The DVI Group

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the regional marketing manager for a commercial real estate company that specializes in health care, industrial, and office products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The DVI Group?

We wanted to create a virtual groundbreaking ceremony for a construction project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DVI developed a storyboard, produced a 10-minute video, and created a one-minute version for social media purposes. They arranged the shoot, filmed, edited, and produced the video. Their team interviewed all of the different speakers featured in the video too. They also included the animation of the building that we built in-house. The video also included aerial shots though.

What is the team composition?

I had a primary point of contact at DVI, Erin (Production Manager).

How did you come to work with The DVI Group?

I found them through Google searches. I chose them based on the quality of their products and their location. We have a growing office in Atlanta. I couldn’t find a vendor in Jacksonville and decided to find a local company in the Atlanta area.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $30,000–$35,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started this project in June and completed it in October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, the project was successful. It garnered the right emotions and engagement from our customers and employees. The quality of the video production was fantastic. The music that DVI wove throughout the video set a tone of excitement. 

How did The DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly communicated via email. DVI used a video sharing tool that allowed us to comment and provide edits as needed. The production process was smooth and straightforward. They were flexible with us because we needed to work around the activity of the construction site. Their team rolled with the punches when the schedule didn’t work in our favor and still finished the video on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They heard our story and understood multiple perspectives. We have multiple business units that make us unique, and DVI brought everyone to the table and let everyone share their part in the project. Their team was able to synthesize all of the information into a story that made sense, which was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were fantastic.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with as much information as possible. I felt that I had too much information and brought it to them to sort out. I really appreciated that about them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder and CEO of our company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The DVI Group?

We recently launched a new website and wanted to augment our sales message with a brand video that provided a highlight of each of our products/solutions.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to easily communicate how our portfolio of products works together in a singular, cohesive platform to meet all the needs of our clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select The DVI Group?

We were introduced to The DVI Group by one of their existing clients. I knew after our initial phone discussion that they were the partner for us! They took the time to understand the needs, assemble a comprehensive proposal and answer any questions that came up along the way.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

After our initial kick-off, the production team took the time to genuinely understand our solutions and the message we needed to communicate. The project progressed through multiple creative stages and we were involved every step of the way. The final product exceeded our expectations.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

After engagement, the team at DVI provided a very specific project plan and key milestone dates for the entire process. They constantly communicated project schedule, expectations from us and kept us on schedule the entire time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video was just recently published to our website but we are actively tracking engagement with the video and expect it to increase our leads. It provides a succinct message about our platform that is easy and enjoyable to digest.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had a very effective workflow with the team at DVI. We were constantly kept aware of project timelines and deadlines and any expectations from our side. Any slip in deliverables (from our side) were quickly accommodated in an updated project schedule.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed that the production team had the ability to understand our platform and sales process. It can be difficult to communicate our capabilities on a regular phone call or demonstration, and they managed to do it in a 90 second video.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I genuinely can't think of anything that I would change or improve!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of brand service design and delivery for an intercontinental hotel and resort company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The DVI Group?

We wanted a leadership training program.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The title of the course was “Leading & Sustaining Your Service Culture”. We wanted to create a 360 program that incorporated various pieces of training to make it valuable to our leadership, especially with the high turnover in the industry. The course was divided into two parts: “Building and Sustaining a Culture”, and “The Important Role A Leader Plays in The Delivery of the Guest Experience”.

 DVI supported us in packaging all the current assets and content, as well as building out video moments in the training that spoke to the audience about some of the benefits of sustaining a culture. Additionally, it outlined some good skills to have as a leader, and what tools they could go to should they need additional guidance.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Stuart (Creative Director), Matthew (CEO), and one other person from their team.

How did you come to work with The DVI Group?

This project started before I came on board, so I’m not sure where we sourced DVI. What I do know is that it’s convenient to work with them, since they’re local. Having a local vendor makes things easier since we can have face-to-face meetings.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in November 2018, and we finished in August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We uploaded the new program into our LMS to track engagement. There were definitely some great reviews about how it made it easier for a general manager to have resources in one consolidated place.

How did The DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were open, communicative, and transparent. The team was always willing to jump on quick calls in case there were last-minute changes or feedback. They gave suggestions along the way and invited us to think about the creative elements and the bigger picture. It was a holistic approach at every step of the way. We communicated via phone and email.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were highly invested in our success. I’ve worked with other vendors in the past that were just order-takers. DVI took the time to make sure this program was well-thought-out and lasted us longer than average.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We could’ve had more consistent communication since we were moving from milestone to milestone. There was no real cadence. Having a weekly check-in would’ve been very helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to show all of your cards with them, since that helps to build the relationship. They won’t use anything against you, it’ll all be to make the program better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product marketing lead of a CRM and CTI solutions company. We’re a Cisco-only vendor and we serve contact centers. We focus on CRM and enterprise integration solutions.

