Box Clever

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for a Christian liberal arts university that offers degree programs across arts, sciences, business, education, and music. I handle everything that has to do with ads, our website-related recruitment, material generation, and social media.

What challenge were you trying to address with Box Clever?

We hired Box Clever to develop an industry-standard website while delivering the information we need to effectively communicate with prospective students and other audiences. The site was built from scratch. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, Box Clever was heavily involved in the website design process, which we’ve since taken in-house. We came up with concepts, and their team built them. They also provided feedback in terms of things we missed or needed to change. 

Moreover, we’ve used Box Clever to build an interactive scholarship sorting tool. Through it, students can enter information about their identity, interests, and extracurricular experiences. After that, they’ll get a curated list of scholarships that fit their profile. Box Clever has also helped build a financial aid calculator that takes into account the geographic and demographic information of the students. It also pulls data from other websites to create student aid packages. 

Apart from those things, we’ve also done a whole bunch of smaller projects with Box Clever.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with 10 people from their team over the past year. I mainly work with their account manager, but I’ve also had dealings with their owner.

How did you come to work with Box Clever?

The decision to go with them predates my employment in the university. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $20,000 a year. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in January 2013, and the partnership is ongoing. The first website was developed in 2012–2014, and the website refresh project was in June 2016. We also did another major refresh just recently. 

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

For success metrics, we always look at Google Analytics to track increases in page views and session durations. So far, we continue to do better each year as we slowly build up the website. 

Anecdotally, the website features an awesome navigation structure, enticing homepage, and landing pages. People from other universities have expressed interest in our website and how it’s been built. They’re enthusiastic about the quality and UX of the website, and people from other places have commented on its ease of use, functionality, and clean code.

Overall, we’ve enjoyed our relationship with Box Clever over the years. They’ve certainly come alongside us and supported us in various ways, going above and beyond our expectations. They’re also truly great to work with outside of the day-to-day course of our business operations. 

How did Box Clever perform from a project management standpoint?

Box Clever’s project management is good; it’s not their strongest suit, but it’s fine. At the end of the day, we still get what we want. We communicate weekly as we do smaller projects regularly while working on the website. They use a project management tool, but we haven’t used that to communicate. Our team simply talks to them via emails or phone calls. 

Further, they’ve always had an emphasis on UI/UX design best practices when it comes to generating compelling designs. Sometimes, our imagination runs up against the limitations of our knowledge in terms of coding in the backend. Box Clever has been truly helpful when that happens; they help us find solutions that work for us and our internal systems. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Box Clever has a truly sharp eye for what’s trendy, and they can make solid recommendations. Moreover, they have their own in-house CMS, which we’ve come to like over the years. It’s easy to onboard employees and show them the ropes on it. It’s also robust enough to meet our updating requirements. 

Although they’ve locked us out of certain things on this CMS tool, we’ve realized that it also saves us from huge headaches. That’s a tradeoff that we found to be acceptable and beneficial. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can still improve their custom CMS by increasing our team’s control over various aspects of our website. Many clients don’t necessarily have the expertise in web development, and they rely on the agency to do everything for them. However, our company has grown over the years, and we’ve hit some limitations in terms of the CMS. In this context, it would be nice to have a bit more control over our website. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing manager for Bedrock Homes, a home builder serving Edmonton, Spruce Grove, Sherwood Park, Leduc, Red Deer, and Central Alberta. 

For what projects/services did your company hire Box Clever?

Our old website was slow to load with a mediocre user experience. We hired Box Clever to create a new one.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a website that loaded quickly, looked great, and performed well.  

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed multiple vendors. Box Clever was a local company, and we felt comfortable with the owner the minute we met him. We were confident they would give our site the attention, expertise, and turnaround required without trying to sell us something that wasn’t right for our business. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Box Clever designed the new platform’s pages, built out the functionality, and launched the site. During the build, they maintained our old site with a couple of quick fixes so that we could have an online presence in the interim. 

What was the team composition?

We worked with an account manager.

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

Our initial concern with creating a new website was losing the great SEO we had, but after the launch, our numbers only increased. Box Clever also reduced our average page load time from 6.5 seconds to just 2.5 seconds. 

