SAM WEB STUDIO

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a closed-door, online, open marketplace that matches candidates with the most suitable roles posted by verified employers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SAM WEB STUDIO?

Our beta product had already been created but we needed help updating the front- and backend, as well as improving the existing algorithm that is the foundation of the admin-facing side of the platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the web application, we went through a three-phase project. The first phase was focused on fixing the database and getting the structure in place. The second phase is when they improved the front- and backend for candidates and employers, as well built different functionalities. Those functionalities included enabling employers to schedule interviews and setting up automated email alerts. During the third and final phase, SAM WEB STUDIO worked on the admin panel, and made updates to the home and sign-in pages.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of about five people and directly communicated with them on a daily basis.

How did you come to work with SAM WEB STUDIO?

They were one of the few companies that met with our CTO to go through a two-week interview process. We decided to continue the project with them because they were technically capable at a decent price point.

How much have you invested with them?

The price of the project is approximately $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began speaking with them in January 2018, but the project started in April 2018 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve been amazed with the quality of the coding and their standards, and so have the users. SAM WEB STUDIO has taken something from proof of concept and breathed new life into it.

I’ve had my share of bad experiences with developers that were looking to make money at the expense of the client, but SAM WEB STUDIO is nothing like that. They’re honest, deliver what they say they can, and have developed a reputation for under-promising and over-delivering.

How did SAM WEB STUDIO perform from a project management standpoint?

There’s room for improvement, but they exceeded my expectations especially since they’re a small organization.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with their nimbleness. They quickly achieve their goals, which is rare in this market.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are only two things I can think of, which are to improve their reporting structures and to increase the number of programming languages they’re familiar with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you have a clearly defined scope of work in place, and that you have solidified your deliverables and have a general idea of their execution. I would add that it will be beneficial to the project if you give SAM WEB STUDIO the freedom to take ownership of their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of an affiliate program that partners with networks to promote or advertise vendors on our website. We promote all kinds of stores, from well-known brands to local companies, and work very closely with the vendors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SAM WEB STUDIO?

We needed to build the website, automate the entire coupon redemption process, and create an environment that would attract the audience we wanted.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We began by discussing my objectives, goals, desired timeline, and target audience. That was all then written into a proposal and contract. From there, they began designing the frontend, which included a homepage, categories, store events, blogs, an about page, and subtitle pages like the privacy policy.

After that went through the stages of feedback, rework, and approval, they began the backend development. That required building a database and an admin process that would enable us to manage the website from the backend—so, creating an interface. Using the interface, we can navigate, optimize or modify the site, and make any edits. The next phase was API integration and being able to automate the process of loading coupons on the site, which is a continuous process.

Additional features they developed include a loyalty program. Users earn points through the site and we distribute rewards for those points based on checks and balances. They also created a subscription model where users are able to subscribe to the site, set up a profile, and save their searches to review later. The site just went live, so we’re currently working on maintenance.

What is the team composition?

There were about five people on our team and I spoke with them almost every day.

How did you come to work with SAM WEB STUDIO?

I found them while searching online for a developer or development company that had experience building a coupon site. I reviewed some of their previous work and spoke with a few references before deciding to work with SAM WEB. The coupon sites they had done previously, spoke to most of the functionality I wanted for my site.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $5,000–$10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The entire development lasted from January–May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site does everything that I wanted and asked of them. We launched the very end of May 2018 and really promoted it to friends, family, and over social media. I’ve gotten really positive feedback from everyone that’s used it so far.

How did SAM WEB STUDIO perform from a project management standpoint?

They are professional, responsive, and met all of our deadlines. They would respond to us on weekends and holidays.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve found that coupon sites are some of the most difficult types of websites to build and the fact that our site functions so well is a testament to their technical capabilities. Throughout the entire project, they were very resourceful going out of their way to figure things out if they didn’t already have answers or solutions.

They went beyond my expectations of developers and did research to understand our business model and our competition. They looked at what our competition was doing, how the audience was responding, and how that could influence our site. They’re savvy when it comes to business and SEO.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m sure they could increase their knowledge in terms of technology—because that’s something that requires continuous education—but I was very happy with our site. They are professional, polite, genuine, and get the job done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Documentation from the beginning of the project is key. It will save the trouble of going through emails or meeting notes to find a specific reference. Make sure everything is documented in detail.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a business development manager for an awards-giving organization in the photography industry. Photographers pay for subscriptions, and they can register and post their best photographs on our website. We make top-three selections based on voting and award those on a monthly, and yearly basis. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SAM WEB STUDIO?

We didn’t have a website in place before this collaboration.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SAM WEB is our technical partner for website development and maintenance. They’ve provided us support with all our PHP website modules. They have developed our complete platform, from the frontend to the backend and the database. The frontend was developed in HTML5, and they used the Bootstrap library for the responsive part.

