Itransition

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

One of my company's websites provides legal services online to customers all around the world, but it's mostly for Indian legal services. Whether the customers live in India or abroad, they can connect with lawyers and either can ask questions online or do full consultations with lawyers.

What is your position?

I'm the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Itransition?

Itransition have been responsible for the functional development and the visual elements of the site. I provide them with mockups, and which front-end theme and Bootstrap theme to use. I tell them that but, after that, they can take over completely. The UI [user interface] is mostly provided by me in the form of mockups and themes. They deal with the implementation and testing.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They work mostly on developing the functional application, business logic, and testing. They've used Ruby on Rails, WordPress, and various plugins that come with these frameworks. They're pretty good with these technologies, and that's what I like about them. I get the full stack. Also, making the site responsive is a pretty valuable skill.

They assigned multiple developers to my project. At one time, there were only two developers but, overall, I think there have been at least three or four developers that have worked with me in time, depending on how much work there was and who could take it up. We had a project manager, and I'm the QA [quality assurance] guy.

How did you come to work with Itransition?

It was through a recommendation, I think. I checked them out online to see what kind of things they offer and what kind of project experience they had. I liked what I saw so decided to approach them.

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

Probably around $70,000. The price is pretty reasonable for what they do and their quality of work. I've worked with multiple development teams, and I know if you want good quality, you have to pay for it.

What is the status of this engagement?

The most recent project was completed two months ago [May 2015].

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

All the work they've done on the MMI [man machine interface], and the website is pretty decent. They keep working on it, and we keep having new change requests. The best way to quantify their work is noting how few bugs their code has, and how fast their turnaround time is.

The performance speed of the site is excellent. I'm quite happy with the quality, even though there are some complicated algorithms. They've done some nice optimizations on the back-end so that you don't have to recalculate all the values every time. I think some of their work is amazing. I didn't even ask them for optimization. They just did it on their own.

How did Itransition perform from a project management standpoint?

I think their project management has been outstanding. We exchanged a lot of emails throughout the project management, and we partly used JIRA. Other than that, there was no project management tool.

In general, I give them very clear and well-defined requirements. I've not worked with them in any other way. I've always given them well-defined, requirements with mockups and everything. They just do it and hand it back to me.

What distinguishes Itransition from other providers?

I think Itransition has excellent engineers, front-end, back-end, and database, which is hard to find. The other thing that distinguishes them is their very quick response time. They feel accountable for the work they've done, they care about the work they've done, and they suggest improvements on their own that I hadn't thought before. I think I am now working exclusively with Itransition because of all these factors. If I find bugs after six months, they fix it without asking questions. Even though they are offshore, we communicate in English and that's great. They have a U.S. presence, so all the legal terms are signed by the U.S. company, so if there is some legal issue or dispute, we can resolve it in the U.S.

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

No. They are pretty good. I did have some issues initially, but that was two years ago when I started working with them in July or August of 2012. They said they were trying out a different model, with a different QA from a different company. After that, it was just fine. They were just experimenting. I'm very happy with these guys, and I don't have any issues.

BACKGROUND

Could you provide a brief description of your organization?

I work for US Inspect, a national home inspection company. We have three separate lines of business: a residential line for homebuyers and home sellers, a commercial line for corporations, and a relocation line for companies relocating employees across the country. We've been in business since 1987, and we've done about three million home inspections to date.

What is your position?

I'm the director of business development. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We pride ourselves in being one of the best home inspection companies in the industry, and we realized we didn't have the ability to collect mobile payments onsite from our customers via a credit card swipe tool. So, we reached out to Itransition to have them build a mobile app for us that could incorporate mobile payments onsite.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of their involvement in detail?

We hired them for both the development and project management of our mobile app. We originally thought we were going to use them just to begin the development of the mobile app, and then we'd have them collaborate with our internal technology experts. We ended up liking their work so much that we gave the project completely to Itransition. We didn't have any of our in-house experts deal with it at all.

I was the main point of contact dealing with the business analysts at Itransition, using them for the software development. I would say the scope changed as the project went on, just because there were some things that we had to expand. For instance, we were originally only considering credit card payments, so we specifically asked them to build a mobile app that would process credit card payments onsite. Then, we realized we do receive other types of payments, such as checks, cash, and money orders. As a result, we had to expand the scope of the project, and that's just one example.

