New Wine

Lightly Salted Elevates New Wine United's Booking Experience with Zendesk Integration

28 April 2022

Challenge

The challenge

New Wine United, a major Christian event attracting over 18,000 delegates across two weeks in Maidstone, needed a website capable of managing the complex demands of such a large-scale gathering. With attendees spanning all age groups, the site had to deliver an intuitive booking experience that could handle thousands of simultaneous users without compromising performance or usability.

Beyond bookings, the challenge extended to customer service. New Wine United required seamless Zendesk integration to provide delegates with instant access to FAQs and support resources, reducing pressure on their team while ensuring attendees could find answers quickly. The solution needed to balance robust functionality with simplicity, creating a digital experience as welcoming and accessible as the event itself.

Solution

The solution

We built the New Wine United website on Drupal, a content management system chosen specifically for its scalability and flexibility — essential for handling the complex booking requirements of an event welcoming over 18,000 delegates across two weeks. Our focus was on creating an intuitive user experience that would make the booking process straightforward for attendees of all ages and technical abilities.

The site features clear calls to action strategically placed throughout, guiding users seamlessly from initial interest through to completed bookings. We integrated Zendesk directly into the platform, giving delegates immediate access to FAQs and customer service support when they need it most. This integration ensures that common queries are answered quickly, reducing pressure on the New Wine team during peak booking periods.

The result is a robust, user-friendly platform that confidently handles high-volume bookings while providing the support infrastructure needed for an event of this scale. The Drupal foundation gives New Wine the flexibility to evolve the site as their needs grow, while the clean navigation and integrated support features create a positive experience for every delegate from their first visit to the site.

Process

How We Delivered

Understanding the Brief

We met with New Wine United to understand the scale of their challenge — managing bookings for 18,000 delegates across two weeks at Kent Event Centre. We identified the need for a robust booking system, seamless Zendesk integration for customer support, and a user experience that could handle high traffic without friction.

Platform Selection & Planning

We chose Drupal as the foundation for its proven scalability and flexibility — essential for handling thousands of simultaneous users. We mapped out the user journey, focusing on clear calls to action that would guide delegates smoothly through the booking process while ensuring quick access to FAQs and support.

Design & Development

We built a clean, intuitive interface that works across all devices and age groups. The booking system was developed to handle high volumes reliably, while Zendesk integration was implemented to provide instant access to customer service features, reducing pressure on the New Wine team during peak booking periods.

More Work

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