Split An Atom

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director of a London-based graphic design studio.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Split An Atom?

I wanted a contemporary and modern platform where we could showcase our work and our talent. Having a successful website helps to increase clients, so I was happy to do what it took to get that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first had a consultation that I found very helpful. They presented options showing what they could deliver and the timeframe to do so. They set up an online portal that allowed us to see the work they were doing and make suggestions.

The website showcases our portfolio and allows users to post content and directly contact us. The site really shows what we’re about as a design studio. They also designed an app for Android and iOS, which has the same features as the website.

How did you come to work with Split An Atom?

A good friend had engaged them for his website. He was thrilled with it and recommended them to me.

How much have you invested with Split An Atom?

I’ve paid £2,000 [$2,500] for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016 and the project was completed in December of that year. The whole process took less than a month. Even though the work is done, they gave me the option of reaching out to them if I need any small tweaks, and they won’t charge me for that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website has given the design studio a higher level of creditability. Clients have told me that they really like it. Split An Atom gave me a report last month showing the traffic we’re getting on the site. It’s having a beneficial impact. Now, I’m able to use the app when I’m visiting clients. I can show them our work in a split second.

How did Split An Atom perform from a project management standpoint?

I think they’re some of the best project managers. I’ve even incorporated some of their approach into my own business. One of the most useful tools is their 24-hour email system. It really gave me the chance to reflect on the site at every point in the project and let them know about the changes I wanted. When I met with my business partners after hours, we could respond and ensure that the work was done the following day. Additionally, they always met their deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about Split An Atom?

They’re very hands-on, which I really liked. I think that mirrored my design approach. I felt that they looked after my project and that was one of the biggest criteria for me. I don’t have a technology background, so I appreciate the way they guided me through a forest of new information.

Are there any areas Split An Atom could improve?

At the beginning of the project, I wanted some features that were out of my budget. I don’t think I had the clarity on why I couldn’t have these things because I didn’t understand the technical terms they used. It would have been helpful to have things explained in a way I could understand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a personal training and coaching company based in London, England. We provide one-to-one, group, and online training for the general public, athletes, and various school facilities. We were launched in early-2015 and have around 5 employees.

I am the founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Split An Atom?

I've been a gym owner before and wanted to produce a platform that could combine several different capabilities, including individual profiles for all members. I wanted to have a sort of syllabus for fitness, which would allow users to train in their own time and reach their fitness goals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Split An Atom developed our online platform and app. We had some initial meetings discussing our business model and what types of facilities were available to us. At the time, I had a starting base for the product, which I sent to Split An Atom. After their initial feedback, I realized what my business really required. We worked together to move forward.

In terms of the website development, we use OneNote for sketches; it allows me to highlight the places where I want changes and amendments. Split An Atom usually takes care of my requests quickly, and also provides advice on what can and can't be done.

Security was of great importance to us, given that we were hosting clients' personal health information. Split An Atom advised me on how to best approach that.

Once the website was up, we focused on our iOS and Android app, as well as the backend development. Our mobile app makes it easier for our users to work offline if they don't have access to the internet at their gyms. This was in response to one of the main feedback points we received.

After this step, I used Split An Atom's help to promote the product and push it forward. They helped with things like public relations and distributing press releases. We focused on general brand awareness and reaching out to our target audience. We also have a self-propagating SEO [search engine optimization] system which Split An Atom has implemented and explained to us.

Internally, we have an employee dealing with marketing aspects, but Split An Atom has been a cost-effective way of handling edits, proofreads, and advertising. I know what my demographic is, but not the best means to reach them. This is where Split An Atom has been helpful.

How did you come to work with Split An Atom?

I was introduced to Split An Atom by a relative who knew that I wanted to build more than just a simple page.

How much have you invested with Split An Atom

The cost of Split An Atom's work has been between £60,000 and £65,000 [US$73,230 - 79,332.50] for my platform. I have also contracted Split An Atom for a year of ongoing service in terms of proofreading, marketing, and SEO, which will have a cost of between £10,000 and £15,000 [US$12,205 - 18,307.50].

