Galaxy Weblinks

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the COO of NSTXL, a provider of acquisition services to the U.S. government. We are a membership organization with roughly 600 corporate, academic, and institutional members, who provide education services to those members to further our mission.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Galaxy Weblinks?

We hired Galaxy Weblinks (GWL) to re-build and expand the functionality of our website. We had cobbled together 2 websites that were very unstable and insecure (our sites are under constant attack). We asked GWL to stabilize the sights, provide additional functionality (including a paid members-only section), optimize it for SEO, and then to conduct a complete redesign. To conduct this, GWL had to re-code several Wordpress plug-ins to create unique functionality.

What were your goals for this project?

Stabilize and professionalize the site, add significant new site features, optimize the back-end analysis, secure the site, help improve our SEO.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found GWL through a WeWork reference. We interviewed them and some of their previous clients before selecting them.

Describe the project in detail.

We hired Galaxy Weblinks (GWL) to re-build and expand the functionality of our website. We had cobbled together 2 websites that were very unstable and insecure (our sites are under constant attack). We asked GWL to stabilize the sights, provide additional functionality (including a paid members-only section), optimize it for SEO, and then to conduct a complete redesign. To conduct this, GWL had to re-code several Wordpress plug-ins to create unique functionality.

What was the team composition?

Vivek Jha was the lead with a team of 3-4 augmented by various experts from GWL during different parts of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After the security upgrades, our site suffered no successful attacks. Additionally, an independent security review found that we had zero plug-in security vulnerabilities. We launched two new websites for our clients within 30 days (beating our client's deadlines). We launched a membership-only site, which received accolades from our members and clients.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was effective. They used an internal project management tool to update us on the timing and progress of specific tasks.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

GWL was good at listening and executing. A lot of our needs required custom solutions and coding. They were very good at asking the right questions to identify our needs and then propose cost effective solutions. Importantly, GWL met every deadline that we proposed (including some that were very tight).

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Conceptual Research & Design for Inteleos, an internationally recognized non-profit global medical certification organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Galaxy Weblinks?

We wanted to create a native app that would provide sonography quizzes with explanations or rationale to enhance sonographer skills and knowledge in a convenient and intuitive manner.

What were your goals for this project?

This was a pilot project to assess stakeholder interest and perceptions of utility. To be considered a success, 75% of people who took at least one quiz and completed a User Experience Survey would respond that they Completely Agree or Somewhat Agree that the ARDMS Skills App reinforces sonographer skills and knowledge. This would be supported through survey and qualitative data collected through user interviews.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our COO first met Galaxy at the ATD conference, and I met with them again at the LiveWorx conference. We received RFPs from multiple vendors, and investigated the possibility of using ready-made tools to develop our V1 POC/MVP in house. Ultimately, we decided that Galaxy was the best way to go due to the expertise and value they offered to provide.

Describe the project in detail.

We built an app offering quizzes for sonographers. V1 was intended for an invited cohort of 100 Vascular Technologists and included three 10-question quizlets. Users could see their quiz history and were provided with explanations for each response.

V2 was expanded to include four content areas (VT, Echocardiography, Abdominal and Ergonomic Awareness) offering three quizzes each (Ergonomic Awareness only has one quiz) to 1,500 certified sonographers. A new tutorial was added and the visuals were redesigned.

What was the team composition?

I was the Lead for Inteleos, supported by others across our organization - both staff and volunteers. The Galaxy Team was supported by multiple people, but most of my direct interactions were with Rani Sharda (our Project Coordinator - a big help with the Admin Dashboard and data!), Animesh Jain (our Project Lead), Chetan Deshmukh (our Developer), and Varun Bihani (Partner).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

94% of people who took at least one quiz and completed a User Experience Survey responded that the ARDMS Skills App reinforces sonographer skills and knowledge, significantly exceeding the threshold metric of 75% for the hypothesis.

Thus, this pilot provided evidence for the hypothesis that the ARDMS SKILLS App is effective in reinforcing sonographer skills and knowledge. We will likely be expanding this project, and are already working with Galaxy on a new initiative.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Good. We use email and an Admin site with Discussion Boards and File Sharing. We also use a prototyping site for sharing design iterations and collecting input. At time, we also do video meetings (mostly on Zoom.)

