Avco Systems

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder & CEO of a software company that sells software that helps merge other systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Avco Systems?

We hired Avco Systems to assist with different areas of software development around one of our products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The development involved a combination of using existing libraries that we picked, C#, and JavaScript work to build several web-based applications. The main app is a graphical tool for managing entities like software assets. It also has a visual drag-and-drop tool. Their team used our input to deliver the requirements we needed.

We collaborated with them to figured out the UI, but the technical implementation and architecture came from them.

What is the team composition?

Throughout our engagement, we’ve worked with eight or nine different people.

How did you come to work with Avco Systems?

I believe it was through a personal recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over £100,000 (approximately $130,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with Avco Systems for about five or six years. I believe our engagement started in 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve been closely involved in all aspects of their development, monitoring what works and what doesn’t. I look at progress and quality. Their team has always been good.

How did Avco Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a loose project management structure. Most of the projects have involved a straight, personal relationship with their development lead and our lead. Our development lead is usually me or someone else from our staff. They perform well, keeping me informed. They’re easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is easy to get along with and do business with. Another distinguishing factor is that they’re close to us. I can go to their office, and they’ll sit and talk with me. When working on software development projects, the ability to meet face-to-face is quite important.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes they could try and do some of the tasks a little faster. I think they like to make sure everything is done to perfection, but sometimes it’d be better if we received their work quicker.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best advice I’d give is to be open with Avco Systems. They’re honest people that want to help, and if you’re honest with them, you’ll get the best out of them. Often when working with a supplier, you might want to hold things back because you don’t want them to take advantage. That isn’t a concern when working with Avco Systems.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior ICT support officer for a local authority. I provide user support and oversight of our contracts with our IT provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Avco Systems?

We were looking for a mechanism to transfer school census information from schools to the local authority. The local authority then assists in passing that information up to the central government.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided a file transfer system called Anycomms. They visited our site, assisted with setting up, give us initial user training, and provide result support and updates to the software. We host the software on our servers.

Since we started working with them, they’ve provided upgrades every year. Originally, Anycomms was a locally installed product, but it’s now web-based. Once it was on the web, we expanded our use of the product to transfer files between different departments in our council. They provide both on-site and remote assistance.

What is the team composition?

Neil (Customer Support Manager, Avco Systems) provides almost all of our contact with the company.

How did you come to work with Avco Systems?

They began working with our organization before I was hired. I think they found them through a bid process. We had such a favorable experience with the first version, so we upgraded to the current version.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2003 and our collaboration has been ongoing since then.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been really pleased with the system. It does exactly what was told and is always reliable. We’re continuously expanding its range of use.

How did Avco Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a very good working relationship with them and have been collaborating for quite a long time now. They visit us regularly and perform updates at least once a year. Occasionally, they connect remotely or someone on our team or a third-party will oversee their work in-person. We also communicate via email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very realistic and honest. If they say the can provide a service, they will. If they can’t, they’re upfront and tell us. Then, they’ll offer to develop something or make a suggestion that would provide the same results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. We may have had some minor challenges in the beginning, but we’ve been working with them for a while and have settled into a good working relationship now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

At the outset, clarify what you’re going to use the product for. Sitting down and discussing the design with customer service is really valuable before anything gets put into place.