Command C

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director - CNIB SmartLife of CNIB

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

CNIB SmartLife provides innovative products, services, and support to help Canadians with sight loss live independently and enhance their quality of life.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Command C to accomplish?

• To create an accessible-first ecommerce site on Shopify.
• To align efforts with an internal transition to Netsuite and launch with a Netsuite integration for inventory management.
• Ensure the ecommerce site is built with flexibility to scale alongside business growth and equipped with the necessary tools to stay current with evolving technology.

SOLUTION

How did you find Command C?

• Online Search
• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Command C over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Other

How many teammates from Command C were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Scope of Work Summary:

This project focused on the development of a Shopify store designed to meet brand guidelines, accessibility standards, and integration requirements with Netsuite for inventory management. The work was executed in phases, starting with selecting a responsive Shopify theme, followed by customizations to meet specific branding, functionality, and accessibility goals. 

Key Deliverables:

Discovery and Consultation:

Research and analysis of third-party SaaS connectors for integrating Netsuite with Shopify.
Consultation for technical and demo calls with connector providers.
Support in selecting a connector that meets both immediate and long-term integration needs.
Theme Selection and Setup:

Selection and configuration of a pre-existing responsive theme.
Application of brand-specific customizations (e.g., logos, color schemes) to the theme.
Setup of Shopify store with necessary configurations for payment, shipping, taxes, and transactional emails.

Accessibility Enhancements:

Initial accessibility review and fixes for compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.
Final accessibility review and fixes prior to launch, including screen-reader usability and keyboard navigation.

Accessibility training for content/marketing teams to maintain long-term accessibility compliance.

Language Support and Multilingual Configuration:

Setup of translation apps for multiple language support.
Configuration of Shopify’s location functionality to support inventory reporting across different store locations.

Integration with Netsuite:

Consultation on the setup and configuration of a third-party connector to integrate Netsuite for inventory management.

Support for the initial integration and setup of API keys for the connector.

Data Migration and Content Deployment:

Client’s responsibility to migrate product, customer, and content data to the new site.
Support for content migration and deployment of static pages, special messaging, and other content.

Training:

Up to two screenshare training sessions for Shopify platform usage.
Optional administrator video training library and accessibility training for ongoing content management.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Timely Delivery of MVP:

Outcome: The store is launched according to the agreed milestones and within the specified budget. combined with the exploration and integration of a new ERP system, all while meticulously ensuring accessibility compliance,

Accessibility Compliance:

Outcome: The store achieved WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards via accessibility audit and rigorous testing.

Integration with Netsuite:

Outcome: Successful integration of Shopify with Netsuite for seamless inventory management.  Real-time product data and inventory status flowed correctly from both ends.

Brand and Theme Customization:

Outcome: The theme is customized to align with brand guidelines complete with custom logo, colour pallettes and various accessibility required customizations for ease of use for clients.  All elements of brand guidelines met approval from stakeholders.

Multi-Language Support:

Outcome: The store is capable of handling French and English with the capability for automated translations into French equating to greater efficiency in helping the store scale.

Customer and Product Data Migration:

Outcome: Successful migration of customer and product data to the new store.  The entire catalogue of over 1000 SKUs were successfully imported without errors.

Improved Customer Experience:

Outcome: The store provides an improved user experience, including navigation, shopping, and checkout.  Website analytics showed reduced bounce rates and increased time spent on the site.  The use of Shopify tools and customizations enabled an accessible experience for customers to easily navigate and interact with the site.

Training Effectiveness:

Outcome: Staff is trained to manage the site and ensure accessibility in content creation.  Managers were successfully trained to be able to train additional internal staff.  Post-training support enabled even the most complex tasks to be appropriately documented in a standardized operations process.

Post-Launch Accessibility Performance:

Outcome: Ongoing site accessibility is maintained post-launch.  Periodic accessibility audits showed continued compliance and any issues identified during user testing and within the 2-year support period were appropriately addressed.

Customer Satisfaction and Site Usability:

Outcome: The new site delivers a positive customer experience.  Customer feedback showed increase site engagement including the duration of a customer's session and the number of product views and significantly decreased bounce rates.  There was a noted reduction in customer support inquirires realated to site functionality compared to the previous ecommerce site.

