Arcanys

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Manta Ray Consulting, a consulting group that primarily provides support for large projects relating to building and upgrading particle accelerators. Our customers are Department of Energy laboratories in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and other locations throughout the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arcanys?

As part of our consulting work, I wrote a project management application that we utilize in the facilities we work in. A group based in Bangalore, India built the application, but they grew to busy to manage it and give me the attention I needed. Arcanys took over the application’s maintenance and development 4–5 years ago. It’s been a fruitful collaboration.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, they took over maintenance of the application developed by the Bangalore team. They learned a great deal regarding what the original design and development team did. I then gave them the green light to improve the application. They studied the front- and backend in-depth and provided recommendations to improve the app’s UI and backend performance. Afterward, they were responsible for keeping up with maintenance and adding enhancements customers requested.

As of August 2018, they’ve started to develop the second version of the application. To save money, they’re using the existing backend structure (an SQL database and .NET platform) and making mostly cosmetic changes. I’ve worked with two developers to evaluate the app’s current design and revamp it to be stylized and sexy.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a project manager in the early stages, who introduced me to the lead developer. I’m also a project manager, so I began working directly with the lead developer. She’s a brilliant woman, who, in my mind, is a miracle-worker.

How did you come to work with Arcanys?

I looked at reviews online and narrowed the choice to 2–3 companies. After interviewing the people in charge and the developers we’d be working with about their experience, it came down to Arcanys and another firm based in the Philippines. Arcanys’ younger staff won us over because they were in tune with current thinking regarding app development. Though both firms had similar development skills, we liked Arcanys’ modern appearance.

How much have you invested with them?

My average expenditure with them in the early stages was about $3,500 per month. It’s tripled since then because we brought on a design and development team. In total, I’ve spent between $100,000–$200,000 with Arcanys.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the most recent iteration in January 2017, but I believe the overall collaboration began 4–5 years ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

An independent cost review of our work at a facility in Berkeley, California used the app to prepare and develop their plan. Two weeks prior, we gave community members access to the tool so that they could evaluate it. They were so impressed they recommended to the Department of Energy that all projects use the app going forward. Their recommendation made it all the way to Washington, which is quite an endorsement and success story for us.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve developed a tight-knit relationship with my team of developers at Arcanys, so the communication is wide-open. Because they’re in the Philippines, we talk over Skype. We also use Jira to upload stories and discuss technical issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have really talented developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re 13 hours ahead of us, so I would change their time zone. I have to work late but that's just the way it is. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It’s important to understand the cultural differences that exist between your and your provider’s locations. Empower them to speak their minds and alert you if you’re leading them down the wrong path. I told our developers this first thing, and we've been fine.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Deskvault, a software company that offers consumers a secure, cloud-based virtual desktop solution.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arcanys?

We needed help building an MVP of our B2B web-based platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed our platform from scratch using Node.js and AWS Lambda. They did some frontend work with AngularJS. In addition, they also helped me with UX and UI design.

What is the team composition?

We have a backend and frontend developer, who I interface with directly, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Arcanys?

I found them online. They were friendly and demonstrated a good understanding of what I wanted. I liked their culture, approach, and their style.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $20,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in September 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve done a good job, and I’m impressed with the results so far.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re happy with their level of responsiveness. We use Jira to manage the sprints, and for communication, we mainly use Skype, Slack, and some email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their approach makes them stand out. They take the time to understand their clients and what they are trying to achieve. They invest time in making the relationship work. They try to integrate their developers into your team and make sure that they are fitting in and that everyone is working well together.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at the moment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as involved and as technical as you can and get into as much detail as possible. You can’t just give them a brief; you need to actually be involved. If possible, fly there and spend time with them face-to-face to immerse yourself and fully understand how they operate and communicate what you are trying to do together.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief technology officer at Patienteer, a software development startup. We’re developing a custom data analytics solution for hospitals that looks to improve patient flow and care.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arcanys?

As we’ve grown, we’ve needed to increase the size of our development team. We decided to outsource the work because, as a startup, we have limited funds. Initially, we were looking to maintain our web platform and implement new features. Since then, we’ve expanded the scope to include revamping our platform and building a new MVP.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired one developer initially, but have since brought on three more to help with the rebuild. This isn’t a typical software project where we start with requirements, scope out the work, and then design the product. Instead, we’re doing all those things at the same time, in addition to building prototypes and incorporating feedback. We’re using an agile approach to try and be as responsive as we can to our clients.

We built the original web app with a .NET Webforms and VB.Net in the backend, some JavaScript/JQuery in the frontend, and an MS SQL database system. For the rebuild, we’re transitioning to a Dockerised microservices architecture using .NET Core and C#, Angular 6, and a hybrid MS SQL and MongoDB database solution. We’re also introducing new technologies around data caching and SignalR for performance and user experience improvements.

