Ortom

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO for a worktech solutions company. We have three main products; one is a platform where people can download an app to find jobs available in their area and apply for them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Ortom?

We were trying to solve an issue with our product. When someone applied for a job, it had to be manually approved by our team, and there was also a manual process for the company that posted the job to accept the application. We wanted to automate the process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the project by discussing the scope and challenges. We didn’t have initial documentation; Ortom developed the machine-learning model from scratch. They built the core model on Python.

The solution took on a number of workers that successfully applied and got into jobs; based on that, they came up with an algorithm that figured out the most appropriate workers and assigned them to certain jobs. The algorithm considered several criteria, including side training. If candidates were side-trained, it added to their score.

How did you come to work with Ortom?

The project started before I joined the company. I believe Ortom was chosen as a partner mainly because they were well-known locally.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around £20,000 (approximately $25,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around January 2022 and finished in November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen an improvement in functionality. One of the issues we had with the manual process was that sometimes shifts didn’t get assured. No, we’ve seen an increase in the number of shifts available on the platform. For example, one of our clients went from 65% to 95% in shifts, which was a massive improvement.

How did Ortom perform from a project management standpoint?

We had regular check-ins to go over the scope. They’d come back with us to ensure they had everything together and make changes if needed. We mainly communicated through Slack and used Jira as a project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technical skills were outstanding; they were experts in machine learning.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The communication could’ve been slightly better, but nothing was a major issue.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Define the scope, your requirements, and what you want to achieve so they get a clear understanding.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a foodtech startup focused on food safety.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ortom?

We had a lot of data with potential commercial opportunities, so we wanted someone with expertise in data science and machine learning to give us insights and identify opportunities for us. We needed ideas on what we should prioritize and how to go about it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ortom carried out a review of our data. They spoke to all stakeholders and did a couple of experiments in terms of potential opportunities. From there, they provided recommendations on how to best use our data, including managing existing projects and finding new areas where we can use data science. 

The team identified both commercial and technical opportunities. Currently, we’re moving to the second phase of the project, which will be more hands-on. Ortom will help us develop some of the opportunities they identified for us.

What is the team composition?

I work with Tom (Founder).

How did you come to work with Ortom?

We spoke to many providers, and Tom kept coming up because people suggested and highly recommended Ortom.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent about $8,000–$9,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of Ortom’s work is excellent. The team spotted opportunities that we hadn’t realized were there, and their report has been very useful from both a commercial and technical point of view. They went above and beyond the project’s scope, solving a big issue that we had for which we couldn’t find a solution — Tom saw the answer straight away.

How did Ortom perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet all the deadlines, and everything is done very professionally and delivered as expected. We have a lot of communication through video conferencing and email. During the review, Tom gave us regular updates on the progress, and he put together an end-report presentation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with Ortom’s insights, which have been really valuable. We also appreciate that he immediately found the solution to a problem we thought would take us years to get around, even though it wasn’t part of the project. Ortom provided us with lots of potential opportunities. They’re very insightful and good at coming up with ideas. Overall, the outcome of the project has been hugely valuable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there isn’t anything they need to improve — it’s all been positive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend engaging with Ortom. They did a great job for us. Tom’s very good; he knows what he’s doing in organizing the project, timing, and keeping in touch. Other than that, my advice is to be clear about what you’re looking to achieve at the start.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a manager at a SaaS company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ortom?

We needed help with machine learning and AI.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ortom helped us implement machine learning that could process PDF documents to discover tables of content. They also helped our team build AI knowledge. 

We had an initial call to discuss the scope. Then, Ortom sent back a proposal for how they’d solve the challenge and meet all of our requirements.

After we signed off on their proposal, we had a kickoff meeting. Ortom worked closely with us to deploy the functionality we wanted. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with Tom (Principal).

How did you come to work with Ortom?

