Complete Childcare then decided that they needed to engage parents further and determined that the best way to do so was to launch a new website to update parents on what happens within the nursery as well as providing details on forthcoming events.

The challenge was to produce a new website to unite all 10 of the Complete Childcare nurseries. It had to be not only informative, but also easy to use by the public as well as being easy to maintain by non-technical nursery staff at each nursery. Further to this, a degree of interactivity with parents was required and a new design had to be created to incorporate the Complete Childcare branding and to convey the correct message.

To meet these requirements, a suitable technology platform needed to be established and the Generate CMS was the perfect solution to meet these needs. The Generate CMS provides powerful, user-friendly tools that allow users to take complete control of their website without the need for advanced technical skills. This means that should there be any news or new events, everyone is capable of adding these to the site to keep parents informed. Not only this, but the Generate CMS platform also allows users to create intuitive page and site structures that can be easily managed; this results in a much better user experience as site visitors are able to find the information they require quickly and easily, further improving parental engagement. In having this flexibility built-in from the beginning, Complete Childcare are now able to quickly adapt to market changes and can deliver news and feedback to parents in real-time.

In-keeping with the Complete Childcare branding, a new website design was then built into the Generate CMS to create an easy to use and professional looking web presence. The design was used to emphasise Complete Childcare’s focus on providing first-class childcare as well as raising awareness of the extra services that they provide from learning French, through to their ‘Great little movers’  specialist activity days.

In order to develop a greater level of interactivity, a twitter presence was also created so that news updates and daily events could be ‘followed’ by parents and other users as well as giving these ‘followers’ the opportunity to voice their own opinions and leave comments or feedback. The website was then adapted so that when any news is posted on Twitter, it is automatically updated via the Generate CMS onto the Complete Childcare website so that parents who do not use Twitter can still remain up-to-date on all the latest developments.

What Complete Childcare had to say; Alec Hodson, Managing Director stated “I’d like your team to know that I believe you’ve been flexible, diligent and customer focused. Well done, I believe we now have one of the most visually and functionally effective sites in our sector. I would certainly recommend Generate UK to any person or business looking to design, enhance or build a new website.”

Please click here to visit the Complete Childcare website
If you would like to discuss how a content managed website could help your business, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01635 550431. If you’re already selling products via the Internet, why not let Generate UK provide a free of charge Website Health Check.

 I am now on a mission to make Sitekit the coolest CMS out there…. especially the latest version 9.

Ok, the title suggests 10 reasons why I like Sitekit, so here goes:

1. As a project manager, it’s nice to know that my back is covered when it comes to support. With the best will in the world, it is impossible to know everything about a piece of software. So it is reassuring that you’re only ever a step or two away from the chaps responsible for building and maintaining the software.

2. The audit trail functionality is very powerful. It is one of those features that appeals to larger organisations with extensive publishing processes. However, the ability to roll back to previous versions of content is a great feature for medium sized organisations too. Also, it’s always nice to know who made that fatal change!

3. We’ve built Sitekit websites with version 8 and version 9 and it is no surprise to know that version 9 is an improvement on version 8. What is surprising is how much of an improvement it is. The back end console and usability is a lot stronger and the time to make changes has been reduced. The objective was to go for a more Microsoft style backend that users are familiar with, which comes across really well.

4. Sitekit won’t mind me saying that their system is not for all customers. It has a price point that frankly can put smaller businesses off considering it as a tool, however larger customers with mature online strategies can do a lot with Sitekit. One area that helps to lower the total cost of ownership is the ability to manage multiple sites through Sitekit. With the right license you can manage your sites via one console, reducing your complexity and reliance on multiple systems. It also means you can train your staff on just one system.

5. The flexibility of Sitekit is very good, there are one or two quirks like the hosting and certain APIs, however in the main you can do pretty much what you need to do with the out of the box Sitekit license. I would advise you to check your requirements off with one of the Sitekit staff if you have a lot of bespoke work to do though. The other great thing about Sitekit is that you can create or migrate your existing Intranet onto the Sitekit platform and manage the pages through the system securely.

6. We were able to roll out a new website for an NHS customer within 8 weeks. This site involved nearly 200 pages, different templates for each area and unique imagery. The site was also set up for an Intranet.

7. So far, all of our customers with Sitekit have really liked it. Each customer is different and experience different reasons for considering an enterprise class content management system. Usually, the pain you’re experiencing with non-content managed website can be alleviated with Sitekit, we’d love to have a conversation with you about this.

8. Search engine optimisation is critical to the success of your website; Sitekit really helps you to set up your site in a way that is truly optimised for the search engines. Taking care of your unique page titles, search engine friendly URLs, keywords and meta. As well as integrating directly with your Google Analytics account.