What is the team composition?

We started with one developer and a part-time architect, who did a bit of consulting work. In August, we brought on their senior architect to help design our rebuild, as well as two more developers. After bringing on another developer last week, we’re now working with a part-time architect, four developers, and a project coordinator, who’s also a scrum master.

How did you come to work with Arcanys?

After doing online research, I contacted a few companies whose websites I liked. They were all based in China or the Philippines, and I decided to with the Philippines because I thought we’d face fewer cultural and language barriers.

Arcanys' service stood out from the first phone call. I loved how they introduced themselves and immediately started onboarding one of the people we’d be working with, making them a part of the conversation right away. When I went over to meet them, they took me through their office and explained how we’d work together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $75,000 so far and will spend $20,000/month for the foreseeable future.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all we have this year without outsourcing to Arcanys. We’re more responsive to our clients, and we didn’t have to delay the rebuild because of a lack of investment. Even though Arcanys is quite affordable, we haven’t had to sacrifice quality at all. They’re as good as any developers we could’ve hired in other countries.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had no issues with communication since I screened everyone beforehand to see if they’d fit well with our team. Our project coordinator manages the team, tracking timesheets and reporting and ensuring everyone stays on task.

Arcanys has worked with a number of other startups, so they understand our timeframe and budget pressures. We have a flexible arrangement where we pay for dedicated resources on a monthly basis. This lets us bring people on and take them off as needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’d previously outsourced to a company in India and had major communication issues. A 15-minute conversation would take an hour, and we’d still receive work that was different than we discussed. This is the opposite of the case with Arcanys. Their people are highly experienced in .NET and Angular and pick up new technologies very quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I’ve seen.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open and transparent with them regarding your finances and needs. They’re trustworthy and use open communication to build a strong relationship. The back and forth helps them be more responsive and meet your needs better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Think It Twice, a company that provides mobile apps for corporate training. We aim to provide mobile education for retail professionals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arcanys?

We needed development and maintenance services. I was looking for a team with excellent skills in technological development that could offer flexibility too.

I’d used an agency from Hong Kong in the past to develop the first software. That was done on a project basis and it worked well. However, by the time the largest scope of work was done in the app, the project-based work had become very expensive. We also didn’t have the same responsiveness from the team because we were no longer a big client for them. That meant we were looking for a new partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They have been doing almost everything development-related for the last couple of years. We have a small team in-house, but the rest is fully handled by a team at Arcanys.

They do our iOS and Android work, as well as all the backend. That’s concerns Python, data, and machine learning. In addition, I needed to review my UI/UX, and they were able to bring in a senior designer on a temporary basis to do it.

What is the team composition?

Initially, we had two or three developers. As our needs increased, we gradually added more people.

We have a scrum master who works part-time as we need someone to coordinate tasks and to make sure all sprints are filled. That person oversees several different teams so can learn from elsewhere in the company and apply those lessons to our project.

How did you come to work with Arcanys?

I looked into hiring a full team, but it would have been very costly and, as I’m not a tech person, I wouldn’t have known how to manage them. I also tried hiring a CTO, but that didn’t work out. After that, I decided to reach out to Arcanys who I found through a referral.

How much have you invested in them?

We spend around $20,000–$25,000 per month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2017, and it is an ongoing engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With Arcanys, the application development has been successful because they’re very reactive. Whenever we have a request from a client, they will have someone that can answer the questions. They have a lot of skills within their company so whenever there is something that is missing, they can ask someone, even if they are not part of our team. When we do meet challenged, their problem solving fast. They provide a lot of flexibility that I didn’t have before.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m not in direct contact with the developers as the product owner handles them. In general, the communication is easy because there isn’t a time difference.

They hand in the sprints every two weeks, and there is very tight follow up on how much money we have spent, where it was spent, and what the results of it were. In terms of delivery, they’ve been very good so far.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very client oriented. Their advice is very good as they work hard to analyze a business, understand its needs and goals, then work out how to fulfill them.

I love their company spirit because it’s very human-oriented. I’ve visited them several times and our contact with them is always very friendly. We’re happy to work with them, which is important.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Whenever something needs to be improved, we tell them straight away and generally see immediate results. We don’t have any problems with them and haven’t faced any big challenges. When new developers come on board, there is a learning curve, but generally, they recruit people that are fit for the job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be sure to have a deep understanding of the project from the very beginning. Find out how the team works and who is responsible for what.

