Empire Elements

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a teacher at William Perkin Church of England High School in west London.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

Empire Elements came in to help put a meteor camera on the roof, and they have helped to repair it if anything goes wrong.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us set up a meteor camera on our roof. After that, they helped the students analyze the data we captured with the meteor camera using specific software. Just recently, they came in to talk with some of the students about an app that they want to develop that would help to capture meteors in real-time.

They’ve come into the school at times to correct “capture problems” we were having. They also taught the students how to analyze the data they had captured. They are quite good at troubleshooting problems in person or through email, giving us suggestions on what we can do.

What is the team composition?

We have worked with Richard (CEO, Empire Elements).

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

I worked with a scientist at the Natural History Museum, and I met Empire Elements through that contact.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in October of 2016, and it is an ongoing partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve provided us with the expertise to set the camera up, capture and analyze data, as well as evaluate the data. They offer their time and expertise to enable us to do that. 

If we need any technical advice, they give that to us. Sometimes they come in to help us, and sometimes they are able to troubleshoot over the phone or via email.
The students have been very receptive (they work with students from the ages of 11 and 14), and they have to be able to communicate with them in an accessible way. 

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate through email and phone calls. Richard has always been very faithful and never cancels an appointment that we have. As a schoolteacher, I can’t afford to book something and then have it not happen. He always comes in on time and does the session as he said he would.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We are the most impressed with the fact that they are faithful, helpful, and knowledgeable about the field of meteors, data capture, and analysis. Also, they don’t charge at all for their services. They are there to inspire the young generation into science.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t really fault them. If anything, I would like to see them more.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend working with them. For another school, I would say take what they give and be grateful for the help that they give you. Treat them nicely. They give their time and energy freely to the school.

If they can’t make a particular date or come as regularly as you would like, just be aware that they are giving their time for free. We have just applied for a grant through the UK Space Agency. We haven’t heard back yet, but the hope is that the money will be spent setting up cameras in three other schools. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

At time of engagement, chairman and webmaster for a Not for Profit society.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Empire Elements?

Web design and development including custom template customisation

What were your goals for this project?

The business objective of the project requirement was to project an image of an active community, improve public engagement and attract membership through a stronger internet presence. Key to this was integration with social media, strong SEO and supporting analytics to understand visitor interests and activity.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Empire Elements made a direct apporach with an outline solution. It was clear from the outset that Empire Elements could deliver what was required and was capable of providing ongoing support.

Describe the project in detail.

A fully hosted solution based on WordPress was delivered including template customisation. Throughout the process there was frequent interaction and opportunity to refine the design. Training in WordPress was provided with ongoing support when needed.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with Richard Kacerek. Additional project resources were involved in the background.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

A superb website was delivered that met all of the requirements. We saw good growth in visitor numbers and the site led to an increase in membership.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was regular and clear. There were no time pressures but Empire Elements were responsive and maintained a good pace.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're innovative and are always willing to contribute ideas.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Video One Network, a video-selling platform that will be launching across Europe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

We wanted a partner that could build our video-selling platform from scratch—a web application and the hosting behind them, which would have to be quite large to handle video.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empire Elements built out the video-planning platform. One of the primary features we wanted was to generate users’ video licenses, which could be utilized by different vendors, such as TV stations. We provided them specific case scenarios to help them build this function.

Since we would be hosting paid video content, we required a payment integration. They suggested that we use Stripe—pushing back on our preference for PayPal—and it’s been working brilliantly for us. They also created an admin panel for the publishers to place their videos for sale and for buyers to buy and download at any time.

They made sure to include platform scalability for when it gains more traction. If we have a lot of traffic going through, we’d need to expand our storage capacity. They utilized AWS because of its flexibility and PHP for coding.

Empire Elements handled the full project from beginning to end. Before building out the architecture, they made excellent wireframes. They then produced wonderful designs for the site while taking all of our feedback.

We plan to build the mobile app in 2020, which they’ll probably be handling as well.

What is the team composition?

We talked to Richard (Founder and CEO, Empire Elements) and Vera (Project Manager, Empire Elements) from beginning to end, and they managed their own team. That saved us a lot of time because we didn’t want to have contact with the 12–13 people working on the project.

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

We found them through a Google search. We invited Empire Elements to meet us in Prague, where they pitched us their ideas. It was fantastic to see their team in action with our own team. We chose them because they had the technical expertise to build both web and mobile platforms.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $150,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Empire Elements in the first quarter of 2019. The project is in its final phases now, and we’re soon going to be rolling it out across Europe.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While we’re yet to launch the service, I found the development process to be very impressive. In the beginning, they delineated a detailed plan that was easy for us, on the business side, to understand.

While we don’t have any technical knowledge, they made it simple for us to track all project progress. We appreciated that level of transparency. For me, creating a precise plan and delivering upon it is a measure of success.

We’re absolutely ecstatic to launch a platform we’ve been working on for a really long time. They took our ideas and made them better.

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint?

Empire Elements effectively delivered in two-week slots, as detailed in the original plan. They were very transparent and communicative. The managers were always available to discuss developments over the phone. It made a big difference to talk to just a couple of people instead of several different teammates.

We’ve had a number of different video meetings, and they came to visit us in Prague a few times to demonstrate each phase of the project. It was really nice to have them actually come to us. I went to London to meet them a few times, as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their enthusiasm and skill, along with their ability to improve upon the ideas that we give them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I advise clients to meet Empire Elements in person; that’s where we were most impressed. I would also encourage using the skill and advice they can bring to make the product or project better. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of FitBod. It’s a mobile app for users to find and book sessions with personal trainers based in their area. The platform’s aimed at the European market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

We needed a company to build our mobile app for cloud hosting. We wanted a long-term partner who could also create the app from start to finish and support the product after its launch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empire Elements developed two native versions of our mobile app for iOS and Android. First, their team created user-flows and wireframes. They showed us screens and explained how the product would work. Then, their team designed the app. From the designs, they built an interactive prototype, which allowed us to see how the product would function on phones. Their team presented different routes for development such as native, hybrid, and frameworks. They helped us decide how to proceed, explaining the pros and cons of each route. After, their team planned and built the cloud infrastructure. They also created screenshots of the platform to show how the platform would be displayed in an app store. Empire Elements integrated features for users to interact with a map to locate trainers, and filter content according to distance and type of trainer. They also developed a chat feature between users and personal trainers.

What is the team composition?

Many people worked on the project but Richard (Founder and CEO, Empire Elements) was my main point of contact. If I wanted to ask a question, I texted him. When we had meetings, it was with Richard and another teammate who joined us.

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

We really liked them. When we searched for mobile app development companies, Empire Elements was featured on the first page of Google. We asked if they would meet us in Amsterdam, which was a test question. Empire Elements was the only company that was willing to actually come and meet us. When we met their team, they were really enthusiastic about our project. At the meeting, we started discussing ideas of how to improve the app for users and how we could monetize it. They also offered cloud hosting, which led to our decision to partner with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $80,000 on the project so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in March 2019, and the work’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

During development, they produced builds every week. This enabled us to give feedback, telling them about any bugs that needed to be fixed. There was no extra charge for these versions because Empire Elements wanted to deliver a fully tested, ready to launch app. We’re already planning other things for the FitBod business and will partner with Empire Elements again.

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve used email, phone, and WhatsApp to communicate. Every Monday we catch-up on a Skype video call. We’ve also met with their team in London and Amsterdam. Empire Elements was really good at meeting deadlines and following project compliance.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Empire Elements actually listened to our ideas. Their team has given us ways to improve the app. Our project hasn’t been just about money for them. They also have business sense.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. We’ve been very happy with Empire Elements.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the technical lead at My Hippo Space. We offer storage services in London and around the UK through our storage sharing platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

Our application is going to offer a platform to anybody who has extra storage space that would like to rent it out for others to use. We needed every part of our web and mobile app developed, and we wanted to be able to do it through one company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we came to Empire Elements, we had a rough idea and an attempt at a logo, but beyond that Empire Elements has done everything for us. They took our idea and put it together into a viable product, essentially helping us to build our business. Their team performed wireframing, branding, coding, and even establishing a cross-platform language that we could use to integrate our application across the different platforms we are on. 

They started with the design of the web application and then moved to iOS and Android, and we are currently looking at expanding into other geographic regions. They wrote the website in Laravel and the Android and iOS frameworks in React Native, and also demonstrated how our application can now be scaled while running in Amazon web architecture, which is really crucial for our business plan.

What is the team composition?

Altogether there were 16 people that worked on our system, and rather than dealing with each of them individually we handled everything through a project manager named Richard (Founder & CEO, Empire Elements).

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

We did quite a lot of research over the course of two months, and actually hired one company that turned out not to be very helpful at all. We turned to Empire Elements after that because of the skill and experience that they demonstrated in building whole systems, and we haven’t regretted it.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent £400,000 with Empire Elements (approximately $485,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in early 2018 and our project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can’t speak a lot to the numbers because we do want to keep things a little bit under wraps, but in terms of our collaboration with them it has been clear throughout the project that they have a very strong business sense. They were able to enhance our ideas and essentially helped us to build a better business. In that sense we are absolutely meeting our goals and often exceed them in terms of where the business should be. 

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint?

