Bellwood

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the Director of Analytics for a small ad and PR agency responsible for reporting on client's digital marketing efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bellwood Labs?

We had disparate data sets, and were engaged in manual, time consuming processes to cobble together the data sets every month for reporting. It involved excel exports from multiple data sources.

SOLUTION

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

We had worked together in past, and had a good working relationship.

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

The project involved auditing our current reporting process, identifying all the steps and data sources. From there, we conducted a gap analysis to evaluate the priorities for our reporting needs. We had regular status class to communicate needs and progress.

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

We worked with the founder and one of their engineers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Through automating our data plpelines, it decreased our turn around times for reporting. This led to increased time on analysis and thus, increased value to our clients. Overall client satisfaction with our work product increased as a result.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was great. There were clear expectations, and communication between both sides.

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

We are impressed with their commitment to integrity and how they have demonstrated an excellent work ethic.

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

none

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the COO of Pfotzer Properties LLC, located in Atlanta, Georgia. We are a real estate investment group that offers monthly, quarterly, or yearly dividends to our investors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking to automate our investor relations. At the time, we were doing everything by pen and paper- investors mailed us a check, we typed documents for taxes, payment information, contracts, etc. In an effort to grow, we wanted to streamline investments so that investors can invest online, through their bank account, and track their investments/tax forms/dividends.

SOLUTION

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

The owner, Rob, is local to Atlanta and it was very easy to communicate with him. He was transparent throughout the entire process and gave us a plan of action.

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

There were several phases that allowed Bellwood Labs to show how the website was coming along. We were very excited to roll out our investor portal and it was important that we understand where we were in the process.

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

Rob has three individuals that we worked closely with- Jen: customer relations, point of contact for our project and the middle person between our needs and the engineer's work Elliott: engineer Nick: engineer Daniel: engineer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While the project was created recently, we have noticed an increase in traffic to our website. Possible investors have created accounts and we are able to reach out to them further, whereas before we could not detect how many people were looking at our website. We have also gained new investors since launching.

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

The team worked hard to answer any questions we had along the way. We scheduled Zoom meetings often to discuss the progress. They had multiple tools, such as Sandbox, that allowed us to see how the site would interact once live.

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

Specifically, Jen kept terms easy to understand. We were not very familiar with IT language and Jen simplified the engineer's work. While interviewing other companies, it was very frequent that we left the conversation confused about the process or work needed. Bellwood Labs worked hard to ensure that we understood everything.

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

The project took longer than we had anticipated, and our completion date changed. However, we wanted to ensure our vision aligned with the work produced, therefore it was not an issue. Bellwood Labs exceeded our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I worked at the world's largest PR company as a data scientist and product manager in their digital arm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had promised an elaborate solution to a client and against my recommendation went with an in house solution. This was a solution that would ingest, normalize and visualize social media data across a number of channels and allow for custom categorization and metrics. Our in house team spent months but could not deliver something robust and beautiful.

SOLUTION

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

We knew about Bellwood from our then head of sales who had worked with Rob in a previous role.

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

We had a kick off meeting during which we delivered detailed reqs, definitions and wireframes for the final project. Rob suggested rewriting the project in Ruby (it was in PHP) and we agreed. It required the ingestion of data from a plethora of APIs and social media channels as well as custom uploads. This was the first step. Then a back end had to be built to QA the data, categorize it, and apply custom metrics. Finally a visualization layer had to be built.

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

Rob (owner) was our main point of contact but we worked with 2 additional back end devs and one front end dev.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was delivered on time and satisfied a difficulty to satisfy client. We also leveraged Rob and what he built to retain a multi-million dollar relationship. Honestly, he saved our bacon.

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

Daily stand-ups, bi-weekly sprint reviews, and constant communication. Rob did not flinch when requirements didn’t make sense. They were always honest and straightforward.

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

I’ve worked with a wide variety of engineers and managers in my career. Rob’s leadership and the team he’s built stand out. They feel like a part of your team and are invested in the business.

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

I wish I hired them sooner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company collects data from retailers across the country and delivers reporting and insights to our clients to improve product velocity.

I was the COO and Senior Vice President, responsible for customer acquisition and retention, service delivery, and delivering on company and customer expectations across all products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Build and iterate the app that our staff uses to collect information and the reporting platform that clients use to understand and action upon the information provided.

1. Create a product that is easy and reliable for our field personnel to use
2. Create reporting that is meaningful and actionable for clients,
3. continue to improve based on feedback from both staff and clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select Bellwood Labs and what were the deciding factors?

As a small company we sought fractional solutions to many issues, to include our technology needs. We searched for Atlanta-based providers and found Bellwood Labs to be the perfect partner to provide the mission-critical solutions to our software needs.

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

We use "gig" employees nationally to collect product information from a variety of store formats (grocery, big box, convenience stores, etc.), summarize the findings, and create actionable insights for product velocity improvement.

Bellwood Labs built the tech for both data collection and reporting, and continued to iterate as clients sought additional ways to use the workforce and the data collected to understand the market and best position themselves at retail.

