Usman Group

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

The organic traffic growth we saw on the project I mentioned was big. We’ve also seen order conversion through paid ads. I’m very metrics-based, so that’s a big thing for me.

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a really nice job. Naveed has definitely strengthened his team’s project management capabilities over the years. They use Basecamp for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with other SEO companies, and I think Usman Group does the best work. They know their stuff and get results, and that’s what I’m interested in.

Their digital expertise is why we keep coming back to them. They stay up to date on trends and what’s changing. They also have a network so that they can pull in the right people to get the project done. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think they do a nice job.

Any advice for potential customers?

Like any project, you need to know the outcome you want. For instance, if you’re looking for SEO growth, you need to keep a pulse on that and make adjustments or shifts throughout the project.

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

I’m definitely satisfied with the work that Usman Group delivered. Naveed thinks strategically about marketing. He pushes his clients to open their minds to different ideas and think outside of the box.

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Basecamp to track the project, and they met every deadline. Their team made sure that I knew that I had obligations. That contributed to the project’s smoothness. We met just about all of our projections.

After running a larger company, Naveed distilled his subcontractor base to people he has complete trust in. I have a lot of confidence in Usman Group.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If you look at their website, it’s almost self-explanatory. They have a talent for putting together different elements into a creative website.

Usman Group’s client-oriented and understands a lot about different businesses. They have a rich background of experiences with different companies and organizations. That’s unique. It also gives them an edge in knowing what their client wants and how to achieve it. Experience pays off. Naveed’s able to put together teams to build sites that people want to click.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything for them to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure there’s clarity between your expectations and Usman Group’s expectations. It’s important for everyone to be on the same page. Be clear about who’s responsible for which aspects of the website such as content and images.

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

The biggest advantage they brought was that, being a technical company, they understood what was possible, but then they spoke in a language that was understandable to a non-technical person. 

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well with project management; if anything, they had to nudge us along, because I was pretty busy at the time with my primary role. They did a good job of tactfully nudging me to meet our milestones, which is an art form. They didn’t come across as pushy, but at the same time, they moved things along. I was glad to have internal deadlines, regularly scheduled meetings, and reminders. As far as managing a client, that was really helpful. Then, as far as managing down, it was pretty seamless. They worked with another company for programming services. I was involved in a couple of technical sessions with them when they had specific questions, but I mostly didn’t have to interface with them. Usman was able to speak the same language and manage them, so I didn’t need to be involved in the nitty-gritty.

They used Basecamp to manage the project. They also used another tool — UserTesting.com — to display the interactive prototype that they created. Even though it was just a mockup, it looked really sharp. At the time, I actually thought it was the final product, but they said they were going to enhance it further.

I liked the way that they were able to communicate and interpret our requirements. I gave them a full spec with all of the things that I wanted to do, but they did the layouts themselves. They were able to extract from us what we needed and put it into a nice-looking format. From there, I’d mark things up and they’d quickly make the changes. It was a good, collaborative flow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication style set them apart. They were able to work in a technical realm but speak to us in a familiar and comfortable way. I’m sure there was a lot in the background that needed to be dealt with as well as certain limitations, but they didn’t throw a bunch of jargon at us. We could always understand them, and when there were limitations, they were upfront about them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they could provide those programming services in-house that they brought the other company on for, that might be an enhancement. I didn’t have any problem with it, per se, but it might’ve been more streamlined from their perspective to have the services in-house. However, since we’ve worked with them, they’ve expanded their services, so they might've already brought them in-house.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared, because they’re able to move quickly. It’s easy for you as the client to actually be the bottleneck in the process. They were not only prepared for deadlines but often chomping at the bit to get necessary internal decisions.

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

We valued Usman Group’s innovation. They found functionalities that helped aggregate the brands, making it easy to find their location and scope of services. Through their nice and elegant development work, we still use the building blocks they gave us. The website still looks fresh.

The team at Usman Group presented themselves with a high level of integrity. They strive to solve problems while remaining transparent. Their team also suggested multiple ways and solutions. I liked what they brought to the table, keeping all of their ideas fresh and different. They were a great partner.

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, their team was incredibly structured. The project manager was knowledgeable and on top of things. Basecamp is used to track everything, and it is a nice system. Their team held themselves accountable for delivery and held us responsible as well. As a result, the project was delivered on time and in the budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated that Usman Group provided continued services. They also did a great job of working with the IT teams and providing support when needed. We were also able to manage tasks internally ourselves, which they positioned us to do with the content management tools they had in place.

The team was flexible but disciplined. They hold themselves to a high standard. There were no surprises, but if anything had to change, there were conversations to explore. Usman Group finished everything in a timely manner while remaining flexible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve. Usman Group should continue hiring great people. Because of their culture and team, they’re a nice group to work with. As long as they keep having that same talent base, they’re always going to be a successful group.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t look at Usman Group as a web developer; look at them as a digital strategy partner. It’s better to talk about any problem or solution so that they can use their experience and innovation to find the right answer.

Don’t just go to Usman Group and tell them that you want a website that will increase leads. Clients have to be prepared to talk about what the issues are. Once that’s done, Usman Group can navigate and figure out the right solution and user experience.