Angry Creative

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

I work for a luxury consumer products brand, mostly focused on handbags and other high-quality accessories.

What is your position?

I’m the director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenge that you were trying to address when you first approached Pragmatic?

As a new brand, one of the key things for us was making sure that we had an online presence that supported the brand positioning that we’ve worked toward. We were aware that people were going to know our name and would probably try and Google us. It needed to work for retailers considering bringing us on and for consumers directly. We needed something that was engaging, inspiring, and professional. We sell to consumers through our website as well, so we needed a transactional mechanism that was easy to use and made consumers feel comfortable. We wanted all of this on a website that looked high end.

SOLUTION

Could you describe in detail the actual scope of work assigned to them?

They built the website from scratch for us. At the beginning of the project, we had a meeting to discuss the different platforms we could utilize. They felt that WordPress was best for us as it’s one of the easier ones for us to update ourselves with limited website experience. We’re very satisfied with the ease of use on WordPress. They were the ones that built all the functional components, and we collaborated together on the visual layout of the new site.

How did you come to work with Pragmatic with which to begin?

It was through word of mouth. I have a good friend in the industry who recommended them.

Can you provide a general cost estimate for the amount you’ve invested with them so far?

It was about £9,000 [about $13,700].

When was the site launched?

We launched the site about two months ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

From our point of view, everything is working as it should be. If a customer clicks a link, they’re navigated to the right place. They gave us a pretty good handover before it all started to, pick up anything that wasn’t working before it went live. They set up a staging site, and we tested everything there. When we asked them do something, it was done pretty quickly. All of the technical stuff behind the scenes has been taken care of, so we don’t have to worry about that at all.

The bounce rate at the moment is about 55 percent. Since we started, we’ve had about 12,000 page views, and 3,000 users through 4,500 sessions. Considering the site is still relatively new, we think that’s pretty impressive.

When working with Pragmatic, is there anything that you would consider unique about their strategic approach or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

We found them to be quite commercially minded. They were well able to explain the pros and cons of each approach, and what the cost would be. I felt like we were able to work with them to get a good solution that worked for us both financially and functionally. We liked that they were so transparent with us and really conveyed the information in a way that made sense, instead of getting us lost in the technical details.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think they could improve as a service provider?

If I were forced to come up with an answer, I might say that once the project is finished, there could perhaps be better systems in place to pick up any latent defects. But, that is being pretty picky. 

What advice, if any, would you give a future client of theirs?

Clients should remain flexible. I think if you have a very rigid idea at the start, you risk not allowing them to do their job. One of Pragmatic’s strengths is coming up with a solution that’s better than what you could have thought of on your own. They’ve been working in the industry for a while and they have tons of experience. It’s good to come to the table with an idea and a clear set of objectives, but you shouldn’t be wedded to a full-fledged idea.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

We’re the leading trade association in the U.K. for the solar industry. We’re a nonprofit membership organization. People and organizations pay their membership fees and, on their behalf, we do things like government lobbying, events, policy advice, and analytical reports.

What is your position?

I’m a business analyst.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Pragmatic Web?

We wanted to rebrand following some feedback from our members and other stakeholders. As a part of that rebranding, we decided to redesign our website, which was built on an old platform and needed to be brought into the modern age. That rebranding project was the basis for us starting with them. We didn’t have the development expertise or design skills to do this ourselves, so we wanted a partner that could support our technical priorities.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail?

Just to give you a little context, the design work was done by an external consultant, and he brought in Pragmatic as a development partner. Pragmatic didn’t do the design work, but they took the concepts from the designer and implemented them. They did the custom development work. They also provided me with a little training on how to use WordPress itself. We agreed not to do any database import and export stuff, although that is within scope for the second phase that we’re currently working on. They are also now hosting our site. Before we went to this designer, we had another independent consultant to give us advice. His general advice was to go with WordPress CMS [content management system] and, in fact, everyone we sent the tender out to recommended WordPress, too. So, that wasn’t something we dictated, but we did indicate a preference for that CMS.

