Transfuture

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work as a coffee trader.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Transfuture?

We needed a website redesign.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to incorporate content that we sourced independently into a website redesign that was more modern and appealing to our customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them on Google Maps.

Describe the project in detail.

We hired them to design our website. We provided the content and edited it following their presentation of an initial draft.

What was the team composition?

Their team primarily communicated with us through two points of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have had positive feedback from our clients focused on the design and content.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their process was smooth and seamless. We mostly communicated by email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were quick to respond to our inquiry, they were professional, and they were competitively priced.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a managing partner for Match Point Partners. We’re a healthcare-focused investment bank that specializes in working with startups.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

We originally launched a WordPress site in 2012 but wanted to update its look and feel. Transfuture joined the project to modernize our site from front to back.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Using our initial concepts and legacy content as a base, they modernized our WordPress site, transforming a series of static pages into an interactive scrolling interface. Since then, they’ve also helped us redesign a new logo.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two resources.

How did you come to work with Transfuture?

One of my colleagues researched websites that we liked, and we interviewed the designers who created them. Out of that process, we chose Transfuture.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the website in 2017, and it took around three months to complete. In January 2018, we contracted them again to design a logo, and they delivered within the week.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new site functions as expected, and the scrolling frontpage is more artistic and startup-friendly compared to our previous site.

How did Transfuture perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a good job. Since we’re fast-moving bankers who travel all the time, it can be hard to coordinate with our schedules. Regardless, Transfuture operated well within our timeframe and met with us whenever we were in town. We communicated by phone and email, and they responded quickly to our inquiries.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a client-oriented group, and I appreciate that they completed the website with minimal intervention on our part. We didn’t have to hold their hands throughout the process nor go step by step. We just had the initial conversation, and then they delivered as expected.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I can recall. They operated well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As long as you’re able to communicate clearly, they’re able to help no matter where you are in the ideation process. We had a semi-formed idea of what we wanted for the site, so they were flexible enough to work with us. But, if you go in with no ideas, they’re sure to have suggestions to help. Once you settle on your objective, they’re good at executing your vision.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and COO of a real estate technology company focused on the NYC market. The platform connects all the stakeholders in NYC residential transactions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

We needed a brand new website. The original site was built before our product launched, and it was more of a brochure than a functioning website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Transfuture served as a creative partner. We needed fresh ideas for how to stand out from the crowd. Even though we’re a niche platform, there are so many NYC property real estate websites. From a creative standpoint, the brief to Transfuture was that our site couldn’t look the same as those other sites. We gave them some rough ideas of what we liked and some references. They came in and gave us new ideas and things we hadn't seen before. They did all of the programming work to build the site and did the design work as well.

What is the team composition?

I dealt directly with the two principals. Our creative services manager was the lead on the project and worked with their team.

How did you come to work with Transfuture?

We’d crossed paths a number of years ago, and I've just been waiting for the right opportunity to work with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place between August–November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our audience looks at many real estate websites and their feedback has been uniformly positive. Everyone remarks on how bright, sophisticated, and different our new site is compared to others. Transfuture came up with a creative way to make the website look dynamic. Now it's one of the key selling points of the site, and one of the major contributions to its success.

How did Transfuture perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was great. We gave them a tight timeline and they delivered. Their office is very close to ours, which allowed us to have regular meetings to look at designs or discuss the project’s status. In terms of the client-vendor relationship, it's not like we just told them what we wanted and they delivered. It was a true collaboration. They listened to what we wanted and then gave us something that we didn't even think was possible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I wanted a partner that was willing to push the envelope and not just rehash other people's ideas. Transfuture were willing collaborators. They helped push us beyond the normal. The results and feedback from our audience speaks for themselves.

Any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with a general direction for your project. In our case, we explicitly told them that we didn't want them to deliver exactly what we were asking for. Rather, we wanted them to challenge us. If you want something different and are open to being challenged, Transfuture is the right firm for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of creative technology for a digital-out-of-home advertising company. We operate a large network of digital billboards in shopping malls across the United States.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

Our website was gigantic and messy. We needed a partner to recommend a new platform and then lead that re-development. We also wanted assistance with web design and UI enhancement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with Transfuture on two separate projects. The first engagement focused on communicating our business in a simple, one-page redeveloped website with easy navigability for our clients. Transfuture recommended and developed a custom WordPress template in a collaborative design process with mutual input. The team produced wireframes but modified their platform and design approaches to the marketing goals we communicated. They also added features such as scrolling client logos and video popups.

