WebcentriQ

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder/CEO of Eddy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire WebcentrIQ, and what were your goals?

WebcentrIQ has developed our entire software platform after we attempted to use off-shore solutions that failed. Sheila and her team have always worked tirelessly to fulfill our goals and develop software that is user friendly and extremely stable.

SOLUTION

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

The leadership, specifically Sheila, was my deciding factor. She is not only wicked smart, but extremely organized. The team she brings together is made up of talented programmers who are client-focused. Rates are extremely competitive, as well.

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

Our project has been ongoing for over 3 years, so it is difficult to list all steps and deliverables. Our front end uses Angular, and our DB is PostgreSQL. WebcentrIQ is always attentive to deployment dates and plans for extensive testing.

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

We have had a maximum of 5 developers at times, with Sheila always taking the lead in project management. The addition of a quality tester was a game changer for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our most recent project is scheduled to deploy at the end of Q1, and we are optimizing our entire system. WecentrIQ has met every delivery date within budget.

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

We use Slack to communicate, as well as Trello to organize tasks. Every developer has access, so they are able to see the entire projects progress.

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

Sheila is amazing. She knows how to transform my vision into technology while bringing with her developers who fully trust her leadership.

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

Not a thing...and if anything were to come up, I feel 100% comfortable expressing my needs and desire for change.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Odora, a loyalty program application for Android and iOS. The app rewards customers when they shop with registered vendors. This encourages clients to shop at the same location again.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WebcentrIQ?

We studied the market, and we realized that loyalty cashback programs were one of the main reasons that people shopped at big retailers. 

We were trying to create more opportunities for service providers and stores that were ready to offer better service for their loyalty programs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

WebcentrIQ developed the application completely from scratch for iOS and Android. The app rewards people who want to support their local businesses, and it’s live on both the Apple and Google Play stores. 

The software developers coded the app. They also did some of the research and documentation that we required based on a few unknowns.

What is the team composition?

We worked with eight people on this project, including 3–4 developers, one designer, two analysts, and one project manager.  I also spoke to Sheila (CEO), who was very professional. I really enjoyed working with her. 

 How did you come to work with WebcentrIQ?

I was referred to WebcentrIQ by my friend who is also a business owner. He's known WebcentrIQ for many years. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with WebcentrIQ on the project from September 2019–April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any feedback from customers, but the application works perfectly. So far, we haven’t had any issues with it.

How did WebcentrIQ perform from a project management standpoint?

Honestly, WebcentrIQ had the best project management that I have experienced throughout my whole career. Their software developers worked on the app on a day-to-day basis.

We communicated via email and phone calls. They were very communicative and responsive to my questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive aspect about WebcentrIQ was their quality of work and what they delivered. I'm really happy with them and what they did for us. They met all of my requirements and fulfilled my requests. They did a great job. 

I have worked in a lot of different development environments, and they were by far the best team I've worked with. This was hugely important to me and made for a strong, stress-free partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there is any aspect they could improve. 

Any advice for potential customers?

I recommend being patient and investing time at the start of the project to find the right team that will lead to a good partnership. I 100% recommend WebcentrIQ.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a startup that focuses on making the donation process easier for nonprofits.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WebcentrIQ?

We wanted to build the web app version of a website that we put together as a prototype offline. We needed to go from nothing to something that someone can log into to see and use.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

WebcentrIQ designed a database on the backend. This included user setup authentication and user profiles where we could upload user data. Users could log in and see those reports. There’s not much functionality in the tool besides basic filtering, sorting, and Excel exporting.

There was no CMS, but we’re doing it separately using GoDaddy’s website builder, and then we link that platform to the app, which is where the user looks at reports.

What is the team composition?

Sheila (CEO) is my main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with WebcentrIQ?

I first found WebcentrIQ because they were advertised on Upwork. We chose them because they had good reviews.  Along with their fair prices, they were also located in the same time zone as us. I reached out to them and other agencies, but WebcentrIQ cared about what I was doing. Their team was responsive, friendly, and easy to go back-and-forth with. 

