Chaptr

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am head of comms for an independent OOH media owner, specialising in health and wellness.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website was created years ago and in desperate need of a refresh. We also wanted to ensure our website could match those managed by our bigger competitors and better demonstrated the USP of the business. Our goals were simple, better look and feel and higher traffic and ultimately conversion rate for sales.

SOLUTION

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

I knew Joe and his team by talking to other companies in the area - they came highly recommended. After meeting with Joe, Connor and Kirsty it was clear these guys understood our brief and had the most creative, but in budget approach to meet it. We were really impressed. We also really liked the idea that they built the website so it could live and grow without the need to always rely on web developers - we could do it in-house instead. A very appealing aspect to their service.

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

We had a kick off meeting, where deliverables, milestones and objectives were clearly laid out and agreed upon. After that we were assigned the lovely Connor, who did a great job hand-holding us through the process (as well as patiently and diligently chasing us for content and copy!) as well as designing the website itself. We also had numerous SEO meetings to ensure the website worked as hard as it could once launched.

Once we were into build, Kirsty, Joe and Connor made sure they delivered pages at a steady pace for feedback and took us through how to build new pages based on Wordpress templates built, for us, by the Chaptr team.

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

4 in total. Joe as MD was our initial point of contact. Connor was our project manager and designer. Kirsty was operations manager and Vanessa on SEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

None to date as the website launched last week :)

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

The team use basecamp, which is a great tool to ensure comms and files are in one place. They were wonderfully prompt and on time - teaching me a few things on time management on the way ;)

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

They are both professional and friendly, with a real can-do attitude without over-promising. Our expectations were always very well managed.

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

Absolutely none; we loved working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work for Exeter Canal & Quay Trust who are responsible for looking after the Custom House. My role as Project Co-ordinator covers a range of different strands of work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had no existing website for the Custom House but were offering an increasing number of activities and events. Starting from scratch was difficult, and we realised early on that branding was required too.

SOLUTION

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

We did an open call and received a number of applications but interviewed the two that we felt best suited our needs. With a limited internal infrastructure, we were aware that we would need support but also knew that the creative vision was vital to get right. For us, Chaptr offered us what we needed to move forward.

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

Entire design and build of the new Custom House website, including branding, logo design, site build, copywriting and functionality.

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

I worked with a number of staff members but had 2 key contacts at all times.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is only launching now however initial feedback is very positive.

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

Given the geographical restrictions, communication was all online. For the majority of the time, this worked well and an initial site visit right at the start was extremely valuable.

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

We gave them free rein on design but I knew they understood where we were, and what we needed to get from this process.

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

It would be lovely if we'd been based in the same area, but communicating online meant they were still an option for us which was great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sales and marketing director at a marketing operations agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chaptr?

Our website was six years old and lacked an intuitive navigation and the ability to easily find content. We also felt our brand positioning needed updating to position ourselves as a leader in the marketing operations space.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting with a discovery phase, they ran through a series of calls and workshops with us to find out what we wanted to achieve in detail and to start to map out what the website would look like from a UX and design perspective. After that, they used Photoshop to design the website.The site has an easy to use navigation and a modern look and feel, which positions us as a thought leader in the industry that we want to be. It’s very engaging and compelling.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 1–4 people, including a senior designer and a senior developer.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent £45,000 (approximately $62,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

How did you come to work with Chaptr?

We put together an RFP and spoke to three different agencies. Chaptr was by far our preferred agency, so it was a very easy decision to work with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We only launched the website recently, so there are no quantitative metrics to share at this point. From our team’s perspective, we’ve received very positive anecdotal feedback. Everyone who has seen the website has given positive feedback. 

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, it was good. There were some changes in personnel partway through the project, so there were a few stumbling blocks that arose as one person was leaving. They quickly recovered, so overall, I had a good experience. We used Basecamp to manage the project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team worked late into the evening to ensure that everything was done. They were a very dedicated partner, and I can’t emphasize that aspect enough. They went above and beyond to deliver the project. They put a huge amount of effort into understanding our business up front, which made the whole process very smooth. In the weeks before we went live, they were dedicated to ensuring everything was ready. They were also very flexible and helpful. When we had questions or problems, they’d jump on them and fix them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not at this time.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Spend the time with Chaptr upfront to ensure they understand your business and objectives - this discovery process really helped the process run smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

John Hansard Gallery, part of the University of Southampton, is one of the UK’s leading contemporary art galleries. We support, develop and present great art by outstanding artists from across the world and are proud to play a dynamic role in the cultural life of Southampton and the region. Our vision is to create extraordinary encounters with great art that inspire people and communities to change the world for the better. Our mission is to be a locally engaged and an internationally recognised contemporary art gallery in the heart of Southampton. To realise this, we create innovative and critically acclaimed contemporary art exhibitions, events, learning and research projects that excite, challenge, reflect and reach the widest possible public audience. My role at John Hansard Gallery is Communications Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking to develop a new website. Chaptr approaches us with their ideas for what they feel was required, and we then worked with them to devise a site that was industry-leading and future proof for the arena of contemporary art.

