Visit Website

Focusing Quality

4.5
2 reviews

Focusteck is a full-service digital agency, busy designing, engineering and marketing products, brands, and experiences from an idea to launch.

 
$10,000+
 
$25 - $49 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2013
Show all +
Leesburg, Virginia, VA
headquarters
  • 43587 Popes Creek Square
    Leesburg, Virginia, VA 20176
    United States
    6465465944
other locations
  • office # 5-6, 3rd floor, Al-hafeez Suites, Gulberg 3
    Lahore, P 54600
    Pakistan
    04235772052

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Vcandidates, Konmari, Cape, Prowexx, Metrical, Faremakers

Reviews

4.5
2 reviews
Sort by

MVP Platform Development for B2B Marketplace

"The most impressive aspect of their work is how well they understood the project."

See More

4.5

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Jun. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Focusteck provided MVP and website development for a B2B marketplace. Their team used PHP to build out the platform. Their team also worked on an e-commerce website and digital marketing. 

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
London, United Kingdom
Rached Khanfir
Founder, Prowexx
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Focusteck's software development has been effective. Their software's speed and reliability are impressive. Their digital marketing services are also making progress. Their project management and communication style is very impressive. They are dedicated and passionate about the projects.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Proxwexx, a startup based in London. We are a marketplace that connects small international suppliers with UK buyers. We’ve put together an online platform that allows suppliers to showcase their products and buyers to discover those products. Buyers can then make more queries with the producers, and eventually make business. It’s a B2B platform focused on the UK market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focusteck?

When we started working with Focusteck, we wanted to build an MVP. We had nothing in terms of technology, so they provided the first effective development we’d done, apart from the website. The MVP showcased our functionalities and presented them to our client base. We started doing that with Focusteck, and that was the very first challenge. Then, we moved from an MVP to a full-fledged technology platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Focusteck implemented all the technologies we wanted in the first phase. The website is based on PHP with a MySQL database. We have a platform that allows us to make queries on the database and send results to the website. We’re also working on a standard e-commerce website that will work as a pilot project. Focusteck is helping us with that as well as some aspects of digital marketing (social media, SEO).

What is the team composition?

They had a team of remote developers.

How did you come to work with Focusteck?

Initially, it was a tough decision. We wanted to hire remotely because it was very hard to find something that would work with our budget locally. This was one of the first things we did, so we needed to get it right. We conducted many interviews over the web with different candidates.

We had a call with Focusteck’s CEO over Skype, and they were very convincing in terms of their awareness, technical skill, and business perspective. They weren’t just a bunch of tech people; they could also think about it from the business perspective straight away and make recommendations. Focusteck spoke to us as though they’d been part of the business for a long time, from the very first call. Obviously, we looked at their past work, website, and references. Those all corresponded to what we were doing.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Focusteck around June 2019 and the project is ongoing. The second phase is finished and we’re preparing the ground for a smaller project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of software development, the feedback we have isn’t quantified, but it’s been generally good. We’ve had positive feedback on their software’s speed, quickness, and reliability.

It’s still early days on the digital marketing side. We’re monitoring progress in terms of Google Analytics, traffic, and all other SEO metrics. There’s a lot of progress that’s been made.

How did Focusteck perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Trello for project management as well as emails and conference calls. In terms of communication, they’re constantly present. We reach out to them through Skype and they reply instantly. We have a 4–5–hour time zone difference, but it doesn’t show. Their CEO is always reachable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive aspect of their work is how well they understood the project. The very first communication put them on the right track and put us in a very reassuring position. On top of that, their dedication and presence are spectacular. They’re always there—I don’t have to wait or become frustrated. Sometimes, they even raise issues I wasn’t aware of. Once, my website got hacked, but they notified me and fixed it, even though it wasn’t their job. They are passionate and dedicated to the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always something to improve. Something they could improve is the project management. They could use some more task delegation. If they had a crisp and clear structure in terms of project management, regardless of the technology used and the people, it would make their CEO’s life easier and allow them to expand themselves. It’s a piece of advice rather than a criticism.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I’d advise them to set up a plan that’s as clear as possible and have a conversation with Muhammad (CEO, Focusteck) to see how they can help and how they understand the business. You can’t just go on websites and use email to select a provider; you need to have conversations. That will give clients a lot of comfort and encourage them to choose Focusteck.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Application Development and SEO for Careers Platform

“They make the best suggestions, and brought this platform to a place that exceeded where I thought it should be.”

