IDE3

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive manager of the European Financial Planning Association, a nonprofit organization. We’re a certification and examination body; we organize exams for financial advisors and issue a certificate for those who pass the exam.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDE3?

One of our main assets is a registry of certified advisors, which contains a list of people who pass the exam. We needed to develop a software solution to manage this registry. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IDE3 developed and is now maintaining a custom software solution to help manage our list of certificate holders. The product is for internal use and has a simple design. For external use, they created an iframe that serves as a public search tool for our registry, which we inserted into our website.

The main focus of the software was QC. We usually import our data from national offices, which use very different systems and approaches. When creating a European registry, IDE3 helped us create a homogeneous approach to ensure that the data quality is on the same level. 

Within the solution, information has to be recorded in a certain way to derive analytics from it. The program also needs to be kept updated because certificates can expire or be terminated before they expire for different reasons. IDE3 has made some minor changes and has done additional development. Currently, they provide maintenance for the solution. 

What is the team composition?

My main contact is a project manager, and I also have contact with the developers. Additionally, I keep in touch with the owner. 

How did you come to work with IDE3?

I found them on Clutch. Google searches didn’t work for me and finding a vendor was challenging. Then, a friend who works in IT suggested I use Clutch; I found the service superb and the site well-structured. I made a list of potential providers, and then we made a shortlist and interviewed candidates. We originally picked another vendor that didn’t work out, so we came back to IDE3.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around €20,000 (approximately $21,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around January 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our main goal was to have a functioning high-quality register, and that’s working well. The public search tool is also important because it represents our brand to the wider public. The IDE3 team is fast to respond when something goes wrong — they always answer within a day. 

Something important to us is how IDE3 responds to additional questions or requests and whether they charge extra for them. The team doesn’t charge excessively, and they always state additional costs explicitly within documents. When I ask a question, and they don’t mention money, it means we won’t be charged, which is important for trust in our partnership. 

How did IDE3 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re good at project management. Although there were delays in the original timetable, they were always well-communicated and explained. There’s never been a sense of the work not being done, which is the main factor. 

Our communication is primarily through email, and we’ve had a couple of Google Meet talks, particularly at the beginning and during milestone deliveries. They also use Mantis Bug Tracker.

What did you find most impressive about them?

IDE3 delivers what we request. They understand what we need and deliver it; that’s not easy to find.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was a time when we had a real shortage of resources on our side due to holidays and sick leave, and IDE3 was urging us to finish the software development. They escalated the situation quite strongly. This has been the main drawback for me in our whole collaboration. I’m not sure that’s something they can work on, though, and we haven’t had any other negative experiences with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to make sure the contract is detailed and then reviewed by a legal company with experience with software development contracts.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner in a consulting company. We deal in tourism consultancy, doing management consulting in all services related to tourism. We founded the company in August 2016.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDE3?

When we entered our new offices, we called IDE3 to plan everything related to the IT infrastructure, computer software, and so on.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IDE3 has provided 360 IT consulting services. First, they entered the office and identified the connections. They told us what type of IT infrastructure we should buy, including computers, servers, and so on. Then, they connected us to the phone companies and solved everything.

From that point on, they’ve been at our disposal. When we send an email, they answer quickly. If we have some issue with the computers, software, or network, they’re our IT guidance. They do on-site work when they have to do something physically within the company, but 80% of the work is off-site. They have software that allows them to see everything.

We just received their annual reports and recommendations. We're thinking about migrating everything to the cloud.

What is the team composition?

Up to now, we’ve worked with 6–7 people from their team. They have some kind of scale — there are 1–2 people for IT infrastructure, two other people for day-to-day issues, and so on. We deal with different people depending on the issue.

How did you come to work with IDE3?

I used to work for a big company, and IDE3 provided the services there. We were satisfied with their service, so we started working with them when I entered HD Consulting.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent €35,000 (approximately $40,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

My first contact with them was much earlier, but we officially started working with them in August 2016 with this company, and we’re still collaborating with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The system is working, and there aren’t any problems. Our data is still on a server, but we’ll move it to the cloud, and we know it’ll work right when we do it.

When we started to work from home, there were some problems because not everybody had the appropriate bandwidth connection. However, this wasn’t IDE3’s issue.

