What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our most important metrics for success are usage and feedback. UpTop delivered a product that has generated excellent seller feedback and increased consumption numbers. We meet with the leadership team monthly or quarterly to review the product, roadmap, and metrics. Qualitatively, they’ve noted we are delivering the right content and value by helping the sales team perform better and drive more effective customer conversations. At a 90% consumption rate, DISH currently has the highest number of any enablement tool at our company. We feel proud of the work we’ve done.
We are so excited to continue innovating, developing, and maturing the content and UX with UpTop. We feel fortunate to have a stable relationship and will ensure that they always have a voice in our DISH product. I’ve enjoyed seeing it change from version one into its current iteration. They’re an excellent partner that’s agile about updating, expanding, and experimenting with the design. The user experience and exams are beautiful and innovative. Bringing our sales team along in the journey manifested in a final product that reflects their input, one that they can truly take ownership in.
How did UpTop perform from a project management standpoint?
UpTop embodies the spirit of collaborative partnership and understands what it means to walk alongside the customer in their journey. We have a constant feedback loop running that includes widgets in the digital experience, roundtables, chats, and weekly meetings with our sellers.
I have worked with many project management and design consulting firms over the years who claim to be the sole experts. UpTop always lets go of their egos, listen to our ideas, and incorporate our input into designs and storyboards. They're as motivated about the design and UX as we are, which is a rare and powerful experience. The quality and innovative work we've delivered speaks to the strength of our engagement.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Microsoft is a fast-paced company with a high-intensity culture, so we are demanding clients. We set the bar very high, and UpTop continually impressed me with their quick ability to land value. We threw tons of work at them with tight timelines. Our high expectations for design innovation, user experience, quality, and uniqueness were difficult attributes to attain, yet they always found a way to deliver.
During the few times early on when they didn’t, they took our feedback well and were energized to make the right changes. I never expect them to be perfect. If expectations were unclear, timelines off, or quality or robustness subpar, they would fix it right away.
UpTop has a wide range of capabilities. They had the rare ability to not only keep up with our speed but also bring unique and innovative ideas to the table. Their well of creativity never dried out in my experience. During the early stages of our product, they designed an excellent UX, then completely reinvented the product when we needed a refresh six months later.
Are there any areas they could improve?
For any business, it’s critical never to lose sight of the importance of operational rigor. Every couple of months we had to pause project management to make sure it was staying sound. Otherwise, things would get into a state of chaos quickly. Rushing and making extensive demands often comes with a trade-off. Accountability for maintaining processes and procedures keeps us all sane.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
An experience as positive as ours stems from building a strong foundation for a working relationship. This step is critical when engaging any firm for a full-scale partnership and solution.
UpTop is more than capable of delivering across project management, development, and design. From the client side, they can only be as good as the vision you communicate. The crisper your ideas, the better the output will be. Mutual accountability is critical, and UpTop is excellent at driving those conversations on a regular basis. If either one of us wasn’t meeting our commitments or felt unsure about the quality, we had transparent conversations. That’s what a real partnership is about.
UpTop fostered a positive partnership supported by thoughtful, proactive communication. A reliable vendor, they drove toward each deadline with the end goal in mind. Their design helped bring a vision to life and customers have expressed satisfaction with the seamless UX of the online community.