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Toronto Web & Mobile Development Experts

4.8
6 reviews
Bronze
VERIFIED

VerticalWave is a Toronto based expert team of web & mobile developers. We offer top-tier web & mobile apps development services for a wide range of industries.

We use the latest available digital development tools and methodologies assuring that all of our projects are finished on time and on budget.

 

 
$10,000+
 
$50 - $99 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2008
Show all +
Toronto, Canada
headquarters
  • 229 Niagara Street
    Toronto M6J 2L5
    Canada
    4168202334

Focus

Service lines
  • E-Commerce Development
  • Web Development
  • Mobile App Development
SHOW ALL +
Client focus
  • Small business (<$10M)
  • Midmarket ($10M - $1B)
Industry focus
  • Non-profit
  • Advertising & marketing
  • Arts, entertainment & music
SEO
Mobile platforms
Mobile focus
Frameworks and CMS
Programming & scripting
Ecommerce systems
Application platform
User Experience

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Canadian Mortgage And Housing Corporation

Ontario Lottery And Gaming

York University

C.D. Howe

Corus Entertainment

Oxfam Canada

E-Mentoring Halton Online Collaboration Platform

The VerticalWave Solutions team is proud to announce the launch of E-Mentoring Halton, a new generation type of collaboration platform, dedicated to provide online mentoring partnerships for residents of Halton Region. It is a complex program, designed to bridge the gap between established professionals and professionals immigrating to the Region of Halton in occupational-specific mentoring relationships. Moreover, the platform

…
is engineered to facilitate communication between program participants, across the world at any time zone.
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Kids Can Press

Kids Can Press is the largest Canadian-owned children’s publisher in the world and delivers high-quality print books that parents, teachers, librarians and children around the world highly appreciate. It is owned by Corus Entertainment.

Based on requirements, the Vertical Wave Solutions team designed and developed an intuitive and engaging new Kids Can Press website, using the powerful features of the Drupal CMS. The

…
new website suits the needs of teachers, parents and publishers, as well as children of various ages. It is a fast and powerful platform, which allows visitors browse and discover thousands of publications. In the back-end sits a powerful content management system, with lots of features.

“I had the pleasure of working with Vertical Wave Solutions on a major site overhaul and would definitely recommend them. They were fabulous at coming up with timelines and sticking to them, which is particularly impressive considering all the unforeseen things that can go wrong with a redesign. If something we requested was not workable – they always came to me with solutions that fixed the situation with little or no impact to the timeline and budget. Overall I found them to be outstanding and wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.”

Amelie Roberge, Digital Business Development Manager, CORUS Entertainment

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The eXchange by YouthREX

The knowledge eXchange research and evaluation platform is an extension of YouthREX, an initiative born at York University, which aims to make research evidence and evaluation practices accessible and relevant to Ontario’s youth. With the help of the VerticalWave Solutions, the YouthREX team has created ‘the eXchange’ platform, a clearinghouse site that aggregates and highlights research and evaluation resource and tools in…
support of all youth sector stakeholders. At the core of the platform sits the powerful Drupal CMS, which has been specifically tailored by our experts exactly to the client’s needs. The site not only puts the information right at the fingertips of stakeholders and visitors, but it’s also rich in custom features that turn it into an interactive hub.
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Children’s Education Funds

CEFI – Children Education Funds Inc. is committed to safeguard the future education of children through special savings plans, created under the Income Tax Act. The organization offers parents the choice to invest in a structured savings plan to build a college fund for the future. Therefore the need of a well put together website and system, which grants access to important information in a transparent and intuitive way. The…
VerticalWave Solutions team built a new, solid, responsive platform for CEFI, created around the powerful Drupal CMS engine. The website provides easy access to forms, plan calculator, insurance options, government grants and other vital information, vital for parents that want to invest in their children’s future.
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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation - National Housing Research Committee

Addressing the needs of Canada’s housing research community, Housing Research Central provides information on who is involved, where research is being conducted, and where outputs can be found. The NHRC website is a platform that brings together representatives from all levels of government, social housing organizations and the housing industry as well as academics and consumers in order to help them pursue housing-related…
objectives. The website is built using the Drupal CMS and Vertical Wave Solutions provides ongoing support and development to improve its performance and scalability.
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Treehouse TV

