ImageX

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our organization represents Canada's municipalities in their interactions with other levels of government, and also manages a federally-funding infrastructure investment fund that helps municipalities build resilient and sustainable infrastructure, with over 1 billion dollars of projects approved to date. I am a project manager and was the technical lead on this new website development project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired ImageX to take over the development of a new website we were launching, which had been left in a disastrous state by a previous vendor and was in danger of missing its target launch date. We needed ImageX to both fix the errors and bugs left over by the previous vendor while also developing new features and functionality, all within a short timeline, as the project had already been significantly delayed. They vastly exceeded our expectations and helped us launch on time.

SOLUTION

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

We distributed an RFQ to several preselected vendors and then proceeded to interview four of them. ImageX's rates were the most affordable while also demonstrating the greatest capacity to take on this project in terms of available staff and prior experience.

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

This project involved building a new website using Drupal 9, and ImageX came on to the project at a late date after it had already been delivered in substandard shape by a previous firm. We needed ImageX to first fix the many remaining bugs with the existing product and then develop some additional features deemed essential to launch. We were successful in meeting our target launch date and the project has been deemed very successful by both internal and external stakeholders.

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

We primarily worked with four different staff from ImageX, a project lead, two senior developers and their SEO and Analytics specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website was able to launch on time and both our internal and external shareholders are thrilled with it. We are continuing to work with ImageX for ongoing support and to continue developing new features, as well as some KPI dashboards to measure site performance.

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

We meet with our project lead and the senior developers assigned to the project weekly until launch, while also tracking individual tasks and issues using Basecamp. Their staff was extremely responsive, often replying to messages within minutes. Ultimately we probably achieved more in 2 and half months of working with them than we had in the six months before that working with the previous vendor.

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

ImageX' communication is phenomenal, and they are clearly dedicated to this project's success. Their focus is on retaining clients long-term and it shows, as we're thrilled to continue working with them on any other Drupal website development in the future.

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

They excelled in every way on this project, I honestly can't think of anything that was less than excellent in our work with them to date.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing manager at a forensic sequencing company or human identification company. We offer DNA sequencing machines, kits, and workflows to crime labs worldwide that use our technology to analyze forensic samples and generate DNA profiles for various databases to identify unknown individuals. I lead digital marketing initiatives, including our company website and two additional websites we own.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

One of our websites is a genetic genealogy site for consumers who have taken a DNA test through services like Ancestry. Users can upload their DNA data and find people they’re genetically related to. An amateur genealogist started the site in 2010, and then it grew to the point where it had over a million users. 

In 2018, law enforcement started using the site to identify violent crime perpetrators when they couldn’t identify a the DNA sample through federal databases. Through the site, they built family trees and identified potential suspects in various cases. Our company acquired the website at the end of 2019. We realized that regular consumers didn’t want to see anything related law enforcement on the website and the types of cases uploaded when this new methodology for solving crimes started taking off. 

We needed to create a professional website specifically for law enforcement with tools, processes, and account management that the regular site didn’t have. We engaged ImageX to build this portal for law enforcement and genealogists working with law enforcement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ImageX designed the UI/UX and developed our professional website using Drupal. Although they built the site from scratch, we had some pre-developed tools the team connected to. They also developed custom APIs and integrated Chargebee as a subscription and payment platform. 

The team migrated and replicated tools from the regular site. They went through different scenarios of business use cases and the types of users the site would have. Currently, ImageX provides continuous development for the site; they make improvements, add features as needed, and maintain it. 

How did you come to work with this vendor?

We knew we wanted to work with a vendor who had experience building enterprise level websites using modern development frameworks based on PHP. After vetting several agencies that had excellent reviews on sites like Clutch, we settled on using ImageX based on their experience and their project estimate costs.

What is the team composition?

To scope the project, we worked with the VP of business development manager and a business developer. For the website development, we had a team of 4–5 people, including an architecture specialist, a UI/UX designer, a project manager, a business analyst, and one more person. 

Once the project launched, we transitioned to an account management team. We currently work with an account manager and 1–2 developers, depending on our needs. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $220,000–$240,000. The initial project cost around $130,000–$140,000, and the ongoing maintenance costs about $30,000–$35,000 a year. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site has been very successful; it works as intended and meets our expectations. When we launched, we had a baseline of law enforcement users from the regular site. Since then, the number of users and profiles uploaded to the site have grown significantly. 

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been excellent. During the development phase, we did face some challenges connecting APIs built by ImageX to our existing servers. But that was more due to our in-house development team's method of coding the API connection points. ImageX was able to devote additional resources needed to launch the site in December 2020, with more feature launches in 2021 and 2022.

