"[VReal Solutions] - Out of Business"

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the sales manager for a retail based company operating with the Samsung Banner. We specialize in bringing customers the best experience with the latest and greatest samsung products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire VReal Solutions?

We hired them to design a custom AR filter for marketing purposes to assist us in the retail and social media space.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals for this project was to increase traffic and bring awareness to the samsung brand and introduce our new line of developing samsung experience stores all across the country.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have selected this company as a vendor because of all the positive feedback and reviews. I have also seen their portfolio and was really impressed by their work. My main priority as a store manager on the retail front is customer service, and they were able to provide the quality of customer service to me as I would provide in my store.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The cellphone store I manage was looking for a new and creative way to present our marketing materials. We learned that AR can be incorporated within Instagram stories, and words can be spread easily through the social media platform. Hence, we reached out to VReal looking for solutions.

They designed, developed and published the custom filter for us within 2 weeks. We went from having absolutely no knowledge in regards of custom filters, to owning a custom filter that is tailored to our own brand.

Not to mention, the communication between us and VReal was exceptional. We also received excellent after sales service, including marketing tips, as well as metrics from the custom filter.

What was the team composition?

Our initial meeting consisted of 2 people from VReal. Their project team we worked with had about 5 people in total. Even though, our main point of contact was the project manager, he was able to direct our inquiries and needs to the appropriate team member, we never had to wait for a response for more than 2 hours.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have seen an increase in traffic flow to our business which ultimately drives and increase outreach to potential customers. That being said, we have seen an increase in sales revenue and had the ability to demonstrate our products.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Managing this project was easy and effective. VReal provided timely updates and benchmarks on where the project was at, challenges they were facing and how they overcame them. I rarely had to follow up with the team as they would always be proactive and initiate conversation for updates.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive thing about this company was the communication aspect with the developers and the project manager. They're very easy to communicate with and knowledgeable in many aspects of business.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were hoping that there were more UX/UI designers within the company so we will have different styles to choose from, but we also did not request that from the beginning, as we were clear that we were seeking simple designs in the beginning. Their management team mentioned that they will be bringing in a few more designers in March 2020, though.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My organization is Votels.ca. I’m the CTO. Basically, what we do, is we’re trying to digitize real estate. Whether that’s hotel listings or real estate listings. So, bringing that into a VR setting, so users can view these listings from the comfort of their own home.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VReal Solutions?

We needed to be educated on what kind of AR/VR platforms are out there for us to use. We basically hired them to determine that as well as develop some in-house tools that real estate agents can use as well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked on a couple projects with us. The first one was helping us get onto a website using Matterport with VR listings on there, so we can view listings using VR from the web browser. They are looking into 360° solutions online and for VR users. Also, they made sure that real estate agents can use this in a way that makes sense for them.

On top of that, we went on to develop some AR tools. One project we worked on let users view how different floors would look in each property through AR. Real Estate agents can pull out the app, scan the floor, and demonstrate how the floors would look wth different textures like hardwood, carpeting, or tile. It’s available on iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

I was mainly in contact with the CEO, then he relayed the information to the development team.

How did you come to work with VReal Solutions?

I met them through a networking event.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,00–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started in July and ended in December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our real estate agents love that tool. It presents a bit of a wow factor and really benefits their clients. They are trying to track which materials people are more receptive to. We’re still in the earlier stages, so we don’t have too much information, though.

How did VReal Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

It was amazing. They were responsive. Whenever I sent an email, they responded in an hour or so. I was very happy in terms of project management. They would deliver according the given timeline, so I always knew when the project would be done. They gave us weekly updates, so communication was great on their part. I really loved it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really enjoyed that they helped analyze our problems for us. We would come up with the general idea of what we wanted. And then they would build upon that, adding things to it and making suggestions to make the experience better. We really leaned on them for their expertise.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This didn’t matter for us too much, but they’re geared towards B2B, so their UX/UI isn’t generally for the public. They did a great job for us, though, and we were able to push out the product faster.  If they had extra time, maybe just flesh the UX/UI out a little more so it looks a litter nicer for a sales team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take advantage of that communication link. You can always ask questions and get progress updates to make sure the project is going down the way you want.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company is one of the largest specialty coffee retailers in Canada with over 250 cafes across the country. I am the marketing specialist here and I manage all the social media channels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire VReal Solutions?

We hired VReal Solutions to create a custom Instagram filter for us.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create something fun to reach a new audience on Instagram and to get more engagement from our viewers as they are able to interact with the filter and share with their friends. We also wanted to create brand awareness as this filter got shared amongst users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I heard from a contact that this company was great to work with and cost efficient!

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They designed and deployed a custom Instagram filter for us in under two weeks. We provided brand guidelines, logos and font but majority of the design work was provided by this company. They helped us walk through how to upload it as well!

What was the team composition?

I was in contact with one team member throughout this process and felt it was sufficient.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Being that this was our first Instagram filter, we didn't really have any benchmarks however we were really impressed with the metrics that we received. We also saw a lot of user-generated content from guests and our cafes and overall we consider it to be a fun and successful project.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was great - we were given clear timelines and expectations. Fast communication as well!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with how fast and responsive VReal Solutions was and the quality of work they delivered for the cost they charged us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There wasn't much room for improvement however if I had to say, perhaps maybe more creative development in the preliminary stages.