Gauge

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a travel lifestyle company, making luggage and travel accessories for a life on the go. We have a broad distribution in the US and internationally. In the US, our products are available at major department stores, specialty stores, warehouse clubs, etc. Online our products can be found at 3rd party etailers and direct, on our websites. I am the VP of Marketing, in charge of our brand marketing operations, including e-commerce, digital marketing, communications, events, and creative services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Gauge?

We hired Gauge to help us migrate our platform to a new e-commerce site. Online shopping is such an evolving space and our previous website had limited capabilities. We needed to scale up to a more robust solution that could easily integrate with other internal and third-party systems. Furthermore, we wanted a solution that didn’t require expert knowledge to operate it post-launch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We needed Gauge to design a responsive, mobile-friendly site with several custom themes for our landing page, enhanced storytelling for product detail pages, a blog, and a store locator.

What is the team composition?

We had a dedicated project manager, designer, and developer.

How did you come to work with Gauge?

They were referred to us by a former employee. We submitted the RFP to three highly competent agencies; we ultimately selected Gauge. They were flexible, knowledgeable and a good fit for how we wanted to operate.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from July 2018–March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They helped us launch an amazing travel e-commerce experience that represents our brands. We worked well with their team, they listened, guided us, educated us, and delivered a final product that meets our expectations. The first several months post-launch were bumpy as we saw a drop in organic traffic but that was expected and it is already improving.

How did Gauge perform from a project management standpoint?

Throughout the entire engagement, the project manager was instrumental and did an outstanding job keeping us on track. We had hour-long weekly calls to discuss project status, progress, and updates; they were always available to connect with us as needed. We used Basecamp for project management (provided by Gauge), a great platform for keeping up with all the deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We learned a great deal from them. We have a small team so, Gauge’s team knowledge and guidance were outstanding. They brought enthusiasm, knowledge, and expert level skill to the project. We are grateful to have worked with such a talented team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not necessarily; I would advise more in terms of guiding or demanding their clients to stay within the allocated timeframe for each project phase. We likely spent too much time in the design phase and didn’t allocate enough time for development and testing as we should have had. After launch, we identified several bugs which could have been avoided had we stayed within the initial timeframe for design.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Every project gives you an opportunity to learn. My advice to any company wanting to switch platforms is to make sure they allocate a dedicated team to the project – one who can make decisions and move the project along. Also, don’t underestimate the time needed for testing and bug fixing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the commerce manager for a sports equipment manufacturer. My responsibilities include maintaining our direct-to-consumer website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Gauge?

We needed a development firm to help us maintain our current Magento platform and potentially upgrade the system to Magento 2.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our goal was to launch a new product website that used one of our existing sites as a template. We hired Gauge to help us update the site’s theme and create a new product detail page that’s consumer-friendly and intuitive. We relied on Gauge to ensure the new website utilized modern e-commerce practices prior to launch. They also integrated our platform with a third-party logistics fulfillment center. They currently provide monthly updates to keep the site safe and secure for consumers.

What is the team composition?

An assigned account manager is our primary point of contact, but I also interact with another account representative who oversees the monthly platform maintenance. We have access to several senior developers as well and communicate with them as needed.

How did you come to work with Gauge?

Once we decided to look for a Magento development firm, we interviewed and discussed our needs with a wide variety of providers. Our desired team had to be comprised of team-players that could grow alongside us and give our project the attention it needs. After meeting with Gauge, we felt they had our best interest in mind. Confident that our project would be in good hands, we hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The Magento development took place from April­–August 2018. They currently provide platform support and maintenance on a monthly basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Gauge delivered a direct-to-consumer website that utilizes Magento for e-commerce. Their frequent updates ensure the platform stays fast, secure, and user-friendly.

How did Gauge perform from a project management standpoint?

Gauge consists of an extremely responsive team that routinely under promises and over delivers. We issued a tight deadline, but they made sure the project stayed on track and kept us from pursuing developments outside the scope of work. I appreciate the relationship I’ve built with their managerial staff. Both contacts are well-connected internally, so they always provide supporting staff members when one of them goes on vacation or has to call out sick.

