Analysis of Corporate Website - Essay Example

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit ity website, at wmata.com, is designed to communicate key information and developments about its dailyservices to its customers. In order to meet this purpose, the website homepage is packed with constantly updating data streams, such as the service status feature and the central banner, which cycles through various images and messages. Other parts of the website, including pages for fares and “getting around” offer more information on how customers can utilize the metro transit service to accomplish their goals.

This goal-focused leadership is an important aspect to recognize about this website, and the appeals that it offers to its visitors. Clearly, the visitor to this website is probably seeking information about services to which they already subscribe. For instance, a transit customer looking to plan a trip would likely look to the trip planner feature on the homepage that allows users to enter in their information and have an accessible readout of what they need to do in order to reach their specific destination.

By focusing more on the informative aspects of their website, the website loses its ability to appeal to and market to potential customers. However, one could argue that by supplying so much support features (including service status and trip planner) on their website, that customers will be impressed and more likely to utilize the metropolitan transit services. In that sense, the website is not trying to lead people by transforming them. Rather, the website simply exists in a market space that appeals to many potential customers: specifically those needing short- or long-distance public transportation.

This might be described as a kind of functional leadership: one in which the function of the Washington transit authority is laid out in details, then how to actually apply that function in ones own situation is provided in the form of useful interactive content. As a result, the website enables its user to become a leader in his own right—namely, through a process of becoming an expert leader. When an individual knows how to use the metro transit service, he can effectively lead others in real situations.

On the homepage, they write, “Dont miss another bus or train.” The expert leadership bestowed on users through their familiarity with the website utilities furthers this goal of not missing buses or trains.