Treehouse Tv is the number one TV channel for kids and parents in Canada. The Treehouse TV website needed a complete refresh and redevelopment with multiple new features and a better user experience. One property, two website in one, Kids and Parents with a totally different visual and interactive experience based on the audience. VerticalWave was up to the challenge and was able to successfully deliver a complete migration and…
implementation of the new sites based on Drupal 7 CMS.
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Wine Country Ontario Website

Wine Country Ontario invites consumers to experience and learn why 100% locally grown Vintner’s Quality Alliance (VQA) wines taste better. Wine Country Ontario is dedicated to promoting Ontario’s wine-growing regions – Niagara Peninsula, Prince Edward County and Lake Erie North Shore. VerticalWave helped WCO with their website’s performance by first reviewing the CMS installation and following up with a complete re-optimization…
and tweaking of the system which greatly improved the performance and user experience. At the same time new features were added such as the new Event Calendar, Recognition Program, Interactive Promotions and several others. Since 2015, VerticalWave has been providing maintenance, support, optimization and enhancements for the WCO website, increasing traffic and user experience for all visitors.
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Canadian Observatory on Homelessness/Homeless Hub

First in launched in 2007, the Homeless Hub is an online research library and information resource representing an innovative step forward in the use of the new technology and media to enhance knowledge mobilization and networking. The Homeless Hub has emerged as a place where community services providers, researchers, government representatives, and the general public can access and share research, stories, and best

…
practices.

In 2014, the team behind Homeless Hub, decided to re-design and re-launch the website and implement major improvements to enhance the visitor experience and the quality of the content offered. VerticalWave Solutions participated together with the Homeless Hub team to create a plan for re-development and migration of the website. The VerticalWave team, led the development and implementation efforts during the project which was successfully launched in February of 2014. 3 years later, Oct. 2017, VerticalWave is re-developing and re-launching the new Homeless Hub together with the International Hub.
 
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C.D. Howe Institute Web & Mobile Apps

The C.D. Howe Institute is a valuable source of essential policy intelligence for Canadians, distinguished by research that is nonpartisan, evidence-based and subject to definitive expert review. The Institute is a not-for-profit research organization, with the mission to raise living standards by fostering economically sound public policies.

With the help of Vertical Wave Solutions, the C.D. Howe Institute’s website

…
was migrated onto the powerful Drupal CMS platform and has undergone a total re-design. The new website is visually appealing, faster and easier to browse. Many custom features were implemented to transform the site into a powerful, easy accessible knowledge platform. VerticalWave also developed CD Howe's mobile app for Android and iOS platforms powered by the website API.

“The team at Vertical Wave was very flexible throughout our website redesign, making themselves available whenever we asked and always coming to the table with creative ideas to accomplish our goals. Overall, it was an excellent partnership and we are glad to continue our work with them!” 
Communications Team, C.D. Howe Institute

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Reviews

4.8
6 reviews
Sort by

Web Dev and Integration for Youth Research Organization

“The open communication enables VerticalWave Solutions to understand our needs.”

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4.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Mar. 2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

VerticalWave Solutions developed a Drupal website featuring a digital library. Now, they’re integrating this site with another one and migrating both to WordPress. They’re developing sections of the site.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Ontario, Canada
Lead Designer & Digital Content Manager, Youth Research Organization
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The library website was a first-of-its-kind industry resource that fostered a simple and efficient user experience. Internal stakeholders are optimistic about the integrated site’s new functionalities. Communicative and accessible, the team fosters an effortless collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the lead designer and digital content manager for a youth research organization. We provide research and evaluation services to youth organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VerticalWave Solutions?

Initially, we wanted to build an online library. Then, we engaged VerticalWave Solutions to integrate our sites.   

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, VerticalWave Solutions helped us conceptualize and develop our online library, which is a website of over 1,000 resources. They built the site on Drupal.

Now, we’re integrating this site with our main site using WordPress. VerticalWave Solutions is helping us migrate resources. They’re also developing different sections of the site, such as a community board where users can access events and resources. My team manages the site’s design.

What is the team composition?

We work with Lawrence (Senior Digital Project Manager, VerticalWave Solutions) and two developers.

How did you come to work with VerticalWave Solutions?

My organization is based at a university, and VerticalWave Solutions was on an approved list of vendors. Also, other university researchers pursuing similar projects had worked with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We paid $40,000 for the online library project, and the migration costs this amount as well. My company pays $300–$400 monthly for maintenance and support.

What is the status of this engagement?

