UPDIVISION

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

National Union of Road Hauliers from Romania (UNTRR) is an organisation - professional and employers, non-governmental, independent, apolitical - founded in 1990 on democratic principles, promoting and defending the interests of road transport domestically and internationally, recording since its foundation to the present over 16,000 members - operators carrying out domestic and international freight transport and passengers. I am responsible for PR & Marketing within the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPDIVISION?

As the National Union of Road Hauliers we are also responsible for providing our members with support through various digital services and products. For this purpose, we worked with UPDIVISION to build a news portal with an associated mobile app and two document management platforms. We continue to work with them for software support and updates.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to create a digital ecosystem which supports hauliers` and provides them with all the information they need. The news platform UPDIVISION helped us build gathers industry news all in one place and it also comes with a mobile app. The two document management platforms help transport companies manage the necessary paperwork to comply with labour rules and regulations, such as the new French minimum wage law and the A1 regulations.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were highly recommended by a trusted vendor.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We built the document management system as a solution to the 2015 change in the French labour law. The new law stipulated that, as long as a driver would stay in France, he would have to be paid the French minimum wage. For transport companies operating international road transport on the French territory, this meant additional paperwork. The system we built takes care of all of this. Users can easily create an account and upload salary documents and all the necessary papers for each driver. The platform also allows online payments. In a similar manner, the second document management system helps transport companies easily apply and obtain the A1 form for international road transport. Companies can easily create an account, upload all the necessary documents and keep track of the application process. The news portal helps hauliers keep up to date with industry news, including law changes as the ones mentioned above. The news portal allows admins to write, edit and delete articles and challenges. Admins can also set up and monitor performance through an integrated ad system. Regular users can create accounts, comment on articles and take part in challenges. Besides the web version, the news portal also comes as an iOS and Android mobile app. Both the news portal and the document management systems were built using PHP and the Laravel framework for the backend and HTML, CSS and JavaScript for the frontend. For the iOS and Android app we used Titanium. All apps were built from scratch and UPDIVISIN took care of the entire process, from project planning and management to deployment.

What was the team composition?

UPDIVISION provided the entire team, including, in addition to developers, a project manager, a tester and a technical lead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

UPDIVISION was instrumental in getting the three apps off the ground, which are now used on a national level by professional drivers and transport companies.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Since we have no in-house development team, UPDIVISION also acted as our technical partner, offering valuable insight into the technologies we should use, user experience and the app flow. They responded promptly to all our questions in a clear, non-jargon way. We had regular calls and meetings and testable milestones.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Probably the extent of their expertise. Meaning they can take an idea and turn it into a viable app, going through all the necessary steps alongside you. From understanding your business and the industry to product discovery, design and actual development.

Are there any areas for improvement?

As with most projects involving a lot of milestones, there were a few intermediary deadlines missed by a couple of days. But the final project was delivered on time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for JustNow Inc. We’re a food waste prevention startup that provides a solution for retailers to avoid food waste. It’s a mobile platform where users claim coupons for products that would come off the shelf and be thrown away.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UPDIVISION?

We needed a partner to help us scale our platform because we don’t have frontend developers. We have a backend development team, but their backgrounds are in AI.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

UPDIVISON bolstered our web management platform, which has a MySQL database. They built up the API and managed frontend development themselves with PHP and Laravel framework. Their team helped to develop our presentation WordPress website too. They created a theme and supported development using HTML, JavaScript, and Vue.js.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about 5 people from UPDIVISON. Their team included a project manager, frontend and backend developers, and a tester.

How did you come to work with UPDIVISION?

Another company that we worked with recommended UPDIVISON as they’re partners.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $25,000–$50,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our work together at the end of 2016 and the initial project took about three months. They worked on the frontend in 2018 and continue to assist us with the platform on and off.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their team helped us to scale development faster. UPDIVISION delivers clear work on time, which few developers do nowadays. We’re happy with the results. Our product drives the business and UPDIVISION had a major impact in delivering that product, so that’s an indirect impact on our business. They had a positive impact and that’s why we reached out to them again.

How did UPDIVISION perform from a project management standpoint?

We work with them via Skype frequently and UPDIVISION communicates well. We’ve tracked projects well too. We’ve gotten updates weekly that showcase their work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

A noteworthy quality was that they delivered on time. It was a long project with many milestones and their team still delivered on time. UPDIVISON was professional. They didn’t have any issues with tackling problems or integrating with our team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s not severe, but developers can miss details. They could be more forward-thinking with the product. We needed to point out specific features regarding how the product would be, but we know our product better than them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Outline product targets clearly. Break down the project into deliverables. Explain both the business use case and product use case clearly because they come back with good feedback. Structure the project so that their team delivers products to scale properly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO and CTO of Ekomurz, a service-oriented company that specializes in Magento (1 and 2) development and services. We also build links with external solutions that need to communicate with the e-commerce sites we've built. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPDIVISION?

