First Internet is a full service digital marketing agency, based in Hale Village in the corner of Altrincham.
The office is part of a Victorian terrace which has been adapted to include retail and working environments and is a stone’s throw from the shops and bars of Hale village, as well as being right next to the train station for quick connections to Manchester or further out to Cheshire.
Named as Digital Agency of the Year at Prolific North’s Champions Awards in 2023, we find out what the agency’s team of 15 gets up to everyday…
Kat Rodway, Director at First Internet, introduces us to the office…
“We love our office and use it to encourage a creative and collaborative atmosphere. We have clients all over the world including PZ Cussons, Peak ai, Citation, Secret Spa and Sew Direct – and we service them all from our Victorian terrace here in Hale village.”
Where is it?
116a Ashley Rd, Hale, Altrincham WA14 2UN
How big is it?
We have a fair bit of room – a large open plan office on the first floor with break out areas, three private meeting rooms downstairs with kitchen and bathrooms and a lovely little courtyard with a pond out the back. Very relaxing, a great spot for lunch and meetings in the summer!
We all work here, as we operate a hybrid working model. This was implemented long before Covid, as we recognised that a flexible approach to work is essential – but while everyone can work from home a couple of days a week if needed, the team is encouraged to spend the majority of their time in the office if they can: it’s vital for us to be able to learn from one another and provide the best possible service for our clients.
What happens there?
The downstairs areas are used for client meetings, brainstorming breakfasts, quiet work, storage – all sorts. We have a lot of creative sessions and like to have face to face meetings as much as possible, although obviously with clients spread out across the globe, and being a digital agency, things are often over Zoom!
Work-wise, most of our clients hire us for website design and development but we are a full service agency and some clients bring us on board for a fuller brief that includes social media, content creation and digital PR. We’re happy to work either way: we love it when we have the whole brief but we have worked with some fantastic marketing and PR agencies too.
Why is the workplace appropriate?
It’s appropriate because when we pitch to our clients, we promise them the best possible service. I genuinely believe that comes from having a team that is together and working creatively. A hybrid scheme allows our team to juggle life a bit better so we are happy to do that – and flexible hours in the office are a must: there’s no way we are insisting on an archaic 9-5 – but our clients deserve the best possible service and a creative, collaborative team that is always discussing new ideas and ways to improve.
They’ve paid for a retainer, this is what we should provide. You cannot ‘bounce ideas around’ if you’re not together. Lead times are naturally longer when people are booking zooms to discuss things, as opposed to just turning around in their chairs. A lot of our work is done by referral so it’s important to maintain the high standards that this company is known for.
Who works there?
There are 15 of us. Myself and my co-directors Scott and Julaine, I look after client services and they look after the design and tech teams. We have web designers and developers, SEO managers, UX designers, content creators and social media and PR specialists.
It’s a great place to work. We provide healthy breakfasts, we have yoga sessions and walking and running clubs. We love our office and want to bring people together in it. That’s when the best ideas come to life!
