Olibro Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT manager for a religious organization. We create video and audio programs and disseminate them via our websites and media channels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Olibro Design?

When I joined the company, it actually had three websites under one domain. The domain was slow, wasn’t mobile responsive, and didn’t present content as we wanted to present it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially engaged them on an ad-hoc basis to address the website’s issues with pages and plug-ins. When issues arose, we contacted Olibro. Their team also added a few new features.

We then decided to establish a more formal relationship with them because our management team decided to completely redo the website. We then started a web development project with Olibro.

Olibro completely changed the platform, which included moving us to a different server. Although their team still built the website on WordPress, it doesn’t include many plug-ins. They also changed how we deliver video content from Amazon Elastic Transcoder to Vimeo.

Their team also redid most of the pages and imported all of the content from the old website. They directed the data transformation, ensuring the links worked and the metadata properly transitioned. Their team added features such as an archive section and made the product mobile responsive. We’re planning to start SEO campaigns with them.

What is the team composition?

We work with a project manager. I spoke directly to their developers when we had issues.

How did you come to work with Olibro Design?

We found them through a reference and chose them for several reasons. They understood Farsi, which was important because we had a foreign language website.

How much have you invested in them?

The project cost is in the neighborhood of $20,000–$24,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the development project in October 2019 and launched the new website in July 2020. We’re still working with them through a maintenance agreement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Olibro team is responsive. When we have an issue, their team is available despite the time difference between us.  If I send an email at night, I will receive a response within 30 minutes. The quality of their work is also great. We haven’t had any issues with them, which is why we have maintained a long-term relationship with them.

How did Olibro Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We use project management platforms to outline projects and review projects’ statuses. When we assigned them projects on an ad hoc basis, we used Trello. For the development project, we started to use Basecamp. We now use Teamwork. Their communication’s great.

We expanded the scope of the project during the development, which led to its delayed completion. This also made the estimated time and cost increase, but everyone agreed upon the terms. Their team normally meets deadlines

What did you find most impressive about them?

Based on my previous experiences, Olibro is great. They perform as I expect them to perform. Their team has done a great job on every one of the projects. If they can’t accomplish a task, they tell us that it isn’t their area of expertise too.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of any area for improvement off the top of my head.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to ensure that you have everything in writing. We had conversations with them about ideas that didn’t progress. Olibro will follow the project timeline. You can’t just discuss an idea with them and expect them to accomplish it. You need to put the idea into writing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a non-profit organization focused providing financial assistance to disadvantaged students around the world. I'm a member of board of directors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Olibro Design, and what were your goals?

We hired Olibro to help us design and develop a new website to replace our 10-year-old existing site.

SOLUTION

How did you select Olibro Design and what were the deciding factors?

We hired Olibro based on positive past experience.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Scope of work included:

• Gathering our key requirements/needs from the website
• Formalizing those requirements into a specification/requirements document.
• Designing the style, theme, and user interface of the site and all relevant sections.

Used WordPress as the main development platform, with customized databases for our required data types.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

4 to 5 people from the company were involved at different phases of the project. The owner/founder was personally involved in all activity, and managed progress with the interface/graphic designer, backend developers, and front end developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Since the website was very recently launched, there are no quantitative outcomes. But in general the usability and look of the site has dramatically improved, making it easier for potential donors to learn about the organization and make donations.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Project management style is collaborative and professional, while providing the right amount of guidance for us to make decisions. Basecamp was used as the main communication tool, along with other platforms to develop and transfer content.

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

The competence, responsiveness, and professionalism of all team members was impressive.

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

A better infrastructure for developing and transferring content would help better streamline the process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the content manager for a non-for-profit endeavor which tries to shed light on the evolution of ideas & institutions of Iran during the past 100 years, as well as looking ahead what's lay down ahead of this country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Olibro Design, and what were your goals?

Due to budget restraints, we started developing the website by ourselves, but as our needs grew we needed a professional team to help us. We wanted to add new features as well as having a reliable team to maintain the website.

