The Yard Creative

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

Thanks to their work, we were able to land a solution internally with a huge number of stakeholders. If we did this inhouse, it would have taken a lot longer. Because The Yard Creative is forward-thinking, they include some trend conversations and future technologies to consider for multi channel retailing. Not only did they get the project done quickly, but they also gave us insights to think about.

How did The Yard Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

We have our own project management team and a dedicated project manager who was the main point of contact for all things related to contracts. For the day-to-day, our design team communicated with their design team. We had physical meetings as well as a combined project tracker and project timeline that was updated weekly and shared across our teams. All in all, there were lots of separate resources that combined into one project management workflow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One reason I wanted to use The Yard Creative — and continue to use them — is that they have an enthusiasm for the job that’s uncommon to see. Their energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and it means we never ever have to push them; they’ll push themselves. That excitement also has experience attached to it. If you want something that will push you to think differently, they’ll deliver that. They don’t rehash old content; they’re original thinkers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

A corporate environment requires a bit more polish in presentation, but I don’t want The Yard Creative to be so polished that they lose what makes them special. Plus, it’d be unfair to judge them on that.

Any advice for potential customers?

Give them a brief that will change and transform what you do. Don’t look for a rehash of what’s already done; that’s a waste of their talent.

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

The kiosk that they helped design and deliver has been installed in the mall ever since November of 2019. As a result, there has been a huge uplift in terms of inquiries, customer engagement, and sales. From our perspective, our new rating of the kiosk after the initial quality audit clearly proves that we’re a lot happier with it both aesthetically and functionally.

How did The Yard Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve always been very responsive, approachable, and friendly. They’re experts in their field, but they can always dilute the language into phrases we can understand. There’s never been any issues with their project management. They’re always ready to help or throw in their recommendations. They’re happy to facilitate fast turnarounds if needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very good at taking small elements from a conversation and combining those to create something bigger. A lot of other companies need you to steer them. But, The Yard Creative is happy to challenge your comments and make recommendations. Also, they’re always thinking outside of the box, their finger is always on the pulse of innovation. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were more expensive than other people in the industry. But, that isn’t their fault. That is their price point, and they were honest about it when we started the project. We were prepared to pay that price because of their knowledge.

Also, they give you a set amount of amendments free of charge, but we had to go through a couple more at a later stage. However, that wasn’t their fault as they made the process clear.
 
Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should be very transparent and tell them exactly the objectives you’re trying to achieve. Nine times out of 10, They’ll understand and be able to achieve your objectives through design. Be as wild, wacky, and creative as you can, and say exactly what you want in that meeting. They’ll find a way to bring it all into one piece of work.

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

A large part of the process was finding a flexible agency, attuned to our understanding of this business environment. They knew how to be flexible with designs and communicate to us in a way that would make sense. Since we hadn’t been through this process before, there was some hand-holding, but not in a condescending way.

Having said that, one unavoidable issue we ran into was that some things in the design were inaccessible to us for a while. That caused us to be a little delayed.  

How did The Yard Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They adhered to tight deadlines and kept us regularly updated with drafts over video conferences. That way, we were all on the same page. We were originally worried about the remote working relationship, but their communication was very strong. They made it clear that they were always on call, staying flexible despite our distance and time zones. 

When we initially launched, there were some things that we weren’t able to execute because of our remote relationship. In those situations, they made themselves available to help us find an alternative. Otherwise, they kept ahead of schedule, making it clear when tasks would be completed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The personality and attitude of the team were great. They made a collective effort to understand our goals, position, and familiarity with the process of building a brand. Despite this being a new market for us, we never felt condescended for asking questions.

Personalities aside, we felt that they put the right people on tasks. At no point did we ever have to repeat ourselves or elaborate. Other agencies may not be as proactive as The Yard Creative. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been great partners.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If I could go back and do this process again, I would ask different questions about the design process. If there are other areas in the process that you’re not an expert in, it may be a good idea to proactively talk them through as a means of educating you in that area. They’re very willing to explain their processes at any point. I wish I had taken them up on that more on the design side of the development.

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

This project was probably one of the best things for us, at a time when we were a relatively new brand. It helped us really understand what each sale was about and what our customers and what they want and need. Their suggestions regarding building an online community have significantly boosted retention and driven customers back to the site.

From a design perspective, they gave us a really good hierarchy and ruleset that we’ve been able to roll out across over a hundred and twenty products. We credit them with being able to increase our conversion by over 1,000% and our total business by 20% since we started working with them.

How did The Yard Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great to work with. Their team was always incredibly professional and passionate. They communicated throughout the project and always did what they said they were going to do exactly when they said they were going to deliver it. We communicated either face-to-face or by phone and email, which was always very intuitive and effective.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their passion and enthusiasm for design are by far the most impressive aspect of their company. It is very, very rare to find a good agency that is equally skilled and passionate about design and the world.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I honestly don’t think there’s anything they could do better.