UPQODE

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

doxo is a simple, secure all-in-one bill pay service that facilitates secure payment to any biller, with any payment method, on any device. doxo currently serves over three million paying users who can make payments to over 50,000 local and national businesses, making doxo the largest bill pay directory in the nation.

Billers on the network get paid directly, fast and free – and consumers have complete bill pay independence over when and how they pay their bills.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

Outside of doxo's core bill-pay application, we needed web development support for all of the marketing and administrative pages of our website - about, offers, contact-us, terms & conditions, etc.

We wanted to decouple the development of these pages from our core development team, so we hired UPQODE to help design, implement, and support those pages in a WordPress environment.

What were your goals for this project?

Transfer, redesign, ans support all non-core bill-pay application pages to UPQODE, so effort could be decoupled from our core development team, and projects could be handled on an as-needed basis.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

UPQODE was found through UpWork. They had a high rating and have had many successful projects.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project was broken into 3 phases.

Phase 1 - Consult with UPQODE on determining the best practices for choosing a new WordPress theme, hosting environment, and structure for Wordpress support.

Phase 2 - Implement the new structure, and copy all pages over to achieve parity with our legacy WordPress platform. This included about 50 webpages and several areas of custom PHP code within the old environment.

Phase 3 - Develop new pages and content for the ongoing needs of the business.

What was the team composition?

The UPQODE team comprises of a project manager and 1 or 2 developers/QA people depending on the project. The initial project took more resources, but now, we primarily work with a single project manager and developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've been very pleased with the results. It was of strategic importance to our business to be able to decouple the marketing and administrative pages of our website from the core bill-pay application. We now have a separate dev team (UPQODE) who can scale as needed, and we don't run into prioritization issues that interfere with our core application. UPQODE responds far more quickly to development changes than our core team would be able to.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

UPQODE uses an internally built project management tool called ActiveCollab. It is an excellent tool, and we've found that it works well for determining status and communicating with UPQODE.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are highly knowledgable about best practices in WordPress, and their ability to rapidly scale up whenever we need a project completed makes them a valuable asset for us in our development needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Working in timezones has its known challenges. I wish we didn't have to deal with timezones, but it's a reality of global development methods.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a partner with an investment fund for venture stage companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

Our website was buggy and dated, and we had issues getting in touch with our developer.

What were your goals for this project?

To have a complete refresh to make our website clean, intuitive, and professional.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Work product samples, and ratings from customers.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Designed, developed, and iterated on a new webpage. Set the theme, built the pages, and iterated based on feedback.

What was the team composition?

Not sure.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It looks MUCH better...we send investors and others to our site because it reflects well on us.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We let them take care of all that, so we just set timelines together and they executed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with their solid communication and quick, quality work. They even accomodated us for smaller followup work in the months after we engaged them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None based on our experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Program Manager of a local governmental focused consulting agency in the solid waste arena.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

Upqode was hired to solve and end-to-end solution redesign and development of our regulatory management website. Challenge was to correctly integrate internal database and user management system and enhance the design and operational efficiency of the website as well as increase the overall usability and aesthetics of the website presentation.

What were your goals for this project?

Enhanced usability and overall aesthetics. Corrected back end integration with internal database engine and user management system.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Through online research, portfolio and prior user testimonial reviews, along with personal discussions and provided feedback, balanced with company wide staffing and service offerings, we felt Upqode would be a good fit for our needs as a small, but growing firm.

Describe the project in detail.

Upqode was hired to solve and end-to-end solution redesign and development of our regulatory management website. Challenge was to correctly integrate internal database and user management system and enhance the design and operational efficiency of the website as well as increase the overall usability and aesthetics of the website presentation.

What was the team composition?

A project manager was assigned as we worked through an extensive build and design process, incorporating several levels of review, feedback and software management. This process was followed by the assignment of a designer, who worked in conjunction with the daily input of the project manager. The project manager confirmed the process moved along, managed communications, and added clarifications when needed. They were always available during our business hours and ready to jump on a phone call to work through any issues requiring further discussion.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A welcome design resulted from our involvement with the Upqode design team and process that resulted in a much more direct and simple user interface, yet much more aesthetically pleasing and operationally efficient.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was seemless and extremely efficient. Using two different design and build cloud based platforms, we worked daily through design concepts, followup, back-and-forth discussions, and eventual approval of all items, on a per item, and then overall page basis with constant input and management by our project manager.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We have been most impressed with their efficiency, control, and breadth of staff. UPQODE was always willing to discuss and make changes and maintain control of the design process. We enjoy working with them on a daily, or as needed basis.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The time constraints of input, feedback, and redesign take time between any two or more firms working together. We are comfortable with the time and responsiveness to our needs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Demand Science is a leader in end-to-end demand generation solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

With a truncated timeline, we needed to create a website specific to certain corporate initiatives. We needed a development and design company that could quickly and efficiently launch a well-designed site.

What were your goals for this project?

Primary goal was the expedited launch of the website.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We have worked with UpQode prior to this project. We knew them to work quickly while producing a superior product. There was no question in our minds who would be best to complete the work.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

UpQode provided us with the website UX/UI, design, and development with minimal input from our team.

What was the team composition?

I am unsure of the total number of individuals on the project team. That being said, UpQode was so efficient that it was really of no concern.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not at this time.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was arranged through Active Collab. The manager of our project, Viktoria, was a very transparent communicator and made the process seamless.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The speed, accuracy, and quality of their output.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a senior application engineer. Our company provides cloud migration, managed services, and managed security services. We deliver secure and compliance-oriented IT solutions to the highly regulated financial, automotive, and energy industries. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

We hired UPQODE to develop a brand-new WordPress site with a great logo and visuals. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to create a new website that could effectively communicate our organization's many services to customers. We also wanted to create an attractive visual identity for our business. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Another business recommended UPQODE to us as a team of creative web designers and reliable WordPress website developers.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

UPQODE designed, developed, optimized, configured, and then launched our WordPress website. Our project mainly focused on the UX/UI. Their web designers developed a new visual identity. They provided us with a complete backend solution. 

What was the team composition?

We worked with their business manager and a dedicated project manager who both communicated well. Regarding backend tasks, we interacted directly with the skilled developers on their team.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

UPQODE developed and launched our new website within the agreed-upon deadline. They created a unique and creative web design that was just what we were looking for.

After just a few months of web design and development, they delivered the exact results we were expecting. Our customers love the website's design and simple, intuitive navigation.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management was very effective. We appreciated the workflow they facilitated via ActiveCollab. They suggested using an agile development approach.

Our project manager communicated well and responded very quickly. She kept us informed about the progress of development via the ActiveCollab tool.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

UPQODE delivered outstanding web designs and an impressive website. I was impressed with their excellent communication.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I honestly don't see any areas for improvement. We really enjoyed working with UPQODE. Everything about our engagement was great.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own Sew Sketchy, an illustrated fashion icon that loves anything to do with fashion, travel, and luxury.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

We hired UPQODE to create and develop our e-commerce site.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a beautiful and high-fashion online store that was fun, efficient, and user-friendly.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them online. We chose UPQODE because they seemed to understand our vision and have the same work ethic as our team. Plus, they were committed to meeting deadlines.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed and helped design our first ever e-commerce store.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager who managed about 10 people.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They drastically changed our business by developing the best website we could have asked for.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

UPQODE has the best team. They were incredibly efficient. Not only did they work quickly and professionally, but they also had the best problem-solving skills.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were impressed with how well they translated technical language so that we could understand our own website as well as they did. They were also super trustworthy and honest.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There’s no need for improvement. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the managing director of a trading firm that specializes in the cryptoasset sector. We use state-of-the-art security and strategies to manage our clients’ portfolios.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