SOLUTION

How did you select Olibro Design and what were the deciding factors?

I had previously worked with Olibro Design on a different project. For that project, we had worked with several different teams and they were all disappointing. Until we started working with Olibro Design. So, I had a previous experience with this team.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We use WordPress as our main platform. Olibro Design helped us develop two websites to suit our needs.

The challenge that we faced was that one of our websites was Persian, and since the nature of the Persian Language is Right-to-Left, and not all the plug-ins are Persian friendly, Olibro had to develop most of them from scratch.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked 2-3 people, including lead designer, lead developer and the CEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

After we launched two websites, they've been monitoring our sites. Our websites went down twice, which was taken care of without even realizing it.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

The main communication tool is Basecamp. They are on top of the tasks, and the CEO makes sure that all the tasks have been addressed and meet my satisfaction.

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

The first time I was investigating Olibro Design, I noticed that their CEO title has changed to CHO, Client Happiness Officer! Never heard the term and it was more of a marketing catch, but after a while, he seemed more and more like a CHO!

In instances that we are not able to communicate effectively with his team, he jumps in and addresses the issue himself.

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

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CMO at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery and MD GLAM with headquarters in Beverly Hills, CA. Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery is a concierge plastic surgery clinic lead by Dr. Cat Begovic, one of the world’s most successful plastic surgeons and our patients fly into Beverly Hills for surgery with her from all over the world to accomplish their aesthetic goals.

MD GLAM is a luxury skincare company based on science but with the luxury all women desire. MD GLAM products combine the most effective, scientifically proven anti-aging and hydrating ingredients to improve the way skin looks and feels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Olibro Design?

Our plastic surgery website was created over 10 years ago, with multiple agencies attempting to bring our vision to life. It was never really accomplished until we hired Olibro.

Our old website was heavy with a massive content and a huge photo and video gallery that needed to be restructured with a new goal identification and architectural design.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to find a better way for Information accessibility, intuitiveness, and visual elements for our website that match Dr. Cat's quality of work and branding. We wanted to communicate the very same message through the website without compromising on the amount of content.

SOLUTION

How did you select Olibro Design?

We searched online and used our internal assessments methods such as responsiveness, understanding for our vision, and samples of previous work to determine the right fit for us.

Describe the project in detail.

The project started with small updates on our old website but we decided to create a brand new custom wordpress website instead. The initial discovery stage was all about understanding how Olibro could help our vision by learning about our work-flow and work process. It followed by sitemap and wireframe creation, visual elements, content creations, testing and launch.

What was the team composition?

The team composition was program manager, UI/UX designer, graphics designer, photographer (yours), frontend development team (2), backend developer (1), and QA tester (1).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The first 4 weeks post-launch we have noticed a significant increase in online visitors and higher conversion rates.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had weekly zoom meetings discussing the progress and vision of the project. Additionally, there were daily updates through project management software that helped us stay on track.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Personalized attention to detail. The owner of the company truly cared about our projects, and it made such a significant impact on the overall outcome. No detail was missed and each problem was met with a solution.

Are there any areas for improvement?

At this time, I have no suggestion as far what the company could be doing better. We are extremely satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of marketing and engagement at Mide Technology. We provide advanced engineering services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Olibro Design?

We needed a vendor to help us develop a brand-specific website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave them some fairly comprehensive design plans, and they developed an e-commerce website for us in Shopify. They also developed features for our collection page and our shopping cart. After they finished coding, we provided feedback, and they added a couple of finishing touches to the individual pages

What is the team composition?

We mostly interacted with two people, but they had a bigger team working on our project.

How did you come to work with Olibro Design?

We found them and a couple of other companies through a Shopify website. Olibro Design seemed to understand what we were trying to achieve, and they had the expertise we were looking for, so we chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from May–October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our conversion rate has improved, so we're happy with the results. We also find the new website easier to use on the backend.

