R\nd

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Acutrans, and we are a language service provider in the Midwest. We provide four core services to the medical, legal, and educational verticals, including onsite interpreting, video and remote interpreting, over the phone interpreting, and document translation.

We’ve been in business since 1996 and are focused on marrying human skill with leveraging tech to create a superior product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R\nd?

We wanted to develop a website that would be mobile friendly and have quick loading times on a phone, as well as being able to add features across multiple platforms.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ron (Owner, R\nd) developed a new website for us from scratch, working closely with a graphic designer to deliver a whole new branding feel as well as the upgraded functionalities of the site. It’s built on WordPress and has several key features, including password security for our proprietary software and a content blog to improve our SEO.

What is the team composition?

We just worked directly with Ron for everything.

How did you come to work with R\nd?

I originally found Ron on Upwork, and his portfolio and reviews were really impressive. We want people to know that we provide a superior product, so our website had to showcase that, and he really accomplished that goal.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $12,000 on the project in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

The whole web development project lasted from May–June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any specific metrics in place to measure the impact of his work, but as far as our satisfaction goes, we are very happy with the quality of the work he delivered. The difference between our old website and the current one is incredible.

How did R\nd perform from a project management standpoint?

He does an excellent job managing all of the work. We communicated via email and conference calls, and I would always get a response to my emails right away including all the changes I had requested. It’s clear that he is very respectful of your time and very professional in general, which makes him really easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the things I appreciated most about his work was that he went out of his way to make the site incredibly easy to manage on the user end. We work with a marketing company to update the actual content on our site, but they have had no problems doing that because of the modules he created for them. That foresight and consideration is something I really appreciate about them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really can’t think of anything I wish had been improved. It was an absolutely painless process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

R/nd is a relatively lean operation, so you do have to understand that he’s not a designer, he’s not a marketer, but he will do his job incredibly well. As long as you’re not expecting a one-stop-shop for all your needs, you will be completely satisfied with his services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an online technology platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R\nd?

I needed help building my marketing website. My goal was to increase my company’s online presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R\nd took my designer’s wireframes and turned them into WordPress designs that are live on the web. Another company designed the website, they just helped develop it.

What is the team composition?

My point of contact is Ron (Developer, R\nd). He’s fantastic.

How did you come to work with R\nd?

I found him through a freelance networking platform. After interviewing several designers, I chose Ron because he had technical chops. I’m an engineer myself, so I can spot talent. Ron clearly knew what he was doing.

I gave him a small assignment to test the waters, and he hit it out of the park. He’s my go-to guy now.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested over $15,000 with them. He’s on the higher end, but compared to everyone else who charges the same rates, he’s a great deal.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have an ongoing partnership that started in 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I receive constant feedback that my website is fantastic. R\nd is impeccable. If I have any changes, they’re very responsive to making them—from communication to execution. Ron’s work is so good, he’s top-notch. I referred him to my full-time company.

How did R\nd perform from a project management standpoint?

From project management to design to implementation, R\nd was fantastic. I give them five out of five stars. I’ve worked with several designers before and have had subpar results. Now that I’ve worked with Ron, I’m not open to anyone else.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Two things—great attention to detail and excellent communication skills. Ron possesses attention to detail to the smallest pixel. He is very communicative, which a lot of people overlook. Communication is critical to a project staying on task and finishing on time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’d be great if he didn’t cost an arm and a leg. I understand why he does though. He’s certainly justified in his prices.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Drop everyone else and hire R\nd immediately.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

SaaS company focused on employee service delivery automation with AI.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R\nd?

I hired R\nd to do a complete "make over" of our company website and continue to use them to do both minor and major updates ongoing.

What were your goals for this project?

Goal was to launch the website at the same time as a major press announcement, so it had a strict timeline that couldn't slip. Needed a site that would convert visitors.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I selected R\nd based on a strong reference from my designer. Two of her clients were extremely happy with them.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project was a complete website overhaul along with ongoing website updates. We required a responsive website that would perform as well on mobile as desktop, and wanted parallax scrolling capabilities as well as other innovative implementations.

What was the team composition?

R\nd teamed with an outside designer and our internal content team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched our website on time and have had great success with converting visitors to fill out forms (i.e., leads). Repeat visits and length of time on site are all strong. Demo requests have been a big contributor to pipeline.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

R\nd makes date commitments and meets them every time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The quality of their work along with their responsiveness are most impressive. They have agility and meet commitments (both budget and timing).

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall, I'm extremely happy and give them a strong recommendation.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a graphic designer and marketing manager at a wellness and lifestyle company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R\nd?

At the time, we were working with a big team of developers but they didn’t have great retention with people working on our website. They quickly funneled through team members they would hire, and we wanted someone who was consistent and would help us manage the longevity of our website. 

