Boldare

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The company is an online accounting system developed for Swiss companies.

What is your position?

I'm one of the founders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with XSolve?

We needed to redesign our whole accounting system to make it scalable and beautiful, but we didn't have the resources or the right knowledge, internally. We approached XSolve because they had the right people that could complement our team.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

The project was divided into two separate parts. The first part involved creating the actual solution, including all of its key features, and the second part involved teaching my people how to use the new application, which was equally as important. 

How did you come to work with XSolve?

We looked at many companies worldwide, and we chose XSolve because they were a good cultural fit, they had done good projects in the past, and we liked their approach. XSolve understood very quickly what we wanted, and they understood the challenges. They worked on a very clean, Agile project. XSolve presented us with ideas that made a lot of sense.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

It cost between $50,000 and $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We still maintain an ongoing relationship with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I can't disclose anything specific, but we've definitely seen improvements. The presentation of our data is a lot better, much more intuitive, and easier to manipulate by our users. Defects and malfunctions are rare. The system is very stable.

How did XSolve perform from a project management standpoint?

We used JIRA and Basecamp, and they worked very well. We never had any major issues with delayed work or unresponsiveness.

What distinguishes XSolve from other providers?

I would say their technical know-how and their practical experience was a huge differentiator. XSolve was able to guide us, and they understood quickly what kind of technical challenges we had – sometimes better than our own people. When working with them, we didn't only save time, but they also built us a long-term solution. You don't always get that when you work with contractors, and I feel like it's even more uncommon with offshore providers.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

It would have been nice to see and work with the project management tool before we started working on the project itself, so that we could get used to it. I think everything else went well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

The company is very big, it would be hard to describe all the activities, but my division deals with power tools. We provide a three-year guarantee on power tools for our customers, and XSolve is supporting us with the solutions for maintaining a customer database.

In what capacity do you serve this company?

I am responsible for the technical info line and the technicalities associated with translating documents regarding the power tools, talking with the officials who work for the country and check for technical issues in power tools. I work with the technical data of the power tools and give that data to the people who are interested in it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with XSolve?

They work on database development. It's called a three-year guarantee. It's simple – the customer buys the tools, and we provide them with the guarantee card on which they have a unique registration number. They log on to our website, and they create an account where they register all the power tools they have purchased. XSolve deals with the technical issues about registering the devices and maintaining the personal data for the clients in the system.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail?

XSolve decided what technologies they want to use for working on our project. We were only interested in the final results. I only know that they're using a project management tool called JIRA to receive information from us about the technical difficulties or changes to the system. Based on this system, they're solving any and all issues that emerge with our products. Regarding the specific technologies included in the database and how they manage that, we leave it to them. We do not interfere with those technologies or information.

As far as I know, we discussed having six or seven developers, but on a day-to-day basis, I communicate with one person, a project manager. I review the things that are solved on JIRA. There was one person, and at times two, who handled each technical case. When more important changes are needed to the application, then they assign more people. They have great resource availability for those types of changes. 

What was your process for selecting XSolve?

I don't know. I took over from my predecessors, so I wasn't involved in the selection process.

What is the status of this engagement?

We maintain an ongoing relationship with them. At this point, they've heavily involved in our product management, and we're somewhat reliant on their services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Because they're collaborating with us directly we don't track their progress in that way. There wouldn't be a way to differentiate between the productivity of our team and their team. However, I can tell you that our QA [quality assurance] people have been sufficiently impressed with the quality and consistency of their work. We don't receive a lot of support requests from our end-users relating to bugs or defects. 

How did XSolve perform from a project management standpoint?

There were cases when I had to assign work, and after I contacted them, I usually received a response the same day or the day after. For solving the problem, it usually took them up to a week. In one case, it took two weeks, because they required more information from the client who had initiated the problem in our database.

The performance of the system varies depending the traffic on the Internet. If it is high and the servers are overloaded, the system will have reduced efficiency and will operate slower. On a more regular basis, the system works exactly as it should. When issues came up on the back-end, they were solved within a reasonable timeframe. XSolve maintained an exceptional level of service.

