We are lucky to have good clients, who most of the time become good friends for life. There are instances where clients would fly over to Malaysia and the whole team would go and meet them. If any of our team members were to visit other countries, they’d take the opportunity to meet up with our clients there over dinner or coffee.

Sometimes we sit down and think, “Hey, we do have good people”. As we spend more time in the industry, we also realise that it is important to go that extra mile in developing client experience so that both parties can benefit from it. We also strongly believe in going that extra mile for those who are worth it.

Why Client Experience?

Client Experience is the practice of onboarding clients or leads with the focus on the quality and thoughtfulness of the user experience. Every touchpoint within the client’s first few interactions with the company is designed to deliver the best experiences. It requires extra thoughtfulness, loads of empathy, and above all, a highly personalised experience.

Similar to user experience, touchpoints begin as a lead to a client, with every touchpoint and pain point being noted. Every interaction and experience should be seamless and memorable.

Client onboarding tips

Stampede takes great care in every process, including onboarding leads or new clients in order to provide a good first impression. Here are some tips we’d like to offer.

Be ready with all the information

Put yourself in the shoes of a new client – they are brimming with ideas, they want to tell you what they are looking forward for their project, they want you to help them realise their idea.

As an agency, we must help them discover these budding ideas. What we do is we provide them with a requirements discovery form, asking them to fill it in with the following details:

• Background of project/company
• What they need
• Who are the target audience
• Any competitors’ website’ they have in mind? (for competitors review)
• What goal they are looking to achieve with this new site (e.g. I want to increase signup by 50% by January, I want to get 15000 traffic by the next quarter etc.)
• Who the contact person is (for liasing and approval purposes)

Often enough, if the leads or new clients are still unclear, we offer to do Skype calls or face-to-face meetings if they need further clarification.

Be prepared with checklists!

We at Stampede are big fans of to-do lists. Every workflow – internal review, UAT, launch list, HTML/CSS, user experience framework – we have lists for it all. This includes onboarding, once we have secured the client.

Here’s a quick example of ours – Stampede Client Onboarding List.

Be interested

There’s a quote by Dale Carnegie that we hold very dearly, “To be interesting, be interested.”

We really love to get to know our leads or clients, as they often do great things and if possible we would like to be involved with them. Hence every time an inquiry slides into our inbox, we like to do a little ‘sleuthing’ – how their current website looks like, who the founders are, the team members, what they have produced, etc.

During the initial meeting, we bring these details up with client. By doing so, the client recognises that we have made a conscious effort to get to know them.

This does not only apply to information we find – sometimes we have questions, loads of them in fact. Ask clients in those meetings. We are often surprised at how interesting everyone is when we take the effort to get to know them.

Be proud of your work, and its process

Let’s be real – our clients discovered us because they have probably heard of us somewhere, or stumbled upon our work from a related source. But what they do not know is how care and detail we at Stampede pour into our every projects, no matter big or small.

These are several things we do to show this:

• Update blog with case studies of projects
• Portfolio of projects we have done
• Get testimonials from current clients
• Keep sharing wonderful work on social media platforms

Once, we showed a client how we came up with styleguides, competitive reviews, user journeys and many more. The results of the work is one thing, the process is another.

Clients love it when they know we invest so much in their projects. Which is why we are often told by clients – we are unlike any other agency, we are just like an extension of their team 🙂

Be proud of the people you work with

Good work will not materialise by itself. We believe that good work is a product of good people. Hence, why we are so proud of our team.

In a kickoff team, bring in the team members who will be involved in the project. They may just sit there and take notes, but take the time to introduce each and every one of them. List down their achievements, sometimes, you’d be surprised that they have forgotten that they have achieved those as well. To be reminded how good you are is so motivating.

It also helps set the tone and relationship the clients’ team and your team will have. After all, they will be working together for the next few months – so it is vital to set up a good start.

Be on time

Being on time is one of the ten leadership traits that require zero talent, as mentioned in the image above. Always be punctual; be on time for meetings, send off documents on time, keep the client updated, and make sure the project delivers on time.

There are times when we foresee inevitable delays. In this event, we will make sure to let the client know beforehand so that the delivery dates can be rescheduled to achievable times. This is also fair to the client so that they can plan accordingly, and they are most often okay with the heads up.

