Wakefly, Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Shaw Industries. We’re the commercial division of Shaw Floors—the world’s largest carpet manufacturer. Currently, I am the digital product manager, but when we started the project I was the project manager

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wakefly?

We needed to migrate one of our commercial brand’s websites from a WordPress environment to a Kentico environment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an existing WordPress website with multiple pages, and Wakefly built additional pages and transferred everything onto the Kentico platform. They also worked with a third-party vendor to develop a database and all of the backend connections. Additionally, we’ve hired them for similar projects on a smaller scale.

What is the team composition?

At the start of the project, we had weekly meetings with Sierra (Project Manager, Wakefly) but as we’re getting closer to the end we talk multiple times a week.

How did you come to work with Wakefly?

We vetted three vendors that responded to our RFP and thought that Wakefly had the experience and personality that would fit best with our team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $130,000–$140,000 in this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had worked together on a few smaller projects, but this project began in February 2018 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don't have any metrics because we’re still waiting for the site to launch, but the quality of their work and expertise has been exactly what we’re looking for.

How did Wakefly perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re extremely responsive, and Sierra worked hard to keep the project on track. At the beginning of the project, we communicated mainly through phone and email. As we’re reaching the end of the project, we’ve begun using their ticketing system, which enables us to review the site and enables them to easily process tickets and make changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve found their responsiveness impressive and, more than anything, their ability to continue improving the project even when things slowed down or stopped on our side.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s not the norm for agencies to be as professional, responsive, and prepared as Wakefly is. In order for them to work as effectively and quickly as possible, be sure to have everything established and ready beforehand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of marketing at a B2B manufacturer. We create connectivity products that are used in a variety of markets from telecommunications to the military. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wakefly?

Wakefly is our web development partner and helps us build a variety of websites, each with their own unique challenges. They also help us with our digital platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Wakefly provides a wide range of services. They primarily and currently provide web development for four of our sites. They guide our marketing team and executive team through the full web development process. Our projects vary depending on our need. For example, their team developed a Chinese site they built using Baidu, a corporate site, and a platform housing multiple brands. They help create unique pages, features, portals, and interfaces. Their developers code the front- and backend, perform maintenance, and help with PPC activities.

Throughout our engagement, we were acquired by a large corporation and had to transfer some of their websites to another vendor. They're always professional about these relocations and support us through the transfers.

What is the team composition?

Our team composition depends on the needs of the project. I primarily work with their brand manager and PPC specialist. Their CEO is also available whenever we need him.

How did you come to work with Wakefly?

We found them through a request for quotation (RFQ) process.

How much have you invested with them?

We invest around $40,000 for low-end, "clone" websites; For high-end and newer websites, we invest around $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in July 2010 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of project management and meeting milestones, they make our business look excellent to our clients. Their management skills are exceptional, and they're excellent at articulating a clear timeline with specific dates and elements. They're always ready with a plan B, and their word is their bond. There are almost no surprises, and their team will take full accountability and responsibility if anything goes wrong. If any issue arises, they'll adapt there plan with the timeline to fix everything. Because of all this, they continue to increase our revenue.

How did Wakefly perform from a project management standpoint?

It's a two-way street, and they work excellently with our team. Their team is disciplined, accountable, and make it a high priority to hit our expectations. Working on web projects can get intense, and they work with us side-by-side—even through long weekends. I cannot tell you how many times I've called them on a Sunday to ask a question or request a feature. Their senior managers explain complications with honesty and don't sugar-coat new issues that need to be prioritized. It's unusual to find such an organized and professional partner. They're not just a nine-to-five agency; Their team works extremely hard to meet milestones and provides detailed outlines of where our money goes. Their exceptional customer service is why we're still working with them—even after eight years.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is responsive, and we have an extremely high-level of trust in their work. Our business ebbs and flows, but they've been with us all the way. I'm a marketing director, so I don't have the technical knowledge to fix urgent issues; Thus, it's great knowing that I can rely on them to respond within the same day to answer a question. Even though I'm not their biggest customer, they consider me a valuable partner. This reflects the phenomenal integrity of their senior management. Wakefly always try to meet our budget and deadlines, are competitively priced, and provide cutting-edge technology.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have turnovers and it would be nice having the same team. However, this is an extremely fast-evolving technology, and the new managers or developers they bring in offer better insights into the cutting-edge of technology. Thus, it's a more of a benefit for us. Their senior management also consists of the same people since day one, so I can't complain too much.

Any advice for potential customers?

In the beginning, listen closely to their expertise to understand design brief. Make sure your internal project management is excellent. Understand that you need to work as well to hit your deadlines and expectations. Always ask questions and understand what you need to do to help them succeed. It's a partnership, both of you have to work (50/50) to achieve success.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP and marketing director for a medium-sized community bank in Vermont.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wakefly?

