Fusionary

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the technology project manager for Weld North Education in the Consumer Division. We handle academy and homeschool curriculums for students K–12. We also have a curriculum for brick-and-mortar schools. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fusionary?

We were looking for product and e-commerce support. 

The vice president at Fusionary was my boss here at Weld North Education, so most of the work we needed to be done was what he’d done in that capacity. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fusionary handles our product and e-commerce support — they mostly focus on staff augmentation to support our various product lines. They provide a lot of services related to product support, including fixing administrative tools. 

My company was bought in 2019 and there have been some growing pains. To help with the transition, the project manager from Fusionary and the project manager from my company are narrowing down and streamlining our processes. 

Whenever I need a project done, I provide them with specifications and the Fusionary team delivers exactly what I need. 

Currently, they’re installing reCAPTCHA on our websites. 

What is the team composition?

I work with Todd (Vice President of Engineering) and Kate (Web Development Project Manager). There are other teammates involved, but I don’t have contact with them. 

How did you come to work with Fusionary?

We began working with them after Todd left my company to work at Fusionary — it made sense to work with someone who already knew our company and products. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested almost $200,000 with Fusionary. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in April 2021 and the partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to our improved processes, the Fusionary team can deploy our products without the help of my product team. 

A lot of what they do is on the backend, so many of our customers aren’t aware of the work ​​Fusionary is doing for us. However, our internal management team is very happy because many of the issues that needed to be rectified have been fixed. 

How did Fusionary perform from a project management standpoint?

Kate is great at communicating — we mainly use Basecamp to communicate. I request projects by putting a ticket in Basecamp, or if a request is product-related, we use Jira, my company’s internal project tracking system. Kate has access to both Basecamp and Jira and updates them regularly. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would say their communication sets Fusionary apart from other companies. The professional relationship I’ve had with Todd and the communication I’ve had with Kate has been phenomenal. 

Kate has been excellent at working with me to streamline our policies and processes — communication has been the key to our success. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their timelines by estimating how long a project will take, calculating due dates, and meeting deadlines. However, I’m currently working on that with the project manager, but it could still use some additional improvements. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients need to utilize the Fusionary project manager they are assigned — the project manager communicates with the entire team and knows every aspect of a project. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a consultant at a nonprofit that’s been around for 30 years. We’ve been doing a deep dive into competency and credentialing work over the last 7 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fusionary?

We determined we needed to build an app that would allow us to do some analysis around the certifications and competencies required to do work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we came to them with a concept. Then, we were able to develop content and design simultaneously through an iterative process. A component of this project was to store code and share it with our end users so they could combine and use linked data from multiple systems.

What is the team composition?

Originally, we worked with two co-owners. When those owners turned over the company, we started working with two developers to complete the app.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together three years ago, and our work is ongoing. The app was grant-funded, so the timeline is lengthier than a normal app development process. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As a nonprofit, we now have a viable tool to do important work around understanding what people know and are able to do in relation to their jobs. This is critical in terms of helping establish job quality with public policy partners to really emphasize hiring, securing, and promoting talent within organizations.

How did Fusionary perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re one of the best project teams that I’ve ever worked with. They were creative, responsive, and they did their research. They helped us take what was an abstract concept and turn it into a concrete reality that has great utility for our end users. Before the pandemic, we met in person. We also used Basecamp, email, and phone. They led a love iterative design process to uncover challenges.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team didn’t come in with assumptions. They utilized their expertise to help us customize and design a product that didn't exist before. The team was flexible, patient, and professional on every single level.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come in knowing that they have the required expertise. Trust them to guide you to a good outcome. Understand and know your users as well as the content that’s important before they come in.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the executive director of an endowment fund. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fusionary?

We were looking to revamp our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fusionary provided web development and design services. They included all of the content and functionality necessary for the site, including payment processing. Their team presented us with design options, which we talked through until we found the right balance. 

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact but we also worked with Jack (Technical Product Lead), Stephanie (Project Manager), and Brian Consultant from Fusionary.

