KRUTSCH

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a graphic designer with a funeral products wholesaler.

What challenge were you trying to address with KRUTSCH?

Our website was created by a team overseas but it didn’t meet the standard we wanted. The bones were there as a Shopify website, but we wanted the shopping experience and overall branding to be more elevated and boutique, and less Amazon. Our goal with KRUTSCH was to give our site a makeover, as well as some technical improvements. They weren’t simply uploading new imagery, but they were also tasked with redoing our home page and optimizing our categories.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started from scratch with our home page, a blog page, a community page, and an about us page. They also tidied up how images displayed in the product pages.

They created pages to sell our feature product. There are custom options for this product, so KRUTSCH developed a form people could fill out, as well as a landing page for the product itself.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a frontend designer, and she then worked with a couple of UX designers. I was mostly in contact with that designer and Ken (Founder). Ken seemed to oversee the project.

How did you come to work with KRUTSCH?

I was looking online for a functional, well-branded website, as I’ve gone to design school and have seen plenty of bad websites in my day. KRUTSCH’s website was done well in terms of branding, and I appreciated their portfolio. Their price was fairly reasonable as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $30,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2021 until February 2022.

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

Their first presentation was very disappointing. The site looked like a blank template that they’d put only a little though into. I provided an entire PDF of brand elements, and the only progress I saw was the implementation of our typeface and two main colors. I got the feeling that this was either the low-hanging fruit project that they were trying to do quickly, or that they weren’t familiar with Shopify and were pushing us to move to Squarespace. It seemed like they were learning Shopify as they were designing our site.

I’d sent them 10 links of features to add that prestige companies use to include in that first presentation and they weren’t there. I don’t know what ball dropped, but a ball was dropped on their end. We almost fired them, at the point. My boss was very disappointed. I then had to tell them what to do for the rest of the project.

How did KRUTSCH address the challenges that arose?

For the second presentation, the site looked like a fully branded homepage. When I asked the question of why this wasn’t presented in the first meeting, no one answered me.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

While we’re happy with the end product, I had to heavily direct the entire project and micromanage it to get to where it ended. I was also confused as to why it took two weeks for them to regurgitate the full brand guidelines I provided while only adding a few other aspects. I wasn’t paying them to redo the work I’d already given them.

How was project management handled?

It was good. The project went on longer than we planned because of requests from our side, but they were very receptive to our feedback. It eventually got sticky, as I could tell that they didn’t want to make any more changes, but my thinking is that they should have furnished a fully branded website in the beginning to avoid the 3–4 rounds of changes we needed. All changes were made in a timely manner, however.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

I don’t know, to be honest, because I feel that they’re not Shopify experts. All the design and creative feedback came from our side as well. It’s hard to say.

In what specific areas can they improve?

If I’m hiring a web agency, then I’m expecting them to be an expert in everything I need. If they’re not, then I’m going to hire someone else. KRUTSCH was always checking with someone or looking something up. It would have been nice to feel confident that they were the experts.

When it comes to their presentation, the first attempt was well below standard. They put very little effort into differentiating us from our current website.  

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Before signing any proposals, make sure they have the expertise that you require. Ask the correct questions and be specific. Their proposal was quite vague, leaving a lot of gray area. When you sign a contract, make sure it’s specific so if something goes wrong, then you can point back to the signed agreement.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an attorney in Duluth, Minnesota, and I’ve been practicing personal injury litigation for 25 years.

What challenge were you trying to address with KRUTSCH?

I was looking for someone to help me with website redesign and SEO. My old website was built 8–10 years ago, and it was time to refresh it so I could reach out to more clients. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, KRUTSCH and I sat down and went through my wish list. I had a broad client base, and one of the things I wanted to highlight in my marketing was my willingness to travel. As such, I wanted my website to reflect that. Ultimately, my goal was to reach out to more clients and improve my Google rankings. 

From there, KRUTSCH developed my website using Squarespace. After developing the site, they taught me how to access the platform, make changes, and create blog content. 

KRUTSCH also shot new pictures for the site. They traveled 150 miles to conduct our photo session, and we spent about 3–4 hours taking photographs in my office and around town. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with four people, including Ken (Founder), Megan (UX Designer), Anna (Associate UX Designer), and a marketing specialist.

How did you come to work with KRUTSCH?

I found them through a Google search.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent around $25,000–$30,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2021–February 2022. 

