Pacific54

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a taqueria and currently have 2 locations. On our original location, we have a speakeasy behind the restaurant, something that we’ve come to be known for. We got great music programming, and we throw cool parties in the back, but most people know us from our food. I’m the administrator and assistant to the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pacific54?

Our bosses weren’t happy with the website and wanted to renew the overall design and flow of it. Jon [Business Development Manager, Pacific54] reached out to us and said he understood our vision and could give us something we would like. We went to Pacific54 and lay out all our restaurant information as well as input on things we didn’t have before such as events stage and online ordering.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We now have an online store on our website where we constantly have new merch come out, like limited editions. We needed an online store because people kept reaching out to us through our manager and social media asking how to get the shirts and hats because we run out very quickly. My boss gave Pacific54 the big task to set up our store so people could order our merch online without having them come here. It's all on us now because we must set up all the products and implement everything on our end. The website is exactly what we intended it to look and function.

We also wanted to be able to upload past and present events that are going on in the lounge. They helped us with the flow of that and got into the website.

How did you come to work with Pacific54?

We already had a web designer at the time, but we weren’t too happy with how things were looking. We also had some trouble with their availability and being able to access them when we needed to make a change. Jon reached out and met us, and my boss really liked what he had to say. Pacific54 was ready to go in a totally different direction, put our vision in their hands, and run with it.

How much have you invested with Pacific54?

I don’t recall any of the pricing details.

What is the status of this engagement?

He first reached out in March. We submitted our ideas and had our first design meeting in the last week of April and early May of 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I don’t think we have any numbers we can share; we haven’t stayed on top of the metrics of our website. Pacific54 put in play all of the elements that we came to them with. They set up the mobile version of the site too.

How did Pacific54 perform from a project management standpoint?

Pacific54 executed everything that we asked them to within the timelines they gave us upfront.

Pacific54 is easy to reach, and they are very understanding and responsive. If anything, it was more difficult for them to reach us to make things move forward because they caught us in a very hectic time. From the beginning, when drafting a proposal to the meeting for the design process and any subsequent revisions, they kept us up to date.

What did you find most impressive about Pacific54?

Their receptiveness and their ability to adapt and act accordingly to whatever we threw at them. In our first meeting, Pacific54 sent us an initial mockup. My bosses changed their mind and wanted to take it in another direction and completely flipped it. Pacific54 gave us exactly what we wanted because they adapted quickly and efficiently.

Are there any areas Pacific54 could improve?

I don’t have any grievances. If I did, I could reach out to Pacific54 directly, and I know they would take care of it. Pacific54 is very responsive and couldn’t leave us hanging.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Pacific54?

As long as you communicate when you need something, Jon and his team will make working with Pacific54 be easy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

ServicesOnSite is a business services company offering a wide range of services, such as staffing, document and records management, and filing and scanning. We handle back-office tasks and allow companies to focus on their business.

I am the vice president of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pacific54?

We were getting zero traffic to our website. It was outdated and hadn't been built for the current changes on the web. In today's time, it is necessary for a company to have a web identity. We hadn't been representing ours well, so we decided to look for a reputable partner who could change that and give us a new face online.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We sought to push the on-demand side of our business, so we implemented a scheduling option. We have a service request web form, which people can use in addition to off-site options. There were no interactive capabilities before.

Previously, we only had bounce traffic. There was no way to keep someone engaged, given that it was a 2-3-page website. Right now, people can navigate it and get lost on the site, in a good way.

How did you come to work with Pacific54?

We found Pacific54 through word-of-mouth. We looked at a couple of other companies that weren't as intense or as eager to work with us. Pacific54 has some well-respected local customers, and looking at those sites made it a done deal.

How much have you invested with Pacific54?

Our site is custom-tailored and wouldn't be representative of Pacific54's pricing for other work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together with Pacific54 around May 2016. The site has now been completed 6 months later, but we're putting together a digital marketing strategy with Pacific54 in order to drive traffic and continue to leverage the page.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We've launched the site only a few days ago. I have received a handful of comments for it, but we haven't been able to pick up any metrics.

We're not the biggest or the smallest company on the market. We want to tackle different small and mid-sized businesses and needed to develop a site that could attract a variety of clients. Pacific54's team took it upon themselves to feed into the notion that we can be a family-oriented company but that we're scalable at the same time. The site reflects just that by enabling people to go directly to the service they need or look at a suite of services.