Be ready to always improve

Sometimes, try hard as we might, the lead does not turn into a client. Take the time to get to know why. “Are there any shortcomings on our part? Is there any information they need from us but we overlooked it? Is our price reasonable? Will you consider us again?” Taking the time to follow up and ask these questions helps us improve our service.

Be ready to go the extra mile

Mr Wicky Sundram spotted in Stampede t-shirt!

Unfortunately, there are times that we have to turn down the lead’s project due to budget constants, schedule or resource allocation problems.

Do go the extra mile to find out what they need in the given time. “Should we recommend you to freelancers? Is it OK if we move the deadline in the next quarter so we should be able to accommodate you?”

More so than often, a lead is willing to wait until our schedule is cleared (it can sometimes take up to two months!) once we are willing to help them to move forward with their project. As mentioned, it does not hurt to do something extra.

Have any tips with onboarding new clients? We’d love to know! Please share a comment down below if you have any tips. Thank you.

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Let me reiterate this: there is never a typical day in the life of a Project Manager. The following is intended as a guide of my day-to-day role in Stampede. There are days Stage B takes up most of the time, or even the whole day. There are days Stage C takes up as equal portion as Stage B – nevertheless, every day is an adventure by itself.

Stage A: Come As You Are

Approximation of the Percentage of Day Taken: 20%

This time of the day is often spent writing, replying emails and entertaining clients on Skype. Some never fail to give me endearing nicknames of all sorts. I have been called gangsta, superstar, Slide Deck and most recently, Diggy. In between our playful banter, we follow up and catch up on recent projects.

I spend this portion of the day as well going through everyone’s daily planner of which we have set up for each of us with Trello, an awesome discovery of Shen’s.

This first stage of the day may seem menial for some, but it is important to set the momentum going and to prepare for the next stage of the day.

Stage B: Rolling In The Deep

Approximation of the Percentage of Day Taken: 50%

Behold – the most important, substantial part of the day.

Taking up most of my daily tasks, this is the portion mostly reserved for internal reviews and meetings of every minuscule and gargantuan proportion equally. It is the most crucial because it requires my and the team’s undivided focus and attention to go every tiny detail as well as filtering (the latter mostly applied to meetings) to avoid being overwhelmed.

Some may say it is the hair-tearing portion of the day, but I beg to differ. With an amazing team and a set of wonderful clients, oftentimes we survive throughout the whole ordeal adventure.

Oftentimes. I have always wanted to use this word.

Stage C: Feelin’ So Good

Approximation of the Percentage of Day Taken: 30%

This is my favourite part of my work day. After the bugs are fixed, the negotiation with client about sneaking in responsive design in the middle of development goes well without a bloodbath, the cross-browser functionality dragons (they are mostly IE) are slayed – I would retreat to a couple of my online resources for some research and reading on the topic about web development and project management. These are amongst my favourites, in no particular order:

1. Smashing Magazine
2. Web Designer Depot
3. A List Apart
4. Signals vs Noise
5. Cognition
6. PM Hut

Staying true with the culture at Stampede where everyone is encouraged to share, I also post a couple of them on company Twitter, whilst some of them get sent to the inbox of the team members for their weekend reading. The writing blog task often gets done in this portion of the day as well.

The Encapsulation of It All

Being a Project Manager, our output may not be translated as tangible as the ones for designers, developers and programmers. People may not notice the non-existent haggling skills we developed to discuss about a scope creep. We act as the sponge – insulating the team from all the pressure from above ourselves as much as we can so the team can focus on the work.

Needless to say, the presence of a role – take note that I said presence of a role instead of presence of an absolute being – of a Project Manager is necessary to keep the team together. We are the planners, the mediators, the interpreters, the cheerleaders, the company jesters (hang on, that is probably just me) – and so much more.

Questions?

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If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.

The quote above, in my opinion, takes back to the psychology of being a human being – we like to feel a sense of belonging and appreciation, instead of being herded around.

Then there is this fascinating fact about project management: it is an adventure. You heard it right.

Project management is more than scheduling projects, facilitating project meetings, documenting project requirement documents and all those dull stuffs you think about. It is a routine at the beginning of every project that every team member is assigned with their respective tasks. At Stampede, instead of drumming them up with linear, silo-ed items that can be done to get this in time, we sit down with them and bounce ideas:

• How will the site launch benefit the client?
• What do we need to do to achieve this, aside from the assigned tasks?
• How can everyone else pitch in to help?
• How will this help you and the next team members in line for the task if you get this done on time?

