About the Client 

River and Mercantile Group was formed in 2014 through the merger of the institutional investment consultant and fiduciary manager P-Solve with the investment management boutique River and Mercantile Asset Management.

Project Overview

The River and Mercantile Group sought to revamp its online presence with a modern, user-friendly website. The objective was to create a platform that showcased their services and expertise and provided a seamless user experience. The project required a robust solution capable of handling multiple sites under one umbrella, making WordPress the ideal choice for its flexibility and scalability.

Technology

The development team employed the following technologies to achieve the desired outcome:

• WordPress: Chosen for its powerful content management capabilities and ease of use.
• Multi-site Configuration: Enabled the management of several sites from a single WordPress installation, providing a cohesive and streamlined administration experience.
• Beaver Builder: Utilised for its drag-and-drop functionality, allowing for customisable and responsive page designs.
• PHP & JavaScript: Core programming languages used for backend and front-end development, ensuring dynamic functionality and interactivity.
• Development Only: Focused on building the website's infrastructure and features, excluding content creation and management.

Development Process

The development of the River and Mercantile website followed a systematic approach, ensuring that all requirements were met and the end product exceeded client expectations.

1. Requirement Analysis

The project began with a thorough analysis of River and Mercantile's requirements. Key stakeholders were consulted to gather insights into their needs, preferences, and goals for the new website. This phase helped define the project scope and set clear objectives.

2. Planning and Design

Based on the requirements, a detailed project plan was created outlining the timeline, milestones, and deliverables. The design team then crafted wireframes and mockups, focusing on creating an intuitive and visually appealing interface. Feedback from the client was incorporated to fine-tune the design before proceeding to development.

3. Development

The development phase involved setting up the WordPress multi-site environment and configuring the necessary plugins and themes. Custom PHP and JavaScript code were written to add unique functionalities tailored to River and Mercantile's needs. Beaver Builder was integrated to facilitate easy content management and layout customisation by the client.

4. Testing and Quality Assurance

Once the development was complete, rigorous testing was conducted to identify and rectify any issues. This included functionality testing, compatibility testing across different browsers and devices, and performance optimisation to ensure fast loading times and a smooth user experience.

5. Deployment and Maintenance

After successful testing, the website was deployed to the live server. The development team trained the client's staff on managing the website using WordPress and Beaver Builder. Ongoing maintenance and support were arranged to address future issues and ensure the website remained updated and secure.

Outcome

The new River and Mercantile website successfully met all project objectives, resulting in a modern, efficient, and user-friendly platform. The multi-site configuration allowed seamless management of multiple sites while using Beaver Builder, which empowered the client to update and customize content easily. The website enhanced River and Mercantile's online presence and provided a valuable resource for their clients and partners.

Conclusion

The development of the River and Mercantile website exemplifies the effective use of WordPress and modern web development technologies to create a robust and user-friendly platform. The project's success is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the client and development team, resulting in a website that truly reflects River and Mercantile's brand and mission.