Communication Crafts

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the Managing Director of Webboutiques. We manage about 500 companies’ web systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Communications Crafts?

Lack of resources. We’re in a continual state of expansion and didn't have enough hands to fulfill the workload that we had at the time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We retained 2 senior programmers that could mentor other programmers to cater for the growth of the company. They work with the languages of our server environment including Apache, MySQL and PHP.

We recognized that the only way to get the best out of outsourcing is to make an initial investment. We’ve spent quite a lot of time creating frameworks to work within and training them in the use of our system. As a result of the training, they know our expectations. They work very well to our quality guidelines; they work very hard and they're keen to please.

We adopted the attitude that we want them to feel included as part of our group. We give them small bonuses and include them in office activities. We don’t treat them as a bucket in which to put things and get things done. We treat them as an extension of our team.

What is the team composition?

We interact with 4 people, the 2 programmers, and 2 others for administrative purposes.

How did you come to work with Communications Crafts?

Pure chance. We were searching the internet, looking for a suitable company. They have an agent in the UK so we were able to meet that agent and discuss with them, which made it easier to establish the engagement. Before we dived in, we gave them a short-term contract of about 3 months. I think this is our 3rd contract now. We started with 2 3-month contracts and then gave them a 14-month contract that runs through February 2019.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February last year and its ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have worked on every part of our system. They’ve enhanced things, built things. They’ve enhanced existing systems and built some new subsystems. All of these things help us to sell more websites. If you look at the entire portfolio, there will be some aspect of Communication Crafts’ work in all of those sites.

How did Communications Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email, phone, and Skype, and use project management tools.

They always go the extra mile. Bearing in mind that they’re 5 hours ahead, I could speak to them at 4 pm knowing it’s late there. I would tell them to go home but they would carry on doing the work.

They’re keen to please and sometimes I feel that they’re overambitious in terms of the speed with which they can deliver. There have been times that I’ve had to slow them down. It takes a bit longer but I don’t care. We’re striving for perfection because we have to do our best to look after the companies we support. When we introduce something new, it has to be perfect because it’s being used by all of the 500 companies that use our system. Our quality requirements are therefore probably excessive. We might be too demanding.

The volume of work that they deliver is very high because there are 2 full-time programmers working for us. At some point during the process, there have been 1-2 quality control issues with the delivery but it’s uncommon. We had frank discussions with them about it and they’ve responded with tighter controls and cross-checking. They’re concentrating on being more comprehensive in the way they test and now have a new program in force with itemized testing. So, we’ve had 1-2 hiccups but, in the scheme of things, they haven’t been severe and they reacted quickly to address calls to address the quality control issues. During normal development, there are always issues to address. They stack up favorably to any developer anywhere in the world I've ever come across.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their commitment. They really do want to please.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think they're doing just fine as they are.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into it with your eyes open. Don’t treat them like a bucket into which you throw work and expect work to come out the other end. Treat them as an extension of your team and remember that they’re working remotely. Give them a framework to work within and enough information to enable them to do the job properly. When you’ve briefed them, make very sure that they really do understand the briefing and nothing has been lost. Don’t forget that they’re working on a system they’ve never seen before. If you were recruiting a new programmer, you wouldn’t expect them to churn out a perfect code on Day 1. You would do training: it’s no different.

You'll get out of it what you put into it. The only way that outsourcing really works, in my opinion, is if you’re genuinely prepared to invest, to truly regard them as an extension to your team, and to treat them like staff members who work in a remote location. If you do that, you will get the best out of them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the digital director of Brandnation. We are a fully integrated marketing agency and do anything from PR through digital social content video, which includes doing websites. I am in charge of digital delivery and anything Internet-related.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Communication Crafts?

We had a shortage of .NET developers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Over the years, we have worked with them on multiple projects. They are the go-to technical resource for anything .NET related. We have a couple of developers in-house that come in handy is for overflow or specific projects that we need to outsource and deliver within certain timeframes. In terms of projects specifically, they have used .NET, DevExpress, and Entity Framework in addition to standards such as IIS and various Microsoft technologies.