Currently, they stay on top of our requests quite well. We met weekly when developing the site and now meet bi-weekly as a part of the support work ImageX does for us. We use Basecamp as our primary tool and Google Sheets to track various items. We also used our internal Jira instance in the past to track other aspects of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate that ImageX understands our needs. Their design is really well done and thoughtful, and the technology they chose for it worked with our needs. Moreover, the team is pretty easy to work with, which has been great. Initially, we looked at other offshore companies, but ImageX is in our time zone. We’ve liked benign able to communicate with them without dealing with time zone differences. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

None to report.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

InsMark, Inc. develops software for life insurance agents and financial planners. I am Sr. VP Operations, R&D - I basically handle all aspects of running the company with the exception of the sales department.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had a Drupal 6 to 7 site. It was time to go to 8. The conversion was almost done but it had a lot of bugs and was not ready to launch. I hired a team of Drupal programmers that I heard of at Bad Camp. I was blown away at how poorly that went. I spent two months working with a programmer assigned to my project (complete the upgrade) and the project went nowhere. It was pathetic.

I reached out the Acquia thinking that the connection with Dries would help. It wasn't really the server I needed, but the best part about moving to Acquia was finding ImageX. I now love Drupal again! My goals were to finish the upgrade and get the project working properly. As a software company, it's crucial that our website is perfect since it is also a reflection of our own software products.

SOLUTION

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

I looked online for Drupal strength. I had a great website but felt the programmers out there were unable to do the upgrade. I'm sure it was hard for them to be proficient in Drupal 7 and then start over with Drupal 8. My decision was easy, Ian Whelehan of ImageX was easy to communicate with, understood the situation, and was confident ImageX could help.

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

The main projects were re-wiring some of the custom work that was done by the prior programmer. We needed to get our site up and running on the new server. As well, we added PayPal to access and a custom user account interface along with critical updates needed to pass PCI Compliance.

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

Ian has been the project manager. Daniel, Drupal developer. Andre, Drupal developer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to release the Drupal 8 upgrade quickly after switching to ImageX, and then updgraded to Drupal 9 just as fast! We then had new projects and have had no trouble at all getting the work done. I am very impressed with the entire team I have worked with. They ask great questions and ensure that the work is going to be done accurately.

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

Project management was above and beyond outstanding. This is the situation I have had that truly has someone managing the projects. Ian has been superior in my experience. He is always a pleasure to talk to, he asks great questions about projects I submit, he is a great coordinator, that is just what comes to mind quickly.

I love that no matter what I might need, graphics, Drupal work, server changes, etc. I can count on Ian not only to get someone to help me, but someone good who WILL help me and get the job done right. I have a lot of respect for ImageX and it stems from having Ian in the position that represents the company. Clearly, I appreciate the Drupal programmers too. 

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

Having a project manager that really knows how to satisfy clients.

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

Not one thing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a former web communications specialist at The Carter Center, a nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

We needed support for our Drupal online community system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ImageX provides maintenance and CMS support services for a Drupal platform. Their tasks include backend design and coding. They’ve also helped upgrade the platform from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8. 

What is the team composition?

The team has four teammates from ImageX, including Purnima (Service Account Manager) and two coders. 

How did you come to work with ImageX?

We found them through a Google search. We put out an RFP, several companies responded, and ImageX was the best fit for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

The price is $1,200–$1,300 a month, so the organization has spent $15,000–$20,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around September 2021. Although I left the organization, the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While I worked with them, ImageX played a critical part in my work – I couldn’t have done my job without their support. Moreover, they completed every project I assigned them. 

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great; they’re very communicative and make everything easy to understand. During my involvement, they brought in the right people when I needed to talk to someone. I had a weekly meeting with Purnima, and we corresponded through Basecamp. ImageX is very organized around a project task list on Basecamp, which made me confident that we could address each of the issues we had there. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

ImageX makes an effort to listen to their client’s requests and figure things out. Their communication, responsiveness, and listening skills are outstanding. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was some confusion around billing and invoicing due to the bank transfers between the US and Canada, which they could have handled better. However, this wasn’t a terrible issue; there just was an opportunity to communicate better. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep a task list going because that’s where everybody starts.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Samuel Merritt University (SMU) is a private university in Oakland, CA focused on health sciences offering programs such as Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Podiatric Medicine and much more. It is the only provider of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physician assistants and is the largest source of nurses in the greater East Bay. I work in the IT department as the Enterprise Apps Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Due to staff changes, we needed additional help to support our website. We didn't have the in-house expertise required to maintain our website that is built on Drupal. We had to upgrade Drupal from version 8 to 9 and it involved a lot of technicalities. ImageX was hired for these services.

SOLUTION

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

From a search online on the Drupal site and from internal employee recommendation. We checked with some institutions that had worked with ImageX and got great feedback.

