SPINX Digital

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder and CEO of Spexster

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Spexster provides exclusive video content for Advertisers, as well as hired Film Crew around the globe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SPINX Digital to accomplish?

• Build a modern and complex marketplace for video content.
• Build an interactive 'Crew Map' for finding and hiring film crew around the globe.
• Implement a robust job posting and payment platform within the site.

SOLUTION

How did you find SPINX Digital?

Online Search

Why did you select SPINX Digital over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from SPINX Digital were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

• Phase 1: Build a video content hosting site. 
• Phase 2: Implement multiple API's for searching, video content editing / revisions, design overhaul. 
• Phase 3: Job Posting implementation, Site optimization, Payments System 
• Phase 4: Portals, Pathing Overhaul, Optimization, AI, further API's.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Site Capabilities compared to Competitive Sites.

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

Project management is an extremely organized thru various platforms such as Basecamp and Email / Zoom. Scope of deliverables are always subject to the complexity of the ask vs the time... but realistic timelines are always made and usually delivered sooner that expected. Concerns are always addressed quickly along with emergency asks. Fantastic response times.

What was your primary form of communication with SPINX Digital?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to take an idea and turn it into a practical functioning reality is impressive. We've had some big asks from Spinx and they always find a way to research the idea / problem... and present a solution. This has allowed our team to dream big and ask even bigger, more challenging aspects of what is possible to build, and this team always finds a way to deliver.

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

I believe finding the best communication up front is absolute key. Spinx does a good job of 'pushing back' on potentially frivolous ideas that may not benefit your business in the short-term, and the more Entrepreneurs can embrace this, the better. 

Spinx wants you to find success early and often, but if overarching goals and infrastructure are not in place things can get complicated and expensive quickly. Having as much communication as possible about the 'how and why' things work (or don't work) can temper expectations and force businesses to take their head out of the clouds and focus on a robust site that will get the core aspects of your goals accomplished and set up for the future.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner and operator of Spiritual Cartography Expectations. I provide tarot and astrology readings for clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SPINX Digital?

I engaged SPINX Digital to design my website.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted a visually appealing and professional website that would attract new customers. It needed features such as online payment processing, calendar syncing for appointments, and user accounts for clients so I can share audio and visual recordings of readings with them. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I searched online for website designers and considered several based on recommendations. SPINX Digital caught my eye because I liked their work on other projects. They seemed like an experienced team who would lead a smooth project and deliver on my needs

Describe the project in detail.

I first spoke with a sales rep and described my needs for the site. After their quote fit my budget, we had an in-person meeting to launch the project. SPINX Digital asked me questions about my business, needs, and vision for the website. I submitted images I wanted to use, and they returned with designs that I gave feedback on until I was happy with the result.

What was the team composition?

At the first meeting, I talked with four people overseen by Sukesh (Owner, SPINX Digital). After that, a project manager served as my main point of contact. SPINX Digital provided two frontend developers and two backend developers, as well as several coders and QA people behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s too early to measure results, but I’m thrilled with how the website turned out.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

SPINX Digital provided a well-oiled, professional, and talented team. They made the entire project as straightforward as possible. Every team member was attentive and efficient at solving problems or answering questions. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team was diligent, intelligent, and a joy to work with. I felt well taken care of throughout the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Continue to hire graphic designers that offer a lot of visually dynamic flair.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the marketing manager at Baby Trend, a manufacturer of baby gear. I manage the company's marketing activities, especially when it involves supporting the launch of new products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SPINX Digital?

We were about to launch a new product and we were looking for a vendor to build a microsite to help educate consumers about it since it was more unique than some of our other products. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our team provided SPINX with an overview of the product and the microsite's requirements, and they developed some conceptual layouts from there for us to review and approve. They then developed the site for us, ensuring that its branding matched and linked to our main site.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Sukesh (Owner, SPINX Digital) and Lisa (Director of Projects & Strategy, SPINX Digital), who were both very responsive and professional throughout the engagement.

How did you come to work with SPINX Digital?

