OpenSource Technologies Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your company and what you do there.

I am the CEO and founder of Zepeel Inc., a mobile video dating app. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We were struggling with online visibility so we needed SEO assistance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They write content for our website, including articles and blogs. They developed keywords and built backlinks to drive traffic to our site. They also made minor coding changes to our website to make it more appealing and informative.

What is the team composition?

I initially interacted with Manish (CEO, OpenSource Technologies) but now primarily interact with my project manager. We also work on a regular basis with another colleague and one blog writer.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

I discovered them from an email that offered SEO services. I expressed interest, then Manish contacted me.

How much have you invested for their services?

We’ve invested around $7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we promote our blogs and articles on social media, we get many more likes and comments. Since we’re now in the top 10 results on Google, our organic web traffic has risen—largely because of the keywords they helped us implement. We’re still working on increasing conversions, however.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver on their promises consistently and perform excellent work. We communicate regularly and have monthly calls to review data and results. They are easy to work with and accommodating to our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They respond quickly to any questions or issues. Unlike other companies that take their time in responding, OpenSource Technologies resolves all of our email inquiries the same day.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There aren’t any areas for improvement. Whenever there is an issue, we discuss it and resolve it immediately.

Do you have any advice for potential clients?

The partnership works best as a collaborative effort; be prepared to work toward the end goal as a team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT Director of an herbal medicine company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We wanted to make our site more mobile-friendly and add more features to it. We had a lot to update which required more workforce.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked on both the frontend and backend functionality. They used PHP to build the site. Our site is industry standard, but we wanted our customers to be able to search for products either alphabetically or with a product ID. We are still working with them to add more features.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 4–5 people for this project including a project manager, designers, and developers.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

We found them through an online search.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was a big challenge, but they were able to deliver a solution that made the site easier to use. People have been happy with the additional functionality and features that they were able to implement for us. We haven’t had any bugs.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They are pretty good at achieving their milestones. They are usually on time. Anytime they needed extra time, they communicated it to us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The project manager is excellent. We are in constant communication, which I like. I have been pretty impressed with their timely completion of their work, and they always answer our questions and sort out any issues that may come up.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. So far, it has been working well for us and we like the way that things have been going.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner and business administrative manager of Fire Mountain Solar. We’re a solar installation contractor that also sells product throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We had another company develop a shopping cart for our website in the OpenCart platform. They weren’t able to adequately service us, so we needed someone else to take on the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OpenSource has done a great job of fixing most of the previous issues. In addition to the shopping cart work, they also do our SEO, and we’ve been pleased with the results.

We found out that our credit card processing company didn’t have a plugin for OpenCart (where our shopping cart is), so that was a problem. OpenSource went to create the custom plugin but found that our version of OpenCart was extremely outdated. We’d been planning to update our website anyway, and this just made us decide to do it earlier—we wanted to fix everything at once.

OpenSource put together a highly detailed proposal that clearly outlined what they would need, what they would do, and how long it would take. We iterated on the site together, testing it and making notes on what to improve. We just finished and now have a completely new website with an upgraded OpenCart shopping cart.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

I searched on the OpenCart website for a company that was familiar with their platform. OpenSource Technologies had a US phone number, which is why I contacted them. They’re based in India, but after having a conversation with the CEO, I decided to do a trial run. It went well, so we hired them.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $25,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since August 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because we’re a small company and didn’t have a dedicated website person, our online presence was virtually nonexistent. Since working with OpenSource, we’ve definitely noticed a change in our website traffic. We’re also starting to appear in searches for key areas that we’re targeting.

We’re currently doing bug checks and testing, and everything seems to work well for the most part.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re incredibly responsive, which is amazing considering the time difference. We speak multiple times on the phone and have conference calls to address any issues. The team is patient, and the only delay was because of me—I didn’t get them what they needed soon enough.

I have a bit of experience with SEO, and I was impressed with their processes. We’d briefly worked with a local SEO company, and they were incredibly disorganized and not communicative. I was paying them but had no idea what they were doing; when I would ask, they’d give me a vague explanation. OpenSource, on the other hand, uses best practices and clearly communicates what they’re doing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

OpenSource expertly follows best practices and has phenomenal customer service. Their business model is organized and professional, which allows us to quickly solve issues and concerns.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be helpful if they had a native American English speaker. The culture, time, and language barriers mean I have to pay close attention to some of the text they write. I have a website monitor, though, so it hasn’t been a huge problem. Also, if they had someone fluent in American English, they’d be able to offer more copywriting services in conjunction with SEO, which we needed. That’s a service I’d be interested in.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of a bullying prevention program for K-12 schools. I speak at schools all across America, and provide not only live speeches, but also related software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We wanted to build a bullying reporting software that would allow kids to submit any type of bullying report to their school in a secure database. The program then alerts school counselors, who can follow up and investigate each of these incidents. We hope that giving staff the ability to intervene will really help these kids.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Working with OpenSource Technologies has helped me refine and develop which products I can offer schools. Right now, the backend and reporting side are hosted on a responsive WordPress site. We're hoping to build an independent app for iOS and Android during the future phases of development.