The library site development project started in March 2015 and launched in the summer of 2016, and they’ve since provided maintenance and support. Our migration and integration project began in March 2018, and this work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The library site was the first-of-its-kind in our sector. VerticalWave Solutions helped us improve usability; they made navigation quick and easy for users while maintaining our visual designs.

Our integrated site hasn’t launched yet, but we’ve added quite a few new functionalities that will help us meet our goals.

How did VerticalWave Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

For the integration and migration work that we’re currently pursuing, we’re using Asana to track project timelines and Unfuddle for ticketing. We communicate daily via Slack. Their team doesn’t hesitate to ask questions. Whenever we have an issue, Lawrence is accessible and works with us to resolve the problem.

VerticalWave Solutions is more well-versed in Drupal than WordPress, so switching the library website from Drupal to WordPress has been a collaborative experience. Our teams work together to determine good solutions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The open communication enables VerticalWave Solutions to understand our needs. They’ve adhered to our budget.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Having someone on their team with a design focus would help bridge the gap in maintaining the integrity of the design. Designers and developers often speak different languages, so it would be helpful if the project manager had more of design experience.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be very detailed about what you’re looking for. After our first project together, I learned that having a thorough list of requirements and functionalities is important. Expect that there will be changes, and maintain open communication.

4.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

iOS App Support & Updating for Traveling Science Exhibition

"VerticalWave Solutions managed the project in a completely professional manner."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Less than $10,000
 
Mar. - May 2019
Project summary: 

Fixing a past vendor’s work, VerticalWave Solutions took over the code and rebuilt a pre-existing AR app to meet Apple's criteria. Now, they’re engaged for maintenance on a multi-year basis.

The Reviewer
 
51 - 200 Employees
 
Ontario, Canada
Manager of International Sales Operations, Science Center
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The updated app has been well-received by key internal stakeholders. VerticalWave Solutions' understanding of iOS technology helped make their code relatively bug-free. They kept the project moving (and under budget) through constant communication and status updates throughout the engagement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I work at a science center in the international sales division. We create our own exhibits and manage their tours. After they've done their time here in Ontario, the exhibits go on the road for an average of 5–7 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VerticalWave Solutions?

We have an exhibit that’s been on the road for a few years, and we want it out for another 3–4 years. The iOS app that was built for this exhibit had run into some problems. The original developer made some repairs but said he no longer had the bandwidth to manage it. The app is a part of the marketing guides so we needed to have it repaired so that the tour could continue.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VerticalWave Solutions took over the code and rebuilt the app to be functional. The interactive AR app is exclusively on iPads that travel with the exhibition. The main aspect of their involvement is to provide ongoing support. As I understand it, Apple forces iOS apps to update on a regular basis. Our expectation is that they will continue to maintain it year to year and provide any other maintenance that needs to be done. 

They did offer to make upgrades to the app based on what they found in the code. Our priority at this time was to get it up and running. However, I do think additional tweaks and adjustments will be a great value add. We'll look at that in our next scope of work. 

What is the team composition?

My main contact is Lawrence (Digital Product Manager, VerticalWave Solutions). I believe he has a team of people who worked on the app. 

How did you come to work with VerticalWave Solutions?

I had no experience with app developers so I reached out to a number of people recommended by a colleague. I wasn't having much luck so I started searching on Google. We ended up getting quotes from five companies in the US and Canada. There were a number of reasons why we selected VerticalWave Solutions. As a government agency, we have to have a certain number of quotes before we can make any decision. Their quote came in lower than the others, which is important.

Lawrence was also good at following up to my emails instead of making me chase him down. He reached out on a number of occasions to check on the status of the project, and he was the first one to get back to me with a quote. That built a level of trust that they were the right vendor. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $5,000–$10,000 to fix the app. There may be some minimal costs each year for updates. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

Work began in March 2019 and the app was done in early May 2019. It opens today as part of the exhibit in Oklahoma.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is operational, which was our basic expectation. While it's just opening today to the public, my tech in Oklahoma said it’s running perfectly. The app was completely non-functional at the last tour slot, so we're excited to get it back out on the floor. Internally we're really happy and looking forward to hearing the public’s response. We're in the planning stages of our next exhibit. If it requires any pieces like an app, we’ll make sure to send them the RFP. 

How did VerticalWave Solutions perform from a project management standpoint? 

