Re the point of which is more popular with users, I think I have seen a few websites that offer both a form and an email as an alternative to the form. I wonder if anyone has tracked usage of these and done any comparisons?
Speaking personally, I don't like filling in online forms and would much rather type away into a free form email. On the other hand (or if the boot is on the other foot, or whatever the metaphor is...) if I am on the receiving end, I prefer getting data that is already structured in the way I want to deal with it.
Martin
----------------------------------------------------
Martin Bazley
Digital heritage consultant
Martin Bazley & Associates
15 Margin Drive
Wimbledon
SW19 5HA
0780 3580 727
[log in to unmask]
www.martinbazley.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Leonard Will
Sent: 29 April 2014 10:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MCG] How to manage service wide website email
On 2014-04-28 18:03, Mike Ellis wrote:
> On the other hand:
>
> ...providing on-page email addresses means those addresses absolutely
> will get scraped and spammed by bots...
Not necessarily. I have been exposing email addresses for years on three web sites that I run and though we get some spam it is only a minor inconvenience and can generally be filtered out (for quick review later). I think that the fear of spam is rather overplayed.
> ...keeping a copy of what you've written: easy enough, you just send
> the person who filled in the form a copy of what they sent too. Easy
> enough with Gravity Forms / most WP form plugins - re. point 5, you
> just flag this up on the form page: "fill in this form - we'll send
> you a copy for your records too".
Yes, but this is something that has to be provided by the form designer, and very few of them do this.
> ...form design: well, that's down to having a good designer, no?
Indeed, but where are they?
Incidentally, if you provide any form of ecommerce function on your site you are obliged to provide an email address by the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002. See <http://www.out-law.com/page-431> which says:
> Service providers, whether involved in e-commerce or not, should
> provide the following minimum information, which must be easily,
> directly and permanently accessible:
>
> * the *name* of the service provider must be given somewhere easily
> accessible on the site. This might differ from the trading name
> and any such difference should be explained – e.g. "XYZ.com is the
> trading name of XYZ Enterprises Limited";
> * the *geographic add**ress* of the service provider must be given;
> * the details of the service provider including his or her *email
> address*, so long as it allows rapid contact and direct and
> effective communication. The CJEU in /Bundesverband v Deutsche
> Internet Versicherung/ (2008)
> <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:62007CJ0298:EN:NOT>
> confirmed that in order to be able to respond to consumers
> promptly, a company may need to provide other methods of
> communication beyond its postal and email address. A 'contact us'
> form without also providing an email address is not sufficient;
>
Note the last sentence.
Leonard
--
Willpower Information (Partners: Dr Leonard D Will, Sheena E Will)
Information Management Consultants Tel: +44 (0)20 8372 0092
27 Calshot Way [log in to unmask]
ENFIELD [log in to unmask]
EN2 7BQ, UK http://www.willpowerinfo.co.uk/
****************************************************************
website: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
[un]subscribe: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
website: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
[un]subscribe: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
****************************************************************
|