Bilberrry

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director for Taco Time Northwest.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bilberrry?

We wanted to redesign our website to introduce an order ahead platform, with location pages for each of our 80 restaurants. We wanted to drive the journey from click to purchase and make the whole experience smoother than what we had on our existing website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They set up a CRM training program for us and we looked at production deployment. We provided them with designs. They redid the entire backend, set up a WordPress site, and rebuilt the frontend from scratch.

Right now, our in-house person does 75–80% of everything that needs to be done on the CMS. Bilberrry helps out with special requests that our on-site team can’t handle. For example, they set up an online ordering microsite so that each of our franchises can order uniforms.

They evaluated our integration of third parties and reviewed information from Google Analytics, including our integration with Olo, our online ordering partner, and LevelUp, our credit card processor. They also reviewed our SEO and UX and did a lot to improve our site’s visibility.

What is the team composition?

I mainly dealt with Adam (CEO, Bilberrry), but they had at least half a dozen people working on the project. Adam served as our project manager.

How did you come to work with Bilberrry?

We really wanted to work with a local provider, so I did some research on Google and found them on a list of top providers in our area. They were the third company I talked to, and after speaking with Adam and understanding the culture of their company, I came away impressed. The relationship I developed with Adam and the way he presented his team convinced me they would be a good fit for us. The budgeting and schedule were also in line.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $36,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Online orders now make up a small percentage of our total orders, but more importantly, it's much simpler to have an online locations page for each of our restaurant locations. We’re very happy with the website. I did site testing and cross-browser validation and we liked the visual acuity. We’ve also had third party companies look at the backend, the SEO, and the metatags and they’ve been impressed, so Bilberrry did a great job of setting up the basic structure.

How did Bilberrry perform from a project management standpoint?

We had sit-down meetings and conference calls, and Adam came to meet with us a couple of times. Our design team sat in on the conference calls with Adam every week or so. They were very available for us and Adam could deal with anything we needed. They presented milestones on their schedule and it was helpful for us to check in at the milestones.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been very responsive and quick to help us. For example, we moved our Taleo support to ADP, and our HR team has been very demanding because we’re recruiting for 80 restaurants. Adam’s team has been amazing in how they’ve responded to that. We hear probably once a day about an issue with a restaurant site and Adam responds within 20 minutes. It’s imperative for us to be able to collect job applications and they’ve been crucial in supporting that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m very happy with their services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand what you need and be honest and transparent about what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re clear about that, Bilberrry will be clear about what they can and can’t do and they will suggest strategies for getting where you want to be.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of IT for Evergreens Salad, a restaurant chain. I manage a variety of systems and technical projects for restaurant operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bilberrry?

We hired Bilberrry to render web design services that would have been otherwise impossible with our time constraints. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our previous website was something relatively inexpensive that still provide our customers with enough functionality for an overall 'good' experience. We contracted Bilberrry because of their outstanding rapport and communication skills, knowing that we could achieve the appropriate interface that could represent our brand.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The president of my company reached out to many of his connections to review potential vendors we could hire. He has a very specific taste in mind when it comes to representing the company as a whole, and Bilberrry checked all the boxes.

Describe the project in detail.

Bilberrry redesigned our website with a professional finish that better reflects our branding needs. While I came into the project later on, we needed to communicate the development of the concept, strategy, and overall design to a group of senior management that lacked experience with backend web development and IT solutions in general. My role in this project was to provide necessary accounts, process payments, and take over and manage the website as a whole after the project came to completion.

What was the team composition?

The CEO himself served as the project manager. His team of developers chimed in as necessary and worked behind the scenes to finalize all of our content requests.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our previous website was bogged down and increasingly difficult to manage. Now the site performs even better than intended. Overall, our guest experience and feedback on the website has significantly improved.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Bilberrry excelled at management communication and scheduling. The team set the bar for expectations early and let us know if there were complications. They kept things moving extremely smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

No matter our budget or the size of the issue at hand, Bilberrry was ready to go above and beyond to meet our needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

While I always believe there is room for improvement for any company, I am thoroughly impressed by how smoothly the entire project went.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company is a special effects manufacturer, and I'm a marketing and communication manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bilberrry?

