Clock Limited

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the head of subscriptions at a publishing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Clock Limited?

We needed help with building a custom CMS loyalty platform.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a new CMS loyalty website for our subscribers. It needed to have an improved UX and functionality compared to our existing platform and to operate at a lower cost.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They came highly recommended as they’ve built and provided services for a number of our news brands globally.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They built our loyalty CMS to agreed requirements, and then trained local teams on how to use the platform. They also provide ongoing support and develop new features according to a planned roadmap.

What was the team composition?

We work with an account director, a project manager, and a number of developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The new solution is significantly cheaper than our existing solution and has improved features and functionality. Since its launch, all our key engagement metrics have improved, including traffic, redemptions, web NPS, and churn impact.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had an excellent project manager and account director who managed the project from day one and are still on the account. They provided a brilliant service.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The product is great. They understood our business well and always communicated proactively; nothing was ever too much trouble.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

WSJ+ is the loyalty program for The Wall Street Journal, presenting offers, invites and exclusive content for members. I am the Site Editor for WSJ+. I look after all of our content and marketing and manage the website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Clock Limited?

Clock Limited was brought on to develop our website and has been with us since, helping with support and other development projects. Currently, Clock is working on a redesign for the website.

What were your goals for this project?

We want a website that is attractive, user-friendly and functional.

SOLUTION

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Clock Limited created a custom CMS and website that meets our very specific needs, such as allowing for different types of offer pages and an easily customizable homepage. For our new redesign, we have been changing the look of the site as well as some of the functionality.

What was the team composition?

We deal directly with Michael (Senior Digital Project Manager and Scrum Master, Clock Limited), Haily (Account Director), and Steven (Head of Design) mostly - all of whom have been very helpful, attentive and wonderful to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The website IS our business! Clock Limited has been with us since WSJ+ started, which is a testament to their professionalism and skill.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicate over Basecamp, email and over weekly retainer hangouts. When we submit support tickets to Basecamp, we usually receive a very prompt response.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Clock Limited is excellent at finding solutions and is always very attentive and patient with us. The CMS is fantastic and they have been very receptive to our ideas, no matter how big or small.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No specific comments outside of the unavoidable time zone issues, but even then if we need emergency support out of their hours, they always work quick to help.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the managing director of the Jewish Chronicle newspaper. We've been in business since 1841.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Clock Limited?

We hired them about four years ago to develop a brand-new website. One challenge we faced was a transition from print media to digital.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Essentially, we handed them a blank canvas for this project. The existing website was not very good, and we disliked all the technology we were using.

They took us through a process of weekly meetings with updates of all their work. They also explained why they chose each design, and their progress was always very transparent. Most of their involvement was in frontend design and the user journey.

What is the team composition?

Our interactions began with a member of their sales department. As we became more serious, we met with the rest of the team. Through the process, we worked with the salesperson, an account manager, a couple of designers, and a project manager. Now that the site is up and running, we communicate with one or two people.

How did you come to work with Clock Limited?

Some of our contacts in the media industry recommended them. We sent an RFP to a couple of agencies. The personal service that Clock provides was second to none, and their staff was very friendly and helpful.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around £100,000 (approximately $122,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The contract began around January 2016. The website went live in December 2016, so the entire project lasted about ten months. We still have them on retainer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After we launched the website, we received 200,000 unique users each month. We're now up to 1.5 million.

How did Clock Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very responsive, and we hear back from them within minutes via email. I still communicate with our account manager and one of their designers. We have weekly conference calls for any changes or updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We've used them for a range of different projects for an array of companies. The breadth of their experience helps us meet our goals, and their advice is always very useful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They work very efficiently, and their setup is great. We're really happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask questions and put them on a monthly retainer after you complete the project. Keep the lines of communication open; they're good at what they do.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of strategic initiatives focusing on project implementation and management for a health insurance technology platform offering a one-stop-shop for insurance distributors to sell their products. We also handle billing on behalf of the insurance carrier, member fulfillment, agent, and ensuring agents have the proper licensing to sell products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Clock Limited?