What is the team composition?

On average, we have one or two people. We have had up to three people, but it is usually just the project manager and one or two developers. They are able to scale up quickly. They’ve offered the option to rent out staff permanently for either three, six, or 12-month periods.

How did you come to work with Communication Crafts?

I found them through a Google search. We usually outsource to people we know, working with partners or with people who left the agency and opened their own in different countries. Communication Crafts has a great personality that they convey through their website which caught my attention. I had a great conversation with four initial sales staff including someone in the U.K. I met the CEO or VP right away. I liked the people elements of their proposition and their expertise. The communication they put out to their clients and the general public is also quite people led, which is something I like.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around £15,000 ($20,878 USD) so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2016 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work has boosted our revenues.

How did Communication Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

We usually scope the work and pass on the task to them which they deliver perfectly. They usually do up to 97% of tasks we request. Then, together we fine-tune the remainder, and then it comes back to us. It requires a bit of hand-holding, but their project management is very proactive; if they don’t understand something, they will push it back to us and won’t go into development without getting an approval.

We primarily use email and Skype on occasion. They primarily use Agile methodology for their internal practices, which is what they recommend as a first step. They are very flexible when working with clients, and for us sometimes it is Waterfall.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a wide spectrum of skill sets across the agency. Their most impressive assets are their technical knowledge and their people. It has been awesome working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could have a bit more self-guided attention to detail in the frontend and try to fix things themselves rather than go back to us. We had one of two areas where we had to take care of things, but it was resolved quickly and was very minor. There aren’t many problems when dealing with them, but if there are issues, they work to straighten things out right away, so it has been positive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Pre-book in advance. I would recommend locking in on their rates. If you have a long-term project, you can get a couple of developers for a great price.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

As a digital marketing agency, we handle the requirements of our clients from a branding consultancy regarding online marketing, design, and frontend and backend development. We also do analytics in brand marketing and social media. I’m the managing director and coordinate a team of people to do the work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Communication Crafts?

The level of work coming in was not a steady stream but had peaks and troughs. We couldn’t scale up the internal team quickly enough to be able to fulfill high levels of work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They support us with frontend WordPress development.

What is the team composition?

We have contact with one senior developer and the CV manager above him. We handle communication with our clients.

How did you come to work with Communication Crafts?

They contacted us. It was reassuring to find that not only was the gentleman we spoke to a UK representative of theirs, but he’d actually used Communication Crafts as a client and could speak with authority on their abilities.

How much have you invested with them?

£10,000–15,000. ($14,140–$21,210 USD)

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2017, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most significant project they worked on with us has yet to go live. But the client is absolutely delighted, as are we.

How did Communication Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

We use email, Basecamp, and Teamwork.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're proactive and will chase us for information, which is always welcome. They’re responsive, quick, and understand what we require much more so than other agencies we’ve worked with of the same type. The level of communication between us and them has been excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing at all. We’re completely satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do it as soon as possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the account manager for a web agency based in the UK, responsible for business development and the ongoing project management with clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Communication Crafts?

The company was quite busy, and we needed some extra developer capacity on a mobile app project.

We needed an agency who could work within very specific requirements, and in a very tight timeframe.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided them with designs and the specifications, and they took that and created their own spec for us to check and validate. Once we were happy, they undertook all the development work.

They designed native apps for Android and iOS, to work across mobile and tablets. They created individual versions of the app for each device, then provided us with a URL in order to download each separately so that we could test the individual versions.

What is the team composition?  

There was a project manager who was our day-to-day contact during the development process, and then there was a different primary contact during testing.

How did you come to work with Communication Crafts?

The first company we approached to help us on this project didn’t have the capacity, but they recommended we talk to Communication Crafts. We had a Skype meeting with them, and liked what they had to say.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £8,000 [$10,811].  

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began in May 2017, and the project went live in November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback from our client has been very, very positive. The app launched at an agricultural show in the UK, and we haven’t had any major problems since it went live.