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

I was really happy with our website refresh project. I had a vision of lightening up the site from an aesthetic standpoint, and KRUTSCH met my goal. 

The site received positive feedback from initial viewers regarding its look and speed. It was faster, brighter, and more inviting. I also gained more site visitors compared to before. 

How did KRUTSCH perform from a project management standpoint?

KRUTSCH was team-oriented. We met in person twice and had 2–3 Zoom meetings, and everybody on their team was involved. I could also speak to Anna whenever I had an issue with the site’s design. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

KRUTSCH’s responsiveness was impressive. I had been very busy, and I appreciated that they would get back to me if I reached out. I could express my thoughts and interact with them whenever I had an idea. They also communicated well with me, and they were willing to listen. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Reach out to KRUTSCH — they’re very open and easy to work with. They are receptive to ideas.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a company that’s working on the development of an app to prevent distracted driving.

What challenge were you trying to address with KRUTSCH?

I came up with the idea to develop an app to prevent distracted driving. We decided to use KRUTSCH for the development of the app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

KRUTSCH provided an inclusive service. We presented the idea with a mind map that another company made for us. Their team then took the mind map and tweaked it here and there to make it better.

After, they built a prototype, which was handy because we didn’t know if we could accomplish our goal at the time. Their team then developed our app for iOS and Android. They also developed a promotional website and video for the platform.

KRUTSCH also connected us with a patent lawyer, so they did a lot of work for us on that end too. We’re now adding more features to the product before we start promoting it.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with Ken (Founder & President) and then three other individuals who Ken subcontracts.

How did you come to work with KRUTSCH?

We heard about KRUTSCH through a mutual friend who engaged them to develop her application. She highly recommended them. We contacted them among other agencies, and Ken won us over.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $200,000–$300,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around August 2019, and our app went into the App Store in March 2020.

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

As we haven’t promoted the app yet, we don’t have much feedback. However, we’ve had interest in the app. The people who saw the app liked it. In fact, one of the agencies that may promote the platform was surprised that we were able to make it work. Many companies tried but weren’t successful.

How did KRUTSCH perform from a project management standpoint?

To keep track of the project, we use Evernote. There hasn't been a time when Ken hasn’t given us his full attention.

There was a moment when we felt the designers and developers weren’t working as hard as we expected. Ken communicated with them and made sure that his team performed at the expected level.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed by my one-on-one interactions with Ken. KRUTSCH may be working on a number of projects, but they make us feel like our project’s number one.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s tough to tell because I haven’t previously worked with other developers.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you understand what you want before you start the project. If you go into a development project without a clear idea, you can go down the wrong path. That’ll cost you a lot of time and money.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of Go Another Level Inc.

What challenge were you trying to address with KRUTSCH?

We needed someone to develop our iOS app with AR features.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we had a pretty lengthy consultation. Our concept was completely innovative. It had never been done before and required custom work, so there were no templates involved. They then introduced me to their patent attorney, who was able to file my patents. 

We did an R&D phase for a little while. The progress was faster than any of us expected. They suggested a POC after the consultation, but after a few months, we decided it would be easier to develop the app in its entirety. 

They developed an app for iOS 10S and up, and for the iPad Pro. Both are AR apps that feature 3D avatars that mimic the user's body language and movement.

When users first enter the app, they come upon an instruction screen. But right after that, they're able to choose an avatar from the library. Their options include an army soldier, a woman, a man, a nurse, a doctor, and there’s even some cool stuff on there like a soda can or superhero characters. Users can cover themselves up with the avatar, place it next to them, and change its size.  

What is the team composition?

I originally met 10 people on the initial call. After that, most of my communication was with Kenneth (Founder), Emma (UX Designer), and two others. Kenneth was my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with KRUTSCH?

I found them through a Google search. We researched them in detail before deciding to move forward, and I’m really thankful that I did.

I've worked with another software developer in the past and had planned to work with them again. After finding KRUTSCH, I decided to work with both of them.

The other company was much bigger and I expected them to produce faster. However, KRUTSCH blew them out of the water. They were cheaper and easier to communicate with. Additionally, we finished months ahead of time. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March–October 2020.

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

When we discovered bugs, they were able to get them fixed within hours. When initially submitted to the App Store, it was rejected. But KRUTSCH put together a plan of attack and it was approved within hours.

They weren’t afraid to attack something they had never done before. Even though it was new to them, they were still able to deliver high-quality work. It was extremely impressive. 

