The Rado brand launched its first collection of watches in
1957, but the company history goes back to Schlup & Co., who had been
producing watch movements in Lengnau, Switzerland, since 1917. Rado’s forte is
the use of sophisticated materials such as high-tech ceramics: they produced
the first scratch-proof watches. Today the company, still headquartered in
Lengnau, has some 470 employees and is part of the Swatch Group. The main About Us page appears when you
click “About Rado” in the top menu.
OVERALL GRADE: D
Products/Services: D
The big problem with the Rado About Us page is obvious from its
opening lines: “2010s. 2013 -
Rado further develops its use of ultra-light high-tech ceramic, presenting the
DiaMaster RHW1 in ‘old bronze’ coloured Si3N4 TiN. ...” This is the page that
appears when you click “About Rado” in the top menu, but there’s no summary of
the company: what it produces, where it’s located (if you’re a Swiss company
making watches, surely location matters!), what market its products are aimed
at. Our Commandment
1 of About Us pages is, “Know thy audience.” The first About Us page ought
to be self-sufficient. Rado’s is not.
Rado has excellent photos ... on two completely different
timelines, one of which counts backward, the other forward. The one on the main
About Us page is, as we said
above, so abstruse that a layman is unlikely to understand it. The Design Milestones timeline (under About Rado / Rado & Design) works
forward from 1958, describing specific watches and what made each innovative.
Its text is easier to grasp, but needs work. For example, we’re told that the
1981 Anatom was the first Rado watch “that exhibits a curved ergonomic form in
order to “[this quotation is never closed] embrace the wrist with anatomical
perfection. The design of the Anatom dial is reduced to keep its minimalism ...”
For a Swiss watchmaker not to be precise plays havoc with
our preconceptions. Our Commandment
9 of About Us pages is, “Worship clarity.” If you’re translating web pages
for an international audience, have them proofed by someone fluent in the
language.
Personality: D
The Rado
People page is elegantly laid out. But we expected it to list the company’s
management; instead, it talks about the celebrities who wear Rado watches. There’s
precious little elsewhere on the site about Rado’s corporate history. Although
the timeline on the main About Us
page goes back to 1917 (the founding of Schlup & Co. clockwork factory in
Lengnau), we’ve been unable to discover on the Rado site what the relationship is
between Schlup & Co. and Rado.
Accessibility: C
The Contact Us
page (reached via a link at the end of the footer, under “Keep in Touch”) has a
mailing address, phone number, and an online form. This is minimal but
acceptable.
TAKEAWAY
Always start your About Us page with a brief summary of your
company, geared to your target audience. If you’re going to mention your history
(and you should!), be sure to give some details that make it impressive.
Does your Web site’s “About Us” section
accurately convey your organization’s history and capabilities? Every two weeks
we evaluate one example, grading it in three areas that are key to potential
customers: Personality (Who are you?), Products/Services (What can you do for
us?), and Accessibility (How can we reach you?). To talk about your About Us
page, contact us!
Today’s example was chosen at random;
CorporateHistory.net has no ties to this company.
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