How did IDE3 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. We receive a short report every month regarding everything they’ve done, so they keep it transparent. Also, every time we have to make an investment, they give us options, and there isn’t a change in their price. Everything they do is within the budget.

To communicate, they have an internal tool in which we type in the problems we have, and they answer immediately. We also use all kinds of Microsoft Solutions, and we’ve agreed they’ll provide education on this.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Firstly, they’re swift. When we write or call for a problem, they act within a couple of hours, which is very important for us to function. Secondly, they’re user-friendly. Even though they explain heavy IT stuff, they always talk to us in user-friendly language so everybody can understand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any suggestions.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as detailed as you can when you first contact them so they can have a great response. If you explain the problem in simple ways, they can address it well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the General Secretary of The Croatian Journalist Association, an NGO chamber for journalists that represents most of the journalists in Croatia. I've worked in my role for seven years, and I'm in charge of the organization's financial, organizational, and administrative aspects.

We are not just an ordinary NGO because part of the organization is nonprofit and another is for-profit. We have a massive building in Zagreb where we rent offices and other business estates. We also do some event management in our large hall that we utilize for organization conferences and events. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDE3?

We hired IDE3 to help us build a custom software system; they also offered some IT services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IDE3 worked with us to develop a digital platform database for our members so they can have access to their profiles on the back- and frontend of the database. They'd created our initial database 6–7 years ago, but it was old and needed modernization. We received money from the European Commission to improve our database. We have very complex hardware and software systems, so IDE3 created simpler software systems for our databases. This project allows all 2,000 members of our organization to customize their profiles and access useful information from our organization. 

Now, IDE3 provides maintenance and hosting services for all of our software systems.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Ivan (Founder and CEO), but we've worked with about 20 teammates from IDE3 over the years. 

How did you come to work with IDE3?

IDE3 was already working with our organization when I first came on board, and I'm not sure how we got in touch with them. However, I've known Ivan for about 20 years; we used to work at a famous radio station together. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested €60,000–€100,000 (approximately $67,000–$111,000 USD) with IDE3. 

 What is the status of the engagement?

The company has been working with IDE3 for over 10 years, but I first began working with them in October 2015, and our partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The digitization of our database has made our work so much easier, and our storage rooms are no longer filled with paper files. We have a lot of members with a lot of data, which has saved us so much time recovering that data.

We're so happy that we're going to utilize this opportunity to continue digitizing and applying new solutions to make our work easier.   

How did IDE3 perform from a project management standpoint?

IDE3 has become so close to us that we regard them as an in-house team — we completely trust them. Their team is accessible and pleasant to work with; they rotate in on projects depending on what needs to be done. We communicate with them via email and phone calls, and they respond quickly. However, IDE3 does prefer written communication to avoid any inconveniences in the future.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is nothing for IDE3 to improve.  

Any advice for potential customers

I'd advise customers to be very specific and detailed in their requests for IDE3. If customers present their ideas well, IDE3 will develop a good product. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the B2B and CRM specialist for a leading home appliance company in Croatia. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDE3?

We hired IDE3 to provide call center services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, IDE3 only provided us with call center services that were mainly focused on answering customer calls and potentially resolving customer issues. However, after a few months working on the call center, we expanded the scope of work to include CRM development. We provided the IDE3 team with documentation to outline our needs and existing software. From there, IDE3 created the CRM design and then developed it. We managed our projects and employees through the CRM. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with three teammates from IDE3, including Petra (Business Analyst) and Ivan (Founder and CEO). 

How did you come to work with IDE3?

I inherited the project from a former colleague, who found IDE3 through a referral. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested over $10,000 with IDE3. 

What is the status of this engagement?

My company has been working with IDE3 since November 2020, and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I've only been working on this project with IDE3 for three months, but I'm delighted with IDE3's work so far. They're very friendly and have provided a lot of quality advice to improve our company. 

How did IDE3 perform from a project management standpoint?

Typically, I communicate with IDE3 through phone calls and email. If there are project issues, we use an online application to convey and resolve them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am really happy with IDE3 because their communication is excellent. Unlike other firms I've worked with, I don't have to wait a long time for a response to any of my messages. I can contact anyone from their team to resolve any questions or issues and they'll respond within a few hours. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

At this moment, I don't think there is anything IDE3 can improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd advise customers to know exactly what they want from a project with IDE3 and listen to the advice IDE3's team provides. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there? 

