KDG

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO and founder of BluVault. We're a management consulting company that focuses on implementing cloud-based procurement software. We do integrations with different cloud software as well. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KDG | The Kyle David Group?

Our company innovates with technology to solve business problems for our clients. We have a service offering that we wanted to build a tool to manage. It's called supplier enablement. We do research, obtain, and update vendor master information to provide our clients.

Along the way, we decided to use technology to manage information and run email campaigns to the suppliers. We started building a platform to do so and hired KDG | The Kyle David Group to help fill in technical capabilities we lacked internally. They had the right programming capabilities and experience using the Zoho Creator platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, KDG | The Kyle David Group provided ad hoc support. I found they had the capabilities and knowledge we needed. Our project was less structured than most they probably do. The only common theme was when I called to ask for help. We handed off several types of tasks as we experienced challenges using the tool in production. KDG | The Kyle David Group addressed these problems and made enhancements to evolve the platform over time into a robust tool we can use for big companies. 

They've also helped us with a couple of large projects for clients in Germany, another European business, and corporations in the US. They expanded the platform so it can support multiple languages and automated several tasks to make the tool as efficient as possible. Now, we didn't need an administrator to manage everything manually. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with 2–3 programmers, one of which ended up changing roles over time. KDG | The Kyle David Group also assigned us a project manager. 

How did you come to work with KDG | The Kyle David Group?

I searched on Google for a team with the particular software coding skills to use Zoho Creator. KDG | The Kyle David Group are certified developers on that platform. I tried some contractors I found through various online postings where developers can negotiate rates, but none of them were reliable. 

I needed to work with a dependable team who could help us troubleshoot and solve problems. We accepted the premium that costs compared to offshores vendors and picked KDG | The Kyle David Group. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2017. Our ongoing work comes in waves. We've used KDG | The Kyle David Group for a few different development projects and are moving onto a second tool on the same development platform. The team provides significant support. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

KDG | The Kyle David Group gives us a competitive advantage. To my knowledge, we're the only company in this area that has a proprietary technology to support our supplier enablement service. Our clients understand and appreciate that it makes a lot of sense. The technology serves as an accelerator and enables us to create value. It definitely helps us manage projects and close more business. 

How did KDG | The Kyle David Group perform from a project management standpoint?

It's not the easiest platform to learn how to use, and KDG | The Kyle David Group did a great job managing the project. Being a certified developer provides certain advantages. Our company didn't want to go that far down the path since we're not trying to build a business around using these tools. We're just trying to solve business problems. It's supposed to be a low code platform, but it turns out we really needed professional programmers to get it to do what we wanted. Without their support, we would have gotten stuck a long time ago. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by how quickly KDG | The Kyle David Group gets the job done. They solve problems efficiently at an affordable rate. Those are two important criteria for success. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

One of their challenges as a growing company is having a work queue. Their availability is limited to we sometimes have to wait in line. They weren't available for the fourth quarter, which is significant. Not being able to deal with more capacity could drive business elsewhere. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

KDG | The Kyle David Group does a good job of managing the project and client expectations. They line up the right resources to deliver. I'm certainly happy to recommend them to someone who is looking for help based on the work they've done for me, but I don't know anything else about the other capabilities other than what I've seen for the specific language in programming. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Autopom! provides extended auto warranties for insured drivers nationwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KDG | The Kyle David Group?

We’ve used Zoho CRM since 2010, but we weren’t capable of programming the system to accommodate our unique business needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their first task was to build an app that calculates sales commissions using our Zoho CRM data. Pleased with their results, we asked them to assume the management role for our blog. Each month, they work with our freelance writer to publish SEO-friendly content; their team also drafts an accompanying press release to publicize the articles. The Kyle Davis Group also collaborates with our affiliates to develop landing pages and guest blogs. To enhance our lead generation, they integrated an automated live chat feature that logs essential client information into our website and CRM. They’re currently focused on migrating our entire platform from HubSpot to WordPress, in addition to redesigning our website’s frontend.

What is the team composition?

Their marketing manager served as our main point of contact, but we also worked closely with their senior software developer and one of their UX designers.

How did you come to work with KDG | The Kyle David Group?

We discovered their company in my search for Zoho CRM specialists. Through their website, we found that had an impressive background in Zoho CRM systems, but also SEO, digital marketing, graphic design, and web development. 

How much have you invested with them?