Basically, we allow companies as well as contact centers and their agents to work from one screen by bringing in all the Cisco contact center functionality into the CRM or enterprise application that we build the connectors for.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The DVI Group?

We were doing a brand refresh of our connect product line. Our connect product line is our main product. Our team wanted to create an animated video to go with the brand refresh. Essentially, we wanted to create something that was catchy, punchy, and high-level.

The objectives were to show the value of the brand and show what the product line does. Our products are very technical and it’s difficult to show them off without getting into technical details.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created an animation that was one minute and twenty seconds long. It’s like a commercial or advert. Normally, we showcase our products through tech demos but we wanted to get away from that. This animation was a creative way to handle our refresh. Our team really liked the ideas they went with.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two main individuals — Stuart (Animator Team Lead) and Erin (Production Manager). We also worked with Suzanne (CRO) on the financial and billing aspects. On occasion, we had some of their creative team involved in our conversations but that happened maybe twice.

How did you come to work with The DVI Group?

They started working with my company before I joined. To my knowledge, it was probably through a referral. I believe that one of our team members said they had worked with The DVI Group before.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from March–August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The DVI Group helped us create a stronger brand for our connect portfolio. We feel that the characters in the animation they made are something we want to carry on with.

Currently, we’re in the process of a buyout for the characters they created. We’re looking at moving forward with 4–5 more videos in the same animation style they did this video with. Our team is really happy with the results and what they’ve helped us do around the brand.

How did The DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. Their team always stuck to their deadlines and kept us up-to-date. It was overall great and very impressive. If they hadn’t led us as well as they did, we would’ve been much more behind because it wasn’t always at the top of our priority list to follow up with feedback and such. They were honest with us. I was very vocal about a lot of things, and they weren’t afraid to tell us their opinion. I had to rely on their creative process a bit more than my own.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They gave us a really personal touch to the project. It was great to have a solid team but also only need to get in touch with a few individuals. There was a lot of back-and-forth communication during every part of the project. We knew that we were in safe hands.

What’s more, their ideas were so creative. They came up with things that we would never have been able to come up with. It’s clear that they know our company, and it’s great to have that continuity. There are people on their team who went out of their way to find out and learn more about us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of a single thing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust in their creative process. That’s something I struggled with. There were times during the beginning of the engagement when I wasn’t sure if we were going down the right track.

However, trusting them to do what they’re good at and being honest when you feel that something isn’t going the right way is important. They’ll either convince you that it is right or take the time to listen to you and change tracks. Their team made it clear it was always possible to change tracks.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the brand manager for a number of hotel brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The DVI Group?

We needed help engaging our frontline personnel and leadership to deliver the brand promise in hotels. We wanted to explain our expectations in a compelling and visually stimulating way.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The DVI Group created a video to explain our expectations, which was embedded in an educational software. The hotel chain we were working with was global, so it needed it be relevant and respectful of the different operational business practices in all of the regions. The DVI Group team had to incorporate a lot of nuances in order to serve all of the different locations.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people from their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2018, and we wrapped up in August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their attention to detail, lighting, editing, casting, and video production were all really top-notch. It was well-coordinated, cohesive, and professional.

How did The DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a good job, overall. I appreciated their project management especially since the company I worked for at the time was very capricious and would change their minds on a whim.

The one part that didn’t work well was the software element, which they had sub-contracted out to a third-party vendor. It wasn’t well done, but I can’t fault them for that.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attention to detail, access to great studio expertise, and strong project management are areas where they excel.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were misled in their agreement with their subcontractor. They have real expertise with creating videos, but putting it into a learning offering was something they needed to outsource. That subcontractor allowed typos, misspellings, and ignored feedback. If they want to continue that partnership, they should rectify that conduct or develop the skill in-house.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to set realistic expectations and a healthy budget. They’re not a cheap option, so be prepared to pay for quality. I was very proud of the work they were able to do.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director of compliance for a skincare company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DVI Group?

We wanted videos about compliance created for our users.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created about nine compliance videos for us. There was a kickoff call to make sure we were all on the same page. We learned about their process, and they learned about our company and goals. Our team also provided background information that we thought would help them succeed in this process. From there, we communicated over email to lay out the timeline, choose talent, and draft scripts. In the videos themselves, they used stock imagery and graphics to explain compliance while keeping it simple. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with an account manager, scriptwriter, and several others throughout the process. Our account manager was our main point of contact, and he guided us through each step of the collaboration.  

How did you come to work with DVI Group?

I wasn’t in the selection process, but I believe we found them through an online search.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in early 2018, and after some delays on our end, the project wrapped up in October 2019. The bulk of the collaboration was between mid-2019 and October, though.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did a great job. Throughout the process, they took on our niche industry and delivered results that were very close to our vision on the first try. We were impressed with their willingness to work with such a specific subject matter. At the end of the day, we reached the desired results through the videos they created.   

