Alliance Interactive

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior systems administrators for a financial consulting firm. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

Our website was difficult to navigate and not appearing in top search results. We engaged Alliance Interactive to rebuild our site with integrated SEO to improve our online presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Alliance Interactive moved our site from Joomla to WordPress as our CMS. The new platform is responsive to different browsers, makes updating our content much easier, and gives the site a modern look and feel. The team helped migrated our old site’s content on the new platform and implemented SEO into the site. 

The team refreshed our company’s appearance by modernizing our company logo. They first offered to completely redo it, but we settled on making subtle tweaks. Alliance Interactive also created a style guide to guide our site and other areas of the company down the road. As a bonus to kick off the style guide, they designed new business cards for no additional cost.

What is the team composition?

We coordinated primarily with Adam (Managing Partner, Alliance Interactive) and a lead programmer. A design team worked behind the scenes as well.

How did you come to work with Alliance Interactive?

We searched for web design firms on Google. I first looked nationally, but we decided that face-to-face interaction would be valuable for us, so we narrowed our search to the local area. We came up with a list of 4–8 firms, each of whom we then sent an RFP. Adam got back to us right away. His proposal met all of our needs at less than half the price that other firms were quoting. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent just under $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018, and the website launched in February 2019. We’re still working with Alliance Interactive to make tweaks and clean some areas.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received praise for the new, modern website from stakeholders who regularly frequented our old site. Due to more calls-to-actions integrated into the new platform, managers have received far more leads and requests for information from potential clients.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

The team balanced over 30 internal stakeholders on our side providing notes on every step. They kept the project momentum going while remaining patient with us when delays arose while we sought everyone’s input.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In our RFP, we offered a max budget of $150,000. Every other firm’s offer hit that number except for Alliance Interactive, whose quote came in at $68,000. Their offer also included services for free than other firms charged extra for. What’s more, Adam took the time to give an in-person presentation about their proposal and to understand more about our business and project. We were sold on their team before we even signed a formal contract.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

The project took longer than Alliance Interactive initially expected due to delays on our sides. Also, we sometimes had periods where we didn’t hear from their team. However, we overall were satisfied with our collaboration. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Go into your project with Alliance Interactive with an open mind. Listen to their suggestions and try to incorporate their ideas. The team draws from their in-depth expertise and project experience and won’t steer you wrong.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Senior Director of Public Affairs at NCTA - The Internet & Television Association. One of my responsibilities is to raise awareness among key audiences about parental controls and resources.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

In 2006, the TV and movie industries created thetvboss.org to give parents the tools and information they need to guide their child’s television consumption. It's an important parental controls brand. To maintain this status, we wanted to do a complete rebuild of the site to update the design to present-day standards and increase functionality on mobile devices.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team at Alliance Interactive redesigned the site and updated site-wide branding. They built us a brand new, custom site using WordPress that included responsive design. They also reorganized the content so that it flowed more logically for users.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one of the managing partners and a developer.

How did you come to work with Alliance Interactive?

We wanted to work with an agency local to the Washington, DC region for this project. I talked to many and narrowed down my top choices. With Alliance Interactive, I felt like they genuinely listened to us and were eager to deliver exactly what we wanted. Their team was very put-together and friendly and made me feel confident that they’d succeed.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new site has only been live for a few days, but it’s been well-received so far. Not only is the site far more functional, but we also have an updated brand that’s fresh, parent-focused, and ready for the future.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

This was definitely one of their strengths. I never felt like I was waiting. They’re always responsive to email and calls, and they were diligent about documenting their progress in their project management software. There was a real sense that they wanted to understand our needs and deliver a product that felt right for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I loved how I felt like I could go to them with any question, concern, or change. When they say “unlimited revisions,” they mean it. They never treated it like an inconvenience. It was easy to communicate with them, and they were extremely responsive from beginning to end.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. It was a pretty easy, enjoyable experience. They were timely and worked well with our IT department.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a comprehensive understanding of your company and goals from the outset. The more information you’re able to share, the better the outcome will be. They’re very good at processing your feedback and turning it into results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the head of marketing of the Center for Innovative GYN Care, a laparoscopic GYN surgical practice.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alliance Interactive?

