The Challenge
Sandford Parks Lido in Cheltenham opened in 1935 and is the most historically complete lido in the UK.
The charitable trust responsible for the lido had ambitious plans to streamline their back-office systems. The paper-based membership system was a particular problem, with applications taking several weeks to be processed. They also wanted to be able to track purchases such as lessons, party bookings and merchandise in real time and have better financial visibility.
They had invested in an EPOS system, Epos Now, to give them the functionality they needed. They turned to Doddle to help them integrate the system with a new ecommerce website.
As a charitable trust, it was particularly important for them to manage their budget effectively. To help them do this, we prioritised the work required and arranged to deliver in phases as the budget allowed.
The Solution
In the first phase, we moved the website to Perch Runway CMS, a content management system that gave us the flexibility we needed to meet the complex requirements of this ecommerce project.
Working with our colleagues at Oratos Digital, we developed an integration application that sits between the website and the EPOS system. The application synchronises information on both systems and means the EPOS system and website are updated automatically each time a transaction takes place.
We created a simple, straightforward user experience that made buying online easy. We also developed a process to enable visitors to buy membership online, including uploading a photograph for the membership card and proof of concession, if required.
Finally, we gave the website a crisp new look that delivered the wow factor but also had a sense of the lido’s 1930s heritage.
The Results
The results have been transformative. Sales through the website quickly delivered an outstanding return on investment, something that reflects the popularity of the lido in the local area and also the success of our work.
We continue to support Sandford Parks Lido developing new features that enhance their workflow each year.