Netguru

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an engineering manager for a prescription medicine startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

We needed some mobile development done but lacked the internal resources.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Netguru provided a team to work collaboratively with our internal team. They took care of some business requests that desperately needed to be attended to. They also work on development, deliver full-on business requirement features, and do some consulting.

What is the team composition?

Initially, there was a program manager, a senior Android engineer, two iOS engineers, and a QA engineer. Currently, I interact with a senior frontend engineer, two backend engineers, and a QA teammate.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

They were referred by one of our senior directors who had worked with them previously. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around August 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Netguru is integrated into our internal teams, so we have monthly check-ins. If there are issues, the team leader addresses them. They are phenomenal engineers and a great asset to our team. They produce high-quality work, and we are satisfied with them.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

We don’t fully utilize their project manager because I took on a lot of that role myself. Essentially, she acts as an engagement manager, making sure their engineers are engaged and happy.

She also answers their questions and makes sure that their needs are met. We use Jira extensively and communicate mainly via Slack. We also have daily stand-ups. The team is flexible and available.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They onboarded onto the tech stack very quickly. They took the time to learn our tooling and tech and to comb through the entire code. They do this better than any vendor I’ve worked with in the past.

Additionally, they are leaders in the field regarding the architecture of their code. Netguru constantly looks at new technologies and architecture, as well as new and old principles, and they take pride in being great tech leaders.

They’re also good at pointing out issues and consulting. For example, they helped tremendously with our Android codebase. They integrate well and blend in with the synergy of our team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice if they had a process for their engineers to agree to work a certain time in order to fit their client’s schedule. I asked the account manager about this in the beginning and was told that wasn’t their policy.

Their engineers were free to work whatever time schedule they chose. They were more accommodating in reality when we needed them to be, so it was never a real issue for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Treat them as part of your team. They want to provide the utmost integration because they care and want to do what’s right for their client. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the directing manager and founder of The ORIGIN AG.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

I had an idea for an app that consumers can use to voice their thoughts and feelings without looking at their screens. I wanted users to be able to reflect on their ideas but was a novice in terms of building a product like this from scratch. I needed a partner to develop the product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Netguru built our app for users to record, store, and analyze thoughts, notes, tasks, and dreams. Their team developed the product for iOS from the ground up. We will build an Android version but believe iOS market segments will be more interested in the tool.

From the beginning, I had strong ideas, which I sketched for their team. Netguru was adaptive throughout the project. I brought them my ideas as to how users could access the different parts of the app, but they ensured we followed best practices.

With the platform, users can speak what they think and feel without having to look at their phone screens. The speech is recorded and transcribed. Their team integrated the app with Apple’s transcription engine, speech2text algorithms, and voice assistants to transcribe user’s recordings into organized notes. Then, the transcript gets stored and sorted in a creative interface. They implemented game mechanics, which enable users to interact with their ideas and categories on the home screen.

We haven’t done a hard launch, so that’s coming next. At that point, we’ll be working to find the sweet spots and pivoting on features if necessary. We’re approaching the process with an attitude of building the app with our users.

What is the team composition?

The team fluctuated between five and seven people. We worked with three developers who supported the main developer. We also engaged with a product owner, a product leader, and quality assurance teammates.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

A colleague recommended Netguru as their team developed an app for him. We decided to visit and appreciated their effort to understand our vision deeply. There was also a large degree of transparency in regard to cost, which I valued because I’m new to this market. At the end of the day, I had a gut feeling based on the in-person meeting

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around €140,000 (approximately $155,500 USD)with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Netguru in January 2019, and it’s ongoing. We’ve gone back into development to fix some bugs and upgrade basic features. I don’t see why I wouldn’t continue to work with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve done a few focus groups. Generally, the feedback has been excellent, and the product’s aesthetic has been a big plus. Users tend to think the platform’s quite fun to use. They speak, watch the app transcribe their words, and then see their thoughts stored. It's a new tool in the market, so people are a bit confused in the beginning. To help users understand the platform, we’re creating a more explicit onboarding process in combination with marketing materials.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

