Ripe Media

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the co-owners of a transportation and tours company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

We purchased the business in 2019, but it was started in 2003 by the founder, so it possessed around 20 years of operational history. Its web presence began at a very elementary level and remained there for a number of years.

We hired Ripe to modernize our organization and bring us through to the next step in our endeavor of working with the public as, currently, 95% of our business is B2B. Our specific goal was to enhance our overall user experience.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built our new website from scratch. If you go to the site, you’ll be able to choose what service you’re looking for and then click within five different tabs along the margin to get more details on those services. Like booking a hotel room online, you can choose where you need your service to originate, how many people it’s for, and where you want to be picked up. After a few more clicks, you’ll be able to input your payment method and then receive a QR code, email, and other documents for confirmation. We’ve also automated those items to be sent out via text massage as well. We haven’t started with the SEO or PPC yet, but Ripe was very supportive during the launch of the site.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with approximately 6–7 people in total, including Chris (President), Heather (President), Christian (Director of Operations), and a few other developers. Kristen, the director of operations, has also been involved. Everyone we’ve worked with has been wonderful and very responsive.

How did you come to work with Ripe Media?

I began working with a service coach to find a boutique web development agency that vibed well with our company. I wasn’t looking to hire someone that was specialized in the transportation sector, but rather a company with a medium-sized client list that would fit our size as a client. The search took around 4–6 weeks and entailed interviews with multiple potential partners. The final choice was between Ripe and a few other candidates, and Ripe’s presentation showed a no-frills, no-pressure approach that complimented our culture.

We went back and forth with Ripe’s team for about two weeks to create a detailed prospectus and then modify it until it described what we were looking for: a tailored, customized solution that fit our web development and advertising needs in terms of UX, design, future build-outs, PPC, and CEO.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost was around $29,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since November 2021, and the site just launched one week ago in September 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can’t comment on results yet, as the site just launched within the last week, but their work throughout the development was exceptional.

How did Ripe Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They did nothing less than deliver exactly what we promised. We committed to a timeline, and they honored that commitment. If we went over at all, it was only by a day or two, which was completely acceptable based on our needs. They were right on in terms of hitting the budget as well. In fact, they came in under budget.

We were very hands-off in terms of project management, communicating only over email and Zoom calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re supportive, customer oriented, and accessible. Their impartial advice regarding implementing certain ideas has been great as well. They let us know if some of our ideas aren’t feasible or practical from a UX standpoint. Ripe’s people never sugar coat anything. On the flip side, if we have an idea that was better than what they suggested, there isn’t any judgement or critique. We had a collaborative relationship. This kind of back and forth often gets lost when working with larger agencies.

Additionally, they're creativity and responsiveness stood out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything negative to say at all; I only have positive compliments for their organizations and team members. It’s a pleasure to work with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open-minded.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for the County of Los Angeles, and I’m the marketing director for the Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (LA County WDACS), one of their 38 departments.

We oversee older adult services all over LA County, including community and senior centers. We also oversee the workforce development boards, America’s Job Centers of California, and economic and business development services for businesses in LA County.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

As our services serve such a widely diverse demographic, and we have such a wide target audience in LA County, we brought in Ripe Media to help us develop our brand identity as a department distinct from LA County. We also needed to create targeted marketing strategies that spoke to those specific demographics and allowed us to communicate with them better.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ripe Media provides a wide range of services, from general graphic design and marketing services to complex brand identity style guidelines to set the tone of our organization.

They’ve created graphics for our social media campaigns like the World Elder Abuse Day campaign we launched for our home safety program. They’ve been integral in creating custom marketing assets that have been recognized by millions of people across LA County.

Ripe Media has also assisted us with developing custom marketing strategies and assets to help us better target our different audiences. These marketing campaigns have been focused mainly on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

One of the projects in which Ripe Media recently helped us was the summer kickoff of our youth work program. This is a program that serves youth aged 14–24 to give them the opportunity to find a career path within our county. This is a year-long campaign, but it didn’t have a distinct look nor brand association whatsoever.

