For over 125 years, EBL (Genossenschaft Elektra Baselland) has ensured the reliable delivery of electricity and heat to its customers. Customer proximity has always been a key priority—both offline and online. To meet increasing demands for user experience and service communication, EBL decided to bring its website up to date. The focus: a clearer structure, improved accessibility of relevant information, and transparent communication regarding power and district heating outages.
The Challenge: Key Information Was Difficult for Users to Find
Over the years, EBL’s website had grown into a broad landscape of information. However, when it came to frequently sought topics—such as notifications about planned and unplanned events, contact options, or service information—it became clear: the navigation was too complex, and access not always intuitive. Especially in critical situations, such as outages or disruptions, this led to uncertainty among customers—and additional workload for customer service.
EBL identified these weaknesses early on and made the decision to strategically enhance the existing website. The focus was placed on areas most important to users in their daily interactions: orientation, access to services, and clear communication in the event of an outage.
The Solution: Clarity, Structure, and a Digital Outage Notification Service
Together with W4, EBL implemented a website optimization project focused on clearer user guidance, a revised navigation structure, and a stronger technical foundation. The website received a targeted update, with the existing design refreshed in key areas and enhanced with practical new features.
The technical foundation was built on the HubSpot CMS, known for its modularity, ease of use, and long-term scalability. A central focus was also the development of a new SMS-based push notification service for district heating outages. The goal was to make information available more quickly and ensure proactive, transparent communication in critical situations.
- Navigation Structure Aligned with User Needs
Working closely together, we restructured the website’s information architecture with a strong focus on usability. The result: a streamlined navigation tailored to the needs of various user groups—private individuals, business customers, and investors alike. Essential services like “Report an Outage” or the hotline are now just a click away.
- Custom Push Notification Service for Heating Outages
One of EBL’s top priorities was to inform customers quickly and precisely in the event of planned or unplanned heating outages. A tailored SMS notification solution was developed in close coordination: users can register online and receive automatic updates when an interruption occurs in their heating network. The service is complemented by a central, continuously updated overview of all planned and unplanned events—complete with filtering options and a simple way for customers to report issues directly.
- Templates for Long-Term Scalability
FFlexible, modular templates were developed for the new site, enabling the EBL team to manage content independently and build new pages quickly. This ensures that the platform remains agile and scalable—without sacrificing consistency.
The Result: A Website That Makes Relevant Information More Easily Accessible – Even in the Event of an Outage
Since the optimization, visitors benefit from significantly improved navigation and easier access to key services. Average time on site has increased, and important content is now found more quickly. In the event of an outage, the push notification service enables proactive and transparent communication—building trust while reducing the burden on customer support.
The impact is most noticeable where it matters most: when customers urgently need answers, the website now delivers them faster—and more clearly.
Conclusion: A Digital Platform Centered Around User Needs
The optimization shows how digital platforms can evolve without starting from scratch. EBL’s new website is clearly structured, technically flexible, and makes key information easier to access—especially in moments when it truly matters.
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