There were a series of changes we presented them with, which did expand the scope of the project. They were very accommodating. We would draw up a different statement of work, and then we would proceed from there. There were really no glitches because of our expansion of the scope. 

Do you know what primary technologies were being used for their development for mobile?

They were able to develop it for all platforms, but we specifically requested Android because our inspectors carry around the Samsung Galaxy Tab S, an Android device. So, they were specifically building the app for Android. In the beginning, we had talked about having them build for iOS as well. We had originally agreed on that, but once we decided we were going to have our inspectors carry Samsung tablets the scope changed. That was another tweak that we made down the road that they easily adjusted to.

How did you come to work with Itransition?

My boss, who's the CTO of our company, had worked with them a few years back at his old organization, and he had recommended them. We didn't interview or look into any other companies. I did get Itransition's references, and I called them to make sure everything was good, and then we went ahead and hired them. So, I used my boss's recommendation to hire Itransition.

We were actually debating whether to do this project internally because most of our development work has been done that way. But, we're going through some internal changes and some growth, and so the big decision was whether to outsource this or keep it in-house. We did not look at any other companies externally besides Itransition.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this engagement?

We've spent between $75,000 and $100,000 working with Itransition.

Have you maintained an ongoing relationship with them?

We have, and we've used them for a couple of other minor projects. They're actually working on a project for me right now, so we've definitely kept in contact with them since the delivery of that particular mobile application. The current projects are more Web-based. They're helping us integrate two different systems – a CRM [customer relationship management] platform with our new phone voice provider that has a call center database integrated with it. We're still in the early stages of that, just because we're having some customizations done on our CRM platform.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any stats, metrics or user feedback from this engagement?

We don't have any statistics or metrics as of yet. On our side, once the project was completed, we were going to roll it out to all of our inspectors, but we decided to wait. We wanted to roll it out with a couple of other projects we were working on internally. Even though the project was completed six months ago, we are just getting to the point of rolling it out. Because of that, I don't yet have any statistics or metrics to prove the success of the project, but that's not any fault of Itransition. It's just because we have decided to wait on the release. 

How did they perform from a project management perspective?

I can't think of any glaring issues with them. They were very responsive throughout the course of the project, from planning to development. I almost felt like sometimes I had to step up my own game because they were always on point, and you could tell that the project was their sole focus.

What I personally liked is how they constantly came with questions when they were unsure of something. They really wanted to define the requirements before they built anything. I know with a couple other companies I've dealt with, we had some issues with the project managers being too quick to jump the gun and start building, and we really didn't want that. I really appreciated the fact that Itransition took the time at the beginning to ask questions. Because they were offshore, we would do a lot of Skype calls, which was great and super easy. Or, they would come back via email and really work things out and talk things out before any sort of development had begun.

They always came through on their deadlines, too, and I can't think of any time in particular that they were late. Regarding budget, they were on point. There were maybe one or two times when they came in slightly over budget, but that could have been because we had added new features to the original scope, and it was just maybe one or two instances – nothing to raise an issue about. Everything else was exactly what they had promised us. 

Is there anything unique about Itransition that really makes them stand out compared to other companies?

They were very good at defining their requirements and making sure all questions were addressed and answered before they began. Like I said, I really appreciated that. This is probably not unique, because I think every software development company should do this, but I have had some negative experiences with companies in the past that have not done this. So, that's the thing that they do much better than other companies I've worked with. I don't know if it's unique, per se, but it's definitely something that makes them stand out.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or certain things you'd do differently as the client?

No. I really don't think so. The only thing of concern was the budget, but an original budget is always an estimate anyway. Maybe they could be a little more conservative in their budget estimations so we could manage our expectations better. Maybe that is something they could focus on, if I had to pick one thing. But, honestly, that's a very small thing, and it wasn't even a big deal. 

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

Get to know some of the members of the team before you begin. They had a handful of analysts working on a project, and I kind of got to know them all. In a way, I almost got to select the ones that I wanted. I developed really strong relationships and really felt strongly about certain individuals who I thought were really talented and understood exactly what we were looking for. If a new client doesn't want to be just given anyone for the project, if they actually want to kind of get to know everyone first and then decide to go forward, that's something that Itransition was very open about and completely fine with. So, that would be my suggestion to new clients.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I work for an executive training and development firm that helps people improve business and individual performance.

