Webtonic Solutions

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Web Presence Manger for Garmin Southern Africa. We distribute consumer electronics.

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

To develop a Magento 2 Multi Store web catalogue for our Sub Saharan Africa distributors and to consolidate our brand integrity as well as support our distributor partners with an online presence.

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

We got a referral from our ERP vendor as we needed a company that had an extensive experience with Magento development as well as integration to our ERP system.

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

We had a kick off meeting to discuss the extent of the project as well as roles that will be played by the different stake holders. This included the template to build from, the CI guidelines to be followed. Special requirements for each territory such as auto translators for a multi-lingual application on specific territories.

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

3 people:

• Project Manager
• Chief Developer
• Senior developer

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

We had a web presence in the different territories that we have distribution across Sub-Saharan Africa. Customers could have visibility of our products in a digital platform in the mentioned territory.

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

We had constant communication between us and the Project Manager, who in turn would prioritize the jobs according to importance and level of effort. We were informed on road blocks and solutions that would help overcome such. Email was used as a form of communication between myself and the project manager.

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

The developers were able to execute the technical requirements with impressive turn around time. Webtonic Solutions was a team that has adept knowledge of Magento web development.

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

Minor bug fixes were dealt with after launch, this was impressive.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital innovation manager at Tourvest Retail, an airline retail company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Webtonic Solutions?

We were looking to enhance our existing e-commerce site. We were looking for a vendor based in South Africa with experience in Magento to take our customer experience to the next level.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Webtonic Solutions has enhanced our existing Magento site. It’s an e-commerce platform that allows our customers to select products from a duty-free perspective to be delivered on board their flights or directly to their homes.

The site is specified for British Airways at the moment. We fix the product offering based on where people are flying, and we have several product offerings based on flight destinations. Overall, the site is a CMS backend customized for different payment offerings.

What is the team composition?

They provide development resources and UX and customer experience resources. I’m also in contact with an account manager and the rest of the team.

How did you come to work with Webtonic Solutions?

We found them through a Google search. We looked at several agencies that worked on Magento e-commerce sites, and after a lot of initial meetings, we settled on Webtonic Solutions.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent $60,000–$100,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

We’re satisfied with the initial release; it’s only been a few months, so it’s difficult to quantify right now, but all I’m looking at is the amount of work being completed at the end of each sprint. I can see the value from what they've achieved.

They’re also very flexible in how they engage with us as a supplier. Their team is very hands-on in meeting with our account manager and interacting with the developers — they feel like they’re part of our company, which is different from most consulting houses.

How did Webtonic Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They lead agile project management staying within scope, budget, and timelines, which is great. They also communicate well; we have daily interactions and know exactly where we’re standing, and we use Jira, Microsoft Teams, and standup meetings as tools.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their trustworthiness is outstanding; instead of allowing me only to contact the project manager, they give me access to the entire team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there's anything they can improve on — they’ve been very good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a chance; explain what you’re looking for and be prepared to work with them on a solution.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Director of a gym equipment retail and service business.

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

We required a new website built using Magento to offer all our current website features (and updated) plus to add an online retail store.

How did you select Webtonic Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

We were referred by our seo service provider and after discussion together we were impressed and happy to proceed with them.

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

The requirement of the new website was discussed and then scoped. Magento was the software base as advised by Webtonic and we agreed deliverables and timelines.

How many people from the Webtonic Solutions team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We interacted with 3 Webtonic team members and primarily with one of the owners.

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

This website is still being populated and tested by us. The pandemic lockdowns negatively affected timelines.

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

We had regular face to face and online meetings to plan and review progress and for training.

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

Having very low level of website development skills and knowledge in our business we were very impressed with how Webtonic assisted us and in a very friendly and helpful way. They are always willing to listen and assist and ensure we achieve milestones.

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

The website has taken longer to come to being active than planned, through no fault of Webtonic, so not able to rate the final product yet, but overall very satisfied with Webtonic.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of Cofndrs, and we’re a platform that provides financing, marketing, and sales for purpose-led businesses. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Webtonic Solutions?

We needed help in developing our platform. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Webtonic built our proof of concept (POC), which was available on the web and desktop. Our platform assists entrepreneurs to crowdfund their businesses. Users can buy and distribute coins that can be sold to the public. 

