Usman Group

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Gordon Salon; we do hair and makeup at our locations throughout the Chicago area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?

We hired Usman Group to build a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we had numerous meetings about our goals and provided Usman Group with preliminary documentation. We also shared our original website with them, which they used to help us develop a new concept. Once we decided on a concept, the team built the website from scratch using Java and WordPress. They also optimized the site for SEO and created innovative graphics for our landing page. Additionally, they connected us with a third-party domain company to host the site. 

Apart from the website development project, Usman Group helped us with branding, product development, and business development initiatives. They coordinated different projects and made sure everything worked according to our needs.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with Naveed (Principal & CEO) and five other team members.

How did you come to work with Usman Group? 

We found Usman Group through our local chamber of commerce. They had built websites for significant publications in the Chicago area, so we decided to engage them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Usman Group from June 2010–June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Usman Group team built a modern, fast-loading website that met our expectations. They also helped get our website on 70 different online directories. The team guided us through the process from start to finish, touching on the technology, business, and creative aspects of the project. Furthermore, they facilitated valuable connections with other knowledgeable resources, which helped us succeed. 

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Usman Group wasn’t cheap, but they were very thorough in terms of project management. They responded to our needs, met deadlines, and communicated effectively via phone. Naveed and the team were exceptional; they had a relationship-focused mindset, which made us feel valued.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by Usman Group’s relationship-building skills and business acumen. They not only understood our goals from a technical standpoint, but they also knew how to help us reach them in a practical way. Additionally, when they couldn’t help us, they’d connect us with the appropriate resources who could, which was immensely helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If I had to choose one area for improvement, I’d say the pricing, but the value of the partnership was well worth the money. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend being specific about your goals for your website. Usman Group will be transparent about the cost and feasibility of your project. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director at a stock exchange in formation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?

I was looking for somebody to help me start the process of putting together our website. Specifically, we needed help with internal planning and an initial discovery to reach a point where we could begin to approach copywriters, designers, and developers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Usman Group provides us with website consultancy services. In the beginning, we did several calls so they could understand our business plan at a holistic level. Then, we went through our target audiences, for which they provided insight into audiences’ motivations and frustrations and how our business will impact them. 

The team documented all of the functional requirements we’ll need for our site. Additionally, they’ve done a lot of keyword research. Their deliverables consist of documents we’ll need to develop our site. Currently, they’re helping us shop for designers, developers, and copywriters; we’re looking for each function rather than hiring an agency. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve only worked with Naveed (Principal & CEO). 

How did you come to work with Usman Group?

I found them on Clutch. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $6,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2022, and the partnership is ongoing. We’re about to finish the project this week.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Usman Group is a good strategic thinker. 

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve met all the deadlines and stayed on budget. We use Basecamp for project management and email for communication. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understand what we’re doing and give us what we need instead of just a product they’re trying to sell.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have suggestions for improvement. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just talk to them!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Nicerink, an ice rink manufacturing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?

We wanted to get a new website for our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Usman Group did web development and design for us from scratch. They’ve taken care of everything, including wireframe development, art, graphic design, backend customization, and customer experience efforts. The site they created is aimed to educate people on our services and products in a user-friendly approach.

What is the team composition?

We’ve been working directly with Naveed (Principal), and he delegates to a team of 5–6 members.

How did you come to work with Usman Group?

They were referred to us by a friend.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $100,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re satisfied with their work so far — they’re taking us close to where we need to be.

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Navid is great in terms of controlling all the different aspects of his team to ensure that everything’s set up. He keeps an organized process and track of everybody’s tasks to avoid things falling through the cracks. Regarding tools, we’ve used Basecamp, Trello, email, Zoom, texts, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They keep tabs on everybody and everything — their ability to keep track of the whole project is outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — they took over our project to make everything work, and I don’t have any complaints about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask them for suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of The Eden Alternative, an elder care nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group, Inc.?