We've worked with UPDIVISION on several projects. However, their main tasks are related to a web application that ties together inventory systems from a Dutch retail company, providing accurate information for e-commerce sites.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to migrate everything from a Zend Framework-based approach into a Laravel-based application. We wanted to make it more open and accessible for other developers, and integrating newest technologies (logging, frontend javascript, etc.) were secondary goals.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We initially started in 2016 with a proof of concept project, exploring their Laravel-based Backpack product. It was a success, so we intensified the relationship.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

UPDIVISION provides state-of-the-art tools and technologies to build various web apps that are highly complex. The product for the Dutch retail company evolved into a centralized product information management (PIM) system and also supports information from all local shops. The UPDIVISION team also assisted in refactoring older web frontends into a brand new Magento 2 design.

What was the team composition?

We work with a small team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Customers love the new sync tool, using it on a daily basis. This successful project also gives us the opportunity to open other business deals.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We keep project management lean, communicating mainly through Slack and using a Git Workflow.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They provide a direct line of communication and consistently spend the time to provide the best technologies possible. They're flexible and always have the right people with the desired skills for each part of the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They're improving themselves on a daily basis. They understand how business models are built and how web apps should support users.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We use a proprietary EDI system to help online shops in Scandinavia automatically create shipping labels, track shipments, and automate their shipping processes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPDIVISION?

We hired UPDIVISION to help us build an API-based Laravel web service that integrates webshops with shipping companies. We used Laravel services to manage user subscriptions, and Backpack for Laravel to manage the admin elements. However, we soon also needed a lot of custom work.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to redesign our app so it could manage tens of millions of shipments. We also wanted to provide a standardized service that worked exactly the same for every carrier and webshop. We needed one API that integrated seamlessly with multiple e-commerce solutions.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We wanted to use Laravel, but didn’t want to start from scratch. Instead, we searched for a framework that met our needs. Backpack for Laravel is a solid, well-designed framework, so we contacted UPDIVISION, its creators.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The app handles the whole shipping process, from webshop to carrier, with just one click. It generates shipping labels, sends customers their tracking info, creates multiple shipments, finds the closest agents, and more.

During the first stage, they managed the API integration and implementation so users could test the app without entering the required information. They made it easy to set up a subscription and try the demo. They also customized Backpack for Laravel features to facilitate aggregated reports generation and automated scanning.

During the next stage, UPDIVISION analyzed the performance of the codebase and developed features that reduced order processing time. They optimized every part of the app to keep things running smoothly, regardless of the load. They also completed benchmarking and performance auditing, which included automated testing, unit testing, feature testing, and integration testing. 

What was the team composition?

We had one senior web developer and one project manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered everything flawlessly, always met deadlines, and helped us release the product faster. They fulfilled our initial goals: the app can handle tens of millions of shipments each quarter, including thousands of simultaneous shipments, with smooth API integration. Both are massive accomplishments.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

UPDIVISION integrated seamlessly with our in-house developers. They felt like part of our team, always available to discuss issues and work on fixes.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was constantly impressed by their professionalism and the creativity of their technical solutions. They aren't a yes-sir company; they're willing to say no when it matters. Our constructive arguments led us to much better solutions. They were crucial to the success of this app.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall, they did an impeccable job. One challenge of remote development is that external contractors must become familiar with a new codebase and an existing team of developers. UPDIVISION could allocate more time to getting familiar with the technical details. Before starting the project, they should ask detailed questions about the codebase and the overall logic. I'm not saying that UPDIVISION didn't do this, just that they could set aside more time for it. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a beauty brand which sells professional cosmetic products, both online and through brick and mortar stores in more than 10 countries. As a manager, I am responsible for the day to day operations of the e-commerce store, as well as planning new features and working closely with the development team to implement them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired UPDIVISION to build a custom e-commerce platform for our beauty products. We continue to work with them for maintenance and support.

SOLUTION

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

UPDIVISION was recommended by a trusted colaborator and, after an initial meeting, we agreed to work together. A deciding factor was their experience with various e-commerce platforms and their ability to understand the shortcomings of existing solutions and to come up with better ways of doing things, where needed.

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

We needed a custom e-commerce platform which delivers. So we focused on making the entire selling and buying experience more intuitive and user-friendly: from the admin dashboard and search engine optimized code to fast check-out.