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

Command C's project management approach is centered on a seamless blend of strategic thinking, effective communication, and a client-first focus. Their problem-solving under pressure is exemplary; they maintain a calm and decisive approach to overcoming challenges, combined with the exploration and integration of a new ERP system, all while meticulously ensuring accessibility compliance, ensuring projects stay on track, no matter how complex.

At Command C, the balance between big-picture thinking and attention to detail is a key strength. They maintain a focus on long-term strategy while carefully executing each project detail. This ensures that every phase of the project is well thought out and delivers impactful results. Their communication style is clear, transparent, and constructive, ensuring that both clients and internal teams are aligned and expectations are consistently met.  Command C was extremely communicative, approachable and responsive through the entire journey.

Client engagement is a priority for Command C, as they foster strong relationships and guide clients through complex decisions. They ensure clients feel heard, supported, and confident in the process. The team encourages open dialogue between stakeholders, facilitating smooth communication and alignment throughout the project lifecycle.

Command C is deeply committed to a client-first approach, prioritizing client needs and delivering tailored, thoughtful solutions that align with business goals. Through a culture of trust and accountability, they empower team members to take ownership and initiative, consistently delivering high-quality work on time.

What was your primary form of communication with Command C?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stands out most about Command C is their exceptional leadership and client-focused approach, combined with a team culture that fosters collaboration, trust, and accountability. The vision and strategic direction set by Sara are clear and impactful, ensuring that every project is driven toward meaningful goals and consistently results in high-quality outcomes. The ability to approach each project with empathy and tailor solutions to meet clients' specific needs demonstrates a deep commitment to client success.

Equally impressive is how Sara empowers the team to thrive by creating an environment built on trust, collaboration, and accountability. The high emotional intelligence displayed by leadership ensures seamless collaboration among all departments within the stakeholder group, third-party integrators, and the development team. It fosters strong relationships, even during high-pressure situations, enabling the team to maintain professionalism and respect across the organization.

The Command C team itself is remarkable, a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and adaptability. They not only deliver exceptional, high-quality solutions but also demonstrate a future-proof mindset, ensuring that they meet clients' current needs while preparing for what's ahead. This adaptability and commitment to craftsmanship make Command C stand out as an organization dedicated to excellence and long-term success.

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

Although Command C may not be the most cost-effective option for website development for a non for profit organization, an opportunity for further refinement would be to provide a clearer understanding of the initial cost breakdown during client onboarding. This would help support clients in effectively allocating costs based on the specific needs of each department, enhancing the overall collaboration from the outset.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Project Manager of an ecommerce company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide web development (main website, online store, social media, marketing, communications, customer service, digital presence, analytics, business relations, etc.).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Command C to accomplish?

• Move from WooCommerce to Shopify
• Design Shopify Site
• Create Custom Bundles

SOLUTION

How did you find Command C?

Online Search

Why did you select Command C over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from Command C were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

CommandC advised and assisted with the process of moving the website and store to Shopify Plus. They provided assistance with the many third-party integrations - Recharge, Refersion, Celigo, Netsuite, Klaviyo, Yotpo, Northbeam, ShipStation, and other smaller applications. They created a custom solution for bundle products and other applications. 
They provided creative solutions to fit our needs and delivered a solid foundation on which we can expand the footprint and Shopify store.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The system and process that Command C completed for our bundle products have lightened the load of the payment processing. Additionally the subscription process within Shopify and Recharge the Command C assisted with setting up has made it easier to manage our new subscriptions.

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

Their project managers were informative and responded to our messages in a timely manner. There were a couple of late items throughout the entire project, but on average the projects were delivered on time.

What was your primary form of communication with Command C?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Most impressive about this company was a specific developer that they had named Tiffany. She was extremely informative and knowledgeable about Shopify and the different processes we would need to be successful. They were unique in that they helped us create unique customizations that would fit our requests.

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

An area of improvement could have been to share a detailed calendar that outlined when specific tasks were estimated to be completed, ready to be tested, and completed. The calendar would understandingly need to be updated frequently to reflect tasks that were moved, but it would have been a great asset to have a clear calendar of when things were set to be completed and when we needed to have information to them for a specific task. 
It would have also been helpful to us to understand what their testing looked like before they handed it over to us to test. That way when we went to test we would have known to not notify them of issues that they already knew of, or of items that could not be changed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Rooted Network

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Rooted Network exists to provide resources to churches around the world to help individuals know Jesus and grow in a relationship with Jesus.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Command C to accomplish?

