Sumeru Inc

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the COO for Industrial 3D. Industrial3D is a media, marketing, and communications agency specializing in computer animation, serious games, and virtual and augmented reality products and services. We also can provide UI/UX, Branding, Web development, and legal animation as needed.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc, and what were your goals?

We had built an AR experience using a software package that ended up holding us hostage for an outrageous monthly fee that they have recently doubled, and I hired Sumeru Inc. to help us rebuild the experience so that it could be internally hosted and in turn avoid the costly fees imposed on us by the other software package.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

When I spoke to them they were very articulate on understanding the goals I had for the project, and providing possible solutions to solve said problems. They made me feel comfortable that they would be able to fulfill all the project goals in a timely manner.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They were to take an existing AR experience and rebuild it to be hosted locally. They had to ingest all source materials and models. Then they had to optimize the scene, and reproduce the experience in a 1to1 reproduction. They ended up building two separate versions, one for IOS and one for Android to fill all the parameters of the job.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Three in total: 1 PM 1 Unity Dev 1 Technical Manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

What I can share is that Sumeru when above and beyond on delivering the product. Even when there were unforeseen problems that arose they were very professional and kept true to their word on deliverables.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The PM on the project kept both sides moving and informed on what was needed. There was an abundance of information that needed to go back and forth, but we never felt pressured. we used Slack and Lista for communication.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their willingness to solve problems as they came up to ensure the delivery of the project milestones.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Not really, they did a great job to ensure me and my client were happy.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer working with B2B growth startups and scale-ups to enhance their sales-focused marketing programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc, and what were your goals?

For one of my clients, they had a beautiful website that didn't convert nor communicate very well what the company did. Our goal was to enhance the UX on the website for conversions and to make the site stickier.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We actually found Sumeru on UpWork and were impressed by the team's breath of knowledge and experience working with Universities and other Education clients.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The Sumeru team preformed an in-depth audit of our current website and offered high-level suggestions for upgrades and changes. From there, they prepared an outline with suggested copy improvements (with alternatives for A/B testing). Finally we were presented an upgraded design draft for discussion and approval.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

In addition to the website upgrade, we have worked with Sumeru to build email funnels, landing pages, and to update reporting. We have full-stack developers, designers, copywriters, and strategists at our fingertips.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Sumeru has helped us mount an entire marketing program. Before their help, we were struggling to organize our contacts and create marketing systems. Now we have a true marketing program in place that is measurable and effective. Our emails see 20%+ click through rates and our landing pages have a 37% conversion rate.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We have weekly marketing meetings with the team and communicate through slack.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The best part about the company is our main account manager, Luisa. Working with her has been fantastic. Luisa makes you feel that we are a unified team-- instead of an agency/client relationship. I feel confident in her hands.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We only wish that the Sumeru team were our full-time employees!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

K-Rise is a software company in the JD Edwards ERP market. We make and sell EASYProcess, a low code platform. I am the President and CEO of K-Rise.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc?

Ongoing Marketing Projects

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them online through extensive google search. We did a POC before selecting them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We are working with Sumeru on a number of marketing projects. It started with a POC to create a DRIP campaign. Now we are doing our website, newsletter, webinars, case studies etc .

What was the team composition?

Copywriter, Designer, Implementation team, Project Managers (up to 2 to 3 as needed, with others acting as backup in case of vacation)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provide us a full turnkey solution starting with copy, then design and finally implementing it into our CRM/WordPress/newsletter (issuu.com). Last but not the least, they really shine in managing all the different projects for us. They are excellent in keeping tabs on all open projects and keep sending reminders.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They use slack and who doesn't love slack after COVID. We have added them as a channel and multiple people from our company interact with them seamlessly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Marketing seems like their bread and butter and they obviously excel in it. But one of the hidden gems is their project management. When you have a vendor who is doing multiple projects for you, project management becomes the key. They have dedicated project managers with 2 additional backups in case of vacations etc.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Systems at a nonprofit based in Manhattan. Our org offers various learning opportunities throughout the year, as well other learning content.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc?