After learning about our requirements, SAM WEB sent us a proposal and divided the project into four milestones. For the first milestone, they developed a complete design for the homepage and secondary ones. We were asked for feedback after each phase, which moved forward after our approval. SAM WEB developed the backend using PHP. We handled user testing on our side and provided feedback. After approval, the indiaphotographyawards.in website went live.  

What is the team dynamic?

We’ve worked with a graphic designer, a frontend developer, a backend developer, a tester, and a project manager from SAM WEB. That’s 4–5 people in total. During the development phase, we usually interacted with the project manager. She understood our requirements and worked accordingly. The team size remained constant.

How did you come to work with SAM WEB STUDIO?

We made a Google search for web design companies and contacted 3–4 of them. SAM WEB was the best choice.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of the initial project was around $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with SAM WEB in March 2017 and finished the project in May. The collaboration is ongoing as we have an annual maintenance contract.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site is a unique concept in India. It has been very popular—we have more than 500 photographers working with us. Our rankings are also good; we’re within the first 10 sites on Alexa.com.

SAM WEB did a great job on the website, and we couldn’t identify any issues. They’ve satisfied all of our requirements, which is why we opted to get them for maintenance.

How did SAM WEB STUDIO perform from a project management standpoint?

During the website development, they were very strict with the timeline. They usually finished before the due date.

What did you find most impressive about them?

SAM WEB has been punctual and responsive. Overall, they are flexible and follow our wishes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I have recommended SAM WEB to friends and would do so again for anyone else interested. They’ve done a good job for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our website offers thousands of math videos designed for students in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grade. Subscribers can use these videos at their convenience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SAM WEB STUDIO?

We needed a website where we could offer our videos.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, SAM WEB came up with a basic design for the commercial home page. Based on my feedback, they worked on a beta version, which included the dynamic conversion of the home page and a payment gateway integration. After that, they designed and connected the inner pages of the website. The site has an admin panel where I can upload videos.  

In the last stage, they added an important feature in the log-in process, which allows paid members to log in using their email address. However, the system should not accept simultaneous log-ins from two or more different places using the same member ID. Without this feature, thousands of people can use one paid membership account to log in at the same time. Although it was a difficult and time-consuming process, SAM WEB successfully implemented this safeguard.  

What is the team dynamic?

I was in contact with Satish [Head of Marketing]. Another person was responsible for project management while a third, Saurabh [Senior IT Consultant], handled the programming side. I talked to Saurabh frequently through the design phase. The size of the team was consistent throughout the project.

How did you come to work with SAM WEB STUDIO?

After doing a Google search, I emailed  8–10 development companies and evaluated them based on their commercial and technical capabilities. Our other criteria were quality, safety, and timely development. My biggest problem in selecting a developer was determining which company had the experience I needed. Everybody said, “Yes, I’ve done that,” but the reality was different.

While all of the companies offered similar pricing, SAM WEB gave me good advice about video hosting. That was the deciding point for me, as the others did not recommend the correct solution.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent close to $5,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017, and the project was completed in May.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is working, but it will take some time to get metrics since this is a new business. While there were some initial problems, they sorted them all out.

How did SAM WEB STUDIO perform from a project management standpoint?

Since their work was satisfactory and delivered on time, I would say that their pricing was mostly reasonable. However, they went slightly over budget. I thought a couple of things were covered in the contract, but it turned out that they were not included. While I didn’t completely agree with the final bill, I paid them since the difference was not that high.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be more convenient to have other contacts aside from Satish, especially in upper management. Unfortunately, we didn’t know who else to contact when we had issues. It seemed that only one person was making all of the decisions, which was a bit of a problem.  

Do you have any advice for potential clients?

They can handle projects similar to ours, but if a project is more complicated or highly interactive, I don’t think that they would be a good fit.

Before you sign the contract, you need to read it properly. I would say that for any developer.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the division head for a kids’ toys and garments retailer. We also deal in fancy jewelries for kids.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SAM WEB STUDIO?

We contacted them when we needed to build our website and upload content onto it. This was our first time working with a web developer.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SAM WEB has managed the entire process, after collecting requirements from us and providing quotes. They showed us different designs for our approval. The design process took 2 months to complete, and SAM WEB has also been in charge of uploading pictures and other content on the site.

I cannot give any details on how the site works on the backend, but it is functional. It can display our products and contact information.

We have worked with 3 people from SAM WEB’s team. Most communication was done through email, WhatsApp, and Skype. We received replies within the hour, or even faster through instant messaging. If we needed to add new content on the site, we would communicate 2-3 times per week. We have also asked their team to sync content with our social media.

How did you come to work with SAM WEB STUDIO?

The selection was random. We looked online, found SAM WEB, and received a fast reply. The good communication indicated that they could do a good job.