Occasionally, there were language issues where we were not understanding the same terms in the same way, but we always figured it out. The time differences between our teams were not an issue, as I almost always had responses or input from Galaxy waiting when I arrive at work.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Galaxy has been very flexible, adapting to mid-stream changes and even the occasional ask outside of our scope.

Are there any areas for improvement?

So far, we have been very happy. I asked them to play a bigger part of the "Team" with the V2 pilot, instead of just executing my directives - I wanted their guidance and input more regularly. They have done a good job with this and I feel like they are now more invested and engaged with helping us meet our goals instead of just delivering a product.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Moby Capital provides business funding to entities of all sizes and in all industries. As the Marketing & Operations Manger, I oversee all digital marketing efforts and internal business processes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Galaxy Weblinks?

As a brand new company in a competitive industry, we needed an eye-catching, memorable website that would allow us to express all the ways we can help business owners attain the resources they need to continue growth.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a beautiful, functional, user-friendly website that would attract clients and set us apart from competitors.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had heard good things about Galaxy Web Links and were impressed by some examples of their work.

Describe the project in detail.

Building a brand new website from scratch that included all the relevant information we wanted potential clients to know about our company, while also offering features that integrate with our other marketing and data solutions.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with Nidhi, our point of contact, who passed our directions along to Vivek and the rest of the team. We also touched base with a couple of other team members throughout the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are extremely pleased with the final result: a beautiful website that is memorable, functional, and built to grow as our company evolves.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The GWL team is extremely skilled at putting feedback into action and keeping open lines of communication. Even though we were in different time zones, we used their excellent project management system to pass information back and forth, and found it very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Every time we requested a feature or needed something changed, they took care of it quickly and displayed immense skill in doing so.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that we can speak to.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

WeCongo is a prototype conference management and contact management system. Currently the company is bootstrapping to a prototype that will show the analytics it can capture, to enable faster funding and platform development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Galaxy Weblinks?

Cross platform prototype app development.

What were your goals for this project?

Launch a basic prototype app in both app stores that enable user testing and continued agile development based on user feedback.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Recommendation from a colleague that attends similar conferences.

Describe the project in detail.

The team at Galaxy has been working to help develop a working prototype of a consumer facing app for user testing. A previous developer had convinced me he could do it for a seemingly discounted price, and after failing to deliver for 1.5 years I finally fired him.

Galaxy was willing to come in and fix what he had already put together, as well as correct the bugs causing crashes, but do it all at an affordable price. We are now adding features in a flexible way that is a good combination of keeping within budget, and predictable time line.

What was the team composition?

PM, Developers, and input from designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Project is still on going, however, a working prototype should be available in the next few weeks.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very good. The team understood given instructions, and posted questions when they had them on their own project management software that I could then quickly answer their questions on.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to work on a flexible schedule set them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Fast & Light LLC is a digital agency focused on e-commerce. We guide clients toward measurable success and focus on achieving their objectives. I'm a founder and partner. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Galaxy Weblinks?

We hired them for web development and e-commerce consultation. 

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to build a great website. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed multiple vendors. Galaxy Weblinks demonstrated competence and integrity at a competitive price.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Galaxy Weblinks scoped and built a sizable e-commerce site that utilized the Shopify design specs we provided. 

What was the team composition?

They had a large team, but we only worked with our account representative and project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Working with such a skilled team allowed us to search for more business and spend time with existing clients.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Their project management was responsive and detailed. They made every requested change quickly and efficiently. Working with them was a pleasure.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Galaxy Weblinks had a "can-do" attitude, which was great.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would have organized our side better, and will do so in the future.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of Rock My World Media. We create health & fitness apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Galaxy Weblinks?

We hired Galaxy Weblinks to augment our development team. We needed help accelerating the development of our health and fitness chatbot.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to deliver key features more quickly and effectively.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I selected them from a LinkedIn contractor search.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Galaxy Weblinks provided PHP and Angular JS software development support. They also supported our QA efforts for the completed chatbot.

What was the team composition?

The team varied between 3-4 people. They supplied a project manager, a QA teammate, and 1-2 developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With the support of Galaxy Weblinks, we accomplished all of our milestones much quicker than if we only had our in-house resources. Our speed and efficiency increased because of their development assistance.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We used Slack & Jira to manage the project. The way they handled the work was effective—all progress was tracked, and they ensured we continually moved forward.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to take our instructions and understand our requirements was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There were a few instances where the code needed to be refactored and Github was sometimes difficult to use.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of a corporate health firm. We're a corporate wellness provider, so we run preventative wellness programs with employers, brokers, and insurance companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Galaxy Weblinks?

