Func

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager at Soffione (Arh Tissue Group), one of Russia’s largest toilet paper and paper towels producers. We also produce private labels for different companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Func?

We’ve only been in the market for about two years, so we wanted to build brand awareness. Our strategy was to develop a website to represent our philosophy and products and make our communication very transparent and easy for our consumers. We aim to show that we’re producing products that are healthy and good for the environment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we shared with Func our ideas and focus on safety for people and nature. In three days, they got back to us with an excellent presentation. They showed us the template that they created, which was 100% to the point. Then, they did the layout, design, content, and articles we wanted on our website.

Overall, Func built our website from scratch. They did the design and development, and they’re available and continue to help us 24/7.

What is the team composition?

There are 2–3 people on our team.

How did you come to work with Func?

My colleague found them through a Google search. We reviewed at least five agencies and gave them identical briefs. Func was very fast, creative, and to the point, and their price was good.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2020, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve gotten feedback from large retailers in Russia, and they’ve said we have a great website. They say it’s very intellectual and easy to read, and that it gives a clear understanding of our products.

Also, thanks to the site, we’ve gained brand awareness. We’re currently running a digital campaign, so we’re landing viewers on our website. We also see the approximate time that users spend on the website, which is around 45–50 seconds, so it’s satisfactory. Overall, we’ve received good results.

How did Func perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always ready to help. Func meets deadlines perfectly, sometimes even delivering ahead of time. We communicate via email or WhatsApp. We immediately share feedback if there’s any, but we don’t have set meetings or are in contact daily.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re always ready to discuss and open to any dialogue. Their team is very involved with the progress. Moreover, they feel like part of our company. Func cooperates with us and is always ready to help and give advice.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should shout about themselves. They’re a great agency.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Describe the result that you want and share openly without fear. That’ll lead them to very nice ideas and best-in-class solutions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Head of strategic marketing at Zarina. Zarina is one of the most famous women's clothing brands in Russia

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Func was responsible for the complete redesign of our eccomerce platform.

SOLUTION

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

We were looking for an agency with solid expertise in UX/UI, and Func was among the companies on our shortlist. The deciding factor in choosing Func was their experience in the beauty industry and creating eCommerce platforms with a large audience

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

1. Func was responsible for the UX/UI of the new website, so the process was as follows:
2. Analytics and UX Design
3. UI Design
4. Approval and final adjustments
5. The key deliverable was the layouts in Figma.

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

It was from 3 to 5 people depends on the project stage. The positions were:

1. Project manager
2. Art director
3. UX designer
4. UI designer
5. Head of client success

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The updated measurable indicators we have yet to collect, but the guys have done a great job. Took into account all the current bottlenecks and presented a much friendlier interface that shortens the path to targeted actions

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

We used email, Microsoft Teams, and Notion depends on our goal. The main driving force was the project manager from Func, who was responsible for the continuity of the work process and the quality of communication between Zarina and the entire Func team.

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

Func was very responsive to our requests and willing to try different options to find the best solution. With Func, we made an excellent e-commerce solution

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

Perhaps it would be nice to have several options for solving the same problem at once, rather than moving sequentially from option to option. But the current process was quite efficient, so it is not 100% certain that the proposed scheme would have taken less time for decision making

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO of the game development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Func?

We hired them to create our companies website with the main goal to focus on our company branding and potential employees because our games are pretty famous but ourselves as a developers are not.

SOLUTION

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

We looked for professional team that could clearly understand what we need and doesn't rise price tire too high.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We have had few meeting and iterations with the mockups. Also Func studied a lot of similar sites and gave us their suggestions. After that they programmed and designed the website and we have had few polishing iterations.

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

We worked with 2 managers and art-director directly. I don't know how many people were involved on their end.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don't yet measured the results of the new website and they are not easy to measure but we like our new website much more than the old one.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I think it's ok. Nothin remarkable though.

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

I believe that how they tried to understand our real needs and create the solution exactly what was needed.

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

I think the internal quality control could be better so we will have less bugs and polishing iterations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing and PR consultant (pro bono) at Focus Media: a non-profit organization that supports vulnerable young people and women living with HIV.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We collaborate with Func to create an online charity platform for women living with HIV. Our main goal was to give a place where women living with HIV could find help and mental support.

SOLUTION

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

I have worked with Func on other projects before and trust them completely. In addition, Func covered half the project's cost, which was part of their contribution to the charity.

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

Func did Analytics and UX Design, UI Design, Front-end development, Back-end development, QA and maintenance. The website was developed with Strapi, Vue.js, GraphQL and WebSocket. Func did everything was needed, including ongoing consultation.

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

It was a project manager, 2 UX/UI designers, two web developers and 1 QA specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After launching the website almost 500 woman receives help from our specialists.

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

On behalf of Func, the project manager was involved in the project, controlling all aspects of the project: time, budget, workload, participants' emotions and keeping it all in perfect balance. We communicated in Microsoft Teams and stored all-important project artefacts in Google Drive and Notion. After each call or meeting, the project manager coordinated with us everything we had discussed at the meeting or call.

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

Func has experience working with different industries and companies of various sizes, which helps them find solutions faster. They were very flexible in balancing time, cost, and workload, which has made it possible to launch a great product within these constraints. Their contribution to the project budget cannot be overstated.

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

I guess any company has room for improvement, as there are no perfect ones, but in this case, the process was very smooth and straightforward, so I don't have anything specific to point out here.