The Access Group, a leading provider of business management software, partnered with Moriyama to enhance their digital infrastructure.

When The Access Group needed a more flexible website that could scale with their rapid growth, they turned to Moriyama for a secure, scalable, and future-proof solution. With numerous acquisitions and a dynamic business model, their digital ecosystem required consistency and the ability to handle increased demands with ease.

The Challenge

The Access Group faced two significant challenges:

CMS Mismatch: With Umbraco powering their main site, but many of the acquired companies using WordPress, there was a need to align everything on the same platform. They aimed to upgrade their existing Umbraco site from version 7 to 8 and simultaneously migrate the WordPress sites to Umbraco 8.

Editing Complexity: With multiple page types and styles across their website, the team struggled with editing and adapting content quickly, which didn’t align with their fast-paced work environment.

Why Moriyama?

Access had already partnered with us on a number of projects, and we were in discussion with them about the right time to upgrade to Umbraco 8.

As Umbraco Platninum Partners, we have a wealth of experience in both upgrades and web development on large Umbraco sites, putting us in the perfect position to support them with this migration.

Our Approach

Building the Platform: Moriyama developed a baseline platform with best practices for Umbraco websites, including a simplified design and block-based architecture that allowed for easier replication and flexibility.

Phased Rollout: To deliver value early, Moriyama launched the new platform in phases, starting with the migration of theaccessgroup.com. The process ran concurrently with the Umbraco 7 site, allowing for thorough testing and bug reporting before fully going live.

Content Migration Tool: To migrate content from Umbraco 7 to 8, Moriyama developed a tool that transformed and imported data while maintaining the content tree structure and URLs, ensuring no disruption to the user experience.

Continuous Testing and Monitoring: Moriyama worked closely with The Access Group’s IT team to ensure smooth operations, monitoring site rankings and performance to prevent dips during the migration process.

Testimonial

“We’re not the same as other enterprise businesses, where things take months to turn around. Here we make decisions quickly, we make it happen quickly and we’re all about pace. This consistency across our sites will make our lives easier, future proof us, and make sure we can scale at pace.”

Jenni Stacey

Head of Web Experience, The Access Group

The Outcome

The phased rollout and concurrent use of Umbraco 7 and 8 proved to be a resounding success, with minimal disruption to the end-user experience. The platform now offers a cleaner database, consistent design, and faster content management, allowing The Access Group to respond more quickly to business needs. The solution also sets a solid foundation for future growth, including .NET Core integration and easy scaling for new acquisitions.

About 

The Access Group is a leading provider of business management software, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to streamline operations for organisations of all sizes. With a diverse portfolio across various sectors, including healthcare, education, hospitality, and finance, The Access Group helps businesses improve efficiency, reduce costs, and achieve their growth goals. Over the years, The Access Group has expanded rapidly through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, now serving over 47,000 customers across the UK, Europe, and Asia. Their commitment to delivering flexible, scalable, and innovative software solutions has solidified their reputation as a trusted partner in driving business success.