We contacted them to redo our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the web development project with Usman Group, Inc. by scoping out the needed work through video chats. After that, we went through a design phase where we redid all of our content. In terms of technologies, they’ve used Figma, where they do wireframes for us to review and tweak until we get the desired product. Consequently, we moved into the coding phase to build the actual website.

Currently, we’re scoping the next phase of the site.

What is the team composition?

We’ve been working with a project manager who helps link the designers and us. We’ve also worked with Alen (Senior UX Designer) and Naveed (CEO).

How did you come to work with Usman Group, Inc.?

We sent out an RFP, and we chose Usman Group, Inc. from a list of around eight providers based on our conversations with them and their desire to work with a nonprofit organization.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent $30,000–$35,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our site just went live, so we don’t have actual metrics. What I can say is that our Google Analytics and overall traffic are good, and anecdotally, people are impressed with the site, our board of directors loves it, and we’re all excited about the new face of our organization — the partnership has been a great success.

How did Usman Group, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve been using email for communication. We've talked about improvements, the site's strengths and weaknesses, and other opportunities to make our product better — they initiated that, and I like it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their positive spirit and willingness to work with a nonprofit organization are phenomenal; they’ve been very energized and excited about the project, and I can tell that they care deeply about communicating what we’re doing.

Also, they came up with a striking design that’s very unconventional, which is great for me because our website doesn’t look like everybody else’s.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve talked about getting their developers involved earlier in the process to ensure that everyone is on the same page once we start with the site’s coding. This will also help to avoid time-wasting by explaining the whole thing to their development team all over again. 

Nevertheless, they were totally on board with that and identified the issue themselves.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Develop your content before engaging with them to save time and lean on them for their great expertise — they have a lot of experience in WordPress.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the managing partner of a branding and marketing communications firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Usman Group, Inc., and what were your goals?

We worked with Naveed to co-develop a digital strategy with our client, in order to increase engagement on the corporate website.

SOLUTION

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

We have had a long-standing relationship with Naveed so there was no question who we would partner with for this engagement.

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

We worked with Naveed's’ team in the development of the sitemap and wireframes and our designers collaborated on design concepts initially. From there, their team helped to integrate the new site into their applicant tracking system, so new jobs would be displayed each day.

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

We worked directly with Naveed, as he served as the project director. He had various other developers assist with key components to the project as the level of difficulty increased.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website continues to generate impressive conversions for contractor applications and resume submission on a daily basis. We also have seen a considerable rise in organic traffic due to SEO and job schema best practices as well as from our paid search efforts.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective workflow between Naveed's team, our team and our client. Regular check-in meetings are always productive and illuminating.

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

Naveed's knowledge and expertise on digital strategy are excellent.

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Circa believes diverse teams have the power to transform business and connects job seekers with employers who embrace diversity. VP Marketing, Product Management

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Usman Group, Inc., and what were your goals?

Highly complex website development project that involved integrating a job board, back end system with a front end CMS. Our goals were to:

1. Redesign the website to bring the DiversityJobs product brand into the Circa family and be complimentary in look and feel.
2. Create a user journey that would easily communicate the value prop and engage employers seeking to hire a diverse workforce.
3. Increase job posting revenue.
4. Provide CSS for and integrate with the new job board.
5. Deliver a product that would drive organic traffic

SOLUTION

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

I had worked with Usman on a similar project, Nurse.com, a few years prior and knew they had the expertise for this complex development project.

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

• WordPress Development SEO Setup
• WordPress Training
• Cross Browser Testing
• Sitewide Internal Search Appliance
• Sitewide Accessibility Development of Event Display
• Approval process Resource Library; searchable and filterable CSS for job board.

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

Naveed (President), Chris (Designer), Adam, Alan (Developer & UX Designer), Jennifer (Copywriter),  The Creative Alternative.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project has not yet been launched. Usman has been spot on at meeting every milestone date and communicating well throughout the project. There were a couple of problems along the way, but their team resolved them quickly. We pushed on the design of the new site and Usman delivered a design that will totally differentiate the brand.

