Adchitects

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a co-founder of Bread Ventures. We build, design, and invest in brands and businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adchitects?

We were updating our company site, using our own designers to create the design and functionality. We needed an external resource to take the design files and build out the site.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to seamlessly translate the design files to reality. We had animation that needed to be incorporated as well.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Adchitects was in our files of developers with strong reviews. We spoke to several other developers but Adchitects came back with competitive pricing and a can-do attitude. We knew they’d be a great fit.

Describe the project in detail.

Adchitects built out our new website. They focused on implementing our specified design, from the exact colors and fonts to animation. They also built out pages for every project we’ve worked on.

What was the team composition?

We first spoke with Kuba (managing adchitect & partner, Adchitects). While we were somewhat hesitant about working with a team located so far away, we felt he was experienced, responsive, and smart. Rafal is our project manager and Marta is the lead developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were able to launch the new site in the planned time frame and on budget. We continue to work with the Adchitects team on updates, and hope to work with them on our next project. Their excellent development work captured every nuance of our design. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow is seamless and effective. We use Trello for updates and I often speak directly with Rafal on the phone. In fact, we’re following their lead with our own clients on how to best set up project management. Despite working with a company based in another country, there’s no language or time barrier. Rafal is incredible. He responds immediately to everything we ask. He’s on top of things before we are, pays attention to every detail, and works harmoniously with Marta. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their people are super kind, thoughtful, helpful, and fun to work with. Each person is there to help the process, and thinks about how they can make our project better. Huge credit to Kuba for setting the tone of his firm to be one of respect and class.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are no areas of improvement based off this project. It was a fantastic experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO for an IT solution and service provider for real estate developers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adchitects?

We hired Adchitects to develop a new company website that aligns with the web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG).  

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to attract new customers and support our sales processes through the site.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We considered several companies for the project. We examined each vendor’s previous work, reviews, and held interviews.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We began by refining the project specs and Adchitects encouraged us to improve our idea. From there, they created all the designs, layout, and code for the site. Their team made all implementations to the platform for us.

What was the team composition?

They provided between 2–3 teammates. They supplied a project manager and designers for the engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The website that Adchitects created has helped us generate more leads.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The Adchitects team arranged and managed the project very effectively. We spoke through Slack and had strong communication. There were no language barriers and their team met all of our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We valued that their team continually challenged us to improve our approach. They were decisive and took the reigns of the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would have saved overhead costs slightly if there wasn’t a small change in the team before beginning the project, but it wasn’t an issue.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an independent artist and entrepreneur in the performing arts area. I’m also the creator and manager of The Choreographic Pool, an online platform for choreographers to display their work and interact with it and each other.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adchitects?

I needed to create a prototype of my website that visualized how it would look and work and what its UX would be like.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted a prototype I could show to future investors so I could raise funds to launch the site in 2019. Having a prototype makes it easier to connect to understand my idea.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After searching online for design firms with a style and site I connected with, I narrowed it down to 15. I eliminated 10 based on discussions about pricing and then chose Adchitects because of their clear, easy, and fluent communication. I felt they understood my ideas and goals, and I was impressed by their presentations and suggestions. Their professionalism and open-mindedness were evident, and they had a friendly pricing structure.

Describe the project in detail.

I provided them with information regarding the visuals and content I was looking for. Using InVision, they built an innovative design that incorporated my suggestions and critiques. I contributed text and photos as well.

What was the team composition?

I communicated with four people from their team: their firm manager, a project manager, a UI/UX designer, and their head of digital.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The design was ready within one month and fit my needs and expectations perfectly. Soon, I’ll be using it in my fundraising. Though the project was small in scale, I plan on using Adchitects to further develop my product once I raise the necessary funds.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They managed the project clearly through Google Docs and InVision, and we communicated via email and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Adchitect’s team was very professional and saw eye to eye with me. They listened to my vision and feedback and took my project seriously, though it was quite abstract, artistic, and small-scale. Bringing their creativity and attention to detail to bear, they both heard my ideas and contributed their own. This resulted in a beautiful product that exceeded my expectations.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not really. For me, it all went better than expected.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of “I’ll help because I can.” We’re a team of paramedics that trains people in first aid.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Adchitects?

