Arch

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director of S08 Sportswear. We sell clothing and gears for sports clubs and education

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ARCH?

We engaged ARCH to rebuild our e-commerce website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a functional and reliable site, and we weren’t happy with the results of a previous vendor’s work. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We received a referral to ARCH.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

ARCH rebuilt the e-commerce site to our specifications.

What was the team composition?

I’ve worked with three main points of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website has launched and allows students to order products online. As a result, we’ve landed contracts with universities and other education centers.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I work with a project manager who acts professionally and explains concepts in layperson’s terms. He makes it easy to communicate my requirements across and execute them. The team delivers work promptly and is always available.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

ARCH has delivered a functional e-commerce site against a tight schedule. I’m thrilled with their work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Hope4u

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

we support vulnerable customers who are in need of support with cost of living issues

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Arch to accomplish?

• build an app that can be a one stop for support

SOLUTION

How did you find Arch?

Online Search

Why did you select Arch over others?

Great culture fit

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Arch built an app for us, working through scope, design and implementation. the app was to include a login for each individual thento give personalise support based on questions they have answered then in the background we can see analytics or what support has been accessed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

the app was built which included what we needed 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

very proactive on managing the project, cannot fault 

What was your primary form of communication with Arch?

Virtual Meeting

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

They were very proactive and responded quickly.

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

-

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a Department Director of Banking Stealth

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide technical due diligence for investment portfolios. Using open banking and AI to determine risk. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Arch to accomplish?

• Build of app with security pen testing
• Branding
• Scoping
• Design

SOLUTION

How did you find Arch?

Online Search

Why did you select Arch over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Arch were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Arch worked closely with our team, showing much expertise across scoping, design, building and testing. The app went on to be externally testing with little to no faults. We were particularly impressed with the advice they gave during scoping that assisted us with getting to market with a product our clients have praised. The app runs across iOS and Android as well as locally on desktop. We continue to work with arch. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Customer feedback 
• Beta pass score 
• 5,000 active users in two months, with a 78% user retention. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes, on time and on budget, a rarity in this day and age. The scope was delivered as expected and to a high standard. 

What was your primary form of communication with Arch?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

• Attention to detail 
• Arch really cares
• Consultative, guided us. 

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

Nothing that comes to mind. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Sport Experience Manager of a sports division

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are the sport and physical activity arm of a university. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Arch to accomplish?

• Hosting management

SOLUTION

How did you find Arch?

We have been a longstanding Arch client

Why did you select Arch over others?

We have a longstanding relationship and they provide great customer care

How many teammates from Arch were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Continued Web hosting 
• Web update support 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Arch are fantastic to work with - we have a great working relationship with many of the staff there, having been a longstanding client of theirs. They have been flexible to meet our needs and are on hand to provide support as and when we need it. Their customer service has been brilliant - they are quick to respond to queries.

It's a pleasure working with them. Thanks for the ongoing support, Arch!   

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes - they have good customer care and respond to queries in a timely fashion. 

What was your primary form of communication with Arch?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

• Good customer service
• Skilled team that can support with our needs
• Requirements to develop a good online presence

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

N/a

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a music education business designed to offer bespoke video tutorials for members and 1 to 1 mentoring.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ARCH, and what were your goals?

ARCH was appointed a build a bespoke web platform to allow companies like my own to run membership businesses. The goal was to offer a tool for creators to upload content, chat with members and allow the users to engage each other within the community they are a part of.

SOLUTION

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

ARCH was found here on Clutch and after multiple meetings with them and other agencies, we decided to go with Arch. They seemed to know what it was I needed to achieve. With my limited knowledge of development - they seemed like a team I could trust.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had discovery workshops, then on to refining the scope of features, and then onto a more detailed functional document where the feature sets became more granular including some design mockups. By this point, the costs were set and a payment plan was put in place.

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

I would say approximately 8 people worked on the project from ARCH. Developers, Project Management, Designers, Accounts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take the platform to market. The platform from a very broad point of view could be split into 3 sections. The chat application, the backend API, and the UX/ user interface. The chat application was built bespoke but did not work properly, if at all. I had paid for this but when the code was delivered It needed to be replaced by my new team.

The backend API was analysed by my new team when it was delivered by ARCH and again advised it needed replacing. It was built on very old, obsolete software, that simply wouldn't scale, would be vulnerable to attacks and had no more patches. It also appeared that they had just copied and pasted the code from their previous projects as it had over 2 gbs of unnecessary data - which was causing extra stress on the servers.

The front end/user interface was very temperamental and didn't always perform as it should. Some features I paid for didn't work.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

At first, ARCH was very well organised - within a short space of time had really grasped exactly what was needed and we made fast progress to get the project fully scoped out. I always prefer to meet face-to-face but this was not an option for ARCH. It was during covid so this was understandable but even long after covid face to face meetings were not welcomed and even online meetings became less. After over a year of working together, I felt that communication became less and less. They had a working style by which they had all the information they needed so they would just get on with it - it was my first time working with an agent so I followed their practices at all times.

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

It's hard for me to really answer this as they were the only agency I had worked for. At the time I felt they really understood what I needed to do but now the project code was delivered I think they were simply not ready to carry out a project of this size.

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

When working on a project like this there are many months of paying for work without actually seeing your product in action. It was very disappointing to see the platform during testing because it was completely unusable and by this point, I had paid over £100k. Testing lasted many months and it became incredibly difficult for ARCH to fix problems - communication soured and it because more of a battle as opposed to a team effort.

Eventually, they took down their server, so I was no longer able to test the project myself (they wanted to save costs), advised me that testing is taking too long and we need to prioritise which problems need fixing over others. This was incredibly frustrating to hear as It meant I will likely not be delivered a working project. The design phase of the project was also difficult. Now I am working with a new agency I can fairly say they lacked a lot of creativity and experience in the design team.

The designs they sent were poor, and this part of the project went over time - so, in the end, had to settle with something I wasn't fully happy with. It was me that had to provide all the ideas and inspiration for the design and UI and I'm not a designer. Projects of any size require both the client and agency to work as a team and I felt with ARCH it was hard to approach new ideas and enhancements to what was previously agreed - my emails were met with resistance and usually followed an extra invoice.

I feel that ARCH lacked compassion and stopped caring for the project - This is a personal opinion of mine in comparison to how it was at the start of the project. In the end, they delivered a platform that would really only work to a limited capacity on local servers and not very well - a large bulk of the costs incurred felt wasted - because now I'm paying for the same work but with a new team that fully understands that I need the platform working to high capacity and standard for my business to succeed from the get-go It did feel when my last invoice was paid this was when the communications slowed and their passion seemed to diminish.

In the end, I feel I have overpaid for what was delivered and now I am paying another agency to rectify this - I have requested some compensation but ARCH believe they have carried out the work to the agreed scope.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on Januray 26, 2023.

Arch can offer 21 other reviews, as recent as the 25th Jan, on the writing of this response, on our clutch profile, with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars that showcases the high-end quality you can expect from us as a software delivery partner, over our 15 years of trading. This particular review isn't a fair reflection of either the delivery of this project or Arch. This reflects an ongoing dispute which in turn has clearly produced an unfair clutch review.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of my company, an app that promotes healthier food options at restaurants to Gen Z

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ARCH, and what were your goals?

We had an idea as to how to help our restaurant clients better connect with their customers and wanted help with feasibility and discovery.

SOLUTION

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

We met the vendor at a trade show and were very impressed with their capability and passion for our project

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Discovery and feasibility included getting up to speed on our proposal, background info, existing UX design work. We had a few sessions to explore the proposition and Arch challenged effectively as we sought to create a spec for MVP.

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

Around 6 people, including client account manager, project manager and a teams of developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We got the confidence that what we want to do is feasible! Now we need to decide when and how to bring it alive - Arch has submitted a great proposal, so we hope it will not be the end of our work with them.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They were collaborative and positive, and I appreciated their can-do attitude! We really enjoyed working with them.

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

World class attitude. I'd definitely recommend them.

