Hays Travel
Hays Travel are the UK’s largest independent travel agents with 450+ retail branches and over £1bn revenue. Despite the modern travel purchasing landscape, the majority of this revenue comes from their retail branches, rather than online. Hays Travel continues to be successful via this model, despite (or perhaps because of) the decline of other high street travel agents. Though very successful, this approach has taken precedence, with very little investment in online technology and marketing.
Seeking to improve their online perception and brand identity, whilst also integrating their cruise and luxury travel offerings, Hays Travel intend to create an aspirational and expanded range of online holidays. Through a phased redesign, their immediate priority was for online to support in-store purchases, while assisting the journey of existing customers and broadening Hays appeal and access to new audiences.
Discovery
Define project scope and deliverables.
Devise phased release of information architecture & SEO.
Create persona type and audience groups.
Scope Umbraco related technical limitations for MVP.
Map user journey to define streamlined pattern and component use.
Prototype primary user journey, testing variations on persistent vs expandable holiday search functionality.
User testing and iteration.
UX Process Documentation
Hays Stakeholder Workshop
KPIs • Best Practice • AudiencePrototype Testing
Research ScriptRecruitment Profile
Questions & AnswersWebsite & Prototype Research
Objectives, Approach & Methodology
Understanding the problem to be solved
Consolidating the company’s four websites into a single proposition.
Incorporating a robust content and search strategy, informed by a content audit, reviewed site structure and taxonomy, information architecture, best practice technical SEO implementation, content writing, editing and optimisation support.
Managing integration of existing solutions, i.e. booking.haystravel.co.uk.
Including base level of personalisation as enabled by integration with MarketingSuite.
Enabling greater measurement and visualisation.
Further supporting offline booking and fulfilment as an appropriate alternative to the online booking journey by re-developing the branch and PTC finder functionality, use of live chat and direction to call-centre.
User needs
Responsive, mobile optimised design.
Ability to book on-line.
Simplistic layout, smooth, fast and easy to navigate.
Appealing high quality imagery, less words, offering ‘Read more’ options within content.
Content that covers key decision making information, flight times, duration, ratings, reviews, honesty and trust.
Clear pricing and contact / support details.
Discovery: Prototype A
Prototype Research • User Feedback
Design principles: Phase 1
Flexible, consistent
Modular approach gives flexibility of content
Consistent design patterns builds familiarity, usability and reassurance
Curated, exploratory
Opportunities for Hays to add editorial content and integrate promotional material from holiday providers, to augment the holiday feed, and enable new ways for visitors to discover new destinations and holiday ideas, not just to search
Brand, values
Bring Hays values to life online
Making users feel supported in their holiday booking journey
Nobody offers your more - choice, value, service, protection
Book with confidence - online, offline, in-store - whatever channel feels comfortable
Mobile first
Exemplary experience on mobile devices, not just a downsized desktop view.
Desktop experience enhances imagery, adds more space to allow content to breathe.
Inclusive and accessible
Showing all audiences
Good design is inclusive design
It’s not about dumbing down, it’s lifting up
Technical accessibility to WCAG 2.2 AA standard
It’s about people
Holidays are about giving people a great experience
Creating a human connection with Hays, rather than a faceless organisation
It’s not just an online proposition you’ve also got in-store
