Tepia

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of an app that allows you to share 100 moods, emotions, and desires with your partner. The goal is to increase communication in a gamified way. People can post status updates with colors and emojis, which simplifies the communication process between people.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

I’d created a few frameworks for the application, and we wanted to create the technical side of it — the coding and the functionality. They’re our sole development resource.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In addition to the frameworks, I’d created the brand, content, and wireframes, but Tepia created all the coding, functionality, and documentation.

After we provided the framework, they took it piece-by-piece, identifying any holes they say and providing coaching as to the direction of the application. The result was a much cleaner design.

Users posts statuses in the form of moods — there are over 400 different choices, including fears and desires, like the fear of abandonment. There are also relationship ratings and a weekly relationship check-in featuring ten questions. The main feature is the mood statuses, I would say.

The app is available for iOS currently, and we’re working on Android — Play Store approval is all that’s left.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with 3–4 people, including Tricia (Project Manager) and Abe (President).

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

My partner had heard of them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t’ really have statistics or metrics, as the app launched two days ago, but we have the proper data analytics set up to gather the incoming data once it’s time.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

I can only speak about Tricia’s work, but she’s done amazing — very communicative, organized, detail-oriented, and quick. She’s carried a lot of the desk work, even over Google Meet.

Things can get rocky when we get lost, but Tricia has maintained an upbeat, positive mood the entire time; she’s a great coach, in that way.

Their whole team is very responsive, and they didn’t take advantage of us from a payment standpoint; everything was very fair, and they acted with integrity.

I’m new to the world of technology, but everything felt honesty and seemed to be full of integrity. I’m creative and innovative, and Tepia was able to hold my large vision and bring it down into something executable. They truly know what they’re doing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We haven’t gotten too far into testing the code itself, but we haven’t had any problems with the app shutting down — it functions smoothly. It’s also very impressive that we’ve been able work with consistent, reliable developers from Tepia.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t answer this with a clear conscience, as this project has been my first time in this setting. There have been times when I wanted to be further along than we actually were, but that’s fairly normal; you have to be patient because the fix for one issue might cause a second issue; it’s a bit of a dance.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the former technical project manager at Gerber Labs, whose parent company is PalPilot. At that time, I was focused on building our e-commerce website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

Tepia served as our web developers. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Tepia developed a plan for our platform’s architecture. Once they finished that, we reviewed the designs and workflows they made. We also reviewed how we wanted to build the website. Moreover, they referred us to external SEO and UI/UX design experts; though we engaged them specifically for web design, they also helped us onboard a full suite of engineers and developers. Then, Tepia built the website from the backend to the frontend using custom HTML programming; we didn’t use any website presets or templates. Our team specifically requested this because our site wasn’t just a landing page; it was a place where users could buy and customize their orders.

Moreover, we created the project's documentation together. Contributions came from both of our teams. For one, we provided them with ideas and mockups that we found on other websites. We also looked into other tools we could use; this included GitHub, where pre-built scripts were available. Eventually, Tepia helped us organize what we wanted to build and gave us their own ideas, helping us move on with the process. 

For core features and functionality, the website allowed end users to upload schematics. These schematics were drawings of computer hardware that they wanted to build. The website was also able to detect the dimensions of the drawings. Moreover, it had an algorithm that helped users understand the cost, time, and labor resources that their schematics would consume, generating a quote for them instantly. 

Further, our contract with Tepia indicated that they’d provide 30–65 days or a full year of maintenance services after the website was finished. This was for any unexpected bugs or errors on the website. 

I've already left the company, but Tepia is still currently working on the project.

What is the team composition?

I worked with 3–4 people from Tepia. Abraham (President) helped us during the onboarding process. Our team also interacted with Dustin (Project Manager), who provided us with weekly updates and suggestions around day-to-day issues. Finally, 1–2 software developers also occasionally worked with us to go through issues or workflows. 

