BCIS

Building a demand generation and e-commerce platform for BCIS, a leading construction body.

Construction workers working on a site overlooking the foundations of the structure.
Client
BCIS
Industry
Construction / Data / Membership
Website
The Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) is the leading independent provider of cost and price data for the UK construction industry. BCIS allows its members to effectively and efficiently calculate costs across entire projects, giving greater confidence in commercial modelling.

Established by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), BCIS approached 383 to develop an e-commerce platform that reflected its individual identity, away from RICS, and its new position in the market.
“I've found 383 a great organisation to work with. It feels more like working with colleagues than a supplier. I love how many of the team are involved in the project, so you get first hand feedback from all the component parts.”
The challenge

BCIS needed a digital platform that could support a major brand transition while delivering clear commercial value.

The team had three core objectives. First, to create a content rich website that positioned BCIS clearly within the construction market, built on an open source platform that internal teams could manage and evolve.

Second, the platform needed to support the sales team through lead generation rather than relying on manual, phone based processes.

Finally, BCIS wanted to introduce e-commerce functionality that allowed both members and non-members to purchase products directly online.

All of this needed to be delivered within a fixed 12 month timeframe to support the transition away from the RICS brand.

Our approach

We began with a discovery and definition phase, running a collaborative workshop with the BCIS team to establish outcomes, clarify requirements, and understand how customers interacted with BCIS products.

This process surfaced a key insight. The existing e-commerce basket experience did not suit BCIS users or support the complexity of member based pricing. A standard off the shelf solution would introduce friction rather than remove it.

Our approach focused on building clarity into the experience while giving BCIS control, flexibility, and a platform that could scale over time.

Design a bespoke e-commerce experience

BCIS products needed to be immediately recognisable and easy to understand. We designed bespoke product page layouts that clearly communicated what each product offered and who it was for.

Member pricing added another layer of complexity. The platform required built in validation of membership ID numbers and automatic application of preferential pricing without adding friction to the checkout journey. This led to the design of bespoke basket and pricing logic tailored specifically to BCIS requirements.

Following discovery, we moved into design and build. WordPress was selected as the core CMS, with WooCommerce providing e-commerce functionality and Stripe enabling secure payments. Alongside this, we created a design system to guide future development as BCIS continued to evolve its services.

Commercial outcome

The final platform established BCIS as a standalone brand following its transition away from RICS, supported by a clear proposition and confident digital presence.

Visitors can now place orders directly through the website rather than transacting via telephone. This shift has reduced friction for users and enabled the BCIS sales team to focus on lead generation and conversion rather than manual order processing.

A design system and prioritised backlog were also delivered, giving BCIS a strong foundation for future development and continued commercial growth.

If you have any further questions or enquiries, please get in touch with our team via the contact page.