How did Communication Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

They were efficient and diligent, with a good grasp of the subject matter. They kept to the timeline; they turned things around remarkably quickly.

They were very easy to deal with. They actually offered us daily updates during the development process, which we didn’t need. When it came to testing, they were fast to turn work around and deal with any issues. We were really impressed with their speed, and it was a very positive experience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I have nothing to compare them to because it's the first time we outsourced work in that way. But you do hear stories of bad experiences with outsourcing, and that was absolutely not the case. The team is very professional, and I wouldn't hesitate to hire them again.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only downside is that we prefer to work with Microsoft .NET and SQL Server, and they use PHP and MySQL.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a cosmetics company that sells award-winning products. Grande Cosmetics is located in White Plains, New York, and was built from the ground up by Frank and Alicia Grande.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Communication Crafts?

We wanted to build a new website.

What were your goals for this project?

The main goals of this project were to provide us with a mobile friendly, and high-performance site that would last for years to come. The site needed to be responsive on all platforms and support customizable auto-shipments.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met Communication Crafts at Adtech NY. The head of sales contacted me afterward to discuss the project price and quality they could provide. They told us they could build a Magento website for under $50,000; we were pleased with that offer and decided to pursue it. I've worked with other web companies in the past who didn't deliver, so hearing a solid offer made me feel comfortable about a new site.

Describe the project in detail.

Their team designed, developed, and launched a community edition website. After some test phases, this website was responsive to mobile devices. They designed and developed our backend to work with both our retail customers and our wholesale customers. 

What was the team composition?

The project team had about 3 people, which remained the same throughout the project. We also had a project manager which kept in touch constantly to ensure project's smooth movement. This made me feel more confident in their abilities. This meant that my team could work knowing that no stone would go unturned.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

The project was designed and developed with our cosmetics company in mind. We needed something compliant with our procedures for reporting, sales, and organization. The community edition of Magento that they built was optimized for just that. The new site allows our wholesale customers to check out with just a few clicks. We now have no glitches in marketing to our retail customers. Finally, our distributor sales/website sales are all funneled into one place. This makes my job a lot easier. The reports I can gather using our inventory software helps me out more than Communication Crafts will ever know.

How effective was the project management?

Their project management was one of the most effective and responsive I have ever had the pleasure of working with. We conducted weekly progress meetings every Monday. This kept me in the loop while keeping the team connected with my needs. We used Skype and communicated constantly throughout the project. One of my team members set up a Trello account and they communicated big projects changes on that.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We always had direct lines of communication with everyone we worked with. This helped us to feel safe in the development environment. If I had a question, there was no concern over who to call; it was just a matter of who would answer the question first. They created a great customer service environment and made everyone on my end comfortable in working on this project.

The team worked hour after hour to perfect the project to our liking. Our needs for this project were hard to convey because we needed so much and in such detail. They did not give up on us, listening to every detail we needed and making it happen.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

They seem to be a company based very heavily on code. They never really offered us a design aspect. My team's design capacity is small, so there weren't too many designs being put up on our end. It made the project go a little slower than expected.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a company that specializes in web design, web development, and some digital graphic design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Communication Crafts?

We needed to help supplement the program with WordPress and different frameworks, but my team wasn’t big enough to do all the work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Communication Crafts does a variety of work for me. For example, one of the websites is a staffing company, and Communication Crafts does all the custom programming. They even meet with the team leads and managers and pass on my ideas.

The team also helps me fine tune our plans and projects so that they’re more feasible. They’re good at finding alternatives and suggesting new ways to accomplish our objectives.

Communication Crafts also provided custom work on a CMS. One of our clients was expanding, and we had to determine if we wanted to duplicate the efforts with the new site or build a 3rd website to encompass both services.

What is the team composition?

I interacted with the project lead and the manager.

How did you come to work with Communication Crafts?