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

We found Tepia online. Our company was located in Orange County, so we wanted an agency that was close to us. That way, we could meet them in person and have a conversation when necessary. Overall, Tepia had a good location, and they had a good web presence. These were the reasons we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent just over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in February 2020, and they were still working on it with my former company when I left. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The metrics were highly positive. Our team managed to secure orders in the first month that the website went live even though we still had to do a lot of development work on it. 

Anecdotally, the Tepia team was on point and flexible in their work. For instance, our company worked with many overseas vendors, so many of our meetings had to be done in the evening. Despite that, Tepia was highly accommodating. They spent time on the meetings and worked with us even though there was a language barrier among vendors.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

Tepia’s project management skills were great. Given the nature of the development industry, it was rare for us to meet our set deadlines — they did take a few weeks longer than expected to deliver the project — but the team was extra communicative during the entire process. As a result, we managed to plan around such delays. 

For communication, we met a few times in person during the initial engagement. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, we transitioned to emails and video conference calls to communicate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team was highly flexible and accommodating. In fact, Tepia resources would jump on a call late at night with our vendors if they had to discuss things with them. Moreover, they provide great service recommendations. For example, when we wanted to have stronger designs in terms of site colors and branding assets, Tepia brought in experts from their network. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish that they had been more assertive in some of our discussions. I would’ve loved to receive more recommendations around our project requirements. To be fair, they’d already provided great recommendations and the team was good at what they do. However, as a client that wasn’t as technically savvy as them, we could’ve used all the recommendations we could get. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with Tepia early on because they’re great at conceptualizing ideas and providing feedback. Simply put, don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis — just have a conversation with them. Their resources are friendly, so even if you decide not to work with them, your initial interaction will be worth it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of FC Parking & Hospitality Services. We provide all types of parking and transportation services primarily to healthcare clients, but we also work in other institutions such as country clubs and hotels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We had a software application in-house and we were interested in making some improvements to it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tepia is rebuilding our existing app and enhancing it by integrating new features we wanted to add. Our software manages our parker’s interaction with our team and guides them on how to use our payment solution and other features.  

What is the team composition?

We’re working with Dustin (Project Manager) who serves as our main point of contact and occasionally, Abraham (President) gets involved to deal with higher-level change orders and requests. We also collaborate with their development assistant.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

We contacted many software development companies, but Tepia was the most responsive and professional. More importantly, they immediately submitted a proposal to us. We found them on either Google or Yelp, and they were close to our West Coast office.

We felt that if things went sideways, we’d easily find them as opposed to hiring an outsourced company. On top of that, if we were to run our app in person, they’d be available for us. Above all, their pricing was very fair compared to other companies. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $25,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership began in April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Throughout the process, Tepia has suggested great ideas about additional enhancements that ended up making our product even better. Our partnership has been wonderful, mainly because we have a great manager who understands what we need. As a result, we don’t spend a lot of time explaining our visions to the team because they’ve been very intuitive, which cuts out a lot of the redundancy that normally happens in a project.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management process is really good; they’ve delivered their outputs on time and to the specifications we’ve requested. Additionally, their workflow is very organized and all of our appointments are scheduled well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Dustin has quickly learned our software and has helped us move the project along without having too many cooks in the kitchen. With other companies I partnered with before, there’s either high turnover or too many people working on one project.

From my perspective, they’re far better than other companies we’ve collaborated with. Overall, we feel that they’re working for us and contributing to our processes as opposed to being someone we need to manage. In that regard, they’ve been a very valuable resource to our company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they don’t have areas to improve. I normally have a lot to say as a business owner. However, as far as I know, my interactions with Tepia have been great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear vision and direction for the team. As long as you’re committed to the project, you’re going to have an easy time with Tepia.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of cooperative services. We’re a cooperative that works with preferred suppliers and member distributors. We have about 300 members and suppliers and we work with over 800 locations. We help distributors with their organic growth, sales, and creating more information for their website as part of their business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We were looking to have a platform developed that not only provides information on one landing page but is also robust with easy to find features and information. Our website was pretty old and hasn’t been touched for a number of years. It was only used for the purpose of logging in to a different platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tepia Co developed our WordPress website. We had the initial project scope where I have my wishlist for the website. We have members and suppliers that were granted different access levels  They created four or five different access levels for our members and suppliers and incorporated them into the website and this is the feature that we needed to have as a foundation for our website.