With the help of UPDIVISION, we built an e-commerce store where it’s easy to receive orders, add new products and manage dozens of special offers. All available across different countries with various promotional needs. We also integrated everything with our existing ERP. The backbone of the e-commerce platform was built using PrestaShop and then various modules were written from scratch in PHP to add custom functionality or override existing limitations. UPDIVISION handled the entire process, from project planning to development, testing and deployment.

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

A senior developer specialized in e-commerce development, a tester and a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

E-commerce is at the heart of our business, so having a reliable, user-friendly platform is crucial for us. This helped us gain new customers, retain existing ones, lower the abandonment rate, and, overall, provide a better buying experience.

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

We had regular meetings with the team and we were able to test the platform at various stages of development. The project manager took care to keep all communications organized and to provide us with constant updates.

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

When you sell to thousands of customers daily, any small mishap can have a major impact. They are always there to take action and respond quickly to all issues, no matter how big or small.

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

Nothing worth mentioning. We make a good team together.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a subscription-based platform aimed at helping content creators connect with their fans, while also earning a monthly income. Creators can set up various subscription plans and fans can subscribe to them to get exclusive content and behind-the-scenes materials.

I am one of the founders and I have been working in the entertainment industry for many years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our goal was to build a viable alternative to existing subscription-based platforms. A customer-centered brand committed to inspiring people to put greater value on their ideas and creativity. We hired UPDIVISON to help with the entire process, from product discovery and UI design to the actual development and post-launch maintenance.

SOLUTION

How did you select UPDIVISION and what were the deciding factors?

We were researching admin panel designs and templates for our product and we came across the dashboards developed by Creative Tim in collaboration with UPDIVISON. We liked the look & feel and we thought they were a good starting point for our project.

Therefore, we contacted UPDIVISION after finding out they offer custom development. In addition to their experience with admin dashboards, another deciding factor was their previous experience in developing social platforms, a few of which have quite complex features.

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

The first step of the project consisted in product discovery. The UPDIVISON team mapped out the main user flows, screens and the overall look & feel of the platform and the administration.

Based on these screens, user stories were written for each user type: admin, creator, fan. After completing product discovery and project planning, the next step was development. The platform was built using PHP and Laravel for the backend with an API architecture and HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Vue.js for the frontend.

It also comes with live streaming and social platform functionalities. Creators can live-stream with their subscribers, post content on their public or private walls and fans can subscribe based on the subscription plans set up by the creators (monthly, yearly or lifetime).

After the launch, UPDIVISON continued to help with maintenance and payment gateway implementation.

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

We worked with five dedicated developers and a Technical Lead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

UPDIVISON was key in helping us shape our platform, from deciding which core features go into the MVP to the actual development and current maintenance. Overall, UPDIVISION did a really good job in helping us map out, design and launch our product.

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

The UPDIVISON team was very responsive and we kept in contact mostly via email, but also through occasional online meetings. They answered all questions almost instantly and kept us updated regarding development and the discussed milestones.

We got an update after every major feature implementation and got a chance to test it.

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

We appreciate that they always kept us updated and feel like they are part of our team. They were also pretty fast in handling anything that came up, so we definitely also appreciate their ability to tackle even the most complicated issues.

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

Amazing quality of work, because of the time difference initially scheduling meetings was a hassle but we eventually figured out a comparable medium

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an e-commerce platform in retail. I am responsible for overseeing the development and dissemination of technology for external customers, vendors, and other clients to help improve and increase business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired UPDIVISON as part of our effort to build upon and improve our existing platform. This started out with the complete redesign of the platform`s UI and then we hired UPDIVISON to build the administration for our e-commerce.

We wanted to build a solid, reliable backoffice flow for our business, complete with order administration, fulfilment and the possibility to create products with many attributes. After completing the administration, we want to continue working with UPDIVISION to implement our redesigned UI.

SOLUTION

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

We started out researching the tech stack for our e-commerce platform. We decided to go with Laravel and Vuetify and selected UPDIVISON for their experience in working with this particular tech stack. We contacted them to get a quote and we decided to work with them based on the projects in their portfolio.

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

In the beginning of the project, we held several meetings to discuss the key features which will be included in the first release. Our initial focus was on order management and product creation.

The product creation flow is quite complex, allowing admins to create not only products and categories, but also attribute groups and feature groups. The goal is to make everything as customizable as possible. Another key feature includes Fulfilment and Marketing.

Fulfilment allows admins to set shipment priority and see the status, create packaging options and even add suppliers for packaging materials. On the other hand, the Marketing features allow the creation of promotions for various zones and coupons for different types of discounts with a limit per total uses.

The admin panel was built using Laravel for the backend and Vuetify for the frontend.

