A small break from the usual crash courses in UX is long overdue. For this post, I am going to run a quick review of a site that I was referred to when searching for a local GeekSquad.

The concept of GeekSquad is pretty simple: do you need help with your computer? A “geek squad” will come over to your house and fix your problem. I was looking for something similar in the Middle East and was referred to MACVITA.

I fired up my browser, checked their site, and couldn’t help but smile, as it's a site in its beta stage with some well thought-out user experience. Here’s why:

The first thing I noticed is the logo and the site’s description. I didn’t have to look around to know what the site is about. It says loud and clear: "MACVITA: Online and on-site Mac support for the UAE and surrounding areas.”

The very first second I am on the site I knew its purpose.

Moving on, they included a nice marketing tagline, using a quote by Steve jobs- “Apple products just work”- and followed with their tagline: “We’ll make sure they stay that way.”

First impressions are always important on a site, and conveying what the site is about in a clear manner is essential.

What does the above heatmap image tell us about how viewers assess the homepage? Notice the sight pattern, it starts from the logo, the site’s description, to the tagline and finally the price!

Summing it up:

1. We found out what the site is about.

2. We read their tagline.

3. We were presented with an “in your face” sample of the price.

So in less than 10 seconds we got the main information needed, and the hook to keep us discovering even more.  We didn’t have to search around for the price, nor contact them for a quotation; the essential information is right there.

Moving on, as I explored the site further, I was greeted with the below picture at for the “About/More about us” section.

It's pretty basic and typical of what you would expect, yet I personally would add another call to action and not just a “contact” form. Another thing that caught my eye is that I cannot find a “physical address.” I have come across this “physical address” issue a lot of times; it's good to list one as users explicitly express that a physical address increases their trust in a newly visited site or company.

Moving on to the "Personal presence in the region (Learn more)" and “We're comfortable lifting up the hood (Get support),” both of them take you to the same landing page which covers what they offer in a clear manner. I personally expected something different, but as mentioned before, the site is still in beta.

In general, the site offers different options, online support, on-site, hardware repair, parental control, personal tutoring, business support, covering every need. The online support covers the whole region (worldwide!) using TeamViewer- you can find more details on that in the FAQ. 

As I am in Beirut, I can only purchase online support; it would be better however if users received a notice that they will be redirected to another site. Always think about the users you are catering to.

Anyway, onward to the registration. I dread registrations, because filling forms is a nightmare for me. I cringed but proceeded had to fill in the details. Registration makes sense for receiving onsite support, and it's all logical, so I can't complain. 

So how do I feel about the site in general, as a User Experience Designer and potential client?

Well it caters to a need, not just a "want", so thumbs up for that. I thought they did a great job on the landing page, the FAQ, the explanation… the overall user experience is good. However, here's my wish list:

• Fix some of the page interactions
• Create a New User section offering the option to register immediately or check your information if needed (it becomes a bit redundant)
• Fixing my hardware? I'd like to see a tracker/status update for it.

As I mentioned before though, MACVITA is still in beta, so judging by their current attention to detail and simplicity I am sure we will see some excellent tweaks in the future.