I originally found them through an online search for website agencies in the Southern California area when I worked at a different company. Based on my previous experience with them, I decided to work with them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $8,000 on this project, however, I've used them for much larger and complex projects (over $100,000) at my previous job.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working on the project around June 2017 and finished the site by September.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can't provide any measurable results, because the company we launched the product with has since gone bankrupt. However, our entire team was extremely happy with the overall look and functionality of the site and the creators of the product were so pleased with it, they were practically in tears. SPINX's team created a beautifully designed and informative microsite that exceeded our expectations.

How did SPINX Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very organized and stayed in constant communication with us, despite the the size and many moving parts of the project. We held calls each week to make sure we were all on the same page and shared any necessary materials through Google Docs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

SPINX is both technically and creatively talented—it can be hard to find both qualities in a website agency. They're a one-stop shop in that way.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to keep all lines of communication open, and everything should go smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the internal graphic and web designer for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SPINX Digital?

We hired them to build a custom web app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

To determine who the best web developer was in our busy L.A. market, we looked at who ranked in the top place organically in search engines. I figured that a company that ranked first place must know what they’re doing, and they did.

Describe the project in detail.

We hired them initially to build a custom service application—an online tool that our service writers used to update and keep track of customer vehicle repairs. They can update the system and it automatically notifies customers of changes and such. This project led to more undertakings such as web hosting, app development, and other web related projects.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of myself, a couple of managers from our side, and their owner as the primary contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

The system that we successfully developed with SPINX was so useful that when our primary vehicle vendor saw it, they had their own team rebuild a bigger system and rolled it out to all their other dealers.

How effective was the project management?

This aspect was very effective. They reached every deadline and their expertise helped identify problems before they occurred.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their patience in dealing with us was great, even when we wanted to tweak options that we didn’t identify until after development. They were professional and ended up building a great platform.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

They should have multiple points of contact for each customer. My avenues for getting issues resolved whenever I couldn’t reach my contact weren’t as efficient.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Since 1982, JRMA has consistently provided architectural and engineering design services. We design facilities that satisfy our four values: efficiency, economy, environmental sensitivity, and endurance. Throughout our history, JRMA has been known for its excellent staff and outstanding service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SPINX Digital?

Our website was running on a 2003 framework, so the UI/UX was starting to fall short and no longer represented what we do. We decided to redesign our website to allow our clients a fast and clear access to our company’s portfolio.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a clean, clear, and concise website that demonstrates our company motto. Our vision was to show the diverse portfolio that defines us as a team of architects and engineers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had a list of vendors that were referred to us by friends and colleagues. After looking at all the numbers, portfolios, teams, and overall appeal, we shortlisted two companies and interviewed them both. SPINX’s hospitality and technical knowledge ultimately influenced our choice.

Describe the project in detail.

Their strategic process was broken down into six phases: discovery, strategic architecture, creative design, programming, accuracy evaluation, and launch. They conducted interviews with our key decision makers to further define the goals and features of the website. They also defined user personas in order to understand our target audiences. Based on the results of the discovery phase, they developed a UX strategy and devised solutions to achieve our business goals.

Once the home page was approved and the overarching look of the site locked in, they started designing the remaining pages. SPINX marked up the approved designs to HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. Their team also tested all the code in the latest versions of designated browsers. SPINX reviewed all facets of the site prior to pushing it live, including all of the functionality and content. This was critical and allowed us to make sure all expectations were met. They then confirmed one last time that all of the content was viewable, accurate, and functional as it was on the development server. The final phase of the creative process was to launch the website publicly.

What was the team composition?

The team was composed of five team members: a project manager, one UX strategy staff, the lead designer, the lead developer, and an account executive. SPINX’s owner also oversaw the project the whole way through.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our experience with SPINX exceeded our expectations. The level of experience, thought, and care that went into our website was amazing. They took our portfolio and made it come to life. Today, we are able to carry our work everywhere we go because of mobile and tablet access to the site. It’s now easier for us to introduce what we do so we always come on top in meetings. Aside from allowing us to track traffic and obtain more social media followers, we feel our new site speaks to all age groups.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had the best project manager. Lisa was calm and always offered us solutions for every goal. A moment of patience saved us a hundred moments of regret. We utilized email, Basecamp, and Trello for workflow management.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Quality in a service is not what you put into it, but what the customer gets out of it. They’re not just the best; they’re legendary. We were amazed at their understanding of many different business models. Not only that, we found ourselves working with a team of friends. They have amazing people who are committed to excellence and perfection.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a co-owner of MissDirection Entertainment, LLC, which is a production company that specializes in teen, comedy, and horror films.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SPINX Digital?

