The Bureau Of Small Projects

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a partner of an IT consulting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects, and what were your goals?

We were looking for a long-term marketing partner to assist us with inbound/outbound marketing starting with re-building our website.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We interviewed about a dozen marketing agencies, created a short-list of three and then strongly vetted the final three to make a decision. Part of this process was interviewing the team that would be working on our project as we strongly feel that the personalities and ability to connect will determine the ultimate success.

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

Building a new website from the ground up starting with a Value Proposition effort. The plan was to continue working on ongoing inbound/outbound marketing efforts including SEO, e-mail campaigns, and ongoing content including blogging.

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

I would say about a 6-8 overall. The initial Project Manager we were assigned to was different than the person we spoke to initially when we made the decision to move forward with BOSP which was the first red-flag, we felt it was a bait-and-switch. We reached out to the salesman we worked with, the COO, and he assigned the Project Manager we initially spoke with to out account which caused the initial delay. This Project Manager left the company shortly after we got started and the COO jumped into the Project Management role.

There were other copywriters and designers overall, I believe they were all freelance workers. I believe the website development was outsourced to a company in Argentina but I am not 100% sure. The Project Manager/COO seemed to jump in to edit the site regularly throughout the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, poor.

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

We received weekly reports more often than not from what I can recall.

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

They are good at branding themselves and the initial proposal was impressive.

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

First and foremost, they should get the company name of who they are working with correct. From the initial proposal to the weekly updates to the final invoice, they could not get our name correct. I even brought this up early on during a call - something to the effect of "As our marketing partner, you should know our company name". This really was a red flag, but we were already engaged in an agreement. This company overall seriously lacks attention to detail which is super important for marketing initiatives.

I am sure that BOSP does some things well (which is why we chose to work with them) but my experience working with them, and the product they delivered, was extremely poor. We chose BOSP to be our long-term marketing partner at the end of 2021 after interviewing several agencies, the first component was to re-build our website from scratch.

Shortly into the process, we started seeing that there was a lack of continuity on the team which I have to believe is due to the fact that they rely heavily on freelance/contract workers which are far from engaged. Pull up their company page on LinkedIn and you’ll see that most of the creative people associated with BOSP have multiple current positions listed. We had a project manager that seemed to just pull in different resources for different components and no feeling of continuity.

As the site development progressed, some of the pages they sent to us for approval were underwhelming to say the least. We were nickel-and-dimed to get more “complex” pages which I still do not see a difference between those and “basic” pages. The process was frustrating to say the least. It was clear that BOSP would not be the long-term partner we engaged them to be so at one point we decided to just move forward as quickly as possible, get the site up, and then find another agency to take it over and move forward with.

Then came the launch. The site went up with broken links, pages with links back to themselves, form fields jumping around, and image alt tags that were a complete mess. I ended up having to do the QA work myself and the PM seemed to be frustrated that I kept finding problems since they didn’t do their QA/”Polish Pass.” Post launch, we started discussions with other agencies to move forward and found out that the WordPress Page builder the site was built on, WPBakery, is an older technology and not preferable by developers to work with.

I am not a web developer and I could care less about the underlaying page builder used so long as it is maintainable. I completely understand there are personal/technical preferences for using different technologies but the comments about WPBakery being less than desirable to work with was the consensus from everyone we spoke with and basic Google searches return the same.

Ultimately we engaged a new agency to build a new site from scratch that will be up by April. We had an initial site mockup progress meeting with them less than three weeks after signing and what they presented is far superior than the site BOSP delivered to us. So after a year of working with BOSP and $25,000+ later, we would have had the site they created for us up for less than four months.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on September 23, 2023.

Hi Joe. If you go to our website and look at our work and clients, I’d stake our design skills, technical expertise, and reputation up against any agency, big or small.

But that does not mean that mistakes can't happen. We are human, and websites can be complicated. The reason we have 5-star reviews everywhere is because we always make it right.

We’ve tried to reach out many times. Please let us work with you to make this right.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of Thermal Battery Corporation

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects?

