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    Arlington Heights, IL
    773-904-2595

We're geeked about building your next big thing!

4.8
2 reviews

We’ve mastered more than a single software package. Engaging users through digital and e-commerce experiences takes knowledge that spans operations, integrations, DevOps, and more. We specialize in Magento, BigCommerce, Shopify and Oracle Solutions.

 
$10,000+
 
$50 - $99 / hr
 
2 - 9
 Founded
2009
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Arlington Heights, IL
headquarters
  • Xumulus
    8 West Campbell
    Arlington Heights, IL 60005
    United States
    773-904-2595

Portfolio

Key clients: 

US Cellular

Rogers and Hollands Jewelry 

Jackson Family Wines

Reviews

4.8
2 reviews
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Magento 2 Web Site, Oracle & POS Integrations for Jewelry Store

“They’re very reasonable on price and we got much more than we paid for.”

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Mar. - Oct. 2017
Project summary: 

Xumulus rebuilt a website in Magneto 2 that’s fully integrated with Oracle and POS systems. Additional developments include a complex search function, account creation, and a login portal.

The Reviewer
 
501-1,000 Employees
 
Matteson, Illinois
VP of Marketing & IT, Rogers Enterprises, Inc.
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

An understaffed and slightly disorganized team initially hindered project progression. The project manager had difficulty communicating development issues in layman’s terms. However, those issues were resolved and Xumulus delivered a streamlined product with forward-thinking functionalities.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing and IT at Rogers Enterprises, Inc. We’re a jewelry company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xumulus?

After taking down our old site, we needed a development firm to build and launch a new Magento-based website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We utilized a straightforward software development life cycle (SDLC) and collaborated throughout the process. First, we went through the old website to evaluate what we liked and what we wanted to change. After that, we designed the main wireframes and built the site. Once complete, we tested the functionalities and launched the site.

Using Magento 2, Xumulus built-out numerous features including a robust search function, account creation, and logins. While developing the site, they also made sure we could create templates for landing pages and track site data. Additionally, they integrated the site with Oracle to allow online sales to be submitted twice; once when the purchase is made, and again when the item is delivered. This feature helps us accurately identify revenue and efficiently process e-commerce.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, a UX designer, and a backend developer.

How did you come to work with Xumulus?

Once we decided to move our site to Magento, we looked at around six different partners. Xumulus was recommended to us by a family-related employee and went through our standard vetting process. Xumulus’s experience with Oracle made it possible to integrate our existing ERP (enterprise resource planning) and POS (point of sale) system with the new Magento site. We couldn’t do that on our previous platform, so their skill set was valuable to us. They also offered a competitive price and showed a commitment to growing with us. As a result, we decided to move forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $110,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place March 2016–October 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re successfully integrated with our POS and ERP systems. That’s a huge step forward for us. Having Magento automatically process that information saves 2–20 hours of work per week, depending on the time of year. Since the engagement concluded, we’ve seen website growth increase exponentially, at times in the triple digits. This trend seems to be continuing, so it’s safe to say that moving to Magento was a positive decision.

How did Xumulus perform from a project management standpoint?

They were understaffed for the initial development phase. The project manager was the sole developer and it was too large a project for one person. He brought in a backend developer and things were much smoother. The speed of the project picked up significantly. I interacted directly with the project manager on a weekly basis at least. Certain parts of the process necessitated daily communication, but that varied throughout. We’d communicate through phone, email, or in-person meetings. However, we used Jira for all development parts of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their forward-thinking functionally installation and ability to solve integration issues were highly impressive. There were many times where we wanted to install new features and Xumulus would present questions we hadn’t thought of like, “How is this going to integrate with your stores?” or “What problems could we run into in the future?” This approach ensured we could expand their programming correctly after experiencing future growth.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It took a while before we really established a project management flow. That’s partly due to the project manager having initial difficulties communicating project specifics to people without an IT background. While we overcame this issue, the project could have gone smoother if they were better organized from the start.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We spent a lot of time internally detailing the scope of the work and effectively communicating that to Xumulus. A clear understanding of the project by all parties led to a successful collaboration.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    We had no scheduling issues.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They’re very reasonable on price and we got much more than we paid for.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Once we found our groove, they were able to deliver. The most significant thing for us was the integration piece, which they hit spot-on.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’d definitely refer them.

Oracle Server Migration and Intranet Dev for Cellular Provider

"They worked well, and I would use them again for similar work."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$1,000,000 - $9,999,999
 
Dec. 2015 - Mar. 2017
Project summary: 

Xumulus provided technical services such as setting up an IP address, defining the domain, developing custom coding, and creating security components for an internet portal migration using an Oracle platform.

