Tenet Partners

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Brandometry, an investment research firm. We designed the first index that uses brand value as one of our measures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

We’re a startup that needed help coming up with an identity and social media strategy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tenet Partners visualizes our data into a presentable format that makes it easier to understand. Their team provides brand data, which is a core component of their brand valuation database. We leveraged part of that service to design our index. They mainly work with ActiveCampaign, but sometimes they provide content for Twitter. We manage our LinkedIn, but they assist with outreach. They host and run our website. Tenet Partners also helped with event marketing when we rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Their team figured out a strategy that would have the most impact, providing supporting materials for the screens at the exchange.

What is the team composition?

In total, we’ve worked with five members of their team. There is a digital marketing lead and head designer. Along with them, I mainly communicate with Hampton (CEO & Managing Partner, Tenet Partners).

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

I heard of Tenet Partners and their unique branding data at my previous position. There are a few agencies that specialize in that skillset.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Tenet Partners began in March 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re in a continual marketing push with Tenet Partners. Our team doesn’t have an annual agency review process, but I’m experienced enough to know how to judge quality. Tenet Partners’ output quality is exceptionally high. The material on our website is also well-done. Their work is very good for B2B. They’re robust in the work they do for those type of clients. It’s imperative that the caliber of work is exceptional because of our client base. We work with mainly financial advisors, IRAs, and individual investors. As we are a financial research firm, it’s important to project a professional and contemporary brand.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint? 

They’re highly responsive, especially on the digital marketing side. I try to give them realistic and fair deadlines, which they’ve never missed. If we’re not directly in conversation with Hampton, we go to straight to the digital marketing lead.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tenet Partners is particularly great in the B2B space. I’ve worked with a significant number of advertising and marketing agencies, management consultancies, and brand strategy & research firms. They compare well to larger agencies I’ve worked with. I haven’t required a larger team from their end, but my understanding is that they’re able to scale up quickly when necessary. Tenet Partners is full of extremely professional and data-driven workers. Some agencies push boundaries before coming to the market with high-creative work. I’ve observed instances where that’s a step too far for clients. Tenet Partners exhibits a great balance of that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been extremely pleased with what Tenet Partners has done for us. We’re a brand that presents itself as a highly-original financial research firm. They struck a good tone for our business. Since we mainly used them for data & digital services and brand strategy & identity work, I can’t comment on their other services. I’ve never been disappointed with their team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

There are a lot of companies that have yet to embrace what brand strategy can do for their business. We’re in a world where success lies in the ability to pull customers and clients to you, rather than chasing and marketing to the clients. It’s certainly desirous to have a pull strategy. Clients and others thinking of working with Tenet Partners or another agency need to appreciate the talent out there and need to be prepared to pay for it. Once you’ve invested, the long-term benefit can be enjoyed.

It’s not a comment on their pricing structure, but clients need to be prepared to invest in high-quality work that Tenet Partners can provide. There’s a tendency for clients to say that they’re investing in PR or advertising without investing in their own brand to the highest caliber, along with delivering the highest customer experience. They tend to scrimp on that, but it’s essentially earned media if you can get it right.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of a leading privately held commercial real estate finance company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

We needed a website that more accurately reflected our stature in the commercial real estate finance community.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tenet Partners created a website that had a design which incorporated a background of moving visuals. It had a literal background of aerial composites of some of the biggest business areas of some of the largest cities in the country.

The primary goal for the site was that we wanted to leverage the impact of our closed leans. The deals we transact are huge, and we’ve closed more than 15 billion since our inception in 2015. We wanted the ability to give dimensions to what those numbers look like.

Our team was actively involved, providing an in-depth creative briefing for them to understand our unique industry. We gave a great deal of creative input and background, including competitor reviews. What we were looking for from them was not only the website design but also content integration with the design. Our team provided the content, although Tenet Partners made strategic suggestions.

In the end, we decided to go with a new CMS, Netlify, and had to draw on their talents for maintenance, updates, and the evolution of the site.

What is the team composition?

The pivotal people I work with are Larry (Senior Digital Partner, Tenet Partners), Ernie (Digital Partner, Tenet Partners), and Randell (Design Director, Tenet Partners). We also had a project manager.

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

I found Tenet Partners on Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested over $120,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Tenet Partners started in August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Honestly, we felt that we would be underwhelmed by the product delivered, regardless of the agency. Tenet Partners designed a site that’s a standout in the commercial real estate finance community. No one else had a website that looked like it from a visual design perspective. The fluidity of it was different. A couple of companies have since followed suit, but ours was the first.

