Neocoast

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're an experiential learning company that offers software that allows companies to train employees through live experiences rather than presentations. As the CTO, I am responsible for all technology decisions and forward vision for the platforms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Neocoast provided continuing application support for our SAAS platform, handling bugs, new features and infrastructure changes. Our goals for them were:

1. to design a sprint system to handle product changes and modifications

2. engage in weekly application development and system changes

3. to monitor the application for quality and ensure reliability of systems.

SOLUTION

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

We selected this vendor as part of a multi-vendor analysis of current technology needs and future platform decisions. Their expertise both in Javascript and Ruby allowed us to feel confident that they had the right tools and experience to handle our product and infrastructure development needs.

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

We worked with the team to analyze our current platforms, perform a code review of the state of the application, and then they proposed a work plan to meet our needs for continuous development and release. Neocast was able to scale with our needs for additional talent and worked with us to respond to critical demands at moments of high urgency.

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

At the peak, 6 members of their team were part of the project:

• (1) a project manager
• 2 senior software engineers
• 2 junior engineers
• a QA lead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team at Neocoast continuously met our expectations for the quality and process of their work. They responded to feedback and set in motion strategies to mitigate against any challenges that were communicated.

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

We had bi weekly standup and product checkins. All communication on a more frequent bases was managed through Slack and less urgent tasks through email. They followed a loose agile process that was based upon the dynamic demands of a fast-moving product release cycle.

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

NeoCoast expressed a highly adaptable process for software development. They maintain a strong group of software engineers on their staff, but all have excellent project management resources to communicate and plan their work appropriately. Overall we have been impressed by their abilities to release and respond proactively to any urgent situations that arise.

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

By and large most of the issues that have arisen have self-corrected after they have been identified. At some points there have been instances of QA mishandling, but they have been addressed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of Ronin Ventures - a blockchain software and infrastructure company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired NeoCoast for the development of a Web Browser Extension to be utilized in the blockchain space.

SOLUTION

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

We selected NeoCoast as a result of their enthusiasm for the project and desire to break into the blockchain space. We felt that NeoCoast had excellent project management skills that would allow them to properly develop the project.

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

The project was the development of a web browser extension application in the blockchain space. It was to be built utilizing ReactJS and built in such a fashion to later allow wrapping of the codebase into React Native. The application was to utilize various SDKs to interact with multiple different blockchain APIs.

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

Actively there were 2 React developers working on the project in addition to the project management provided by their CTO and code review by their lead developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

NeoCoast was able to meet initial deliverables for an MVP allowing the software to be brought in-house for long-term development and improvements.

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

NeoCoast does an excellent job of utilizing Jira for Agile project management as well as Slack for communication. Tasks were broken down into tickets which were prioritized in 2-week sprints according to our needs. Bi-weekly meetings to review the previous sprint and plan the next sprints were planned in advance. Additionally, code reviews were conducted automatically as part of their process.

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

NeoCoast presented itself in a varied professional and organized manner. They have a solid team with various skill sets, allowing them to cover all aspects of software development. We were highly satisfied and impressed by their project management and consistency in their methodology of planning, designing, developing, testing, and reviewing.

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

We think NeoCoast is already a very strong team with strong internal practices that allow a smooth development life cycle and have strong communication processes both from a development and managerial standpoint.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director at Food Connect, a nonprofit organization that helps bridge the gap between surplus food and hunger.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NeoCoast?

We worked with NeoCoast on the engineering and the development of the mobile features that we needed. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At first, we talked to the NeoCoast team to explain our needs, and then they scoped out the project. Once that was done, we talked about the best process for our team to stay informed about their progress, what had been developed, and what changes were made.

They’ve developed our mobile app using React Native with a Ruby on Rails backend. Through it, we’re able to schedule pickups. It has a notification system and is linked to our logistics system. Since the systems have a real-time feedback loop, everything is captured on the backend of our logistics platform, which NeoCoast also helped build. In other words, they’ve not only developed a mobile app; they’ve also custom-built our backend logistics system. 

At present, we’re working on new features for the app as well as maintaining our mobile development process and logistics features. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 5–6 people on different levels, including a project manager, a senior engineer, a frontend developer, and two backend developers. 

How did you come to work with NeoCoast?

