Mercury Labs AI

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Customer Experience of Augmentive

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Augmentive is a state-of-the-art platform removing the practical and emotional friction driving the mental health crisis, by combining human intelligence, artificial intelligence and automation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mercury Labs - AI Studio to accomplish?

• To build and maintain our entire platform.

SOLUTION

How did you find Mercury Labs - AI Studio?

Referral

Why did you select Mercury Labs - AI Studio over others?

High ratings, Great culture fit, Company values aligned

What was the size of Mercury Labs - AI Studio’s team?

6-10 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with Mercury Labs - AI Studio?

In-Person Meeting, Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Platform Features

• Booking system: organisation out of the box.
• Payments: accept and make payments globally in a variety of methods and currencies.
• Messaging: fast, safe and concise communication.
• Search: powerful realtime search, built with Algolia.
• Video rooms: capability for people to access support during lockdowns.
• Corporate credit: let employers support their teams wellbeing with discounted sessions.
• Notifications: machine learning based in-app and email driven comms.
• Data: scalable data collection, pipelines and warehousing.
• Secure: GDPR compliant.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• 236.3% increase in payments through the platform in the last 3 months
• 251.5% increase in customers over the last 3 months
• 1,755.1% increase in revenue in the last 3 months.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Everything is delivered with high efficiency, communication and always delivered on time. Any queries we have a picked up and responded to very quickly, and they are always very reliable to work with.

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

Their response time to queries. Scope for innovation and creative ideas. Great team with strong communication and the ability to work with a diverse range of clients.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Mercury Labs - AI Studio could have done differently?

No, everything has been great.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am responsible for the marketing of a floral design studio based in the UK. We provide luxury floristry services to both private and commercial clients/brands from across the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

As a company operating within the events industry, the government enforced lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic meant that we had to adapt our business to survive. With no in-house developers, we hired this team to design and develop a Shopify website from which we could sell flower bouquets to clients and customers nationwide.

Last year we asked the team to update the designs and e-commerce functions to improve the customer journey/user experience on the website with a goal to increasing our sales.

SOLUTION

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

Originally the team came highly recommended by a friend and we selected them after they demonstrated that they were the right fit for this project in consultations. When looking to update our e-commerce design it felt like a no-brainer to return to them for assistance because we were very happy with their service the first time round.

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

After an initial consultation with the team to discuss the goals and deliverables required, we provided visual references all assets and content the team needed to start building the content. From there we received mock-ups which we provided feedback on and ultimately approved. The new updates to our Shopify site included AI integrations which encouraged customers browsing to view more personalised product recommendations based on previous orders and/or their activity on the site.

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

In addition to a project manager, we worked with a designer and two backend developers with extensive Shopify experience.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received lots of positive feedback from customers on the design and a noticeable increase in website activity.

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

We used Slack and Figma to communicate with the team. Any questions we had about the project were answered quickly and they always took the time to explain things clearly.

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

They were very knowledgable and efficient. The clear communication and patience they have demonstrated each time, makes working with them a very positive experience.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Metals Daily Ltd and we provide real time market analysis and intelligence in the precious metals sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Mercury Labs to build a data driven news platform, including realtime charting and alerting, alongside a predictive model to help forecast commodity prices.

SOLUTION

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

We put this to tender and Mercury Labs were selected as we were impressed with the insight and recommendations made by their team. and the quality intersection of data science, software engineering coupled with an ability to make this understandable to the non-technical.

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

Bringing together the latest global metal markets news, data and analysis. Metals Daily is the largest and fastest source of precious metals research and prices available. From real-time market data and news to in-depth analysis, Metals Daily has everything necessary to make informed decisions about the global metal markets. Mercury Labs worked on two projects with Metals Daily.

Firstly, Mercury Labs built a fullstack data-driven news platform, backend with a custom built CMS, allowing domain specialists to curate and prioritise near realtime news. The platform currently attracts 50,000 to 100,000 visitors per month. Secondly, Mercury Labs developed a commodities trading algorithm with Metals Daily, with a core objective of generating buy/sell signals of a given asset class. The strategy was predominantly devised through extensive technical analysis of historical data.