Working with them is great. We communicated regularly through calls and email, but they also frequently come to London to see us. They always have something to show us because of a user flow they established which allows us to see where each user is going within the app and predict what they do based on statistics regarding click through rates, etc.

They have put a lot of work into planning and presenting us with that plan. Their team operates in 2-week sprints, so we meet very regularly and always have tangible progress to evaluate and discuss in those meetings. They’ve performed better than we ever expected.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have an incredible wealth of experience with Western markets, which has turned out to be absolutely critical to starting our expansion into Western Markets. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything at all, they were absolutely fantastic. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO and founder of a travel startup in London. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

We needed a vendor to help us build an app and make it scalable, so that it can roll out in different countries. We wanted to find an experienced company that was enthusiastic about the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empire Elements built a website and an app for iOS and Android. It's native application, while the website is hosted on an Amazon cloud platform. They guided the entire process from creating the wireframes to designing and developing the app. 

What is the team composition? 

I mostly work with two members of their team, but they've assigned about 10–12 people to our project. 

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

We interviewed a few different companies that we found through a Google search. From the first meeting, we were impressed with Empire Elements’ enthusiasm and their level of expertise, so we decided they'd be a great fit for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about £400,000 (approximately $497,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in January 2019 and the relationship is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is very fast, so we're extremely happy with it. Empire Elements exceeded our expectations in terms of delivery. They work in two-week sprints, which helps us measure success and the speed of the project.

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint? 

They're very professional and explained the whole process to us. We have certain milestones, and they made it absolutely clear how long it'd take to accomplish them. So we had a detailed plan of when everything would be delivered. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

One thing that stood out to us was their enthusiasm, which was backed up by their experience. They understood exactly what we wanted to build and they made it better. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe the price could be a bit lower, but you get what you pay for. They helped our business grow and saved us money, so we essentially got back more than we had spent with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend starting with an MVP and launching it. Then, I'd suggest getting feedback from early users and making improvements. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of a scooter sales and rental business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

We reached out to Empire to develop a mobile app for our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided Empire with the requirements of our app during initial meetings; we wanted it to be scalable, so we could eventually expand our services to other countries. They then developed the app for both iOS and Android with features that allow users to rent scooters. 

What is the team composition? 

We work with Richard (Founder and CEO, Empire Elements), a project manager, and a couple of developers.

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

One of our junior staff interviewed 7–8 different companies. Although Empire's prices weren't the lowest, their 24/7 availability was very attractive to us so we decided to work with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested about £70,000 (about $89,000 USD) thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since July 2018. The app launched in November, but they're now working with us to launch it in another country.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're quite happy with the app they've built overall. We just wish we'd gone into more detail in the beginning, but building these types of platforms is never easy. 

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very agreeable and receptive to our feedback, accommodating the many changes we requested. They're genuinely there for us and willing to do whatever it takes to make sure we're happy with the end result. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

In addition to meeting our requirements, they've been able to bring a certain amount of creativity to the project to add value. More importantly, they make themselves very available to their clients. We're able to reach them outside of business hours, which has been critical in solving any issues or urgent requests that come up as we build out our platform.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While they ensured the app was completed properly, we would've liked the timeline to have been shorter.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Enjoy the ride and layout the project requirements in as much detail as possible from the start. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of operations for Nexus Security, an outsourcing private security business that provides services to multiple clients across multiple sectors. We have a 20-person internal team, and we utilize a network of suppliers, which are all listed on our online platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

We initially contracted them for the development of a front-facing website and online portal which our employees, suppliers, and customers can use for accessing our daily workloads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empire Elements built a bespoke online portal for our business, which we utilize across multiple clients. It enables us to plan, monitor, record, and send invoices. Our business expanded exponentially over the last three years, and there were a lot of changes to make on our system to make it fit for its purpose. It had become obsolete, so Empire Elements came up with some good ideas about expanding our service to the cloud.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Richard (Founder and CEO, Empire Elements).

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

I joined the business a few months after the decision to work with them was made, so I couldn’t answer this question.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Empire Elements approximately eight years ago. We’ve made a lot of updates over time as our business grew.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the system’s been operational, we’ve had 780,000 successfully tracked and completed jobs logged through it. It’s the main source of our business.

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re quite relaxed in terms of timelines, and they’ve done what we’ve asked them to do within a reasonable timeframe without many specifics. Overall, they’ve stuck to our schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aside from the fact that they’ve delivered what we’ve wanted, we have a very user-friendly, fit-for-purpose, bespoke platform that works for our customers. Furthermore, Richard is a decent person and a good man to be in business with. He’s always delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When we were in our early stages, they were a fairly small business which produced some communication issues since we couldn’t always get a hold of them straight away, especially out of working hours. They’ve grown since then, so we haven’t had any recent problems.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Do a Wilson. We provide the market with a social networking and facial recognition application that’s used to create unique photographs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire Elements?