Ripe Media helped us develop the brand identity for this program and created amazing custom assets that spoke to youth and businesses — employers and employees. This project is just one example of what they do. Currently, they’re assisting us on 5–6 high-level programs.

One of their current involvements is in an older adults' social media account for LA County. They’re creating an aging-related social media platform to better align our services and get our information out directly to the target audience. This is a major milestone because this didn’t exist before, and we will be launching it this upcoming year.

What is the team composition?

Over the time of our engagement, Heather (Co-Founder & Creative Director) has been my main point of contact. I’ve also engaged with Ripe Media in a variety of ways, so I’ve worked with several members of their team. In total, I’ve worked with around five different people, each with their respective team working behind.

How did you come to work with Ripe Media?

Ripe Media was initially contracted as a vendor for the county before I joined our current department, and they were initially hired for graphic design services. When I joined the department and started working with them, I established a good relationship with Heather. We were able to get in creative sync with each other and understand our workflow — we started producing great content for our department.

How much have you invested with them?

I believe that Ripe Media’s contract costs around $25,000, but I’m not sure because this is handled by the county procurement system.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2019, when I joined the department, and our engagement is ongoing. Thanks to our continued partnership and collaboration, we keep reaching new heights and pushing the boundaries of our accomplishments. I love working with Ripe Media, and I would love to continue working with them on future projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ripe Media has assisted us in creating beautiful content that speaks directly to our specific demographics. The impact of their work has been huge on our social media as well; they’ve created the most popular post that we’ve had on all of our social media platforms. This achievement speaks volumes about their creativity, their strategic insights, and their marketing abilities — they’ve been phenomenal.

After two years, they’ve adapted to the way that our department works. The quirks and the interesting things that arise from working with the county have been delicately navigated by Ripe Media. They’ve been able to balance all the challenges that come from working with us — that itself is a major success.

We also look at the metrics in terms of how the assets that they create perform to see if they actually speak to what our programs are trying to accomplish. We provide insight and motivate them to replicate the approach of well-performing posts for other campaigns. We don’t have a formal process for doing this; we just approach this from a holistic perspective.

I can’t say enough good things about Heather and her team. Their creativity, insight, and strategies are great. They bring fresh and new ideas to the table, and they look at the county bureaucracy in a fresh and new way.

The fact that we can partner with this really creative agency gives me hope about us doing a better job communicating with the people that we’re trying to serve in the public sector. Ripe Media has been integral in doing that — I can’t thank them enough, and I keep telling them to look forward to many years of collaboration.

How did Ripe Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Ripe Media’s project management is fantastic. We’ve been using Asana for several of our projects, and they’ve been able to keep me on track with my own deadlines. Being able to rely on Heather to keep our projects within deadlines and timelines is such a great feeling.

For other companies, it is easy to push the deadlines if the client is not reaching out. On the contrary, Heather reaches out to us with reminders. I get notifications from Ripe Media to make sure that we’re meeting all of our deadlines, and if there are any unforeseen external circumstances, we adapt.

They’re also very available, and they’re capable of jumping into quick calls, email exchanges, chats, and Zoom calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ripe Media’s creativity is impressive — they view every project from a brand new lens. They're able to take the content and see how to connect the people with the services that they need to get, and they deliver through creative ways that are not seen in the county, which is amazing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would love to see Ripe Media create bolder designs. Sometimes, I bring different ideas to the table, and they stick to them. Even though we sometimes have brainstorming sessions, I would like to see them come in, take my ideas, and make them their own. I know that my ideas can be a little limited, so it would be good to have more recommendations on how to improve my visions and evolve those ideas.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Connect with Ripe Media and don’t hesitate to reach out to them to ask any questions about any idea to get their insight. They’re always ready to help, and they’re open to any questions, comments, or feedback. They’re there for you, and you can count on them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive advisor for a Los Angeles County department for workforce aging and community and senior centers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

We were looking to create a more effective communication platform for participants of our services and needed help creating a brand strategy for our department. In addition, we wanted to create some digital assets around our COVID response, especially in the form of web pages.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ripe Media has been with us for almost two years, and they’ve helped us create digital and print assets, including pamphlets, portfolios, landing pages, and banners. They’re an all-encompassing branding and graphic agency for us.

