Posted on by Clem Maloney

WordPress Website Upgrade for a Professional Services Firm

Description

WordPress Website Upgrade for a Professional Services Firm

Sector: Professional Services
Service: IT Resourcing & Delivery Oversight
Objective: Insource a CMS specialist to deliver a WordPress upgrade, implement a custom theme and tailored functionality, and provide ongoing management of updates, security, and enhancements.

Context

A mid-sized professional services firm had relied on a WordPress website to support marketing, client engagement, and lead capture. Over time, the site had become increasingly difficult to manage. WordPress was several versions behind, critical plugins were outdated or unsupported, and piecemeal additions had introduced vulnerabilities and performance issues. Licensing costs were also climbing as premium plugins were added in an ad hoc manner.

The firm’s leadership sought to modernise the site with a clean, secure foundation that would support long-term scalability. They required oversight to ensure the uplift was delivered smoothly, and expertise to embed sustainable capability for future updates and enhancements.

Approach

123.EXPERT applied its delivery-focussed insourcing model, engaging a CMS IT professional with expertise in WordPress development, security, and cloud hosting. Acting under structured oversight, the contractor:

  • Upgraded WordPress to the latest stable version, resolving legacy compatibility issues.

  • Designed and implemented a custom theme aligned to the firm’s brand and user experience requirements.

  • Replaced most premium plugins with custom-coded functionality, reducing licensing costs while improving security and stability.

  • Migrated hosting to AWS, improving performance, scalability, and control.

  • Established governance for regular security updates, performance monitoring, and incremental enhancements.

  • Continued as an embedded resource to provide ongoing customisation and training for internal stakeholders.

Impact

The firm’s website was transformed into a secure, modern platform with improved performance, lower licensing costs, and greater control over functionality. The custom theme and code base ensured stability and eliminated reliance on third-party plugins.

Through the 123.EXPERT delivery-focussed insourcing model, the organisation gained both immediate delivery oversight and sustainable internal capability, ensuring its website remains secure, adaptable, and strategically aligned into the future.