Agilis Tech Labs

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president of 4trees Cannabis Building Ltd.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Agilis Tech Labs?

We hired Agilis Tech Labs for the production of a new website from the ground up, SEO work, content and social media

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We where called by the team at Agilis years back and finally decided to give them a shot.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After having the team work on our SEO for an old website we decided to have them build us a new website that better represented us. We also went with their premium plan to get help with social media as well.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I have spoken with multiple team members but am appointed one person to take care of me 95% of the time. Malika has been great.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am very pleased with the services and would recommend.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow has been fine, very clear communication.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I really enjoyed the new website they created for us. It represents us so much better then our previous sites have.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I think they are doing all that they should be doing, however, its too bad that when you change your website around that you lose the rankings you have worked towards as with the new website came less traffic. It is supposed to pick back up soon though.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Greene Planet, a four-employee e-commerce business that sells only organic-certified products from the U.S. We do online sales for home delivery.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Agilis Tech Labs?

I had already started my website with another company. The package I bought with them had gotten me to a certain point. I was at a juncture where I wanted a customized website, but the package I had purchased in 2013 had outdated code and didn’t allow the customization I needed. I looked for other providers that could give me that customization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I engaged with Agilis Tech Labs, I wanted to understand what type of customization they were able to do, what the site would be built on, how long it would take, and how it would work. They gave me a scope document. I knew that going with them and starting from scratch would require reinvesting some of the dollars I had already spent. We started off with a Q&A process for everything from logo design to examples of websites I like, what I like about them, and which colors and features I like. I went with a completely new design. The only thing I kept from the old site was some content. That really helped me to narrow down what I was looking for in the customization.

I started off working with Hilal [Director, Agilis Tech Labs], who I think was the business manager. Once I signed the agreement, I got moved over to the project manager. I worked with the business development manager to define what I wanted — the look and feel, product page, checkout process — everything on an e-commerce website, which I liked. Then, they did a mock-up to give me an idea of the colors and look and feel before they started developing the code. The last thing they wanted was to start developing something that I didn’t like and have to start again from scratch. The mock-up gave me a visual of what I was asking for. Sometimes, I didn’t like the colors, so I had them change it. Aside from that, I loved the features. They did a good job, and they did what I asked. That’s what I liked.

Once they did the mock-up and I approved it, we did the scope document. It included how many hours it was going to take to develop the website. It required input from me, and they gave me details showing at what point I would have to give them my shipping provider or my credit card processor to build it into the website. Then, they told me at what point they would need the product images and all the details they would need to upload. They were very good about recommending whether they felt I could do the work myself or if it would be better if they did it. For example, they said I could give them the rough spreadsheet from my distributor, then either they could clean it up and use the content they needed to map the fields and upload it, or we could do that on our end since anything they do is going to be hourly.

They gave me ways to be more cost-effective. It helped me control the things I wanted or was particular about. Then, we did the scope document, which dictated how many hours, how many team members would work on the project, who the project lead would be, and who I would be working with. We had a lot of meetings in the beginning to get an understanding of what I was looking for. Once we got past that, it was just a matter of doing the work.

How did you come to work with Agilis Tech Labs?

I talked to the company I’d worked with previously about the customization I wanted. It was like starting from scratch, and it was very confusing. Their customer service wasn’t very good, and their backend wasn’t easy to learn. Many companies approached me. Agilis caught my eye, as did one other.

I had an initial meeting with Agilis and asked for examples of their prior work so I could get a feel for what they’d developed. They really educated me on the new coding and programs that I could use while still being cost-effective. They gave me the option of finishing the site I had or building a site that was totally separate. They recommended Shopify, as I didn’t have too many products. As a startup, I didn’t want to invest a lot more money. I bit the bullet and decided to use Agilis.

The example websites they gave me were great, and I liked what they did. It was all e-commerce stuff but for a variety of products. I got a good feel for how they developed. I was looking for something inviting, engaging, and simple, yet unique. I needed the creativity part. I needed a lot of design and creativity, and they brought that to the table. I gave them some examples, and they did a good job of putting it all together. I’m experienced working with companies from India, so I had a comfort level already with them.

How much have you invested with Agilis Tech Labs?

