OuterBox

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are the only retailer in the U.S. to sell and donate lost luggage from airlines, drawing one million shoppers annually from all 50 states and around the world. I am the Strategic Initiatives Manager for the enterprise and led our e-commerce project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Trinity?

We hired Trinity to design and develop our first-ever e-commerce website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a consistent look and feel across the content and e-commerce portions of our website and needed to be able to seamlessly integrate content and commerce together. With our inventory consisting of large volumes of one-off items, we also needed an incredibly efficient listing process and the ability to organize, filter, and search a broad assortment of products quickly and easily.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We considered several development partners who specialized in the two e-commerce platforms that we were deciding between. When we chose Shopify, Trinity stood out as the clear favorite based on their reputation, recommendations from subject matter experts, their understanding of our unique needs, and willingness to take on a very challenging project with a lot of moving parts.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Trinity designed the e-commerce portion of our new website, and they developed, tested, configured, and launched our entire website (both content and e-commerce pages). The project started with a kickoff workshop where we aligned on roles, responsibilities, timeline, and deliverables. After a third-party designer finished designing the overall look and feel of our website and the content pages of the site, Trinity designed the e-commerce pages to fit with her designs, providing mock-ups and iterating based on our feedback. Once all designs were approved, they developed each page, including custom functionality and integrations with third party apps. To ensure quality and performance, Trinity tested the entire website across browsers and devices, then migrated all the content from our old website to the new site. We launched the website in three phases, starting with the content-only portions of the site, then a soft launch of the additional e-commerce pages and functionality, and finally a full launch of the entire website.

What was the team composition?

I led the project from our end, with the support of several part-time resources, including a marketing director, content marketing manager, brand manager, and SEO manager. We leveraged an independent designer for the overall site design, and Trinity's team consisted of a dedicated account/project lead, an e-commerce designer, and several development team members who rotated throughout the course of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since our full web launch two weeks ago, we have far exceeded our revenue and traffic goals without any major defects, outages, or issues with site performance. The launch has drawn coverage from over 40 media stories, including several national publications. None of this would have been possible without the thorough development and testing of the website by Trinity and their unfailing commitment to our vision and requirements.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We used Teamwork to communicate and manage project milestones, tasks, and deadlines throughout the project. During the design phase, we had regular review meetings to align on direction and keep the project moving. Development took longer than anticipated, but it was a complex project and may have been slightly underscoped to begin with. Once we introduced weekly status meetings, the pace began to pick up and Trinity was transparent and communicative about their progress. In the end, they delivered a website that we are all proud of and our customers love!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Aside from their expertise and professionalism, what I really appreciated about Trinity was that they truly cared about delivering a product that we felt good about, and they went above and beyond to do so. They felt like an extension of our team, and if I had any questions or issues, I knew I could send a message or pick up the phone and they would address it. Their CEO would even check in to make sure that the project was going as expected.

Are there any areas for improvement?

My only complaint was that development progressed slower than planned, but they were very receptive to feedback and made adjustments to get us back on track.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the webmaster and oversee SEO and conversion rate optimization (CRO) for the Polynesian Cultural Center, a cultural attraction in Honolulu.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trinity?

Trinity helps us with SEO. They consult with us on strategies and optimizing our site and conversions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created our SEO strategies from scratch. When we first hired them, we had no plan for SEO at that point.

To increase our conversion rate, Trinity ran A/B testing and multivariate testing for our site. These results caused us to make structural changes to our site that were implemented permanently.

What is the team composition?

I consistently work with three people from Trinity each week. This includes a project manager and an account manager.

How did you come to work with Trinity?

Our previous director worked for another company that hired Trinity for SEO optimization, so when he joined us he brought Trinity with him.

How much have you invested with them?

The work is ongoing, and we began collaborating with them around 2015.

What is the status of this engagement?

We spend at least $60,000 annually with Trinity.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our conversion rates have dramatically increased since we started working with them. We’ve seen quite a bit of revenue come from this increase.

How did Trinity perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re the best vendor we have in terms of project management. Very professional, they pay great attention to detail. They’re great at getting back to us quickly and answering any questions we may have. Everyone from our side that works with them has a great experience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Trinity's advantage is its resources. Their response time is absolutely incredible in terms of returning decisions or recommendations on projects that we work on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re a great company to work with. They have great resources and responsible people and are very professional and good at what they do.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior director for an e-commerce website. I focus on improving and optimizing our website and UX.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trinity Insight?

