Neuralab

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the digital marketing manager for an IPTV provider working in the Balkan region outside the EU, namely Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and so on. We have 4 channels and have started a 5th in 2017. We sell our broadcast services to other telecom operators and need to maintain digital channels in order to promote our services and keep clients and users informed.

I, along with my boss, make all decisions around our marketing strategy across all regions, collaborations with other telecom operators, the promotion of our services, and so on. The company has 6 employees, including our director and assistants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neuralab?

We live in a region with a lot of TV operators. The network is still growing and expanding, so we had the challenge of implementing our basic and premium TV channels through the web. We wanted to build a CMS [content management system] that could help us manage this process easily.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Neuralab has developed multiple custom CMS platforms for our dishes. I cannot provide technical details but our system has been built exactly as we want it. They’re also providing hosting for us.

We have a program designer and a program developer. They’ve really become like family to us during these 4 years of working together on this website. They’ve always been able to find the easiest and least painful approach for all of us.

How did you come to work with Neuralab?

We did market research on the web companies in Croatia and found Neuralab to be the best option based on a price and efficiency assessment. Neuralab had worked with HBO, Vodafone, and other large companies in Croatia, and we really liked what we saw as the result of their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Neuralab in the fall of 2013. We went through a redesign of the platform in 2016 and they continue to work with us for new aesthetic changes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Neuralab has contributed a lot to our digital presence. We had around 9,000 likes and followers on Facebook, but those numbers have risen to 80,000–90,000. We have talked to their team about Google Ad Words and other similar things. They’ve also managed to teach us how to bring things together and create a single story for Facebook, Google, and everything else.

How did Neuralab perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve always adhered to deadlines, communication is clear, and they give suggestions when something can be done in a better way. I’ve had a great experience with Neuralab — they’ve helped me in multiple ways. When we were launching the web platforms, we had meetings in order to determine what the best solution was for us. Neuralab created mood boards and involved us in every decision in order to come up with the best solution.

Are there any areas Neuralab could improve?

Things can always be improved. Technology is changing and evolving constantly, but we expect Neuralab to tell us what the newest developments in the market are and help us improve our product and website.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of HSM, which is headquartered in Croatia. We have operations in over 20 European countries, including subsidiaries in Serbia and Bosnia. Our main business is value-added distribution, and we build software and hardware solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neuralab?

We were doing a new project involving CRM [customer relationship management] implementation and a new e-commerce solution. It all worked together with an existing legacy ERP [enterprise resource planning] system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Neuralab is a full-service digital marketing agency. They have specialists in design, business analysis, and development. They created the e-commerce website for us. We had an existing legacy website on Joomla, but Neuralab persuaded us to change our platform. We decided to go with WordPress as well as a WooCommerce solution. They’re now hosting the website as well. The final product was integrated with our CRM and ERP systems within 6 months. Now, we are building a diversion for our subsidiaries in Bosnia and Serbia.

How did you come to work with Neuralab?

We were looking for a partner to implement the e-commerce part of the project. They were recommended by other partners we work with. Later, I found out that I knew their CEO from childhood.

How much have you invested with Neuralab?

We have spent $30,000 over the course of our relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2015, and we went live in 2016. The project will never be completed because we always have new ideas and requests.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Our company grew in 2016 by around 25%. We went from $4 million to $5 million in revenue.

How did Neuralab perform from a project management standpoint?

When they say that something will be delivered by a certain date, they do it. We use Google Sheets and InVision, which was very cool, to collaborate on the design. Google Hangouts was used as a communication tool.

However, we know they were internally using many other modern tools in order to increase productivity and overall quality.

What did you find most impressive about Neuralab?

We enjoy working with them, and we haven’t had any issues. This has been better than other experiences we’ve had before.

Are there any areas Neuralab could improve?

Sometimes, I would prefer if we got a deadline estimate faster. It was nice at first when the backlog wasn’t so big, but they could also use a better project management tool.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a manufacturer and distributor of a single-use beauty product—an eyelash serum that enhances length and curl. I manage all of our digital marketing and assets in bringing the product to market online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neuralab?