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

No!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a university student and driven entrepreneur who has been involved in various projects, ranging from fashion, drop-shipping and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ARCH, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a mobile application for event ticketing and to encourage bars to communicate better with customers in a platform similar to Wetherspoons in the UK. Our goals were to refine a scope that fits the market conditions best. Together, we worked for months on various alternatives of the application, with the aim to launch it in Spain by 2025.

SOLUTION

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

We searched online for companies such as Arch, finally making a decision based on a reference about the company.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Over a period of 6+ months, we arranged numerous zoom's to refine the idea and discuss it in more detail to ensure our goals and ideas were aligned. Once that was done, we worked on 4 versions of a scope of work, changing the idea along the way to tailor it to the market at hand. The document included anything from detailed wireframes to well explained graphics and calculations.

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

On top of a project manager being assigned to the project, the entire team was at my disposable throughout, making conversation easy, which led us to progress faster and more efficiently. Overall, I met around 8 people, ranging from UI/UX designers, coders and more.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

While the idea never came to fruition, this was not due to the work delivered but rather due to the market conditions. The team tried hard to find solutions to the challenges I brought to the table, however, in the end, the idea was not the right fit for the market, which led the project to be stopped.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Communication was great. More than simple emails, we also communicated via phone calls, google meetings, WhatsApp and more. In addition, work was delivered on time and to the highest standard. The team were willing to adapt their schedule to mine, ensuring our collaboration was as efficient as possible.

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

The attention to detail, great communication, and content were what impressed me most. However, the overall experience was great and led to incredible discoveries.

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

The return on investment was great, with little areas of complaint. The overall experience surpassed my expectations and therefore does not demand suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Operations Director of KIEC Global a world wide education consultancy, recruiting students to universities in the UK and Australia. We have used Arch for over 10 years, we would not consider using a different web designer as we have found them to be professional, helpful and value for money.

As a company with offices in two continents reaching out to a global market place Arch’s advice has been key to our ongoing success. Brian David Moore Operations Director

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ARCH?

We hired Arch to advice us on how to develop a website that could compete in the Global market.

What were your goals for this project?

To equal or beat our global competitors in this competitive market of international student recruitment

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We asked several proven web designer companies to make their pitch. One company stood out and that was Arch.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was from concept to implementation of a web based marketing strategy for ourselves

What was the team composition?

It was directly dealing with Arch's MD and two developers who guided ourselves

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still trading and going from strength to strength after a decade

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was and is still spot-on.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are responsive and so helpful

Are there any areas for improvement?

Be difficult to improve

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of the DB8 App.

DB8 is a social media mobile application that brings users together by promoting discussion based on topics of shared interest.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ARCH?

To rework the existing app and improve on it's functionality.

What were your goals for this project?

To produce a mobile app that improved on the first release as well as having the capability to scale the app, without causing major rework for future releases.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The vendor was recommended to me by another mobile app development agency, as ARCH were best placed to handle a small scale project.

What was the team composition?

Initial contact was made with the BDM, Matt and the development was led by Rob and his team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Initial user feedback from the project from the project is positive and the goals of the project have been met.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. The reference points for contact were clear and available throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The customer service has been excellent. The team was clear about what could be achieved within the budget.

Are there any areas for improvement?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of the company that is currently developing an application for users to find, match and meet with other users around them with similar tastes and preferences by either hosting or attending events and activities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ARCH?

With no technical and design background for both of the co-founders we reached out to ARCH to discuss out position and get some guidance for budding entrepreneurs such as us and ARCH really delivered.

What were your goals for this project?

Goal was to develop a high fidelity clickable prototype.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We looked for developers near us and in India and held conference calls with a few of the developers before deciding to go with ARCH because of their evident excitement regarding the application idea and the interaction we had with them.

Describe the project in detail.

Project was to develop a prototype that shows exactly how the finished product should look like with about total of 19 pages designed after continuously exchanging ideas and suggestions back and fourth for 3-4 weeks.

What was the team composition?

"Andy the Designer"

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The designs were way better than I expected. I couldn't be happier with the outcome.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Super effective

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Enthusiasm

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really,