Within a month of going live, our site traffic has more than doubled, and it’s continued to increase. Our recent transactions page draws the most visitors. Users are staying on that page longer than anything else, which isn’t surprising because it contains the 50 most current deals. During the first year, we weren’t performing any digital advertising. Our traffic is continually growing organically. We’re extremely pleased.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

Compared to other agencies I’ve worked with, Tenet Partners’ project management style was a little above average.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their grasp of the differences between enterprise and corporate level B2B is much more real. When most agencies talk to B2B, it’s like they’re talking about a supplier to a small company that sells to consumers. The B2B world we operate in is truly B2B. Our clients are developers, investors, borrowers, and brokers within commercial real estate. No consumers are involved.

Larry, being a strategic person, truly understands that. They’ve never made a suggestion that derives from a consumer orientation. Their experience in marketing, advertising, design, and tech is a step above other agencies. A lot of the times, people that talk about things from a strategic perspective can’t answer tech issues. Larry and Ernie perform in both.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m happy with their responsiveness and the caliber of the work. Tenet Partners give me recommendations and suggestions that are worthy of consideration. It’s never a waste of time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think the price primarily motivates a lot of people while searching for a design agency. Tenet Partners isn’t the cheapest, but also not the most experienced. They’re a great value for the money. You won’t get a less than stellar product from them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a global B2B and B2C company that completes electrical and digital infrastructure for buildings, data centers, and homes. Our company transforms spaces where people live and work, providing power, light, and data to where and when people need it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

Before I joined my company, Tenet Partners has been engaged with them for numerous projects. The work I’ve done with them has involved messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first projects focused on strategic and divisional messaging for our audio & video division and data, power & control division. Their team led workshops with key sales and marketing executives to develop a strategic messaging platform.

Currently, we’re working on developing a high-level story about our company that talks about who we are and making it easier for our salespeople to sell solutions to various customers. Right now, their team is developing a slide deck and written script for our sales team to talk about our company to clients, depending on their needs.

What is the team composition?

Currently, we’re working with three people: two key executives and a project coordinator. On previous projects, we’ve worked with four.

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

Tenet Partners began working with my company before I started there.

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with Tenet Partners in August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Internal feedback on past projects has been positive. With this current project, we’re going to see feedback from the sales team through pulse surveys. We want to get an idea of what they think of our messaging platform and overall story.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

Tenet Partners is on top of it. They tend to meet deadlines. If there is a delay, it’s usually due to approvals on our side. Their team met our project deadlines on time and within budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with Tenet Partners’ ability to understand their customers. We’re a diverse and complex company. Over the years they’ve been working with us, their team learned about our business and how to work with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at the top of my head.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tenet Partners excels at strategic messaging. If you’re looking for a smaller company with an intimate and hands-on approach to developing messaging or your company’s story, I think they’re the perfect solution for that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former CMO and I led the strategy of a payment accuracy company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

We had merged two companies and knew that one of them had the brand position we wanted in the market. We wanted to go to market with a more comprehensive story. We needed to rebrand from those two individual brand names to a common name across the merged companies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did our rebranding and it expanded beyond that. We wanted to look at the total story and determine how to come up with the value of a company that can now offer these combined solutions that neither could offer before. We were a single provider for this particular combination of solutions.

We started by digging into how we think about our identity, what we want to be, and how we think about what’s required to make that transition. It was a pretty comprehensive effort.

They did strategy and execution and content. They helped us with the PowerPoint storylines that we weave into our client presentations. They redesigned our website and developed all the content for the website. We also engaged them for some case studies and other collateral and joined some of the specific solutions. It started with strategy and branded into the definition and then rolled into content development and execution.

What is the team composition?

There were six people. There was a lead partner that I worked most closely with. There was a project manager, a content person, a digital person, a brand strategy person, and a variety of folks that were involved. The lead partner and the project manager helped to facilitate and organize it all.

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

They had a local office down the street from our corporate headquarters. They had a good proposal on how to help us address our problem. It was strategic enough that they understood the complexities of what we needed to do, but it was tactful enough that we knew we would get to an end deliverable that we needed to.

At the time of the merger, when we were doing this rebranding, we were probably a $500 million company. We were big enough that we needed some level of sophistication and scale to support us. We wanted somebody who had worked with some larger firms, but we weren’t so big that we were going to be a marquee client for anyone. I was worried about going with a firm that wouldn’t be able to handle the amount of work we needed.