We found NeoCoast through a referral. An acquaintance of our engineering lead worked with NeoCoast before, so they recommended the team to us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $50,000–$100,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in November 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

NeoCoast completes their work on time. If something causes a delay, they’re great at explaining what that delay is and why. We also work well together on changes that we need to make. For other success metrics, they have a great QA process. As a result, we don’t experience a lot of bugs in the apps. Overall, they’ve delivered a high-quality product.  

How did NeoCoast perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been highly collaborative, and we’ve had a strong process. Throughout the sprint cycles, their team has been great at following up on things they need. Moreover, they stick to the budget, and it’s been great working with them. If we need to add, remove, or change some things, they help us well in figuring it out. 

To manage our work and overall communication, we use Trello and Jira. They’re extremely responsive on these channels. On top of that, we have a Slack channel, so they can respond right away when we have questions. Apart from Slack, we also use phone, emails, Zoom, and Google Meet for recurring meetings. For such meetings, we have demo days where they show what they’ve built. Meanwhile, in our retrospective meetings, we talk about ways to improve our work. In other words, we have a truly great process in place. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

NeoCoast has high-quality engineers and account managers. As a result, we receive both good communication and high-quality engineering services.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. I’m truly happy with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Before building anything, make sure to test it with your users. On top of that, have a clear idea of what you want to build. That way, NeoCoast’s scope of work is clear and easier to execute. This goes for any project when starting with a new vendor; the clearer deliverables they have, the easier it will be for them to execute the project. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of a performance management software firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NeoCoast?

We wanted to build a mobile app for our product. Our team didn’t have the bandwidth to support our current product and break ground on the mobile app at the same time. Bringing on someone like NeoCoast made sense.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re a React and React Native shop, which is what we wanted to use in order to quickly build an Android and iPhone app at the same time. It is also complemented our core product, which was built using Ruby on Rails.

I’m a product manager by trade, so I had already done extensive interviews with customers and people who were interested in having our mobile app. We knew exactly what the functionality needed to be. We already have a clickable prototype, so we just had to show NeoCoast what we wanted it to look like. This process allowed us to move faster with them. The mockups made it easier for them to understand the scope and what we were looking for.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with all kinds of people from their team. We primarily had one engineer working on the project, but they were paired with someone who was a bit more senior. Our main points of contact were Lucas (Frontend Developer), who was the engineer, and Nicolas (Frontend Tech), who was his mentor. Nicolas would attend our planning meetings and demos, but the work was actually done by Lucas.  

How did you come to work with NeoCoast?

I searched online and stumbled upon them. I saw that they have good reviews, and I ended up interviewing different agencies. I was impressed with NeoCoast’s work, and I even downloaded one of their apps. I took a look at other apps they designed in the App Store.

When I had a call with one of their co-founders, I was impressed. Then my co-founder called them to evaluate their technical skills. He was also impressed, which made it an easy decision for us. We felt comfortable from a technical and business perspective.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2019, and we’re wrapping up this month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team at NeoCoast takes their work seriously. From a technology background perspective, the team was a great fit. They also had great frontend skills. I really appreciate their quality of work.

Some agencies just do work to make money, and others do work because they care about their craft. NeoCoast falls in the latter group. There were times where they would catch bugs or make suggestions that were clearly done because they care about what they’re building.

I’ve heard of horror stories from offshore and other agencies where the teams just build the spec, and they don’t care about the rest. What’s great about NeoCoast is that they do care. They’re very communicative and collaborative, willing to work with our team.

They’re dedicated to delivering a quality piece of work. There’s always testing and bug fixing, but Lucas is always good about fixing them. When he needed things from our head of engineering, he was able to work with him to make it easier for everyone involved. They’re definitely somebody we plan to work with again in the future.

How did NeoCoast perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very hands-on. We used Trello for tracking. We also have a shared channel in Slack, which has been a gamechanger. They’re always responsive. I’ve been really impressed with how much easier Slack has made things across the board for any type of discussion. We also used Zoom for calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re actually invested in the work that they do. The team cares about the quality of their work and want to do things in the right and effective way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. If anything came up, we were able to work through it quickly. They were good at communicating. We’re sad to not be working with them right now. When there’s a project that makes sense, we’ll come back to them right away.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

NeoCoast doesn’t have design in-house, so make sure you have designs you like and can make the mockups. They’ll do a much better job when that’s available. Attend the meetings that they want to have. Treat them like you value those meetings. I’ve heard from them that some clients aren’t good about showing up, even though you get a lot of value out of them. Take that time because they’re willing to do good work with you if there’s an effort put in.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a global community that connects businesses looking to make videos to local creators.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire NeoCoast?