They've performed exceptionally well. Usually, we've had stand up meetings every morning via Google meet. Our primary method of communication was Slack. Netguru team was not afraid to speak their minds. We’ve built a close relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team has been most impressive. Netguru has been down to earth, approaching everything humbly. They’ve spoken their minds throughout the collaboration.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind right away. I can't complain.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go and meet the Netguru team in person. Shop around to compare offerings and teams.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product manager for Esper, a regulatory software company. We build tools for regulators to use when researching and implementing new rules based on legislation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

We had been without a designer for a while. In the process of hiring an in-house resource, we decided to go with an outside firm on a rolling basis.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was not a particularly well-scoped engagement; we needed help on ongoing projects on an as-needed basis from Netguru’s design resources. We worked with one designer in Poland who participated in our daily team stand-ups. She put together a style guide for us and completed various product design tasks that had been in our pipeline for a while. The style guide was UI-intensive; it specified pixels, colors, fonts, and shadings, among other things. The designer utilized those elements to build out product features and enhancements. This involved thinking through the UX carefully.

What is the team composition?

The primary contributor was a designer, but we also worked daily with a Netguru project manager who kept work organized and on track.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

I previously worked with Netguru at another company that utilized them as one of their primary design and development resources. After working with them for over a year, I can speak to Netguru’s outstanding work and an incredible caliber of talent. 

Working with them was also a very convenient process; I could leave comments on designs at midnight and find the feedback addressed by the next morning’s standup. We had a rapid design cycle as a result.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2019, and the engagement will wrap up by the end of August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our team and CEO are impressed by their work. Our frontend developers are very excited to start building the new design system that Netguru outlined for us. We’re using the new style guide to reskin our app. 

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

The designer used Sketch and InVision. I would write a ticket for her detailing the product requirements. She would then put together a design in Sketch and upload it to InVision, where I’d leave comments if I had questions and tweaks to make. This workflow repeated for every task, and it worked very well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Netguru’s bar for talent is extremely high. In my last role, one of their designers mentioned that they interview 200 people for every design position that they fill. Their interview process is rigorous, and as a result, they attract top talent. In addition, Netguru has an incredible remote culture. It really makes working together easy from a client’s perspective. Lastly, their style is amazingly crisp, clean, and consistent across their work with multiple clients that have different needs. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. I've been very happy with Netguru’s work throughout the entire engagement. 

Any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend having a daily stand-up. All it needs to be is 10–20 minutes every day. Since I’m in the Central time zone, mornings work best for me. That's Netguru’s afternoon, so every morning I show up and they told me what they just worked on all day. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Odin Company, a psychometric software company. We develop very innovative software apps that are used mostly B2B. We do a combination of tests on unconscious motives and conscious behavior. It all takes 10 minutes online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

We had way too many bugs in our software development. We were looking for a more professional business to improve our software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we switched to Netguru, they confirmed that our software needed a lot of work. We started to revitalize our existing software to make it more solid and consistent. Now we’re at the end of the lifecycle of that software because with the new plans we have, it’s better and cheaper to rebuild it. We already aligned that process with Netguru. They’re more like a partner to us than just a software development company. It will be a development process that happens in several phases.

We’re using Ruby on Rails coders and architects. They help with front- and backend development. They weren’t involved in the design­–we already redesigned the complete, new software. We created wireframes and screens. We first have to get out the proof of concept for the new business proposition because that will bring us to the exit of our business.

We’re making our product highly scalable. We’re about to launch 3-4 scrum groups for the end development of our new product. They’re going to build an engine in which we can easily connect many people to jobs or training options. Our software is sort of a black book that combines candidates for training possibilities. Once a candidate takes a test, we match them up with jobs or training opportunities that match the results of that test. It will be a standalone system.

What is the team composition?

The project manager manages the team. There’s an account manager, project manager, a quality manager, two coders, and an architect. I also work directly with coders and designers.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

Someone I know had a warm relationship with them. We asked them to review our software and they were very thorough. We were convinced they were the right partner for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent 300,000–400,000 euros ($335,000–466,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are very happy with their work over the last three and a half years. We haven’t had even one bug. It’s an advantage for us that we can scale the team whenever we’d like.

Our clients are very happy about the percentage of uptime, which is extremely high. The software is very solid. They put in sufficient tests and live protocol to test new software. New releases are very solid and our customers hardly noted anything about maintenance.