• Transition from WooCommerce to Shopify
• Develop integration with Hubspot based on custom needs

SOLUTION

How did you find Command C?

Referral

Why did you select Command C over others?

• Pricing fits our budget
• Good value for cost
• Structure around project management and commitment to tight project deadline

How many teammates from Command C were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Guide and direct through configuration and implementation of Shopify site, transitioning from WordPress and
• WooCommerce 
• Shopify Theme recommendations 
• Product metafield configuration
• Custom development and integration between Shopify and Hubspot based on specific needs related to customer data 
• SSO integration with third party e-learning platform 
• Historical order import utilizing Matrixify

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Delivered on time, and within budget, with a tight turnaround time. 
• My team can now manage/administer the site on our own moving forward; not something we had before. 
• Minimal existing customer account issues after site launch, including SSO integration with third party e-learning platform
• Customers were able to easily place orders. 
• Clean product catalog management, including variants. 
• Solid custom data integration with Hubspot.

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

I interfaced with two Command C team members primarily, both whom were professional, pleasant, prompt, and patient with me throughout the entire project. They clearly understood my project needs and requirements and were able to communicate that with the developers on their team (whom I never communicated with) and delivered the desired outcome. I never experienced a gap between my expectations and the work of the developers, even though I never interacted with the developers. 
The project was easily managed through Basecamp and the team clearly communicated technical concepts in writing, which is not always a strong skillset of a development team. Check-in virtual meetings were enjoyable and efficient. Tasks and deliverables were always on time and the team was never thrown off by a tweak or edit on a request.

What was your primary form of communication with Command C?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Command C, led by a solid leader, is a well-oiled machine as it relates to project management and is incredibly valuable based on their deep knowledge of the Shopify platform. They are the most impressive technical development company I've ever worked with. 
Professional in business practice, knowledgeable in Shopify commerce, project management superstars, all while being personable and friendly. They made a big project for me, fun and enjoyable. From the very first introductory call, they were impressive.

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

Nope. I signed a maintenance agreement with them and we are still improving the site after launch and looking for opportunities for enhancements and optimization.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a blanket manufacturing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Command C?

We needed a partner with experience in Shopify Plus for e-commerce development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Command C is helping us with e-commerce development. Their tasks include coding, creating new features based on our in-house designs, and ad hoc maintenance.

What was the team composition? 

We work with 3–4 members of Command C’s team, including Stephanie (Director of Project Management) and Tiffany (Tech Lead).

How did you come to work with Command C?

Our previous web developer referred them to us.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around $70,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2022, and the engagement is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Command C’s team always takes our lead and implements everything we design in a functional way that’s also easy to edit. Overall, Command C meets our expectations — they’re one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with

How did Command C perform from a project management standpoint?

Command C meets our deadlines and stays within budget. Regarding communication, we use Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Command C is great at outlining timeframe expectations before they start the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Personally, I wouldn’t say I like Basecamp, but that’s a minor issue because Command C leads a good project management process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Always give them as much information as possible to make the development an informed process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing at Brian Gavin Diamonds, a hand-crafted diamond retailer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Command C?

We needed to migrate our website from Magento to Shopify Plus.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Command C has helped us migrate our website from Magento to Shopify Plus and integrate it into a new ERP system. First, they analyzed our Magento setup. They’ve mainly done development work, though they’ve also done some development work. Command C has taken our existing designs and made them compatible with Shopify. 

Currently, Command C provides maintenance and ongoing work for us. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with the CEO, a project manager, and a lead developer from Command C. 

How did you come to work with Command C?

We contacted Shopify, and they gave us recommendations for service providers with experience with Magento and Shopify. We chose Command C because we loved their approach. They analyzed our existing setup and gave us an unbiased opinion on what it would look like to stay on Magento or move to Shopify for us to choose. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2021, the site went live in November 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to Command C’s work, our credit card transactions have doubled year-over-year (YoY) through January 2023. On our old system, we were reporting an average of 2–5 bugs a day. Now, the number of daily bugs has gone down to almost zero. 

