Favier : Personalising contact information

A confident grasp of how the web can be exploited to reflect company values.

The Site

Favier is a producer of insulating sleeving based in the Auvergne region of France. Its website, with versions in English, French, German and Spanish, includes a catalogue and technical information as well as background on the company and its distributor network.

Among company information is an organisation chart listing nine functions. Mousing over any one of these brings up a photograph of the person in charge plus a telephone number and e-mail link. The Production Process page (under Expertise) uses thumbnail photos with a magnifying-glass icon that generates larger pictures in a window. The History section has a timeline going back to 1927, again packed with photos.

The Takeaway

Favier shows a grasp of the medium that many much larger companies fail to match. It has asked: what is our USP, and how can we use the web to exploit it? The answer is that, as a small/medium-sized company, it can offer a personal service – so the web should be used to add as many ‘human’ touches as possible.

Using a mouseover in the organisation chart allows it to present contact information and photos on one page rather than as a scrollable directory. The magnifying-glass feature is another neat way of keeping the main site small, while allowing visitors to look at the company and its staff if they choose. And the history timeline also provides a useful ‘feel’ for the company.

Favier is also unusual in providing full translation in four languages. This is an expensive business – but with 75 per cent of production exported, it is probably worthwhile.

First published on 25 March, 2004