Net Theory, Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the managing director of Caviar Russe. We are an online retailer of imported and domestic caviar in the United States.

What challenge were you trying to address with Net Theory?

We contracted with Net Theory to make updates to our website. We wanted to make our backend more efficient in processing orders, and we wanted to increase our sales by having a frontend store that customers would find approachable and professional.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our new backend CMS will accept orders through the website and manually from our phone representatives. We can view and process the orders being placed, and we can view reports of how we’re growing and the sales trends of certain products. They worked in conjunction with our graphic designers to build a frontend that is high-end, easy to use, and attractive to customers.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with the founders and the developers.

How did you come to work with Net Theory?

They were recommended to us by another company in the industry.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2008, and we’ve worked together every year since then to keep our website evolving with the latest technology and new functionalities.

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

We’ve experienced consistently increasing year-over-year growth throughout our partnership. They have matched what we’ve expected of them.

How did Net Theory perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re thorough and hands-on. The size of their company matches our needs. They respond quickly to glitches or questions. We have at least one call scheduled each week during a project, but we’ll meet more often if we need to meet deadlines. They’re flexible in that regard.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are always attentive to our project. Some development companies I’ve worked with are so large that they don’t have the resources or attention to give. I’m not working with a junior account executive. Here, I’m working with ownership. That’s important to me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s a matter of keeping up with the newest technology. We sometimes have to push them to give us fresh ideas of what our plan of action is for continued growth.

Any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear objective in mind, and spell out exactly what your expectations are. This will make everything transparent and reduce guesswork.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a network of online local newspapers.

What challenge were you trying to address with Net Theory, Inc.?

We initially approached them to update our website after meeting unsuccessful results with a previous vendor. Because our entire business is run online, we needed a strong website. Since then, we’ve expanded their role to encompass all of our web development needs.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Over the course of the engagement, they’ve completed numerous projects for us. Initially, they updated our website, adding various new features and implementing SEO tactics. They then shifted their focus to the site’s infrastructure. Currently, they’re migrating our database to improve loading/processing speeds. This involves moving millions of files without breaking any links.

What is the team composition?

I mostly work with their CEO on a daily basis.

How did you come to work with Net Theory, Inc.?

During the vetting process, it came down to Net Theory and another company. We actually hired the other company first, but we didn’t have a good relationship. After months of dealing with them with no progress to show, I reached out to Net Theory to take over the project.

How much have you invested with them?

For the latest project, we’ve spent over $100,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work began in June 2014 and is ongoing.

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

Compared to our previous site, the new site is significantly more reliable and scalable. It’s also a lot faster, and we anticipate even faster processing times once we complete the infrastructure work. The new site functions have also increased our revenue, and their SEO efforts have boosted our organic search rankings, surpassing our social shares.

How did Net Theory, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is conscientious and dedicated, and they consistently deliver within budget. Above all, they’re reachable; I know that I can contact them at any hour and get a prompt response. We typically communicate via phone and email. As for project timelines, they generally keep to the schedule. Although we’ve had some timing issues, this was due to our own internal challenges and changes to the scope.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to the three previous web developers I’ve worked with, they’re by far the most responsive agency.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think through all aspects of the project before starting. There were times when we’d come up with an idea and begin developing it only to realize that we needed to add a new feature. Had I thought about my objectives more in the beginning, I would have saved time and been more efficient. By outlining all the details, I could have avoided redoing the work. Fortunately, Net Theory was able to make those changes without charging us extra.