We’d worked with other A/B testing partners but they were expensive and not easy to work with. Trinity Insight came on to execute our conversion optimization program with communication and collaboration.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve helped us developed our testing designs and concepts over time. We do lots of testing around engagement goals that don’t map directly to conversions. We have long visitor cycles and buying cycles because products are expensive and complicated, so they take a while to decide on. We’re focused on micro conversions and engagement metrics, which hasn’t been easy for 3rd parties to work on because they’re focused on ROI.

After helping us layout an initial roadmap, we built out a robust version that they now help us execute. They use the VWO testing platform and Google Analytics, which supported reporting for our testing program.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4-5 people. One is managing our account overall and one works on test design. there are also two awesome web developers.

How did you come to work with Trinity Insight?

They’re local to us and seemed like smart people with a good understanding of heuristics related to e-commerce sites. They understood what sort of makes sense depending on conversion goals. Originally, they were a recommendation of a colleague who worked with them at a previous company.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $300,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together sine 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re the most responsive of all the testing partners we’ve worked with. On top of communications and execution, they’re good at strategy and reporting as well. Generally, they feel like part of our team, which is rare for me. It’s great to have a partner where we feel like we’re in this together.

How did Trinity Insight perform from a project management standpoint?

The whole team is responsive and communicative. They used a web-based program called Teamwork.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re great in flexibility and partnership, especially in giving us more hours to work on reporting. Things have come up along the way and they’ve pitched in when we needed additional bench strength.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We try to be open and quick with feedback. There were a couple of communication issues in the first years, but they brought up some issues too. We have a good feedback process in place that picks up everything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is Elk Springs Resorts, and we are a property manager in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We manage over 160 properties with about 12,000 reservations and 80,000 customers a year, and I am the founder and marketing manager of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trinity Insight?

Our goals were twofold. First, we wanted to increase our conversion rates on our website, and second, we wanted to improve our UX/UI in order to make it easier for prospective customers to interact with us and to use the website to transact business online.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we started, we were really just looking at conversions. But what we realized is, it was important to do a comprehensive audit in order to understand and then address the real strengths and weaknesses of the site. They helped us to find and then fix those issues in usability and appearance as well.

From there, we ran a significant number of different scenarios and AB tested different layouts in order to measure the best layout for purchase conversions and getting people the information they need. Their team implemented all the results of those tests for us as well.

What is the team composition?

We had a primary point of contact who controlled the flow of communication, and then there were 3–4 people working on their team on the development side as well.

How did you come to work with Trinity Insight?

I actually found them while doing a comprehensive web search of firms that offered this type of solution. They had some good initial references, and when I got on the phone with them, I could just tell that they were the real deal.

How much have you invested with them?

We’re at around $60,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in February 2019 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The initial improvements we made were a little less tangible in terms of dollars, but they definitely made the site a lot better, faster, and more productive for our guests. Once we started working on SEO and other more tangible things, we actually got about a 30% improvement in our conversion rate, which was huge for us. We don’t have a lot of transactions in our business, but they’re pretty high volume, so even a small increase can mean a lot.

How did Trinity Insight perform from a project management standpoint?

I used to be a partner at a consulting firm for software, so I really understand their core business model, and I can tell you that they are really solid in their delivery. They develop a clear plan and they execute on everything in that plan, no funny business involved.

Beyond that, each of the people they have on staff is highly skilled, so you’re not paying a blended rate for people with a wide range of experience levels. Their whole team is high impact and is going to be able to execute flexibly and make changes on the fly according to what you need.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It can seem like a very risky business, dealing with a lot of service providers, but Trinity Insight is so low risk and so high impact. That was definitely a huge benefit for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there was anything specific that I wish they had done differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

One thing that I think we did well that would benefit other companies as well is to make sure you’re asking the right questions. If you have a good, talented, well-directed consulting firm like them, it’s a little bit on the client to provide the right resources and make quick decisions to keep the project moving forward the way it should.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director of operations for ENP Coffee Co, a non-profit coffee company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire OuterBox?

We engaged OuterBox to design a website and advise on web strategy.

What were your goals for this project?

The site needed to reflect our company goals. We wanted the design to draw people to the story behind our coffee while maximizing its functionality.

SOLUTION

For what projects/services did your company hire OuterBox?

We engaged OuterBox to design a website and advise on web strategy.

What were your goals for this project?