To date, we’ve spent at least $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in June 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything that KDG does translates into success. Before they started providing SEO services, we had less than 1,000 leads in total; we’re now getting 1,600 qualified leads on a monthly basis and a substantial increase in site traffic. Our payroll process has also improved significantly with the app that they built for our Zoho CRM.

How did The Kyle David Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re currently working on multiple projects for us, but their exceptional planning skills have yet to decline. We use Google Docs and the project board on Zoho CRM to coordinate the schedules and keep of our progress via regular phone conferences and emails. So far, they’ve met every milestone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We couldn’t ask for a better partner than The Kyle David Group. They were initially brought on board to enhance our Zoho CRM system, but they eventually became a one-stop-shop for all of our online needs. With unmatched expertise in SEO and CRM, their well-versed team has a viable solution for any problem that arises. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re incredible, so it’s impossible to think of anything that could be refined.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Small businesses looking to expand in size and reach should reach out to The Kyle David Group. We’ve grown exponentially since we started working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m currently the CEO of a healthcare consultancy focused on health technology. Prior to that, I was a senior VP at Yaffe & Company, which is when I most recently worked with the Kyle David Group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with the Kyle David Group?

Yaffe & Company wanted to fully rebrand and expand its service offerings. We were looking for a firm to help us determine how to market these offerings.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They made a strategic evaluation of our existing website and talked with us about which markets we’d redirect into. Next, they researched the market to understand where we sat versus our competitors. Once they had that data, they sat down with us to develop a new branding strategy and a new website.

What is the team composition?

One of their UI/UX designers served as the lead on our project.

How did you come to work with the Kyle David Group?

I’ve hired them for a number of different business ventures over the past decade and always found their work to be of high quality. They’re professional and have always finished projects on time and on budget. With this project, I felt like their proposal offered not just a technological solution, but a creative one, in terms of where we wanted to move strategically and how to implement our new services.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from May 2017–January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

User traffic and engagement increased after we launched the new site. We also saw a rise in the number of people submitting inquiries about our services or signing up for webinars.

How did The Kyle David Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They used Zoho as our primary communication tool. It allowed the rest of their team to stay up to date after our conference calls with the project lead. Those notes were always posted very promptly so that we could follow up if their team had any questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve always admired the overall quality of their work and the commitment of their team. They’re active listeners who took the time to understand the company’s challenge in order to realize our goals. They proposed multiple, creative solutions that gave us room to choose the best-fit approach for each step of the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. I think my successes with them over time are why I’ve gone back to them repeatedly. They’re consistently responsive across all levels of the company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a contractor serving as a business analyst for a manufacturing company in the Lehigh Valley.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KDG?

We needed to shut down any of our applications that were running on Lotus Notes and move them onto a new platform, since Lotus Notes was no longer supported. Our applications require a chain of custody, so we needed seamless routing process that allowed people to have the application online, eliminating paper and email trails.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a web-app for internal use using Zoho Creator. We chose Zoho after evaluating a number of “low-code” platforms and found Zoho the best value for the scale of app solutions we needed at the time.

KDG also built iOS and Android mobile apps for us. Currently, they provide ongoing maintenance for the applications that are up and running, and they’ll continue to help with new app developments.

What is the team composition?

We have a project manager who pretty much handles everything, and we act as liaisons between our respective sides. I’ve also worked with two developers specifically. One of them is the primary one who helps maintain the system and develop apps, and I’ve just started working with the second.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together for about two years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re extremely valuable. We have people internally that are learning the Zoho system, but it takes a very different developmental mindset: it’s not as simple as drag and drop, you really have to look at the backend logic. We would have been able to implement the solution without a partner, but not nearly as quickly. We continue to work with KDG because they turn things around very quickly and they can troubleshoot quickly.

How did KDG perform from a project management standpoint?

We have an online forum where I can put in issues, comments, questions, and concerns and then they’ll respond back through that. I can put up a screenshot of requirements and they’ll respond in there. I communicate with one of the developers through that portal and with the other one by email. It just depends what their preferences are.

KDG is very quick in communicating and getting back to us, and if there’s ever an issue we can’t handle quickly they’ll investigate it. If they can’t handle something they’ll send it to Zoho Creator and kept us updated on that dialogue.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The amount of knowledge that they have within the application is vast. I can ask them any question and they’ll give us the best way to do it, plus alternative options. We've never once had a problem with them not being able to do something or not being able to do it a certain way.

