14 Oranges Software

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the county clerk in Union County, New Jersey. My office handles a variety of things: we record deeds, mortgages, and liens; we serve as passport agents on behalf of the federal government, and we distribute and tabulate ballots for elections.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 14 Oranges Software?

We had developed an elections application in 2014 that we were very happy with, but the company that designed and maintained it unexpectedly went bankrupt in August, and they took the app down. We contracted with 14 Oranges to build a replacement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

14 Oranges reconstructed our original app for Android and iOS and increased the number of features it offers. The new version allows constituents to access any information they might need about an upcoming election, including lists of local, state, and federal candidates. Another new feature allows users to look up directions to the nearest local polling station using GPS. And even if they don't live in the county, users can obtain election information for other parts of the state.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked with several different people. My deputy worked closely with Sylvain Marcott [President and CEO, 14 Oranges]. Everyone we worked with was accessible, friendly, and efficient.

How did you come to work with 14 Oranges?

I knew one of their employees, so I was familiar with the organization. We asked them to reassemble our preexisting app, but they ended up changing some aspects of it as well.

How much have you invested with them?

$20,000, which includes the yearly maintenance fee.

What is the status of this engagement?

They completed the project within a month, starting in August and finishing by September 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had to clarify that the app was a new download, not an update, but once we did that people made the switch and were very impressed. We received positive feedback, except for one area that isn't related to the app: people want to use it to register to vote, but legally they cannot.

How did 14 Oranges perform from a project management standpoint?

We were in touch almost every day, either providing them information or reviewing what they were doing. They were very easy to communicate with throughout the process. And, remember, this had to be done on a tight deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They work quickly and they're responsive. One of our critical userbases is college students, since they’re new voters. I had originally developed this app because I was trying to capture the interest of younger people, and it was critical to get the new app in place by September to assist those students with applying to vote by mail, for example, in advance of November elections.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You can't expect a company to do all the work without doing your part, so make sure you devote the necessary time and attention. Assign a dedicated, committed staff to your project so that you get a good back and forth with the staff at 14 Oranges.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CTO of Western Pacific, a wholesale distributor to new home construction in Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Texas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 14 Oranges Software?

We needed three dev projects completed: a website update, a delivery notification app, and a financial/payment app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a website, but we wanted to visually explain our company better. It’s just an informational site, so we don’t have payments or any other features built into it. 14 Oranges managed the development and assisted with the design.

We decided to build the first app because a lot of our clients wanted to track their orders and deliveries. It allows them to look back at the shipments for the last seven days, today, and the future. It also includes photos and order details. The current app is being built with Wells Fargo so that our customers can view payments due, outstanding balances, make payments, and view invoices. Both apps have an Android and iOS version.

What is the team dynamic?

The project manager is Sylvain [CEO, 14 Oranges Software], and we mainly work with him, but other team members are always on conference calls.

How did you come to work with 14 Oranges Software?

They were a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in December 2015, and it’s still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t formally track anything, but the leads generated from the website have significantly increased. About 600 of our customers use the delivery app, which is a significant portion.

How did 14 Oranges Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet deadlines and keep us updated as needed. We mainly communicate verbally, but we also use email and share links if it’s design-related. It all works well, and I’m never frustrated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sylvain and his team are incredibly smart, have positive attitudes, and listen well. I can bounce ideas off of Sylvain, and he doesn’t let a project die; he makes sure it gets finished.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The video conferencing has an opportunity for improvement. Sometimes I have to pull the project up on my computer and then call in with my phone, which can be a hassle.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The business is an online car rental business. Our 20 employees work from home. We get a commission from renting cars for the major car rental companies. We’ve been in business since 2001. I’m the president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 14 Oranges?

They had done an app for our Hawaii market and we were going outside of our own programmer to redo the entire backend of our US site to get it more stable.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They have done iOS and Android mobile apps for our Hawaii and US market. They also did the entire backend of our US website. They also did the XML backend that communicates with the car rental companies to pull the rates when we do a search. When you do a search, we’re communicating with each car rental company system that pulls your rate results that you select and book a car from. Everything is automated.

How did you come to work with 14 Oranges?

