Caroline Hagan Consultancy

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a director at a leadership communications company. We deliver b-2-b leadership comms training to large corporates.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website was developed on a propriety CMS and we were dependent on the developer on any content changes which created a bottleneck. This started impeding on our business's ability to adapt and respond to the needs of our potential and existing clients.

SOLUTION

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

We searched on-line for a UK based WP developer. We shortlisted 5 companies, interviewed 3 and settled on BlueOcto.

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

The scope of the project was to recreate the content of our existing website like for like in the WP environment. The key deliverables were creation of WP page templates for all types of pages on our existing website, migration of the content to WP, host transfer with preservation of the existing SEO rankings.

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

A project manager and a developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were surprised how quickly BlueOcto managed to migrate the content of the site into the WP environment. Our expectations were exceeded by the fact BlueOcto not only created the templates for all the page types but actually copied and populated the new site completely at a very good value - this was initially not in the scope of the project. The one unforeseen downfall of the migration process was the drop of the rankings that resulted from how the new URLS were generated. This is now being fixed and BlueOcto were helpful in getting this right

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

We used Asana. BlueOcto differentiated all the tasks required for migration to to be successful and updated it regularly. We also had occasional progress update calls with the BlueOcto team.

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

The depth and breath of their technical knowledge and an ability to understand our needs well. They were also very responsive whenever there was an urgent issue that needed addressing.

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

There was something that could be improved in terms of responsiveness as occasionally it took a while to be responded to. Also, the drop on the SEO rankings was a bit of a blow and I would expect this to be predicted and avoided.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Marketing Manager for Forfusion, an agile team of IT experts trusted by large public and private sector companies to design, implement and manage mission-critical infrastructure.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blueocto Ltd?

We initially engaged with BlueOcto to help improve our Google Core Web Vitals score, leading to them maintaining our website for us.

SOLUTION

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

They came highly recommended by a third party. After an initial chat and an audit of our site's performance and speed by BlueOcto, we employed their services.

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

They conducted an audit of our site first so we could see how our site was performing. They then set to work to improve the performance and speed of our site to improve our Google Core Vital scores. After this project was completed, we then engaged BlueOcto to look after the maintenance of our site for several months.

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

• Caroline H. - Web Developer and Director
• Daniel D. - Senior Web Developer
• Liam D. - Project Manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our Google Core vitals score improved and the load time on our landing pages increased dramatically.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We were able to schedule and see the progress of tasks using Asana and had a dedicated project manager.

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

They were a knowledgeable team who helped us out in a professional and reliable manner.

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

We were very happy with the work they did for us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing and engagement manager at a general FE college in the North East

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blueocto Ltd?

Our website had outgrown the experience of the current web dev company we were using and I didn't feel we were getting value for money. Blue Octo supported and advised on changes we could make that felt right for the organisation and continue to do so.

SOLUTION

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

Caroline provided sound honest advice and I never felt she was doing so for her own financial gain. She could have easily said we needed a brand new site, but instead helped us with a plan to update what we already had and now we work together to make monthly improvements in manageable chunks.

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

We have developed a better online enrolment system for our learners and are looking at further site developments to make the experience for our customers more user friendly.

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

We work with various team members all who bring their own expertise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Some of the requests we have asked for on online enrolment have been implemented in a timely fashion. Requests we had waited for for months and months from the previous developers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication between the teams is excellent, and it feels like they are an extension of our in-house team.

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

Their real care for looking after the clients needs. I don't feel like any advice is for financial gain.

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

None so far!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO of the organisation. We are a homeless charity that provide services to those who find themselves homeless or are accommodated but who are at risk of homelessness.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We are a new organisation and had a make do website. With our Organisation growing we needed a overhaul and asked Blueocto Ltd to help us. We needed something interactive for people accessing our service to self refer. We also needed a platform for our enterprise offers and a way to sell online.