I've worked with a lot of vendors before, and KDG’s ability to think outside of the box amazes me. I can hand something to them and they’ll think about it in a different way than I did and make it easier, cleaner. They can also switch between working on several applications quickly, which is really impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The quoting of timelines. Sometimes, if I ask them for a timeline they’ll say I’ll have it next week, but that doesn’t always help me. My customers want to know exactly when they’ll have something and I need to be able to tell them. They could definitely make their timelines more definite and specific.

Any advice for potential customers?

If you’re going through the process of interviewing a vendor, make sure you know what your software can and can’t handle. Specifically, in the case of Zoho there’s a lot of things it can’t do that Zoho’s support center can’t help with. If a client didn’t understand what they were getting into with a specific software that could put KDG in a bad light, even though they’re not to blame.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of Annual Giving Programs at Fenwick High School. We’re a Dominican-Catholic high school, serving about 1,200 students in the western suburbs of Chicago.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KDG | The Kyle David Group?

We were looking for a developer to create our online 24-hour Day of Giving event. We knew very little about this process or what we wanted the platform to look like. We had some basic ideas, but that was about it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KDG heard our plans and goals and came up with an outline for our site. Our school has a website and IT team, but we’d never done a 24-hour donation event, so KDG showed us what typical Day of Giving pages looked like. They guided us, served as a resource, and were clear on why something wouldn’t work. They managed to build certain features we requested, even if they were a bit out of the ordinary. We collaborated heavily together, communicating at every step.

We built out designs first then their developers started to build the site. They sent samples of the variety of choices, which our committee reviewed and picked from. They were things like color scheme, location of items on the site, etc. KDG made sure our donation platform and merchant services account were working properly.

We also created 24 videos, and KDG structured the platform to play those videos at certain points throughout the donation—new videos would become unlocked once we reached a certain number of donors. In addition, they built an admin component, so we could manage donors and gifts on the backend. It kept everything organized and allowed us to adjust the timing of the videos.

What is the team composition?

I mainly work with two people, but they’ll add a developer or designer, depending on the stage of the project. Because we were just tweaking the platform this year, we only had 1–2 people, with others coming and going as needed.

How did you come to work with KDG | The Kyle David Group?

I was on a webinar for schools that wanted to institute a 24-hour Day of Giving, and the presenter recommended KDG. We wanted a company that could build our platform and also teach us how to run a 24-hour event. They needed to have knowledge in our education sector and be willing to give us something more than a basic donation platform.

We considered two other vendors, but KDG’s past work and reputation were highly impressive. We could see they created unique products compared to their competitors. KDG was significantly more expensive than the others, but we decided it was worth it. We wanted something customized and specific to our school, and KDG was the only company that could offer that.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in July 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Based on industry standards, KDG told us we could expect 300 donations for the first year. At the end of the day, though, we had over 850. Even though we nearly tripled our goal, KDG made sure the backend kept running. The page, videos, and competition allowed our community to consistently engage with the donation because nothing was static—the dynamic features gave them a reason to come back. The analytics showed that people returned to the site at least twice and sometimes even more than that.

How did KDG | The Kyle David Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They have excellent project management. We communicate weekly, if not more, and can contact them if we have any issues. Our conference calls usually involve developers and designers.

I appreciate their organization—they have a system and timetables to keep things on track and easy to follow. They clearly let us know what they’re working on and what they need from us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They listened to our ideas and transformed them into exactly what we needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re very pleased with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them help guide your project because they know what they’re doing. They know how to create something that your community will benefit from.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of quality improvement and compliance for a small-to-medium sized nonprofit. Our mission is to advocate, educate, and provide services and support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with the Kyle David Group (KDG)?

We’ve worked with them for a number of years, and they initially helped us with website development and hosting, which they still provide. We also use them for consulting and IT support.

Currently, they’re helping us address changing needs in our field with regard to regulations, requirements, and reporting. Many of the current systems we use to track this data aren't integrated, so KDG is leading a systems integration audit for us to help us pinpoint some new software that will be more efficient.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed our site for us before I came onboard, but we’ve kept up our relationship with them ever since, and they still host us and maintain our site. We have several fundraising periods annually that they'll update for, adding donation buttons and announcements to our page. For special events, like our chapter's 50th anniversary, they'll make our annual report documents available to constituents or set up a page with a planned giving campaign.