All resources that interact with us are up-to-date on the project and help us make sure everything is prioritized correctly. Beyond traditional means of communication, we use Basecamp as an organizational tool. Overall, their project management capabilities are fantastic.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We have access to not only their account manager, who’s fantastic to work with, but also their senior-level staff. Due to how their company is structured, we always feel like we’re working with skilled professionals. In the e-commerce industry, issues can arise on a daily basis so it’s important to find a vendor that can provide solutions quickly. Gauge performs to this standard without fail. We’ve enjoyed the structure in which we’ve worked with them thus far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Approach the engagement with a patient mindset and communicate your goals in a straight-forward manner. Understanding those items will help Gauge complete your project even faster.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We sell retro candy online. We have 12 part-time and 2 full-time employees. I am the managing partner of the company. I am in charge of payroll, purchasing, and other tasks.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Gauge Interactive?

We had an outdated website and also needed a better e-commerce platform. We were using 3DCart, which can be limiting. We wanted to find a company that could become our partner, allowing my father (who is in charge of web maintenance) to retire.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Gauge Interactive initially redesigned our website. They've constantly upgraded it since, and have been in charge of Google and Bing pay-per-click management. Our site needs to host a significant inventory, so it was a large project. We've been working on a functionality allowing customers to personalize candy gift boxes with their own messages and uploaded pictures. It's something that can differentiate us from other online candy stores.

Gauge Interactive has completely redone our email format, creating a template. We have performed A/B testing and analyzed open rates in order to see which content worked the best. Getting data analysis for our marketing was something we'd struggled with in the past.

How did you come to work with Gauge Interactive?

We chose 3 website designers and interviewed them. The partnership opportunity offered by Gauge Interactive was the reason for choosing them. The other 2 companies didn't have such a personalized approach. Gauge Interactive's response rate is outstanding, and I don't think we would have gotten the same service from the other candidates.

How much have you invested with Gauge Interactive?

The cost of Gauge Interactive's services has been between $50,000 and $200,000. Our website redesign was the bulk of our investment, but we also have an ongoing contract.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Gauge Interactive at the beginning of 2014. The new website was launched at the end of July 2015. The launch was delayed because we have a seasonal business and didn't want to run into any relevant holidays. We pay a monthly fee to Gauge Interactive for web maintenance, SEO, and marketing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The ROI on our marketing with Gauge Interactive was up to our expectations. We are ahead of last year's sales by 7%. The beginning was a bit bumpy, but this tends to happen after website redesigns. Gauge Interactive made a constant effort for improving our results.

How did Gauge Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

We have an hour-long phone call with Gauge Interactive's team every other week, and I communicate with their project manager daily. I'm a spreadsheet geek and need to break everything down into to-do lists. Gauge Interactive has reinforced this for me. We communicate through Basecamp.

We reevaluate our retainer contract with Gauge Interactive every 6 months. We work together to ensure that all the work is covered and receive quotes for any additional work.

What did you find most impressive about Gauge Interactive?

I've appreciated Gauge Interactive's response time. Our project manager only deals with 5 other clients, so the process is very focused.

Are there any areas Gauge Interactive could improve?

No. We've been happy with Gauge Interactive, and we can talk things out. The price could be lower, but we were willing to pay extra for good communication.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Gauge Interactive?

Clients should make sure that they know what they want when signing a statement of work or monthly retainer. We have goals and budgets and follow them as best as possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We sell anything related to science, from laboratory equipment to educational materials and toys. I am the owner of the company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Gauge?

We had been using the Magento platform. Magento offers a little more flexibility, but it requires the right technical knowledge. As a small company, we didn't have the necessary expertise for doing much of what we wanted to do with the platform. We sell on multiple channels and would like to add even more. Also, our old site had received a huge DDOS attack before the advent of mitigating programs like Cloudflare. We had to rent an offshore server at the time, which destroyed our site. Initially, we worked with another company that couldn't fix the problem.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Gauge proactively suggested Shopify for our site and helped us make the migration. Shopify is a great site, but the regular version doesn't have as much customization available. It is more of a boxed option with less flexibility for individualizing items. The migration itself was also difficult given the wide difference to Magento. Because we were changing platforms, there were major differences; for instance, categories are called collections, which are 2-deep and managed with tags. We have been in business for 15 years and sell around 15,000 items, so it was a huge change for us. We were used to what we were doing, so trying something new took some convincing.