How much have you invested with SAM WEB STUDIO?

The total investment has been $7,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with SAM WEB STUDIO in May 2016. The project lasted until December, at the start of our campaign.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been receiving inquiries from our market in the region, which have varied depending on the season.

How did SAM WEB STUDIO perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was delivered on time and on budget. The project details were communicated well, and we were kept informed. The process was not perfect, and SAM WEB could improve in many ways, but, in my opinion, they did a good job.

What did you find most impressive about SAM WEB STUDIO?

Their communication. SAM WEB has replied to our emails within the hour, and have used tools like Skype and WhatsApp in order to facilitate this. They were a bit slow in terms of execution, but the project went well.

Are there any areas SAM WEB STUDIO could improve?

Making the process faster would be an improvement. Our website took 2 months to complete, and I believe that other companies could have done it faster. This is my only comment in terms of improvements.

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

If the client is looking for a website developer, I could definitely recommend SAM WEB.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Ozoneride provides vehicles of different categories—luxury cars, sedan, hatchback—to customers on a daily basis for local or long-distance travel. I’m 1 of 3 partners in the company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SAM WEB STUDIO?

We had someone else working on our website, but he misguided us and developed our website in WordPress, which was the wrong solution for us. We hired SAM WEB STUDIO to work on our iOS and Android application as well as our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We met SAM WEB STUDIO in our office, and they explained that our previous developer had misled us. They said that we wanted to accomplish wasn’t possible with WordPress. They designed and developed our applications and website, but that took a lot of effort on our part as well.

They instructed us about designing and guided us through our business model for improving our product. Initially, we asked them to work on the website, but in the middle of development, they suggested that we build the mobile applications as well. After seeing their work on our website, we felt comfortable asking them to do other tasks.

First, SAM WEB STUDIO created a complete scope of work document. They provided a timeline of the work and showed us how to track their progress. As soon as we finalized the project, we started working on the design phase. We shared our input through a homepage requirement specification (HRS) document. With our input, SAM WEB STUDIO provided 2 or 3 mockups for the homepage. We liked 2 of them, finalized 1, and started working on the other pages.

Whenever we needed guidance, they were ready to instruct our team. Wireframes were not required because everything was already clear. They worked on the homepage design, inside pages, and a complete UI for responsive versions. They checked the website on each device to make sure it worked before starting development.

The website is online, but we haven’t commercially launched it yet. We plan to launch the apps in a couple of months. We have some major competitors around us, so we want to approach new channels and promotional companies to strengthen the launch.

What features did you request?

Our unique selling point (USP) is that customers can call for a car and drop it off wherever they want. We have employees who pick up and drop off the cars. If you want to take a car from your home to the office and leave it there, you can do that without having to go to a pickup point.

We added a wallet system, reference and ride systems, and benefits for female drivers, army personnel, and students. We offered a complimentary 10%–20% discount for new customers.

How many resources were assigned to your project?

About 4 or 5 people were assigned to our project—a designer, a developer, a testing executive, a marketing person, and the project manager. The size of the team never changed, and the resources stayed the same. I was able to get in touch with all of them. I’m not a technical guy, so I wasn’t able to communicate perfectly with the developer. My main point of contact was the project manager.

How much have you invested with SAM WEB STUDIO?

We spent between $20,000 and $25,000. We plan to do branding and social media marketing as well after the project launches.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2016, and the relationship is ongoing. The website was launched in January 2017, but the apps have not launched yet. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The apps are not registered on app stores. We just have our APK [Android package kit] files with us so we can test it. My team likes the website. It’s smooth, responsive, and fast, and it’s also compatible with multiple devices. It’s working perfectly fine.

How did SAM WEB STUDIO perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through Skype, phone calls, and WhatsApp. Whenever I had a question, they were available. They were always available when we needed them. In our office, we had to work late nights so we requested that they be available on weekends. Because we are starting a new company, we needed assistance at all times. They were accessible and even gave me their personal numbers.

The project was completed on time, and their project management was excellent. When I called them late at night, they didn’t always answer, but I understood that they were busy. We’ve had a good experience working with them, especially compared to the prior developer.

What did you find most impressive about SAM WEB STUDIO?

Their support and coordination are impressive. They responded to texts and emails within 15 minutes. They also shared valuable suggestions due to their experience with various projects. They had great ideas for increasing sales and adding features to the site. We never went outside of the scope. Everybody was on the same page and on track. We had a very comfortable experience.  

Are there any areas SAM WEB STUDIO could improve?

We found a few errors in the site that were repeated. They solved them in a few days, but that was because I was out of town and not able to meet with them sooner.

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

We’re already planning to work with them again on a hotel booking venture. We are looking forward to continuing with them as our technology partner for all of our projects. I would recommend them to anyone.