Zero Negative

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a small factory for plastic and steel parts manufacturing. We’re based in Nova Scotia, Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zero Negative Software?

We’re a bit old-fashioned, and we didn’t have a lot of machinery that connected to the internet. We had a new contract come in from a client that wanted some more high-tech machinery. The customer wanted us to have a more organized technical process, with software to keep track of our orders. We needed to find a company that could help improve our process a little bit.

We reached out to Max (President & Co-Founder, Zero Negative Software) and his company to make software that would more easily track orders for this client. We couldn’t have gotten the client without them, so that’s basically what we had to do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Zero Negative Software developed a web application with custom software for us. The software can track the status of an order throughout the machining process: what department it’s in, what press, and so on. If the machine can provide information on the order, then it can update the information on the system as well.

We have computer workstations at each machine station, which load the web app. I believe it works on mobile devices as well. Depending on the type of part being manufactured for the order, we will have employees mark which phase of the project it is on the system. We also have some newer machines that are interconnected and can output the status of the order.

The software has some inventory controls. We can input raw materials and some other information. We have suppliers for aluminum, plastic, and resin, and those are the types of raw materials we can enter into the system.

Zero Negative Software continues to check in and provide maintenance services.

What is the team composition?

There were 3–4 people from their team involved. Max was the main person, along with Erion (CTO, Zero Negative Software).

How did you come to work with Zero Negative Software?

I’m originally from Boston, and Max is another Boston guy. A friend of mine who had worked with him referred him, and it all worked out from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent at least $35,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Zero Negative Software in the spring or summer of 2017. They don’t do too much for us now besides checking in, but we still have good communication. They do maintenance for us, and we still ask them for help. We’re busy right now selling part of our facilities, but we plan to do more work with Zero Negative Software in the future. I’m hoping to build a website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We basically did this in order to get a very big contract, one which we still have today. The success is that we got a very big customer out of this. We wouldn’t have been able to get them if it wasn’t for this software.

How did Zero Negative Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They were good in that respect. We only had a few months to do this, so they worked pretty quickly. They would schedule meetings with us, and we’d give them feedback and such. They worked with our customer a lot in order to meet their requirements. Zero Negative Software was very good in terms of getting the project done quickly and efficiently.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a bunch of good guys, and I highly recommend them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. I don’t know too much about this stuff, but, as far as I know, they did a good job.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Zero Negative Software is very easy to communicate with, and they get back to us. As long as the client communicates with them, they will be great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a small consulting company. I set up another company in Albania where I’ve employed four people. We’re working in tourism organizing digital tours. One part of our profile is providing digital tourism guides.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zero Negative Software?

We were looking for a programmer who could help us build an audio guide for tourists in German and English. We wanted to eventually apply the app to other places besides Albania as well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Zero Negative Software developed our digital tourism guide. They took it from a very basic, offline version of an app to a very comprehensive, complex system including a web application, an iOS version, and an Android version. We started with a very simple development of an audio guide. Based on this, we developed other programs until we got to the final stage where the program actually covered all of Albania with a smartphone application for tourists. 

The apps provide audio-recorded readings and guidance for tourists who come to the city or any place in Albania. They all have access to an available database. Our client company developed the content while Zero Negative Software built the program itself. There was a lot of cooperation through the process.

What is the team composition?

I work with the CEO regularly.

How did you come to work with Zero Negative Software?

We’re in a small place. When we got around and talked to people, we found someone who had experience and references, and we went ahead with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in January 2016 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have an application that we’re applying to other places besides Albania—we’re working on Romania at the moment. The app that we finalized this year is our own app that we designed and added the content. We’re now about to use it for our own business.

How did Zero Negative Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We work quite intensively together. It’s difficult to set deadlines with the type of work we do. We try to be on time and stick to deadlines. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it didn’t.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We covered most of it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work together in close cooperation. The developer world is different from the outside world, and you have to plan things together.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I coordinate events and special exhibits for museums and private galleries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Zero Negative Software?

We had a need for a mobile application for one of our events. Some of our professional competitors are starting to integrate mobile technology so we figured to do this too.