There were no issues with unresponsiveness or work delivered late. There was one case when I requested a fix on JIRA, and they didn't reply the next day. I have the email contact to the project manager; I sent him an e-mail and he replied almost instantly. We don't have issues with unresponsiveness.

What distinguishes XSolve from other providers?

It's a standard client-partner relationship, nothing special. Recently, I gave them a big problem to resolve, as there were some legal changes in our policy system. They were checking on our end to see how deep they have to change the program, and they were carefully evaluating the information. I had to wait for about a week, but this was a special case. I would not regard it as an indication of their day-to-day performance because it was a bigger issue. Their carefulness about the change in the system, maybe this was special. Other than that, it's the same as with other companies.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

They could potentially work on understanding the environment in which their clients are using their own systems. Sometimes, they didn't understand that our clients work under the pressure of time, and that slower performance of the system is really unacceptable for the client. It's hard to evaluate such things from behind a desk. Only if the manager speaks about the use of the program, that might help to catch such issues. I'm not blaming them, but they could send somebody to see how it works in real life, when the program is used.

What advice, if any, would you give a future client of theirs?

Regarding the programs, when you want to acquire a new program from another company, you must know exactly what you need. A client should be specific about the environment in which it will be used. As I said earlier, they are not checking the environment themselves, so new clients should know that they have to check that. Give the program to someone who will use it, to evaluate if it's something they really need or just something they think they need. We've been working with our program for two years, and some issues came up that, in my opinion, could have been avoided by paying more attention in the very beginning.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We're an energy distributor, and we have roughly 5.5 million customers.

What are your role and responsibilities?

I'm the chief information officer, and I'm responsible for all aspects of IT [information technology] here.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenge that you were trying to address with XSolve?

We have a lot of IT needs. We operate a network using real-time management. The system has a lot of information about system failures. In the energy utility sector, we call that an outage management system. When we have a system failure, we need to track how massive it is and to inform our customers as to when their power will be restored. It's very important for us to give accurate information to our customers. Together with XSolve, we've built some custom solutions between our system and the call center. When the customers call in, the operators are able to give accurate and precise information.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of their involvement in detail?

The first project with XSolve was the interface between our system and the call center, which I have already described.

The second project we've done with XSolve involved a client login system on our website. XSolve assisted us in building the platform, which is a single sign-on [SSO] solution for about 1.1 million customers.

XSolve worked on mainly the back-end development of these solutions, and they used ESB [enterprise service bus]. They developed the first application using Java. For the SSO platform, I'm not sure of the technology that was used. XSolve has shown themselves to be very flexible in the technologies they use, so during that project, we used a mix of methods.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for these engagements?

I think it was about $300,000 to $350,000 for both projects.

When were the projects completed?

The first project was finished about two or three years ago. The second one was completed two years ago. During that time, we also had them involved with several small tasks and discrete side projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

After the implementation of the system they developed during the first project, the KPI [key [performance indicator] for us was how long it took to provide customers with accurate information about the power outages, and this process has been made much more efficient. We're talking significant reduction in timetables from collecting our data to being able to convey it to our customers.

For the second project, after the implementation of the SSO, we now have one database for several of the independent services we provide. The time it takes for the customers to access our services is now very short.

They changed project managers in the middle of one of the projects. The first manager we had was very good, but he decided to leave the company after about eight months. However, because they act as a team, there were very few problems when they got a new project manager involved. The cooperation we got from XSolve was very good.

When working with XSolve, is there anything that you'd consider unique about their practice?

XSolve is very detailed in describing their work and letting us know how many hours would be spent on a specific project or task. We were pleasantly surprised, because usually the information our vendors provide us is not as detailed. They're not cheap, but in the end, the price was justified because the product we got was so good. They gave us a very good price for the quality of the services they provide.

What advice, if any, would you give a future client of theirs?