They added different security features to our website, this wasn’t part of the initial scope, but they were able to help with that. We worked with a different IT provider and Tepia Co worked with them to get the security aspect of the website done. They also implemented a two-factor security feature.

What is the team composition?

There were two team members from Tepia Co that we worked with. I first worked with Abe (Founder) who handled the whole contract side of things, but I mainly worked with Trisha (Administrative Assistant & Project Admin). She was the project lead and she was also the liaison to Tepia Co’s developers. 

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

I found Tepia Co through Yelp. I reached out to around eight website developers and Tepia Co was the only one that really came through and answered my questions. Our website is very customized and customizing it exactly to what we needed was very important. Tepia Co provided responses that made me feel confident that they could handle the project.

I found in their portfolio different things that I wanted to put into my own website so I knew that they had the capability to build what I wanted. Another factor was that Tepia Co is a local Orange County business and that really helped with my decision of working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

For the first phase of the project, we’ve invested between $15,000–$30,000.
 
What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Tepia Co from November 2019–December 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have a website with different levels of access and security. Our website isn’t public and only accessible to both our members and suppliers. There’s a lot of information going on behind the scenes and all of our members can now depend on the information that we provide.

Our site has over 300 detailed pages with information for each of our members and suppliers that help them know more about a company. This information will help our members and suppliers a lot with how to sell their product offerings.

The ease of use is important for some of our members’ senior contacts. They can easily navigate, explore, or read the website. Tepia Co made our website admin-friendly.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

Tepia Co’s team is responsive. I spoke to Trisha a few times a day. The way they conveyed information was very clear and easy to understand. They were on schedule and if there was a delay, they provided reasons why. Our website is customized, nothing was standard, but they provided a feasible deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tepia Co was easy to work with. The team provides clear explanations. Trisha and Abe provided fast support and it made me feel confident that I’m in control of the website. Abe was very confident in his work. Their attitude and responsiveness were outstanding. Their ability to meet my budget from the beginning was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they could improve on implementing security features faster, but I kind of threw that request on them last minute. That was the only thing that took a little bit longer.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide clear directions. If your direction isn’t clear, the project takes longer to get done. Have a full understanding of what you’re looking for including the design, features, and functionality. Making sure that you know what you want will be extremely helpful for Tepia Co. Having a clear vision of what you’re looking for and sticking to your standards is really important.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative designer and co-founder of ArvzApp Inc. We’re a mobile device startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We were looking for a new vendor to finish developing our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I was in charge of creative design for the app, and our previous developer had built an MVP. The Tepia Co team developed and coded the solution, implementing features that hadn’t been functioning properly, including active push notifications.

The app allows businesses to communicate with customers in real-time for a “know before you go” experience. It’s a digital marketing app that uses live cameras. It’s available on iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

I worked daily with Dustin (Project Manager). I also interacted with another person from their team frequently and occasionally with Abraham (Founder).

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

We found them through a Google search. We liked Abraham when we met. In the end, they won the contract because they offered fair pricing, and we liked what we saw and heard.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $45,000–$65,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2019–September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app went live about a month ago. We’re fixing bugs and things that don’t work properly now. We’ve had positive feedback from everyone who has seen the app.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

They went above and beyond to make us happy. We communicated via email, text, and Trello.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did well at understanding, following directions, and developing the intense structure our app had to follow. We worked together effectively to overcome all the hurdles we encountered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The more prepared you are, the better they can work for you. If you can work with Dustin, do it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP and operations manager of an engineering company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We have had an issue with document control and construction documentation. It seems to be pretty fragmented across a bunch of different platforms and templates.

