Espeo Software

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder of a startup who is developing a video contract cloud service. Video contract means a contract which is created using video call and not textual or typing based methods.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Espeo Software, and what were your goals?

Product Specification & Design Workshop. That is, working together with us to further evolve the design of the service. The goal was to get a ready development plan to be implemented including the detail enough level tasks estimated.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We have known the company for a long time. They have good references and smart sales and tech team. Competitive pricing compared to our local market.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Study included these topics on a general level:

• User registration
• User login
• Payments with SMS
• Notifications
• Paying for subscriptions for plans
• Video calling
• Recording contracts
• Access to recorded contracts
• Sharing access to contracts
• Gallery of contracts
• Onboarding wizard
• Storage of the videos on the ledger
• Payments integration
• Defining contract templates

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

CTO as the core counterpart with main thinking and few assisting persons to refine the documents and create some visual material.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Too valuable results to be shared publicly. General feedback is that the service was delivered as promised, the service itself was well productised and it full filled our needs.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Communication was smooth vai Google cloud tools. Meetings were agreed as stated beforehand in service description.

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

CTO's capability to understand and evolve the potential of the whole idea into a tangible business plan schema, topics, technical implementation and cost estimate. Their ability to understand our business as a whole was very helpful.

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

It would be greed to ask for more.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and VP of R&D at Unbound Tech. We develop products for the cybersecurity fields, including a platform for enterprise organizations to secure their assets. Part of our platform provides the ability to secure cryptocurrency wallets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Espeo Software?

We were looking to boost our development and expand our team. We needed more development power in areas where we don’t have different expertise.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Espeo Software helps us develop cryptocurrency wallets, such as for Bitcoin. They use JavaScript and Node.js. The wallet integrates with the part of the platform that we developed on one side, and with the cryptocurrency platforms on the other side. What they develop goes into our server-side code.

What is the team composition?

We had a range of 1–3 people working for us in the beginning. With COVID-19, we now only have one person helping us.

How did you come to work with Espeo Software?

We have someone in Israel that is representing a few different companies in Poland, and he introduced us to them.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent €60,000 (approximately $70,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have very concrete milestones and deliveries that we eventually test and use. The KPIs are mostly around delivering quality work on time. We’re very pleased with the work that they’re doing. The specific resources working with us are high-quality people. They know what they’re doing and understand the domain. They have good development skills, and they’re responsible.

How did Espeo Software perform from a project management standpoint?

I asked for a low-touch process, and that’s what we got. I didn’t want to do any of the management. I wanted to be able to provide them with the spec and some basic guidelines and then let them do everything else, and this is what the process is. We communicate via Slack. We interact on an as-needed basis. I’m satisfied with the project management and communication.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have their own self-discipline to deliver quality work. They want to do a good job, unrelated to our KPIs and requirements. This is very appealing to me; in many cases working with outsourcing companies, they want to deliver and move on, and quality isn’t always an important element of their work. Espeo Software’s resources have high standards that are unrelated to what we require, which I think is the most valuable aspect of our work together.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m really pleased. Hopefully, we can expand our collaboration in the future.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project management director of AfriHealth Limited, a small technology company developing software solutions using blockchain technology to solve healthcare problems in Africa.

We connect people in Africa with services that are available elsewhere in the world such as ambulances, access to pharmacies, and quick access to health insurance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Espeo Software?

We had just gone from the concept stage to trying to put our ideas together. Initially, we brought the team on to put together our white paper and do a financial analysis of what we were trying to build.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Espeo Software helped us streamline our white paper, which was more of a cacophony of ideas at that point. We had a couple of conversations with them, and they delivered a coherent and comprehensive white paper. The team then brought on a consultant who worked on the financial aspect. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Dominik (Software Consulting Director & Partner). I’ve also interacted with other team members, including Francois (Business & Tech Consultant).

How did you come to work with Espeo Software?

I found them through a Google search when I was looking for a company that would understand blockchain technology.

How much have you invested with them?