The second project aimed to make the site modern and more attractive to potential customers. There were no wireframes because we already had concrete ideas. They helped us refine our proposed designs, which culminated in the current version.

What is the team composition?

They had three people including the two co-owners; the owners traded responsibilities as we progressed through different items.

How did you come to work with Transfuture?

We searched web development firms in the New York City area because we wanted the ability to meet in person. Transfuture's portfolio aligned with our needs and limited budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first project started in June 2015 and ended in September 2015. For the redesign, work started in January 2017 and ended in August 2017.

Currently, Transfuture does support and ad hoc development when we have special requests, such as WordPress and update fixes. The website's content doesn’t change often. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There’s minimal visitor feedback because it’s a low-traffic B2B site. However, our salespeople and internal teams are very happy with the WordPress version because it was as simple as possible. The latest redesign makes our company look very modern.

How did Transfuture perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed okay. We had to push them to meet our expectations for deliverables and timelines. Although their performance wasn’t a deal breaker, there were times we were wondering about the status of the latest wireframe or code.

We communicated primarily through e-mail because it’s a timesaver for development projects. We did kickoffs in person, holding an additional in-person meeting mid-project to make sure we were all on the same page. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re nice people and responsive communicators. Quick replies to our questions made us feel heard.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Transfuture required additional emailing and check-ins to meet our expectations. However, this was not a huge deal. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the editor and owner of Outer Borough Media Group, which does business at The Bridge, a Brooklyn-based website and podcast.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

We wanted to create a sophisticated-looking and user-friendly site that was also flexible in what could be added to it. We decided a WordPress site would be best, because we wanted something stable and reliable, so we began searching for a partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Transfuture helped conceive the layout and artistic design of the site, and they took care of the underlying functionality. Basically, they did all of the development. They found a hosting site (WP Engine) and provide continual maintenance and improvements.

I showed them examples of sites I liked and other types of media, and they created a site that reflected that. They even added specific features that I wanted. For example, they installed a plug-in for a comment function and found the vendor to make it. Transfuture created a dynamic story page, so every story is a sort of home page with a scrolling Twitter feed that continuously updates on the news. The site also has a good podcast presentation, which is a big part of our organization.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the two principals, but they also have a larger circle of people they relied on for other services. For example, Transfuture does SEO but not other digital outreach, so they connected me with another organization that could provide those services.

How did you come to work with Transfuture?

I found them through an online search. I sent emails to numerous different development companies in Brooklyn, but I liked the work Transfuture had done. They responded promptly, so I met with them and thought they were approachable and media-aware; they understood what I wanted to do and good examples to follow.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $20,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began in November 2016, and the site launched in February 2017. Now, Transfuture provides maintenance and updates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Readers generally say the site looks terrific. They like the content too, but the overall presentation seems like a much bigger site than it actually is; it’s impressively sophisticated-looking for a small operation that just started.

How did Transfuture perform from a project management standpoint?

They were efficient and timely without being overly obsessed with doing things a certain way. I've worked with project managers at big companies who were all about the timetable and not about the product. Transfuture is much more balanced and delivers high-quality products within a reasonable timeframe.

We mainly use phone, email, or in-person conversations to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their personal touch is impressive. They’re both friendly and forgiving. If I don’t provide something by a certain time, or if I change my mind, they don’t get upset. They’re efficient and flexible when I want to take the project in a different direction.

They’re also opinionated in a good way. They don’t try to overrule you, but they’ll offer their feedback,  which is always useful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not everything was done correctly or exactly how I wanted, partly because my own vision changed as we went along, but they were prompt in smoothing out any wrinkles. And they never charged extra for simple fixes.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Give them as much information as you can about what you're trying to do. I probably contacted them too early, but they were okay with that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the Executive Director of the Bavarian U.S. Offices for Economic Development. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

We needed to build a new website and present ourselves in a modern and more engaging way.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Transfuture provided web development and designed our new site, updating the site they built for us over 10 years ago in WordPress. They presented us with multiple designs to choose from and we provided all the necessary written content. They built out new features like a calendar of events and a news section. They also designed a website for one of our events, an investor conference.

In addition to web work, they've produced print collateral as well, such as posters.

What is the team composition?

We've primarily worked with two people over the last 11 years, Erin and Joe.

How did you come to work with Transfuture?

