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The brief: Take a 5,000-member federation digital
The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland represents 5,000+ publicans outside the Greater Dublin Area. We moved VFI off paper-based workflows and onto a two-part digital platform, a public site for news, training and advocacy, and a gated members’ portal for sign-up, renewals, resources and confidential support, sharpening the brand so communications feel consistent, credible and community-first.
The Objective: Cut admin, secure access, centralise value
Three commercial goals drove the build: reduce admin by digitising join/renew and payments; give members secure, role-based access to sensitive materials and one-to-one support; and centralise resources – news, training, supplier benefits, sector guidance – in one place.
The strategy: Make membership worth paying for
We framed messaging around the VFI mantra – Support, Represent, Stronger Together – to reinforce advocacy and member value, then built the platforms to deliver on it: clearly defined member journeys (Join/Renew, Login, Training, News, Supplier Benefits), a role-based members’ area with e-commerce for subscriptions, and the hosting, security and GDPR controls that confidential materials demand.
Web (UX/UI & Build)
Defined priority journeys: Join/Renew, Members’ Login, Training & Events, News/Press, Supplier Benefits, and sector guidance (e.g., opening hours).
Designed a role-based members’ area with tiered access, e-commerce for subscriptions, and simple event access.
Implemented hosting, security and GDPR controls (incl. cookie management) for confidential materials.
Built to serve members and strengthen advocacy
A public site plus a secure portal; e-commerce for subscriptions and renewals; structured news and training content; members’ resources and on-premise signage templates; and analytics-ready workflows that record member issues to support evidence-based advocacy.
The outcome: Less admin, stronger advocacy
Faster onboarding and fewer manual processes for the VFI team, clearer member journeys that surface the right help at the right moment, and a more consistent public brand that strengthens advocacy and community.
