Case Studies: Best Practices

Background:

The Case Study format is designed to highlight a positive real-world application of your product
or service, helping the reader better envision how the solution can solve their problems and
aiding them in making a purchasing decision. Case studies are a powerful illustration of the
effectiveness of your product, and they will demonstrate to potential customers them that they
are joining a community of users who have already had success in actual operational use.

Because of this, case studies can be extremely effective, but to make sure that the final product
will be successful, there are certain criteria we require in a case study participant.

The Case Study is created via an interview with your customer, and covers five areas:

The background of the agency, including area served (size, nature of service area, etc.), agency
staffing configuration including number of stations, and related information

The challenge(s) that the agency had faced which led them to look for a solution such as yours,
and how they came to choose yours over competitive solutions.

How the implementation of the solution into the working environment was conducted, and the
response to it from the agency’s staff.

What results have been seen from the implementation of your solution. We encourage specific
examples of positive outcomes, but overall this question addresses how your solution solved the
challenge(s) above.

Any additional information about the agency’s operations which would be relevant.

Choosing a Customer for your Case Study:

Case studies can be extremely effective, but to make sure that the final product will be
successful, there are certain criteria we require clients meet when providing a customer for their
case study.

Customer is authorized to speak on behalf of their agency.

Customer has been utilizing your solution for more than 3 months, and is actively involved in the
implementation of your solution.

Customer is thoroughly familiar with the capabilities of your solution, and has been utilizing or
testing them.

Customer has had experience interacting with your organization on a regular basis, and can
speak to your customer service.

Customer is willing to provide specific information about their agency’s general operations in
regard to the integration of your solution.

Data and anecdotes are available.

Process

Upon identification of your Case Study participant, your Custom Content Project Manager will
request direct contact information, or an introductory email or call, with the participant. From
there, the interview will be conducted (typically lasting 30-40 minutes) over the phone, and the
drafting process will begin.

After the initial draft is completed, it will go through internal editorial review and then be sent to
you for review. Revisions sent back are requested to have gone through all parties in your own
internal review process first, to avoid complication if multiple inputs will be needed on your
organization’s side.

Once finalized, the Case Study will be prepared in a staging environment prior to the go-live
date, and you will be contacted by our Customer Success team in regards to any promotional
aspects of the Case Study.

Examples: