Rainfall

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing partner at a policy firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rainfall?

We were undertaking a rebranding with a new name and logo.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At first, we did the scoping where we laid out the work plan. Then we started with the name change itself. After that, we went to the logo and tagline creations before launching into the color scheme and other branding elements. They also created a website for us.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Marc (CEO), and then there was a team of designers in the background.

How did you come to work with Rainfall?

We selected Rainfall through a competitive process where we had three proposals.

How much have you invested with them?

I believe it was in the ballpark of $30,000–$35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement started about a year ago, and it lasted about seven months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We completed all of the desired steps of the process. We selected a new name, logo, brand, and we launched a new website. Our customers and partners in the industry have been pleased with the outcome.

How did Rainfall perform from a project management standpoint?

We threw some curveballs at them, but Marc was flexible and gracious in working around some of our internal processes. We used phone calls and emails.

During the peak of engagement, I communicated with Marc once every week or two. There were a couple of lags during phases where communication was limited.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The communication was very thorough. Marc was straightforward about communicating his process and recommendations. Whenever he would deliver a document to us, he would record himself walking through it. His explanations were one example of communicating that I found effective.

Rainfall gave us a lot of great design choices. They worked with us on adjusting their options to suit our preferences. We ended up with a great product because they didn’t hesitate to provide their expert design feedback on our preferences in a diplomatic way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ll have to think more about that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

To get the most out of a branding engagement, it’s important to have a lot of agreement on the customer side about what you want and what you’re willing to go through in the beginning. That allows Rainfall’s team to perform optimally. The more agreement upfront about expectations, the easier it is to get the best out of your consultant.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a former executive at PartsHub.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rainfall?

We engaged Rainfall to construct the UX/UI for our SaaS solution for the automotive aftermarket industry. We served as a place for companies to list their products. The industry as a whole can be outdated and not receptive to technology at times, so we had to create a frontend experience that catered to that type of audience.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We relied on Rainfall to determine the UX/UI for all of the screens included in our platform. Our internal team developed the cloud-based web app, and Rainfall took care of the frontend design. We also asked Rainfall to manage our corporate identity through designs of our logo, emails, and marketing materials. So while we initially asked them to build these web app designs from the ground up, we kept adding projects until they were virtually full-time members of our team.

What is the team composition?

I helped facilitate the project management, so we only worked with a lead UX/UI designer and one junior designer.

How did you come to work with Rainfall?

We learned of Rainfall through references from our venture capital firm and other engineering companies. Through a review of their portfolio, we learned they had valuable experience with UX/UI projects, along with a deep understanding of how frontends work.

How much have you invested with them?

I would estimate that we spent between $250,000­–$275,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2016–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw about a 25–30% increase in customer engagement with our platform and its features once we introduced the new designs. With their help, we were also able to double our development velocity so that we could launch new features more quickly.

How did Rainfall perform from a project management standpoint?

We’d have regular check-ins through Google Hangouts, but we’d also meet in person on occasion because we’re both outside of New York City. Communication was always very strong. They made sure that our pipeline was running smoothly by providing updates quickly to our developers. We could always count on Rainfall to do their part and deliver ahead of schedule.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Rainfall understands the importance of having design uniformity across all libraries and corporate elements. Some companies can be all over the map, which increases development time. Understanding how frontends and designs work goes a long way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were good at what they did. It was great working together and learning more about the process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you have your narrative, storyline, and user stories in place early. Rainfall can put together an initial design right away if given all of that information. If not, the iterations might take a little longer.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an AI company that works with early-stage startups and agencies to help them build the technology they need. We mostly do web development projects, but sometimes, we work with AR and VR development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rainfall?

When we started the company, we didn’t have a brand identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We explained to them what we wanted, discussing the framework of the interaction. During several calls, Rainfall asked questions about how we wanted to represent our company and what style we wanted for the brand collateral. I sent them several references that I found attractive, making sure they wouldn't constrain us.

There were 3–4 logo iterations. At each iteration, their team did a presentation with their design team. For every idea, they did a visual deck, along with a walk-through that guided us through each visual solution. We provided feedback, and then they made changes. Eventually, we decided on a logo. Based on that, their team created printed visuals like business and packaging cards. They also made hoodies and t-shirts with our logo to give out to the team and some of our clients. Rainfall also helped with the presentations we use for our clients.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Mark (CEO, Rainfall) and two designers.

How did you come to work with Rainfall?

I knew Mark previously. He used to work with a company that we worked with before he founded Rainfall. When we were looking for help, we reached out to him.

How much have you invested with them?

The services cost $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018 until February 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone loves our logo and its professional look. The templates their team created make us look sophisticated. We send the presentations to different clients and end up getting the projects. When we send the hoodies to people, they love the simplicity of the design. Overall, I’m happy with the results.

How did Rainfall perform from a project management standpoint?

We spent a lot of time initially for them to understand the tasks. After they were completed, we didn’t need to manage anything. They provided the results, and we iterated on them. Each new result, we got closer and closer to our goal. Mark guided the engagement. Initially, he estimated the project to be about 6–8 weeks, and it was completed in six. Our teams communicated weekly. I’m happy with how Rainfall worked with our team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The way Rainfall presented their work was impressive. Their team explained what’s behind their work to help us understand the context.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Quality and moneywise, there were no issues. There’s nothing I would have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what you want and provide some references that you like. It will reduce the cost of the project if you’re clear with communication from the start.