Dunedin Facilities Management - A Case Study
Dunedin Facilities Management are a property management company based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Managing director Iain Macintosh approached us with the brief to help launch a new image for Dunedin FM. As they wanted to expand their business, there was a need to reevaluate the direction of their branding. The company predominantly deals with security, cleaning and property services, and they needed to find a way to reach out to more potential clients.
The Challenge
The key to improving Dunedin FM’s image as a company was to lift the branding that they already had in place and to create consistency in the way in which they operated. The current lack of consistency meant that customers were not always being reached in the most efficient way. Drimlike brought a global view to the way in which Dunedin FM were operating, and our expertise in this area allowed us to develop a high level of consistency, something which is essential for building a reliable commercial image and reputation.
After discussing the brief with their Managing Director, we were aware that although this re-branding was taking place to attract new customers for Dunedin FM, we needed to make sure that existing and loyal customers would not feel abandoned or confused. Ultimately, we were enlisted to reinvent a trusted brand, whilst staying loyal to the image that was in place. We wanted to create something that would be new, exciting and above all, high quality.
Our Insight
Research was a key part of making the Dunedin FM project a success. With our client offering such a wide range of services, it was crucial that the team had a good understanding of the company and what benefits were involved for potential customers of theirs.
Through extensive research into Dunedin FM’s competitors, we gained a good knowledge of the market and the key demographic of this client. Not only would this site be targeting potential customers of Dunedin FM, but also potential staff members. Furthermore, the site would be acting as a portal of information for current staff members. By conducting market research, we found ways in which to engage with potential customers of Dunedin FM, and learned the key information that needed to be conveyed in the site.
The Strategy
Of course, before starting the website, we worked on the logo and branding. The Drimlike team discussed different variations on the iconography already in place for the brand. The variations were presented to the client, along with a recommendation on which we believed to be the most effective and why. As we were lifting an already existing image, it was important to not stray too far from what was already in place. Once the image had been decided, it was possible to move on with the creative work. The branding is of course the face of the company, and so a lot of time and effort was dedicated to making sure that it was perfect and that the client was satisfied. During this time, we were freely available to discuss any questions, concerns or ideas that Dunedin FM felt necessary to raise. We kept in contact with Dunedin FM through frequent emails, phone calls and friendly meetings. Allan Jones, Communications Director for Dunedin FM commented, ’I enjoyed participating in the preparatory meetings. It was refreshing to get frank constructive feedback on our ideas delivered in a way that encouraged us to consider how best to structure our site. [Drimlike] listened closely to our vision and were able to interpret these fledgling ideas and create a brand image and look to reflect our aspirations to be a market leading facilities management company.’
Next, the creative process was put in place for the website. All Drimlike website designs are completely bespoke, and we wanted to find a design that would look smart and contemporary, but would still be user friendly for the wide array of customers that Dunedin FM attracts. Something of utmost importance was to make sure that the website would be responsive. With a myriad of different smartphones, computers and tablets now available, it was absolutely essential to make sure that Dunedin FM’s website would be able to operate on any device. It was explained to the client that obtaining a responsive website was a simple, yet pivotal move. Not only would the website be more user-friendly, but it would be available to so many more potential clients and was key to effective communication of the brand.
We worked on several design proposals and presented these to the client. The reasoning behind each design was explained and their feedback was welcomed. Dunedin FM settled on two of the designs, and we then merged both of these to create the final result. We wanted the site to have Dunedin FM’s personal touch, with the support of our own expertise, and we feel that this was definitely achieved.
While our designers worked their magic, our copywriters simultaneously began working on content for the website. Our aim, as always, was to write quality content with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) in mind. Before writing creatively, the team researched the relevant keywords for this subject area. This was crucial in ensuring that Dunedin FM would be found in the search engines. Creative writing then began for the separate sections of the website. We achieved text that was simple and informative, but still engaging, leaving the reader ‘wanting more’. The idea from this is to, of course, generate interest in the company in the form of phone calls, emails and then, business.
Once the copy was ready, we could move onto implementing it over different media (print and online). We issued business cards, letterheads, envelopes, stamps, folders and information sheets for Dunedin FM. Using the same text, images and general style over both print and online media allowed us to maintain a good level of consistency, something which the client had previously been lacking. During this time, we also offered direction and recommendations for using the logo as car signage.
The Results
We are very pleased with the final result for Dunedin FM, as are they. The Communications Director for Dunedin FM commented, ’I found working with Drimlike to be a very positive and beneficial experience. The team were helpful, insightful and dedicated to creating a website that would showcase our business in a unique and eye catching way.’ The site is a welcome update on their previous website. The new site is responsive and dynamic, so therefore easy to update and inviting for potential clients. It is also engaging, aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate, offering an excellent bridge between the staff and customers.
Dunedin FM has welcomed the notion of frequent updates on the site. The Dunedin FM news section works very much like a blog in that new content can easily be added and users are kept engaged. The purpose of the news section is not only to engage with users and update them on what’s going on in the company, but to increase awareness of the industry itself through interesting articles.
Not only do we provide these frequent updates for Dunedin FM, we perform their community management. For this client, we take care of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Google+. As part of Google +, we also take care of Google Places. This is significant for a company like Dunedin FM, as it is important for them to be known locally. They can now be located easily by customers searching them online, whether they are being looked up from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee or anywhere else in Scotland.
Our work with Dunedin FM is ongoing, and we have already seen that traffic to the site is growing.