We got quotes from numerous companies. We had used 14 Oranges before for an app and they’d such good work with that. We interviewed them and they communicated well. Even though they were smaller than some of the other companies that we looked at, it couldn’t have worked out better.

How much have you invested with 14 Oranges?

We’ve spent $200,000 with them over the course of our relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The system they built is more stable than what we had. It’s a night and day difference. It’s much faster. We’re in the process of moving our Hawaii website to them as well. We have an affiliate program they’ve built too which we’ll use. Their work gave us stability to keep the company going. If something would have happened to our internal programmer, we would have been out of business. This all runs smoother so, going forward, I just want to keep people working. The car rental business is going backwards in the last two or three years, but that’s to do with the general competitive nature and rates we get.

How did 14 Oranges perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great communicators.

What did you find most impressive about 14 Oranges?

I can’t say enough good things about one of their programmers, Dan. He bends over backwards for us. Sylvain is also good. I like them. They’re good people, they’re smart, they do good work, and are well-organized. They couldn’t be better in all aspects. We haven’t had any problems.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with 14 Oranges?

Any type of work anybody wants, I’d recommend them. I trust them and leave it to them to give us what we want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a mid-sized fire restoration company. We do emergency board-up work as well as rebuilding fire losses. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 14 Oranges Software?

In our industry, gaining prominence is vital. We needed an app to help us do that. We are in a very competitive market, and this app has put us ahead of our competitors. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created an emergency call app for iOS. Features included GPS capabilities, web links, email generation, and text notifications. By pushing 2 buttons, local fire departments can easily get our company to respond with board-up services. The app works well, and firefighters love it.

I know there was a team, but I only worked with a single person. But, from everything I saw, the team worked quickly and professionally.

How did you come to work with 14 Oranges Software?

I used a supplier’s app and was impressed by how well it worked, so I asked about their developer. They recommended 14 Oranges, so I reached out to them with a brief description of what I needed. I definitely made the right choice with 14 Oranges.

How much have you invested with 14 Oranges Software?

I’ve spent under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in 2017, and the whole project took about 4 months from start to finish. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of their work in sync with my app design resulted in a great product. The app has been well accepted, and my target clients love it! I know the product will help my business, but now we’re trying to get the app out to those who will use it. Then, we will see the fruits of this investment.

How did 14 Oranges Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re exceptional and exceeded my expectations. I have zero issues or complaints. I have already referred them to another business.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications officer with a healthcare organization. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 14 Oranges?

We had an old website that was not well designed or built. We approached 14 Oranges essentially to build a new one. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started from scratch on a new WordPress website. They were tasked with both the design and development aspects. There are some dynamic features they built on the site.

How did you come to work with 14 Oranges?

My manager knew Shane [VP of Business Development, 14 Oranges]. We didn’t have time to look around and get requests for proposal, and my manager figured that the company would be reputable, given what he knew about Shane.

How much have you invested with 14 Oranges?

I honestly couldn’t tell you, as it’s an ongoing thing. There was the initial piece of work, but we’re constantly adding new things to the site.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began 3.5 years ago, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We initially had a lot of problems with the project. There were a lot of delays and promises made that weren’t being kept. They reorganized their staff and changed how they were handling client requests, so there’s a much better system in place now. There’s a tracking system for requests, and it works very well. Since they reorganized things, it’s much better. They deliver good work pretty quickly.

How did 14 Oranges perform from a project management standpoint?

Currently, the project management is good. We mainly communicate by email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about 14 Oranges?

They’re very responsive. I’ve had requests that were quite different, and they handled those very well.

Are there any areas 14 Oranges could improve?

Initially, the project management was lacking, but they recognized that and set about changing it. I think they’re where they should be now.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization is responsible for technical system safety in a Canadian province. We cover electrical and gas permits, boiler and pressure vessel equipment, elevators, passenger ropeways, and amusement equipment such as rides, as well as provincially regulated rail systems. We have a variety of items to oversee, and in most cases, our counterparts only deal with one of these at a time. I am currently the director of IT. When I started working with 14 Oranges, I was a project and solutions manager for the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with 14 Oranges?

