Design Proficient

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Design Proficient developed our Watson-based AI chatbot and knocked it out of the park. After trying, and failing, to get this project developed with other companies, I’m so glad I found Design Proficient. They are the first software development company I’ve ever worked with that was on time, on budget, and gave constant communication along the way!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Design Proficient?

To build our Watson-based AI chatbot

What were your goals for this project?

To build our Watson-based AI chatbot for website

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My friend referred this company

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They design, developer and deploy Watson-based chatbot on our website

What was the team composition?

The project team had 4 resources working on my project including photoshop designer, HTML coder, C# sharp, and project manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have had bad experience trying to build this software with many companies and this was something super important to increase lead conversion on our website

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was highly effective. My project Dennis Morgan was prompt throughout the project cycle.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their quick response time and honesty set them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Pricing could be improved a little bit

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder/owner eof a non profit startup which will be opening halfway/transitional housing in Austin, Texas

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Design Proficient?

To design a logo

What were your goals for this project?

Have a standout, unique logo

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I blame myself for not looking at all those reviews prior to purchasing the package. I did not do my own due diligence until alarm bells went off during the payment process. I ran into errors and emails that didn't work on their site, and I didn't get a receipt until I asked about it. They never gave an explanation for the invalid emails, and I had to look for confirmation on my banking app to confirm the payment was charged. I certainly did not like them asking me to confirm the payment was processed before sending me the receipt.

Describe the project in detail.

I gave them an extremely clear description of what I wanted and offered to email a mockup of that description. Again, for a professional in the field, there should not have been an issue in producing what I described. They did not follow up asking me to send the mockup, showing zero concern about making sure they understood exactly what I wanted. 

I was switched over to multiple people  (designers, project managers, etc.) in the course of our two-week interaction. It made me think they were unprofessional and disorganized. Again, this is something I saw mentioned multiple times in reviews.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, my experience was not the worst it could have been. The design and files I received are usable, at least until I can afford a more professional or skilled company/package—one where the logo design is unique enough to warrant filing for copyright protection. As it is, the logo looks like some clip art slapped together with some words and colors, all of which are generic and could be done using Illustrator in the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite.

The design given to me—and essentially repeated in all concept files—was not what I had described at all. It incorporated aspects of what I had described but did not do it the way I asked. Since I had already paid for the package and did not want to go through the hassle of a refund, payment cancellation, and extensive revisions (thereby running up additional costs), I went ahead and accepted the concept they came up with.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They did the turnaround in adequate time. However, I gave very simple instructions that should not have needed clarification from a professional in this field. Yet, they continually sent back revisions that didn't follow my instructions or contained simple, rookie mistakes.

They continually badgered me to talk on the phone, repeatedly calling me even though I made it clear that I did not wish nor intend to talk by phone. I made it clear as well that email was my preferred and only form of acceptable communication. They attempted to solicit further paid services, which weren't necessary. Even if they were I could have gone elsewhere and gotten them much cheaper. While this may be legal, it is not an ethical business practice. All of this tracks with what I read in reviews.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Absolutely nothing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a business consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Design Proficient?

I needed a partner to design my logo in a short amount of time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After filling out a form to explain what I wanted, someone from Design Proficient contacted me and said the turnaround time would be between 24–72 hours. However, it took them longer than that, and the designs were not what I’d asked for. They didn’t align with my description, so I asked for another round of edits. That took them between 3–5 days to send the new versions, and it still wasn’t what I wanted.

The project manager finally called me, and I gave him clear direction on what I wanted. I even took the most recent designs and changed them a bit to create a mockup of exactly what I expected. All they had to do was make it cleaner and crisper. He said they’d also provide multiple options with different colors and fonts. Three days later, they sent designs that still didn’t match what I’d requested, so I asked for a refund. He said that wasn’t possible, so I’ve been stuck with them. It’s been nearly four weeks since we began our partnership, and I still don’t have a logo.

What is the team composition?

I work with the project manager.

How did you come to work with Design Proficient?

I found them online. I was researching design companies with a quick turnaround time and found them.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $100.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began at the beginning of October 2018, and the partnership is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

Nothing about their work requires an 18-day process. They’ve been incredibly unreliable, and the work should’ve been done within a few days, not weeks.

How was project management handled?

They don’t meet deadlines or keep commitments. They say they’ll send me something, and then I get it two days late. We used a project management tool, which I liked, but it didn’t speed up the process.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

They send multiple options of each design with different fonts and colors.

In what specific areas can they improve?

They should honor their commitments and get the job done within the allotted timeframe. If they fail to deliver a satisfactory product, they should be open to a refund process.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Don’t use this company. They’re neither quick nor professional. Their work and project management are amateur.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an independent life insurance broker.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Design Proficient?

I needed to design a website to present the work I do, the products and companies I work with, and how I guarantee customer satisfaction.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I searched online and contacted several companies, reviewing samples of their work.

Describe the project in detail.

I discussed my requirements and vision to the project manager and received a web design option to evaluate and make comments on. We had regular back-and-forth as the site was being developed.

