MoST Website Features and Functionality
MoST may be able to do more for your business or organisation than you know. We have clients who have been using the system for years and are surprised when they find out that MoST has more functionality than they first thought.
We group MoST functions into 4 main types:
1. Content Management Features or CMS
You may already know what a CMS is or have had some experience with one. At a basic level it allows you to manage, update or change the content on a website easily yourself. The MoST CMS does more than just let you update content. Here are some of the features:
Wysiwyg Editor
A Word-like editor that allows you to update the contents of the website yourself. Includes linking, inserting images, document lists, language blocks, breadcrumb trails, file uploading, multimedia uploading and more.
Search Engine or Search Page
Searches keywords in the website or an area of the website. A search page can be modified, added or removed from the website by any MoST user.
Site Map
This is an auto-updating page based on the website's document structure and descriptions. This tool helps with SEO (search engine optimisation) and user navigation.
Multi-Language Tool
An application that automatically translates the content of pages, and certain template wording, into another language depending on the viewer's browser settings. Currently supports English, Samoan, French and Spanish. Language must be installed in application.
Section Templates
Your site can have one or multiple sections. These sections allow your site to have different user permissions, templates, events, forms, secure client areas and a lot more.
Statistics and Logs
MoST has a built-in statistics package that gives comprehensive statistics on several aspects relating to page visits and search words used to find the website. You can also check which pages are popular, what keywords they used, where they landed in the site and so on. This information will help you to update and target the information on your pages. Here is a Statistics guide.
The logs record all activity and actions being performed inside MoST, for the administrator to monitor if need be.
User Permissions
In regards to the administration end of the site – MoST can have several user accounts for those wishing to edit the site. User permissions can vary; depending on the roles you would like certain people to perform.
Print Page Feature
Allows you to wrap a printable template around the contents of your website pages, for those site users who would like to print the content out.
Recommend Page feature
Allows your users to email pages to other people.
Comments
Comments are replies to entries in a blog or news article on your website. You can choose whether to allow people to make comments or not on any page of your website. Pages with comments allowed will have a form for users to add a comment, and to read the comments other people have already made. The site administrator can monitor each message from the back-end.
Password Protected Sections/Intranet
Allows you to create sections or areas on your website where entry is restricted by a username and password.
2. Enterprise Management Features
These are features that allow you to virtually manage certain areas of your business or organisation online, such as events and customer relationship management. We have clients that run their entire business online, from their accounts to their client database.
Client Database
This is a comprehensive SQL database that holds all your clients/members details. You can define the fields of your database, and query, filter and sort the contents of the database. The database may hold not only contact details, but also any notes relating to the client, invoice and payment details, event registration details and more. The client management feature attached to the database makes for easy subscription management of members through your website. The majority is automated for a cost-efficient way to manage the relationship between a business/organisation and its clients/members. Here are some tips for setting up and maintaining your database.
Members Directory
The members’ directory (should members choose to be a part of it) is an application that automatically generates a list of members in the database. This list can be searched or filtered. It is great for alumni and trade origination websites.
CRM Auto-Reminders
This tool allows clients, members, business or organisations to setup and send pre-dated automated emails to control subscription updates, events reminders and more. MoST can also send out SMS reminders.
Events Calendar
This facility allows you to enter event details in the back-end of your site, which will automatically display on an events calendar. Clients or members can then view and book for events.
Events Management System
A comprehensive application linked to the client management system and database. This allows you to manage all aspects of your events online – from event posting, to automated emails, to registration, to payments, to invoicing, to table booking and name badges! An extremely popular and efficient MoST tool.
Survey Tool
This tool allows you to create online surveys to send to participants. We have our stand alone survey tool, surveyCREATE. This sophisticated tool has proven to be popular with government departments and universities, and makes the facilitation of online surveys easy.
Discussion Groups
This feature allows you to post multi-threaded discussion groups and forums on your website. Users can post messages and track the development of certain threads. Site administrators can monitor each message from the back-end, or else the system can be made automated. Users can add their own topics for discussion, or an administrator in the back-end can mediate the whole forum.
CPD
Continuing professional development (CPD) is a tool that allows you to manage the professional career development of members or staff. As members/employees register for certain training and activities over your website, their professional development accounts become populated with a certain number of points. Users interactively monitor their CPD points on your website, and participate in virtual activities to contribute to their CPD. The reporting function allows management and the employee to easily track their development. The module assists users to continuously attend regular training sessions to keep their CPD levels up, therefore contributing to the development of their professional career.
3. Online Marketing Communication Features
These are a group of features that enable you to perform targeted communications and advertising via your website, such as e-Zines (online newsletters).
Email Newsletter or E-Zine
This is an online newsletter facility that allows you to create email newsletters to send out to large groups. No limit on how often you send them out, and no additional charges for each newsletter sent. You can send emails to your client/members database or to a list of subscribed users. Find out more about effective engagement with email marketing.
Banner Ads
Allows you to display and get statistics of the banner ads on your website. These banner ads can be designed by yourself or expert. It is great way to sell advertising on your website, or to market your organisations important products and services.
Email Forms
This facility allows you to create customised email forms for website users to fill out. Fields can be marked mandatory, and when creating the form you can choose from a variety of different responses, such as check boxes, radio buttons, drop down lists etc. Great for allowing site users to contact you in a secure and guided manner, without having to list email addresses on the site.
4. E-Commerce Features
These are features that assist in performing and managing e-commerce through your website, such as shopping carts and online sales.
Products Database
A database in the back-end of your website used exclusively to store and manage products or items for use in e-commerce, shopping carts and online sales. Items in the database dynamically display on your website, with all e-commerce functionality attached.
E-commerce Order Form
The order form is attached to the products database, and allows clients to use a simple form to order products from the website. They can also utilise a manual payments system through the order form, but this form of payment is not routed through the secure server.
Shopping Cart
This comprehensive cart allows for e-commerce on websites, using a real-time payments system. The shopping cart allows users to browse your site for items to purchase, has an automated facility for adding purchases and applying discounts if necessary, can be linked to the client database, can handle multiple currencies, and more.
ChargeIT
ChargeIT is Expert's real-time payments gateway. We have teamed up with financial institutions to be an aggregator for secure online credit card transactions. ChargeIT deals in multiple currencies and allows your customers to buy with ease, whether within New Zealand or world-wide. What's more is that ChargeIT uses a seamless interface so users never have to leave your website to make their online payments.