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

We used Basecamp as our project management tool. The project has been well managed in Basecamp and communication is stellar. Even though Basecamp isn't the best project management tool to keep everyone organized.

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

They were so easy to work with — they were creative, reasonably priced, and highly knowledgeable. They also had solid processes and great teamwork.

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

Nothing that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of product for a digital coaching platform. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group, Inc.?

We hired Usman Group to build a secure sign-on feature and API for one of our clients. We also needed them to build web updates for our marketing site. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope of Usman Group’s work includes UI/UX design and the development of a single sign-on feature for one of our enterprise clients. The goal is to design the correct UX for our client’s employees to get into our platform with the least amount of friction.

Apart from that, they also help us with our digital marketing strategy. We’ve consulted them with email marketing, too, but we do that in-house. 

What is the team composition?

We work with a team of 5–7 people, and our main point of contact is Naveed (Principal & CEO).

How did you come to work with Usman Group, Inc.?

I worked with Usman Group on a project several years ago. Our teams worked on design, strategy, and market research for a product offering. After that project, we went on to work on different things. When I came to my current company, I identified the need for Usman Group to help us with this project. I knew they would be the perfect partner for this, so we hired them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Usman Group in April 2018, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Usman Group is highly flexible to the scale of our business. They’re willing to work with us and figure out a way to do our requests. The team plans for the future and prepares their resources. In other words, they don’t only do the work we ask them to do; they also serve as a partner in figuring out how we can get the work done with the budget we have. 

Moreover, we’ve been able to work successfully through difficult security requirements. The team has helped us navigate that space in a professional and appropriate way relative to our company’s resources. Overall, the quality of work we’ve recently done has been great. 

How did Usman Group, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Usman Group’s project management is seamless; everything gets resolved and no balls ever get dropped. To communicate, we mainly use Basecamp, emails, and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They approach everything with an open mind, authenticity, and honesty. If anyone needs an honest and humble partner to achieve their goals, then Usman Group is the provider they should engage. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. If anything, we’re the ones who need to improve and do things differently. Usman group leads us toward getting better at what we do.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust them, because Usman Group knows what they’re doing. They may not always tell you what you want to hear, but that’s the great part about working with them. They give you clarity whatever the challenge, question, or issue is.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the webmaster for a financial services and research firm based in Hong Kong.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Usman Group, Inc.?

Our website framework was about to reach its end-of-life, and in switching over to another framework, we also wanted to update the design of the website. We hired Usman Group to come up with new designs for existing pages, some new pages, and do all the front-end coding for us. We sought a design that would be modern and uncluttered, yet authoritative and effective, while providing a good browsing and reading experience for research subscribers.

SOLUTION

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

We looked for vendors through Clutch and similar websites, as well as through contacts. Of about 10 companies that submitted proposals, we chose Usman Group because theirs showed a good understanding of the scope and nature of our request while falling within an acceptable price range.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Already in the project outlining phase, we established that the firm was able to meet our specific requirements for the technology (Webpack, PostCSS, Tailwind CSS) and would be able to provide documentation so our in-house developers could integrate the front-end and back-end. Usman Group quickly set up weekly check-in calls so we could keep tabs on the project and both teams could clarify any questions. The day-to-day exchange of information was done effectively on Basecamp. We received wireframes to annotate in Figma, and that is also where final designs were outlined and presented.

One set of wireframes and two rounds of revisions were scheduled. One set of designs and 25 hours of revisions were allotted. It was mutually agreed to extend the duration of this part of the project to make further changes, at a reasonable addition to the cost. The coded front-end webpages were hosted on Netlify and our team could access them from anywhere with any device, making testing and feedback a breeze. Updated code was also pushed to Github, allowing us to start integration with the back-end while the front-end coding was still underway. This saved us a lot of time.

