Pixel Me Pink Web & AI Development

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

At the time, I was the Director of Business Intelligence for Express Locations, which has since been acquired. We had about 140 T-Mobile stores across the western United States. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pixel Me Pink?

I needed a user-friendly frontend interface built to our data warehouse to allow several of our users to interact with the data warehouse, make changes to certain pieces of the database, and complete tasks like paying commissions. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We built the data warehouse for the company to manage employee information about movement, hiring, terminations, etc. and to pay commissions, bonuses, and promotions for up to 1500 employees. Pixel Me Pink built the frontend interface for our data warehouse using HTML, Bootstrap, .NET, SQL, and C# on the backend.

Sometimes I built the mockups myself of what I wanted the application to look like and do. At other times, I would describe what I wanted and they would come back to me with mockups for me to give feedback on. They also built graphics for us.

The project was canceled when our company was acquired. Everything had been going well and this had nothing to do with Pixel Me Pink but rather the acquisition itself.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with the project manager and he managed the team.

How did you come to work with Pixel Me Pink?

I found our project manager on a website that listed project managers. I started working with him and switched over to Pixel Me Pink with him.

I had worked with offshore development teams before and found that, while they were cheaper, there were always language and time barriers to overcome. I wanted to work with a project manager in the US who would work with the offshore colleagues to bridge those issues. I had tried with one vendor and project manager but it didn’t work out. Pixel Me Pink took over the work from them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2014 to December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had previously used a Microsoft Access database for which staff had to build forms themselves, which led to extensive data corruption. When we moved over to the data warehouse with the interface that Pixel Me Pink had built, we immediately heard a lot of positive user feedback. The accuracy in our environment increased significantly. Our data corruption issues diminished. For my part, I didn’t get as many calls because there were fewer problems. To me, that was the best thing.

How did Pixel Me Pink perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated over email and via conference calls. I gave them access to our SharePoint site to track tasks and we used spreadsheets on Google Docs at times.

I worked directly with their project manager who would work with his team. That’s the way I wanted it, to be able to work directly with one person. We had a good symbiotic relationship wherein I was the intermediary between our internal staff and Pixel Me Pink, and our project manager was the intermediary between me and his team. It was easiest and most economical for me to let him manage the team as he saw fit. It worked really well.

They met deadlines. They were flexible in their ability to implement based on the graphics that I presented. They accepted feedback and came back with additional suggestions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our project manager did really well. Over time he got to know our business and I didn’t have to teach him anything. He was able to make the changes I needed without me having to explain what or why. I’ve seen great project managers as well as some poor-performing ones. Ours was on the upper end of the good ones.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The project manager was very courteous to me as the partner but there were times that I heard him be very demanding to his offshore staff, especially if someone made a mistake or didn’t understand something. I probably wouldn't have used that same management style but he was able to get things done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Utilize the mockups to get clarity about exactly what you want before they start building. Get the requirements down as best you can. Be as clear as you can so that they can build exactly what you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president and owner of Decks and More. We do residential remodeling and commercial buildout and design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pixel Me Pink Web Design?

We needed to update our website. It was old and outdated and there were some issues with the software that was used. We needed to get rid of the Flash programming that was on there and make it more mobile friendly. Overall, we wanted better present our information.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

He helped us clean up the website, helped with the content and took the lead on the sketches and ideas for the site. He had a great vision including how to incorporate different links and icons. He redeveloped it from the ground up.

One nice feature he implemented related to our customer management. When someone does a request for a quote, he linked it to our CRM which goes into a database. This pings me on my phone and I can now go on the dashboard to call and follow-up with the client. We get a good amount of hits from it every year. This industry is constantly changing and it’s nice that he’s always been willing to make updates throughout our engagement together.

What is the team composition?

I mostly work with Sean (President, Pixel Me Pink Web Design).

How did you come to work with them?

I met him at a church.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2010. We’ve done several things back in the day. We are just finishing this website now. He’s done two or three websites for me. This is an ongoing engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are getting a lot of hits and a lot of calls. We are just finishing up the new site. In the past, we’ve received about 500-600 leads or opportunities through our CRM tool which is great. This is stuff that we hope to use for an email marketing campaign. Everyone who has seen the website loves it.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

Sean is hardworking and pays attention to detail. Also he's creative, works quickly, and stays up-to-date with the new technologies.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sean is a great listener and adapts to our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your goals and have an open mind. There are many unique marketing tools that are available and Pixel Me Pink will help you make the best out of them.