They also consult for us on IT and security projects. They’ve conducted audits for us. In another major project, they assisted us when we changed the security protocols at our facility, helping to coordinate everything IT-related. In addition, they helped recruit and vet candidates for us when we decided to hire an internal IT staffer, and then provided mentoring to get that person acclimated to our system.

Most recently, they’ve been helping us automate and digitize some of our business practices. For our upcoming audit, they've put together an outline of who they need to meet with, as well as a list of our goals for the assessment.

What is the team composition?

Day to day, we work with two onsite tech analysts and the operating director, but we'll also occasionally work with Kyle himself. We've also met with a software developer for our current assessment project.

How did you come to work with KDG?

Our executive director is still very involved with her alma mater, and Kyle is a fellow alum who began his business while he was still a student there. We chose KDG due to the personal connection, and we hired them in order to replace a previous partner. Their responsiveness was one of the major reasons we chose to switch. They're dependable, as well as very enthusiastic and professional.

How much have you invested with them?

I’m not really sure, but it’s been at least $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I've been working with them for four years, but KDG started partnering with us before I came onboard. It’s been almost 10 years in total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were instrumental in vetting applicants for our internal IT position. Thanks to their support, we’ve been able to take that step with the confidence that our hire was right for the job. They also played a key role in elevating our organization’s security. When we decided to implement controlled access to our physical facilities, they made personnel recommendations that would suit our needs and helped us figure out the electronic components of the security system so that everything ran smoothly.

In terms of the website, we continue to gain new donors as a result of our partnership with them and we've also seen improvement in terms of recruiting new staff because our information is more accessible now. KDG's currently setting up a planned giving campaign for us, and I'm sure their work will probably be instrumental in making that successful as well.

How did KDG perform from a project management standpoint?

At the moment, we're in touch on a daily basis. They're always very receptive to phone calls or emails, but we use their ticketing system to handle routine issues.  I'll occasionally have reason to dip into that and get involved, but I mostly work with the onsite techs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The first time I went to KDG’s offices, the atmosphere was noticeably different from at any other business I had ever been to. It was a very relaxed, approachable space. They give off a down-to-earth, creative, youthful, cutting-edge feeling, and they're just a great group to work with. I really appreciate the way that they get to know us, not only as individuals, but as an organization.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront about what you want and what you need. Explain the kind of issues you're having and how that affects your business or the services you deliver. Once they get to know you and your business they'll help you figure out what you need, rather than just handing you a canned solution.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Casilio Concrete. We’re in the ready-mix concrete business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KDG?

We needed our IT systems to run effectively across multiple locations and a couple of different businesses. Our managers needed to be able to access company information from any location they were at. We needed one system that everyone could access from all locations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KDG was able to network all our locations and companies together by integrating our hardware and software. They helped install Microsoft Office. They established a VPN for us. We have a helpdesk system in place as well.

A primary challenge they had to address was a poor internet connection at our main location. Our server is in that main office but it’s located on the side of a railroad track where the fiber optics don’t reach. KDG helped us set up an alternative high-speed cable that upgraded our system.

They listened to what we wanted and came back to us with a few different options to make it happen. We picked the solution that would work best for us and they put it in place. We worked with it and they addressed some bugs.

They provided on-site support to move us to the new system. We're not a business that just works from 9:00am to 5:00pm. They were very accommodating to come in when we weren't too busy in order to switch us over to the new system and then to be available to troubleshoot.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and two installers.

How did you come to work with KDG?

I found them through a business networking group, where I met our future project manager. We had them come in and give us a quote.

We had been working with other companies and were very frustrated about not getting what we were trying to get done. KDG was a larger, established company, which was important to us. We also heard good references from people that had worked with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016 and its ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our work is easier because we are able to access whatever we need whenever we need to. It's a much smoother process that we need to go through on a daily basis to get to the information we need. The whole system works better.

How did KDG perform from a project management standpoint?

We usually communicate through emails and calls. They were very responsive, next day at the longest if not the same day. If it was something important they would get right back to us.

They’ve been very proactive. If they see something on our system down or not back up the way it should be, they call us on it. They come in if we need them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge of what they were doing and, if they needed to figure something out, their persistency to get the problem solved.

They listen to you and try to work in your system to make it do what you want it to do. They listened to what we were looking for and they got us what we asked for.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They're a very reputable company. I would highly recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of communications at a small, rural liberal arts college.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KDG?

