Imaginovation

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for a nonprofit community church.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginovation?

We were looking for a vendor to help us rebuild our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the partnership with a preliminary discovery phase to identify our needs and what we want to achieve. We finalized the logistics of the project and hit the ground running before the project officially started. We had fairly loose brand guidelines, which they’ve utilized to design logo, apply color schemes, and other branding elements.

We built the backend from scratch, revamped a lot of the functionalities, and rewrote all of the content to create something entirely new. We’ve also implemented a user-friendly dashboard where we can track user activities. 

Right now, they’re currently providing us with maintenance and hosting.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is the project manager, and we have daily calls with the designers, developers, and QA specialists.

How did you come to work with Imaginovation?

We came across Imaginovation while searching for local development providers on Google.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested bout $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership officially started in January 2022.

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

Our online campus has grown steadily on a weekly basis and as for the traffic, we almost broke the website on the week it launched because of how much traffic we garnered.

The general feedback has also been good, as people have been impressed with the site’s dynamic and personalized functionality.

How did Imaginovation perform from a project management standpoint?

We presented a grand scope, which they’ve been very good at working within from a project management perspective. The team is very professional, understanding, and pleasant to collaborate with.

We typically communicate through Google Meet and Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with how transparent they are and how they’re able to bring us along through their process. They employ a good mix of professionalism, expertise, and consistent adherence to our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall, we’re very satisfied with our partnership with Imaginovation.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Imaginovation has done great things for us, so I’d recommend just going for it and hiring them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Chronic Pain Reset, a nonprofit startup. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginovation?

Our main challenges were website and blog design and implementation. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Imaginovation has designed, built, and implemented our website and blog; they’re now hosting and providing maintenance services. The first part of the engagement was focused on the site design. Once the design was finished, I think they used JavaScript to develop the site.

What is the team composition?

I have direct contact with Zach (Senior Project Manager), and several developers are working on the project. I’m also in contact with Peter (CEO) and Michael (Co-Founder). 

How did you come to work with Imaginovation?

I worked with Imaginovation a few years ago on a clinical management platform development project, but we’d only gotten as far as developing the wireframes. I’d already identified them as an IT company with the bandwidth to create a mobile app, so I decided to work with them on developing the website. 

How much have you invested with them?

At this point, we’ve invested around $17,000 with Imaginovation, which includes the $15,6000 website design charge and the $300 monthly fee for website hosting and maintenance. 

What is the status of this engagement?

This project began in October 2021 and is ongoing.

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

Our goal with the site has been to establish ourselves and access foundational grants for further initiatives. We’re a new nonprofit, so this is just the first step toward launching our social media via the blog; we already have 300 online followers. This project has introduced our nonprofit to the greater healthcare community, specifically those involved in chronic pain management. The intention is to now become thought leaders in the community to help us get more funding.  

How did Imaginovation perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Jira and Slack to communicate; we’re in close communication throughout all processes. I’ve worked closely with the project manager to facilitate site changes to ensure everything was as I wanted.

What did you find most impressive about them?

First of all, Imaginovation is very collaborative. We’ve worked closely on the design; I had very specific requirements that required step-by-step design and testing processes to achieve the quality and content I wanted. Their team has solved many problems for us, including fixing the donation page. 

I rely a lot on their technical experience; I’m not a technical person, but Imaginovation is very patient with me. Imaginovation is also a small enough company that I feel like we’re more than just another project to them. Their collaborative and personalized services can be attributed to their smaller size. 

They have a lot of knowledge about how to best design a website. However, I also appreciate that Imaginovation has the capacity to do more than just web design. I’ll work with them on more technically-complex projects because they’ve proven to have the capacity to execute them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The entire process has taken longer than I expected, but Imaginovation stayed in communication with me through the entire process. The delays we’ve experienced were generally out of their control; for example, one of their developers contracted COVID-19. We also faced some technical challenges during development. I think my expectations weren’t quite in line with the expected time it takes to bring a development project live. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re one of the largest privately owned cannabis operations in the US, and we've been around since 2013. I’ve been the director of software engineering for two years.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginovation?

