FocalCode

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work for a digital marketing agency based in Ontario, Canada serving mostly local community with our wide range of our digital marketing services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FocalCode?

We are a new agency and needed a website up running very quickly. It cost-effective to outsource the development rather than hiring a Canada based firm. And we got connected with FocalCode.

What were your goals for this project?

We want to have online presence as soon as possible, we officially launched ourselves 2 months back. To have our business website developed and launched as soon as possible is our priority.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were looking to outsource the website development part to an Indian business and we used to receive email newsletter and decided to contact them.

Describe the project in detail.

FocalCode is helping us by developing our website. The website we wanted, should have all the modern elements of UX/UI with a very keen sense of typography. We requested to be creative in the development of our website as our business is also in the creative industry. For us being unique is important, so we requested for custom icon pack and illustration in order to differentiate us from other agencies. Plus we are very keen to why the certain element is existing in our website. So we requested to have ROI minded designs and concepts for our website.

What was the team composition?

We were in contact with two people at their firm, one project manager and other the developer of our website so we can tell small changes in the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still in the process of developing our website. They are pretty impressive in terms of our request to be creative. They have a sense of ROI that each element is bringing to the website. Custom icon and illustration created by their team is exactly what we were looking for in our website. They are unique and no competition is even close to what we have in our website because of their team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great, we are in constant touch with the developer and if there is any big request, they respond very quickly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The balance between creativity and ROI. They are very keen on each element that is brought to the website is contributing to increasing ROI. Everything is placed due to a reason and helping our potential client in terms of conversion. They provide us with the reason why the illustration is placed and how it will have a positive effect on conversions. Each and every element they create and place for a particular reason.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They are keen on each element of the website and so can't think of any improvement. Kudos to FocalCode.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder of a platform for helping college students to find hotspots, restaurants, bookshops, stationery etc in college premises without wasting time of searching them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FocalCode?

We needed guidance/consultancy to create and launch our MVP concept.

What were your goals for this project?

To launch and validate our MVP concept as soon as possible so we can move it for full blown development soon.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Research. We met them at their office location, which was near to our college location and had a discussion in-person with them. We liked their in-depth knowledge and decided to go with them.

Describe the project in detail.

FocalCode helped us with creating an MVP product with which we’re able to test out our concept.

We had 4 concerns just like any other business would have:

1. Will our app work?
2. Will it take a long time to develop?
3. How to go with marketing?
4. To keep costing under budget.

They suggested us to go with MVP with basic functionality for our concept validity as well. So that our major concerning points can be resolved easily and for later we can go with full-blown development for our concept with added functionalities.

What was the team composition?

Mainly I kept my contact with project managers as I had to manage my college also. Under them, there is the whole development team which we saw when we went for a face-to-face meeting.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Firstly our MVP was validated very nicely in my college and co-students asked for new features that they wanted. But more importantly, they were happy that we came up with an MVP but also want to see a full-blown feature full app.

As a result, we spent less and was able to validate our concept. It was a wise decision for sure.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We wanted to complete MVP development before summer break is over, so 2 months. They were able to deliver in time as it was a small-scale project in the first place.

Second, the team always responded on time if we asked for any changes. They also provided a shared excel sheet in which we could which component is under development, completed, etc.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The workflow. That was a really impressive way to make sure we were connected to the team properly through an excel sheet. Every person had their colour and what they are working on and what they have done till now.

This made a clarity in between project managers and team and us. Plus they provided us insights over plans and strategies and whether we should decide to go with them or not.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None I can think of. All good!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the program manager at a software development company. We provide business-to-business software services. The company helps enable its software to be integrated to business applications that enables mobility.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FocalCode?

We have worked with FocalCode on multiple occasions for the pre-launch marketing of our client's mobile apps. This is to generate immediate results for our clients in terms of brand awareness, app downloads and increase in active user base. It has worked wonders for us so far.

What were your goals for this project?

This time we approached FocalCode to work on app download campaign and overall increase in the awareness. They assisted with brainstorming an experiential marketing campaign to target new users and gave a lot of ideas to retain the existing users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We saw an Ad from FocalCode a few years ago and have been working with them ever since. We typically work with FocalCode to launch the mobile apps once we are finished developing them. And we've also recommended them to several other clients who planned to run the marketing campaigns at a later stage.

FocalCode is a small boutique agency so we love the customer support and engagement level they maintain which is typically missing in larger companies. With that in mind, the choice to go with FocalCode is a no-brainer.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

FocalCode initially started with a discovery call to understand everything about the app at hand. Then they came back with a detailed plan of execution. Once everyone signed-off, we started with the campaign.

The team at FocalCode is keeping everyone in loop and share the stats of the campaign from time to time. It's a pretty seamless process working with them. There's not much to and fro. They know what to do and how to do it. They get results that we and our clients request for.

What was the team composition?

The project manager is always in touch us. They introduced us to the management who often joined the conference calls and shared multiple ideas. They have a team of brand marketing specialist, creative director, ad specialist and copy writer working on the project.. So we have access to 4–5 resources in total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have specific targets set regarding sales and customer engagement; however, it’s still too early in the launch phase of the product’s lifecycle to access those metrics accurately. That being said, we’re incredibly happy with the work FocalCode delivered.

Their positive company culture and friendly team dynamic make them a pleasure to work alongside. They utilize a simple approach, so it’s easy to translate what they’ve done over to multiple departments within our company. According to our CEO, they’ve helped lead one of the best product launches in company history.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We’re incredibly happy with their collaborative culture. They keep us in loop with all details and the project's progress. Their positive company culture and friendly team dynamic make them a pleasure to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

FocalCode isn’t afraid to challenge the ideas in a constructive way. They work as an extended in-house team by not only completing the tasks at hand while also analyzing how they can perform better. Each and every member of the team is passionate about their work and what they do. They’re one of the best agencies I’ve worked with throughout my career.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, they exceeded our expectations in a lot of areas.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of a talent search firm for the IT companies. We work closely with the IT firms more like a human resource back-bone. We search and provide talent across various levels focusing more on the executive profiles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FocalCode?

We needed help with branding, awareness and social marketing campaign to generate leads. This was needed to scale immediately to the next level.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase the brand awareness and generate leads to scale the business. We have plenty of small businesses onboard but we also wanted to target the large enterprises and get our name out there.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A good friend of mine referred FocalCode based on the amazing experience he had with them. I spoke with their team and management and we immediately clicked. They shared the same ideas as I did and quickly understood the vision that I had for my company. Trust is a big issue but we developed a trust factor with the team fairly quickly, and I felt more comfortable going to FocalCode than anyone else.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

FocalCode worked closely with us adding a lot of value around the branding and marketing of our business. FocalCode provided us with brand strategy consulting. When it came to strategic consulting they were very patient, accessible, and took our team from the ground level pushing things forward. They gave a lot of good advice in addition to the brand work done by them. I see FocalCode as business consultants whom I often reach out to for advice. FocalCode is more than a development and Ad agency; they are savvy consultants who care about the project's success and results, as much as we do. This is profound, and it's very hard to find a team like this. In addition to the marketing campaigns they created some amazing business cards, flyers, brochures and few other items for free.

What was the team composition?

I mostly spoke with the project manager assigned to my project but frequently connected with other team member and the management to get solid advice.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The beauty of the marketing campaign that FocalCode ran is that we saw an immediate increase in the brand awareness. FocalCode is a data-driven company, so they shared the numbers with us about the total reach, leads generated and other stats of our campaign. For us it was an immediate success on launch and we got plenty of traction even after the campaign ended.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

FocalCode team was very helpful and he kept us in loop and guided us throughout the process. It was a very collaborative experience with shared tools for easy access to the project's progress. I typically have high expectations, but I give FocalCode a lot of credit for their patience and ability to work collaboratively.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

FocalCode team is very detail-oriented. They really care about the work they do, and they are laser-focused on the expected outcome. I also liked the overall vibe: it was a fun project. FocalCode was always excited and positive about our engagement and they gave a lot of new ideas to make the campaign a success.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I really can't think of anything. I'm amazed how they went above and beyond to deliver what we wanted. I'm impressed with how FocalCode ran our campaign and with how they collaborated with us. I couldn't ask for anything more.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Head of Strategy, Product, and Growth at Open Coast, a B2B marketplace. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FocalCode?

We hired Arsh Singh, the head of FocalCode, to help us with pre-launch activities. 

What were your goals for this project?

The goal for this project was to run multiple PPC campaigns on social media platforms to acquire new potential customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The vendor was selected because the CEO represented himself as a specialist in the field of helping startups launch. We also thought his company had particular expertise in this area.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Using clever ad copy and analytics, they were supposed to help us acquire customers in a cost-effective manner until we reached agreed-upon goals and benchmarks established for the project.

What was the team composition?

I mostly spoke with Arsh Singh, the supposed head of the company. He never CC'd anyone else from his team on any of our communications.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The outcome was unsuccesful, as the service provider became fraudulent. When it was time to initiate the campaign—for which we spent weeks coming up with the copy for—they couldn't account for funds we'd sent them to start the campaign. It appeared they spent the funds earmarked for our campaign, no longer had any money to fund the project, and then insisted we pay them additional milestones. This was all before the campaign even started.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

After our team decided that their activities were making us uncomfortable, we decided that we no longer wanted to use this service provider for the campaign. We promptly put in a request for our money back. Their CEO could not account for the money we had sent him—it appeared the money was spent. And, because of this, he refused to refund the money. I reached out to this second in command, a gentleman by the name of Abhi, informing him of what was taking place and he provided no response.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Frankly, nothing was impressive about the company. They made numerous misrepresentations about their abilities. The company's website claims to have over 40 employees but their LinkedIn page shows less than 15. The CEO claims he's based in New York, but he's in fact based in India. This company is a classic case of an overseas company making false claims about their capabilities so they can attract new customers.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are many areas of improvement for FocalCode and their CEO Arsh Singh. We ended up having to use a lawyer, who threatened legal action, and send their executive team a legal notice in order to get back our money. These are the kinds of people you'll be dealing with when working with FocalCode. If we didn't involve a lawyer, we would never have recovered our money from them — and that is extremely troubling.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on September 19th, 2019.