We hired Adchitects to provide services for branding and web design. We wanted to make first aid more accessible for general audiences.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Adchitects has designed our website and branding elements. The corresponding digital campaign reflects first aid’s 12-step training method.

What is the team composition?

We work with a five-person team, which includes dedicated resources for branding, web design, and scripting.

How did you come to work with Adchitects?

A friend helped me with the search and recommended Adchitects.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2018 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The campaign’s communication component is professional and accessible. Our messaging streamlines first aid’s 12-step method into only five steps.

How did Adchitects perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re an innovative group. Adchitects guides a range of segments including marketing. The team is also responsible; they call me when I don’t have time to email them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team gives it their all and genuinely cares about us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We develop and manufacture our own line of green house cleaning products. We also provide green cleaning services in major Canadian cities. Our products are sold through major health retailers like Whole Foods as well as online. I'm the company president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Adchitects?

We had just rebranded and repackaged our products and were looking for a creative designer to help us communicate the new look, as well as our unique products/service offering, through our websites and other design elements. We wanted to work with a company that could design a site to market our cleaning services and a Shopify platform to showcase our cleaning products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Adchitects designed the look and improved user experience of the main website as well as the Shopify platform. They also designed other branding and marketing elements, like brochures, banners, and social media guidelines.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is a project manager. I interact occasionally with a designer and the owner.

How did you come to work with Adchitects?

I found them through an online search. I wanted to work with a company that could take a fresh look at our branding and communicate our unique message.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over €30,000 (approximately $35,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started around May 2018 and most of it was completed in September. We're still making tweaks and adding other design elements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’re only just starting with marketing and sales campaigns, so we don’t have any measurable metrics as yet. Our materials look great and we’re really pleased with how the website looks.

How did Adchitects perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very flexible. Trello was our main project management tool for the project, but we also emailed and conversed as necessary. The project manager was always available for a call and was willing to suggest one to clarify any uncertainties.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity is strong and they were willing to accommodate our needs. They listened to our requests and often went above and beyond to provide what we needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind. The time difference was a sometimes an obstacle when I needed an answer right away, but they always got back to me as soon as possible. Their English is good and we had no major issues.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the global marketing manager at Ground Labs. We focus on finding sensitive data within people's network systems, and we work with customers in the major market sectors across the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Adchitects?

Our logo and our brand didn't stand out when we attended global events and we had an outdated website. We were working with large, global customers and we realized we needed a new website. We started looking for a company to  develop a website for us and give us guidance on how to improve our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We're a global company, so our branding effort was extensive. Adchitects worked closely with our in-house techs on the design of the logo and the website. We had a lot of iterations of the logo and they made all the changes we requested. They also oversaw both the design and the development of the website, and added many new features and demos.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 4–5 members of their team.

How did you come to work with them?

They were recommended to me by another company I had worked with previously. I also read their reviews on Clutch and looked at their website. I liked the examples of their past work and the design of their website, so I decided they'd be able to create something appealing and edgy for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between November 2017 and August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The website went live last week and the feedback from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive. People like the new look and feel of the site. We  have demos and resources available for our clients, so the traffic to our website has also increased.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very professional and extremely efficient, always keeping our deadlines in mind. It took them about four months to finish the product (because of the things that were beyond their control), but they were always on top of it and addressed any issues immediately. We mostly used phone, email, and Skype to communicate and they were very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They made themselves available when we needed them and always answered our questions–even if it was a weekend or a bank holiday. That doesn't always happen when you work with third-party companies, so we were very impressed. They surpassed our expectations in terms of delivering what we needed on time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of ASPER BROTHERS. We are an international development team that specializes in advanced custom software solutions and eCommerce projects and websites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Adchitects?

