Revitalizing a Restaurant Group's Digital Presence
Client: LM Restaurant Group
Project: Flagship Website Redesign and Development
Date: April 2023
Overview: LMRestaurant Group, a prominent player in the culinary industry with multiple micro restaurants under its umbrella, approached us with a vision to revamp their flagship WordPress website. They aimed to provide an enriched digital experience for their customers while streamlining several critical aspects, including payment processing, gift cards, job postings, and accessibility compliance.
The Challenge: The existing website of LM Restaurant Group was outdated, lacked functionality, and didn't align with the group's brand image. They required a comprehensive overhaul that not only improved the user experience but also integrated various services seamlessly.
Our Approach:
1. Redesign and Mockups:We began by conducting a detailed assessment of the existing website, understanding the client's brand guidelines, and defining the goals for the new site. Collaboratively with the client, we crafted a new design concept that was not only visually appealing but also highly functional. We created mockups to provide a tangible representation of the new website's look and feel.
2. Development and Integration:To address their payment processing needs, we integrated Authorize.net, a secure and efficient payment gateway, ensuring that customers could make transactions seamlessly. Additionally, we set up a gift card service system to allow patrons to purchase and redeem gift cards directly from the website, enhancing customer engagement.
3. Job Posting Integration:To streamline the recruitment process for XYZ Restaurant Group, we developed a custom WordPress plugin. This plugin automated the daily retrieval of job postings from an SFTP feed and parsed the data, making it accessible through a user-friendly search form. This allowed prospective employees to search for job openings based on location, job type, and other criteria, simplifying the hiring process for the group.
4. WCAG Compliance Audit:Ensuring accessibility for all users was a top priority. We conducted a comprehensive WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance audit to make the website more inclusive and user-friendly. This involved addressing issues related to font size, color contrast, alt text for images, and keyboard navigation, among other things.
Results:
1. Improved User Experience:The redesigned website provided a user-friendly interface that was visually appealing and intuitive, making it easy for visitors to explore the different micro restaurants under LM Restaurant Group.
2. Enhanced Payment Processing:The integration of Authorize.net simplified online payments for customers, resulting in increased online sales.
3. Streamlined Job Posting:The custom plugin for job postings automation significantly reduced manual data entry and improved the hiring process, ensuring that job seekers could easily find relevant positions.
4. Accessibility Compliance:The WCAG compliance audit improved the website's accessibility, making it more inclusive and meeting the needs of a wider audience, including those with disabilities.
Conclusion:
The redesign and development of LM Restaurant Group's flagship WordPress website, along with the integration of Authorize.net, gift card services, job posting automation, and WCAG compliance, not only transformed their digital presence but also improved their operational efficiency. This project was a testament to our ability to understand and address the diverse needs of our clients, delivering a solution that enhanced their brand and customer experience.