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Split An Atom in January 2015. The initial project for setting up the site and making it function well had a one-year duration, and is still ongoing on the app side. We aim to finish the app in January. The marketing effort was started recently, within the last 3 months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I had some general ideas for the platform, but they weren't exclusive to our company; other people were doing the same things. Once Split An Atom's team introduced me to what new technology could achieve, we were able to create facilities which no other company offers.

Every one of my clients has their own profile page, and they can use videos during their training sessions for reference and motion analysis. As opposed to using different apps for account management or booking appointments, we can offer everything in-house, within a single platform. I can review all of our accounts on the platform and receive payments. I had been on-par with everyone else in the industry, but Split An Atom has enabled me to put everything together and get ahead.

Every single client of mine needs to be registered on the site for information exchange, booking appointments, making transactions, and so on. In the early days, the process seemed slightly complicated for some of them, but as they got used to it, and as we ironed out a few bugs, everyone has been happy with the service. I still need to add more content on our end, but my customers are happy with the fact that our material is available anywhere, from mobile to laptops, with the same quality.

Our aim is to kick-off our marketing and PR campaign in time for January 2017. I've already received many inquiries from local searches and other channels. We've also received many referrals, which I put down to the quality of the service as well as the marketing.

How did Split An Atom perform from a project management standpoint?

In the early days, project management was a bit difficult. We had a system for both of our teams to use, which Split An Atom was in the early stages of setting up. Once it was fully put in place, our process became quite pleasant.

We have a project management system on the platform itself, which we can use as a task manager and communications tool. Much of our communication initially consisted of regular calls and appointments, but the system has become more tech-oriented and efficient. Split An Atom has been very good at keeping deadlines, better than me. They've been able to continue the work even when I don't manage to provide photography or other material in time.

We don't communicate as often now, but there's no need for it.

What did you find most impressive about Split An Atom?

Our project has been quite complicated. Had I been working with another firm, they may not have been able to explain everything to me as well as Split An Atom has. I've approached developers who spoke in technical jargon which I didn't understand. Split An Atom communicated clearly, keeping in mind that I may not know about specific technologies. This was a key factor, given that I want to learn how things work, instead of having someone create everything for me.

Are there any areas Split An Atom could improve?

Split An Atom could have given me a better understanding of who is in charge of different aspects of the marketing and PR work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder of an Electronic music blog ‘Mind Music’ and we specialise in covering all things related worldwide with featured interviews, events, reviews

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Split An Atom?

Web designs & development services

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a nice clean, eye-catching, easy-to-use site with the ability for our viewers to navigate, along with being able to have an online store for our merchandise that was simple for us

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Me and my team done hours and hours of research via the web and went through lots of reviews and check out different companies, once we found a selection of companies we checked out the website as they had produced and SAA seem to be the only ones with an idea of what we wanted and how we wanted to do it so we choose them and what a delight!

Describe the project in detail.

Ok so once we selected who we wanted to use, we gave our list of ideas/requirements and several discussions were made and then the SAA team came back with the options and ideas which all came together very neatly

What was the team composition?

We were given dedicated support by a project manager who has been with us since day one for all our need, updates, requirements without any issues or problems and always on hand when needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The progress has been amazing so far...our stats are growing month on month to where we predicted and we are continuing to grow, and with that our site gets a few extras! We are very happy with the rate of progress which we forecasted ourselves. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very! The SAA Team are always on hand 24/7, which is very good for us as we working within an industry that doesn’t sleep so we are always traveling or awake late and ideas can sometimes appear at any hour!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The ideas they had for us! We had our own ideas but they had some great ones for the site which we used and the team are very great in understanding our ideas

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything seems to run smoothly, there have been times when emails have been lost but that can just be down to technical issues on either end, Ours or theirs