The initial project was to redo our website, and then we engaged their services again to create a mobile site. Despite previous experience with site maintenance, we had never before needed to outsource web design or development services. We wanted the website to be logical and user-friendly, and to appeal to parents as well as prospective students. All of that needed to be completed within a certain timeline and on a specific budget.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KDG provided us with the design, development, hosting, and continued maintenance of both websites. We requested that the final desktop site be WordPress-based, and they suggested several design features and worked closely with us to bring them to life. Throughout the process, they were flexible and accommodating. Some of the features that they implemented at our request included an intuitive search design, drop down menus, and accordion-based pages, among others.

What is the team dynamic?

For the main website, the project manager worked with a team of 3 or 4 professionals, and a team of 6 or 7 on the mobile site. I worked almost exclusively with Kyle David himself, while my team interacted with the technicians assigned to specific development tasks.

How did you come to work with KDG?

They were one of several vendors that presented to us during our search, which boiled down to a final 3 options. KDG was impressive, both in terms of their candidacy and their portfolio.

How much have you invested with them?

Around $150,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged their services in January 2013 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The National Research Center for College & University Admissions (NRCCUA), a higher-ed service provider, rated us on a nation-wide scale between a B+/A. The only reason it is not the highest mark was because of decisions on our end made for budgetary reasons, like not to include a live chat option or a virtual tour, rather than anything that was the choice of KDG itself. User research also concluded that we did not need those features on our site, so we are satisfied with both the end product and NRCCUA’s score.

How did KDG perform from a project management standpoint?

Kyle was an excellent web design partner. His logical approach to problem solving and ability to clearly explain the project’s scope and prospective site features won them the contract to begin with, and it continued consistently throughout the process. In order to build a website, it is vital for an organization to designate employees who will take charge of certain features of the final product. During the development phrase, Kyle was able to explain the features they were building or implementing – such as giving a detailed overview of the color palette – in a way that worked well with my internal constituency at the college. To communicate, we used phone, email, and a project management tool, and we spoke at least once a week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their integrity was outstanding, in that they always completed what they had agreed upon and for the quoted price. KDG consistently delivers a high quality product at a reasonable cost and with exceptional customer service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that comes to mind. They have been a pleasure to work with, they keep to their word, and they know their business.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated by the client on January 27th, 2020. The original star ratings were: Overall - 5, Quality - 5, Schedule - 5, Cost - 5, NPS - 5. New content is below.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a private, liberal arts college in Central Pennsylvania. I am director of communications.

For what projects/services did your company hire KDG | The Kyle David Group?

We needed assistance with the planning, design, development, and launching of a new website for the college.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to launch a new website with the Wordpress framework that was fast, accessible, responsive, optimized for search, easy to navigate, enhanced content, and a modern design.

How did you select this vendor?

We've worked with KDG for the past 10 years including a previous website build. Through the years they've continued to prove themselves as a first-rate company with excellent customer service.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The initial steps of the project included red-routing, wireframing, content and design discussions, and on-campus meetings. Next, KDG began the design and build of the site, offering a number of drafts and responding to inquiries/requests. Lastly, we locked in content and tested functionality cross-device and cross-browser. They assisted with the launch as well as the post-launch edits.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager who led a team of developers, designs and content specialists. Mr. David also assisted us with the project including a campus visit.

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

While the launch just happened a month ago, we have seen positive trending with analytics including admissions engagement. We have also received a hugely positive response from all internal parties including faculty, staff, and administration.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management happened through Zoho, email and calls. They were very flexible with how we communicated which was appreciative. Weekly summaries were shared with us as well as regular updates during various stages of the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are experienced, reasonably-priced and trustworthy, but their customer service is the main reason we continue to lean on them for development projects. They really go the extra mile for you.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't not have any suggestions based on my experience with the company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My name is Adam Schnell, and I’m the artistic director and CEO of Ballet Vero Beach. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KDG?

In the beginning, we needed to design our logo and some basic branding for the business. The challenge was twofold: in branding, we were looking to stand-out from everyone in our area, but we also needed a technology management company to take the time and figure out what our needs were. As an arts organization, we wanted to prevent being put into any sort of box with premade approaches for corporate clients or small businesses. We are a nonprofit, so we have very specific needs in regards to donations, record-keeping, and even ticket sales. I knew that as soon as I started working with KDG, they would bring the creativity for finding the best solution for an organization like ours.

