Elasticis

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a drone services company. We use drones to collect data from the air, and we focus on commercial inspection work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Elastics?

There are a lot of challenges when it comes to data aggregation and operational organization in this industry. We partnered with Elastics to help us streamline some of our processes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created something for us called the Mission Tracker. It’s essentially a CRM that our drone pilots can use. The Mission Tracker manages tasks within a portal to delegate responsibilities both internally and externally. They also built a platform to send clients their end product.

In addition, they create a cloud-based integration so that our pilots could upload data more easily, regardless of where they were. Their team is currently working on artificial intelligence recognition software. 

What is the team composition?

We were working directly with Jason (Owner). However, there were as many as 10–20 developers working on our project behind the scenes. 

How did you come to work with Elastics?

We share an office building with them. We’d interacted with them previously, and so we felt comfortable going to them for this project. 

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve probably spent close to $30,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2019, and we’re still working with them. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re awesome. They hit their deadlines and maintained their budget. If anything came up that was outside of the scope or budget of the engagement, they were transparent about it. The deliverables have helped our company tremendously. They’ve also come to the table with different ideas and listened to us to learn more about our business practices. Our company has become far more efficient as a result of their work. 

How did Elastics perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly calls to go over the project. We also use a project management system to keep track of each task. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Their ability to listen to our needs and come up with solutions was impressive. They felt like a partner rather than a vendor. We never felt like they were pressuring us to do something. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Software development isn’t cut and dry. I didn’t realize how complicated it was until we started working together. I would say to trust them. Glitches and bugs will come up, but that’s part of the process and can be worked out as long as you communicate with them. They deliver everything we ask for and more.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Well Information Technologies. We’re an early-stage startup that’s been operating since about October 2019.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Elasticis?

As a non-technical founder, I needed good developers to create the MVP of my product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Elasticis built a web app product that captures eyes-on-task job information. These are tasks that require a person to witness something before recording that information. Their team figured out which information needed to be standardized, set up fields for them, and then applied analytics to specific fields. 

In terms of the technology, they used JavaScript, Node.js, and SQL on the backend.

What is the team composition? 

I work closely with Seth (Co-Founder) and Jason (CTO). 

How did you come to work with Elasticis?

A colleague of mine had used them before and suggested them. I actually courted Elasticis for 3–4 months along with a handful of other groups before making the decision. The ended up being the best fit for me at that stage.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent around $50,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

I went into a formal contract with them at the end of October 2019. We’re now on our fourth statement of work together, and I rely on them to help me figure out the best way forward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In my eyes, they’ve gone above and beyond just delivering my product. They seek to understand the purpose of what I’m trying to do and offer me different ways to accomplish those goals. 

It’s due to their knowledge of the entrepreneurial startup space. They’ve helped me prioritize what I can do on my end so that I can communicate that to technical people. That way, I can get the results I’m looking for and end up with a more efficient process.

Currently, everything that they’ve delivered has either met or exceeded expectations. I’ve gotten back way more than what I’d expected from a value standpoint. 

How did Elasticis perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication has been great, though they tend to overpromise with their deadlines. Part of that is due to the learning curve of me being a non-technical founder. I’m learning how to communicate clearly to see the results I need.

For project management tools, we have a lot of phone calls, emails, and in-person meetings. Video conferences are now the best option. If I’d gone with a different agency, I wouldn’t have gotten the same one-on-one attention that I do with Elasticis.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Like I’ve said, they do their best to understand the purpose of work so that they can find the best ways to meet my needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s just timelines — working to under-promise then overdeliver. If they can’t meet a deadline, they let me know ahead of time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When working with any development shop, being as clear and specific as possible on your end helps your vendor meet deadlines on their end.