Great Customer Service and an Okay Product
December 11, 2013

Great Customer Service and an Okay Product

Matthew Koppel | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 4 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

Webtrends 10

Modules Used

  • Administration Module
  • Web Analysis Module

Overall Satisfaction

Pros

  • First and foremost, the customer service for Webtrends is excellent. Even if my name is not on the account, they will go out of their way to make sure everything is coded properly. Plus, they have a very active social media team that looks to answer small questions quickly that pop up on Twitter.
  • Implementation of Webtrends is a rather easy process for the basics. Compared to Omniture, I would say it takes about half the time.
  • I'm a big fan of the URL generator. When trafficking digital media, generating URLs can be a real pain and the generator is far better than anything for Google Analytics or Omniture.
  • Over the years, they have greatly improved the UX and UI of the system. It used to look more like an IT tool than a Business Intelligence tool. Now, I feel that it can operate as both.

Cons

  • Functionality is dependent upon implementation. If an IT department is in charge of implementation, then they will not be looking for the same things that a marketer needs.
  • Certain clients have required that I and my staff have to be on their network in order to access Webtrends. Accessing via a VPN connection can slow down the data download process.
  • Like all web analytics platforms, generating custom reports with multiple variables can effect the data output. I have found that the limit on Webtrends for a good pull is three dimensions. (I then have to go back and merge the data sets on my own.)
  • I would love for greater level of integration with adservers like DART or Atlas. If I could line up cookie level logs on the analytics and adserver, I could execute much deeper attribution and better QA.
  • Webtrends has had a negative impact on my business objectives because most people are not familiar with the tool when they come on to my teams. Start up on projects can be slow as a result. I even find myself speaking to junior analysts in terms of Google Analytics in order to teach them.
  • Once the product is installed and ready to go, Webtrends is consistent and offers clean data that can easily be distributed throughout the organization. Scheduling report distributions is a breeze and can satisfy all types of job functions' data needs.
  • The strongest positive impact lies in the fact that using a properly set up Webtrends helps make digital advertising campaigns better. From a QA stance, I can see if a click through URL isn't set up properly. From an optimization point of view, I can see which creative and placements are driving the most conversions. This allows me to make smarter media and creative investments for my clients.
Once an analytics platform is in place on a client's site, I am loathe to switch. There's little justification (other than budget) to leave Webtrends.

The factor that would force me to switch is familiarity. Many more web analysts know and understand Google Analytics and Omniture. If a big redesign is coming up and the analytics staff is increasing, deployment time can be a real issue. Training new staff on Webtrends can slow down this process. However, it should be noted that because of their excellent customer service an individual can get lots of help on the learning curve.
It all depends on the colleague's function.

If the colleague is in marketing like me: I do most of my reporting through Tableau now, and Google Analytics allows me to pull the data directly into the program without downloading to an Excel file first. This is a big issue for me. If Webtrends can get themselves included on Tableau, I would be more apt to recommend it.

If the colleague is in IT, I would recommend with the caveat that they have to be flexible and talk to the other portions of their organization to ensure that reporting is optimized for all departments.

If the colleague is in finance, I would say that it's a good investment from the customer service standpoint. Omniture tends to be more expensive (Google Analytics Premium is definitely more expensive) so you need to see how your organization is going to use the information. Sometimes a business only needs the free version of Google Analytics, the work is not data intensive at that point and it's not worth the money.

Product Usage

3 - We are all in the Analytics and Insights department. Our clients, on the other hand, have marketers and IT team members using the Webtrends product.
3 - A more than basic knowledge of web analytics is required to operate Webtrends. From a marketing point of view, you need to have someone who understands the basics of different types of code (flash, html5, etc.) as well as how a digital advertising campaign works. Even though the customer service for Webtrends is great, you still need a team member who can generate a few lines of code on her own in a jam.
  • Reliable data. There is no sampling like the free Google Analytics.
  • Security. If data security is a concern at your organization, Webtrends is a great resource.
  • Quality Assurance. From site functionality to campaign health, Webtrends enables an organization to ensure optimal performance.
  • We track ad server data and web trends data simultaneously to ensure that our ad server is not over reporting clicks, thus saving us money and increasing efficiency.
  • I'd love for deeper integration in Facebook apps; however, this is more dependent on Facebook's willingness than Webtrends.

Support

I once went on to Twitter to ask for help from my network of analytics people, and Webtrends themselves responded. They have been an excellent partner in making sure that their product is being used to the best of it's ability and I greatly appreciate that. Both Omniture and Google Analytics, do not have that level of support over social media.
ProsCons
Quick Resolution
Good followup
Knowledgeable team
No escalation required
Immediate help available
Support understands my problem
Support cares about my success
Quick Initial Response
Problems left unsolved
Not kept informed
Yes - I don't usually get to make that decision. But, depending on the organization I am working and their proficiency, I recommend it.
As I mentioned earlier, I went on to Twitter to ask a Webtrends question to my analytics network of friends. Webtrends themselves responded and helped me get the code I needed to get my client's site up and running. Other analytics services just don't do that.

I greatly appreciate the fact that they have employees out on social media looking to help customers. What's even better about this is the fact that my name wasn't on the account and they were still willing to help. That is the best type of customer service I have encountered.

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