Followbright

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

We’re a group of professional associations for health and wellness professionals. We provide a membership that includes liability insurance and other benefits that go along with that.

What is your position?

I am [Lara Bracciante] the director of information services and he [Jed Heneberry] is the director of marketing and member relations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were attempting to address when you began the relationship with Followbright?

We’ve engaged Followbright on four separate occasions. The first was an efficacy and usability audit, essentially asking them, how good is this site, is it doing what we want it to do, what recommendations would you offer for improving it. Since then, we’ve engaged them to redesign that initial website fully as well as two other sites.

SOLUTION

How did you select Followbright as your solution partner for this endeavor?

We initially chose Followbright based on their portfolio and client references. When providing a site audit, they were thorough, insightful, and solution oriented, which lead us to engaging them on a deeper level with our site redesigns. Each time we’ve had a need for such services, it’s been an easy decision to bring them on board again, considering the credibility they incur with each project.

Could you describe the scope of work that they’ve delivered during the course of the relationship in terms of the various services?

In performing the initial site audit, we asked a list of questions surrounding efficacy, design, and usability. The result was a 56-page report detailing strategies and opportunities specific for to our organization’s goals. When it came time to redesign the site, Followbright was the obvious choice.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in terms of its financial cost?

Followbright has been great in reconciling the budget with desired work and giving us options. Projects have ranged from $5,000 to $12,000.

When was your redesigned website launched?

It wrapped up right around May 13, [2014].

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

Not necessarily, because we’re still right in the midst of coding. We won’t have metrics and figures on performance until after the official launch. Statistically speaking, though, 100 percent of the people in our office are excited about the new website. It’s really been quite a long time coming, and we’re mostly excited about the prospects of growth.

From a project management perspective, I have to say that they were always right on top of everything. They’re extremely responsive to and flexible with their client requests, too, which made an enormous difference. Developers aren’t really known for their ability to communicate well with executives, but they’re different. We were very impressed with their diligence and transparency. They always made sure we were updated on the status and progress of our various deliverables.

When working with Followbright, is there anything you’d consider unique about their strategic approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors?

Two things immediately come to mind. One of the biggest key factors was Erin [Pheil, owner and project manager at Followbright] herself and how involved she throughout the entire process. She really takes ownership over the work and her team of designers and developers. She was always our primary point of contact, which was fantastic. Having that kind of exclusive attention from the CEO isn’t really something we’re accustomed to, especially within the context of IT [information technology]. The Followbright team is fantastic in asking the right questions to clarify the project, every step of the way. It’s easy to use subjective terms when discussing design. Followbright comes back to us every time and asks more questions, ensuring we get specific and clear ourselves on what we really want. They are really experts in this and take nothing for granted. This way, we avoid the mistakes and re-dos that come from ambiguity and client/vendor assumptions.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think Followbright could improve as a service provider?

We’ve been thrilled with the results of the deployment thus far, and Followbright has really gone out of their way to meet our expectations. We’ve experienced a few hiccups, but nothing of critical importance, and certainly nothing that wasn’t resolved sufficiently by Followbright.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

I work for a physician management and staffing organization. We specialize in contracting with small hospitals from the Intermountain West. We provide physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to hospitals that need them, especially in more remote, rural areas.

What is your position?

I’m the founder and lead physician.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were attempting to address when you began the relationship with Followbright?

We wanted to have an effective online presence that allows our potential clients to be able to see what it is that we do, how we do it and why we’re better than our competitors. We needed it to driven our business and inform our relevant audience.

SOLUTION

How did you select Followbright as your solution partner for this endeavor?

I wanted a local company with a well-established reputation for delivering exceptional work. As I was looking around for places in Colorado, I noted that Followbright happened to be one of the older companies. It was consistently around rather than coming and going like some of the other Web development shops. Seniority and consistency were important factors for us, so I sent along a message to them.

Could you describe the scope of work they’ve delivered over the cource of this business relationship?

They’ve done backend development, frontend design, information architecture, and systems integration. They also reconfigured our system after syncing our various databases. We’ve really taken advantage of a full spectrum of service offerings.

When was the most recent project completed with them?

Not only do we use them for our website, but we also use them for ongoing support for our contract proposals with hospitals. They help us with graphic design in order to help build the structures around many of our contracts, our proposals. The last time we finished something was probably a few months ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of some results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback you’ve received that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

Multiple people, especially right when we built our site, looked at it and were very impressed with the depth of the design of the site. They felt like it was one of the better, especially within the healthcare space, websites that they’d ever seen. We had invested substantially in Followbright in order for them to produce something that was head and shoulders above our competition. I believe we succeeded in that effort. Our company has seen considerable growth since our since the launch of our site. In the last two years, we’ve grown 150 percent. We’ve gone from being a $2 million company to more than a $5 million company during that time. I would definitely attribute some of that growth to our website and, by extension, to Followbright. 

When working with Followbright, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors?

I like the fact that when I call Followbright, I’m talking to someone who can actually get something done. I’ve dealt with other Web vendors where you talk to a secretary and they’re two or three degrees away from the person who can actually make a decision. I would say that Erin [Pheil, Followbright's owner and project manager] takes a pride in her product and the service for her clients that is exceptional in the space. She doesn’t simply take your money and run. She not only cares that your product is viable, but that if something comes up later, you feel confident that she will take care of it. That’s the kind of approach to client relationship building that really makes the difference. It’s not about any single piece of work that might be awarded. It’s about building a mutually beneficial and sustainable business relationship. Followbright has that approach down pat, and it’s the kind of accountability and professionalism you don’t find so often in the technology space. 