What was the team composition?

I was assigned a project manager, who would relay my input to the technical team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Presently, the website serves as a form of reference for potential clients who I’ve already met with or contacted. I’m not expecting it to generate traffic but rather create a professional platform for anyone to view my background.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I had a good relationship with the project manager, who kept the work moving forward. We mostly communicated by phone or email.

Some frustrations did arise when trying to get changes done quickly, but I understand that the workflow includes several people and each has to play their part.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was given an affordable cost structure and they delivered a very nice website. Since its completion, I’ve made a few change requests and they’ve accommodated them without a problem.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There were times when I didn’t like the designs and had to project my views again. Also, getting hold of someone or getting a call back is a problem. Once you’re put through to an extension, the phone rings forever without it being answered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own a high-end retail business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Design Proficient?

My company needed a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Design Proficient created a demo template during development for a custom WordPress site. Throughout the process, I reviewed their work and requested various changes. We used an account via Domain.com, a domain registration vendor.

What is the team dynamic?

I had one primary point of contact, but interacted with two people in total.

How did you come to work with Design Proficient?

I researched vendors that provided outright site ownership to clients. Their site featured a reasonable price range between $599–$799.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $4,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What problems arose during the engagement?

The team didn’t execute changes and delivered opposite results. They tried to upsell their SEO services in an aggressive manner. I declined because the development issues made me distrust their reliability. After several incorrect or unfulfilled requests, I asked them to deliver the website; I had planned to complete the additional changes myself.

Although the site should have been ready for launch, Design Proficient claimed they couldn’t upload it without my domain registration password. I spoke with Domain.com; a representative said I should never give out my password. The representative then recommended creating a file transfer protocol (FTP) to give Design Proficient qualified access. Their team insisted they needed my password. After I refused, they emailed the website in a file that couldn’t download. Ultimately, I relented and supplied my password, but never received the accompanying materials and tutorial they promised with the upload. Design Proficient ignored my queries for several days. Domain.com said the vendor never uploaded a custom site, only a generic WordPress template. I argued with Design Proficient to obtain the actual site. However, they only uploaded the demo site, which had their name on it for self-promotion; they also put their name in my HTML. In addition, the links led either to other demos or error messages. At this point, Design Proficient ceased communication. I received only one email notifying me the website was fully-operational.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

I spent 10 years building this company. The site launch should’ve been an exciting milestone, but it became an embarrassment. They were degrading and verbally abusive. No matter how much I researched, they kept saying I didn’t know what I was talking about.

Now, I’m fighting with my bank to get my money back. I believe Design Proficient has other related brands that have encountered legal action against them. I also looking into similar options.

How was project management handled?

We didn’t have a formal scope or contract because the individualized order didn’t fit their standard online fields. Their prices seemed to increase during development; they tried to make me spend an additional $3,500 on sulfurous features.

I later researched the company and their possible related brands. Numerous bad reviews made me question the legitimacy of the positive ones. Several testimonials detailed similar experiences to mine.

In what specific areas can they improve?

They have a 100% money back guarantee. However, they sent an aggressive email when I requested the return. They should follow through on this policy.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a company that specializes in the housing and care of mature adults who can no longer live alone. We assist them with their day-to-day living needs and help them maintain their health status by administering medication and taking them to their doctor’s appointments. We offer activities and additional amenities to make their stay at Serenity Phase memorable.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what reason(s) did your company hire Design Proficient?

We hired Design Proficient to assist with our website development and maintenance. We knew what we wanted to do but did not know where to begin, so we needed help.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to convey the message of what we bring to the table before residents come into our home. We want costumers to understand our core values and know our everyday prayer.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I selected the vendor through a Google search.

Describe the project in detail.

They created a website and stationery for the business.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a project manager but he was soon replaced by another one due to an unplanned incident. I believe that there was a main person watching over the overall project, but I only remember talking to him once. There were some additional conversations but I solely worked with the project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I wish that the team was a little more knowledgeable about content creation. I feel like I paid them to do the content, however, I ended up doing 95% percent of it. So in my eyes, that job truly wasn't fulfilled. However, all is well.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I believe it was as good as it could get.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The logo design for my company was the most impressive aspect.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I believe their listening skills aren’t as good. Doing some research about the industry so that you can put together successful content would be a huge improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company is an online e-commerce store that sells hair products, wigs, and 100% virgin hair.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Design Proficient?

I hired Design Proficient to provide web and logo design services.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to use high quality design to add a professional tone to our marketing strategy and, subsequently, increase product sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I saw their reviews and heard about their satisfactory reputation. I thought their prices were a bit overpriced for their quality but was hooked with their initial design.

What was the team composition?

I was assigned a project manager who worked with me closely till they end. There was also a developer on the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have yet to launch the site; however, I now have a beautiful website that I expect with generate revenue in the upcoming days.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Most of our workflow was smooth, easy, and had little to no error.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They provided excellent, fast (48-hour turn around) and friendly service!

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could improve their communication.