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Brighton Consulting launches our new integrated CMS/mobile web interface designed for Credit Unions and Building Societies.

The mobile website, as it is commonly referred to, has been specifically designed to operate on the small screens of modern mobile phones. The mobile website works in conjunction with an organisation’s main public website and ensures essential information is easily accessible on a range of internet connected devices.

Our first mobile website, piloted by Horizon Credit Union, went live in June and has performed very well. When somebody using an iPhone or Android phone searches for www.horizoncreditunion.com.au they are now automatically redirected to the mobile site and enjoy a far smoother browsing experience.

The mobile website provides members with secure, convenient access to key online functionality and information through their mobile phone. Moreover, Horizon is able to easily update and expand the mobile website as all of its content is driven by the same Content Management System behind its main public website.

Developing a mobile website helps to accommodate for the growing number of people who use their mobile phones to access a range of services over the internet. The mobile site also ensures that your brand is technologically up-to date, and enhances your online customer service channel.

Do you manage multiple financial brands? Maintaining a professional and manageable web presence for multiple financial brands can be challenging, time consuming and expensive.

Maritime Mining & Power Credit Union (MMPCU) tasked us with the challenge of developing a new ‘master’ website that was capable of managing multiple financial brands. This challenge was required to support the merger of MMPCU and Gosford City Credit Union (GCCU).

Aside from the obvious design challenges, the new website needed to be managed from a single CMS installation. Our latest CMS – byond3 – manages multiple templates with ease. You can manage promotional pages, landing pages, minisites from a central management console. On top this, byond 3 provides front-end editing, flexible user management, publishing alerts, integrated blogs, forums and enewsletter modules – all with financial grade security.

Check it out how we manage two integrated financial brands through the one CMS.

With the Abacus Industry Campaign only two months from launch, IMCU decided it would be a good idea to refresh their brand.

Of course, we could have updated the logo on their existing site but we saw this as a fantastic opportunity to refresh their website. Given the time constraints we were limited with what we could do but in a short space of time we redesigned the home page and upgraded them to the latest version of our CMS.

The next step is to undertake a complete content overhaul and put to work all of the great tools we offer as part of the service and the new functionality contained within the system.

This is the kind of feedback we like to hear, and thankfully hear quite often. So what had we done to make this client so happy?

Orange Credit Union approached us very concerned that a key part of their Internet Banking upgrade, the design and design coding, would not be provided by the software supplier. They asked us to liasie with the supplier to create a design that would work for their system. When asked when they needed this work completed we were told "yesterday".

Understanding that Intenet Banking is one of the most visited areas of a financial website, our response was to create a design which not only reflected their brand but also provided plenty of opportunity for product and service promotion.

In addition, by adjusting the code slightly we were able to ensure that Orange Credit Union (rather than the software supplier) maintained complete control over the promotional areas so that they could be updated regularly at little cost… whilst of course maintaining the highest levels of security.

All this was turned around incredibly quickly and we are extremely pleased that we were able to help Orange Credit Union in a difficult situation.

We have just completed the redevelopment of the First Option Credit Union website.

This new website incorporates a fresh new design with product information that is easy to find and easy to understand.

Our aim was to make it simple for members to find information and interact with their Credit Union.

With their latest news section, comprehensive online forms/calculators and easy-to-access credit union information, First Option Credit Union is accessible to members 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

www.firstoptioncu.com.au

Swan Hill Credit Union now has a new website that’s more spacious, open and usable.

Following a recent refresh of their brand, we’ve upgraded their website to not only reflect their new branding message, but to also clarify their message and position in the marketplace.

There are several innovations on the new site: www.swanhillcu.com.au

A new footer… that’s more than just a footer

By horizontally bisecting the site and creating a clear and dynamic footer region we have not only simplified site navigation but also provided a defined space for marketing messages.

