BelVG

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the head of technology at MuscleFood. We sell health food online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BelVG?

We engaged BelVG to build new features for our Magento 1.9 platform.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to introduce a variety of new functionalities to our online storefront.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After considering many firms, we chose BelVG because they came highly recommended and with a stellar reputation in the Magento community.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

BelVG built several new features for our e-commerce platform. They customized our checkout page and process, added new functionalities to our product pages, and enhanced several UX flows.

What was the team composition?

We worked with two dedicated developers and a few project managers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The cart and checkout page customization have increased our conversion rate considerably.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project managers worked directly with us to ensure the project’s success. We scheduled daily calls and communicated with the team over Slack.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The BelVG team performed difficult work with enthusiasm and a positive attitude from start to finish.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are an e-commerce company that specializes in hunting, sporting, and shooting accessories along with some firearms. We sell retail and wholesale mainly in France, as well as other countries in Europe. We were established in 1992 and launched our first website in 1997, so we've been in business for quite some time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BelVG?

We had an existing basic HTML website that hadn’t been updated in quite a long time. As we became aware of newly available technology, we narrowed our choice down to Magento. We needed to work with a team who could develop websites on that platform. After contacting several companies in April 2010, we found BelVG. In 2015, we assessed other sites including ones outside our market sector and realized we needed a modernized redesign.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave BelVG a briefing of our specifications and a rough outline of the design. Having been in the e-commerce business for over ten years, we had a precise vision for our desired look and feel. We communicated back and forth as they developed test websites. Together, we fine-tuned it to produce exactly what we wanted.

BelVG completed the entire site build from that point on. They worked seamlessly with our in-house I.T. department, who provided the product lists and other necessary details. We initially just requested the basic setup for a Magento e-commerce platform. A few specific requirements hadn’t been on our original website. BelVG added a dealer locator to our dedicated wholesale site, which had been impossible to include before. They significantly improved the integration with our mailing list.

We upgraded to the new version of Magento about four years ago and took the opportunity to redevelop and modernize the entire frontend UI. We needed a different look and feel than the original HTML site so our customers wouldn’t be confused. Since then, they've added several new features and completed all our requested changes.

What is the team composition? 

We only have one point of contact, which I think is an excellent idea. Our project manager takes care of everything. She relays the essential details of our requests to the actual designers and developers. We never have to go back and forth between different people, which works very well. 

How did you come to work with BelVG?

I searched for a vendor on Guru.com, a website for outsourcing. We're based in France but didn't want to use a French company because they're too expensive. I've worked internationally and set up similar outsourcing projects in the past, so I wasn't worried about using an offshore team. There are perfectly reliable vendors available. After posting our project to that site, BelVG was the second or third team to respond. Price was one of the main deciding factors, but they also seemed positive and enthusiastic about working together. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $30,000 at this point. The initial website setup cost $8,000, and the redesign was about the same amount. Our monthly fee is between $200-$300. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our site took about six months to complete. We started in June 2010 and finished just before Christmas in that December. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have the best website in France in our market sector. The final version of the design is perfect. Since launching the new platform, our site visits have noticeably increased, and we've seen steady growth for our business. The site scales up as our company expands and has enabled us to extend our product range. We started with about 5,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs). Now, we have about 16,000 purchasable items available in our e-commerce store. 

While we’re still a small company, we've doubled in size. We employed eight people back in 2010 and currently have a staff of 15. We've doubled our annual turnover over that period, as well. Our website is our primary source of exposure for selling products. I'm pleased about the results we've seen. Over time, we've developed a very close working relationship with BelVG. More than eight years is quite a long time to work with an outsourcing company, but they're essentially part of our team at this point.

How did BelVG perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job. Our main point of contact offers excellent response times, and we use e-mail to communicate exclusively. They also have a collaboration tool that shows the state of a project or specific task. I've looked at it briefly but never feel the need to check it. I trust that BelVG will get the project done. 

We've had difficulties like any other e-commerce company, but they quickly fix anything that goes wrong. They even provide support on nights and weekends, which is reassuring since problems usually occur at the most inconvenient times. I never have to worry about downtime, which is the worst possible problem for an e-commerce website. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Everything is essentially perfect. The communication is excellent. They not only respond promptly but also make sure they’re giving me the correct answer. That's one of the most important considerations for me. As someone who works in wholesaling and retail sales, I know how important it is to offer accurate and efficient customer support. BelVG follows through on their promises. If a delay occurs, they give a specific timeframe for when it will be done and respect that deadline. That's the most important thing for me. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

When we first started working together, there were a few oversights, but I’ve seen a marked improvement since then. I can't think of any areas that need work right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Apart from choosing them to work with, not at all. BelVG is very good at what they do. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m one of the Managing Directors of Deine Tuer, a door and flooring company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BelVG?