How did you come to work with Fusionary?

Fusionary built our original website in 2011, so it made sense to have them rebuild it. We initially found them from an RFP.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $22,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from March–August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of the work is excellent. The board was very pleased with the new design. A lot of the features have been enhanced and the photos are more attractive. The new setup makes it easier for our internal team.

Their team is very knowledgeable, and if there is anything they don’t know, they’ll do the research to find out. I’m not very tech-savvy, but they put everything in terms I can understand so we can work productively together. 

How did Fusionary perform from a project management standpoint?

We primarily communicate via email. If we had to run tests or they wanted to share their progress, they would provide the necessary project management tools to make that possible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am able to put my trust in Fusionary, I’m always confident that they’ll deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not from my standpoint. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would highly recommend working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project manager for a yarn distribution company. We sell worldwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fusionary Media ?

We hired them to build an app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built an app for us about our color catalog. You could search for colors, view them alphabetically, look at the types of yarn we offer and what blends of fiber we have. They also developed a pairing section, where you could see how up to six colors interact with each other and what they look like together in knitwear or whatever they want to make. They can save favorites, and go to our shopping tab. It works on mobile phones and tablets, for both iPhone and Android.

What is the team composition?

I worked with seven people from their team. We had two central project managers.

How did you come to work with Fusionary Media?

I’m not sure, it was a contact that was made before I’m in this position. They helped make the first version of the app and did a good job, so we went back to them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June to October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re a fabulous team, they did a great job making our concept come to life. We’re very happy with the product and how they handled the development. They got it done in a timely manner. There was a minor glitch that they reworked and fixed quickly. I have nothing but positive things to say, they’re a fabulous company.

How did Fusionary Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very thorough with how they manage their products. We worked out of Basecamp, and they had everything staked out. They’re very detailed, organized, responsive, and communicative. It’s very easy to work with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very nice people. They’re great to work with. They want to make sure their customers are happy, and we were happy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing jumps out, I don’t think anything could have been done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good idea of what you’re looking for before you contact them. It’s easier when you know what you’re trying to tell them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of communications at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, a botanical garden and sculpture park. It’s an indoor and outdoor museum that hosts rotating exhibitions and also has a permanent display of about 200 sculptures. In addition to having gardens and sculptures, we also hold a large number of events, such as concerts, weddings, business rentals, and educational events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fusionary Media?

We needed a partner to create an updated website that would cleanly and easily communicate all of the information. However, since our information changes so frequently, we needed to be able to easily update the backend of the website, without being proficient in coding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fusionary Media’s involvement has evolved from developing a simple website to what we have now, which is a really sharp-looking, responsive website. They provide overall web maintenance and design suggestions. They’ve created, handed off, and trained us on the system, so we don’t need to lean on them to make all of our updates. For instance, if an event gets canceled or a concert gets moved, we can make the changes to the calendar ourselves. 

Now, we’re able to go in and make those daily edits on our end. They continue to guide and support us, especially on significant overhauls. That includes designing and implementing new pages, features, or functionalities.

The CMS on the backend is called ExpressionEngine, and I believe we’re one of their last clients yet on that particular CMS. Fusionary Media gave us the ability to update the CMS on our own. We’re hoping to get some money in the next fiscal year to do a complete website overhaul, which we’ve done every few years. I’ve been really happy with ExpressionEngine, but Fusionary Media is going to be switching us over to a new CMS eventually.

What is the team composition?

When the heavy lifting was done for the major rehaul 7–8 years ago, there was a lot more involvement from their team. We worked with everybody from designers to project managers, content creators, and day-to-day facilitators. 

Now, we primarily deal with 1–2 people. We have a main point of contact, but we can get anybody on the phone if we need to talk to the president or elevate things.

How did you come to work with Fusionary Media?

The initial partnership with them began before I was in this role. There was an RFP process, and several local and regional web companies were invited to submit their proposals. Through that process, the relationship with Fusionary Media began, and we’ve been thrilled to work with them. I’ve been with my company for about six years, and I really enjoy our relationship with them. 