How did KRUTSCH perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was the most impressive part. I was comfortable the entire time we worked with them. If I had a question, they responded, answered questions, and provided insight that would give me more information on that topic. 

We had weekly Zoom calls, and I was always able to speak to them within 2–4 hours after I requested a meeting. They kept me in the loop with everything and I was able to sit in on their team meetings if I wanted to.

They were flexible and made adjustments as needed. It was a great experience. They have integrity and they provide quality service. They communicate well, and I felt I was working with good people.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The CEO is very well-versed in software development and thinks outside of the box. While our larger partner was convinced that we needed more time for development, KRUTSCH was confident that the platform would be on the App Store within three days. They distinguished themselves from their competitors by communicating well and understanding the project goals. They had all the resources we needed to be successful. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think anything could have been done better. I’ve not been able to say that before.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as transparent as possible. Don’t be afraid to put too much on them and ask as many questions as possible. Give yourself a chance to see the difference between them and their competitors. 

Unlike their competitors, they're very transparent. Their contracts are straightforward and are always in the client's favor. You can definitely trust them. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and CEO of Sidewalk Dog Media. For consumers, we’re a resource for dog lovers in Minneapolis, Seattle, Denver, and Chicago. And for brands, we serve as a multi-channel advertising vehicle to reach this particular demographic.

What challenge were you trying to address with KRUTSCH?

We had usability issues on the site. Users would say that they couldn’t navigate the platform or find information. For our type of website, our bounce rate was high. Overall, we wanted to improve retention, the number of site visits, and bounce rate.

What was the scope of their involvement?

KRUTSCH performed a user study to help us better understand our demographics and how we could improve the platform’s functionality as well as design. Following the study, their team provided summary observations and suggestions for UX improvements. We’re done with phase one now that we have the information we wanted. We need to move forward with the site redesign, which is great because it’s not a total rebuild.

How did you come to work with KRUTSCH?

Ken (Founder & President, KRUTSCH) and I worked in the same building. Once in a while, we would talk. I was fascinated with his work. They focused on UX, which we’d never really done with our site. When I realized we needed help with this, I reached out to KRUTSCH and that’s how the conversation started.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the course of our work together, we’ve spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project around June 2019, and our work’s ongoing. We’re going to move forward with them to redesign the website. We’re a tiny company so I’m waiting for the best time budget-wise, which is going to be the first quarter of 2020.

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

We haven’t been able to implement their recommendations because that’s part of phase two. But, I’m really happy with the information KRUTSCH presented. Their team took a lot of time to understand our demographics. Even though I've had my business and website for ten-plus years, UX isn't my specialty. They made recommendations that I wouldn’t have thought about.

When we started the project, there wasn’t a guarantee that we would continue to work together. I needed to see how the project went and how we worked together. I could’ve taken the information and moved forward with a different vendor if the experience wasn’t good. But the collaboration has been great.

How did KRUTSCH perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed excellently. Every deadline has been met or results have been produced in advance. When it comes to the schedule, I tend to be the one holding the project up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Frankly, I was concerned about moving forward given my previous experiences with web developers, freelancers, and companies. I had several conversations with Ken, which I appreciated. He spent extra time to help me understand what we were signing up for. I don’t know that I would’ve been able to move forward otherwise.

KRUTSCH has been super patient. I had a lot of questions and I’m the owner of a small business, so working with clients like me is an educational process. They made me feel like I couldn’t have a dumb question. Their team was willing to answer the same question multiple times, explaining concepts in a different way to ensure my understanding. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Include them as one of the company’s in consideration because I was pleasantly surprised at how easy KRUTSCH was to work with.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

We’re the Nebraska Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood. We regulate the public school and early child care across the state. We also provide and maintain information of workers in the private and public industry.

What challenge were you trying to address with KRUTSCH?

We needed to hire an external resource to do a user study on our quality rating improvement system.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

KRUTSCH started by interviewing some of our users and directors across the state. Those people volunteered to give their feedback on the existing system that we’d built. Then KRUTSCH presented us with the findings. Next, we contracted with them to provide a new design based on the user feedback. They’ve given us the wireframes for that new design. Right now, we’re working on a new contract for them to handle the development and implementation of the design in our existing system. 

What is the team composition?

We work with Kenneth (Founder and President, KRUTSCH) and Emma (UX Designer, KRUTSCH). Ken has been our project lead. Emma did all the interviews and is now doing the design.

How did you come to work with KRUTSCH? 