We needed a new website that reflects the level of investment we've received and development we've done.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Looked around online and found them. Was very impressed by the other sites they've done and their responsiveness when I inquired about pricing.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The did a complete revamp of the site. They worked collaboratively with someone else I hired to do an explainer video that describes the technology. We met, they did a great job giving a flexible scope of work where I could see their designs first before committing to doing the rest of the project. Then we did a few revisions and they did a great job coding the site - The site worked beautifully.

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

2 people. Me and the person doing the explainer video.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We got a big spike in viewers when I sent the website out to my colleagues. The site even ran into its bandwidth limits, with thousands of people visiting the site within a few hours.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent. I really enjoyed receiving the weekly updates that identified any lingering action items.

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

The beauty of the site they created. It really encompasses the feeling I was after.

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

None - great job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director at BHS International, Inc. We create and supply custom branded marketing and retail products for many industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects?

Our website, which we had designed ourselves, was dated. We needed a fresh new look and guidance on how to best position BHS in our industry.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We interviewed three different web development companies and selected The Bureau of Small Projects because they were the only company who wanted to figure out who we were. They included hours of strategy sessions with their experts to help us analyze our business.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We started out with several meetings in which we shared everything we know about our company: history, current situation, and our goals. We even had homework! They asked so many questions which brought our "value proposition" into focus. This was similar to the introspective kind of analysis that goes along with developing a corporate mission statement. Once that work was done all the pieces fell into place.

They guided us on what was important to say on our website and how to say. They guided on on what was important to show on our website and how to show it. They were honest and we learned so much from them. For example, they encouraged us and guided us through the process (while keeping to budget!) to change our logo and improve photography of our products. They presented creative options for new web design and they executed with perfection! Our company has a fresh new look and amazing website!

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

We mainly worked directly with four people. Konan was our initial point of contact. He was engaging and enthusiastic. He explained what The Bureau of Small Projects could do for us and we were excited! He came up with a plan within our budget and very clearly explained how the process would work. And, they delivered. We are so happy we selected this company over the others we were looking at.

Trine was our Project Manager. She was delightful, insightful and always a joy to work with. She kept the project moving forward and was always looking out for us, considering ways to make our site better and looking for creative solutions that didn't put us over budget.

Theresa was our Strategist. She is amazing. She helped us to take a deep dive into our business and truly figure out our strengths and then she created copy to communicate that on our website. Sunny was our hero when it came to design advice. She confidently guided us through many design decisions on the site, with the photography of our products, new logo design, color selection, and more. Her expertise was invaluable. She was also wonderful to work with. Honestly, everyone was great.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We are thrilled with our new website and the feedback we are receiving is very positive!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

This project was perfectly orchestrated. Communication was great. Via video calls and emails we maintained a constant flow of communication. It felt very natural and easy.

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

We were impressed from the beginning about their unique approach to take a step back and analyze our business before even thinking about a new website design. After all, how could they execute the perfect website design for us if they didn't really know us? Also, they were very insightful and honest. We felt, every step of the way, that they truly wanted to help us! We always felt like we were in good hands. They exceeded our expectations!

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

We cannot think of anything they could have done better!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing, Business, and Donor Development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects?

We hired the Bureau of Small Projects to upgrade the design of our homepage. The previous design lacked an overall aesthetic, and we wanted the new homepage to reflect the more current work we were producing.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I have worked with the Bureau of Small Projects at three different companies before selecting them for the AWWA project. I had a project that required a very rapid turnaround, and I needed to go with a trusted firm. The selection process was easy.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

I formed an internal team at AWWA. Following the prompts from the Bureau, we submitted websites that we liked and didn't like. The Bureau mocked up five homepages, and we did our internal review. We decided which pieces of each design we wanted the most and implemented those. We also submitted the dynamic elements for the site. The Bureau worked with our technical team to implement the site. Finally, our technical team launched the new site.

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

We worked primarily with a project manager, a designer, and a technical lead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

AWWA received numerous positive reviews from our internal and external stakeholders.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The teams worked well together.