The algorithm is dynamic and responds based on current market conditions and stimuli. By performing technical analysis using indicators on the recent and historical market movements, the algorithm can generate signals, which are triggers for action; an action such as buy, sell, or hold. The algorithm will determine how long to hold based on a mix of time and price factors.

Both the strategy chosen to fit the market conditions and its parameters are heavily optimised based on the data to return the most reliable profit, based on a deviation from a linear equity. The algorithm runs entirely without human intervention and will make decisions faster than a human ever could. With the removal of human judgment and implementing well-devised and complex quantitative strategies, the algorithm has shown reliable returns on investment.

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

Mercury Labs have a team of 6 people working on the project, involving the CEO, a Data Scientist, two Fullstack Engineers, Project Manager and a Data Engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A key result of this project is shown in the 50,000 - 100,000 monthly active visitors to our insights platform as well as the accuracy scores on the machine learning models.

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

Mercury Labs had a short feedback loop which was a great help in ensuring we iterated fast over the course of the project. We used Slack for rapid communication and generally operated in two weeks cycles of work.

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

Whilst a highly technical team, their ability to communicate and provide general counsel on strategic decisions was particularly beneficial.

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

We were particularly happy with the outcome, so no improvements were requested.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an Executive Assistant at a covid testing company based in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed a backend system that could support our customer data across multiple sites, whilst at the same time being a platform that was user-friendly to our staff. In addition, we required automation of our covid testing certification. This system needed to be complaint to all data and medical regulation policies in the UK at the time for COVID-19 testing. As a result, we hired this team to develop a custom solution that could handle our needs.

SOLUTION

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

The founder of Mercury Labs was one of our customers and alerted us to some of the many issues we were facing as a quickly growing customer-facing business. His expertise in the setup of backend systems matched our brief for development perfectly.

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

Working in 7-day sprints, we worked with the team at Mercury Labs over a period of 2 years to continuously develop and manage our custom backend system. Once the initial system had been created after a few months, some members of the team worked on continuously updating the system in accordance with the covid testing regulators ever-changing standards.

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

There were 4 people in the core team, but as our needs changed and evolved over the 2 year period we would often have 1 or 2 key members depending on our requirements at the time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to ensure 99% of all certificates were delivered to customers on time. This was due to the impressive data delivery system that Mercury Labs built for us, allowing for results to come in directly from laboratories and within seconds be delivered to customers in the form of a full and compliant certificate.

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

Their project management was absolutely fantastic. We communicated through slack and received instantaneous feedback on many high time-pressured situations. Working on a 7-day sprint cycle we were easily able to manage tasks and ensure deadlines were regularly met.

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

What we found most impressive was the fact that we often faced high-stress and time-pressured situations that directly impacted our customers. The team at Mercury Labs was very understanding of this and ensured that deadlines were met without fail.

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

We were entirely impressed with the standard of work produced by the entire team at Mercury Labs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a luxury lifestyle publication.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Labs?

We engaged Mercury Labs to provide marketing consulting services. We needed help identifying our target audience for subscriptions and membership-based products.

SOLUTION

$200What was the scope of their involvement?

Mercury Labs has provided various services to help us improve the quality of our data. We shared the number of members we had, and Mercury Labs interviewed them and collected data through surveys and questionnaires. Using the responses and the results from the interviews, they created a detailed report regarding buyer habits, behaviors, and demographics. 

Since submitting the report, they’ve provided us with tactics to reach our target audience. We’ve used the data they collected for marketing purposes to acquire more members and subscribers. Additionally, they’ve helped us implement strategies to improve our landing pages.

They’ve also provided support for our AI and e-commerce initiatives.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with four team members, including the founder and the head of marketing. 

How did you come to work with Mercury Labs?

We found Mercury Labs through a referral. We liked their background and got along well during our initial meeting. They understood our business goals and shared how they could help us achieve them by taking a holistic approach.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about £1,000 (approximately $1,200 USD) in the initial project, but now we spend £100–£200 (approximately $100–$200 USD) per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mercury Labs has shared data insights that have enabled us to onboard 10 new partners. As a result, we’ve increased our sales and retained more customers. 

