Why do corporations change their websites so much?(ATT UVerse)

Factual Questions
1

I have ATT UVerse. I wanted to check my phonecalls and voicemail online. It seems like every few months, they change the website and I have to search to find the messages tab. Then once I’m there, I have to search again to find how to make changes to my service.

Why do they keep changing the basic layout of the website? My hunch is that if i’ve subscribed to HBO for example, they want to make it impossible to change it online. And they know I don’t want to wait on hold calling customer service, so i’ll just give up and pay $10 again next month.

I finally found the tab for ‘check voicemail’. I click it. It says “We’re moving”. I follow the link and it’s even more brand new and I also have to re enter my profile info. WTF?

I’ve had UVerse for about 18 months now. This is the third time. maybe fourth.

2

That, and web designers need to earn a paycheck…

3

As do heads of web design departments and consultants asked about the need for web redesign every other week.

4

Also, it’s like a supermarket. If you are too familiar with the layout you will go straight to where you want to be, and will not be exposed to any chance for add-on or impulse purchases.

5

I notice that businesses that get all their business online tend not to do this. Sure, there will be changes, but they are rarely very significant, and they take their time getting you used to them.

The “too familiar” thing doesn’t seem to be a problem for them…

(Nor for the supermarket that is actually the most popular around here.)

6

Obviously, if you don’t regularly change your website design, everyone will assume your products and services are obsolete. So no matter how bad and annoying the site redesigns are, they reassure us that someone in the company is on the ball, even if the products and services themselves are crap and remain crap.

Nothing could be worse than a clean, effective, easy-to-navigate website that hasn’t been changed for at least six months.

7

This seems to be an issue with companies that are web aware in a middling way - companies that just have a ‘business card’ site tend not to change/update it much; companies that are aware that the Web pays a role in their marketing tend to change it often, while companies that really do their business on the Web (like Amazon) take pains to concentrate on improving the backend, and not to unnecessarily change navigation.