TheSpider

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the former director of marketing for Gorman Health Group. We're a business consulting firm that serves organizations operating in the government-sponsored healthcare industry. I was responsible for our content management, event management, e-commerce, digital branding, and website management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TheSpider?

When I joined my role, I was tasked with developing a knowledge management platform that would allow us to monetize our consultants’ content. Our previous site’s look and feel was outdated and didn’t represent our company’s growth; it needed a drastic update. Because I’d never developed an e-commerce solution before, I reached out to TheSpider to build an SEO-compliant CMS using a subscription-based model.

What were your goals for this project?

The new site needed to have a responsive design that featured fresh, new branding to reflect our company’s evolution while also balancing our SEO and new business model. In addition to showcasing our software solutions and inviting users to explore and learn more, the platform would become a hub for prospective and new customers. We wanted to prioritize intuitive registration and profile management for our end users. On the administrative side, the site had to be easy to understand and manage.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Out of three potential candidates, we selected them for a number of reasons. Not only were they the most highly recommended by their current clients, but the team was also a one-stop shop. They were talented and professional, we felt confident in their diverse web development and design capabilities. This eliminated the need to hire and manage multiple vendors.

We also appreciated their work ethic; they were willing to work until we were satisfied with the job. The project scope remained defined, but they didn’t bill for hours in the same way as other development firms we’d worked with in the past. They seemed committed to delivering what we wanted.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Over an 11-month period, TheSpider built and launched an entirely new, custom e-commerce solution with multiple releases. The CMS balanced our business development needs with a monetized content model.

Initially, their design lead helped us articulate our vision for the platform's UX and general look and feel. We then worked with their development team to construct a detailed scope document, which served as our roadmap to the site's functionalities, including navigation, data analytics, e-commerce, and SEO compatibility. The completed site featured intuitive registration for new users as well as profile management.

Afterward, TheSpider immediately trained our team on the new CMS, which empowered us to manage the site's content ourselves, even when it was in sandbox mode. Ultimately, the team tailored the site to meet our unique consulting needs while considering our SEO, online branding, and emerging business model needs.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a UX and web designer, a lead developer and project manager, a support team of three developers, an e-commerce specialist, a customer service rep, and a legal specialist. As we wrapped up development and implementation, we interfaced more with our customer service rep and developers, leveraging the other experts as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After we launched the new site with e-commerce features, our marketing transformed from a cost center to a profit center. It's now a much more efficient lead generator.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

TheSpider used Basecamp to set up all of our interfaces and manage our content and schedule. Although I worked with their development team, they managed the process themselves. It was incredibly seamless, and they completed the entire project on time and on budget.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

TheSpider has a clear motto for their approach: they don't stop until they've done the job to your satisfaction. The team simply keeps working until you confirm that they've delivered what you wanted.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

There was very little need for improvement, but as their team is on the west coast, clients based in other time zones must plan accordingly to allow for a solid stand-up schedule.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We offered in-home health assessments on behalf of health insurance plans across the country. I was the director of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TheSpider?

TheSpider designed and built our website.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a professional website to inform prospective clients of our offerings, the expertise of our leadership (blog) and answer health insurance plan members' questions about our service.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us by a colleague that had contracted them for their website design and construction.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

TheSpider build our website.

What was the team composition?

TheSpider team felt like an extension of our team. We had a dedicated account manager and developer. Sol, who owns TheSpider, was hands-on and responsive as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

we had a monthly maintenance contract with them for ongoing design development and site updates.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had standing meetings to discuss development projects.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

TheSpider team felt like an extension of our team.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

N/A