General / mixed project
Ben Davis Driving School website refresh
Website design, booking integration and custom WordPress tools
Ben Davis Driving School already had a functioning website and online booking system, but as the business grew, the site had become harder to keep aligned with how the school actually worked.
With a second instructor joining the team, it was a good opportunity to give the whole thing a proper refresh.
The goal wasn’t just to make the website look better. I wanted to make it easier for Ben to manage, easier for learners to understand, and reduce the number of places where information needed to be updated manually.
A clearer, more useful website
A clearer, more useful website
I rebuilt the main customer-facing parts of the site around a stronger visual system using the existing Ben Davis Driving School branding, colours and personality.
The new site puts the important information up front:
- what kind of driving support is available
- current lesson and package pricing
- who the instructors are
- what students can expect
- clear pathways into online booking
I also expanded the site with dedicated instructor and About content, redesigned the mobile experience, and brought testimonials, contact information and practical details into a more consistent visual system.
Clear-cut photography, the school car and bold blocks of colour help give the site its own character without making it difficult to use.
Making the booking system do more of the work
A big part of the project happened behind the website.
Making the booking system do more of the work
A big part of the project happened behind the website.
The school uses Amelia to manage bookings, instructors, schedules, lesson packages and payments. Rather than duplicating that information around the website, I rebuilt things so Amelia acts as the source of truth for lesson pricing.
That means when a service or package price changes in the booking system, the website can reflect the current information without Ben having to remember to update the same price in several different places.
I also worked through the less-visible parts of the booking experience, including:
- adding and configuring a second instructor
- individual working hours and availability
- Google Calendar integration
- Booking and manager notifications
- package bookings
- pickup and drop-off information
- New Zealand-only address suggestions
- mobile booking usability
Easy to maintain
One of my main principles with small-business websites is that the end result should make life easier, not create another complicated system someone is scared to touch.
I built a simplified WordPress backend for the driving school so common website content can be managed without digging through page-builder layouts or worrying about breaking the design.
The existing booking system still handles the things it is good at, while the website presents that information in a much clearer and more coherent way.
The result
The finished site feels much more like the business Ben is running now: established, approachable and professional, with room for more than one instructor.
It is also substantially easier to manage behind the scenes.
One of my main principles with small-business websites is that the end result should make life easier, not create another complicated system someone is scared to touch.
I built a simplified WordPress backend for the driving school so common website content can be managed without digging through page-builder layouts or worrying about breaking the design.
The existing booking system still handles the things it is good at, while the website presents that information in a much clearer and more coherent way.
The result
The finished site feels much more like the business Ben is running now: established, approachable and professional, with room for more than one instructor.
It is also substantially easier to manage behind the scenes.
Next project
Need a website, identity or design piece?
Tell me what you are trying to make, fix or clarify. I can help scope the useful version before we worry about decoration.