Curotec

BACKGROUND

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

SOLUTION

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

BACKGROUND

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

• Provide dev support for our website

SOLUTION

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Stanley Berry: I’m the president of Berry Writing Group. We sell writing and speaking training courses for corporations and government agencies.

Karin Clemon: I’m the COO and course development project manager for Berry Writing Group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Curotec?

SB: We initially built our online course in 2008. The course was driven by Adobe Flash, which became extinct on January 1st. As a result, we needed to rebuild the online course and wanted to increase the usability for learners.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SB: Curotec worked with us to rebuild our online course. The course contains a little over 200 pages that can contain text, audio, video or interactive exercises.

KC: Their team helped migrate the initial platform’s content onto a more modern platform. As Adobe Flash became obsolete, we needed to decide if we wanted to build our own platform or use another platform that met our requirements. Groups and corporation leaders couldn’t purchase classes or licenses without our help, which lead to a lot of back and forth. Automation was one of our main requirements for this new system.

Curotec researched what was available and suggested that we use a system called LearnDash. Now, users can purchase classes from our website. If they purchase a bunch of licenses, users can enter the system’s dashboard and assign employees to classes. Passwords are then sent directly to employees.

SB: We now have a consulting contract with them, so Curotec provides 10–20 hours a month. We plan on creating another course with them too.

What is the team composition?

KC: We mostly work with Peggy (Project Manager, Digital Marketer & Web Designer) but also communicate with Brian (Founder & CEO) and Pam (COO).

How did you come to work with Curotec?

SB: We chose Curotec out of a field of about 10 different competitors. We primarily chose them because Brian was impressive. Everything was easy.

How much have you invested with them?

KC: The total came to $51,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

KC: We signed the contract in late July 2020.

SC: We’re still using their services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

KC: It was an extremely complicated project, and Curotec did an amazing job keeping all of the details straight. As we no longer have to give every single user a password, their work has made our lives a lot easier. The platform's more modern.

SB: Curotec leveled up the usability for students and buyers by a great deal. Their team ultimately created a great LMS. Our government buyers can now purchase 50–100 passwords at a time.

We had a technically savvy client tell us that our LMS is the best. That’s a feather in our hat. All of our clients find the LMS easy to use, and it gives them everything they want. There are a variety of learning aids that speak to the needs of different learners. Curotec did a great job mixing up the course to focus on different learning styles.

How did Curotec perform from a project management standpoint?

KC: We had many Zoom meetings but also communicated via email. It was mind-blowing how Peggy tackled this complicated project. We couldn’t have done it without her organization.

It feels like we’re on the same team. They care about making our projects successful as much as we care about our success. As a project manager, that’s a relief.

SB: During the development, we had a weekly status meeting. If we sent emails on weekends, Peggy responded. If they didn’t have an answer or solution immediately, they researched and found one that worked for us. Their customer service is great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

KC: I appreciate that Curotec is committed to building a long-term relationship with us. There were a couple of times when we had different interpretations of the proposal's content. However, it was easy to come to a mutually beneficial understanding. They’re in this for the long haul.

SB: We’ve worked with a handful of vendors, and Curotec is the best of the bunch. We receive a high value for our dollar with them. There isn't another company that could do what Curotec did. We trust them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

SB: No, I would give them perfect marks on any success indicators.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

SB: You can trust them to deliver and negotiate on ambiguities in a fair way. That’s hugely important.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of the Philadelphia Foundation, a community foundation that provides support across a variety of social issues spanning an eleven-county region. We recently celebrated our 100th anniversary.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Curotec?

We were gearing up for our centennial, and we needed help building a new digital presence. Our website was quite outdated.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team redesigned our site, building a new one from scratch. They did the development and UX/UI. They were involved in every critical technical activity, including the site's execution, which is built on WordPress.

They built the technology for us to do a public vote. It engaged hundreds of thousands of citizens across the region. There were specific requirements regarding security. They handled the technical architecture regarding site capacity and handling traffic volume.

In 2020, they built another website as we began our partnership with another organization. They enhanced our digital presence on our site and launched a COVID-19 fund site. The COVID-19 website required adaptations, backend interfaces to PayPal, and many other things.