We use our website as an online channel to deliver information and offer transactional opportunities to our customers. However, we needed to make sure that it was up to speed with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. We wanted to proactively ensure that all of our customers had access to our site’s information.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, they performed an ADA audit to identify any issues with formatting and end-user accessibility, particularly the navigation usage. They then proposed different ways to meet ADA guidelines while also improving our service. This entailed maintaining the site, launching an e-newsletter, supporting our CMS, and providing digital marketing ideas to better reach our target audiences. Currently, we’re tracking the site’s usage to make sure that our users get the most out of the site.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with a project manager and the director of marketing.

How did you come to work with Wakefly?

We received good referrals from various sources and decided to follow up on them.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work began in November 2016 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to their efforts and suggestions, we have more confidence in our site structure. Moreover, we better understand the ADA guidelines and are well-prepared for future ADA audits. We’re also pleased with the e-newsletter because it was a big priority for us. Although we encountered a few hurdles along the way, they’ve helped us overcome all of them.

How did Wakefly perform from a project management standpoint?

Their management is excellent; the whole process is streamlined and well-structured. They deliver regular reports about how they’ve spent each hour, what they’ve accomplished, and what their plans are.

At least once a month, we meet with the team to go over our account. If we’re working on a particular project, we typically have additional meetings as needed. Afterward, they provide follow-up reports about the content of the meetings, which helps us understand the plan moving forward. In terms of daily communication, we mostly interface via phone or email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re exceptionally responsive; when they say they’re going to get back to us, they do it. We’re also confident in their technical ability, and they’re always available when we need them. They react quickly to any site issues, which is immensely important because the site is our customer-facing channel. We never have to wait long for them to resolve something.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we haven’t had any issues. They’ve always delivered exactly what they said they would.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear roadmap of the project goals and the site’s purpose. This way, they can work on the scope and use their expertise to give feedback.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the IT Manager for J.C. Cannistraro, LLC. We do construction work in the Boston/New England area

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Wakefly, Inc.?

We needed a new company intranet to communicate with employees especially during the pandemic.

SOLUTION

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

We selected Wakefly based on cost and their expertise in the web development platform Kentico

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The intranet project consisted of the following items:

1. Employee communication via alerts
2. Employee events page
3. Corporate News
4. Employee directory
5. Document storage
6. Departmental subpages

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

We worked with a Project Manager and developer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The intranet design came out well and ahead of schedule. We were able to launch it in multiple phases as each iteration was an improvement that we made to the website

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication was good and we would meet frequently to get status/progress updates

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

I found their knowledge of the web development platform Kentico impressive as they knew and configured every aspect of it.

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

I would have liked more status and progress updates via email

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Vice President of Marketing at a global speaker, celebrity and entertainment agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Wakefly, Inc., and what were your goals?

We were trying to ramp up our paid media efforts and come up with a better strategy to drive traffic to our site and increase conversion rates.

SOLUTION

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

We had worked with Wakefly for our website development and when we met with them to discuss paid media efforts, we liked their ideas and approach to meet our unique needs.

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

They dove in and overhauled our AdWords account, cleaned up old campaigns, and implemented a new approach that better suited our needs and budget.

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

We worked with a Client Success Manager, a Paid Media Strategist and a Senior Project Manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Aside from the effects of COVID, our conversions, impressions, CTRs are consistently up across the board.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective and seamless. We have monthly strategy meetings and otherwise communicate via email. They are always very responsive whenever we have questions or mention new ideas.

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

They have truly listened to our unique set of needs and come up with plans specific to us.

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

Nothing comes to mind at the moment.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Sizewise designs, manufactures, and distributes hospital beds, support surfaces, and mobility products. I am Vice President of Marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Wakefly, Inc.?

We have a 3-year-old website which has needed some brand/content refreshing as well as overall functionality updating.

What were your goals for this project?

Goals: Phase 1 hotfix issues with our current website and prepare for a Phase 2 which will include additional content and SEO/SEM optimization.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We use Kentico, a CMS platform with limited programming expertise here in Kansas City. A nationwide search for Kentico experts gave us a very short list--and Wakefly was at the top.

Describe the project in detail.

See above.

What was the team composition?

Myself, our marketing manager who manages digital campaigns, and our content editor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our Wakefly team has been incredibly responsive and quick to make the changes we've asked for. They are hands-down the experts we've been looking for.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extremely. Great communication by phone or email--and quick turnaround on promised work.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have a great team of experts who not only take our ideas and run with them, but also suggest solutions based on their own deep expertise into our CMS. Much appreciated!

Are there any areas for improvement?

No