Because our org is primarily focused on offering educational opportunities to the public, we create a lot of registration forms via Formassembly. The workload had become onerous, and no one at the org had especially high-level skills on the platform. We hired Sumeru in order to manage that workload and produce better forms.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We looked for vendors with good reviews and had worked with Formassembly.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The project was really an ongoing series of small projects. They took over the creation of the majority of our forms, particularly those that involved more variables and some Javascript. We maintained a running sheet where my users listed their needs for forms, and Sumeru would create and test forms that they would then post back on the sheet. Most of the forms involved a turn-around of less than a week, but there were a few more detailed forms that took several weeks.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There was always one person managing the Sumeru as well 2-3 team members who also worked on the forms.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They created forms that allowed us to do more dynamic registrations, by that I mean that we could register individuals for more than one programme or at different payment levels in one form. For some of our larger events, this was a big advantage as we got more registrations for multiple events. Overall, our forms became better with their help.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our workflow was great. We had a running Google Sheet where users posted their form needs and the Sumeru team would then post the finished product. In addition, I had a weekly meeting with the team manager where we discussed anything that needed further attention or edits.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Besides their ability to create great forms, I'm really impressed with their attentiveness to our needs. They were always available for any questions or last-minute edits, and responded very, very quickly!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Most hiccups came down to a lack of clarity when form requests were made, but the weekly calls and quick communication from Sumeru resolved any issues quickly. We still received a great final product.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a Program Director, Information Systems for a trade association. My focus is on our Salesforce CRM and I have also begun working with Salesforce Marketing Cloud within the last few months.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc?

We hired Sumeru to help us utilize Salesforce Marketing Cloud including journeys, Marketing Cloud Connect, and other advanced features.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Sumeru was selected based on expertise and referrals from other clients.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Sumeru is helping us utilize Marketing Cloud better within our organization. There level of technical knowledge is great and in addition to that they help us understand the capabilities of Marketing Cloud. They also help us think through how to maximize our goals and provide guidance on best practices. We have been very happy and are beginning to work with Sumeru on Salesforce development as well.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I interact with 2-3 people. Not sure of exact positions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Sumeru has helped us set-up journeys, utilize Marketing Cloud Connect to write back opens and clicks on email, designed a newsletter, use variable content, use variable sender profiles, and more.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great. I found Sumeru very accommodating. Like any relationship, it takes time to build. That said, I have found them very easy to work with and they really want to help us maximize our marketing. I also appreciate that they are willing to "teach" us how to effectively use the system and recommend features they believe will be helpful to us.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I really appreciate Sumeru's flexibility and interest in helping us make the most out of each email sent.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO and Founder of Mousaverse. Mousaverse is a virtual reality company that brings opera and classical music to the metaverse.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc, and what were your goals?

We wanted a skilled development team to create the Mousaverse virtual world for us. This world includes capabilities to perform, record, and display opera productions and recitals. In this world, both the audience and performer will be able to interact with each other.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched and interview many individuals and teams. It was decided to go with Sumeru because they not only showcases a great vision for this project, but a huge excitement and willingness to create the most unique and close to real life platform as we could imagine.

They were enthusiastic and energetic and we enjoyed seeing it.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The project was split into different milestones. These milestones include: creation of the virtual world and assets, art optimization and polishing, audio system and broadcasting recordings in the world, avatar creation system, and interaction between the users.

Also, performers will have face tracking and hologram faces.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Developers, project manager, customer relationship and sales, sales rep.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

So far we have had great advancements and developments. Sumeru has surpassed our expectations and continues to improve the product.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Every single day we receive updates regarding the development. They are very fluid with responses and definitely are trusted with tasks when asked.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

How big the company actually is. There are so many moving parts and to get this quality is unheard of. Sumeru accomplished this.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nothing comes to mind right away.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a team of volunteers, who are tech entrepreneurs, attorneys, finance professionals, and more. We got together to support Ukrainian refugees and we have already resettled over 1300 Ukrainian moms and kids to safety in Europe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc, and what were your goals?

We wanted to create a specific app for our goals. As usual - no time, no money, no vision of the final product. Guys helped us to do it the best way it could be done.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We made a kind of tender. Interviewed 20 companies and found this company the best at the fraction of time and cost.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

1. Converting a game idea into a project description
2. Design of the game
3. Design of the platform, as a foundation for the future extension
4. Clickable prototyping
5. Registration / creating account on apple store / google play
6. Include audio/visual effects
7. Define physics/mechanics of the characters and other parts
8. Development of the game, basic version
9. Quality assurance, testing on multiple devices
10. Launch of the game
11.  Publishing of the game on IOS/Android markets – date to be given by markets.
12. Post-production (quality assurance, game patching, game balancing)

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Developer manager of the project Designer manager of publishing UI designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We are at the start point right now. We can say about the results in 6 month

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We were in touch with a team every day on slack had several calls with different specialists during the week Had 1 team call a week.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their initiative was impressive. They tried to do better in everything. Beauty. They tried to make the product more attractive to customers Workability. 24/7 worked together for the best ever result.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

no

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We develop aviation training tools. I am the CEO and co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc, and what were your goals?