There were several details to consider and things to build out along the way. Anytime we had problems, they helped me solve them. The team developed the whole database, which has the capacity to import lists of schools’ student bodies and track related reports throughout the year. We had a working prototype shortly into the project, which we refined over the last few months as we reached the finish line. I shared this version at several educator trainings and schools where I've given speeches to get feedback along the way. Several useful comments we received helped shape the final product.

What is the team composition?

I worked most closely with three individuals. The company’s CEO, Manish Mittal, was my main contact at the beginning, and helped facilitate the project throughout. Our project manager, Vijay Kumar, was very hands-on. He and Durgesh Soni, the main developer, are not only technically proficient, but also understood my objective. I'm always thinking about the end user, and loved how well they grasped the project from a human perspective. They didn't use inaccessible "tech speak." Rather, they were practical and user friendly, and helped create the kind of experience we wanted for schools.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

I had already been working with mental health professionals who’d recommended levels of interventions for bullying prevention that applied to discrete scenarios. I needed a vendor to develop the software, which ultimately led me to OpenSource Technologies. We found them via a search on UpWorks.com. I interviewed three of the 15 development teams that applied, and they were the only ones who met all our requirements. After our interview, I knew they were the right firm for the job.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost between $10,000-$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I hired them mid-August 2017, and we just wrapped up our six-month project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The user feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and almost everything we've planned has been achieved. OpenSource Technologies had an amazing way of solving virtually any issue that arose. I paid them slightly extra for features and functionalities we hadn't anticipated needing, but they were very honest about which were necessary.

They gave me their best effort, and I never felt like I was paying significantly extra. Mannish works out of Pennsylvania, but his team is based internationally. I wouldn't have been able to afford a team that was entirely domestic, and they gave me a great return on my investment. They offered both a great price and world-class developers.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication process was always smooth and easy, and they never dropped the ball. Usually, they sent feedback using Microsoft Word documents. I’d send them back with comments, and they’d indicate how they solved problems and pose additional questions as needed. They always responded within a day or two.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciated how well they understood my project from the user perspective. As you can imagine, there are a lot of emotions involved in bullying prevention or reporting software, especially from the parental and school perspectives. I anticipated that being hard to explain to developers, but the team really understood it, especially as parents themselves. They put themselves in the school counselors’, teachers’, and even students’ shoes, which ultimately helped us develop a better product.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

In my experience, international developers often over-promise and under-deliver. OpenSource Technology really did the opposite, which surprised us in a positive way. I wish every vendor worked like they do. My hat goes off to them, and I hope to hire them again in the future.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO and owner of Know Your Doctor. We are an online medical information business, which lists all health professionals located in Cyprus. This helps people find the right health professional to suit their needs. Our business also provides information such as health tips, 24-hour pharmacies, and other medical care information.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We needed help with web development and creating the database for our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The website is Joomla-based. In addition to the web development, we also used them on a weekly and monthly basis for extra tasks, features, and modules that we added to the website, as well as any issues that may occur during updates. They have successfully completed 100% of my requests.

What is the team composition?

I am mostly in contact with the project manager, and about 70% of communication is with the technician assigned to my business.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

Someone who had received their services recommended them to me. I contacted them and have stuck with them since then.

How much have you invested in them?

Until now I've spent $28,000 USD but its an ongoing business relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in July of 2014, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Patients gave very good feedback about the look of the site as well as the usability. The main focus was to make the website user-friendly so that people of all ages could use it, and we achieved that. We haven’t had any critical issues, and any issues that do occur are fixed within 24 hours. Overall, there haven’t been any issues that have caused complaints from our users.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive. The communication was very good between the project manager, the technician, and me.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I have been very happy with them, which is why I have kept them on for 3 years.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The most important thing has been their response. If something critical comes up, they will take care of it. They offer an option for weekend coverage as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is the most important, as well as responsiveness and knowledge. Take a look at previous work that has been done.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Instant Kosher. We’re kind of like Kosher Amazon.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource?

We needed help developing our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a template that they’d used before. We went from there and developed according to that. We have our own warehouses and we do 1-hour free delivery to all of our customers through our mobile application on iOS and Android that OpenSource developed for us. Once a customer makes an order, our drivers have like I/O mapping technologies. They come to our warehouse, pick up the order, and deliver within one hour.