The setback is almost all the developers we knew are not available, which is normal because they can’t be waiting for us. Last winter, we had to restart the team. It comes with how we work, but it would be interesting if their backlog for transfer of knowledge to new teams could be a bit more consistent.

I understand if we don’t build anything for a year’s time, they have to move on. My solution for that is that we visit them once in a while. We take two or three days to invest in the time to get it all up and running again. We are very happy with them as partners.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is really good. I’ve been having troubles with account management because I’ve had some account managers who came in after the project manager did her work and started it all over again. I don’t have time for that. I’m very honest about that and am sort of blunt sometimes. They’re very open to whatever we need even if it disrupts their structure.

The core of it all is the project manager. I have a real connection with the project manager and the coders. At first, I didn’t have a bond with the account managers. They were flying in without asking. I didn’t see their value until a few weeks ago when I met the new account manager. He does what he should do and he’s really adding something to the project manager. He thinks with us and helps us to position things. He’s a contextual guy, which is really good.

We started communicating with email, but at a certain point, we had to bring everything into a ticket system. I hate it, so I hired an AI student to take care of my tickets. She’s been the middleman between me and Netguru regarding the ticket system.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really like that the people at Netguru add some things to the deliverables I want or need. I know quite well what I’m looking for and they come up with the smart solutions to do it so much better than I could think of. They are so solid.

What you see is what you get. They’re really young and are so good at this–they never make promises that they can’t keep. Estimations are secure.

We had a workshop with them last winter. We were visualizing the customer journey of the new software to be built. One of the coders asked us to take another 30 minutes to guide him through the process. It was a courageous thing to do rather than just pretending to get it all. Through that, we found out we missed a few things too. We’re very happy with them as a partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The account manager should be aware of how a customer works. I’m a content person and I like to know all the details because I have to sell it to my customers. The project manager is key for me. I don’t feel the account manager needs to be the person in charge. If I were Netguru, I’d reconsider how they divide responsibilities in their company.

Everything they do is highly protocoled, but it would help them to have cultural awareness of how other countries function.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO & founder at SixEye Limited, a remote management platform for lighting and AV control systems. We’re unique in the fact that we support devices from multiple manufacturers and allow system integrators to have their own portal with their own branding. We can manage the projects of multiple manufacturers that have integrated with our platform all in one place. The devices connect directly.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

We were struggling with hiring developers. Initially, our team was developing our server application, but we needed a frontend developer. With two others not working out and a deadline approaching, I started looking for outsourcing firms that could provide developers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a frontend developer, and eventually added a backend developer. We kept the front- and backend arrangement, although the developers rotated after a while. We also added a QA, who also covered our own developers' work. The frontend developer used React with Redux and other JavaScript libraries. The API was developed with Ruby on Rails by the backend developer.

It’s a multi-tenant application so the front- and backend need to manage the concept of multiple customers interacting with the same application and support custom domains. The front end supports theming for each customer. They implemented a frontend design that we created. We needed to display data, sometimes in real-time. The frontend had to know which device it was rendering. On the backend, permissions have been a huge feature over the past year. It’s complicated because each device has different abilities, and each ability has a permission. The backend developer was instrumental in the design of our permissions system, designing a significant part of it herself.

What is the team composition?

There was always one frontend developer, one backend developer, and one QA. Each developer comes with a code reviewer, and I’m in contact with the project manager.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

I searched Google for outsourcing companies in Europe because I wanted to be roughly in the same time zone. We talked to Netguru and another company. While Netguru wasn’t the least expensive, they were well set-up. From the first interview, I got the impression that engagement with them would be smooth. While we didn’t end up using them for this, they also had a lot of design experience and had won several awards. They found a developer, and they subcontracted, which didn’t make a difference to us. The process was completely seamless.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $50,000–$199,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2017 until May 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s easy to work with them. The frontend developer was skilled in JavaScript and the flows of developing a frontend app. Netguru helped us learn that we could have an entirely remote team. We now have the confidence to have employees working entirely remotely. For example, our developer based in Uruguay. We met her once for two days. Two years ago, I wouldn’t believe that was a possibility.