We are based in a rather small town in a sparsely populated county in Florida. Everyone tends to go to the same graphic designer, so everyone’s branding looks the same. Using Kyle’s [CEO of KDG] resources could help us stand out. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KDG was responsible for building our website, and KDG has created pretty much all of our major graphic design work, as well as maintaining and updating the site. Specifically, KDG has worked on various types of website integration for us. We’ve just finished our mobile optimization (which I know sounds terrible, but we couldn’t afford it until now).

Amazon is running a foundation called Amazon Smile, which has modules that can be integrated into other websites; a percentage of the sales go back to that website. KDG has implemented this, and they’ve also recently integrated all of our corporate and individual sponsorship forms, allowing us to take donations through the website. They’ve also integrated Vantage Card Services for a merchant account.

KDG has done everything possible to ensure that even a small company like ours is doing things in the most up-to-date way possible, including introducing us to services like JotForm and secure email services for passing passwords back and forth. Not many other organizations will focus on these things.

How did you come to work with KDG?

We’ve been working with KDG since our inception. I initially was referred to the company by my sister, who knew Kyle from college and remembered that he had a great graphic designer on staff. I had already reached out to other graphic designers and web design firms in the area and was about to decide between 2 contracts. My sister stopped me and suggested that I at least go to Kyle’s people for the logo to see how I liked working with them. I never looked back after that.

How much have you invested with KDG?

I normally budget $5,000 per year for graphic and web updates. Certain things will go beyond that, like the design of 2 secondary logos in 2016 for a production we’re currently working on. That amounted to an additional $2,000, as did the mobile optimization work. So far, the total cost has been between $15,000 and $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We officially launched the company in January 2013, but the logo was done before that. I assume that we started working with KDG in the fall of 2012, around September. The work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

KDG is managing our Google Analytics, but I wouldn’t attribute all of our traffic to them since we do run digital advertising through other sources. As far as the graphic design work goes, I’ve heard patrons say that they saw our poster and came to a show specifically because of it. This is all because of KDG; they can make everything happen based on the wording and pictures I supply. I’m incredibly satisfied with their work and support, both in terms of graphic design and technology.

How did KDG perform from a project management standpoint?

All the work is done via email since we are nowhere near to each other in terms of physical location. We have other companies working for us, and there is a lot of turnover in the field of technology, even as far as our local printer goes. Everyone at KDG, including the new additions to the team, has made me glad we’re using them. New people are brought up-to-speed almost immediately and know our account almost better than I do. All the communication is handled within 20 minutes or less, as long as it’s on a workday. Projects have never gone over budget or been delivered late. KDG typically finished the work way before our actual launch dates.

What did you find most impressive about KDG?

As I mentioned, KDG never tried to fit us in the same template as for-profit or even other nonprofit groups they’ve worked with. They are intent on figuring out what our company needs and getting that to us with the best services as inexpensively as possible, making sure that we are happy with how things look. Not everyone is like that.

Are there any areas KDG could improve?

No. I wish that the work was cheaper since we are a nonprofit, but the value provided by KDG is worth it. I never have qualms about paying my bills since KDG has gone so above and beyond.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with KDG?

Kyle is able to attract amazingly creative, energetic, and talented people for all aspects, from project managers to coders and graphic designers. Everyone shares the same vision, which is something I look for in my own work as a manager. If someone is interested in using KDG, they should get to know the company, and, if the same level of energy is matched, they’ll have a great fit. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My name is Mike Bruckner, and I am the president for external affairs and community relations at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KDG?

We had around five challenges, and KDG has helped us in many areas. I would call them multifaceted. Our biggest issue was around the Day of Giving for our advancement team. We had to develop a website which would receive traffic from around 2,000 people over a 24-hour period, calling in and making donations. They needed to find information about what the donations were, but the site also featured video and social media components.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KDG developed our site, and also created a matrix for our email campaign, for the admissions team. We had a database of prospective students, for whom KDG setup a calendar. Different students would be coded in different ways, and receive certain emails on a regular basis. Depending on their response, they would get subsequent emails, which were also coded.

We have used KDG for four or five other projects, including some website work, but the two I mentioned were the biggest ones for our college, and they were extremely successful.