The site needed to reflect our company goals. We wanted the design to draw people to the story behind our coffee while maximizing its functionality.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our site saw increased traffic and an improved user experience. The design received a great deal of praise for its ability to express our story.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

OuterBox kept in touch with us regularly and was highly accessible. We always knew where progress stood at any given moment in the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team demonstrated a clear passion for designing the best possible site to meet every goal. They explained each stage clearly throughout the process, ensuring that each element served a purpose and provided value to our company. When any question or concern arose, I trusted OuterBox's experience and expertise to address them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

OuterBox exceeded our expectations in delivering a high-quality site design. We will definitely work with them in the future, and we highly recommend their team to anyone looking to improve their web presence.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of a real estate firm. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OuterBox?

We hired OuterBox to provide SEO services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I tasked OuterBox with generating a substantial amount of new leads for my company. We wanted to rank high for relevant keywords in every market. I gave them our budget, and they enthusiastically agreed to fulfill our requirements. 

What is the team composition? 

I talked to a couple of different people from OuterBox. Specifically, I sat down in person to meet with the two owners, Justin (Founder and CEO, OuterBox) and Nick (CEO and Partner, OuterBox).

How did you come to work with OuterBox?

I found OuterBox on the internet. I met with several different vendors, and they seemed the most informed in their field. They answered all my questions and then some. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together a couple of years ago from 2014–2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any specific metrics or statistics I’m willing to share, but OuterBox absolutely made a positive impact on my business. They generated a ton of leads for my company. I haven’t experienced any issues with my site like bugs or glitches.

How did OuterBox perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly communicated through phone calls. I also met with the owners in person several times. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was the most impressed with the results OuterBox produced for my business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The main team leaders were really good at dealing with people.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I encourage potential customers to invest heavily in OuterBox. Multiple times, I personally discovered that it costs more not to work with a professional SEO provider. You spend more money in the long run than you save trying to do SEO in-house.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a digital marketing manager at Tronair, a global leader in the design, manufacture, and sale of ground support equipment (GSE) for business, commercial and military aircraft. Comprised of over 1,500 products, Tronair's GSE is used by over 350 unique aircraft platforms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire OuterBox?

We wanted to enhance our overall website strategy.

What were your goals for this project?

The main short term goals were to increase traffic and leads to our website.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were consistently on the top of the list during our initial research. Their credentials speak for themselves.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a number of initial calls and emails for them to understand our objectives. We had in-person meetings once we were far enough along on the proposed strategy. OuterBox performed an audit of our various websites as we have multiple brands. They provide recommendations for how to enhance web traffic for each site, paying special attention to certain sites. From there, they developed a plan for SEO and PPC using KPIs to determine performance.

What was the team composition?

We work with a number of people on their team with expertise in specific subject matters. We have a main point of contact to discuss items as required.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

Our overall traffic has grown significantly, so they’ve exceeded our expectations.

How did the OuterBox perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is great. All of our questions are answered promptly. They have a portal that allows us to send a note and it's routed to the appropriate person. We have a detailed plan for clarity on timing and cost. We have check points in order to review KPIs and make necessary adjustments as required. They give us monthly results in an easy to understand format.

What impresses you about the OuterBox?

They have an ability to share a complex solution in an easy to understand manner. They make it work in a way that delivers results.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, they’ve done a good job so far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a marketing advisor at factorydirectblinds.com, an e-commerce company. We ship window coverings nationwide and dropship any type of window covering.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OuterBox?

We were trying to increase our rankings with Google searches and so we were looking for a SEO company. We had not worked with another provider before.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They have been great to work with. They have increased our sales over 150% within six months. They were able to do a lot of research within that six month period and dive into what we need to do. They have increased our ranking on page one of Google with good keywords. They continue to build content for our website monthly and update it as necessary. They have also assisted us with the launch of a new website and have been able to make recommendations for that. Anything they ask for, they are able to implement it quickly.

They have had a high staff turnover rate which has been the only drawback. Otherwise, everybody has been great.

How did you come to work with OuterBox?

Our CEO did a very extensive search for companies and then interviewed many companies over a couple of months. The location didn’t matter to us. interviewed over a couple months, sat down and talk about it. OuterBox seemed to fit us well. They were very open to and made us feel comfortable. Also, we liked that they are a small company and that their staff is personable.

How much have you invested with them?

