Registration Certificate Ordering Project - From Build to Better
This one started simply — the existing payment gateway EPDQ was being switched off, so we needed a new way for customers to pay for certificates.
What it turned into was something much bigger.
Rather than just swapping payment providers, we worked with the Registration Service to build a completely new ordering service within Liberty Create, using GovPay and giving the team much more control over how orders are handled. The online ordering form was redesigned to make it easier and more accessible for customers.
From the beginning, it was a really collaborative project. The Registration Service were key; testing, feeding back on wording, highlighting gaps, and (rightly!) being a bit picky about the detail.
How it all came together
We kicked off towards the end of 2025 when EPDQ was confirmed to be closing, initial conversations focussed on agreeing the payment provider.
In February, we had a working draft of the new order form. It wasn’t perfect, but that was the point — getting something in front of users early and shaping it with real feedback.
March was where things really moved. Lots of back and forth, testing the journey end‑to‑end, tweaking the wording, tightening up validations, and making sure the dashboard made sense for the officers processing orders.
By the end of March, we were ready. The old form was switched off, the new system went live, and orders started coming through immediately.
The project has also generated clear service outcomes:
- Opportunity cost savings: Improvements to workflows have reduced manual work and rework, equating to approximately 80–120 staff hours per year
- Supplier cost savings: Delivering the solution in-house avoided external development costs, saving approximately £5,000.
- User experience: Enhancements to the form and customer journey have made the process smoother, delivering an estimated 15–25% reduction in avoidable customer contact.
- Operational efficiency: Improved visibility and streamlined workflows have enabled faster case handling and reduced error rates, supporting a more consistent and reliable service.
But the interesting bit wasn’t the go-live — it was everything that came after.
As soon as the team started using it day-to-day, more feedback started coming in. Some of it small, some of it more fundamental.
Continuous improvement in action
- Printing delivery notes earlier - We added a feature so delivery notes can be generated while the order is still live, allowing the team to add tracking numbers to improve the customer journey
- Clearer refund visibility - Introduced a “Refund Status” so officers can see straight away whether a refund has been successful
- Improving usability of the dashboard - Changed the sort order so the oldest orders appear first and added filters to help users focus on active work
- Handling real-world edge cases - Customers ordering historical certificates couldn’t always tell us a postcode where the event took place. We introduced more flexible options so orders can still be submitted without unnecessary barriers
- Supporting international delivery addresses - We introduced improvements to how international addresses are captured, making it easier for customers outside the UK to provide their delivery details accurately
What this project really shows is how we work when it’s at its best.
We didn’t wait until everything was perfect. We launched something solid, got it into the hands of users, and then kept improving it based on what we were hearing.
It’s not just about building digital services — it’s about continuing to shape them once they’re live. And that’s where the real value comes from.