Folio3

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a consultant for Sunburst Digital. They’re a K–12 publisher and reseller of educational supplemental curriculum products to schools and districts mainly in the US. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Folio3?
We had a product that was in Adobe Flash but was no longer operational. It was an end product that wasn’t overly popular; however, we did have a few customers that we wanted to keep on. We thought that the product would work well in today’s climate. Our team was looking for a way to convert the Flash solution to HTML5 or another modern platform to get it up and running again.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?
The product is a dual-language multisubject application for pre-K and kindergarten students. There was some simple flash conversion that was needed as well as 78 interactive pieces that needed to be completely redeveloped. Folio3 went off the existing code. We found all of the source code and media and provided it to them. Then, they replicated the system. It looks very similar but is on a modern platform. It’s hosted on AWS and was migrated to HTML5. Folio3 also migrated our existing database, moving everything over from our old platform to AWS. 

What is the team composition?
We worked with about 3–4 main individuals. There was a project manager, lead developer, and a couple of developers. We also dealt with the CEO of the company, who was very approachable.

How did you come to work with Folio3?
We had engaged with a couple of other developers and their pricing was much higher than Folio3’s. We had never worked with Folio3 before but we did get a recommendation from someone who helps us set the direction of the business. The quote that Folio3 put out there was about a third of the price compared to other quotes. We decided to try them out.

How much have you invested with them?
We invested about $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?
The project was from December 2020–May 2021.
 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 
Folio3 hit their deadline. We’ve launched and had zero issues come up so far from customers. There were a couple of things that came out right at launch, but we were able to squash them pretty quickly. Overall, the product is exactly the same. Everything works, and in fact, as of right now works better than it did before. Time will tell if the product will hold up to mass users but that’s what we’re testing right now. 

How did Folio3 perform from a project management standpoint?
I was very impressed with the whole process. We had scheduled calls to talk about the progress, hurdles, and problems. The whole engagement was very well-organized, and Folio3 followed their timelines. A couple of things shifted around, which was understandable; it was always very fluid. I very much enjoyed working with the project management team over at Folio3. We mostly communicated via Basecamp and email in addition to our bi-monthly meetings. 

What did you find most impressive about them?
When we talked at the beginning of the engagement about how it would play out, the engagement played out exactly that way. That’s very rare. There are always some things that are hidden, whether it’s hidden costs or things that come up. We had a few last-minute things that came up but Folio3 included it anyways. Those things were very minimal but everything went well. The price was exactly what they stated, and the project went along exactly the way they said it would. There were no surprises. I was very impressed, and we’re looking to get more work to Folio3.

Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I can’t think of anything. It was a simple project. Nothing comes to mind on what they could’ve done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?
I’d definitely recommend working with Folio3. They’ve won our business and we plan on giving more work to them. It’s worth a shot to go with them. The project went exactly the way they laid it out for us. They set expectations and then met those expectations along the way.
 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and president of PureLife. We’re a healthcare distribution and manufacturing company serving dental and medical customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Folio3?

The major challenge we were trying to overcome was to create a state-of-the-art website that’d integrate with all of our systems. Having that integration was a very key component.

The other large challenge is that we have a highly customized promotions and business rules engine. It’s quite complex and was developed over many, many years using proprietary technology. We wanted to put that on the website and enhance it.

The third part of the engagement was to develop additional custom features and functionalities on our website that integrated with our ERP.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Folio3 built the website from scratch and handled everything including the design and UI. The Magento team was responsible for building the frontend functionality, and the NetSuite team was responsible for building the integration.

What is the team composition?

I interfaced with five people including UI designers and a project manager. I’m sure there were others in the background.

How did you come to work with Folio3?

I received some recommendations for trusted partners from NetSuite and Magento. From that list, I interviewed four companies. I did my own research as well and shortlisted a few companies referred by other people. Overall, I reviewed at least eight companies, both onshore and offshore. Ultimately, I went with Folio3.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in August 2019. We just launched the website. Now, we have a pipeline of additional features and functionalities we want to deploy throughout this upcoming year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched so we have limited metrics. However, we’ve already seen that the website speed is 3–6 times faster than our prior website; it’s lightning speed. We also have more functions that weren’t previously available. Our team did some preliminary surveys for customers who have tried it. Customers have expressed they love the functionality and will definitely be doing more business with us. Additionally, we’ve received 5-star reviews.

Internally, all of our salespeople are loving the results and are very proud of the site. One of the most important things to note is that Folio3 successfully tackled all of our challenges. They’re very tech-savvy and were flexible in understanding the requirements. Folio3 is proactive in fixing their solutions.

How did Folio3 perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication is good and frequent. Folio3 provides the right level of management layers. they weren’t trying to funnel everything through one person. We always had our project manager and the individuals doing the work available to us. Different people have different interactions with various members of our team. We’re very pleased with the communication and transparency of the Folio3 team. I’ve worked with other agencies, and this has been a great working experience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The biggest thing that stood out to me is their integrity. Sometimes we uncovered issues that weren’t in the scope, and they were very reasonable to accommodate us. Their team is not petty. If something was a bit out of the scope, they’d do it. If it was very out of scope, they respectfully approached it and expressed it wasn’t something we talked about.

