Computan

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of US marketing at Sigfox, an IoT networking company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

When I came on board, our company had an outdated website that wasn’t functional. It wasn’t visible and didn’t have visitors. One of my assignments was to create a usable and interactive website that would drive leads to our sales team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I shared my ideas with them, and then their team came back with a quick mockup. My boss and I were blown away, so we went with it. While Computan stuck with WordPress, they completely redesigned the website and added functionalities. We have an interactive library of our devices on the platform. Their team completed phase one, but we retain them to further build out the site. In phase two, they’ll add e-commerce capabilities.

What is the team composition?

I had initial conversations with Sajeel (VP Operations) and then mostly communicated with Mohammed (Web Developer). He worked with a web developer and asked that I always copy web support.

How did you come to work with Computan?

I searched online for cost-effective web development agencies that could quickly complete the project. In their reviews on Clutch, clients said that Computan was a partner, which I liked because our team’s small. I needed to work with an agency that would work as an extension of us.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started talking with them in January 2020 but was still under contract with another web developer. We didn’t start the project until March 2020, and our partnership's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had a lot of traffic come through the website. I recently sent an email blast to our customers and sales representatives. Everyone loves the site, saying its significantly better than any platform we’ve had.

Our corporate office also loves the site and wants to redesign theirs to be like ours. We have another operator in Canada that wants to hire Computan based on their work for us. Before, we didn’t want anyone to see our site. Now, I’m able to pursue many more projects and link back to our website.

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team’s excellent. They made changes quickly in real-time. I needed to show measurable results. COVID-19 happened soon after we started the project, so the website became everything. Their team ramped up quickly and continued to release features. They’re so flexible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team was a partner and essentially became part of our team. They brought in a tool that allowed my whole team of engineers to give feedback. We just went to town on it, which made the whole project move faster. Unlike our previous partner, our team can talk with Computan directly. They listen to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re all over the moon happy. We couldn’t be happier.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want and know what you need. Even when I thought I did, I really didn’t. Computan helped steer us in a great direction. They’re a great partner to have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing at Riverlogic, an advanced analytics enterprise software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

We wanted to move our website from WordPress to HubSpot.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Computan implemented our designs. They put together various modules that we would need based on HubSpot’s structure. They took our design and turned it into actual easy-to-edit, global and local modules on HubSpot. 

The team moved 60 pages from WordPress to HubSpot, making it easy for someone like me who doesn’t know front- or backend coding to easily modify any part of the website or even create new pages. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and another teammate who oversaw everything and would occasionally respond if there was a delay with the project manager.

How did you come to work with Computan?

I met them at a HubSpot conference in Septemeber 2019 because they’re a HubSpot partner. They were appealing because their development work was relatively inexpensive.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from January–May 2020. If our side had been a little better, the team could’ve implemented it in three months or less. 

The project could’ve gone a lot faster, but we were still working on some of the actual design modifications while they were implementing, so we sometimes had to change the design part of the way through. Their working on another project for me now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work has allowed me to very quickly modify content on pages. It’s also a lot easier for me to do A/B testing, test copy, and create new pages. The ease of use that I have now without the website needing complex code is great. Performance-wise, the speed of the website has also improved.

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was great. Computan had us proofing every step of the way, and they communicated very clearly. We had regular calls. The cost was extremely affordable for the quality, speed, and size of the project. 

Initially, our project was structured, but because I had some issues with our designers, some of the times were delayed, which was on us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Computan’s knowledge of HubSpot was exceptional. They were able to cleanly develop on HubSpot in a way that allowed us to go in without knowing any code and create and modify website pages. The way they set things up was impressive.

Additionally, they were a really nice team that focused on customer satisfaction. Even when we had a lot of back and forth because of delays on our end, the team was always willing to help and never charged us more. They wanted to get us the best website that we could have. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

My only thing, and this isn’t a big deal, is that they could’ve used project management software. They put a lot of elements in spreadsheets which was a little confusing.

Project management software makes the development process easy, so they could give their clients the option to use spreadsheets or project management tools. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as organized and as clear with your expectations as you can in the beginning. A lot of things seem to be implied from the client-side, but most times they’re not. You can save time by getting specific and setting clear expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My organization is a marketing agency. I own the agency with my husband, and I oversee all of our digital and content work. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

As we were developing websites for our clients, we increasingly needed developer skills that we didn’t have in-house. We’re also located in an area that has a bit of a weaker development talent pool.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Computan essentially serves as our in-house developers. Whenever we’re working on a web project and run into something development-related – whether it’s as small as changing a font we’re having an issue with or as big as creating an entire website built off of an illustrator design – they handle it.