We put out a call on LinkedIn for proposals, and they were one of the firms that responded. 

How much have you invested with them?

Our original contract was for $12,000. We amended it up to $49,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first contract began in April 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

KRUTSCH has done very well so far. We’ve just finished up the amendment to the original contract. We’re in the process of amending the contract again to continue working together. 

How did KRUTSCH perform from a project management standpoint? 

They're very responsive and flexible. All of our contact is via phone or Zoom calls. Most of the time we speak with KRUTSCH twice a month—sometimes less, sometimes more. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

KRUTSCH did quite a bit of research on the project. They took it upon themselves to learn about the early childhood and licensing industry. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

We haven't had any major problems. However, I wish they'd understood that we’d have a lot of feedback and want to see several iterations of the design. We could have fought more on the design, but they were pushing for payment toward the end.

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Make sure you voice any concerns or questions. They'll bring you recommendations from their perspective. If you feel like it has to be a certain way in order to meet your needs, keep explaining it to them and they’ll bend to your preferences.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president of Da Vinci Software. We specialize in web-based products. We also offer IT and consulting services through our professional services division.

What challenge were you trying to address with Krutsch?

We have used Krutsch for a total of three projects. For this one, we needed help with UX design and development for a client project.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Krutsch supported us across several projects, providing analysis of our business workflow and prototype production as well as UI development in some cases. 

For a recent client project,  Krutsch assisted with constructing frontend registration capabilities for a clinical trial system. They created storyboards and high-fidelity screens for the product. Additionally, they conducted UI development for the prototypes. The projects were completed using Angular Typescript, allowing us to use the latest bootstrap technologies to improve the website’s responsiveness. 

What is the team composition?

There were two UX designers and about 3–4 offshore UI developers. 

How did you come to work with Krutsch?

I was originally introduced to Krutsch through a third-party recruiter.

How much have you invested with them?

Overall, we have spent between $50,000–$100,000. We like their willingness to negotiate the price based on our needs. They do a great job of communicating what they can offer for the value we want. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working with Krutsch since 2016. This project for our client just wrapped up in May 2019, so there is no ongoing work right now. But we plan on continuing to work with them. 

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

The biggest metric for us is the great feedback we’ve received from stakeholders. We have a great relationship with our customers because of the strong work Krutsch produced. Additionally, our client wants to do more work with their team because of the solid final product. 

For our own projects with Krutsch, our internal teams have been impressed with the work and development process. 

How did Krutsch perform from a project management standpoint?

They provided a detailed statement of work (SOW) and closely tracked deliverables throughout the project. They set impressive expectations for themselves and lived up to them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is extremely talented. In the past, we have struggled with finding UX designers with the level of skill that Ken (President & Founder, Krutsch) and his team have demonstrated. They definitely have a good process and a system for success. 

We also appreciated their honesty throughout the project. They were always willing to use their expertise to guide us onto the right path and professionally let us know when we were wrong.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall, our experience with Krutsch has been great. There were some miscommunications, but we still plan on working with them in the future.   

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would highly recommend working with Krutsch because we have always had great success with them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director of engineering, at an IoT Company that solves business and mission-critical problems through a combination of hardware, software, and services.

What challenge were you trying to address with KRUTSCH?

We brought on KRUTSCH to develop the UX/UI of a web-based product. We wanted to take a different approach to usability. With previous products, the UX/UI had been homegrown and developed by engineers for engineers, and we wanted to change that method with our new product.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They served as an extension of our development team, handling the UX design based on requirements of what we were looking for. They produced low fidelity mockups, wireframes, and a design language. They also created style sheets and did some webpage development. After doing the UX work from scratch, and they helped implement the pages in conjunction with our team. 

What is the team composition?

Ken (Founder & President, KRUTSCH) was the UX lead. Overall, we worked with 3–4 people.

How did you come to work with KRUTSCH?

We knew KRUTSCH from a previous project and a previous company, so we were well aware of their abilities and reputation.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $200,000–$999,999 with the team.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in 2016, and the project ended in 2017. It was roughly a year-long engagement.

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

We had regular discussions weekly or every other week to review progress. 

How did KRUTSCH perform from a project management standpoint?

They provided a project outline of what they were planning to deliver within a rough timeline. 

We did make changes along the way, but, overall their work stayed close to the outline.