We wanted to build a mobile application to create a better UX for our customers.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a seamless mobile experience that perfectly matched our designs, and was fast, responsive and cross platform.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were referred to NeoCoast through a very close friend and technical partner.

Describe the project in detail.

NeoCoast built a mobile application in react native that works on IOS and Andorid. They built it from the ground up, and coordinated with our web platform to connect various endpoints and data. The mobile app is now live on the app stores.

What was the team composition?

We had a project manager, and a lead developer assigned to our company. We also kept a direct line of communication with their CEO just in case we needed to make special requests, or a change in our scope of work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The mobile app is now complete and is on both app stores (IOS and Android). It passed all of the app stores regulations, and our users are loving it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our team was integrated through Slack, Trello and daily standups. Our communication was on point and never missed a beat. Their team also works really well with USA hours and we always reachable.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their teams' transparency and honesty. We hit a lot of technical roadblocks, but their team always found a solution, and never "his us over the head" with a price hike.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only area of improvement would be an increase in the length of time it took to develop the application, but with respects to their scope, budget, and technology, their team performed really well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CTO at Nuro Retention. We work with student success analytics and retention. We help universities retain their students and we also help students succeed better in their courses as they progress through their academic year.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NeoCoast?

We didn't have enough onsite engineering resources, so we needed a development team to help us build our platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

NeoCoast built a web-based application as well as a middle tier, a backend, and a data processing platform. We're an agile-oriented software shop and NeoCoast became a fully integrated part of our team. They built the product in collaboration with our onshore resources, so we went through a typical agile process of understanding customer needs, creating a roadmap, and working through sprints. They're using React and Ruby on the frontend, while on the backend it's PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL.

What is the team composition?

We're currently working with four people from their team, but the size of the team has fluctuated over the course of the relationship.

How did you come to work with NeoCoast?

The relationship had started before I joined the company.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $500,000–$600,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2016 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've successfully delivered multiple iterations of our software, relying on NeoCoast for the key parts of the development.

How did NeoCoast perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very responsive. We have daily or even hourly contact with their team via Slack, video conferencing, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with a number of offshore development companies, but working with NeoCoast was a real eye-opener. There has been a lot less friction and their communication skills are fantastic. They're critical thinkers and they always have a positive attitude. Many companies just want to build what you tell them to build, but NeoCoast can work creatively and effectively without clear requirements. They've been able to engage with us on a much deeper level than any of my previous offshore vendors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We're a 24-hour business, so sometimes we'd like support after hours. NeoCoast is more of a traditional shop, so it'd be valuable to us if they could develop the capacity to extend their working hours. Additional skills, for example, in data science would also be great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don't think of them a separate entity and make them part of your team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a software consulting business that builds custom software for various clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NeoCoast?

I write code myself but needed additional support with developing and implementing software projects for my clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’ve worked with NeoCoast on various projects. They’ve done work for about five or six of my clients. Typically, the work involves building web-based software. We’ve developed Ruby on Rails and React projects. It’s been anything from large-scale applications to small-scale prototypes where we figure out details for architecture on other products.

What is the team composition?

It depends on what we’re working on. I usually interface with Fabian (Co-Founder, NeoCoast), and they employ over 12 developers. As far as leading the team, it changes from project to project. I generally lead them with an assigned developer who follows my direction. But there’s been a few projects where their team has taken more of a leadership role.

How did you come to work with NeoCoast?

I found NeoCoast through Upwork. I didn’t end up working with them initially. I sent out a programming test and went with another company. Down the line, Fabian reached out to me because he was available for work. I had a project for a friend that needed to get done, so I connected with them, and we started working together.

How much have you invested with them?

It varies by project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our engagement in 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From a product standpoint, NeoCoast has always delivered. Their team builds what we need them to develop. There’s been a measurable impact in that. Across all of the different projects, the software has been created, deployed, and runs smoothly.

How did NeoCoast perform from a project management standpoint?