9. One of the less sexy features is the file and image library. You would expect a file and image library in all content management systems, yet the way it is set up with Sitekit really makes sense once you understand the concept. The latest version extends the file and image library to an asset library, which is even easier to use.

10. The last and most important reason we use Sitekit is that is makes us look good. As a digital marketing agency, we’re keen to work with best of breed technology partners. This enables us to focus on our customer’s business objectives and really work closely with them to deliver a website aligned to their goals.

I’ve worked with many content management systems, from open source to big time expensive and most things in between. The criteria I use to gauge how good a system is, is how easy it is for the customer to manage their site and how flexible the site is once built. Sitekit does really well on both points, yes it has its quirks and you’ll need to do a bit of leg work to understand some of the Sitekit specific commands, but this is the same for any new piece of software.

If you’d like to learn more about Sitekit and how it might fit within your organisation, please do feel free to contact us. Depending on your business needs, there are some really compelling reasons for Sitekit both financially and technically. We’d be happy to discuss these with you in more detail.

Senspa was in need of a new website as its existing site not only failed to represent their brand and the experience Senspa offered, it also lacked the required functionality to move the business forward.

The design was out of date and hard to navigate so after producing a website project brief, Senspa proceeded to review suppliers and following a comprehensive tender process Generate UK was chosen.

Senspa’s business development plan was to increase website traffic, improve how they interacted with their online community whilst striving to increase online sales and business.  They were confident that once a person had experienced the luxurious hydrotherapy pool, soothing thermal rooms, revitalising sensory showers, indulgent treatments and exquisite Thai food they would certainly come back to embrace their unique experience again.

Part of the overall process was to seek a new platform that provided stability and an online marketing agency to deliver their online vision.  Generate UK was chosen due to their design, project management, online marketing expertise and experience in delivering successful online solutions within the leisure market.

Sitekit content management platform was chosen based on its ease of use, excellent publishing process and management tools. This would allow Senspa to market their website, embrace online technology and build a business upon a future proof and powerful web platform.

On top of designing and integrating a new website Senspa also required a bespoke online booking system and package chooser which would allow the user to interact with the website, book packages spa breaks and day experiences whilst collaborating with their internal business processes.

Lina Lotto Senspa Director commented, Generate UK have exceeded what was originally asked of them, taking an idea on paper and developing it right through to a beautiful website which now represents all that Senspa is about. We are now working with Generate UK to help support and market the site moving forward. Our website traffic has already increased by 50% month on month since we launched in January.

The result: With their proven project methodology Generate UK used their online knowledge, design and development expertise to produce a website which not only represents the experience Senspa offers but developed a website that provides Senspa with a platform for future business growth.

Generate UK, a dynamic and commercial thinking digital marketing company based in Newbury, Berkshire offer professional web services and a number of other related online marketing services that would add value to any commercial and public sector organisation.

Thatcham Jewellers, near Newbury in Berkshire is an independent retail jewellers, set up by Penny Morgan in 1983. As a business Thatcham Jewellers has built a fantastic reputation locally and is the perfect place to locate that special gift or item of jewellery.   Since its formation Thatcham Jewellers has successfully built a reputation for quality and expertise.  This joined with the choice of stock, service and value for money is a powerful combination.
With the growth of the internet and the amount of potential business available Thatcham Jewellers felt that it was essential that they moved with the times and created a brand new website.

Thatcham Jewellers met Generate UK through a seminar attended by Penny and from the word go were able to give Penny the confidence that Generate UK could build her a fantastic and reputable new website.

Following a scoping meeting to understand Thatcham Jewellers website requirements it was clear that the business required an easy to operate content management system (CMS) so that Penny and her team could update products and create seasonal promotions as and when needed.   Generate CMS was chosen as the system of choice due to its ease of use and flexible platform that allows anyone with a non technical background to manage and develop their own website within in a secure working environment. This would provide Thatcham Jewellers with the control needed and ability to continually develop a professional website.

From a design perspective it was important that the new site represented the style of products on offer which were traditional, fashionable and contemporary. As well as the importance of design it was equally important to allow the user to navigate easily throughout the site, showcasing the products through eight identifiable categories and encourage enquiries. After a number of design concepts Generate UK used the favoured design and integrated it upon Generate CMS and worked with Thatcham Jewellers over the project period to optimise and format the content which they provided. 

Since the launch of the website Thatcham Jewellers have now opened the doors and business to a far greater audience, the World Wide Web and they have already experienced a significant increase in enquiries.
Penny Morgan, Owner of Thatcham Jewellers stated “I was seeking a reputable web company to work with on this new venture as the website represented a substantial investment for the business. It was essential that we invested into a web platform that allowed us to easily manage the site moving forward and allow us to quickly update and build upon the fantastic site we now have. Generate UK really did encapsulate our style and personality as a business and I look forward to working with them again.”  To visit the new website please click here.