We hired Bilberrry to redesign our 10-year-old website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a more modern and easy-to-navigate website that provides a great customer experience. We were hoping that this would help us generate leads.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them through Google and read reviews of their services. I thought they would be the best company for the job.

Describe the project in detail.

After hiring Bilberrry, we had several discovery calls to discuss the look and feel that we wanted for our site. During these calls, we also described the type of customer experience that we were looking to provide. They began working on the site once they felt that they understood our vision.

What was the team composition?

I communicated directly with an account manager and the CEO of Bilberrry.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bilberry took our old site and turned it into a lead generation machine. We’ve had nothing but praise from co-workers, dealers, customers, and competitors about the look and feel of the website. My whole team is pleased with what Bilberrry did and where the site is today. We loved their customer service and the way they modernized our company image.  

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Bilberrry was excellent with meeting deadlines, scheduling meetings, managing expectations, and responding to my emails. They responded more quickly than any other vendor I’ve worked with in the past, and their customer service is the best I’ve ever received.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their communication was impeccable.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were satisfied with their progress and efficiency at every step of the process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the managing director at Atomic Brand Lab, a portfolio strategy consultancy that helps mid-sized and Fortune 500 companies create ways to unlock acceleration.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bilberrry?

We hired Bilberrry to assist with the launch of a global accelerator program for a major food company.

What were your goals for this project?

Bilberrry was in charge of creating an inviting UX for program info and applications, as well as a usable backend database for innovation pipeline management.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I selected Bilberrry from a number of recommended web development companies. After going through a comprehensive selection process, we felt that Bilberrry met all the criteria for an agile, creative solution provider.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Bilberrry was involved in all aspects of development, including design and programming. The team was also a part of database creation and admin services.

What was the team composition?

I primarily worked with the CEO but engaged with the designer and developer on several occasions. The size of the team stayed constant throughout.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our launch exceeded the number of views and applications we predicted. The final product was simple and engaging on the UX side, and intuitive on the backend.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Once we briefed them on the concept and goal, their team handled all aspects of project management. Our point of contact made everything seamless and efficient.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciate their responsiveness and creativity. Bilberrry approaches every challenge with a can-do attitude, always having a solution or answer.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, nothing I would add.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

During our time with Bilberry, I was the head of product & business operations at Rep, the first cross-channel customer assistance platform designed for online brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bilberrry?

We hired Bilberrry to build and design our custom marketing website.

What were your goals for this project?

Our business needed a marketing website where we can build out landing pages for various advertising channels across target markets.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I’ve known the founders of the company for some time, and have seen their work with other clients. When it came time to hire an agency with design and development capabilities, Bilberrry was the first company we approached.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Before work began, Bilberrry tried to understand our needs and listen to our objectives. Then their team recommended an approach. They provided our team with several options on how to achieve our goals. Bilberrry consulted us on the strategy, design, and development of the website during the process. They also provided insights into search engine marketing and Google Ads. We didn’t have the resources to test marketing channels. Google Ads was something we wanted to pursue to check the new pages within different audiences.

What was the team composition?

I worked primarily with a project manager and sometimes interacted with the design team to look over their work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within a month, we had a new site that achieved our objectives. We were able to launch six Google Ads campaigns to test our messaging.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The team at Bilberrry utilizes a project management system to track all tasks. We were always in the know. There were weekly meetings, but we could reach out to them at any time with questions.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their honesty when it came to recommending solutions. Their team delivered on time and on budget. Bilberrry always communicated with our team on the status of the project. They asked the right questions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing that stands out. Overall, we had an excellent experience working with Bilberrry.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of a startup that's building a platform for video game and eSports content creators. People send us content to edit, produce, and display on our website. Users can pay a subscription fee to view all the content. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bilberrry?