After that, we talked about different scopes of work and ended up solidifying the engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $5,000–$7,500 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

It began in January 2021, and we wrapped it up 30–40 days later in March.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There are no metrics set at this time because our focus from a growth standpoint is still offline. We were just looking for a usable app with functionality, which they delivered. Nonetheless, we have technical advisors who looked at the code and said it was well-written and organized.

How did WebcentrIQ perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked through emails and Slack for communication. We put together a project plan with a list of milestones, and every time we reached a checkpoint, they sent us a Slack telling us what’s been done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were quick at understanding our requirements. Their team was also very self-directed, so it didn’t take much management from our end.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We would’ve liked face-to-face milestone check-in occasionally.

Any advice for potential customers?

Use multiple forms of communication. It was great for us that we could be very mobile and manage the project through Slack. I think they’d benefit from that and not by choosing just one method of communication.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder & CEO of 1brand. We’re a startup software business, building brand operations tools for agencies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WebcentrIQ?

We were looking to ship our MVP within the marketplace.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

WebcentrIQ is building features needed for our agency customers. The technology stack on the frontend design is Next.js, the middle layer is GraphQL, and on the backend we use PostgreSQL and JavaScript. For web hosting, we use AWS. As the new features are underway, they help develop frontend components of those features and then integrate them with APIs that other teams have developed.

What is the team composition?

Sheila (CEO) is my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with WebcentrIQ?

I was introduced to them by a mutual friend. What led me to select them was their depth of experience both with startups and with larger enterprise customers at scale, as well as the breadth of technology they have. Some of the softer characteristics that contributed to this decision were their collaborative nature, ability to assert opinions and back them with reasoning and data, and their ability to convince others around their recommended course of action.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $10,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began in December 2020 and it’s still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been measuring the delivery of the features and the acceptance of those features. In general, the engineers have all loved collaborating with them.

How did WebcentrIQ perform from a project management standpoint?

We primarily use Slack and GitHub and then occasionally email and Zoom. Everything has been good and there haven’t been any issues. We have standing calls twice a week. They’re highly collaborative in helping with design and overcoming any issues that we encounter.

What did you find most impressive about them?.

They’re just a good, solid provider.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there is nothing so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clearly defined understanding of what you’re asking. Have a clear understanding of what success means in order to set them up for success, just like you would for any engineering provider.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of GOSMICK, an online lumber retail company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WebcentrIQ?

I was looking for help creating a new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

WebcentrIQ developed and designed our website. The website is a portal that brings together estimators, buyers, and sellers of lumbers and accommodates the transaction. After a scope definition phase, they built the site from scratch in Node.js. Their team created a proposed design and then went on to design a UI that works for the lumber industry. 

What is the team composition?

I initially dealt with a member of their business development team, before doing on to work directly with the president. On a daily basis, I worked with a programming manager. 

How did you come to work with WebcentrIQ?

I had worked with them on another small project in the path and knew that they were capable of bigger things. We sat down and talked about the task and they advised me on what I should and shouldn’t do. I felt comfortable with them so I decided to move forward. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested between $40,000–$45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from January–November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final product met our expectations. Just like any web development project, there were iterations of the site, but we got to the finish line as originally planned.

How did WebcentrIQ perform from a project management standpoint?

We didn’t have too many hard and fast deadlines, but the WebcentrIQ team was always very responsive. They are available and adaptable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their desire to get everything done correctly was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is a time difference between our team and theirs, but it didn’t cause any issues. They manage it well. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend the right amount of time on scope development and have everything defined ahead of time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My main company is called Legacy Cruises and Events. We have a suite of yachts and other vessels in San Diego Bay for private events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WebcentrIQ?

We work with a lot of marine professionals, including captains and people who do custom work, such as fabricators and carpenters. Many of those people don’t have a web presence since it’s a more old-school, traditional industry. I saw an opportunity to provide a platform for these professionals to showcase their work, get more visibility to customers, and maybe even provide quotes and schedule appointments.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

WebcentrIQ created the entire platform. I sat down and gave my sense of what it should look like based on my understanding of the marine industry. I detailed what was important to showcase, and what features were important to have. They took it from there. 