Tenet Partners was right where we needed them to be. They had the horsepower and the experience to give us confidence that they knew what they were doing. They also made us feel we were one of their most important clients. I could get in touch with them at a moment’s notice. They were fully engaged.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $1.5 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on our initial project from April–October 2015. They continued to provide support for 18 months after that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were a very small marketing team at the time and didn’t have the tools in place to measure metrics, but we very quickly became the leading brand in the market. We could deliver a consistent brand message.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was well-organized and they remained within budget. I always had a good understanding of the work plan, where we were in the process, what was next, and what the base of deliverables would be. They hit their deliverable dates without any delays.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They probe and ask questions to make sure they understand the project and can bring thought leadership. They bring the strategy perspective no matter what kind of project it is. They have the execution arm to go and carry it through to a quality deliverable whether it’s a new brand, a website, a white paper, or a piece of collateral. We later sought another vendor and they weren’t capable of that level of thought leadership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They tried really hard to learn our business. You can always learn more. I wish, somehow, we had been able to get them to learn the business even better. The branding was great and it was the right level of detail. They struggled with some of the more detailed case studies for white paper collateral.

Some of that is my team for not conveying it as well as we could have. If we had been able to give them a deeper understanding, we might have gotten slightly better content. For the big picture deliverables we needed, such as branding and positioning statements, they nailed it and really understood our market position at the highest level.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You’re only going to get what you put in. You’ve got to be willing to make the commitment for the full leadership team to be engaged. It’s got to go to the highest level. It’s got to have sponsorships from those senior people.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm head of content and brand marketing at Hiscox Insurance. We provide insurance primarily to small businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners? 

We didn’t have formal brand voice guidelines. We had some high-level guidance from the Hiscox Group that oversees all countries. However, the way we speak about our offerings in the US is different than the way it's spoken in the UK. We were looking to create our own tone of voice and make sure our writing is always clear.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Tenet Partners to help us create brand voice guidelines not only for our employees but for our external agencies as well. They started with stakeholder interviews with about eight people from the CEO down. That really helped them to get more of the background on our company.

Next, they held a kickoff session in New York at their office. I invited key members of my marketing department as well as stakeholders from other partner agencies. They took us through several exercises during the half-day workshop. We talked about keywords and key terms for how we describe ourselves and our values. 

From there, Tenet Partners wrote brand voice guidelines that outline how to communicate the Hiscox US brand platform. They listed out what to keep in mind while writing to make sure that the voice is consistent with our values. We’re committed to protecting small businesses and helping agents and brokers to do more. One of the most important parts of our brand platform is “Encourage Courage” so we have to make sure that’s coming through in our tone and our words. 

What is the team composition?

As with any agency, we had one main contact. We had two additional contacts for day-to-day issues throughout the project.

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners? 

They were highly recommended by a former colleague of mine. We sent them a creative brief to let them know what we were looking for and they came back to us with a proposal.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

The project took place from October 2018–February 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Tenet Partners really and truly did a great job. We immediately sent out the brand voice guidelines to all our agency partners so that they could have it for future use. The new guidelines have been extremely beneficial to our in-house copywriter. She writes in our voice all the time, so it’s instrumental for her to have something formal to reference. We recently brought her on full time and hired an additional full-time copywriter. The new guidelines are a crucial part of their job. It’s also been a blessing to have that reference tool for any new agencies that we've hired.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

Tenet Partners was fantastic. We gave them a timetable and they met all the deadlines. If anything, they were chasing us down for the information that they needed. They were great at following up and keeping us in check. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Tenet Partners is quite knowledgeable. Their staff has years of experience. Their backgrounds include working for a number of big brands from a breadth of industries. In addition, they're so collaborative that it was extremely enjoyable to work with them. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, this was a relatively small project for them and right within their wheelhouse. Any issues were more around us as the client. Not once did they complain about the tight deadline they needed to meet. It was a great experience. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

The kickoff meeting was so crucial to this project. They call it a "co-magination" work session. It felt similar to team building exercises because they had us write things down on paper and put ideas up on boards, etc. It might seem odd at first, but you should go into it knowing that it’s the most important part of the entire project. It's how they learn about your business to create the best work for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former CMO of CenterLight Health System, a consulting company that focuses on marketing and business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

We hired Tenet Partners to provide naming and branding services. The company didn’t have a name and comprised nine disparate brands that needed one unifying image for the marketplace.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Branding services included advertising and design for web, brochures, and signage. For the launch, we did a live web broadcast and held parties at different facilities over a 24-hour period. Given the healthcare industry at the time, digital marketing was more confined to traditional media and collateral including ID badges.