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

We worked with four people: The project manager, the designer, and two coders.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received all the required web pages, plus good documentation. The new site is not yet live, pending integration with the CMS. But we're eager to work with Usman Group in the future.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager was quick to respond and eager to make time for us, in addition to our weekly check-in video calls. The rest of the team was very quick to respond in Figma and Basecamp. It was a very effective workflow.

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

Usman Group, Inc. was very dedicated to achieving an excellent end result. They were eager to listen to and understand our feedback. They were flexible when we needed more time or when we requested further changes. The team has an impressive depth of expertise, which allowed them to quickly find solutions to our problems. Also of note was how well they were able to communicate with those involved that had less technical expertise, which inspired confidence.

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

I wouldn't dare suggest changes to a winning formula.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a member of a Chicago-based law firm that advises small and mid size businesses and high net worth individuals about various legal issues pertaining to numerous industries. We also handle adversarial proceedings including litigation and arbitration.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Usman Group, Inc., and what were your goals?

Our website had become outdated and difficult to navigate. We hired Usman Group to redesign the site so that both its appearance and functionality would be up to date and competitive with other firms.

SOLUTION

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

We had a prior relationship with Mr. Usman so we reached out to him (and others) when we decided to redesign our site. Usman Group had competitive prices and creative design ideas. Since we were redesigning the site during the pandemic and could not meet in person we also valued that Usman Group used a number of online tools that made it easier to collaborate virtually.

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

I (along with one other colleague, Peter Berk) had several preliminary meetings with Usman Group to discuss our objectives. Usman Group presented us with a preliminary draft of the site which we then opened up to a larger group discussion involving other attorneys at our firm. Usman Group was very patient in dealing with several opiniated attorneys, collected feedback and updated the site accordingly. Usman Group also trained a number of our staff members so that we will be able to update the site in the future without their involvement. Ultimately they presented us with a final version of the site that exceeded expectations.

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

Naveed Usman, the principal of Usman Group, was our primary contact. He also regularly involved Andrew Martin.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site just launched so we do not have measurable outcomes yet but we are very satisfied with the final project.

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

We primarily used Basecamp to communicate. We also had weekly Zoom meetings and additional Zoom meetings when necessary. Usman Group was always highly responsive.

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

As mentioned earlier, they were highly proficient with online collaboration tools that were necessary under the circumstances. We were impressed with their creativity, their consideration of our budget, and their efforts to reduce costs.

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

I can't think of anything. Any minor issues that came up were quickly resolved.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a former executive of a marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group, Inc.?

We needed help to develop a custom website for one of our clients. There were unique needs for that project, so we needed someone with more expertise in custom development for that site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The process was to understand the requirements for our client, so we went through a discovery phase with them. We laid out the specific needs that we had regarding the website’s custom features that we were looking for, and that lasted about 4–6 weeks. 

Once all that was understood, they put a project plan together for us and started working on the development for the website’s frontend and back end with an administration page where we can control the website. That development phase lasted around eight months.

The next stage lasted 4–5 months, and it was focused on testing the site internally and from the client’s side as well. In the end, the site went live and, after that, there was a six months long follow-up process where we made some improvements on the site based on the client’s experience.

What is the team composition?

There were 4–5 involved in the project. There was Naveed (Principal & CEO), and the rest were several of his colleagues.

How did you come to work with Usman Group, Inc.?

They were referred to us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2011–June 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We can say that our client was extremely happy. We didn’t run into any challenges or issues once the site went live — we received wonderful feedback from the client.

How did Usman Group, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. I can’t say enough about what wonderful project leads they were; they kept us on task, were never off schedule, documented every issue that came up, and solved it very efficiently. They’re an excellent partner.

In terms of communication, they spent a couple of weeks onsite. Other than that, we had phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The way they collaborated with us, their openness, and their organization stand out the most. They have their act together, and they’re very human — they understand your needs and document all of that to reach the end goal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — they did a wonderful job.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be as organized and open as possible. Also, make sure that you provide all the information available.