How did DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

While we were delayed on a few deadlines, communication was great and they hit all the milestones we needed on time. They helped make our expectations regarding deadlines and next steps for them very clear.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re very impressed with the quality of their work. This is the first time we’ve worked with a video production company, so it’s difficult to compare this to other experiences. They were very transparent and open about the process, willing to answer any questions that we had along the way. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

This may be due to the nature of the project, but it would’ve been nice to be able to jump on the phone more frequently. There were a few instances where I felt that they adhered to our feedback in their edits, but a call could’ve saved us additional emails and time on minor changes we wanted. Touching base verbally more often would’ve helped us a bit.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It was a pleasure to work with them. I’d tell anyone considering them that they’d be in good hands.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a marketing specialist for a construction manufacturer. We manufacture various small equipment for other companies in the construction industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The DVI Group?

We hired them to produce a commercial as part of our sponsorship of Major League Baseball.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They produced a 30-second spot for national television. We wanted a high-quality product and had a very tight turnaround of 45 business days. Since our products are not as easily recognizable as large construction equipment, we needed to make sure we connected with members of the general public. They came up with a realistic concept that anyone could relate to.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager. She was our primary point of contact, and we also communicated with a team of at least four others.

How did you come to work with The DVI Group?

We are a business group within a larger company. Two of our sister business groups worked with DVI for similar projects and referred them. When this project came up, we had five agencies pitch to us before we decided on DVI.

How much have you invested with them?

The whole project from start to finish cost about $120,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2019 and we submitted the finished product at the end of June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Regardless of anything else, I'm impressed by the quality they produced in such a short timeline. I know that isn't easy. We shared the initial version with our sister groups, and everyone internally is very impressed. Our VPs and CEO are all very happy, which is our main performance indicator.

How did The DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager is great. We ran into a snag due to weather, so they scrambled to find a new location in 24 hours. They handled that well, and they were extremely organized. We had constant catch-ups, and communication was very good.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their enthusiasm and willingness to create a custom commercial that fit our needs was so appreciated. Of the five agencies we considered, DVI was the only one that didn't have familiarity with our business group or our products. In spite of that, they were the most informed pitch, and their ideas were better than any other group. They did a lot of homework and took time upfront to get to know us as a whole. That really shows in the work they did for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was only one instance when a low-level grip had a bad attitude momentarily during an overnight shoot, but that is the only thing I can think of. Nothing they did affected the overall course of the project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be willing to participate in their creative process. We took a lot of time to introduce them to our product and company, which is why our project was so successful. We did put in extra time in our side, so be willing to take part in that early discovery process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a communications manager at a home construction company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The DVI Group?

We wanted to showcase one of our products and how it benefits our customers, so we were looking for a vendor to create a video for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our in-house team came up with an idea and a script. The DVI Group helped us turn the script into a very good story and then, they created an animated video. We wanted to have a fun and light-hearted video that explained how our product works without getting into too much science behind it. It's an entertaining story that provides enough information about the product to get customers interested and gives them an idea about our brand.

The video is essentially a story about two raindrops. One of them gets trapped inside our product and then it ends up evaporating out. Through these raindrop characters, the story shows how water can't get into the house and showcases our product in a fun way. The DVI Group did an amazing job with the visuals, artistic concept, and the music.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with our account manager, a creative director, and a project manager. But they had a whole team that was working on the actual video.

How did you come to work with The DVI Group?

I also volunteer for a non-profit and I saw the work that The DVI Group had done for them. We put out an RFP and got proposals from The DVI and a few other agencies. The DVI was able to work with our budget and their presentation gave us confidence, so we chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between September–October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They became a really great partner to us. We had a tight deadline, and they were able to turn the project around very quickly. We posted the video on social media, and we saw a high user engagement–not only from our consumers, but from other people who work in the industry and follow us on social media.

How did The DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

I always felt we had a lot of support across the agency and a lot of smart people in the room when we were finalizing the idea together. They gave us an exact timeline and kept us up-to-date with all the steps. We had to get approval not only from our internal staff, but from our partners, so the timeline made it easier for everyone to work together and keep the project on track. From a project management perspective, that was the best project I had worked on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very creative and know what they're doing. With some companies, you have to choose whether you want a creative team or strong project management, but we didn't have to sacrifice anything when working with The DVI Group.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your vision and give them as much information as possible. Tell them not only about your project but also about your company and your internal process. They can work with just about any kind of company and agency dynamic, but being very clear from the beginning will start off the relationship really strong.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of production for a major national retailer. My team acts as a boutique agency within the company and approaches the other departments as clients. I work with every department within the organization on a variety of video needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The DVI Group?

