Interactivated Solutions

BACKGROUND

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

SOLUTION

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

BACKGROUND

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

SOLUTION

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Wunderland Books

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Online bookstore selling new and award-winning fiction for children and teens.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Interactivated Solutions to accomplish?

• Build an ecommerce store
• Develop a custom donation plug-in for school bookfairs
• Create a design engaging for children & teens

SOLUTION

How did you find Interactivated Solutions?

upwork

Why did you select Interactivated Solutions over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Strong strategic insight

How many teammates from Interactivated Solutions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Develop an ecommerce website for an online bookstore that will carry 250 products. Develop a custom plug-in to allow guests to make donations to schools. Facilitate all design concepts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

An exceptionally high quality ecommerce website that delivers all of my needs built on BigCommerce.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The Interactivated Solutions team is highly responsive and thoughtful in how they engage. The focus on delivering on request, while making sure to use their expertise to guide clients in the right direction if they are not making the best choices. The team are excellent strategic partners in addition to strong project managers.

What was your primary form of communication with Interactivated Solutions?

Email or Messaging App

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

When I was starting this project, I made the assumption that I would be building on Shopify, but after listening to my needs, the team recommended that I use BigCommerce. The confidence to make a recommendation prior to securing the business made me confident that the team had high expertise and were the right fit for me and my needs. That level of strategic insight and support was present through the entirety of the project.

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

I felt really great about the project. The team and I fell into a good rhythm of communication given our very different locations after a short amount of time which was excellent.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Pepperseeds.eu

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Selling chili and tomato seeds online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Interactivated Solutions to accomplish?

• Developing Magento 2 multistores
• Maintenance and implementing Magento modules

SOLUTION

How did you find Interactivated Solutions?

Online Search

Why did you select Interactivated Solutions over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Interactivated Solutions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Interactivated developed our multistore with 8 storeviews and multiple languages. We have been working with them for years (already on my previous Magento 1 stores) and they work closely with us on further improvements and maintenance of our stores. 

Key deliverables: Initially this was our M1 to M2 migration that worked out seamlessly and hardly without any downtime Monthly maintenance of our stores in terms of marketing improvements by adding and configuring plugins Keeping our stores secure and making sure we can reach 99.9% uptime

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Recently, I wanted to save money on hosting. Interactivated advised Hetzner shared hosting and figured out exactly what package would be suitable. Besides reducing my monthly hosting costs by 60% ($150 each month), Hetzner turns out to be a great and safe hosting with amazing customer service. The migration from the old hosting into the new one was thoroughly planned and went perfectly. My stores didn't suffer from any bugs afterward and we hardly had any downtime during migration.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our project manager is always reachable and has been working with us for years. They know exactly what to do in order to support our business that has seasonal influence. Before high season we always work together in order to optimize sales.

What was your primary form of communication with Interactivated Solutions?

Email or Messaging App

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

Interactivated not only develops and releases websites, but they also care about my business and goals!

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a data analyst at a men’s wear company with over 40 years of experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Interactivated Solutions?

We needed a development partner to revamp our e-commerce department. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Interactivated Solutions has developed our e-commerce platform using a customized Shopify template. Initially, we provided our project’s requirements and documentation. We reviewed our internal processes with Interactivated Solutions to adapt them to a new system, which is common in implementation and integration projects.

After the discovery phase, Interactivated Solutions has developed custom features on top of a Shopify template to meet our project’s requirements. They also provide us consultancy on Shopify since it’s a new software for us. Interactivated Solutions keeps us informed about Shopify’s updates and features, and they’ll continue to provide tech support, maintenance and develop new features throughout the years to come. 

What is the team composition?

I work mostly with three teammates from Interactivated Solutions, a project manager, a developer, and Roy (Founder). 

How did you come to work with Interactivated Solutions?

I had worked with Interactivated Solutions before on e-commerce development projects for my previous company. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $50,000 with Interactivated Solutions so far. We have a long-term budget of $250,000 for this project for the next three years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Interactivated Solutions in December 2022, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Interactivated Solutions has brought Shopify expertise that we lacked. They’re quick and knowledgeable. Interactivated Solutions is hungry to create more and find solutions for our shop to make it shine. 

Overall, I’m satisfied with our relationship with Interactivated Solutions.

How did Interactivated Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Interactivated Solutions meets deadlines and delivers work in a timely manner — we’ve even had early deliveries. Interactivated Solutions is agile and efficient. 

