The number one goal of any website is to improve the user experience.
The technical skills required should never be the focus of your project.
The Challenge
Panorama Resort wanted a website with a lot of added functionality. In a very consultative appointment, we reviewed their visitor journey, focused on their destination over the product, and pushed the boundaries of possibility beyond their brief. We inspired them to think beyond their original technological-based ‘wants’ for their website.
We believe we won the project because we thought wider and bigger than the other agencies and articulated an effective solution with clear KPIs.
Overcoming the Challenge
The original ask involved a lot of functionality, including integrating with:
- Webcams
- Weather stations
- Weather forecasts
- 3rd party booking systems
- 3rd party Snow Reports
- The site also features these modules:
- Silverstripe Blog Module
- TimeZoneOne Tourism Operators Module
We also needed to deliver Panorama a flexible content editor which allowed them to create many different page layouts while still following the site theme and staying on brand.
Silverstripe was the best option to achieve both of these goals. Firstly, Silverstripe is compatible with a variety of plugins, delivering all the client’s technical asks. Plus we created a Silverstripe block editing system which allows content authors to build page layouts by selecting from a variety of predefined block templates. This gives a consistent look and feel while providing page layout flexibility.
At the time we built the website, the IA was revolutionary. It aimed to simplify the navigation and make it relevant to each of the main target audiences:
- People planning their vacation
- People already at the resort
- Homeowners or prospective homeowners at Panorama
While one option was breaking the IA into services such as Accommodation, Restaurants etc., Panorama’s website navigation was focused on the audience. With a single click of the top-level menu, they were delivered menu options relevant to them.
Client Reaction
"I congratulate you on such a successful web design and development project. Working with you and your team has been a blast. Thanks for pushing hard and teaching us. It is a fantastic website and we're committed to making it better ... look forward to continuous collaboration to keep this website at the forefront of the industry!"
Marke Dickson
Director, marketing, sales and guest services, Panorama Mountain Resort.
Website Results & Client Impact
- Year-on-year conversion up 1,193%
- Year-on-year E-commerce purchases up 1,013%
- Visitors taking action up 25%