We hired The DVI Group to produce an animated video to a group of internal associates. The video needed to explain how to be better informed about participating in the work environment—giving context and understanding of how to perform better.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The DVI Group held numerous conference calls with internal stakeholders. They then created a rough outline for the video based on the ideas generated during the calls. Next, we refined that outline and ultimately constructed a script. The team established a plan to use animation, graphical treatments, iconography, and movement music to communicate this narrative. The DVI Group helped recruit voiceover talent and handled everything from execution to post-production editing. They ultimately delivered the final product.

What is the team composition?

Craig (Director of Sales and Marketing, The DVI Group) served as our account representative. He was active with the creative process and took on some challenges with video production.

How did you come to work with The DVI Group?

My boss had met Craig and later asked me if my team could partner with The DVI Group. We then sat down with the team to see whether or not they could translate our challenging and complex content into an accessible video for our associates.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2018 and the partnership ended in January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The DVI Group’s high level of commitment and quick turnarounds impressed our internal stakeholders. The team identified solutions efficiently and never wasted time.

How did The DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

The DVI Group met every timeline, responded quickly to our feedback, and communicated clearly. The timeline was prolonged due to the holidays and our contacts’ rigorous travel schedules. At times, it was difficult to sync up and get feedback, especially given the number of stakeholders involved.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team was thorough and ensured that everyone had the same expectations and understanding of the process. They were instrumental in keeping the video’s direction on track. Animation is subjective and each person has a different idea of how it should look. The DVI Group quickly clarified the creative direction for the 7–8 stakeholders involved in the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had one issue with the voiceover talent. We used a third-party voiceover service and the person’s demo reel sounded good. However, we ran into issues after hiring them. That was an unfortunate incident, but not uncommon.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Maintain an open dialogue and ensure that everyone abides by the production timeline. There isn’t any reason why The DVI Group wouldn’t be able to deliver a quality product on time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the director of external affairs at a municipal government based in Georgia. My role is to plan and execute our internal/external communications and engagement.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DVI Group? 

In 2017, we faced a number of major public issues with our property assessment process. As a result, we decided to undertake a large-scale communications effort to educate property owners on their rights and responsibilities. DVI Group joined the project to develop a series of animated explainer videos that would go over those details and walk people through the assessment process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

We initially had several kick-off meetings to outline the project. As we went over our business challenges and expectations, DVI Group did a great job of capturing our vision. They then used our provided scripts as a starting point, suggesting ways to make the language as clear as possible.

During the storyboarding process, we went back and forth on how to present the content. Since we wanted to convey a sense of diversity in as many forms as possible, DVI Group created characters that would appeal to a wide range of communities. They also designed the overall look and feel to be consistent with the visuals in our concurrent print campaign.

The final deliverables included six animated videos that broke down the basics of property management. Each video addressed the different forms of property taxes available, showed ways to mitigate them, and explained how to submit an appeal. Our goal was to help the public better understand our property assessment process.

What is the team composition?  

We primarily interacted with our project manager, but there were about six resources available. The full team participated during our kick-off discussions, which included the storyboard writers and animators. 

How did you come to work with DVI Group? 

We selected them through a formal procurement process. I met with several candidates and also spoke with some of my peers in the industry for recommendations. In the end, DVI Group won the contract because they had the most relevant project experience, and their pricing was very competitive.

How much have you invested with them? 

Each video cost between $6,000–$7,000, so we paid about $35,000–$40,000 total.

What is the status of this engagement? 

The bulk of the work lasted from February–May 2018, but there was one project that continued past the initial scope. This was more due to our side; DVI Group did a great job of trying to meet our timelines.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As part of this project, we’ve shown the videos at meetings all over the county and have done a lot of community outreach. The response has been really positive so far. Both the general public and our internal staff are pleased that we’re trying to explain such a sensitive topic. At the end of the day, there are very few things more important to us than our homes, so it’s important that the government is clear on people’s rights. On top of that, one of the videos won a Telly Award.

How did DVI Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Our first kick-off meetings were key to the engagement because it gave them the opportunity to really understand what we were after. As a result, it was a very seamless process moving forward. We managed the whole project internally, and I appreciated how hard they worked to keep us on track. Although there were a lot of elements, the team was focused on meeting their deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They executed our ideas as well as or even better than I could have expected. Sometimes it can be hard to convey your vision when working with a creative firm, but with DVI Group we felt always felt heard. Their ability to actively listen and translate complex business problems into a high-quality end product made them stand out.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, nothing comes to mind in terms of their performance. There were times when they had to wait for us to catch up to them due to delays on our end, which might have been frustrating. But they were just responding to our schedule, so I can’t fault them on that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Defining your project before approaching a vendor will help you achieve a better end product. This is true of any project. Had we not come prepared, we likely would’ve burned through some of our budget or schedule trying to figure out what we wanted. That’s not to say that DVI Group can’t help you brainstorm, but you’ll incur some cost.