The hardest part was our scanning functionality for our drivers. We had to integrate it with a company in Israel, which has scan ability and they use a newer technology for personal education to customers. Now we’re developing the entire thing making like partner stores. It’s kind of like Instacart.

What is the team dynamic?

They assigned us a team manager. She has one person for deliveries, one for development, and one for basic question and answers.

How did you come to work with OpenSource?

We did a Google search. We contacted fie different companies to develop our app. OpenSource gave us different estimates. They gave us projections. They didn’t upcharge us on different things. They were pretty much transparent bout everything.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched in February 2017. It was very successful. We had one time when PayPal didn’t work and they were all sleeping. I called Manish [CEO, OpenSource Technologies] and within 5 minutes it was back up. We haven’t had any reports of crashes. Everything is good. We’re only operating in Miami markets for Jewish customers because it’s kosher. I would say it was over 1,000 downloads overall.

How did OpenSource perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager was very good. She was very knowledgeable. There’s a 10-hour difference. They had someone who was up earlier and up later to fit my needs. We had weekly meetings. We communicated through Skype. They asked me questions every night. I would wake up in the morning and follow-up with them. We had a weekly mandatory phone conversation, but we ended up speaking on the phone every day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our backend is WooCommerce. They were able to edit the HTML to make it not look generic.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have a lot of experience. When I first started, I went to 2 guys online and they stole my money. What’s amazing about OpenSource is I gave them a small deposit and I only had to pay them after they finished the work. That’s amazing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.
TSS Academy is an indoor soccer facility and academy for youth and adult players in the Vancouver, British Columbia area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?
We had just updated our indoor soccer facility and needed to rebrand and launch a new promotional information company website.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.
I redesigned the new website and essentially handed it over to them [OpenSource]. They took the template that we installed in Joomla and tweaked and customized it by putting it into a new content management platform. I worked primarily with Minesh and another associate. We had a lot of back and forth getting everything up and running, and I provided them with any graphics that were required. They got everything working in the new platform and worked with our web hosts to make sure that everything was working as it should. They did a lot of graphic customization to reflect how we wanted things to be displayed.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?
At the beginning, I needed a little bit of work done, and I contacted Minesh for help. As the volume of work grew, I started to trust him and his company so when we had a bigger project, we handed it over to him. They were economical, prompt, and knew what they were doing.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?
Around $1,500.

What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in June 2016 and continue to use them whenever we have projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?
User feedback has been very good. Our website stands out from the rest because it is functional and polished.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?
We usually communicated with 2 or 3 people at the same time. If one person was unavailable, another person would pick things up. They were prompt, responsive, and cost effective. Everything ran smoothly and we continue to use them whenever we have projects.

What distinguishes OpenSource Technologies from other providers?
They were very prompt and responsive. When we wanted something done in a particular way, they got back to us quickly and fixed things. It’s been a good relationship. They’re familiar with our website, and they know how to get things done quickly. When things are out of whack, they always seem to know how to tweak and customize things to yield what we’re looking for.

Is there anything OpenSource Technologies could have improved or done differently?
The only challenge sometimes was the time delay because Minesh and some of the developers are located in India.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the founders and directors of an e-commerce startup, Tenelo.shop, that specializes in South American markets. Our company operations are in Shenzhen, but our market is in Uruguay. We have another company there too. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We’re working with OpenCart to support our e-commerce, and we needed a few IT guys to redefine the aesthetics of our e-commerce site and custom-design a few of its features. Our current IT team isn’t familiar with OpenCart, which is why we went to OpenSource Technologies. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our e-commerce site is linked to a bigger e-commerce site in Asia that is similar to Amazon.com. It has a lot of features that are not well made, so we wanted to adapt and tailor them for the South American market. Features include product categories, ways of displaying items, automatic translations, etc. We didn't know how to modify the backend of OpenCart, which is why we hired OpenSource Technologies.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

We found OpenSource Technologies on a list of developer companies recommended by OpenCart. We decided to work with OpenSource Technologies after checking their website and their services. My direct contact at OpenSource Technologies was super professional from the beginning, which built our confidence in working with them. We also looked at five other companies, and we asked all five companies for a quote in the beginning. The one we received from OpenSource Technologies was one of the better ones. It was super fair and competitive. The quality of service of OpenSource Technologies made a huge difference. Even if they had charged us a little bit more, we still would have hired them.

How much have you invested with OpenSource Technologies?