We had purchased an off-the-shelf safety permitting and inspection system, which was not really aimed at the scale we were using it on. It wasn’t meant for supporting complex inspections with intensive data quality rules. We were experiencing reduced employee productivity and reduced data quality because of the new platform and were looking for something which would give workers easy access to all the information they needed for their field work. It needed to work offline since, in our area, there are fairly large regions with spotty coverage, so it wasn’t feasible for everything to be done online.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

14 Oranges developed an iPad tool for our organization. It went into production, but we still retained a number of niche cases for which users needed to go to our old online system. We have been chipping away at them, finding ways for the iPad app to meet our needs. We’ve had other requirements come up in the meantime, like some fairly complex occupational health and safety issues which need to be addressed on-site by our agents. We’ve added capabilities for that, as well as internal metrics which are used for monitoring employee workflow. They know where they stand on a day-to-day basis and can track various targets. We’ve also put in a direct email connection, which allows inspectors to issue documentation to the clients on-site rather than having that material come to our main data center. This allows things to happen quickly, which both safety officers and clients appreciate.

How did you come to work with 14 Oranges?

I believe that we googled mobile app developers in our area. We came up with a list of potential companies and put together a requirements list.

How much have you invested with 14 Oranges?

In terms of value, the entire organization, from the operations people to our technical team, considers this to be a successful project. 14 Oranges is held in high regard here. They’re a group which people are pleased to have selected.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with 14 Oranges in September of 2014. We continue the collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A year and a half to two years ago, one of our safety officers performed a comparison time measurement for their inspections using the existing system and the iPad tool. I don’t remember the number, but we saw a dramatic time improvement with the iPad tool. The safety officer was not mandated to do this, but he simply felt that, if other officers weren’t adopting the tool, it was likely because they didn’t realize how much time it was saving. This information was presented at an internal meeting, and we were walked through the two different paths for performing an inspection. I think that this impressed a number of his peers, who felt that there was actually a material benefit to the app and that it wasn’t just a hype.

In 2016, we had a corporate objective of growing from 50–60% of inspections being done on the tool to around 80%. The stretch goal was 90% usage, while the minimum was 70% of an entire inspection being done on the iPad tool. I felt that the base objective would be difficult since we had achieved all the easy conversions already; the remaining Safety Officers would be the real challenge. We either met or came very close to meeting the stretch target, which surprised everyone. With the majority of our data collection now using the iPad tool, our data quality is much higher - which improves downstream processing and trend analysis.

How did 14 Oranges perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re different in that we manage development projects instead of the provider. 14 Oranges helped us a lot in the beginning around structuring the development, but we more-or-less have taken over. Much of the work impacts operations on our side, so we manage the full stack of the project.

What did you find most impressive about 14 Oranges?

It's been a collaborative and goal-oriented process. Every need we have will be worked out in a way which is good for both our sides.

Are there any areas 14 Oranges could improve?

Because we are a somewhat local company, more on-site involvement would be an improvement. We do have regular meetings and video sessions with screen-sharing. Our teams know each other, and we’ve had many interactions, so there wouldn’t really be a lot of benefit to more site time. If there are any issues with 14 Oranges, we discuss and take care of them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council is a nonprofit which helps Canadian pharming associations have better HR management. I am the business development lead, and I’m also in charge of stakeholder engagement.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 14 Oranges Software?

We wanted to help our association partners have better communication and engagement with their members, which tend to be individual farm operations. We were looking for a tool which could help them revolutionize how they stayed in contact with their members.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I can’t speak for the technology used, but we wanted an application which would support both Android and iOS devices, which is what 14 Oranges Software has built. We’ve also looked at developing a Blackberry version, but there isn’t a big enough base for us there.

Regarding functionality, the app is a membership website equivalent being delivered in a mobile environment. It provides basic information, member information which is secured with passwords, renewal and survey capabilities, directories, and conference and event management. As the associations hold regional or national events, they could use the app to replace paper guides, and that's our next focus point regarding enhancements. Because of the nature of our work, one of the requirements was that the application needed to interface with several separate web systems. There is integration at different points, to different servers. Depending on the content or area, the app can feed off different websites for news and event planning. It needed to be quite flexible in this sense. Rather than being a single application with a single target, it was intended to be rolled out, reminted, and reconfigured on a case-by-case basis.