We found them through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between £20,000–£30,000 (approximately $27,200–$40,800 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2021–January 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ortom helped us get proof of concept, and it’s now up to us to move forward and turn it into production. Before working with them, we were coming from a risky place with lots of unknowns in terms of the machine learning approach. Now, we know the route forward, and we’ve got lots of options to improve. 

Because of the way they collaborated with us, we were able to cross-pollinate some great ideas and skills that they added to our team. We’re currently at 70%–80% accuracy in terms of what we were looking for. Thanks to Ortom, we have the knowledge we need to get the rest of the way ourselves. Overall, the project was successful.

How did Ortom perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well from a project management standpoint. Ortom became embedded in our team, and we used GitHub for code-sharing. Since we were using Microsoft Teams to communicate internally, Ortom was flexible and adapted in order to aid communication.

Additionally, we had very clear weekly updates. The Ortom team kept us in the loop about challenges or issues that might cause delays. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was very impressed with their knowledge of machine learning and their experience in solving issues. Ortom was very passionate about the subject and how they could apply it practically. 

Other prominent providers we spoke to had a very academic approach. While Ortom had a clear knowledge of the academic background, they also had quick and practical applications for machine learning — this approach was better suited for us.

I was very happy with the results and would definitely work with Ortom again.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there wasn’t anything they needed to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of PSYKHE, a recommendation engine that uses AI and psychology for product personalization in both B2C and B2B applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Ortom to build a User Feedback machine-learning model that would allow for a higher level of personalization for each user, based on the feedback that they gave to our system. We had a specific spec in mind, based on logic founded in consumer psychology.

SOLUTION

How did you select Ortom and what were the deciding factors?

We had worked with Ortom on one occasion prior to selecting them for this project, and they had proven to be highly skilled in machine learning, certainly understood the unique pain points we were facing as a business, had established trust, and were a always a pleasure to work with.

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

First Tom from Ortom worked on the spec with myself to ensure the logic behind the model was in line with what we could action. Following the initial build, we QA-tested how well the model was working, and made a few tweaks.

The model was then ready to be deployed within our system, and Tom worked on this as well. As for technologies, Ortom used Python, Google Cloud Platform, Airflow, and Google AI platform.

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

We worked with Tom Liptrot, Artificial Intelligence Consultant and founder of Ortom.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are only now in the process of launching the platform in order to test the model, but so far based on testing, it is working exactly as originally specified.

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

Tom was extremely flexible and accommodating, which was very much appreciated as we are a young startup working across many timezones, during the pandemic. We had meetings over Google Meet, and mostly spoke over the company Slack, where we collaborate with all colleagues.

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

Tom of Ortom is a fount of knowledge. His passion towards AI and its subset and machine learning is clear and unique. They were able to give well-rounded advice, be resourceful, understand the needs that we felt had to be met, and take directions from myself, who does not have a technical background, and translate them into the model.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CTO of SnapDragon Monitoring Ltd, a counterfeit goods monitoring company. We provide fraud protection services and online monitoring. Our team looks for counterfeit products, trademark violations, copyright infringement, and more and get them taken down.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ortom?

We were looking for an independent source to come in and review some of our AI and Ml practices and give us some recommendations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ortom provided AI and ML consulting. They started by giving us a proposal document detailing the goals, timeline, and costs of the project. Then, they arranged meetings with various stakeholders in the business, including analysts, engineers, scientists, and management. 

Next, they looked into our code, from our database through our development infrastructure. Their team brought all that data together and produced a 40-page assessment report, which they presented to us for discussion. Following that, we have utilized Ortom to consult on elements from that report.

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact at Ortom. 

How did you come to work with Ortom?

We received a recommendation for Ortom from our investors.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about £6,000 initially, and since then have invested around another £1,000 (approximately $9,500 total).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Ortom began in June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All of the stakeholders are very happy with the outcome. The report represented every stakeholder and their concerns. The project helped with the dispersal of knowledge throughout the company. Beyond the development team, many members of the business didn’t understand the concepts involved. Having these discussions as a company helped increase everyone’s understanding.