We needed someone to make improvements and create webpages that were more engaging for our users. Since we’ve had a lot of people working on our site, it is convoluted with different types of code. We wanted someone that could work through that and give us a more clean and modern look.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R\nd helped us manage any updates on our webpage and created a new landing page. They helped us link up all of our platforms of events and preview our email sending platform. All of the integrations for our site are through WordPress, so they made sure that was in place.

What is the team composition?

We had one primary contact.

How did you come to work with R\nd?

We found them through Upwork. The relationship grew from there, but we ultimately decided to choose him because of his expertise with WordPress, plugins, and streamlining abilities. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone is very happy with the work they have done for us.

How did R\nd perform from a project management standpoint?

They are exceptional at accommodating our needs. In the beginning, it was difficult to figure out what we needed in terms of managing our project. R\nd is always very timely. As a small startup, there are always a lot of changes happening. Our team has high expectations, and they are great about being flexible, but also delivering at a high standard variable,

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very responsive, which is one of the issues we had with a previous developer. If I send a link with a possible idea, they are very receptive and open to it. They do a great job of listening to our needs and making sure those are reflected in the work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything, no. We are really happy with the work that has been done for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate your priorities clearly and they will help you get the best results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

MSLK is a branding agency design studio that works with beauty brands of all shapes and sizes. Over the past two decades we have helped brands grow from the ground up, launch line extensions, rediscover their voice in a crowded market, and create entirely new product categories. We were founded 20 years ago by myself, and we have evolved into a team of industry experts and designers. Aside from founding the studio, I currently serve as the creative director and brand strategist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R\nd?

Ron has helped us build and maintain our company's website for 10 years, along with assisting with various other clients' websites.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a website that best showcased our work and capabilities in the design industry. We had already had nearly a decade of experience to show and we also needed a site that was easy to update with the work of years to come.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Ron is a WordPress expert and was referred to us by a colleague. We needed someone who knew Wordpress like the back of their hand, and that was Ron.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Ron has helped build our website from the ground up after our internal team designed the interface. He helped us make the best development decisions based on our needs and provided feedback on what worked best through Wordpress. Because our design team did not have as extensive experience on the platform, he was of great help providing insight for the in’s and out’s of Wordpress.

What was the team composition?

Ron worked independently alongside our internal team of graphic designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since its launch, our site has been consistently running for 10 years with very few issues. Not only does it provide a platform for our portfolio, but it allows new client leads to inquire about our services. We have acquired dozens of new client relationships because of it, and we keep it constantly updated with new case studies and blog posts.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Our team handles the project management by setting deadlines and regular calls with Ron.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

R/nd can fix things for us quickly. All we have to do is ask, and it's taken care of in the blink of an eye!

Are there any areas for improvement?

Project management

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm partner/COO at an international events company with a team of 10 in NYC, and worldwide producing 200 events per year.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R\nd?

Development of a full site redesign, and ongoing development on a weekly basis over two years.

What were your goals for this project?

Mobile first development, conversion rate optimization, device and browser compatibility for our 100k+ monthly visitors, and constant responsiveness for bugs, site updates, and new projects.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Ron and our team met over UpWork and have since billed 100's of hours.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed and launched a our online shop, met GDPR constraints for our EU markets, developed our full site redesign, and more.

What was the team composition?

The project team was our Marketing Ops lead in NYC and myself, COO, as well as our designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Load time has improved, conversion rates are up 12%, and our site is full mobile optimized.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was very impressive, especially compared to other vendors. Their team regularly complied with deadlines and always communicated delays well ahead of time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Ron made himself available at all costs if ever we were in a state of emergency for a bug or tech update and remains extremely responsive and professional through all.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is very little they could improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a marketing and branding firm that takes a fresh approach to solving your toughest marketing challenges. We specialize in crafting solutions that get results fast: whether reinventing an existing brand or creating a new marketing strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire R\nd?

We have in house designers and writers, but needed someone to code our website designs in WordPress.

What were your goals for this project?

Have a clean WordPress install that was really easy for our customers to use!

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I've worked with Ron for many years on multiple web projects.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Ron coded the WordPress framework for our website using the designs we provided. He started with the CSS/HTML and gave me the opportunity to review it and tweak. From there he brought it into Wordpress. He created custom fields for each page to make it really easy for our clients to swap out their photos and text. He also created forms and connected the site to Google Analytics.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Ron directly for the entire project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am always super impressed with Ron's attention to detail and the quality of his work. Often when using developers, you hand over a design to be coded and when you get back the coded piece, it doesn't look anything like what you gave them.

Not the case with Ron, my designs are coded correctly with hyper attention to detail. This has saved me so much time and money over the years because I don't have to go back to the developer over and over again to get the website to look like the original designs.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Ron kept in contact throughout the project to let us know where he was out and how much time he needed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their attention to detail is amazing! Also Ron's frameworks are incredibly easy to use.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m in charge of operations and logistics, dealing with website management. We’re a leadership training and consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R\nd?