Each one required a unique training session with those that were going to use it - a lot of whom were out in the field. Coordination was difficult because those inspectors at construction sites were working under a BYOD set up to bring your own device.

We had to figure out the model number they were using, what type of software they had, and whether or not it was a current version. We were really looking for a way to streamline and organize that.

We initially contracted a different, non-US based company, but we weren’t seeing the results we wanted for various milestones. We decided to move ahead and work with Tepia Co instead, so they started with us when everything was just a thought. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tepia Co actually took this project from its very early stages. It started off as one module, which was the main construction daily report module and then eventually transformed into seven modules. Now, I'm working on a couple more in version 2.0.

We're in the warranty phase right now that expires around March. We've already got a list of things we want for version 2.0 and version 3.0.

We had a very long wireframe phase and then design phase. Then, we moved on to Alpha, and now we're a little past beta testing. Where we actually have practical applications of it happening right now on different construction sites.

What is the team composition?

Our primary contact is Dustin (Project Manager) and they have some developers that are actually on Trello. They don't have direct contact with us, but they are there and we can see them respond to certain questions and concerns. 

The other person is Abraham (Principal) and he's more on the admin side. Whenever we want to enter into something new, or do a change order, or some additional work he's the one that contacts us and goes through that.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

We interviewed them and Abraham really presented the company well with a responsive team. Coming from just hiring someone who wasn’t local, I liked the fact that Abraham was local and promised a project manager who would be, too. I knew there wouldn’t be any time issues, communication barriers, or different time zones. 

Abraham seemed to understand our vision and was flexible, knowing we were still in the early stages. We really felt they would tell us when something is wrong or not right from a UX perspective. The things they were used to when developing other apps made me feel like they were thinking it through and couple apply that experience in other forums. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent in the ballpark of $125,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since November 2014 and it’s ongoing. We're in the warranty period now, and we're already kind of working through what we want to develop next as part of this platform. There's a couple of other modules that we’re actually working through.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t rolled it out to the masses yet, but we do have one individual who is currently using it. He has been presented with different reporting tools in the past, but always resisted moving away from paper and pen. Now that he’s using our product, he is glued to it and says he’ll never go back. He says our tool goes beyond anything he’s tried. 

That feedback, coming from someone so adamantly against digital construction documentation, is a big measure of success for us. 

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s been pretty excellent. We use Trello and whenever something on Trello starts going back and forth a little too much, Dustin sends in his availability and asks to get on a call to wrap things up faster. 

When they don't hear from us they're always checking in on us to get things moving. When it comes to us proposing extra things, they’re always warning us. There are no hidden things, there are no surprises. We know what's going on.

A couple of times, they agreed to do things on an expedited basis because they really needed to. They’ve even done work for us and found a way to do it without charging. They're definitely not the team that's going to nickel and dime and hold things over your head.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would say Dustin is the most impressive part. He's really good at communicating his thoughts and even working in the background, trying to come up with different solutions to some problems, and presenting those. 

He’s also very good as a middleman between us and Abraham. When he knows that we really need a feature, he's willing to talk through that issue and figure out a way that we can do it so it isn’t as expensive or detailed. That's been a pretty big help because he has that experience whereas we don't.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think everything has been pretty good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take their advice. They sometimes give you a list of things and they'll tell you there are three options but will recommend one for you. You should usually listen to them.

If you say something they think is not a good idea, take what they're saying. They're trustworthy, so they’re saying it for a reason. It's not so that they don't have to do the work or because it's going to be difficult for them to figure it out - they actually embrace that challenge. 

But when they say something is not a good idea, there's a reason behind it. Something that they know based on their application, based on the development of other applications means they know this is going to be difficult to implement or is going to confuse the user. 