I’m the managing director of Micom Elektronika d.o.o. We are a trading company that is part of a larger group of companies covering southeast Europe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDE3?

We needed an IT support partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IDE3 is our IT service provider for the entire company. They maintain our existing networks, computer systems, implement new solutions and technology, and change fiberoptics and network connections as needed, among other efforts. They also have remote access to our network and manage everything, including drives, servers, backups, and printers.

In addition to that, their team makes recommendations on IT issues to help improve security levels and backup systems.

What is the team composition? 

We work with 6–7 people from their team, including their CEO, a technical director, and other technicians.

How did you come to work with IDE3?

They were working with us when I onboarded as managing director.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent less than $10,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around January 2013, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re knowledgeable and make excellent recommendations. Also, when we have an issue, they quickly understand it and provide solutions on time. Overall, they know what we need better than we do, and we’re satisfied with every aspect of the engagement.

How did IDE3 perform from a project management perspective?

They are available to consult and suggest solutions whenever necessary. We have meetings on an as-needed basis to discuss a new project.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They don’t require us to repeat ourselves or have several meetings to understand our needs; they get it and find appropriate solutions quickly. Additionally, they're a polite team, and we enjoy working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there's anything they can improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Present your needs and expectations clearly, and listen to their advice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and partner of EMDA, a legal consulting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDE3?

We don’t have expertise in digitalization, so we needed help with IT-managed services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

IDE3 provides a broad range of IT managed services for us; they set up all the digital archives and give ad hoc consulting for the problems we encounter while using these services.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with one person when setting up the system, but now we operate with a team of 2–3 per year.

How did you come to work with IDE3?

I dealt with them when I worked at another company, and I was satisfied with their services, so I decided to reach out to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent €20,000 (approximately $22,600 USD) with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2017, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I measure success by their ability to solve our problems, and they've been quick to respond — I give them 10/10 because if I call them right now, they’ll answer and solve it today. Their team is also really good at communicating our problems to the other companies. Additionally, they provide services that we didn't include in the first contract, so they go above and beyond our expectations.  In terms of metrics, we've noticed an increase in our speed, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How did IDE3 perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via phone calls, emails, and occasional Zoom calls. In addition to that, we live in the same city and have had a few in-person meetings when negotiating bigger deals.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I never once thought I should change my provider in five years, which are very high marks coming from me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They change their people often, and their staff fluctuates; they’re all good, but sometimes I’d like one main point of contact.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re outstanding; they’re ethical and honest, so you should trust them. You don’t have to think twice if they’re honest because they fulfill their promises and don’t exaggerate what they can do.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director and one of the co-owners of TRITEH d o.o., a Croatia-based heating and cooling distributor and service center.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDE3?

We needed their team to build a custom system that accommodated all our digital processes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We've initially relayed our technical requirements to IDE3, emphasizing our need for a mobile- and web-friendly platform to make our databases accessible. They've devised features that allow us to collaborate on completing documents and secure backups on our devices. Apart from building the infrastructure, IDE3 has also helped us deploy the system across all our computers. Additionally, they've provided IT consulting and maintenance services to address our technical concerns and connect all our meeting rooms to the system.

What is the team composition?

We work with 5–7 resources from their team.

How did you come to work with IDE3?

We engaged a freelancer to handle this project, but unfortunately, his work failed to meet our standards. I found IDE3 online while searching for potential providers to onboard for this task. Apart from their extensive portfolio and field knowledge, I was impressed with how professionally they presented themselves.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about €40,000 (approximately $46,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've set high expectations for this project, and IDE3 has exceeded all of those. They're an efficient team that knows what needs to be done to make our system work.

How did IDE3 perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via email and phone calls. IDE3 has quick response and delivery rates — we haven't encountered any delays throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

IDE3 listens to our needs and utilizes the best software and hardware solutions to accurately address those. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of any aspect that needs improvement at this point.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set definite goals and give IDE3 the freedom to deliver those creatively.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an operations manager working in a medium-sized company that owns 4 restaurants and participates in organizing large-scale events throughout the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire IDE3?

The company's huge natural growth and fast-paced style of the industry were being crippled by our outdated hardware and unscalable IT solutions. Due to the specifics of our company we needed a custom software solution so we hired IDE3 to develop it and support us in changing complete hardware as well.