They were also very good at communicating the status of the project. There was one time where they were a little bit behind due to staffing issues, but they made up for it afterward. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very personable and competent. They have great creative talent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind at the moment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My biggest guidance would be to put boundaries around the creative parts of their work. If clients don’t know what they need, it’s very difficult for a company to come up with a design that’s aligned with stakeholders’ thinking. It’s key to communicate requirements and high-level goals during the creative process. There should also be checkpoints along the way.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of OrangeTree Employment Screening, a background screening solutions company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Krutsch Associates?

We hired Krutsch to build our candidate portal, allowing anyone going through the authentication and credentialing process to monitor the status of their screening so they can provide any missing information or dispute false information. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Krutsch designed and developed a web-based candidate portal from scratch using Angular. The system allows candidates undergoing a screening process to follow the progress of reporting in order to provide additional information if needed. 

They're also working on a similar platform called Build Your Own Solution, a lead generation marketing website that allows potential clients to become familiar with our industry and pricing model so they can design their own products and services. 

What is the team composition? 

We work with a couple of designers and developers.

How did you come to work with Krutsch Associates?

Our VP of technology had worked with them in the past, so they were highly recommended to us. 

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we've invested over $250,000 thus far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since around May 2016 and we're currently working on a third and fourth project with them.

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

After our first product launched, we conducted a large survey of candidates and over 90% of users found the system to be user-friendly and intuitive. It's been a game-changer for us in terms of operational efficiencies–we've discovered an easy way to gather critical information for our clients. 

How did Krutsch Associates perform from a project management standpoint?

They're good about scoping out work and communicating with our team through phases, even though some deliverables end up taking a little longer than originally anticipated. They manage our expectations well and are very responsive to our needs. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're great listeners and designers. First rounds of wireframes require minimal iteration, and they know what types of designs translate well to consumers. They also push back or provide feedback when they know something won't be received well by the marketplace, so I appreciate that they're not just doing anything to make us happy; their intentions are to deliver high-quality products that truly meet our needs. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Even though many delays have to do with changes we've requested to the scope, they could improve how they communicate any shifts in timelines. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear on the goals of the project as possible and be open to their feedback, because they're experts in design and have a good understanding of how the marketplace will respond. 

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the CEO of an app startup called See A Star LLC. Our app allows celebrities to seamlessly connect with their fans.

What challenge were you trying to address with KRUTSCH? 

Because I’m not an IT person, I relied on KRUTSCH to help me develop my idea into a functional web-based and mobile app for my business.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

KRUTSCH designed, implemented, and deployed our celebrity connection app from scratch, including both web and mobile versions. I provided them with the initial idea, and the team fleshed it out before writing the code.

Our solution offers an intuitive experience to help celebrities engage with their fans. Besides one-on-one chat features, they also built in group video conferencing functions and added security measures to protect all users. The tech stack included Amazon-based technologies, Top Box, and Stripe.

Currently, our product is live on Google Play and The App Store, and we’re getting ready to launch our business. KRUTSCH continues to support us by building our promotional website.

What is the team composition?  

I mostly work with Ken (Founder & President, KRUTSCH) who leads a larger team of about 18 behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Krutsch? 

One of my colleagues referred us to Ken to see if he could help us. I approached him to get some ideas, and he put together a proposal for the engagement.

How much have you invested with them? 

So far, we’ve spent about $125,000. We’ve compared their pricing to a few other companies in the Minneapolis market, and their costs are very fair.

What is the status of this engagement? 

Their work started in September 2018 and is ongoing.

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

The apps are now live in the stores, and we’re preparing to launch our business. From what I’ve seen, the apps will be very successful.

How did KRUTSCH perform from a project management standpoint?

What I most appreciate about KRUTSCH is that they’re always available. Nowadays, it can be tough to find time to chat, but they’ve made it a point to be available for questions. They’re very respectful toward me and my team when we don’t understand something, and they’re willing to sit down and explain where they see the project heading. I’ve also noticed that they involve us by asking for suggestions on how we’d like to see our app.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Compared to other companies I’ve worked with, KRUTSCH is far more personable. Not only do they put in the effort to listen to our needs, but they also provide respectful feedback. On top of that, they think outside the box, suggesting several helpful avenues that we haven’t even considered.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, there’s nothing that I can think of. They’re a top company, and we don’t feel like just another client to them. Their work goes above and beyond my expectations, and I’d recommend them all day long.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to listen to their feedback because they’re brilliant. It’s also important to believe in their work. There have been some cases when we’ve discussed an idea, and I just had to trust that they knew exactly what they were doing because they were the experts.