Our goal was to make website improvements and build pages that we didn’t have the internal ability to do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In some of our projects, we provide a general sketch and online of the effort. Other times, we just discuss concepts back and forth. They developed pages for the site and some content to be hosted on the site. However, most of the content came from us. Their main focus was the backend of the site. They develop the site through WordPress.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a single individual from their end. 

How did you come to work with R\nd?

We discovered them on a freelance since. My CEO saw their profile and passed their name on to me. They seemed to have good ratings and comments on their past work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $5,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them on a variety of projects throughout 2019. Our collaborations are ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our main metrics for them were timely delivery and whether or not the deliverables matched up with our vision for the project. Those aspects along with the functionality were great on their end. They were quick, timely, and presented us with exactly what we were looking for.  

How did R\nd perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job keeping to timelines and staying on budget. We communicated through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility to do what we needed was impressive. If we needed changes or adjustments, they were accommodating. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They did a great job. I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you go into the project with a good idea of what you’re looking for.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Stripes agency is a paid social advertising agency, and I am the marketing manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R\nd?

We were doing a website overhaul, and Ron (Owner, R/nd) helped us with the development piece of our new site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ron was able to help us with all of the development, which was done from scratch in HTML, CSS, and Javascript. He also did all the archival of our past website and helped me with a few integrations for things like running workflows through HubSpot correctly.

What is the team composition?

I communicated directly with Ron, and I think he was the main person on the project.

How did you come to work with R\nd?

We found them through word of mouth, and his work really spoke for itself, so we decided to give the partnership a shot.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $14,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted roughly from May–July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone who has seen our website has been singing its praises since we launched. The owner of our umbrella company has been using our site as an example to all of their other subsidiaries, which I completely credit to the work that Ron performed. He made our lives incredibly easy throughout the entire process.

How did R\nd perform from a project management standpoint?

I was in pretty close communication with him throughout the process. Our designer had provided initial wireframes within Sketch, but Ron was very communicative when it came to any files he needed or any questions he had for us.

We always received the deliverables for different stages of the project on time, which was a huge benefit to us. Any time we had questions or requests he would respond within an hour or less and would often solve the problem within nearly that amount of time as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

His communication skills really set him apart from his competition. He was always willing to hop on a phone call right away to talk through any problems, which made the process so much easier than it could have been.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I love everything they’ve done for us, so I don’t have any recommendations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as honest as possible with him. If you don’t understand anything that he’s talking about, there is no shame in asking him to explain. He is a great communicator and will take every step necessary to guide you through the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the founder and CEO of UTP. We create custom sports posters for youth athletes at different sporting events every weekend. We have 32 offices across the United States and one office in Mexico. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R/nd?

The website developed by a previous vendor was slow and outdated because of this, we didn’t have the capability to do online orders. I wanted to hire a web developer to optimize both the front and backend. We wanted to increase our overall web presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Ron (Owner, R\nd) fixed the bugs in our current site and made it a bit faster. After Ron fixed the site, I realized that we needed to do a more serious overhaul because the features of the WordPress site were still quite limited. Starting from scratch, Ron helped me build a new plan and talked through all of the capabilities I wanted the new website to have. Ron built the new site using Node.js. 

Ron brought another contact onto the project to help with UTP’s digital marketing strategy. He set up PPC and helped with our social strategy to strengthen our SEO.  

What is the team composition? 

I worked directly with Ron and the SEO marketer, but I believe they have additional team members they utilize. For example, there was a frontend developer that worked on the aesthetics of the site. 

How did you come to work with R\nd?

I put out an ad on UpWork and Ron responded. He had great reviews and a history of generating revenue.  

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested around $350,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing relationship with R\nd started in November 2016. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With our previous website, we couldn’t do any online orders, but with the site R\nd built, we had over $600,000 in online orders in the first year. 

The website is faster and easier to navigate for our employees and users. The website makes us look more professional and reflects that we are a big company with offices across the United States. Having a strong web presence is so important for a company’s reputation and they’ve helped us increase ours tremendously. 

How did R\nd perform from a project management standpoint?

They have excellent communication. We mostly communicate via phone since they’re based in Los Angeles. Ron is also very flexible and readily available whenever problems arise. We generate the majority of our revenue on the weekends, so it’s important that we are able to get in touch outside of regular work hours if there is an issue. In the three years we’ve worked together, there has never been a time when I’ve tried to call Ron and he didn’t pick up. 

Ron and his team have also come to visit my office in Chicago to learn more about how our business works. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They treat me the way they want to be treated. I feel like they are personally invested in the success of UTP. They have an amazing skill set with great communication. They know what they’re talking about and are transparent about their process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’ve mentioned to Ron that it would be nice if they had an option to keep them on retainer and pay monthly for development updates instead of whenever there’s a new project. However, as far as the quality of their work and their project management style, I don’t have any complaints.