In the 1990s, the Internet became an emerging marketing and communications tool; and in 1996, Shure launched www.shure.com, an Internet site that added a new dimension to the Company’s sales, service, and information support programs.
The first version of the Shure web site was 250 pages, including a brief history of the Company, a 52-page product catalog, technical bulletins on how to use Shure products, and information on how Shure products can be purchased. In addition, it provides a guide to ordering catalogs, booklets, and other Shure informational materials by mail.
Visitors to shure.com could also find the Company’s trade show schedule and a list of product endorsers. The site grew dramatically with new features and an expanded database of product and Company information. Shure.com has become a popular destination for audio professionals, musicians, Sales Representatives and Distribution Centers, and product users of all kinds. By January 2001, the site was registering more than 650,000 “hits” (or visits) per month.
“We have visitors to the site from around the world—the people who sell, service, and use Shure products,” commented President Sandy LaMantia. “It is a diverse, knowledgeable, and innovative group, and the Internet complements our strong communication channels established over the past 75 years. Shure was one of the first companies to use direct mail. We were a leader in developing the first trade shows for our industry. We have an outstanding sales and global distribution network. Now we also have a popular web site. Everything contributes to connecting with customers and building relationships.”
In February 2000, Shure redesigned and reorganized its web site, making it easier for visitors to access the more than 2,500 pages of information. The home page provides immediate access to the latest Shure news and apparel featuring the Shure logo. Primary links also allow quick connections to detailed product information, career opportunities, sales and service assistance, and corporate contact information. In 2000, more than 80,000 User Guides were downloaded each month. The Guides provide technical specifications and information on Shure products in the current catalog and hundreds of discontinued products, some dating back to the 1930s. Once downloaded from the web site, the Guides can be viewed on a computer screen or printed, most of them in multiple languages.
The revised site also offers expanded coverage of corporate, product, and artist news. The Artists section features exclusive concert photos of endorsing artists, concert input lists, and links to endorser home pages.
Another upgraded area is Technical Support, maintained by Applications Engineering. The Applications FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document evolved into a dynamic FAQ system that accesses a large database to provide more complete and up-to-date answers. In December 2000, between 300 and 400 questions were successfully handled by the system each day, allowing applications engineers to give faster attention to new questions from customers. These answers then become part of the database, and future customers with the same questions will be able to find the answers through the Applications FAQ system.