We needed somebody to handle our web development efforts because we were focused on software development. As a result, we didn’t have the bandwidth or time to manage static websites, so we sought out an agency that would partner with us and could work with our marketing team to implement what was needed.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Imaginovation started with a couple of brand specific websites that we have made internally or have purchased. We wanted each of those brands to have a unique identity. They then redeveloped our retail website, and they created a total of four branded websites from scratch using Netlify, React, and Webpac.

Our internal marketing team typically provides them with a rough outline of what we want to do and provide the designs they want to see on the website. From static websites, the Imaginovation team has helped us to make our platforms a little bit more agile and innovative by integrating CMS so that features such as events, addresses, dates, and more can be managed by our internal marketing team themselves.

When we expanded their work, they started to handle all of our web development needs. We also look forward to them handling our corporate website. On top of that, they’re advising us on our mobile development efforts. We’ll probably integrate their teams on building three internal corporate mobile apps since we already have a customer facing mobile app for cashless payments and rewards. That can happen within 3–4 months. We’re also looking to partner with them on some backend development as well.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Pete (CEO), but it’s more focused on contract business management. They also have a technical manager, account manager, and 4–5 developers. 

How did you come to work with Imaginovation?

I searched for development agencies that would be willing and able to take on our type of industry. When I saw Imaginovation, I liked that they had an office in Charlotte, North Carolina. My CIO also told me that it would be an ideal situation if we had an agency that was close enough. That way we could meet up, especially if we need to collaborate on something larger.

We were also impressed with the rates that Imaginovation gave us. On top of that, we enjoyed talking to them — they were very personable and flexible.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $60,000–$80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2020, and it’s ongoing.

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

If you’ve checked one of the branded websites they’ve built for us, you’ll see that they’ve done a wonderful job. Overall, they’ve produced great work.

How did Imaginovation perform from a project management standpoint?

Imaginovation has performed very well from a project management standpoint. We communicate using Slack, Zoom, and email. We also have phone calls with them. Our internal marketing team even requests directly to them for updates, maintenance, or more. I just stay involved from a technical perspective so everything remains manageable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team gets things done, and they’re great to communicate with. They also understand the problems we’re trying to solve, and they have a good grasp on what design we should have for our websites. On top of that, they know the right questions to ask. Above all, they’re pretty good at turning our requirements into features.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of any serious issues we’ve had. The Imaginovation team has been working fine.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be familiar with the tech stack that they’re using. In addition, make sure you communicate your needs with them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of Parcelr. I am in the real estate and farming business.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginovation?

I needed someone to realize my software solution. I’d seen some other companies out there that have apps for real estate on parcel data and property data, as well as other features for myself to be more convenient and more efficient and more convenient for users, so I had them design and develop an application and we are still in the process of it. It is a mobile app for iOS.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I reached out to Imaginovation about creating an app for me. When we first started, I told them what I wanted to do. I imagine they probably get a lot of phone calls daily and monthly from someone that wants to start an app. Once I figured out what I was serious about, we did the wireframes and looked that over, and then started the project after the wireframes were done.

What is the team composition?

I dealt with three people including the CEO, a sales rep, and someone I would classify as a project manager who would then meet with their team after that.

How did you come to work with Imaginovation?

I found them on Google and noticed they were a pretty local company. I reached out to them and set up some meetings and we went from there. There weren’t many app designers in North Carolina, but I mainly went with them based on their website design and reviews.

How much have you invested in them?

I have spent $84,500 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in August 2019, and it is an ongoing project.

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

They have let me download it on my phone and I have been very impressed by the way it looks and the way it functions. I think there could have been shortcuts they could have done just to save them money, but they have done very well in making it look good. You could tell they wanted to continue the relationship.

How did Imaginovation perform from a project management standpoint?

Throughout the whole project, everything was good. At the end of the project, we had to figure out some issues with the app, but I had to be clear. It all worked out and they held up to what they promised. They were very kind and good to work with. We used Slack to communicate back and forth as well as email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

 Initially, I was nervous about building an app and finding a company as well as trusting them. Once I got to know them, we became good friends.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

At the end of the project, it seemed like I was getting rushed out the door and there needed to be some features addressed, but they took care of everything before we went live.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to have all your thoughts and ideas written out and in order and be thorough when explaining what you want. What they think and what you think might be two totally different things if you don’t explain what you are thinking.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of sleepfitness, an online self-guided insomnia program.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginovation?

