Electricity distribution company’s new website has just been awarded a top consumer website accolade
Maidenhead, UK – September 2, 2013 – SynApps Solutions, the content management solutions company, is celebrating helping UK Power Networks win at this year’s Corporate Comms’ Digi Awards for Best Consumer Website. UK Power Networks owns and runs the electricity cables and power lines if you live in London, the South East or East of England, regardless of who you pay your energy bill to.
The website’s development involved teamwork between SynApps, Services, marketing agency Pepper, as well UK Power Networks in house External Communications team. SynApps oversaw the technical development of the website, provided the Alfresco content management system, and trained the web editors.
Previous winners of the coveted Corporate Comms Digi Award for Best Consumer Website include First Direct Bank, and Tesco Online. Corporate Comms Digi Awards judges commented: “Thought has been given to how customers access information in a power cut and the use of mobile shows that this has worked well. This is a well-integrated web presence that solves a genuine consumer need.”
The new website has been designed from the ground up to improve navigation, content plus introduce new online tools, such as post code checker that tells customers why there is a power cut in their area.
UK Power Networks’ website is particularly valuable during power cuts, when computers are out of action, as UK Power Networks invested in a mobile version of the site, making it easier to access power cut information on smartphones, plus created a twitter feed with up-to-date, 24 hour information.
The site, live since July 2012, received 107,000 more visitors than the previous year, while in March 2013 traffic was 67% higher than the previous March. Similarly, mobile visits trebled between 2011 and 2012 – and in March 2013 they were a massive 256% higher than a year earlier.
“We are honoured to have been part of this award,” said Jim Whitelaw, Managing Director of SynApps. “It is very satisfying that our efforts have been recognised for supporting our customer to improve its web presence and better harness its content so customers can access information and services easily. That’s really what the award was about; making it simple to use the site and find what you’re looking for.”
The website was the first deliverable within the larger Content Management journey UK Power Networks has embarked on since the beginning of 2012. The company is seeking one platform to manage the Internet, its Intranet and all its document management and collaboration needs. To meet this goal, SynApps was asked to provide strategy and governance for the programme, as well as manage all the partners plus people the senior programme team.
“The journey doesn’t stop here,” says Whitelaw. “We are committed to improving information management and driving further consumer benefits.”
Toni Kinslow, Marketing Communication Manager at UK Power Networks comments, “SynApps provide the expertise to ensure our website goals are achieved. “We were up against stiff competition from various industries, so it’s great to see a utility company like ours be recognised for offering an outstanding website which understands customers’ needs. We are always looking to improve further and are hugely pleased that it has received this recognition.”
See the award winning website at www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk