Dotinum

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO at RoweryStylowe, a bicycle store and repair shop that specializes in new Dutch bicycles, parts, and accessories. We also sell winter sports equipment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dotinum?

We engaged Dotinum to develop an e-commerce store based on their proprietary platform. Our team wanted to combine the online store with an internal CRM system, which would be connected to a wholesaler and courier service.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a modern e-commerce site with cutting-edge UX/UI design, as well as optimizations for SEO. In addition, our team aimed for a responsive site intuitive product filtering features to ensure a fast purchasing process.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked with them on another e-commerce project. The project was successful and we had no doubts about the team’s ability to deliver.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Dotinum built the e-commerce site and included functionalities for order placing, customer accounts, product subpages, a contact form, and filtering. The team also created a multi-category blog and leveraged social media.

What was the team composition?

The team includes two backend developers, one front-end developer, and graphic designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was successful. We noticed a significant increase in sales, especially during the winter season. Our CRM base constantly grows.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The team was efficient, responsive, and open to feedback. We used a ticketing portal to log issues.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their reliability, professionalism, and cutting-edge expertise stood out. Dotinum were not just problem solvers, but they’re also efficient collaborators.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I am very satisfied with our cooperation and results that they deliver. This is why they are my long-time business partner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of a company that specializes in advertising articles made of plastics. Over the years, we’ve shifted our focus to POS and display products as well as plexiglass processing. We’ve been present in 14 European countries since 2005 and work with several major brands to produce their plastics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dotinum?

Rather than only selling ready-made solutions, we wanted to build a web-based platform that would allow users to design custom plastic products themselves. Dotinum joined the project to build the platform, adding various customization features and e-commerce functionalities.

What were your goals for this project? 

Our aim was to establish the first online store in Poland that allowed users to design fully personalized plastic products. Since there’s a growing demand for customizable acrylic solutions, we wanted to offer that service to our clients. We hoped the clients would use our platform to adjust their orders using a number of basic shapes, letters, and numbers and hole cut-outs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My colleague had worked with Dotinum and was satisfied with the collaboration, so he recommended them to me. After reviewing their portfolio and conversing with their owner, I decided to choose them. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail. 

Dotinum designed and developed an online plastics configurator with e-commerce capabilities. With our solution, users can customize and order plastic products through a wide range of options. This includes choosing the type and thickness of the material, calculating the overall shape and dimensions, and cutting out holes. 

During this process, users can also preview the final product in real-time before confirming their selections. The system then automatically creates a scalable vector graphics (SVG) file that contains the product parameters, which is adapted to be ready to use in our technical process.

In addition to the advanced product configurator, Dotinum built out several additional processes to automate production, logistics, and accounting through daily order reports. The platform determined the final product price based on the user selected parameters. This meant coding the system to calculate each service/material offered separately.

Finally, their team built out the online shopping components, including creating user accounts for clients, setting up payment options, adding a shipping service, and building out user notifications.

What was the team composition?

I worked with two backend developers, a frontend developer, and a graphic designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before our collaboration, we didn’t actually sell our products online. But, now that we have the online store, we’re able to reach new audiences, and our customer base and sales have increased consistently. The system has really allowed us to tap into a potential market, giving clients the opportunity to customize their plastic products to meet their needs.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It initially took some time for us to understand our needs. Once we determined concrete goals, everything ran smoothly. I liked using their ticketing system called Project Manager the most. I didn’t understand how it worked in the beginning, but, after some time, I realized how helpful it was. It really improved the project and accelerated implementation across all processes. 

What did you find most impressive about this company? 

Dotinum was very involved in my project. The team was able to implement my every idea, no matter how difficult it was. On top of that, they always looked ahead, predicting any potential problems or possible outcomes. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

We mostly interacted online, but, in some cases, that wasn’t sufficient. For long-term engagements like ours, it might be beneficial to organize more face-to-face meetings. That’s the only thing I would recommend to change.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company was founded in 2010. We offer lighting products such as LED bulbs, energy-saving lamps, and switches for houses and apartments.

I'm the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dotinum?

We have a brick and mortar shop but our online shop is our main focus. Our e-shop was created and maintained by another company until 2015, but that company ended its activity. We needed a reliable partner to take care of the shop’s maintenance on a daily basis. The shop was created on Magento and it wasn't working well. There were issues with its performance and its integration with auction sites. We wanted to add new products, but it wasn't technically possible. We needed to find a solid partner to fix this.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dotinum team was involved in the process from planning to implementation. They performed an initial audit of our online shop, then we met in order to identify all of the issues. Together we assessed possible changes and chose to implement those that were the most important in terms of value versus cost. Dotinum also maintains our VPS server. We work together regularly, and we still have many plans for our shop that we will surely entrust Dotinum with.