I would recommend that clients not lock themselves into looking only at vendors who have done work within their sector. If you provide XSolve with information about your business, they will understand what you expect, and they will deliver. You have to be a partner with them. Keep your expectations high, but also listen to them because sometimes they will bring very good proposals to the table that you may not have considered.

BACKGROUND

Could you describe your organization?

I work for a German digital marketing agency. We help business and organizations, mostly European, identify market opportunities, and we create solutions that fit their long-term goals. 

What is your position?

I'm a systems architect.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenge that you were trying to address when you first approached XSolve?

We had just landed a very large project that required a lot of custom coding, much more than we would usually undertake. It required a lot of Java and JavaScript based work, and we didn't feel like we had the necessary resources to complete the work in time. We decided to search for some outsourced developers that could work alongside us and help develop the solution.

SOLUTION

How did you come to choose XSolve as your partner?

XSolve was one of a few Eastern European providers we contacted. We had them demo their technical capabilities, and they performed better than the other companies we evaluated. After that, we brought them on board, and they began to collaborate with us on our end customer's solution. 

What was the actual scope of work delegated to them?

For the most part, it was custom development on the back-end. They did some front-end work using JavaScript and HTML, but I'd say that most of the work was custom Java development. They worked with our developers to build the functional solution, and most of the front-end design work was done by our team. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We've since completed that original project, but we maintain an ongoing relationship with them. 

Could you provide a general cost estimate for the amount you've invested in their services thus far?

I'd say we've spent between 30,000 and 40,000 euros [approximately $34,000 to $45,000] so far.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their work and the long-term success of the engagement?

I can't say I have any specific figures to share with you because the nature of their involvement isn't so easy to measure. They were really working on the custom coding with our own team members, so their quality was being checked in real time. We never had issues with the work they were completing and, if anything, we were impressed with how well they integrated with our team and began using our own development process. On the project management side of things, we're also very satisfied. I've worked with offshore developers in the past, and problems with responsiveness and attentiveness always seemed to emerge at some point. XSolve really makes it a point to stay on track and keep us updated as to the progress of their work. With few exceptions, they've always been available to us, even on weekends.

When working with XSolve, is there anything that you would consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

Outside of their communication, I'd say their technical skills. It's the main reason we decided to bring them on board, and it's the reason we continue to work with them. It's difficult to find an offshore team that works well on a consistent basis with your own team. 

What advice, if any, would you give to a future client of theirs?

Make sure to have all your technical requirements figured out before approaching offshore teams. It's really about giving them some very specific work and guidelines. They work really well with a lot of details, but if you only come to them with vague goals and requirements, you're going to have a hard time getting a realistic estimation on workload and timing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a web agency. Most of the time, we build websites in WordPress and in native apps like iOS and Android. We create custom-made websites or apps for customers here in the Netherlands.

What is your position?

I'm the managing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with XSolve?

We started working with XSolve because we needed a web app partner that could support us with some of our own end-customer projects. We didn't have enough development resources at the time and didn't have the time to find and hire permanent in-house resources. We decided to find an experienced partner that we could leverage for our more demanding IT [information technology] projects.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

We had a project in which the client wanted an application to run not only in Android and iPhone, but also in BlackBerry and Windows. Our technical people consulted with XSolve on which technology would make the web app have the feeling of a native app. They were involved with the development of all platforms, but we delegated most of the BlackBerry and Windows work to their developers since ours were more experienced with iOS and Android.

How did you come to work with XSolve?

We were working with other partners in the same space, especially on the native app side. I think one of our partners referred us to XSolve based on their industry reputation.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We've spent around €9,000 [approximately $10,200] working with XSolve.

What is the status of this engagement?

We're not planning to give XSolve any more work in the short-term. However, we may discuss that possibility with them in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The feedback from all internal developers and from the client is super positive. In quality aspects and in terms of coding, it's great. We love it.

It's been a good and bad experience in one. The product owner is very happy with the project, but I had a very bad experience with the account manager assigned to us by XSolve. I don't think the original account manager was a certified scrum master, which was definitely necessary for our project.