How did you come to choose Pragmatic Web as your partner?

The designer with whom we contracted recommended them to us. They had a great track record, and we were impressed by their previous work, so we decided to go with them.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this engagement?

We spend between £4,000 and £6,000 [$6,000 to $9,000].

What is the status of this engagement?

We maintain an ongoing relationship with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

We had a staging site before going live, and during the actual development, it was being updated constantly. We were giving feedback while I was doing testing, both on functional things and design tweaks. That was controlled through a central Google Docs to-do list. There were other metrics available but, to be honest, I didn’t really look at them. I was more focused on the end user testing. We rarely found bugs or other functional defects.

We’ve been very satisfied with their work, especially the consistency. They always delivered on time, within the agreed-upon budget, and to the specifications we requested. We worked in phases, and they worked with our budget to get as much done within the phases as possible. I feel they’ve done this quite well.

When working with Pragmatic Web, is there anything that you would consider unique about their strategic approach or development methodology?

I think they were relativity open with their process and their project management. Coming from an IT [information technology] and software development background myself, I’m more used to seeing that in a relatively closed way. To have it open was a good thing, even though I didn’t look at it too much. It was useful to know the information was there if I needed it.

What advice, if any, would you give a future client of theirs?

To be very clear on the requirements. If a developer doesn’t know what they’re required to develop, it makes things a lot less clear for them, and results in an end deliverable that won’t satisfy the client. It’s very important that objectives, requirements, and parameters are explicitly laid out before development begins.

BACKGROUND

Could you describe your organization?

I run a company that focuses on selling electric bicycles to consumers. We sell primarily in the United Kingdom. 

What is your position?

I'm the owner and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenge that you were trying to address when you first approached Pragmatic Web?

We had an old, custom-built website that was becoming too difficult to use effectively and maintain. It was frustrating to update regularly and did not offer a dynamic experience to our end-users. We felt like our website wasn't accurately reflecting the quality of our product, and it didn't feel like it represented our brand very well. We wanted to rebuild our site with a content management system because we wanted to be able to continue growing our business without having to worry about outgrowing our website. 

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail?

They became very close collaborators. We approached them with our concept, our vision, for what we wanted the site to look and feel like. Pragmatic helped us define our requirements in more nuanced detail and then actually scope out the deployment. Once we had agreed upon the scope and deployment strategy, they began the process of developing the site, architecting it, and migrating our old contents. They were very much the technical leads during the project.

How did you select Pragmatic Web as your partner?

A business partner recommended them to me based on a previous engagement.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this particular project?

I'd rather not reveal that information.

When was the project finished?

It's never really finished. We're constantly rolling out new updates and improving the functionality on it. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

It's hard to really cross-compare because we didn't have the ability to monitor stats on our old site. Our new site has definitely increased the exposure of our brand. We are receiving probably twice as much traffic as we were beforehand and our online sales have definitely increased. Outside of that, we've also gotten a lot of very positive feedback from users. Transactions are much simpler and finding specific items on the site is also much easier than it was before. 

When working with Pragmatic Web, is there anything that you would consider unique or special about their approach that distinguishes the from other vendors?

I don't have the most experience with these types of projects, but I was really impressed with their patience and flexibility during the planning phase. They spent considerable time asking questions and thinking strategically about how they could really maximize the value we got out of a brand new site. They made some great recommendations for how we could improve our internal processes, too. 

What advice, if any, would you give a future client of theirs?

Definitely come to the table with an open mind and a basic understanding of what you want to accomplish. Pragmatic Web is great when it comes to translating those wishes and goals into actionable steps, but it takes time and patience. 

BACKGROUND

Could you describe your organization?

I’m a freelance illustrator and concept artist. I do a lot of work in the mobile game industry, and do a lot of stuff with art prints of movie posters and stuff like that.

What is your position?

I’m the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you attempting to address when you first approached Pragmatic Web?