Gauge spent a lot of time reviewing modules and finding the ones that best suited our goals. For a small company, starting out with too many apps will lead to paying too much and underutilizing them. A big part of our discussion with Gauge was avoiding paying for expensive options that we wouldn't be using for the next 6 months. Gauge planned the best options relative to the money we wanted to spend, our available staff, and the direction we wanted to take.

Our goal was to avoid being tied up with technical aspects. Instead, we wanted to focus on marketing our website. Gauge worked with us in order to bring in the features which we really wanted. We also added a solution that integrates with our accounting system and controls inventory across different platforms. We wanted to split our business onto 2 to 3 sites. We had become too large and had too varied a product line. We also sell on eBay, Amazon, and Rakuten, so we wanted an inventory control system to address any problems caused by some of our products being on all 3 platforms.

How did you come to work with Gauge?

Gauge was recommended to us by Magento. Their owner flew in to see us and moved our site to a different Magento installation.

How much have you invested with Gauge?

In total, the cost of our complete migration project with Gauge will be above $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Gauge in March 2012 and have an ongoing relationship. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our new site has only been live for 3 weeks. Right now, we're happiest with our search function. It's a million times better than what we had before. Shopify makes it easy to add different apps, so we have a chat function for the first time. The look of the site is also very good. We're still working on data integration, but we have very high hopes for finishing it in time for Christmas.

How did Gauge perform from a project management standpoint?

Gauge handled project management very well. They planned everything out, communicated well, and put items in charts. We had weekly meetings and we knew exactly where we were. Gauge went above-and-beyond on many issues. As a small company, we work every day on bringing business in. Our time is spent working with customers and taking care of them, so we didn't have resources for some projects. In order to keep the project going, Gauge handled extra tasks that we could have done ourselves .

What distinguishes Gauge from other providers?

Gauge's team cares about projects, and they're in it for the long run. After having worked with others who have gone in and out of business because of changes in the tech market, we've found that they are loyal to customers. Gauge also took the time to come in and see who we were and what we wanted to accomplish. They came up with a plan based on that knowledge.

Is there anything Gauge could have improved or done differently?

Building sites is complicated and there were some minor irritations. I felt that Gauge could have listened more to me at times, but the move from Magento to Shopify was a new venture, I believe, for both of us. The platforms are changing and the field can resemble the Wild West in terms of available knowledge. Gauge was flexible, willing to change, and looked at our suggestions. However, they could have paid a bit more attention to some items like our eBay integration. This was complicated by our legacy system, with templates which had been built years ago.

Do you have any recommendations for others considering working with Gauge?

Gauge does an excellent job of management and communication, so clients shouldn't be afraid of bringing up new ideas and exploring them. I would also advise clients to do research on their own and be willing to change if something is not working.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We offer gourmet and boutique raw honey varieties from across the world, as well as a line of all-natural hive-inspired body care products like shampoos, lotion, body butter, heel balm, and lip balm. All of those products contain hive ingredients: propolis, royal jelly, honey, and bees' wax.

What is your position?

I am the director of e-commerce in the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Gauge Interactive?

We had outgrown our prior e-commerce platform. It was the third version of our website since its launch in 2008. The first one was replaced within a year because it couldn't support our growth. Our second platform lasted for about 2 years, but we stared breaking it through too much traffic and orders. We wanted to step up and have a platform which would scale alongside our business, so we chose Magento.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Gauge Interactive was in charge of our whole website design layout, as well as the Magento re-platforming. Our stylesheet was already in place, but Gauge Interactive worked in very close partnership with us in terms of rebranding the web store. Our direct objective was to have it match the look-and-feel of our brick-and-mortar stores. Gauge Interactive became involved in this creative process.

Gauge Interactive provided 8-9 resources for our project, including a project manager, developers, and designers. We were assigned both a graphic designer and a CSS coder.

How did you come to work with Gauge Interactive?

We vetted the regional Magento developers, searching everywhere from Atlanta to Charleston and St. Louis. A few of those developers were international as well. We wanted to have a personal relationship with them, and found Gauge Interactive through that process. They happened to be located in Savannah, like our company. Our old Chief Executive Officer used to go to an old bakery located right beside Gauge Interactive. One day, he stopped in after lunch and introduced himself. We took them completely off-guard with the walk-in.