We engaged Alliance Interactive to completely redesign our website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to improve the overall UX, decrease our bounce rate, and increase leads.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed several web development companies for this project. Alliance Interactive was the most innovative team that focused on user experience. Their technical and design skills were top-notch, and they responded promptly to our inquiries. As a result, we chose them to complete this project.

Describe the project in detail.

Alliance Interactive rewrote the CSS and web content for our site. They developed a new approach to its navigation and choosing interactive elements that would drive traffic and interest in the site. They also completed SEO to maintain our strong position in search results.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a lead strategist, a concept designer, and a design-and-development person.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received positive feedback on the new look and navigation. Alliance Interactive managed the site’s launch with minimal disruption to our lead generation system and our Google search rankings.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We used a project management tool that made the project run smoothly from start to finish.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Alliance Interactive wrote clean CSS to build a stunning frontend and an intuitive backend. Every employee in our different business areas finds it highly accessible.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had an overly ambitious deadline at first, but Alliance Interactive responded well to updates and completed reasonable modifications on time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a communications manager for a federal consulting company. We specialize in change management work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

We needed an external firm to design and develop a website for a federal government client.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Alliance Interactive built a new website for a federal government agency. Once that process was complete, they started revamping an existing site for the same organization. The goal of that project is to update the client’s online presence and create an intuitive frontend interface. The redesign portion of our engagement with them is currently ongoing.

What is the team composition?

I primary interface with Adam (Managing Partner, Alliance Interactive) and a subcontractor he assigned to the project.

How did you come to work with Alliance Interactive?

They have both the technical and government experience we prioritize when looking for an outsourced partner. As a result, hiring them was an easy choice.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2017 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Alliance Interactive is always willing to do what’s needed to get the job done. Despite working within a fast paced environment, the whole team is accommodating and pleasant. They put together a dynamic looking website that fits within the regulations and constraints of the federal government. As a result, the client is extremely happy with what they received. Everything looks sharp and professional. It’s been a highly productive and positive engagement thus far.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

Adam is experienced, professional, and responsive and maintains frequent correspondence with our team. He has provided several easy-to-use project management tools to keep the team focused, well-organized, and efficient.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their designs are exciting, and they’re able to make changes at a moment’s notice. Additionally, they aren’t afraid to offer design suggestions and guidance when appropriate. They are really adept at understanding how the end user will experience the website and what will provide the best user experience, offering many options as to how to design websites to best meet those needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall, I’d like to see greater attention to detail. There’s a lot of emails and communication between us, but some requests have gotten lost in the shuffle, however, this is most likely due to rushed time schedules dictated by the client.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Alliance Interactive is capable of presenting clients with website layouts they likely wouldn’t have considered otherwise. They're professional, accommodating, and can easily help customers present information. Their designs are sharp, interesting, and always have the end user in mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the associate vice president of communications marketing and engagement for a faith-based NGO. We respond to some of the world’s worst natural disasters and seek to break the cycle of poverty by working in rural economies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

We didn’t feel that our website portrayed us accurately as an organization to current or prospective supporters, so we needed help with our branding and visibility.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We specifically had design and technical problems that extended into e-commerce and our donation platforms. Their development and design have resulted in a much more engaging and user-friendly website.

What is the team composition?

We worked with their principal throughout the entire project and did not feel the need to work with other folks throughout the agency. Since they are a small agency, we knew that he could act as the liaison and accurately communicate our needs.

How did you come to work with Alliance Interactive?