Our communication with Interactivated Solutions is excellent. They’re very proactive and speak to me in my native language, which I appreciate. I always get quick answers from Interactivated Solutions through Slack and email. We use Jira for project management, and I’ve also added them to our internal dashboard in ClickUp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Interactivated Solutions’ communication. They’re willing to go above and beyond, and I appreciate the openness and confidence that the team has. 

Interactivated Solutions is proactive and propose ideas even when they’re not on the clock, which shows they keep us in mind.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything for Interactivated Solutions to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend going in with open cards. Lay down your project’s requirements to Interactivated Solutions, and they’ll find a solution. I’ve asked them for some unusual requirements, and they’ve always found a solution — no problem is too big or small for Interactivated Solutions. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an e-commerce and digital marketing manager consultant. I represent a rug company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Interactivated Solutions?

I needed help updating the company’s website and developing e-commerce solutions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Interactivated Solutions has updated our website and developed our e-commerce platform. We initially gave Interactivated Solutions access to our previous site. We were using a limited web platform, and I was looking for an expert to help me decide the best road map and strategy to update the site. 

Interactivated Solutions has helped us allocate the correct resources, defined the project’s budget, built the site’s infrastructure, safely migrated data from the previous site, and set up the hosting. Interactivated Solutions doesn’t offer us hosting services, but they’ve helped us find a hosting provider and guided us through this process with their recommendations and expertise. 

Interactivated Solutions has used Adobe Commerce (formerly known as Magento) to develop our e-commerce platform. They’ve also helped us with the required software integrations to synchronize the company’s accounting with the platform. 

What is the team composition?

Interactivated Solutions has a large team. I’ve worked with 11 specialists, including Roy (Manager), a project manager, senior and junior developers, a QA specialist, and their CTO. 

How did you come to work with Interactivated Solutions?

I found Interactivated Solutions through an online search.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $120,000 with Interactivated Solutions. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Interactivated Solutions in February 2020, and our partnership is ongoing. The majority of the work is completed, although they still provide us with some services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Previously, our Google PageSpeed was around 40%–50%, and Interactivated Solutions has increased it to 70%–90% on most pages. Our click-through rate has also improved. 

I attribute part of the company’s growth to Interactivated Solutions’ work, they’ve helped us double our revenue. 

How did Interactivated Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Interactivated Solutions meets deadlines and stays on budget. They’re transparent and accurate about budgeting, estimating the work hours needed for our requirements, and then giving us a minimum and maximum estimated budget. In the end, the price always falls in that initial range.

Our communication is smooth through Slack. Interactivated Solutions is very organized. We use Jira for project management and Google Sheets to collaborate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Interactivated Solutions’ expertise and reliability. I’ve worked with independent developers before, but working with a large and reputable company is a different experience. Interactivated Solutions has high standards, and working with them has been very pleasant.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything for Interactivated Solutions to improve. They’re fair, and I can’t complain about anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have the budget to spend on a premium service, Interactivated Solutions will give you the best service. They don’t take shortcuts, and their level of care and attention to detail is excellent.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My husband and I are the founders of Therapy for Black Men, a membership-driven directory that helps black men with their mental health. We connect men seeking therapy with mental health professionals on our site. Additionally, we’ve been able to provide sponsorships, money, and free therapy for men who are seeking therapy but are unable to pay for it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Interactivated Solutions?

We needed help with web design and development for our platform. We had been working with a person for this purpose for a number of years. Unfortunately, they fell ill, which was heartbreaking for us. Thus, we decided to do our own research to find someone to help us continue our mission.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Interactivated Solutions provides us with custom web development and design services. Initially, I provided them with the documentation my former developer was working on. Since then, they’ve helped us enhance our platform based on what we already had.

Currently, Interactivated Solutions is working on a redesign project for our platform. Their main goal is to make it more user-friendly and improve its navigation. Some of the changes they’re making include relocating where the blogs and the key call-to-action buttons are.

Our clients are able to go on our website and look for a therapist by state — that’s one of our platform’s major features. Another core feature is the sponsorship we offer to prospective clients who are unable to pay for therapy.

What is the team composition?

I’m consistently in touch with around five people from Interactivated Solutions, including two project managers and some developers.

How did you come to work with Interactivated Solutions?

