Welcome back to our Spotlight series! We spoke to Oliver Lyndale, the Operations Manager at First Aid Bristol, about how digital technologies can make an online business much simpler and easier to manage, freeing up time to focus on other areas. He also puts forward a pretty persuasive argument as to why everyone needs to learn first aid!
We wanted to create a modern website that really reflected the work and services we provide. So many other first aid providers appear formal and boring and this is also true for many of the training methods they employ. We believe that first aid training should be delivered in a fun and engaging way, as they are practical skills that empower people, and we wanted our website to showcase that message to anyone interested in first aid.
The largest challenge whilst developing our online presence has been creating comprehensive content that works both for the user and also from a digital marketing and SEO perspective.
There is a large amount of information to take into consideration and it needs to work from a technical angle while at the same time providing our customers with clear and concise information.
I am a firm believer in automation and reducing the time wasted on ‘back-of-house’ processes wherever possible. This frees up time to focus on growing the business and making sure we are delivering the best service possible.
Over the last year, we have built a comprehensive system that manages the customer UX (user experience) from the moment they enquire to the moment they walk away with their qualification. This has involved creating a custom CRM (customer relationship management) that communicates with our events scheduling, events management and payment processes.
Moving forward, there is still a lot of work to be done, but each new feature makes our business processes more efficient and this all saves time and money!
Our focus will continue to be on our administration processes. As we grow as a company and take on more training staff, it is fast becoming apparent that staying on top of bookings and the courses timetable is the largest consumer of our time.
Our next development will be a system to manage our first aid trainers’ information to make sure that they are always informed about their upcoming courses. This will be done automatically by the management system. That way, we should never drop a beat!
Our enquiries have always come through a variety of routes but something that is very clear is how important our website is.
Whether someone uses the AI chat bot, the contact form, drops us a call or just books through the site, this is where we see people start their journey. Currently, it seems to be fairly evenly spread through all of these avenues.
Everyone should know first aid! Having a basic understanding of how to deal with an emergency or an accident can save lives and, at the very least, provide emotional support for people in difficult situations.
All of our first aid courses are designed for people of all backgrounds. Whether you are in a group or attending as an individual, our highly experienced team makes all of their courses inclusive, fun and exciting.
We have also designed a designated first aid training space that is inviting and comfortable. This really makes people feel more at home and enthusiastic about learning.
1) Learn valuable life skills that can save lives.
2) Help to build your confidence and acting abilities.
3) Achieve recognised qualifications that can boost a CV.
Thank you very much to Oliver from First Aid Bristol! It’s always super interesting to hear how different companies are using technology to manage their online presence and make their business model more efficient.
For more on digital technology, why not take a look at our recent blog about past predictions for 2020 and whether they came true? Otherwise, make sure to keep an eye on the blog for future interviews and digital marketing updates.