Dengo Systems

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of a digital agency that specializes in B2B and B2E solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dengo Systems?

We hired Dengo systems to develop a web platform with public and private interfaces for a third party.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to develop and support a functionally efficient platform.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After evaluating several other agencies, we selected Dengo because they had highly specific offerings for the budget and timeline. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We sent them designs, commented wireframes, texts, and images. They created a detailed analysis of these materials and completed a technical implementation. The end result was an efficient platform with frontend and backend displays. The platform can also integrate with external solutions

What was the team composition?

We were in contact with one project manager who led a team of four.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

A high-quality solution was developed and delivered. We have since worked with Dengo on multiple projects and they’ve become our main technical partner.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

There was a single point of contact on each team who centralized our information. We used Slack and occasionally email/phone to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

A major strength is their technical knowledge. The Dengo team is not afraid to start a project from scratch; they actually prefer creating custom architecture rather than relying on classical frameworks for complex projects.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There could be a better view on what tasks are completed and those that are still pending. Our solution also took longer than expected to complete, which is also something to improve going forward.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a local web design company in Ontario, Canada. We work with small to medium-sized business to improve their online reach.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dengo Systems?

We had more work than we could handle in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dengo Systems provides web development for us for new WordPress sites. One of the biggest assets is understanding what the client needs and being able to create that on screen, whether that’s creating a standard WordPress template or more complex needs on the website. We’ve worked with many other third-party companies, and Dengo is one that really understood what we wanted and needed.

I have only worked with the project manager, so I don’t know exactly how many developers they have working on our projects. I’m sure that there were multiple resources, possibly as many as six. I visited their offices in Ukraine, and I saw that they had about 25 people working with them.

Most of their work involved wireframe set up and getting the site running to the point where we could present it to the client. They also did some "placeholder" design work. They provided unique images to incorporate into the client’s site.

We were also looking for new ideas for our own company, so we used their graphic design services to produce a couple of ideas for us to build on from a fresh perspective.

How did you come to work with Dengo Systems?

I visited Ukraine and contacted them at that time. I knew there were a lot of strong developers in Ukraine, and I met with three or four. Dengo understood what we wanted right away.

How much have you invested with Dengo Systems?

This information is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September of 2016, and our relationship is ongoing. They’ve worked on five or six projects so far.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For each project so far, they understood what we needed. Although they’re in a different area of the world, we didn’t have to change much to meet North American expectations. They do great design work, and their coding on the backend is rock solid. The functionality and reliability of their work are very good.

How did Dengo Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

They did go through several project managers in the past six months. Sometimes, I experienced language issues, but they made sure they understood the work and that it turned out great. We use Google Docs, Dropbox, and email to communicate every other day. Even when we don’t have an active job, I hear from them once a week.

Are there any areas Dengo Systems could improve?

It’s a little scary when you’re in the middle of a project and it gets turned over to a new project manager.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of a web agency in Sweden.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dengo Systems?

I needed help with the PHP programming in my system. I don't have my own developers, so I asked Dengo Systems for help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dengo Systems has done programming work for me. When I first started working with them, I already had the wireframes developed. I used Google Docs to describe tasks and what I wanted, including images and videos of how I wanted things. I use my own CMS [content management system], so it’s different for different customers. I use it to create websites, web stores, or blogs for my customers. Dengo Systems did the modules for my CMS. For instance, for one of my clients, Dengo Systems made a system that allows a grocery store to update the prices and quantities of its products. So far, we’ve worked together on five or six projects using my custom-built CMS. All of the programming has been custom. For the development, Dengo Systems used PHP, jQuery, Elixir, and JavaScript. They also helped me with the file archive, so different users have their own file archives.

How did you come to work with Dengo Systems?

I initially found Dengo Systems on Upwork. We now work directly with one another.

How much have you invested with Dengo Systems?

We’ve invested about 50,000 kr or 60,000 kr [$5,500 or $6,600] with Dengo Systems.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started working with Dengo Systems about four years ago, and our work with them is ongoing. In fact, we’re working on a project together right now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I always check everything I get from Dengo Systems before I give it to my customers, and everything has worked fine. They do their testing, and then I do my own testing. My customers have said that Dengo Systems does great work, and the projects we have built together are stable. I can still use the ones that were built four years ago.

Dengo Systems has had a big impact on my business. I own a small company so I can't afford Swedish programmers who are much more expensive. When I use Dengo Systems, I have a whole team that will help me, which is great.

How did Dengo Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve worked with four of Dengo Systems’ developers at different times, and I’ve had two project managers. They perform well from a project management standpoint. We haven't had any issues in terms of communication or deadlines. Their English is good and they understand us well. We communicate better through written English, and we conduct most of our communication through Skype. They respond to feedback and challenges within 24 hours. They let me know when they’re finished with their work for the day. I check it in the evenings and send back my comments, and then they’re fixing everything right away the next morning. So, I’m happy. We don’t have any problems. Best of all, when there is a problem, they fix it without any extra charges.

What did you find most impressive about Dengo Systems?

I’ve tested several programmers from outside of Sweden, and Dengo Systems has been the best. They listen to their clients, they have a good understanding of English, and we haven't had any problems.

Are there any areas Dengo Systems could improve?

If Dengo Systems has a lot of projects, sometimes I have to wait for them to consult on mine. But that’s not their fault. They are recruiting more people, and I understand it takes time to find good workers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the owner of two e-commerce websites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dengo Systems?

I was the only technical and marketing resource in the company, so I needed a firm to work on the technical challenges I didn’t have time to resolve.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did everything from frontend HTML design and responsive design, to backend integration with shipping companies and payment processors. I used Dengo Systems solely for development work. I worked with a project manager and two developers.

One of the major features they worked on involved connectivity with UPS and USPS. They also changed some functionality on the shopping cart. I didn’t set down a formal scope of work at the beginning. I’m flexible in that area, and I simply communicated with the developer before they started. A lot of back and forth took place throughout the project as necessary. We always used an Agile approach.

How did you come to work with Dengo Systems?

I found them on oDesk, and we developed a relationship. I considered other companies at the time but chose Dengo. After they started, I didn’t look at other firms. I’m satisfied with our relationship.

How much have you invested with Dengo Systems?

I’ve invested over $10,000 throughout the years.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our relationship began in June of 2010, and they were my support team for several years. I’ve since closed that business.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have metrics, but we never found any bugs in their completed work. Their work allowed me to concentrate on other business needs. I also didn’t have to micromanage them, which was a big plus.

They made the backend integrations exactly how I wanted. The data flowed smoothly and never needed adjusting.

How did Dengo Systems perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management at Dengo Systems was always fantastic. Olga, the project manager, manages everything, communicates well, and is always open to questions. She works whatever hours are necessary and is always available. We used Skype and Trello to communicate. It’s a great team, and I trusted them to get the work finished.

Are there any areas Dengo Systems could improve?

I can’t think of anything.