KDG developed a proprietary technology for our work. We told them what we needed and how we wanted it to work, and KDG developed it.

Our campaign started at midnight and ended 24 hours later. We needed to post videos hourly, as well as have a graphic which showed how far along towards our goal we were. The first year’s goal was 1848 donors, which was the year of our founding. When we ran a site for our athletics campaign, we had various graphics which filled a football field or a basketball court. KDG also implemented an online donation functionality, which we’d never had before, other than through MasterCard.

We were using Adobe Contribute on our main website, which was a clunky and old CMS. We had a new website design made by a different firm in Chicago but needed to take thousands and thousands of pages from the old site, reformat them to fit into the new CMS, and have the same look as our new design. KDG did this successfully and in a timely manner.

How did you come to work with KDG?

Kyle David himself went to school at Muhlenberg. He started the company while he was attending our college. We had never used KDG previously because we had been locked into a major corporation which offered packaged development. Kyle thought that he could customize things much better for us, so, when we told him what our issues and goals were, he proposed an interesting and exciting solution, which he was able to deliver.

Kyle’s team gets bored just working on websites, and they want new challenges. We threw a couple at them, and KDG responded very well. KDG is also the e-commerce developer for one of the major chocolatiers in Pennsylvania.

How much have you invested with KDG?

I don’t have this number since it didn’t come out of my budget. Our development and advancement team paid for KDG’s work. We put out an RFP for the backend development and CMS migration of the website. KDG came in significantly less than their competition, with the whole site costing us around $50,000, including all the migration and reformatting work for our new CMS.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our last website conversion took place between 2006 and 2007, which was when we really started doing work with KDG. We kept going for different projects, here and there. Our new website was developed between 2016 and 2017, and KDG took part in some conversions and redesigns. We have been working on the email and development campaigns for around three years.

Anytime we have a problem, we call KDG and see if they have a solution, but we do bid everything out. KDG doesn’t automatically get the work, but they have always been extremely competitive in the process. If they’re not the low bidder, we have to justify in pretty great detail why we’re choosing to use KDG. The thing which sets them apart for us has been the service. If KDG doesn’t get it right, they make sure to fix it. There’s never a question in our minds that this won’t happen. We’ve never had a problem with a contract, a timetable or a deliverable. It’s been a great relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received over 2,000 gifts in one day, which was a record for the college, and saw almost $200,000 in donations. KDG probably offers the same service for other colleges at the moment, but we were the beta test for it, and it worked extremely well.

We were tremendously successful, and KDG has presented the solution, along with our VP of advancement, at major academic conferences around the country. They were featured in the Chronicle of Philanthropy for their work.

We didn’t experience any glitches with the system. It worked perfectly since the start.

We had a similar campaign to March Madness for our athletic teams. The basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams competed against our baseball team for donors, using brackets and other elements. KDG built those brackets and developed the computations behind them, advancing teams to the next round based on the percentage of donors. People could donate online, and there were social media and video components built in. KDG was very good to work with, understood what we were trying to do, and offered us options and solutions.

We first developed our site around 2006, and redeveloped it around 2016. After each project, we run surveys for assessing whether the new design is working, whether it has a good feel, and is providing the service users need. People have generally responded well. Every once in a while, we will hear suggestions about what features should be more accessible, and we can go back to KDG to see if those are possibilities. If they are, KDG will make the change, even though it wasn’t in the original scope of work.

How did KDG perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything has always been within budget and on-time. If we ask KDG to do something different, they will either come back to us and provide a no-cost option along with an alternative timeframe for what we want. In 11 years of working with KDG, we have never gotten a surprise like an unexpected bill or a missed timetable, without prior notification from the team. KDG has been clear in the communication every time, and we’ve never had an issue in this area.

What did you find most impressive about KDG?

Their service. KDG is willing to help us, and they want to make sure that projects are done right, and that we will remain one of the groups they can call on for reference. I don’t think KDG has ever had a customer who wasn’t willing to serve as a reference.

Are there any areas KDG could improve?

I don’t have anything to say. We have had arguments with other vendors over pricing or deadlines, but KDG has been right on the money every time.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with KDG?

As much as a client would want to do things their own way, KDG is a creative team, so they should be given some flexibility. Tell them what you need and what you want, but allow KDG some room for creativity. These people enjoy challenges, rather than just doing the basic. They can make things exciting when someone is simply looking to get the job done.