list of questions asked by the average user. Of course, customers found them incredibly helpful sometimes, gloriously distracting at other times, but always interesting.
What we can do
Etc.co.uk is owned by one of the UK's largest and most established online publishing companies. We have plans for developing the site but enquiries are welcome. If you have any questions about the site, please do get in touch using the contact form.