Free to use, its main objective is to help people improve their mental health as well as their physical wellbeing by staying fit and feeling good about themselves.

Every activity – from walking the dog to competing in a half marathon – is rewarded with prizes and RunCoin, fun virtual tokens (not a crypto currency) that can be exchanged for donations to charity. There are also prizes and the chance to try virtual runs. The platform lists thousands of running and walking events so members can sign up to take part or volunteer and earn more RunCoin.

The Challenge

In his previous financial services career, Jeff Hunt, CEO and co-founder of Every Run Counts, was involved in a number of large technology projects. And, in his experience, such projects were often ‘over designed, over complicated and over budget’ – and in many cases failed to deliver on the desired outcome.

Jeff realised that to get the results he wanted for Every Run Counts, he needed to manage expectations and have a clear idea of what could be achieved. He also knew he needed a web developer with whom he could work directly; someone who understood the brief, worked cost-effectively, and could make things happen.

Armed with a clear plan of who and what he was looking for, Jeff began his search for a developer. However, many of the firms he first approached were heading down the traditional storyboarding route – usually ‘with a great big fee attached.’ Jeff didn’t want that; he wanted someone who could stick to the original brief and deliver on a detailed specification without going ‘off piste.’

After hearing good things about Iosys and the work undertaken via its sister company EventEntry, Jeff met Craig to discuss his needs in more detail.
Jeff was immediately impressed with Craig’s web development knowledge, experience and focus, noting: “It was apparent from our first meeting that Craig knew his stuff inside out. I was aware that I wasn’t just dealing with a sales guy who would come back with lots of thoughts and designs from creatives – ideas that would be over budget and not what we were looking for. Craig would be doing our work himself and he was happy to do it from a spec, not an open-ended design type brief.”

Jeff was also aware that Iosys had never before undertaken a challenge on the scale or complexity of what Every Run Counts had in mind. He added: “By going to Iosys and not to a big web development agency we were taking a punt. But Craig quickly demonstrated that Iosys had the capabilities to deliver large scale projects, meeting and often exceeding all our requirements and expectations."

The Solution

Every Run Counts is powered by an enterprise-grade database. Its designs are based on background algorithms, so to bring the platform to life and enhance the user experience, it needed the right framework.

Privacy and security were also critical. Craig made this a key priority, resulting in a higher level of security for Every Run Counts than is usually enjoyed by businesses of its size.

To allow the platform to grow and evolve over time, Iosys has built it out from a modular base. Since work first started in November 2021, it has been developed as a series of different functions, all of which are regularly tested and refined.
Jeff and Iosys are in contact on a daily basis, with Craig regarded as an integral part of the Every Run Counts team.

Jeff added: “If Craig has queries, or concerns, he always raises them and seeks clarification rather than submitting work that is redundant and racking up unnecessary fees. He also regularly brings his own ideas to the table if he thinks there might be a simpler or better solution. Craig can build functionality but with a creative aspect which is more likely to engage the user. He is intuitive and doesn’t need a long detailed explanation of how it should work."

The Result

Every Run Counts went live in January 2023, and ever since its launch, has seen constant new releases including minor tweaks through to major changes in functionality.

Jeff’s long term plan – working closely with Craig and Iosys – is to see the platform continue to evolve over the months and years to come.

Currently in soft launch phase, the platform has over 5,000 members and receives over 50,000 page impressions per day. Jeff added: “The membership numbers are still small but the amount of user engagement is staggering. At this learning and developing stage we’re focusing on fine tuning and giving members the best experience possible. Once you start to scale up it’s difficult to target the mass market and fine tune both at the same time.”

Every Run Counts has ‘heaps of ways’ it engages members, including a daily poll where people can ask questions and make suggestions on how the platform can be improved.

Jeff said: “People also share their feedback through our social media community and members tell us they like what we’re doing and want to stay with us. Hard data showing the amount of time spent on our platform is also a key indicator of its popularity.

“The UK has high levels of low mood and anxiety. But to address this, you can’t just put ‘wellbeing’ on a to-do list. To see the benefits, you need to exercise regularly and stay motivated. Through Every Run Counts and its rewards, we want to help people keep active – making them happier, healthier and giving them a sense of achievement."