Swiss Commerce

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of quantitative analytics of a specialty finance firm, and what we do is provide financial solutions for different companies. Additionally, we analyze the risk and returns of the business and build internal tools for data visualization, analysis, and intelligence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Swiss Commerce?

We needed someone to build a complex analytics tool to determine a business’s financial scenario and cash flow projections.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Swiss Commerce is helping us build the frontend UI of this complex financial analytics tool. We needed the tool to interface with Excel so that’s where we started to build it. In addition to that, we wanted to create a web UI that’s compact, but can store a lot of information and do a lot of scenario analyses.

They have a dedicated team that’s helping us finish the core design of the tool. We switched to a supporting contract since we’re happy with their work, and we’re looking to expand our analytics platform and the components we have in place.

What is the team composition?

I only interact with Kamran (CTO) and Kiyan (Partner & Project Manager).

How did you come to work with Swiss Commerce?

I googled UI/UX designers in our area, and spoke to about 6–7 vendors. I ended up choosing Swiss Commerce.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $70,000–$80,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in January 2020, and it’s still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Whenever we talk to them, we really feel like they have a strong interest in understanding our business further. They want to know what’s important to us, and in this case, it’s the KPI, so they can better improve their services. They’re always learning and they know how to integrate what they know into their work.

How did Swiss Commerce perform from a project management standpoint?

We use a tool called InVision where they share their designs, and we use Zoom for video conferencing. We also use Google Docs to share documents.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What sets them apart from other companies, is that they come up with their own independent ideas. Their ideas make a lot of sense because they really have a good understanding of our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve how they manage their scheduling.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

For the people who want to work with Swiss Commerce, you must first understand what you want to achieve, and how the product is going to look like. Moreover, communication is key, so I would suggest you keep your communication channels open.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of Cadre. We run a staffing platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Swiss Commerce?

We’ve grown in our business, and I wanted to patch and upgrade some of our existing software. The more I spoke with them, the more I realized we had an opportunity to leap forward and create a marketplace app in the meetings industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our goal was to create a marketplace that allows meeting planners to staff their events with on-site staff. We wanted to be a brokerage website app. Initially, we took a deep dive into the industry. We identified what we wanted to do and then looked at the various APIs we could bring into the system.

They looked at all the hard things first and made sure we could do the difficult integrations as our base. We learned a lot from that. We used InVision to build the app, as well as Google and Amazon services.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the two principals of the company. They acted as lead project managers, one on the technical side and the other on the behavioral interface side. I also interacted with a lead developer.

How did you come to work with Swiss Commerce?

I posted the requirements online and spoke with our current developers. We got three high-quality proposals, among several others. Swiss stood out because of their approach and communication. They made me feel confident that they would pay dedicated attention to my project, and they gave good ideas for the build phase. They seemed like business people first and developers second, which I appreciate.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $250,000-$400,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2016. The bulk of their work is done, and the app has launched, but we work together on regular maintenance. We're also in the process of starting the second phase of development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched the app about two months ago and just had our first trade show since we've gone live. The response is excellent, and users cite how necessary this kind of app is to the industry. Experts in the industry are impressed by how well thought out the app is. They spent several months planning the app out before they developed it, and our company now has a mechanism for growth. We can work with new, diverse customers through this technology that we never could have reached before.

How did Swiss Commerce perform from a project management standpoint?

We're very pleased with their communication and responsiveness, especially in comparison to other developers. They took a genuine interest in us and in creating a good product.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They know technology and development, and they approach a project from a business viewpoint. They are conscientious and want to ensure they're delivering a product that will lead to growth and a good return on investment. They understood the broader picture of how the technologies could fit together, and they offered good suggestions. They have a comprehensive knowledge of different technologies and how to integrate them. I'm always happy to work with a vendor who knows more than me, and they always had an answer to my questions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The hardest part of their sales pitch is getting users to put down money upfront on research. It's a good approach, but they could find a better way to sell that to customers. They sold it to me, and it was a good step to take. If they can show the value of that initial investment, they'll do better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Excel Rain Man, a spreadsheet outsourcing company. We help our clients with spreadsheet-related tasks like automation and button creation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Swiss Commerce?

I had created a fairly basic website but needed to make something cleaner and more viable.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Swiss Commerce has worked on numerous projects and different iterations of our website. They’ve done tasks like enabling visitors to download free spreadsheets from our site, which later turned into a way to get people to sign up for our newsletter. Our files are intense in both macro and code, so Swiss Commerce found the most secure way to deliver those files to our clients. 