What is your position?

I am the project coordinator.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed a new, experienced programmer for our Web-based assessment programs. We didn’t have anyone in-house with the necessary expertise, and we didn’t want to spend the time to get a permanent resource, so we decided to hire a technology partner that could allocate the developers we needed on a case-by-case basis.

Could you describe the scope of their involvement?

That depends on how many people Itransition provides us. Sometimes, we have one developer working on the project, working on some very specific tasks. Other times, we have three of their developers working directly under me on larger initiatives. They’ve only been performing functional development.

SOLUTION

How did you come to choose Itransition?

I researched programmers online and, after interviewing several, Itransition just was the most qualified, it seemed.

Are you always managing their developers directly, or are you sometimes offered a project manager?

I manage them directly. I’m also the sole liaison, so I manage everything related to IT [information technology].

What is the status of the relationship?

We’re still working with them on an ongoing basis, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from the project that would demonstrate the quality of their performance?

The overall quality of work they do for us is great. The only issue we have is that they’re on Belarusian time and we’re not. So, when we need something done right away, that can become an issue. We’re currently working with them to find a resolution, and they’re pretty good about trying to help us with that. With our old programmer, we could pick up the phone and call him and he’d be right on it, so we’re used to that level of reaction time. Itransition is a much bigger company, and they work with many more clients. Other than that, they’re great.

Outside of their response time, have you had any issues with other long-term scheduling or defects in the code delivered?

We did at one point, but we got a new programmer because of that problem. We haven’t had any issues since they gave us the new programmer. They’ve been great at those kind of quick resolutions.

Are you dealing with quality assurance on your end or are they dealing with that as well, in addition to their custom coding?

Quality assurance is their main job. In addition to that, they will build assessments and reports for us when we need them. But, what they do for us monthly is essentially quality assurance. 

When working with Itransition, is there anything that you would consider unique about their practice?

I’ve never worked with offshore providers before, so I don’t know. I just don’t have the prior experience to make a realistic comparison.

Has there ever been any miscommunication between you and your direct contact at Itransition?

Considering the language barrier, I would say our communication has been pretty good. There is some occasional confusion, but I think that’s mainly due to the language barrier. I think to some extent that’s to be expected when you use an offshore partner.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve upon, or is something that you might do differently as the client?

Yes. Their project management is pretty much useless for us. I work directly with the programmer or engineer because their project manager is so hard to get in touch with. Usually, if I need to know the details of a project, the project manager will take longer to get back to me than the actual programmer does. So, the programmer and I have a direct line of communication now. We could almost eliminate the project manager altogether. Maybe that’s because I have IT [information technology] experience, and I can understand what the programmer is telling me. So, that might not be the case with most people, but it is in our case.

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

In general, I think that Itransition is great. The only things that we’ve even had a slight issue with are the project manager and the time difference. Other than that, their work is fantastic, and they don’t overcharge, so that’s great. We’re very happy with their overall work. Anything their programmers have touched has been great. We’ve never had a problem with their developers.

BACKGROUND

Could you provide a brief description of your company?

We run a software business around duties and taxes. 

What’s your position?

I’m the founder and owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges that you were attempting to address when you first approached Itransition?

We’ve been working with them for five and a half years, since I first founded the company. They’re responsible for our software development and system operations. We completely outsource our custom software development over to them. We have between five and 10 of their developers at any given time working with us. We have a very close relationship with them. 

SOLUTION

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

They’re responsible for all of our technical development and the implementation of our solutions. Primarily, they’re using PHP, MySQL, and Java. They also handle some of the visual design and our quality assurance.

How did you select Itransition as your solution partner?

One of our investors had worked with them before, and referred them to us. We didn’t consider any other vendors. 

Could you provide a general cost estimate for their involvement?

We’ve invested around $10,000 a month for their ongoing services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before any launch, they go through an intensive QA [quality assurance] cycle, and then we do an acceptance test. After launch, we monitor for any bugs, and deploy fixes as they emerge. All in all, we’ve been working with them for five and a half years, so we’re very happy with their services. The quality of their code is second to none. At this point we have a very effective workflow established, which is difficult to do with an offshore partner.

When working with Itransition, is there anything you’d consider unique about their strategic approach or development methodology?