Develop a new simulator to train pilots in executing flight procedures. We hired Sumeru to create this Unity-based capability for us. The goal was the development of this stand-alone simulator

SOLUTION

How did you select Sumeru Inc. and what were the deciding factors?

We interviewed several candidates and when talking with Sumeru were impressed by their capabilities and availability to complete the project quickly.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a kickoff meeting to discuss the project plan and milestones. After work began we continued the communication to update and modify the milestones and deliverables based on mutual agreement and progressed at a good pace to execute the project. Continuous communication was maintained and regular reports were given about the progress.

How many people from the Sumeru Inc team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A project manager and lead developer were our main points of contact. I believe that there were other Unity developers involved as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We were able to complete the project on schedule and within budget. We now have available a tool that we can we plan to release soon and further develop.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We used Slack to communicate, both via text and video conferences. Regular updates and checkins were the norm.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were professional and knowledgeable about their craft. We were vary satisfied about the quality of work and communication throughout the process.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

A few bugs and issues came up with a few deliverables, but the team was quick to address them. The schedule was not affected, but having prevented them could have cut down on some meetings.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Board of directors at The Art of Living Foundation, an internal non-profit and volunteer-based NGO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc, and what were your goals?

We noticed that there was an issue with attraction and retention of new clients and contacted Sumeru for an end to end strategy to create a funnel, marketing

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We looked at other vendors and asked them to analyze our current state and come back with a strategy, Sumeru were able to give us the best insights into what needs to be done immediately and gave us a solid game plan on how to start and where to go

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

First were were contacted by their lead project manager who briefed us with a project plan and implementation methodology. We agreed on a key set of KPI's and results we could expect. The agency was very confident of their targeting abilities and were able to get us leads at a low cost per lead and also spoke to us about how to build the funnel.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with a project manager, ad specialist, account manager and their chief of operations was always available for any additional queries

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The campaign was very successful and resulted in a 120% increase in leads, conversions, and inquiries. We had significant revenue uplift and were very happy.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had in-person meetings weekly as well as regular catchups. A campaign report was supplied that broke down the metrics for technical as well as non-technical audiences

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their professionalism, clear communication, and ability to quickly act on feedback are most impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

When COVID-19 hit our cost per lead increased more than what we initially planned, but Sumeru was upfront about the trends in the digital marketing space and why we needed to be prepared as many businesses were investing heavily in digital

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Solutions lead. We are part of Government Business Divisions with multiple offices across US and India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sumeru Inc?

We had the pleasure to work with Sumeru as part of finding valuable resources to support our ongoing projects. This is a very important partnership and we respect the process on both sides. Sumeru staff have been incredibly talented in hiring the right team members to support our dedicated member centric projects pipeline.

We are proud to be partners in this journey of source collaboration and customer centric work. Sumeru Inc partners are well versed with digital platforms and solutions. This provided us with an opportunity to deep dive into their resource management services to pick our best options. The experience had been nothing less than best in the industry.

As they say “Your Mission is Ours” is absolutely true. They strive for perfection and as clients, we don’t settle for anything less than that. That is our promise to our valuable Members always.We identified the best technical talents through Sumeru who are pros at cross functional team experience.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

While pricing is our primary constraint our goal is to always be to get the maximum value for the best pricing. Sumeru’s approach with quality of product and services are notable. We did check references and were very satisfied.There customer reviews were highly rated. The ethical values and vision were very transparent.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Sumeru researched various work projects before presenting us final 5. Our plan was pretty simple. Gauge the pros and cons for each solution and finalize the best fit.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Their Senior manager was in direct contact with us but we had ample number of IT Specialists working round the clock to get us going. The communication was very transparent.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We attained the goal of 70% with my integration of processes request. And seeing a record change in adopting to best practices within the industry due to the commitment Sumeru folks had towards our project goals. This made a huge impact on our deliverables.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The commitment was round the clock commitment from start to finish of the project. The entire team assigned to this was available when we needed and as we needed.We had a dedicated team working for both sides to be crystal clear with documentation, daily updates, weekly meetings and scope changes if any and day 2 items to discuss if we had any.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I appreciated that they took the time to understand our background and domain knowledge to come up with solutioning. Homework was done damn right. This not only allowed them to recommend highly functional IT Solutions but also the best fit for our situation.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

While we appreciate everything they did sometimes having them professionally too involved could be a bit of stretch. They run the work by book which is good by the way. As clients you want to add more and more but remember you have to make a tough choice here. Your actual work progress goal not the undefined goal as it is not part of the book.