Compass Intelligence Reveals 2nd Quarter Results of Its Small Business Online Portal - Verizon Still Ranked #1

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Compass Intelligence has published its 2Q 2011 Small Business Portal Experience rankings today, a quarterly tracking report.  These quarterly rankings are derived from on-going monthly research with small business owners and weekly tracking of vendors' site capabilities, design and content as part of Compass Intelligence's Small Business Online (SBOnline) web research portal.  Vendors in SBOnline are ranked in terms of their ability to provide relevant online experiences to Small Businesses, with the focus of the research being Small Business-specific buying and learning experiences.  Rankings are based on more than 20 facets of the online engagement process.

"Each month we learn something new from Small Business decision-makers regarding the best way to influence and engage them using one of their most important resources: the Internet.  And, each quarter we discover how vendors' are responding (or not) to customers' needs online," said Kneko Burney, Founder & Chief Strategist at Compass Intelligence.  "Looking forward, we believe that the Internet will become the primary means to engage these customers in highly relevant ways – via mobiles, tablets, kiosks and, of course, PCs," says Burney.

According to Sean Rowe, Portal Researcher for SBOnline, "The most prevalent trend witnessed in the 2Q was the number of web portal redesigns, which were focused on creating more seamless online experiences for this segment.  The goal this period appears to be geared at providing simple and easy educational and buying experiences that are somehow linked."  Rowe also adds, "Consistency and simplification is key to keeping a Small Business Decision Maker engaged within a web experience."

Key Findings include:

• 2Q 2011 Top 10 rankings: Verizon, AT&T, Cbeyond, Cisco, Dell, HP/3Com, Qwest, Windstream, Intuit and Sprint (new to Top 10)
• Best Practice this period: Simplified navigation and direct access to information has been the top focus for a number of vendors this quarter.  This has been achieved via redesigns that create simple, but effective pages focused on Small Business decision-makers and their needs..
• Laggards: Though the US-based cable MSOs have done more to improve their websites – they still lag behind their LEC competitors greatly with regard to learn-driven experiences that extend beyond simply learning about products online.  Many also fall behind with regard to e-commerce functionality.
• Landing Page: Please visit the SBOnline Landing page by clicking on the following link; http://tinyurl.com/2q2011SBO

Summary

Please select the following link for a complimentary summary of this report: http://tinyurl.com/2Q2011SBOfree.  The complimentary summary highlights the top 2 vendors while providing some strengths and weaknesses regarding their Small Business Web experiences.

For access to a video offering highlights of Compass Intelligence's SBOnline portal research results, please select the following link: http://tinyurl.com/2q2011SBO.

About Compass Intelligence

Compass Intelligence, a global consulting and market analytics firm, specializes in segment and vertical market intelligence for the high-tech and telecom industries; and offers clients a tailored research experience through excellent customer support. Compass Intelligence provides subscriptions and research reports, insight videos, forecasts, competitive analysis, market data and expert recommendations on multiple markets. Find us on http://www.compassintelligence.com or follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/CompassIntel).

For Interview or Other Requests
Kneko Burney
President & Chief Strategist
[email protected]

Sean Rowe
Portal Researcher & Marketing Associate
[email protected]

SOURCE Compass Intelligence