We needed help with backend development, as well as bug-fixes on our Magento site.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to deal with our complex product options and work on client feature requests.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

BelVG developed some of our core features and worked on our most time-consuming debugging.

What was the team composition?

We’ve worked with four different developers so far, all with their own specialties.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They worked with incredible speed and provided outstanding quality.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project manager was always available and communication was very honest and transparent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We’ve worked with six different agencies so far and BelVG is one of two that’s been able to understand our complex setup and requests. We’ve never seen anyone understand our requests with such minimal communication – not even with developers that are right around the corner from us.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They were almost perfect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the e-commerce manager at BLK Sport, a teamwear and sports apparel manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BelVG?

My company hired BelVG to develop our e-commerce website using Magento 2.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted our site built out according to custom design and specifications that we provided.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked with BelVG in the past.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

We provided a detailed scope of work with references to all functionality and module extensions that the project required. We also set up a project system and Gannt chart along with detailed XD design files that outlined all pages, click states and mobile design proposals.

The BelVG team was to provide Magento 2 development and general project management, but unfortunately, both ended up being sub-par services.

What was the team composition?

We were only given access to the project manager, with whom we were unable to communicate for most of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Due to BELVG's inability to complete the project and follow the in-depth scope document that we provided, we were left with a large delay and an unusable website.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We were unable to access our project manager for the majority of the engagement.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We had a multitude of issues, so nothing stands out. It often took days to get a response from them, and their code/development work failed to meet our quality standards.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They need to prioritize communication and improve their approach to development. They also have trouble adhering to timelines and price quotes.

Company Responses

This comment was provided by Luba Andreeva, Marketer at BelVG, on July 23rd, 2018.

Dear Joshua Smith,

Thank you for your feedback! Certainly, we cannot leave it without a response.

We are sorry for the circumstances that prevented the successful implementation of your project. Despite the high workload, our specialists did all they could to manage the project, including the assistance to your new contractors.

We hope that you will successfully complete the project that required so much time and effort.

Best regards,
BelVG

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CTO of Shiekh Shoes, a multi-channel retailer. We have about 90 brick-and-mortar along with multiple online properties, websites, and mobile apps. My role is to push through more of an omnichannel and increase online sales volume.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BelVG?

Two years ago, there was very little in terms of online presence. The plan was to start a new website as well as acquire some online-only retailers. There was really no in-house tech team to speak of and our platforms were quite outdated. We researched the current state of technology within our company and solidified our main goals. Magento seemed to be the best e-commerce platform for our backend and retail technology needs, so we needed to hire a specialized contractor for that solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The responsibilities we outsource to BelVG usually involve e-commerce platforms, like our current Magento project. On an ongoing basis, they re-platform old sites, build new ones, and add new functionality to the system for the omnichannel. Our onsite developers are mostly higher-level architects. BelVG provides hands-on coding to support their work.

BelVG came on board to re-develop our existing site and build out new ones. We usually supply the team with wireframes and documentation ahead of time. They support our Magento platform’s frontend and backend development. In addition, they built compatible mobile apps for iOS and Android that lets users access our digital sales platform through their smartphones.

What is the team composition?

We work with seven developers and one project manager from their side. We’re able to talk directly with the developers. BelVG supplements their own resources by hiring subcontractors to work for us full-time on a long-term basis.

How did you come to work with BelVG?

I found them several years ago when I needed Magento developers. I’ve worked with them previously at multiple companies, so we selected them as our partner for this project.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent over $500,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in February 2016 and have an ongoing relationship. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re very happy with all the sites they’ve delivered. Switching to Magento gives us much more flexibility as a company. Their development team includes highly skilled experts who are proficient at using that platform. Ultimately, their efforts helped connect our brick-and-mortar stores to our digital shops. BelVG has substantially improved our platform and omnichannel, which now has increased functional capabilities.

How did BelVG perform from a project management standpoint?