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

The Drupal 9 upgrade involved having to upgrade our database system MariaDB to version 10.3. ImageX went way and beyond to accomodate this request in a very professional manner when this was not included in the original scope of work or SLA. They had to configure a dev environment of Drupal 9 and with great coordination, they helped us launch this to production.

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

There were 3 or more from ImageX. Scott -Service Account Manager, Eric - Software Developer, Taras -Sr.Software developer. Excellent team of fine professionals. Scott - super friendly and great in project management. Eric- Technically super strong.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't had a chance to measure the outcomes since there isn't a whole lot of visual differences after the upgrade. However, we are looking forward to implementing the new features of Drupal 9 such as the Layout Builder.

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

Top class project management style. We had weekly status meetings. They always kept their timelines and were very accomodative of our requests. They have well-versed Drupal software developers. We used BaseCamp for our communications.

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

They were willing to take up challenges and accomodate requests such as Database upgrades which are not usually offered as a service. They went way and beyond. They have an excellent team and a great service.

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

The only areas for improvement I could think of could be elaboration of steps taken in the processes to accomplish the tasks.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a project manager at a company that has 3 locations across British Columbia

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had a request from a client to develop a new platform integrating several services. We needed to think outside of the box to find the best solutions for this project. Due to the high profile of this project and the tight timelines we decided to hire ImageX for their high caliber knowledge and professionalism.

SOLUTION

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

I heard of ImageX before and their work is parallel to none. This project was the highest profile project for us and I needed to be confident that the project will be managed properly with the best outcome.

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

The design was done in house while the development was done in Drupal. ImageX did a thorough discovery with their business analyst which was very valuable as this is a new platform that we were inventing. They then continued with a mock app that the client could see and share with their stakeholders to get more fundings. ImageX took the project and completely managed the phases with consultation with us and the client to meet the tight deadlines and MVPs.

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

There were a lead developer, business analyst, project manager and QA that were dedicated to the project. Other resources depending on the phase that we were in were put on the project. We met the entire management team at the beginning of the project who helped us map the deliverables and resources needed to meet the requirements on time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to meet the timeline which was challenging. ImageX had weekly meeting with us and the client to resolve any outstanding items on time as well shift focus based on client needs.

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

The project management style was inspiring to us all. They met with us weekly to show progress as well weekly reports on budget vs outstanding items.

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

The whole team that worked with us was available to us for inquiries as well as giving us suggestions for our clients demands. The team was friendly and did not say no to anything we asked. They explained what can be done based on the request considering the budget and the timelines very professionally.

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

The quality and deliverables were above and beyond my expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of communications at a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing HIV prevention products for women and other technologies that they can use to protect their sexual and reproductive health. We also provide them with access to our products when most urgently needed.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

We were creating a site for the Dapivirine vaginal ring, one of our lead products. This product has pharmacovigilance monitoring as a regulatory requirement, so we needed a website designed to provide medical information on that product to consumers and healthcare professionals by country-specific regulatory requirements.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ImageX helped us design and develop the website we needed. It provides information about the ring according to each country’s regulatory requirements, which vary. It also guides users on reporting safety issues, adverse effects, or any product complaints. Additionally, it provides healthcare professionals and product users with educational tools like user guides and healthcare provider guides to minimize the risks associated with using and prescribing the product.

ImageX provided us with web development services in all areas, from start to finish. For its design, they took into consideration the UX and our various regulatory requirements. This was a challenging task because the site needed different entry points for consumers from each country, considering the audience, depending on whether the user was a consumer or a healthcare professional. Although the site was very simple and had only a few pages, those had to be different for each country and audience. Once they finished the site, they provided us with training so that we knew how to use it.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 5–6 people from ImageX, including developers, UI/UX designers, and technical people.

How did you come to work with ImageX?

We were already working with ImageX to develop our organization’s primary website, and given that we had a very positive experience, we continued working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February 2021–March 2022. However, we still use ImageX for website maintenance purposes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ImageX was great to work with. They proved to be congenial and very smart, and they assembled a great team to work on different areas of web development. Additionally, they asked us the right questions and provided great ideas for the site design. Ultimately, the site was very visually pleasing, and it effectively met our needs.

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

ImageX’s project management was great. They met with us regularly and kept us on schedule, which was very helpful. Additionally, they were very organized and efficient overall.

