Manifest Studios

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder/CEO of an Apparel Retailer and Retail Technology company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Manifest was hired to develop an MVP model for an online direct to store LIVE 1-on-1 private video shopping platform. To develop a working website for Alpha/Beta testing and a website from which to explain the service and technology to prospective retailers. The platform integrates other third-party technologies and the goal is to create a seamless video shopping platform that is the next best thing to actually being in the brick and mortar store.

SOLUTION

How did you select Manifest Studios and what were the deciding factors?

Manifest was recommended by another professional services provider. Manifest was selected because of their high profile clients list and award-winning reputation. They were also selected due to their professional approach and detailed on-boarding and project mapping process.

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

We had a very detailed review of expectations and project development goals and objectives with the entire Manifest team. Manifest then produced a detailed project outline and development schedule which we reviewed with the team and made clarifications and changes. During the project development process we had weekly online meetings and communications were always clear. Integrated features included payment gateway, online live video, booking calendar, ship tracking and an interface with POS digital inventory management.

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

A Manifest principal as Project Manager was the main contact and two others on the Manifest development team worked on various aspects of the MVP

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All deliverables were on time and well done - my own time and ability to complete copywriter content and wordsmith the websites delayed the launch, however, our work is on a continuing basis as we are now going into a market-ready product development from the MVP.

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

We had weekly meeting online and the team was always available at other times if questions arose. They were always responsive to emails and/or calls.

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

The Manifest Studios team has an excellent and broad design/development knowledge and are easy to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing stands out

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of CX innovation for Marriott International.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Manifest Studios?

We were working to bring to life a new product offering, so we hired them for web design services. We wanted to figure out how to bring this new product into the ecosystem of hotel rooms and the mindset of guests booking on our channels. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us map out the UX flow and design of the site. They worked with us to design the website with our new product offering in mind. Manifest Studios used Sketch and InVision for most of the design process. 

What is the team composition?

I only worked with one person. 

How did you come to work with Manifest Studios?

I found them through word-of-mouth and I knew our point of contact used to work at Marriott International. I’d worked with them in the past on other projects, so I knew he was a great collaborator and would push the envelope when thinking about the UX. We knew he’d have a level of understanding about what people would expect from our site and how they would search for this new product offering.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–May 2018. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were really great to work with. They built on all of our ideas and were really good collaborators. The team held true to what they believed, but incorporated feedback and was willing to change directions. 

How did Manifest Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

They were extremely good at receiving feedback and turning it around quickly. Every deadline was met and they kept up with sharing different designs and rounds. They managed the project really well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design skills brought a whole new dynamic to our site. They were able to take bigger imagery and think about ways to bring activities to life. They knew how to get people excited about our product and did something different than what we usually do online. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I really enjoyed working with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Being more upfront about what you’re looking for is good. If you don’t know, they will help you get there. Be honest about when you change your mind or if you don’t know what you need, so they can help navigate that with you. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of Swizzy, a Chicago-based SaaS startup that provides an all-in-one collaborative tool for the SMB. I handle the day to day operations, partner agreements and oversee all projects undertaken by our company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Manifest Studios?

We pivoted as a company and needed help in re-branding our entire company, as well as a full website re-haul to reflect the re-brand. It was also an urgent matter with short timelines and deadlines

What were your goals for this project?

To re-brand entirely and represent and reflect the value of what we were providing to the market with our software. We also needed to soft launch the "new us" with an identity with both anew brand name and logo. The other goal was to build a new website to properly show who we are and what we are offering

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We looked at several different companies - we decided to hire Manifest on how well they presented the SOW, the responsiveness and attention we received, creative ability, their experience, and the ability to complete all dates and targets by desired project end date

Describe the project in detail.

The process began with a full deep dive and discovery, with myself and our VP, to gain a thorough understanding of who we were as a company, our values, our direction and what we needed done. We also discussed the timelines associated to each. Manifest then formulated

What was the team composition?

I worked the CEO - he was a very hands on and made sure that we communicated on every aspect of the project. It was great to have that level of transparency and commitment. Manifest coordinated their team beautifully each step of the way, and it was always clear who was tackling which piece of the project

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The brand theme and logo was an instant hit with early customers and early adopters expressing their likeness for it. The new website design helped increase our traffic by 25%, and allowed for more frequent conversions. Our customers were able to interact with us better through the website as a result too

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I talked almost daily with the CEO, which helped move the project forward in an extremely efficient manner. Since we had tight timelines and demanding deliverables, Manifest made sure that we were on target each week. At the end of each week we would make sure that the next deliverable date was on track and review project status through a face to face discussion or video call to ensure timeliness

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was most impressed by the quality of work and the passion illustrated to deliver the best work no matter what the project size. I knew that Manifest typically worked with larger clients, and their willingness, desire and commitment to help my startup see through what was needed was immensely impressive

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm excited to see them grow and expand with companies of my size

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a financial services firm and look for opportunities to create value.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Manifest Studios?

Manifest Studios did a beautiful job on online web development for our firm.

What were your goals for this project?

Create a online presence and marketing entity.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Introduction

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Manifest Studios designed a beautiful website for our financial services firm.

What was the team composition?

Small team but worked well with Manifest Studios.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

It has helped attract talent to our firm and a professional image.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We did it directly with founder of Manifest Studios.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Manifest Studios team is friendly and creative.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall did great and hope they continue to get better in what they do!