Novatech Selects CNET Channel's DataSource™ Solution for Seamless Content Delivery

Novatech, is the leading UK mail order computer supplier, working with a wide and varied customer base to deliver high quality products in an efficient and timely manner. Employing over 100 people at a 35,000 sq foot complex in Portsmouth, Novatech sends every week, thousands of orders to hundreds of computer users throughout the UK and having the right product information available on the company website can mean the difference between winning and losing in this fast paced environment. Novatech is using CNET Channel's DataSource, a product catalog maintenance service, to provide comprehensive, accurate and standardized product information on its company website.

"When I took on the task of redesigning the company's website, the main challenge I was facing was how to provide structured content in an easy to use format" says Luke Ashworth, marketing communications manager, Novatech. "Careful analysis of internal trends showed that the sales teams were unable to keep up with the ongoing turnover of new products and data and it was obvious that we needed a new system. I was determined to develop a website that not only looked better but was also more cost effective, efficient and most importantly employee friendly."

CNET Channel quickly became the obvious choice

The result was a decision to invest in content management and look at how it could not only provide customer and employee friendly information but also simultaneously help to increase the company's sales ratio. Sector expertise, a reputation for quality and a real understanding of the procurement needs of the organization, were just some of the factors that set CNET Channel apart in a competitive pitch. Coupled with this, the ability to provide multi-vendor and multilingual electronic product catalogs in a standardized, structured format meant CNET Channel quickly became the obvious choice for Novatech.

"As this was the first time we had invested in content management it was important that we chose the right partner who could work with us to ensure a seamless implementation and guarantee a good return on investment. With CNET Channel as a partner, we were confident we would be able to meet these requirements," explains Luke Ashworth. "One of the key objectives we had when we made our decision was to increase our site conversion rate as we had noticed a difference in the conversion rate of products with a spec and those without and we were keen to change this."

Following careful consideration, Novatech decided to invest in CNET Channel's DataSource solution. Designed as a product catalog maintenance service, DataSource transforms on demand Novatech's product portfolio into rich, granular and standardized product data, called Transactive Product DataT (TPDT). TPD enables the customer to support and build his Web sites' transactive functionalities, like product displaying, searching, comparing and configuring, and to build well informed and customized product information pages with product images, specs, related products and more. By using CNET Channel's structured product-information, Novatech is able to significantly facilitate the complete buying and selling process, by allowing faster and easier access to essential purchasing information. Novatech can now focus on Customer Relationship Management, thus optimizing the level of customer service.

A solution tailored to today's and tomorrow's demand

"With CNET Channel as our content management partner, we provide world-class levels of information and search capability to both our customers and internal sales teams which have resulted in a massive increase in earnings - all directly attributable to CNET Channel's DataSource," concludes Luke Ashworth.

James Symington, sales manager CNET Channel UK, comments: "Novatech needed a partner that could give the appropriate understanding, quality assurance and service support in order to ensure a smooth transition to the new website and also gain immediate buy-in from employees. Our experience in this sector meant we were able to quickly tailor a solution to Novatech's needs that could easily cope with today's and tomorrow's customer demand."

With its Transactive Product Data (TPD), CNET Channel has defined within the industry how IT products are categorized, described and documented to deliver valuable information to help users make well informed buying decisions and purchases. CNET Channel has built a worldwide production and distribution network of TPD that reaches, through its thousands of customers, a vast community of 150 million IT buyers and users in 40 markets and in 12 languages.

About Novatech

Novatech is a mail order and online computer system manufacturer and component and peripheral supplier. For 15 years they have supplied over 500,000 customers from their purpose built warehouse on the South Coast of the UK. They manufacture their own brand of value PCs and Notebooks as well as an extensive product catalogue of nearly 10,000 products. They operate a multi-channel sales operation consisting of web, telesales, catalogue, retail shop and corporate account sales, through all of which CNET Channel is a valued part of the sales mix.