The first question address the most important thing: the immensity of the sea. By addressing how much the site launch means to the client and how the team members can help contribute to this, it gives them a sense of belonging and responsibility.

Most of the times, we triumph.

There are times we don’t, but the sea is a tricky subject and takes time to master the tide. Either way, we all know we are heading towards one particular ocean.

Every day is an adventure. Every day is for me to scale the immensity of the sea and let others long for the same thing too.

(P/s: Interested to hear your interpretation of the quote above and how you would relate to yourself – as usual, delighted to hear your comments!)

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Are You the Boss You Need To Be?

For the very first time I hear my thoughts echoed in another person’s article – that man is a living resource that will continue to grow. I find this very true – my own work environment is full of creative people who would never stop learning and growing. I’ve been thinking all this time that, if only one or two people agree with my opinion, it’s probably not strong enough idea to be thought further and shared. The validation by this article makes me really happy.

I managed to take sometime this month to stop thinking about work for a while and instead, settle a few little (but aggravating) personal affairs of mine. I don’t think it’s not possible for someone whose life is unorganized, unplanned and without sold direction to be able to manage so many tasks and care for so many people. All should start from our own selves.

Continue reading “Are You the Boss You Need To Be?”

10 Ways to Boost Creativity

Prior to managing and motivating others, you need to manage and motivate yourself. Being creative at work begins with you feeling comfortable with yourself and your work space. Make effort to understand the problem and be careful when passing judgment. When making decision, involve people who understand the issues and exchange ideas with them. We should all treat each other the way we want to be treated, because in a team, the role of every person is equally important.

Continue reading “10 Ways to Boost Creativity”

Don’t Let “Post-Holiday” Letdown Threaten Your Remote Team

There are moments during a long vacation when I feel uncomfortable not thinking about work. Vacations are actually good opportunities to reflect and formulate new plans, as there aren’t scheduled activities to keep you occupied. Staying connected and keeping everyone on the team aware of what’s going on is primary. Upon returning from holidays, team members should be able to ease back into their work environment and teamwork atmosphere. A back-from-holiday welcome would also show them that they are greatly appreciated, anticipated and a joy to have back.

Continue reading “Don’t Let “Post-Holiday” Letdown Threaten Your Remote Team”

Keeping Your Team Productive and Happy During the Holidays Ain’t Easy – But It’s Important

Prior to any holidays, it’s crucial to note everyone’s days off, organize their tasks according to priority and complete the most important tasks first. It pays to know people’s habits and arrange for help or back-up plan around their unavailability. Not all surprises are good.

Continue reading “Keeping Your Team Productive and Happy During the Holidays Ain’t Easy – But It’s Important”

Effective Ways to Use Anger in the Office

There were times when I felt like losing control of the anger that resulted from personal or job-related issues. But now the good news .. It is completely normal when it happens occasionally. Not every negative energy must be channeled in negative manners. Instead of turning it into disaster, use the anger as energy solver. Be in control and focus on issues that are within your reach to resolve.

NOTE: Do not engage too long with people who make you angry. Either resolve it or walk away.

Continue reading “Effective Ways to Use Anger in the Office”

How to Manage Criticism Effectively

Responding to criticism with a negative attitude will only hinder your opportunity to grow. Criticism is a chance to correct mistakes and challenge yourself to attain more. People will not waste their time to think about you, let you know your mistakes and give suggestions to improve if you are not very important to them or believe that you are able to do better. Analyze the criticism by understanding yourself. If it is proven true and you acknowledge it, take action to fix it immediately. When it is false, do not sweat it.

Continue reading “How to Manage Criticism Effectively”

10 Ways to Stop Communication Overload

Keep communication simple, centralized and effective.

Continue reading “10 Ways to Stop Communication Overload”

Reasons to Work

Last but not least, if you are the right man in the right place, and all of your needs are met, you feel very important and special by your presence in this world, then you’ll be happy to work for the rest of your life.

Continue reading “Reasons to Work”

(picture via ffffound)

The post Managing Web Projects and People appeared first on Stampede: the strategic design & technology company.