As our company was growing from a local team to an international agency, we needed to redesign our brand to reflect our professionalism and experience in the industry. We were losing potential clients and having trouble hiring new employees because of our mediocre logo and website. We wanted a professional brand design and marketing strategy that echoed our company’s potential and our values.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a professional, fresh look that could be applied to all of our marketing tools and incorporated into our services. We hoped that a refined brand would help us recruit skilled employees and secure important clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was familiar with some of the previous work they did for a local competitor. After we committed to rebranding the company, I screened them over the phone and a few days later we met to workshop the project. I liked Adchitects’ ideas and I was confident that they would make a good partner.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Adchitects conducted an extensive consultation to fully understand our company’s services, goals, and desired clients. They worked with us internally to understand our culture and develop a branding strategy specific to our needs. After a few weeks of observation, they gave a presentation that consisted of an audit of our current communication and marketing strategy, research on competitors, and a step-by-step explanation for a new communication and brand development strategy. Additionally, they provided a study that predicted how clients may feel before engaging with us and then listed the actions that should be taken to secure their business. The last step was implementing these new ideas into a name and logo change, slogans, mood boards and key visuals for each of our important mediums.

They also managed to create a concept of a structured website using their own ADCW methodology. We decided on a conversion goal, created a rough concept of structure, then the user flow design, low-fidelity mockups and then they designed the website.

What was the team composition?

Five people from Adchitects worked on the project. I regularly spoke to three of them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our clients claim that the creativity of our company’s brand, slogans, and communications strategies distinguishes us from others in the web development industry. Existing members of our internal team are happy with Adchitects’ services and new additions are excited to join us. We are incredibly satisfied with the results of their work.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team’s project management was really effective. We interacted mainly using Trello and multiple channels on Google Drive, among others various tools. Their communication was very responsive and prompt.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Adchitects’ sensitivity and intuition set them apart from similar vendors in the industry. They truly understand their clients’ values and incorporate that connection into their brand development process.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t say there is. They are just awesome. Every time I enter the office I am proud to see our logo on the wall and excited to be part of the company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a software house that builds custom software for our clients throughout Europe. We now have clients in the U.K., Ireland, and Germany.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Adchitects?

We were a small company when we met Adchitects. We had five clients from Poland, where we are based, and we wanted to expand worldwide. Our company had a different name at the time, and we wanted to change our image.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Adchitects came up with our new name, our new logo, and everything that we are using right now. We started with a meeting. We talked about what we do, what we want to achieve, and what we’ve already achieved. Then they took some time to come up with the idea for our rebranding. In a later meeting, they made a few presentations about their idea, about our competitors, and about everything that was somehow connected with our brand.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked with a handful of people from their team, one of which was Kuba [Luty, Managing Adchitect & Partner, Adchitects].

How did you come to work with Adchitects?

We knew of them because we had worked with Kuba before on graphics and other projects for our clients.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $7,500 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them about two years ago. For now, our work together has ended because we have internal people handling graphics for our client projects. However, if we want to do more work on our own image, I think we would continue to work with Adchitects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I can't give exact numbers, but I think the best reference here is that we were a small company and we wanted to gather clients from Europe, and their work helped us gather clients from Germany, U.K., etc.

How did Adchitects perform from a project management standpoint?

They were in contact with my colleague, not me. But, every time we messaged them, they responded within an hour or two. It was fine; we were really happy with our correspondence.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We weren’t working with other providers, so I don’t have much to compare them to, but I think the quality of their work was great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

To be honest, everything was perfect for this project; it couldn't have been done better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

ROC Poland is a branch office of ROC International, with headquarters in London, UK. Our main focus is SAP implementations within the HR departments of multinational companies. We also provide consultation. I am the sales director of the Polish division.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Adchitects?

We were looking for a company that could advise us on how to approach some promotional actions online for our services. The main goal was to increase our sales pipeline and we found that the best area to do this would be electronic media. We contacted Adchitects because we are not specialized in online media; our primary goal is to sell SAP implementations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We decided to pursue actions on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google, and have set up projects for the upcoming year.

What is the team dynamic?

I don’t know who exactly was involved on Adchitects’ side for the fulfilment of our service-level agreement. We communicated with a single contact, I believe one of the owners of the company.

How did you come to work with Adchitects?

We spoke with multiple online providers, but Adchitects had the best client approach. They were focused on our needs and profile, and SAP was nothing new for the team. They had good creative people, which was important for us. We didn’t look at pricing because we didn’t want to find the cheapest company, but one which could increase our sales actions.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Adchitects in June 2017. The first contact occurred one year before. The collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Before, we hadn’t undertaken promoting actions online. Since Adchitects started the work, I can say boldly that our client base has increased by 150% compared to previous years. I cannot say how much money we’ve earned based on these services because it’s too early.