We needed to create a website from scratch.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted our digital presence to reflect our real-world identity.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We read reviews and interviewed a few potential candidates, and UPQODE was the most impressive vendor by far.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

UPQODE created a perfect website from scratch. The platform aligned with our business goals and reflected our company’s brand. They handled the entire process—from the initial designs to the final migrations.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and a few developers, all of whom played active parts in pushing the project forward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re about to launch, so there isn’t much to show right now. With that said, we’re very happy with the quality of their work.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

UPQODE is a true team. They work very well together. They strictly followed timelines but remained flexible with prices and budgets. If they ever ran into an issue, they’d alert us immediately and have someone take care of it as soon as possible. Overall, they were pleasant to work with. We plan to collaborate with them again in the future.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their communication skills standout among their competition.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They could improve their ability to understand what the client wants from a visual perspective. It’s a difficult skill for any company to master.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Autotrip offers an automated mileage claim solution. We help U.K. businesses record and report their business mileage, allowing them to spend less time tracking it, and more time on their business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

We needed to design and develop a WordPress website from scratch. We were entirely replacing our old site.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to design and develop a simple Wordpress website. We'd already redefined our brand and our app, which is why we felt the need to makeover our website as well.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them on Upwork.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They began with the web design, creating designs for each page based on mockups that we provided. They then moved onto the web development itself, working on all of the new pages and implementing their designs in WordPress.

What was the team composition?

They allocated a project manager, a designer, and a few developers to the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not yet—we deployed the new website very recently, so we hadn't had the opportunity to measure bounce rates, or any metrics yet. Nonetheless, our investors and our wider team are happy with the website. That's been the most positive outcome so far.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project was managed well through Upwork and Active Collab. They ensured that the different areas of work were managed by people who had the right skills and experience.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It impressed me that they were able to alter their plans according to the feedback that we were giving to them. They also have other projects, but they are able to deploy all of the resources in time.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

The project was complicated, which meant it finished a few weeks after what we initially expected. However, we made a lot of requests for changes and that caused the delays. Maybe expectations could have been better aligned at the beginning, but it's easy to say these things in hindsight.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated on September 11, 2019, by the client. The original star ratings were: Overall - 5, Quality - 5, Schedule - 4.5, Cost -5, NPS - 5. New content is below: 

Please describe your company and your position there.

Autotrip is a startup that helps businesses and self employed to automate their mileage claim process.

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

Wordpress website. We're launching a mobile app very soon and we needed a new website to showcase the new product.

What were your goals for this project?

We had a few requirements, such as giving visitors the option to download the app for free from the website directly, and we also wanted to integrate Hubspot forms. We also wanted the website to mobile responsive. All of this was implemented as required.

What was the team composition?

From Upqode's part, we worked with a project manager, a designer and a front-end developer. At some point, some other people joined the process, such as another developer to do some QA, but the core team didn't change throughout the process. In general, I liked the fact that we were working with people with different skill sets as this makes them quite strong in all of the fields.

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

Not yet, because the website will be launched this week. However, the current website was also developed by Upqode and the integration with Hubspot helped us increase our conversion rates, and made the whole process of dealing with enquiries a lot easier. We were also able to automate email sequences thanks to this. Apart from that, we've received positive feedback on the website from designers and developers alike, and most of our visitors understand pretty quickly what Autotrip is about.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We used Active Collab to manage different tasks, and inVision to preview and give feedback on the designs. Skype was also often used to chat with the Upqode team. In terms of quickness and meeting deadlines, I didn't have any issue with that. The work was always done fairly quickly, and they were flexible enough to adjust things based on last-minute requests. Even if we are located in different countries and speak different native languages, we didn't have any communication issues. Our requirements were always well understood and things were implemented as we asked them to be done.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their expertise in Wordpress. It's incredible how they were able to put together a team of dozens of people that specialise in such a niche area of web development. That gives them an edge, and without a doubt, that's reflected in the work that they deliver.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There's nothing major to be improved, but since I have to write something here... I would say that a few times we probably went through too many QA rounds. So, a bit of too much back and forth, but in the end, things got fixed pretty quickly, so it's really a minor thing, in my view.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the leader of a team of creative designers and innovative coders. Our goal is to provide a memorable client experience based on honest communication. We offer platform development services, from design to implementation, for Wordpress, Drupal, Magento, and OpenCart.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire UPQODE?