We found them through a Google search and liked the fact that they had experience working with nonprofits.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since 2006. Our most recent project started in 2016. We continue to collaborate on various projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I think of their team as part of ours. Sometimes, I have to remind my colleagues that we pay them by the hour because we're used to calling them up so frequently. They've gotten us out of a bind by providing additional graphics support, as we lack the capacity for producing those types of materials in house.

They've always exceeded my expectations and have been easy to work with. There's never been a single misunderstanding between us regarding pricing; I've always felt they've been fair. Their shop in Brooklyn is modest and efficient, which likely helps keep their costs down. They make sure that added value is transferred to clients like me. I've come back to them many times over the years.

How did Transfuture perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very transparent with us. We mostly communicate through phone calls and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are just super-nice and talented people who understand our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with as much information and feedback as possible from the beginning.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive assistant at AMA Capital Partners. We're a boutique investment firm based in New York City focused on the transportation industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

We had a very outdated website. It needed a total overhaul—not the content, but the overall look and feel.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We laid out the challenges, needs, and expectations for the site. They took a lot of time to learn about the business, including researching our competitors’ sites. They set up a timeline and then began work on the redesign.

The site is built on WordPress. It's an informational site without a lot of bells and whistles. The project kept the structure of the site the same, but improved the design to bring it up to modern standards.

A year or so after the site was completed, they reached out to us to see if we wanted any additional updates. That conversation led to them helping us redesign our marketing material to complement the look and feel of the site.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Joe [Managing Partner, Transfuture] and Erin [Creative Director, Transfuture].

How did you come to work with Transfuture?

Since this was the first time I was involved in a web redesign, I did a lot of research on how to vet a design firm. I found them through a basic Google search. I liked that they were were a small firm based in New York—just like us.

How much have you invested with them?

Including the marketing materials, I believe we’ve spent $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2015, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve heard from employees who’ve received compliments from clients. It’s all been positive feedback: the site is a huge improvement and looks really good.

How did Transfuture perform from a project management standpoint?

They were really good in terms of leading the project. There were specific deadlines and they met them. They were very patient with us and good about sending gentle reminders to keep us on top of things.

They made the process really easy—especially for me as a novice. They're thoughtful, thorough, and answered any questions we had.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re responsive, very friendly, and easy to deal with. They’re also understanding when things get busy on our end.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing stands out in my mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the vice president of Mansueto Ventures. We publish Inc. Magazine and Fast Company Magazine, as well as our website, Inc.com.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

Our core website is the main source of marketing projects we've worked on with Transfuture throughout the years. The process of developing marketing collateral, specifically our press kit, involves a lot of to and fro between our various business units. They helped us streamline this process, and coordinate with our sponsors to create ad units. We lacked the in-house expertise to develop the special functionalities required for some of these projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Transfuture has been involved in developing our marketing materials since the very beginning. To kickoff this endeavor, they took the scope of the project and wireframed initial designs. The team recommended useful ideas for branding, logos, and colors. As we build out the final site, they added selective copy and photos to the pages. Working with our design director, they tweaked the layout in line with our brand guidelines, and she approved the final version. Our marketing site is built on WordPress, and their developers trained our team on how to update that site.

What is the team composition?

I've worked directly with their principals, Joe and Erin. My team has also worked with some of their WordPress engineers.

How did you come to work with Transfuture?

I've worked with Transfuture for about 15 years total at various companies prior to my position here. I appreciated their timeliness and the energy they'd put into those projects, so I brought them on as a vendor at Mansueto Ventures.

How much have you invested with them?

For smaller, ongoing projects, we spend around $1,000 a month. The larger project cost between $15,000 and $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project began in January 2015, and development work on the marketing site is ongoing. Once that's completed, we'll likely be engaging with them again sometime in the second quarter of this year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As planned, we've been able to maintain and update the site for the last couple of years since it launched. It has actually lived beyond its shelf life, which is great. We had intended to relaunch long before now, but it's lasted just fine, and we've been able to make our own updates. They delivered the project on time, and handled challenges we experienced with various stakeholders.

