Rant

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an office manager at Western Seed Ltd, an agricultural seed seeds supplier.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Rant?

We needed a system that could help us manage and audit the agricultural mixtures we create to comply with legal requirements.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rant helped us with custom software development to create an application, which they scoped out based on our needs and requirements. To jumpstart the process, the team had to understand our business from start to finish, which they did through documents, briefings, and virtual meetings with us.

What was the team composition? 

From Rant’s team, we worked with a delivery manager and their technical staff.

How did you come to work with Rant?

Someone referred Rant to us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February 2019–January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Rant’s product allowed us to conduct more business than before and get critical information about our company. In addition to that, they did significant upgrades and improvements to the systems as our business industry started changing. 

How did Rant perform from a project management standpoint?

Rant’s team delivered on time and budget, which impressed me and made everything very easy because we had other projects going on at the same time. Dealing with the team was straightforward and didn’t blind us with technical jargon, so we could understand everything they said.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review? 

All of Rant’s team members were brilliant; they were able to take a non-tech-savvy description of our business and understand where we were and what we wanted to do. Overall, their team was great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Rant’s quick response time and ability to make things happen were impressive. Overall, they went above and beyond our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wouldn’t change anything about their work because I was delighted with the engagement and would work with them again.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions because Rant’s team is friendly and helpful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director for a philanthropic nonprofit organization that promotes the film and TV industry. We work with crews and facilities to ensure an adequate service in Wales to look after or service all the big productions that come in here.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rantmedia?

The challenge was to have an all-encompassing website that offered a database search facility, the opportunity to add news, and promote the organization from one place.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rantmedia has developed and designed our website from scratch. We had a previous site, but they had to come in and build it because it was a different operating system. Moreover, we’ve had a two-way partnership with them. We work together to make sure that we get the best we can get.

The deliverable is a database that covers all the film and TV set crews and facilities. It also advertises job roles from various organizations and promotes people that register on the database. Similarly, it promotes our organization and the funders that work with us. We can add video, all sorts of information resources, and more.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with about six people from their team, including developers, writers, designers, and a managing director.

How did you come to work with Rantmedia?

I always admired their work, and it was the perfect opportunity to get involved with Rantmedia. We’d already established ourselves, and it was a chance to work with them to deliver a website. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £120,000 (approximately $162,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our engagement with them in October 2019, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we relaunched the website, our traffic went up dramatically. The quality is excellent, and their team is very proactive and reactive. They work within the budget and are always reachable. If anything happens, they respond quickly. Moreover, they’ve stayed with us on this journey to expand the website.

How did Rantmedia perform from a project management standpoint?

We had the COVID-19 pandemic between the project, so everything shut down. However, they met the majority of deadlines.

We’ve communicated through Zoom or Teams meetings. Also, one of my colleagues is in regular contact with them to look after the technical side.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stand out for their professionalism and dedication to the task at hand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their understanding of budget constraints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep the lines of communication open from an early stage and be clear on your brief.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of operations at Monmouthshire Building Society. We’re a regional building society that primarily focuses on savings and mortgages.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rantmedia?

Across our mortgage and savings range, we have fixed-term products. We wanted to extend our choices for customers to digitally engage with us at the end of their terms. The goal wasn't necessarily to drive customers online but rather to provide choice.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rantmedia built an online portal for both of our two primary product ranges. We defined the platform's functions and then their team designed it. They used all of our organization’s branding.

They developed portals where customers receive choices. When users log in, they're sent security details to validate them. Then, the portal presents them with personalized choices. The portal captures those choices through support and validation. And then, the choices are submitted into our backend systems. Rantmedia's working on further integrations and developments.

What is the team composition?

We primarily engaged with three people from Rantmedia. Their team included a project lead, a technical lead, and then other developers. We also engaged with their managing director.

How did you come to work with Rantmedia?

While at a previous organization, I worked with Rantmedia. I also worked with their TM on similar projects for different organizations. I contacted her and Rantmedia came in to propose to us. We went from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent just shy of £40,000 pounds (approximately $49,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Their team made their proposal in March 2019, but we actually engaged them in November 2019. We wrapped up the two primary deliverables and subsequently initiated another piece of work with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We know the portals are operational and that customers use them. Their team had nice design concepts that delighted us.

We haven’t completed our report on the benefits realization, but we know their work hits key objectives. There’s a benefits case around what it means to us in terms of cost reduction, risk reduction, and customer enhancements.

How did Rantmedia perform from a project management standpoint?

They're better with project management than us. Rantmedia has a robust methodology. Their team gave clear and routine updates. They’re structured and transparent. Their team sticks to their side of the bargain. They do what they say they will do on time.

