COAL

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a senior communications specialist for an electric grid company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with COAL?

We had to create a series of animated explainer videos. The issue was that any external agency coming in would have to very quickly understand the energy landscape and the nuances of our sector.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

COAL quickly understood our specific sector nuances and provided a script in plain English, condensing the difficult subject matter. 

It was a three-fold production process. First, they had to understand exactly what we were trying to communicate without going too technical. We had to talk about the project in real terms for the Irish community. However, it also had to appeal to a wider European audience. They created an animated explainer video to condense the messaging and make it user-friendly. The hope was that any viewer could understand our message and the wider implications surrounding the space.

We had an idea of how we wanted the video to look. Once we gave them the vision and requirements, they brought it to life. Their team understands the technical nuances, enabling the messaging to be as concise as possible. We wanted the solution to be an effective call to action without being too emotive or technical. It was a collaborative process to get to the finish line. We were in regular contact, finishing the project ahead of schedule.

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact but when it came to presenting the final piece, there was a group call.

How did you come to work with COAL?

I think they came recommended to me. When we had to get three quotes in, they were the most competitive on price.

How much have you invested in them?

It was around €15,000 (approximately $18,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them in January–February 2019. It was six or seven weeks in total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final video was our second-most viewed video of the year. People loved it. There are a number of engineers this space who were incredibly happy. They wanted to use their services again, and we plan to.

How did COAL perform from a project management standpoint?

The fact that it was finished early is always a good sign. I have no issues with them at all. 

There were a number of assets that had to be transferred to them to get this where it needed to be, and we provided some of those assets. They were very receptive and kept working hard to ensure we knew the requirements at every project milestone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their timing, efficiency, and cost were impressive. The quality of their work was good. We were really happy with that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Based on my experience with them, I struggle to say how they could improve. Obviously, I had a very positive experience with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s always important to provide a very clear and thorough brief. Once you have done that, you have a great platform from which both sides are less likely to run into misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder of a luxury watch exchange company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with COAL?

We hired COAL on a consultancy basis.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

COAL helped by coming in and developing the idea. They have also helped us execute it from a marketing and PR perspective, as well as a technological perspective. They have even helped us from a financial perspective as well. They’ve introduced us to a lot of people and have helped us from end to end. 

We had the original idea and Simon (Managing Director) and his team came in and took us to a different level. From a marketing perspective, they helped us with Google, a social media marketing campaign on Facebook and Instagram, and a PPC campaign. In addition, they are also working on our organic strategy. 

They are getting out there and trying to work out who our customers are, making sure that we target the right customers, and creating a customer avatar. From a PR perspective, we have been in some local newspapers, and have been on various online websites as well.

What is the team composition?

I have been introduced to a lot of the different members of the team and have probably spoken to 10–15 members, including project managers, marketing specialists, PR specialists, coders, web developers, finance experts, advertisers, and videographers. 

How did you come to work with COAL?

We sat down with 6–7 different companies to figure if they could help us. Simon not only provided the best initial pitch, but he understood what we were trying to achieve. In addition to that, he also responded quickly.

How much have you invested in them?

We have probably spent around £50,000 (approximately $67,000 USD) so far. On a month-to-month basis, we spend at least £11,000 (approximately $15,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in October 2019, and we’re still working together. We will be working with them for the foreseeable future as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We look at two elements to measure the success of the project. First of all, timeliness, as everything is delivered in a timely manner. COAL sets out deadlines at the start and then works according to those deadlines amazingly. 

For our ongoing work, I look at things such as the number of leads we generate in a month, and the cost per lead as well. It is increasing every month and it is making our business a lot more efficient from a time perspective and also from a cost perspective as well. 

The work that they are doing for us at the moment is amazing. From August, we have increased our leads by over 100%.

How did COAL perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management perspective, not only did we come to them with an initial request to work out what we were looking for, but Simon, at the onset, had come to us and said it was great and told us what he would do differently. He then went one step further and explained the reasons why. 

Once he had done that, we were all aligned and all in agreement. Some of his advice has taken us to a different level and that is why things such as our PPC campaign have increased by over 100% in the last quarter.