For a while, they did video tutorials on our website, but we eventually switched over to YouTube because it was a better option. Typically, I tell Swiss Commerce what I want, and they provide the best solution to meet my needs. They also provide regular maintenance for our site.

What is the team composition? 

I work with the founder on significant website overhauls and send tickets to the general team for smaller projects.

How did you come to work with Swiss Commerce?

A friend recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $55,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in May 2008, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve helped the site grow in stride with our business, selecting the right tone, color, and content to keep it updated and relevant. They professionalized our website to make it more legitimate and presentable.

How did Swiss Commerce perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re responsive and have good documentation. If I need guidance or assistance, they send videos or screenshots with the answers, which I can then archive for later use. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They got a sleek website up and running quickly, with the intent of building on it later. They understand what I can afford at different times, and they always allow for room to grow. Unlike many other firms, they provide the best solutions possible, even if it means they make less. They come up with great ideas and know what’s expected for their industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I'm satisfied with their work. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Find a website you like and then tailor it to your business. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm the managing director of Talent Tech Labs, an innovation lab focused on talent acquisition technology. We're helping early stage recruitment technology companies go to market, as well as advising heads of staffing firms on what emerging technologies they should be using.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Swiss Commerce? 

We track a bunch of data on thousands of emerging technology companies. We’d been using an Excel sheet, which got out of control. We needed help to build a web application for our internal team to track information on emerging technology companies at scale.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Swiss Commerce helped us do everything from wireframes to developing the final product. They contributed beyond the web app development by helping us strategize on the best product to build. They continue to support updates and provide hosting for the web app.

What is the team composition?

We work directly with Kamran and Kiyan (partners, Swiss Commerce). 

How did you come to work with Swiss Commerce? 

They were highly recommended to us from folks that we know. 

How much have you invested with them? 

We’ve spent more than $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the end of 2017, and it's an ongoing engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new web app is a core piece of technology that our team uses every day. It plays a meaningful role in our day-to-day work. As such, we've been able to significantly lower our operating expenses on our research team. Swiss Commerce also added real value by advising us on which strategy to use. They built awesome workflows and had them printed on charts that we have hanging in our office. That helped me get buy-in from my team as we went through this process.

How did Swiss Commerce perform from a project management standpoint? 

Their project management is flawless. I really enjoy working with them. They provide deep documentation on the software, and they’re accessible whenever we need them. We have regular phone calls as needed but they also come into our office and meet with us in person. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They go beyond just listening and executing. Swiss Commerce adds a layer of strategy where they're able to advise us. For example, they’ll tell us if they think a decision we’re making isn’t smart. They really serve as consultants as well as developers. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, I think they’re great already.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

My company was called RetailMLS. It was the first online retail real estate listing service, specializing in store space.

What is your position?

I was the founder and CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Swiss Commerce?

I was looking for a company that could take over technical development, provide quality assurance, and make product roadmaps and wireframing.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We had a chief product manager in-house and some other resources, but Swiss Commerce took on the technical development of our custom software. They used custom PHP, JavaScript, as well as other technologies in the process.

How did you come to work with Swiss Commerce?

I found them through AngelList. They seemed to be more knowledgeable than an average third-party service provider. I looked at the collaboration as a partnership and wanted more insights into strategic thinking than what an offshore developer charging $30 per hour could provide. Swiss Commerce was relatively local and seemed to be very business-savvy.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The project range was around $200,000 to $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2013. Our work is ongoing. Swiss Commerce currently provides technical support, ongoing maintenance, and other services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The quality of their work was very good. Swiss Commerce also stood out in terms of responsiveness and other factors. They helped us launch to new markets, add new products, generate the ability to earn revenue, iterate effectively, get a lot of exposure within the industry, and obtain new clients.

What distinguishes Swiss Commerce from other providers?

They are reliable. Swiss Commerce has been around since the late '90s, running as a family business. They're flexible in creating custom solutions for any client.

Is there anything Swiss Commerce could have improved or done differently?

No. Everything is good.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a contract manufacturer in the cosmetic and personal care business. We've also launched two proprietary brands. We're headquartered in Maryland, and have a sales and marketing office in New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Swiss Commerce?

We hired Swiss Commerce to work on the technology for our two brands.

One of the projects for which they work with us on is called ManhoodTV.com. It's a Magento-based content site and web store. It focuses on content, with a subscription service in the store.

Another project was Everyday Botanicals, a Shopify-based e-commerce site.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

They developed the User Interface/User Experience [UI/US] for both sites and worked on magazine and video optimization. They developed the strategy for the video interface, centralized searches, MailChimp integration, Google Cloud Server and Amazon services. Most of the platforms, like Shopify and Magento, were customized for us, which included quite a bit of programming.