Originally, it was to get a decently looking, professional website up and running. I did already have a website. It was one that I put together by myself, and it did the job. I wanted something more professional, though. I’m good at doing the visual side of things, but I didn’t really want to spend the time on acquiring the knowledge of coding and whatnot. That’s what motivated me to search for developers. Just last week we finished a new update to the website because I wanted it completely changed, and they’ve done a brilliant job on that. I had decided to use WordPress. My previous site was on Dreamweaver. I admired sites by different artists and illustrators, and the majority of them seemed to be using WordPress.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of their involvement?

When we were planning the site, I gave them some examples of other sites that I liked, and I also did some research on WordPress themes. They had the expertise to adapt the theme to work perfectly with my vision. They have extensive knowledge of WordPress, and they agreed that it would be the best way to go. They built a completely new site for me, and we recently completed an update to the site. They also take care of regular updates and maintenance.

How did you select Pragmatic Web as your partner?

I first came across them almost three years ago. They were recommended by a friend that runs a small mobile gaming company, and he had used them for his own website. He was very impressed by their expertise and their general approach to client relationships, so he referred them to me.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this engagement?

It was £1,000 [approximately $1,506].

When was the project completed?

Site launched roughly three years ago, but the relationship is ongoing for maintenance and hosting.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

The new site literally went live last Thursday or Friday [January 2015], so it’s pretty early on to be making any judgment calls. I’m not a great one for keeping an eye on the metrics, but the feedback from my community has been really positive. It reflects the way I’m going with my art much more than the old site did, and I’ve been getting lots of really good feedback. They were spot on with everything, really. Initially, I was a bit unsure whether the theme they had chosen was going to be the right theme, but after they presented it for the first look, it was brilliant. They sorted any little problems I had straight away.

When working with Pragmatic Web, is there anything that you would consider unique or special about their approach that distinguishes them from other vendors?

They really take the time to get to know their clients’ business. They don’t come in with premade solutions and ideas. They pay close attention to the unique circumstances that each client has, and only when they have a good grasp do they begin to work out a solution.

What advice would you give to future clients?

Only just to say that you should go with them. Perhaps they deal with more corporate clients, but artistic customers should definitely feel comfortable with them, too. They’ve got a fantastic eye for the artistic side of things.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

The company I work for is Join In. We try to place volunteers into community sporting events. All the sports clubs in the U.K. needs volunteers to stay alive and operate properly, and we are charged with finding volunteers to help them out.

What is your position?

I’m head of digital and data. I’m responsible for looking after the website, digital channels, and data management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenge that you were attempting to address when you first approached Pragmatic Web?

When I joined more than a year ago, I was freelancing and was in charge of building a new website for Join In. We needed to start from scratch, and we wanted to build a site that could be a matchmaking platform, a site where volunteers could find volunteering opportunities from clubs, and I needed to find a development team to build that for us. We worked with the in-house designer to do all of the custom design work, and then we looked for a Web services provider to build the actual site. We looked into a few different agencies and Pragmatic was one of them. 

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of their involvement?

We did all of the original design work in-house, and then we worked with a front-end developer that we hired for two or three months. This gave us more control over what was being built and how it was built. Pragmatic worked with this developer to build everything else for the back-end, and also to advise us on functionality. They did a great job of making it work for us. The maintenance has also been going very smoothly. Before, we had a clunky website that was custom made, but very expensive to maintain, which is why we decided to go with WordPress.

How did you select Pragmatic Web as your partner?

It was through a referral. We had another agency that helped us with all of our creative content, and the director knew Pragmatic and said we should probably try to work with them.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this project?

The entire budget was £70.000 [approximately $106,000], and I think Pragmatic was about 30% of that, or about £21,000 [approximately $32,000].

When was the project completed?

The site was launched in May of 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

Most people who use the site say that it’s very easy to use. I’ve got numbers because we track everything, but they’re not comparable because the platform we had before wasn’t doing the same thing. The sites had very different functions, so they can’t be compared in the same way. On the top level, we have seen improvements across the board.  

