PerByte

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CIO of a nonprofit membership organization for CPAs in Michigan.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PerByte?

We needed help with app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

PerByte is in charge of our app, which is on Apptify. We rely on the team to build the features we need. Specifically, they help us with our product called CPE Tracker. Their work includes building out the backend to support the database that’s connected with the platform. 

The PerByte team also supports us with data integrity, which means they help us go through internal and external reports to see if we have any duplicate information. Additionally, they import the state of Michigan’s list of CPAs every month to help us identify who uses our services. There are around 30,000 individuals on our record.

What is the team composition?

We work primarily with two people, but there are a total of 3–4 teammates working on the project. There’s one project manager, and the rest are developers. PerByte just merged with another company, and we might work with more people in the future.

How did you come to work with PerByte?

A CPA organization in another state who was using the same database platform as us recommended them. We hit it off with PerByte on our very first meeting.

How much have you invested with them?

Their services have cost around $600,000–$700,000, which is paid for through a grant.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in January 2014, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve helped us keep track of our list of CPAs. Previously, our data wasn’t accurate because we didn’t know which of our members weren’t in the profession anymore and so on. PerByte sifts through our numerous records, updates them every month, and imports them to our system. Thanks to them, our system is always up to date.

How did PerByte perform from a project management standpoint?

The team constantly sticks to our deadlines. In fact, PerByte is even ahead of time sometimes. There has been a case where they went over the budget, but they still stuck the amount they originally quoted, which we appreciate as a nonprofit. 

To communicate, we use email and phone calls. PerByte takes the time to schedule meetings and manage the project. We always know what they’re doing at any given time. Any miscommunication we’ve ever had is usually our fault.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I trust PerByte to provide the right solution for our needs. Whenever I go to them with a problem, they come back to me with 2–3 possible answers and a recommended solution. Their recommendation always ends up being the best and most cost-effective solution. If I need help with our database, they’re the ones I automatically go to. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall, they’re a great team, but it would be great if we used a communication tool like Slack or Microsoft Teams.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You can absolutely trust PerByte to give you the best solution possible.