Some tasks are assigned directly to BelVG’s project manager, but we manage most internally. They completed each task we assigned using the allotted resources and within the appropriate timeframe. We mostly communicate through HipChat, Skype calls, screen sharing, and email. If we need to reach someone during off hours, we also have their cell phone numbers and can call them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

BelVG is very skilled at working with Magento. They consistently hire talented developers. They’re a great team for anyone who wants to build new sites, re-platform existing ones, or needs ongoing support.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The time difference poses a consistent issue. Most of their staff are very flexible, but some of them could improve in that regard. We rarely have any issues reaching someone in case of an emergency. Ongoing communication mostly happens very early our time since we’re on the West Coast. We’ve had to modify our schedule a bit so that we can catch them while they’re still at work. This problem is to be expected with offshoring.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own Georgia Gun Store. We sell firearms and accessories through a retail store and online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BelVG?

Another developer started work on a Magento site for us. Though it was running, it didn’t function properly or have all the features I wanted. The site was full of errors, so I decided to look for a new developer to help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They combed through the programming to find problems and glitches. They often had to scrap existing portions and start from scratch. Our biggest challenge was synchronizing our inventory with a major distributor that uses an FTP site. Their inventory file updates every half hour with new quantities and pricing. To keep our own site up-to-date, we had to incorporate those updates into our own inventory list. That meant reprogramming that entire section.

They developed protocols that let us update in-store quantities every half hour, update pricing once a day, and import new product descriptions and pictures once a week. They also set up inventory alerts for customers and added a dealer locator to our website. There are specific rules for shipping firearms that vary depending on the category of each item. Firearms must be shipped to a dealer and can’t be sent directly to a customer. BelVG added a CSV file that allows customers to search for the nearest dealer in their area.

Other functionality that they added included customized invoices and a layaway extension. They also created a price request feature from scratch. Many distributors and manufacturers have minimum advertised pricing that prevents customers from adding certain items to their cart. BelVG created a custom module that allows customers to click a button on the website and request price quotes and purchase links by email.

What is the team composition?

We work with a team of three. Dmitry (Head of Business Development, BelVG) acts as our project manager. We also work with another Dmitry (Web Developer, BelVG) and Tatiana (Project Manager, BelVG).

How did you come to work with BelVG?

I found them on Upwork. I reached out to other developers, but I either never got a response or we had a language barrier. BelVG had good reviews and customer comments, so I asked them to work for me.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around December 2016 and our collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The whole process has been very positive and I’ve definitely noticed improvements. They cloned the website and added dropship options. That site can ship direct from a warehouse and is tied into Amazon.

We usually do about $1 million in online sales each year; this year we may do more. Customer feedback is positive and our sales have increased as we expand our functionality.

How did BelVG perform from a project management standpoint?

They do well. Early on, we had five or six phone calls, but we mostly converse through Skype. They’re responsive and they monitor the Skype connection constantly, even on weekends. They also use Redmine as a project management tool. I can set parameters and information that they use to prioritize different tasks. They’re very easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed by their responsiveness. I’ve worked on various platforms with four different web developers over the past eight years. BelVG is the most reliable developer I’ve worked with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they did a good job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them as much direction as you can on complicated tasks. They will provide what you want, but be clear if you have something specific in mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Lothar John distributes European tableware from major manufacturers, including porcelain, glass, and cutlery. We also sell trending lifestyle and home decor through a shop in downtown Hannover and our website. I am responsible for everything related to the company website and IT.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BelVG?

We hired them to update our site from Magento 1.9 to Magento 2. We also needed project support after the update.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to have a perfectly functional e-commerce site that kept as much of the old customer interface (CI) as possible.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Dmitry (Project Manager, BelVG), who speaks German, called me and sent information about BelVG via email. Their references and professionalism convinced me to hire them.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They helped us upgrade to an advanced shop system with complete SSL encryption. The work was done on a development environment using a separate server. Our biggest challenge was migrating all of our data from the old system.

What was the team composition?

They assigned a German-speaking employee and a developer to our project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They achieved our goal to our utmost satisfaction. However, we had to move the launch of the updated site from October 2017 to January 2018 due to Christmas sales.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicated via Skype, while tasks were assigned through tickets on Redmine. Our working hours were tracked on Upwork. Dmitry was always available, even outside of normal working hours.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their quick reaction time and implementation impressed me a lot.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I cannot think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

ZNaturalFoods.com is an online supplier of exotic, hard-to-find superfoods from all over the world. We sell products to retail customers and offer bulk ingredients to other companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BelVG?