I’ve invested $12,000–$13,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in November 2016. They completed everything, and I’m now on phase two. I launched the site and am getting feedback from friends and family. I’m loading new products, so they’re helping with that as well. This is the second engagement with them. My agreement with them includes hosting and up to 10 hours monthly of whatever I need.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Only family and friends have viewed the site so far. Everyone loves my website. It’s unique, and it’s organized by certifications and labels for the organic industry. That makes it easy for people to shop all organic without having to walk into a Whole Foods or Sprout and figure out what’s organic or not. Unless you know what you’re looking for, you’re not going to know if it’s organic. Everything I sell is organic, so I do the homework for them. I do labeling and use symbols to tell users if it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, and non-GMO.

Agilis did a really good job of understanding that I had already invested money in my previous site. They were considerate with me, and they were very helpful. They gave me options on how to save money on the hours. They gave me recommendations on colors and banners. I think they were very good. I had difficulty making final decisions, so I slowed the process down, but they kept me engaged on a weekly basis.

How did Agilis Tech Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We had weekly meetings in the beginning. They were scheduled at first, and then it moved to ad hoc, but they were always very engaged. If I was slow to respond, they would send me a reminder. We were in constant contact. When I had questions, they addressed them right away. I understand technology, and I understand that you have to be precise in your directions. They made suggestions to improve the look and feel of the site. They gave me examples of best practices, and I saw that they were right. If I was doubtful, they would do the code change without an extra cost and let me see it. They said that if I didn’t like it, they’d take it back. They wanted to deliver a good product.

What did you find most impressive about Agilis Tech Labs?

Their turnaround time was quick and I really like their designs. They did their homework to help determine the best designs for my site. I wanted a launch banner to put on my social media, and they came back with two or three samples to pick from. I really liked that they took the time to give me some good samples rather than just winging it and closing it out quickly.

Are there any areas Agilis Tech Labs could improve?

No. I love that I had one point of contact. Once I signed the agreement and started working with the project manager, he was the one person who understood what I wanted. I loved that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Located in north-central Minnesota, we manufacture, wholesale, and retail moccasins and other leather goods.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Agilis?

We wanted a website that we could have more control over, including the ability to customize pages and access the database. As an IT professional involved in another business, traditional hosted platforms did not provide me with enough flexibility.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Agilis recommended the Prestashop e-commerce platform as one they had experience working with in the past. The project included customizations to the home page and product pages, as well as the implementation of additional Prestashop third-party modules to support various functions.

How did you come to work with Agilis?

Their SEO sister company contacted me through a relationship I had with one of their salespeople in another company. We engaged them for SEO services; at the same time, we were reviewing and considering a new website.

How much have you invested with Agilis?

The total cost of the project along with future maintenance and additional tasks was about $11,300.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started around April 2016 and deployed the website in June 2016. We have an ongoing relationship for support. No specific future plans at the moment.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Results are tough to measure sometimes, but I can say that we did have a substantial increase in holiday sales in 2016 over 2015.

How did Agilis perform in terms of project management?

Agilis did a good job of keeping track of the project and keeping me informed. We communicated regularly regarding status and progress.

What did you find most impressive about Agilis?

Agilis was very responsive to my needs and provided an economical solution for a small business with limited resources.

Are there any areas where Agilis could improve?

No.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Agilis?

Always be very clear and explicit about requirements up front – leave nothing to ambiguity.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-owner and president of Mason Jar Shoppe Inc., an online retailer of quality home décor and gift items. Currently, my duties include customer service, strategy, order fulfillment, and stock management, budgeting, and marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Agilis Tech Labs?

We had been struggling with our website for over four years. From the time it was designed, it has not worked effectively. I went through five different companies, none of which improved things for me. The companies were either incompetent, not genuinely interested in my goals, or simply trying to rip me off.

It was while dealing with the most fraudulent firm that I was contacted by the SEO [search engine optimization] affiliate of Agilis. From the very start, I was impressed with the professionalism and their genuine interest in helping me develop my business. I was extremely happy with them, but they informed me that with the design of my website and the platform that was used to produce the site, they could only be of limited help. They then introduced me to Agilis and to Amarjeet Kaur, who has been my contact since that time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The have worked with me to develop an entirely new website that is much more robust. The platform is better designed to handle the need of my online business: it will work faster, more efficiently, and allow clients to find products faster and more easily. It also will allow international shipping calculation, a feature that was totally missing from my original site.

How did you come to work with Agilis Tech Labs?

I was contacted by a sales representative from their SEO affiliate. He was very laid back and actually provided me with free research for two months so I could evaluate their service. He also provided me with past clients which I could call to check on them. My great experience with them led me to Agilis and my choice to build my new website with them.