We needed an external service provider to design and develop our app from start to finish.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empire Elements are full-service development partners. Instead of offering them visual content from the start, we first talked through the process of how we wanted the app to work. Through that process, we verbally outlined some rough designs for them to iterate. They put together several wireframes and presented the options to us. Our ideas changed frequently, but their team is patient enough to facilitate that kind of approach. Once we finalized an interface, they started building the platform and implemented their UI/UX.

Similar to Instagram, the current version of the app uses facial recognition technology to apply live filters, masks, effects, and animations to photographs. In addition to formatting the app’s layout, Empire Elements contributed to the graphical designs of those features. There’s also a chat feature that allows users to communicate with each other. Empire Elements conceptualized and programmed a trending section within the platform’s home page. That functionality curates images with a lot of likes and displays the posts for greater exposure.

What is the team composition?

I interact directly with Richard (Director, Empire Elements) and he manages the rest of his team.

How did you come to work with Empire Elements?

We held initial discussions with nine different vendors but narrowed the field down to two candidates. Ultimately, it came to down the chemistry between one of my colleagues and their director. We felt they’d be more amenable partners than the other firms we considered.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent £120,000 (approximately $156,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2015 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The application is absolutely fantastic. Our only issue at this point is deciding how much money to spend on marketing it. There were a few problems after launch regarding the time it took for the software to download videos. Empire Elements accommodates our needs and provides the best service possible.

In the long run, I expect the app to attract enough followers to make it a viable business. It could still use some minor upgrades, but we’re about 80% satisfied with the current build. Overall, I appreciate the work Empire Elements performs. I’ve even hired them to build two additional apps for me.

How did Empire Elements perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent communicators. Everyone wants their project completed immediately, but it takes time to create a polished product. We have regular meetings and make a point to sit down face-to-face about once a month. We also communicate via phone, email, or WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They operate on a flexible schedule and respond to our questions seven days week. Most of the world only works Monday thru Friday, but building a business is 24/7 commitment. Richard understands that concept and is always available to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’d appreciate faster delivery times. That’s not always a reasonable expectation, but that’s what we do as entrepreneurs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of A Perfect Job, and we currently work as a sole trader that has two employees and a website designed to work in approximately 10 different countries. We are starting the business and other agencies in the U.K., which is where the company started, and also where I’m currently located.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empire?

I needed help rebuilding our website. We draft people in the medical field to help them find jobs through locum agencies and hospitals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had a basic idea of what I wanted the site to look like, but Richard [Founder, Empire Elements] was extremely helpful in guiding me through everything and explaining what needed to be changed. This took some time, but everything he altered clearly showed me that he had our best interest in mind. If I had built it the way I’d originally planned, it wouldn’t be near as capable as it is today.

When I put the site together myself, I never thought there would have been certain problems. The changes Empire made are things which we currently rely upon. Previously, our site didn’t allow users to stay active within our job pool if they didn’t get work for a period of time. Now, users are able to stay constantly active, and they’re also able to receive emails allowing them to tweak their application and ads to improve their possibilities for employment. The website is built on Amazon Web Services.

How did you come to work with Empire?

I searched online for website designers, and the first agency gave me a quote of almost £50,000 [$65,348] for a site that wouldn’t be mobile compatible. I couldn’t spend that amount of money, so I continued my search.

Empire gave me a quote of exactly £14,000 [$18,297], and told me they could finish development in four months. It ended up taking nine months, but only because of frequent changes at my request regarding pages, colors, and buttons in different areas. Despite this, their service was really good, and their quote never changed.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent approximately £14,000 [$18,297].

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from March 2016 until December 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site is very user-friendly, and works very well. If Empire wouldn’t have helped me along the way, there would’ve been significant problems with the site. When I started out, I had a basic idea, but it wasn’t viable. Empire created a site that has pages I hadn’t even thought of, including those with our payments, history, jobs listings, and newsletters. They also suggests having additional email addresses to contact some of the people applying for work.

They always explained every change before implementation. The website wouldn’t look as good as it does without their input.

How did Empire perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good. Ninety percent of the project came directly from their team because of their previous experience. There is no struggle in reaching them, and their communication is really good. There have been no problems with project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t worked with any other developers. They explained to me why things would or wouldn’t work, then worked independently to design the site. They frequently guided me and made changes to avoid any issues.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing they could improve would be the people who design the logos. I’m not overly impressed with the logos on my site because they’re not very nice. The people who handle the frontend need to be more aware of what it looks like to the user, but especially on the front page of the site.