If you would like to learn more about this project or to arrange a demo of the Generate UK Content Management System, please call us on 01635 550431.

You can read the full press release below:

Generate UK wins NHS contract

• NEWBURY (July 21st, 2009)—Generate UK, a leading digital marketing agency, announces the signing of the NHS South Gloucestershire contract.  The project to design and build NHS South Gloucestershire’s new website is already well underway and scheduled to go live at the end of September 2009.

Michael Robinson Generate UK’s Commercial Director said “This is a time of extraordinary growth and progress for us as an organisation.  We are extremely excited at winning this contract and at Generate UK we believe in the importance of developing strong, long term relationships with all of our customers. Our new partnership with NHS South Gloucestershire is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our ability to be a part of delivering, measuring and improving business performance, Generate UK’s philosophy is all about ‘filling in the online marketing gaps for your business.”

Generate UK, a dynamic and commercial thinking digital marketing company based in Newbury, Berkshire offer professional web project services and a number of other exciting online marketing services that would add value to any commercial and public sector organisation.

“We chose Generate UK because of their obvious enthusiasm and commitment to service.  This project demonstrates a significant investment by NHS South Gloucestershire to help increase communications within the local community and it is imperative that we get it right.  After a rigorous tender process we believed that Generate UK’s partnership approach to their clients gave us the comfort we required to take that next step” said Sue Pratt, Communication Manager of NHS South Gloucestershire.

About Generate UK

Generate UK a next generation digital marketing agency in Berkshire. Our mission is simple; to help our clients generate more from their online marketing activities. We do this by helping our clients to leverage next generation Internet technology. This could mean anything from a well targeted email campaign to a long term SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) strategy.  More information about Generate UK can be found on the Company’s Web site at www.generateuk.co.uk.

Press Contact

Joe Baily
01635 550431
joe.baily@generateuk.co.uk

A good CMS system is not just about having all the bells and whistles as this is not necessarily going to always be the best option for your business. It boils down to your business needs vs. requirements vs. cost.  We believe that the investment in web technology, as with any business investment, must produce a strong financial return for the owner or otherwise we perceive it to be a bad investment.

The two key components to choosing a good CMS is usability and functionality, you must feel comfortable using the system and it must contain the functionality needed to operate your website.

There are many cheap and nasty CMS systems in the market place so be careful and request a full specification and a demonstration. http://www.cmsmatrix.org/ is a good place to start as you read about different CMS and compare functionality against cost. Generally speaking you would expect to either pay a one off cost and a yearly maintenance fee or a yearly/monthly license fee. 

A good CMS should allow for: 

• Non-technical users are able to manage the content of their site without the need for external specialists.
• Low cost of support and continuous version upgrades.
• The ability to manage your site from anywhere in the world.
• Allow for excellent search engine listings.
• Should satisfies all known international accessibility and compliance standards
• Seamless integration into existing IT systems protecting previous investment.
• Integration into other software applications such as e-commerce and e-booking systems to provide streamlined e-business.
• Reducing costs in print and promotion.
• The ability to generate sales leads through forms and download areas.
• Rapid deployment of new designs and content

Established back in 1995, Sitekit has been at the forefront of web content management systems development in the UK.

The Sitekit software empowers website designers and website managers by removing the technical barriers to creativity, and delivering online excellence through technology, training , support and like with many technologies the older it gets the more reliable it becomes and far less buggy!

The Sitekit CMS is used by some very high profiled clients including the likes of BT, The Times and ADT and operates across a number markets including Health Care, Travel, Media and the Public Sector to name a few.

Sitekit has many features to its software which includes all of the above points of what you should look for in a quality CMS, plus many more.

Sitekit offer two license variants:

CMS Corporate
CMS Advanced

The main difference between the two licenses is that if you’re looking at publishing multi websites or portals with a different URL’s then the advanced option would be the option you need.  The corporate site comes with the same level of functionality however just one license for one website is. 

For a list of features go to http://www.sitekit.net/Product-Overview.html

From a technical perspective the latest version of Sitekit CMS, version 8 requires; a .net application server; MSSQL database; Windows Server 2003 operating system; using programming languages, ASP,.NET, NET2 extendable via web services. 

I hope this posting has been useful for those looking for a feature rich, flexible and easy to use CMS.  

What do you think? Was this blog post useful? Please comment below or add to the debate. Please do not hesitate to contact Generate UK for more information and ideas about how to we can help you with content management systems.