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project was managed very well. We sent multiple emails a day with questions and comments that our account manager fielded seamlessly. We launched on time and within budget. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Because the owner was willing to step in when his employees were sick or on vacation, we saw no interruptions in the progress of our project. I was also impressed with our account manager. I have worked with many web developers during my career, but thanks to her experience with other clients in our industry, our manager clearly understood our business and was able to effectively communicate what we needed back to her team without much explanation.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. Box Clever built a great website for us. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the VP of sales and marketing for PM Signs. We’re a signage manufacturer.

What challenge were you trying to address with Box Clever?

We had a very outdated website, but clients didn’t need to come to our website before. However, we needed an upgraded website when we started to attract new clients.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we got them to redesign a brand-new website for us. Box Clever also did the design aspect of the website. From there, we needed more social media stuff, so now they handle and post for us on Twitter and Facebook.

How did you come to work with Box Clever?

We googled, saw a couple of websites that we liked, and found out they were by Box Clever, so we approached them to design us a new one. We went back and forth, they gave us their pricing, and then we went forward with them.

How much have you invested with Box Clever?

When all is said and done, we spent $5,000–$10,000 or more on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in 2013 or 2014. The work is ongoing.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The transition from our one website to the new website was really good, and their design made our website look modern. They took all of our ideas and adapted them into what would work well for us. From there, there was a lull when we wanted them to start posting on our social media. Once we brought them into our weekly sales meeting, they got a better scope of what they could do for us and what we needed from them. Box Clever really jumped into action to do a lot more for us.

How did Box Clever perform from a project management standpoint?

Initially, we'd gone through three different account managers there, but we've always been dealt with. Now we have one that we've been dealing with for a long time now, and she's really good. Box Clever set up an Excel spreadsheet for us. Because we're pretty busy, our account manager constantly reminds me of things she needs, and I send her stuff to get it up on the website. She follows up and gets a pretty quick turnaround. We have no complaints about that. As a team, they've been great. Their schedules are very flexible, so we can always meet with them.

What did you find most impressive about Box Clever?

They’re very personable. They even come to our office to engage in what we do, and they know our business now. They've actually been referring clients to us now as opposed to just doing what we ask them to do. They keep their eye out for certain projects in our field, and they send it to us.

Are there any areas Box Clever could improve?

They could improve their organization, with everyone staying on the same page. We really have no big complaints about them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior marketing adviser in the development services branch of a city. I manage a small team of marketing coordinators and major projects for that branch.

What challenge were you trying to address with Box Clever?

We had the initiative to advance infill in the city. Generally, the city uses its platform for all of our web activity. With this project, we knew that we wanted to do storytelling, use more visuals, and have a more flexible platform compared to what is available on our website. We decided we would build a microsite.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the microsite on a custom content management system. It's their own solution, not a regular one. They also did the design work. We started with a visual identity for the project, but they leveraged that online. They started 1 ½ months ago working on SEO campaigns and optimization.

How did you come to work with Box Clever?

It was easy to find a list of agencies since I have worked with lots of them in our city. We put out an informal call for proposals. Box Clever was one of the ones we researched. Their proposal was certainly comprehensive, and they had a significant advantage in terms of price when looking at a quality-cost comparison. We ultimately chose Box Clever to build the microsite for us.

How much have you invested with Box Clever?

This information is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in January 2016. We have an ongoing relationship; they’re managing our hosting and provide regular reporting on the website.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

In terms of schedule, everything was on time for launching the microsite. They moved faster than what we were actually expecting, even when including changes on our end, which they handled really well. In terms of our visits, we've doubled our business from when we were communicating the same information through our website. I'm looking forward to seeing what that looks like after the campaign.

How did Box Clever perform from a project management standpoint?

They were exceptional. Box Clever stayed on track with everything outlined in the proposal and managed our work changes really well. They were extremely friendly and responsive, getting back to us right away on everything. We mostly used email with them.

What did you find most impressive about Box Clever?

It was their customer service. They were 110% great in this aspect.

Are there any areas Box Clever could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I run TIX on the Square and work for the Edmonton Arts Council. It's a community box office and store. We use a database called Tessitura to sell tickets for small theater companies and music groups.

What challenge were you trying to address with Box Clever?

The Tessitura database that we had came with a template website that they sold as being flexible, but it wasn't working for us. We needed Box Clever to integrate the content from the database into a new website because the old one was really not working for us. That is what they were hired to do.

What was the scope of their involvement?

