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Personalized booking engine

For Shuum Boutique Wellness Hotel we have prepared an innovative tool – unique on the Polish market, an well-developed online booking engine that precisely responds to the needs of our client and hotel guests.

Challenge

A tool that will develop with the customer

A tool that will develop with the customer

In the course of meticulous research work, we have made a operating scheme of the existing booking engine, discovering its weaknesses. Then we made thorough research and benchmarking of custom and generic tools, paying special attention to best practices. A lot of useful knowledge has also brought us a meta-analysis of available scientific research, dedicated to the needs of users.

The most important were in-depth interviews with the founders and employees of Shuum. We addressed their needs in order to be able to create a tool that fully fit them.

Challenge

Practical stage of research

Practical stage of research

With theoretical knowledge, we went into action – we tested selected booking engines using proprietary test scenarios, prepared to compare functionality. Their results were an important reference point for us in further work. We also interviewed selected companies that create booking engines.

Due to this stage of work on the new tool, we have better understanding of our client needs.

Challenge

Developing an effective action strategy

We started the strategy by synthesising and grouping key observations. By doing this, we have defined the key objectives of the new tool: relieving the registration department and providing the user with the possibility of comprehensive service and control of the online order. On the basis of KPIs, we have defined scenarios for the development of the booking module – the product should be able to be constantly developed, responding to future needs.

With this awareness, we were able to fully consciously clarify the technical requirements of the product and prepare detailed internal briefs.

Challenge

Create interactive booking mock-ups

Create interactive booking mock-ups

At the heart of our interests is UX discoverability, understood as the ease with which the user will be able to make a reservation and find any elements of interest. The new system was to be as supportive as possible at every stage of the customer journey. We started modeling the product. Strategic department have prepared a map of the user's activities and a well-arranged information architecture.

These activities allowed us to produce an interactive mock-up of the reservation, which we then meticulously examined in our research laboratory – AF.lab.

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Challenge

Mock-up usability tests at AF.lab

We created a research scenario – each study consisted of: instructions, eye tracking tasks and in-depth interview. We have recruited a focus group using the "targeted selection" method to match the cross-section of the hotel's potential customers. We selected people of both sexes, by age of 36-69 years. Due to our mobile research laboratory, we were able to carry out the tests despite the pandemic.

Comparing interest areas gave us information about key elements in the booking process. The research resulted in the improvement of final mock-up.

Challenge

Final design of the booking engine

Final design of the booking engine

All previous actions allowed us to efficiently prepare the full user interface of the Shuum Hotel booking engine – the most intuitive and supportive guests at every step. Clear structuring of the elements and precise microcopy guide the user, allowing him to plan a fully comfortable stay.

The guest can take advantage of the wide range of additional services, already at the booking level and has access to all the information about his stay in one place.

Challenge

Real-time implementation and evaluation

Shuum's booking engine functions like a living organism. Due to the fact that we have created it from scratch, it is possible to make efficient – and global – changes and improvements in its functioning, arising from new needs. The product, by its very design, maximizes our client's development. The ongoing evaluation allows for efficient capture of potential opportunities and then their development.

Our dedicated IT team is taking care of Shuum hotel reservation system by maintaining its functionality and further development. Due to that, we can quickly respond to any needs, ensuring that the client achieves business goals.

Challenge

Boutique booking experience

Booking in the new Shuum hotel system takes place in a few simple steps. During the course, the hotel guest chooses the date, number of persons (including the age of the children) and gets the opportunity to personalize their stay - the use of room allowances and a wide range of treatments from the category Spa & Wellness. Due to use of multi-devicetechnology, reservation and convenient payment are possible on any device. Integration with the hotel CRM system, on the other hand, makes it possible for the user to access only the rooms and offers available at the time of their choice.

Shuum's new booking engine fully fits into our client's brand philosophy, offering guests a real boutique experience – already at the level of booking a stay.

An e‑commerce story of content

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