How much have you invested with Agilis Tech Labs?

We have invested approximately $15,000 to $18,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around 6 months ago, and the new website is scheduled to go online this week or early next week [February 2017]. We will continue working with them for a month or two to make sure all the bugs are out, and Amarjeet told me that I am welcome to call her anytime if I need help. I expect that I will need to update the site in 2–5 years and will definitely call them again if I need the work done.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Although the new site is not live yet, I have several observations:

• The site is much more able to handle product listings, with more information included.
• Data entry is much easier that the former site, and easier to teach to my wife, who is handling data entry.
• The site is obviously going to be faster than the old site and makes it much easier for customers to find what they are looking for.
• Agilis Tech Labs has gone above and beyond in meeting all my requests and helping me understand the technical details.
• The organization of the site is much more user-friendly and will obviously result in more sales.
• The new site has many more features, such as blogs, and a search catalog, to give customers more to find and get interested in.
• The search function is incredibly more efficient than the former site.

How did Agilis Tech Labs perform in terms of project management?

They were outstanding. They contacted me more often than I ever expected, returned my calls promptly, and helped me with the process all the way through. They were so attentive and patient that I never felt like I was lost or being swindled. I have told Amarjeet that on a five-star scale, I would give them six stars!

What did you find most impressive about Agilis Tech Labs?

What I find impressive is the intense personal attention, concern for my goals and needs, and their patience with my questions, many of which I am certain were naïve.

Are there any areas where Agilis Tech Labs could improve?

Their phone system needs work, but that is a small annoyance.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Agilis Tech Labs?

Be certain to ask lots of questions, and never be afraid to make a list of needs and check them off. Review your needs and desires as the project progresses to make sure you have exactly what you want. I made several requests that delayed the project and increased costs, but I am extremely happy that I now have nothing I want that I didn't already have done.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Puffin Models is a family-owned model business which is based in Bristol, England. My job title is operations manager and I oversee the day to day running of the business which includes our online shop.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Agilis Tech Labs?

We needed a new e-commerce site because our old website did not meet the new standards that Sage Pay had introduced for handling customers’ credit card payments.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave Agilis Tech Labs a list of features that we wanted the new website to have:

• Easy to update and change prices
• Customer friendly
• Specific features on the home page

Agilis was also in charge of migrating all our existing products, descriptions, and prices to the new website.

How did you come to work with Agilis Tech Labs?

I received a telephone call one afternoon in June 2015 from a staff member at Agilis asking if they could help us update our website. Our old website was difficult to update and not at all user-friendly, so we were looking for a company to design and maintain a new e-commerce site for us.

How much have you invested with Agilis Tech Labs?

The website costs were fixed at $10,000, and although the project did overrun due to the complexities of migrating the products to the new website, the overall price did not increase.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started around September 2015 and was completed beginning of April 2016. We have an ongoing relationship with Agilis Tech Labs because they also handle the website maintenance and give us tech support. We are not currently planning another project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The project manager who saw our project to completion was Ram Sharma, and we found him to be very competent. Our new website was launched by Prachi Dubey, the tech support and website maintenance person, and her team. We were extremely impressed by the commitment that she showed to ensure our new website was launched without a glitch. They worked late into the evening checking that orders were being processed through the website and that there were no issues with payments. Prachi has continued to manage the maintenance of our website and she gives us tech support.

How did Agilis Tech Labs perform in terms of project management?

Our first project manager did not show the drive and motivation to deal with the challenges (which were unanticipated) that migrating over 1,500 unique products brought. However, when the project stalled, they quickly changed project manager; this person had the skills and determination to get the job done as quickly as possible. Prachi is also dedicated and approachable, and she works closely with us and the company that hosts our website to ensure we have satisfied customers by having an e-commerce site that is trustworthy and reliable.

What did you find most impressive about Agilis Tech Labs?

The team’s work ethics are the most impressive factors. They deal with issues promptly and efficiently.

Are there any areas where Agilis Tech Labs could improve?

I would have liked some communication with our first project manager’s supervisor to discuss the issues we had encountered before the project stalled.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Agilis Tech Labs?

Constant communication is necessary to ensure that the project manager has received everything they have asked for to do the project. You should also be realistic about the completion date, particularly if your requirements are complicated. Also, client involvement in the project is necessary if you’re migrating products from an existing website.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My name is Steve Madden, and I am the president of Madden Industries, an extrusion manufacturer. We specialize in deck railings, handrails, carports, screen enclosures, and roofing materials. We have a global clientele base.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Agilis Tech Labs?