In the beginning, the main challenge is knowing and understanding what your task entails and who are affected by it. Then as you move on being a more integral part of the team, you will find that it takes more than adjusting to new work culture and job experience. Communication is the main requirement of a team’s success and communicating with a team dispersed globally is in itself a great challenge.

Language

Each one of us comes from different background and have our very own native tongue. English is the predominantly first language here at Stampede but we make efforts to introduce new team members to the common English/web terminologies we use everyday. Most of us are semi-veterans in the field so our lingos can be overwhelming to the uninitiated. I converse often with new team members to give them confidence and shake away their fear of speaking in foreign language.

Timezone

Most of us at Stampede works on Eastern Standard Time, a 12-hour difference that makes daytime to our clients evening to us. Partly this is because we get to facilitate quicker response when communicating with the other side of the world. It is not an imposed rule though, everyone has the option to flexible work hours of their choice. Frankly, we’re all perfectly happy working nights anyway.

The time difference may seem extreme at first. There are meetings and voice conferences with international clients, rallying team members at 2am. But we have among the best clients a company can hope and a team to die for. Although like normal work hours, concentration does get pathetic around midnight. This is when having fun people to work with pays off.

Work Ethic

Work ethic is paramount here. Everyone must have sense of ownership towards the task at hand and take initiative to progress a project forward. We believe in diligence and hard work, the same goes for learning new things consistently. When things gets real hectic, it’s sometimes easy to forget that checking in with your fellow co-workers and clients is just as important as completing tasks on time. Having a strong set of ethical conduct in the background while the entire team is buzzing with work ensures that our Stampede values remain intact.

Culture

Our team is an ensemble of talent from different countries with different cultures and communication habits.

In Indonesia for example, we are used to an environment where people debate and discuss less. Conversation about a subject is done within a few small talks, nothing elaborate. It could come across as impolite or disrespectful at times, but it’s just the environment that demand fast result for all given instructions. No questions, no haggle, no debate.

It clearly differs from the culture in Stampede where communication thrives on everyone’s active participation. Major decisions are bounced around the team, analyzed and discussed. We share responsibilities and work together towards a goal. The ability to learn any cultural background and adapt quickly is therefore a necessity because effective communication ultimately leads to great work.

So you see, wherever we come from, we have the same opportunity here at Stampede. If you have interesting ways of handling diversity in your work environment, share them with us!

(photo by Barry Feldman)

The post This Is How We Do It appeared first on Stampede: the strategic design & technology company.

Success is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing,
you will be successful.”
-Albert Schweitzer

I have been a project manager at Stampede close to a year now but this is my very first time really getting a grip on an e-commerce project. Overseeing many projects all at once is quite handful, at least in the beginning. For me, the most important part of every work is to start. Once you start, you’ll find your pace. “It’s alright. I’ll get used to it,” I often said to myself as I hum along with my daily tasks.

Still, in my beautiful and peaceful private office, with my cup of tea (still having problem with coffee) and my only good looking boy sleeping beside me, I keep thinking what a revelation this project has been.

We’re now close to launching one of the biggest e-commerce project in our portfolio yet. It’s a huge online store – a project by one of our client from the States – and so the details are under wrap for now. This whole idea of selling products online is a brilliant industry, especially for the consumer. With only a few minutes of research, online shopping can save you money, frustration, and time. And the shop never closes! It’s only about time the shop goes mobile, and yes, Stampede has plans for that too.

Unlike most resident geeks at Stampede (I love you guys!), I am rather new to electronic commerce and the development of one. And now that I am managing one, it is really exciting.

There are so many details to take into consideration and I tell you, there is nothing easy about building a real, usable e-commerce website. There’s the preliminary requirement document, wireframing, data mining, product categorization and cross-referencing, image editing, price validation, shipping calculation. I can go on all night.

As the project manager, I have to be able to zoom in and out of many things at once. One minute I’m seeing the bigger picture, the next I’m making sure the smallest detail in design is met according to plan. It is a real effort, but only because we apply such strict quality standard to every product that rolls out of Stampede’s door.

But above all, I’m amazed most by the collaboration – everyone in Stampede is going out of their way to help and make sure that this little baby get off the ground splendidly. The extra effort we have taken throughout this project are all necessary complexities. And you can tell we’re all very proud to be part of it.

(photo credit goes to Todd Richardson)

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