How did Adchitects perform from a project management standpoint?

One person from our marketing department has been in touch with Adchitects daily. We’ve had no problems contacting them online or by phone. They provide ongoing management to improve their services. If we identify approaches that aren’t performing well enough, Adchitects will propose alternatives. They are very proactive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve enjoyed Adchitects’ services so far. The real effect of their services on our financial scores will be seen half a year from now. The impact on our sales pipeline has been good. I am sure that Adchitects can understand the internet in a way I cannot.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

CAPS Group is a group of companies with a presence in Poland, the U.K., Asia Pacific and the U.S. We work with customers from the retail, hospitality, interior and workshop industries, providing fixtures and fittings for retail spaces, hotels, restaurants, bars, offices, and workshops. I am the group marketing manager responsible for marketing strategy, implementation, campaigns, image, and brand, and the overall marketing and branding within the group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Adchitects?

I joined the company over a year ago. The website was basic, so I did a quick fix to add more content pages, but without any philosophy behind it. We then started to identify ourselves and build a brand foundation, and I asked Adchitects to support us with some ideas about our brand identity and image.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Adchitects came up with a “special forces” philosophy and key visuals which can be seen on the main page of our website. The visuals present us as experts who are tough and able to respond to customer challenges. We liked their idea so much that we asked them to come up with visuals for a whole range of materials. They also worked on advertisements, but the website was the key project.

They only had three and a half months to incorporate a new visual within the website pages and had to redesign each section and the navigation. Adchitects redesigned the website using the same text, but with different pictures and layouts, taking user experience into account. They used tools for choosing between different solutions. They also had to redesign our website in five language versions.

What is the team dynamic?

Our first contact was with Ela [Head of Creative, Adchitects]. We started talking about general branding, image and communication. Once we agreed on the “special forces” theme, she prepared a presentation about how to incorporate it into different marketing materials and channels.

Once we moved to the website project, we worked with Rafał [Head of Digital, Adchitects]. I know that he had a programmer and other members on the team, but he was the main contact, which was very useful. Everything we discussed was with him and only him, so there was no misinformation. He was competent, friendly, understanding and proactive.

How did you come to work with Adchitects?

I had worked with Ela before while we were both with different companies. She later left that company and began working with Adchitects. I knew I needed a creative resource so I decided to give her a call.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost was between $10,000 and $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Adchitects in November 2016. The project was completed at the end of February. The go-live date was the first of March 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The goal of the project was to make the website look like what we wanted it to look, incorporating the new brand approach, and make it visually more attractive. This was absolutely achieved. Both customers and our team have liked it. We’ve also received compliments from suppliers in the field.

Adchitects is a small but dynamic company, which I appreciated—with bigger companies, we sometimes had to wait for long periods and go through procedures, whereas here, they can do something quickly. They managed to finish the work according to the schedule we agreed on.

They offered us a competitive price, given the five language versions we had to create. I’m very happy and can recommend Adchitects to any company looking to have a more modern and user-friendly website.

How did Adchitects perform from a project management standpoint?

We made a detailed project plan and had weekly and daily reports from them on what had been done and what needed to be done on our side and theirs. The information was clear, and Adchitects kept to the schedule at all times. The process was smooth, given the time pressure.

We’re not experts in programming, so, if we didn’t understand an item, Adchitects would ask us what we wanted to achieve. They were trying to find solutions that would make our requirements possible and were proactive, open to our ideas, and positive every step of the way. It was a nice, fruitful collaboration.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re creative, and they listened to our briefs carefully and came up with good ideas. If someone is looking for a small but dynamic supplier, that’s Adchitects. They spend time on the project, think it over, and come up with good ideas. I would definitely recommend them for projects like ours. The implementation was also smooth. I know that Adchitects used some subcontractors for it, which was fine, as long as it was done properly, and financially more convenient for both sides.

If our customers grow and need help, we can change and grow with them in that direction. I felt that same responsiveness from the first meeting with Adchitects.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not within the project we worked on. I was impressed that they met the schedule. I was worried that the five language versions would not be there and actually suggested making only three to start with and then add the remaining two later. Adchitects offered to do all of them, which was great. I’m very happy with the outcome, and, if I ever have a similar project, I will do it with Adchitects.