I was looking for a partner when Communication Crafts happened to send me an email. I looked them up, and they seemed to do good, quality work; plus, it was a nice balance of price and value. Compared to other overseas companies that I’ve had experience with, their value is excellent. It’s really good for the amount that you pay.

They sent me a few samples, and I had a couple of discussions with the vice president at the time. It seemed like we understood one another, so we partnered.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They respond to me in a timely fashion, and they stick to their deadlines. Their responsiveness has allowed my clients to scale up features that they’ve needed, and it has helped my clientele grow probably two-fold in the last year or so.

How did Communication Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver within the price range and usually ahead of time. We started off having Skype chat, but now that we’ve worked together for a while, we mostly just use email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re reliable. If something were to go wrong with one of my client’s websites or other work, they’re just a phone call away. They respond to any kind of urgencies, and I appreciate the work they do for me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish they could do more of everything that I offer. That’s probably more of a services thing, though.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director for Shree PrintWell India, a printing service company that works for corporations and photographers. For corporations, we provide solutions like all the paper printed materials for the marketing and packaging. For photographers, they shoot an entire event and design the book, and then we print, finish, and deliver the work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Communication Crafts?

We wanted to build an automated system to assist the photographers with all the operations completely online. The goal was to optimize and monitor the entire flow of the production along with the client database and the invoicing; it would be a completely seamless integration of all of these processes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In this department, we have an automating system. When the order comes, we have an uploading server. The process is on a feed where it passes through 5–6 different production processes and then shipped to the client. Communication Crafts built Java-based software, which takes care of automating, the production flow processes, invoicing, client relation management, all our sales team tracking to a mobile application, and our sales team reporting. We have one more calling division where we call our client base. Communication Crafts built a CRM module for all of that, almost like an enterprise resource planning [ERP] solution. Tomcat is the server, and MySQL is the database.

What is the team composition?

The team size depends on how much work we have month to month.

How did you come to work with Communication Crafts?

We did our own research, but one of my clients referred me to them. Initially, we started with a small CRM development, and that’s how it all began.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent $136,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2014, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our total time has improved a lot, and the clients are satisfied. In the past three years, our brand revenue has increased drastically. For the same kind of product, we’re charging more than our competition.

How did Communication Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

We talk online and sometimes have in-person visits, depending on what the requirements are for the task. We use Asana to communicate.

80% of the time the projects are on time with no major problems, and they’re often responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their teamwork is impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice if they kept themselves involved in the ongoing project. After the delivery, they should offer technical support for the product they delivered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a startup that provides a B2B mobile platform for businesses based predominantly in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Communication Crafts?

We were looking for alternatives to an internal workforce. We had internal developers who were UK-based and weren't on contract. We felt that the services we were getting from them weren’t very effective in terms of either cost or production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We use Communication Crafts (CCT) to develop our mobile app platform on Android and iOS. We build our own backend in the UK and use them for the frontend mobile app development which communicates with our servers. We send them pieces of work and they produce that work as per our specifications. I give the developers very detailed documentation and they produce what I need with screenshots.

What is the team composition?

We have 2-3 full-time people we work with, including Android and iOS developers and sometimes a project manager.

How did you come to work with Communication Crafts?

We had a cold call from CCT around 3-4 years ago. We took on their services on a trial basis, starting with a small project to build a couple of mobile apps. We liked what they did, both in terms of cost of production and quality, and we took it from there.

We were concerned about quality and, in particular, cost. The cost of a developer in the UK was far greater than the cost of a developer in India. We were willing to forgo having them sit next to us for the kind of price they could offer.

How much have you invested with them?

They’re on a fixed monthly contract with us. We’ve spent about 70,000-80,000£ so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We kicked off in February 2014 and its ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our customer base is growing day by day. We started with maybe two or three customers on our platform and now we're up to 5,000 plus. That's not predominantly down to any one factor but we've had very large growth. We've gone from virtually no utilization to 5,000-6,000 users and we're growing 20% every month.