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

We were able to work directly with the CEO to scope our needs, and he was extremely helpful in probing to ensure he understood the needs, what we believed the finished product to be, and how best to structure the data to deliver the needed results.

From there, Bellwood would engage the appropriate team members to finish the scoping document, deliver pricing and timing information, gain final approval, and complete the project on time and on budget.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bellwood Labs built apps for both iOS and Android, built our portal for client reporting, monitored their performance and found ways to improve, and continued as a partner to help us continually improve what we delivered to our clients.

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

Communication is key with projects like these to ensure that our partner's understanding of the problem and resulting products meet the expectation. We kept a regular communication cadence with Bellwood Labs that ensured we stayed aligned and received what was needed to service our clients.

They delivered products in a test environment for our use to ensure they worked as expected before going into production.

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

The way they helped us improve on what we thought we needed!

We could explain a need or a problem and, because this is their area of expertise, they would make recommendations that resulted in a better product than we expressed when we started the project.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of the company. We provide a SaaS tool that provides automated testing for websites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bellwood Labs?

We're working with Bellwood Labs to help to scale our software. We use AWS so their proficiency on that platform was attractive.

What were your goals for this project?

It started with us wanting to be able to prepare the software to be more easily deployed to other parts of the world. The EU is our main focus for GDPR purposes.

Bellwood Labs was able to provide consultation to help realize what steps we needed to take in order to make it happen.

SOLUTION

How did you select Bellwood Labs?

I looked for referrals from other entrepreneurs and was connected with Bellwood Labs. My lead engineer and I met with them and were sold after our initial call.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a couple of discovery calls before we signed with Bellwood. Once we signed, our lead engineer was able to work with one of their project managers during the project. To be clear, this project is ongoing. They've been open to feedback throughout.

What was the team composition?

Our lead engineer has worked primarily with a project manager from Bellwood.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After our initial round of services, we've been able to containerize our software and have been set up to be able to deploy it to other AWS zones.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. They were open to allowing for direct communication between my lead engineer and their project manager.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They've done exactly what we set out to do. They've delivered the project ahead of schedule. They identified more things that we can accomplish. I've been impressed.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Former Founder & CEO of OTHRSource

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provide merchandising services for food and beverage brands.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Build the app for field merchandising team.

SOLUTION

How did you find Bellwood?

Referral

Why did you select Bellwood over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bellwood were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Build and maintain field merchandising app for national field team.  Included geo fencing, live pricing auction, check in and check out, payments systems and training system.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thousands of field merchandisers utilized app to do their jobs.  

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

The Bellwood team are proactive, client focused and always go out of their way to be a true partner.  

What was your primary form of communication with Bellwood?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

Bellwood truly cares about the customer.  A true partner.  

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Sofer Advisors, LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Professional services firm whom specializes in business valuation and exit planning services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bellwood Labs to accomplish?

• Build a custom software external client facing valuation tool

SOLUTION

How did you find Bellwood Labs?

Referral

Why did you select Bellwood Labs over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bellwood Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We wanted a custom software product in order to download client data and automatically generate valuation reports to replace excel usage.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Quarterly updates to showcase progress and achievement of outcomes.

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

2nd to none on their project management capabilities. They delivered on time and were fanatically responsive. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing customer software development assistance.

What was your primary form of communication with Bellwood Labs?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their leader has established a culture that permeates the business and is shown in dealing with the whole team. They were on time and under budget; we could not be happier with their work product and workmanship.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the COO of a Business Consulting Company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Enterprise and executive talent solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bellwood Labs to accomplish?

• Streamline our tech operations and provide efficiencies
• Build and implement a purchase order system for our contractors

SOLUTION

How did you find Bellwood Labs?

Referral

Why did you select Bellwood Labs over others?

• High ratings
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bellwood Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We reviewed the existing tech stack for efficiencies in processes as well as consolidation for cost reduction. The purchase order system required connecting contract creation with time entry through to payroll with good management reporting on the back end.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One system to replace multiple manual current processes, reducing human error, and avoiding duplicate contractor payments..

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

Yes. They were highly responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Bellwood Labs?

Virtual Meeting

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

The quality of the people.

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

Nothing that comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder of a back-office solutions company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide remote back-office solutions to promote growth for small- to medium-sized businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bellwood Labs to accomplish?

• To build a program to bring efficiency to our business.

SOLUTION

How did you find Bellwood Labs?

Referral

Why did you select Bellwood Labs over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bellwood Labs were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We wanted an internal program to create efficiencies with client billing, communication, and account changes. It has made many of our client care processes much more streamlined, as well as given more insight and control into the day-to-day services for the client.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Time spent on manual configuration of client processes, as well as productivity rates for internal team members.

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

Their project management was excellent - very professional, timely, thorough, and happy to communicate about any need or for any question.

What was your primary form of communication with Bellwood Labs?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

I was impressed by their knowledge and efficiency. The team is filled with experts that can take a project and run with it, as well as provide deliverables in a very timely manner.

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

N/A - very happy with the work.