The engagement later expanded into HR and hiring processes. For this aspect, the team analyzed our onboarding procedures to help streamline them.

What is the team composition?

We worked with the project manager and Hampton (CEO and Managing Partner, Tenet Partners), who focused on the engagement’s strategic pieces.

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

One of my senior managers knew Hampton and suggest we approach Tenet Partners.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $400,000–$500,000 on branding and then $40,000 per month for subsequent projects. The total cost neared $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in early 2011 and the project ended later that year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Testing and market research—conducted in Korean, Chinese, and Russian—showed that the engagement boosted our company’s metrics. We noticed upticks related to web and newspaper advertising, as well as our posted phone number. Tenet Partners ensured success with several backup plans for our broadcast-based launch.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

We were lucky to have their project manager embedded on our team. They were fantastic and we couldn’t ask for a better partnership. The team kept us on track with daily communication and quick work.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They listened to our needs and achieved our objectives in a strategic manner. The collaboration was generative and the execution was flawless.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were professional and executed everything well. We were disappointed with one rollout, but the team resolved the issue in three minutes flat.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Customers should take advantage of the team’s subject matter expertise. Their knowledge business and marketing strategy was incredibly helpful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the voice of client marketing manager for a telecommunications company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

We hired Tenet Partners to provide writing services for the case study program I manage.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the case study program, I research and find clients. Then, Tenet Partners works through the discovery process to interview the clients and write the studies. Clients are interviewed following a narrative format. Their team follows a set of questions but can modify them based on how the interview is going. There are also interviews with internal stakeholders that we have a guide for. Their team provides their input on how to strengthen the process through writing. We have a lengthy review timeframe to ensure that the case study gets through internal process rapidly.

What is the team composition?

Typically, I work with four of their team members.

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

Our previous VP worked with Tenet Partners at another large enterprise company. They recommended them to help us with our challenges and needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $140,000. Now we have a new SOW for an additional amount of money that’s around $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Tenet Partners in June 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Case studies can be challenging because a lot of key stakeholders are involved. We’re aiming for around eight named or unnamed client stories. Once they are completed, the stories will be used in different ways, including a variety of case studies, infographics, social media posts, and PowerPoint slides. We’ve published one case study and are waiting on approval from several others. Hopefully, those will be live soon.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

We changed project managers halfway through the engagement. I think our previous project manager was stronger, but we are hitting our cadence again and everything is working better.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Andy (Senior Partner-Creative Director, Tenet Partners) is a strong content creator. He’s experienced in working with large businesses, and his writing style is excellent. It’s nice to work with Tenet Partners’ accommodating team. A lot of changes happen regularly with large enterprises. Their team takes everything in stride.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Things were frustrating on the project management side, but that has improved. Now, we’re working on ironing out the new SOW. We have to figure out who is responsible for what.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Both sides should work together to have a cooperative relationship. Vendors should be strong advocates for clients to lean on. Clients should listen to their advice and suggestions because vendors are knowledgeable and experienced.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the CEO and founder of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), a standards-setting organization working in the sustainability arena. We develop standards for companies to describe their social and environmental impacts alongside their financial performance. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

We were developing standards across 80 industries. The standards are dense and complicated, designed for use in financial filings. Each one was long and technical—written for accountants and securities lawyers—and, we were developing volumes of work. 

We had to find a way to make them accessible to people. If we couldn’t show the world what the standards were about and they were inaccessible, dense, and hidden, then nobody would use the standards. It had to be more than just a website where someone could download the 80 PDFs; we already had that in place, and it wasn’t cutting it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with Tenet Partners to design a system that would surface the essence of the standards. We made a field guide to the SASB standards—a compendium of the 80 industries, and what was interesting and relevant about each one. It was a communication of our core work to the people we needed to reach.

We also created lovely books that, even though they contain hundreds of items, they allow the reader to quickly browse the ones they’re interested in and make it possible to see the similarities and differences quickly. They’re structured in a way that allows unique attributes to come through, and they’re also organized well enough to reveal the one being searched for.

