Uplers

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the lead designer at Creative Stream. Our primary focus is web design and development. We also do digital graphic design and animation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WebbyMonks?

We’d gone through several front end developers while trying to build our WordPress templates and needed to find someone else to create them. Our in-house staff had the skills to do it, but we didn’t have the spare time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’d had issues with previous developers not understanding what we wanted, so we started them off with a couple of small projects. There was a steep learning curve and we gave a lot of feedback, but it helped us develop a system for building the templates we needed. We design the sites and send them our Photoshop files along with a comprehensive list of specifications for how we want the templates to integrate with our existing CMS. They take those notes and build the template, then we go through revision stages to fine-tune everything.

Since working with them, they’ve also helped us transition entirely to WordPress.

What is the team composition?

We have one contact person and she manages the developers on their end. I’m not sure how many there are.

How did you come to work with WebbyMonks?

We started working with them before I came on board, so I’m not sure how my colleague came to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £20,000 (approximately $25,400 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since 2015 and we’re still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients are very happy with the functionality of our sites. The way they’ve developed the mobile view, in particular, is very intuitive.

Working with them has saved us the hassle of hiring full-time staff to handle our front end development. They created a very flexible solution that will let us outsource other development in the future without a bottleneck building up. It’s cut down our workload, especially since they have better expertise in WordPress. They’re also able to troubleshoot for us when things go wrong.

How did WebbyMonks perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve integrated well within our operations, but they need a lot of oversight in order to return optimal results. That said, they’re very happy to make adjustments when we need them and they turn around edits within a day or two.

We generally keep in touch via email and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The developers are friendly and come up with solutions for anything we design.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have quite exacting standards, and at first, we didn’t get matched to engineers who’d deliver the quality we wanted. Some templates would come back very well-built and designed to account for our CMS, but others would come back with inflexible designs that couldn’t work for us. It took a while to refine that process. We get good service from them now that they understand what we expect.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be explicit and descriptive in your instructions so that you end up with the results you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a former principal and director of web operations at a creative agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WebbyMonks?

We contracted with WebbyMonks to provide outsourced web support for several of our clients. We had enough clients so that we were always busy, but we didn’t have enough clients to be able to hire the full-time staff that we wanted to. We thought we could scale easier and faster if we brought in outside assistance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our initial project with WebbyMonks was building an email template, but our engagement quickly grew to include many of their other services. During our web development projects, our in-house staff provided designs for all pages with the content, and we relied on the WebbyMonks team for the development aspects. Primarily, those projects included WordPress, but there was also some custom development using React. During SEO projects, WebbyMonks would conduct keyword research and then suggest content topics for either our team or our client’s team to write about.

What is the team composition?

The WebbyMonks team is broken into segments based on service lines, so I had about 12 different contacts in total.

How did you come to work with WebbyMonks?

One of their sales representatives reached out several years ago to pitch their services. They suggested starting with a small project so that we could get familiar with each other. Once that went well, we advanced to larger projects.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the course of four years, we’ve probably spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2014. I’m no longer with the company, but I believe the engagement remains ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

On occasion, there were instances when the scope would have to be addressed following development, but WebbyMonks was always able to make quick fixes when necessary. It was rare to receive any concerns from clients regarding WebbyMonks’ work.

Internally, we cleared that scaling challenge. We managed to increase our own staff from seven people to 16 people over the last few years because we’ve been able to use WebbyMonks for that overflow support while planning and building for our own future.

How did WebbyMonks perform from a project management standpoint?

It got better over the years as they began adding project managers to oversee each of the departments that we worked with. They were helpful in retrieving feedback when I needed it. I wasn’t trying to micromanage, but I had to coordinate updates with six different clients sometimes. Once WebbyMonks started involving project managers, they were always very accommodating. We planned communication around the starts and ends of their days—usually through Skype calls or ActiveCollab.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most valuable thing about WebbyMonks was their reliability. They were dedicated to meet all deadlines. Our team knew that we would have a product ready for QA on the agreed upon date. WebbyMonks has an extensive team, and it always seems like they’re training somebody new, but they are still aware of the latest code and the best practices. Over the last 20 years, I’ve never found another outsourcing company that was so reliable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

For them having such a large team, I still coordinated a majority of the project management tasks. WebbyMonks was serviceable, but I ended up doing a lot myself.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the president of a digital media company that creates marketing collateral. We have a national reputation and create videos, e-newsletters, and social media content for our customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire EmailMonks?

We were tasked with creating an electronic newsletter for a client that is owned by a global transportation conglomerate and needed help with bringing it to life.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them on the internet.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

EmailMonks has been our go-to partner for about two years now. We provide the designs we want, which are created by our staff. They take that, and within eight hours, generate the code for responsive newsletters that can be opened by the majority of e-mail clients available.

What was the team composition?

I’m usually the project lead and we work with several members of their team. The account manager always ensures that the work runs smoothly and answers any questions we may have. It’s such a treat to work with her.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients are very happy with the work we generate with the expertise that EmailMonks brings to the table. They go above and beyond the call of duty. Our team always looks forward to the next project with them!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They’re very effective—I would even say seamless. They’re ultimate professionals, and it’s like we actually belong to the same team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It all goes back to their customer service and industry knowledge. I enjoy interacting with their team, which makes every project enjoyable!

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of J.R. Reed + Associates, LLC, a marketing firm in Louisville, Ky.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire EmailMonks?

I hired EmailMonks to help design a new email template for distribution to my golf league members. There are approximately 30 active participants in the group, but the larger list features just shy of 100 people—including past participants and prospective members. Many in the group are either past, present, or future target clients of J.R. Reed + Associates, LLC.