The quality of their work so far is quite good. The only problems are the lack of communication, and the failure to meet deadlines. We've had to go over budget in order to finalize the project.

How did XSolve perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a several weeks of sprints. I think there were a total of six or seven sprints. The first one was to initiate the project, and the last one was supposed to be a quality assurance sprint, but we had already run out of hours by the time we got there.

I contacted them about it, and we agreed not to make it a bigger issue than it was. We would buy more days and finish the project. We took an additional three days of work but, even then, the project was not finished. After that, they told me that it would only take one more day, and I asked them to put it in writing and they agreed. Even after they put it in writing, they were still unable to complete the last phase on time.

There were three extra sprints in total, two that we paid for and one that XSolve gave to us effectively. In the last agreement, I wanted to know for sure that everything will be done there because we had already heard three times that it would be finished and it wasn't.

Once they finished the last day that we had paid for, we told them that they wouldn't get paid if they did not do what was agreed upon. Then, they came back and told me that they needed to be paid immediately or they would tell our client that we don't pay them for their services. Basically, they threatened us. It was a not a very pleasant experience. Eventually, they finished the sprint, we released the payment, and they did not email our client. However, we were very unimpressed by how the situation was handled by their account holder.

What advice, if any, would you give to a future client?

It's imperative for both parties to know exactly what is included in the signed contract. When issues come up, XSolve should be flexible enough to work with us on a new agreement. You have to make sure that there's clear and thorough communication around the project specifications. It's important to have a reliable and accessible point of contact in order to manage the project effectively.

I believe they could improve their project management and communication with their clients. That lack of communication was the big issue here. They put a new communication person on the project because the previous person couldn't speak English very well, so we're happy with that. But, overall, I just wish the situation were handled more professionally.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We are a software company. We offer photo editing, video editing, graphic design, and productivity software.

What is your position?

I’m a platform manager. I manage several websites, including our corporate site and our learning website, which has all our courseware and tutorials for our products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenge that you were trying to address when you first approached XSolve?

We needed to expand our learning website. It’s got a backend CMS [content management system] that non-technical people can use to publish content. We had started building the system internally, but we were decided to go looking for help to expand it faster.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail?

When we first started, we were just looking for a back-end developer. He was basically coding our platform and expanding the functionality using CakePHP. XSolve did that for a while and provided a bit of project management, too. We expanded things to include an additional developer and a part-time QA [quality assurance] person, which actually made things run a lot smoother. It was easier to work with a slightly larger team that covered multiple disciplines. We started out with a defined scope. As we worked through that, we just expanded the scope to include other things and did an iterative approach to the whole development process.

How did you come to choose XSolve as your partner?

We had looked at several companies and compared their capabilities and pricing. My supervisor visited a few of them in-person to get a sense of how they operate. We gave the final two candidates a small project to work on, and XSolve performed better than the other company, so we went with them.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for the size of this engagement

We’ve spent between $50,000 and $100,000 working with XSolve.

What is the current status of the project?

Until very recently, we had plans to continue with them. Unfortunately, the budget for development has been cut, so the project ended literally yesterday [April 2015].

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

The development over the last couple months has certainly cleaned up some of the defects that were live on the site beforehand. Those problems had all been pretty minor. We haven’t had really blatant problems on the website that we’ve needed to address. We’ve recently been cleaning up a lot of small usability issues. We have a forum on our website to collect feedback from users to get a sense of whether they like the site and find it user-friendly. We find that the majority of the feedback we get is on our products and support. So, I don’t have a lot of statistics to talk about the overall site quality.

XSolve was involved in implementing our new design, which is now fully responsive, and we’ve definitely seen a decrease in our bounce rate. The reviews that we’ve gotten from people are positive regarding the design changes XSolve made, too.

From a project management perspective, we did have some problems early on, but XSolve did address them. Those problems may have been partially due to having only one person assigned to the project. When we expanded the team a little to include a few more resources, I found that the quality of their work really improved. Having a slightly larger team with dedicated resources, the quality was much better, and we got through issues much faster.