The Pragmatic name really suits them. They’re very pragmatic. They don’t recommend anything we don’t need, and I think that’s what we liked about them straight away. They are also very agile, which was good for us because we’re a small team, and things change rapidly. We were in contact with them on a daily basis. In terms of price, they’re pretty good as well. They were the cheapest we talked to, and definitely provided us a lot of value.

When working with Pragmatic Web, is there anything that you would consider special about their approach that distinguishes them from other vendors?

What I liked about working with them is that I’ve got a direct relationship with their developers. It’s very easy to just get hold of a developer and tell them my issue, and get it sorted out directly, instead of having a project manager in between. There are a few developers in particular who are very hands-on with our project as well, so if one person isn’t available I could talk to someone else. I like having that flexibility and support.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think that they could improve as a service provider?

There was a time when they were pretty busy and difficult to get a hold of them, but I think they’re sorting that out because they’re recruiting a lot at the moment. Not really anything besides that.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

I work for a company [whose] catchphrase is that we deliver change in Africa, and that essentially means we provide consultants to work on various development issues ranging from agriculture and climate change to conflict and urban development.

What is your position?

I’m the executive director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Pragmatic Web?

We wanted to bring our website up to date and make it more user friendly, which would allow us to provide regularly updated content and a dynamic, interactive site. Our end-users can quickly get to the places they need to get the information they want, and also bundling the content together. So, depending on where people are coming from and their interest, they would then get their relevant content, whether they wanted information on a particular topic, or information on a particular type of work we’re doing, or a particular service offering that we provide. We didn’t have the skills or resources in-house to undertake this project alone, so we knew we would need a technology partner.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Pragmatic Web?

They did all the technical stuff of building the wireframes, and then building the website essentially. They also did some bits and pieces of design with our guidance. There were a few design features that they worked on, and a few of the more personalized, tailored bits on the website that go beyond simplistic templates that WordPress offers. We were pretty good on the structure that would work for us, and we provided the content, the written material. They were very good at explaining to us what a WordPress site could do in terms of functionality and growth.

How did you select Pragmatic Web as your partner?

I had a former colleague who worked in website development. He worked for a larger company that we knew wouldn’t want to pay for, and I asked him if he knew any good web companies that were local to Brighton, which is where we are. He recommended Pragmatic Web to us based on our criteria.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this particular engagement?

[It was approximately] £4,000, [approximately $6,050].

When was the project completed?

Our project completed about a year ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

We feel really proud of our website and feel like it represents our brand very well. Our colleagues and the people interested in our business like it, and they find it helps them find relevant material much faster than before. We’ve also received positive feedback from clients or other stakeholders that come to our website, many complimenting our new design and usability.

When working with Pragmatic Web, is there anything that you would consider special or unique about their approach that distinguishes them from other vendors?

They have a great name that really fits their style. They really are pragmatic. We’re a small business, and they understood that we had resource constraints for being able to maintain our website, but it pretty much our only shopfront. I feel like they took us through, down the route of using WordPress, with only our best interests in mind. They structured it in a way that was affordable for us to have what feels like a level of quality that we’re proud of. It allows us to feel bigger about ourselves for having a website that is of reasonable quality.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Managing Director of specialist property web site providers

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Pragmatic, and what were your goals?

Our legacy systems for building websites are holding us back in being able to realise the full potential of WordPress for us and our clients. We engaged Pragmatic to help us understand more about what is possible and the journey we would need to go through to get there.

SOLUTION

How did you select Pragmatic and what were the deciding factors?

Pragmatic were recommended to us by WP Engine

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Pragmatic understood our delivery objectives and created working prototypes for us to evaluate the viability of using Gutenberg blocks to achieve them.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

2. MD & Developer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The prototyping work was delivered on time, on price and at sufficient depth that we were able to make the architecture decisions that we needed to.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Stand-ups at the beginning and end of each day to review the work plan and output objectives for the day against the eventual deliveries worked very well. Zoom videos did that job.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They have a very clear and highly technically advanced understanding of the entire WordPress ecosystem.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nope