SOLUTION

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

I had met the managing director Caroline previously and was impressed with her passion, enthusiasm and her knowledge. When we were tasked with finding a Web Designer I asked Caroline to work on an outline and the perimeters of the site. The care and attention to our project was evident and there was little need for lots of meetings as she understood the brief in a short space of time

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

We spoke about our customer base vs our support base and looked at what our ultimate goal was. Caroline provided a breakdown and a storyboard of how we wanted the website to look and the user journey. Once we agreed Caroline managed the project through Ansana and we could collaborate remotely with ease. it saved time and many meetings etc. Once the website was designed and we agreed we set a "Live date" and waited for it to go live. This helped us develop a marketing strategy around the live date and launching the website

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

Caroline, MD and another partner in the business supported us. Their attention to us as clients was second to none.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have seen a lift in our support from people accessing the website. We also have had service users who have told us they have managed to get support via the self referal route.

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

Blueocto use really effective ways of sharing data, photos and comms. We used Wee transfer to enable high res images on the website, we also used Ansana for the comms and project planning. They managed the project swiftly and with confidence which made the whole project stress and worry free. I felt confident we would end up with a quality website

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

I find their knowledge and confidence impressive. The speed in which they produced a high quality website that was usable and immediately brought positive feedback

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

Im really impressed with BlueOcto and I'm really happy with their services going forward

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of Addictions UK, a leading provider of home-based medical and therapeutic services for people with pathological dependence issues.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blueocto Ltd?

We needed help with improving our online presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blueocto developed our site. Once they finished the site, we decided to add a training portal, which they’re currently still working on. The portal has courses aimed at our service practitioners. Additionally, they help us publish various informative articles about our mission to help with our SEO.

What is the team composition?

We work with a managing director, a content writer, and a web developer.

How did you come to work with Blueocto Ltd?

Some of our partner agencies recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

Their daily fee is £300 (approximately $400 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in January 2017, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Blueocto has significantly boosted our online presence. They’ve done an excellent job with SEO, and we’ve been getting more work because of the site.

How did Blueocto Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done an absolutely stellar job on project management. The team is always available for meetings and calls, and they’re good listeners. We’re very pleased with the Blueocto team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very clever and competent. The team understands both the commercial sector and the nonprofit sector, which has been very helpful. Overall, Blueocto is great at what they do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we have no complaints. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent about your needs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're a not for profit Woman's group, we put on monthly events to support woman, teaching heritage crafts & skills in a fun environment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had a very basic website previously, and used other systems which didn't integrate together to run out business. So we spent lots of time on admin, and duplicating information.

We wanted a website that was user-friendly, where people can find out the information they need quickly without emailing us for the information. We wanted to be able to take payments and to be able to promote our event tickets via the site too.

SOLUTION

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

We decided to work with Blueocto as we felt like Caroline really understood our brief and objectives, we consulted with other companies but they seemed to have a set agenda of what they wanted us to take rather than what specifically worked for us.

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

The Scope of the work was a redesign & build, and to incorporate some sort of CRM / event booking system that we can use to track the attendees to our events.

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

We liaised usually with Caroline, but have has contact from other members of the team, but Caroline project managed our brief.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Blueocto delivered us the full package, a beautifully designed site that is in keeping with our brand, but is also user friendly and Caroline recommended a booking system that integrates with our site and she has tailored it to our needs.

Blueocto has really revolutionized the way we work. The build was around 12 months ago, and we have just had a refresh and once again they were a pleasure to deal with, making the changes we wanted and great suggestions too.

With the website being so easy to use, and having all of the information to hand for our events (due to the layout and us being able to update it) it has dramatically reduced the amount of time we spend answering emails in order for that to convert into a booking.

The booking system Blueocto recommended and integrated with our site is fantastic and offers so many more functions that our previous site didn't have. So we have saved more time on admin so we can focus more on the website.

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

They communicated mostly through Asana, which is an online "to do" list, which was great as we could see where every aspect of the project was and if we were holding anything up. We found them very easy to deal with and always looking to offer solutions.

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

I think the fact that they really listened to our brief was the most impressive, we wasted hours of meetings with other companies where we talked about our objectives and they offered us a solution that completely missed the brief or was double the investment that we had. Blueocto offered the best solution by far and was within budget.