The Reviewer
 
5,000-10,000 Employees
 
Chicago, Illinois
Senior Director of Enablement, Telecommunications Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Their work ethic was excellent. They understood the project requirements and demands, and demonstrated expertise in their field, particularly with Oracle. Their services led to noticeable improvements for the web portal. They worked hard and did what was necessary to get everything done.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of enablement and initiative for a telecom company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xumulus?

Our internet portal was built on a Documentum platform that hadn’t been updated for a few years. The platform was 25 years old, pieced together through internal development work, and becoming an end of life product. In order to move the server, we had to update our portal, but we didn’t have a current version, a service agreement, a maintenance agreement, or any ongoing development. Our main challenge was to look at the current technology and determine how to recreate our internet portal.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our website provides HR functions for our associates and has key resources for supporting our customers. Roughly 500 retail stores access it in addition to several major call centers and external vendors. It’s a key knowledge content repository for our organization. We used Aviano, a systems integration consultant, to help us research technology options, establish user interfaces, and determine how we would carry out the portal migration. They were instrumental in helping us select our technology vendor, Xumulus, who helped us with the actual integration of technical pieces for our system. They helped us set up the IP addresses, define our domain, and develop custom coding to replicate our internal programs that needed to be converted into our new system.

I worked with four different teams, but Xumulus was responsible for all of our technical work using an Oracle platform. They developed our portal components that users were accustomed to, and they helped us configure our Lightweight Directory Access Protocol as well as integrate various modules. They were instrumental in helping our middleware team set up the system configuration and develop the mechanics for separating system access for our internal associates from our external associates. They worked with us on security, load balancing, and how to use different nodes. They also helped us distinguish internal configuration issues from Oracle bugs since we were working with Oracle version 12. We had a warranty period, so they stayed with us after implementation. After project completion, they moved from my team to our infrastructure group to train them on system operations and any necessary development work.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Dan [Founder, Xumulus] and three other people.

How did you come to work with Xumulus?

I had a short list of companies I was reviewing for hire, but I required someone who would work on our system from start to finish. I didn't want to have different consultants for system integration, UI/UX, and various technical aspects. I wanted content providers to be responsible for their own content, so we needed to build templates that were adjustable. Our systems integration company, Aviano, worked with Xumulus and highly recommended them. During our RFP process, we wanted to ensure that we contracted a company that understood Oracle, which is how we came across them. They had experience with Oracle, and their expertise was crucial for using the new version of the software.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent upwards of $2,000,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together December 2015, and we finished collaborating March 2017. They stayed on to help us with a 60-day training period after implementation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The associates that view the portal on a daily basis have noticed the difference post-redesign and development. Our users and content providers have more control over updating their content. Our system's content conversion was made possible from their work on the system's security, integrating Google search, and using Google Analytics to identify which pages to convert. This resulted in a different look, feel, and UX for our portal. I don't have concrete statistics, but anecdotal feedback shows that the search function has made a big difference for us.

How did Xumulus perform from a project management standpoint?

We documented requirement sessions, project plans, and daily standup meetings to understand any issues or challenges that we had. I spent quite a bit of time working on the project with them. We had weekly project meetings, and I spoke with them on a regular basis. I had to adjust the timeline a few times, which led us to work within specific budget constraints. They understood the need for these adjustments and were extremely accommodating by doing what they could to stay within budget. They would listen to us and make note of how we operated before making recommendations. They were good at giving advice and helping me work through decisions. They clearly respected the people that worked for me and didn’t assume that we weren’t competent, unlike past consultants I’ve worked with.

They have a great work ethic. They worked long hours, sometimes on the weekends and over holidays. I never had any qualms about their attitude toward work. We also had project garages or project war rooms, which we found effective for different parts of the project because we all collaborated in the same place. They were always on time, and we knew where they were at all times. We required that they work on site with us, which was never an issue. They worked well, and I would use them again for similar work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technical expertise, especially with Oracle systems, is extremely impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes Dan’s communication style could be very straightforward, and maybe a little too direct for some people. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very involved and understand what your final product is so that you can best support operations. It’s the same kind of advice I’d offer to anyone trying to complete a project with a consultant or contractor.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Sometimes they needed to push a harder on internal partners because they would wait on others for deliverables.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    I paid a fair price and received a quality product.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They were on time, understood our requirements, and worked however long was needed to meet those requirements.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    They were a good partner to work with.