We have an ongoing monthly retainer. As things come up throughout the month, we just email them directly and ask for help, and they put a team on it.

What is the team composition?

They have one centralized support email, and whoever is available picks up the task and then handles it through completion. I know they have developers all over the world.

They also have people that are more specialized in particular platforms, such as HubSpot, WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. In the rare cases where we’re working on a platform that isn’t HubSpot, they have people that are specifically skilled in that platform, and they put them on the job to help. 

How did you come to work with Computan?

We’re a HubSpot partner agency, so we’re familiar with that whole network of relationships. The timing of our search for development support coincided with our becoming a HubSpot partner agency, so we were looking at solutions that were more HubSpot-focused. Computan had a booth at Inbound, and they have a great relationship with HubSpot.

How much have you invested with them?

We’re on a 40-hour retainer for $1,200 a month. That’s obviously less expensive than hiring someone in-house.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in the spring of 2018. At the time we brought them on, we only had one project, but we’ve continued the relationship for more than two years because they’ve become such an invaluable resource to us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Partnering with Computan has really given us confidence in our abilities and services in the digital space. Before working with Computan, we were obviously able to execute projects, but working with them has given us a new level of confidence in knowing that we can deliver to clients exactly what we want to, and that we're not going to be hampered by any lack of development knowledge on our side. 

Over the years, we've thrown so many different kinds of things at them, and there's never been a situation where they said they couldn't do it. They always come through. We’ve had different urgent situations, such as a site going down, and they have always jumped right in and solved the problem. They really act like they're part of our company and that they want us to succeed as well. We have been able to continue to grow our client base, especially in the digital space, because of that.

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s great. They’re very communicative. My team sets the pace, so at times when we’re working on more intensive projects, we set up weekly calls to check in on the status of various things they’re working on. When it’s slower, we don’t talk until we have something we need them to work on. They’re just very responsive to our needs. They’re super flexible to fit into our workflow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their desire to help us succeed sets them apart. I feel like they really care about doing the job for us, and they understand the client-side pressure. That’s reflected in the fact that they've never said ‘no’ or ‘I don’t know’; instead, they say that they’re on it and will look into it, and they get it done every time. Their level of caring and dedication is great. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

From a project management standpoint, some more communication within their own team could be helpful. I sometimes get the feeling that they’re not all talking to each other. For instance, if one person working on a project isn’t available, we’ll have to wait for them to come back on shift. Other times, two different people will pick up a project and not realize that someone else started it. There could be a little more internal communication, but that’s not something that has had a negative effect on us; it’s just something I’ve noticed.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be really clear about what you want. We’ve been most successful on projects when we’ve provided really specific examples and mockups, such as diagrams down to the half-inch of where we want something placed. That has made the communication easier, because in some cases, there is a language barrier.

Anytime I felt the communication was weak, I’d ask to have a call, and that solved it. The more clarity and communication that you can provide to them, the more you’ll get back.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a marketing agency based in Florida. We focus on healthcare, technology, and real-estate verticals. We have our own internal development and web design team. We specialize in HubSpot, so all of the websites that we do are on the HubSpot CMS.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

Initially, we needed help to complete complex development work. We didn’t want to hire a full-time staff member if we only needed them on occasion.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As our partnership grew, Computan became part of every single one of our projects and serve as a resource for our team. Whenever we have any questions, or anything technical with the development side of things when things aren’t working, they’re there to answer them. They also help with more complicated projects when we need.

What is the team composition?

We work with 2–3 people from their team.

How did you come to work with Computan?

We found them through HubSpot because they’re a HubSpot partner. They were at INBOUND one year and we met and started talking about working together. We tested them with a certain number of hours and over time the projects got bigger and bigger.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2017, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With their help, we can definitely create better websites. Our team is supported in their efforts and don’t have to waste time trying to figure out something complicated. They help create more value for our customers and at the end of the day doing bigger, better projects translates into more sales. Overall, they’ve helped our agency grow over the years.

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

We use email and monday.com for project management. Now, they’re part of our project management tool and we communicate directly in the tool, which streamlines everything.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a team around the world so they can do things overnight if need be, and they’re very responsive. The team is great at communication and are always open to implementing new technology we suggest. They’re open to getting better over time, which we appreciate.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the past, communication was an issue, but they’ve since improved significantly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to have a point person on your team to manage the relationship.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a digital marketing firm guiding businesses to reach their ideal clients, and generate leads and revenue through inbound strategy and tactics. I am the Creative Projects Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Computan?