We initially found them on Clutch.co. They, along with several other agencies in the Baltimore and Washington Metro area, competed for the bid. We chose Alliance Interactive based on their reasonable pricing, their previous experience working with NGOs, how communicative they are, and their boutique approach.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost just over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our RFP process was about six weeks and the project lasted from April 2018–September 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It has only been 3–4 week since we launched the website, and we’ve seen huge metrics increase through Google Analytics. There has been an increase of 200%–1200% for every important metric. The difference from our old website, especially in such a short amount of time, is astounding, and I expect those numbers to continue increasing.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

We used several project management tools, one of which was InVision. With that cloud-based design tool, we proofed our designs and iterated them in the cloud. It went more smoothly than I could ever have imagined.

The linchpin of our communications was not really emailing (although that played a role) but was our teleconferences. Communication is key for effective project management, and they had a regular cadence with us, in addition to being available if there was ever an emergency.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understand the NGO market and how nonprofits interact with their supporters. We wanted our website to cultivate relationships with supporters who want to act out their faith, as well as build relationships with new supporters.

Alliance Interactive demonstrated an acute understanding of our goals and their knowledge of the web design and development market. I was afraid that larger companies would treat us as just another project to add to their portfolio. Alliance Interactive showed that they recognized, and cared about, our goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were always there for us when we needed them; however, I did harbor the fear that, as a small agency, they wouldn’t have the bandwidth to effectively handle all of their clients.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Instead of looking at the project as design and development—which are the two bedrocks of website development—leverage Alliance Interactive’s marketing acumen and prowess to connect with your user base.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of a global risk consulting and advisory group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

We needed help with our website—redesigning, rebranding, and migrating to a new platform—as well as increasing efficiency within our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

There were a number of aspects that we tackled with this project. The first was that, as a consultancy, we have a think tank aspect to the organization and we wanted to see if we should remodel the think tank as a consultancy, or research, or if it needed to be reformed to be more efficient. The second aspect was grouping our services. I knew that our organization was capable, but it was beneficial to have another point of view. They helped reformat and restructure several features of the consultancy to make the organization, as a whole, be more in sync.

The third aspect was for the website itself. Our previous website used a WordPress format, and Alliance moved the website to Drupal, which is much more secure. In addition to migrating the website, they helped redesign some of our organization’s imaging from our logo, to color scheme, to the type of font we use. They helped streamline our processes and now we stand out in the industry.

What is the team composition?

I coordinated with Adam (Managing Partner, Alliance Interactive). He responded any time that I sent him an email and always followed up with me.

How did you come to work with Alliance Interactive?

I did a little online research and they were recommended to me by a friend in the industry.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $15,000. I got a great deal with them. The organization has transformed from the beginning of the project. We’re much more efficient and stand out in a competitive industry, because of our work with Alliance.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in February 2018, and the website was live in early July 2018. It was actually done a month earlier, but I wanted to fine-tune a few details before the release.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When I uploaded the website to my LinkedIn and shared it with my network, it was viewed over 800 times within one hour. We uploaded PDF reports that were very well received—not just the content, but also the presentation of the information. Within two hours we were getting calls from other high-end competitors that wanted to site us. We’ve now become leaders in the industry.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was the best I’ve ever received. They always responded to emails, answered all of my questions, and quickly resolved any issues.

We communicated through phone and email, and used online project management tools, like InVision and Google. It was efficient because I had access through multiple mobile devices. There were several instances where I was traveling to different cities or countries, would get a project update, send feedback, and, by the time I arrived, it had already been implemented.