How did Pacific54 perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked with a lead business developer from Pacific54's team. His follow-up was on point. The scope of work demanded that each of our teams respond in a set amount of time, and Pacific54 did this all the way through. The lead designer constantly followed-up with more questions about our story and what the company was. It wasn't a one-time process; he made sure that he'd nail exactly who we were. We met face-to-face 3-4 times at Pacific54's offices, and it was nice to get to know them.

The backend had a 2-week development schedule, and Pacific54 delivered on time. They got back to us with the results and asked questions about how we wanted everything to look, after which they went back to work again for 3 weeks. We received another follow-up right on time. Pacific54's project management didn't overrun anything, and we had a great back-and-forth. The total process was estimated to run for 6 months, and we're launching the site 6 months later. The initial budget was also maintained.

What did you find most impressive about Pacific54?

Pacific54 is well known locally, and I'm sure that they are running several projects at once, but I definitely felt as if we were a priority to them. All of our requests for changes and edits were heard. Pacific54 took all our punches and delivered.

Are there any areas Pacific54 could improve?

We've had 2 bad experiences prior to working with Pacific54, with the work falling apart prior to going to the development phase. Nothing fell through the cracks in Pacific54's case, and we had a good enough business relationship to continue a digital marketing strategy with them, pushing far beyond the initial 6-month site-building scope. 

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Pacific54?

After my experience with the 2 previous developers, I was hesitant in using Pacific54, thinking they would dismiss us. We weren't the largest client, but Pacific54 still took care of us, so I advise other people not to have any hesitations. Pacific54 makes honest efforts to get to know companies and make sure that they're successful. Pacific54 sees the work as a continued relationship and is a full-service provider, able to help with strategy and growth.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are an online memory foam mattress vendor, focused on college students. Mattresses can be ordered on our site and shipped out via FedEx in 3-5 business days. By cutting out the middle man, we are able to offer our mattresses for $450-850, while the same product would sell in retail stores for around $2,000.

What is your position?

I am one of the co-founders of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pacific54?

Our business is done entirely online. We don't have a retail store or any other means through which people can test our mattresses. As such, we wanted a nice, sleek website that was inviting and spoke to the college student and graduate audience. For a while, we were able to operate through a site built by myself and my co-founder. It wasn't optimized for SEO [search engine optimization] and it wasn't clean, crisp, nor inviting. It was more hacked together and functional, so we were looking to take the next step for our consumer-facing business. We rely solely on online sales.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Pacific54 built a more credible and professional website for our company. We came in with a broad range of requirements. We knew that we wanted to have an improved website which would not only be functional, but also catered towards our target audience. The big challenge was taking that vision and creating a website that was not only functional, clean, cool, and awesome, but also easy-to-digest and to navigate from a user perspective. Pacific54 did a great job.

How did you come to work with Pacific54?

I play soccer and am also part of a program called Venture for America, which is a 2-year scholarship program that places graduates in cities which are struggling economically or have a hard time recruiting resources. Miami is one of those cities, and I became very involved in the startup scene here. One of the co-founders of Pacific54 took part in a soccer game with me, and I started telling him about my business and the fact that we were looking to create a new site. We obtained some funding and had a need of improving our process and brand. I ran a reference check on Pacific54, and we started working with them.

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

Sorry, this is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first met with Pacific54 in April of 2016 and started working on the site. The work is just now wrapping up. The whole project took a bit less than 2 months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

It was an absolute pleasure to work with Pacific54. Their processes are very refined and structured in a way which allows the work to be streamlined. There were no delays. We met with the creative team from Pacific54 and had a brainstorming session, showing them some parables from the industry, including examples of what we did and didn't like. We kept the information vague in the beginning, which could have gone in a negative direction, but it wasn't true in our case. Pacific54 took what we gave them and accomplished it, while also coming up with their own ideas. From a user perspective, I think that Pacific54's work will be helpful in getting people to our site and translating those visits into sales.

Pacific54 was very transparent and let us know what was possible and what wasn't within our scope. Pacific54 did a good job in sticking to expectations and making a structured plan.

How did Pacific54 perform from a project management standpoint?

We used InVision throughout the process, which was a helpful tool in allowing us to work on creating feedback in a timely and organized manner. Project management was the best part of our collaboration as a result. It was unbelievable to be able to collect feedback and show Pacific54 specifically what we'd liked changed on each section.

What distinguishes Pacific54 from other providers?