I really can’t say because I’ve never worked with another offshore provider. I do really appreciate their attention to detail and how their project managers communicate so openly with us.  

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

I don’t have any criticisms or recommendations. Our experience with them through the years has been a very positive one. We’ve really grown our relationship, and it’s been very fruitful.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

I’m an independent contractor. I work across all industries. It’s just me, but I have a lot of subcontractors that do work with me, too. I primarily focus on large projects for Fortune 500 companies. I provide operational consulting, specifically in the realm of improving process efficiency. I take a look at existing processes, primarily in older departments, to re-establish more effective workflows. We identify the inefficiencies in the process, strip those out, and then offload what we can into automated processes, which is the capacity in which I collaborate with Itransition.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were attempting to address when you began the relationship with Itransition?

When I was working on a project for a Fortune 50 company, their previous vendor decided that they weren’t going provide the development services they needed any longer. Their vendor was phasing our support for their solution. I put out an open bid on their behalf. Itransition was one of several vendors to bid on the project. They came in way under my max budget. They had the sustainability that I was looking for in a large company with a lot of developers. Their response to my bid document was very forward thinking. I could tell that they actually looked at the bid document, taking into consideration the caveats and contingencies and that might arise. Their proposal was pretty impressive. After the shortlist review process, they were the ones that were selected.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of the project in greater detail?

I generally perform business analysis, and that’s where I stopped. They do everything else. They do estimation on the technical aspects. They provide me with the price. Then once it’s agreed upon, they actually do the development, the QA/QC [quality assurance/quality control], the smoke testing, hosting, maintenance, and support. They took care of all of that. I validate the concept and provide strategic recommendations to my customers, and Itransition is responsible for the actual building of the applications and solutions. For this particular project, we used a LAMP stack, which includes Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.

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

It cost between $175,000 and $225,000. It took six to eight months to develop the solution with three dedicated programmers.

When was the project completed?

Another phase of the project was completed in November [2013]. Since then, we’ve moved through almost 10 more phases.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback you’ve received that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

With regard to this project, the first subsystem in the enterprise management solution we developed has saved the client significant man-hours, upwards of 600, across all stakeholders in the process, both internally and externally. Aside from the improvements in time and effort, almost all of their manual activities within their processes have been automated. The system was also designed to have history tracking, which allows their users to track significant changes and modifications to their formatting and content, without having the need to log their own changes manually.

As far as the stakeholders are concerned, both the employees and the external parties have been very pleased with the new system. The existing process was essentially preserved, which helped with a learning curve. So, really, the only learning process was how to navigate the new system and translate their previously disparate activities into a consolidated one. In fact, the workflows themselves improved so much that they’ve automated each aspect of their department. That’s what I was referring to with the additional phases. So, now, other departments are beginning to take notice and deploying the same strategy, using both business analysis and Itransition as the resource. It’s been an incredibly lucrative partnership.

When working with Itransition, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors?

I’ve already mentioned sustainability earlier. They can really scale up, take on multiple large projects, and not have to risk a decline in development performance, which is very important because I work with several departments at the same time. They’ll all be running off of the same database. One department may understand that three products might slow them down. But, two projects for two separate departments want full performance, and Itransition can give that to me.

Flexibility was my next concern. Because I work with large companies, they’re still made up of individuals and they all have deadlines. Sometimes, we’re working on six or seven projects simultaneously, and each one requests enhancements, maybe for two different customers, maybe within three different departments. It can get extremely complex. Itransition is extremely flexible with how it deals with incoming change requests.

The last was being solution-oriented. It’s not easy to find a developer that’s solutions-oriented. What I mean by that is most developers are only thinking about the technical implementation. But, Itransition, the way they’ve structured their product team, it’s pretty clear that they’re more concerned about delivering a usable product than focusing on the technical aspects. There’s a good mix of business strategy, project management, and technical competence.

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

Not for me. We haven’t experienced any issues with them. They do a fantastic job. They’ve spent years honing their business practices and recruiting top talent. It’s definitely paid off.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

The organization is in procurement services. We sell software solutions to procurement organizations.

What is your position?

I’m the CTO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were trying to address when you initiated the relationship with Itransition?

We were initially trying to get a first version of our product out. It was a fresh start-up at the time. We didn’t have the technical chops to build it ourselves. We had the conceptual design, but we needed a team of engineers to come in and actually build it for us. 

