rickerbys website and intranet

On our intranet, document management was a key project driver for us providing efficient communication and knowledge transfer via a document sharing and search facility. Project Management benefits such as calendar sharing , setting up team meetings and allocating resources effectively were key requirements.

It was important to build on our existing successful brand and grow the business further with the use of leading technologies to improve communications across the business; keeping partners aware of legal developments, sharing experiences and keeping them informed of training courses and events.

Webnetism understood the brief and met our requirements on time and within a challenging schedule, providing enhanced features and all within our budget. They not only developed a great solution but provided ongoing support with training and technical support when it was time to add content to the site using the Content Management System.

Client Background

Rickerbys is a leading South West law firm known throughout the region for its strong commercial and private client expertise. The firm is innovative, progressive and committed to meeting a wide range of clients’ needs. They employ over 160 legal and support staff and have earned a strong reputation across a range of legal disciplines.  

The Client Brief 

• A site that will allow profitable acquisition of new customers both in and out of area
• A site that is sticky and provides a first class user experience
• To continue to establish the Rickerbys brand as a recognised and respected source of legal services
• To continue to promote the firm as a forward thinking, innovative, modern and progressive organisation to work with
• To provide fast and easy access to information presented in a straightforward and easy to use format in the minimum number of click-throughs
• To implement a new CMS usable by relevant parties within the business and providing greater control of web page development and business information
• Provide a single CMS that could control 3 different web sites
• An Intranet to allow effective and efficient communication of business knowledge and client information across the organisation via a web browser

Reasons for winning the contract

Rickerbys website and CMS contract was won by the Cheltenham based company Webnetism through a competitive tendering process. Webnetism are experts in providing highly technical, easily accessible and usable content management systems and visually attractive, and engaging websites.

They were successful because of a proven track record and an impressive customer portfolio.

With Webnetism managing the development, technical build and hosting internally, Rickerbys was given added assurance that the project would be effectively delivered and, due to one company delivering the project, that cross-organisational communication problems would be kept to a minimum.

Response to the client brief

Using ‘state of the art’ .NET technologies and Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant style sheet methodologies, Webnetism designed and built a brand new website and Intranet for Rickerbys with an accompanying Content Management System so they could control their own content without incurring further costs.

Rickerbys now have complete accessibility to make changes to the content of the website together with assured rigid and consistent control of the design and layout of the website, which enhances and ensures consistent usability.

Webnetism provided Rickerbys with a website that includes the following features:

• Visually engaging and easy to understand with clear sign posting
• Easy to follow navigation
• Obvious means of making contact using a variety of methods i.e. email, telephone and contact form
• CMS with an easy to understand Interface (Windows based) with clear navigation
• CMS with multi-level User Permissions to control publishing and ensure high quality pages.
• Customisable Template Structure for easy addition of content and controlled website layout
• Preview of content before published together with version control
• Upload PDFs and other documents easily

Webnetism provided an Intranet with the following features and benefits:

• Document sharing and knowledge transfer
• Team group working – committees, teams and training
• Dynamic and fresh looking design
• Telephone number and contact details search
• Calendar and project management efficiencies
• My Space page for all staff with image libraries
• General CMS for internal web site pages

• Increased employee productivity and collaboration.
• Enhanced internal communication.
• Improved employee retention and job satisfaction.
• Streamlined operations and business processes.
• Enhanced organizational knowledge (knowledge management).
• Improved human resource management.