Usman Group

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing of CLOOS North America

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

CLOOS is a leading supplier of welding automation systems, offering customizable robotic and automation solutions to meet the needs of the industry, including shorter cycle times, fewer skilled workers, and higher demands in flexibility and quality.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Usman Group to accomplish?

• Build interim website for North American market

SOLUTION

How did you find Usman Group?

Existing Vendor

Why did you select Usman Group over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Previous projects

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

The purpose of this project was to design and develop a new WordPress website for CLOOS North America. The goal was to create a modern, user-friendly, and visually appealing website that effectively communicates the company's offerings, enhances user engagement, and supports lead generation.

Scope of work:

1. Consultation and discovery
2. Website design
3. WordPress development
4. Testing and QA
5. Launch and post-launch support

Key deliverables:

1. Project timeline and plan
2. Design assets
3. WordPress website
4. Training
5. Post-launch support

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Enhanced user engagement
• Improved lead generation
• Positive user feedback
• Increased website traffic

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

One of the standout aspects of working with Usman Group was their project management capabilities. They maintained clear and consistent communication, keeping us informed of progress and milestones every step of the way. Their organized and methodical approach ensured that the project stayed on track, and any potential issues were swiftly addressed.

What was your primary form of communication with Usman Group?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

From the initial consultation to the launch of new website, Usman Group exhibited a deep understanding of our needs and objectives. Naveed and his team took the time to listen to our vision and provided valuable insights and recommendations that helped shape the final design. Their expertise in WordPress development was evident throughout the project, as they effortlessly integrated our requirements into a user-friendly and visually appealing website.

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

None that we can think of. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing & Communications Manager of CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The mission of CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties is to provide volunteer advocacy and support for at-risk children and youth, empowering families to thrive.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Usman Group to accomplish?

• Increase awareness of CASA to help recruit volunteers.
• Increase awareness of CASA to help engage with donor prospects.

SOLUTION

How did you find Usman Group?

RFP for website redesign

Why did you select Usman Group over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from Usman Group were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

They helped us apply for Google Ad Grants for nonprofits. Once approved, they helped us to identify outcomes, opportunities, solutions, and experiments for our campaigns. Together, we implemented various campaigns for volunteer recruitment, donor engagement, and event promotion. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For all of the campaigns we have run, we have seen 8.12k impressions with 448 clicks. 

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

When prompted, Naveed was very responsive and always available to meet. We always built campaigns in real time and he always followed through to make sure the campaigns got approved.

What was your primary form of communication with Usman Group?

Virtual Meeting

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

Naveed and his team are knowledgeable, professional, and very efficient communicators. We work very well alongside Usman Group and are truly a joy to work with! 

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

When it comes to Google ad management, I would have loved to have us meet monthly to discuss how campaigns were doing and what/if any recommendations they had to increase the effectiveness of our campaigns. I appreciated how responsive they were when we had questions, but would have loved to see them initial some of those conversations. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of IT of Orbit Publishing, LLC, a real estate investment company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Usman Group?

Our company has a SaaS platform, and we needed someone to work on a new UI/UX design for it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Usman Group provided us with UI/UX design services for our existing SaaS platform using Figma. The team split the project into four phases, which included interviewing users to compile their feedback, creating a wireframe design, and then implementing our input on that wireframe into the final product’s initial designs. After that, Usman Group’s team interviewed several of our stakeholders and created the final deliverable.

Regarding our requests for Usman Group, we wanted to ensure our existing customer base could understand and navigate the new interface, which is why they interviewed our existing and brand-new customers to see what was confusing about our previous interface. This was a big requirement because we wanted to ensure the platform’s compatibility with our two types of customers while fitting in with the software’s existing functionalities.

Moreover, Usman Group collaborated with our marketing designers because we were also doing a rebrand, so Usman Group’s team needed to coordinate with them.

What was the team composition? 

We were initially working with four members of Usman Group’s team, including Naveed (Principal & CEO), who led the project and conducted the interviews, Chris (UX Director and Designer), and a copywriter. Still, we ended up working the most with only Naveed and Chris.

How did you come to work with Usman Group?

Our COO referred Usman Group to us because they had already worked on a similar project for software UI/UX design in another company.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $45,000 with them for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–March 2024. Still, we planned on working with them on other projects in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of results, our stakeholders were very impressed with Usman Group's work and approved it very quickly. Overall, Usman Group produced a quality design and was very detailed in giving us all the files that we needed and requested.