We simply wouldn’t be where we are without Netguru. We’ve matured as a company, getting through initial milestones such as showing at tradeshows and demonstrating the unique features. People are now prepared to back us financially for a bit longer. We now have a remote team that’s less expensive than outsourcing. Netguru will be our first choice if we decide to make a mobile app. We would happily hand over a chunk of work to their team. If money were no object, we’d continue with them.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager was excellent. He came to visit us in London and was communicative with his developers and our team. The project manager made sure to find out if anyone had concerns, and would even give me a hard time if he thought I wasn’t managing things well. When they rotated a couple of the frontend developers, it felt like losing our in-house staff because of how closely we worked together. The code reviewers take the additional burden off of our team. It was well-managed, and they delivered a great service.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Netguru looks after their developers. They evoke the sense that they enjoy what they do. The developers aren’t only talented but motivated. Despite growing as a company, nothing was ever too much trouble, and they were never too busy. Their team was readily available. If a particular skill was needed on a project, they could find someone to do it within two weeks.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Before you hire Netguru, being able to talk to the incoming developer would be nice. I have to temper that with the fact that a lot of their clients come to them with specs and money and perhaps are less concerned with who their developers are. I’m an engineer along with my lead developer, and we know what we’re doing, but we’re only two people and care who we're working with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give Netguru a spec and have them deliver on it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an online education platform for web and mobile. Our platform enables anyone who wants to teach something to teach it. For example, someone could teach English to girls in Afghanistan or I could teach script writing to my neighbor. It works online and offline.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

I needed a company to develop our website and mobile app following a few unsuccessful previous engagements.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed our website and mobile app. It’s a very complex website with social media features, and it’s in 10 languages. We only connect people to people. Most applications are people to machines, but we wanted to get people together. Sometimes we call our website “dating for knowledge”.

We are planning to work together for another two weeks following our launch. We will pause for three months while we do some marketing and user testing. Then we will continue to develop as usual.

What is the team composition?

We have one team leader.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

I looked all over the world after failing with three other companies. Netguru invited me to go to a workshop for two days to look at the project. They said if we chose them, we wouldn’t have to pay for the workshop. If we didn’t go with them, we’d pay 2,000 euros for the workshop. That was very clever of them and very fair.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a very complex app and web page now. I’m happy with the quality of work. It wasn’t initially clear how much it would cost to finish the project, and we ended up going over budget. It’s like building a house – we changed a lot of things and it became more expensive than expected. I learned it’s very difficult to budget a website.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is outstanding. I couldn’t talk to them like a technician, but only like a teacher or someone who understands what people need. I could talk to them more emotionally than technically, and they were really good at turning my ideas into programming.

I speak with the team lead for 10 minutes daily. We have a team meeting once a week where I talk to the whole team and they report to me what they did the previous week and what they’re planning for the next week. They’re very clear. We mostly communicate through Slack. They’re very clear.

When one developer disappeared and took with him three weeks of work, Netguru didn’t make us pay for it and took it on as their own problem. They’re very fair, and I’m happy even after two years.

We negotiated a certain rate for each programmer or designer per day. The team leader from Netguru and I could decide how many more resources we needed. We could change the workload and the financial load day-by-day, which was very convenient for me in terms of planning the financial flow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very transparent about where my money goes. I can talk directly to all the developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

For the amount of time we worked with them, they could have given us a bigger discount. Long-term customers should get better rates.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you’re doing. Plan your website or your project better than I did. Do your homework and don’t rely on your developers to do it for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a social shopping application. Users can discover products from real people. We enable consumers to upload a picture and tag the item so others can buy it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

Netguru built our entire platform using existing code. We needed their team to develop our mobile app, focusing on performance and features.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our platform is built for iOS. We work with them in terms of developing stories around the features and architecture we wanted to create. They’ve helped our team deal with performance issues and structure to ensure app stability and maintaining our growing user base. Once we decide on business and technical requirements with their team, we work in sprints to develop those components. Those components and features are deployed on a weekly basis. I tackled most of the design but did receive advice from one of their designers.

What is the team composition?

