RoleModel Software

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT manager for a higher education company. We provide coaching and academic counseling services and help students achieve their undergraduate degrees through alternative options such as online courses and prior credits.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RoleModel Software?

We were onboarding a large corporate client and we needed to be able to handle the volume of work they will bring us in the future. We needed to determine the process company employees would go through  to submit vouchers, how credits would be transferred, and how it would be reported back to corporate clients and associated partners.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

 They used a Ruby on Rails stack to develop two new web applications and enhance a third preexisting app. The first app presents college options to the students and allows employees to select from a number of different options. The second app collects vouchers that students can apply to their tuition benefit providers. Finally, the third app is the billing aggregator that pulls reports from several different systems and compiles the information into a report that could be sent to the corporate client and associated partners.

What is the team composition?

Their project leads, called software craftsmen, were responsible for reporting on the project’s status. We started with two people on the team, but that number grew to six when needed.

How did you come to work with RoleModel Software?

Our company had partnered with RoleModel Software even before I joined, and we developed a really close working relationship. When we needed additional developers and didn’t have the in-house support for this project, we decided to work with them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $90,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted May–July 2019. We now have a support agreement that will end at the end of September 2019.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest metric was enabling new functions. Without this collaboration, we would still be working in spreadsheets. Our old process was very time consuming and labor-intensive process. We had to email lots of documents back and forth to students. Implementation of the new apps really eliminated all of that. As we take on larger corporate clients, the apps’ functionality and processing speed will be essential.

How did RoleModel Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything met or exceeded our expectations. From the person leading the project down to the individual developers, communication overall was very good. We have a daily 15-minute update call in which the project lead and developers let us know what they worked on the day before, what they’re currently working on, and the challenges they’re facing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The biggest thing that distinguishes RoleModel Software from other providers is their commitment to excellence.

Are there any areas they could improve?

 I can’t think of anything they need to improve. They’re committed to learning and improving, so they’re willing to make adjustments and move forward.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

To get the most bang for your buck, have a specific set of business problems you’re trying to solve. An idea that takes a lot of time to research will require a lot of time and resources.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a manager at Engineered Specialties. Our brand is called RapidAir, and we sell compressed air piping. Most of our users are undertaking DIY projects without much knowledge of compressed air piping.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RoleModel Software?

We needed to create a custom piping design app that would significantly decrease the close time on sales.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Using our old process, a customer looking for a custom pipe design needed to sketch their desired product by hand and send us the drawing. From there, we would create a parts list and size everything to follow up with a quote. This process took 1–2 business days, and the customer still had to place their order after all that.

We have multiple systems, sizes, and fittings, so this project was a big undertaking. The app was built using a framework called Custom Visual Configurator that they created for similar projects. The cloud-based product allowed users to design pipe solutions visually that immediately generated a corresponding parts list. RoleModel Software started with their base framework and built upon it to fit our needs. Now, the app can create parts lists and instantly dump the products in a shopping cart. Instead of a two-day wait time, the app cuts the process down to about 30 minutes. 

Although the final app has launched, they’re providing ongoing support and implement minor changes to the UI. Not many changes have been needed.

What is the team composition?

In total, they had about 10 people who worked on the project over time. This includes Phil (Project Management Director, RoleModel Software), Ken (Founder & CEO, RoleModel Software) who was our initial point of contact, and John (Sr. Developer & DevOps Engineer, RoleModel Software) who was the technical lead. We had other interactions with their marketing team, UI designers, and others. The team was \large enough, with a diversity of skills to pull off a large project on an accelerated timeline.

How did you come to work with RoleModel Software?

We found RoleModel Software during our research on the Custom Visual Configurator framework they created in their prior partnerships. After examining their capabilities on those solutions, we decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $250,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from December 2018–March 2019, but they still provide maintenance to the system.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our old system brought in an average of three orders per day. With the app, we are receiving 40–50 designs every day. In a time when people expect instant service, this tool sets RapidAir apart as an industry leader. We can now interact with our customers, serving them in realtime. The speed this solution provides makes our company shine and helps the customer too.  

