Web Solutions - Websites & Microsites
Old English Inns
Old English Inns is the leading brand for the Destination and Inns (Managed) division of Greene King, and is significant revenue contributor to the PLC organisation - There are Old English Inns, both pubs and Hotels nationwide. Thump originally developed the website 5 years ago and then implemented a complete makeover in 2008. This year the website had undergone a further evolution improving the search and online availability and booking functionality.
Online availability, booking and payment
A significant update has been optimising the e-Order process by cutting down the steps and enabling the process to be more direct from the home page. In addition Thump have improved functionality such as search parameters . Further to the core centralised website each Inn and Hotel has its own microsite with all the content fed by a centralised database. Individual landlords/managers can also update their own mircosites with details of special offers, menus, and events, equally areas managers can implement on their behalf as can central administrators, this information also updates the group site.
Much of the website has centralised content functionality allowing instant changes and promotional activity i.e. the range of offers and special interest breaks, content is easily managed by a non-technical Central Reservations Team and brand managers This required the design and build of a large, but fundamentally straightforward, easy-to-use CMS administration system. Through a series of admin pages, the Team is able to add, edit or delete content, update offers and even revise pictorial content from a purpose-built picture library. The database hold details of all managed outlets including Hungry Horse, Exchange Bar and Grills and Hardy's House and administrators can even swap one brand to another.
Updating and controlling website content
CMS - A comprehensive content management tool allows global updates across the whole estate (populating a centralised database), or selection by individual brand and drill-down to individual outlet. The content management system for Old English Inns permits levels of access from a centralised team, regional management and also a decentralised on-site trade audience. Access protocols permit differing capabilities in terms editing and updating. Users can quickly and easily add, delete or amend existing information and, through a series of text boxes, click to update the website in real time - whilst comprehensive it is also simple.