We've gone the other way a couple of times and it turns out that they were actually right. We wish we had gone with them with their recommendation the first time. Just trust that process and it should be a good experience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a faith-based organization that operates a B2B, B2C, and donation-based business. All the entities are nonprofits, and I work as a pastor there.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We had an iOS and Android app for a podcast that airs on many stations throughout the US. The platform was developed before I joined the company and was not in good shape when I started. The original developer was going to charge us an arm and a leg to correct it, so we looked for a new partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our main goal was to develop a functioning mobile solution quickly. Essentially, our requirements were to implement an RSS (RDF Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) feed that would include a picture, inspirational scripture, and a blog post along with the audio. The app needed to be updated on a daily basis, with new audio and text. They prioritized speed and quality in the development, managing the project management as well.

What is the team composition?

I had a main point of contact but worked with about three people. 

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

After going through a cold Google search for service providers, I found good reviews about their services on Yelp. I liked that they were local, and they were the strongest company I interviewed. They quickly understood our situation and truly approached the project with our best interests in mind. 

How much have you invested with them?

We probably spent about $20,000 on the project.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from about January–March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They pulled us out of a crisis moment very quickly, getting us a functioning app very quickly. Our customers and donors were ecstatic with the app as well, praising it through reviews. That impressed and satisfied our team.   

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

The truly excelled with project management. Our team had several other projects occurring at the time, so we needed someone on their end that would drive the development. They handled project management professionally, conducting reviews after every iteration. We appreciated that they documented the entire process, so everything that was spoken or completed could be referenced later. The project turned out great because of their project management skills. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The ease of their process was spectacular. They made it quick and easy to collaborate.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they even followed up with me to answer questions our reviewers were asking about the product. They were always proactive.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of Destination Lancaster. We’re a destination marketing organization of the Visitors Bureau for the City of Lancaster in California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We needed a more cost-effective website that also met our needs. At the time, our website was expensive to maintain and complicated to use. It was built for a larger destination marketing organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tepia Co created a website including a new backend. While their team pulled in aspects from the old website, they built the platform from the ground up. We had weekly meetings when our teams presented ideas and reviewed changes from the past week. The frontend design was a team effort too. We relied on their expertise, so the engagement was more of a partnership. Their team also built a mobile app that features different categories for visitors to load and access a quick guide on their phones. Their team also created training videos. If we need to complete a task, we can reference a video.

What is the team composition?

I worked with two people from Tepia Co.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

We brought Tepia Co onboard before I started at the company.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began collaborating around March 2019 and their work’s ongoing. When users have comments or ideas, we reach out to Tepia Co and their team completes the project within days.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They created a user-friendly website with a backend that’s easy to navigate. We get great feedback from people who describe how fabulous the new site is. We requested a few tweaks that Tepia Co enacted quickly. For example, we wanted a submission form in the middle of a page for people to find easily. Their team made the change immediately. As well, their team completed an integration with an RSS feed of a museum and performing arts center within days of us asking.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

We had weekly meetings via phone and after every call, their team provided a recap. There was never a delay in their work. Ideas we discussed in the calls were completed the next week. They kept on track and gave great feedback, so the engagement was easy.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service is second to none. We can reach them easily and talk to a person on the phone directly. We don’t have to leave messages or follow-up several times

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing that comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend them highly. Everything I’ve asked them to do, they’ve researched and been able to do. They’re easy to work with and cost-effective.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a company that prequalifies contractors for school districts. We’re located in California. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We needed assistance in developing our SaaS product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our product is a self-scoring automated system for contractors to streamline the prequalification process for school districts. This also assists all the California school districts in getting qualifies contractors. This web app solution removed the need for an expert to assist a district in obtaining prequalified contracted assistance. They developed the solution. 

What is the team composition?

I only had to deal with one point of contact who managed the project on their end. 

