Improving user journeys and engagement for logistics company

The project to redesign the St. Modwen Logistics (SML) website was initiated in May 2022.

Although the existing site had been created just four years earlier, the team recognised the need for improvements in layout, navigation, content and user experience.

Over time, additional functionality had been added but to fit within the fixed menu structure, the content lacked logical flow, making it difficult for visitors to find information.

The brief was to redesign and create a high quality custom website the SML website in order to improve visitor experience, engagement and position SML as a trusted, responsible, customer centric, business partner.

Ideally, the visitors and potential customers would be able to navigate the website and easily find what they are looking for. This would ultimately improve engagement and encourage them to get in touch.

The new website design focused on two key objectives:

To demonstrate that SML create communities within their parks and allow users to easily find their properties and parks to increase enquiries and conversion rates.

User journey (UJ) planning was key. We worked closely with the SML marketing team, identifying key audience segments, including:

• Customers
• Local communities
• Landowners
• Local authorities
• Contractors and Partners
• Property agents

Segmenting the website based on these groups allowed for clear user journey maps. Wireframes were developed to streamline navigation and ensure a seamless experience.

A major part of the planning phase was the creation of a custom search function that set a new industry standard. Extensive research across all their competitors revealed a range of search filters. Many didn’t make sense, didn’t ask the right questions or in some cases, didn’t work at all.

The new filter included a comparison tool, allowing users to compare up to three properties and download a PDF, ideal for agents presenting options to clients.

A live prototype demonstrated proof of concept, ensuring functionality across all screen sizes. After the team approved the UJ/UX, the design phase began. However, business-level changes extended this phase for several months before the company finalised the approval, allowing the project to move into development.

The SML team also requested commercial photography and video content to bring their customers’ journeys and SML communities to life.

They commissioned us do 5 days of commercial photography across the business parks at Stoke, Gloucester and Heywood. Whilst there, we gained access to several businesses and photographed their people, the real heroes of logistics parks.

Additionally, we produced a marketing film for a new unit in Stoke, incorporating drone footage.

The final website was a significant improvement over the previous version. The SML team praised our collaborative approach and expressed high satisfaction with the outcome.

Although the website was ready in March 2023, business-level changes delayed its launch until March 2024.

St. Modwen Logistics originated from St. Modwen Properties, a leading property development and investment company established in 1966. The parent company had a long-standing reputation for improving brownfield locations in neglected areas throughout the UK. St. Modwen established St. Modwen Logistics (SML) to meet the growing demand for high-quality logistics and industrial spaces. During the project, St. Modwen Logistics merged with Industrials to form a new super logistics business – Indurent.

The new Indurent website launched in 1st July 2024. You can view our St Modwen website to see our work in action.