What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We would have had to undergo a redesign of the website anyway, but it would’ve been in a more planned and controlled way. It all became such a rush when the content provider announced that they were shutting down; it was unexpected. My number one criterion was that I needed something done very quickly, and I needed someone that could do it with little direction from me because we were in the middle of several crises, including the COVID shutdown.
From that perspective, they did a really fine job. It would have been a better experience if I'd had time to sit down and be creative with them on the frontend rather than having to rush through it. I can't really criticize them for not being creative, because they accomplished the task very, very well. Our primary purpose, if we hadn't been rushed, was to create better communication links out to our community. The things that they did bring over, and the themes that we settled on finally, do exactly that. A lot of interaction with our community is possible, and that was a major benefit.
How did Nika Digital Agency perform from a project management standpoint?
We had a bit of a slow start until we understood how to interface with each other, but once Ayman and I sat down and came up with the communications tools to make sure that they understood what I needed and my expectations, it worked really smoothly. I was able to communicate on a daily basis, and the next day, whatever I needed was done. It just took a little while to figure out how to communicate with each other.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I thought that the responsiveness to my requests was fantastic. When I called, they were right there, and they got done what I needed done.
Are there any areas they could improve?
It’s hard for me to evaluate that, since we had a very narrow scope on the project. However, what could’ve been better is that I expected some training on the backend, since WordPress is new to us. That was a little rocky; it got passed off to one of their employees, and they asked what questions we had rather than providing videos and tutorials. I expected a little bit more robust training on the backend. However, when I have been stuck, even since the contract ended, they have jumped right in and taken care of whatever I needed. If I was going to engage somebody to help me maintain the website – right now, we manage it ourselves – I would go to them, because what they did was fantastic.
Also, coming back to me with a bit more creativity could have solved some problems; however, that could’ve just been that we didn’t sit down and do a great deal of project definition together. When I asked them to suggest some themes, they didn’t spend any time going through the themes; they expected me to investigate those things myself. I would’ve liked a little more handholding on the frontend to understand what we were getting into. It would’ve been helpful if they used their creativity to understand our needs and business, and then come back with a plug-and-play solution.
Any advice for potential customers?
Understand the methodology for communicating so that the project can keep rolling. Figure out the methodologies that work better for the customer and Nika in terms of communicating.
The website opened new doors for the company, allowing them to sell smart bands directly to consumers. Nika Digital Agency goes above and beyond to ensure a high level of customer service, making last-minute changes when necessary. the team produces quality results in a timely manner.