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Usman Group finished the project a week and a half behind what we originally estimated, which wasn't too bad, but they delivered it on budget. Regarding communication, we mainly used Zoom meetings, but they also used Basecamp to manage the project and send messages, which came through to us by email.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review? 

Chris' designs had very few modification requests throughout the project's different phases before its implementation in a few months — he hit it out of the park. Moreover, Naveed understood the project very fast, as he asked great questions during the interviews and quickly understood what our clients and we wanted to do.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What impressed me the most was Usman Group's ability to source the right feedback from our users. One of the main reasons we hired an external company is that we were having a hard time surveying our users and getting actionable feedback. Nonetheless, Usman Group's team did that part well, translating into a design that worked for all our users.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Usman Group's team was slightly behind on the project's timeline, which had to do with some of the interviews that they didn't schedule and had to go back to schedule them. Moreover, the team was on the pricier side. Still, none of these situations worried me too much because they produced a quality design, and everything else went smoothly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Usman Group met all of our expectations, which impressed me, so I recommend working with Usman Group to anyone looking for software design, which is their specialization. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a former graphic designer for Circa. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?

We hired Usman Group because we were looking to reframe our company around our DEI strategy. We wanted to do a bit of market research to figure out what our users were seeing and what their impressions of our website were. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We met with Usman Group several times and went over our biggest concerns. We had just completed a rebranding project and saw a decline in our downloads and website traffic. After going back and forth with Usman Group, we determined we wanted to proceed with a two-part interview process. 

This process included Usman Group speaking to our potential and current customers to determine their needs and what they had purchased from our company. The second part of the process was having users go through our website and see if they could navigate it to get the answers they were looking for. The team was also responsible for UX/UI design and helped us redesign the website. Key technologies included Crazy Egg, Google Analytics, and Figma. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with Naveed (CEO & Principal) and one other individual. 

How did you come to work with Usman Group?

We found them through a referral. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little less than $50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between January–March 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any hard metrics, but we saw an uptick in users and downloads. Usman Group’s quality of work exceeded our expectations. 

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was delivered on time and within budget. Usman Group provided strong communication, and we used Basecamp and Trello for project management. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

We’d like to shout out Naveed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team was very talented, and they had a really good understanding of how to address the market and figure out what our audience needed. Our overall experience was very positive. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We didn’t love using Basecamp; however, that is not a reflection of Usman Group. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a realistic timeline and budget. Lay out everything that you’re looking for, even things that you may not think you need immediately, because it’s good to get ahead of those needs. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Quest Food Management Services.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Onsite food service management at educational institutions and corporate dining facilities

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Usman Group to accomplish?

• Clarify Quest's key attributes that clients & customer value
• Expand Quest's new client base
• Generate more sales w/ Quest's current customers

SOLUTION

How did you find Usman Group?

Referral

Why did you select Usman Group over others?

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

How many teammates from Usman Group were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Project Description: The project for Quest Food Management Services (FMS) involved a strategic effort concentrated on two main objectives: enhancing sales within existing accounts and expanding the customer base in the Midwest. Initial actions focused on diagnosing Quest FMS's unique attributes through a group session, which served as the foundation for developing tailored messaging. 

For current accounts, the strategy included brainstorming sessions aimed at educating customers about the quality and freshness of the products to encourage increased consumption. The expansion efforts were directed at identifying potential regions and partners in the Midwest, creating memorable first impressions, and establishing a follow-up process to cultivate new relationships. 

The scope encompassed diagnostics, planning, and execution phases, highlighting a thorough understanding of Quest FMS's value proposition and strategic engagement in the market. 

Deliverables: Conducted a series of intake sessions with key team members to identify the company's actual attributes (as opposed to aspirational ones) using a strategic framework. This step is crucial for developing compelling messaging that highlights Quest FMS's unique selling points. Detailed planning phases for each initiative, focusing on idea generation, strategy formulation, and operational planning to effectively address the challenges unique to each goal.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Demonstrable increase in new client leads, leading to new business/sales

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

The Usman Group was 100% on time and budget. They were proactive, communicative, creative, flexible, and responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Usman Group?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

• Creativity
• responsiveness
• flexibility
• incredibly easy to work with

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Marketing Manager of a non-profit company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our organization, founded in 1941, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating Ways to Age Well.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Usman Group to accomplish?

• To create a luxury website for the opening of our new senior residence.

SOLUTION

How did you find Usman Group?

