GROW Wireless Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

TAG Recruitment Group is a full-service staffing and recruitment firm. I am its founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with GROW Wireless?

We needed to complete the development of our website. It had been started by another company that went out of business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The initial design had been done by the time GROW Wireless came in. They brought the initial website through to final testing, allowing it to become live. There were significant technical challenges, so GROW Wireless has had to come in and redo work in order for the site to be fully functional. We continue to use them for web support and hosting. As we speak, we’re going through some further developments and extensions for the site based on additional product offerings from our organization.

How did you come to work with GROW Wireless?

GROW Wireless was recommended to us.

How much have you invested with GROW Wireless?

Our project took place a couple of years ago, so I don’t remember the exact cost. We’ve had GROW Wireless work on some enhancements recently, which had a cost of under $2,000. They made some changes to the site’s maneuverability as well as some additions.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with GROW Wireless in 2014. We have an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We didn’t track any specific metrics, as it was more a question of getting the site live and functioning. GROW Wireless certainly did that, and, if there are ever any hiccups with our web hosting, they will drop everything for us. GROW Wireless is an incredibly responsive and client-centric company. I’ve been delighted with their performance. The feedback for the site has always been positive.

How did GROW Wireless perform from a project management standpoint?

GROW Wireless receives top marks across the board. They’re very good at maintaining an active project to-do list.

What did you find most impressive about GROW Wireless?

It’s the accessibility of GROW Wireless’ owner, Mark. I can email or call him, and I can expect to receive a response quickly. We highly recommended GROW Wireless for picking up the project and bringing it to a successful close.

Are there any areas GROW Wireless could improve?

No. GROW Wireless is good at what it does.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a business and coaching company working with executives and staff, offering implementation and training services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with GROW Wireless?

We approached GROW Wireless as an outsourced solution for all of our technology. We had internal designers, developers, and programmers, but needed more resources. Over time, we've made the decision to stop growing our internal group, and move all business to GROW Wireless, since they could manage operations more effectively in terms of time, budget, and code quality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The collaboration started out as web work ranging from basic websites to database integrations and e-commerce platforms. We've also used GROW Wireless for mobile application development, as well as taking old sites and making them mobile-friendly.

I have put GROW Wireless in touch with a group which is looking to perform some database integrations and serve them dynamically through a web browser.

How did you come to work with GROW Wireless?

GROW Wireless was referred to us by one of our staff. We found them to be a good potential avenue and gave them a test project which went very well. We expanded the relationship from there.

How much have you invested with GROW Wireless?

The cost of a typical project with GROW Wireless will be around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with GROW Wireless three years ago, and have an ongoing relationship with them for development and design. We've also referred GROW Wireless five times to other companies, and they have worked on projects for our clients, ranging from $15,000 to $250,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

One of the reasons for deciding to move away from using internal resources to GROW Wireless' team, was the fact that they had a better ability to stay on time and budget. That was a huge metric regarding the development process.

We found that there were significantly fewer bugs in the code. GROW Wireless did a better job with the QA and seemed to generally deliver sound products. We've had fewer problems with clients afterwards; once something was launched, it worked reliably. We will always go back to the group which provided a seamless experience.

How did GROW Wireless perform from a project management standpoint?

Regarding budget, GROW Wireless has been great. Whenever we went outside of the scope, they were quick to call a meeting. The communication was not restricted to email, which I appreciate. GROW Wireless has also been good in terms of timelines. They're quick to mention if something is likely to change our scope; otherwise, the deadline will be met to within days.

For me, in development and programming, the ability to proactively communicate with clients is very important. Most people won't say a word until the deadline passes, only to announce that they will be a week late. I found GROW Wireless to be excellent in proactively communicating, letting us know where they stand on an ongoing basis. The team is not afraid to meet live over the phone or to give short email updates.

What did you find most impressive about GROW Wireless?

GROW Wireless is strong in multiple areas, including development, design, and programming. Their mobile developer will be an expert in the field, and so will be the frontend person and others. It was a challenge for us to find capable people in each area, but I feel that GROW Wireless has done a good job in this regard.

Are there any areas GROW Wireless could improve?

I've been happy with GROW Wireless overall. There's always the frustration of cost, but this is a function of the sticker price of many digital solutions. Any situation which led to frustrations on our end was typically because we expanded the scope, and learned how long it would take. GROW Wireless has been good at finding solutions in these situations. I have no ongoing issues with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Appreciado, Inc., a customer appreciation and marketing platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with GROW Wireless?

We had started with another programming team, but they were insufficient. I hired GROW to do a quick audit on their work, which revealed suspicions I had about the quality. We then employed GROW to build the entire mobile and SaaS [Software-as-a-service] platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The built the web platform and a mobile app for both iOS and Android. They were involved in the conversations around design, so they had input there. They continue to do maintenance, and they also help us with our web marketing.

How did you come to work with GROW Wireless?

They were recommended by other people I knew in the industry. I interviewed Mark and his team, and we met on a couple occasions. My business partner, who is a computer scientist and engineer, had a lot of pointed questions for them, and they passed muster. We gave them the audit to see what they could do, and they came through with flying colors. We then employed them full-time as a partner to help us build out our software.

How much have you invested with GROW Wireless?

The tough part in building software is all the twists and turns you find and uncover, so I don’t think it’s fair to give you that. I would say that their rate is very reasonable given their talent level. I’ve been impressed every step of the way. I think they’re very well-priced in the marketplace.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in April 2015, and the relationship is ongoing. We still use them for ongoing maintenance, website development, and any other development needed as the software evolves.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The quality of the work is superb. I have nothing negative to say. I think it speaks volumes that I’m still working with them.

How did GROW Wireless perform from a project management standpoint?

The challenge I had with that is being able to maintain the budget. I don’t think that’s all on them—it’s just the nature of the beast. Everything else is awesome.

What did you find most impressive about GROW Wireless?

This might sound cliché, but it’s the value-add beyond. They know how to program and write good code, how to help with design and architecture, but the value-add GROW brings to the product, thinking about the user experience and different audiences, is phenomenal.

Are there any areas GROW Wireless could improve?

Just the budgeting.