Kokonut Studio

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an agency in Mexico. One of our services is to develop digital assets to put in our client’s digital advertising campaigns.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KoKonut Studio?

We needed help with custom software development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kokonut Studio uses PHP, HTML, and JavaScript technologies to build our software. The campaign's main goal is to increase the buying of the brand’s products. They’ve helped us design and develop the skill to let participants have some gifts from the brand if they consume its product.

Initially, we provided them with the concept. They helped us define the scope and improve it.

What is the team composition?

We’re in contact with three people, but our main point of contact has been Benjamin (Co-Founder & Admin & Sales Director). He helps us make an analysis and budget for each phase.

How did you come to work with Kokonut Studio?

We met Kokonut Studion through a person who used to work with us. We chose them because their prices were affordable.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent about $250,000 on the project.

What is the status of the engagement?

We began working together in March 2017 and are still collaborating with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For the last five years, we’ve worked on about 8–10 projects, all of which have been successful. We’re satisfied with their work, so we’re still in a partnership with them.

How did Kokonut Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent with project management. Every task is delivered on time, and we work within our budget. Also, they always keep in touch and are great at communication. The team is available whenever they’re needed, and they have a quick turnaround time.

We use email, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their response time is impressive — they’re always ready. Also, their pricing is within our budget, which is great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don't think there’s anything they can work on. Kokonut Studio’s work is excellent.

Any advice for potential customers?

Allow their team to get involved in your project and listen to whatever advice they give you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a small digital marketing and design agency and we help clients come up with strategies to implement into their marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kokonut Studio?

We needed someone to supplement our web development efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kokonut Studio served as our primary web development partner to help build our clients’ web platforms from the ground up. They mainly focused on PHP backend development, implemented different types of analytics, and managed our user database through our Excel sheets.

We collaborated with their team on the architecture and design of the websites and identified solutions we can apply to the entire structure. Moreover, they provided us with maintenance and support to minimize the initial technical issues in each site.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Benjamin (Co-Founder & Producer) and we also worked with at least three developers and one designer.

How did you come to work with Kokonut Studio?

I came across Kokonut Studio through a recommendation from a friend.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2018–December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, my clients were highly satisfied with the websites that Kokonut Studio produced and delivered. The team did everything that we requested and strictly adhered to our requirements.

How did Kokonut Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was excellent and we mainly communicated through phone and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their expertise and client-focused approach to the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any constructive feedback for Kokonut Studio.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise you to keep your communications open with Kokonut Studio.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of innovation at Mexiro, an NGO in Mexico City. We work with many communities and have a digital platform where we put some of the research and data that we produce.

We’re a small team of nine members. Part of my role is around strategy; I come up with some of the company’s plans along with the general director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kokonut Studio?

They’ve played a key role in our digital and technology initiatives.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kokonut Studio has built our actual WordPress website from scratch. They did the development and UX/UI design. Essentially, they took care of the platform’s backend, frontend, and plugins to set it up correctly. They’ve delivered everything in the contract.

We initially had a briefing call, and they followed up with proposals and budgets. Kokonut Studio created sprints, a website map with the whole process, and wireframes. Then, they started to build the website and its management system.

They’ve also helped us with an observatory platform from scratch. We started with three states; then it grew to seven states, and it’ll be 16 states in the end. They’ve prepared all of the modules on the backend, and the CMS is ready for us to add the data, media files, and so on. Additionally, they’ve provided us with the domain, hosting service, and the platform’s security, such as the SSL certificates.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with four people for the website, including the director and project manager, who’s very professional and qualified. Also, there’s a frontend and a backend developer.

How did you come to work with Kokonut Studio?

Our director met the founder of Kokonut Studio at college. When they graduated, she knew that they’d started the studio and were developing exciting projects here in Mexico.

We decided to contact them when the need for these services arose. We also had quotes from other companies, but Kokonut Studios understood our needs and had experience, so we decided to go with them. They knew we were an NGO startup, which gave us the confidence we needed.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $18,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2019, and the relationship is ongoing. We’re currently working on a second release of the observatory platform.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have high-quality industry standards and good communication and project management practices. It’s been a good experience. Overall, they’re a pretty unique studio — there aren’t many companies that make video games, marketing, and web development in the Mexican market. That’s one of the reasons we like them.

How did Kokonut Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been slightly late with deadlines sometimes, but they’re pretty confident and clear with timelines in general. We have a weekly call to discuss the progress and go over the delivery dates. When they deliver, they call us to explain what they’re delivering so we can manage effectively all the tools they’re bringing to us.

We typically communicate by email, but we also use Trello, which has been pretty helpful during the different phases of the project, such as the briefing and design. We can also synchronize the Google calendar with this platform — all the tasks are in there, and they solve them right away.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have vision and technology capabilities, and the team knows how to bring them forward. They have fresh minds and a new perspective. Also, Kokonut Studio understands the industry and their clients. They have the strength to manage complex projects, no matter the size of the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the beginning, they didn’t propose new technologies according to our necessities. Now, they could update their UX techniques, like UX research and design. However, they do have an excellent standard.

Also, they had the idea to open another studio, so it’d be good if they could build an infrastructure to operate with other countries. It’d help them increase their clients and expand their services, as well as with other technologies moving around in the industry.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you can bring the most to the table on specifications and information, it’d be a big win because they can start arranging and managing all those pieces. If you don’t have that, they’ll have to take the project from zero, which could be an extra mile to pass through.

Also, be open to their ideas and feedback.