I believe that the UI [user interface] design was done in-house. It happened at two levels: the UI for the mobile application itself and an administrative panel which allows us and our clients to maintain and update the system. There was new work happening in both of those spheres, which were equally important to the success of the solution.

How did you come to work with 14 Oranges Software?

I had known some of 14 Oranges’ principals from earlier work. I was a former colleague of one of them, so it was a natural first call when looking for this sort of solution. I looked at a couple of other opportunities through Google, but, ultimately, there was no one else with a better solution. Given the trust formed through my existing relationship with 14 Oranges, they seemed like a natural choice. Once we got into the process and started talking about our needs, it was easy to commit to them.

How much have you invested with 14 Oranges Software?

The cost of 14 Oranges’ work was around CA$50,000 [Approx. US$36,400]. There have been a few pieces on top of that.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had our first discussions 18 months ago, and we started the development around one year ago. The initial solution has been delivered for the first couple of clients, but our plan was always to have multiple instances of the application reminted. We continue to work with 14 Oranges on not only developing and enhancing the solution but also for marketing and presales support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In general, I’ve been very satisfied. I’ve done a lot of software development and used to be involved in the field professionally. In terms of meeting schedules and meeting expectations, 14 Oranges did a pretty good job, by comparison. Any lag way usually due to us and our clients. 14 Oranges’ team was not making progress slow down, which was great.

I appreciated their expertise and the work done by 14 Oranges in similar environments and organizations. This helped streamline some of our tasks. 14 Oranges Software has been able to leverage tools and capabilities in a way which helped us and our clients gain a good amount of confidence in them. This was reflected in both the speed of development and the accuracy of building what we needed. 14 Oranges presented a mature concept and leveraged all their experience.

How did 14 Oranges Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We received periodic updates on the development, and 14 Oranges was happy to suggest enhancements along the way. Part of my comfort was the set expectations I had, knowing some of the parties involved. To me, that took much of the risk out of selecting 14 Oranges in the first place. They didn’t disappoint.

What did you find most impressive about 14 Oranges Software?

In this particular case, what stuck out to me was 14 Oranges’ specialization in the development we were doing. They were not only focused on the work but also passionate about this kind of platform. Some of that was contagious, both for our clients and me. It bled through the marketing materials we had at the presales stage. 14 Oranges were evangelists about their capabilities, as well as the development style itself.

Are there any areas 14 Oranges Software could improve?

Ultimately, I wish the software would have been a bit cheaper to build, but it was within the budget we gave 14 Oranges. It can’t hold that against them, since, in the vein of software development, it always takes a bit more time and cost than anticipated. 14 Oranges Software was upfront about this and met our deadlines. We’re very satisfied with the product, at the end of the day. It’s a minor complaint.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the State President and Director of the Michigan FOP.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 14 Oranges Software, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a mobile app that incorporated a live tracker of legislation, that engaged our membership, incorporated voting, and was able to have local versions of the app modified.

SOLUTION

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

We met with a dozen vendors before selecting 14 Oranges. Professional from the first moment we met.

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

We wanted to develop a mobile app that incorporated a live tracker of legislation, that engaged our membership, incorporated voting, and was able to have local versions of the app modified.

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

Project Manager and sales

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app has far exceeded our expectations.

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

We held virtual meetings, email, and phone conversations, and they were great to work with from the beginning.

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

The resume of other clients about their work is the most impressive thing about them.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a provincial association and needed a mobile app for our yearly conference. 14 Oranges Software did such a fantastic job, we now use it for many other aspects to communicate with our members. Highly recommended!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 14 Oranges Software?

Mobile app

What were your goals for this project?

To communicate and send notifications and updates quickly and efficiently to our members.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I researched online, reached out to a few companies, and 14 Oranges was the best at communicating with us and understanding the needs of our organization.

Describe the project in detail.

We wanted an app to keep our members updates on workshops, speakers, and all other news about our convention. Now we use this app for our negotiations, podcast, and all updates on COVID-19.

What was the team composition?

We are a provincial teachers union with 7500 members.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Very positive feedback from our members. This app is so user friendly, it only makes sense to use it to its fully capacity by integrating it in other key areas.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They are very responsive, helpful, and take the time to truly understand what our specific needs were.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Excellent price and excellent product. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results.

Are there any areas for improvement?

N/A