Last week we covered Part II in our series on User Experience for Corporate Websites. This week we're tackling Part III, in which we're discussing how a corporate website's ROI can be affected by responsive design.

ROI can be a tricky thing to measure, especially when you increase the number of hard-to-quantify variables or variables that return at different times. Most websites are considered mandatory expenses for companies, so we pay extra attention to developing websites that exceed expectations. It's a good feeling when clients come back to report that their website was an excellent investment--and we're seeing responsive design play an increasing role in positive ROI.

Responsive design is becoming an integral feature for good user experience. Although it may not be the right direction for every project--there might be instances in which a mobile-first approach would suit the project better--it can serve an important role in your web initiative's ROI. The key? Your user interaction.

1. Responsive design is a customer service investment

Put another way: responsive design is good customer service. Because you're designing for the end user, you're helping to ensure that the site will be used as intended. Think of it as user-first development: your website will be accessible from multiple devices, allowing the user to connect with you whenever and wherever they desire.

Better customer service naturally lends itself to a higher ROI. Users will appreciate being able to navigate your website easily. Whether you decide to focus your user experience narrative on a storytelling brand-centric format or a straightforward message-focused interaction, a little foresight here can go a long way.

2. Responsive design focuses your message and conversion path

In other words, when designing responsively, you'll have to consider whether each element is essential or extraneous. Are your users actually affected by this call-to-action? Do you look for your contact information somewhere else?

Responsive design forces you to reconsider your conversion path, streamlining specifically how you want your users to interact with your website. For instance, a responsive design execution such as Guerrilla Cube, allows your message to make more impact while controlling the way your users flow through the site.The result is, in many cases, that your message is stronger in the end--sans fluff--and that your site is used more thoroughly without users getting lost or immediately bouncing.

3. Responsive design is (oft) a better finished product

Corporate websites can, in certain instances, benefit from reconnecting with their customer base. Responsive design shows thought and consideration toward users--and users notice.

Because responsive design can require more consideration than static design, many times the result is a more refined, stronger product. Design principles, such as balancing white space, can be executed well with the help of CSS3, such as in the Raising the Grade website we recently developed. In this case, responsive design was used--among other reasons--to help enable the youth to connect with the program better, making the site more attractive, usable, and ultimately, a better finished product than it could have been without responsive development.

Ultimately, responsive design is an investment--but an investment that can greatly improve the way your users interact with your website and your company. What has been your experience with responsive design and ROI? Let us know in the comments below!