Our prior developer had created several glitches while trying to resolve unrelated problems. This dynamic wasted a tremendous amount of time and money. Our customers were often frustrated by the site’s dysfunctionality. There were substantial problems on both the frontend and backend. We needed to fix these problems and optimize the entire page.

What were your goals for this project?

We engaged BelVG to optimize our PrestaShop site and build a new Magento platform. Specifically, we requested that the new e-commerce site include a comparable UX and all the same content.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched for providers certified in both PrestaShop and Magento. We wanted a vendor with sufficient resources to allocate multiple developers. Having an expanded team was integral to promptly completing our project. BelVG was a perfect match for our company. They had a proven track record and a skilled, experienced team.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

BelVG revamped our PrestaShop site, built a Magento platform, and migrated all the existing product and customer data. They designed the new frontend to adhere to UX guidelines and programmed custom extensions for our store. Programmers integrated all our required functions into a customized backend admin area. For our mobile site, they redesigned the layout to streamline navigation.

What was the team composition?

We worked with two project managers from BelVG. As our main points of contact, they coordinated the project with the entire development team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When BelVG took over development, they immediately began fixing bugs left by the previous vendor. They resolved faulty modules and improved the entire platform’s loading speed. Enhancing the site’s quality and stability increased our sales and reduced the customer service load.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicate over Slack and use Trello for certain complicated tasks. Our two project managers have always been available when we need them. When our site had problems that required an immediate fix, we could reach them day or night. They even worked on acute issues after office hours.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Communication is a critical aspect for engagements between disparately located teams. BelVG does an excellent job of informing us about their progress. I appreciated that they send multiple daily updates via Slack.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

Nothing stands out as needing improvement. If they keep producing the same quality of work, they’ll continue experiencing great success and garner more satisfied clients.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of KAP Diagnostics, a trade supplier of vehicle diagnostic software. We provide both the product and support.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BelVG?

When we switched to a Magento site, I needed a new developer to implement some bespoke functionality on the new platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I first hired BelVG, they worked on small projects. Now, they lead almost all of my online projects. Currently, they’re working on our website. We had an existing site that was just a simple shopping cart with no special functionality. BelVG developed a sleek site with functionalities that matched the type of business we run. Now, the shopping experience is connected with a support plan, and BelVG manages all of that.

We didn’t provide much structure in the beginning; we just told them what we wanted in general, and they went from there. The work has grown organically, including an app that’s connected to our site.

I eventually decided to bring in someone to create the specs for the next level of our site, and BelVG works off those plans. We’re taking everything from our old site and moving it onto the new Magento2 platform. We’re about halfway through with this process.

What is the team composition?

We mainly communicate with our lead developer, although there’s a whole team assigned to our company.

How did you come to work with BelVG?

I found them online and started them on small projects. I’d had a few bad experiences with previous agencies, so I wanted to make sure they were good. I considered a few different firms, but BelVG seemed to be a good fit. Now, the relationship is great.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since March 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a niche customer base, and they’re all happy. We're able to provide a product and support it, which our customers appreciate. We don't get any complaints from them. We have a global customer base, and our numbers are growing.

How did BelVG perform from a project management standpoint?

BelVG provides weekly email updates to give feedback and go over the week’s work. I have access to the site, and our project is on track. We communicate mainly via email but also use phone and Skype. They’re very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve never had an issue with the quality of their work; they always deliver. They’re reasonably-priced, too. I rarely make recommendations, but they’re a great firm to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I'm super happy.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If you’re working with Magento, BelVG is the best. Build something with them, and you’ll find it to be a rewarding relationship.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company sells home appliances.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BelVG?

We needed the assistance of a professional web development agency that had a deep understanding of PrestaShop.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to create a PrestaShop theme that works and behaves like the initial Magento theme that we got as a template.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Since BelVG was knowledgeable about both systems, we decided to work with them. It turned out to be the right choice.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Initially, we showed them our original Magento theme, as we needed the same look and functionality implemented on PrestaShop. Furthermore, we had to follow strict corporate identity (CI) guidelines. They then built a complex PrestaShop theme from scratch. As we discussed, we got the new template and shop functionality built on a staging server.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They completed the project to our satisfaction.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It was very effective. We communicated with Dmitry (Head of Business Development, BelVG), who was always available. As team leader, he distributed the work based on the skills needed. It was nice to talk to just one person. Since Dmitry took care of everything, he made the process easy for us.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Dmitry had good communication skills and was always responsive. No task or challenge was too difficult for their team. We would be happy to work with them again in the future.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I can't think of anything.