We are not very technically advanced, but the cool thing about Simon is that he is very adaptive. We communicate via email and in addition to that, we also communicate via WhatsApp which works very well for me because I am quite busy.

COAL has been adaptive. For example, the gentleman that I work alongside is not very technically advanced and Simon has adapted the way he works and has used WhatsApp, which is very effective for what we do. Simon and I have had conversations at 4 o’clock in the morning. He’s the type of person I can call whenever.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I value them because they produce high-quality work in a timely manner. That is something that couldn't be better for me personally. We agree on deadlines and they always seem to deliver well within the time set out initially.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I haven’t had a bad experience. Although I have touchpoints with different members of the team, Simon oversees it, and he always knows what is going on. For example, Simon will call me on a Friday evening without fail to catch up with me and ask how I am and how my family is. I like the way that he works with me.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My overall advice is to have an outcome in mind and then give it to COAL. When you do that, you are letting an expert do what they do. They are experts in everything they do, and they do what they say they’re going to do. Have the end in mind, know what you are looking to achieve, and let COAL do their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a UK furniture manufacturer. We make all types of commercial furniture and supply to that market area. While I work exclusively out of the showroom in Birmingham as brand development, we have showrooms worldwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with COAL?

When I got involved with COAL, we had purchased the showroom in Birmingham, and we are unique within the country.

It is a relatively large showroom, so it was all about launching the showroom, coming into the region, and again, just getting off the ground running, getting our name out there, and getting people to understand what they could use the showroom for not just looking at products. Still, we wanted to turn it into what we call a destination. People could hold events there and use it for their own promotions as well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to build brand awareness and grow to know about our brand and what we do, and about the showroom. It was a timeline project all to do with all the refurbishments and how we came to it, a video presentation for our reasons for coming to Birmingham and what we do, and our story about how we grew into the region we developed.

The initial part was the timeline and had to do with the whole story and journey. Then we worked with the department heads who were involved in the behind the scenes planning. It was just then purely based on our company's story as a business and what we are all about, and where we have come from. It is a family-owned business, and there are no shareholders or anything like it.

It is a story of how we have grown from being a business that started its journey 40 plus years ago and has grown to be the UK's largest furniture manufacturer. There is quite a story there.

We have a couple of video versions because we didn’t want it to run too long. We have a very long video, which is over five minutes, and a quick, short, sharp one on the screens in the showroom running in the background now and then. If people are walking around, they get a glimpse of it, and it hopefully stirs interest.

We left the editing for them to do, and then we approved it. They were hired to do the gig, and if we didn’t like something, they would change it, but equally, sometimes, there would be cross-fertilization, but ultimately it was their job to produce the final product.

What is the team composition?

I work with Simon (Managing Director), the founder, and the main drive behind COAL. I also worked with another gentleman who is no longer there.

There were a couple of editors, but Simon is the guy we have worked with pretty much exclusively.

How did you come to work with COAL?

It is something that came about through a networking situation. I do an awful lot of networking events and go to different events, which aren’t always associated with what we do as a business. I am a great believer that people have to cross-fertilize and look into all sorts of areas.

The thought that we are a furniture manufacturer, so we only talk to people who supply furniture. I think that is quite a blinkered approach. I think you have to think of it that furniture is actually part of the built environment. Part of the built environment is part of the whole bigger picture of advertising, A&D, and that crosses into a lot of video modeling.

I met Simon at various networking events where we had conversations about what he did as a business. I was very keen to work with local people at the time where we were being based. We moved into Birmingham, and we wanted it to be about why we have come to Birmingham and what Birmingham is all about and offers, so we tried to work with local businesses.

We did a bit of research on COAL and thought they ticked all the boxes. They did some preamble work to make sure we were comfortable with everybody, and it went from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between £7,000–£8,000 (approximately $9,000–$10,550 USD) throughout the whole process.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with COAL in November 2017. It took us seven or eight months for editing, and we opened the doors to the showroom that June. There were other bits and pieces and a final brief, so it was around September 2018 that it was completed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project itself delivered everything that we wanted it to deliver. There were no hidden costs, and it was all exactly as we had agreed. It can't be faulted from that point of view because it was carried out and delivered exactly as we had asked them to do. It was exactly as we wanted, and it runs really, really well for us as a business.