How did RoleModel Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We met with their team for an hour every day using Zoom, so we could communicate over video. That gave us a chance to go over goals before getting into the workday. We also used a project management system called Trello. The organization of goals, assignments, and timelines was helpful to the daily flow of the project. Their communication was very well done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The staff was willing and able to learn about our unique product very quickly. They came up to speed without issue. Their desire to learn and create was evident. Plenty of companies have good processes in place, but their staff’s desire to think outside the box in an unfamiliar industry really stood out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything that I would change.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you designate a person on your internal staff as a manager for the project. RoleModel Software works quickly, so you’ll likely fall behind if there’s no one able to keep up with them on your end.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the COO of Flytedesk Inc., an advertising and marketing company. We connect brands with college students by empowering student publishers with training, tools, and national advertising opportunities. We help both brands and campus media thrive across thousands of campuses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RoleModel Software?

We needed help with consulting for software architecture and Ruby on Rails technologies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RoleModel Software provides consulting calls, front-end design, and software development for our web platform.

What is the team composition?

We work with 2–5 teammates from RoleModel Software.

How did you come to work with RoleModel Software?

Someone referred RoleModel Software to me. I chose them over other options because they had high ratings, a great culture fit, and aligned company values.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

RoleModel Software's work has resulted in ongoing maintainability, usability, and extensibility of our software platform. The team has delivered a code base that can be worked on without much onboarding when team members work across the code base, even in places where they have had no prior development experience. RoleModel Software has also delivered an interface that is current and intuitive across roles and lifecycles.

How did RoleModel Software perform from a project management standpoint?

RoleModel Software is fully agile. Given the focus on delivering early and often, delivering in the smallest useful increment possible, and other agile concepts, we've never had a concern about time or timeliness. Working with them has always felt like making progress. We communicate via virtual meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed by how little time is required to talk about commercial and contractual concerns, given how well the collaboration works. The team emphasizes co-laboring.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's nothing RoleModel Software could improve on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an Executive of National Health Care Solutions

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Health Care Staffing

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire RoleModel Software to accomplish?

• Redesign and Enhance System

SOLUTION

How did you find RoleModel Software?

Online Search

Why did you select RoleModel Software over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from RoleModel Software were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Redesigned and enhanced previous software system. Created additional features to improve overall efficiency including payroll, staffing, invoicing and reporting.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Increased office productivity through enhanced features.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Role Model did an exceptional job communicating with us throughout the project as well as our ongoing needs. All of their staff were professional and became personally invested in the project from start to finish. They were willing to listen to our suggestions and think outside of the box.

What was your primary form of communication with RoleModel Software?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their willingness to go above and beyond to ensure our needs were met. Created a personal relationship with all staff members who treated the project as their own. Service is a lost art today in many cases, however, Role Model exceeded our expectations in all areas. 

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CFO of a healthcare staffing company. 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Staffing

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire RoleModel Software to accomplish?

New Software System

SOLUTION

How did you find RoleModel Software?

Online Search

Why did you select RoleModel Software over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from RoleModel Software were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Develop a new Software Program to handle scheduling, payroll, and invoicing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The software developed was able to handle all necessary functions as proposed.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their project management was outstanding. They consistently delivered items on time, ensuring that project milestones were met without any significant delays. Their proactive approach to communication meant that I was always informed about project progress and any potential challenges well in advance. 

Whenever I had specific needs or requests, they responded promptly and efficiently, addressing them professionally and focusing on finding practical solutions. Their ability to adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining project timelines was impressive, reflecting their commitment to meeting my needs and the overall project objectives. Overall, their project management approach was highly effective, ensuring a smooth and successful project execution.

What was your primary form of communication with RoleModel Software?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

One of the most impressive aspects of this company was their unwavering dedication to client satisfaction. They consistently went above and beyond to ensure that my needs were not only met but exceeded. Their attention to detail and willingness to listen and understand my requirements set them apart from other companies. 

Additionally, their ability to innovate and adapt to evolving circumstances showed their commitment to providing the best solutions. Overall, their customer-centric approach and willingness to go the extra mile made them a truly standout company in my experience.

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

None