Going into the project, I was worried that the project may go in a direction that I didn’t understand, or that the organization as a whole may change. However, Adam led me through the whole thought process and helped develop us as a highly adaptable organization.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think they do a number of things better than other providers. The first is that the site construction is a lot more user-friendly and streamlined than I’ve found comes from other organizations. The second is that they are very much in tune with the needs of your client base, and they’re able to identify other potential client bases. The third is that their response time is better than any other I’ve seen in the industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. I got more than I was expecting, which was a pleasant surprise.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as open as possible with your needs. They’ll be able to identify your needs and uncover any other areas where you may be lacking.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of the Arts Club of Washington. We’re a private social club that also hosts a public art gallery. We offer artistic public events like theater performances, poetry readings, and movie nights. We also rent the location for private events like weddings, business events, and so on.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

Our website was technologically obsolete and we wanted to completely revamp it. This required a developer to update the site and provide long-term maintenance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Alliance redesigned our existing website and added features like a member directory, and the ability to register for club events. In addition to the public website, they built a site only accessible to club members through a log-in portal. Completely renovating our digital presence, they assisted with content creation as well. They provide ongoing maintenance and resolve any issues with the site.

What is the team composition?

Their managing partner was our primary point of contact.

How did you come to work with Alliance Interactive?

We put together a committee to research vendors. Specifically, we were looking for a company that understood the different facets of our organization and could communicate them through the site. We considered two other vendors before ultimately hiring Alliance.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was around $50,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The design process took place from April to November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results of the website are great. Our bounce rate decreased by 90% and we’ve also experienced a 120% increase in search visibility. We’re seeing tangible results as more people contact and visit the club.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re pleased with how they handled everything as it was a complex project. They were responsive and flexible to accommodate our specific requirements. We communicated 3–4 times a week via email but also met in person. Now that development is complete, we communicate once a week regarding site maintenance. Their managing partner did several presentations and was always willing to do so.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They made the effort to really understand who we are as an organization and what we wanted to accomplish with this project. Knowledgeable and open to communication, they were a true partner throughout the entire design process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any suggestions as they completed everything professionally. They overcame project challenges by properly managing the situation.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Strategize and have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Providing Alliance a perfect understanding of the intended product will yield a successful collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a program director for the Solar Foundation. We are a nonprofit organization that focuses on advancing the use of solar and solar-compatible technologies worldwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

We needed to build a complex, portal-based website. We don’t have a surplus of internal resources so it was imperative the website be self-sustaining. We initially worked with another developer on this project but needed to bring in a higher quality firm to ensure the final product met our needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the website on WordPress and it functions as a platform for people to apply for jobs within the solar industry. Alliance built additional features like the front-facing home page and a login feature that supports 3 types of users. Once the site was completed, they helped us launch it as well.

What is the team composition?

We were assigned a project manager who was the primary point of contact throughout this engagement. We rarely spoke with anyone else from Alliance.

How did you come to work with Alliance Interactive?

We put out an RFP and competitively solicited proposals based on the needs of our project. Several agencies applied and Alliance’s proposal was the best. We selected them based on their competitive bid, background, and history with other clients.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together March 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They helped us get an excellent website in short amount of time. Alliance is a more efficient and high-quality provider of their services than what we’d previously experienced.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager was great and particularly responsive. As a result, e-mail and calls were the only communication tools necessary. He was friendly, helpful, and a real advocate for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have enough staff and resources to provide creative solutions. Despite frequent changes in scope, they’ve been flexible in working through evolving ideas without overcharging us. Overall, they helped us build a nice website and we’re happy customers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everyone has room for improvement, but we’ve had a positive experience and I’d recommend them to others.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We did most of our brainstorming in-house and then brought our concepts to Alliance. That’s when ideas started to evolve and cause delays. As a result, I recommend involving Alliance in the concept development process because their staff is clever, cooperative, and can help the creative process go smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president and general manager of Prescott. We are a 135 on-demand air carrier, which means we carry a commercial FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] Certificate and are a global provider of air transportation solutions in the United States as well as internationally.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

We needed some web design and branding for our company. For us, our website presence is critical.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Adam Aloi [Managing Partner, Alliance Interactive], and his team help us take what we do here, especially the values that we bring to our customer, and push that out globally. 

We turn to their team for the branding. We have used other vendors in the past, but Adam does this extremely well. The hardest thing to capture is the core of who we are, and why this is important to people who are looking for the type of support we offer. We are not a traditional airline and fill a very distinct niche. They help us get this down to our core so that we are able to communicate very efficiently.