The video has had the right impact for us for what we wanted to achieve. I can’t give it any real negatives if I am brutally honest. It is a great promotion for us. It tells our story, we can run it for visitations, and it is purely really used for people who visit the showroom, which could be clients, and we might run it when we do events. It is purely a tool to promote and demonstrate what goes on within the showroom and within the Birmingham environment.

It was a unique thing at the time because no one else in Birmingham was doing it, and for anyone that comes to the door, it gives that snapshot of why we came and what it is all about. It has done everything it needed to do.

How did COAL perform from a project management standpoint?

I found the communication was very good. If we had a question or challenged them on anything, they always responded very well and professionally. We didn’t have to chase them, and the deadlines we set were met and delivered.

The product that we set out to require was delivered and met, and from that point of view, they delivered on all fronts and can’t be faulted.

We had regular face-to-face meetings. There weren’t huge distances involved, and that was quite nice. I found it quite personable because there is nothing better than sitting in front of people.

It’s nice to deal with someone and feel confident that they were dealing with everything that is going forward equally. If we did email and send things over, we always got a response. We were never sat waiting for responses, and if we were challenged with a question, we would always get an answer. It was done on a personal level, and it was really good.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like their business ethic and personal ethics. They have a good work ethic, striking forward.

There are no smoke and mirrors; everything seems quite straightforward, and I find them very easy to deal with. Clients get answers and responses from them. Sometimes you deal with people and have to chase them, and I didn’t seem to have to chase COAL. I like their professionalism, to be honest.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While COAL isn’t a huge agency, they’re growing and developing. Their stability is great, along with their plans going forward, but I think there could be a bit more infrastructure. I think that will come with time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Having ground rules from day one is good and keeps the communication going. As long as you keep dialogue both ways, I think they will always deliver.

If it’s a business relationship, it’s a two-way relationship in my eyes as in any professional relationship. As long as communication channels are happening, I don’t think there will be a problem.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director for Oxis Energy. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with COAL?

We were looking for a new website and trading to help our new company stand out.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

COAL developed our new website for us as well as creating new brand guidelines and a new logo. Our teams collaborated to build design concepts around the logo, and website, including key messages.

Their team also produced proposal templates in PowerPoint. They have developed a host of different packages for us, handling digital marketing campaigns, SEO, and IT support.

What is the team composition?

Simon (Managing Director) is my direct contact.

How did you come to work with COAL?

I had worked with them at a previous company and had been quite happy with the results. They had better quality, and pricing, than their competitors.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about £16,000+ (approximately $19,000).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around June 2019, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s in the early stages, as they’re just rolling out an SEO campaign to drive volume to the website. They are brilliant, though, and produce cost-efficient solutions while maintaining quality.

How did COAL perform from a project management standpoint?

Simon is always available, and very responsive. We have a weekly check-in. Deadlines are always met.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are professional and deliberate, delivering high-quality work. One of the things that stood out early on was their honesty to be cost efficient instead of trying to get to our max budget, as other companies had done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly don’t have any criticism.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have weekly check-ins to stay on top of progress.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a training consultancy provider specializing in the manufacturing industry. We have a large number of clients in the automotive space as well as food and drink companies that have to adhere to particular safety and other standards. I am the head of marketing for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with COAL?

They originally came on to help us revamp our company website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once their team helped us to reorganize and design the information on our site, they stayed on to host and maintain our existing website. From there, we began the process of developing a new website to supplement what we already have, conducting SEO, and building a few mobile applications as well. They’ve supported some of our video creation advertising efforts in a less formal capacity as well.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Simon (Managing Director), and he has a few other technical people who work with him on the project.

How did you come to work with COAL?

They won a competitive proposal process. Their response was extremely detailed, and the team was by far the best choice out of all the options that we had submitted, so we decided to move forward with them from there.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we’ve spent around £35,000 (approximately $45,000 USD), including about £15,000 on the website, £5,000 on the apps, and a little more on maintenance and other projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged them by the end of February 2020 and are continuing to work with them on a variety of different digital projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of traffic metrics for the site, the project is still very new, so I don’t have a lot of hard data so far. The objectives of the project, however, were very clearly laid out at the beginning, and they have met all of those requirements so far. We’ve been very pleased with the quality of their work, and they make the project enjoyable to work with them on.

