Redesigning the Digital Experience for a Diverse Hospitality Portfolio
Client Overview
Fullers, a well-known hospitality group, approached Umi Digital to transform their digital presence in line with their diverse revenue streams. With offerings spanning accommodation, food and beverage, meetings and conferences, weddings, and events, Fullers needed a digital strategy and user experience that catered to all these services seamlessly.
The Challenge
The complexity of Fullers’ services meant that an in-depth understanding of their audiences was crucial for reshaping their digital experience. Fullers wanted to improve their online user journey to not only showcase their broad service range but also boost engagement and conversions across their various revenue streams.
The Solution
Umi Digital embarked on a comprehensive user research project to inform the future direction of Fullers’ digital strategy. Key elements of the solution included:
- User Research & Testing: Over 50 hours of user interviews and tests were conducted to gather detailed insights into customer behaviors, preferences, and pain points. This extensive research was analyzed, consolidated, and presented to Fullers’ senior leadership team, serving as the foundation for a completely redesigned user journey.
- Custom Website Design: Based on the findings, Umi Digital wireframed and designed a series of website themes that catered to Fullers’ entire property portfolio. The designs ensured each property could showcase its unique value proposition while maintaining brand consistency. As Fullers expanded into new areas, including Cotswolds inns, the design evolved to meet their growing needs.
- Collaborative Approach: Umi’s design team worked closely with stakeholders at Fullers to ensure the new websites aligned with their brand and e-commerce goals. This collaboration ensured that every property within the portfolio was represented effectively while supporting Fullers’ commercial ambitions.
- Ad Hoc Marketing Support: In addition to the design work, Umi Digital provided ongoing support to individual Fullers properties by managing Google Ads and Facebook Ads as needed, helping specific locations meet their revenue and marketing objectives.
Strategic Guidance on Technology Solutions: Umi Digital was also involved in helping Fullers evaluate options for a new booking engine. We assessed various technological solutions and provided guidance on whether to adopt an off-the-shelf product or build a custom solution on top of their existing property management system. Additionally, we offered strategic advice on analytics tracking, attribution, and customer data management.
The Result
The collaboration resulted in a more streamlined and effective digital experience for Fullers, with the user journey reshaped to support their wide range of services. The new website designs and improved booking experience empowered individual properties to present themselves more effectively online, while the research-driven approach ensured the changes were rooted in customer needs.
Key Achievements
- Over 50 hours of user research informing a new digital strategy.
- Custom website themes for Fullers’ diverse portfolio, adaptable as the brand expands.
- Ongoing marketing support for specific properties to drive bookings and engagement.
- Strategic guidance on booking engine procurement and customer data management.