Epicenter Consulting

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr. Director of Technology of Pine Cove

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Pine Cove operates a network of faith-based summer camps and day camp programs in the Southeast US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Epicenter Consulting to accomplish?

• Enhance and maintain our Summer Staff Recruiting and Hiring software platform.

SOLUTION

How did you find Epicenter Consulting?

blog

Why did you select Epicenter Consulting over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Epicenter Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• New UI functions based on stakeholder feedback 
• Added reporting functionality 
• Performed code performance analysis & database tuning to improve speed of application 
• Developed an admin portal interface for managing system users. 
• Developed transactional email system 
• Helped with system migrations and security hardening

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Met needs of staff recruiting team to hire over 2000 college students each summer 
• Provided accurate reports used in payroll integrations to pay all staff throughout the summer. 
• Met turn-around times to get enhancements and fixes completed before business deadlines. 
• Helped resolve system issues quickly during busy season.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

• Generally would ask for adequate time upfront to complete the work realistically. When granted the requested time they would finish on time. Would be very clear if their availability wasn't matching our request. 
• If there were any exceptions in delivery times they would generally communicate that proactively. 
• We were pleased with overall response time.

What was your primary form of communication with Epicenter Consulting?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Epicenter offers very flexible arrangements and were willing to take on our legacy code project with a mixture of technologies and frameworks. Overall, they worked at whatever level we requested - either staff augmentation or full ownership of specific projects and would adapt with us as our needs evolved.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Epicenter Consulting could have done differently?

I don't have anything specific in mind. Any issues were pretty short-lived and usually handled by a quick phone call or Slack message.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a builder's hardware company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Epicenter Consulting?

We wanted to get our business online in the form of an e-commerce website. Our goal was to expand our geographic reach without having to open additional wholesale facilities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We told them what we wanted to do and they figured out exactly what needed to be done to achieve it. They developed a proprietary e-commerce website from scratch. They guided us through the whole process and included features such as installation videos and product templates. The website also takes customers through the necessary steps to purchase a product.

What is the team composition?

In the beginning, the owner was our main point of contact. As we’ve grown and they’ve grown, they assigned us a project manager. 

How did you come to work with Epicenter Consulting?

A mutual friend introduced me to the owner who is brilliant. From the moment he walked in the door, it was obvious that I had to work with Epicenter Consulting. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $1 million–$5 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in 2005. The initial project was completed within six months, but we’re still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our business and revenue have been growing continuously for the past 15 years thanks to their work. The website is never really completed; it’s always evolving.

How did Epicenter Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

Epicenter Consulting performs very well. We communicate with them via email, but we also schedule conference calls with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

In addition to being good listeners, they’re great, competent people. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Determine a single point of contact and work with that person.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of IT and payroll at HR Options, Inc, a full-service human resources company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Epicenter Consulting?

We wanted to come up with a fresh, custom approach to the systems and processes that run our business. Like most companies, we used a third-party application to run payroll and to bill our clients. We were at a crossroads in deciding whether to rent, buy or build our own software. Nothing on the market was a good fit for us.

We hired Epicenter Consulting to help us create a piece of custom software, focusing exclusively on the features important to us as a company. On a macro level, we needed an application that would run payroll in all 50 states of the United States and all the provinces in Canada. So, it needed to be able to support regional and international payroll. We wanted it to be connected to billing so that whatever we were paying could be billed automatically.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have our own software architect who works with Epicenter Consulting in certain aspects of design and to execute on all of the development for us. Their team has proven extremely valuable in offering ideas and raising flags along the way. It is a fluid and essential process for us.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact, who was their CTO six years ago when our project started, is no longer with Epicenter. Now, we work with a slightly different group which is still excellent. Our primary developer is Alan (Software Engineer).

How did you come to work with Epicenter Consulting?

We did extensive research at the time which lead to a handful of candidates. Proven, first-tier ColdFusion expertise was one of the main evaluation criteria we established. We chose Epicenter Consulting because they were the most advanced in this area.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Epicenter in April 2013. The product launched in 2016 and it continues to expand with Epicenter's assistance. Our engagement with them is as active and productive today as it ever was.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their execution has been effective and it has made for a fluid and smooth process. Often, their interpretation of our vision brings something unexpected and valuable to the equation that makes the product better.

How did Epicenter Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

We handle the project management piece ourselves. We rely on Epicenter for execution. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are capable, reasonable, extremely competent, and a great cultural match for us. We appreciate the casual, approachable can-do attitude they bring.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the physician/owner of Hormonal Well-Being

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a clinic that helps with hormone changes, weight loss, and aesthetics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Epicenter Consulting to accomplish?

• Create a website

SOLUTION

How did you find Epicenter Consulting?

Referral

Why did you select Epicenter Consulting over others?

• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Epicenter Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Epicenter helped to create our website and with e-commerce. They helped with branding, and continue to help us with our online presence.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The website is user-friendly and appealing. We are able to communicate our message to our potential patients and have seen many inquiries.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They're very responsive and respectful of our time.

What was your primary form of communication with Epicenter Consulting?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They can pull everything together from branding to the website to the online shopping platform.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Epicenter Consulting could have done differently?

Generally, I feel they know their business. Perhaps marketing could be a little more affordable for new businesses.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Ceo of Spun Life, llc

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We sell delta 8, 9, 10 and hhc gummies and vapes online at spun.com

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Epicenter Consulting to accomplish?

• Launch the site

SOLUTION

How did you find Epicenter Consulting?

Referral

Why did you select Epicenter Consulting over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Epicenter Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Launch site with design and dropship integration

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We launched

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They set true expectations and met them

What was your primary form of communication with Epicenter Consulting?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Upfront honest

Are there any areas for improvement or something  Epicenter Consulting could have done differently?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of rehab of Bellaire Rehab SPOT

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Outpatient orthopedic and neurological Speech, Physical, and Occupational Therapy

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Epicenter Consulting to accomplish?

• Workflow
• Operations
• Tracking

SOLUTION

How did you find Epicenter Consulting?

Referral

Why did you select Epicenter Consulting over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Epicenter Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

As described in the tags

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Volume, sales, workflow, errors

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Products were delivered within the timeframe promised, always available to problem solve and pivot project needs

What was your primary form of communication with Epicenter Consulting?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I found them to be attentive, innovative, and thorough.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Epicenter Consulting could have done differently?

Not at the moment