Frontend.com

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a co-founder and CTO of Redstrand.com, a web development agency founded in 2003. We provide software development services for websites, web applications and mobile apps. Our core focus is on eCommerce and Content Management but we also provide custom development for a range of clients across industries including tourism, education, healthcare, FMCG, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Frontend.com?

We have worked with Frontend.com on multiple projects as they bring specialist expertise on UX design and Research. As we are a service company ourselves, it is very important that the quality of design delivered is of the highest standard. This ensures our clients are happy, we can easily implement the designs and projects are delivered on-time & budget.

SOLUTION

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

Previous experience from working with Frontend.com and the quality of their outputs. We have worked with many design agencies but Frontend.com provide the best deliverables by far.

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

Our client, Diageo, wanted to upgrade their website for the Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny. The existing site was a bit dull and sales were a bit lower than expected. Redstrand has extensive experience in eCommerce and specifically ticket sales for the tourism sector, where we provide full integration with on-site POS systems. However, we focus on the development side and typically outsource the graphic design element. Stages for the project included requirements, research, design, UI development, web development, eCommerce dev, integration, bespoke CMS and ongoing technical support. Frontend provided research, design and UI development. Both companies collaborated regularly throughout the project, ensuring solutions were easy to implement. Templates provided were robust and well-marked up for easy integration. The client was delighted with the end result.

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

Frontend.com provided a dedicated project director, interaction designer, graphic designer and a UI developer. So, 4 in total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most important outcome was that our client, Diageo, were very happy with the results. Ticket sales went up significantly and engagement in the site overall increased considerably.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Frontend are very customer focused and were excellent in communicating with both our team and the client team. We had direct communication with key personnel such as UI developers which is great for efficiency.

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

As designers they really understand technology, it’s limitations and potential. We also really trust their UX knowledge and processes – their research processes are really impressive. They’re UI code is the best we’ve seen delivered by a design company ever.

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

Frontend.com are not cheap but you do get what you pay for. That said, this project had a limited budget and Frontend delivered excellent designs.