After a terrible experience with a former company, we looked for another development team to help with our platform development. 

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a fully customizable WordPress Theme with multi-purpose demos to sell on the marketplace.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched for developers on a freelance platform. We found UPQODE to be the best match for us. They were professional, knowledgeable, and offered us the best solution.

Describe the project in detail.

We provided UPQODE our five Wordpress Theme designs through PSDs. They helped develop the approved theme and assisted us through every change. Their work was exceptional and proved to us that they were one of the top developers on the market. We went through multiple revisions and complex customizations, but they were still extremely responsive throughout the process. They offered technical know-how whenever necessary.

What was the team composition?

We initially worked with their project manager. After the discovery phase, we worked with two coders, and two designers that helped us step-by-step.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our previous vendor was terrible, and our theme was rejected by the marketplace. UPQODE's developers were excellent, and they delivered a high-quality product. This time, we successfully posted our WordPress theme.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

UPQODE was extremely easy to communicate with. Their management was flawless. Their coders, designers, and project manager were responsive and gave us quick turnarounds. The team was efficient and eased our concerns through their expertise.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge, clear communication, responsiveness were exceptional. They respected all the deadlines we gave them and were a pleasure to work with. UPQODE really cared about our work and business. Our project was complex, but they were fantastic at working through the kinks. Because of all this, we decided to prolong our contract and continue our partnership.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the project lead at Hundredfold Studios. We are a boutique design consultancy based in California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UPQODE?

We were working on developing a music tuner iOS app for a client. Internally, we took care of the business consultation and design services, but needed to outsource the development process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought in UPQODE to deliver the final application. We had a preliminary phone call to properly conceptualize the vision and outline a technical scope. They found a template and some existing designs in Sketch and used that to inform the wireframe and necessary coding to meet our client’s explicit requirements for the timer and its pitches. We are in the process of preparing the app to launch in the App Store.

What is the team composition?

We work mainly with one project manager and a team of two developers.

How did you come to work with UPQODE?

This is the second time we have partnered with UPQODE for a project. We have experience working with many other agencies scattered over the globe, but UPQODE stands out for their level of responsibility.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent $15,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2017 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have not fully launched the app, so we don’t have any data yet. Internally, the speed of UPQODE’s workflow cut down multiple task timeframes by days and sometimes weeks. Our client was happy with the accelerated development and the finished product. Initially, there was one noticeable error, but UPQODE corrected it immediately.

How did UPQODE perform from a project management standpoint?

Each member of the team is courteous and quick to answer questions or provide updates outside of the scheduled biweekly meetings. Communication happens mainly through Slack and a WP Project Manager channel for shared documentation and scheduling needs. They work quickly and provide updates once or twice a week, which we test before sending to our client.

There were a few issues with understanding the size of the scope, but we take responsibility for verbally describing expectations rather than providing written guidelines. In these instances, the UPQODE team actively sought clarification to prevent any future confusion.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a very modern and relaxed company culture, but still operate professionally, skillfully, and responsibly.

Their team is not afraid to ask questions or address topics that are traditionally uncomfortable in the professional industry (e.g., cost, cash flow, personal scheduling). They are comfortable questioning our expectations and letting us know if an element falls outside of their skill set.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was a sizable time difference due to our varied locations. Initially, it was hard for me to adjust my schedule, but we soon fell into a smooth communication flow.

Any advice for potential customers?

They understand how it feels to be on the client side of the engagement and are willing to work through common pain points.