Regime change can often be intimidating; the expected resistance and the difficulties of implementing it can put people off trying before they even start.
I was reflecting on this yesterday on our Sunday family walk, noticing how there was no dog poo on the path at any point during the two-hour outing.
This is a direct result of a regime change, where dog owners now see it as their responsibility to pick it up. It came about through a mixture of a legal act (1996) and by a shift in public perception, led by various key campaigns starting in the late 1980s.
Shifting this thinking to the world of websites, we have supported several clients with regime change, led by their website and the tools within it.
As an example, we regularly work with a members’ club who have a monthly meeting with a pre-booked meal.
The treasurer complained to BYD that people booked meals verbally, via text, phone call, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, word of mouth (tell him I am coming and require a meal) and any way that suited them, making it very time-consuming to keep track of who was actually attending. This then made it difficult to liaise with the caterer to pre-book the correct numbers. In addition, payments were made in cash on the night (or even cheque), requiring a supply of change, the banking of the collected money, and occasionally being left short by no-shows who didn’t pay for their meal.
We created an online booking system, where members have to book in at least five days in advance. Bookings are only accepted via the system, any other attempts are redirected to the form. Payments are made electronically when booking, either by card or BACS, so the money is already collected prior to the event, and the treasurer has the funds to pay the caterer on the night, rather than having to bank it first. At the point of booking, members can also add any guests, and they are prompted for dietary requirements.
The system outputs a simple spreadsheet with details of who is coming, if they have any guests, their dietary requirements, and how they have paid. This single point of data has made a huge difference to the process.
BYD designed the process and the form to suit the specific scenario above. We also provided support in the roll-out and during the resistance phase, answering questions and providing guidance to the treasurer in enforcing the regime change.