ZRIX

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the webmaster at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CMS Website Services?

We have a Drupal-based website and were looking to switch from Drupal 6 to Drupal 7. We didn’t have the backend expertise to do it internally, so we hired CMS to help us with execution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

CMS oversaw the transfer process and updated the backend to make sure everything was consistent with the requirements for Drupal 7. While the site layout remained consistent, they also made the site more responsive and mobile friendly. We also went through an extensive testing phase to make sure all the site’s features still functioned properly.

The site is a fairly basic layout with news stories, profiles, and publications across various pages. The profile functionality is unique because it pulls assets from around the site, which is a custom feature that interacts with Drupal in a more complicated way than others. The site’s content is primarily static, and we upload news stories/videos daily.

What is the team composition?

A principal provided assistance during the bidding process, and we worked with one developer that served as our primary contact. There were about three developers working on the project all together.

How did you come to work with CMS Website Services?

I did a lot of research online and found a list of recommended Drupal developers. Columbia’s contracting process requires three bids to move forward, so we interviewed several companies and CMS was one of them.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $10,000-$50,000 on the project and the maintenance agreements were about $4,000/year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May of 2015. After the initial update to Drupal 7, we entered two subsequent, annual maintenance agreements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We didn’t see increased traffic because the changes to the site were fairly minimal, but the transition was seamless for our users.

How did CMS Website Services perform from a project management standpoint?

They managed their time effectively and were very responsive throughout the project. We used Basecamp to track progress and several bug trackers to prevent any potential errors.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciated their willingness to work within our budget, and they always seemed excited to work with us. They went above and beyond in making sure the site functioned the way we needed it to.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of technology for the Ocean County Library, the headquarters of which is located in Toms River, New Jersey.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CMS Website Services?

After years of updates, our aging website was becoming difficult to maintain. We wanted to build a new site from scratch that incorporated a modern design and improved functionalities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

CMS began by analyzing our existing site. They went through an inventory process, determining which aspects to keep and which to jettison. Any information we needed to retain (legal documentation, etc.) was then adjusted to match the new designs we created together.

They rebuilt our website using the latest version of Drupal. We wanted to ensure that every page was accessible within two clicks, with particular focus paid to our events calendar and library catalog.

We have 21 branches, so each of these locations needed their own webpage to convey specific information and coordinate with branch fundraisers. Each branch wanted to be featured on the front page, so CMS created tabs (Adults, Teens, Kids), each with five windows that feature special events. These can be adjusted, giving each branch a rotating presence on the front page.

The site improves the connectivity of our community, highlighting foundation group members and making it easy for new members to sign up. CMS also included links to Google Maps and ensured the site was navigable with any device.

What is the team composition?

We had a main point of contact during the design phase, and a second for the coding and implementation. These individuals communicated requirements to their internal teams.

How did you come to work with CMS Website Services?

As a government agency, we were required to launch a bidding process. I interviewed the five or six vendors that responded to our request and found CMS to be the best option in terms of price and comfort level.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2016. There was a nine-month delay because of scheduling conflicts on our end, but CMS understood that government organizations often experience delays and didn’t penalize us for the time. After starting the project in earnest, the site was live within six months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our donations have increased since launch, as the improved layout makes it easier for users to find the information they’re looking for. We’re better connected to the community and now able to highlight services that the public wasn’t aware we offered. We’ve presented the site to freeholders who are also impressed with the improvements.

Internally, we have significantly more control over our new site. It interacts with our calendar and catalog without the need for third-party software, and the intuitive management system allows us to make changes easily, providing room for growth.

How did CMS Website Services perform from a project management standpoint?

CMS offered solutions for all of our needs. They suggested third-party providers that could assist with the project, but there was never any pressure to hire specific agencies. They also offered a good price and honored that estimate. They were above-board, which has not always been my experience when working with vendors.

We communicated through Basecamp roughly three or four times a day. I’m used to coordinating projects in-person or via phone, and while I was initially leery of this management system, it ended up working very well. They were highly responsive and always addressed any concern within 24 hours. Still, there were very few errors during implementation since they planning extensively.

We worked collaboratively during both the design and implementation phases, bouncing ideas back and forth. Through our collaboration with CMS, I actually learned new ways to tackle projects.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I continue to be impressed by their results. Every time I look at the site, I see that it still looks fresh and functions extremely well. On the maintenance side, we’re now able to fix issues easily and make updates or edits in a way that simply wasn’t possible with our old site.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, the process went well. CMS stayed in constant communication and we never experienced any issues. While there’s room for improvement in any organization, I can’t think of anything that would give me pause in recommending them.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. I knew that I wanted our site to focus on guiding customers to our calendar and catalog, so this drove the entire project. Any time we had a question about a direction we were taking, we simply referred back to that goal.