VerticalWave Solutions managed the project in a completely professional manner. They exceeded our timeline and their invoices were accurate and itemized. Lawrence is so easy to speak with. He's been in touch frequently with my team and our tech in Oklahoma. I’m not fluent in technology but I didn't need to be. The other difficulty was that I’m new to this role. Lawrence was so patient in guiding me through the technical piece.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication is superb. Lawrence often reached out to us to make sure that line was open. He didn’t just deliver the app and disappear. He continues to check in on its installation in Oklahoma. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

I was surprised that they asked for us to pay their team upfront to look at the code. That might be standard for them, but they were the only company that asked for that to be included in the scope of work. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Call them as soon as possible. I don't have specific advice. In my experience, VerticalWave Solutions manages that well enough on their own.

5.0
Overall Score They were very patient with me.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They got the finished product to us before the requested date.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They were lower than other quotes.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    I haven't seen the app but my tech says everything is fine.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’d recommend them in a heartbeat.

Web Dev for Global Research Hub

"They were willing to work with us to find solutions for complicated features."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
4.5
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Oct. 2017 - Feb. 2018
Project summary: 

VerticalWave built an global, online information portal to gather and distribute research. The hub presented tools for community members, policymakers, and researchers. 

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Chicago, Illinois
Molly Seeley
Project Manager, Institute of Global Homelessness
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The platform launched successfully, fulfilling all initial expectations and offering all requested features. Although the platform required several intricate, technically complex functions, VerticalWave's organized approach kept the project moving. Their approach was collaborative and efficient.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) supports an emerging global movement to end street homelessness. As a first step toward achieving this goal, we are working with key global strategic partners to eradicate street homelessness in 150 cities around the world by 2030. Our vision is that within a generation we will live in a world where everyone has a home that offers security, safety, autonomy, and opportunity. I am a project manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire VerticalWave Solutions?

IGH worked with VerticalWave to build the IGH Hub, a comprehensive, universally accessible online global research hub. The IGH Hub creates a space where leaders working to address homelessness across the world, particularly among people experiencing multiple and severe disadvantages, can access resources to inform and shape their work.

What were your goals for this project?

To create an intuitive, global, easy-access resource hub.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us through the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, which had contracted them to redesign their website.

Describe the project in detail.

The IGH Hub connects practitioners, such as service providers or advocates; decision-makers, such as politicians or community leaders; researchers and academics; and people with expertise from lived experience, both to one another and to the best ideas and practices. To accommodate this wide variety of needs, and to highlight knowledge and research gaps, the IGH Hub aggregates existing research and makes it readily accessible.

What was the team composition?

The team was a handful of people, with one project lead and a few technical experts. They were all available at any time to field questions, make changes, and address issues.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The IGH Hub was successfully launched with all the features we requested.

How effective was the project management?

Very effective. We used Unfuddle to communicate with the team, and they were very timely and responsive.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were willing to work with us to find solutions for complicated features or issues.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

Some of the language used by the team was very technical. We found common ground, but it took a bit of a learning curve.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 4.5 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Dev for Publishing Company

"Vertical Wave was very good about remaining transparent with the budget."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
2014 - 2016
Project summary: 

The firm was in charge of the website's redesign and implementation, using Drupal. They worked together with the client’s own designers to maintain its brand image for the site.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 employees
 
Toronto, Ontario
Amelie Roberge
Business Development Manager
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Vertical Wave has a very fast team and always got the work done in time. The team was good about remaining transparent with the budget and very responsive to requests. Their quotes were cited as amazing in comparison to other firms that were considered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a Canadian-owned publisher of children's books, with an award-winning list of over 500 picture books, non-fiction and fiction titles for toddlers to young adults. I am the digital business development manager of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vertical Wave?

We had a very old website which needed to be completely redesigned.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vertical Wave was in charge of our site's design and implementation, using the Drupal platform. It was set up so that someone with very little knowledge could work the CMS [content management system].

I've worked with at least 3 people from Vertical Wave's team, but there may have been more behind-the-scenes.

How did you come to work with Vertical Wave?

It was going to be a big project since it had been 5 years since we'd done anything to our site. We vetted a few companies, out of which Vertical Wave offered the best quote and timeline. They were able to deliver, which was amazing.

How much have you invested with Vertical Wave?

The cost of our web development project was between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I believe that we started working with Vertical Wave in early-2014. The site was launched in March 2014. We engaged Vertical Wave again after that time, to implement Shopify onto our site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback has mostly been anecdotal. People have told us how great the site looks since the update, asking us who was designed it.

How did Vertical Wave perform from a project management standpoint?