We hired Bilberrry to help us design and develop our web platform. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We designed the initial screens of the website in-house to show how we wanted it to look. Bilberrry developed and expanded on our original ideas. Our website has a lot of different aspects. Our editors work on the admin side. It includes a paywall to access the articles and videos in our collection that are available for viewing. 

Bilberrry proposed add-ons they thought would be useful to flesh out the concept. Since I don't have a technical background, I can't go into detail about the specific programming languages they used. Our website isn't live yet, but we have a staging site in place. 

What is the team composition? 

Bilberrry has offices in both the US and Ukraine. Several developers from the team worked on our website. We had full access to the head programmer Ross (Founder, Bilberrry) and CEO Adam (Principal and Business Director, Bilberrry) and could contact them anytime. 

How did you come to work with Bilberrry?

We searched online for web development companies based in the US because we wanted to work with a domestic team. Of the 4–5 options on our shortlist, we liked Bilberrry the best. The CEO got back to us immediately, and we enjoyed talking with him. Their quote was reasonable and could tell they were honest about pricing. During our trip to Seattle to meet the team, we loved their approach and began our partnership.

How much have you invested with them?

The entire project cost $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first went to visit Bilberrry this past spring. Our project lasted 3–4 months, from April–June 2018. Our website isn't live yet, so we're still working on getting our alpha ready to launch.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bilberrry has been absolutely amazing. The CEO and head programmer were both amenable to discussing our business outside of their scope of work. Since they also enjoy playing video games, they're always excited to give us ideas and help us achieve them. They both have a great perspective to share. 

Bilberrry was more than happy to provide extra support beyond their contractual responsibilities. Even though they weren’t compelled to set up our affiliate program and install it on our website, they had no problem helping us. They realized this simple task would help everything progress more smoothly. 

How did Bilberrry perform from a project management standpoint?

I was pleased with Bilberrry’s level of documentation and overall availability. They sent us milestone invoices with a detailed breakdown of all the charges and working hours. The full quote at the beginning laid out the total cost and exactly what we would pay for. They met all our milestones along the way and made sure we knew everything that was happening the entire time. 

We held weekly or biweekly meetings to discuss our progress and consider what modifications to add. Once we invited them to our Slack channels, they were always online. We checked in with each other on a regular basis and exchanged lots of feedback. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I greatly appreciate how straightforward Bilberrry has been with us. They feel comfortable stating exactly what's going on and never try to mislead or upsell us. I enjoy working with people who express themselves honestly. 

Bilberrry is always willing to go further than required to produce results that make sense. We appreciated their critical thinking skills and thoughtful approach to our project. They didn't settle with producing a carbon copy of the concept we sent them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't know if I can come up with any specific thing on the spot. I'm sure there have been times they weren't absolutely perfect, but I can't think of anything specific. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Anyone who's interested in working with Bilberrry should have a thorough plan prepared. Future clients shouldn't worry about their website working properly. My only slightly negative critique is that they focus more on function than style. Bilberrry is less concerned about making it look smart or really fancy than with the functionality. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project manager at Pasco Machine. We’re a metal fabrication shop, and we work with farms and big production companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bilberrry?

We were looking for a team to make a calendar that keeps track of all of our jobs. Our current physical calendar worked for us when we were less busy. Now it has a lot of issues; a job might not get finished on time if a tag falls off.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bilberrry came down from Seattle to Pasco to meet with us and talk about our challenges. Using JavaScript, they created a web-based application so we can access the calendar anywhere. They streamlined our entire calendar process. It keeps track of all our projects. They built features that show us what's past due and who is assigned to different jobs. The calendar also has a filter so we can search for specific things within the app.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one main project manager and one core developer. Additional members of their team worked on the project, but we didn’t interact with them.

How did you come to work with Bilberrry?

I found them through an online search. I typed in what we needed and came up with a list of companies. Bilberrry was the best match for what we wanted to achieve.

How much have you invested with them?

