App development

This app development project provided an innovative way to engage Sage’s internal and external audiences at a busy industry forum.

Background

Companies turn to app development to solve a variety of complex marketing challenges. Not only do apps help make content more accessible, they allow a business to gain insight that improves the customer experience.

Challenge

Seeking to re-establish itself as the market leader in groundbreaking accounting software, Sage approached us for an innovative way to engage their internal and external audiences at Accountex – the UK’s top industry event for accountants and finance directors.

Solution

Going beyond a passive demonstration, we created Sage Engage – a customised digital tool that showcased Sage’s vision for a new era of accounting software. It acted as the company’s “concept car”, allowing attendees and finance industry insiders to imagine how a digital dashboard with real-time data could change how financial professionals work.

Sage Engage was hosted live in the company’s trade show stand on multiple iPads, as well as a giant touchscreen interface.

To complement the tool, we also created a series of four films, which were featured within the app and told the story of a Day in the Life of an average accountant.

As the story unfolded, visitors experienced how the digital dashboard could add real value to their working day – becoming an opening platform for discussion about the future of financial management software.

As well as appearing within the app, the films were simultaneously streamed as part of the exhibitor experience on four 72” plasma screens within the booth. Following the event, the films were made available on Sage’s website and the company’s YouTube channel.

Result

Sage saw their online confidence score boosted by 10 points. It effectively helped the brand engage with accountants and finance journalists at Accountex – not only helping the company generate new business leads, but allowing Sage to dominate the show.

The company collected valuable customer feedback which is helping it shape and refine future product lines to better meet the needs of accountants.

“Parker Design exceeded our expectations and delivered the set objectives for us, and then some.

With this project being showcased at Accountex, we had amazing anecdotal feedback from our clients and customers that Sage Engage reinforced the idea that Sage are pushing the boundaries of accounting technology solutions.

This feedback will help us shape and refine this and other projects going forward.”

Digital Marketing Manager, Sage Accountants Division.