There have been additions made because the scope of the project turned out to be quite a bit larger than anticipated. There's much more to it than anyone originally anticipated in terms of getting the SQL stuff on the backend into a usable, different format. The API that they were working with turned out to not be as comprehensive as they had hoped.

How did you come to work with Box Clever?

I wasn't involved in approaching or choosing Box Clever. It was the communications department at the arts council that put out a call for the proposals. Once a lot of the web developers looked at the scope of the project, they turned it down. Box Clever did not, so they got the job.

How much have you invested with Box Clever?

They went over budget. I forget what the original estimate was for, but right now we've paid over $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began over a year ago. We still continue to work with them.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Box Clever has been really great to work with. The frustrations on my part are purely from the existing API and the setup in Tessitura itself. If a company isn't already familiar with the setup, it's a big challenge. Not a lot of people use web developers that aren't recommended by Tessitura to make their website for this exact reason. With what they've had to work with, they've been very good and understanding. Because of the way that it's set up, they can't just ask a question directly to the database people. They need to go through me because I'm the designated person. I can only imagine it's hard for them to deal with me to get answers, but they've done so very gracefully through this whole year. They've been very patient with the time that it has taken. I can't imagine that they've enjoyed having this project stretch out for a year either.

How did Box Clever perform from a project management standpoint?

As things come up, we’ve had change orders happen. We are over budget with it, but I feel like it has been inevitable. I don't know how we would have all these changes done and not pay for it. They used WebGuide and a project management tool to keep track of everything at first. It started off with chunks of time allocated and you could see their progress. That was good, but that fell by the wayside as things got pushed back or added on to. The relationship became less formal: it’s now on email, which can get a little bit confusing and hectic sometimes. Michelle, their project manager, keeps on top of things very well.

What did you find most impressive about Box Clever?

It was nice meeting them in person. The options that we had for web developers that were familiar with Tessitura are all based out of the States, so I never would have had a chance to meet or talk to them. It all would have been done online. Box Clever came to look at the site and trained me on it, which was nice. It is nice to have people in the same city as you that are available. I have come to appreciate that a little bit because I don't have to worry about time zones or GoToMeetings.

Are there any areas Box Clever could improve?

No. To be honest, I wish they hadn't been so nice and optimistic at the beginning because it really got my hopes up that this would be done in five months and that it would be no problem. I feel like we were pretty clear with them that it was going to be more complicated, but I don't know if they believed that. It's been a funny year, but we're almost live with it, so I feel better every day.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications coordinator for the town of Edson, which is a municipality in Alberta, Canada.

What challenge were you trying to address with Box Clever?

We first approached them for a rebuild of our website, which was very old and needed updating.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a complete rebuild of our website, including the content management system. We’ve been working with them on various other project related to our digital media. They’ve developed a mobile app for us, a refresh of the website, and they do some of our digital marketing.

How did you come to work with Box Clever?

We put out a request for proposal, and they were the selected company.

How much have you invested with Box Clever?

We’ve paid $10,000–$50,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial project began in 2012, and our relationship is ongoing.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

It’s been very good. The projects Box Clever has done for us have been very well-received by the public. We won an award when we first did the website. It’s been quality work, and that’s why we keep going back to them.

How did Box Clever perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had no issues with timelines. They’ve been within the budget on every project. Communication is very easy. We usually have a project lead who is our contact for any issues.

What did you find most impressive about Box Clever?

I think it’s the way they work with our municipality. They visited us and learned exactly what we needed and wanted. The interpersonal relationship has been great.

Are there any areas Box Clever could improve?

No. We keep going back to them because we’ve had no real issues.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Marketing & Communications Lead for a health regulatory body.

For what projects/services did your company hire Box Clever, and what were your goals?

Our Website was old, cluttered, and disorganized. The CMS was very old and hard to manage.

How did you select Box Clever and what were the deciding factors?

All projects of this size go to RFP. The top 3 vendors were invited to make a presentation to the team. Box Clever was chosen by the team.

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

We had a project kick-off, and then Box Clever designed the wireframe. The project took a little longer than expected as the pandemic forced our staff on the project in other directions.

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

There was an account manager, a developer, and a content advisor that worked with us.

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

We are very happy with the function and ease of use of the CMS.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

We had to have some assistance with an addition to our project requiring database integration. Steve, one of the owners, was extremely helpful.

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

We are impressed with the service they provide and their responsiveness to our queries and concerns.

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

If there are, I don't know what they might be.