They’ve helped us prepare two branding strategies, one of which was for our department as a whole. The scope of the work included refreshing our logo, defining our brand attributes, and delivering a style guide.

Ripe Media did a similar project for one of our service locations. The branding had already been defined by the federal government, so their job was just to create a style guide, ensuring that the service location’s branding integrated with that of the department.

They conducted extensive interviews with 90 of our employees and participants. We’re a relatively small department of 300 people, so that was a pretty big sample size. Ripe Media held workshops and in-person sessions to tease out what the brand attributes should be. That helped get employees engaged and to get really rich feedback from everyone.

Then, they helped us develop some web pages and digital and print assets. They had a call with us to understand the scope of work.

What is the team composition?

We’ve interacted with Heather (Co-Founder & Creative Director) and a project manager. I don’t know how many people they work with in the background.

How did you come to work with Ripe Media?

We have a list of 20–25 county-approved vendors, and I went through each one, looking at their websites. I found that a lot of them were just graphic designers and not marketing agencies. I interviewed 2–3 agencies in total.

I had a call with Ripe Media and found that Heather had worked with some big consumer brands. I come from the private sector, and I’ve been working on a nonprofit basis for the last two years. I could tell that Heather knew the work, and I selected them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve had multiple projects with Ripe Media, and I believe we spend $50,000 per year with them. They’re reasonably-priced.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Ripe Media in January 2019, and it’s an ongoing project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have our own limitations in terms of website performance. A lot depends on how we conduct campaigns on the landing pages created by Ripe Media.

That being said, everything they’ve done is impressive. The user flows are easy, and the sites are visually appealing. We have a bounce rate of less than 40%, so there’s high engagement as well.  

How did Ripe Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re on top of the work, punctual, and easy to communicate with. If they have any questions, they won’t shy away from picking up the phone and calling us.  

They use Asana for project management, where we have communication on deliverables and timelines.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their marketing and web design knowledge, along with their responsiveness are impressive. Ripe Media is on top of things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their response time has been lagging since COVID. These are exceptional times, and I don’t have anything to mention beyond this. It’s been a spectacular work experience with Ripe Media, and we definitely plan to continue.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients have to be very clear on what they’re expecting. Heather does best when she has a dialogue with people and understands why she’s doing something. They really want to be a partner and discuss client goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and executive director of Wildwoods Foundation. We’re a nonprofit organization that conducts outdoor programs with schools and families in the Los Angeles area. Our mission is social, and we use the outdoor ecology and experience as a framework for human relations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

We’ve worked with Ripe Media on a couple of different projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For our first project, we had an idea for website building template for elementary school kids. We wanted to use these kids’ photos to build this website. We did two different photo expeditions with kids—one in the neighborhood around school, and another out in the mountains. We wanted the kids to be able to access their photos, and they needed to build a website about their program experience so they can compare and contrast their community with nature.

Then a few years ago, a coalition we’re a part of hired them for another project that was more focused on messaging. They did some logo development and interactive game modules.

Recently, they did the logo for our newest program that is a support network for home gardeners that we launched during COVID-19. The whole idea is about people sharing produce, seeds, and seedlings to address food insecurity.

The other recent project was two interactive games that we designed based on existing program curriculum that we needed to put online because of COVID-19.

What is the team composition?

I work with Chris (Co-Founder & Tech Specialist), Heather (Co-Founder & Creative Director), and Kristen (Partner & Director of Client Services).

How did you come to work with Ripe Media?