We wanted to improve upon and invest in our SEO [search engine optimization] because we understand that it’s becoming an integral part of business. We wanted to keep a foothold on our rankings and improve them on certain keywords.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Agilis has done a few things for me because I’m not an SEO expert. We have several websites, but our primary website was more of an out-of-the-box, prepackaged type of site. It didn't have all of the SEO functions that Agilis needed and that Google likes. So Agilis built us a new site that ran parallel to the existing one, and then they handled all of the SEO on both sites. They’ve also handled our AdWords and social media marketing.

How did you come to work with Agilis Tech Labs?

Honestly, Agilis solicited me. We had no formal process in selecting a company. I’ve worked with other SEO companies in the past, but for this project, it more or less came down to the cost of the services, because SEO can be expensive.

How much have you invested with Agilis Tech Labs?

I would probably guesstimate we have invested somewhere between $10,000 and $15,000 with Agilis.

What is the status of this engagement?

I think we’ve worked together for probably around 10 or 11 months, approximately, and the SEO side of the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We’re now ranking on keywords we haven't ranked on before, and we have had a consistent uptick in positioning. There are a lot of SEO companies out there, so you're constantly battling to get to the first page.

How did Agilis Tech Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

I think Agilis did well from a project management standpoint. The website development took a little bit longer than I had hoped, and we still have a few little nuances that must get corrected. But all in all, Agilis is working diligently to get those handled.

What did you find most impressive about Agilis Tech Labs?

The account manager that handles my account is fantastic. He’s always available if I need to get ahold of him, and he accommodates my time. I’m pretty particular when it comes to something like social media marketing. I don’t let them write whatever they want. I request that they send everything for me to proof because I want to make sure that what is being printed looks authentic. I know a lot of people that probably wouldn't want to do that.

Are there any areas Agilis Tech Labs could improve?

I can't think of anything off the top of my head. Everything’s been fantastic.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Agilis Tech Labs?

I don’t necessarily have any tips. You obviously must know what your objective is, and I think you need to have an idea of what you're looking for. My experience with SEO is that it is an ongoing process. It’s not something that you do for six months, and then find yourself on the first page. It doesn’t work that way.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

SnoGo Shovels is a company that makes a 32” shovel designed as a snow pusher and scoop. We’re trying to offer a better-built snow shovel with a unique handle.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Agilis?

Our challenge was designing a website that had a nice flow for consumers to view and lets them understand the basics of what my message is. Mainly, we needed a website with a nice, user-friendly layout.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Most of the stuff they did was adding a hyperlink in the center of the website. That takes the consumers to the product feature page. They also did basic design work like slider view on the homepage and logo placement.

How did you come to work with Agilis?

I worked with Agilis on SEO when I was employed by another company. We reached out to them and started the process that way. They did a great job with the SEO in the other company, and they also did a good job for my website as well.

How much have you invested with Agilis?

We have paid $4,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in June of last year and finished in December. They were supposed to finished months prior, but I had made several updates and changes to the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I wouldn’t have a lot of input on that. So far, I’ve only had one sale from the website, but it has just been up for two months. It’s fairly new, so we haven’t had much time to really try it yet.

How did Agilis perform from a project management standpoint?

They always had a timely response. I requested several changes, image replacements, other tedious changes or suggestions to the whole site. They were always informative and replied promptly. They did very well.

What did you find most impressive about Agilis?

Overall, the highlights were the cost and the timeliness to get the task completed.

Are there any areas Agilis could improve?

Not really.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Agilis?

It’s good to have a general overview of the website layout. Do your homework and check other competitor websites. That will help Agilis map out what you want your website to look and feel.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of an audio, voice, and text translator app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Agilis Tech Labs?

I needed to create an Android app.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted a working program that could produce video proof of its functionality.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us by another company.

Describe the project in detail.

They were supposed to develop a speech-to-text translator app for SMS.

What was the team composition?

We worked with 4–6 people.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After showing me the working source code, they delivered a non-functional application. The version app they uploaded to the Play store was a cut-down version of the source code, which rendered the program useless. It was missing critical APIs.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our development was quoted to last three months, but it went on for over a year.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I can’t think of anything.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Every aspect of our interaction could have been better.