Supporting RVS with a long overdue CMS & UX project
The Challenge
We love helping established organisations shine and become more capable than ever, especially when they enrich our communities and enhance our world. For over 80 years, the Royal Voluntary Service have been providing volunteering opportunities across Great Britain. They also played a vital role during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the largest, single mobiliser of volunteers, manning vaccination centers and supporting our most vulnerable citizens.
As all businesses switched to providing services remotely and digitally, RVS realised they needed a secure digital platform to support their growth aspirations. They originally approached us back in 2019, but with the critical need for Covid-19 support, naturally it took a while to get off the ground.
Do you have a similar challenge?
Please get in touch to start a conversation about how our expertise can help your business thrive.
Efficient content management, robust CMS & on-brand design
Defining requirements
RVS were clear on what they needed and asked us for a robust, well-supported solution for their public-facing website. They needed longevity – something that would last beyond the next 3 years. And most of all, they required a user-friendly experience and effortless access to content management.
Simplifying that even further, they asked us for:
1.
A safer, more robust, enterprise level CMS system to deal with their evolving needs
2.
Refreshed, on-brand design that develops the branding on their volunteers site
3.
A UX approach that enhances experience through a flexible set of templates
From a complete content overhaul...
What we achieved
Fully on board with what RVS were requesting, we got to work joining the dots. Through our insightful discovery phase, we were able to define the two key customer journeys – donations and volunteering. Our workshops identified the core challenges RVS were facing on their current site:
- Complex journeys
- Poor sign posting
- A high level of decision making
- Not showcasing their positive impact
...To a volunteer and doner-focused site map
What we achieved
Once we understood their pain points, we were able to take confident action in developing a strategic plan to align everything simply and efficiently. We considered each element of the process and user journey – from the site map to the copywriting, ensuring everything was relatable, engaging and impactful.
We saw the bigger picture, looking at and developing the site map with the people who mattered most in mind – the volunteers and doners.
Content that captures the essence of the brand
What could we say on the website to really resonate with readers? That’s what we asked ourselves when we reviewed and improved the existing content. The goal here was to create a solution and a number of copywritten principles that really translated RVS’ ethos to help them decide how to best bring their story to life. We kept things authentic, emotive and real, shining a light on the brand’s accessible, feel good values.
Component-based build and data integration
User experience was high on our agenda for this project, but not just for website users. The RVS staff also needed to be able to gain easy access to the CMS and be confident of updating and editing the site. To do this, we created a flexible set of components and templates. We used key insights from the discovery phase of the project to decide the best component set to use and ensured the fluid nature of the approach extended to the website navigation.
Giving back never looked so good
The impact
We have transformed the way RVS manage content and given their brand a strong, lasting way to connect with their customers. RVS now have the key to unlock all their digital potential with greater control over their website and content, and more freedom and confidence to achieve their fundraising and volunteering aspirations.