Their team’s tolerant and understanding. My team’s mostly non-technical, which Rantmedia recognizes. They adapt and support us. They’re a small company, so it’s a personalized experience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Rantmedia was one of the few companies that met our minimum criteria. Their team had the desire to complete our project and offered a reasonable price. Given the size of the work, I’m not sure other providers could’ve completed it at a reasonable price.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

This isn’t a shortcoming on their part. As a collective, we weren’t prescriptive about the ongoing operational resilience of the platform. Rantmedia offered a support and maintenance contract, but we treated this as a one-off delivery. We hadn’t considered the ongoing business continuity requirements. We’re engaging with them now to make sure that they can continue to support us through disaster recovery.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d encourage people to give Rantmedia free rein to show what they can produce. We gave them a functional basis and then they provided the finesse, which was one of their delights.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a founder and the managing director of WeddingBooker.com.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rantmedia?

We wanted to create a platform that had every single wedding venue in the UK on it and would be searchable by geographic location. 

We wanted it to be a really simple, user-friendly system where a user could enter a location and maximum radius, and see every single wedding venue within that parameter. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rantmedia developed a backend system that enabled individual wedding venues to update their profiles, managing all their pictures and information.

People could book appointments online to visit wedding venues, as well as check the dates and availabilities of those venues.

I’m a nontechnical person, so one of the advantages of working with Rantmedia was that they were able to explain things in layman’s terms.

What is the team composition?

I could speak with the owner of the business, which was helpful. They had a very good project manager who dealt with all the queries and specs, keeping a close eye on details. 

I was also able to spitball ideas with Anton (CEO, Rantmedia Limited) and the development team. We had someone who kept it on track and recorded all the details of the project.

How did you come to work with Rantmedia?

I’d had an existing business for 15 years in the Cardiff area, and I’d previously worked with various digital agencies over those years. 

I’d met with Anton a number of years previously, but never actually worked with him. He was on my list of people to consider for the project, and it worked out.

We wanted more than a normal website. Our requirements called for a database-driven web application. Various people just didn’t get it, but Rantmedia did. They were able to do everything we wanted to do. Also, they weren’t too big, they were local to us, and it was a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

The initial build was in the region of £60,000 (Approximately $78,400 USD), and there was additional work that went in. The total is probably within £100,000 (Approximately $130, 700 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Rantmedia between March 2018 through December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re a new business entering a mature market. There were competing, established brands already out there. Our site stood alongside those, and it was better than most of them. 

We always received positive comments from clients and venues, saying they liked the feel and ease of using the site. We didn’t have any negative comments about the way the site looks or the way it works. I was happy to stand alongside the big boys who’d been there for a long time.  

How did Rantmedia perform from a project management standpoint?

From my point of view, it was managed well. Communication was email-and phone-based, and we had regular meetings every few weeks to look over things. We maintained regular communication, and a lot of it was face-to-face interaction, which was great. We didn’t use a project management tool, but they used InVision on their side. 

The uniqueness of what we’re doing comes from the fact that I’m an entrepreneur, not a corporation. I only had an idea, not the whole spec of what I wanted to achieve. Rantmedia helped me map out what was achievable. They took that idea and laid out what we should do in version one, version two, and so on. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The personal relationship impressed me. They’re just nice, genuine people, who are extremely intelligent and competent at the same time. There’s nothing they don’t understand and nothing they can’t do. But, they’re very humble about it. 
There are lots of businesses in that field that overpromise and underdeliver. Rantmedia underpromised and over-delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve always been positive about what they did.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If I was doing it again, I’d probably research the market more. I’d concentrate on developing the parts of the application that are really important to the client, rather than second-guessing what I think people want or need. 

While everyone is really happy about what we’re doing, actually getting the application to work is a totally different thing. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, leading global insurance company. My role is the Head of Marketing & Communications in North America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Rantmedia?

Further developing , redevelop our mobile app

What were your goals for this project?

Make the app more user-friendly and add more features

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Recommendation through another company we work with

Describe the project in detail.

App features all of our sales and marketing materials so they are available on the go, 24/7. In addition, our Financial results, key contacts and successes / videos are also featured.

What was the team composition?

5 people involved for Rant, did not change

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app can be downloaded on the app store. feedback so far has been very positive, both in / externally.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very methodical, kept to deadlines, great communications, responded to feedback.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their expertise and ability to deliver within time and budget set them apart. We were impressed by their creativity and solution-oriented approach.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing comes to mind, smooth process so far

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief cyber consultant for the cyber and consulting business within Thales UK. Thales UK is an aerospace defense company specializing in providing complex solutions to defense and critical infrastructure organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rantmedia?