We wanted to create a more streamlined shopping experience for customers. Our biggest challenge is doing business internationally, and we had to incorporate shopping for every currency. We were moving from a cumbersome web platform to a single, streamlined site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The conception for our new website had already been done. The project turned into wireframing, which turned into dressed wireframing with Neuralab. We went into production, created a website, and we iterated from there. We are using the WooCommerce platform on a WordPress website.

We’re heavily focused on our own design, which is a large part of our partnership with Neuralab. We knew how we wanted the site to look and feel. Neuralab ensured that everything worked technically and handled user flows. They’ll jump in and tell us exactly what to do when needed, but they also incorporate our point of view on the brand experience. Neuralab steers us in the right direction, ensuring that the website will be effective.

Neuralab has also provided maintenance post-launch. We view them more as a part of our organization. We have an entire team and work directly with Krešimir, their CEO, who is a hands-on person. I collaborate with him in driving project management. Internally, there are probably 10 people on Neuralab’s side whom I’ve never met, but we do have direct access to the design leads. When we go into production, I also have direct communication with the development team and lead.

They have done a lot of custom work outside of our initial scope, related to the complexity of dealing with multiple currencies and payment systems, which aren’t always stable in countries outside of the US. Our reporting ensures that we stay informed about the financial backend of the site. We use a less-common social media aggregator, which required custom coding in order to facilitate the real-time social media ingestion of our streams.

We’re a growing, almost startup e-commerce company and are new to many promotions strategies. At times, we came up with an idea and tried to act quickly and nimbly. Neuralab jumped in and solved those technical problems, allowing us to execute quickly.

How did you come to work with Neuralab?

I wasn’t here when we started our relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Neuralab in late 2015. The first launch occurred in late 2016. We are working on our second launch in phases. The first will happen in 2–3 weeks, and the second will take place a month later. We will continue to work on conversion optimizations and any iterations necessary for a full quarter afterward. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did Neuralab perform from a project management standpoint?

I doubt that Krešimir actually sleeps. Supporting customers on the other side of the globe requires a lot of accommodation. I estimate that Neuralab is available 18 hours per day. From a communications standpoint, they respond electronically almost immediately.

I also have a service-level agreement for bug management, which is performed within 1–3 hours of making a submission in our dedicated ticketing system. We have a Google Doc that serves as a backlog for tracking all our comments and timelines.

What did you find most impressive about Neuralab?

I appreciate their speed of service, flexibility, and consistent partnership. They’re an incredible service provider.

Are there any areas Neuralab could improve?

No.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Neuralab?

For US firms, I’d say don’t be intimidated because Neuralab is not a local company. They’ve completely adjusted their way of working to meet clients’ needs. Their openness will help clients learn about their own business. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Motava is a digital marketing agency that builds websites and markets them through various channels, mostly digital. The most common things people ask for are SEO and PPC, but we’re not limited to just those. I’m a senior partner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neuralab?

At first, we needed a reliable and affordable designer. We also use them to augment our development staff.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We subcontract a lot of our design work to them. We have also worked with them on development tasks. We’ve done multiple projects with them. The largest project was a biotechnical firm website built on WordPress with WooCommerce. They helped us consult on the updates needed for their existing website. They helped me with the selection of the technology, platform, and approach for the new one. Once we completed that, we were able to plan the design with them. Together, we designed 20-25 different screens. They were also one of the primary developers for the website, working with my team and me. 

How did you come to work with Neuralab?

When we were looking for a firm, I was looking for somebody that was more than a freelancer. I’ve hired freelancers before and they tend to disappear or are limited in what they can provide. I liked that Neuralab had a smaller team when we first hired them. They’re larger now. They had a sense of professionalism and their English was also very good compared to other companies. We started with smaller design projects then moved into smaller-scale development. The quality of that work was also very good, and that made us comfortable to send them larger projects. We started working with them directly and it’s been a good partnership with them.