Our team includes a project manager, a QA specialist, two native frontend engineers, and two backend engineers who specialize in React.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

Previously, we worked with another company and weren’t pleased with the results. We searched Clutch to find an agency that would solve a lot of issues we were having. After finding Netguru, we reached out.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been able to deploy a functioning platform that our team is happy with. Netguru has excellent output in terms of their work quality and ethic.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

We have several touch points with Netguru. Our stand-ups with their team take place every morning. During those meetings, we spend time tuning, planning, and reviewing our previous sprints. Our teams discuss what worked and what didn’t.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with the excellence Netguru displays in their work. Their ability to figure out solutions for hard problems and then execute the solutions makes them stand out. We had a frustrating experience with our previous team, and at times, it felt like pulling teeth for every aspect of the project. Netguru came into the engagement proactively, detailing what’s getting done and how. They always deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The hard thing about offshore work was finding time to have those touch points. My partner and I wake up at 6 a.m. to be on stand-ups with them, to make sure there was a lot of time overlap. If there isn’t enough time, you can make do with that. It’s a bit frustrating, but honestly, Netguru has always provided us with the resources to figure everything out. Different people help us think about growth and metrics. We have access to a variety of skillsets. There is machine learning built into our platform. Some of their team members are skilled in that area and algorithms.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think everybody is different, but I advise customers to create as many touch points as possible. Have those conversations to align properly. Like with any engineering team, you have to make sure they’re focused on what they’re doing and meant to deliver. As with any team, regardless of location, there can be times where things get lost in translation. It’s important to be clear with expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of product for an online estate agency. We provide a software platform for landlords.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

We engaged Netguru to develop our custom platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Netguru built our platform using Node.js in the backend and Ember in the frontend. We had an idea of what we wanted to do, and their team helped flesh it out. They found solutions and suggested alternate ways of accomplishing our requirements.

The platform allows landlords to track their marketing efforts. Landlords can see how many people looked at their ads and make adjustments in the ads (such as price changes). They can check property happenings and send messages to our team over the platform. The solution interacts with several external systems to collect and update data.

What is the team composition?

The project manager serves as our primary point of contact. We have direct contact with developers as well.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

We looked at many options for outsourced development. After reaching out to friends and colleagues, we received a referral to Netguru. Their reasonable rates and our initial conversations impressed us, so we chose them to complete this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$199,999.

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?

Netguru has executed the solution while providing valuable consulting and advising services along the way. We plan on enhancing the platform and engaging Netguru to help us with other technical projects as well.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is highly accessible and responds immediately to any queries. They provide summaries and updates of our discussions. We communicate via Slack and coordinate sprints through Jira.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Netguru makes communication straightforward and efficient. Their team is full of knowledgeable people who can answer questions unrelated to our project. Our collaboration works like a partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, it’s been a very positive experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you fully understand your vision and needs in advance. Netguru can work fast once you give them what they need to execute your project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior software architect for an online learning platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

We purchased our learning management system (LMS) based in Ruby on Rails, which is more difficult to find talent onshore for. We have no internal development staff, so it had to be outsourced.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed several features, including an active status, which what a student goes through from onboarding until they start taking their first course. They’ve also implemented workflows and done a plethora of bug fixes, both visually in the UI and programmatically in the services.

They do maintenance and corrections to our data itself. We’re going to be moving onto an entirely new platform and will be hiring in-house staff and onshore consulting. While we’re doing that, Netguru will actively maintain and deliver fixes and features on the legacy application.

What is the team composition?

Most of my interaction with them is through the project manager or their technical lead.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

I inherited them. Their skill set isn’t very common anymore, but it was probably one of the reasons my boss had chosen them—they specialize in Ruby on Rails development.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2017 and it’s still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m very pleased with what they do. I’ve worked with other offshore teams and Netguru is definitely the best I’ve worked with.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

We have two weekly calls, with ad hoc calls once in a while. I also have an open line for 30 minutes every morning for emergencies, which we rarely use. We use Jira, but most of our document sharing is done via Google Drive.

I bounce ideas off the tech lead who definitely knows what he’s doing. They address on any issues instantly—anything that’s critical, even off hours, they’re right on it and working on it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their project manager is amazing and is constantly trying to improve her team. I’d recommend her to anybody. They’re constantly tweaking their internal process to make it more efficient, agile, and to suit our need.