We needed to make our assessment methodology more user-friendly, while still remaining incredibly secure.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We use our assessment methodology to assess some of our critical infrastructure clients, and we use a variety of different Excel spreadsheets to achieve this. Rantmedia had to take this complex methodology and make it more user-friendly without opening the process up to vulnerabilities. So the project had a dual focus of security and usability requirements.

From the security standpoint, Rantmedia created security implementation plans that aligned with our high-level requirements and encryption methodology. After we finalized the design, they developed a prototype to demonstrate the encryption and for us to run security tests. They finally produced a few user prototypes, which are currently in user acceptance testing.

They took a user-centered design approach to the project, which started with a deep dive technical scoping session to understand the methodology. Rantmedia then developed the technical description of their statement of work and used that—as well as a user perspective—to design lo-fi and hi-fi interfaces. These enabled us to provide feedback, and for Rantmedia to provide future iterations before releasing anything to the users.

After finalizing a working interface, Rantmedia began developing the contextual model on how the information was going to be represented in the software. They defined all of the elements that would feed into the user interface, and made sure that we collected all the data in the dashboard. After that, it was just a matter of testing.

The user interface was just for iPad application, but the database element required configuration management and backend support.

What is the team composition?

We had a dedicated project manager, a technical lead, two people focused on UI, and one focused on development. Additionally, the CEO likes to be involved in the projects, so we worked with him.

How did you come to work with Rantmedia?

A co-worker of mine had already reached out to them for a different project. In talking with my co-worker, they thought that Rantmedia would be a good fit for our ideas and requirements, and invited me to the meeting they already had set up. We began working with them through a trial basis and were impressed with their work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $40,000­­–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in January 2018, and are currently testing the product. They work rapidly and react to requirements almost immediately, the process has just taken longer than necessarily planned because of internal scheduling challenges.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still in the testing phase, so I don’t have any metrics to provide, but I can say that we’ve been very happy with the quality of their work.

How did Rantmedia perform from a project management standpoint?

They had wonderful project management and especially put in extra effort in regards to our email. Because of the information we work with, our emails are very secure, which can present certain hurdles, but Rantmedia worked diligently through the email filters and signed up as a supplier.

We had internal challenges, which they took in stride. They were incredible to work with from a business perspective. We received our deliverables on time, and all of the meeting reports were clear, concise, and informative.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They never encountered something that was too challenging for them to handle, and it was quite a complex program. They were always very accommodating and took on the work with an incredible amount of grace

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the digital product owner of ABRSM, the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. We publish a variety of digital resources to help people prepare for practical and music theory exams.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rantmedia?

We wanted to make a new mobile product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rantmedia did full-stack development for an app that supports students preparing for our theory exams as well as those that want more knowledge. They built the solution on native iOS and Android platforms. Two of my colleagues had a workshop style meeting during the early development. We worked collaboratively on wireframes.

What is the team composition?

We work with seven people from Rantmedia in total, but three on a regular basis.

How did you come to work with Rantmedia?

Since we outsource all the development to external agencies, we looked for a suitable agency to build that product for us. Rantmedia’s director was a musician, which created a potential opportunity to partner. My manager led the tender process. We compared Rantmedia’s tender against other companies’ and decided they were the best for us.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent £40,000 GBP ($51,978 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2017 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Rantmedia has delivered what we asked them to produce.

How did Rantmedia perform from a project management standpoint?

They have been outstanding. Our project manager always checks in and is sometimes a step ahead of us. They learned our product’s subject matter quickly, which has made the process very smooth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very proactive and spotted issues ahead of time, which we appreciated. There was a lot of quality testing on our end, but they would also pick up on stuff themselves which they resolved. They highlighted issues that traditionally I would’ve expected to be our responsibility to spot. They were also able to suggest solutions and bring it to our attention which was really impressive. We most often communicated through Slack and we also had regular calls that were scheduled. The project manager was very organized, and it was good to have that regular contact by phone as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It isn’t something they necessarily need to change, but there were a couple of times when they weren’t too keen on jumping into something else and asked us to hold back a bit.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just go for it. They are really good.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the multimedia director at Equinox. We're a PR and marketing company based in Cardiff, Wales.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rantmedia?

We received funding from the Welsh government and had an opportunity to create a new application to be used at one of the castles in Wales. We were looking for a development partner to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to create a unique application that had never been developed before. I gave Rantmedia a very broad brief and they came up with three different ideas. They also suggested combining two technologies that were both quite new and had never been combined before. It's volumetric holographic projection, so users can control the hologram. We think it's the first time in the world when people could control the hologram in front of them. Rantmedia also managed the design, thinking up what dragons and flags would look like. The app they built is installed on iPads within the castle and is not available for public to download. In addition, they provided in-depth training to our staff to ensure the app is sustainable.

