Report on Ya Kun Website

Prepared for

Ms Ang Mui Sing

Communication Skills Lecturer

Nanyang Polytechnic

By

Ang ShanDi

Lee RuiChong

Willie Teow Choong Yong

Date of Submission:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

List of Illustrations iAbstract ii

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Purpose of the report 11.2 Background information 11.3 Scope 11.4 Method of inquiry 1

2. Data Analysis of Strengths of Website

2.1 Good Informations provided in website 22.2 Attractive pictures of products 32.3 Traditional theme 52.4 Locations and outlets 62.5 Japanese language 7

3. Weaknesses of Website

3.1 Small font size of text 83.2 No price stated in the website 93.3 No information of its latest updates 103.4 Lack of different languages 11

4. Conclusion 13

5. Recommendation 14-15

6. Bibliography 16

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Figure 1: Information of the Website 2

Figure 2: Attractive pictures of products 3

Figure 3: Traditional theme 4

Figure 4: Locations and outlets 5

Figure 5: Locations and outlets 5

Figure 6: Locations and outlets 6

Figure 7: Japanese language 6

Figure 8: Small font size of text 7

Figure 9: No price stated in the website 8

Figure 10: No price stated in the website 8

Figure 11: No information of its latest update 9

Figure 12: Lack of different languages 10

Figure 13: Lack of different languages 11

Figure 14: Lack of different languages 11

Figure 15: Delifrance website with readable font 12

Figure 16: vouchers and coupons promotions on Delifrance website 13

Figure 17: Local food delivery at dabao website 13

Abstract

The purpose of the report is to analyse the some strengths and weaknesses on Ya Kun website - www.yakun.com. It is found that the strengths of the website are its attractive pictures of products, traditional theme, location and outlets and Japanese language. However, the website also has some weaknesses, namely, inappropriate font size for text, lack of information on pricing, not enough updates and shortage of different languages. Thus, it is recommended that some changes in rearranging the layouts, including more languages and updating/editing of informations are to be made so that the website can be a more effective one.

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose of the Report

The objective of the report is to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the Ya Kun website and to recommend changes that will make it a better website, so that more people will know about it and its products.

1.2 Background Information

In 1926, Loi Ah Koon the founder of Ya Kun set sail from Hainan Island to Singapore. He was introduced to work as an assistant in a Hainanese coffee stall. After that, he soon picked up the tricks of the trade. A few years later, he set up his own business Ya Kun. The name “Ya Kun” is the hanyu pinyin equivalent to “Ah Koon”. Currently, the business is completely managed by his children.

1.3 Scope

The report gives detailed information on the strengths and weaknesses of the website as well as some recommendations on how to enhance it..

1.4 Method of Inquiry

The chosen website of this report is www.yakun.com. Information was also obtained through research on websites of other companies such as BreadTalk and Delifrance. These food chains were set up by local Singaporeans and have gained a foothold in the Singapore’s food and beverages industry. Thus, can be used for comparisons.

2. Data Analysis of Strengths Website

2.1 Good Informations provided in Website

The Ya Kun web page provides the following information: history, products, location, franchise and how to contact them.

Firstly, the website presents a background of the origin of Ya Kun. It provides readers with the information of how the founder of Ya Kun gradually set up his first coffee shop and expanded his business into a chain of restaurants both locally and abroad. Today, Ya Kun has established itself as a renowned household name.

In addition, the website provides information about Ya Kun’s merchandises, food and beverages. It presents a variety of products to cater to different customers’ tastes and preferences.

Also, the website allows customers to contact Ya Kun through their telephone and fax numbers. Customers can also give their feedback if they are unsatisfied with Ya Kun through their e-mail address. (Refer to Figure 1)

Figure 1: Information of the website

2.2 Attractive pictures of products

Ya Kun website has all the pictures of their products, so it can let people know what Ya Kun have. As Ya Kun has a wide range of products, customers are always spoilt for choice and they could be at a loss to decide what they want when they are at the restaurant. Therefore, they can make their decision in the comfort of their homes before they head to any Ya Kun’s outlet and this also saves time for everyone.

The pictures appeal to web visitors as they are branded in a way that brings out the delectable taste of a simple local delicacy such as the kaya toast. Thus the pictures already capture the attention of customers and create an irresistible craving for its products to tempt potential customers to their restaurants.

As the saying goes, “a picture speaks a thousand words”. The website has indeed developed its marketing strategy well by showcasing its products in graphic forms instead of the typical lengthy websites we often see online. In the fast-paced 21st century society in Singapore, people more often than not do not have the time to peruse long websites and hence, Ya Kun’s website will definitely attract customers of all ages. (Refer to Figure 2 and 3)

Figure 2: Attractive pictures of product

2.3 Traditional theme

The website’s background colour and design appropriately matches the authentic Chinese heritage that Ya Kun has preserved over the years. The red background of the website emphasises the auspicious colour of traditional Chinese custom where red brings good luck and prosperity. Also, at the left hand side, the logo of Ya Kun is presented in large font to accentuate the conventional Chinese words.

This traditional theme of the website suitably state the fact that Ya Kun’s belief of preserving their heritage and establish their roots in a society where Chinese customs are slowly eroding away and eating a local delicacy, kaya toast has been replaced by fast-food meals.