The use of the swoosh from Swan Hill’s logo helps to further reinforce the credit union’s branding and the strong horizontal line provides a conceptual ‘horizon’ placing the rest of the content on the site above the ‘horizon’, emphasising the message. Things positioned below the horizon line (conceptually, on the ground) are perceived to be slightly more serious in nature and therefore worth consideration.

New navigation

A new resized navigation makes finding content on the site much easier, with clear step-through navigation making finding what you are looking for a breeze.

Simple messaging

The creation of one single, strong message for the homepage helps to solidify the message to members and reduces visual clutter on the page. In the few seconds between a member landing on the page, and departing for Internet banking, the use of a single message increases awareness of the main campaign for the site.

New online services design

A redesigned section for online services has emphasised the importance of security, made accessing Internet banking easier and speaks directly to the topic of security when banking online. The floating text panel can be modified to highlight urgent messages relating directly to Internet banking should they be required.

Summary

Overall the new site is more spacious, clearer, and easier to read. The space afforded to new campaigns should see a direct result in the awareness of Credit Union initiatives and promotions and the changes to the site should increase usability.

We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with Beyond the Orphanage (BTO) during the redevelopment of their new website.

Geoff Hucker, the founder of the Australian-based charity that supports and develops Ethiopian orphans later in their childhood, had very clear views on what they wanted to achieve with their new site.

The organisation focuses solely on the health and wellbeing of the children and teens in their care. As such they wanted the children to be the primary focus of the site. To accomplish this we created an introductory online gallery (with original soundtrack). The galley images scale to provide a full screen display in a wide range of screen sizes (the images are resized in real time within the browser). This delivers a dramatic and emotive first impression.

The site also employs a range of full screen background images to add texture to the website content. The result is a clear and informative site that delivers a real sense of its subject matter. The next stage of the project is to launch a flexible online donation engine.

We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Geoff, Claire and the BTO team. We are particularly grateful for their generosity in visiting our office to explain their vital work. It provided a very clear reminder as to just how fortunate we are.

One of our most recent projects has been the launch of the new FCCS website www.fccs.com.au.

Our aim was to create a simple, easy to navigate and eye-catching site. As we also develop FCCS’ marketing campaigns, we were able to design a website that really made the most of their vibrant campaign imagery.

To best present these bright campaigns we created a new rotating campaign tool that looks great and is easy to update as new campaigns come along.

We created content for the site that is informative but not too wordy, so users can easily browse through the site and find all the relevant details they need without having to wade through unnecessary information.

We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to the new site and look forward to our next projects with FCCS.

We recently developed a website for Insight Experience NSW.

Insight is an education program dedicated to those people who are new to the Credit Union movement. Even though it is aimed at new starters, there is also plenty of valuable information for available for longer serving credit union staff.

Julie Dempster and Antoinette Smit wanted a simple site to support their credit union movement education programs. The only catch was that they needed it ASAP!

We accepted the challenge and they launched their new site 2 days before their next seminar.

Julie and Antoinette were delighted. We were delighted also when they called by with armfuls of liquor (yes they know us well).

We would like to congratulate Insight on their good work. Learn more at www.insightexperience.com.au
 

Have you ever considered what happens to children who are orphaned in their early teens?

Geoff Hucker saw this need first hand and is doing something about it. Geoff founded a charity called Beyond the Orphanage (BTO) that supports and develops Ethiopian children orphaned late in childhood.

Geoff contacted us to produce some promotional material and one thing lead to another. We ended up providing copywriting assistance and refreshing their logo as well. Their existing logo denotes a child reaching for the sun; it is an Ethiopian symbol of hope. We thought it was very effective however the logo type surrounding it didn’t emphasise the core meaning of the organisation. We recommended a new font and re-formed the name around the logo to emphasise the fact that BTO’s work extends ‘beyond’ the orphanage.

Geoff was chuffed and it highlighted to us how the subtle refocusing of communications can help alter perceptions of an organisation.

Find out more about Geoff’s great important work at www.beyondtheorphanage.org