Uses of websites in an organisation

Customer Facing Websites

Customer facing websites are commercial websites that sell and promote products and services to consumers.  Relatively recently, some companies have emerged who conduct all of their business online without the need for traditional commercial premises in the high street.  Other companies have a combination of traditional retail outlets as well as e-commerce services.

Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer.  It has no brick and mortar shops and conducts all of its business online using postal and courier services to deliver products from its warehouses.  Being an online-only retailer has the benefit of reducing costs for renting expensive city-centre outlets.  This in turn leads to greater profitability and increased revenue as well as savings for its customers.  Because of Amazon’s popularity, economies of scale ensure maximum efficiency and productivity.

Many conventional retailers now have websites that allow them to conduct a portion of their business online.  All of the “big four” UK supermarkets now have online services where customers can order their grocery shopping on the web and book a convenient delivery time. This makes more money for e.g. Tesco because the shopper can shop any time.  

Intranets

 An intranet is a computer network that uses Internet Protocol technology to share information, operational systems, or computing services within an organization such as a Business, School or College that only a person within these can access.

An intranet may host multiple private websites and constitute an important component and focal point of internal communication and collaboration.

For example ‘Moodle’ is an intranet that only a lecturer or student from the Sothern Regional College can access.

It is used for the likes of assignments and advice but you can use it for plenty of things such as E-ILP which lets you access your profile where you can set aims and goals and you can even keep track of your e-register (days and classes where you have been present, absent, sick or even exeat). This is an example of improved efficiency. If a student can't come to class they can still access the class materials from home and also upload assignment.

It also lets lecturers and students communicate safely that nobody else can see or access into, it is a confidential intranet. Again this is a sign of increased efficieny and productivity.

It is a repository of information and on Moodle all the policies and procedures are listed.