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think Followbright would improve as a service provider?

I really can’t think of anything from my end. I know Erin zealously protects the size of her company in order to ensure she can maintain a certain level of quality service. Her concern is that if she grows too much, she’ll then become incapable of providing the high level of service she’s really known for. No doubt, it’s a legitimate concern of hers, but I think there’s a balance to be struck. If it can be done, she’ll surely find a way to do it.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

I work for a micro-business in Bloomington, Ill. We do primarily branding and marketing work for our clients. We focus more of the print side of the marketing and branding. We work with positive impact companies, which we define as any organization doing things in an environmentally responsible manner, offering sustainable products, and have positive influences on their local communities.

What is your position?

I'm one of the co-founders, along with my husband.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were attempting to address when you began the relationship with Followbright?

Because we operate as a micro-business, we tend to partner with the folks that cover areas that we can't. One of those areas is the online and digital experience, specifically the ability to design and develop. We have, for the past four to five years, been struggling to find a quality partner for this particular area. We were struggling to identify a partner that was reliable, responsible, and consistent. I met Erin [Pheil founder and owner of Followbright] through a kind of marketing mentor group for small businesses. We each had a peripheral knowledge and familiarity with one another. She finally reached out and said, "I'd like to swap stories and get to know people in the industry on a personal level." We had sort of a get-to-know-you call and I was immediately drawn to her on account of her professionalism and charisma. I delved a little more into what her company provided and it felt like a beautiful match in terms of what we were looking for at the time. It turns out that I had a client that required branding and identity work done. It was then that we hired Followbright. The scope was relatively small, but it allowed us to demo how we'd work together. I was very impressed with the whole experience, so they became our de facto technology partner.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of work delivered to you in greater detail?

There was the strategy and positioning work. They did all of the competitive analysis, and then worked with me on the messaging and positioning statements for my client. They came in as superheroes and saved a website project that had begun before I ever met them. It wasn't the ideal scenario to begin with, but we were able to deliver the unimaginable. The client was shocked with our ability to transform their previously abysmal website. It had gotten to the point of we weren't really sure how to even complete the project. Erin stepped in and said, "Let us fix this for you." In a matter of two weeks, the site was ready to roll and absolutely gorgeous. I could barely believe it myself. We're now going to be working on a social media campaigns with an overarching strategy for another one of my clients. It happens to be the same client whose website project was saved originally.

This is an ongoing relationship, correct?

Yes. We have several ongoing projects right now, but the most recently completed one would have been the competitive analysis and positioning statement. That would have completed at the beginning of May.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback you've received that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

Let's see. That's a little trickier. The client has been incredibly pleased with everything we've delivered to them. Most of the work we've done hasn't necessarily been the most conducive to measurement and tracking. For example, salvaging our client's previous website required auditing the entire website to identify and isolate the various bugs, errors, and inconsistencies. Once we'd completed that preliminary stage, Followbright actually went in and rewrote the source code, making ad hoc modifications as necessary. The client was ecstatic with their revamped site. Ninety-nine percent of the bugs and dysfunctions were addressed prior to relaunch. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that our client thought the entire thing was some kind of miracle. Their site had fallen into complete disrepair, with basic functionalities like unique user login being completely inoperable, and no way to troubleshoot problems easily on the backend.

When working with Followbright, is there anything you'd consider unique about their approach that distinguishes them from other vendors?

Yes, there is. I would have to say, hands down, their accountability as far as the project timeline goes. We remained consistently updated throughout the entire deployment, which was nothing short of fantastic. That's been an area we've really struggled with when using other vendors. Things would go awry during an early stage and they'd simply fall off the radar, without so much as a peep. I don't know why that is, but somehow in the Web development world, the people we've worked with are a little more freeform when it comes to timelines and communication skills. It's really a crapshoot. Followbright takes complete ownership of and accountability for their work. There are no excuses. Erin doesn't make promises she can't keep, which is refreshing. A lot of developers make fantastic, promising claims about what they can deliver. People will succumb to this kind of business demagogy and end up getting the short stick when the deployment comes around. That's how projects will end up failing miserably. Vendors need to provide their clients with realistic estimations of their internal capabilities.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think they could improve as a service provider?

I'm the kind of person that wholeheartedly believes that there's always room for improvement. If we're not constantly improving, we're stagnating. That said, at least in the context of our own project, I couldn't really speak to any weaknesses of theirs. I suspect there's at least one thing they could improve, but speaking from my own experience with them, I'm unsure of what that might be.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner/operator of a small remodeling and construction business in Breckenridge, Colorado. Our team of four employees strives for customer satisfaction when completing home makeovers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Followbright?

We needed to create a website that gave our customers a better understanding of who we are as a company and what kind of projects we tackle.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a top-notch website to drive new business, display past projects we have completed, and provide future customers with a sense of our brand.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I’d heard about their ability to help businesses rank at the top of search engine results. I liked their commitment to high-quality design.

Describe the project in detail.

Followbright created our website from scratch.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Erin (Founder and Lead Consultant, Followbright).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our business continues to rank high in local search engine results for this field of expertise. The website lets potential customers feel comfortable with our team even before we enter their home.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They knew where we were headed long before I did in the design process. I’m glad they helped us achieve the top search engine rankings for our industry.