The first set of services was 1,000€ (approximately $1,130 USD), and since August 2019, we’ve been spending 800€ (approximately $900 USD) per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in June 2019, and it’s ongoing. We’ve passed the initial stages, so we’ve kept Espeo Software on in a consulting role for software stacks, software reviews, web technologies. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team is good at researching and reviewing our software development projects. When I have an issue with what my developers are doing, I usually turn to Espeo Software to ask them questions and to get ahead in the project.

It’s been a successful partnership by any metric we can measure. It has truly been worth the money we’ve spent. 

How did Espeo Software perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is always on time. If Dominik says something will be ready on Wednesday, he will definitely present it to us on Wednesday. The team is always punctual, so we haven’t had any problems in this respect.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve enjoyed the relationship, and they’ve been able to complete every task.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything right now. Whenever there’s something else I require, there’s always someone on their team who they can bring in. It’s been a great relationship, so far. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Believe in this team because they know what they’re doing. Don’t doubt what they can do.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO and founder of CoinTracking, a platform for cryptocurrency portfolio tracking and tax reporting.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Espeo Software?

Mainly web backend, mobile development and server infrastructure.

What were your goals for this project?

Improving the performance of the system, adding new functionalities, using new technologies, improving quality.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Espeo contacted me and I did some deeper research on the company. Besides their excellent communication skills, I have chosen Espeo as I needed a trustworthy partner and skilled developers with expertise in cryptocurrencies.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Espeo is working on CoinTracking which is a platform to analyze customer crypto trades and generates real-time reports on profit and loss, the value of coins, realized and unrealized gains, reports for taxes and much more. They’re developing a web app as well as mobile: iOS and Android and also take care of the server infrastructure.

What was the team composition?

The main development team consists of 2 fullstack developers, 2 mobile developers (iOS and Android), devops, but it’s changing in time depending on the needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After the first months of cooperation with Espeo, the system became more stable and they did a number of optimization work. They have implemented an extensive subscription mechanism for corporate accounts and are working on complex tax reports.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Communication is at a high level. We have daily contact with the Espeo team, they’re very responsive. However, I try to avoid divisions into "our" and "their" team and we treat everyone as one team. We use popular tools that are currently standard in IT, e.g. Jira or Slack, which facilitates this. We avoid unnecessary meetings and the team tries to use their time effectively.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're a great team to work with – very professional and committed. Easy to communicate, they are flexible in their work and do what it takes to provide the required value.

Are there any areas for improvement?

In general, it’s hard to find any specific area for improvement. Adding additional Mobile Dev to the team sometimes needs time, as they don’t always have free mobile dev available.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a fintech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Espeo Software?

We hired Espeo Software to assist us in developing a new product we were creating.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The software house provided us with software development services, including testing. We fully outsourced the development process to them, so they were the only developers working on the platform. The solution is a mobile fintech trading platform that operates using blockchain technology. They coupled their blockchain development with JavaScript and React Native programming work to bring the functionality of the product to life. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was Sylwia (Project Manager, Espeo Software). Otherwise, the team was about five people. At times, there were less if our scope was smaller at the moment.

How did you come to work with Espeo Software?

It was critical for us that our partner had some sort of blockchain experience. I knew of them from our cooperation on another project, outside of our business. That’s why we involved them here.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about €200,000 (approximately $221,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from around June 2017–August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, they provided us with a high-quality team. There were a few cases in which they brought new members onto the project, so it took some extra time to bring those members up to speed. However, they could deliver quite fast when it came down to it. 

How did Espeo Software perform from a project management standpoint?

It was quite effective, and we had no problems in terms of project management. Some individuals performed excellently, standing out with their management and communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They performed very well, meeting the expectations that we set for providers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If your project is well-funded, I’d recommend this company. If you don’t have strong funding, because this partnership can be costly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide e-commerce services for news and magazine media, enabling easy access to good content. Our service makes paying simple, lets readers read at once, and commit step-by-step. Our start-up company was founded in 2015, with a core team in Helsinki. I am the Deputy Managing Director and had the role of Product Owner in the project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Espeo Software?

We needed software muscle to help build our MVP with speed and low risk. Today’s digital media publishing needs new solutions to attract new loyal customers. Our service is a digital solution that has been designed to create growth in customer revenue by allowing content providers to make new products offers and by increasing their reach beyond their current customers.