We covered everything from airlines to banking and telecommunications. We designed a format where each industry had a summary, and it was set up in alphabetical order so that someone could simply go to an industry by name and understand what its primary drivers were for sustainability impact, what the industry did at a high level, what were its environmental and social impacts, and what was in the standards. The summaries were 2–3 pages for each industry, which were compiled into a book with all 80 industries. We incorporated pictures from the different industries to make it visually appealing and break up this dense information. We collaborated on how the material looked, but the design came largely from Tenet Partners. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of 4–5 people. Our primary points of contact were Hampton (CEO and Managing Partner, Tenet Partners), in terms of managing the overall concept and design, and Caroline (Partner, Strategy, Tenet Partners).

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

Early on in our company’s history, I worked with them on developing a logo, and they did an amazing job of characterizing the spirit and relevance of our company. They did it almost as a favor, as they knew we were a nonprofit with no funding. They helped us make our mark in the world, and I was incredibly grateful for that.

When this complex project came up, I immediately thought of Tenet Partners. We looked at other firms, but they didn’t grasp what we were trying to do at all.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of their work was above $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Tenet Partners around September 2011, and we wrapped up the final project in June 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was a monumental piece of work in terms of information hierarchy and flow, designed to make a wealth of information accessible in a physical document, while still drawing in the reader in a way that wouldn’t occur when reading accounting standards. It was a beautiful design for dense and challenging material, and Tenet Partners made it work.

The field guide did exactly what I hoped it would do, namely, draw people in and get them to use it. The book has beautiful covers and a silk ribbon as a bookmark. It became a way of showing people our work in an unconventional way. It gave us a way to reach the upper echelons of people in security, accounting, and finance, whom we wouldn’t otherwise have spoken to. They were expensive to print, and it was risky to do it, but it definitely paid off in terms of spreading the word out to an audience that we wouldn’t have reached otherwise.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

Hampton and Caroline, in particular, are great to work with. They’re smart and personable and did a great job managing a complex project. We ran into some challenges that we didn’t anticipate, and we had to work through those and not let them derail the project. Tenet Partners had a great attitude and stayed on top of the work. They came out to work with our team a couple of times, and they were able to manage the project remotely the rest of the time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s their blend of true design creativity. They’re always thinking about the end user. They create compelling material, whether it’s the simple clarity of a logo mark or the allure of a guide for sustainability standards. They made it captivating in a way that we wouldn’t have thought of, and that came through the power of the design. They made users curious to touch and peruse the material and to then pass it along. Tenet Partners had a unique ability to demonstrate the power of design to connect with people.

I’ve worked with many agencies over the years, and they stand out as having authentic design creativity. They see beyond the mandate they’re given in a project and bring to it their own unique perspective.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d recommend them without reservation. We ended up being delayed and over budget, but we worked through it together and decided to spend more money on the printing and design to get it right. It was extraordinarily complex in a way that can’t be anticipated. We had a good way of working through the things that transpired, and it didn’t end up damaging the relationship or the end product. That’s the mark of a great agency.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Tenet Partners has a beautiful portfolio that draws people in. Rather than being derivative, their work is exactly right for the customer. Also, they’re not one of the more expensive agencies, and they work hard to keep the cost within the budget.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief marketing officer and senior vice president of strategic initiatives at CIEE, a nonprofit, international study abroad and exchange provider. We offer inbound and outbound international programs for students ranging from high school through post-college.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

When I came to CIEE, we didn’t have much of an infrastructure for our branding. Our name and logo weren’t properly registered or trademarked. We hired Tenet Partners to help us develop and protect our brand assets.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We relied on Tenet Partners to design a logo, decide on our typefaces, and position the entire brand. They worked with our team to develop a brand strategy and digital assets. Because we have staff in 43 countries, we had to address different languages and different technical platforms and limitations in certain countries. We had to be pretty savvy with what we developed so that all of our properties could use it. Ultimately, the project primarily concerned branding, but their development of digital assets also helped to support our planning efforts and the worldwide management of our brand. They professionalized our organization.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Larry (Senior Partner, Tenet Partners) for years. He does a lot of their web, digital, and technical assets. He had various other team members as well.

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

I’ve worked with Tenet Partners on three major projects over the last 20 years. They are my go-to partner whenever I have a brand strategy, technical, or web design projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement spanned 2011–2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our enrollment has doubled in the last five years in an industry that’s growing 2%. All the pieces to professionalize who we are and what we do has fed into that. Their production of digital assets standardized our materials, which are now easier to disseminate thanks to an online asset tool. Instead of our staff recreating templates and logos locally, we now have a system that allows them to download what they need in the form and size they need it. This has reduced annual production spends around $1 million–$2 million.