We’ve invested $800 so far with OpenSource Technologies. Right now, we’re asking them for quotes for a new feature we’re trying to imitate. I think that’s going to cost around $1,000. We’d also like for them to build a mobile application, and I know that can range between $2,000 and $10,000, so I want to see what their quote is.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with OpenSource Technologies two or three months ago, and we’re still working together. They finished the job that we needed, and it was great. We’re already asking them for two new quotes on features we want to develop, and we’re launching that project in 10 days. I'm already planning a trip to India next year because we have more projects we want to develop, and I want to meet them personally. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

There is a huge difference in the “before and after” pictures of our website. A lot of the current features are not even close to what they were in the beginning. I don't know what language these guys are programming the website in, but a lot of things on the backend are programmed in Chinese. I don't know how they’re doing it, but I know they’re doing the job. They have delivered everything that I’ve asked for.

We haven’t officially launched the website yet because we’re currently testing the logistics. So far, though, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback from people who have seen it. We also work with a marketing agency that is specialized in that market, and they have helped us a lot.

The website is very professional. Every time we needed to change something about the website—from the look of the search bar to the organization of the categories—OpenSource Technologies responded immediately with three or four options from current websites that use similar aesthetics and ideas. We changed a lot of features based on their advice. They showed us that they know what they’re doing and that they have experience with e-commerce.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

OpenSource Technologies met all of our deadlines and expectations in terms of timing. One thing that made me trust them even more and made me want to seek out their advice was their fast response time. If I contacted them about something I wanted to change, even if it was at night or on the weekend, they would have an answer for me within a few hours.

What did you find most impressive about OpenSource Technologies?

OpenSource Technologies delivers everything I ask for. If they don't know something, they investigate and give me an answer within 48 hours. This is rare. I’m not used to working with companies that are so professional. I live in Italy, and it’s difficult to find companies like this.

Are there any areas OpenSource Technologies could improve?

Actually, what I have right now works, and it’s perfect. I wouldn't change it or add anything else. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive VP at an importer and manufacturer of apparel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We were on an older platform for our e-commerce site. We needed to archive all the data and migrate to a newer one.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to archive a whole set of the data for our internal use, and then migrate all the data to the new platform. We needed to merge all of the images from the old platform to our internal application. The site had been on Magento, and OpenSource Technologies migrated it to Shopify. Phase one was just for the migration, but we may use them to make changes to the functionality in the future.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

We found them on Upwork. They were very good with communication. They understood our requirements quickly, and they were able to work within our office hours. Also, they were willing to work during the holiday season to meet our deadline.

How much have you invested with OpenSource Technologies?

Is was a total of about $3,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in December of 2016 and was complete by the end of January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We had 2,000 items to migrate, and they were all successfully transported to the new platform and our internal application. This was just a one-time transfer, so as long as they did it in the given timeframe, we were happy.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication and response time were great. They work as a team to understand the scope, then assign tasks to members of the team. It’s pretty consistent. Each person is good with communicating - we don’t have problems understanding their emails. If one person isn’t available, they always have a backup. Due to the time zone difference, their work hours are in the evening and night for us. We always have emails from them the next morning outlining the work that was done. We mostly used email and Skype to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about OpenSource Technologies?

They really listen and understand what we want before starting any work. In the beginning, I didn’t have the payment method set up on Upwork, but they were flexible with me. They worked on a rush job without having to go through the standard procedure.

Are there any areas OpenSource Technologies could improve?

Sometimes, I don’t understand how they come up with their quote. I thought it was a pretty easy job, but I had to understand the procedure before I could see why it cost more than I expected. For example, we tried to upload some pictures. I thought it would take an hour or two, but they explained that they had to rescale or crop the image, then make sure it’s loadable, so it took much longer.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an online share accommodation site, specializing in long-term shared accommodation for room rentals. Rent a Room is a platform which matches people looking for a room and people who have a room for rent.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

The challenge was to determine the best technology to build the website on and then design and develop the site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We decided to build the site on Drupal because we thought it was stronger and had more options. The majority of the functions are fairly standard, such as Google Maps and filters. I was managing the project. I told them what I needed, and they took those instructions and built the site.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

They had done some work for a friend, who then referred OpenSource to me.

How much have you invested with OpenSource Technologies?

I invested almost $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June of 2013, and we went live in September of that year. The project is complete, but I may go back to them if I need changes or updates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The website works as intended. It’s growing organically, and we’re getting new users every day. We don’t get many complaints about the site. I get constant feedback, and people do say that the site needs to be more mobile friendly.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They do everything exactly as you tell them to do. We used Skype, email, and phone calls for communication, which worked out well. They met all the deadlines. Any issues we had in that area were due to my lack of understanding of project management. I learned a lot about how a site is built while working with them.

What did you find most impressive about OpenSource Technologies?

I found that they were very attentive. They tried to help out as much as possible, and they took the time to explain the process to me.

Are there any areas OpenSource Technologies could improve?

It was difficult for me to express exactly what I wanted, as I don’t have a technology background. I wish they had given more options for graphic design and took on more of an ideas role. It would have been good if they had perceived what I wanted, and then came up with ideas on their own to fulfill that.