They have excellent attitudes and our tech lead is amazing too. You don’t often find companies that are able to retain someone at that technical level. We had an onsite visit to them a couple months ago. They’re super nice, very welcoming, and always very open-minded about changes or doing things in a different way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s been a significant amount of change on their team. They have a practice of rotating juniors. Though they always ask before they do and don’t charge us, sometimes it takes time away from senior resources. For the most part, we’re happy with what they’re doing and most of our concerns simply have to do with the nature of offshore development.

With any offshore talent, there’s always time zone challenges because of coordination and logistics. Any delays weren’t their fault though, as the legacy application was extremely poorly written. Most of their efforts involved correcting problems that already existed or trying to understand what a previous developer had done wrong.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to understand your needs and make sure that Netguru fits them. They’re strictly a Ruby on Rails and Node.js house. As long as you understand that, I’d recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a FinTech company. We develop technology for the financial advice sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Netguru?

Currently, the interactions between financial advisors and clients are traditionally done in person. Advisors visit clients at their home to discuss objectives and make plans. Face-to-face meetings are clearly very productive; however, they’re also time-consuming and costly. We wanted to build a software solution that compliments those in-person meetings, but also provides a channel for digital interactions. We had a clear idea of our value proposition and the features we wanted on the platform, but we needed a vendor to build it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Netguru flew their project manager and a few designers from Poland for a kick-off session with our team. We first discussed the context of the project and the business challenges we were looking to solve. Then, we provided them with a specific set of requests and some initial designs. After they reviewed that information, they shared their feedback, and we collaborated on a final plan for the software.

Once we agreed on the designs, their team made some final adjustments before handing them over to the development team. The developers started by building the core platform and the basic functionalities. Since then, we’ve brought on more developers to work on creating and implementing the rest of the features quickly and efficiently.

It’s an ongoing project, but the finished product will facilitate interactions between financial advisors and their clients. 

What is the team composition?

I interface with Netguru’s entire team on a daily basis.

How did you come to work with Netguru?

We ran a small procurement initiative where we contacted about six different agencies. We shared the same request with each vendor and analyzed their responses. Some companies seemed to be more focused on marketing rather than engineering, so we ruled them out. Our ideal partner needed to not only have experience in design and marketing but also demonstrate the capability to overcome complex technical challenges. Ultimately, we chose Netguru because they offered a balanced skillset for a reasonable price, and they’re in a nearby time zone.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2017, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched yet. They’ve developed a high-level MVP, but we want to add more features before we introduce the solution to the market.

How did Netguru perform from a project management standpoint?

The Netguru team is communicative and responsive. They follow more of an agile approach. We have weekly planning meetings every Monday morning where they share the work they completed in the previous week and establish what they’ll deliver at the next meeting. Every resource on their team actively reaches out whenever they have a question about the scope, features, plans, or any other aspect of the project. It’s been a very interactive collaboration.

I was heavily involved in the day-to-day management in the beginning, but they’ve since found their rhythm. I pulled back a bit, which was very helpful. Now, I can allocate my time to other important initiatives and leave the technical details to them, knowing that they’d contact me whenever necessary.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They offer a good quality-to-cost ratio, which led us to choose them as a partner in the first place. Additionally, they’re fun to work with and approach their work with a can-do attitude. At this point, I’ve developed a good working relationship with their developers. If I reach out to them with an issue, suggestion, or questions, they do the appropriate research and come back with a thought-out response. Even though we don’t see each other on a daily basis, they feel like part of our internal team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes, I feel that the project management is more focused on individual deliverables rather than the project as a whole. Usually, I have to approach them with what I think we need to do, and they help me define the next steps from there. However, I’ve never built a technology-based business before, so they have a lot more expertise in that field. I’d like them to be a bit more proactive and come to me with suggestions for how we should manage the production process. 

Any advice for potential customers?

I think starting with a small team from Netguru worked very well. We settled into a workflow with three developers and a few designers and scaled the team once we found our rhythm and had the core platform up and running. The new resources increased our capabilities and helped us develop new features quickly, but I think it would’ve been a little premature to start with a large team. I recommend other clients consider starting the engagement with just a few resources to get a feel for the relationship.