We have worked with them on new website builds, website updates, website templates, and technical fixes.

What were your goals for this project?

Deliver a new website design with updated editing capabilities.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met them at HubSpot Inbound conference and knew their work with other clients.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed our provided website design on the HubSpot platform. They also made updates to the website's technical capabilities, working on a custom API for an integration, and troubleshooting when updates were needed.

What was the team composition?

We had an account manager who provided estimates and introduced us to the team of developers who worked on the project. The team was responsive and worked collaboratively to offer options.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final website was launched with increased functionality and ease of use for our client.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had an account manager who provided estimates and introduced us to the team of developers who worked on the project. The team was responsive and worked collaboratively to offer options.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The development team was very responsive and worked closely with our agency team to discuss timelines and find solutions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had some glitches in the QA process, requiring more of our agency team. But this was discussed with the Computan team and additional standards were put in place to prevent this.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of MarketSlice, an independent marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

We were looking for outside help implementing design and development changes for clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Computan provided web design and development services for us. The team designs around a core color palette, logo, and font styles. They usually complete three design iterations for desktop, let us choose one, and design the mobile state based on what was approved for desktop view. 

After the design is completed, I give them the go-ahead to implement the development stage. The team works in .NET and HubSpot to build WordPress sites from the ground up.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Sajeel (VP of Operations, Computan), but I’ve been in contact with four members of their team overall.

How did you come to work with Computan?

I had worked with Computan four or five years ago. This past September, I ran into Sajeel at a marketing conference and had a renewed interest in working together, since our client base was growing. It made sense to work with them this time around.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent a little over $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Computan began in September 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We focus on conversion rates, working within a tiered model from high intent free estimate requests to contact us pages to brochure downloads. Since working with Computan, our conversion rate is over 5%, in an industry where the standard is 3%.

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been great. Our teams communicate mainly via email and phone calls. They gave us access to their Freedcamp dashboard to track their progress and see how things are moving along. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

What I like most about Computan is they’re really efficient in the work they do. They make you a priority and really pay attention to what you need. They work with you, not just for you.

You never run into radio silence with these guys. They usually respond in under 12 hours. Computan stays on top of things. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything has been great. They could be faster and cheaper but I could say that about any service.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Anytime you’re working with an outside organization, you need to clearly define the rules of the engagement before beginning. We prefer to have open access to everything our vendors are working on at any time, so that’s something I establish beforehand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the global marketing manager at Extensis. We offer software solutions that facilitate creative workflows.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

We were long overdue for a rebrand and needed to rework our entire website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Computan rebuilt our site from top to bottom: the navigation, the content, the messaging around our products, and the visuals. We host the website on Hubspot. They took the site that we had — along with its custom programming and requirements for the backend’s functionality — and went from there. It was a lot of development and custom CSS and scripting. The team didn’t use any templates. 

What is the team composition?

We had two primary points of contact and an additional developer. We also had an incredible project manager who ran a very tight ship. He came to meetings and made sure we’re covering what we need to. 

How did you come to work with Computan?

I actually bumped into them at a Hubspot conference two years ago, where they had a booth. At the time, I was responsible for the website and all development. Having a development team that I could contract out was something I was looking for. We tried them out for four free hours, and it went well. I pitched them the project, they did a great job, and so I kept them in mind.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in May 2019, and the launch date was in October of the same year. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a large increase in traffic and a 68% increase in SEO — a big focus of our content rework and the structure of the site itself. Computan did an amazing job.

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

They were awesome. Computan was one of the most professional and accommodating companies that I’ve worked with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Computan’s responsiveness stood out most to me. There were a lot of quick turns on the project, as well as problems that needed to be solved very quickly. They put the right resources on the problem and met our very tight deadlines. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I really can’t think of anything. When I think of all the details we asked them to cover, I can’t think of one that they missed. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Be organized and know exactly what you’re trying to achieve. That will help you ensure success.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a company that does leadership and organization development for other companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

We hired Computan to support our backend’s IT needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They implemented various technologies to our company’s network, specifically doing payment hookups on our backend. Whenever problems arose, they supported us in finding and incorporating solutions. Their services were all done remotely. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Sajeel (VP of Operations, Computan)

How did you come to work with Computan?