This is a classic example of sellers being abused by buyers with fake litigation and review threats. We won't give in to that kind of pressure.

You reached out to us for help with a product launch that was supposed to be ready in one week. Yet, we waited more than two months for your product to get ready. Meanwhile, we had to go through an unreasonable and never-ending loop of creative edits.

You later asked us to wait for 10 more days to get the product ready, but we never heard from you for over a month. All the while, we had a team assigned to your project. After insisting that you could still run the pre-launch campaign for idea-validation without a product, you asked us to run the ads "without releasing any ad budget."

Our easy-to-read proposal document clearly stated the difference between the "Management Fee" and the "Ad Spend Budget." You only paid us the management fee during kick-off and never released any ad budget while bullying us to run the ads using just the management fee. 

You even threatened to put fake reviews up.

We take the client experience very seriously and go to great lengths to offer the best possible experience. We made multiple attempts to connect with you personally, which you denied because your intention was to get a refund for the effort that we already put in.

Our services are better suited for customers with a pinch of humor, professionalism, and less "unrealistic" expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of a startup incubator that works with multiple companies and enterprises. We also have our own in-house product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with FocalCode?

We needed help to develop an e-commerce platform with blockchain technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

FocalCode built our product from scratch—an e-commerce app that incorporates a blockchain component. We have four different stakeholders: shoppers, merchants, various administrators, and customers. FocalCode gamified the app, so shoppers get loyalty points and rewards. The app tracks transactions with a distributor ledger that verifies the authenticity of reviews, differentiating us from other e-commerce platforms.

Because we want to launch worldwide, we also had FocalCode do localization and integrate various payment gateways, such as Stripe. They did backend work and added email and SMS features.

What is the team composition?

I mainly have contact with the product manager. There’s a team of about 7­–8 people, which includes testers, designers, and developers for iOS, Android, frontend, and backend.

How did you come to work with FocalCode?

A friend recommended them. We reached out to FocalCode and spoke to their CEO. They seemed like a good fit, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in December 2017, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They quickly picked up our overall concept and what we wanted to accomplish. They’re proactive and come up with solutions tailored to consumer behavior and target locations. We audited their code quality, and it was exactly what we expected.

How did FocalCode perform from a project management standpoint?

The product manager is extremely technical and understands what we want. We mainly communicate via WhatsApp, where I can just send a quick message to check the project status. We also talk through Slack, Skype, phone calls, or whatever else is most convenient. They clearly communicate what they’re doing and have a transparent workflow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They make great suggestions and have excellent communication. We can talk to anyone on their team, from designers to developers, which allows us a more cohesive approach toward or goals. They feel like part of our in-house team. They’re willing to go the extra mile and know how to make something that our end users will love.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They don’t work on hybrid platforms, which would’ve been a nice option to have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Cedar Capital, and I am an operating investor in startup companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focal Code Labs?

There was an internal problem with resources. We tried to build a platform in-house but it didn’t work out so we decided to outsource it. From a market standpoint, we realized that even the initial scope of the platform we built fell short of what the market required. We had to look for an outfit that had the skills and experience in dealing with the market challenges we were trying to overcome.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was a multi-talent logistics marketplace. It is a web-based platform.

We also built a module that allowed smaller logistics companies to manage their own businesses. Even if they didn’t participate in the marketplace activities, they could still manage their own business using one module on our platform. We use that as an angle to draw them in and keep them because logistics are highly fragmented in our market. We provided the logistics marketing as a service to them, as well as providing them the marketplace opportunity to participate.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager, and there were a number of resources that worked behind him.

How did you come to work with Focal Code Labs?

One of the co-founders of the company had done some research and found Focal Code and recommended them out of three or four other bids that were researched. We went with them because they had experience in building solutions similar to what we needed.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in February and ended in August of 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfortunately, the business ran into funding issues and was shuttered soon afterward, but the pilots were extremely well received. It was a matter of closing the final round of funding so that we could whip this into production. We had some fairly large customers including one of the larger logistics operators, who wanted to run on our platform. The quality of the work was top notch and the user experience was fantastic, but we fell short on our end as opposed to the platform that was built for us.

How did Focal Code Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a great experience. They were very patient, very articulate and organized. We used Google Drive to store end documentation and multi-user revisions, as well as Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility and intensity of the follow-up were impressive. They are very involved.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The cost is the only thing that could improve.