We’ve never had an argument on any of these issues. I’ve always had arguments with any developer about what’s in and not within the scope. That was very important to me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Initially, — and this was from a cost standpoint — they didn’t assign a project manager to liaise between the Magento and integration teams. I felt that was challenging initially but once the project manager came on board, it helped a lot. My recommendation is to propose upfront project management for very complex projects, even if it increases the cost for the client a bit. It has proven to be useful for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have a project manager on onboard. Communicate often with the Folio3 team. Allow their team to propose solutions. Give them the intent of what you’re trying to achieve and allow them to come up with options for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work as the COO at a kitchen and bath company. Much of my work is on the IT side, working with web connectors, web development, automation, and more. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Folio3?

We were using web connectors to connect our website data with our NetSuite environment on both the customer and dealer sides. During this effort, we were having trouble with the stability of the connector. We were never able to launch, so we started searching for a new partner to correct this.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re experts in Shopify and NetSuite, both of which we use. We started with a Shopify connector with them as well as a dealer connector through Shopify as well. Additionally, they integrated an Amazon connector that connects our seller side of Amazon.

To facilitate the project, we scoped out the work together and discussed the problems we were having with other connectors. They found that our previous workarounds would not be necessary with their connector. Since then, we’ve done a ton of customizations together through NetSuite.  

What is the team composition?

Throughout the project, we primarily had one point of contact. However, we interacted with several teammates along the way. 

How did you come to work with Folio3?

I was looking through NetSuite’s list of preferred partners. They stood out because they were Shopify experts and NetSuite consultants. It was clear they understood the flow from the website to our ERP, which helps when it comes to pinpointing issues with connectors. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent upwards of $50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2018. The connector launched by February 2018, but we continued to work together after that was implemented.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve delivered tons of quality work and customizations, always on time and according to budget. I was spending about 4–6 hours each week working with connector issues with orders. Their work cut all that out of my work week, saving me about six hours per week.  

How did Folio3 perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through Skype for a sense of real-time communication and were able to accomplish things quickly using that channel. Our quick communication style significantly cut down on the timeline. They stayed on schedule and managed the project well.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their experience with NetSuite, Shopify, and Amazon was exactly what we were looking for. Whenever we had an issue with any of those tools, they understood the problem and offered solutions. Sure enough, their solutions were all effective.   

Are there any areas they could improve?

I still use them today. If I wasn’t satisfied, I’d look for another partner.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have resources on your team ready to engage with them on the project. That will keep things from dragging.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director for Propel Fuels. We’re a retailer of low carbon fuels in the state of California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address Folio3?   

We hired Folio3 to assist with development. We wanted to make it easier for our customers to access our locations, prices, and other information. We were one of the first fuel companies in the fuel industry to publish our prices in real-time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked hand-in-hand with us to develop and design a mobile app for iOS and Android. We had a particular design that we were working towards, and they designed the actual UI to meet our goals. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of five people from Folio3. We had 1–2 project managers, and several developers and designers. 

How did you come to work with Folio3?   

I received a recommendation from a colleague. We went through a bidding process with three different developers, but we ultimately selected Folio3. 

How much have you invested in them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in the third quarter of 2014. The app development is complete, but they continue to provide updates and support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Something that really stands out is the repeat usage of the app. In any given month, 75% of users are engaging with the app more than once. The stickiness of the app makes it a valuable tool. 

How did Folio3 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very organized. They use Base Camp to manage their work. Our projects have always been managed well and have stayed on budget. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The level of quality and affordability combined is impressive. You get a lot out of them. They offer a high level of development, quality, and communication for a competitive price. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall, I’ve been pretty happy. Sometimes in app development, things stop working because of technology changes made by phone manufacturers. We could be a bit more responsive to addressing challenges that arise after Apple and Android updates. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Be upfront about what you’re looking for, what your budget is, and you’ll have a quality partner. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the manager for marketing development. We offer services and hardware for the tolling industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Folio3?

We needed help with mobile app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created our app for iOS and Android from scratch. The app shows demo tools of our technology tools we can take to our customers.

What is the team composition?

There were 7-8 people involved in this project.

How did you come to work with Folio3?

I heard of them through word-of-mouth.

How much have you invested with them?    

We've invested $75,000 with them. We anticipate spending another $200,000 for our next project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in April 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They met all of our milestones along the course of the project.

How did Folio3 perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well. We were very satisfied with their project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very organized, disciplined, and have the ability to stick to their commitments.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. We're really satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Food rating application. CEO & Founder

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Folio3?

Mobile application development

What were your goals for this project?

Create and design an application from scratch to mobile production

SOLUTION

How did you select Folio3?

Word of mouth

Describe the project in detail.

(Project is still in development and details are subject to NDAs until production)

What was the team composition?

As Founder, I am the lone person interacting with Folio 3.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thus far, Folio 3 has been excellent in design, development and solving problems. Excellent response time and quality of all employees that I work with.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to think through issues and come up with solutions to problems as they arise impresses us. They have an amazing attitude; courteous; focused on the product.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No glaring issues.