Around $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2016 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we first started working together in 2016, we were doing about $5,000 in sales a month. In July 2017, we did $91,000 in sales; it is impressive that they have been able to increase our sales by that much. A lot of the credit goes to them because we don't do a lot of marketing and our conversion rate continues to increase with their recommendations.

Our website content continues to get better because their staff is grasping the knowledge and understanding of our products. Each and every day we have more visitors to the website. Overall, it has been a good experience.

How did OuterBox perform from a project management standpoint?

They use Basecamp to communicate back and forth. Sometimes we get frustrated because they do not call with pressing information, so you have to constantly be on your email. That is a drawback about their communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Jen [Jen Kinney, Director of Search Engine Marketing] has been our account manager from the beginning. When I give her an idea, she is able to elaborate and expand on that idea. She continues to show that we can grow as a company. She leads her team very well and they are able to provide quick turnaround time if we need it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their communication. There has been a high turnover rate which it makes it hard sometimes as new people come onto our account. People can be on your account one month, and the next month they are gone; we have to get people up to speed on our products, our goals, and our vision whenever this happens. They still respond well, but I hope the turnover rate improves.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Jet Dock Systems is a manufacturer of drive-on docking systems for boats, personal watercraft, and sea planes. We provide walkways and a floating docking system that works like a lift, allowing users to drive their boat directly on top of it and get out.

What is your position?

I am the director of sales, marketing, and IT.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with OuterBox?

OuterBox handles our SEO and website development.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

We don't engage in any print marketing anymore. Everything my company does is online. We handle our own pay-per-click campaign, but OuterBox is in charge of SEO and website marketing, including social media platforms. OuterBox is in charge of some content marketing, as well as making press releases for our company. OuterBox also hosts our website, and has developed a mobile-responsive version of it.

How did you come to work with OuterBox?

Our original web developer had quit the business, and we were looking for a new company. OuterBox had great rankings and everyone we asked about them seemed to like the company. They were also a local company, which was a great help. We could actually meet with OuterBox and know who we were talking to. The ones that originally made our website were a company that we'd known for years, so we wanted the same kind of relationship now.

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

The monthly cost for OuterBox's services is $2,250, which doesn't include web hosting and development.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with OuterBox in 2004. We have an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

My favorite part about OuterBox is that they come up with new ideas every month, and continually develop their work. Our results have gone up fantastically since we've started using OuterBox on the SEO side. We don't engage in a lot of print advertising. We've also been able to drop our pay-per-click spending since we've gotten good organic results. As a result, we're saving money by using OuterBox. We don't sell online, so it's harder to say if an increase in business is strictly due to OuterBox.

We have virtually zero downtime on our website. We track organic and paid visitors, as well as total visits and time spent on the site. Since our last rebuild, the time on site has increased, as well as the total number of clicks. After making the site responsive, we also changed out our photo and video galleries, making it much easier for customers to find items, based on OuterBox's suggestions.

How did OuterBox perform from a project management standpoint?

OuterBox sent me really long reports in the beginning, which I didn't really need. They were able to break those down and make customized versions. OuterBox likes to contact customers every month. I don't necessarily need or want that, so we've moved interactions back to quarterly intervals. I receive the news and briefing that I want, and only call OuterBox if I have questions.

What distinguishes OuterBox from other providers?

OuterBox is responsive to what I need and want, so as long as the results keep coming in, I don't have to worry about details. OuterBox lets me know whenever something goes wrong. I can look at the data and call them if I don't like something, but otherwise, everything just flows.

Is there anything OuterBox could have improved or done differently?

I don't like the Basecamp software used by OuterBox, but they've recently changed this. There were occasions in which I assigned OuterBox tasks and they didn't get back to me. I saw that as lack of responsiveness, but they simply took care of the work and didn't get back to me. The few little kinks I've had with OuterBox have pretty much been solved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Sales & Marketing of a manufacturing company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We manufacturer and sell gun grips and accessories world wide directly to customers as well as OEM for larger companies. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire OuterBox to accomplish?

• Monitor and update SEO

SOLUTION

How did you find OuterBox?

Online Search

Why did you select OuterBox over others?

• High ratings
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from OuterBox were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Updating SEO and creating content on product pages and categories. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Google search rankings as well as individual webpage performance. 

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

Yes, they are very punctual and communicate efficiently. 

What was your primary form of communication with OuterBox?

Virtual Meeting

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

They are very organized and set clear goals. 

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

None that I can think of at this moment.