Therefore, Ya Kun appeals to the older generation who will buy their toast to reminisce the olden days. Ya Kun also seek to attract the younger generations by accommodating to their tastes and preferences through combining a mix of toast with ice blended coffee. In this way, our traditions and heritage will also be preserved in the future. (Refer to Figure 4)

Figure 3: Traditional theme

2.4 Locations and outlets

The website contains locations and outlets of different countries in Asia. This allows customers to look for the nearest outlets around them. In this way, customers can also save time since they are aware of the different outlets they can go to. For example, customers can choose to go to an outlet nearest to their home or workplace for their own convenience. The website also provides the detailed addresses of the different outlets so that customers will not get lost. Furthermore, the website shows the opening hours of all the outlets so that customers can plan their journey in advance so as to avoid a wasted trip. There are also hotlines for customers to make pre-orders and enquiries. (Refer to Figure 5, 6 and 7)

Figure 5: Locations and outlets

Figure 5: Locations and outlets

Figure 6: Locations and outlets

2.5 Japanese language

The website provides Japanese language which is convenient for people who understand Japanese. (Refer to Figure 8)

Figure 7: Japanese language

3. Weakness

3.1 Small font size of text

The text in “The history of Ya Kun” is extremely small and is almost impossible to read. For a website to be good, it needs to have larger font for customers to read, especially for those who wish to understand more about the traditional history of Ya Kun.

A larger font size for its website is of utmost importance for Ya Kun. This is due to the fact that Ya Kun has a large population base of the older generation and hence, Ya Kun

should prioritize their needs since older people tend to have poorer eyesight. (Refer to Figure 9)

Figure 8: Small font size of text

3.2 No price stated in the website

Pricing of products is one of the most important information for the benefit of the customers. Unfortunately, there is no pricing of the products in the website. The pricing of the products play an important role and can affect many factors when it comes to customers’ needs. Customers being unsure of the prices of the products will then not be able to plan their purchases and might even stay out of their budget when they head down to the restaurant for their meal. Thus this might deter customers from frequenting the outlet. (Refer to Figure 10 and 11)

Figure 9: No price stated in the website

Figure 10: No prices stated in the website3.3 No information of its latest update

For a commercial website to be successful, it is important to provide customers with its latest news and promotions. However, in this website, it lacks such information on its latest updates. It does not provide information on when this website is last updated and hence, customers who visit this website will not be informed of Ya Kun’s latest developments. (Refer to Figure 12)

Figure 11: No information of its latest update

3.4 Lack of different languages

A variety of languages are another factor that contributes to a good website. The website only has Japanese language as an alternative to English. There is a lack of other key languages such as Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. Since Singapore is a multi racial country, it is crucial to cater to the different racial groups in Singapore. Furthermore, in the globalised world today, many countries are becoming increasingly cosmopolitan. It is common to find people of different nationalities in a particular country. Therefore if Ya

Kun wants to expand their customer base, it has to provide other languages to cater to a cosmopolitan society in modern times. (Refer to Figure 13, 14 and 15)

Figure 12: Lack of different languages

Figure 13: Lack of different languages

Figure 14: Lack of different languages

Conclusions

According to the research of the website, it shows that it is not managed appropriately. And the website has some particular weaknesses that can be easily recognized.

From the pictures of the products in the website, it is concluded that there were no price stated on their products; this shows that the administrator did not put in enough effort to keep the site with more details for the customers and make it more convenient. However, there are still some positive factors in the site where some can help to make up for the weakness.

As a result, the website is inferior compared to other websites which have the same business concepts as them. Advancement to the site is a must if Ya Kun wants to stay ahead of their opposition.

Recommendations

Ya Kun will have to enlarge its website’s font size so that it is more legible for customers of the older generation. It will also need to provide regular information on its products with fresh content and show when the website is last updated. Furthermore, in order to cater to more customers, the website will have to be in other languages such as Mandarin, Korean and Malay as well. It has to be kept current and fresh looking with more visual pictures. (Refer to Figure 16)

Figure 15: Delifrance website with readable font

To attract more customers to frequent its website and outlets, an alternative will be to develop a marketing strategy that provides incentives to customers. This can be achieved through holding occasional lucky draw prizes for every 100th customer and having cheap promotions through meal vouchers and coupons that makes Ya Kun’s products more affordable to the younger generation too. (Refer to Figure 17)

Figure 16: Meal vouchers and coupons promotions on Delifrance website

By comparing Ya Kun’s website with www.dabao.sg, there is a method of improving it. Dabao provides local food delivery in Singapore as customers can contact them through their website. Ya Kun can also adopt the same marketing strategy by providing 24-hour delivery services to customers in Singapore. In this way, customers can enjoy Ya Kun’s products in the comfort of their homes and at their own convenience as they can save the troubles of going out to buy their toast. This will ultimately benefit Singaporeans who are always too coped up with their busy schedule and have no time to buy their food. This will definitely give an edge for Ya Kun over its competitors in the fiercely competitive local food and beverages industry. (Refer to Figure 18)

Figure 17: Local food delivery at dabao website

Bibliography

Dabao, Dabao Pte Ltd.November 25, 2007. <http://www.dabao.sg>

Delifrance. Delifrance Singapore Pte LtdNovember 25, 2007. <http://www.delifrance.com.sg/index.html>