How did COAL perform from a project management standpoint?

We are running behind schedule at the moment, but that doesn’t have anything to do with COAL’s involvement. In fact, their flexibility with and understanding of changes in our leadership and COVID impacts has been just another impressive aspect of working with them.

In terms of the individual deliverables, they turn things around very quickly and often go above and beyond to make sure everything within their power stays completely on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been very impressed with their attitude, and the amount of insight and expertise that they provide on any aspect of the work, whether or not it is explicitly related to their contract. No matter what we come to them with, they are always willing to help us come up with a solution. Being able to call them and just get their thoughts on any ideas we have has been a huge asset to the collaboration.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Occasionally, we’ve had issues with not knowing where progress is at on some issues. They always take care of things quickly but could probably do a little bit better job letting us know in the first place. Having a regular weekly update or an account manager to handle some of the daily things would probably go a long way in making sure everything is running smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a manager of a dental practice. We specialize in implants, facial and aesthetic dentistry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with COAL?

We wanted to improve our social media presence and to update our branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They create content and manage our accounts on Facebook and Instagram. Through an app they provided, I can respond to follower comments on both platforms. They take videos of client testimonials, and help us present our services and what modern dentistry can offer. They also designed our logo and other branding assets.

How did you come to work with COAL?

I researched companies that could provide the services we needed. They were an exciting, young company, and I felt they would be a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent £5,000 (approximately $6,100 USD) on the video filming. The total cost is higher.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2018, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've seen a considerable increase in traffic. This Monday alone, we had thirty inquiries and questions. We have more than 500 Instagram followers, and their work is generating quite a buzz among current and potential clients.

How did COAL perform from a project management standpoint?

From conception to delivery, they were available to talk at any time. Most of our communication is through email, phone, texting, Skype, and WhatsApp. They gathered lots of ideas, and I found them to be excellent in every way. They also offer amazing online support.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a great company. They think outside the box and are very dynamic, passionate, and professional. They're excited about their projects, and I'm in awe of what they do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I've had no problems at all.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own a UK-based PR agency, but equally, I’m a consultant for a company in Ireland, where I serve as one of their senior communications specialists. I’ve worked with COAL wearing both hats.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with COAL?

In my consulting job, we deal with technical, engineering-focused information. We needed someone to communicate technical information in a basic, simple way that users could easily understand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We sat down for a brainstorming session and came up with a plan to communicate how much turning off electrical equipment at certain hours of the day could be financially helpful to the Irish public. There were several requirements for COAL because we had to communicate results using data from across the country. Primarily, we had to convey the data clearly. But, we also had to put it into context, so people could understand its impact in their everyday lives. It needed to strike a balance between being technically impactful and easy to understand.

They came up with an animated film that explained the project, how it benefited the consumer, and how it tied in with both climate change and decarbonization. Equally, it conveyed what viewers could do independently to make a positive impact both on the environment and for themselves financially. The final product was about 90 seconds long. 

What is the team composition?

l worked with two of their founders, one who functioned as an account director. There were about 4–5 teammates that I interacted with. 

How did you come to work with COAL?

A number of people I know have worked with their owner and highly recommended him. We did a three-part tender for the work. From there, I recommended that we use them.

How much have you invested with them?

While specific spending numbers are confidential, COAL was about $8,000 south of the next most cost-effective competitor. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started and completed the project in 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had just north of 400,000 views on this video, which was impressive considering the technical nature of the content. They provided a pleasing piece of work that was praised by both engineers and those without a technical background. It certainly satisfied both appetites through animation and video. 

How did COAL perform from a project management standpoint?

