18 August 2006

Changes to a website's accessibility and usability can improve customer loyalty, an expert at Bloor Research has claimed.

Improving the user experience, often by altering small detail and adding accessibility features will help companies to maintain a loyal online customer base, claims practice leader Peter Abrahams.

If the website enables users to keep their hands on the keyboard while filling in forms, rather than needing to use the mouse, the difference to individuals with motor impairments can be critical.

"For me this improves the user experience, however for people with visual or motor impairments it may mean the difference between a site that is practical to use and one that is just too hard," Mr Abrahams asserts.

Other websites can be improved by adding help for screen readers, which can enable a blind or visually impaired user to skip straight to what they need to use, he adds.

"My experience suggests that small detailed changes can make a real difference to the user experience and that can make a real difference to the loyalty of the users," the expert concludes.

Mr Abrahams devotes his research to finding new ways to improve accessibility and usability of websites, having worked in computing for over 50 years.

© Adfero Ltd

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