How did Transfuture perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a good process in place, and it’s a real strength of theirs. We spoke mostly through phone and e-mail, and they used our internal Basecamp account for the design approval rounds. I’m not sure how difficult we are compared to other clients, but we have a nice rhythm for ongoing work. The bigger media kit project involved several different stakeholders, so their ability to manage the communication process was really valuable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their flexibility to move with us as projects change. That's very valuable to me; they're not rigid, which is almost always a great thing. They're a small agency, so I know they must be working arduously to keep everything moving along. A larger agency might push us down to junior staff who don't really know what we’re doing. I can always reach the principals at Transfuture, and they make sure that we've got good people working with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When we work on a compressed timeline, it can be difficult for them to make super last-minute changes on time. They have no problems with predefined deadlines, though, nor with projects that are running smoothly. Sometimes we needed resources a bigger agency could have potentially pulled in on short notice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Reflexions is a digital innovation lab. We help clients grow through digital products and web and mobile platforms. I am a principal, in charge of client relationship management and business development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

We wanted to tap into their design capabilities, especially related to UX, visual design, and branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve played a role for us on a number of projects and have helped with things like content strategy and copywriting. We use them primarily for their design services but the work they do for us is really diverse. Projects they’ve assisted with include website rebuilds and launches for a top-five grant making foundation, a non-profit film center, an independent and avant garde cinema promoter, and a stock photo exchange site.

Primarily, they work on website architecture, including sitemaps and content models; UX design, including page layout, user journeys, and visual design; and branding or design direction for clients. They help produce final assets in a wide array of platforms and frameworks, including WordPress, Drupal, and Ruby on Rails. We also build in open source technologies. Laravel is our primary platform on PHP.

What is the team composition?

We work primarily with Joe [Managing Partner, Transfuture] and Erin [Creative Director, Transfuture]. We’ve worked with one other member of their team as well.

How did you come to work with Transfuture?

They reached out to us a number of years ago, possibly after seeing an article about us in a local paper. We met with them a few times to learn more about their services and capabilities. We engaged with them on smaller projects initially, which grew in size and complexity.

How much have you invested with them?

Our total investment is between $300,000 and $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together for over 15 years. Our relationship with Transfuture goes back to 2002, possibly 2001. We recently completed a project together last year and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Feedback on their work is generally positive. They have broad experience across different industries, which translates to client satisfaction. Their awareness of emerging trends is impressive, as is their willingness to listen to client aesthetic direction. They maintain consistency with existing branding materials across mobile and desktop platforms.

How did Transfuture perform from a project management standpoint?

They typically work as part of our team. We don’t rely on them too much for management, but they are reliable and organized when the work on their own. Email and Slack are our principal modes of communication. They also come in occasionally for in-person meetings and presentations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re really nimble and adaptable, and flexible with meeting budgets and deadlines. They’re responsive and provide a good value.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing in particular that needs improving. Sometimes they’re very busy, but they always set expectations correctly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

This is true of any project, but make sure you have a clear process for making decisions and providing feedback. Have clearly defined stakeholders for approvals and be sure the you can operate efficiently. Administrative overhead can be a challenge with larger organizations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner and partner of RRU Research, a market research service provider. We conduct focus groups and other types of market research for various industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transfuture?

We had just opened a research facility in Manhattan that we were putting under a slightly different brand name, so we had to redesign our original website. We were looking for a company to help us develop a new brand, look, and logo, and build a new website that featured the new facility. We wanted our website to be clear and attractive to customers around the world.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us come up with a new brand look and logo and redesigned our old logo, using colors related to our existing brand and the new brand and facility. Then, they developed the wireframes and created a brand new WordPress website for us that featured our new facility prominently and was SEO-friendly.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Joe [Managing Partner, Transfuture] and Erin [Creative Director, Transfuture].

How did you come to work with them?

I found them online. After looking at some of their concepts and completed work on their website, I decided they'd be a good fit.  

How much have you invested with them?

We had a budget of $10,000 and they stayed within that budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in January 2014 and was completed in April 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our new facility has been busy and we got great feedback, which is due, at least in part, to the fact that it's presented well on the website.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

Before they did anything, they spent time learning about our business. They have a good sense of knowing what is important to the client. Having captured the feel that we were looking for, they managed the project accordingly.

Beyond the standard phone calls and emails, they often came to the location and established a good feedback loop. This kept us up to date with the project in case they were going off-track, which they hardly ever did.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take pride in what they do, which means they do a better job at it than someone who just designs websites for a living. They know what type of website a small or medium-sized business needs and how the site should be used. They use their expertise to help clients like me make good decisions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Identify your real goal for having a website and what you want it to do. The more specific you are, the better they can focus on your needs.