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of the project in greater detail?

We hired them for custom software development and project management. We received three dedicated engineers for about six months of side-by-side work. We worked closely with them on the custom build and deployment.

How did you select Itransition as your solution partner for this endeavor?

We’d worked with them in the past, about 10 years ago. I knew the guys personally, but the developers assigned to us were all new to me. I had been impressed with the quality of their services before, so they were quickly one of the top choices for us when we began considering vendors.

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

I believe the cumulative cost was somewhere between $50,000 and $100,000.

When was this project completed?

The deployment was completed in early 2011.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that you’ve received that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the work they’ve delivered?

The culmination of this project, we had our first live, paying customer use it. We’ve continued working with Itransition as we build a profitable, scalable, hybrid business. We’re still working with them on the next iterations of the program. They’ve really been invaluable.

When working with Itransition, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors?

One thing that's impressed us the most of the ownership they take over their work. If it’s half past eight or nine in the evening where they are, it’s more than likely that they’re working on our features or improving something for us. They don’t nickel and dime you for their time. 

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

On balance, they’re been great. There’d been a few times where I’ve had to get really chatty with them. There’d be some moments where things get a bit fraught, but everything gets sorted out and the relationship comes out stronger on the other side. We started off with a small piece of work, and here we are, three years later. We invest nearly four times as much on their services now than we did when we first began. We’ve consistently awarded them more work because we’ve been impressed with what they deliver to us. We’re definitely looking to increase that investment further.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

I work for a company called IP Navigation Group, or IPNav. It’s a patent monetization firm that helps organizations and inventors figure out how to make money from their patents. The group I work with is responsible for devising a platform that can analyze our patent data. 

What is your position?

I’m the CTO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were attempting to address with you initiated the relationship with Itransition?

There didn’t exist in the marketplace an automated way to go through millions of patents granted around the world. It was a very human-intensive process to go through a portfolio of patents in order to understand which patents might be valuable. Our business challenge was to create a computer system based on our tacit knowledge that would effectively automate the process. This was a very complex challenge, to say the least.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of the project in greater detail?

Itransition is essentially our go-to development partner. We handle all of the backend data aggregation on our end, and Itransition is responsible for all of the user experience work and custom development. They also built the analytics engine that drives the platform. 

How did you select Itransition as your solution partner?

Our founder introduced us to Itransition. We began originally with a very small Web development project, which was an intellectual property portal that allowed people in different industries to post valuable media and blog content for others. That was our dummy project. We were comfortable with their development and their project management, so we decided to move forward with them.

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

This is a continuing effort that needs consistent and continual improvement and enhancement. At this point, we’ve probably invested around $10 million into the effort with Itransition.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that you’ve received that might demonstrate the effectiveness of the work they’ve delivered?

The best metric would be in the mid-2000s, around 2007 or 2008, we were a five- to 10-person team that went through this process manually. It was extremely cumbersome and time consuming. We knew it wouldn’t be cost effective in the long term. It just wasn’t sustainable. Because we built this platform that automated most of that work, it allowed us to look at larger portfolios in a more timely fashion. The company’s grown to be a worldwide organization with dozens and dozens of employees. A considerable portion of that growth can definitely be attributed to the system we built with Itransition.

When working with Itransition, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors?

The one thing that’s been great about Itransition is the way they treat our relationship. They've gone out of their way to be flexible with us, and they really take ownership of their work, which is reflected in its quality. They’re totally ingrained and embedded in our development process. We talk to them on a daily basis about what things are going on, how we can make improvements, and what our long-term strategy should be. We’re very comfortable delegating items to them that we know are in their area of expertise. They’re just as comfortable questioning our judgment and tactics, often posing insightful recommendations.

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

I know that they have a business analyst group that comes in and deals with requirements gathering. We haven’t used that group very much. We’ve mostly worked with the group that’s out of Belarus, and that’s easier to do from a technology perspective. I’d say if they could build their business analyst group here in the States, that’d be ideal. Outside of that, I can’t really provide any recommendations for them. We’ve been extremely pleased with their work. They’re fantastic.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

My company name is called Fee Technology. It’s based on a patent that I was awarded in 2007. The patent is a mathematically based accounting solution for measuring profits. It’s a verifiable solution to profit measurement. Not only is it a custom solution, it's a universal solution. 

What is your position?

