Arch

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder & CEO of Deploy by First People Global Ltd

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Deploy is a digital first talent market place where ERP Experts in Workday can connect with Companies running Workday projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Ability to understand the business environment in which we work
• Ability to assist with both Functional & Technical work
• Ability to build MVP on time & budget

SOLUTION

How did you find Arch?

Event

Why did you select Arch over others?

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

How many teammates from Arch were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

The scope of work consisted of -

1) Designing a user journey for both Candidate & Client.

2) Understand how both parties would engage digitally via a native app experience.

3) Build robust & scalable front and back end architecture,

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The main outcomes were

1 - On time and on budget.

2 - Digital experience that delivers what we asked for.

3 - Reliable & Visually impressive digtial experience

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

The team consisted of a number of key people from Commercial Director, Project Manager, Front & Back End Developers - each member of the team was very response, very east to deal with. All escalations were dealt with promptly to ensure the program stayed on track.

What was your primary form of communication with Arch?

In-Person Meeting

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

Overall, we liked their very attentive service - serious and professional when needed but the project team was fin and enjoyable to work with - the size of business meant we could always get stuff done.

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

At this stage, we hope to retain them for future work so we are happy with all aspects for service.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of a video production and publishing company. We run two YouTube channels, one devoted to professional wrestling and the other to video gaming. The professional wrestling channel has an accompanying website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arch?

We needed to redesign and implement our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Arch redesigned and implemented our website from scratch. We told the team the features we wanted to see on the website and the content that needed to be retained from the previous site. Arch was responsible for development, hosting, and maintenance. The website was built on Java and used a CMS called Payload.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around six teammates from Arch, including Andy and Kelan.

How did you come to work with Arch?

We found Arch on Google. We were looking to work with a local firm to have in-person meetings. We saw reviews on Google, and the team came highly recommended. I looked at Arch's portfolio, and they had worked with similar brands to ours, and the quality of their work was exceptional.

We were impressed with Arch's initial professionalism. When we got in touch, the team invited us for an in-person meeting. The team we met was very reassuring that they could provide the work we were looking for.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent approximately £52,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–October 2024. The team has completed the original brief and is working on unforeseen issues.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One thing we struggled with on our previous website was site speed and accessibility. The new website developed by Arch performed significantly better according to Google site speed analytics, and it was more accessible for all our users. The site was launched recently, but based on what we've seen, we expect it to lead to significantly more search traffic.

SEO was a priority for us with the new website, and Arch took into account our feedback and their own suggestions to ensure we had a fast-running website that would be highly featured on search engine results.

How did Arch perform from a project management standpoint?

Kelan, the project manager, was fantastic. He was very prompt in addressing any issues we had during the project and always kept us informed of the development of the new website. Arch updated the timescale constantly, so we knew exactly what stage of the project we were at. The project had some delays, but Arch always kept us informed.

We communicated by email, and Arch also set up a Slack group to which I and the website team were invited.
Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I was impressed by Arch's lead developer, Andy.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by Arch's ability to find solutions based on unforeseen issues. The team migrated data from a CMS that wasn’t widely used, which made the project challenging. Arch's development team was able to import that data, even though we knew from the offset that it would be a complicated job.

I couldn't praise the development team enough; they were fantastic. On the other hand, the design team factored in all of the features we wanted to bring over from the old website or introduce on the new website. Arch added little flourishes to the new site, which we hadn't asked for, but made the UX more enjoyable and kept users coming back to the website. Across the board, Arch was fantastic, exceeding our expectations in design and development.
We were kept in the loop, and when the tech side of things went over our team’s heads, Arch explained it in a simple way that allowed us to understand what was going on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, nothing springs to mind. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be especially clear in the brief and be as thorough as possible. We could have given Arch much more information to make their lives easier. Arch will hold your hand and guide you through the best possible ways of doing things.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CPTO of Boilerjuice

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Boilerjuice provides a comparison service to get the best possible price from all UK suppliers for domestic heating oil households

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Upgrade our app to provide a best in market solution for all of our customers
• To support our iOT subscription product and bolster customer retention

SOLUTION

How did you find Arch?