How did Communication Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

We have our own project management so don’t use their project manager much. Most of the work is done directly with the developers. I communicate with the Android developer via Skype or Skype chat to specify exactly what’s required for the next stage of work. He communicates that on to the iOS developer. We don’t have a regularly scheduled call but the people we deal with are highly responsive. In terms of getting things done and responding to queries and requests, it’s always been done on time and within scope.

In the very beginning, there were some issues with communication and how we set the process up to get the project underway. Once that was established fairly quickly, everything has worked. From where we were four years ago to where we are today, it works seamlessly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When we started working with CCT, it was really a matter of costs for us. Having said that, the quality of work that's coming out is second to none. We'd be happily working with them for many years to come.

I had never used an external provider before. To me, they're like an in-house development team, regardless of them sitting 7000 miles away from where we are. That’s the greatest compliment I could pay. I think the unique selling point for them is that they’re flexible even though we’re working in an outsourced manner. They’re accessible in terms of communication and in terms of getting work done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of a single thing they should change. They work well with us and we have a very good relationship. I'm extremely happy with their performance so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The reason I think we've worked very well with CCT is that I'm a developer myself. One of the things I would say to anyone working with them is to have printed documentation and know exactly what you want. Describe your specifications and requirements very accurately. If you can't provide that, use CTT's project management services who can help you to achieve those documentation requirements.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the digital director of Cedar Communications, a content marketing agency. I lead the digital customer experience team, and I am responsible for CMS builds and web strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Communication Crafts?

Our Hong Kong team was retained by the Cathay Pacific Airways to create a digital content platform for their in-flight magazines, Discovery and Silk Road. We looked at a number of app and web-based platforms, but we weren’t satisfied with those because they didn’t give us the flexibility of design and service we needed. At about the same time, we made the acquaintance of Communication Crafts. They were able to provide the technology, pricing, and service which made it a logical fit for the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Communication Crafts has worked on an editorial content platform, taking its material from two in-flight magazines. The purpose of it is primarily to provide brand building and brand awareness among existing and potential customers of the airline. There is a secondary requirement of promoting destinations within the content to drive ancillary ticket sales. 

Communication Crafts’ involvement was as a digital build team. My company conducted all the strategy, user experience, and user interface work providing them with initial prototypes and Photoshop files which they then converted into a workable WordPress CMS.

What is the team composition?

There were at least 4–5 people involved with the project at different stages including a developer.

How did you come to work with Communication Crafts?

They sent us their outbound marketing, received by my CEO and myself several months before we engaged them. I get a lot of these approaches, so what helped Communication Crafts to stand out was that they provided a whole range of services, creative as well as digital outsourcing. They were the right people in the right place at the right time. We use other outsourced providers for different technologies including Sitecore and Umbraco, but, at the time, Communication Crafts came across as a credible option.

How much have you invested with them?

One particular project we’ve done with them was approximately £5,000 [$6,500]. There have been a couple of other ad hoc projects on a smaller scale. We’ve used their QA testing facilities on a couple of occasions for another £2,000–£3,000 [$2,500–$4,000].

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Communication Crafts in late 2016. The end of the phase two amendments finished in summer of 2017. The initial project is complete, but there are likely to be future developments on the site, so if anything suitable comes up, we will discuss that with Communication Crafts. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Communication Crafts performed their service as advertised. Their service and communication ethic is very good. They were always prompt to reply to our emails, and, in general, did what we asked. They investigated particular items and got back to us if there was an issue. We occasionally asked for things, and they would be misplaced or not addressed, but there was a lot going on. We were asking a lot of questions, and there were multiple email threads running concurrently. By and large, I would say that their service was excellent. The few things which were missed were sorted out in the end.

How did Communication Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

The project was handled across three time zones. The Communication Crafts team is in India, and we had one team in Hong Kong and one in London. With lots of people working at different times, we couldn’t have done it over the phone.

