FNX Group - TYPO3 agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Effecticore is a B2B Digital Marketing Agency that helps SMBs to raise their performance in marketing and sales using a variety of marketing and digitization tools. I am founder and CEO of the agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FNX Group - TYPO3 agency, and what were your goals?

To create a B2B portal and e-comm platform for one of our clients – a leading provider of product identification solutions – and to relieve the burden and manual work from the customer service team. The goal of the project was to digitize some processes and create easy access to information and documents via a self-service platform.

SOLUTION

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

The project was a challenge from a technological point of view. It was clear to us from the beginning, that we want to work with someone experienced and highly skilled AND with experience with similar projects. We haven’t been set to any technology. It was during early project evaluation and requirements discovery that FNX helped to make clear that TYPO3 would be a good option for the project at hand.

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

We did a discovery workshop with the client first in which FNX served as a technical advisor. During the conceptual phase FNX was a valuable partner and consultant around critical user stories. Then they provided detailed wireframes (100+ views) which we later used to create detailed user stories description.

After approving wireframes with the client, FNX delivered eye-catching and user friendly designs. Next they delivered responsive HTML markup and prepared the development environment, so everything was ready to start the devops work. A very important element of this project was designing a data model and system architecture, because the new application was an integrator of many datasets and external applications.

FNX was the active tech lead in those areas and delivered the best solutions considering all constraints. We were working according to Scrum methodology, and although we were new to that, FNX provided great help. We followed each scrum ceremony including dailies, sprint demo and retrospectives.

Every two weeks FNX's team was presenting their outcomes. The final product is a complex application that integrates with Client's ERP system and a few other subsystems. It heavily relies on data exchange, APIs and status monitoring.

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

8 people: PM, Graphic Designer, Frontend Developer, 3 Backend Developers, QA, DevOps

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results delivered by FNX are impressive from the technology point of view. But one of the highest values provided becomes more evident over time. The system FNX has built is very solid and just keeps running and doing its job. And in case something comes up, the great documentation and team know-how assures that fixes are quick.

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

We used Target Process application as a project management tool. Every two weeks we had regular demos of work progress. FNX kept us updated, we were in regular daily contact (mail, skype). Overall, they are extremely good communicating and always give a clear and realistic overview of the project status.

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

They are true partners that – through thick and thin – are by your side and do their best to find solutions. They are highly professional in what they do and how they manage their projects which helps every party involved. Plus, they are fun to work with ;-)

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

If anything, we jointly could have challenged business values on certain user stories earlier which would have made a few US more efficient during development. But once addressed also this part worked excellent.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are digital architects. We plan and manage digital projects. With industry experience in the IoT, the health sector, with associations and in e-commerce, we offer demand-oriented advice and digital project management, including technology competence, for decision-makers, staff and digital leaders. We have been designing the digital world of tomorrow for over 20 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FNX Group - TYPO3 agency?

We wanted to cooperate with a professional TYPO3 software house to helps with several projects that our agency maintain. At first, FNX was responsible for standardization of development environments of the projects. The next step was updates / upgrades of all the systems handled. Finally they are taking care of ongoing maintenance.

SOLUTION

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

We search for a trustworthy TYPO3 partner for our clients and did a lot of qualitative reviews and had many preliminary talks. FNX were the only ones who seemed to be dependable – they kept their word.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

All FNX projects are similar. They are mostly engaged with performing updates and upgrades of extensions and TYPO3 CMS core, also some small bugfixes.

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

Continuous support: usually 1 backend developer and 1 project manager Supporting staff: usually 1 second backend developer, 1 frontend developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We observed the throughput times for tickets have improved many times over since working with FNX. We can complete more tasks in less time. Generally speaking we are very satisfied with the ongoing cooperation and willing to entrust large projects to FNX as soon as they are ready to be developed.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

FNX works extremely modern. The tech stack is very good and up to date. We meet every two weeks on MS Teams to plan a sprint. We use Jira for sprint planning and execution. Meetings are always on time; effective, with no delays.

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

FNX is very professional. The ability to deliver is their main strength - they keep all promises and take good care of entrusted projects. We feel very safe working with them.

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

The only thing is we would love FNX also had Shopware in their portfolio :)) We would be able to work with them in that area also! Otherwise we have no wishes, since everything is going very well. We’re very satisfied with their engineering seniority.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

At the company, I am in charge of digital marketing. I am responsible for online campaigns and the website (editorial/conceptual side)

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our TYPO3 systems were aging and legacy code developed by other vendor prevented us from regular updates. We have decided to conduct a comprehensive relaunch together with FNX Group.

SOLUTION

How did you select FNX Group and what were the deciding factors?

We have been working with FNX since 2012. We chose it because of the good feedback but also because of its expert track record. FNX, as a provider of TYPO3 CMS services, is a leader on the Polish market and that is why we chose FNX when looking for a company to take care of our website. The previous companies we worked with did not have good TYPO3 developers and it was difficult to make progress with the website.

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

At first, FNX have taken us through the discovery phase. Together we held several meetings heavily discussing and deciding which features generate business value and what adjustments should be made. One of the characteristics of this project is that we are truly conservative in terms of a visual layer.