Referral

Why did you select Usman Group over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Superior proposal to competition

How many teammates from Usman Group were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The current website, launched in 2018, needed a significant overhaul to match the luxury expectations of our affluent target audience, who are world travelers and individuals with substantial net worth. At the very core of the approach lies a captivating concept – drawing inspiration from travel and destination websites to transport potential customers into the enchanting world of our organization. The project scope included: 

• Content Audit
• Sitemap Development
• Developed 5 new webpages
• Content Editing
• Created 12 Wireframes
• Website Design
• Website Development
• Content Insertion & Styling
• Cross Browser Testing
• Website Analytics Setup
• Website Training
• Website Maintenance Support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While the project is still ongoing due to our own preferences, Usman Group has demonstrated the ability to develop a thoughtful, high-end website while at the same time balancing the needs of our organization. Come April, Usman Group will have delivered a website that has elevated our design and performance. Since Aug. 2023, they have demonstrated tremendous knowledge, patience, understanding, guidance, and effort into the development of our website.

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

Usman Group has consistently met all deadlines and responded to all needs. It is important to note that they have been diligent in their work while also emphasizing patience and understanding. We've always had open channels to communicate concerns, intentions, and wishes. We understand that we demand more than the average customer, and Usman Group has stepped up to the challenge of delivering a website that meets those demands.

What was your primary form of communication with Usman Group?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Usman Group has demonstrated impressive knowledge and expertise with regards to delivering a high-end luxury website. They were ready, willing, and able to step up to the challenge of elevating the design and performance of our website. They were also consistently communicating on next steps and how to overcome existing hurdles.

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

First off, our website project was a bit different from the norm. We openly acknowledge that we are very particular about the needs and design of our website so that it fits our brand. Any website vendor would likely have faced the same challenges that Usman Group has faced when developing our website. They have been understanding, patient, and gracious as we've navigated those challenges together. 

That said, I believe one thing that might have helped in the entire process was, shortly after contracts were signed and the project was initiated, having one or two overview meetings about the entire project so that we were all on the same page. It felt like we dove into the sitemap almost immediately, and it may have helped to start slower with a meeting that gathered everyone's thoughts, allowed for questions, and gave us an understanding of the road ahead.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a program manager for web marketing and custom analytics at an international nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?

We needed support with our website's redesign and conducting user research for some sections of the site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Usman Group managed all our project's phases, from the discovery phase to the final reporting. We had discovery sessions to define the goals and objectives. After that, Usman Group recruited participants to conduct usability testing interviews to deliver UX research. The team created a presentation and delivered the site's UI/UX design based on their findings, which included wireframes and recommendations for sections of the website. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with two teammates from Usman Group, including Naveed (Principal & CEO) and Sam. 

How did you come to work with Usman Group?

We found Usman Group through a Google search.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $18,000–$20,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Usman Group from November 2023–January 2024. Our engagement has just concluded.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Usman Group delivered great quality work that exceeded our expectations. I had a great experience working with Usman Group's team. 

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Usman Group stayed on top of the project using Basecamp as a project management tool, which made it easier for us to track tasks — the whole process was pretty good. We communicated via Zoom meetings, email, and phone calls. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything for Usman Group to improve on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr Director, Marketing of a research company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company  is a data and tech company reinventing the market research industry with first-party, consumer-sourced data.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Usman Group to accomplish?

• Better user experience
• Increased flexibility & customization
• Less reliance on vendors

SOLUTION

How did you find Usman Group?

Online Search

Why did you select Usman Group over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• CRO / Strategy & Owned Design

How many teammates from Usman Group were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Our website redesign consisted of several phases spanning 6 months: 

• research and user interviews
• wire framing and design
• development
• content migration
• go-live

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of progress, our website is definitely more interactive and modern now that we use Elementor. Still working through a few kinks to get the site where we want it to be with speed and search, however the fact the site is live -- and with a beautiful new design -- is certainly a sign of success!

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

Over the course of 6 months, the majority of our interactions were good. Early phases went smoothly: user interviews were recapped nicely with personas created, and wire frames started to turn into beautiful designs. One stand out in particular was the corporate photography the designer spent extra time on, he really captured our brand look. 

Development also went well, as developers started to take the designs, create the code and Elementor widgets that became the website. We hit a bit of a snag during the content migration, which set us back a month due to attempting a content import from drupal to word press (not as easy as anyone hoped), getting forms working properly, project ownership changes (our end), and competing client work (developers). Once past this, we got back on track for a successful go live.

What was your primary form of communication with Usman Group?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their early research and user interview phase proved invaluable to us -- not only did we use it to evaluate the UX and journey, but it helped us inform the final site architecture and understand user flow.