We found them at a HubSpot conference, and they checked off the boxes we were looking for. We then had a call with Sajeel and I really enjoyed our conversation, so we decided to move forward with the project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2018–July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of the work was superb. I’d absolutely hire them again for our needs. 

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great at communicating with us. We spoke mostly over phone calls and email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication and general knowledge were very impressive. They were incredibly easy to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I had a great experience working with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t have any advice because everyone would have a good experience working with Computan. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is a HubSpot Gold partner, providing inbound marketing services for foodservice equipment companies. I’m a partner with partial ownership of the company, but I also devise and maintain strategy for all the content we create on behalf of our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

Sometimes, it’s very difficult for agencies to be scalable with their own development teams. It can be costly and time-consuming. We decided to investigate Computan for development work instead.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To help us best serve our clients, they do both WordPress and HubSpot buildouts for us. They’ll take us from start to finish on website builds, making sure we handle development logistics that need to be addressed on a day-to-day basis. Over time, they’ve become our go-to for everything development.

We’re throwing more work at them as we get it because we fully trust them at this point. Our team is looking for any opportunity to get them more involved.

What is the team composition?

We work with a handful of their team members virtually through our project management platform. Their ownership and principle had made himself accessible to us on a weekly basis.

How did you come to work with Computan?

They were recommended to us by another agency partner.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000–$50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in early 2019 and are still collaborating.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Certainly, deadlines are the most important metric to us, and they’ve been able to hit all milestones. Additionally, our clients are delighted with their work.  

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re responsive and meet deadlines, going out of their way to help us impress our clients. I couldn’t recommend them more. My team never needed to handhold them through assignments. We can expect results. They’ve completely changed my perception of what a development partner can be. 

Each week, we have a brief check-in with their principal, which was essential to our success in the beginning. Now, we’re working so closely with them that the meetings are brief, detailing urgent priorities for the coming week. They’re pretty self-sufficient in what they do.

The team is full of great communicators. They ask questions when needed, so not much redundant communication is needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Not only did they make solutions scaleable, but they also made it easy to deliver for our clients. Their ability and willingness to go the extra mile for us is commendable. Customer service is a focal point of their business, which makes it easy to work with them.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Their team deserves a fresh approach. Don’t let past experiences with developers taint your relationship with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of a digital inbound marketing agency specifically for smaller to midsize businesses within the health and wellness space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Computan?

I’ve been working with Computan on various projects for the past few years. Typically, they’re design and development projects, but we also outsource to them for security-related issues.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For development projects, we provide them with a design and they take it from there. It’s a rather streamlined process, whether they’re starting from scratch or maintaining a site. They usually use either HubSpot or WordPress.

They also help with security-related issues. For example, one of our client’s websites got hacked, and it was a complete mess. Computan migrated everything to a different host and cleaned up the site.

What is the team composition?

Our primary point of contact is Haseeb (Sr. Web Developer, Computan), and he has been very helpful. He manages a development team of 2–3 people.

How did you come to work with Computan?

I believe we me at the HubSpot inbound conference. Our top priority was finding a partner that would communicate with us and help provide a concierge-like experience for our clients. Once we started working with them, they met those standards, and we started sending more project their way.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016 and continue to collaborate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can’t say enough about them—they’re great. I can depend on them, which is really rare. They regularly save us money by delivering a great product in the first try, with only minor tweaks after that. They also made the process of dealing with the hacked site so much easier. They regularly go beyond what we ask them to do. For example, I asked them to install an SSL certificate, and they added 15 other necessary security features for us.

How did Computan perform from a project management standpoint?

Haseeb does a great job outlining the steps they’ve taken and what they expect to do next. Although they’re very responsive, especially in urgent situations, their communication could be improved. One of our biggest challenges is determining deadlines because Computan rarely sets them, and we need to communicate expected timeframes to our clients.

I think they just aren’t sure who is going to be working on different tasks and are balancing other projects. We’ve tried to rectify this by creating a Google Sheet for pending projects that includes notes and delivery dates, but they haven’t used it. Nevertheless, they deliver everything quickly and tasks never get lost. I appreciate that they’ve started confirming that they have received requests.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re truly dependable. As an agency owner, it’s reassuring to have such a strong partner that I trust to handle the things I don’t know how to do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d appreciate it if they would communicate expected timeframes better, but that’s it. They’re great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as specific as possible about your requests, and be clear on your expectations and desired deadlines.