What is the team composition?

We were in close contact with three people but visited the office a few times where we met the whole team.

How did you come to work with them?

They were recommended to us by another vendor we had worked with.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2018 and the app launched in May 2018. As part of our contract, we have ongoing support through December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had some local school children come in and try the app out the weekend it was launched. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. We also gave questionnaires to the visitors of the castle, but we haven't got those back yet. We had a few small issues immediately after launch which Rant did everything possible to resolve instantly. Everything has worked perfectly since.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They were one of the best suppliers I've ever worked with. There was a learning curve for both our team and theirs because we were using the technology that had never been used before. We ordered different parts from all over the world and had to make a lot of decisions, but they did an excellent job and had quick turnaround times. They had different team members responsible for logistics, software development, and the design.

We had weekly meetings with them over the phone, but we told them to call us whenever they needed us. In addition, I went to their office half a dozen times and we had two videoconferences.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very friendly. It was a challenging project and we had a tight deadline, but they were relaxed and put us at ease. Also, they were accommodating and kept us up-to-date with what was going on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We plan to work with them again on other projects because we had such a positive experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be flexible and open to their ideas. I wouldn't go to them with a strict brief because they'll probably come up with something better. Tell them what your goals are, but don't restrict them with your perspective. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the program specialist for Project AWARE, a global nonprofit marine conservation organization. We have 11 employees worldwide currently focusing on two core conservation issues: marine debris and shark and ray conservation.

I manage our global marine debris survey, Dive Against Debris, whereby scuba divers are empowered to survey their dive site and remove the rubbish they encounter. Data is recorded regarding the types and amounts of marine debris items removed from underwater on the seafloor as well as the impact marine debris has on wildlife.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Rantmedia?

We wanted them to design and develop a mobile application that would allow users to submit their Dive Against Debris data using their smartphone or tablet. We don’t have the internal expertise to develop such a product and therefore turned to them.

What were your goals for this project?

Dive Against Debris was launched in June 2011 and the data reporting process involved a multistep procedure whereby participants had to record their data on a hard-copy data card in the field and then enter the data via desktop into the online submission form. Being a multistep process coupled with varying internet connectivity for participants across the globe, it created barriers for submitting data to Project AWARE.

Additionally, we recognized the changing landscape and the need for innovative technological advancements to support Dive Against Debris in the 21st century. Therefore, there was a demand and a need to develop a mobile app that would allow users to submit their data using their mobile/tablet device, thus streamlining the data submission process, providing a more user-friendly experience, and allowing users to submit their data in-situ following their dive.

The ultimate goals were to see an increase in data submissions as well as an increase in accuracy due to the inbuilt functionality of the app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I researched various developers online, reviewing their websites and portfolio. I then shortlisted 10 developers whom I submitted our proposal to and held initial discussions with, one of which was Rantmedia. From there, there were subsequent conversations with each developer, further shortlisted to three.

Rantmedia was selected based on their sound understanding of the proposal and the scope of work we were hoping to achieve with the app. They had also worked with nonprofit organizations before.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a series of initial discussions to fine-tune the concept and scope of work, which included a face-to-face meeting that provided a great opportunity to get to know the whole team. We were engaged throughout the process to provide feedback. Rantmedia was responsible for the complete app development from start to finish and worked together with our web developers due to the nature of our database hosting.

What was the team composition?

We had two main points of contact throughout the project. They brought in the relevant team members throughout the project as necessary.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We continue to hear positive feedback from the field regarding the Dive Against Debris app from its usability, aesthetics, functionality, etc. We also saw great engagement throughout our launch campaign. There have been a few minor bugs but Rantmedia has been extremely efficient in ensuring that they are fixed in a timely manner.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We remained in constant communication throughout the project via email and direct phone calls, which ensured we were all on the same page throughout the iterations. Initially, it was a little challenging to obtain an overall project timeline with clearly defined milestones and project stages but that was a minor detail in light of the overall workflow and outstanding support provided by Rantmedia. We didn't use a project management system, though I would probably recommend using something like Basecamp to streamline communication and ensure transparency.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

All in all, I was pretty impressed with every aspect of their work. They remained responsive throughout the process, ensured that they explained the technical stuff in a digestible way, and provided suggestions and alternate ways to tackle specific functionality requests. The team was always approachable, helpful, and remained patient when timelines shifted especially in with aspects of the project that were dependent on another third party.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are delighted with the quality of the product that we have received and are grateful for the ongoing support that Rantmedia continues to provide. We look forward to continuing working with them and to refine the updates/additions to the app to further increase its functionality.