We didn’t use any project management tools and didn’t have a formal project manager assigned from our side. Everything was done through email and Google Docs, which worked fine. The development used the waterfall approach. The work was generally done on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very cost-effective, which is a major reason why companies like ours use teams like Communication Crafts in India. Having said this, we wouldn’t be using them if they didn’t also provide a good service and speed of turnaround. Altogether, they provide a good package of service and cost-efficiency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Communication Crafts told me that they spent much longer on the project than they’d budgeted for, but they didn’t ask for more money and they didn’t warn us that we were going over the allocated hours. If there is one piece of feedback I’d give them, it’s that they need to give regular updates on the burn of the budget as we’re going through it.

They could improve by being more communicative about hours and budget consumed. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It’s commonplace for Western companies working with outsourced teams in India to make sure that there are good communicators on either side. If you have two people on either side who know what the business objectives are and who can keep things on track along with clear goals and documentation, everything will be good.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company, Flash Avenue LLC, is a localized digital marketing agency in York County, Pennsylvania. We offer website development, SEO, pay-per-click, and social media management as well as some reputation management services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Communication Crafts?

I’ve had prior experience outsourcing to companies for programming both locally in the United States and in India, and have also hired my own staff in past years. As a small firm, I had trouble keeping the production workload of an in-house staff full at all times. I also struggled to ensure the quality of work with my local hiring, in terms expediency of delivery and quality of programming and coding.

I first turned to outsourcing companies in India in 2003. I encountered many of the problems I assume a lot of other outsourcers run into with communication and product delivery. Misunderstandings can surface if parts of the scope of work haven’t been interpreted properly, or when components of the final product are missing. Scope creep can cause arguments. The challenge is to get quality programming done in an expedient manner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Communication Crafts have worked on multiple projects for me. I'll typically ask if the solution can be built on WordPress and they'll advise me that in some cases it would be better to go with another option. They’ll use CAKE, Laravel, Linux, Apache, or PHP.

Probably the most complex program was for a client that offers hundreds, maybe thousands, of chemical products that they distribute. They were looking to build a “Request a Quote” so that customers could assemble a quote based on chemical name, available quantities or packaging sizes available, etc. Communication Crafts were able to successfully put together a shopping cart-style “Request a Quote” building form that addressed a complex set of requirements.

What is the team composition?

I have an account manager assigned to me and a production manager that I work with. On occasion, I also deal directly with the programmer(s) working on a project plus some administrative personnel for the bookkeeping. I typically deal with 3-5 people on each product but it may just be one. It depends on the scope of the project.

How did you come to work with Communication Crafts?

I saw a standard marketing email that they had sent offering their services to companies like mine. The tone of it was more personal than most other marketing e-mails. It also provided a link to a video overview of their company, which I previewed and decided I'd give them a call. I set up a time to do a Skype call to meet them. It's been great ever since.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent about $20,000, including $15,000 on completed projects and $5,000 for ongoing projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

We launched our first project in March 2017. They’re still working on projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For every project that I've worked on for my clients that they have had a hand in, the clients are 100% super satisfied. I have a 100% rate of client satisfaction on my end.

Communication Crafts solved my outsourcing issues both in regard to the level of work that they do and the timeline that they do it on. I believe they finished every project that I've worked with them on ahead of schedule. The workmanship, the quality of the programming coding that I hired them for, is the best I've ever had. I never have anything that's not working properly or things that have broken, even for projects have been done for several months. They'll make suggestions on things I may have not considered in a project and cover things I might have overlooked myself. Which is a wonderful thing for me to be able to convey to my clients.

How did Communication Crafts perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ll typically start off projects communicating on Skype with a video call. From there, most of the follow up is done through email. We chat via Skype chat as well.

Communicating Crafts is probably more proactive about communication than I am. They far exceed my need to have questions answered.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have overcome the problems I've experienced in the past as far as communication and the quality and timing of delivery. From my past experiences, I thought it was normal practice that every outsourcing company would overpromise, under-deliver, and take longer doing it. That's why I love Communication Crafts.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not for the services they offer. I wish they offered even more services because they're so good at the ones I hire them for.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say definitely contact them to start a relationship. They won't be sorry.