How did you come to work with Dotinum?

Dotinum took over the clients of the company that created our shop, so in a way, it was a natural choice. Of course, we could have chosen any other provider, so we did a background check anyway. After looking at their portfolio and reading client reviews, we decided Dotinum would be up to the task.

How much have you invested with Dotinum?

So far, the cost has been less than $10,000, but I would say we’re still in an initial phase of our cooperation.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in 2015 and is not limited in time. Dotinum provides support on a regular basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The project was successful. Dotinum optimized the shop's performance and the website is now loading faster. This is crucial for our users' experience and, in the end, to their conversion.

The biggest advantage of centralizing everything with Dotinum is that they are our single point of contact. If something goes wrong, we know whom to contact and they will know where to look. When we had several providers, it was hard to identify the source of a problem and contact the right provider.

How did Dotinum perform from a project management standpoint?

In my opinion, Dotinum performed well. The communication was good and they responded regularly to our queries. We could count on their honest feedback and advice.

What did you find most impressive about Dotinum?

I appreciate that they were involved in the whole process, advising us on what we should or shouldn't do. They didn't try to sell all of their services, only what was appropriate for our situation. Their implementation was also high quality.

Are there any areas Dotinum could improve?

They could be cheaper, but I am willing to pay the price for high quality and the peace of mind that I have a reliable provider taking care of my website.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We produce tables and chairs. In large part, we sell our products to consumers using an e-shop and sales platform.

I am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dotinum?

We wanted to update our e-shop in a way that would allow customers to build and visualize their customized table and chairs using online software. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dotinum made a new e-commerce platform for my company. Initially, I explained to them what I needed in generic terms. After that, they were responsible for the whole project, including developing how it should look and work.

How did you come to work with Dotinum?

I met the owner of Dotinum while studying for my MBA. During that time, I needed a new e-shop for the business. I explained to him what I wanted. We talked a lot about new possibilities and then we decided to start working together.

How much have you invested with Dotinum?

My project initially cost less than $10,000. With updates to the software, the cost increased. The total cost now is between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They begin my project in August 2015 and they finished in December 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Because of Dotinum, my company has a new e-shop. We are able to observe our market and understand how can we grow our business. The Dotinum team has been very helpful and they have given me a lot of suggestions as to what we should change.

How did Dotinum perform from a project management standpoint?

Sometimes, we experienced problems with our communication with Dotinum. I had to explain several times what I needed or where there was an issue.

What did you find most impressive about Dotinum?

They are able to both talk and listen to you. They use their knowledge and experience to help you and to show the best solutions for your business. At the same time, they listen to your business specifications and needs.

Are there any areas Dotinum could improve?

There are different types of clients. Since I'm just a businessman and don’t have technical understanding, they should use a different language when they talk to clients like me. Dotinum should also explain how the work will be done or how it will look. It would also help if they prepare better before they start work. Specifically, they should have a clearer understanding of their clients’ previous software.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

MEDtube is an innovative project in professional health education, we're an online platform with tools to make professional education and certification processes more efficient. MEDtube was founded in 2010 and now has more than 15,000 training videos, and more than 100,000 registered professionals worldwide.

What is your role at the company?

I am the CEO and cofounder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were trying to address with Dotinum?

At one point, our site's traffic grew very quickly, and we had a shortage of development resources. Dotinum came in the right moment of our cycle.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Dotinum built an application to manage customer support and advisory.

How did you come to work with Dotinum?

They were referred to me by another CEO. After meeting with them one time, I was confident that they could do the job.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

In total, we've spent between $50,000 and $100,000 with Dotinum.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in December 2014 and wrapped up August 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The project met our expectations. Our customer support ratings have risen markedly since Dotinum's work.

What distinguishes Dotinum from other providers?

What stands out the most to me was Dotinum's flexibility and their professionalism. They were able to alter the scale of the project as our needs changed, and their work was delivered always on time and with very few problems.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

I would have liked for them to be a bit more proactive in terms of communication, but that did not adversely affect the project. Overall, we are very satisfied with Dotinum and would recommend their services to others as well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our company, Moon Cosmetics Ltd., has extensive experience in the sales and distribution of cosmetics in the United Kingdom.