The improvements to our website facilitated our goal of recruiting students from across the country, not just our region anymore. Our online traffic increased three times over in the first year. By the second year, it was almost five times. The content was obviously resonating with students that we were trying to attract. Those students turned into qualified leads, our enrollment grew, and we met our housing capacity.

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

In the three instances I’ve worked with them, the projects have always been on time and budget without me having to micromanage the project. We never experienced any surprises because they provided reports regularly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are a talented group of people. They’ve been professionals in their field for a long time. They’re a personable group that is very willing to understand your business and the challenges you face. They take the time and energy to learn about what’s important to you. I enjoyed working with their entire team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve had some members of their staff retire in the last five years. I’ve encouraged them to be very intentional about who and how they replace that talent. Hiring somebody quickly is not as important as making sure the firm’s talent level remains the same.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am head of global brand at an international print technologies corporation. We develop brand strategies to implement through our brand guidelines and communicate out to our customers via our communications platform. We also activate them through other programs internally and externally and make them accessible to our agency partners and internal resources. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tenet Partners?

First of all, we needed a repository to host branding information where all of our employees and external partners could access it. We hired Tenet Partners to develop that website. They continue to work with us in partnership to keep it updated regarding technology and so it reflects our most current standards. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I came on board right when the site had just launched. While I wasn't part of the actual development process, I've been the owner of the site for the last six years. Tenet Partners currently provides maintenance, implementations, and recommendations about how we can best serve our customers using upgrades. 

They also partner with us to develop tools that attach to that platform. About a month ago, we just finished launching a content registration tool that's latched onto the brand central area Tenant Partners developed for our marketers to register all of their content. 

What is the team composition? 

My go-to person is Larry (Senior Partner, Digital, Tenet Partners. He and Ernie (Partner, Digital, Tenet Partners) are my primary contacts. They take care of anything from little nitpicky issues to enormous needs. When I contact them, they both typically respond right away. They have a team of people working with them behind the scenes. 

How did you come to work with Tenet Partners?

I inherited Tenet Partners as a developer from my previous boss who brought them on. We have the option to go with other vendors, but we haven't chosen to move away from their team because they're skilled at their work and have been great partners for us. They keep everything running very smoothly and fix any issues immediately. They're always recommending upgrades and options without trying to upsell us. These suggestions are genuinely for our benefit. They're flexible and want what's best for us in the end. Their prices aren't cheap, but they offer a great value for our investment. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent over $200,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since April 2013. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don't have the metrics off the top of my head, but our website and the analytics on our brand central indicate that we have thousands of visitors on our site. We've found that users can find the information they need relatively quickly once they get to our platform which helps them do their job more easily. 

The tool Tenet Partners built is highly utilized quite frequently throughout our corporation. The majority of our employees use it whenever they need access to information. All of our marketing agencies use the brand review tool they developed for us, as well. 

Putting the brand central system in place gave us a line of sight line to all of the communications materials that are developed globally throughout our corporation, so we aren't duplicating efforts or recreating things that are already done. It's helped us become more efficient and ensure we're not creating unnecessary content that isn't going to be promoted or see the light of day. 

How did Tenet Partners perform from a project management standpoint?

Tenet Partners takes care of several aspects of project management for us. They understood our deadlines and provided a full project timeline upfront. Once we agreed to that timing, they do the important work of keeping us on track by reminding us to stick to the schedule. They always meet their timelines and finish everything within the budget. 

Tenet Partners handles both small and large projects very well. Tenet Partners navigates the intricacies of working with our large corporation. Each project has numerous stakeholders who we have to get to agree. They pull the information they need from us effectively to maintain progress. 

Working one-on-one with the experts on their team is much better than going through a generic account manager. They participate in our meetings and offer us a personalized experience, so nothing gets misinterpreted.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tenet Partners has a lot of knowledge and expertise in the brand area. They troubleshoot well and design tools or re-navigate sites to make them the most functional for the user. The team makes an effort to ensure the UX provides the best benefit to the user, which is a great value add for every project they come through. 

We genuinely feel like we've formed a relationship with Tenet Partners. They make working together easy, and I feel comfortable with them. They even guide and educate our team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve had a very good experience with them, so I can't really think of anything. In a few instances, we had minor delays with responses to our requests for help when they were in a client meeting. My only critiques are so trivial they don't seem worth mentioning.