What were your goals for this project?

To make a mobile application that can assist patrons and gallery visitors navigate the exhibit.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Was recommended by a professional connection.

Describe the project in detail.

The idea was to have a mobile application for smartphones that event visitors would download either before or upon entry of the event. Once inside the venue, the app would have an audio-visual guide around the exhibit, with information about each particular piece, the artist, and how to purchase items available for sale.

What was the team composition?

Max was my main contact. He acted as the Account Manager and Project Manager. His business partner Erion oversees the Engineering side and the more technical stuff. There are other developers but Max kept it simple and I worked directly with him.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app worked perfectly on the day of the event. The patrons that used it were pleased and impressed. Many people said it made the purchasing process much easier. We would like to commission another app like this in the future.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Smooth as butter. We started with our goals, they came back with the basic structure. After some back and forth with instructions for them, they fulfilled basically anything we asked.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Very good customer service, and personable people to work with. I was afraid tech guys might be tough to work with, but they were very kind and easy to work with. The quality of their service was very impressive. There were no bugs or errors reported by any patrons or staff.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I didn't experience any issues.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former director of Style Studio. We provided special events design and implementation services. The business has since been sold and folded into a completely different company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zero Negative Software?

Another company had created our website, but we weren’t happy with the results or the experience. I engaged Zero Negative Software to develop a clean, fresh-looking site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project started with a two-hour meeting between me and Max (Principal, Zero Negative Software). He listened to my vision and design needs as I told him what I wanted my website to do and look like. Based on that scope, he came back with a site that reflected our minimalist aesthetic. He designed the layout and graphics. 

Over the next year and a half, we added features to make the site engaging, interactive, and seamless. For example, images can enlarge when users click on them. Users can navigate between layers seamless without arriving at a dead end. We ran into a lot of glitches, so we spent the remaining six months fixing those before we launched.

Zero Negative Software also helped us create another website for a different company for furniture staging. It had an aesthetic connection to the first website, so it felt like a seamless transition merged under one company. 

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with Max. 

How did you come to work with Zero Negative Software?

A mutual friend introduced me to Max in a social setting. I ran my website idea by him, and he said that he’d be happy to talk to me about it. It was a really organic process, which I liked—that’s the way most good relationships start, both business and otherwise.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $5,000–$8,000 on the first website. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The collaboration ran from January 2012 until August 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website made a huge splash in our industry. Our brand recognition increased anywhere from threefold to fivefold. People were so impressed with the presentation and strength in our photography—the site’s background made our images pop. Potential customers went with us over our competitors because of how professional and engaging our website was. One of my competitors even copied us.

How did Zero Negative Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We never had a lot of issues with deadlines—things happened instantaneously with Zero Negative Software. Maybe it was because we had a strong vision and Zero Negative Software capitalized on it. But their processes seemed efficient. Every time we had a meeting about changing something, they got it done within 24–48 hours. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to my previous provider, Zero Negative Software was so quick to deliver. They produced a surprising number of deliverables for such a small company. Their capabilities were more extensive than they appeared, and Max demonstrated a lot of integrity. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything I would change about the experience.

Any advice for potential customers?

Before any professional project with an outside company, make sure to sit down and outline your expectations to the creative team. If you have a clear vision that you can fully articulate, Max can translate it into a deliverable.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of a digital advertising company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Customer acquisition through digital advertising platforms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Zero Negative to accomplish?

• Beautiful Website
• Mobile Optimized
• Heavy Custom Animation

SOLUTION

How did you find Zero Negative?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Zero Negative over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Zero Negative were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Zero Negative absolutely crushed it with our website design. Our goal was to develop a website that better represented our business and accomplishments . Something with heavy custom animation that was also very mobile optimized and entertained readers as they viewed our site. Max and the team hit this one out of the park.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Zero Negative delivered a final product that was exactly what we envisioned during the allocated timeline.

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

Their team was very organized and worked in real-time to make the final tweaks and edits needed to polish our product for launch.

What was your primary form of communication with Zero Negative?

Virtual Meeting

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

Unbelievable quality when it comes to design, animation, and device optimization.

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

Nope