We had an existing website, but we needed new features. I also hired Imaginovation to develop a web app for my clients.

What was the scope of their involvement?

After we ran them through our requirements, Imaginovation added new features to our site, including a membership login functionality. For the web app, they developed it to enable clients to log their sleep information and calculate variables. 

What is the team composition?

About 4–5 people support us. 

How did you come to work with Imaginovation?

I reached out to a few companies that I found online, but Imaginovation got back to me the fastest—they responded to my email within the hour. I thought that was fantastic, and they were curious about what I was looking for. We set up a meeting to discuss details and started from there. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $23,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in August 2019 and they will continue hosting and troubleshooting any issues for our platform. 

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

My colleagues have all looked at the final products and gave really rave reviews. They’re impressed with the homepage of the website and the web app, too. 

How did Imaginovation perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Slack, so our communication is pretty instantaneous. They always respond within 20 minutes to any of my questions or concerns. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Although their work is phenomenal, their communication from the start has been the most fantastic part. Not a lot of companies have that level of communication. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been pleased with them from the start. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a discovery meeting with them to discuss all the details. If everything is ready from the start, they’ll be able to hit the ground running. Knowing all the details is very important. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a patent and trademark law firm, and I’m the director of client support services.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginovation?

We had a basic client portal that we developed in-house, so our clients could see their portfolio of cases to get up to date on their work with us. We employed Imaginovation to help us make the solution more robust.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with design services. One of their graphic designers helped us determine the ideal look and feel of the final product. They used InVision to build out the design. From there, they got into the coding and development to implement the major updates we wanted. 

The final app was integrated into our website as a secure user portal. It contains cost and deadline reminders for their cases, acting as an electronic portfolio of a party’s work with us. 

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with a project manager and designer on their side.

How did you come to work with Imaginovation?

They seem like a well-rounded company with plenty of expertise. The original solution was done using Lotus Notes, and they had a specialized Lotus Notes developer on staff. That was a good sign for us, but when we met with someone from their team to discuss the project, we were sold on their knowledge and capabilities. 

How much have you invested with them?

It cost between $500,000–$800,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from August 2017–July 2019.

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

Our sales team has been able to utilize the updated system to sell our services as something unique and customer-centric. Most law firms don’t have this technology, especially something this stable. Because of its increased stability, we’re able to use it with much more frequency for our clients. We’re leaning on it more, and our clients are able to obtain increased data from its interface.  

How did Imaginovation perform from a project management standpoint?

They were easy to work with because they were always available if I needed to call or meet with them. Additionally, they were active in making sure all of my requests were met. We used Jira and Slack to keep track of the project and how each feature was performing. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were pretty responsive. If I voiced concern, they returned immediately with potential solutions. We had urgent matters dealt with quickly because they prioritized communication.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with a detailed description of what you’re looking for. That’ll make the process run more smoothly.

Please describe your company and your position there.

BattleQuestions.com supports teachers and schools that participate in the Battle of the Books reading incentive programs around the United States. Thousands of questions are written from books that are selected by educational organizations. Those questions then automatically generate into interactive games and quizzes to help Battle of the Books teams effectively practice and ultimately become champions in all levels of competition; county, regional, and state.

For what projects/services did your company hire Imaginovation?

Needed a few issues fine-tuned and most importantly, we needed our site to be reliable for teachers to use in the classroom environment. When "technological difficulties" occur, most kids don't sit quietly and calmly while the teacher tries to figure things out.

What were your goals for this project?

Originally, we were just interested in having a responsive and experienced group to ensure our site was reliable for our customers. After meeting with the Imaginovation team, we got much more: marketing advice, user interface suggestions, fixes to issues we didn't even know about, and all with a no-pressure collaborative atmosphere. The site has never run more smoothly and we sleep much better for it.