We provided our platform’s architecture, design, and technology, and Webtonic worked with us to design the app’s UI/UX. We gave them the color palette, content, and layout, and they placed everything together. 

After working on our POC, Webtonic has provided us with front- and backend development to further grow our platform. Our app’s functionalities include push notifications, e-commerce capabilities, and information display.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with a lead business analyst, a UI/UX designer, a lead developer, and a tester. 

How did you come to work with Webtonic Solutions?

Our chief product officer had a previous connection with Webtonic. We liked their structure and receptiveness, so we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent £90,000 (approximately $123,000) so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

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

Webtonic is good at thinking outside the box, and they’re strong at engaging and catching up with us. There’s a good line of communication between our teams. They understand our key goal and are mindful of the necessary groundwork for the platform’s architecture. 

Additionally, Webtonic is not process-driven — instead, they’re good at solutions. They can work with us to resolve unforeseen challenges. They also understand our overall vision and direction.

How did Webtonic Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Although Webtonic has been good at project management, we hope that they can improve on that part. It has taken them a while to adjust when dealing with multiple platform users. We’ve also encountered delays and project overruns.

However, that’s not an area of concern for us. We understand that Webtonic is working on a new concept. We collaborate using Jira, Confluence, Miro, and Microsoft Teams. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Webtonic’s team listens and finds solutions. Many development agencies are process-driven, and they’re confined with the box that has been given to them. Meanwhile, Webtonic is naturally inquisitive — they’re always thinking about the bigger picture and considering us as a business.   

We’re only a startup, and we appreciate that Webotnics is taking the time to understand our business and find ways to improve efficiency and help us manage costs. Their team is also super receptive and considerate of the pressures we’re going through as a small business. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their testing procedures aren’t as strong as they can be. However, we know that they’re implementing improvements on their processes. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Define your architecture and what you want to build before engaging with Webtonic. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Travelex South Africa, a global organization dealing in retail foreign exchange.

What challenge were you trying to address with Webtonic Solutions?

I approached Webtonic Solutions because I needed to develop a platform where corporations could order foreign currencies online.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided Webtonic with some requirements, but they were instrumental in mapping out the user flow. They also conceived of the entire design and color scheme.

Ultimately, they developed a fully-functional platform that features a dashboard. After placing an order, users are able to track everything—from the minute they were placed, up to transaction approval and point of delivery.

The platform also offers admin functionalities for our corporate clients, which eliminates the need for calls and long email-chains. The service is also endowed with user segregation and approval as well as a sophisticated notification system. No matter where the user is, they’re able to place, check, and approve orders.

To date, whenever there’s a support or maintenance need, we receive prompt assistance from one of the 5–6 people who’ve worked on the project.

What is the team composition?

Our team composition fluctuated between 2–6 developers. I remain in contact with Rhyn (Director, Webtonic) on a regular basis.

How did you come to work with Webtonic?

Webtonic was recommended to me by another supplier. I had spoken with a few agencies, and Webtonic became our preferred agency based on their experience and what they brought to the table.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Webtonic in 2016, and the project lasted for 4–5 months.

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

Millions of orders have been placed through the platform since it launched. The feedback we’ve received has been phenomenal. Webtonic’s work empowered corporations to be in control of their own orders without having to request data from the supplier.

We’ve been acquired recently, and we’ve had to move the platform from one data center to another. It was down for a couple of hours due to some unexpected problems, and the users waited for it to come online—instead of making phone calls and sending emails, like before. That indicates that they trust and prefer the platform compared to previous processes that we’ve had.

How did Webtonic perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been exceptional. While we were extremely busy with other projects, they’d follow up with a status update about the project. If they were in the area, they would pop into the office—even after we launched—just to make sure there were no issues. We could always pick up the phone and they were available no matter what. 

From a service point of view, Webtonic has been absolutely awesome. Their main focus is on people, rather than the services they offer. They went out of their way to please us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The manner with which they dealt with us, as an organization, was outstanding. The entire engagement has a very personal touch. We were especially impressed by how there was always an expert available to immediately assist us with any issue.

I truly appreciate their personalized services, as well as their timeliness and organization. With so many suppliers out there that we can choose from, Webtonic really stands out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's nothing I can think of, at the moment. They’ve become my go-to people.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Make an appointment and meet with them, and you won’t go anywhere else. From the moment the client meets with Webtonic, they'll be impressed by the company’s personal touch.