We wanted to revamp our customer-facing member portal, so we engaged Clock Limited to help with the UI and design. It was important for us to achieve best practices and improve the flow of our older site. Their team also helped us launch a mobile app for iOS and Android to complement the web upgrade and make our services more accessible.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we met to review all of the functional requirements. Once the project got going, we gave their team design sketches for what we wanted the wireframe and screens to look like. They ended up reworking them extensively to optimize their user-friendliness. 

During our initial meetings, we provided them with a list of three distinct phases for the build-out of each product. Phase one included the initial launch of the product, allowing members to view basic information and plans, access products, and obtain an ID card. 

We are currently in phase two of our plan, adding more robust functionality to the product. With these new implementations, users can purchase products in the app, update billing information, process payments, and opt in and out of notifications. 

What is the team composition?

I dealt directly with 5–6 members of their team, but there could’ve been more working in the background. 

How did you come to work with Clock Limited?

In our process, we looked at 3–4 different providers. Clock Limited stood out because of the team’s prior development experience and reputation within the industry. Their experience was really gear toward our line of work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £200,000 (approximately $240,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We formally started our engagement in November of 2017. The site went live in October 2018, and the mobile app launched in January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the short time since the launch of the mobile app, we’ve sold a few hundred more products. Overall usage is up, and the app had 800 downloads in the first month without any heavy advertising. We feel pretty good with where we are.

How did Clock Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

The project took longer than expected, but that was completely on our end. Clock Limited quickly turned tasks around, always delivering on what they promised us. We started out having weekly meetings, but we didn’t need to meet as often as the project progressed. We used BaseCamp for quick communication during the project. 

Throughout, they were accommodating and clear about how certain changes would affect the cost and always had thoughtful, creative suggestions for us.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their prototypes and demos were fully-functional and gave us a great idea of how the tool would flow for new users. They really understood how to make the UI as simple and easy as possible, minimizing the scrolling and clicks necessary to access information.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. They were great to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s good to have a plan and formal requirements documented before going into your first meeting with them. We didn’t have everything laid out beforehand, and it would’ve saved a ton of time if we were prepared to get moving then.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work as a business analyst/product owner for Sun Savers. Sun Savers allows users to bank unique codes from the newspaper in return for holiday offers, days out, and a free five-pound note for every 28 codes banked.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Clock Limited?

We needed to hire an external resource to help us develop an app and a website to enable users to bank their codes, redeem their offers, and enjoy a good user experience.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of the project initially was to prove that the concept of Sun Savers worked, that users would enjoy the offers, and that they would regularly use the product.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The vendor selection was made before my time. However, Clock Limited was active on a number of News UK projects and therefore had demonstrated their capabilities on large scale, fast moving projects.

Describe the project in detail.

Clock Limited ran two-week sprints to develop the iOS and Android versions of the app. Our team visited their offices to help refine user stories and prioritize feature sets. They averaged a release approximately once every 3–4 weeks to keep improving the product. In addition to new features, we have an ongoing support contract with them to provide us with assistance during key go-live periods and promotions.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, account manager, developers (both frontend and systems integration), and designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From both design and a development standpoint, the quality of output is high and has resulted in a solid, well-received product used by 1 million people. News UK continues to hire Clock Limited for various projects both in the UK and around the world. That shows the trust we have in them as the result of a good working relationship. Their flexibility to meet deadlines and varying monthly contracts is extremely valuable. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Clock Limited’s communication and responsiveness is always good. We never have any problems managing the workflow remotely via Jira. Along with stand-up calls, we keep in touch in person. That certainly helps us make progress in a timely manner and with minimal ambiguity. Teamwork is key to the project’s success and they regularly provide their support and opinion.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’ve been most helpful in offering flexibility to changes, varying contracts, and out-of-hours support. Clock Limited often goes out of their way to assist us with short notice requirements. That sense of being one team helped us get to where we are today. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

Our test coverage could have been improved on both sides. However, that was often a symptom of tight deadlines, which we improved upon as time went on. It was not an issue for the majority of the time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a trustee for a disability charity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Clock Limited?

