Thinking Outside the Box

Still, they knew from the outset that theirs would be a slow-but-sure undertaking and not a case of jumping in with both feet at the start. “As a conservative company, we were concerned about things like security and consumer privacy. We didn’t want to risk a disaster,” says Howard.

Bill Bender, president of Online Development Corp. (ODC), the Waltham, MA, company that worked with Ross-Simons to develop its site, recalls, “We spent two or three months discussing strategic issues before we made a move.” This step was key, says Bender, who adds, “The premise is very important at the outset. You need to determine what the ROI goals will be.”