Note:
This is an edited version of an email I sent to HDFC Sec when I got totally frustrated with using their site.
I have a laundry list of top 10 issues that are highlighted below.
Of course they have taken no action in the 6 weeks since I sent it (and probably never will)!
Having used and built transaction oriented sites in the US, it was shocking to see the total lack of concern about the end user experience on this site.
Since this is aimed primarily at technical project manager types, it has a 'developer' focus (jargon, etc).
I'm having such a frustrating experience with equity trading using HDFC Sec that I am forced to open up another account with a competitor.
Lets start with the web site:
1. To Login or not to login?
There are 2 different places to login for trading users and 'free registered' users which is very confusing and completely avoidable.
Other sites like E*Trade have had a single login for all types of users for over 5 years which is independent of their back end systems.
Excuses like the user data is stored in different tables or databases are moot since the problem is resolved through middleware/coding.
I wasted my first day trying to login at the wrong location on the site and was on the phone with customer service who also could not figure out why I was unable to get in thinking it was a CAPS lock issue (which is a whole
separate issue dealt with later).
Finally I ask the rep to confirm the URL and sure enough it turned out to be different.
Since I fully expect HDFC Sec to say they can't change it to a single login because it would take too much time or effort, I have an interim solution.
On both login pages there should be clear instructions with links to the other login page, e.g.:
'This login is ONLY for users who want to trade on-line, the free users should click here'
2. CAPS LOCK RULES!
The other really aggravating thing is the requirement for upper case for all logins and passwords - this is something that virtually NO other site has (not even HDFC Bank). Its painfully obvious no usability study was done on this site nor were the developers forced to think about its use from a customer perspective.
Most people do not have CAPS lock on all the time.
Regardless of how the back-end database was set up (passwords should always be case sensitive to allow more permutations - requiring all passwords to be in upper case is actually poor security planning but we all know HDFC would never care about that!),
its very easy to setup the login page to automatically force everything to upper case after the user submits the text thus keeping the silly all caps requirement transparent from the user.
3. Don't call us - we'll call you (or not)!
The 2490-4040 phone number is BUSY about half the time I try to call in!
This would be unacceptable for general customer service for noncritical items. For transaction based numbers its totally outrageous! People in charge of the call center planning should be fired as they clearly do not understand the need or urgency of not being available for a brokerage firm.
4. Step 12 of 34 for quick trading ...
For customers with HDFC bank accounts, placing an order on-line is a multi step process. At each page, it should indicate something like 'Step 3 of 5' to let the user know how far along they have gone in the process. All
these steps/pages with explanations should be pointed out in the FAQ (I could not find any such description if its already there).
5. Say what?
I have been using on-line trading sites in the US for over 5 years so I'm not really a novice or a moron but there is so much jargon on the HDFC Sec site that I'm often totally confused. There should be plain English explanation for each link otherwise its not possible for anyone new to on-line trading to make any sense of all the info being thrown at them. Here are some examples of terms that should have explanations for us mortals:
Order book & Trade book
DP holds & Bank holds
Cash & Carry
Rolling & Normal segments
C&C Limits
Cash projection & share projection
6. Go directly to JAIL, do not pass GO
Whenever the session times out, it should indicate what the interval is so people have some idea how long they can remain idle. Currently the error is:
Session Invalid. Forced timeout has occurred.
Such error messages are fine for the developers but totally cryptic and impersonal for normal people. It should be much more user friendly, e.g.,
'We are sorry, your session was automatically terminated for security reasons after X min of inactivity. Please login again for your protection. Thank you.'
This applies to the HDFC bank site also and they were notified about it last year.
7. You DON'T have a photographic memory?
There should be a password HINT system so we can guess our passwords in case we forget them rather than having to wait a full business day to have it reset. If this is implemented, it was obviously not tested properly since it did not work for me.
8. Welcome, peon123!
Putting the user name is fine on the top right but the customer name should also appear somewhere since there is plenty of space to make it look more personal/friendly. Since the login is generated by the system, its not
at all user friendly. There is also no technical reason for this. Other sites allow people to select their own logins.
9. Please re-enter ALL you data again to confirm!
Since other brokers allow investors to place standing instructions, HDFC Sec should also allow us to place multi day limit orders (1-2 weeks at least).
This has absolutely NOTHING to do with SEBI guidelines for one day time limits (the excuse given by the phone support).
The rep (or even better the system) would automatically re-enter the limit order every day at the start of trading on my behalf instead of having me waste my time on a daily basis.
From a trade order (back end) perspective SEBI guidelines would be followed yet customer convenience (front end) would improve.
There should be transparency between the user interface and the back end systems so that one can easily be changed without affecting the other.
This has been a basic principle of client/server coding for over 10-20 years and is not a new concept.
The web site designers obviously do not have their fundas right and need to be educated on good site design methodology at the very minimum (I think they should also be fired for being so insensitive to the customer experience but we know that won't happen).
10. HA! ERROR!! (now you can start guessing the mistake you made)
I can't change my contact info on the site, I get 'updation error'.
First of all UPDATION is NOT a word (at least in English)!
I get annoyed seeing it in common use even in newspaper articles in India (don't get me started on their quality - or total lack thereof - of writing).
Again, a meaningless message. It should have the email & phone of the admin to contact when such errors occur but surely the tech guys at HDFC had to know that or it would seem the company has decided to hire unqualified people who are clueless.
There are a number of other usability mistakes on the site but unless there is some indication of any desire to fix them and improve the current mess, there would be little point in going on and on.
Thanking you for nothing,
