New Ceroc website

[El Salsero Gringo]

I don't know for how long it's been up, but the www.ceroc.com website has changed rather (and for the better.) At least it seems fewer clicks are needed to get to the useful information, like which Ceroc events are on tonight. I wait with baited breath to hear what the Forum experts think.

[bigdjiver]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

I don't know for how long it's been up, but the www.ceroc.com website has changed rather (and for the better.) At least it seems fewer clicks are needed to get to the useful information, like which Ceroc events are on tonight. I wait with baited breath to hear what the Forum experts think.

The forum experts are at Southport. In their absence I clicked on galleries in the UK and got watch this space. There was quite a lot of space watching on the USA site too, and the Dubai site would not even come up. Ceroc Spain was delightfully English, and though lacking directions to the nearest Fish and Chip shop.

For pitys sake, Ceroc is an International organisation, with all of the Kudos that should bring, and has the opportunity to strut its stuff on the World stage. IMO Ceroc UK should be supplying the full marketing oomph commensurate with its leadership position.

Unfortunately the sound on my PC has gone AWOL and I was not able to savour the full glories of the Ceroc France site, but there, in all of its glory, seems to be the video that I have longed to see for years. They produced that with a couple of venues. There is hope.

Back on topic, Ceroc UK's site has improved, so well done for that effort.

[David Bailey]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

I don't know for how long it's been up, but the www.ceroc.com website has changed rather (and for the better.) At least it seems fewer clicks are needed to get to the useful information, like which Ceroc events are on tonight. I wait with baited breath to hear what the Forum experts think.

Looks the same to me - you've still got to make 2 clicks even to get into the site, which always struck me as usability insanity.

Oh, and looking at the front page, I notice that Ceroc is now an abbreviation of "C'est rock". When I joined, I was told it was an abbreviation of "C'est le roc". Maybe a bit of revisionism going on here?

Originally Posted by bigdjiver

The forum experts are at Southport.

Oi! You speak for yourself, Mister...

Originally Posted by bigdjiver

In their absence I clicked on galleries in the UK and got watch this space.

There was quite a lot of space watching on the USA site too

That seems to be working now? Well, for a certain value of "working"...

Originally Posted by bigdjiver

, and the Dubai site would not even come up.

Ahhh - that's probably because you foolishly assumed the link would actually work.

I however, being an old cynic, assumed they'd got it wrong, and that "http://www.cerocdubai.com/" should of course be "http://www.cerocuae.com/". I typed in the correct URL and that worked fine.

See? Easy

Originally Posted by bigdjiver

,For pitys sake, Ceroc is an International organisation, with all of the Kudos that should bring, and has the opportunity to strut its stuff on the World stage. IMO Ceroc UK should be supplying the full marketing oomph commensurate with its leadership position.

Totally agree - here we see, in all it's glory, the disadvantages of a franchise system in terms of standardisation...

[Yogi_Bear]

Originally Posted by DavidJames

Oh, and looking at the front page, I notice that Ceroc is now an abbreviation of "C'est rock". When I joined, I was told it was an abbreviation of "C'est le roc". Maybe a bit of revisionism going on here?

I detect a sense of revisionism too. Wasn't there something once called Leroc? Or is it just the lack of the definite article........

[David Bailey]

Originally Posted by Yogi_Bear

I detect a sense of revisionism too. Wasn't there something once called Leroc? Or is it just the lack of the definite article........

Surely you're not implying that Ceroc would ever try to re-write history?

Once again this evening, I'm shocked.

[El Salsero Gringo]

Sheesh. I'm beginning to regret ever starting this thread...

[David Bailey]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

Sheesh. I'm beginning to regret ever starting this thread...

Then my work here is done.

(Just be glad I'm not doing a full review... )

OK, seriously, I don't see what's changed at the top-level? You still have to select a country and then (for UK) select "members / non-members", which is making the user do a lot of work just to find out about a leisure activity.

That in itself is going to put a lot of people off - if you lose 50% of users for every extra click-through they have to do, then you're cutting off 75% of your potential customer base from the get-go. Any improvements at the third-level will therefore only affect usability for that fraction of the users who get that far.

[straycat]

I didn't really look at the old one, so it's hard to compare. The new one is fairly pretty, but if it was one of mine, it wouldn't be on my portfolio

Not terrible, but it's missed the mark in a few essential ways, which is a shame. I imagine it'll improve.

[spindr]

Originally Posted by DavidJames

:Oh, and looking at the front page, I notice that Ceroc is now an abbreviation of "C'est rock". When I joined, I was told it was an abbreviation of "C'est le roc". Maybe a bit of revisionism going on here?

