Whidegroup

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are one of Australia's leading commercial kitchen equipment suppliers and importers. I'm the marketing manager. One of my main responsibilities is our e-commerce website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Whidegroup?

Another company developed our website, which had a lot of issues. The timeline was running behind, and management was getting frustrated. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our website needed countless major updates.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We looked at four other companies, but Whidegroup was quick to offer additional services. Out of all the portfolios, theirs was best.

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

They scrapped the previous company's ideas and designed and developed their own updates and features. They added a filter to the website and updated the functionality, look, and feel of its search feature.

What was the team composition?

I was the main point of contact between Whidegroup and our upper management.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After launching the update, we saw an increase in sales, leads, and traffic. Our receptionist noticed more phone calls and our website's bounce rate declined by roughly 10%.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project manager at Whidegroup was always online when we needed them. They handled issues with professionalism and timeliness, and they quickly understood what we needed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're fairly small, but their costs were appropriate, and they fixed issues almost immediately. Everything they did was a compromise; we negotiated until everyone was happy.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They could open up an Australian office. Different time zones mean I need to be online late to talk to them, but that occurs with any business on the other side of the world.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a general manager at a luxury e-commerce company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Whidegroup?

We needed development assistance with our e-commerce site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Whidegroup provided development services for our Magento platform. Initially, they found and fixed a complex problem with the code. Now, the team continues to update the website.

What is the team composition?

We work with a team of three of four developers.

How did you come to work with Whidegroup?

We decided to work with them because they could quickly fix the issues with our website.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent at least $70,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our collaboration with Whidegroup has been positive. The team is very responsive to our needs and always available to discuss the project.

How did Whidegroup perform from a project management standpoint?

Whidegroup is very time-oriented. They stick to the established timeline. We communicate daily through Skype and track the project’s progress through Trello. Though we speak different languages, the barrier hasn’t caused many problems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I am currently very happy with their team and their service.

Any advice for potential customers?

I recommend clients give clear instructions for the project to avoid miscommunications or possible language barriers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT administrator at an IT products retailer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Whidegroup?

We wanted a team of developers to update our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our in-house digital designers created PSD files to illustrate the desired website and we sent them to Whidegroup. They developed the updates for our e-commerce platform on Magento.

What is the team composition?

I worked mainly with the managing director and a few frontend and backend developers.

How did you come to work with Whidegroup?

We first found them on Upwork. Their team was organized and we decided to bring them on for the project.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent between $6,000–$7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from March–May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Whidegroup’s development work reflected the PSD files we provided and the result led to increases in website traffic and sales. The platform is professional, accessible and has more capabilities. There were no issues throughout the project.

How did Whidegroup perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated very efficiently and workloads flowed smoothly. We used Jira to submit requests and manage the project transparently. Additionally, the Whidegroup team was receptive to our feedback.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with their communication and professionalism. I am confident that I can rely on Whidegroup to perform well.

Any advice for potential customers?

We only started using Jira on the second part of our project, but I wish we used it from the start. It was much easier to speak directly with developers rather than rely on a middle person.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the web manager for Nutel Solutions, a wholesale and retail distributor for mobile phone accessories and spare parts. I oversee all the company's IT infrastructures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Whidegroup?

We needed someone to manage and maintain the advanced features in our Magento platform. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After some performance problems, we needed customization, general maintenance, and security. They have handled all that, helped with the ERP system, and assisted with most of our large Magento tasks.

We use many Magento plugins and extensions, but don’t get the best support for them. Whidegroup helps with bug fixes and major patch updates. Several months ago they spent a lot of time setting up an update, testing it on their development servers, checking for issues when it went live, and fixing them quickly if needed.

Now they mostly provide support and maintenance. They've done all the customization and larger work we wanted. They take care of the smaller things and the Magento elements outside our expertise.

What is the team composition?

We deal with two people. There are two or three developers, but we generally don’t contact them.

How did you come to work with Whidegroup?

We found them on Upwork while looking for a company whose hours fit with ours. They had good feedback and their Upwork profile looked strong, so we approached them. They're an hour behind us, which was perfect.

How much have you invested in them?

We have invested around £40,000 (approximately $53,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in March 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Without them, we would have struggled to fill as many orders as we have done. The system couldn’t have handled the volume of orders we've sent. They manage and maintain a small portion of the entire system. If any bugs or issues come up, they take a look. Overall, they have had a very positive impact on our system.

How did Whidegroup perform from a project management standpoint?

They are normally responsive and helpful. If I have an issue, someone looks at it quickly. Sometimes it takes them a little while to respond to a Skype message, but they respond within an hour or two. More often than not, they fix the issue. We usually contact them directly through Skype.

They use Jira for project management. We create jobs and post screenshots there when we encounter bugs. Sometimes their developers ask questions within Jira and we respond back as quickly as we can.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes it's frustrating if we send them a Skype message about an issue and they don't respond within 10 minutes. That's more us being unreasonable, since they might be busy doing something else. However, as soon as they see it, they respond and let us know when they can look at it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear and upfront about your needs and requirements. Take the time to explain them step by step. Take screenshots and give examples.