Since then, we have taken their recommendations and have even hired based on those suggestions. We have also changed several aspects of our development 

How did Ortom perform from a project management standpoint?

Our teams utilize Zoom and email for communication. They integrated into our processes and methods very well and used those to facilitate what they needed to do.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their depth of knowledge in their field is impressive. Ortom really knows what they’re talking about. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything was just how we wanted. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be aware of what you want from the project. Make sure there are clear goals in place, Ortom will help you achieve them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the health informatics lead at Sensyne Health. We’re a biotechnology company that works with the NHS to ethically source medical data that’s routinely collected to form machine learning algorithms and AI. These answer clinical questions posed by big pharmaceutical companies, but also come from NHS themselves.

In my role, I’m the direct contact with all of our NHS partner trusts and I bridge the gap between raw data and how it goes into an algorithm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ortom?

We had a specific project for one of our commercial clients. As many projects have different packages, one package needed some hands-on work. At that time, we needed to onboard a possible extension of the work. So, it was not just applying methods, but really understanding medical data and the intricacies of the data.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team has carried out a focus on forming and describing the clinical prospects of certain patients. All of the information had to be presented for a commercial client and answering the questions that they were asking. That involved standardizing the data to get it into the format that’d be appreciated by our client, applying a methodology to the data, and preparing a final report.

We extended the work to create an in-house tool for automating bits and pieces of the work as we’ve seen the work can be recyclable for multiple projects. Ortom created that tool in the form of an app that we use internally as an MVP. It’s not a completely useable app but rather a skeleton.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Tom (Consultant Data Scientist & Owner).

How did you come to work with Ortom?

We were short of resources because we’re a young company that scaled incredibly last year. We needed to contract work with individuals coming in who had a good sense of self-management, urgency, and authority. Through our interview process with Tom, we learned that he was the right fit.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was from September–December 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The extension of the work was based on our satisfaction with their previous work. The deliverable was achieved and it’s of very high quality. They delivered in a timely matter and focused on what was most important. It can be easy to get lost in details and publish something that doesn’t contribute to the final product.

How did Ortom perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a good understanding of who the client is and how to communicate with them. They adhered to deadlines. If they wouldn’t meet a deadline, they always informed us of why and when it’d be completed. We had very good communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with the authority of their work and ability to deliver something useful to the client. They knew what would provide the most benefit instead of just showing off methods.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had a contract where they’d work a couple of days per week. It’d be useful if I had their whole week. I understand that may not be feasible because they have separate resources. However, I’d prefer to have it be a shorter time by working full weeks.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you need someone who will take care of your whole pipeline, go for them. You can trust them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

WeFix is the UK's only call out mobile phone repair solution, we repair phones and tablets on customers doorsteps. I am the COO overseeing operations and development of the business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Ortom?

We had a route optimisation challenge that required fast calculation at point of booking for our customers.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were technician efficiency improving our job allocation between technicians & cost saving on our existing routing solution

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had heard great things about Tom @ Ortom and was referred by a previous customer & work colleague.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We started with a relatively blank page on the project, Tom grasped the problem & what we were trying to achieve very quickly after an initial call. We then met to discuss and plan out the project even further, after this meeting Tom had everything specked and was ready to get started.

What was the team composition?

Tom was the main contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The solution has had a great impact on our business saving circa 15% on routing efficiencies over our incumbent solution & also saving costs on our existing solution.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management was brilliant and all deadlines hit. Github was used to track the project and eventually deploy.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The speed of grasping the problem and how quickly that was then implemented was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I wouldn't say so!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief scientific officer (CSO) of a recruitment firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ortom?

We wanted a state-of-the-art data scientist helping with a couple of issues that we didn’t have enough talent to deal with. We had one major client that needed a lot of attention and we needed an expert in the field to help us with some technical issues.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tom (Consultant Data Scientist & Owner, Ortom) reviewed some of our data modelings that we did for a client. We had done a pilot previously for this same client, but that didn’t go so well because we didn’t have an expert working on the project.