They gave us an estimate of about $80,000 and they stayed in budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

I don’t remember the exact dates. I’d estimate the work took place between February–June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't actually started using the calendar yet. I’m waiting on our managers to give it the green light. After testing it, I know it will help us stay on top of projects as long as our team does what we're supposed to do. The calendar is only effective if the team using it manages it correctly. So if we do that, it'll work great and be a huge benefit for our shop.  

One huge improvement is the feature that shows us who's assigned to what job. With our current calendar, we’re always having to ask each other and trying to remember who was on each job.

How did Bilberrry perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team was super accessible. They were very good about getting back to me the same day if I had any questions or concerns. It was never an issue if I wanted to make changes.  They were awesome about delivering on their timeline. If they were running behind, they always caught up quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Bilberrry did a really good job of helping us figure out our actual problem and the best way to solve it. We were so focused on trying to get a new calendar that looked exactly like our existing version. At our first meeting, they said let's figure out the core problem and not just focus on how you want it to look and how it functions right now. They made us see that the more important issue was how the calendar should function in the future for the best outcome. None of the other teams we met with did that. Bilberrry took a different approach and that's what made them stand out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they did a great job.

Any advice for potential customers?

Don't be shy in asking questions or requesting changes. We were comfortable criticizing the app, which helped them develop the best possible version. They want to think through every scenario that could happen, so asking questions helps them do that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a managing partner at Altus Alliance, a firm that provides coaching and growth planning for small businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bilberrry?

We wanted to develop an online planning platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bilberrry developed our web-based platform from scratch, which is divided into several sections. Users can define a target audience and value proposition, as well as a three-year strategic plan. There's an implementation dashboard tool for work that's being done in the current year and sections for uploading files, having discussions, and adding collaborators to the plan. There's also a feature that allows users to set deadlines, so collaborators are reminded as a deadline is approaching. We haven't yet linked the platform to others, such as Google Docs or Slack, but may work with Bilberrry to make those integrations as well in the future.

What is the team composition?

We work with Adam (Co-founder and Project Manager, Bilberrry) and about three to five developers at a time.

How did you come to work with Bilberrry?

I knew of Bilberrry through a friend of a friend. My partner, Steve, also had some experience working with them in the past and was impressed by the breadth and quality of their work.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested about $60,000 in their services thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them sometime in 2012 or 2013 to create the first version of the software, but we engaged them again to update it in 2017. We continue to work with their team on upgrades and updates as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bilberrry created a software solution that has helped differentiate our business from others in our industry. Thanks to their efforts, we have a competitive edge when it comes to small business planning. We've received lots of positive feedback from users, including the customers that tried the product during beta testing phases.

How did Bilberrry perform from a project management standpoint?

Adam provides regular updates on project milestones effectively through Basecamp, so we had complete transparency of the progress of work leading up to the launch. They're good at keeping us on schedule as well, sending reminders through Basecamp for any assets they need from our end. In addition to great communication, they also deliver on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Having worked with a lot of software developers in the past, I'm most impressed by their level of transparency and accuracy. The code they produce is clean and has very few bugs or issues compared to others I've worked with. Our software isn't highly complex, so I don't think we've even come close to tapping their full range of capabilities, but we certainly look forward to engaging them more in the future.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be honest with their team, even if issues or delays come up. They're good at switching gears and handling any situation with complete transparency, so I just suggest communicating honestly on your end as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of Alpharesults, a professional services firm that helps businesses obtain economic development-related tax credits. We are a small, Georgia-based company of less than 20 employees, and have been in business for 15 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bilberrry Media?

We needed both a new system and the ability to scale our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve completely rebuilt our internal operations project management system, and are continuing work on a software to both organize our business internally and reach out to our clients and business partners. This platform is integrated with our existing project system, and will eventually replace our CRM.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked most closely with Adam Brazg, the primary project manager, alongside a wide group of developers.

How did you come to work with Bilberrry Media?