We've had problems with incomplete deliveries, but have later realized that we hadn't explained our needs properly. We've gone back and developed our requirements into a storyboard, so everything is visually clear and exactly how we want it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an e-commerce manager for a small office furniture retailer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Whidegroup?

I didn’t have good communication from other development companies I contacted. I needed a company to help with web development and to be available for me all the time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped me develop a completely new e-commerce website on Magento 1. I did most of the design and gave them requirements for how its appearance. In the beginning, they gave me some PSDs. I modified them and gave them back to get the look that I wanted. They also built a new, large module. We’ve since created a new website on Magento 2 platform.

What is the team composition?

I first worked with their business development director/co-founder. Then, I worked with their managing director all the time. I also worked with a project manager.

How did you come to work with Whidegroup?

I reached out to them through Upwork. They had many good reviews.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2016–February 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before I contacted them, our website didn’t look good and it wasn’t easy to place an order. After the new site was developed, we had success. Our customers were satisfied and said it was great compared to our competitors.

How did Whidegroup perform from a project management standpoint?

They are always online. I can reach them nearly 24/7. They’re genuinely helpful all the time and always answer me within five minutes. For planning, we used Jira. We have an online place where we can discuss tasks and set up task names and such. We also use Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their developer writes good code. They’re always available and give good responses.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They take care of their customers. They get to know the customer and their skill level and work with them. You definitely need Skype to communicate.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO and Founder of IMPRO Email agency

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Email Marketing 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Whidegroup to accomplish?

• Conversion Rate Optimization for a Magento Store

SOLUTION

How did you find Whidegroup?

Online Search

Why did you select Whidegroup over others?

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

How many teammates from Whidegroup were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We engaged Whidegroup for a targeted conversion optimization project on our client’s Magento store.

Whidegroup conducted a thorough audit of two key landing pages and product pages, then implemented a series of UX and design improvements based on established optimization practices and the client’s target audience.

The scope of work included:

• Strategic layout enhancements
• Clear and effective call-to-action placement
• Mobile responsiveness refinements
• Website performance optimization. 

We were impressed by Whidegroup's responsiveness and the clarity with which they communicated each phase of the project. Their team delivered high-quality technical work and also took the time to walk the client through the rationale behind each adjustment.

The impact was measurable – the conversion rate from targeted traffic increased by 1.4x following implementation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most notable outcome was a 1.4x increase in the conversion rate from traffic landing on the optimized pages. This improvement directly contributed to higher revenue and better ROI from existing traffic sources. The client also reported smoother user flows on both desktop and mobile, leading to a more consistent shopping experience across devices.

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

Whidegroup delivered an agreed scope of work on time and maintained clear communication at every stage. Their team was highly collaborative — they listened carefully, responded promptly, offered expert suggestions, and adapted quickly to any new input.

What was your primary form of communication with Whidegroup?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Whidegroup’s ability to quickly translate feedback into action while keeping the focus on performance was outstanding. Their combination of technical expertise, UX knowledge, and willingness to take responsibility for results contributed significantly to the project’s success.

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

Overall, we were very satisfied with Whidegroup’s work. If anything, providing a bit more documentation at the end of the project would help with internal handover. That said, it’s a minor point in an otherwise smooth and well-managed collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a Shopify cart drawer public app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I was looking for a company that could develop a Shopify application based on my mockups and requirements. This application needed custom functionality that only an experienced developer team could do well.

SOLUTION

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

After making numerous calls to different companies, I chose Whidegroup because they could deliver the application I wanted in a timely manner, they were flexible on the contract, and they had a lot of experience in the e-com / software development field.

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

The app was developed in Php+laravel framework, Javascript + reactjs framework.

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

3 people worked with me. 1 project manager & 2 developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of their work was outstanding. They were able to deliver the software on time with only a few bugs that they fixed immediately. They helped me with all the difficult processes like submitting the application to Shopify which is a very difficult step.

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

First of all, they were very quick to respond and kind to work with. They even answered emails on the weekend and resolved issues on Monday. We worked on a shared document on google drive. All deadlines were met, it was a real pleasure.

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

Professionalism, skills, communication.

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

Nothing I can think about.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work for a digital independent software vendor that creates ERP and retail solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Whidegroup?

We hired them to develop a custom Magento 2 extension to simplify bulk-adding products to a cart. Initially, customers had to upload a CSV/XLS file to add numerous products.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to have a properly developed and thoroughly tested extension that can be uploaded to the Magento marketplace.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Whidegroup was the best in terms of competence and reasonable pricing.

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

The Magento extension development involved some frontend and backend work.

What was the team composition?

We worked with one part-time project manager and one full-time developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The extension improved our online purchasing experience, which we hope will increase customer loyalty.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I communicated with Whidegroup's co-founder, who effectively handled everything regarding development.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Like a boutique agency, they can resolve anything in a timely manner. We knew who was actually working on the project, so we never felt like we were working with a large, impersonal company.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I didn’t notice any problem.