Catering for small wedding parties, at a diverse range of NSW locations, the micro wedding and Registry wedding packages are proving extremely popular, with 21 submissions received within the first weekend of going live in March 2022.
Previously, no online solution existed for customers to advise Births Deaths and Marriages (BDM), of their wedding preferences. This new solution, developed in collaboration with the BDM, Digital Channels and Brand Digital Communication teams, provides fabulous wedding options for couples, and a successful lead generation pipeline for BDM.
The challenge
In April 2020, the team at Births Deaths and Marriages (BDM) expanded their wedding service offering to include registry weddings and micro weddings. However, it wasn’t always smooth sailing for the customer. Without an online booking system, the customer experience was very manual. The customer had to view various venues, and keep a list of their preferences. Then, they had to book and attend a marriage interview. A majority of the interview was trying to communicate all their preferences.
BDM wanted to offer a better customer experience to communicate their wedding preferences. This also had to accommodate their process and requirements.
How we approached the development
This piece of work was very much a collaborative effort between the DCS Digital Communications team, and the OneCX program team, consisting of a Business Analyst, User Experience (UX) advisor, Developers and Strategy and Insights.
We began with the customer research and usability testing on existing pages. We then mapped out the customer journey to reveal the pain points and opportunities. These insights led to the design of the wishlist picker pages and development of the purpose-built applications.
During the process, the BDM digital communications team ensured there was a consistent and un-interrupted customer experience from the existing pages to the new wish list pages.
The solution
Whilst initially requesting a shopping cart function for micro and registry wedding services, it was agreed more appropriate to offer a wish list booking system. The OneCX program team designed and custom-built a multi-option wish list picker application. This means a customer can walk through a set of options and select their preferences to tailor their wedding day, and once finished, submit a booking request.
The system then provides a PDF summary of their wish list for customers to share and discuss with their partners. This allows our customers further control over creating their ideal wedding.
For ease of ongoing maintenance by the BDM, we implemented a data pipeline solution so that any variations in venue can be controlled by the content teams, and don’t require IT support to implement changes.
Finally, an email reference system was setup for BDM agents to track requests.
It’s all about the customer
The new customer checkout journey is simple and easy to use. Once the customer selects a venue, they will see various options listed on the page. These include date, number of guests, reception options, and any add on's, such as drinks packages and extra canapés. Further options include flowers, a photography package, and a commemorative wedding certificate. Some venues also offer wedding night accommodation. Throughout the process, costs are listed, so the customer can keep track of their budget.
Once the customer has made their selections, they will see a summary screen with options to save or print to PDF.
The booking is then finalised during the wedding interview with the BDM agent.
The end result
The new service offering has transformed the Registry wedding concept. It is a first amongst Registries in Australia. The development was driven with two key DCS strategic pillars in mind: putting customer needs at the centre, and government made easy.
With challenges presented by COVID and cost of living pressures, now more than ever, a micro wedding provides couples with an opportunity to have a wedding of their dreams on a smaller scale and budget.
The new offering has led to improved customer experience, increased lead-generation for BDM, and less time and resources required for marriage interviews.
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