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed several web support companies, carefully read reviews, and felt most comfortable with Imaginovation. We spoke for about 45 minutes over the phone initially. They recorded the conversation and were nice enough to send me a copy so my partner could review our conversation. We then met in person, agreed upon a couple improvements the site needed, and its been great since then. The site crashed one day, due to our last company leaving a back door open. Joe answered his phone immediately, diagnosed the problem with his team, and had the site back up in 30 minutes. Didn't charge us a dime. (Though we do now have a discretionary fund for future occasions.)

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The team improved our admin controls: allowing for deletion of book questions from the database, allowing for deletion of customer subscriptions, closed a "back door" that made our site vulnerable, fixed a complex multi-player interface with all three games so it now operates smoothly and without glitches, and began an email advertising campaign with a landing site that has created multiple leads.

What was the team composition?

We've worked mostly with Joe, Zach, Pete, and Michael. Every meeting is timely, organized and productive.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We now have complete confidence in our system. Before, we were nervous to have glitches bare their ugly head at conferences. We'd also get angry emails from customers about the unreliability, how the website was running very slowly, or that the multiplayer function was not working. NO MORE! BattleQuestions.com is finally a solid and dependable product, thanks to Imaginovation.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

All contracted work is discussed to ensure our mutual understanding. It is then laid out in a contract that we all sign. As the project is in development, the guys keep us posted about progress and give us access to the development site. We use the Slack app that allows all involved parties to view and participate in communications.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

So this is our fourth web design/support company we've worked with. Separated from the first due our agreeing that the scope of his skills could not encompass what we needed, as we had grown. Left the second when they just kept charging for fixes that they didn't/couldn't fix. Third try we thought would be the charm, but alas, no. The third company had the tech skills but lacked responsiveness and general social skills to work collaboratively.

With Imaginovation, we feel like we've hit the jackpot! Tech skills, that's a big yes. Responsiveness: usually within minutes of contact, and if my message is marked "urgent" I get an actual phone call within minutes. Caring/collaboration: This team has sat down with us multiple times, learned our business on a deep level, and is working with us to continue to grow exponentially. We feel VERY fortunate to have formed this relationship with Imaginovation and look forward to many more years of success with them as partners.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Maybe they're workaholics. Communicated through the Slack app one Sunday, just so they'd see it first thing Monday morning. Both Pete and Joe responded within an hour, ON A SUNDAY. Hope they don't burn out.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president of Contractor Score LLC, a company that provides B2B financial assessments of commercial construction contractors. Our background is in construction finance and accounting.

What challenge were you trying to address with Imaginovation?

Our company assesses a contractor’s financial strength based on internal reports and financial statements. From there, we render a score that other contractors use to ascertain their financial viability for a project. 

We had a relatively primitive website and database tools to accomplish this. Our team had gotten to the point where we needed a professional website and database to form an integrated platform. We were looking for a complete enterprise solution to run the operation and allow customers to interact with us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Imaginovation developed a website and database for our company. They created the exact solution we were looking for and built a cohesive platform. Their team integrated essential features that allowed us to interact with consumers and execute transactions.

We later went on to launch other small projects with Imaginovation. They’ve created videos, business cards, and brochures for our company. Their team also did the graphic design for our website, including completely redoing our logo.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with Zach (Senior Project Manager, Imaginovation). I also interacted with two principles on an interim basis so I always had contact with senior management. Altogether, we worked with six members of the Imaginovation team, three consistently and three here and there.

How did you come to work with Imaginovation?

I searched for developers online. We had two qualifications in mind, the vendor has to be able to develop an enterprise database solution and they had to be local so I could meet with them face to face. Imaginovation met both of these requirements. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $125,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Imaginovation began in December 2017.

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

The Imaginovation team created the exact solution we were looking for. The visuals and graphics are wonderful.

How did Imaginovation perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated with Imaginovation over Slack and one other software. It helped our teams document every issue that came up, and their team could track whether it’s been resolved or not. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I loved how frequently they would reach out to me. It never rested on my shoulders to contact them about an issue. Imaginovation contacted me once a week during big projects. Their communication has been outstanding. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were already fast but they have gotten even faster. Their team shared with me that they’ve made changes and improvements as our collaboration continued. They’ve updated their internal wireframes and code development.