We had several quotes that were way out of the ballpark. I happened to meet a guy who did some work with some big nonprofits, and he recommended this startup for me. That was Ripe Media. I took this idea to them, and they were able to bring this project to life for a price we could afford. Everything aligned perfectly.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $30,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2008 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had an event shortly after finalizing the logo, and I’ll never forget the first reaction to the design.  We made a banner, and when I went to pick it up at the print shop, the person behind the banner asked what we did because the logo was so cool. The logo did exactly what we wanted it to do; we wanted people to ask us about our work.

The interactive pieces they worked on were fantastic as well. That was make-or-break for us and the purpose was to unlock the sponsorship dollars for the year, and the other objective was so the client would want more. Based on the work we did with Ripe Media, we created our proposal for our sponsor to continue to develop new programs and activities. As a result, we got the contract.

How did Ripe Media perform from a project management standpoint?

It was incredible. Especially when working with the coalition we’re a part of, they’ve been able to manage all partners. Even when the project has been unstable, they’ve been solid and maintained momentum.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ripe Media is a stand-up company because of the combinations of their skillsets. Yeah, their tech is solid; when they make something, it’s reliable. Their design work is great, too. But what sets them apart from other companies is their ability to build a consensus among a group, and their ability to get to the core message of an organization or campaign.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want and have a clear understanding of who your audience is. Also, be open to the process. I’ve learned that the more flexible we are, the better the experience and end product is. They always brought something to the table that was above and beyond what we had considered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing and communications for iMentor, a nonprofit that increases educational equity by providing mentoring for first-generation college students.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

Originally a local New York City organization, we’ve evolved into a national organization with locations in four cities and partnerships across the country. We wanted to elevate our visual identity to reflect our growth.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We launched a website in celebration of our organization’s 20th anniversary, and Ripe Media designed and developed the platform. It’s an interactive storytelling site that shows how we’ve grown across various videos, photos, and testimonials about the organization’s impact. It engages the students we serve thousands of mentors we work with every year, donors, and corporate partners that support our programs. Ripe Media has also provided print services, created social media content, and improved our SEO.

What is the team composition?

Heather (Co-founder & Creative Director, Ripe Media) was our primary point of contact and Kristen (Partner & Director of Client Services, Ripe Media) focused on our SEO.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $40,000–$45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in September 2018 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ripe Media delivered an incredible product. The new site helped us reach both existing and new audiences. Internally, we all praise Heather’s design work. In addition to the design, we’re happy with our growth on social media.

How did Ripe Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Heather was a constant professional. She provides great insight and understands what our priorities are. She makes my job so much easier. They’re super responsive and are always willing to pitch in if we have a last-minute request. When they commit to a deadline, I can trust that they’ll deliver on time. I’m really pleased with the level of service they provide.

How did you come to work with Ripe Media?

My predecessor hired them, but Ripe Media was chosen based on their proposal and the wealth of services they provide in addition to design.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a rare combination of creativity and efficiency. They’re always able to come up with what we’re looking for while ensuring that everything goes smoothly. While I’m pleased with their product, I love the ease of our entire process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t see anything that needs to be improved.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the western regional director for the Harm Reduction Coalition, which is a national organization aimed at reducing the impact of drug use in US communities. We provide training, technical assistance, and advocacy in order to promote harm reduction strategies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

We needed help developing an e-learning platform and online training modules for a contract with the California Department of Public Health. Our team had the content knowledge but nobody in-house had the technical expertise to convert our in-person workshops to digital ones.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built our e-learning platform and ensured that it was compatible with our website. We needed a series of self-paced modules with multimedia components like audio narration, images, and video. Their adult e-learning specialist worked with us to understand the content and collected all of our materials for conversion. We discussed how to divide the information into each module, the order they’d go in, and then the kinds of learning assessment tools we’d need. Features we ended up using included quizzes and personal reflections.

After those details were ironed out, we wrote the content, collected the visual materials, and coordinated with their engineers to get the modules programmed. After they were ready, Ripe Media also handled pilot testing for us and returned the feedback from those users so we could make further adjustments.

What is the team composition?

Their creative director served as a project lead. One of their co-founders served as a technology strategist and we also worked with an adult learning consultant.

How did you come to work with Ripe Media?

