Improvement Path Systems is a healthcare data analytics company in the Detroit metro area. ATiB built a Web site for IPS in 2012.

Let's see what we did for IPS. First, though, we should talk about what today's business Web sites are like.

It's not what you see

Every Web site has a front end, and a back end. The front end is what people see in their browsers. Pages, menus, slideshows, other things. The back end is the stuff underneath, the tools used to create and show Web pages.

In the past, only tech people would see the back end. Regular employees - marketers, HR people, and so on - would tell the tech people what they wanted on each Web page. The tech people would make it so. .

Things have changed. Now, when ATiB creates a site, at least half the work is creating a back end that has significant business value.

The back end does two main things.

Geekless site updates

An ATiB back end helps company personnel update their Web site, without technical help. The Web site becomes a more powerful business tool.

For example, suppose you run a boating company, with around 20 employees. You sell boats and equipment, service engines, do repairs, and such.

A competitor in another part of town goes out of business. You buy their inventory. You get a good price, but it puts a dent in your cash. You want to start selling the inventory immediately.

You say to yourself, "Self, we can put some big ads on the Web site."

Consider two scenarios. In scenario A, you paid your cousin Thelma to build your Web site. You don't know how to put the ads on the site, but she does. You call her, but she's busy this week. Chasing a ghost in a spooky swamp. (It's really Old Man Jenkins, and he would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those kids and their stupid dog.)

Thelma says she can get to it, maybe in three weeks. So you wait, losing three weeks of sales. Grrr...

Now scenario B. You had ATiB build your site. They gave your site a back end that lets you update it yourself. No, you don't have to be a geek to do it. If you can use MS Word and a Web browser, you can change the site.

You get those ads on the site now. Today. Before lunch.

Tomorrow, you change the wording of an ad for a boat cover. You explain why it's better than a cheaper cover that's just gone on sale at Walmart. It takes you 15 minutes to make the change.

You can have your employees update the parts of the site they know best. For example, Jill manages your service department. So, have Jill - or one of her people - keep that part of the site up to date. Special service deals, advice on engine maintenance, product recalls, and so on. Jill knows that stuff best, so it makes sense for her to do it.

John does your hiring. Get him to keep those pages on the site up to date. Job ads, where to send applications, application deadlines, like that. John knows this stuff best, so it makes sense for him to do it.

The bottom line? Flexibility. Your Web site can change to match your business. Your site becomes a powerful business tool. Not just a electronic brochure.

So that's one aspect of an ATiB site's back end: update sans geek. There's another.

Streamline workflow

John, your hiring dude, has a lot of work to do.

• Jill comes to John, and says, "We need another person to service engines."
• John writes an ad. He sends it to Jill for approval.
• You need to approve it, too.
• John puts the ad on your Web site, and other places.
• Applicants send in their resumes.
• John and Jill review the applications. They select some candidates for interviews.
• And so on.

This all takes time, and costs money. Time and money that should go into the boat business. Or your pocket.

Here's a thought. The job ad is going on the Web site anyway. Maybe the site could streamline things. Hmm... How about this?

• John types the ad into the site, but it's hidden. Only people inside the company can see it.
• Jill looks at the ad. If it's OK, she clicks an approval button.
• You look at the ad. Same thing. If it's OK, you click an approval button. If you want changes, you make them, and everyone sees the new version at the same time.
• The ad is published on the site. One click.
• Applicants upload their resumes. They're all kept in one place - on the Web server.
• John and Jill review the applications. The type notes about each candidate. They click on the applications they like, and the site builds a list.
• And so on.

The process is faster, cheaper, and less frustrating. No more "Where did I put Jenny's application? It's on my desk somewhere... Or maybe Jill has it. Hey, Jill! Where's Jill? She's sick today? Rats! Where does she keep papers she's working on? Well, who does know? Joe? Hey, Joe! He's at lunch? Have him find me when he gets back."

With an ATiB Web site, all the ads, applications, interview lists, are all in one place. You can look at them whenever you want.

Web sites that have good back end make workflows faster, cheaper, and more accurate.

More than good looks

When ATiB creates a Web site, you get more than a bunch o' pages. We make you a solid back end.

Let's have a look at the site we built for Improvement Path Systems. We'll start by seeing how IPS employees make basic changes to their site.

Basic page editing