Case Study: Family First Sports Park

Q. How do you provide intradisipinary staff members the ability to collaborate internally and externally in order to be able to create and manage content for web sites and eNewletters for their 2.5 million client visitors.

A. Re-structure communications for immediate staff and departmental teamwork, enabling those with specific expertise to provide and direct content to the web site allowing visitors access to timely and informative content.

Background

Family First Sports Park, a multipurpose campus with a fitness center, soccer, basketball and volleyball facilities, fun center, golf dome, leadership institute and youth activities will serve about 2.5 million visitors to its campus in 2003. Its web site was already the hub of the organization’s customer communications and marketing. However, its three marketing staff had to call all 45 staff each week to determine all new information, news, upcoming tournaments and clinics, etc., and then convert this into information for the web site.

Management reviewed 12 software packages in detail prior to making its critical commitment to use MutualGravity. A few of the decision factors were the ability to customize the software, easy access to all data placed in the system, ability to use Macintoshes for all design work and a mix of Macs and PCs for staff access. Management’s goals were to enrich staff collaboration in order to facilitate having the most current info on the web site, making all brochures printable from the web, minimizing staff data input while simplifying and automating customer access.

Solution

The marketing staff began implementing the MutualGravity content management functions with a total redesign of their 800-page web site. Implementing MutualGravity on the web site involved setting up hundreds of separate feeds of articles, calendars and polls. All staff members collaborated using the WebOfficeAngel tools to facilitate timely input and communications. Staff was empowered so that each department updated their own web site section with news and information content.

Results

Support time for staff has been practically eliminated. Marketing department staff time invested into each significant event has been reduced from 7 days to 2 hours. Site visits doubled immediately upon release of the new site, and continue to increase. Families from around the country no longer have to call the park during every event. They can now get online the same day their children compete, see the results and standings, and read the news reports of the competitions.
Customer satisfaction surveys are being used to obtain feedback from tournament participants, and management and staff use MutualGravity systems and flash reports for instantaneous tracking of everything from personnel availability to web site metrics. FFSP has not needed to print event brochures for visitors, directing all requests for information to their web site.