I handled the project management. They’re responsive when we use Slack. Occasionally, I’ve had to follow up a little bit, but it makes sense considering all the developers I’ve worked with. Some team members are much more proactive and responsive than others. I’ve used numerous tools such as Asana, GitHub, and Trello. They’ve worked willingly with all of those. Their team is transparent and clear. They do an excellent job of tracking time and let me know when they can make a meeting. We set up stand-ups, daily meetings, or multiple standing meetings a week, depending on the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

NeoCoast is a smart and talented team that excels at communicating. I enjoy working with them. Their quality of work is solid. I’ve thrown challenging projects at them, and members of their team just run with it. The caliber of services they provide has been excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Anything I’ve wanted them to improve upon, I’ve been able to communicate with them directly. NeoCoast has done an excellent job taking everything into consideration. I love working with them and hope to continue our relationship as long as possible. Their team fills a crucial gap within my company. It’s been an exceptional partnership.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear and organized with your requirements. That’s helpful for any project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of an online liquor marketplace. We aggregate sales and ship out to the customer from the best place to ship from based on taxes, shipping costs, and shipping laws.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NeoCoast?

We needed help to design and maintain the application that is the core of our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

NeoCoast is our key technology partners. They designed and developed our web application using Ruby on Rails for the backend and ReactJS and Redux for the frontend. They built and maintain all of the infrastructure, architecture, and features of the application.

What is the team composition?

We initially worked with one of the co-founders. Now we work with a few developers.

How did you come to work with NeoCoast?

We started working with one of NeoCoast’s co-founders on a small, one-off project as an individual contractor before the firm was established. We were impressed with his work. When he started the firm, they asked if we’d be interested in giving them more work. We were happy with what he’d delivered, so that’s how the engagement started.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between 200,000–300,000 AUD (approximately $140,000–210,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2016, and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We judge progress based on what’s been deployed as a new feature or a fix. The features in our application are our outcomes.

How did NeoCoast perform from a project management standpoint?

We manage everything with Trello, and everyone communicates via Slack. When we need to conference, we jump on a call and either do a demo over Skype or Google Hangouts.

We’re constantly producing and deploying, if not weekly then every other week. We go through phases of more deliverables at some times than others. That’s the nature of the features themselves which are sometimes more complex than initially thought or have more bugs than anticipated. They’re continually looking for ways to improve processes to decrease bugs and improve efficiency.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re willing to change their team makeup and hire new staff based on our requirements which allows us to scale up or down as needed. If we want to introduce new technology, they’ll find someone to do it. They’re flexible, and we know that we can change things quickly if needed. No matter what the project is or the direction it’s taking; we can get a developer to do what we need quickly and at high quality.

We also really like the way they manage their staff. I’ve been to their offices and it’s a positive environment.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s not specific to them but staying aligned with business priorities is always challenging with remote teams. If we have a large number of features and bugs that we want to be addressed, knowing intrinsically which ones are a priority for the business is critical to ensure that the highest priority ones are addressed first. It’s a two-way street: we have to communicate too. Sometimes, though, we’d like to have them better understand which problems are costing us money and where to focus their efforts.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as specific and clear as you can be about your goals. Maintain constant communication. You get the best out of the relationship when you work side-by-side even though it’s remote. We don’t set a task and wait for it to be deployed to review it.  We talk every day. That’s how we know what they’re working on, the challenges they face, and how we can make their jobs easier.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m CEO and co-founder of Rootstrap.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NeoCoast?

We outsourced a client web development project to NeoCoast.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

NeoCoast maintains the client’s Ruby on Rails website and develops new features.

What is the team composition?

Originally, four team members worked directly with our client. However, the client has scaled NeoCoast down to three resources. We oversee the process and the client manages the resources.

How did you come to work with NeoCoast?

I knew part of their team prior to the engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend approximately $14,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2015, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although the client reduced NeoCoast’s team due to budget constraints, they still retain them because the vendor produces high-quality work.

How did NeoCoast perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is responsive and has strong English skills.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are reliable and trustworthy, especially compared to our other partner agencies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While we can’t identify any specific areas, our team does need a lot of help at the same time NeoCoast is busy with other clients. The team could scale faster to increase their bandwidth.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The team provides useful insight into the development and any related challenges.