See More

4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Apr. 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Focusteck designed and developed a website for a career platform that incorporates a dual CRM, with functionality to track the job-seeker journey. They now contribute towards marketing and sales efforts.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Chandler, Arizona
LT Ladino Bryson
Founder & CEO, vCandidates.com
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Focusteck’s efforts were met with positive acclaim. Reliable and diligent, the team has proven that they’re dedicated to the project and understand its complexities. Customers can expect a skilled team that’s able to manage a project with tact and professionalism.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO and Founder of vCandidates.com. We're a new, alternative, career platform that connects job seekers with vetted recruiters.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focusteck?

We were looking for a very strong and talented web development company to complete our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created our website from scratch. It has a dual CRM system and job seekers no longer have to create an Excel spreadsheet in order to track where they've placed or where they've provided their application, as well as track their interview schedule.

They created a dynamic process with us that consumers will enjoy with ease. In terms of SEO, they laid out a thorough plan, geared towards driving leads to our site and helping us convert those leads and engaging them while they're on the site. It has a tracking system that automatically tracks the job seeker and shows things from the user's side.

We found that we not only received great development, but we also have a full-service agency partner that they're helping us with our SEO, social media, and our business development sales call.

What is the team composition?

We currently have a team of five, with marketing and SEO we have a team of 3-4, and with sales we plan on having a team of 4-5.

How did you come to work with Focusteck?

I was not comfortable with working offshore, I wanted someone who was in town, preferably someone in the Phoenix area. I noticed the same sales tactics they'd used on me are the same ones they're implementing on our team. I know their strategy works, and their cadence is effective. I was able to check them out on Crunchbase, talk to some of their previous clients, and I felt comfortable that we were developing a relationship with like-minded partners. I knew they sought to bring our goals to fruition.

How much have you invested with them?  

That's proprietary, but I can say that the cost was over six figures, and it'll continue to grow since we've signed new contracts for SEO and sales.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in April 2015, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a database of 47,000 people, and we've been slowly gearing up for our main launch. What we've seen from marketing to actual beta testing is that the site is user-friendly, and helps them to work in a self-learning scenario. Although we have the staff to help them if they need it, we wanted to create a platform that anyone can use by themselves at all hours of the day.

How did Focusteck perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Trello and Jira for project management, Slack for immediate communication, and have weekly standup meetings. We're very communicative. I don't see them as an extension of their team but as my partners and team members. When it comes to development, marketing, and sales, I know I have specific people I can go to and it's a very smooth process.

They're very on top of everything, and they think like we do. They've got a great grasp of what our product is and how it works. They make the best suggestions and brought this platform to a place that exceeded where I thought it should be.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their management is amazing. They're able to ask the right questions, are very communicative, and took the time to learn my industry. I've managed and placed many developers in my career, and I know they tend to be very linear in their thinking. To find a development team that's very creative, and able to voice that opinion, and that's trustworthy, has been invaluable. They're always able to articulate what they feel and why they think it'll be the best route to go. It's been very helpful for us to think about our product in the long run along those lines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

My biggest wish would be to have them travel here a little more. I really want to be able to connect with them in person. For me, it's all about making sure that my team is fully coordinated. We deliberately put a project manager on our end to streamline the process, and we didn't want to overwhelm our development team. Having them look at us as a partner instead of a client made our collaboration run that much more smoothly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We had to learn to be very mindful of their time. They made themselves so accessible that we forgot about the twelve-hour time difference. They would get out of bed at 2-3 o'clock in the morning to answer our questions, which was great, but it's important for any American firms that want to work with them to be mindful of their work-life balance.

4.5
Overall Score I'm excited to meet them in person.
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    There's always room to grow.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I've referred them to several of my colleagues.