I’m the president and founder of Fee Technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were attempting to address when you initiated the relationship with Itransition?

At the time of receiving the patent for my solution, I didn’t have the resources or the capability to build it. I knew I needed to find a technology partner to build my software using the conceptual design. I needed to hire expert developers and strategists to bring the solution to life.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of the project in greater detail?

Itransition basically did the complete build of my patented solution. All I had was a proof of concept, the mathematic formula, and a basic layout for it. I had nothing else besides the intellectual property. I strategized with them the best approach for deploying my solution, and they worked with me to figure that out. We gathered missing requirements and scoped the project out before they began to create it. They also dealt with some of the infrastructural elements of the software, and handled the QA/QC [quality assurance/quality control] testing, too.

How did you select Itransition as your solution partner for this endeavor?

At the time, I was located in Tulsa, Okla. I was in the process of moving to Austin, Texas. I must have contacted and requested bids from at least 12 different developers in Austin. Itransition offered the most economical proposal in terms of value for cost. I was impressed with their capabilities and their previous work, so I felt confident in their ability to deliver my solution.

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

It cost anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000.

When was your solution successfully built?

We finished about two and half years ago at the beginning of 2012.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the work they’ve delivered?

Last year was our breakout year. Our revenue grew from $147,000 to $1.45 million. We’ve now deployed our solution in more than 600 veterinary hospitals around the nation. Our solution is able to find over 120 percent of the profit that companies are looking for. To put that into terms, we’re probably adding, in the veterinary industry, 5 percent of sales. It’s all up to the doctor in the end because they can see where they are making money and where they’re not. That’s the whole point of the solution.

Itransition was instrumental in the whole process. The first time we did this, they stayed on schedule. I was able to launch this thing on time. We were actually in close negotiations with Pfizer as we were building it, which added another layer of pressure to the whole project. But, as soon as we’d gotten this thing on the cloud, I could mathematically prove to them what we were talking about, which was great. Now, we are exclusively with them.

When working with Itransition, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors?

They were able to build my dream when others couldn’t. What makes them unique is I was able to provide the concept and they built it from scratch. They have an extraordinary talent pool to draw from, and their project management style is very effective that, at least in my situation, they were more likely to hit their marks ahead of schedule than come up late. 

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

I really don’t have any criticisms. I can’t even begin to tell you how appreciative I’ve been of their work. They’re excellent partners, and they’ve been responsible for building my wildly successful solution.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CPO of Gcore, an IT company. We provide global AI, cloud, network, and security solutions. We offer an AI-native cloud platform that enables enterprises to build, train, and scale AI models with integrated compute, networking, and security across public, private, and hybrid environments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Itransition to accomplish for your AI, cloud, or security solutions?

We’ve involved Itransition in many projects, both internal and external. Initially, we needed their help with specific technologies we couldn’t find internal resources for. We’ve also involved them in our internal systems, like integrating our ERP system and updating it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Itransition has helped us with the development of features, QA, project management, and integrations.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with more than 10 teammates from Itransition.

How did you come to work with Itransition?

They were referred to me. I chose them because their pricing fit our budget, they were a great culture fit, and they offered good value for the cost.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Itransition has delivered features and products to production on time. We consider our long-lasting partnership with them our best indicator of success.

How did Itransition perform from a project management standpoint?

Itransition’s project management is excellent. We communicate via virtual meetings, emails, and messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed by their ability to keep the staff under the initial budget and workload.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they need to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the project manager for an app company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Itransition?

For monitoring and maintenance of the already-existing app

SOLUTION

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

We used Itransition for QA services earlier in this project.

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

Monitoring and maintaining the existing App and transitioning it from a previous developer. This involved fixing many bugs and operational issues due to the transition.

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

Igor is the primary technical contact and technical team lead on the Itransition side. Maksim is the primary business contact and oversight on the project on the Itransition side. Additional team resources for monitoring, QA, development, and IT operations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is up and running and the persistent login issue since transitioning from the previous developer was fixed. This is a big deal for the project.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective - great communication between myself and Igor and Maksim.

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

Smart, responsive, skilled technically, super nice, and enjoyable to work with and speak with.

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

The time difference with Belarus is a bit difficult at times but manageable. Perhaps better communication with the previous Itransition QA team would be better but I do not know the corporate structure at Itransition.