I appreciated their overall structure. From the moment when we started talking with Pacific54, to signing the contract (which was very easy to digest), to the actual brainstorming and design phase, and down to the final revisions, everything worked smoothly and made sense.

Is there anything Pacific54 could have improved or done differently?

Nothing comes to mind immediately. This has been our first time creating a website using an agency. From our end, we didn't really know what was or wasn't possible. I think that, if we worked on such a project again, we'd have a better idea of their capabilities and not have as much back-and-forth.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Grand Salon Reception Halls & Ballrooms specializes in wedding receptions, quinceaneras, baby showers, private events, and corporate events. The company has several locations and offers reception packages to fit any budget.

What is your role or position at the company?

I am the vice president and event coordinator manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pacific54?

Our challenge was finding an advertising company we could trust, was easy to work with, and was capable of understanding our needs as clients. At that time, we were experiencing serious difficulties with our previous advertising company. The transition was exceptionally smooth thanks to Pacific54's ability to handle the situation and facilitate the process.

What were your company’s specific goals for the project, especially as it pertains to your industry?

The main project for Pacific54 was to assume control of the advertising reins in the company and take our promotion to the next level.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

The scope of projects Pacific54 has completed is numerous. They redesigned the company’s web page, created strategies to better our search engine position and are responsible for our presence in social media. Their creative team is continuously producing innovative ways to generate new leads and approach potential clients. They also design a monthly email newsletter, which has become an excellent source to advertise the company's promotions and share news with clients. We are extremely happy with their work and would not hesitate in giving them the highest of ratings. 

How did you come to work with Pacific54?

Pacific54 was recommended by a friend. We feel lucky to have found such a professional team to lead our business advertising campaign. Having Pacific54 as our advertising and SEO [search engine optimization] company throughout these past four years has been a great asset to our company.

When was the project started? When was it completed (or is the work relationship ongoing

We started using the services of Pacific54 about 4 years ago. As I previously mentioned, we needed to transfer the entire advertising campaign and SEO to a trustworthy company. The process took a couple of months to ensure that the clients wouldn't notice the changes and that our business wouldn't be interrupted. The transition was exceptionally smooth thanks to Pacific54's.

Can you give us a sense of the project size in dollar terms, or even a broad price range?

Sorry, this is confidential.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project? What have they helped you achieve as a company? Are there any statistics/metrics you can share?

Pacific54 has definitely contributed to our company’s growth. We absolutely depend on our webpage, online advertising, and social media; Pacific54 has been the genuine vehicle to improve our online position and update the webpage with a modern and an elegant style. They also introduced and created a huge social media platform which is critical to engage to new clients now days.

Having Pacific54, as our SEO company during these 4 years, has been an amazing journey and asset to our company. We feel lucky to have found such a professional team to lead our business advertising company.

How did Pacific54 perform from a project management standpoint?

They work quickly and show enthusiasm in every project.

What distinguishes Pacific54 from other providers?

Pacific54 is an extremely creative company with a highly innovative team. Their abilities to listen, understand, and interpret our ideas fulfills all our expectations. They produce original ideas and are fast when solving problems. They understand their role in making our business flourish and are determined to ensure it happens.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve or things you might do differently?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The Idea Center of Miami Dade College focuses on teaching students about innovation and entrepreneurship.

What is your position?

I am the founder and executive director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pacific54?

We have 21st-century skills programs like MarketHack, a marketing educational program, and a computer science program that we run in conjunction with Harvard University. We needed more student participants for them.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Pacific54 has provided direct marketing services for us in order to get more enrollment for our classrooms. They have also revamped our website and are helping in other initiatives.

How did you come to work with Pacific54?

I met their owner a few years ago and was very impressed by his presentation. His company was a bit more expensive than other suppliers, so I did not end up working with him at that time. I continued to think highly of Pacific54, and when I met them again at one of our Idea Center events, I gave them an opportunity to show their talents. Pacific54 delivered.

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

Sorry, this is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have an ongoing relationship which started in the fall of 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

So far, Pacific54 has delivered results in the programs for which they are responsible. I plan to keep using them. The website itself is less important to our organization in the sense that the quality of its design is completely subjective. Thus, I only care about how many students sign up for our programs, and these numbers have improved.

What distinguishes Pacific54 from other providers?

There isn't anything in particular I could state. I enjoy our relationship, which is important. Pacific54 is very easy to deal with. If we make mistakes, they are taken care of; we learn and keep going.

Is there anything Pacific54 could have improved or done differently?