We needed them to redesign our website to allow us to manage the content ourselves and add new features as needed.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a new website that could scale with the charity.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us by another business who had been supporting our project.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They talked with our team to understand our requirements, and then they designed the new website. At each stage, they consulted with us and provided training where needed. They asked questions to establish our needs and gave advice based on their own experiences.

Their deliverables included wireframes, followed by WordPress web design. They also built functions so that we could later expand areas like donations, fundraising, and online sales.

What was the team composition?

We worked with two team members, including Suzi (Account Executive, Clock Limited).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We now have a website that we can easily populate and change as required using WordPress. The add-ons that Clock Limited installed will support our future growth strategy through online retailing, donations, fundraising, and communication with our supporters and customers.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Suzi’s project management was very impressive. She constantly kept us updated, answered our questions very quickly, and gave us advice when sought. They brought deep knowledge and a high level of competence. We communicated through Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The skill set of their team stands out. They are true experts in their field and nothing is too much trouble for them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we’re very satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the digital operations director for two companies, the publisher Shortlist Media and the advertising analysis agency Contagious.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Clock Limited?

On both occasions, I hired Clock Limited to help us rebuild existing sites.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were stability, audience growth, and data capture. We wanted to use mobile-first design to improve the ease of use for content teams.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We initially found Clock Limited via a pitch process. Once I established a relationship with their helpful team, I hired them again without hesitation

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

In both projects, Clock Limited provided knowledge of hosting infrastructure and great support for teams learning their CMS. They created on-trend designs in combination with front end development. I've always found the team helpful for SEO inquiries, database management, and implementing ad code.

What was the team composition?

I am regularly in contact with an account manager, CTO, and project manager from Clock Limited. The team also includes hosting experts and relevant frontend developers. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Using the products Clock Limited delivered, the publishing company grew its digital audience to more than 2,000,000 unique visitors from the UK. Revenue has increased to close to £1,000,000 (approximately $103,000,000) per annum.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Having solid agile processes in place and using Basecamp for regular communication have proven effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Clock Limited’s best strengths are flexibility, relevant experience, and a willingness to help.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is nothing to improve, really. Both projects ran smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I have been the the marketing manager at Broadsheet for over a year. Broadsheet is a city guide. We cover food & drink, art & design, fashion, entertainment, travel and active lifestyles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to launch a new subscription service to take a relationship with our readers to the next level. We went about this by launching Broadsheet Access. “Broadsheet Access is our new membership program, bringing you the very best of Melbourne all year round. You’ll get first dibs on event tickets, table reservations at restaurants before they open to the public, curated travel packages to some of the country’s best destinations, discounts on coffee and food, and much more.”

SOLUTION

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

A senior level management team member had previously worked with clock and couldn't speak more highly of them

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

Clock were hired to help build a brand new standalone product/CMS that would be accessed by our Broadsheet Access Members. The front end dev team at clock perfectly replicated the designs provided to them as they developed the front end and functionality of the membership portal. They custom built a backend/CMS for us, which needed unique functionality based on the use case of the team managing the platform. Legacy systems were frictionlessly integrated allowing us to have a smooth launch and continued excellent users experiences.

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

There were 4 main team members that helped with our rollout of Access. The Account Director The Senior Digital Delivery Lead The Engineering Manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The launching of access was smooth and received well by our audience. We are constantly tweaking and updating the platform the clock has built for us - utilising countless features to fit whatever the offer/experiences requires to ensure it can be redeemed by our valued Access Members.

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

Communication with clock us easily and seamless. We work on a ticketing system using basecamp which fits our requirements perfectly. All questions and requests are always actioned or replied to within 24 hours.

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

All communication has been remarkably prompt and quick - this had lead \ to an extremely fast development of the platform. We utilize the project in ways we have never imagined.

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

Nothing comes to mind.