How did Olibro Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive and met our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If something wasn't working or if there was a problem, they resolved it immediately or gave us a sign that they were looking into it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes they misinterpreted what we were looking for, but that was partly our fault because we were not communicating our requests clearly at the beginning.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared and be clear on what you want to achieve. We were not ready with everything, so that caused some miscommunication.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of Persian Media Production. We produce TV series, radio series, music, animations, and documentaries in the Persian language.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Olibro Design?

We’ve been in business for over six years, but we’ve never had a website. As we do more media and not retail, our website needed to include mainly film and television series—it’s a streaming service in the Persian language.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We went to them with a blank piece of paper; an idea, but that’s all. They built the website on WordPress and launched it in October. We’ve since decided to add another section.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with two people, but there are others as well.

How did you come to work with Olibro Design?

A co-worker worked with them on a different project before he worked for me. He was very impressed and suggested them to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $24,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received feedback that the website is user-friendly, with an excellent design. Generally, all the reactions have been positive, and we love the site. Two groups have asked me who I’m using and so I’ve introduced them to Olibro.

The team was very helpful throughout even though the experience was something new for them too. They were quite patient with us and we learned together how the website could look.

How did Olibro Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were really organized. When we started each stage, we had very clear goals and timelines, which they always met. That helped us to be clear on what they were working on and when it would be finished—I found it refreshing. We had weekly meetings to check we had the right design and used emails, phone, and Zoom to communicate at other times.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What we proposed to them was so out of the box, yet they were flexible and good at understanding our vision. They were very patient and delivered something that we’re all very happy with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had long meetings, but that was because of me—they had to educate me on a lot of things.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the marketing manager of a company that provides home automation products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Olibro?

We worked with Olibro to bring the company’s products—which are already sold via retail—onto an e-commerce platform. As a marketing representative, I am not in tune with the backend kind of development and have needed both development help and best practice consultation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have worked with Olibro since the very beginning. They have created and launched our website while preparing it for scale and provide standard backend operating procedures. They consult with us concerning industry standards. We originally hosted the site on Wordpress but collectively decided to move our properties onto Shopify, which they have been developing on and adding Shopify apps upon. While they helped with some design work on Wordpress, we ourselves have mostly handled the frontend.

One of our biggest challenges was to address the large amounts of feedback that our customers and community give to us. Olibro created a help page that has substantially cut down on our user support traffic. They’re ability to collect data online has helped us understand what are users are thinking, wondering, and looking for; this in turns has helped us further optimize our site.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Arash (Program Manager, Olibro) who divvies up the work among an internal team. I am able to talk with him, one on one, on a day to day basis.

How did you come to work with Olibro?

The company I work for is a subsidiary of a larger company that highly recommended Olibro; this was our main reason for choosing them.

How much have you invested with them?

From the beginning of this year, we have invested around $5,000 to $10,000. Over a long period of time, we have invested anywhere between $10,000 and $50,000. I’m happy with their services and would say that they are not very expensive.

What is the status of this engagement?

They began working with another representative within the larger company in January of 2017. When our smaller company launched in June, we had one direction we wanted to go; then, in January, we decided to take the company in a second direction. Due to these, the engagement with Olibro is ongoing; there is work that is up and coming and we have immediate requests—on a month-to-month basis—as well as long term development desires. The program requires both hardware and software development that works well together and Olibro is available to help with that on a consistent basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback we receive mostly concerns the front end of the site, which doesn’t reflect on Olibro’s performance since they focused on backend dev. I would say that I’m their client and I’m very happy with their work; things on the backend have been really good.

How did Olibro perform from a project management standpoint?