We started some introductory meetings and quickly felt that Gauge Interactive was a good company which understood our brand. We ended up choosing Gauge Interactive for our Magento re-platforming.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total cost of Gauge Interactive's services has been around 3 million dollars. This included our entire project, which had a huge scope. Gauge Interactive has acted as a development partner since then. We keep a monthly retainer with them, which has been in place for 3 years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Gauge Interactive 3 years ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We set out to release the most highly optimized site possible. We worked with Gauge Interactive for this goal and came up with a great result. Since our launch, traffic has gone up dramatically, in every sense of the word. Sales and revenue have followed it, even though there was an initial lag, which since caught up. We've been able to implement a good combination of Magento plug-in elements and extensions in order to create a nice site for our customers. We continue to optimize content and manage the technical SEO.

Since our website launch, we've tracked a 40% growth in traffic each year. I haven't looked at the figures from day-one until today, but the increase has been steady for two and a half years. It's tough to tell where traffic comes from, especially since our social media presence is very strong, but a 40% increase cannot be accounted for by social media alone. We attribute a lot of the success to the website itself.

How did Gauge Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

We came out of scope a little bit, but that was largely our doing. One of the things that I've enjoyed the most about working with Gauge Interactive was the relationship I've been able to develop with their project management team. I have to work with them closely, given that I'm a project manager for our e-commerce work. They have been my main point of contact, and I maintain a few hours of communication with Gauge Interactive each week, either through Skype, Basecamp, over the phone, or in person. My project manager has always been available to me for extra Magento operations. I largely taught myself to use that software, having Gauge Interactive as subject-matter experts in this field.

We share the software used internally by my company with Gauge Interactive. We work within the Optimizely platform, partnering on all of the A/B testing for the site. Our local project management software is Basecamp, but Gauge Interactive uses something else internally. They've always managed our projects through Basecamp.

What distinguishes Gauge Interactive from other providers?

Gauge Interactive has set up operations by employing an expert in every field. If we wanted to work on product listing ads or ad words campaigns, they could provide a highly-qualified person in that arena. They have great graphic designers on-staff, as well as social media experts, copywriters, email campaign managers, and great project managers. We like to manage as much as we can from our end, but wherever we fall short or for whatever task where we don't want to dedicate a lot of bandwidth, Gauge Interactive will offer someone whom I would consider to be a professional in their area.

Ad Words is a great example for me. Although I've overseen our Ad Words and product listing ads campaigns, and took part in the decision-making, Gauge Interactive managed and optimized them for me. It was easy for me to give this piece over, feeling confident with the person handling it. If I also wanted to give my email marketing work over to Gauge Interactive, I would feel confident in doing so. From a business perspective, Gauge Interactive can pick up any weak links, as needed. They can customize packages based on what's best for the customer, as opposed to other agencies which have an all-or-nothing mentality.

Is there anything Gauge Interactive could have improved or done differently?

We keep Gauge Interactive on a retainer and have a statement of work. Sometimes, when the potential for a new project came up, we wondered if it fell within the retainer or not. I think that Gauge Interactive should more accurately define their retainer agreement. This would require 2 teams collaborating together, deciding what each item actually means. For me, the biggest challenge has been that anything falling outside parameters of the retainer agreement will become an à la carte piece. There was a little uncertainty in this area, with some projects landing on borderline parameters which neither of our teams knew how to define. The tighter those statements of work can be defined, the more Gauge Interactive could improve.

Tense moments have been minimal, but they've usually been over negotiations on the qualities of a retainer. It's part of being an agency, especially when treating each customer uniquely, like Gauge Interactive does. Every customer of theirs has a unique statement of work. It's nice, but it requires putting many words on a page, which everyone then has to agree on.

I've talked to many potential clients which vetted Gauge Interactive through me, always advising them to have a good understanding of what the post-project expectations are, right from the beginning. We didn't define our relationship with Gauge Interactive during the project, making us not know where we stood once the new platform was launched. We hadn't even considered having a development partner on retainer at that point.