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

We worked with a Project Manager, two senior Laravel developers and a Technical Lead specialized in e-commerce development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

UPDIVISION helped us sketch out and build a vital part of our e-commerce. A solid administration flow is key to the good operation of our business. Also, having everything in one place, from packaging to blog administration, really helps us streamline our daily operations.

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

The communication during the project was very good, with constant updates on their part and feedback meetings on our part. We communicated mostly through email and Google Meet. Almost all issues that came up were addressed directly by the senior developers, so that cut back a lot of back and forth discussions which would have otherwise taken place.

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

We were pleasantly impressed by their involvement and their genuine commitment to delivering high-quality work. We also liked the fact that they asked a lot of questions and approached the software we are building from a business perspective, not just a technical one.

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

During the evolvement of an IT-project, features are always added along the way, which impacts the budget. As a client you want to know about this as soon as possible, Although their monthly reports shows it all, an interim report would be best in case of budget changes.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

RCos Solutions is a family business which has been selling professional beauty products and serving hairdressers and beauticians for over 50 years. I am the project manager overseeing the development of the RCos e-commerce platform. My expertise is in supply chain management and I have previously led several technical and consultancy teams to implement S&OP processes for businesses in Belgium and abroad.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our goal is to offer beauty professionals the right tools for the trade. Naturally, we needed an e-commerce solution to increase our visibility and to help us bring online our well-established offline brand. So we hired UPDIVISION to help with this transition and to create a custom ecommerce solution fit for our needs.

From high-level features such as discounts and guest checkout to more specific implementations, like ERP integrations and product suggestions related to blog posts. We also looked for a partner who was able to understand and listen to the needs and we found a good fit with UPDIVISION.

SOLUTION

How did you select UPDIVISION and what were the deciding factors?

We previously worked with UPDIVISION through a partner company and we were happy by the results they provided. Not only the service offered but also the availability to listen and to structure the approach.

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

We wanted the best e-commerce solution for our needs, so the first step was to map out together with UPDIVISION the high-level features which should be included in the first iterations.

Based on these specs, UPDIVISION conducted an analysis of the best ecommerce builders for the job, the degree in which they cover the specs and the amount of custom development needed. In the end, we went with PrestaShop 1.7 plus custom development for certain modules. In the beginning we were hesitating in building a system from scratch but looking at our requirement they advised us to not go that way. We are happy we listened to them.

In addition to business analysis and development, UPDIVISION also created the UI design for the RCos ecommerce. We went with an Anvanto theme, which UPDIVISION customized to fit our brand identity and to include some additional features, like an improved search experience.

We continue to work with UPDIVISION for continuous improvement and custom development for our ecommerce.

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

The UPDIVISION team consisted of a project manager, a technical lead and a developer specialized in ecommerce implementations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

UPDIVISION helped us launch our business online. Through the Rcos Solutions ecommerce platform we can now reach a significantly larger number of users, especially beauty salons which are our main target.

We can keep track of orders and deliveries a lot easier and it improved the way we do business overall. Speed performance of the system was a key requirements and together with UPDIVISION we keep on improving on that aspect.

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

UPDIVISION team was quick to answer any inquiries or requests on our side. We had regular online meetings and we were periodically updated by the project manager via email about the progress and the features which are ready to be tested. We established from the get-go a list of features and specs which were then broken down into iterations. This way we always had our priorities straight throughout the project. This also kept communication errors or misunderstandings at a minimum.

UPDIVISION was never complaining about iterating since they also saw the value into that. From past experiences I know it’s sometimes difficult to express the needs towards a supplier.

Working with UPDIVISION was easier because they already had that e-commerce expertise so they could also share the best practices with us. We had the market and business knowledge so it was a very good match from that point of view.

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

UPDIVISION proved to be more than just a custom software provider. Throughout the entire project they acted as a trusted technical partner and advisor. And they continue to do so by providing us with support and maintenance, as well as custom development for our ecommerce.

Also the fact that if there is an issue you can escalate directly to the right level within the organization. UPDIVISION is very clear on timing and they respect it in 100% of the case. If that is not the case, they communicate upfront. So we really liked that pro-activity from them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall positive feedback and I’d highly recommend UPDIVISION. A few elements I would have done differently : Get a bit more challenged by UPDIVISION to limit the number functionalities and add them step by step.

It would have been easier to detect potential bugs and also keep the budget more controlled We should have been more strict on the requirements which are really key for our business. We have identified together with UPDIVISION the first priorities VS second priorities.

However I think within the first priorities we should also have indicated some as REAL MUST. Some KEY functionalities are not yet fully meeting the expectations (e.g. responsive content, check out process, search, …) Be more challenged on the new trends (e.g. more visual navigation menu, nicer check out process, …)