We were looking for a company to help us develop a web platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I gave them all the information they needed to create a storyboard. Then, they built an online application that walks people step-by-step through the process of setting a wellness strategy. Users log in and set their goals, after which the app maps out an interactive strategy for them. It was a collaborative process and Galaxy helped me develop my ideas based on the budget I had.

What is the team composition?

I had one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with them?

I licensed the platform that Galaxy had built for another company and I liked it. I got bids from 4–5 companies, but Galaxy seemed to understand my vision best of all. Their storyboard reflected exactly what I was looking to do and their prices were competitive, so I chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with them between November 2017 and April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve been able to use the product to help my business grow. The manual process took us about 48 hours and the application reduced that time down to one hour. Those clients who have used the application are very happy with it.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They're great communicators and always got back to me immediately. They use a project management portal, so we could log in and communicate about the project. We were working on a tight deadline, but they met it and delivered the product within eight weeks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They finished the project exactly when they had promised, even though the job ended up being a bit bigger than they had expected. They're in India, but we never had any issues with the time zone and they would get on the phone anytime I was available. Also, their English was perfect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of what you're trying to build. They're very honest about what they can or can't do and they found the way I didn't know about to handle things.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company works with law firms and legal departments to foster diversity through a number of initiatives. We have a sponsorship program, that helps law firms solve inherent diversity issues in the industry. Less than 30% of partners in law firms are women and even fewer are persons of color or LGBTQ+.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Galaxy Weblinks?

We wanted to create a website or platform for our sponsorship program and needed help developing the technological piece. We had zero experience creating web apps. After considering freelance coders, we decided the project was too big for an individual and needed a full team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The program links protegés to support teams. They have specific goals and the platform allows participants to track their results. Galaxy Weblinks was involved in design and development. They built the whole web app from scratch, including a frontend, user interface, and administrative backend. We can make some changes, but it’s not like other standard portals that already exist like Drupal or WordPress. It seems to be something they created themselves.

What is the team composition?

We had an initial contact who is stateside and a project manager in India. Both of them are amazing and they oversee the rest of the team in India. I believe there are around five coders who work on our project.

How did you come to work with Galaxy Weblinks?

They were recommended to us by a colleague. We looked at several companies, but most were out of our price range. Galaxy Weblinks fit our budget and grasped the concepts we were hoping to implement.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000–$35,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in early summer 2017. We launched the pilot program in March 2018 and hope to launch the second version in 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Users are currently in the system helping us test it. We record the number of protegés through Google Analytics and they chart their own goals and points within the system. We’ve turned it into a kind of game.

We chart who is using the resource section, which has articles and webinars and other options to earn points. We’ve set up a feedback survey, but haven’t seen many results from that yet. We do know our users are active and clicking on our content.

How did Galaxy Weblinks perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great. They use a project management tool that I wasn’t familiar with before we started working together. We send them our wish list and they delegate tasks to their team. They reach out proactively to see if we’re ready to move on to the next stage of development and check in to make sure everything is running properly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really understood our ideas and concepts and were excited about implementing functionality like goal tracking. They are committed to diversity, understand our mission, and are really attuned to our team. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly they were on board with some of our concepts or wants. That made everything easy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a few little design issues that needed tweaking. They don’t necessarily specialize in user interface design, and we didn’t really set any of the budget aside to do that. We may eventually hire an additional designer, but that’s not a real criticism of them. They’re great with the inner workings of the system.

We never had issues with them grasping the concepts or our needs, but there was a tiny language barrier that mostly manifested in occasional spelling errors. Those were easily fixed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sometimes arranging phone calls is difficult. Though communication through email and the project management system is great, sometimes getting that human voice on the phone is the best way to understand each other. I would recommend more focus on communication throughout the duration of a project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a software development manager at a global software company. We primarily focus on technology solutions for commercial and industrial use.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Galaxy Weblinks?