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

Knowing that switching hosting providers was on our horizon, Usman encouraged us to make the switch to WP Engine before launching the site. We declined for a variety of reasons, and in hindsight, we should have ripped the bandaid off rather than postponing. 

I think if we had been given a bit of insight into what that switch would entail and how it would work (basically what we'd need to do and cost to do it), we would have pulled the trigger -- ultimately saving both parties a few headaches.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at MindAptiv, a technology development company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?

We hired Usman Group because we needed brand and web presence development services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our company had a lot of old materials on our website, so I came in and helped update what we were doing and how we were presenting ourselves online. While we were discussing these, we decided to have a new logo and change our branding a bit. That was where Usman Group worked. They redeveloped our website from scratch using WordPress.

For features and functionality, we wanted the website to be more contemporary and interactive. Users visiting the website should be able to interact with the information there. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with three teammates from Usman Group, namely Naveed (Principal & CEO), Chris (UX Director & Designer), and Adam (Senior Web Developer). 

How did you come to work with Usman Group?

I found Usman Group on Clutch. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $30,000–$35,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from February–June 2023. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our technology was hard to understand, and trying to do so was extremely difficult, especially for teams in a creative environment. However, Usman Group was great at coming up with concepts that met our expectations right out of the gate. 

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Usman Group was timely when it came to delivering tasks and meeting our budget. Our team was slow since I was new in the company, and there was a lot to understand. Fortunately, Naveed was brilliant. I called him our website coach and therapist because he was great at fleshing out our ideas. This helped us find valuable ways of doing things. He helped me figure out how I could work around the technical stuff. To communicate, we used Basecamp and email.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity was valuable to us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had a little tussle on the landing page design. Creative assets weren’t as important as messaging for us, but the creative team wanted to prioritize the assets before messaging. This was something I noticed in all other advertising and marketing teams. Nonetheless, Usman Group nailed it in the end, and the result was great. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Usman Group is great at delivering tasks, and it’s much better if you’re prepared to deliver what you need to deliver to them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the development director of CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties, a nonprofit organization that provides volunteer advocacy for children in the child welfare system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Usman Group?

We needed help building a new website for our organization and creating graphic design and marketing materials.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

CASA of Adams & Broomfield Counties helped us create a mobile-friendly WordPress website, enhanced the UI/UX of the platform, and carried the site's design needs. They focused on making a website that allowed users to contact us, get informed about our organization, learn how to volunteer and donate, and get to know more about our team members in a fun and interactive way.

Regarding the process, they started by interviewing our stakeholders, donors, volunteers, board members, and other supporters. After that, they asked us to send examples of what we wanted for the site, and then we sat down to make a map of how we wanted the platform to look, including buttons in the toolbar and the type of pages. In addition, they did a deep dive into SEO and keyword research to incorporate them into our site.

From there, we started the design phase, where they led a patient process in helping us get the exact look of what we were looking for. We went through different iterations until we landed on a beautiful design. From there, our internal team started developing content and working with a copywriter that Usman Group referred to us.

After that, we started working on interesting all the content to the platform and creating the backend to launch the website, which they also helped us host and maintain.

What was the team composition? 

We mainly worked with four members of Usman Group’s team, including Naveed (CEO), who walked us through the entire process. In addition, we had contact with Adam (Developer) and Chris (Designer).

How did you come to work with Usman Group?

We put out an RFP, and among all the respondents, Usman Group stood out to us for their approach to interviewing stakeholders to see what types of volunteers and donors we were looking for in a website. They also seemed experienced and able to provide guidance on how to get a high-quality platform.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $62,000 with them on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2022–April 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to Usman Group’s work, we now have a consistent brand for our program. Moreover, we received a lot of positive feedback on the site’s mobile-friendliness, the UX, and the content — they were incredibly professional.

How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Usman Group was great at delivering on time and staying within budget. In addition, they were comedic and responsive to our emails. We had a communicative process to share our feedback and questions throughout the project. Regarding tools, we used Zoom for weekly meetings, Basecamp, email, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Usman Group’s communication was outstanding because they kept us updated on the project’s progress. Additionally, their expertise was unique; if we requested something from them that wasn’t a good decision, Usman Group’s team wasn’t afraid to let us know, which was what we wanted.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t think there was anything they could improve on — working with them was a great experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Usman Group is a great team if you’re looking for something unique because they take a lot of pride in their design and the effort they put into it. Be prepared and willing to let the reins when appropriate because they know what they’re doing.