SOLUTION

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

We looked at price, authenticity and originality of ideas, as well as a local company that championed our city and the region.

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

We had a number of initial meetings where we ran over our key objectives for the site and our industry. This was listened to by Chaptr, who then went away and created wireframes, mock-ups and annotated pages to match our brief. The whole process was a joy to be involved in due to their professionalism and enthusiasm at all stages.

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

A Project Manager, alongside Lead Designer and two p/t Stack Designers. Other designers were brought in at various stages to input and advise, making it feel like we had worked with the whole Chaptr family,

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After launching our website in April 2020, we saw a huge upsurge in traffic and traction to the site. This coincided with the early stages of the pandemic, so we required a solid, robust online platform to deliver our gallery programme, as this was now a virtual offer as our physical gallery had closed. Chaptr worked with us to create an online screening platform for artist films which helped us achieve our highest ever online statistics during 2020-21.

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

Relaxed, but thorough, and positively professional at every step of the way. The team were fantastic to work with. Every deadline was met, and even last minute requests were achieved without any resistance.

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

The small scale of the company for the results they deliver. They punched well above their weight and delivered incredible results every time.

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

Not really, they were a total pleasure to work with and I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a professional orchestra based in London, but we perform throughout the UK and abroad.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chaptr?

We decided to rebrand last year, which is a complex task. We wanted to redo our website and change our ticket sales system as part of the rebrand, so we engaged Chaptr to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We partnered with a different agency for branding, and they liaised with Chaptr to develop and redesign the site. The branding agency provided Chaptr with the new logo, colors, and fonts. Then, Chaptr rebranded the website from scratch using Adobe Photoshop for the visuals and Figma for the wireframes. 

Since we are an orchestra, we requested that they reference our music for the rebrand, which they did. They also integrated a new ticket sales system with the website, which functions well.  The new system consolidates the ticket buying process and requires fewer clicks to purchase.

Once the site was up and running, we scheduled a meeting, and they walked us through the new site's features and showed us how it worked. 

They also worked on our sister site that we plan to launch in the summer of 2022, and we’re considering giving them another project. 

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Kirsty (Operations Director). We also worked with a designer, developer, and SEO manager for the website rebrand.

How did you come to work with Chaptr?

Initially, we weren’t sure if we wanted to engage one partner to handle both the rebrand and the website redesign. We reached out to several companies. Eventually, we found our branding partner, but we also wanted to engage Chaptr. They thoroughly understood what we were looking for, and their project plan aligned with our needs. We ultimately split the project to engage both partners because Chaptr presented a strong proposal that fit our budget, and they specialize in web development. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested roughly £15,000 (approximately $18,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged Chaptr in March 2021, and they completed the project in January 2022. They continue to support us by hosting and maintaining the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did a fantastic job with the websites. We especially like how the new ticket sales system turned out, and we’ve had a few concerts sell out, so it’s worked well.

We track our sales throughout the season, and we can determine whether people purchased tickets via phone or online. Our online traffic has increased significantly since Chaptr redesigned the site, and I credit that to the ease of use and sleek design. The increase in online traffic has led to a rise in online ticket sales, which is excellent. We just want to sell tickets and have people attend our concerts, and Chaptr has helped us achieve that goal. We are super happy with how the websites turned out. 

How did Chaptr perform from a project management standpoint?

Chaptr made the project really easy, and we developed a close working relationship. They were very friendly and easy-going, and their team is relatively small like ours, so we worked similarly. They were easy to work with and communicated very well. 

We had a defined point of contact, and the process was very straightforward. Kirsty led us through the entire project and liaised with our branding agency. She kept us informed and kept the project on track. She is very organized, understanding, and calm. 

We never met in person, but we communicated via phone, email, Slack, and Zoom, which worked well. We had many video calls because some of us still worked from home during the project. Chaptr met each deadline and delivered assets on time. Everything was perfect.

We aren’t technical people, so sometimes we need them to help us quickly, and they’re prompt to do so. They support us when we have questions about maintenance and hosting and consistently maintain communication with us. We wanted a partner who would be available when we needed them, and they are. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We are impressed with how successfully they implemented the new ticket sales system. They knew exactly how to navigate the system, and everything works superbly. They have been great to work with. Now that we’ve seen what Chaptr can do, we wouldn’t consider any other web development partner. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing they could improve on; they did a fantastic job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Programme Manager at 'a space' arts

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Chaptr?

We hired Chaptr to build us a website for our graduate scheme, RIPE.

SOLUTION

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

I admired the website they had built for a gallery; it worked well and the design was sleek and contemporary

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

After an initial online meeting, Chaptr sent us designs. After a few rounds of feedback, they built the website and it went live about six months after we started the project

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

We worked with 4 members of their team

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Chaptr has a great eye for design and has been really great to work with. Our new RIPE website is contemporary, inviting, and easy to navigate – it has definitely surpassed our expectations! The team has been really helpful and responsive, contributing ideas and creative solutions along the way.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very good.

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

Their friendly and efficient approach and good design choices

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

no