Referral

Why did you select Arch over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Arch were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The project was broken down into 2 stages:

(1) The first stage focused on migrating and upgrading an existing React Native app to support our subscription service. Our Connected offering tracks the oil level in a customer's tank (our own device) and optimises the purchase point for oil. Since we were upgrading our offering via the website in parallel, Arch needed to be responsive to a moving target.

(2) The second stage embedded our oil ordering process for all registered customers leveraging nativce app capabilities to reduce friction. Early signs indicate that conversion, via the app, is stronger.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have only just started properly promoting the app but there is growing evidence that conversion is stronger through the app then via the website. 

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

Development costs came in on budget - even though the scope for stage 2 changed.

What was your primary form of communication with Arch?

Virtual Meeting

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

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BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Project Coordinator of (a/an) Education

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Deliver programmes which aim to increase progression to higher education in the North East of England.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Redesign/development of a study and academic resilience app.

SOLUTION

How did you find ARCH?

Referral

Why did you select ARCH over others?

• Good value for cost
• Other

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

Project context Sunderland College developed the Study Buddy app to support their students with resilience and developing robust study skills and habits. NEUCP and Sunderland College decided to work together to further develop the Study Buddy app, make it more engaging and useful for students, and to expand it to support students in all of the other Colleges across the North East. Main objectives of Study Buddy App:

• To improve the educational outcomes of students studying Level 3 qualifications across the North East and increase the numbers that progress on to higher education
• To support students in further education institutions across the North East with content and guidance around resilience linked to good study habits
• To engage as many Level 3 students as possible across the North East
• To link ‘target’ Level 3 students into FutureMe (NECOP’s student facing brand) content so that they can access additional, targeted support around progression to higher education Target market for Study Buddy App
• Student who are or have the potential to student Level 3 qualifications in the North East

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Redesigned and redeveloped app.
• App able to support different content types.
• Automated registration process.
• Engaging app for students to use (including the app being responsive)

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

The ARCH team took the time to understand our needs and explain their approach to the project (in a way that we could easily understand and pass on to our key stakeholders). Project timelines had to move due to our own internal processes, but Arch were accommodating and continued to provide us with support whilst being flexible.

Our account manager, Jo, has been a joy to work with and responded to any questions with the required detail in a timely manner. No request has seemed too much for Arch!

What was your primary form of communication with ARCH?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

Their knowledge not only of app design and development, but of the sector we are working in so that they have been able to make helpful suggestions to enhance our project.

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

Not in our opinion.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an individual that had the original idea for the Where's Good App.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I tasked ARCH with developing an app that would improve the users social experience and help local business attract new customers.

SOLUTION

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

I selected ARCH as they were local to me, punctual and approachable when dealing with them.

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

We had a number of initial meetings, where I learned the process of developing an app and all of the stages involved. We had a number of discovery meetings to focus the needs of the app and the customers it would be aimed at. ARCH produced a scope of work, this is the stage we are at with the project. I am currently seeking further funding and investment for the project.

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

I was introduced to and had access to the full development team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I currently have the scope produced and am looking for investment to take the project to the next stages.

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

From the start I had regular contact with the team. If I needed answers to questions ARCH were just a phone call or email away. Everyone in the team were approachable and professional.

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

They were very accommodating to my lack of experience in this field and answered any questions I had no matter how straight forward. The atmosphere around ARCH puts you at ease.

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

At the stage we reached I have no suggestions for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at an online software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ARCH?

We needed someone to design and develop our website. We wanted to drive traffic to it and convert more leads and prospects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ARCH is designing and developing our website using WordPress.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we've spent £70,000 (approximately $76,000 USD) with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They've delivered everything on time, meeting the criteria that we've set out for the project.