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

The Bureau employs a great team of designers and technical folks. They could translate their designs into elegant technical solutions.

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

Our timeline was so fast that not everyone on our calls felt like they were being heard. We did follow up with emails and outside conversations. The deadline was something that we added to the project. The Bureau did deliver on time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Executive Director for a Private Foundation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects, and what were your goals?

We worked with The Bureau of Small Projects to develop our mission and value proposition as well as the development of our logo.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had researched a handful of companies, but The Bureau gave the best impression and offered the most thorough explanations of their processes during our research phase.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

We were given multiple questionnaires to answer in order for them to gain a better understanding of our foundation and values. As we worked through the processes, they would send us a version which we would then all review together to determine any changes that needed to be made as we moved onto fine tuning the progress of our work.

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

We worked with a handful of people. Some managed the process, others worked on developing names, while others worked to write the value proposition.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We landed on a name that met all the "requirements" we had set. We also developed a value prop that accurately described what our Foundation would strive for and held a lot of meaning to our cause.

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

Communication was seamless. Everyone was extremely responsive, on schedule at all times, much transparency, and we really felt like they understood the direction we provided.

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

The team that was chosen to work on our project was selected carefully and we worked with people who understood our mission and shared the same passion for what we're striving to achieve.

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

It may have been easier to develop a logo first and then coordinate color palettes rather than trying to choose both of these at the same time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of Virtual Coffee, a Personal Executive Assistant Service. We provide Customized Assistance to our clients either on a personal level or in business. Areas we can assist with can be personal organizing, bookkeeping, personal reminders, office support, payroll, research, software application, and communication tools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects, and what were your goals?

Starting a New business has an endless supply of tasks, so building a brand new website was something we needed, but since we are still in our growth phase, we needed something simple just to represent.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

It started with Google search and reviews, our deciding factor was, that we are a startup, an entrepreneur looking to start a dream. Many other companies we looked at, yes had amazing websites and great reviews, but after reaching out to them, it was apparent they didnt have the time or need to work with entrepreneurs, much less a startup of any kind. The Bureau was extremelly welcoming and took the time to listen and truly wanted to help.

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

We had an initial meeting and after that, Rebecca (our contact) laid out every step and we had weekly check-ins. A plan was emailed to me with a cost breakdown and choices, things we could complete now, and options to budget at a later date if needed. She was very diligent and answered every email in a timely manner, regardless of what time I sent them, and was patient with all my questions.

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

Rebecca was my point of contact and my Sr. Project manager, I am currently set to meet with Alex for maintenance and review moving forward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since my site has literally just launched and we are a brand new company. Feedback to come later

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

Communication was thorough and clear from day one.

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

Their willingness to even just take the time to speak to someone starting out as an entrepreneur. It speaks volume that they are willing to help people just starting out and to help them start building a dream.

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

They are the experts in this field, not me.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work for Bartelsmeyer Jewelry. Our store is located in Fort Scott, a small town in Kansas. I am the Store Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects?

We worked with The Bureau Of Small Projects to create a new website for our store. This was a service provided by a grant to enable our store to update our old website.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a beautiful, functional new website that will drive traffic to our store.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Bureau Of Small Projects?

After being awarded the grant, we were paired with a Project Manager to work on creating our new website.

Describe the project in detail.

I worked with Josh Woods at the Bureau Of Small Projects to create a new website for our jewelry store. Our new website looks stunning! We ran into some communication glitches and delays since most of our correspondence was virtual via e-mail and Zoom.