They also worked with us when we had a concert with several networks partnering with us. They worked to ensure the backend could handle the surge of people watching the concert and being directed to our website. The site went from a shared server to a direct server.

What is the team composition?

Pam (COO) is my main point of contact. We have also worked with an account manager, designers, and backend developers. I have interacted with Brian (Founder & CEO), and Marwan (Director of Technology) handled technical architecture on projects.

How did you come to work with Curotec?

We work with a marketing PR firm who recommended them to us. We considered a couple of different companies' proposals, but this team impressed us with their professionalism, price, and articulate proposal.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Curotec started in October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw an exponential increase in our digital presence. We went from practically no traffic to more than 100 million transactions on our collective media over our centennial year. Within a six-month timeframe, we raised 18.3 million dollars through the COVID-19 fund site.

Curotec has been integral to the strategic and top priority work we’ve been doing at the foundation. They provide great support to ensure our sites capture all transactions with dignity. They’re also available and responsive, handling tremendous volume. I’ve been amazed at the quality, high-caliber people on their team and how quickly they work to meet our sometimes-demanding requirements.

They’re an incredible partner. They’re our exclusive technology partner, and we couldn’t have taken on some of the challenges and opportunities we did without them alongside us.

How did Curotec perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, they’re great. They are on point with estimates, communicate well to explain processes, and manage scope extremely well.

Their vigorous approach to project management allows them to deliver quality results on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Curotec has been a strong partner for us. They understand what we’re trying to achieve and what a community foundation is about. They continue to learn more about us as we grow. They ensure that our technology is the best.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly have no criticisms.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Lay out the strategy of what you want to do digitally and how it fits within your business strategy. Look at them as a partner, not an external vendor for just one portion of the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Direct Subs. we’re an online platform that connects real estate investors with contractors in realtime based on location, availability, and scope of work. We’re geared toward people who flip or build houses or invest in real estate.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Curotec?

I was looking for a long term partnership to bring Direct Subs to life by developing the website. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped me develop the platform for Direct Subs. I leaned on them heavily for a lot of carrying out my vision. The wireframes were a collective effort—they made suggestions and created them based on what ideas I laid out. They helped us implement a variety of proprietary review questions into the backend so there is a rating process for everyone who uses the platform.

They worked on the UI and all of the backend development needs. The various technologies involved were AWS, SemGrid, Stripe, and Nexmo. We’re now working to move everything over to WordPress. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Brian (Founder & CEO, Curotec) and I’ve worked with 5–6 others since the beginning. 

How did you come to work with Curotec?

I reached out to several other companies. After weighing everything out, including scope, price, and conversations, I felt Curotec was the way to go. I found them online and they were quick to follow up with a phone call. Brian spent a good amount of time with me so I could explain everything and get his feedback. They were very timely in sending their proposal and were serious from day one, so I chose them. 

How much have you invested with them?

Over the course of the different phases of the projects, I’ve spent over $70,000 total, with the price varying on the current needs. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of the work has been great. I can lean on them as almost a consultant, which is invaluable. We’re a small company just starting out and we’re hoping to have close to over 1,000 users by the end of the quarter through working with them. 

How did Curotec perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed very well. My expectations have been exceeded throughout the whole process, especially since we’re bringing something new to life. This means we’ve had to over-communicate to be on the same page and we’ve done a good job at that together. My experience working with them has been great, so far. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been really accountable and fair—their professionalism is great. Everyone I’ve interacted with has been a good person who is working to accomplish a common goal and bring success to the project. They’re an honest company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At this point, nothing comes to mind. Every company experiences growing pains but I feel that they’re handling everything well. They’re busy, so the turnaround time might be longer but nothing has impacted me negatively at all. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Over-communicate your goals, as with any project. Be open-minded. They have a lot to bring to the table and are looking to grow. Be well-informed and communicate with other companies before making a choice to proceed, so that way you’ll understand the caliber of people Curotec has working for them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product manager at a tech company that sells software to hospitals for automating revenue cycles. My role involves interfacing between clients and developers to determine what we need to build.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Curotec?

We don’t have an in-house designer, so we needed to bring in an outsourced team to design the UI for a new app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We told them about our needs in the beginning. The product is essentially a dashboard with a few user configuration screens. We wanted to have screens that were both attractive and usable. Our designer mocked up screens for us.

