Revolutionising travel: Custom booking system for a popular ferry company
The Challenge
Our client required a new travel booking system for their busy hovercraft service. The system would incorporate new advanced booking technology, a B2C website, and a back-office admin portal, thus supporting the companies entire booking operation. Considering the scope of the project and the specific technical requirements, a complete custom build was required.
Our Approach
Given the magnitude of the project, we adopted a Sprint approach by building and releasing developments in a series of iterations. A designated Technical Lead worked closely with key technical and marketing personnel at the client's company to understand their requirements; we held frequent update calls and invited client feedback with multiple feedback loops throughout the project.
Initially, we developed an MVP that incorporated key functionality; this gave the company the opportunity to provide feedback and direct future product development. Furthermore, before commencing, our developers completed a data migration so that all customer and ticket data carried over from the previous system to phase 1, and then from phase 1 to the current product, phase 3.
Booking Functionality
The booking platform incorporates multiple layers of advanced functionality and clever logic. It works with the client's pre-existing EPOS till system enabling the customer service team to process orders, print tickets + season cards. The system also integrates with the B2C website, allowing customers to book hovercraft journeys online.
On the ground, the solution automatically handles the boarding process. It processes ticket usage data and inspects ticket validity by checking that customers are boarding the right craft via our custom validation rules. For passengers that arrive early, the system's logic may allow them to board another hovercraft based on the ticket type and capacity.
The Portal
The portal is a back-office admin area for the client's team to manage hovercraft inventory, customer records, ticketing and in-house bookings. Our designers incorporated the client's visual identity across a clean and modern UI. Bespoke functionality allows the team to:
1. Set up hovercraft and their capacity:
Easily configure and manage hovercraft settings, including their capacity, to ensure efficient operation.
2. Add new crossings:
Seamlessly add new crossings to the schedule, enabling smooth travel arrangements for passengers.
3. Add, update and delete customer records:
Maintain accurate customer records by adding, updating, or deleting information as needed.
4. View & manage orders:
Gain insights into current orders and manage them efficiently to ensure a seamless booking process.
5. Issue refunds for cancellations:
Handle cancellations promptly by issuing refunds to affected customers, ensuring customer satisfaction and retention
The B2C Website
The brand-new website serves operational, promotional and informational objectives - each was carefully considered when architecting and designing the website.
Firstly, passengers can book tickets for hovercraft journeys via an intuitive booking journey. They can also find the latest information about tickets, pricing, times, the status of crossings and special offers.
We decided to build the website on the popular Umbraco CMS. Umbraco enabled us to deliver the functionality and integration required, but also provides the client's marketing team with a powerful content-editing experience via the Page Builder tool, media bank, and SEO features.
This was important because the website acts as a digital marketing tool to improve brand visibility and draw in tourists to the Isle of Wight. The client's e-commerce team can easily create new landing pages for attractions with text, imagery, and price information, helping to promote days out on the Isle of Wight including historical venues, wildlife & nature days out, and family entertainment. Users can book tickets for these attractions in addition to their hovercraft tickets.
Technologies
- Microservices
- .NET Core
- ES6 JavaScript
- SASS
- Request Proxying
- Elastic Stack
- Docker
- Fluent Migrator
- MS SQL Server
- Continuous Integration (our team are constantly making updates / push button deployments)
Conclusion
In summary, the successful implementation of a cutting-edge travel booking system for our client represents a significant advancement in their digital infrastructure. Leveraging advanced technologies and adopting a collaborative approach, the solution meets their specific requirements while enhancing the overall user experience. Moving forward, the client is well-equipped to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and shape the future of travel.