Our corporate design guidelines must be strictly followed, but FNX succeeded with a great result to improve look & feel by implementing multiple enhancements. Besides that, we have introduced tones of useful functionalities. For example, on the frontend we introduced to our clients a new product catalog with an e-commerce integration or a new product testing tool for Baby Club users. 

There are also various new and improved modules for our back office team or automation of a bunch of our business processes and third-party integrations (i.e., with our ERP/CRM, PIM, Azure Media Services, or marketing automation system). The other important achievement is that now our codebase is created with the state of the art TYPO3 implementation standards.

Therefore our software platform is a firm foundation for the long-term further development. This project can be a wonderful demonstration of FNX's capabilities to deploy software ventures of significant scale and complexity. The feeling of being in "good hands" was immense for us all the time.

They covered all aspects ranging from business analysis, technical consulting, system design, and project management to implementation of dozens of custom modules (over 5k working hours for initial release!), QA, and further maintenance. As of today, the project is still ongoing.

How many people from the FNX Group team worked with you, and what were their positions?

7 – PM, Frontend Developer, 3 Backend Developers, QA, DevOps

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Above all, safety is the measure of success in this project. After the work was completed, colleagues from the German headquarters carried out a safety audit, which confirmed that the work had been carried out correctly. Unfortunately, we could not perform all the tasks related to UX, because the website must be similar in functionality to the corporate website, which is a pity.

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

We stay in touch daily via various communication channels like PM ticketing platform (Redmine), phone, email, or Teams. We embrace the Kanban approach to project management, which makes the workflow streamlined and predictable. FNX is very good organized. They set up an online hub where we could log in to see how the project was progressing.

A deep understanding of our business domains and technical expertise minimized risk and stress on our side. They also took care of the communication with third-party vendors. They delivered on time and were transparent.

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

Above all, their professionalism, ability to look for tailored solutions, and good communication were notable in the partnership. Working with FNX, I am confident that the work will be done by professionals and that the level of security will be fully maintained.

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

Let's hope there are more such professional companies on the market :)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

GRUPA ODITK is one of the top training and consulting brands in Poland. I am responsible for developing, implementing and executing strategic marketing plans for an entire organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FNX Group - TYPO3 agency, and what were your goals?

We were looking for a long-term reliable development partner who would professionally support our TYPO3 web app. Our first goal was to refresh the graphic design of the website. We wanted it more modern, matching our image and optimized for UX.

In the maintenance phase, FNX supports us with the full range of services we need – from day-to-day support to new developments.

SOLUTION

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

TYPO3 expertise was our main deciding factor. There are few TYPO3 experts in Poland, so the selection phase was easy. Right after we met the FNX team, we knew they were professionals. They are also very trustworthy and friendly at the same time.

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

In the relaunch project, the first step was UX/UI conceptual work. FNX organized a workshop during which we cooperated closely with their graphic designer. FNX proposed Figma as a platform for interactive mockups and graphic design. And that helped enormously!

We quickly found a common language, and they easily translated our thoughts into visual form. When the graphic design was ready, FNX implemented the responsive fronted layer and the TYPO3 backend integration. Then, they deployed the system to production. FNX further develops it when we need new features (e.g. SEO enhancements).

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

6 – PM, Graphic Designer, Frontend Developer, Backend Developer, QA, DevOps

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Both our goals of the relaunch – refreshed look and UX optimization – were successfully achieved under budget and deadline constraints. We got very positive feedback from our customers after these changes.

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

We communicate through Redmine - a PM ticketing platform. It optimizes the process and provides transparency. All the tasks are in one place, and you can refer to them if necessary.

The brief communication channels are phone, email, or Teams. I value FNX for its responsiveness, on-time delivery and professional support. Plus, they're very clear about what they're working on and why some things take longer than expected.

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

Timeliness, reliable approach, knowledge and experience you can rely on. At the same time, a pleasant atmosphere of cooperation and openness to looking for solutions.

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

I would appreciate the offer extension of the SEO optimization right from the design stage.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a company which offers business-development, innovation-management and web-development

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FNX Group - TYPO3 agency, and what were your goals?

To deliver the frontend implementation of www.innomago.digital, a company helping German businesses and institutions to innovate and digitize. The main challenge was the short deadline of the project.

SOLUTION

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

We searched for a competent and reliable TYPO3 support, and we realized that FNX experience in that area was impressive.

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

FNX was responsible for frontend and backend development based on supplied designs. Technologies: TYPO3 CMS.

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

4 people: 1 project manager, 2 frontend developers, 1 backend developer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

FNX is an excellent partner for everything round about TYPO3, they take good care about the code quality. This shows in the results – the website they have built receives a lot of positive feedback.

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

We maintained a constant contact through instant messages via Slack. FNX used Skype for internal conversations. Despite the very tight timing FNX was able to get the website online before the deadline.

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

FNX is extremely competent when it comes to TYPO3. They have very professional engineers. Their deliverables were of high quality. They also have very good communication and operational readiness.

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

n/a