Bayrol: Filtering contact searches

A dealer finder is integrated with language options.

The Site

Bayrol, a Germany-based supplier of swimming pool care products, localises its dealer finder in line with site language options.

Bayrol has four parallel versions of its site in the respective languages of the countries where it does most business: Germany, the UK, France and Spain. Users can switch between versions of any page from a simple universal list at top right. However, in the Dealer search section the finder menu is customised according to the current language choice. So, for example, in the Spanish version (Distribuidores by), there is a list of regional post codes (Codigo postal 01-09, …10-19 etc); clicking on a menu heading opens a numerically ordered set of dealer contact details. A separate Europe option (Distribuidores en Europa) covers subsidiaries and ‘partners’ across the continent.

The same configuration applies for Germany and France while the UK has only one local heading (Dealers UK).

The Takeaway

Bayrol provides a useful shortcut to local dealer information by customising the search options in the section according to language choice. Rather than have users make an initial selection from, say, a dropdown menu or country index, it does the choosing for them, so getting them more quickly to where they need to be.

The system has its limitations. It works on the assumption that anyone wanting to know where they can find chlorine tablets in, for example, Spain will be Spanish. Not so useful for a German with a holiday villa there unless they stick to the Spanish site and the Spanish language version of it (the German option switches to the Germany finder menu). But for the great majority of users, that will not be an issue – they will just wish a further menu was provided to plunge deeper into the lists before having to start scrolling.

First published on 07 August, 2008