Aardvark Media launches Latenightlondon.co.uk to double registered customers in one year to over 500,000 with user generated content

July 15, 2006 (PRLEAP.COM) Lifestyle News
Aiming to double bookings and the number of registered customers in one year, Aardvark Media launches Latenightlondon.co.uk and 36 branded venue websites for Novus Leisure. The Capital’s biggest bar and restaurant group presents the best in London nightlife including Tiger Tiger, Oxygen and Sugar Reef. More at http://www.aardvarkmedia.co.uk/about/news.html

The sites incorporate a feature rich administration tool that increases business efficiency and enhances marketing opportunities. Its bespoke online customer service tools build stronger, loyal customer relationships by encouraging user generated content.

“The custom built system allows all our venue sites to access one customer database which can be used for local venue promotion and management, centrally integrated marketing activities, and to build valuable and lasting relationships with all our customers,” says Allie Conlan, Online Marketing Executive of Novus Leisure.

Business benefits include the ability to capture customer data centrally but manage customer bookings and feedback locally by venue staff. The feature rich database can be used to deliver integrated promotional and special event campaigns on all the sites, and also allows marketers to send email campaigns to customers who have actively requested them; avoiding spam.

With the emphasis on building long-term customer relationships, Aardvark Media’s focus on delivering a good user experience has produced a range of unique online customer service tools. These include a user generated content feature where customers are encouraged to create events, post content and invite their friends via e-mail to register and contribute.

“We wanted to create a unique customer experience for the venue websites and Latenightlondon.co.uk to distinguish them from the plethora of unfriendly Flash sites typical of the marketplace. User generated content, helpful features and integrated messaging with venue reservation staff will generate greater loyalty and encourage regular visits from customers with the most influence on their peers or work colleagues in terms of social planning or corporate entertainment. Getting customers to refer friends and colleagues is a central tenet of the strategy for the rapid growth of the customer database,” says Chris Johns, Commercial Director at Aardvark Media.

To help evolve the customer focused experience, Aardvark Media produced a set of ‘personas’ based on Latenightlondon existing customers. These included City PA’s responsible for organising corporate events, influential young professionals and yummy mummies who generally take the lead in organising the social calendar for their group of friends.

“People who organise a night out want tools to help them manage their guest list, check and agree special details with the venue and organise friends. Plus the venues benefit. They can manage online bookings, troubleshoot customer requirements and target repeat business not only with customers but from word of mouth, which matters a lot in this industry,” says Chris.

“We plan for online to account for 50 per cent of our forward bookings, and the valuable, accurate data we capture will be highly sort after by other brands and companies seeking to reach our influential membership audience,” says Allie (Novus)

The search engine friendly sites meet W3C accessibility standards and plans are in place to provide a secure transactions area before Christmas to process online booking deposits along with the development of an API to allow select third parties to interact with the database easily and securely.
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Editor’s notes

About Aardvark Media
Established in 1996, Aardvark Media is a London-based web agency dedicated to producing usable, engaging, customer-focused websites and online applications for a number of diverse markets. Its websites deliver positive, measurable results to clients underpinned by the key tenets of usability, accessibility and compatibility. Aardvark Media’s clients include Siemens, Harwin, International Private Equity Services Limited (IPES), Generali International, Square Meal and the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA).

http://www.aardvarkmedia.co.uk

http://www.aardvarkmedia.co.uk/about/news.html

http://www.Latenightlondon.co.uk


Contact:

Katy Howell
immediate future Ltd.
0845 408 2031
pressoffice@immediatefuture.co.uk