In terms of making small changes to the website, they could have been a bit faster. I do understand that any big project will take extra time, but speed can always be improved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Wyncode Academy is a school for teaching people how to code in a nine-week intensive boot camp format.

What is your position?

I am one of the co-founders of the program.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pacific54?

We launched our program in the Wynwood area of Miami, with which we weren't familiar, coming from Canada. We needed local vendors that could help us market our program to customers. Some of the things we needed were SEO [search engine optimization] and web advertising. We decided to use local vendors in order to help build a network in Miami.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Pacific54 does a lot for our company, including managing our social media. We handle much of our daily posts, but any event-based material is taken care by them. They write our blog posts based on our direction. They developed our website from the ground up, including its design. Pacific54 handles our SEO and any other online aspect of our activity that needs maintenance. They do everything quickly and effectively. We're very happy with them.

How did you come to work with Pacific54?

We thought that, if we are to hire an SEO company, then they should rank first when we do an online search within the Miami area. This was one of the first elements that made us want to talk to them. They're located in a great area of the city, their client list is great, and they made a great initial pitch to us. It was a no-brainer to choose them. We did consider other companies, but we didn't go very far on alternative paths.

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

They're service cost includes our advertising spending as well, so I'd rather not share this information. We work on a monthly retainer and have increased our budget in time since they've done more services for us. But, from looking at their competition, I can say that Pacific54 is cost-effective. For what we're getting, the value is there.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them for a couple of years. Our online campaigns were started in February 2014, and our site was launched a couple months later. We were using a website built by another company at the time, but Pacific54 has since redesigned our page.

Out of all the companies we contracted, Pacific54 is the only one with which we've kept a relationship. They've been very good at what they offered us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We've been in top positions for pretty much any combination of coding education keyword searches within the South Florida area. We've grown a lot as a result, numbering three campuses at the moment. They go the extra mile for us, providing great work. Pacific54 has solved the pain point of getting a good online representation. They've worked on our rankings, but have also engaged in campaigns akin to growth hacking in order to increase our enrollment rate.

We're focused on being found by people searching for code school programs. We look at ourselves as a high-quality education provider and want to make sure that we're seen as such. This is definitely happening. Our applicant numbers are growing. We've had the most ever people interested last month. This is a result of our natural growth, but also of Pacific54's services growing with us. We're hitting our goals, and whenever we were behind on student enrollment, Pacific54 responded well and picked up their pace. 

What distinguishes Pacific54 from other providers?

One differentiating factor is their location and the type of team they've built. They have specialists for many different things. If we need a blog writer or social media expert, they have one. They complement their resources through offshore developers, so if we have a bigger project to run, they can assist us. It may take longer, but it will be done. Pacific54 makes this seamless, which I appreciate.

I've referred many businesses to them, and so Pacific54 has begun working with many startups in the Miami area. They have the right approach, and their own marketing and branding looks right. If a client in this area is looking to make a hire, Pacific54 is the perfect choice.

Is there anything Pacific54 could have improved or done differently?

The main challenge has been our growth. We've expanded from two to 15 people in our company, and we've graduated 250 students. Any time a client goes through a growth phase like this, they need to touch base with what their priorities are and how the account needs to be handled. This is not a negative, because issues have always been sorted out, and we've continued to work with Pacific54 throughout. Any business that grows by more than 50% in a year will put pressure on its vendors.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Analyst of a healthcare company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Help healthcare providers plan, implement and optimize best-in-class medical imaging technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pacific54 to accomplish?

• Website Maintenance & Optimization
• Consultation

SOLUTION

How did you find Pacific54?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Pacific54 over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pacific54 were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Pacific 54 helped address the health of our website and executed on all available optimizations. These optimizations help our website run efficiently and is paired with SEO expertise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website has reached the maximum health score and our SEO score has reached a new height.

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

Yes, and are always available when an urgent matter comes up.

What was your primary form of communication with Pacific54?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The immediate culture fit and accountability were impressive. They were always on time and no complaints in between.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pacific54 could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of a government agency. 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a government agency for ethics. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pacific54 to accomplish?

• design website
• manage website

SOLUTION

How did you find Pacific54?

Referral

Why did you select Pacific54 over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Pacific54 were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Completely developed our online presence

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Created website allowing for online training programs and registration capability

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

very responsive

What was your primary form of communication with Pacific54?

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

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

They have great customer service. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pacific54 could have done differently?

none I can think of