The Solution
DigiTickets immediately set about tailoring a system to meet RLB 360’s needs, focusing on seamless online booking and point-of-sale functionalities initially, working in close partnership with RLB 360 to facilitate rigorous testing & optimisation of the website’s user journey. This ensured each stage was fully connected, free from any friction points and simple enough for people of all ages to navigate.
The RLB 360 team was also looking for a system that could underpin its approach to data tracking and analysis, so they could use these insights to spot key user behaviour trends, optimise for conversion and inform key strategic decisions.
“DigiTickets allows us to control the entire guest journey while ensuring the online experience lives up to the same standards as when they're on site,” Chris explains. “The guest journey starts from the moment they book and runs right through to when they receive a post-visit email. That end-to-end experience is so important for us.”
“We really appreciated how easy the setup was and how quickly we were able to train staff on how to use the system, even with the advanced data and reporting capabilities it offers. Making changes in the back end is simple, which is handy for our managers when it comes to adjusting capacities or time slots – and that can happen quite frequently given the amount of walk-up trade and short-term bookings we get.”
Given that PPC is one of RLB 360’s strongest sales channels, the team needed the system to integrate seamlessly with Google Analytics to make sure all information was being captured and presented as it should be. Chris can now keep a close eye on load times, dwell times and other key stats to make sure everything is fully optimised at all times.
Channel management and PPC integration
Once established, RLB 360 quickly added on DigiTickets’ channel manager, Experience Bank, as a way to kickstart their OTA channel strategy and unify and automate all of its main booking channels.
“The good thing about Experience Bank is that all the partners listed there have a direct API link with DigiTickets,” says Chris. “Everything gets automatically updated at our end whenever a guest books through another website or OTA. The system checks our capacity, confirms the booking and adjusts the data accordingly. That means we don’t have to worry about updating things manually, which saves time and cuts the risk of making mistakes.”
“Although we paid commission on OTAs, we don’t treat the commission as a cost; instead, we see it as a marketing percentage and put it down as a cost to the sale. We don't generate those sales otherwise. They help us reach a wider audience and build their own marketing campaigns that we’d probably spend thousands of pounds to do as well, but they're doing it while driving revenue.
“We’ve also been able to extend our advance booking timeline thanks to Experience Bank, as it’s usually people looking at their holidays a few weeks in advance. Overall the system has helped us manage capacity, staffing and last-minute changes to tour plans.”
The Results
Growth through OTAs – RLB 360 have benefited from the increase in sales revenue generated through OTAs and added brand visibility through positive reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor and Get Your Guide.
Higher website conversions – After strategic optimisation of its online ticketing process and user journey, RLB 360 saw a notable upturn in conversions within two months.
End-to-end visitor experience – The brand has successfully created a seamless online experience for its guests, using data insights and feedback to continually improve its approach.
What’s Next for the Royal Liver Building 360 Tour?
“Our next big focus is to grow our presence even further with third-party sellers, wholesalers and DMOs, helping to encourage bookings for larger groups and companies,” says Chris. “We’re also looking at adding Google and Apple Pay functionalities to give our guests another great, easy payment option.”
“Overall, our plan is to continue growing the site and developing our offering, while still delivering the same high level of experience and customer service that we’ve now set – and DigiTickets will continue to be key in enabling that.”
If you’re looking for ways to create a seamless, cross channel booking experience to unify your direct, channel and walk up sales, please get in touch. We’d love to help.