What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’re only in the second month of the site being live and don’t have any major metrics yet. We’re coming to the end of the change and review process and will start tracking metrics after that. From my perspective, there’s definitely been an uptick of people emailing us. We’re getting inquiries through the site from people looking for more information. Fifth Tribe helped us narrow down our focus and identify our audiences. People sometimes think a website is going to be the catch-all for everything. Fifth Tribe was great at helping us find our appropriate focus.
How did Fifth Tribe perform from a project management standpoint?
Their project management style is effective for us, and they adapted well to our work style. We work remotely on many projects, and they were very good at keeping us on-task too. We set a timeline for the work from the beginning, and they worked with us when delays were our fault. Fifth Tribe was very good about meeting their timeline markers. They also offered ideas and options along the way.
What did you find most impressive about them?
First, it’s their overall product. We are proud of our new website. It looks beautiful on both mobile and desktop. The designer was amazing and listened to everything we needed. They went above and beyond, designing additional graphics and images, and worked with us to make sure that the site met our needs appropriately, especially since we have certain restrictions on how things can look. Fifth Tribe was also respectful to the many cultures we interact with, helping us present our content in a very concise, visually-appealing way.
Secondly, their team was very responsive. We had several problems on our end, and they helped us adjust accordingly. My supervisor was out of pocket for a month for jury duty, and Fifth Tribe helped us adjust our timeline, so that much of the work they were supposed to be doing a month later was moved up. That way, the things that needed authorization weren’t happening while my supervisor was out. They were able to keep us keep moving, which I found valuable, especially as a program officer.
Finally, they communicated with us at every stage, and very responsive to any changes we requested with a timeline — even after the site went live. They were willing to take the time to work with me and explain things to cut down on back-and-forth emails. There were very few adjustments, but they kept us in the loop when there were. I knew where we were on the project, and I could communicate it with my boss, keeping everyone happy.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Fifth Tribe was very good about adjusting. Initially, we struggled with communication between my boss and Adam (Senior Product Owner, Fifth Tribe) on identifying the work and next steps. Adam was very patient and quickly adjusted.
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
Have your content ready to go in advance. We had the content, but it was in 30 different documents, which slowed down the process as we sorted all of the information. Having the content ready in advance will serve as a jumping-off base.
Though the site launched recently, customer engagement has already increased noticeably. Fifth Tribe was generous with their web strategy expertise and honed the focus of the project to better target audience members. Customers can expect a responsive partner that’s committed to timelines.