Swiss Commerce also worked on Search Engine Optimization [SEO] for us. They assigned a six people team to our projects, who are still working for us.

How did you come to work with Swiss Commerce?

We were introduced to them by two different parties. One was a firm that we were working with, which couldn't deliver the specific programming that we required. The other recommendation came through a middle-school friend who had Swiss Commerce work on his site.

We were initially introduced to Swiss Commerce for some Node.js development. We ended up simply rebuilding our website, since continuing in that language no longer made sense to us.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

ManhoodTV.com initially cost an approximate total of $100,000. We've made changes since the launch, which have added to the cost.

The cost for Everyday Botanicals was $40,000 initially. We've constantly added new things to it, too.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started our collaboration in 2013. The website was launched at the end of that year. Both projects are still ongoing since we're constantly making changes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

If you were to ask me if the sites were successful, I would say no, but it has nothing to do with Swiss Commerce. It's an ongoing process.

We had a lot of input on the user interfaces, especially for ManhoodTV.com. We knew how many videos, articles and sliders we wanted on the front page. Overall, I'm very satisfied. Just like every website, it went through a period of testing and audits on things that needed fixing. There was always something to be done, which is normal, but they got to it quickly.

I'm happy with Swiss Commerce and their work. The ideas they've given us in restructuring and repositioning certain things have resulted in traffic increases on those specific elements. For example, having an article be displayed in the first slot, instead of the third.

How did Swiss Commerce perform from a project management standpoint?

What I liked about them in general was their availability. They have a tracking app that gives information for every ticket. I can see live statuses of our progress.

On both projects, the final cost came right under budget. Not by a significant amount, but it still mattered.

Is there anything Swiss Commerce could have improved or done differently?

Anything I could think of would be more on my side than theirs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We are a custom clothier. We have several locations in New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal in working with Swiss Commerce?

The type of system we needed wasn’t something we could get off the shelf. What we needed would require a lot of thinking, planning, and a proprietary approach. We heard that Swiss Commerce were the people for that. When we sat down and went through our business needs and the direction we wanted to go, they were very understanding and guided us in making the system even more sophisticated than we thought it could be.

Having a centralized Web-based system to manage our customer data was very important. We had been doing work on local computers at each of our locations or even on paper. Also, we needed to streamline the workflow – taking measurements from a customer, taking an actual order and visually seeing what it is they’ve selected. We have a lead time of four to six weeks before the customer receives a finished suit, so there are a lot of things that can be forgotten, and other times when the customer remembers things differently than what they actually selected. This system makes things a little more transparent for the customer, and we have better documentation of the actual order. It also gives the salesperson guidelines on how to take orders.

Please describe the scope of their work.

The system that Swiss Commerce created communicates with the factories and fabric mills, tracks shipments – everything our business needs to operate efficiently and effectively. Because of the nature of our business, this system helps shorten the lead time. Having it tie in to so many different elements of our business is very efficient. I don’t need to calculate the fabric orders manually since it’s all automated. The system lets us know whether a particular item is in stock or not, and it can immediately communicate that information to us so we can relay that to the customer if there’s an issue. Our system allows us to tie in to several different factories around the world, and it handles the logistics of shipping and tracking.

SOLUTION

What was your process in selecting Swiss Commerce with which to work?

We approached them through several referrals. I knew some people that have worked with them. I did my own research, and they kept coming up. We also met with several other Web design firms. I don’t think it was a factor of money – it was just their level of expertise, their understanding of our needs and the process.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

We’ve spent a little more than $300,000 working with Swiss Commerce.

When did you begin working with them?

The relationship started around two years ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics, metrics, or general feedback to show the success of the project?

We automatically get updates on the status of orders. We know when it will ship, and when we’ll receive it. We can inspect it and make sure everything is correct. Everything is so streamlined. The amount of money we save by having this system more than justifies the investment. It has helped us become more lean and productive. I don’t think we could grow as we have if we didn’t have this system in place.

The business is capable of growing now. I can hire 10 salespeople a year and train them more quickly. It’s generating more revenue in that sense. Even without new revenue, just the savings from increased efficiency made the investment worth it.

Is there anything unique about Swiss Commerce that really makes them stand out compared to other companies?

I would have to say that would be their analytical mind. They have an ability to combine expertise in Web development and design with a good understanding of our business needs. They were able to propose solutions that we didn’t even know existed. Having developers who know how to guide us through the process was important to me. There are things you can see in your head, but you have to be realistic and practical. They’re very good at communicating, they’re patient, and they listen to you. They help you to develop something even better than you may have expected.