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CASE STUDY

The BCA

A new BCA website focused on delivering members value.

The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) invited Heavy Penguin to develop a new digital platform that would better serve its members and the public. With a legacy WordPress website, a bespoke CRM, and evolving organisational needs, the BCA required a future-proof, accessible and scalable solution.

Our work included a full technical discovery, and a complete technical rebuild using Drupal 10. The result is a robust, member-first website that integrates seamlessly with the BCA's internal systems and allows them to take control of their digital strategy.

Once again, we were delighted to work with our trusted UX/UI partner on another successfull delivery Hancock and Rowe.

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The Challenge

The BCA's existing digital infrastructure was fragmented, difficult to manage, and no longer fit for purpose. They had outgrown their exsisting WordPress website which had built up technical debt throughout the years and was not scalable, lacked accessibility, and had limited integration with their bespoke CRM.

Additionally, internal teams faced challenges managing content, commerce, membership applications, event bookings, and classified ads — all of which were critical services for their users. They needed a modern, centralised solution that would streamline operations and deliver greater value to members.

The BCA needed greater editorial felxibility and publishing workflows that could include scheduled content, greater SEO customisation and the opportunity to produce "member only" content. Information needed to be presented to their members in easily digestable formats. Most importantly, they needed a phased approach over 3 years.

The Solution

Our solution was a complete rebuild of the BCA website using Drupal 10, backed by a thorough discovery process, deep stakeholder engagement, and user-tested designs. We implemented an open-source architecture, allowing the BCA to avoid vendor lock-in and maintain full ownership of their digital platform.

From custom-built features like an events module and classified listings, to CRM synchronisation and Drupal Commerce integration, we created a solution that is robust, extensible and tailored to the needs of a membership-based organisation.

A flexible editorial process that allowed The BCA to deliver up-to-date, feature-rich content to their members via the right channels at the right time. A continuous improvement stratgey to enable BCA to monitor member behaviour and make decisions backed by data and insight for new improvements to the website.

A clear strategy for the next phase, implementing a new chosen CRM with plans to integrate it into the new website as part of phase 2.

  • Phase 1

    Discovery

    01

    We began with a detailed technical discovery phase to assess the existing technical landscape and identify key integration points. This was supported by stakeholder interviews to better understand internal workflows, content management needs and CRM dependencies. We also actively participated in the early UX and UI workshops to ensure the development team had a full understanding of organisational goals. Key outcomes included, Identification of core user journeys and administrative pain points, clear documentation of CMS and CRM requirements and a defined roadmap for technical integration and platform architecture

  • Phase 2

    Technical

    02

    The website was built on Drupal 10, adopting a flexible, open-source architecture with no vendor lock-in. This gives the BCA full ownership over their digital strategy and platform. To support long-term growth, we implemented a flexible cloud hosting solution with dedicated staging environments. This allows the BCA team to safely test and deploy new features over time. This included development of 40+ reusable, accessible and performant components, 20+ custom and migrated webforms to support key user actions and implementation of Drupal Commerce 2, including a custom plugin for their existing payment gateway.

  • Phase 3

    Integration

    03

    We carried out a comprehensive review of the BCA’s bespoke CRM system, identifying key data touchpoints and functionality. As part of the long-term roadmap, we delivered technical recommendations for future CRM upgrades and platform replacement options. In the current solution, we developed automated data imports from the CRM, enabling real-time updates for Member records, Chiropractor profiles and Clinic listings.

  • Phase 4

    Launch and Support

    04

    After weeks of UAT testing, Heavy Penguin technical team devised a meticulous launch plan to make sure all areas were covered.  This included discovery on all old URLs that would need permanent redirects so the BCA didn't lose any important member traffic. A rollback plan and consideration of any issues that could come from the launch of the new website. Ongoing maintenance and support are delivered through a dedicated service desk, giving the internal team a direct line to raise issues, request features, and collaborate on future improvements.

The Results.

The new BCA website is a modern, scalable platform designed to deliver value to members and provide essential services to the public. It reflects the BCA's mission and puts them in control of their digital future.

  • Reduced the total number of pages from over 3,000 to just 724 to allow easy navigation
  • Custom feeds and scripts to automate migration of over 3,000+ records from WordPress
  • Increased the percentage of indexable pages to over 72%
  • key content now appears 40% quicker
  • Overall site load time reduced by over 65%
  • 40+ reusable, accessible and performant components
  • 30% improvement in visual speed. from 2.3 seconds ➡️ to 1.6 seconds
  • Transcational using Drupal Commerce
  • Google Maps-powered Find a Chiropractor directory using geocoding and Places API
  • Fully responsive with a mobile-first design approach

The feedback.

"Heavy Penguin were a supportive and proactive partner from day one, always on hand to answer our questions and provide clear technical guidance. They responded quickly to any challenges, consistently offering practical solutions. Their knowledge and experience of working with other membership organisations proved invaluable throughout the project..."

Lisa King - Marketing DirectorThe BCA