We were trying to revamp how we did online training for customers. We had an idea for an online platform where customers could access various training courses.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Galaxy Weblinks helped us create a digital e-learning platform where our customers can take training courses. They led software development, implementation, and engineering management of the project. We led the product management and UI design. It’s a Java backend based on the Spring Framework, an AngularJS frontend, and a MySQL database.

While not a unique engineering challenge, the platform does have a wide scope in terms of required features. Course consumption—having customers enroll and move through different courses—is the primary objective. It’s an enterprise-grade application that houses a lot of content, primarily videos. Customers can login to see their progress, as well as get help from mentors.

What is the team composition?

It’s varied, but we’ve worked with between 6–12 developers. We increase or decrease our quarterly contract depending on what we’re planning or what features we need.

How did you come to work with Galaxy Weblinks?

We’d worked with them in the past on a project that was smaller in scope. So we had familiarity from that project, and we’d gotten to know the owner a bit. It’s grown from an informal engagement to a fruitful relationship over the last six years.

How much have you invested with them?

I can’t disclose the actual number, but we’ve spent more than $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project began in June 2016 and work is ongoing. We released version 1.0 after six months. We've done incremental improvements, adding new features just about every month since. We recently released version 3.0.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our user base has grown from zero to 14,000 regular users. We've also seen a significant increase in the completion rate of users going all the way through, which has gone from 10% to 16%. That is a very good rate as far as an online course completion goes.

On a personal level, I've been promoted twice as a result of the success of the project.

How did Galaxy Weblinks perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management performance is exceptional. We have one point person who serves as the primary point of contact for all communications. He does a really good job of keeping everyone organized. He’s willing to challenge us if we come to them with a half-baked concept. He’ll also help us flesh out our ideas. They shine in terms of making sure everyone has what they need, and that we communicate frequently.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're not just trying to get the job done, but they actually want to make the product successful. They ask good questions, and they continually push us to make features that are effective for our actual customers. Other contractors care more about checking the boxes and getting paid. Galaxy Weblinks focuses on growing the business with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the early days of the engagement, it took some effort to figure out our relationship. There were some challenges and miscommunications on what was included. It’s not uncommon to have those issues at the start of a project, and we've definitely grown from those experiences.

Any advice for potential customers?

If you have someone on your team who has experience in building a web platform, it’s helpful to have them engage with Galaxy Weblinks. That person can also help communicate project details back to stakeholders at your company. It’s really beneficial to have someone who can translate engineering speak to business results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a small publishing company that provides testing material to students and instructors across the country. We specialize in Radiography, Radiation Therapy, & Nuclear Medicine, with over 30 different exams and three comprehensive workbooks.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Galaxy Weblinks?

We needed someone to develop our web-based testing program. We’d always used paper exams or CD's, but with the growing demand for online testing, we needed a new site and program that would allow us to meet that demand.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to replace our old website with a more dynamic, easy to use website that had a complex but efficient backend. The new website and program were going to change our company in a lot of ways, so our goals were updated often as the project progressed and we received more feedback from our customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We went through an interview process with multiple web developers and selected Galaxy Weblinks based on a combination of budget flexibility, communication, and their understanding of a clear path to success.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They provided three main services for us. They developed a new website and did SEO to help drive more customers to our page, they hosted our website and now provided server support, and they developed our online testing program from the ground up. The last part is still an ongoing project, but only because we’re still gathering information from customers on how we can improve the program.

What was the team composition?

The team was comprised of Galaxy Weblinks employees/developers, which amounted five to 10 people at any given time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This project was a complete makeover for our company and we've seen a lot of positive feedback. It's been a learning experience as we've had to change and adapt from how we’d done business for over 25 years, but it was worth it. Each year has been better than the last since the start of the project.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was extremely effective; it all came down to communication and working through our ideas. They managed all of the moving parts and a lot of changes—throughout the process—with a high level of communication.

Galaxy was extremely patient with us. Time after time, they were able to translate our brainstorming sessions into functioning features that were often better than we’d thought of.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their communication is the most impressive part of the company. Turning our sometimes complicated and fractured ideas into reality came down to listening and understanding our needs. If they didn't understand something, they would always ask for further clarification instead of moving forward on their own.

It was refreshing to have a professional back and forth that always produced a quality outcome. The project is fluid and ever-changing, but Galaxy always keeps an open line of communication.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I don't think there’s much they need to improve on. I’d just make sure that they keep up the high level of communication to provide the best outcome.