After they created wireframes for different pages, we made a review of the UI/UX and the feature set. They then went on to develop it. I was mostly involved in driving what the user experience should be and what was important based on my industry experience.

The first phase of the product was web-based. I see room for expansion in the upcoming phases in terms of transactional features — i.e., giving marine professionals the ability to book customers, provide them quotes, or even have those customers pay for the services. I think we can go broader, and even enter the mobile application space. I see a lot of opportunities to continue on, based on the success we’ll see with the web-based platform, which will be coming out soon.

What is the team composition?

Sheila (Founder and CEO) has been my main point of contact. I’ve also been in a few meetings with Mike (Co-Founder and CTO) to review different proposals.

How did you come to work with WebcentrIQ?

My company has a website for our main operations, and there were some functionalities I wanted to add to it. I was looking for a company in San Diego that could develop a custom booking feature on the site, and I found WebcentrIQ. When it came time for this new initiative, we already had a good working relationship, so I decided to go with them for a new website.

How much have you invested with them?

The total so far is in the $50,000 territory. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with WebcentrIQ in February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Quality-wise, we’ve been very satisfied. One thing I really like about WebcentrIQ is that they treat every product as though it were their own. They don’t always get it right the first time, but they take responsibility and ownership to improve the quality. That’s an important quality to me. I’ve worked with a lot of contractors when it comes to building boats, and the ones that last and that we’re truly satisfied with are the ones that take ownership of the work as though it were their own product.

We also track budgeting and schedules, and I’ve found that WebcentrIQ is really good at establishing milestones upfront. They give me a really good sense of what the timeline and the major milestones are going to be. From both a qualitative and quantitative standpoint, it’s been a super successful relationship.

How did WebcentrIQ perform from a project management standpoint?

One of the key strengths of their team is how well they communicate. We keep in touch on a regular basis, and meetings are promptly scheduled whenever they’re required. They use very good technology to track the work and conduct meetings, whether it’s conference calls or demos.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate the super high quality of work, the pride that they take in their work, and the follow-through. Working with a company for two years speaks for itself. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Every project has issues that need to be solved. WebcentrIQ has really been able to address problems when they came up. They’re good problem solvers. I haven’t had anything really negative come up, as far as things that were systematic. If something didn’t work, they were really good at coming together, looking at the problem, finding a solution, and moving forward. I haven’t seen anything that they couldn’t do. It’s always been very positive.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re very good at scoping things out and taking care of the initial scheduling, and anyone looking to work with them should take advantage of that. Clients should spend time upfront working with the WebcentrIQ team, to get the project properly scoped out and set milestones. They’re very good at those things, and it helps to get the project to a successful outcome. 

Other than that, they’ve got very good technological capabilities, and clients should take advantage of that. There are many ways to develop an application, and WebcentrIQ has capabilities that scale to many different types of applications. The upfront work pays off throughout the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder and CEO of a customer loyalty app. We're a loyalty app for local businesses like restaurants and grocery stores based in Toronto, Canada. We have 16 partners currently.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WebcentrIQ?

I hired them to create my mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started out with a conversation on all of the features we wanted. Then they provided a roadmap and a scope of work, which was 90% of what we were looking for. They had our signoff on the new roadmap, and they started working on it. Next, they provided a mockup of the app, and we provided our feedback. After the second week, they finished the design and moved onto the development which took four weeks. After six weeks they had the main version of the app completed and we only had to fix a few minor issues.

What is the team composition?

I had one main point of contact. We also had other designers and developers on our calls.

How did you come to work with WebcentrIQ?

I found them through a referral and they provided a very in-depth quote, which made it seem like they'd been through the process before.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested $10,000 – $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in December 2019, and we wrapped up in March 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They completed the project two weeks sooner than I expected, which was huge for me.

How did WebcentrIQ perform from a project management standpoint?

Anytime we wanted to have a meeting, it happened instantly. They were proactive and available for any calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They spent a lot of time working on the user experience and looking for potential bugs. It was great to see that they really cared.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, it was clear to me that they'd done this process multiple times.