How did ARCH perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication and the process they lead have been good. Regarding tools, we use Slack, email, Zoom, and face-to-face meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're adaptable and able to provide a solution quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their attention to detail with things like button sizing or spacing around certain attributes. The website is fantastic, but we've had to work hard on the last 10% to make it perfect — we're getting there in the end.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an executive of a mindset training app around sport & exercise

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to create a mobile app that allowed people to access the latest and most effective sports psychology based tools anytime, anywhere. The design of which we wanted to be fresh and innovative to the market

SOLUTION

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

I searched online and interviewed a number of development agencies. Arch was chosen because they really listened to what we were trying to do, they were passionate about our mission and they were flexible and offered the solution that worked best for our company

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

We kicked off with 2 discovery sessions to understand our vision for the app and map out how it could be brought to life in terms of features and phases. We settled on building the app with Flutter so we can access both iOS and Android platforms, over a number of progressive build phases

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

We worked directly with with the commercial director, project manager, lead developer and designers. There were also a number of other team members which we didn't have direct communication with

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app was delivered on time and

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

The project management style started out very well. We hit a hurdle when it came to the design phase where deliverables were missing the mark and timelines were drifting away. But after that phase the project was brought back on track and was well managed during development and launch, bringing in the right expertise at the right time.

Monday.com was used to provide an overview and weekly updates were sent via email. If there was need for a phone call, they were usually quickly arranged

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

As out first development partner, they were patient and brought us along a technical education journey. They responded to feedback well, even during testing times. They were always willing to provide help on any topic in a timely and friendly manner

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

We reached a good place in the end but we would have liked them to be more proactive during each phase. Anticipating what information we'd want to know and sharing it before we asked for it. We are only 2 co-founders and are very passionate and involved with the project

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director of an economics research company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed an app to allow subscribers to access our publications from their mobile devices and to receive notifications when new content was available to them with the ability to have a lot of control over which notifications they receive

SOLUTION

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

We approached several app developers based in our region and chose the one that seemed to understand our requirements and came in at the right price.

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

We had a series of discovery meetings and Arch met with the third party who host our website which is highly customised and needed to integrate closely with the new app. They produced wireframes which were tweaked according to our requirements. Working closely with the website company was key to the success of the project.

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

A project manager was assigned to us and we had a dedicated team of developers who managed different areas of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It is early days but we have had some excellent feedback internally and from customers. The project took longer to complete than expected but this was not due to Arch - they worked hard to overcome the complexities that arose with the custom notification system and provided support to our other provider beyond the requirements of their contract with us.

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

The project manager was very efficient and kept all parties up to date as the project developed. The response was always fast and comprehensive. Any additional costs were clearly set out in advance and options were explained fully. We do not have internal technical capacity and any technical issues were explained clearly and patiently for non- tech people to understand.

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

Their ability to work in a flexible and supportive way with an existing supplier. They really understood our requirements and the end result works really well and looks great.

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

More support in how to design the app testing would have been useful as we were developing an app for the first time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Marketing Manager of a engineering and manufacturing firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We lacked an integrated sales & marketing digital infrastructure that resutled in very limited automation, and required a custom solution that would feed into our existing ERP system, SAP B1.

SOLUTION

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

We found ARCH via desktop research and considered them alongside 4 other firms. The deciding factors were their pragmatic approach, knowledge and creativity, their understanding of our business needs and the level of detail they proposed during customer discovery.

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

Customer discovery workshop over 3 sessions to outline goals, potential challenges, key user personas , and mapping the existing user journey. Followed by mapping a detailed 'ideal state' user journey, feeding in the automations required and the different actions, systems and stakeholders at each stage.

Then the team went away to develop their proposal for the custom system and presented back to our team, with opportunity for Q&A and refinement. The team refined the proposal by creating a staged implementation timeline in order of features most important to the business for 'quick wins' and any futureproofing.

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

4 on vendor side, 4 our side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were very impressed by the team and have since migrated our website and SLA over to them.

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

Communicated through Google Meet, email and telephone.

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

Durect access to the whole team. They’re very flexible and happy to discuss iterations and work around our schedules.

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

No