When we started looking for a service provider, it took us weeks of research to find Interactivated Solutions. Before finding them, I went to Upwork and wrote a job proposal, to which they responded. When we met with Interactivated Solutions’ owner, I really felt that we would be aligned in this mission. We thought that they met our criteria regarding what we were looking for, so we scheduled a meeting and started working together right away.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $250,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2022, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of our main results has been the increase in our members. As a membership-driven organization, the more therapists and coaches join our platform, the better for us. Since working with Interactivated Solutions, over 300 therapists have joined. In addition to that, the feedback on our site has been really good so far.

How did Interactivated Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

I would give Interactivated Solutions perfect scores for project management. They’re extremely organized and very responsive. We’ve had very few issues with the site. Still, they’ve been able to resolve them quickly.

We would have completed the redesign project already if it wasn’t for us; it has been very hard on our side to get back to Interactivated Solutions in a timely manner. We communicate via Slack and email, and we have Zoom meetings whenever we need to discuss something in particular.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Interactivated Solutions is very responsive, and they care about our project as much as we do — it’s almost as if it were their own site. Their team always uses their expertise to find improvements for our site.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our only challenge in working with Interactivated Solutions is our time difference — they’re six hours behind. However, this situation isn’t unmanageable.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you work with Interactivated Solutions, you’ll be in great hands. They’re very caring and attentive and will do their best to deliver.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director of a company that educates violinists world-wide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Interactivated Solutions to develop a bespoke affiliate marketing site that serves our worldwide audience.

SOLUTION

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

We selected this provider after reviewing their previous work and after interviewing the manager. The deciding factor was their trustworthiness and helpful thinking about what would be the best course of action for us.

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

After an initial meeting to discuss our objectives, Interactivated Solutions came up with two possible scenarios to solve our problem. We formulated a desired outcome, which they delivered subsequently. Technologies used were PHP and javascript on AWS.

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

A project manager was our main point of contact, but there were regular team meetings with developers, DevOp and QA.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have seen an increased amount of sales and our customers have commented on the improved usability of the site.

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

Outstanding communication throughout, using Jira and Slack. The project was completed within the time frame set and we received weekly updates about the progress of the work.

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

The team listened very carefully to what our objective was. They made sure they understood our position and were very helpful in suggesting possible ways forward, which were subsequently implemented.

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

We had some initial questions about how communication between Interactivated Solutions and our company would take place, but these were answered in a timely manner and in a very friendly way.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product manager for an EPM (Enterprise Performance Management) provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Interactivated Solutions?

We needed someone to provide us with custom software development and implementation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Interactivated Solutions developed and implemented a plugin into our e-commerce platform for payment processing. The main functionalities they produced are the introduction of Alipay and WeChat, the utilization of UI components, and backend API integration. 

What is the team composition?

My main points of contact were the CEO and lead developer.

How did you come to work with Interactivated Solutions?

We already had a working relationship in the past, so we just reconnected with them for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–April 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was more about introducing a new product rather than improving functionality, and I believe they were able to successfully deliver on that.

How did Interactivated Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well from a project management perspective, as they never went over budget and communicated consistently.

They utilized JIRA to manage the project, and we typically talked through Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What impressed me the most was their ability to deliver quality work despite the odds and adversities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could maybe tweak their approach to project documentation.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with as much information and details for the requirements as possible, so they can fully deliver your needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a digital marketing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Interactivated Solutions?

We needed to do a deep dive into the quality of the programming on some larger e-commerce projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Interactivated Solutions has delivered several things throughout the process. They’ve worked on the layout, UI, testing, programming, and connectivity to a couple of systems on the backend. Additionally, we engage them regularly for maintenance.

For this particular project, we use Magento for the e-commerce part. The site is hosted on AWS, and it also has Vue.js for the framework.

What is the team composition?

We’ve had up to 10 people working on the project, including one of the partners, a couple of project managers, technical and hardware engineers, different developers, designers, and testing engineers.

How did you come to work with Interactivated Solutions?

I found them through Upwork. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent upwards of $180,000–$200,000 on this project. Altogether, we’ve paid between $200,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2019, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have Google Analytics on the backend tied to a POS system so that we can capture the amount of sales. Moreover, the client’s been very happy with the site’s success and metrics. The performance has been excellent.

How did Interactivated Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They hit deadlines and keep track of people’s time usage. We get updates, and they use Slack to keep everybody in the loop. They also use a combination of GitHub and Jira for project management. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a great deal of experience, so they know what they’re doing. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe they could improve on the Amazon SES side.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them use their methodology; you just need to take their cue and ask them questions.