As well as the branding and website work, they also do some digital marketing as well. We communicate our safety message to our global support network, giving them the tools to come back to us.

What is the team composition?

I exclusively work with Adam and some people from his office; however, the other members of our team might work with others.

How did you come to work with Alliance Interactive?

Adam came to us; it started with a phone call. He is genuinely a nice guy who listens really well. He is solution-oriented and an active learner. In 2009, our website was quite simple and modestly effective. Before committing to them, I flew out to D.C. as I like to shake the hand of the people we are working with.

How much have you invested in them?

They are worth every penny we pay them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them at the end of 2009 or early 2010. The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From 2010 to YTD [year to date], we have more than doubled in size and the website is undoubtedly a significant part of that. We run just under $20 million a year in gross and the marketing end is part of that. Just yesterday, I met with people from Europe who came to us as a result of the website, which is not uncommon. 

Most importantly for us, is a focus on our 3 values of safety, service, and integrity. Without the website, it would be very hard for people to understand that those values are who we are and what we bring to the table. I hear this from regulators here in the United States, and significantly as far away as the Far East, and routinely from Europe. The website augments our performance and allows us to be very agile and responsive anywhere in the world, which is what we do.  

7 or 8 years ago, the majority of what we did was domestic and this has completely inverted. 95% of what we did last year was international, and a lot of that business comes to us because of the website.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

They are very good, which is why we have used them for over 7 years. I turn the work over to Adam and then don’t worry about it. They are always very accessible, even when we call at night. We have been happy to have them.

What you see on our website is a function of their team’s understanding our team. We help them with content and the team drives it from stem to stern. We mostly communicate through phone and email. However, he uses project management tools to communicate with our internal IT team. They keep me honest on what we need to deliver and when.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They deliver on their promise to know us and convey our message through our website. A lot of website providers try to take what they think you should say and put it into a structure that they think will work for us.

We have to understand our customer here to support them well and their team does that well. We train with them all the time. If they don’t understand what we are doing, they will take the time out to figure it out and learn it, so that they can handle that aspect knowing who we are.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The challenges in front of us, going forward, is as the technology and Internet evolves, we are going to have to keep pace with that. The portable systems are what drives our website thought at this point, as well as our marketing. We lean on Adam for that, and he is going to have to learn as we move forward. We really want him to bring that expertise to the table.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We worked with the team for around 4 months prior to launching the first site. I needed to make sure that Adam and his team understood what we wanted to accomplish and how we wanted to brand. 

We reskin the website routinely and are very deliberate in how we do that. It takes us 4–6 months every time we reskin and rebrand, and they do all of that. They allow us to take our time, which has been worthwhile and works for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Pact is an international development organization. We work mostly in Africa and Asia, in areas including health, livelihoods development, natural resource management, and governance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alliance Interactive?

We wanted to redesign our website to increase traffic and improve navigation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us come up with a plan along the way and changed our online image dramatically. They added features that improved the user experience, plus a technical resource library and a hub for stories about our work.

What is the team composition?

We interfaced directly with Adam Aloi [Managing Partner, Alliance Interactive]. He was our main point of contact.

How much have you invested with them?

I don’t have direct responsibility for the financial side, but I believe we’ve spent somewhere in the $50,000–$100,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together near the end of 2015, and our interaction is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We love our new website. It serves the organization well and absolutely met our expectations. Traffic has increased substantially, and we’re really pleased with the way everything came out.

How did Alliance Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well. During the redesign, we spoke several times a week via phone or email and worked on a platform called InVision. They continue to host our website and help us add new functionality or make sporadic changes as we need them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve had a very positive experience. They took any idea we had and found a way to make it work within our budget. They were flexible and responsive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

With any vendor, it’s always helpful to be clear and upfront as possible about your needs and expectations. That really helped us in this process.