How much have you invested with Neuralab?

We have spent between $50,000 and $200,000 over the course of our relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2009, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

It’s hard to attribute specific metrics to them since we’ve been working on it together. The success is subjective. Most of the work they do is design-related and some program-related. I strategize all of it. Everything they’ve done has been positive. I have no complaints. The things that we measure are the marketing success for our clients, and that’s all done by our team. The effect of Neuralab’s effort is tied to that. They’re a big part of the success of our clients.

The feedback from the biotech firm has been positive. Neuralabs did most of the work on the redesigning of their key technology page. Because of that, sales improved by 65% in the first 90 days. There have definitely been improvements in sales and conversions.

How did Neuralab perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been very accommodating and helpful through several minor issues. They’re pretty responsive. We have a shared management system to track our tasks. They’re good at meeting deadlines as well.

Are there any areas Neuralab could improve?

Not really.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

HBOR is a state-owned, Croatian development and export bank as well as export credit agency. We offer multiple loan programs, guarantee schemes, export credit insurance, and other services to our clients. I'm in charge of business communications and marketing. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neuralab?

Our old website did not meet our clients’ expectations, and we wanted a new website that would be more functional and client-oriented, and allow our customers to find the programs and products we offer. We needed to simplify the engagement process, so we were looking for a completely new face, which is why we reached out to Neuralab.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We explained our desired outcome of the project, the communications issues that needed to be solved, and showed them a few websites we liked. Neuralab conducted customer usability research, determined the weakest and the strongest points, and came out with a whole new idea for the website. Afterwards, they did the design and programming. At this point, our website is purely informational, and it’s built using WordPress. In the long run, we have some ideas for building 2-way communication into the website for services like loan applications.

How did you come to work with Neuralab?

We found Neuralab through a Google search for companies that had received awards for their web design. I went through the references of those companies to view their work, and that’s how I got in contact with Neuralab. They then participated in a pitch that was organized for the website and showed to be the best for our project.

How much have you invested with Neuralab?

All told, I think we’ve spent around €45,000 [$51,000] with Neuralab.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in 2014 when we decided to hire Neuralab. But, we had some internal changes in management, and unfortunately, the project was stopped. In 2016, we restarted the project, and it was finished by the end of that year. Neuralab handles the maintenance of our website and provides feature upgrades. Right now, they’re creating a web tool that will enable our clients to find the right loan and interest rate for them. They’re also making an export guide microsite. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Within the past few months, people have been viewing 20%–30% more of the pages on our website, and we’ve seen a 15% increase in the amount of time that people stay on the export page. We’ve received good feedback from our clients and commercial banking partners, but I don't have that information quantified.

How did Neuralab perform from a project management standpoint?

Neuralab constantly met their deadlines with no issues. We communicated through Gmail with a single person for each project.

What did you find most impressive about Neuralab?

Neuralab customized our website and got to know our program. They really dug into the content. At this point, I think they could easily start working at HBOR. I was so impressed with their dedication.

Are there any areas Neuralab could improve?

So far, we’ve had a great experience with Neuralab, and we’re really satisfied. They’ve hit every due date. We’re looking forward to continuing our partnership.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the e-commerce manager for a tire importer and distributor working within and outside of the US. We specialize in commercial truck and heavy-machine tires. I’m responsible for all internal and external transactions. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Neuralab?

Tires are difficult to find, as each model has individual characteristics depending on the machine and utilization. We needed advanced programming skills in order to list our tires online and make them searchable through Google. We tried to do this ourselves, but our products weren’t being indexed properly. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We use WooCommerce for our platform, which Neuralab upgraded and redesigned. They gave us recommendations for product names and titles. We had an old inventory system that needed to be linked to WooCommerce. Neuralab created a functionality for downloading product information from the old system. The new version will be more complex; there were 5 information fields on the old product, but the new version will have 15, including tire dimensions, speed limits, and other characteristics.

We had constant communication with a project manager from Neuralab, who distributed the job to the team. There were separate designer and developer groups in place.

