Need feedback: Drilling equipment and services website redo

Redesign is much more appealing and the navigation at top for Inventory, Request Quote is good. Immediate access without scanning the page to find what is needed is critical. For the category, it is as sexy as it is going to get but it can certainly evolve as time goes on. Autodesk.com is a fab site to look at and so is http://www.useit.com/homepageusability/guidelines.html. Best to you! jads007

Thanks for the feedback. The websites you recommended are interesting - I found a few gems of info in the guidelines and will continue reading. Very helpful. I'm not familiar with Autodesk. 3d design is something I may want to try. Is that why you recommended it, or did you just want me to look at the site layout? Holly Pipe actually has a CNC machinist who can produce 3d models, and I asked him to put some together for me a few weeks ago but no news yet. But I'm ready for the content now and getting a little impatient. I may just do it myself if feasible. Thanks for the sexy reference to my nav buttons, which of course I realize they are not sexy titles whatsoever. I would even settle for cute ;). Once the site map is finalized I plan to include a secondary nav panel on the left side in a simple text link outline format that will expand as the user visits sub-pages. I'm also fond of the breadcrumb format to save space. Pop-ups are probably my favorite but I'm not sure which combination is going to work best yet. Again, thanks for the advice.

From what I can see "Drilling Tubulars, Inspection and Machine Shop" best describes your company focus. A greater emphasis on or perhaps a better description of your area of expertise would perhaps help in growing the business.

The current "biography" page while no doubt accurate has the unfortunate result of making you appear a bit "Mickey Mouse." I think you'd be better focussing this area purely on past accomplishments rather than detailing the various hats etc that you cover and the recent qualifications the individuals have achieved.

How best would you describe your competitors? I was based in North Houston for a time (still pass through fro time to time) so if you listed in here who you consider you peers that might give me a better idea of who you are (and no - I would not suggest ths on your website - just here for clarification). I'm thinking Bico but may be wildly off the mark.

What is your target market? Direct to the production company of indirectly to the service companies? That route might get a little tighter if the SLB / Smith Intl merger goes ahead.

Finally what differentiator marks you out from the competition? Is there a specific product that you and you alone have access to / have invented? Charlie Anderson made a fortune out of just a couple of ideas and there is little or no reason that his success cannot be replicated.

Good luck.

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate your suggestion for Holly Pipe's industry description. I will consider. In response to your comment about competitors here are a few examples of closely related companies:

http://drillpipesupply.com
http://www.kellypipe.com
http://www.commandenergy.com
http://www.straightlinehdd.com
http://www.inter-mountain.com

None of these companies I would consider exact mirrors of Holly Pipe's product and service offerings. Some offer more prod's and serv's, some offer less. In the past the company focused mostly on providing new/used and rental tubulars and machining services to oil and gas drillers and underground utility construction/HDD. There's lots of utility installation including fiber optics in our area, and that's something Holly Pipe needs to tap into.

I'm also a big fan of alternative energy and think it's a good idea to explore that market and find a way to become involved. The company has always been so oil-focused and needs to take a step back and look at what it can do for other industries. Not sure if I mentioned this already, but my dad is the president of Holly Pipe and NST and I never thought I would become involved in the business as I went to school for visual arts/painting. Regardless, I plan to continue working for the company as long as I can prove myself a valuable asset. Being an heir to the business, I have a vested interest in how it operates and want to push it further.

Currently, the main money maker for Holly Pipe is the NST machine shop. It supports both companies during periods of slow pipe sales as every driller will need to have their pipe serviced eventually. I'm thinking that there may be potential for NST to manufacture a wider range of tools and accessories. The machinery used is pretty impressive, including new facilities with Haas CNC lathes, mills and the like. I can only imagine the capabilities of these machines. Any ideas for some new and innovative products? Or any products that Holly Pipe is capable of producing but doesn't?

A big problem I'm having with Holly Pipe is there seems to be a lack of communication with NST. It's almost as if they are competing despite that they are under one roof and not to mention completely different businesses with different functions. I feel like I'm rebuilding Holly Pipe through the website, and I hope that it will contribute to a more cohesive image of the company and within the company as well.

Thanks again for the help!

Hi Michael

You may include this company

http://www.drillco.cl/

http://www.drillcotools.com/web/esp/home.asp

http://www.drillcoperfor.cl/web/index.asp

I worked in a instrumentation project for them some 10 years ago.

They are involved in giant mining projects here in Chile and all continents, they fabricate drilling equipment using the most sophisticated CNC machinery and precious steel alloys capable to drill the hardest rocks on earth.

Jaime Soto Figueroa

Electronic Engineer

http://www.matharts.cl

Thanks for the references. Drillco would make a good business partner for Holly Pipe. Holly Pipe doesn't manufacture drill bits or other BHA tooling - besides drill collars and soon stabilizers. However, NST reconditions used tools for resale. When I designed the current website I was under the impression that Holly Pipe could manufacture these tools, and I think that they should offer such products on the website or at least provide links to companies that do. I hear that drilling activity in the Gulf of Mexico is on the rise, and Holly Pipe should diversify to meet the market's needs. Unless you're a monster company like NOV you need to find friends in the industry to work with you. Thanks again!