We issued a request for proposals, prioritizing organizations local to California, with portfolios showcasing topics and expertise adjacent to our subject matter. Ripe Media was the top candidate selected by our review committee, so we entered into a subcontract agreement with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The final cost was around $43,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from January–August 2018. We ran a few months behind schedule.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

These modules have made our work much more accessible to people who can’t go to our offices for in-person training. We work in several urban areas but also have a lot of one-off clients in more remote locations, so this has been a great way to let people master basic information if we can’t get to them for an in-person session. We’ve given the option for people to receive a certificate of completion, which is valuable to health workers in the field who may not have full college credentials.

How did Ripe Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager was very communicative and well-organized. She used a tool called Smartsheet to highlight deadlines and track different elements of the project. We always knew what was happening and she would let us know if there were any delays. We also used Box in order to exchange documents. I was impressed by how well they kept those files organized and up to date.

In terms of communication, we had an initial meeting in person to discuss our vision for the project and then had scheduled audio or video calls at least once a month. We’d also do occasional screenshares in order to preview the modules they were building and iron out the style guide and image choices.

With regard to the timeline, we ran into several delays from our end and their team handled those very professionally. Our financial backer provided more feedback than anticipated, which resulted in quite a few changes after the project was already underway. We also had some issues getting ahold of all the images and videos we needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were transparent and invested in our project. They were interested in understanding our values, our work, and the information we wanted to share. When it came to collaborating, I appreciated how open they were to learning from us. That hasn’t always been my experience with contractors, so it was great to work with a company that was communicative and responsive to feedback. It was clear that they weren’t just ticking off boxes to get the project done—they wanted to meet our unique needs. They created a collegial atmosphere and truly felt like part of our team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think we could have streamlined the process more efficiently and managed our expectations better if they’d given us a clearer picture up front of what the learning modules would look like. Our team had to write the material and plan the visual content, and if we’d known the format we could’ve made better decisions and saved time going back and forth with Ripe Media’s team. The first draft was essentially organized like a slideshow with audio narration, which didn’t suit all of the material being taught.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I can’t think of anything right now.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

When I worked with Ripe Media, I owned a restaurant.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

We were starting a new brand, so we were looking for a vendor to build a user-friendly website for us and improve our Google rankings.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to come across as a classy, timeless restaurant, so they took our idea and developed our brand. They designed a website for us and provided SEO services to make sure it ranks high in Google searches. We were able to update our menu regularly online, which was important to us. In addition, they designed our logo, business cards, and a letterhead. After that, they helped us keep the website up-to-date and fixed any glitches.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with our account manager.

How did you come to work with them?

They were a personal connection.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2009 and our relationship ended in October 2014, when we sold our restaurant.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were very happy with the website. It was visually appealing, fast, and professional.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive and worked quickly. They gave us their full attention.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated their customer service and attention to detail. If there were any issues, they addressed them immediately. Besides, they accommodated us if we needed to change anything.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I was happy with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an HR lead at a biopharmaceutical company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

We were rolling out a brand new approach to performance management that would help us define, recognize, and reward performance, ensuring that managers understand their role and responsibility. When we began putting the new process into practice, we wanted to develop a new resource that would help us reach managers. We started looking for a company to develop a video for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They produced an interactive video for managers, helping us develop the content and the design. It was a collaborative process and Ripe Media came up with a few scenarios for managers. They also created a knowledge assessment. A year after the video was launched, Ripe Media helped us update it.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two members of their team.

How did you come to work with them?