Overall, Command C’s work has changed our whole world. Our team doesn’t have to worry about bugs, and clients are happy with the checkout experience. 

How did Command C perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re pretty much on budget and on time. Although we’ve had a delay, it was out of Command C’s control because the issue was due to our ERP integration. Through that delay, the team was highly communicative and helpful. 

Communication with Command C is absolutely wonderful. We use Basecamp and Zoom for project management and communication. Additionally, we use Sifter for bug tracking. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with Command C’s customer care; they go out of their way to help us as much as they can, even outside the scope of work. For example, they helped us with the ERP integration even though it was outside the project’s scope. Moreover, their work is outstanding. Our site has had very few issues since we started working with Command C. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The transition after the site went live and Command C moved into maintenance was a little bumpy. However, we’re currently on track. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Command C does a great job of creating a scope of work before they start. Make sure that scope includes everything you want and consider that things might pop up throughout the process, which is normal. Additionally, ensure you get Tiffany (Tech Lead) because she’s amazing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the e-commerce director of an online retail store that sells seeds to gardeners and wholesale landscapers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Command C?

We wanted to re-platform our e-commerce.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Command C has been doing e-commerce development for us in Shopify. We started with a technical discovery phase, and after that, they started with the project. 

Design-wise, they created a custom theme for us from scratch, mimicking our old platform. After that, they integrated all of our internal systems and built custom apps inside the Shopify platform.

We’re currently planning to move forward with them on a retainer level to do SEO and other further tasks.

What is the team composition?

We’ve been working with Sara (Founder), Stephanie (Director of Project Management), and Tiffany (Tech Lead).

How did you come to work with Command C?

They were referred to us by a Shopify representative; we had 3–4 other options but decided to go with Command C for this project.

How much money have you invested in this partnership?

We’ve spent close to $140,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen a 20% increase in our conversion rates over the last month. Also, the product has enabled us to do more things in-house without a third party’s help, which has direct cost-related savings because we don’t have to pay a developer whenever we want to make changes.

How did Command C perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been on point; they communicate clearly, are responsive, and understand our needs quickly. Regarding tools, we use Basecamp and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their organization and communication are their most important attributes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — we’re satisfied with their work’s quality and their thoughtful and systematic approach.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Layout a roadmap and communicate clearly with them to get to the finish line.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital marketing director of a landscape plants manufacturer, so I’m in charge of our online experiences and oversee our digital advertisement efforts. We grow plants for yards, focusing on quality and dedicated to making homeowners’ landscapes beautiful. We have four major locations in the US, and most of our business is with independent retailers and gardening centers throughout the US and part of Canada. Recently, we started an e-commerce business model, and we have a new line of house plants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Command C?

In early 2021, we were going through a brand refresh, and we needed our website to reflect that look-and-feel update.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Although another company helped us with the design work, Command C implemented the new appearance on our website. Later, they developed a new Shopify site for our new houseplant line so that clients in California could buy directly from us and receive the plants directly in their homes. Additionally, they’ve been instrumental in ensuring that our site is accessible and that our data feeds are working properly.

What is the team composition?

I work with three people from Command C: Sara (Founder), Stephanie (Director of Project Management), and a developer. However, they have more team members I haven’t met who work on our projects.

How did you come to work with Command C?

The firm that helped us redesign our site recommended Command C. After meeting with them and discussing the project, we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $150,000 in total for both projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since our site’s redesign, we’ve seen an increase in our conversion rate compared to the previous year.

How did Command C perform from a project management standpoint?

Command C’s project management has met and exceeded our expectations. They work fast, and their turnaround times have been faster than expected. For example, they developed the Shopify site in about 1.5–2 months, which was very quick.

Regarding budget management, Command C has also been great. They’re very forthcoming and transparent about the time they spend on certain projects and where funds are going.

I also feel very comfortable with Command C’s communication style; they’re very willing to share their knowledge and solve our questions. They use Basecamp to communicate with us, through where we can see the projects’ statuses. Additionally, we have weekly half-an-hor calls to ensure that everything is moving forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Command C’s partnership spirit is impressive. They’re invested in our projects, creatively thinking about making our sites smoother, faster, and better overall.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come in with a plan, know what you want, and be open to feedback. Our flexibility has helped us get the most out of Command C’s services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of Marie Oliver, a women’s clothing company located in Greensboro, North Carolina.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Command C?