Revisionism -- well, yes -- people always used to be told that it was "C'est le roc".

Then people discovered that the translation didn't make sense, e.g. using Babelfish "C'est le roc" => "It is the rock".

The new phrase "C'est rock" => It is rock'n'roll.
Of course "C'est le rock" => It is the rock'n'roll.

You'd have to ask a distinctly more Gallic person than I which is the correct phrase.

SpinDr.

[Lou]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

At least it seems fewer clicks are needed to get to the useful information, like which Ceroc events are on tonight.

Meh. So how do I find out what classes are on Tuesday? Or where to dance in Leicester, for instance. The only way I can see you're meant to do it is by putting in a postcode. And I'm not likely to know that, am I?

At least the old one had a map.

I guess it's OK for people who already know what they're looking for.

[El Salsero Gringo]

Originally Posted by Lou

Meh. So how do I find out what classes are on Tuesday?

Click on Events, then immediately under it click on Local Events. Up comes a list of events, this week, with the same calendar that worked well on the old site.

Originally Posted by Lou

Or where to dance in Leicester, for instance. The only way I can see you're meant to do it is by putting in a postcode.

You can just click on the search button, and up comes a list of all venues. (I agree that's not intuitive, but it works.) The page that comes up also has the same map.

Originally Posted by Lou

At least the old one had a map.

So does the new one.

Originally Posted by Lou

I guess it's OK for people who already know what they're looking for.

It's better than the old one, but I guess it's not perfect.

[MartinHarper]

Originally Posted by spindr

"C'est le roc" => "It is the rock".

Surely "It is the exotic bird".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roc

[Lou]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

Click on Events, then immediately under it click on Local Events. Up comes a list of events, this week, with the same calendar that worked well on the old site.

Ah! Events! And there I was thinking that referred to Weekenders & Dance Holidays (like Escape). Or local Freestyles.

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

You can just click on the search button, and up comes a list of all venues.

Ah... because it says "postcode" in the search box, I thought I had to put in a postcode. So I typed in "London", just to see what would happen. It came up with Aberdeen.

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

The page that comes up also has the same map.So does the new one.

It's on the front page of the nonmembers section. Which is really useful. But I wonder why Ceroc™ HQ assume that once you're a member, you won't ever want to look for another venue?

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

It's better than the old one, but I guess it's not perfect.

Better? It depends on your definition of such a woolly term. It might look better (have a more pleasing layout, nice colours, look more professional), but if someone can't use it to find the information that they want as easily as before, does that make it "better"?

Do you really believe it's better - or are you just toeing the party™ line more these days due to your increased involvement?

[El Salsero Gringo]

Originally Posted by Lou

Ah... because it says "postcode" in the search box, I thought I had to put in a postcode. So I typed in "London", just to see what would happen. It came up with Aberdeen.

Aberdeen is top of the (not quite) alphabetical list of all venues. I wonder if the search box can search for matches on more fields than just the postcode? That would be useful.

Originally Posted by Lou

Do you really believe it's better - or are you just toeing the party™ line more these days due to your increased involvement?

I do think the website is better than it was, but there is substance to your criticisms.

As for toeing™ the™ party™ line™ (TM™): doing some work for Ceroc means that sometimes I can see that decisions that look odd or perverse from outside make much more sense when viewed from the inside. And coming to regard some other Ceroc employees as friends rather than The Enemy™ means that my initial reaction to some of the trenchant criticism here is to rise to their defence. However that's not the same as being forced to put my name to things with which I disagree.

More generally, I'm comfortable about doing work for Ceroc because I view the organisation in a positive light - not vice versa.

[MartinHarper]

Given criticisms of the number of clicks it takes to get to the ceroc uk website, wouldn't it be good if URLs like the following worked and took you straight to the relevant country-specific site?

http://ceroc.co.uk/
http://ceroc.fr/
(etc)

Also, ceroc.com gives me a choice between "United Kingdom" and "Northern Ireland". Now, my political geography is a bit sketchy, but isn't Northern Ireland meant to be part of the United Kingdom, as in the popular phrase "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"?

Is Ceroc Enterprises is giving in to terrorism?

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

Doing some work for Ceroc means that sometimes I can see that decisions that look odd or perverse from outside make much more sense when viewed from the inside.

Also, publically criticising your employer is always a sackable offence. That's not a criticism of Ceroc Enterprises, by the way - just stating (my perception of) general reality.

[El Salsero Gringo]

Originally Posted by MartinHarper

Also, publically criticising your employer is always a sackable offence.

Also speaking generally, I think it's usually phrased as "bringing into disrepute." I think that differs subtly from "public criticism."