We were referred to them. We were also considering other companies, but we liked the flexibility Ripe Media was able to offer us and their willingness to work on a tight deadline. Besides, I was looking for a thought partner and not just a company that would build what we asked them. Ripe Media was able to become such a partner to us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2016 and the project was completed in September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When managers go through the training, they provide their feedback, which has been very positive. There were some glitches in the video when they delivered it, but that could have been caused by our internal technology.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

We appreciated them for their transparency and adherence to our timelines. We had very tight turnaround times, so in some cases, we had to sacrifice some elements of the video due to the timing. Ripe Media was very accommodating to our needs throughout the whole process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're knowledgeable, multi-talented, and a great thought partner to have in your corner. They helped us from the adult learning perspective, developing the storyline and thinking about the seat time and different possibilities to present the content.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were a challenging client because of the goals we were trying to accomplish in a short time, so we had to go back and forth about what they could do within the timeframe we had given them. However, that was something we had expected, given our timeline.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a partner at a creative agency that works in a B2B realm. We help companies identify their strategy and brand, develop compelling messages, and do creative development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

We were developing a strategy and messaging for a client who operates in a fairly tricky marketplace, so we needed a vendor to do creative development and website redesign for them. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We asked Ripe Media to redesign a webpage and create headlines and images to showcase the brand. We had done some strategic work in terms of brand development for them to help assess their value proposition and the emotional triggers for the audience that would be making the purchase. They created all the wireframes, identified the images that spoke to the value proposition, and developed the flow of information, helping drive lead generation. Adding their own spin, they thoughtfully developed all of their creative chops and designs.

What is the team composition? 

We worked with 2–3 people, including a designer and a lead person. 

How did you come to work with them?

I was referred to them by someone who had worked with them in the past. We also work with other vendors, but we wanted to try a new resource. After talking to them and seeing their capabilities, we were comfortable hiring them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We worked with them in April–May 2016. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients were very happy with the result and asked to work directly with Ripe Media for future projects. That was a clear sign of their satisfaction, and when our clients are happy, we're happy.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent at communicating with us, setting deadlines and staying on track with the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took everything seriously and created a very good product. Thinking strategically, they handled all sides of the project very well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We had a very positive experience working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent with them about everything that's happening and give them honest feedback. They will respond maturely and professionally.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and founder of an e-learning company that specializes in teaching writing in large organizations. We serve a variety of industries but primarily the pharmaceutical industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ripe Media?

We’d been with a different developer for many years, and we were looking for a company that could partner with us on both e-learning development and installation of our programs into our clients’ learning management systems.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ripe builds, installs, maintains, and customizes e-learning programs. They run about an hour in length, so they're substantive programs, and Ripe helps with numerous aspects. Our company creates the scripts and lays down the audio, and then Ripe helps build it into a complete program with animations. We often have sample text on screen, and Ripe animates that text to stand out and better explain the writing concept.

The first half of the challenge is building the e-learning program; the other part is making sure our programs marry well with our companies’ learning management systems. That's the in-house software our clients use as servers that distribute the training to their employees. Many of our programs are required training, so they often go to tens of thousands of employees. We've also had to translate them into around 17 different languages, and Ripe always helps with the installation and maintenance of those programs.

What is the team composition?

Other may be involved, but I usually work with three different individuals. One’s primarily a project manager, one’s primarily a techie, and Chris [Co-Founder, Ripe Media] plays a variety of roles.

How did you come to work with Ripe Media?

It’s been a while since we partnered, but a subordinate gave me several candidates and I looked into each one. I spoke to Chris and his co-founder over the phone, and they felt like the right people. They had both the technical expertise and the creative insight, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent probably around $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in January 2012, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t keep quantitative data, but Ripe always makes us look terrific. So much so, that we get almost all of our new clients by word of mouth.

How did Ripe Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Ripe usually sticks to deadlines, and if they’re going to miss it, they let me know. Their prices never fluctuate, so I completely trust them with project management. I present them as our technology partner and bring them into conference calls with our clients. They blow our clients away with their depth of knowledge.

Chris, in specific, always steps in whenever there's any unusual technical challenge. He can find the root cause and get it fixed pretty fast. I let him talk directly with our clients because I have confidence in his technical understanding and ability to communicate.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have great taste when it comes to design and aesthetics. If I need something different or new, I can trust their creative team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be as open as possible with every feature of the challenge (including difficult clients). I find that, when I’m open with Chris about what's going on, he’s able to navigate even thorny situations really well.