What were your goals for this project?

The solution had to offer a fresh take on smooth payments for the news and magazine media industry. It needed to be integrated to leading payment gateways, such as direct carrier billing and credit card billing. Current content should be effortlessly rebundled. To readers, the service had to look like a federated payment wallet for digital media, but without the need to put money in the wallet in advance. The solution had to be easily integrated with publishers' content management systems, so modern javascript and react solutions fit the project well.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met a vendor sales representative at a funding event. This vendor was one of two vendors that we started the project with to avoid lock-in. This vendor had good recommendations, was familiar with startup companies, had a good agile software development process, and competitive pricing.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We created the specifications & requirements in the form of epics, stories and wireframes. They created the designs, implemented the features in 1-week sprints, did automated and manual testing. Our lead integrator and project manager put the parts together and supervised the process. Regular demos, backlog planning, and ad hoc meetings as needed assured the quality.

What was the team composition?

The vendor provided 2-4 developers, a part-time designer, a part-time tester, and a part-time project manager. Half-way in the project, 3 of the resources changed unexpectedly, but the replacing resources were also skilled and were soon able to effectively contribute to the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were ready to integrate with publishers within 4 months of the project start and started our public beta 3 months later. The MVP was built on time and budget.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The vendor's project management and communication suited this partly out-sourced startup project very well. We communicated with agile ways of working in suitable tools such as Slack, Jira, Github, Google Meets / Skype / Appear.in, Zeplin.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Professional communication with the development team. The developers were proactive with requirements that needed more business specifications and had the capacity to fill in the blanks.

Are there any areas for improvement?

In general, we are impressed with the quality of the work. Our only concern has been to find a suitable testing process on a tight budget.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide schools with a browser-based application to monitor and enhance well-being through positive pedagogy and character development. Since being founded in 2016 we have now users on multiple continents. I am the pedagogical lead and product, development manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Espeo Software?

We needed to include top-notch developers to our production team in order to reach our goals in providing a relevant solution to our clients. The need for building a new platform and responding to critical requirements was acknowledged.

What were your goals for this project?

The end result (application) had to be a stable yet flexible solution, so that it would enable the designed use but could be built on in later stages of development.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our CTO of that time had received positive references of the vendor. After starting the project we were very pleased to find communication skills and work standards were on par with our wishes.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The company provided us basically four kinds of services:

1. Backend development
2. Frontend development
3. Testing
4. Business consulting

What was the team composition?

The project team has included a project manager and two developers, the other of the latter has focused more on testing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new application platform i.e. new version has attracted new users and general interest in surprising amounts. We have accumulated more users than we set out for and in addition, they have also used the application more actively.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Deadlines and work frames (sprints) were treated with respect and met in a very meticulous manner. Even though plans were executed, there was still room and understanding to meet the needs of a start-up business (fast, unexpected). Communication and managing workflow was fluent with mutually agreed tools. The project team was willing to optimize processes if seen necessary.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive strengths this company has presented are persistence, team-work, and perspective. The genuine interest to mutually grow the business and build a relevant product has been visible in everything they did for us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Generally, the expectations were high to begin with and being met by 97 %, there are only a few suggestions for improvement. Perhaps in the project management side, proactiveness in reviewing product development direction could help in some cases - suggesting an in-house expert of the relevant field to go through the plans.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of StoreMe - a mobile & web application that enables users to store luggage in secure locations on-demand. Users can reserve space on-demand or in advance and pay hourly or daily rates.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Espeo Software?

We hired Espeo to create a mobile app for Android and iOS and also a web application

What were your goals for this project?

We set to use React Native technology. We wanted to build a backend system in order to create a proper marketplace service. The system works as a SaaS which means any location can become the so-called “host” which share their space to store luggage.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected this vendor after deep search and talks with a few companies from European and the US market. Espeo had great communication skills and very good references. Their track record of web and mobile app projects and impressive technology skills convinced us to start the cooperation.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project began in August 2017 and lasted until January 2018, then it was first launched on iOS. Later in 2018, a version for Android was released. Now the project is being sustained. Espeo was responsible for developing the whole system. The app is created on AWS (ECS, S3, SQS, SNS, SES, IAM, CodeBuild, LoadBalancer, Autoscaling). The database used is MongoDB. The web application for managing hosts is written in React, while the back-end is based on Node.js and the app itself is written in React Native.

