Sync Digital Solutions

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the ERP manager of united Sports of Lebanon, the exclusive distributors and retail operators of Nike, Converse, Veja, Arkk, Pony & Levi's in Lebanon and Jordan.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sync Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

Our company didn't have an e-commerce website and since we didn't have in-house developers, we worked with Sync team to design and develop in new e-commerce site for our company to sell our brands online.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We shortlisted 3 vendors for this project. After doing several analysis on different factors, we chose Sync based on their experience in the Lebanon market with different companies and of course their cost estimate. In addition, we felt a very positive approach from the meetings done with Sync management Team.

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

We had a meeting to discuss all the projects aspects and goals in details. after that, Sync Team delivered an analysis document with the design to be approved by the management. then they started with the development of the sites and APIs with our ERP system.

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

The managing director was our main contact throughout the project. there were also the technical director for all technical aspects and the designer for everything related to the design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When Launching our website, we saw a very high traffic (2,800 visitor at the same time / 16000 page view within one day / ...). Customers were surprised with the new e-commerce site , filters easy to navigate.

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

We used Github to coordinate and follow up, we had a weekly meeting with the managing director and technical director. they raised any issue faced that might delay the project, they were very honest in their communication with us.

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

They were very responsive to our needs. They have the initiative to suggest the best solutions to any issue faced. All additional requests were done smoothly from their side without any added cost.

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the digital marketing manager at Transmed, a distribution company based in Lebanon and in nine other countries, including the UAE, Jordan, and Turkey. We mainly distribute food and non-food products to supermarkets, hypermarkets, and other channels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sync Digital Solutions?

We distribute other brands, but we also create our own brands in our department as part of our business development and marketing efforts. We have a few of them so far, and we contacted Sync Digital to help us develop websites for those brands. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve been working on our two main brands, and Sync has helped us design and develop the websites for them. The process for both of these websites was the same. Initially, we had a briefing with Sync about the brand and the UI structure that we were looking for. After that, they took a few weeks to prepare a presentation to show us all the details of each website. Once we confirmed what we wanted, they developed the websites. Then, we went together through bugs and tried each website.

In terms of explaining our vision to them, they initially proposed a template for the structure of the website, and then we agreed. For instance, we started with a slider where users could click a link. They would then be redirected to a different webpage. To sum it up, Sync would share the basic template of the product, and we’d add to it or make changes based on each brand’s requirements. 

At present, they’re maintaining and hosting both websites, as well as providing SEO services. Every time I have a new project, such as adding different stores, they provide me with a plan, timeline of execution, and quotation. Then, they do the required work on the website. 

What is the team composition?

We have two main contacts from Sync, namely Samer (Co-Founder) and Jean (Technical Director). 

How did you come to work with Sync Digital Solutions?

Sync was a recommendation from a colleague. I reached out to them, and they showed me some of the work and projects they did before with other Lebanese brands. Ultimately, I thought it was a good idea to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $20,000 on both websites. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in March 2019, and it’s ongoing. We have other projects on both websites. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our first success metric is going live. After that, we look at the results of our SEO performance. Since the websites are new, the ranking results take time to appear. However, I’m very satisfied with the work that Sync has been doing and the services they’re providing. 

One of the websites isn’t live yet because we’re transforming it into an e-commerce website. It’s also not a usual e-commerce website; it’s very complicated, so going live will mean success for us. We don’t have direct-to-consumer (D2C) services yet, and we redirect people to our Amazon account in the UAE. As such, we’ll also gauge this website’s success based on SEO results and how we rank. 

Anecdotally, I’m super happy because Sync is very flexible. They’re here anytime I need them. When it comes to management, they listen and give recommendations based on what we have with them. On top of that, their pricing is very good, given that we’re facing a hard economic crisis. Overall, they’re very helpful in all the different aspects of their services. 

How did Sync Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re on point, and they perform very well. We communicate via emails, Teams, and WhatsApp calls. We have WhatsApp groups for each brand. Every time I need something, I catch up and discuss it directly with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility is impressive. We always have a lot of comments to give, and they take everything in a good way. Moreover, they go with whatever we want even if they’re recommending something else. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. They’re doing fine at the moment and growing. They’re getting bigger and working on improving their services. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go with the flow.