SOLUTION

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

IDE3 was recommended to us by one of our partners who had a really positive experience with them. The deciding factor was definitely their open approach and ability to present and explain even the most complex topics in a way that we could all understand. Since we're not a tech company that was a huge and extremely helpful thing which in the end tipped the scale in their favor.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Due to high volume and diversified network of work units we required a custom IT solution which would help us manage and maintain our operations without any interruptions. People from IDE3 presented us with several options and explained in detail all our possibilities.

After updating our whole outdated hardware network they implemented new software solutions and did education for all our staff members. After several follow-ups, we chose them as our main partner responsible for the ongoing support of our whole IT network. Support which continues to date.

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

Our main point of contact was their CEO, but through education, implementation of solutions, and continuing support we worked with three different IT specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our outdated hardware and system solution was slowing our growth significantly. After new solutions were implemented our workload was reduced significantly which enabled us to continue our growth. Also, their educations not only helped us to use the software more effectively but to implement some of our own ideas which we thought were impossible before.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was almost flawless. The whole experience was streamlined and their continuing support is always swift, on point, and in time.

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

Their approach and speed with which they found solutions for all our problems was definitely the most impressive part.

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

After 3 years of continuing support they are still our number one choice for all our IT issues and, in my opinion, their are work is impeccable.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Finance and HR manager and am in charge of coordinating the IT services for the company that is in molds and tools production mostly for automotive industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire IDE3?

We decided to outsource all IT services, and after careful consideration of possible suppliers, chose IDE3 as our supplier. They are managing everything for us, from consultancy on how to improve or manage our systems in place, to hardware and software maintenance and servicing, shared network, communication between our CNC machines and our IT equipment, etc.

SOLUTION

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

We searched online and chose IDE3 based on the user reviews and social network engagement. We organized a meeting and were pleasantly surprised with their attitude and proactivity.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

They set-up IT infrastructure in our new premises (production facility), set up domains and e-mails, shared network, communication of our production machines (mainly CNC) to IT equipment. They independently manage our IT system, and they assist with all IT related inquiries and support us remotely and on-site when needed. Also, they assist with servicing our computers, procurement of new IT equipment and basically everything else we might need assistance with.

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

We worked with different specialists (4-5 of them) and CEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They successfully put all our IT needs in place in the new company premises (production facility) and have provided a meticulous service ever since.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was and is rather flawless - they respond quickly, service everything within a day or two, are very fast to respond and resolve issues. They periodically and independently provide their own recommendations for improvement which has helped us in avoiding possible issues way ahead of time.

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

The professionalism and proactivity. We value them as one of our best suppliers - They independently provide value and ensure cost-effective strategies, which is exactly what we needed, a full IT service in the hands of the company we trust.

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

None that we can think of - in fact, they often remind us of things to improve on. They tick all the boxes of reliable and valuable supplier.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a manager at a company that manufactures steel products, including stainless steel. We produce everything from tanks to equipment for the automotive industry and everything else made out of steel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with IDE3?

I’m pretty knowledgeable about telecommunications engineering and IT, but I needed collaborators for things I don’t know. I saw several gaps in our IT systems, such as missing firewalls, so we needed help creating a functional system regarding servers and security.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve been working with IDE3 for about five years, and they help with suggestions and guidance. They also provide IT services, starting with consulting with them the best technologies to implement — I use their tips and do further research. Once I choose a direction that’s best for us, we start implementing the solutions together.

They've also helped set up hardware, cloud systems, phone lines, servers, and more — I use them whenever I need technical support and implementation.

What is the team composition?

Until now, I’ve worked directly with ten people from IDE3 in different processes. These include specialists for servers, development, domain controllers, and more.  

How did you come to work with IDE3?

I contacted a few companies, but IDE3 had the best offer and ultimately was the best solution.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $25,000–$50,000 on their services so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June of 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All the work we’ve done has been successful.

How did IDE3 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been good in this regard. We’ve made realistic agreements, and they’ve reached all deadlines. We don’t need any project management tools with them — we make plans, and they deliver as agreed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I met their CEO at our first meeting, and he’s the kind of guy you can trust. We must go in the same direction with them when we agree on something; they’ve done this in every project and delivered according to plan.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there's anything they can improve on – every team member I’ve met has been great at their job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They listen and try to find affordable solutions that meet our standards, so have clear objectives for them.