I and the other Director are not very good with technology, and they were really patient with helping us get to know the site and show us how to update it. We feel that they go the extra mile for their clients and wouldn't hesitate in recommending them.

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

No, we're delighted with our website and the service.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an online handmade children's clothing shop.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

As a new small business, we had no budget for a website, but by winning the competition, this dream became a reality.

SOLUTION

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

A number of other local businesses, highly recommended them and then informed me of the competition.

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

We had a meeting to discuss our needs and Caroline, ran with that. Not long after she sent examples for me to see and t went from there. The team at Blueocto have been amazing throughout this project, with support and understanding...In fact they continue to do so.

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

Caroline has lead this project from day one, I always feel that her inbox is open!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

By having a website it is always a streamlined ordering for the business and customers will find it easier to order.

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

I really linked using Asana, it kept the deadlines and requirements visible to me. Email and messenger were openly used for quick questions or issues.

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

Their understanding of a female lead sole trader who is juggling work with caring for a family was impressive.

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

Maybe for 'none' tech folk and visual learners, a regular view of the website so that the information needed from our side makes sense.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a mental health charity in North England. I’m head of community and wellbeing services, which provides support for people with mental health issues, people looking to get back into employment, and two recovery colleges in the region. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blueocto Ltd?

We wanted to start providing more online activities for a number of our services. Most of our activities were in-person, but we needed to adapt to COVID-restrictions. They helped update our website to be more responsive and interactive for our users.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They revamped and redesigned our three different websites to accommodate online activities for several of our services. Representatives from each service worked with their team to ensure that they received the unique site features they needed. We wanted forums added so people could interact with each other.

They implemented both private and open forums in addition to a resource center. Their team is continuing to make updates and changes to the site as needed. For instance, they just implemented a landing page for our recovery colleges. 

How did you come to work with Blueocto Ltd?

They were recommended by someone else working in web design. That contact couldn’t take on the work on the timeline we needed, so she recommended their team for the job. It seemed like they would be able to deliver what we needed. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $3,000 on their work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve delivered exactly what we’ve asked for. Each of our three websites is completely different from a design perspective, and they did a great job of maintaining that. Their work brought people to our services and helped us interact with them in a new way. 

The site provides forums and materials that users can access without calling our staff, which has added a great deal of independence for people using the site.  

How did Blueocto Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent at working with groups of people that aren’t tech-savvy. Their team was great about talking through our goals and the different possibilities for achieving them. Our workload scales up and down erratically at times, and they were forgiving of that as well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They listen to our goals and respond to our needs well. If there’s a better direction for achieving a certain goal, they’ll bring it to our attention. They’re great at describing the advantages and disadvantages of different opportunities. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m happy with the service. They were responsible for a lot of coordination with our larger organization without letting anyone down. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re not sure of what you want, let them talk through your requirements with you. They’ll help you achieve your goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of Clairegiles.com. We’re a greeting card company. We design and produce and sell both directly to the end-user and also through trade in the UK and the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blueocto Ltd?

We go directly to the end-user through websites and marketplaces. In the middle of last year January/February, our website was built on a platform that was going out of support. We had to move it to a platform that would be supported.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The website looks fairly the same. We wanted to keep the look and feel similar to preserve the experience for customers, and also because we liked the way it was set up. It was a complete rewrite of the system, however. We also made huge changes to the way we work based on what Blueocto helped us with. These changes were mainly around how we can sell to different marketplaces. Additionally, they designed a new stock management system. It’s completely changed how we do business.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Caroline (Senior Web Developer) and Matthew (Web Developer) from the start.

How did you come to work with Blueocto Ltd?

We wanted someone who was close to us in Newcastle, UK. I did searches online and took a look at a couple of companies close by because we like working face-to-face. We had to change that method with COVID, though.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest thing for us is comparing how we worked before to how we work now. Most of our sales were through trade—through independent greeting card shops, but there was also eBay, Amazon, and our own site. We didn’t have an integrated stock system, however, so to keep everything working together well was nearly impossible. Blueocto integrated everything together—bringing stock management into the website from all the marketplaces. Our administration of the site is so, so much easier than it was before.

