There's ROIs in RIAs

• Posted by Wasim
• In Speaking Out

RIA: Rich Internet Application Rich Internet Applications are web based Flash applications that provide the user access to information and capabilities on the web in a more user-accustomed manner through emulating the application experience found in traditional desktop applications.

RIAs that are delivering Return on Investments(ROI) to companies on the web are Simplified Form RIAs. Simplified form RIAs replace complex, multi-step HTML based forms needed to complete tasks like site registrations, hotel reservations and travel planning. This type of RIA allows users to place orders, make reservations for hotel rooms and more through a single user interface. Simplified form RIAs are a great way to improve your web sites ability to direct a user through an information gathering process that could take a number of steps to complete. Most web users are familiar with forms that require page flipping, having to step backwards and forwards through a form to complete it, and completion rates for multi-step web forms are consistently low because they are frustrating to use. If you or your clients are experiencing the following issues, then a simplified form RIA may be a potential solution that you should look at.

• Does your site require a multi-step form for users to complete?
• Do completion rates for the form need improving?
• Have your server logs indicated that users are page flipping frequently while using the form?
• Is information lost between steps due to server capabilities or design implementation?

The return on the investment of his type of RIA has been dramatic. Hotels using RIAs have seen number of reservations increase 25% and experienced an increase in revenue booked by 50% and a 66% increase in room nights booked. One company recorded an eightfold increase in their conversion rate from 2.7% with the HTML version to 22% with the RIA.

All told, hotels show an 89% increase in online reservations with the a one screen RIA.

Companies with RIAs like the ones mentioned above are not the sole benefactors from RIAs; the users also benefit. Developing simplified form RIAs with a user centric design method can also produce benefits such as:

• Faster feedback to the user based on their entries.
• Higher and faster completion rates.
• A reduction in page flipping, and in bandwidth costs.
• Integration with the server back-end is transparent to the user.

With simplified form RIAs a web site can increase the percentage of users who complete their forms by reducing frustration and improving the user's experience. Simplified form RIAs offer cost savings and increased value; two more reasons that any IT or e-commerce manager should be taking a serious look at Flash based RIAs for their web sites.