We hadn’t updated our website for five years, so we wanted to give it a refresh and improve our online shopping experience.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Command C to build and create our new website. The main deliverable was a Shopify theme made to our requirements and needs. We were already on the platform, so the project was only a matter of identifying a new theme for the website and knowing what modifications we wanted to make to meet our goals. 

They’ve delivered the theme, and we’ve already launched the site. We turn to them if we need anything done to the website or when we encounter problems. 

What is the team composition?

We work with two people from Command C. 

How did you come to work with Command C?

We found Command C by researching different Shopify-certified web development companies via the Shopify website and through other sites. We were hoping to find someone local to North Carolina, and Command C had an office not far from where we were located. I also heard about them through word of mouth and from other people I know in the industry.

We ultimately decided to hire them after having a conversation with Sara (Founder). She was great in the onboarding process and in getting to know us. Then, we talked about our needs and how Command C could help us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the conversation in October 2020, but the project officially kicked off in November 2021. Our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first month of launching our website is a huge success; it has definitely outperformed our expectations, which is wonderful to see. The amount of time that users spend on our website has increased by 30 seconds, which is exciting. We’ve also increased the number of page sessions to 6.5; previously, it was only 5 sessions. 

On top of that, our conversion rate has jumped from 1.94% to 2.57%. Around 50% of all visitors view a product, and 90% of users add something to their cart, which is up by 5% from the previous rate. 

Moreover, we’ve coordinated the site’s launch with the debut of one of our new collections. Talking about the new website in the context of new products to our audience makes the most sense in this situation. Thanks to Command C’s work, we’ve been able to align the site to our new arrivals, which is great. 

How did Command C perform from a project management standpoint?

Command C is a great, organized team, and they have clear and easy communication. I like how they set up everything to help us manage the project throughout the engagement. We use Basecamp, where all communications go through. It’s the best catch-all platform into which we put everything. Then, they use Pitcher to log any issues or glitches they see to ensure that they can take care of them. 

In terms of deadlines, they’re incredible. We have a lot of back and forths because we sometimes want to adjust features or layouts during the development process. We’ve extended our overall timeline, but the Command C team has been clear in communicating and setting expectations whenever such adjustments happen. Overall, we’ve been pleased with the timeline that we’ve landed on when our website launched. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

No matter what we’re discussing about the website or how we want things to function, Command C always thinks from a mobile-first perspective. For comparison, it’s natural for me and my team members to go to our website through our desktop computers. However, the vast majority of our customers shopping on the website visit us through their mobile devices. Given that, Command C makes sure that the mobile perspective is considered first before anything else, and that is great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. We’re so pleased with the final product. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come together as a team and talk about your goals so that you can prioritize them. Have a clear idea of whether you’ll have sub-goals. This will help you picture the overall timeline and how things could work out. You can also identify things that might be counterintuitive to each other. This way, you’ll end up with the very best product possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing and e-commerce for a women’s footwear brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Command C?

We brought in Command C to help us with our website maintenance and development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, Command C started helping us with general maintenance and development optimizations to our Magento 2 site. Over time, we’ve partnered with them on other projects. In the most recent one, Command C is leading our site replatform and data migration from Magento 2 to Shopify Plus.

What is the team composition?

The team composition has changed a little bit over time. In the beginning, we had a different project manager, but we were transferred to Shay (Lead Project Manager), who has been our project manager since. Tiffany (Tech Lead) has been our lead developer, and we’ve also worked with Sara (Principal & Founder) and one more person.

How did you come to work with Command C?

In the beginning, we were recommended to them by another agency partner who had done development for us. This agency migrated our site from Magento 1 to Magento 2. At some point in time, the number of monthly maintenance hours that we needed was too small for them, so they recommended us to Command C.

We engaged with them over their competitors because of this recommendation and because they seemed like a great team to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve been on a monthly retainer with Command C since we first engaged. At the minimum, our retainer is $2,100 a month for 12 hours. Additionally, we purchase 36-hour blocks 3–4 times a year. Those blocks cost us an additional $6,300. The most recent Shopify migration is a $100,000 project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2017, and the engagement is ongoing. The fact that we engaged with them back in 2017 and we're still partners demonstrates that it's been a strong and fruitful partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The key metric for the success of our engagement is that Command C is doing their developments correctly. They're addressing our needs and solving the problems that arise.