ImageX used a sort of tools to manage information, like Basecamp and spreadsheets. They were also very transparent about what they were doing and helped us know what we needed to do to ensure that the project was kept on budget and on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of Imagex’s team distinguished them from others. Each team member had something to contribute to the project, and they were very organized in letting us know who we needed to reach out to and when. They were also very organized in providing feedback and meeting with us to ensure that the project maintained momentum. Additionally, they had great feedback and ideas, and they showed a high level of commitment and enthusiasm about the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could’ve improved on; the project went very well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take advantage of everything that ImageX has to offer; they’re very available and answer every question you have. Additionally, ensure that you understand every part of the project and know exactly what you need to do at every step.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We create opportunities for people to connect, grow, and learn within an ever-changing Jewish landscape. We have a fitness center, pool, and over 100 programs every year. I’m the web manager who oversees all our web projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

We wanted to redesign our website to increase traffic and user engagement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jack (Owner) worked with us to identify and sort out pain points with our customers by integrating Drupal with our community experience platform. Currently, they’re responsible for all Drupal updates to our main website.

They also troubleshoot integration problems on Personify, the platform where we store customer data.

Finally, ImageX provides SEO and UX integrations, as well as helps us identify our visions. They’ve also been helpful in regards to organizing our content.

What is the team composition?

Right now, we’re working with Richard (Service Account Manager), our project manager and Simon (Lead Developer).

How did you come to work with ImageX?

They were selected by my predecessor, mostly on the basis of their work with the YMCA and their ability to integrate with community experience platforms.

How much have you invested with them?

Our budget is around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Based on our website feedback form for both platforms, our customer base is happy with all the results. ImageX has been very helpful in pushing us out of our internal jargon and making out sites more logical for first-time users.

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly meetings involving Richard and our senior data director. They primarily use Basecamp for communication. They’re very responsive, especially over urgent email requests.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re the only provider

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’ think of anything right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be explicit and transparent about data systems and legacy connections and how your functionality plays into them. This will help ImageX map out the best way of solving your problems.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communication and development associate of a nonprofit organization; we provide assistance and other types of community programs for spouses and dependent children of the Air Force airmen.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ImageX?

We needed help with website development for our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ImageX developed our website and is currently helping us with paid search ads, SMM, and SEO.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with two members of their team, including web and SEO specialists.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve always been on time to get my requests done. Their team also does a great job of explaining things to me — even when they have never done something before, they’d call their advanced team to see how to do things properly.

Overall, the partnership has been successful, and I enjoy working with them because they’re very self-sufficient, and I don’t have to handhold them through the processes.

How did ImageX perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of tools, we use Basecamp, and we post our requests there. We also have a select amount of hours per month, and their team does a great job managing them and letting us know when we’re going under or over them.

We also have good communication through Google Meet biweekly meetings to see how we’re doing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their timeliness and efficiency in explaining things that we don’t understand are outstanding. Overall, they’re a great team, and I’d like to continue working with them as much as possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — they do an awesome job providing us with the best services and information.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come in with a plan; sit down with your team to determine what you need and create a plan before reaching out to ImageX. That way, they’ll be able to assist you better in what you want.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

YMCA of Central Ohio provides the community of Columbus with a range of wellness and fitness related facilities and services. I am their web designer / developer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website's CMS was not updated since its first install about 5 years ago. We were around 13 updates behind the current version and the complexity of the updates was beyond us. We hired ImageX to get our site up to date.

SOLUTION

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

We knew ImageX was a preferred company to work with for those using the OpenY distribution of Drupal and they have been around from the start of this distribution. Members of their team had immense knowledge of the CMS, so it only seemed logical to go with them.

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

It was, overall, a pretty straightforward project. The team created a test environment which housed a clone of our website. Over the course of a month or so, they were able to push each update successfully then move into a thorough testing phase. They then let us do some testing of our own and made whatever changes we desired.

We had also realized a significant amount of content was posted to our live site while the test site was being worked on, so we had them take the necessary steps to import our newer content to the test site. We then completed our testing and they made the site live without any issues.

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

We mainly worked with the team's service account manager but had some communications with their technical product consultant and one of their main developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our site was in rough shape before the update. Broken features, elements no longer displaying properly or at all, annoying bugs with annoying workarounds, and a general feeling of our site being held together with sticks and tape.

After the updated site was made live, there was a noticeable speed increase in how the CMS operated. Additionally, all of the bugs and broken features were fixed, which ultimately saves us time when creating and editing content. Users on the site also were able to experience faster navigation, as our breadcrumbs were working again.

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

We met virtually each week to discuss how the project was going and to see if we had any questions or other concerns. We found their work on the project to be rather quick and of high quality. Everyone we communicated with was very helpful and friendly. We truly felt our site was in good hands. Any questions we had were answered shortly after asking.

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

We found their quick turn around and friendly communications to stand out the most. We really felt supported and the efficiency of their project management has certainly left an impression.

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

Our team honestly has no complaints of any kind. The entire experience with them was seamless.