I haven’t had any issues with Olibro hitting deadlines. I worked with some startups who employ huge dev teams and they often missed deadlines; Olibro, on the other hand, is a contractor for us that is able to scale rapidly and give us results at a very fast pace. We communicate via phone and email. The results of the project, so far, speak to their capable project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed with their ability to consistently deliver on time. As I mentioned, previous experiences were not nearly as satisfactory; it matters to us that if we want to hit a deadline, Olibro is able to make that deadline happen. They’ve managed our expectations very well. Even though we share a contractual relationship, they work pretty much like another business unit with us, being readily available and treating us well. They’re available anytime we want to talk and can get the tools necessary to reach immediate results and fulfill goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they’re very good at helping us get the MVPs (or slightly upgraded MVPs) out quickly. I can’t talk more on their ability to build complicated structures. I simply don’t have the information to prescribe any improvements.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Our relationship with Olibro has been—for lack of a better word—really chill. We’ve been able to give them non-technical specs and they’re able to turn them into technical specs with great results. There can be a lot of back and forth simply to fill in the technical language focused communication gaps. When you give Olibro generic ideas, they’ll do their best to formulate them into precise concepts before starting the work. For a non-technical person, give as much detail as possible, upfront, and you’ll make their project progress more quickly, more easily, and receive better quality results as a fast pace.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an acupuncturist. My office is located in Beverly Hills, California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Olibro Design?

My website was very dated and I didn't know how to improve it. I approached Olibro Design to help me update it and increase the web traffic. I wanted more people to visit my site and to better showcase the types of services I offer.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

My website was created in 2006. It was very old, the content was outdated, and the images were of poor quality. I held several meetings with Olibro Design to discuss how to improve my platform. They really seemed to understand my company and focused on highlighting the human factor. Web development is not my field, so I put 100 percent of my trust in them as the experts.

The team built an entire new platform from scratch with upgraded text and graphics. I researched a variety of comparable sites to get ideas for the color scheme, number of pages, and type of content. After we developed sketches and mockups together, they completed the design work. They designed the site to my liking and always make sure I'm happy with the direction it’s taking. We worked closely together to give it a personal touch. Suggestions like taking new pictures of my office helped differentiate it from a generic acupuncture site.

As time went by, they expanded their services beyond upgrading and maintaining the site. When I approached them about SEO, they explained how to improve my site from a business perspective. They formulated unique ways to reach my target audience, and indicated what steps to take.

What is the team composition?

I personally spoke with the president and lead developer. Although I only met with two of their staff, I'm sure there are more people involved in my project.

How did you come to work with Olibro Design?

I found Olibro Design through a trusted referral who gave them a great review.

How much have you invested with them?

I've spent between $3,000-$4,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've worked together since 2015, and they continue to provide web support and maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new site Olibro Design built has generated significantly increased web traffic and improved my company's visibility. It's now much easier for people to find my website and learn about my business. Overall, I'm extremely happy with them. I've been recommending them to all my friends.

How did Olibro Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They update me consistently on the project’s status. Even if I get busy and forget to call them, they make sure we stay in touch and keep me on board. I provide them with the necessary materials from my end. We communicate through email, phone calls, and Skype. They use whatever means necessary to get things done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated how closely they involved me in the project. They asked thoughtful questions about my business and brainstormed what I could bring to the table. This close collaboration was especially important when we were working on tight deadlines. I have limited time to work on my website, so that’s very helpful. They really pushed me to reach my goals. Olibro Design offers a personal, one-on-one touch.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They do such a great job that I really can't come up with anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of Digital Marketing and Sales for Tofasco of America, a consumer products and retail company managing multiple brands and business units.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Olibro Design?

Tofasco of America manages multiple brands (e.g., OrigamiRack, Mac Sports and others). We run our operational part (Sales, Marketing, Customer Service etc.) internally, but outsource any technical support regarding our digital presence. We were looking for a firm that could support our marketing driven vision technically and helping us implementing the technical challenges with our plan to building an online presence from scratch for some brands and scale others to new heights.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a very clear and set vision for OrigamiRack, which had an established digital (WordPress) presence focusing on Customer Support, but not to offer products for sale online. Olibro led the transition to the Shopify e-commerce platform. In terms of Web- and UI-design, we wanted to stand out so even though there are many Shopify themes available, using an existing theme or template was not an option for us. Olibro took all the parts we liked from different templates and put them together to create our own custom theme. This (new custom Template) was coded in a way that even a non-technically skilled sales and marketing person can do changes on the fly without having to rely on a coder to edit content. Olibro’s flexibility in this kind of design is not just helping us today, but for many years to come. Olibro continues to help us with creative design - recommends latest trends in eCommerce and helps with implementation, email automation, SEO, and other technical aspects such as inventory tracking.  