How did Mercury Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Mercury Labs has delivered items on time and communicated clearly via email. We have weekly phone calls to discuss progress. They’re very accommodating and implement our feedback promptly while sharing feedback of their own. Additionally, they have a very hands-on approach and are honest, straightforward partners.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility and willingness to react quickly and dynamically are their biggest strengths. I’m also impressed by their efficiency and the range of skill sets and expertise they bring to the table. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing Mercury Labs could improve on. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent about your business goals and give them the opportunity to share feedback with you. It’s important to keep your goals top of mind while being open to their process because they’re top-tier consultants.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director for a luxury blanket business. We supply blankets to B2B and B2C customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Labs?

We needed a company that could develop a new website for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We explained to Archie (CEO & Founder) what we didn’t like about our old website and the functionality we wanted on the new one. He said that it would take 1–2 weeks to get the site up and running and explained how Shopify works and how we would be able to access a lot of important data, such as where our leads come from. He also mentioned the option for us to integrate Gmail or Microsoft Outlook into the site, which we’re planning on doing in the near future.

I then provided them with photos and copy, after which Mercury Labs started designing and developing the site. The site allows customers to customize their blankets through it, eliminating the need for them to contact us directly through email or calls. Mercury Labs also handle the site’s hosting and maintenance.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with four people from Mercury Labs, including Archie and Imogen (Associate). 

How did you come to work with Mercury Labs?

We found Mercury Labs through a referral. I also know Archie personally.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between £2,000–£3,000 (Approximately $2,400–$3,600 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site runs seamlessly, and there don’t seem to be any overlaps of the issues we had with our previous site. Immediately, we had some old clients email us saying they love our new website, so that has been really positive. We’ve also had more sales come through the new website on a yearly basis compared to our previous site, but I believe this has been a mixture of the new website and our paid media campaign I started with another vendor a few months ago.

How did Mercury Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Mercury Labs has performed well in terms of project management. They’re very communicative and easily accessible. They get things done, which is really important. They also provide weekly updates and lead regular meetings.

We typically communicate through email, phone calls, and WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with Mercury Labs’ excellent support and efficiency. I did something about a month ago on the backend and screwed up the whole website — I basically deleted a whole section of it. Mercury Labs immediately helped me and fixed the issue.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything they’ve delivered has been great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to stay in constant communication with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of BALU London; a homeware brand that provides colour and luxury to your home at an affordable price.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

My initial website was developed by Mercury Labs. As a graphic designer, my goals were to have a seamless transition of design from sketch to reality. I also was yet to work directly with a coder and so was also in need of some guidance along the way.

SOLUTION

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

I chose this vendor as I know the founder and have seen some of their past projects with businesses in similar areas and therefore felt they would be the best for the job.

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

I was allocated a project manager throughout the process. Mungo would be the middle ground between me the designer, and the coders. The process began with an initial meeting, which allowed me to take him through the designs, how I wanted the designs to translate digitally and what aspects and functionality of the website was integral to the customer experience.

From there I handed the design files to Mungo, who shared these with the developers. It was then three rounds of developing and feedback to ensure the designs were properly executed and functionality formed.

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

I worked directly with Mungo (project manager) who then worked directly with one of Mercury Labs developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As this was my first launch and right at the start of the company setting out- Mercury labs created a seamless first experience of the brand for the customer.

As this was the first display of my brand to the outside world, it was imperative the speed, user journey and display of product was seamless and a reflection of the premium nature of the brand - all of which I feel was very well executed by Mercury labs. The website load was great, the photography was crystal clear and the journey from each page was straightforward.

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

Their communication was fantastic. As I am coming from a design perspective, and the coder more of a technical perspective - it can often feel like we are speaking two entirely different languages. Therefore having a project manager as the middle man made the go between seamless.

When there were any issues with the implementation of the design, I would speak directly to Mungo about this and the edits that were required and he in return relayed this to the developer allowing swift edits.

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

The company and those who work there are very approachable and willing to help. They are constantly on hand to help and are willing to go above and beyond to make sure that my needs were met and that the product I was left with was exactly what I had set out to achieve.

The speed at which they responded to issues was fantastic and made the whole process very stress free, particularly when launching a new company!

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

The only slight issues I had is that some areas of the site were not as easy to edit as I would have liked. Apart from that everything was great.