However, my questions did get answered in the end. I particularly liked the fact that all of our training sessions were videoed and saved. Each session was sent to me so that I can review the information in the future as I need to make new changes to the website. Overall I am extremely happy with our new website and feel adequately trained to update its information and pages in the future.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with Josh Woods. We also collaborated with his co-worker to work on our website's SEO. We also had several people in the background building parts of our website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We ended up with an absolutely stunning new website! It is going to be much more functional and hopefully drive traffic to our store!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We accomplished working together well. We ran into some communication glitches and delays since most of our correspondence was virtual via e-mail and Zoom. However, my questions did get answered in the end. Overall, it was a very satisfying working experience.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I particularly liked the fact that all of our training sessions were videoed and saved. Each session was sent to me so that I can review the information in the future as I need to make new changes to the website. Overall I am extremely happy with our new website and feel adequately trained to update its information and pages in the future.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only area that could use a bit of improvement was communication. Sometimes I had a day delay before getting an e-mail answered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a gluten-free baking company. The company is named after my daughter, and I created the recipes with her in mind. We couldn’t find a gluten-free baking mix that she liked, so I used my background as a professional baker to create this product. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Bureau Of Small Projects?

I had a storefront, but many people were requesting that I package my product to make it easier for customers to purchase it and take it home. At the time, I quickly made some labels and put them on a brown bag for these sales. While that was good for my storefront, that isn’t something that could do well in the commercial market. We needed an attractive packaging product as well as a strategy for selling it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had a general idea of what I wanted the bag packaging to look like. After sending it over to them for review, they said they were willing to work with me on the design and indicated that they may have a better idea of how to direct the design. I decided to trust in their skills and put the creative choices in their lap, confident they would come up with the best product for what I’m trying to sell.

From there, they worked on possible design options. In the end, they provided me with three choices. When they showed me the third choice, it was a natural, immediate fit. They also provided a website for us, working with a template.  

What is the team composition?

I worked with David (Creative Director & Founder), Trine (Project Manager), Josh (Designer), and Oscar (Developer).

How did you come to work with The Bureau Of Small Projects?

I found their company while searching on Clutch for companies that could work with a very small budget. I gave David a call to get a sense of the possibility of the bag design and cost. He was extremely helpful, willing to provide me with detailed information about their services before I was even committed to them. During the call, he gave me great advice and pointers. He assured me that they could work with my budget and encouraged me to call them back if I wanted to move forward. 

In the interim, I hired someone I knew that said they could help me. That was a big mistake because I didn’t get what I needed. That caused me to return to David, and he guaranteed they could help me create the packaging and get it out into the market. My primary concern was my limited budget, but they told me they could work with it. They were the only company that was willing to accommodate my budget.  

How much have you invested with them?

The initial quote for the bag design was about $2,900, but we spent a bit more on making additional changes. All in all, we spent about $3,500 on the bag design and under $4,000 on the website. 

What is the status of this engagement?

My first conversations with them were in July 2020, but I wasn’t able to start up right away. After getting some logistics in order on my end, we started working together in September 2020. Even though I slowed down the process a bit, the project was finalized in December 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I was happy that I gave them creative control of the artistic design choices because they gave me an amazing design that fit within my budget. In my role at my company, I’m wearing 100 hats and control everything. In this case, letting go of some of the control was the best thing I could’ve done. Their willingness to work within my budget made it possible for me to move my business forward. Up until working with them, I was stuck. They made a huge difference in helping me break into the marketplace.  

In their designs, I could tell they understood exactly what I was hoping for. Josh worked quickly, was amenable, and provided me exactly what I asked for from a design perspective. They took in my ideas and created something that accurately reflected the vision in my brain. Their team went above and beyond my expectations for the design and website, so my satisfaction is at 100%.   

How did The Bureau Of Small Projects perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve never had such an amazing experience with other professionals. I tend to be a micromanager and a perfectionist, but I was able to give that up when handing work over to Trine. It was a lovely experience, and I’ve never met a better project manager. Her professionalism and availability for communication were amazing. She responded to emails and phone calls almost immediately, always there to correct issues and make adjustments. I prefer old-school, verbal communication to reduce chances for misunderstandings. They were willing to talk with me on the phone, which helped us understand each other better. When working with other companies, things tend to get lost in translation, which can prevent them from addressing my needs. I appreciated and admired the way they choose to directly communicate with their customers.      