Vertical Wave has a very fast team. One of the things that stood out in their quote was the timeline; it was much less manageable than many people would think, but Vertical Wave always got the work done in time. Any hold-ups were on my end.

Vertical Wave was very good about remaining transparent with the budget. If we wanted to do anything beyond the scope of work, Vertical Wave let us know how much more it would cost, and we made agreements together.

We used a project management tool called Unfuddle, which allowed us to look into Vertical Wave's work and see what was going on.

Are there any areas Vertical Wave could improve?

Any problems came out of the fact that I assumed what knowledge Vertical Wave had about the book publishing field. I shouldn't expect them to know our business since selling books is a different world to theirs.

5.0
Overall Score Vertical Wave worked together with our designers to maintain our brand image for the site.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Vertical Wave was vocal about anything that could have taken up more time than anticipated. There were no surprises.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    We found it amazing that Vertical Wave's quote came in so much lower than other people's. Their company is very competitive.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Vertical Wave was on time, on budget, and very responsive.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I've done it already.

Web Dev for Homelessness Nonprofit

"VerticalWave is usually ahead of us in asking for comments and feedback, working faster than our intended schedule."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
2013 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

VerticalWave was tasked with redesigning the non-profit’s website, including its search functionalities using Drupal. The project is ongoing, with updates and features added constantly.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Ontario, Canada
Stephanie Vasko
Communications Manager, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team was cited as easy-going, reliable, and excellent to work with. Their customer service was considered to be amazing, as they were able to complete tasks within 1-2 days and were gracious and happy to give options and fix any identified bugs.​

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute that is committed to conducting and mobilizing research so as to contribute to solutions to homelessness. 

I am the communications manager of the institute. My team is in charge of maintaining the homelesshub.ca website, as well as performing a variety of tasks, from graphic design, to what we call knowledge mobilization - getting our research out to the general public.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VerticalWave?

We had a flat website which had been developed around 2008. It acts as a research library and has over 30,000 resources, including PDFs and links to reports. These needed to be manageable and easy to access, which is something we'd been struggling with the previous website; people weren't able to find resources even if they were in front of them, the search wasn't working, and so on.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VerticalWave was tasked with redesigning our website using Drupal.

I was in contact with 3-4 developers from VerticalWave over the 4-year period during which we've worked on other sites as well. I can't say how many people have worked on particular projects. My main contact from VerticalWave was the one who got back to me for bigger changes, while other people also communicated small requests.

How did you come to work with VerticalWave?

I had used Drupal in the past for other websites, so I was looking for a company that worked primarily with this platform. VerticalWave had an extensive portfolio of websites they'd created using Drupal. One, in particular, was similar to what we were trying to create. I contacted VerticalWave's references and was pleased to find that they came highly recommended. One of the reasons we hired VerticalWave was that they'd implemented search engines on other websites.

How much have you invested with VerticalWave?

The cost of our project with VerticalWave was within $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

VerticalWave was contracted in 2013. Our project is ongoing, with constant updates and features which we're adding.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The search functionality was a big consideration during our redesign. Prior to starting the work, we consulted with stakeholders and had them perform usability testing on the old site. VerticalWave worked extensively in making sure that our search performed properly. We had a follow-up user experience review one year after the launch. People were pleased with how the navigation worked. I attribute this to our collaboration with VerticalWave in figuring out what would work best.

Our traffic increases by almost 100,000 users each year, but I can't attribute this to the redesign alone. The quality of our content also plays a role.

How did VerticalWave perform from a project management standpoint?

VerticalWave uses Unfuddle in order to track our communication. We use the tool for submitting tickets, which get assigned to one of VerticalWave's developers. We correspond with that person, receiving updates when the change has been made or is being worked on. I've found this system to be a huge improvement, compared to the development company we were using in the past. We can track the progress on the site, and follow-up requests.

VerticalWave is able to complete our tasks within 1-2 days. The speed is a very nice change compared to what we were used to. We have had to wait for months for small changes to take place, but VerticalWave can do the same work within a matter of days. We don't have frequent updates, but VerticalWave is happy to fix any bugs we identify.

What did you find most impressive about VerticalWave?

VerticalWave's customer service is amazing. Anytime I've contacted someone in their group, they were very gracious and happy to give us options. VerticalWave never tried to force us in any particular direction; they've broken up approaches into segments and price points, which is a big help for us as a non-profit.

Are there any areas VerticalWave could improve?