SPINX redesigned our website. Our existing website had been designed and launched the year before; although it took several months to complete, the resulting site looked clunky, didn't adapt well, and was difficult to manage.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to create a new site that looked great, offered simpler navigation, adapted well to our needs, and was easy to manage. Our old website was finished and launched in seven months. But, despite the significant time, effort, and resources spent, the resulting site was unworkable, and we couldn’t resolve issues using the existing design. Given our lack of experience with web design, we did not realize how much easier the process could be until we met SPINX.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We researched SPINX thoroughly and discussed the project in detail after they reviewed our existing site and suggested possible solutions. Once we saw their impressive portfolio of past work with larger companies in our industry, we were confident they could meet our needs.

Describe the project in detail.

For this redesign, we provided graphics, bios, images, videos, and initial content. SPINX took our requirements and created an attractive layout with an expandable and adaptable design that allows us to add content quickly and easily. They improved the navigation of our website and made sure it adapted well to all types of platforms.

Our old site had many problems that made it unsuitable to our needs. We had a press release page that looked unattractive and limited the characters we could use when adding text, which made it impossible to add content without throwing off the entire layout. On other pages, some of the graphics we had designed were laid out well, but they rendered overly wide in spots, making the site look less sleek than it should. We also had no viable way to expand the site for new projects without needing to reprogram and create a new page each time at a considerable cost, which was an unnecessary limitation made the site unworkable for our needs.

We needed a site that allowed us to add new projects quickly and easily as they entered development. The site was never intended to promote just one production, but its limitations restricted us to that function essentially. The content management system (CMS) wasn’t user-friendly, so managing our content was unnecessarily difficult. The prior vendor encouraged us to seek additional training in using our CMS, but we didn’t have the time or personnel to do that since we manage the site ourselves.

What was the team composition?

I initially spoke with Sukesh [Owner, SPINX Digital]. He assigned a project manager who worked closely with us on daily or weekly reviews and approvals. Sukesh kept in touch with us throughout the process as well. Occasionally, we communicated with others on the team during our training calls with the project manager. Everyone at SPINX was accessible, responsive, and pleasant throughout the project. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new site better reflects the dynamic of our company. We’re mainly promoting our current projects via social media and haven’t measured analytics for traffic to the website. However, our experienced social media promotion and marketing vendors—who were excited about our decision to redesign the site—are extremely pleased with the new design; now, they’re enthusiastic about posting links to the site in their promotion efforts.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We kept in touch with our project manager as well as the rest of the team. We used Basecamp to communicate and conduct our review. The SPINX team was responsive and even completed the redesign ahead of schedule. When the pages were ready for review and testing, they conducted a training call to make sure we knew how to manage our site and promptly scheduled a follow-up call when we had additional questions about managing content on a specific page.

Everyone at SPINX was friendly and responsive, and they truly wanted to help our site function well. When we had suggestions on the design during the review phase, they responded quickly and solved every issue promptly. When we ran into a couple of tricky spots (e.g., our upcoming projects on the main page and inside page), they quickly found a solution with strong visual and textual information and intuitive navigation for visitors to use.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciate their knowledge and expertise, sleek and innovative designs, friendliness, professionalism, and responsiveness.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I don’t have any criticisms. We had a great experience with SPINX, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I lead marketing for a company that produces lighting.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SPINX Digital?

We hired them to provide maintenance for our website. It’s a WordPress WooCommerce website that is fairly easy to maintain ourselves, but I don't have any back- or frontend coding capability in-house.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them online and spoke with them about our initial website design. We worked with another vendor for that project, but I contact SPINX for ongoing maintenance.

Describe the project in detail.

Mainly, we needed help with troubleshooting problems and making updates if needed. We buy hours from them to help fix problems or for larger projects that require coding expertise.

What was the team composition?

I work with them via Basecamp so it's unclear exactly who’s on the team working on my projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

So far, I've been happy with their ability to respond to requests for help. They’ve done well on fairly simple projects.

How effective was the project management?

Using Basecamp works well for us.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They respond in a timely manner even for smaller projects.