Ameriprise rocks the site tour

Sure it was launched in early ‘08, but I wanted to let this one sink in… for a few months. Here’s the gist — Most site tours are clunky at best. This one is very nice:

Even if sites are good their tour counterparts often fail to be an engaging experience and they almost always seem like an afterthought. An engaging private site tour can be a great way to communicate your efforts to clients and whet the appetites of prospects. I am impressed by Ameriprise’s effort for several reasons:

1. I don’t have to sit through animated text to get to the meat. Note: If you have to put a “skip this” button on a site tour, just skip that section in production.
2. I feel I am in control of my experience. There are plenty of markers telling me where i am and letting me know what i am in for in terms of a time commitment.
3. There is an alternate version that just gives me the skinny on the redesign. Beautiful. Another cue that they are thinking of my time.
4. Change can be tough. Not many enjoy change especially when it is with a tool that is relied upon. The rationale that is shown throughout the tour (e.g., ‘we’ve organized accounts the way you’ve told us you want them organized’) may help ease the pain and assure existing users that it is for a greater good.
5. The ‘beep-bop-boop’ of the music leaves something to be desired, but at least i can easily shut it off.
6. It is simple and clear. The jumbo arrow focuses my attention on the salient points. I can choose to read the info on the left, but the visuals could even stand on their own.

The crew that built this tour made some very smart choices. It helps that the redesign looks pretty slick and simple, though I do not know whether or not it delivers on its tour’s promise (i am not a client…yet).