I can't think of anything off the top of my head. I've had a great experience with VerticalWave.

5.0
Overall Score VerticalWave has been easy-going and excellent to work with.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    VerticalWave is usually ahead of us in asking for comments and feedback, working faster than our intended schedule.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    When we first contacted VerticalWave, the prices were a little lower. As the company grew, their prices increased a bit, making it harder for us to make as many changes as we would have liked.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    VerticalWave has a reliable team. They've followed our directions almost to a t, and were always happy to make adjustments if something didn't come out as we planned.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I've referred VerticalWave to several organizations already.

Web Development for Research Organization

"VerticalWave Solutions' project manager continued to be dedicated, quick to respond, and a good communicator."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
2014 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

VerticalWave Solutions redesigned the organization’s website, moving it from WordPress to Drupal while adding functionalities such as a search tool, e-commerce, and an events-management section.

The Reviewer
 
Toronto, Ontario
Communications Officer, C.D. Howe Institute
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

VerticalWave Solution’s team was dedicated and good in terms of communications and responding quickly to requests. The client is very pleased with the results: a better, intuitive, digital experience for their website. It now has better functionality and users are consuming more content.​

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are an independent not-for-profit research organization based in Toronto, Canada. We produce research on economic policy.

My position is communications officer for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VerticalWave Solutions?

We needed to revamp our website, which was quite limited at the time in terms of design and functionality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VerticalWave Solutions has redesigned our website, moving us from a WordPress environment to a Drupal one. VerticalWave Solutions provided not only good design, but built functionalities, either through custom coding or through the installation of various Drupal modules, giving us a powerful search tool, an e-commerce section, and an events management system. We have a user-friendly layout through which the institute's research can be accessed.

I believe that VerticalWave Solutions assigned 4-6 people to our project, with varying levels of engagement. We had a dedicated project manager as well.

How did you come to work with VerticalWave Solutions?

VerticalWave Solutions was recommended to me by a good friend who is a top-ranking Drupal developer.

How much have you invested with VerticalWave Solutions?

The cost of our project with VerticalWave Solutions was around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in the summer of 2014. We have an ongoing project with VerticalWave Solutions, who is our host and maintenance provider. We're constantly doing work in order to further build out the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Anecdotally, people have found our new site to be more intuitively-designed. It has a better layout and more functionality. Empirically speaking, we have compared user traffic before and after the revamp, and found that general users came to consume more content, staying for longer periods of time on each piece. Overall, the site has a better digital experience.

How did VerticalWave Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Unfuddle as a project management tool. As the client, I found it easy to use. It's a good way of keeping our tickets for changes and corrections organized. VerticalWave Solutions' project manager continued to be dedicated, quick to respond, and a good communicator.

What did you find most impressive about VerticalWave Solutions?

I don't have much to compare VerticalWave Solutions against, but overall, it's been a positive experience. No relationship is perfect, but I've always found VerticalWave Solutions to be willing to sit down and have conversations. Any miscommunication was addressed.

More than once, our site experienced a DDOS attack, causing us to actually lose service. It was for a very short period of time. When signing a contract with a host, there will be a guarantee of the uptime percentage. We've never gone below that percentage, despite 2 hiccups within the last year.

Are there any areas VerticalWave Solutions could improve?

On a few occasions, we felt that we had to provide a lot of specific and concrete direction to VerticalWave Solutions, in terms of design and functionality. As a non-profit, our budgets tend to be smaller, so we've engaged in waterfall projects most often. If we had an Agile approach, VerticalWave Solutions would display more of the leadership which we look for.

5.0
Overall Score I am a practical person, and know that these relationships can't be perfect. Given that reality, I'm very pleased with VerticalWave Solutions.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    We have gone over deadlines, but I was always given notice. VerticalWave Solutions was able to handle our last-minute requests.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    VerticalWave Solutions has the most competitive offer for our proposal, most likely because they had a waterfall-based approach.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    VerticalWave Solutions has always given us what we were looking for, even if the processes weren't perfect. They're also quick to reply.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I have given a few referrals for VerticalWave Solutions.
Verification

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Verification Level
Bronze
VERIFIED
Business Entity
Status
Active
Jurisdiction of Formation
Canada
ID
002354649
Date of Formation
Dec 19, 2012
Client Reviews
VERIFIED CLIENT REVIEWS
6
OVERALL REVIEW RATING
4.8
Source
Clutch
LAST UPDATED
May 28, 2019