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re the best-kept secret in the marketing industry, and I will sing their praises from here to eternity. David promotes kindness in their work and has put so much amazing talent under one roof. He must select his employees very carefully. Their kindness and integrity is truly the shining star of their company.   

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they checked every box. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of CBS Lebanon, a Texas non-profit. Our projects are focused on transforming communities through Bible-centered projects in education, dairy farming, leadership development, and humanitarian aid.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects?

We hired BoSP to develop the messaging, design, and marketing of our website transformingcommunity.com.

What were your goals for this project?

Google Ads conversions and lead generation.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Bureau Of Small Projects?

Researched several agencies and reviews online. Conducted online interviews to get a sense of the ethos of the agency.

Describe the project in detail.

Communicating what distinguishes CBS Lebanon to a wide audience is not an easy task. We have to use terminology that is recognizable and easy to understand. The value proposition discovery research done by BoSP helped us hone our message to communicate who we are and what we do accurately.

In the design stage, BoSP gave us a power format for displaying our content on the web. The back end is reasonably easy to manage, so we can continue to develop our website content.

Once the design was done, marketing tuned our SEO and Google ads to take full advantage of our Google grant. The result is a beautiful website that communicates well and reaches the right audience.

What was the team composition?

Project manager, messaging consultant, website designers, SEO, and Google Ads consultant.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The website has been launched and is getting a lot of positive feedback. It'll take more time to fine-tune the marketing, but so far we are very pleased with the product.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The Scope of Work document was clearly crafted, so it helped guide the rest of the process. We had some delays and snags, but the project manager and all BoSP were committed to getting the job done. We pushed through and accomplished the goals we set.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The executive leadership has a clear vision and commitment, which spreads to the rest of the team. They are looking for ways to learn and improve the process. They listen and study the client organization.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Communication between the different team members on timing and expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of the Marketing and Communications team at the American Chamber of Commerce in China, a non-profit member organization that helps US companies do business in China.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Bureau Of Small Projects?

We hired BSP to do a total redesign of our website. Our previous site was old, clunky, and difficult to update/maintain, making it hard for our team to manage and a terrible user experience for our members.

What were your goals for this project?

In addition to a vastly improved user experience for our members, we were looking for fresh, dynamic, and relevant design that would help to drive traffic and achieve our business goals.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Bureau Of Small Projects?

We had an extremely comprehensive RFP process, considering vendors from China, the US and elsewhere. BSP's bid was actually the highest of the 4 on our final shortlist, but was still within our budget and we were confident that they provided the best value for money, compared to the others.

Describe the project in detail.

The website - well over 100 pages in total - was based on about 20 template pages, which could be recreated and used throughout the site, simplifying the build, but also making it easier for us to add more pages in the future.

Once we submitted all our final content for the pages, BSP gave us 5 homepage designs from which we selected the final one. Then the templates were approved one by one, and the pages built out.

Finally we had some quality control and testing, before the site went live. They also provided several training sessions for our team.

What was the team composition?

David was the creative director we dealt with initially, before moving into discussions with the PM and lead designer. We also dealt with some other folks from the tech side, training, and maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have only just launched the site, so cannot provide any new data just yet. But everyone loves the new design and layout - from our team internally to uniform positive reception from among our thousands of members - so we're off to a good start!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had two main challenges: COVID-19, which first hit us here in China and then affected folks in the US; plus the time difference between the two locations. But with weekly calls and near daily email check-ins, we managed to cope with these two things.

A special mention for Konan who took over the project management half way through and really helped to drive the project to completion despite some challenging deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Apart from the actual product (i.e. the new website, with which we are all very happy), the courtesy, professionalism, and enthusiasm of the BSP team made them a pleasure to work with.

There are always challenges in a large project of this nature, but it was clear that BSP - from David at the top, right through the team - cared deeply about our project and the end result as much as we did.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Our team didn't know exactly what we were getting ourselves into at the start of the project, having not dealt with a website redesign before. If our responsibilities and inputs to the project had been slightly clearer, then that could have helped us to tighten up the timeline.