What was the scope of their involvement?
Polcode was involved in every aspect of the platform migration, from the frontend and the UI to the backend, including developing the CMS (for which we use Refinery). We spec out what is required and design it with them through Basecamp; there is a lot of back-and-forth. When they complete the development, we push it to GitHub and test all of the changes. If everything works properly and looks good, then we make it live.
Their work can range from simpler tasks to the most complex website we have ever undertaken. The latter project was a regular store in addition to containing blogging and interactive community functions, such as signing up for automated newsletters. Depending on the user, particular things would show up as part of the site’s targeted web experience. Polcode built this complicated website from the ground up.
Other websites that they have built for us have been more of a straightforward migration. However, even those projects required Polcode to develop complicated, deep, and drillable sites that necessitated the option for self-service (in particular regarding subscription renewals, memberships, and standing order management). Additionally, every website includes a bug reporting feature that allows the users to catch any unanticipated errors using an automatically created Basecamp task, although bugs are infrequent in their work. In addition to the building of these sites and the code migration, they also continue to maintain many aspects of the web operations as well.
What is the team composition?
Our team at Polcode is organized through an account manager, with a group of developers assigned to your specific project(s). We have worked with three or four primary developers over the years to assist our own team in bringing those websites online on the new platform.
How did you come to work with Polcode?
We initially reached out to them via oDesk, which is now Upwork. When we are first assigned a developer from Polcode’s ranks, we conduct a handful of initial interviews to get a sense of their English fluency and their skillset. We assign them a couple of tasks to ensure that their stated abilities match our needs, and if that’s the case, we move forward with approving their assignment and providing them with their first full project.
How much have you invested with them?
We have spent close to half a million US dollars on our work with Polcode.
What is the status of this engagement?
We engaged their services in May 2014, and the relationship is ongoing with no foreseeable end date.
Polcode’s reliable and current services have facilitated substantial business growth. They consistently deliver attentive, tailored support to every client, quickly resolving issues and applying their in-depth industry knowledge toward project success.