First Great Western wanted to create a website that sat at the heart of their channel strategy with integrated marketing campaigns helping to drive traffic and revenue, and where their customers could interact and transact.
Using a modular template structure, we gave FGW the flexibility they required so they could manage the site. Offering a seamless online experience for consumers - usability looming large - the site places key information sources on the homepage, and every other page, in exactly the same place help users to know where they are and how to navigate at every point in their online journey. Third party information is re-skinned so that the integrity of the journey is maintained, and customers feel as though they remain with First Great Western throughout. In addition, we introduced an opt in feature allowing regular travellers to receive updates via email or sms.
Since launch, the website has helped online sales increase by over 100%.
The website outperforms all other channels in terms of ticket sales and revenue. Revenue has risen achieving 275 per cent growth in less than six months.
In March 2007, the site won the prestigious Revolution Award in the 'Leisure and Travel' category beating off strong competition. The site has also been recognised by a nomination for the NMA Effectiveness Awards, the industry awards which look for the sites that deliver the best results. In addition, a rail industry magazine, Railway Technology Magazine survey ranked the site first out of more than 70 train operator websites in terms of usability and accessibility.
Customers, users and the industry alike have applauded the site. Comments received via the FGW Customer Services Team include:
"I'd like to say how good the site is and how well it works. It stands head and shoulders above many corporate sites."
"I would just like to say that the new website is grand. Very user friendly and eyecatching."
"Information is more readily available on the new super-duper bells and whistles website."