What is the team composition?

My main contact is a dedicated Project Manager. I am aware that there are at least 5–6 developers who work in the background on our account but I'm not in direct contact with them.

How did you come to work with Olibro Design?

Tofasco of America was working with Olibro for many years before I joined. I believe they were originally connected via a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

To date we’ve spent around $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I've been working with Olibro for about two and a half years and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re helping our company grow significantly. Thanks to their work, one of our brands grew from about $100,000 a year to close to $1,000,000 this year. To date, they’ve moved 90% of our brands to the Shopify platform. People are very happy with the navigation functionality of the custom website theme, so we’re rolling it out across all of our brands.

How did Olibro Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very transparent and straightforward. They work according to a milestone plan and 99% of the time they hit our deadline even if they need to put in extra work. They use Slack to communicate with my team, but I'm an old school guy and prefer to use phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I describe Olibro as a first class team. They’re always available and very transparent in what they do. I'm not a coder but I have a basic understanding on how technical stuff works. The magic of what they do is bring a marketers' vision to life.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's always stuff that you can improve but we learn and grow together. There are no major issues in our relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as transparent and share your ideas for what you want to see from a marketing or sales perspective. They will get back to you to either make it work or tell you an alternative way if it's not possible. The feeling I get from them is that everything is possible, it's just a matter of time and budget.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of marketing at a consumer electronics company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Olibro Design?

We hired them to build out our full website and make it e-commerce capable.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Olibro Design designed and developed all four of our sites. They've integrated different functionalities and other vendors that we've asked them to involve. For example, they programmed credit card processors and different security features like Norton. The site is built on a WordPress platform. It uses WooCommerce to organize our products, and they also programmed and integrated a third-party shopping cart.

We've both contributed wireframes and sketches over the course of working on the sites. We've redone each of them a few times over the years. One, in particular, was redesigned several times at the request of our brand manager so we didn't need to provide as much direction. In each case, they did the coding and optimized the site aesthetically. They used heat maps and other technical studies to assess our traffic and how our visitors interact with different pages.

What is the team composition?

They have a bigger team, but we've typically had 2-3 points of contact.

How did you come to work with Olibro Design?

I inherited this partnership when I took over my position. They’d already been working with our company for a number of years. I interviewed them when I first came on to decide if I wanted to keep them or hire somebody else. They gave me a good sense of customer service and seemed technically competent. I have a strong development background, so I can speak to the developers’ language and understand what they’re talking about. They’ve been great for the last two years.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent in the $50,000 ballpark during the past year and a half I've personally worked with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership has been going on for 5-6 years. They currently provide maintenance and support and are also offering new development. One of our recent calls was about completely revamping one of our brand websites.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got positive feedback from our customers for both redesigns they’ve done in the past year. A couple people commented that the new site looks nice. Since it’s not one of our higher traffic sites, it doesn't get a lot of traction. From my own background as a developer and graphic artist, I think our new designs are much more streamlined and the UI is way friendlier.

How did Olibro Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Excellent. We gave them five weeks to do this last redesign before the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas, and they came through. They use TeamWork as a project management tool, Skype for daily messages, and Zoom for weekly video calls. We also talk via email, phone calls, and text messages.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I've dealt with a lot of developers. Olibro Design is not only very professional, but also relaxed, friendly, and easy to work with. They're very sharp, and their lead developer is quite skilled.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wasn't always 100 percent thrilled with their copywriter. I have a writing background, so I'm kind of particular about that. If there's any place for improvement, that's it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what you want. We redesigned one of our sites twice and it had nothing to do with their work. After giving them one set of directions we totally changed tactics three months later. If we’d given them clearer instructions to begin with, we may not have had to do the second redesign.