What were your goals for this project?

I was looking for a professional design to better package and present my information. In this particular case, I wanted to include weekly results from a golf league, including scores, hole prize winners, and similar information. This is the 20th year of the league, and it was my goal to present the league in the best, most professional light.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I searched online for vendors who design professional email templates. EmailMonks was one of the top search results. Within seconds of being on their website, I was sold on their design abilities. Their portfolio, and their site itself, was very impressive.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

EmailMonks was selected to not only design my email template but also produce and upload an advanced responsive template directly into my MailChimps account.

What was the team composition?

I worked with a series of contacts at EmailMonks including a department manager, a project manager, and various graphic designers and producers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was blown away by the results. The graphic design product was superb, as was the template production. The results exceeded my expectations. The members of the league have offered only positive feedback regarding the look of the emails.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication with every member of EmailMonks’ team was professional, courteous, and quick. They were very responsive and attentive to my needs.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their abilities in graphic design and website design are quite notable.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of E-Commerce for Curalife. We’re a global nutraceutical company that develops and markets nutraceuticals for people dealing with chronic health conditions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with EmailMonks?

We were looking for help with our email design. We were using Mailchimp, and as we grew, we needed a more professional look to improve our open rates, conversion rates, click rates, and sales. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They gave me an initial email design which served as a test. We were happy with it and they did an amazing job, so we decided to bring them on right away. After that, they did our landing page, which is even better than our email.

What is the team composition? 

We work with an account manager, Sid (Customer Relationship Management Specialist). We also worked with someone who helped with our onboarding process at the beginning.

How did you come to work with EmailMonks?

We saw that they had worked with good companies in the past, and we thought their portfolio was great.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $10,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since March 2018, and we still work together every day.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our conversion rate on landing pages improved by 50%, and open rates and click rates have both increased significantly. A PR agency in the UK has seen the page and love it. People have asked about our landing page and were really shocked by the design (in a good way). Newspapers who support us have also seen it and they’ve been really impressed as well.

How did EmailMonks perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management has been good. They’re always on time and good with communication. We use a platform called Envision to add comments on designs We communicate using Skype and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sid has been excellent. He’s like a friend to us, which is one of the main reasons we’ve stuck with them. He’s a super nice guy and very service oriented – top quality. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing bad to say about these guys. I never have any issues with them. They’re really good.

Any advice for potential customers?

Come ready with an idea of what you want to accomplish. Do a test email with them before jumping in and putting a lot of money in with them. Do one and test it out – see the results, and if it doesn’t work, don’t stop. You can always change something in the beginning to improve it with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Growth Marketing Manager of Ellab

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We create compliance solutions for life science and pharma industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Update email templates with new CVI
• Make it easy to use templates, enforce CVI
• Create dynamic content header

SOLUTION

How did you find Uplers?

I remembered their previous owners

Why did you select Uplers over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Uplers were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

HTML coding and design work for new email marketing templates, including Salesforce Pardot integration work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To update our email templates sucessfully

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

Excellent project management and very much focussed on timely responses.

What was your primary form of communication with Uplers?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their kindness, their can do attitude, their ability to turn around work very quickly, very competitive on price

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

No, they are perfect partners.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Content Producer of a health innovation network 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a health innovation network

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Update our newsletter branding and functionality

SOLUTION

How did you find Uplers?

Referral

Why did you select Uplers over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Uplers were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We worked with Uplers to:

• Update our MailChimp newsletter design
• Code in new functions
• Create stronger brand

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A new workable email template

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

• They were highly responsive and cooperative.
• We completed the task within a month.

What was your primary form of communication with Uplers?

Email or Messaging App

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

Uplers' clear communication was most impressive.

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

Nothing

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing of a media company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a legal news organization that provides subscribers with real-time alerts on everything they need to know going on in and outside the courts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Develop landing pages

SOLUTION

How did you find Uplers?

Referral

Why did you select Uplers over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Uplers were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Develop 10 landing pages

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Looked like the design and was responsive

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

They were great! The team gave us notice when they would be done with a task, whether it was letting you know the deliverability time on a small task or the date on the overall project - and always delivered on time or early

What was your primary form of communication with Uplers?

Email or Messaging App

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

Professionalism

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at an E-Commerce Clothing Retailer

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an online clothing retailer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Google ads management

SOLUTION

How did you find Uplers?

Online Search

Why did you select Uplers over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Uplers were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with Uplers?

Email or Messaging App

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

Generate a positive ROAS via Google Ads.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Increased our ROAS 10 X, delivered a positive ROAS exceeding 35 X our investment.

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

They are an amazing company to deal with; they met and exceeded our expectations.

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

They were super helpful and very responsive. nothing was any trouble for them.

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Supplier Partnerships of tourhub

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Online Travel Agent

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Improving site content
• Review of internal system processes
• Content updates of supplier products

SOLUTION

How did you find Uplers?

Referral

Why did you select Uplers over others?

High ratings

What was the size of Uplers’s team?

2-5 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with Uplers?

Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

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

Uplers were required to help us improve the content across our website, as well as provide feedback and suggestions on our system & processes. The work is ongoing and the team continues to build on the already great work done.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Improved tour scores
• Better visibility on website
• Higher search results and website visitors

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

Project management has been consistent and efficient throughout. Rushabh ensures we are kept up-to-date with contract terms and resources available. Abhishek has been a consistent support and goes over & above to assist with our projects, and Swati has fit well as the new project lead within the team.

Projects are delivered on time and we always feel the Uplers team is there to support us.

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

Efficiency, understanding, skillset and eagerness to work and understand our business.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

Not at this time