When working with XSolve, is there anything that you would consider unique about their strategic approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors?

Overall, I’m pretty happy with their approach. XSolve understands user experience and design. When we talked about functionality and what we were trying to achieve, they were often able to make recommendations based on their previous experience. I’ve worked with other companies in the past, and they just didn’t understand the customer experience at all. With XSolve, when they see something that would negatively impact the customer experience, they’ll bring it to my attention, and I quite like that.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think they could improve as a service provider?

I think XSolve should make sure that the quality of what they’re delivering is consistent, regardless of the size of the team the client might be using.

What advice, if any, would you give a future client of theirs?

Just make sure that things are documented clearly in the beginning.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Owner of Resident Property Software Ltd

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We create software solutions for property management sector in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Transition knowledge from our old supplier
• Progress with front end aspect of our re-building project

SOLUTION

How did you find Boldare?

Referral

Why did you select Boldare over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• transparency

How many teammates from Boldare were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Two main aspects were: Organizing our project into a proper timeline and deliverable sprints Progressing on the front end part of the project to allign it with the work already done on the back end  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got first version of the delivery timeline in place.

Multiple missing features front end aspect have been completed.

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

Delivery was timely and they were very responsive to our requsts and feedback.

What was your primary form of communication with Boldare?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Smooth comunnication and structured onboarding process which relusted in them being able to pick up work from our old supplier very quickly.

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

Not to my knowledge. It was a very productive cooperation carried out in a transparent and friendly environment. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Communications Manager of YOUCAT Foundation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The YOUCAT Foundation makes books and develops digital products in participative processes so that people can encounter God and (get to) know and teach the faith treasure of the Catholic Church.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• App development and support

SOLUTION

How did you find Boldare?

Friends

Why did you select Boldare over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Boldare were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Programming and technical support for YOUCAT apps. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Functioning and user-friendly apps

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

Everything was always well timed and the support was always good. 

What was your primary form of communication with Boldare?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I'm impressed by Boldare's teamwork.

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

Not as I know

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on June 27, 2023.

IT Manager, Youcat Foundation gGmbHAdvertising & marketing

Germany

1-10 Employees

May 2021 - Ongoing

Confidential

Verified

Project summary
Boldare has developed a mobile app for a biblical publishing company. The goal is to increase the number of users, enhance user satisfaction, and improve ROI.

Feedback summary
Boldare's work has been met with positive acclaim. The team has successfully increased users, proving their reliability. They are prompt, committed, helpful, and responsive via virtual meetings and emails. They can quickly adapt to the client's needs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the IT Manager of Youcat Foundation gGmbH

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

YOUCAT is publishing exciting biblical texts and developing and publishing catechisms online and in print.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Increasing the number of users
• Enhancing user satisfaction
• Improving ROI

SOLUTION

How did you find Boldare?

Online Search

Why did you select Boldare over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Boldare were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

New mobile application (change in technology), new features for users (user retention and engagement) website support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

expanding the user group and stickendes

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

On time delivery, technology pivot based on needs. Very courteous and helpful.

What was your primary form of communication with Boldare?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They have a strong commitment to the project.

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

Boldare could propose a technology pivot based on their own experience regardless of their caution towards us as a new customer.

STAR RATINGS
Overall rating: 5
Quality: 5
Cost: 5
Schedule: 5
Willing to refer: 4

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr. Manager UX of a business development company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

socio-economic transformation and business development

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Online Platform development & Integration
• Fully automation

SOLUTION

How did you find Boldare?

Referral

Why did you select Boldare over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Boldare were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Full voting platform development and automation with integration with an up and running solution for data gathering and verification.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Agile methodology approach for delivering agreed section from the whole project.

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

Agile methodology approach with agreed sprints and sprint goals, great team work and on time sprint delivery and understanding for the project's needs. Very accommodating for project changes.

What was your primary form of communication with Boldare?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Complete understanding of the project, detailed-oriented, impressive approach to issues and solutions; they were always thinking about the success of the project.

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

Not applicable