DevProvider

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We focus on online discounts for customers and operate in several countries in Europe. We have a team of around 25 people working for us.

What is your role in your company?

I'm the chief executive officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal in working with Code Enterprise?

Initially we were hiring local developers, and the problem was that we couldn't find enough people. We wanted to grow faster, so we needed to look for an external partner. We've worked with Code Enterprise for quite some time now on several projects, and I'm very happy with their services.

Please describe the scope of their work.

They developed new modules within our system. That could be a module to attract more customers or one to offer more incentives to customers. They've developed a wide range of modules for us.

SOLUTION

What was your process in selecting Code Enterprise?

We did a search and came up with their name. We first spoke with their CEO, and then we started with some trial projects.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative?

We've definitely spent more than $10,000 working with them.

When did you begin working with them, and is the relationship ongoing?

I think it was in 2012 that we started. We are still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics on the project?

For us, communication with them goes very well – mainly through Skype and email. We also use some project management tools to communicate with them that work fine. They also provide excellent feedback on our ideas. If we have an idea, they try to make it better. They try to deliver at cost, and they try to keep their deadlines and their word. It's a good arrangement for us.

Is there anything unique or special about Code Enterprise that really makes them stand out?

They really focus on their projects. They have people with a wide range of experience. If we need someone experienced in a certain area, and they don't have that expertise in their company, they can source it very fast and acquire a new staff member. For 90 percent of our requests, they start right away. So, both their response time and their knowledge base are great. 

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

You always have some small issues when beginning a relationship but, along the way, things get better. We have open communication. We try to improve their services, and they do the same for us, so it's working both ways.

What advice would you give a future client of theirs?

A lot of people have doubts about the whole outsourcing business. I would say, give Code Enterprise a try and see what they can do for you. You will definitely be surprised about their quality and their motivation for completing projects.

BACKGROUND

Please give a brief description of your company:

Our company, E-Fashion, was founded as the company behind several e-commerce websites. We have several websites that sell women's apparel and accessories. Both websites are focused on Holland and Belgium. Currently, we have plans to expand internationally.

What is your role at the company?

I am the Internet marketer, and I make sure that the websites keep running smoothly. Further, I am responsible for the development of our websites, trying to create as good a user experience as possible.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached Code Enterprise?

We were facing a conversion rate of about 1.3 percent on our websites while research showed for a website like ours it should be possible to achieve a conversion rate of 2 percent or even a bit better.

What were your company's business goals for the project?

Well, the end goal is a better conversion rate, but there are a number of smaller objectives that contribute to it. For example, we redesigned the websites for a better user experience, but we also had the help of Code Enterprise to speed up our websites, and we implemented some measures that should convince the customers to make a purchase more easily.

Can you talk about the scope of the project?

We host several websites. Code Enterprises has worked on about eight websites for us.

SOLUTION

What was your process for selecting Code Enterprise with which to work?

We basically could be very quick with the selection. We know someone who has very close ties to Code Enterprise, who has already worked with them on a very large scale for several years now.

Can you give a sense of the size of the project in dollar terms or personnel work hours?

Since we started working with them 15 months ago, I think we have used one full-time unit all the time. So, I think we're at about 1,800 planning and programming hours by now.

When was the project completed?

We have all kinds of different projects. The first one was completed early March 2014, and the current project is scheduled to be completed in several days [May 2015]. Here, one of our main websites is getting a large overhaul to update everything to the most recent fashion. The challenge here is to do this in an orderly fashion, so customers should have no idea that we are actually working on the websites. Also, the aim of this is to make one of the websites load faster for customers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

Well, besides the improvement in conversion rate, I can also mention that we are working on creating a full reporting module in Google Analytics, where we can measure a lot more than just the standard information, which you can get from such an account. We are already underway to measure a lot of the special interactions of customers with our websites.

How did Code Enterprise perform?

Most of the projects have been completed within the estimated time frame.

When working with Code Enterprise, was there anything unique or special about them compared to other companies with which you may have worked?

I have direct communication via Skype with them and, at several times, they were there for me when an incident occurred on one of our websites, even though it was already late in the evening in their country of residence.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that they could improve or you would do differently?

What I would do differently is describe my projects more thoroughly to them. Sometimes, we made a bunch of changes halfway during the project, which created delays that would have otherwise not happened.

What advice would you give to a future client of theirs?

Be very precise about the scope of the project. Close communication will be quite important.