How did you come to work with Neuralab?

We didn’t want to move away from WooCommerce, so every developer our company hired needed to have knowledge of this platform. Neuralab was listed on the WooCommerce website, and we called them for an initial discussion. Other developers whom we contacted told us that our products had too much information attached, but Neuralab didn’t see that as a problem.

How much have you invested with Neuralab?

The cost of their work has been around $15,000. At the end of our second build, the cost will reach around $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Neuralab in June 2016. The initial site was finished in 2 months. We have started work on the second version, which will be more sophisticated. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Before working with Neuralab, around 50 users visited the site daily. Right now, we have around 670 visits per day, and the number is growing. In terms of conversions, we have gone up from 1 order per month to 2 orders per week. We’ve noticed a 700% increase in our orders.

How did Neuralab perform from a project management standpoint?

Throughout the process, Neuralab used the appropriate tools for certain stages of the project. In the beginning, we used InVision for design. After that phase, we started using Asana and Google Docs.

We’ve been able to communicate well. We had ideas that wouldn’t have worked technically, but Neuralab came back with good recommendations.

What did you find most impressive about Neuralab?

Most of their team is made up of young, creative people who always offer new ideas and possibilities. I used to work with another web design company that had set templates we had to choose from. Neuralab can customize everything, and they see every project differently. Instead of making our site look like everyone else’s, they’ve adapted to our strategy.

Are there any areas Neuralab could improve?

Our project manager is our only contact point, and he can be overworked at times. Having another asset at hand and with more job diversification would be an improvement. It’s not a big issue, but it can be annoying. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Strategic Direction Officer of Milli Point Two

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

A unisex, but menswear oriented fashion brand

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Neuralab to accomplish?

• Establish an online visual identity for the brand
• Create a space for ever-changing content creation and display
• Develop a technically functional web asset

SOLUTION

How did you find Neuralab?

Referral

Why did you select Neuralab over others?

• High ratings
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Neuralab were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

End-to-end development of the website along with e-commerce (webstore) + post-development support

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The look&feel of the website along with values connected to site visits, product purchases etc.

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

They were up-to-date with deadlines and replied to some of the more prominent short-term inquiries and issues.

What was your primary form of communication with Neuralab?

Email or Messaging App

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

We're impressed with their small yet highly diligent and somewhat multidisciplinary team structure.

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

Further streamlining communication and requirement-defining stage

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the General manager of Ljekarne Pavlić

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Pharmacy

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Neuralab to accomplish?

• Develop webshop
• maintanence of webshop
• webshop upgrades

SOLUTION

How did you find Neuralab?

Referral

Why did you select Neuralab over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Neuralab were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Development of woocomerce webshop from scratch and from start maintanence,hosting and upgrade services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

succesful webshop with constant growth of sales

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

they use several project management aplications, they stick with the schedule, they always suggest several solutions so we can choose the most convenient one at the time.

What was your primary form of communication with Neuralab?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

Project management is really something they take care of. They are always very friendly and happy to help and assist whatever you need.

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

Everything's fine.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Advisor of an education company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We promote film literacy projects in Croatia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Neuralab to accomplish?

• Design a web platform for sharing news, events, platforms, educational materials, books, handouts, promotional videos
• Code the web platform
• Maintain the web platform

SOLUTION

How did you find Neuralab?

Referral

Why did you select Neuralab over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Neuralab were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Design, code, and maintain a web platform for sharing news, events, film platforms, educational material, books, handouts, and promotional videos related to film literacy. The platform is intended for teachers, film enthusiasts, and young students interested in film in Croatia.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• New users
• visits
• time spent on the platform
• recurring visits

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

The whole team was very kind, professional, experienced, timely, and communicated very clearly. All our needs were met and the resulting work is above expectations. All our users are really enjoying the web platform.

What was your primary form of communication with Neuralab?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We were impressed with the clarity of communication among team members and how they managed communication on a singular platform.

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

Not that we can think of.