We were on time and on budget. They designated a couple of project masters to the effort, and everyone was able to get updates through Basecamp. There were a few times I thought we might run over on time, but they came through. Everything balanced itself quite nicely, and we were able to provide the engineers with what they needed. The account director and co-founder made a point to be very involved, and it was great to have that level of seniority on the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Most service providers leave the office at the end of the workday, even when there’s still work to be done. When we were falling behind, COAL made up for it by working extra hours. When there was work that needed to be done, they took care of it. They made us a priority, impressing engineers on our team with high standards. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d love it if they preemptively answered questions that the customer might ask. That way, by the time it gets to me, there are no answers required. That would lead to the perfect scenario.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My point of contact was the owner. When you have that level of seniority, it's worth paying a little bit extra to have their involvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of Lease Loop. We specialize in the leasing of Apple equipment to UK businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bareface?

We needed to launch the business. We knew what we wanted to do as a business, but Bareface needed to develop a name, a brand, a website, and a digital marketing plan. Their work needed to allow us to go from a concept to launching to creating a sustainable business.

We're a company of two people, so Bareface is our marketing department.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started completely from scratch, and they provided every aspect of our brand. That included a name and brand guidelines at the beginning of our engagement. Absolutely everything you can think of, they've done for us.

Their work in marketing has included email marketing campaigns. As part of their monthly retainer, they now make sure that we have a really good SEO presence, and they were exceptional at getting us onto the first page is Google really, really quickly. They also manage our social media profiles, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Over the last two years, we've tried various social media campaigns, predominantly advertising on Twitter and Facebook. They have also done re-marketing. When people visit our site and then other sites, such as Yahoo, Google, or YouTube, people see are re-marketing campaigns there as well.

Bareface also built our website. We provided the content for the website, and we worked very closely with them. One of Bareface's strengths is that they make you feel that you can get your point of view and preference across. Their team tells you technically what is required, but you are actually giving a voice around the table. I think it is really important that you're proud of your website and that it reflects your brand. Bareface takes that brief and turns it into something that achieves all of the objectives.

The website was a bespoke-designed platform, but parts of it use WordPress.

I have also used Bareface for print work at times, but our focus is mainly on digital marketing. However, they have produced some banners and leaflets for exhibitions

How did you come to work with Bareface?

I knew Bareface through a previous employment when they were clients of mine. I worked closely with them, and they became friends. When I when I wanted to form Lease Loop, they were the first people I contacted. I didn't consider any other companies at the time.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around £50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them when I started Lease Loop in November 2014. The work is ongoing, and we pay a monthly retainer. We've also just commissioned a new website in order to move with the times.

In fact, we get really complacent in checking what they're doing, because it works. For a small business, it's great to have confidence in a company that you can trust to have your back. It's like having our own in-house marketing team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're on the first page of Google searches, and that happened really quickly. That suggests their SEO work is effective. We get most of our orders through the traffic they drive to our website, which is based on the fortnightly content and blog articles.

We've had mixed results on Twitter and Facebook ads. We were attracting the wrong type of people for our demographic. However, we get a decent amount of incoming inquiries each month.

How did Bareface perform from a project management standpoint?

Bareface has given us a bespoke solution suited to our own needs. We're not trying to employ thousands of people and take over the world. I know they've got some big clients, but they're also working with a business like ours. They are focused on our needs as much as anybody else's.

They're really good in project management. I think, like any modern business, the only change comes when they have a change of personnel. When that happens, they're always very quick to identify the right people to step in.

I'm very fortunate because I've known them since they are quite small, and I've got a good relationship with the directors. If I need to, I always feel like I can call them and go right to the very top if that's ever required. However, I've always had complete confidence in the account managers that have been assigned. If I ever go to those top guys, it's because we've done something wrong rather than the other way around.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understand that we're a new business. They supported us. The level of service we get allows us to punch above our weight and our budget, because they give us so much value.

If we were a little pinched for cash for one month, there was nobody chasing an invoice. They understand that business is a real world environment, and it's about relationships. It's not only their technical ability, but the human side of the relationship as well. They're very good at that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our knowledge of what is required in the modern-day marketing environment is largely driven by Bareface. Whenever they tell us what we need to do, they probably don't realize how much we rely on them. Our knowledge is very much driven by what they tell us, so I don't think there is anything they could improve. To be honest, we are delighted with them.