Teque - Bespoke Applications

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director at Balham Beds, a furniture shop based in London. We’ve been selling furniture since the 1970s.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Web Epoch?

We needed help with web design and Magento site migration. Our prior site was very glitchy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I spoke to the manager a couple of times about how we would do it and what we’d do.

Web Epoch helped us design our website, transferring everything from Magento to WooCommerce. They moved everything over and remade it from what it was before. The team also added all of our products and additional features.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the manager and two of his staff members.

How did you come to work with Web Epoch?

The way they described everything, I could tell they knew a lot about design, development, and technology. With many companies these days, it isn’t easy to find someone trustworthy and someone who actually understands your needs and not just pushes you to buy something from them.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested £9,000 (approximately $12,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2019–January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is much cleaner. When they set the site up, we saw a massive increase in sales.

People have found us through SEO. The bounce-back rate is very little to what it was before. I always know what’s going on with the site.

With the prior company we worked with, our server would go off. As soon as we moved to Web Epoch, we haven’t had any issues.

How did Web Epoch perform from a project management standpoint?

It was amazing how the manager described it, pinpointed everything he’s done, and used another application called Monday for task management. He added me to the group, and I could see where his staff and him were in terms of what works, how long it was taking, and it was very efficient.

He would answer the first ring to my call. If he can’t pick up, he messages me right away or emails me that he’s in a meeting. It’s a fantastic service.

They’re sufficient in every single thing. They also didn’t charge us for a lot of other things we needed help with. It wasn’t in the terms and conditions, but they helped us through a lot as a good gesture. If something went wrong or I got stuck doing something, they’d be there constantly. They invested time in us.

 For a couple of hours, they’d sit on live chat with me and instruct me on what to do and what not to do and how to avoid having this situation.

When I introduced the manager for the first time, he introduced me to his staff. He explained what his background is and how long he’s been doing it. Even after paying them the full amount, they were still there through thick and thin. For communication, I’d send them an email at 12 PM, and he’d reply by 12:05.

He’d text me or email telling me he would look into it, and he used Monday for me to see where his staff were and what they were working on at what time and day. I could see the complete breakdown of everything. His management and organizational skills are amazing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve worked with a lot of companies. Web Epoch’s unique selling point is that they’re sufficient. Everything is straight to the point. They were clear about the price and gave us excellent customer service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m very happy with them. I’ve recommended them to a few other people. There’s no room for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best thing to do is to have a discussion over the phone. When COVID-19 is in control, you can meet face-to-face, and they’ll break everything down for you even more.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of operations at an HR consultancy that offers a variety of services, including assistance with employment discrimination cases and advising on diversity policies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Web Epoch?

We needed our website to have a complete overhaul. We wanted it to be more professional.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Web Epoch advised us on what we needed for our website. The work was split between our UK and South African websites, For the website redesign, the team updated and wrote new copy to describe our services and members of our team. We also needed copy for the terms & policy and to encourage clients to leave testimonials.

What is the team composition?

We were in contact with one main developer, Saleem (Director) over the course of the project.

How did you come to work with Web Epoch?

Web Epoch was recommended to us. We had known about them previously, so we were comfortable with going with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent £4,000 (approximately $5,200 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Web Epoch started in June, and we finished with them at the end of September.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their team was involved in every aspect. We’ve received good reviews from consultants within our agency. They like the crisp, light design, and they’re excited to push it out to our clients. The site is very stable, and we’ve had no issues accessing it.

How did Web Epoch perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication was always clear. They were clear in their requirements. In regards to copy, they followed guidelines about length, word count, and tone. Along with being transparent, they were approachable and flexible. They were great in guiding us down the right path. The team was great about deadlines and moving the project along. We primarily used email and phone calls for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Web Epoch came across as very experienced. They were able to tell us their honest opinion, letting us know what wouldn’t work. Their team was also very professional, making it easy to work with them. They knew what they were doing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not for us, no. We found the experience very easy, and we would highly recommend them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them as much information as possible about what you have in mind. Communicate very well to them, and they’ll translate that into the web. Don’t be vague about what you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of an educational tools provider called Arabic Workshop. We offer audiovisual resources to help users learn Arabic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Web Epoch?

We’re in a long-term engagement with Web Epoch to build our learning product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Web Epoch has developed an Arabic learning tool. It’s a progressive web app (PWA) that uses audiovisual media like educational videos and activities/quizzes to help users learn Arabic. One of our main features is a vocabulary builder. It’s a function that allows our solution to evaluate how a user learns and make helpful suggestions.

All of this connects to our e-commerce platform, which lets us offer free content as well as paid premium content. Web Epoch has continued to iterate on both sides of the platform over the past few years. Now, we’re thinking about making our PWA a native solution.

How did you come to work with Web Epoch?

I’d worked with them in the past on various small projects, so I knew that they were reliable and could produce good work. The reason I decided to continue working with them for this project was that I knew their team and liked that I could get involved in key decisions very early on. That made for an end product that matched our needs well.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent between $25,000–$50,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since January 2017. It started off with a prototype, which was quite basic. That prototype was the basis for our crowdfunding campaign, which was successful enough to fund our MVP.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform is the crux of our business. Most of our current users are direct consumers, but we also work with schools and larger groups. With that in mind, Web Epoch has made sure that our platform’s functionality meets our users’ needs. 

How did Web Epoch perform from a project management standpoint?

Web Epoch has been quite upfront about the way that they work. We use an agile process, so there are no surprises when it comes to development. 

As far as communication, their team communicated via Slack or Monday, though I’ve been known to pick up the phone whenever we’ve had an issue to resolve. We’re involved in planning the sprints, which means filtering our ideas and agreeing on our priorities.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re not just hashing out the same old tired thing — they keep up with what’s out there when producing solutions. Because they’re trying to understand the problem we’re solving, the team is willing to go outside of its comfort zone to find the best solution for us. It’s a different mindset than you’d expect with other web developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing springs to mind. Web Epoch is generally open to feedback, which is all that I can ask for.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Building a relationship with them is probably the most important thing. They do try and sit down to understand what you’re looking to achieve, so it’s a good idea to spend time with them. They also do a great job of challenging your initial ideas.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Former Operations Director of HHUGS

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Supports vulnerable families in the UK

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Teque - Bespoke Applications to accomplish?

• Develop Website
• Develop Applications
• Strategies IT plan

SOLUTION

How did you find Teque - Bespoke Applications?

Supporter

Why did you select Teque - Bespoke Applications over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Teque - Bespoke Applications were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

They took over our IT and supported us to deliver on the best possible outcome. They supported us strategically allowing us to save costs and improve income through their careful support with our planning. They created a gaming system for us which was revolutionary. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Sprint planning sessions.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Fantastic on time each time. Sometimes beyond the paid hours too.

What was your primary form of communication with Teque - Bespoke Applications?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their innovative ways of working and thinking impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Teque - Bespoke Applications could have done differently?

No.