Four Seasons Spent $18 million on a Website redesign

http://thecubiclepunk.com/2012/01/13/fourseasons-blew-18-million-on-this/

by jandrick • 15 years ago

12 8 15 years ago

mmx• 15 years ago

I like to think that payments like this go to relatives or business partners at a different company. I only like to think that because the alternative is actually harder for me to comprehend.

qq66• 15 years ago

I've never overpaid for computer parts, because I'm very familiar with their true price. Conversely, I always feel screwed when I need auto repairs since I know nothing about cars and am at the total mercy of the mechanic who tells me I need a new Widget X. It's no surprise that Four Seasons drastically overpays for web design -- it's not their specialty and the cost of making web design an organizational priority would be far more than $18 million. They've correctly chosen to focus simply on running luxury hotels.

Not to mention, a big portion of the cost of this project is hidden from view -- it's the cost of integrating with legacy systems at each Four Seasons hotel around the world. There might be a reservation system from 1994 at the front desk of the Four Seasons Istanbul which needs extremely delicate internationalization: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/03/whats-wrong-with-tu...

jandrick3• 15 years ago

I think you miss the point a bit. It was a redesign. The had internal and external datasources that were used in the recreation. The thing I can tell you from being in house at a company whose core competency is not web development or design that regular over spend occurs less because of the details and more because of operational ignorance and agency selection. It is rarely because the site is so complex or special.

I would expect some expense for the legacy integration, but I believe that 18 million is way to much and given the fact that the site launched with so many issues it seems even if it were a steal it was too much.

SlightGenius• 15 years ago

I'm sure the front-end took only .5% of the cost, others were research/discovery phase, pictures/videos/travel costs and as qq66 said integration with their systems.

Bill Gates owns a percentage of the company, not sure what role he plays but I'd like to think they would ask him for some advice and recommendations.

If anyone finds out who redesigned it, let us all know!

jandrick3• 15 years ago

I am dying to know. I think the poor execution on launch is what shocks me the most I can think of several scenarios where millions would be spent on a site redesign and launch one would include a larger marketing budget for ad placement, etc.

But I think given the old site was already integrated into their booking systems we are giving them too much benefit of the doubt. This was clearly an over payment in my opinion.

sopooneo2• 15 years ago

If all you do is get the basics completely correct every time, you are already ahead of 99% of the world.

jandrick3• 15 years ago

I actually think you are right on my concern is less that they spent the money, but how and how well was it executed. I think it was poorly executed on. I wish I were the agency or development firm because I would have milked this for all it was worth.

sopooneo2• 15 years ago

Oh, I agree with you completely. I think the Four Seasons site described is very much an example of not getting the basics right.

Four Seasons Spent $18 million on a Website redesign

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