We got Ortom to first run the project as if it was new and then to review what was done on the previous pilot. Tom simplified the whole process and found a couple of things that we didn’t do so great and some things that we did really well. Then, he set the structure for any similar project that we encounter with the same specification.

What is the team composition?

Tom is working on this 80% of the time by himself. We gave him one member of our team so that he could learn from Tom and help him. Tom is 100% leading the project.

How did you come to work with Ortom?

Tom used to work for a company that did similar work to what we do, but for a completely different audience. The CTO of that company met him and they had a chat. Tom was saying all the right things and asking all the right questions. We were looking for someone of his caliber and expertise and decided to see if he wanted to come and work and for us on a contractor basis.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent £40,000 (approximately $51,600 USD) on this project so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2019 and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ortom delivered exactly what we asked for. We didn’t know how to tackle such problems and Tom provided us with a way of doing so. He has trained the people he needed to train and he’s made a couple of plans with us for the future on how we can look at data and store it in different ways.

How did Ortom perform from a project management standpoint?

Tom does what he needs to do, but he’s not the strongest communicator. He can go quite a long time without communicating much. However, he has a very close relationship with the other member of our team that he’s training and is very much up to date with him. He’s not so great at being out there and showing what he’s done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tom is extremely intelligent, charismatic, and talented. He has both professional and personal integrity, which is exactly what I needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think you can get everything you need from one person. For what I do use Tom for, he does perfectly. Ortom could definitely improve a little in regards to leadership and communication.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Lead the conversation and be the proactive party in the relationship.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am head of operations at a social network start-up.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We are in the process of building our app and needed to work with an expert in the data science field to assist us in building a system using complex algorithms with the capability to use machine learning as we scale.

SOLUTION

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

Based on reviews and initial meetings with Ortom and other vendors, we came to the conclusion that Ortom were one of the leaders in the UK and were best placed to provide the service that we need.

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

Without going into too much detail, we needed a data scientist to build a system based on proprietary research to ensure that our product was working smoothly and as intended for our beta launch.

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

We worked with Tom who is the founder of Ortom and a true expert in his field.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Tom from Ortom is not only incredibly easy to work with but he is warm, kind and a true expert in data science. He has helped our start-up build our USP to the level that we need to secure our round of funding and take our business to the next level. At every stage of the project Tom took the time to explain what he was doing in a very eloquent and easy to understand way.

As well as explaining his work he also gave us an overview of the technology as a whole meaning that we have come away form the project with a much better understanding of the technology we are using. As founders with very little knowledge on data science or coding this was especially appreciated and ensures that we can not only demonstrate the product but also explain all of the inner workings.

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

They had excellent communication throughout and Ortom's work was always delivered ahead of deadlines.

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

Being able to not only deliver the work exactly to the brief but going above and beyond to ensure that the client fully understands everything that is happening throughout.

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

No improvements needed - we can't wait to work with Ortom on our next project!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We offer outsourced reception services, I am the technical director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to understand what was currenly possible for the automation of message taking service and what the current shortcomings were.

SOLUTION

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

We found Tom at Ortom very approachable and open-minded, he didn't attempt to baffle us with science nor talk down to us.

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

We agreed for Ortom to perform some research and investigation work around linking telecom platforms with automated systems. Ortom delivered a proof of concept which allowed us to identify possible pitfalls or current shortcomings in the technology.

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

We worked with a single data scientist - Tom L.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was delivered in the timescales agreed and has allowed us to make informed decisions about where to take stage 2 of the project.

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

Ortoms communication skills are excellent, we had regular catchup calls via Zoom and regularly exchanged emails regarding the current state of development.

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

We had direct access to the lead developer, everything was explained in an easy-to-understand manner, we felt very confident in their abilities.

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

No.