Trail Rides Wales

The mid-Wales based motorcycle trail riding business was established in 2004. Customers receive a guided tour of the unsurfaced roads and paths surrounding the Cambrian Mountains around Aberystwyth, Machynlleth and Dolgellau.

Learning points

• Digital technology supports the primary business functions, enabling promotion of the service offered and communication with prospective customers.
• Even moderate implementation of broadband-enabled digital resources can bring significant benefits for the business.
• Adoption barriers can result in indirect drawbacks, such as inability to access online training and improve digital skills.

Overview of the business

Trail Rides Wales attracts a niche market, comprising of motorcyclists who have largely never done off-road riding but are interested in taking up the challenge. The customer base is principally from London and the South East of England (50%), followed by the rest of England (30 to 40%). The business also receives customers from Wales and Scotland, and as far afield as America and Australia. The unique off-road experience is undertaken by approximately 250 to 300 customers every year.

Two co-owners manage and run the micro business, undertaking the trail ride experiences, as well as the business management and marketing. Special events and activities are arranged by the owners, including the chance to ride classic bikes, purchase multi-day experiences, periodic ladies’ days and visitor packages in connection with local visitor attractions.

Superfast broadband adoption

The business is waiting for superfast broadband to be connected to the premises. While waiting for the adoption of higher speeds, the business currently pays £35 per month for satellite broadband, backed up by a 4G router. While the mobile broadband enables higher bandwidth, it is considered expensive with intermittent signal. In the most part the satellite connectivity is reliable, with standard broadband speeds of around 17Mbps for download.

The satellite connection was initially established following a Welsh Assembly grant, however, when the equipment failed £500 was spent installing new equipment. More problematic for Trail Rides Wales was the six-week lapse in connectivity. During this period, the owners purchased a laptop to obtain a remote Wi-Fi connection.

Ongoing restrictions to access also includes the satellite connection being metered at 20 gigabytes per second. The metered restrictions means that the business is charged for the data used, as opposed to receiving unlimited data for a monthly cost.

IT skills capacity

The co-owners undertake the business’ IT internally, with the aid of online training and support. This has included Business Wales online training in Google Analytics and access to a Business Wales mentor. The mentor assessed Trail Ride Wales’ use of digital resources and offered recommendations bespoke to the business. The main equipment used is a desktop computer, which the co-owners use to manage the website, social media, online purchasing and email correspondence. These functions are supported by a fixed telephone line.

Use of digital technologies

The bespoke and service orientated nature of the business means that the co-owners choose to retain many of the business processes offline. It is essential that potential customers first communicate over the telephone or through emails, in order for the owners to clearly establish the service offered and ascertain expectations.

Website

The business’ website is the predominant digital tool used by the business. In addition to containing a wealth of information about the trail ride experience, routes and places to visit, the website also presents over 200 photographs of the driver experiences. The website provides contact details, pricing, a link to the Facebook page and an ability to pay the remaining invoice via a bank transfer or PayPal. The website is updated four times a year to ensure it remains up to date, accessible and appealing to prospective customers.

Social Media

Trail Rides Wales’ Facebook page is also an important tool. With over 1000 followers, the owners are able to communicate and interact with previous and prospect customers, as well as promote the experience and any upcoming offers. While Facebook is the most commonly used social media platform, there has been some use of Twitter. The owners are experimenting with the use of Facebook and Google Analytics to gain insights into viewers of the website and social media platforms.

Customer enquiries

Customers are directed to email and telephone for enquires. On average, the business receives three to four emails from prospective customers every day and pride themselves on replying within 24 hours in the most case. In addition to the customer interactions, the Internet is also used for purchasing spare bikes and equipment for the bikes. These are accessed through the suppliers’ websites. In total, it is estimated that three hours a day is spent on the Internet for business purposes.

Business performance

For Trail Rides Wales, digital technologies come second to the pivotal importance of ensuring tailored and adrenaline filled user experiences. However, behind the scenes digital technology, albeit through moderate use, is augmenting essential business functions and its overall performance. The website is considered paramount for attracting new customers:

Due to the importance of the website for promotion and communication with potential clients, the owners regularly upload photographs and update information. It is estimated that uploading 200 photographs takes approximately one hour. This causes frustration for the co-owners. The low speeds also restrict the use of Instagram and other photo uploading platforms.

A more indirect area where the lower bandwidth impedes business activities is in terms of online training and business support. At present, it is can be cumbersome accessing Business Wales information because of the slow speeds. The faster speeds will encourage further use of these online training resources and enhancement of digital skills.