ReadyBase

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive vice president of operations at Zander Insurance Group. We’re an insurance agency that provides a variety of insurance agent and broker services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ReadyBase?

We didn’t have an in-house technology or development team. While we had contracted external work, we were struggling, as our website was experiencing frequent downtime. We were experiencing some growing pains and were seeking resources that could both resolve immediate challenges as well as recruit full-time developers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Readybase’s consultants extensively analyzed our needs before first providing us with short-run developers. These developers built out the websites we needed, focusing primarily on the backend infrastructure. In the end, we created two new websites along with a complete overhaul of our primary website.

The ReadyBase team then worked to find long-term solutions, undergoing a vetting process before finding some frontend developers, backend developers, and a graphic designer. They examined our situation to identify the precise capabilities and resources that we needed. We hired three full-time employees as a result of their consultant work.

What is the team composition?

We worked with at least seven team members—including the contractors—at a time, although the team size fluctuated depending on the project. Eamon (CEO, ReadyBase) provided extensive support throughout the engagement.

How did you come to work with ReadyBase?

I believe that they came highly recommended to our company’s president.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere in the ballpark of $250,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began relying on ReadyBase in November 2017, and the work is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ReadyBase’s support has had a huge impact on our business. In the midst of our growing pains, they felt like a breath of fresh air. They understood our environment, and how much we were willing to spend, so they offered us reasonable solutions and developers that fulfilled our needs.

ReadyBase implemented structures and precedents so that we could eventually stand on our own and continue with our own team.

Their consultants did an excellent job of vetting developers and designers from a personality standpoint. They did a fantastic job at this because they truly understood our business; they were able to find the most appropriate resources for our challenges.

How did ReadyBase perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team introduced us to JIRA, which we used for project management. Their deep knowledge of our goals allowed us to keep projects moving very quickly and on schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understand that every company is different, so they’re meticulous in finding the right resource for you. They did a phenomenal job of evaluating our culture, our values, and our expectations to find the best people, workflows, and processes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While ReadyBase’s success largely overshadows these minor points, there were a couple of times where there was some unbalance with the recruited developers’ skill levels. Other than that, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you can, make sure that you really give them the time to evaluate your needs in an honest and transparent way. Understand and communicate what kind of guidance you’re seeking, the full scope of the project, the pace of your company, and any real budget constraints. Allowing them to get to know you as a customer will really benefit you in the long run.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Digital at Snapshot Interactive, a marketing agency that provides digital products and services for medium-range to big corporate clients. I handle the technical side of things by managing a team of developers, designers, and project managers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ReadyBase?

As with any digital marketing company, we experience a large amount of turnover. There are ebbs and tides in the work that comes through, and so we wanted a flexible way to quickly fill resource gaps.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve selected and provided us with developers and project managers to jump into our temporary and permanent roles. They work with me to flesh out our needs; we’re often looking for a specific tech stack or skill set.

After considering our specific requirements, they vet the candidates. From conducting initial interviews to handling technical testing, ReadyBase ensures that we’re staffed with the right human resources.

What is the team composition?

I was working with three people, but I know they have a bigger team behind them.

How did you come to work with ReadyBase?

I heard about them through word of mouth, since they’re a national company that’s fairly known in the tech sphere. We reached out to them, and they were immediately responsive.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $250,000­–$500,000 over the years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2017, and we still rely on them for their services. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ReadyBase has provided us with high-performing hires that have contributed to very successful projects. Even when we needed a developer with a relatively rare tech stack, their team found someone quickly. They’re always able to understand exactly who we’re looking for.

Their work has been extremely cost-effective since it allows me to grow and shrink my team as needed. We've seen a huge benefit from working with ReadyBase.

How did ReadyBase perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive, and they always hit the ground running. They’ve never missed an invoice for billing our contractors, and we haven’t experienced any communication issues as of now.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They do a stellar job at finding the right fit for our team. In just one instance, one of their guys wasn’t working out for us, but they were quick to provide us with an effective substitute while looking for another candidate. They work very hard and move very fast to give us the right resources.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t really think of anything. Maybe they could expand their reach to encompass international service providers, as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good understanding of who you’re looking to hire, and make sure to properly communicate that.