What is the team composition?

One of their designers created the deliverables. And Brian (Founder & CEO, Curotec) started the relationship for us.

How did you come to work with Curotec?

We have a marketing teammate that knows Brian. It was a word-of-mouth referral. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent just over $5,000 on their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in April 2019, and the completed the designs in June 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Internally, people are impressed with it. They’ve said that it’s easier on the eyes than what we were using before. It’s a more peaceful design while maintaining a sense of modernity.  

How did Curotec perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated mostly over email and phone calls. Their team was almost over-organized, also emailing us as needed. Brian was on our initial calls before passing us off to their designer. Even after that, he would check in periodically. They communicated well during our weekly calls as well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

If we had more design work in the future, we’d definitely look to them. We were happy with their design work and frequent communication. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The designer could’ve been more attentive to detail. Sometimes, things were lost between our meetings and their design iterations. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They were easy to work with and organized themselves well. You don’t need much advice because of that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president and CEO of the McCabe Group, a virtual marketing and advertising company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Curotec?

We had an IT company that was leaving us. We needed a new company to look after our IT needs and support our tech efforts for third-party clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Curotec manages anything IT related, including help with CRM and CMS as well as web development. They also oversee web coding, apps, and integrated digital media. I’m working to expand what we offer to clients, and they add to our resource pool. They're able to provide a nuanced approach to SEO tune-ups for our clients' sites.

We’re currently working with Curotec to produce a streamlined management system that can produce code and keep track of records for a multinational client. There’s a lot involved, and it’s written in four major languages. We plan to launch in December 2018 and are already seeing issues or wishlist items to add after the initial launch.

What is the team composition?

The team size varies based on the project we’re working on. We usually have a Google and SEO expert and 1–2 other team members. Sometimes we have as many as five on a project.

How did you come to work with Curotec?

The company we were working with previously handed off their work to them and slowly phased themselves out. We vetted Curotec and discovered they were much stronger and offered more services than their predecessors.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve done about $300,000–$400,000 worth of work with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around 2015, and the work is ongoing on several projects, including a CMS for one client and an SEO tune-up for another.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've had success working with them, even before the current project management system. Curotec offers fair pricing and a good partnership. They came up with new ways to approach issues and are great problem solvers. Our clients are completely satisfied.

How did Curotec perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform very well. Communication with them is easy. We had space in our building to house them when they were looking for new offices, so they’re basically across the hall whenever we need to meet. We often work on a virtual basis, but never have any trouble getting time with them when we need them. They give helpful insights into what they do and explain things well. We’re also looking forward to adding other disciplines like cybersecurity.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge of what is available on the market makes them terrific in meetings with our clients. Their level of understanding and ability to diagnose problems are impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything to recommend; we’ve had no issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They're a great team to work with. They outperform any of their competition, so get a quote from them. They know their stuff and will be honest if you're asking for something outside of their stack. However, they'll probably have a contact in their network to outsource that work if needed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Students Run Philly Style is a nonprofit mentorship program that fosters healthy habits and resilience in the lives of more than 1,000 Philadelphia-based teens through long-distance running.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Curotec?

We had an archaic paper-based enrollment system, which was difficult to manage given the high volume of applicants that we were receiving. We connected with Curotec to develop an online platform to make the application process easier for all parties.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to make the app resourceful for our staff, as well as the mentors and mentees, so incorporating features to meet all of our needs was a complex task. Curotec took the time to understand our goal and broke the project down into manageable parts. They built a website, and they developed a mobile app that is available for iOS and Android devices. Our main features are the online enrollment platform and an online event registry. Specific to the app, we are able to track the kids’ attendance and the number of miles they run.

What is the team composition?

We occasionally spoke the owner of the company, but we mainly worked with the project manager.

How did you come to work with Curotec?

We were discussing the idea of implementing an online enrollment system, and one of our donors recommended an app development agency, which we discovered had been acquired by Curotec.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested almost $100,000 developing the website and accompanying apps.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project commenced in the fall of 2016, and we officially launched the app in February 2018.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our app has increased the awareness and accessibility of our programs to a variety of people. We’ve successfully enrolled more than 1,200 teens through the online application system, and several new schools have used our site to join our program as partners. Our team is now able to manage our documents with ease, and we are finally able to keep track of the miles that the kids are running. The app has already given our program an organizational boost.