One of our business partners referred us. They have a good reputation, and their previous work with both private equity firm clients and larger web-based operations seemed to match our needs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in October of 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our firm has already completely transitioned to the Bilberrry’s new platform, and we’re expanding to the next phase. Our current clients are very satisfied, and we will bring on new users imminently. We haven’t experienced any of the “hiccups” that are often endemic to implementing an overarching system that impacts employees company-wide. In fact, we’ve seen a marked increase in efficiency within our team, and have significantly expanded our business this year.

How did Bilberrry Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We were pleased with their overall responsiveness. We communicated using a combination of phone, email, Slack, and Trackolade, their proprietary internal project management system.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're highly focused on pleasing us as their customers. They set a congenial mood in our interactions, which makes them stand out from their competitors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I'm sure that as they grow, they will become more formal in their conditionality. Adam, as one of the founders, will need to get more leverage over his managers. We're really glad to be working with him, rather than someone his junior.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We help build custom quality control programs for restaurant and retail companies. My main role is business development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bilberrry?

When we first started working with Bilberrry, our platform was a little outdated. We wanted to make it more user friendly and build it out so that it could take on future growth.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The main project was to do an entire rebuild of the platform that would make it easier to add new clients, and allow us to manage it in a way that we can make changes here and there without reaching out to developers all the time. 

We partnered with Bilberrry on our proprietary dashboard, which serves as the reporting platform for the quality control checks. It’s essentially a training tool for operations to make sure they’re holding up to their standards. We send in third-party auditors to restaurants and retail locations on a monthly rotation. We assign those visits from our website, and the field auditors accept and then carry out the visit. They then log back onto our website, where they fill out a detailed report; those reports are sent to the client on the backend of our dashboard. They can view a reporting tab, trend report, summary report, etc., to see how they stack up against their own restaurants or retail locations. In addition to the build-out, they provide ongoing maintenance through Trackolade.

The platform can be mobile, but we designed it to be more user-friendly on a web base. We use the Amazon Web Services framework, AWS.

For this project, Bilberrry has helped us build out integrations with Sendgrid and MailChimp. We use Sendgrid to send out assignments to our field auditors, and to send reports to the client operations people. We use MailChimp for recruiting. If we need people in new locations, we send out mass marketing campaigns through MailChimp, and then encourage people to go to our site and apply.

They also built a separate payroll function within our site so we can export to an Excel CSV and upload it to our ACH Treasury software. That’s not a full integration.

What is the team dynamic?

Adam [Brazg, Co-founder, Bilberrry] was the project manager throughout most of the interaction. Typically there would be one lead developer who oversaw the project, and at least one or two other developers working under the lead. I would typically communicate our needs or changes to one developer on Trackolade, and if it was a pretty big task, the lead would see it through. If there were a lot of tedious steps or small tasks, they would pass it along to one or two other developers. The lead developer would review it before it was done on the production site so the other developers could make changes and get approval.

How did you come to work with Bilberrry?

A mutual friend introduced me to Adam, who talked to me about their process at Bilberrry.  I mentioned some of our needs and struggles, and how we were looking to update our website and dashboard, and they were able to easily help with that.

How much have you invested with them?

It was a pretty big project, so we’ve probably spent over $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together from May 2014, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve gotten feedback from field auditors who find the system Bilberrry created much more user-friendly than our previous system. We were also able to onboard a new client and get a program up and running for them at a much quicker pace than we could have on the old system. We are still successfully serving that client.

How did Bilberrry perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication is pretty good overall. It was as simple as posting a task to Trackolade. More often than not, I wouldn’t need to follow up, but sometimes I would reach out about getting a particular task done faster.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have some really good developers who are able to find a solution for your needs, and they think of the business use cases as well. In the past, if I asked a developer to do A, B, and C, they would just do A, B, and C. Bilberrry, on the other hand, wouldn’t just go in and build it; they would challenge you to think about the future outcome. They might offer an alternative, or suggest a preemptive change to avoid going back and making changes later on. They truly partner with you to help you get the best product, rather than just doing what you ask.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have a good relationship and I trust the team, but I would have liked a little more clarity on what work is being done, how long it’s taking, and making sure it’s being allocated and accounted for property.