Code 8

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the brand team lead of a creative agency. We focus on tech companies and help them describe what they do using design principles, mainly through websites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Code 8?

We didn’t have developers on staff, so we needed to outsource part of our design and development work to someone.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They mainly provide web development services for us, and they do them from both scratch and rebound on WordPress. So the process is that we do the design work, hand it to them, and they bring those ideas to life. Since we don’t manage the sites, the key features we look for are a good organization, editability, and CMS design, so our clients can make easy changes.

Code 8 also focuses on visuals and little details like spacing and mobile optimization to get flexible and responsive sites — they marry both the design and development with their good eye, which is also something that we need.

What is the team composition?

We work with 1–3 people from their team, including developers, designers, and project managers.

How did you come to work with Code 8?

One of our clients referred them to us. We needed a partner who could move fast, be a good listener, process-oriented, and work on both HubSpot and WordPress — they fit those requirements, so we chose them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $100,000–$160,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve been happy with the mix of personal and remote relationships that we’ve developed. In addition, Code 8 manages a high-quality standard in the work they do.

How did Code 8 perform from a project management standpoint?

They kick off the project with me individually, and we check in weekly to ensure that the project is going towards our goal and deadlines expectations. In addition, I like that they use Pageproofer and Marker.io for bug tracking, where we can also be updated with the priority of the pending tasks and updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a people’s business, so I can trust that they’re going to do an excellent job if I communicate my priorities to them — the relationship they developed with us distinguishes them from other providers. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have room for opportunity to be more proactive instead of waiting for me to dictate the workflow and respond to my requests — I want them to be in the driver’s seat a bit more.

Any advice for potential customers?

Develop a relationship with them because, if they believe in what you’re doing, they’ll act as an outsourced member of your team — that could have incredible downstream cascading impacts!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior online marketing manager for HYPE Innovation, an innovation management software provider. We serve clients worldwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Code 8?

We brought in Code 8 because we needed help with a major website revamp, requiring a completely new style and setup. We also wanted to use HubSpot.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Code 8 is responsible for all of the website development that we’ve had in the last three years. They’ve done two major website revamps, but I wasn’t around for the first one. I was involved in the second revamp which was done last year and in which Code 8 played a big role. 

We worked in the backend of HubSpot for the new design since the old one was still live. We were able to implement all the new designs and structure for the backend of the website. In between the revamps, they’ve been responsible for any adjustments that had to be done. We continue to develop new things for the website and erase any errors. 

What is the team composition?

We’re always in contact with one main developer, and he has 2–3 people that work with him.

How did you come to work with Code 8?

I wasn’t around at the beginning, but my manager met Code 8 at Inbound in Boston in 2016. They had connected very well and started working together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $50,000–$199,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2017 and we’re still working together on a lot of projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve made some really good projects with Code 8. We’ve improved the page loading speed of our website, which is something that has really been on our radar for a while. 

The loading speed was really slow before, scoring 30–50 on the Google page speed test, but they’ve helped us to improve that tremendously. After the improvements, we’ve scored between 80–90. It has been a big help for us and the whole marketing team to get the revamp going. 

How did Code 8 perform from a project management standpoint?

We share a common Google Sheet and communicate over Zoom. I’m in contact with the developer on a weekly basis, but he is available almost 24/7 to help us minimize any mistakes or design issues. 

We’ve had some issues with meeting deadlines in the past, but that has improved a lot since I got involved and maintained a close contact with the developer. Deadlines are now being kept.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They respond quickly to find a solution that’s out-of-the-box. When HubSpot isn’t able to give us the right solution, they always manage to find a workaround in no time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Keeping deadlines was an issue but it has improved. Reducing waiting or working time for any process is definitely something that could always be improved on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give Code 8 a try. You won’t be let down.