How did Curotec perform from a project management standpoint?

Working with their project manager was a fantastic experience; he’s incredibly responsive and always comes up with the best solution whenever an obstacle appeared. Their supportive team works tirelessly to get things completed on time, and they know how to translate our needs into a tangible result.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There was never a challenge too difficult for them to solve. The one-of-a-kind features that they built into our app are a testament to their innovative talents.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear concept of the app that you want them to build and they will make your vision a reality. Don’t be afraid to try new things and consider their suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of innovation and product management at Banyan Medical Systems.We’re a healthcare technology company that provides solutions to alter the way healthcare is delivered across the continuum of care.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Curotec?

We had a lot of legacy technology that we needed to move into the cloud and web to support a more API-driven solution. We have an internal dev team, but we needed a dev consulting partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our main task with Curotec was workflow automation and coordination. The health care industry is extremely disjointed, and communication isn’t very efficient. Our focus was on creating an app that would help coordinate the events around a person’s care and get them accomplished in a timelier manner. The app will track communications in real time and make the system more accountable.

What is the team composition?

They provide a business analyst, front-end developer, architect, and a data integration specialist.

How did you come to work with Curotec?

I did some research and found about 10–12 companies. After phone interviews, I narrowed it down to 3­–4 teams and went to visit them in person. Curotec stood out in a few areas, especially in their commitment and innovation. We met once, and at the next meeting they’d already executed some test code and wanted to see what we thought. None of the other firms did that. Curotec was proactive and started the work right away. We could’ve hired a cheaper or bigger company, but we knew Curotec would do a great job.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Every week, Curotec shows us what they’ve accomplished. We’ve seen consistent progress, which our management and executive teams here appreciate.

How did Curotec perform from a project management standpoint?

Curotec has phenomenal project management. We talk daily over the phone and use Slack for team communication. They require very little oversight.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re building something unique and revolutionary, and Curotec is able to adapt to and be flexible with what we want. They shift quickly and help us be agile to hit our goals as we learn and change along the way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Give them freedom to do their own research and come up with new solutions. If you’re open to their suggestions, you’ll find their ideas to be incredibly insightful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the account executive at a full-service communications agency. We do everything from marketing and branding to crisis communications and PR.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Curotec?

We needed to develop a robust website for one of our financial services clients. We had been running into some issues with previous web vendors and needed a developer that could deliver on the request and communicate effectively.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were previously engaged with this financial services client and needed assistance in developing a very complex website. I initially spoke with Curotec’s founder and he helped me scope out the site and walked me through what was possible from a technological standpoint. He was also able to work within our client’s time constraints. He did a great job explaining what was needed for each phase of the project and what challenges they might encounter. From there, they helped us in determining the UX/UI and eventually started coding the site. They saw us through check ins through the development process and have been great in providing post-launch maintenance. We’ll be engaging with them for a phase two of the website soon, and we’ve already discussed new features like click-to-chat. We’re still working through a few additional projects.

What is the team composition?

I primarily interacted with a project manager. He set expectations very effectively and we couldn’t have done the project without him. We also had a few initial scoping conversations with the founder, and I would reach out to the development team for more in-depth technical questions.

How did you come to work with Curotec?

We were in the market for a new vendor after experiencing poor service from other developers.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2017 and have since finished the financial site. We’re currently working on other projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched the site last week, so metrics aren’t available yet. However, I spoke with one of the client’s employees and they were very happy with the end result. They said it will allow them to compete in the industry more effectively.

How did Curotec perform from a project management standpoint?

Frequency of communication depends on where we are in the process. Before and immediately after launch, we were speaking multiple times a day. They’ve been very responsive and accommodating. Our project manager is always accessible via phone and email, which was very comforting throughout the process. They always had an answer to any questions that came up within 24 hours if not immediately.

What did you find most impressive about them?

After our poor experiences with other developers, we were happy to find a vendor that communicates openly while doing high-quality work and delivering on time. The process has been very informative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Project management tools can be beneficial to keeping things organized. However, their communication is so thorough that this hasn’t been a problem for us.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re experts in their field. They’ll be able to deliver what’s requested, just like they’ve shown us in the past.