‘We would like to inform you that we are currently upgrading this site…’

Those are the words prominently displayed on a local financial services firm’s website. They are a listed company with lots of money and a history of the most successful retail banking marketing campaign in recent times. This website project is probably being handled by different people all together.

That line tells me…

‘Our website sucks, we know. We really aren’t doing anything about it yet but we want you to believe we are, so hang in there while we come up with something’.

BBC redesigned their website early this year and it was a wonderful surprise. One morning I visit the site and I am delightfully surprised by a crisp clean understated interface. They didn’t precede it with a ‘We are upgrading our website…’ line. They just did it.

Technology does not operate in a vacuum. Especially in business. Technology provides the support that great business ideas need. This line is a sign that technology has taken over the organization while the Brand strategy arms of the business have gone to sleep.

If the business was to critically analyze the whole point of pasting a statement of that nature on their website, they would realize that the harm it does the brand cannot be undone by putting up a great website.  It creates the impression that the web strategy and brand management of the business (which incidentally has considerable brand equity) is run by novices.