The quality of their work and their roster of clients made them stand out. Back then, they already had a big name among local, regional, and national clients, and they possessed the ability to do everything that we wanted. While we had other companies that were trying to shoehorn us into preexisting templates, Fusionary Media was very competitive when it came to pricing. It was a perfect storm of all of those things that led us to this relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested $200,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 1997, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been thrilled with their design work and the quality of what our website looks like. We’re very happy with their work on the frontend and how things look. 

We’re also happy with the backend and how the site functions. On the user functionality side, we have the ability to make changes on our own, without having to loop Fusionary Media in or pay someone else. We can make frequent updates without involving them in the day-to-day nitty-gritty.

How did Fusionary Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Fusionary Media is great. They’ve never missed any deadlines. They keep us updated on their progress, and they ask questions to clarify what we need. They’re always there as a resource. They do marketplace research and advise whether something is worth the expense. Then, if we decide to go with it, they provide the ability to make it happen. 

We don’t have professional coders on staff, so it’s really great that we can lean on Fusionary Media when we need them to make major changes on the website. They’re super responsive and usually get back to us within 24 hours.  It’s a great partnership in that we don’t have to lean on them for every single update. They have trained us on how to do things on our end, and they’re able to step in and help us out when we do need to make major changes.

Our primary communication is through Basecamp. They suggested we use Basecamp and then trained us on it. We use Basecamp to toss our ideas back and forth and keep everything tracked and organized. They’re always responsive on Basecamp, whether they’re telling us something is fixed or they’re working on it. They get us what we need in a timely fashion. Pre-COVID-19, we also had face-to-face meetings, because they’re just a short drive away. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The personal relationship we have with them and the quality of their work stand out to me. I’ve also been impressed by their ability to execute client hand-off and keep things running smoothly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’ve never had any issues or problems. We’ve never considered leaving them for another website provider.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep open lines of communication. Be honest and upfront about deadlines, budgets, and expectations. That’s worked well for us, and that would work well for any potential client.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an international data center provider. Founded in 2004, we’re in the process of transitioning to a platform company and are a provider in the connectivity data center space. We’re also a real estate investment trust. I’m responsible for managing the website, marketing automation, and Salesforce. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fusionary Media?

They’re our development vendor, essentially an extension of our team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They partner with us to strategically address our development, hosting, and programming needs. Their team also assists in providing feedback on the user-facing design of the site. They’re an integral part of updating and adding features and functionality to the backend of our platform. We collaborate and discuss trends in the development space in order to solve problems that we’re facing. Our website is managed with Craft CMS.

They’re pivotal in reworking some of our APIs and technologies, oftentimes knowing more about the technology involved than our vendors do. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with a total of five of their teammates. The team size depends on the size of the task, but I interface directly with a project manager as well. They have an array of teammates with different skillsets that will be added to projects as needed. 

How did you come to work with Fusionary Media?

We acquired a company that had an existing partnership with them. Our relationship with their team started due to that acquisition.  

How much have you invested with them?

If we’re not doing major web development projects, we spend about $70,000 each year. We’ve completely redone our website a few times, which makes our annual spend closer to $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since the spring of 2015.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve been a great partner. There’s been scope creep on our end at times, and they’ve always been accommodating. Their a reliable extension of my team that I can count on to deliver as promised. When we need a plan B, they always come to the table with helpful thoughts and ideas. They’ve been the only vendor I’ve worked with in this capacity that’s been totally reliable.   

How did Fusionary Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We set up an annual maintenance schedule with them, but they’re great about accommodating projects that may extend outside of our scope. Everything’s worked well so far, staying on top of our budget throughout.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I rely on them daily, and they’ve really been an extension of my team. We can count on them to deliver the moon for us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

As we grow and scale the business, they’ve been able to scale along with us. It’s been great to see them make everything work. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you’re as clear as possible about your needs and regular touch base with them about progress.