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Greyhound launches in UK online through Spider

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

August 27, 2009 | 3 min read

Glasgow-based Spider Online has launched the website for one of the world’s most iconic transport brands, Greyhound.

The launch corresponds with the announcement of the new coach service which will commence in the UK on 14 September, 2009.

In the USA and Canada, Greyhound offers the only countrywide network of coach services. Celebrated in film and song for nearly a century Greyhound has become the most famous bus brand in the world.

FirstGroup, Britain’s largest bus and rail operator, acquired Greyhound in 2007 and is taking the iconic brand outwith the USA and Canada for the first time in its 95 year history.

Spider Online finished an overhaul of the main FirstGroup website in May 2008.The new Greyhound UK service will be marketed through a multi-media campaign with a focus on targeted online advertising.

John Campbell, Spider Online’s managing director said: “The project was complex and was originally scoped for a 16-week turnaround. We were delighted when we were able to go to the client after only eight weeks with a finished product. The focus was very much on customer service and for the site to reflect the brand values.

“The team designed and created a full web-based management system to control all elements of the front and back end of the site. We created e- commerce functionality including the ticket pricing strategy, yield management, SMS alerts, a loyalty scheme strategy and implementation and particular attention was paid to the streamlined booking system which actually incorporates Google Maps into the process.”

The site will have minimised page refreshes, which can sometimes disrupt normal bookings, including heavy use of client side scripting, AJAX.

Over the coming months, the website and admin area will continue to be expanded, including the creation of a 3G website for driver management.

Avril Gill, marketing manager (group brand) at FirstGroup, looks after the Greyhound UK marketing portfolio. “At the heart of Greyhound UK is customer service. We have gone to great lengths to ensure that our passengers experience unrivalled quality of service at a very competitive price. Similarly www.greyhounduk.com is a high quality, simple and user friendly website that complements our service offering. Spider Online has, as usual, delivered a first rate website.”

FirstGroup's branding for Greyhound was created by Nottingham-based creative communications agency Lawrence & Pierce.

Lawrence & Pierce has worked with FirstGroup for over 15 years, and were responsible for developing the US Greyhound image to suit the UK market. Coach liveries and interiors, as well as accompanying literature, information and signage were all redesigned to be in keeping with Greyhound’s image.

www.greyhounduk.com

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