The Command C’s team is an extension of our internal team, and they’re some of my favorite people to work with. They’re smart and conscientious, and the way that they approach every task is thoughtful and well done. I’m always confident that they can do tasks right — there’s a lot of confidence in their capabilities.

How did Command C perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management perspective, Command C is exceptional. They’re always meeting deadlines, and the communication with them is constant. We use Basecamp for project management, and we communicate daily through it. We also communicate via email when third parties are involved. We have biweekly calls and status check-ins. If it’s necessary, we can get on the phone to review anything in between that time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There’s a lot of confidence in our relationship thanks to the level of talent that Command C’s engineering team has. Tiffany, our lead engineer, is a remarkable professional. She’s incredibly good at what she does, and it’s really refreshing to see how good and talented she is.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Command C is not always the fastest. When an issue or task arises, it’s not always done right away. However, it gets done correctly — they offer quality over quantity. If they could improve the amount of time it takes to address individual tasks, it would be a good improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be rest assured that your needs will be understood and met with a thoughtful approach. You can have full confidence in their abilities — you’re in good hands with Command C.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Brooklyn Brewery is a regional craft brewery located in the northeastern US. We have an international footprint of close to 30 states and over 30 countries. 

I’m a content marketing manager, so I handle pretty much everything that’s brand-related, visual, or prints, seen in the marketplace. A good amount of my position in particular involves handling our digital platforms, including our website, and giving some assistance to social media and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Command C?

We had a several year-long partnership with them as a “troubleshooting helpline.” When it was time to update to Magento 2, they were the clear choice for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They assisted us with our Magento 2 migration, which was really our biggest project for our store platform in the past couple of years. The Command C team matched our existing themes from Magento 1. They were able to get that rolling at the end of 2019 and were able to launch in mid-2020. 

We had just completed a full site overhaul with another agency before the migration started, so they did a lot of work in matching up pattern libraries to make sure that the entire site looks like one piece even though it was technically on two servers. We have an ongoing relationship for technical support, plugins, and other technically-involved rollouts that I might not be able to handle myself. 

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Kristi (Account Manager), and our lead developer. I've also worked with other members of the team during onboarding, but most of my communication as the project continued has been through Kristi to keep things simple. 

How did you come to work with Command C?

They started working with another member of our organization prior to my work with them. In the end, I decided to keep them because they felt like a great fit. They were doing great work for us. Above all, they were responsive and responsible. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We have an ongoing relationship for support and implementation. Our Magento 2 migration project ran from December 2019–June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They are great at providing instructions for some of the ins and outs of Magento. When I went into issues on my own work for the migration, their instructions have been a handy structure because there are a lot of moving parts and quite a bit of development that went into it. Magento is not the simplest platform to tackle, especially during COVID-19 when we've had quite a bit of business changes, but Command C has made the process seamless. 

The simplest anecdotal feedback I could give is simply that the site works and that I’m able to maintain the site with relative ease, which is somewhat rare in the Magento space. I've spent a lot of time with fellow Magento users who were either experts or intimidated by the platform. Command C has done a great job of getting us to speed and the team made the site a functional piece of our business instead of it being a burden.

How did Command C perform from a project management standpoint?

We maintain a Basecamp environment for our ongoing projects. It has been very handy for us to be able to go back and reference our work done in the past. Basecamp is very helpful, user-friendly, and keeps everything organized than usual. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We ran into some small issues and places where things didn’t quite match up, and the platform seemed insurmountable — but they've been great not only about solving those things — but making it a transparent process during the end. They've communicated well on what they're doing and have given us the functional insights that we need.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really have any comments about their work. I would love to believe that our work was always most important. I would’ve love for things to get done overnight, but that’s just a completely unrealistic thing to ask of people. Other than superhuman time management, I couldn’t give any real feedback there.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take advantage of the Basecamp platform and what they could offer. Make sure that every piece of the relationship is really set out — and that things are clean, clear, and easy to search. Basecamp may end up becoming such a useful knowledge library and not just a communication platform, which could be a huge asset especially for newer users of the platform.

Being able to go back and reference things can be helpful. Overall, Command C does a great job of breaking stuff out to make it perfect.