ECDIGITAL

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The organization is a non-profit that hosts various cultural events during the year. It's been in operation since 1920s in Melbourne, Australia, and has several hundred members. I'm a committee member for the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ECDigital?

We're trying to build and digitize an archive of the memorabilia and artifacts created by the organization. The goal is to have a web-based archive that can be used for research and nostalgia purposes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had a requirements document that a previous developer had begun, and the basics were in place for a hosted website. The original developer was unable to continue, so I engaged ECDigital to continue the enhancement and complete the development of the website. There are four sets of documents: audio and visual (mp3s and mp4s), visual information, JPEGs, and all the digitized version of photographs. There are also PDF documents ranging from single pages up to books. 

I'm handling all the digitization and the uploading of the material onto the website. ECDigital is creating all the search algorithms, the homepage, the layout, and the SQL database behind it. They used GitHub as the repository for the code and the latest version of PHP. Some of our specific requirements are that the users need to register to use the website. It keeps a log and a record of the numbers of logins, views, and downloads. There's also a reporting mechanism attached to it. Our final tool was FileZilla. It's an FTP function that acts  a secure plot between two points.

What is the team composition?

I work with three people at most, including two developers and the principal of ECDigital.

How did you come to work with ECDigital?

I did a search online, and ECDigital was one of three companies that responded. I also chose them for their responsiveness and timeliness in giving me answers regarding my requirements.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost is around $5,000. It's likely to double since I've got some enhancements that will be at least another $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since December 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am very satisfied with their work. There have been about 5,000 logins, and the response has been excellent. We developed a test site with them afterward to test data, which cleared up any development issues quickly.

How did EC Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

We have dial-in meetings where we can discuss things and share the screens via Zoom or whatever messaging tool we use. They are responsive any hour of the day or night.

We used Discord to register all issues coming out of the development. The issues at that moment, if there were any, were pretty minor and easily dealt with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are responsive and there has never been a, ‘no, we can't do that’. It is, ‘we'll find out for you and we'll get back to you.’ The response back is always timely.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were some things about the aesthetics of the website; whether it was a home page or the layout, they could have provided some of their own suggestions based on experience, rather than relying more on my aesthetic input.

Any advice for potential customers?

Have your requirements properly defined and explained in as much detail as possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Tonia's Fresh Flowers, a floral design company. We make floral arrangements for special occasions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ECDIGITAL?

ECDIGITAL built my current website two years ago. I reached out to them again to update the site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I hired ECDIGITAL to redevelop and redesign my entire online shop. They’ve added a new section for funerals, a section for weddings, and a section for the daily specials. They’ve also added a blog section, which I’m planning on using for my marketing plans. Aside from that, they’re also handling the ongoing maintenance of my site.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked directly with Ernest (Founder).

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent around $5,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve seen an increase in my site traffic.

How did ECDIGITAL perform from a project management standpoint?

ECDIGITAL has performed well in terms of project management. They’re very responsive and constantly available by email — if I have any issues or problems, I can just email them, and they’ll get back to me very quickly. 

We primarily communicate through email and text messages.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like how ECDIGITAL genuinely cares about my business. They have a very personal approach, and they never make me feel like just a number.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I can think of. I'm very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have different packages for ongoing support, and I really recommend signing up for them.