What was the team composition?

In the development process three full-stack developers, a tester, and a project manager participated.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I came to Espeo with our mobile app’s UX/UI fully designed and they developed the tech to power our app from start to finish. That’s what you look for in a tech partner and they delivered.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Our cooperation was easy and effective. Their team is full of knowledgeable people who serve support and give needed answers when it’s necessary. We feel like they are part of our internal team, although we don’t see each other on a daily basis.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I’m impressed with the technology excellence Espeo delivers. They excel at wide range of technologies and are technology agnostic what gives us certainty they choose the right technology span for us and fit technology to business requirements and not the other way around. I would also stress a proactive engagement model as something which we found extremely important. Espeo’s consultants didn’t blindly follow our commands, they recommended us the best solutions and advise on the project scope and technology site through the whole app creation process.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The Guardian is a publishing company. We publish newspapers in print as well as through apps. My role here is managing our online dating service that works on mobile apps and desktop. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Espeo Software?

From what I understand, Espeo Software took over from our previous developers who were no longer able to do the work we required. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Espeo Software monitors and maintains our website as well as our mobile apps for Android and iOS. They provide both frontend and backend development. I work with them quite closely on one- or two-week sprints. The team develops on all the different platforms we use. They fix any issues that they find or that we raise and continuously look for ways to improve the site and create a better user experience. 

Recently, they started making various improvements to our iOS app's usability and functionality. They've resolved quite a few complaints we received from our users. Espeo Software has also been preparing to launch the Android version of our app this week. 

What is the team composition? 

We've probably with about six people in total from Espeo Software. In addition to the desktop team, they have dedicated individuals for iOS and Android. 

How did you come to work with Espeo Software?

I started my role this May 2018, but Espeo Software has worked with us since last year. My boss initially reached out to and hired them, so I don't know the specifics. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since November 2017. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't put a system in place to track metrics yet. In general, though, we've received positive feedback about Espeo Software’s work so far. Our experience has been excellent. 

How did Espeo Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Espeo Software has been brilliant at project management. We manage the engagement in 1–2-week sprints. Tools we use include YouTrack for planning. Slack is our primary communication channel. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm most impressed by the team's project management and communication skills. Espeo Software definitely has the passion to get things done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The team could work a little bit more collaboratively across desktop, Android, and iOS.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, I can't think of anything. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a project coordinator for Ensto, a family company that manufactures electric and electromechanical components for an international market. Designed for domestic and industrial uses, our product portfolio includes electric vehicle (EV) charging systems.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Espeo Software?

We hired them to implement a web-based EV charging station management system.  

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to quickly update our system with a new, modern look.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

One of our new directors recommended Espeo based on previous experience. 

Describe the project in detail.

The entire system was first modeled with InVision's design web service, which was fast and highly interactive. Espeo then started building the system base code. This phase required little interaction apart from progress reporting. The collaboration picked back up when visible parts of the system began surfacing, and we now communicate daily. We expect to release the final product soon.

What was the team composition?

The Espeo team includes two developers (one frontend, one backend), one designer, and a project manager, with the upcoming addition of one test engineer.  Our project owner and two of our project coordinators are also involved.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our sales staff and initial test customers were highly impressed with the design of new system as compared to our old one. We can consider the project a success, since all required features to date have been implemented.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We began with Kanban and Slack almost exclusively. We later switched to Scrum for the weekly meetings. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their communication is exceptionally responsive and effortless.  They speak fluent English and attend to every question.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are concerned about the developers changing so frequently. Transferring domain and architecture knowledge from one developer to another always takes time and effort, at best, and, at worst, creates the possibility for system vulnerabilities. We also noticed that some service delivery frameworks were reused, which suggests to us that knowledge of the technology is a bit insufficient.