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

Our team was working with another partner in northern California that ended up being a pain because of distance. We liked that they were a local business because that would eliminate some of the unnecessary back-and-forth over email. If we had a problem, I could drive over to them and discuss the issue face-to-face. At this point, he’s done a few projects for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

Our spend with them in near $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2015, and our teams always have an ongoing effort of some kind. We’re always trying to make things better.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product that he ultimately provided was excellent. Our final solution is fantastic and functions well.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

The whole process was very smooth. They answered our questions as quickly as possible to ensure that we were always making forward progress. It was nice to have a designated project manager because I only had to recieve updates from one person. When we couldn’t meet in-person, we communicated through emails and phone calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to understand and showcase my vision after starting from scratch was notable. He has great insights on how to build a successful mobile or web app. That’s helped me out tremendously.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve had a good experience with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d highly recommend working with them. They can help you visualize your goals, and they’re easy to work with. Their artistic vision has helped get our product out there.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an educational non-profit organization that promotes science and astronomy. We conduct out reach events at many schools and public parks every year by bringing telescopes and educating students and the public about the night sky. We also promote science education.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Tepia Co?

Our original website was completely outdated and becoming unusable with current technologies. It was written in a programming language no longer supported, we hired Tepia to redesign and implement our website and bring it up to be compatibility with current technologies while maintaining an ease for future additions and improvements.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to make a completely redesigned website that was easy to use, compatible with current technologies. An important feature was did not want to lose any of the old data which provided a lot of background and history of the club. We had archives of user images and articles that were no longer able to be replaced. So we needed to get old data retrieved and placed into a current formats that also made it easy to be archived and presented and still allow new data to be uploaded. We wanted something that was open source and maintainable, and with the capacity to be updated easily as technologies change.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After checking many reviews, a field of possible vendors was determined, each was to submit a proposal and pricing. We tried to provide as much detail as possible as to our needs. We considered originally 8 vendors, after the interviews and contacts with them the proposals were received. The field was narrowed down to 3 vendors and more contacts and interviews were made before a decision was made. Our complete Board of Directors was involved in the final choice, a summary of the evaluations and a copy of the proposals was made a available to the Board and there was a unanimous decision. We selected Tepia, as they seemed to have the best grasp of the goals and understood the old technologies and realized that this was not a small or trivial project.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project started with the original specification notes that were provided for the proposal process. We had described the functionality of what was desired and they made the choices for the software and utilities used to implement the project. We had a dedicated point person to make the day to day decisions and be the contact point for the implementation team. They came through with a design and starting point and progress was monitored closely with emails and weekly conferences to discuss any issues or questions that had been discovered. It was a difficult task to retrieve the old data because of broken database links but it was accomplished with great success.

What was the team composition?

On our side, it consisted of a single point of contact, which was the Secretary of the club and the person responsible for the original contact and throughout the proposal and decision phase. Status and updates were delivered to the Board as necessary. On the Tepia Co. side, original contact and important decisions were made by their team, which consisted of Dustin, the project manager and programmers and designers. That was the main point of contact was with the project manager. Dustin was easy to work with and provided constant updates and answered questions promptly and the weekly meetings were very productive.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were not in a hurry with this project and we had realized before we sent out requests for proposals that this was going to be a long project that was very complex and require a lot of work. We limped along with our old site as best we could before changing to the new site after it was completed. We have a had a large impact, the site is more interactive and easier to use and the feedback as been very positive. There are features now that were never available and site is very user friendly and mobile device friendly. Tepia Co. met all of our expectations and exceeded them.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The Tepia team was very responsive to any questions and concerns. Weekly meetings were done with Google Hangouts and documents were generated with Google Docs with question and answers as needed. The site was developed in a staging site and progress was as expected. There was never any concern of problems and responses not completing in a timely fashion. Response was beyond expectation.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Tepia Co certainly had a good grasp of what we might need and the extent and size of the project. Their team was responsive and very detailed. There were no delays, at no time did it seem they had moved on to another project. Their response was rapid and informative. Customer service is excellent. The provided excellent documentation as well as informative videos on how to use the system and train users and other content providers in the organization on how to use the site.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had absolutely no issues with Tepia, they provided excellent service and a quality product. They are continuing to answer questions and assist while we are transitioned to our new environment.