The Face Of Webmillion

Imagine the surprise on April 28 when an e-mail arrived from Christine Nelson announcing I had picked four of six correct numbers on Webmillion. Instructions stated to return the e-mail certifying name, age, residence and e-mail address in order to receive the $5 prize. (Naturally, security and privacy were assured.) Note: the Webmillion payoff for five correct numbers: $500; six correct, $3 million. The reply required almost no effort. It was fired off in a flash. May passed without the receipt of the check.

In early June, I wrote Ms Nelson a short note inquiring about the status of my prize. On June 6 a short, polite reply returned stating in part: “... it looks like your check is scheduled to be printed and mailed later this week.” A check, issued on Boise’s Key Bank National Association, was indeed issued on June 9 and arrived a few days later.

As an experienced Netster (read, skeptical and suspicious), several parts of this transaction struck me as unusual. First, the notification of winning contained a human contact – not the common “prize team” or other faceless psuedo-cyberfriend. Next, the reply to the request was answered promptly and accurately. I-netters usually receive computer generated auto-thanks for your interest (blah blah) conveying all the warmth, odor, and texture of dead fish. Often they contain a statement such as “your information is important to us and someone will get back to you right away.” Both turn out to be less than honest. For example, AllAdvantage experienced chronic server problems resulting from Web site/viewbar makeover in early June. All e-requests for help or explanation (even to the CEO, Jim Jorgensen) were answered with faceless “we are having problems” spam-esque self-promotion. Sad.

Dialog With Jamie Dillon

The stark contrast in style between AllAdvantage and Webmillion was further amplified when Webmillion’s Jamie Dillon reached out with an e-contact. A key manager at Webmillion, she was in the process of generating a press release announcing their Web site redesign. My dialog with Nelson had been brought to her attention. As a result, a few of my comments were incorporated in the Webmillion PR package. Further, Dillon suggested that I speak with CEO Tony Hauser for a firsthand impression of Webmillion.

A conference call between Mr Hauser and Ms Dillon in Webmillion’s Boise, Idaho, headquarters and the writer occurred on June 26. Hauser and Dillon both received “expert ratings” on my short Cyber-Surfer Quiz. Hauser instinctively understands the importance of both user satisfaction and the personal touch linking Webmillion to members. Successful marketing principles used at Dell Computer, where Hauser picked up valuable experience, are now incorporated at his company. Today, over one million visitors stop at the Web site to play the $3 million lottery and the other three games. The three Hauser cornerstones for Webmillion are fun, fast interaction, and free. He backs up this vision with broadband backbone access (which ramps up as demand increases) from a thousand reliable PCs balancing the load to the Microsoft SQL Server database. Web site development, creation of the games, and technical support all spring from hardworking, in-house Webmillion employees in Boise. In an era of banner-heavy, graphics laden, java-enabled portal sites, the speed and reliability of Webmillion sets a high standard for gaming/entertainment sites on the Web.

From our conversation it became clear Hauser sets the right entrepreneurial tone. His openness to new ideas coupled with incorporation of user suggestions bodes well for a relative newcomer to the Web. Users should continue to witness evolutionary improvements to an already user-friendly Webmillion interface. The latest facelift occurred in early June. The fickle Web-skimming “flavor of the day” surf-patterns of many I-netters portend continuous churn as new gaming sites pop up faster than dandelions on a bucolic meadow after a warm spring shower.

Part Of The Mix

Gaming/entertainment sites find increasing popularity as surfers modify their habits to include a few minutes for games of chance. The potential reward (although slim) is winning a million dollars or more. Like cyber-auctions, many sites will join the fray, but only a few capable of achieving eBay/Amazon stature will survive the inevitable shakeout. Webmillion has jumped out to an early lead. Only robust community building (where members feel that they are part of a larger whole as they relate to others in the group) will ensure long-term success. Without community, Web surfers often bounce from pillar to post while traveling between established e-clan activities found at eBay, select e-lists, e-mail messaging, Slashdot, Greenfield, Napster, and a handful of others. With media hype and eye-candy stripped away, at its core, the underpinning superstructure of the Internet is the actualization of community. Web sites that engage users into furthering community building become the threads of a resilient Net fabric. Failing this dynamic, other Web sites spiral downward toward bit-player status landing at the margins where they either lose measurable impact or disappear completely.

URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) of interest:

http://www.webmillion.com

(This is the 212th of a series of elementary articles designed for surfing the Internet. Next, “Chris Deburgh and Napster” is the subject on tap. Stay Tuned. Until next week, happy travels through cyberspace. Previous issues of Internet Info for Real People can be found: http://www.thebee.com. Please e-mail comments and suggestions: rbrand@JUNO.com or editor@thebee.com.)