What is your role at the company?

I am general director of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Dotinum?

We were building an online store from scratch. We needed a vendor who could handle all aspects of the project.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Dotinum's services included domain registration services, hosting, SSL [secure socket layer] certificates, online store software, and tailored software development services.

How did you come to work with Dotinum?

We had an extensive selection process that involved a number of firms both here in the U.K. and abroad. Dotinum was the best choice based on the quality of their past projects as well as their pricing.

What is the status of this engagement?

[We worked with them for] three months in 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We are very pleased with their work. Have a look at the MoonCosmetics website, and tell us what you think.

What distinguishes Dotinum from other providers?

We really enjoyed the professional approach Dotinum took throughout the project. They consistently took the time to explain and give us extensive updates on the status on the project. Their client-facing team and developers worked tirelessly, on weekends when needed, to deliver the project milestones on time. Challenges were thought through quickly, and options presented on how to tackle them. Many times, they provided innovative ideas on how we could do things better than what we had originally conceived. In all, as experienced professionals, we are hugely impressed with Dotinum. We are extremely grateful to work with such a great team and are looking forward to working with them continuously in the future on this and other projects.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

No. All aspects of the project were processed repeatedly until we have received satisfactory results

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Rowerystylowe is a bicycle store and repair shop based, in Wroclaw, Poland. Through our online shop, we sell cycling equipment to bike enthusiasts across Poland and Eastern Europe. We specialize in the sale of Dutch bicycle products.

What is your role at the company?

I'm the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

How did you come to work with Dotinum?

We had an old website based on osCommerce that had many problems and was not able to do what we needed. We worked with Dotinum to redesign our online store and general online presence completely.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We wanted to divide our online offerings into different shops that focused on a specific product area, with a single online platform that could unite each of these stores. Dotinum was responsible for designing and building this new site as well as training our technical team on maintenance and related issues.

Dotinum also assisted us with several digital marketing projects after the launch of the new site.

SOLUTION

How did you come to work with Dotinum?

We were looking for a company that had significant e-commerce experience. While Dotinum has a wide range of competencies, e-commerce is one of their specialties.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

Since we began working with them in 2011, we've spent between $50,000 and $100,000 working with Dotinum.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Dotinum in November 2011, and the new online store was launched in 2012. We continue to partner with Dotinum for updates, software maintenance, and server management. Also in 2015, we launched a new version of the store that is mobile-friendly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We now have an online shop that not only looks very professional and sleek, but is also easy to use, both for our customers and ourselves. The online database built by Dotinum, allows us to add products and track inventory much more easily than before. Overall, the new website has been a great asset to our business.

What distinguishes Dotinum from other providers?

The Dotinum team are e-commerce experts. They were very professional and took the time to learn and analyze our business, so they could build a customized solution. They're always thinking about ways to put the customer first. I can't speak highly enough about them.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

I don't think there is anything to change.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Alulids is a manufacturer of aluminum lids for cosmetic companies here in Poland and abroad.

What is your role at the company?

I'm the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address with Dotinum?

We had an antiquated website at the time that struggled to portray our brand in a positive light. The website was built on a proprietary framework, and we didn't have the freedom to manage its content or even offer pages in other languages for our foreign customers.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Dotinum closely cooperated with us to define our needs and goals before we proceed. Since a major goal was to increase our company's presence in foreign markets, Dotinum concentrated on finding the most efficient way to make our website available in several languages. Ultimately, they recommended launching each version on separate domains, and customized our CMS [content management system] to host each of the sites.

How did you come to work with Dotinum?

I had the pleasure to work with Michal Splawski [Dotinum's CEO] in the past, and I found him very capable and trustworthy.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

I'm afraid the cost is confidential. However, I can say that the development portion of the project was completed in about two weeks, and the whole project lasted only six weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Dotinum created six language versions for our site and all of them can be managed from one administrative panel, which makes things very easy for us. Dotinum encouraged us to host each language version of our website on the appropriate country domain to optimize our visibility in search results. The sites look great, and function well. All the feedback we have received has been very positive.

What distinguishes Dotinum from other providers?

What stood out to me was the individual approach Dotinum takes to all their clients. The solutions they devise are not always the easiest, but they are what's best for the client.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

Not really. I am pleased with all the services provided, and we got the attention we needed. I can't think of anything to change.