The pandemic hit people in such big ways, but because of Blueocto’s work, we were in the perfect place to respond to everyone buying online. Our online sales went through the roof last year. We couldn’t have handled it without their work.

How did Blueocto Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

I can’t speak highly enough of this aspect. They’re incredibly professional—from the starting quotations onward. Their communication style and how they handle their meetings were great as well. They were personable and friendly, and we didn’t have a problem with deadlines that weren’t due to an impossible situation. Everyone had to adjust slightly because of the pandemic, but I can’t speak highly enough of both Caroline and Matthew. They put themselves through an awful lot to help us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

At no point have I felt like it was a simple, regular job. There’s a feeling that we’re partnered together. They absolutely have our backs. It was never just a project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t. They understood how our business worked even though it’s quite bespoke. They went around and did fact-finding, in the beginning, to make sure they grasped us. I wasn’t expecting them to understand everything but they did. They built exactly what I had in my mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We knew what we wanted. That’s a good place for people to be in the beginning. Blueocto helped us get what we wanted. Go in with a fairly detailed plan of what they’d like to do. I say this because this worked very well for us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Business Development manager at Penshaw View, and marketing falls under my remit at the company. We offer various services from Apprenticeship Provision in England, Health and Safety Consultancy throughout the UK and various other training from mental health & safety to employability & digital regionally in the North East of England.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have had a poor experience with our previous supplier meaning our website was not performing in the way it should. Our goal was to find a web developer who would be proactive, point out the work we need to do to help search engine rankings, but also explain what they need to do to get the site up to scratch.

SOLUTION

How did you select Blueocto Ltd and what were the deciding factors?

I had seen Blue Octo on a number of networking calls, and following a one to one meeting, I decided that Blue Octo seemed more than competent and agreed that there was work to do. Flexibility was also key as we have 2 websites that need to be looked after, with the possibility of a third build required which we now know Blue Octo can help us with.

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

Our main website's home page was split into two, which we now know was not ideal for Google rankings. There was very limited user friendliness, recent changes to the site from the previous supplier were messy and we had no ranking on search engines for key phrases.

We needed flexibility and proactivity as my role as BDM is extremely busy, so the website sometimes has to take a back step. My instruction to Blue Octo was we need someone who will go through the website from beginning to end, point out any faults, and aim to correct them, all within the agreed contracted time.

Blue Octo have added me to a project management system, Asana, which allows myself and one of the senior management at PV / Riverlutions to see whenever a change is made, keep on top of tasks and send new tasks to Blue Octo. This is ideal for us as it is transparent. Website is built in Wordpress, using Yoast for SEO in the back of the site.

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

Caroline Hagan is my point of contact, and is director of Blue Octo.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far, many issues with the site have been highlighted and worked on. Blue Octo have been excellent in pointing out what needs to be done to the site, working on any problematic findings and also giving me training in some aspects of the site so I know what I need to do to help it on.

Communication has been nothing short of excellent, and Caroline is brilliant at explaining things in layman's terms so that I understand what is expected of me. We are still in very early days of working with Blue Octo but I am more than confident following the work so far, that we will see hugely positive results on search engines and in the functionality of the site as our relationship goes on.

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

Blue Octo break everything down into easily understandable chunks. Caroline is never shy in taking calls, zoom meetings and taking as much time as i have needed to understand our website better.

The use of Asana has been key to my understanding of what work needed doing to the site, and we can also track where each task is up by percentage. We are very impressed with this software due to it's transparency.

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

I like the fact that Blue Octo is a local company and dealing with the director means we feel the personal touch to our relationship. I can see the passion Blueocto LTD. has for the business, and they are clearly knowledgeable in the industry. It gives me confidence that things will get done... something I didn't experience with our previous supplier.

We are a family ran business, with family at the core of everything within the company. I also get this from Blue Octo, and can have conversations away from business about family-life. Caroline is clearly working extremely hard (sometimes late at night) to provide the best life possible for her little girl.

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

So far so good!! More than good!