On their side, they need to know what to do, how to do it, and how long they have. That means be very clear with the communication and make sure it is regular. When you have a team on site, you can always pop in and ask a question, but when they’re remote, you need to make sure everything is completely clear before moving on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the lead developer at fintech company called Institutional Investor, which is a division of EuroMoney. In addition to providing financial data, we run various conferences and memberships around the world. I work on the technical side, overseeing development for our websites and apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arcanys?

We were developing a hybrid web application called ManagementMatch that helps connect investors with suitable managers and intermediaries. However, we outsourced some of the work to a development firm that lacked a sufficient QA process, so we faced a lot of issues with poor code. Arcanys initially joined the project to take on QA, but we’ve since expanded their role to include Angular development and maintenance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, Arcanys assigned a QA specialist to go over our software. As the project continued, we decided to bring on additional resources to support our development efforts. Arcanys currently functions as an offshore-development support team to extend our capabilities. The application itself is a hybrid between Drupal, PHP, and Angular 1. Our in-house team handles the Drupal and PHP work, while they handle the Angular development. Other responsibilities include frontend enhancements, new features, and system checkups and updates.

What is the team composition?

We work with a QA specialist, a senior developer, and a junior developer.

How did you come to work with Arcanys?

6–7 years before joining Institutional Investor, I worked with Arcanys to create an app and an administrative system. At the time, I found them through a job listing platform where developers could bid on projects. Once I moved to my current role, I was keen to use them again.

How much have you invested with them?

Between the three resources provided, we pay about $12,000 a month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them since October 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Despite the application’s complexity, they’ve maintained it well and have continued to create new enhancements for a third of the normal costs. It would have been too expensive to work with local developers, but the Arcanys team produces technically sound results while remaining cost-effective.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re well managed, and the communication is spot on. Every morning, we have a stand-up call to go over tasks. The team reports everything to us, from giving updates to breaking down project costs. If they’re not completely sure about something or have questions, they tell us, and we’re able to have a conversation.

I also appreciate that they don’t overstep their bounds. Previous developers I’ve worked with have been too pushy when suggesting new technical solutions, at times doing things that we didn’t ask them to do. In contrast, Arcanys follows our instructions, coming up with work-throughs as needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their management style is very upfront, and they treat us with respect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While they’re communicative and follow instructions well, they could be more proactive in product development. For this particular project, I didn’t want to run the project myself; rather, I wanted them to take the reins. In a sense, it would become more of their project as they evolved into an external team. Becoming more proactive without being domineering would help us in the long run. After meeting with Arcanys' senior management, they have agreed to move the team in this direction.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the SVP for the information management division at Enfo. We’re a consultancy for services and IT consultancy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arcanys?

We were searching for resources that could help us during peaks in business. It’s hard to find resources where we’re located.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve done a lot of work together. Arcanys mainly performs Java development, NodeJS, and Angular. Everything they do is based on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. They help us build many serverless applications. 

We also use Arcanys as our DevOps team. Even for operations, they’re helping us to take care of the environments. They’re 100% integrated with our in-house team, but are simply not in the same room. 

What is the team composition? 

About 30 people from Arcanys work with us. Their dynamic works really well. There are a lot of testers and systems operations specialists. The tech lead works with a few supporting developers. 

How did you come to work with Arcanys?

We had a relationship with one of the founders of Arcanys. We decided to try them first and see how things went. The initial engagement went very well, so we continued with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $1–$5 million. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2012.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We wouldn’t be the company we are today without Arcanys. They’ve helped us achieve lots of success stories. They support essentially all our work and operate the entire AWS platform we use, which is quite massive. 

Arcanys is the most significant part of our team. They assign three developers for every one of our in-house engineers. We work very closely together. They help us serve all of our most important clients. One of the biggest companies in Sweden has 5–6 teams that work with them.

How did Arcanys perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very fluent in English and offer prompt response times. Arcanys is the best team we’ve encountered, which is why we stick with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The developers have a mindset and attitude we haven’t encountered before. Arcanys has a knowledge base and hunger to learn that makes them stand out from the competition.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could push back a little bit more against the services we request if they think there’s a better way. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should meet Arcanys in person if possible. Get people together in the same room at least once. You’ll see how nice of people they are.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Head of technology of a media company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Benchmarking

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Arcanys to accomplish?

• Web development

SOLUTION

How did you find Arcanys?

Referral

Why did you select Arcanys over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Arcanys were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Initially to support the existing web applications and then to rebuild them with new features and in newer technologies

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Sprint deliverables. 
Business support: delivering surveys on time.
Lack of downtime. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team includes a scrum master who organises the dev team following qgile principles. 
Regular meetings define business priorities.  

What was your primary form of communication with Arcanys?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Flexible: the team has scaled up when necessary
Good value
Good quality
Helpful and supportive

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

I am satisfied with their work and approach.