Seaside Review -- Oct. 1-8

[Coast is Clear]

And believe me, if their marketing department is on the ball, they regularly read forums like this - keep up with what the public is saying! It should be a daily occurance - like reading the newspaper.

Johnrudy-
You were right! Check you e-mail for message

 

[Rudyjohn]

And believe me, if their marketing department is on the ball, they regularly read forums like this - keep up with what the public is saying! It should be a daily occurance - like reading the newspaper.

Johnrudy-
You were right! Check you e-mail for message

So, it turns out that this message board is helping in lots of ways. Not just a "gossip" spot or restaurant reviews. Not that those aren't important or interesting! It's all for the good, the betterment (is that a real word?) of South Walton!

AND, I think this thread has turned into a "tangent" thanks to me ~

 

[newyorker]

I will defend Seaside as a place to stay or to shop or to eat, but I agree--the website is godawful! And regardless of the costs of beach access etc, the website is *the* public face these days to most people looking for a vacation (or any other) spot and it needs attention ASAP. I'm a dean at an elite liberal arts school--we know that prospective students (and their parents) are looking at us mainly thru our website--if the website is unfriendly, not easily negotiated, etc--its a huge turnoff and we would lose excellent potential students (and their tuition dollars) And quite frankly--the Seaside website has all those negatives. This shouldn't require a major strategic plan to fix, nor should it require lots of money.

I really feel badly for the owners--we were trying to begin plans for next year, and the website didn't work (tho it gives the promise of working for 2006). An email to someone in cyberspace there was not answered for days, and then had vague answers. (In contrast, I have potential students all over the world able to email me personally--I answer them within hours). Whatever management is new and improved at Seaside needs to address this issue now. This is marketing "101".

 

[Mermaid]

Coast Is Clear--maybe you could email this post in its entirety to whomever runs the rental program at Seaside?

 

[Rudyjohn]

I will defend Seaside as a place to stay or to shop or to eat, but I agree--the website is godawful! And regardless of the costs of beach access etc, the website is *the* public face these days to most people looking for a vacation (or any other) spot and it needs attention ASAP. I'm a dean at an elite liberal arts school--we know that prospective students (and their parents) are looking at us mainly thru our website--if the website is unfriendly, not easily negotiated, etc--its a huge turnoff and we would lose excellent potential students (and their tuition dollars) And quite frankly--the Seaside website has all those negatives. This shouldn't require a major strategic plan to fix, nor should it require lots of money.

I really feel badly for the owners--we were trying to begin plans for next year, and the website didn't work (tho it gives the promise of working for 2006). An email to someone in cyberspace there was not answered for days, and then had vague answers. (In contrast, I have potential students all over the world able to email me personally--I answer them within hours). Whatever management is new and improved at Seaside needs to address this issue now. This is marketing "101".

Wow! I couldn't have said it better myself. You have just expressed my sentiments and concerns exactly. And no, it is not a complicated situation to fix. It's more of a matter of staff people, committees, departments that have dropped the ball in keeping up with the times. Just like when one of the large encyclopedia companies chose to pass on the World Wide Web wagon - didn't see it as the future. Well, everyone else did and they have suffered badly because of that decision. I don't know of anyone who would rather take the time out of their day, and I mean daylight hours, 9 - 5, work hours, to call and sit on hold, and inquire about anything when it can be done at your leisure on your own time.
This all started for me too, trying to schedule a 2006 summer trip. Tight job schedules, school, teenagers, etc., not to mention places are filling up fast! The pandhandle has a relatively short season, compared to central and south Fla., Caribbean islands, etc.
O.K. I've gone on enough. I'm just glad to see that I'm not the only person that finds this as a serious problem with a really simple solution!!

 

[Coast is Clear]

Coast Is Clear--maybe you could email this post in its entirety to whomever runs the rental program at Seaside?

I have already received a call from Seaside just from the comments in this thread, and they are very sensitive to getting things right. I was assured there are already improvements being made to the website as we speak.

(As an FYI, their web site won the top web site award last year in FL from a prestigeous national advertising association. So if it is not functioning or response time is poor, that may be a personnel issue)

Do you think I would have received a call if their goal wasn't to be the best they can be? We can only take it as a positive sign. All input is appreciated and can only help!

 

[Rita]

:clap_1: Wow! Is this board good or what?!

Now we need comissioners and county agents to read the seawall/geotube threads!

 

[Wu]

(As an FYI, their web site won the top web site award last year in FL from a prestigeous national advertising association.

Is that not unlike the International Federation of bottom feeders giving an award to the local catfish?

Translation: invented advertising federations and public relations societies are forever giving out awards to their small members who pay fees (suck up) to the organizations in order to receive continuous "awards" so that new press releases can be generated fortnightly about how awesome the small member is. Seems like every week in the "business briefs" column of the business section some marketing company has won a "silver this" or a "gold that". :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[Kimmifunn]

Is that not unlike the International Federation of bottom feeders giving an award to the local catfish?

Translation: invented advertising federations and public relations societies are forever giving out awards to their small members who pay fees (suck up) to the organizations in order to receive continuous "awards" so that new press releases can be generated fortnightly about how awesome the small member is. Seems like every week in the "business briefs" column of the business section some marketing company has won a "silver this" or a "gold that". :roll: :roll: :roll:

PR is crooked. Coming straight from the source. Trust me...it's what I do.

 

[Rudyjohn]

PR is crooked. Coming straight from the source. Trust me...it's what I do.

Exactly why television and newspapers were created in the first place. To advertise and garner $$ for it. So, who can you trust?