Scopic

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and president of an orthodontic laboratory. We offer orthodontic software solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic?

We needed support building our software platform which aids orthodontists in their treatment planning.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Scopic provided all of the coding services for our software, which is a virtual environment that allows doctors to place braces on teeth and “fast forward” to the end of treatment and see the results. The predictive outcome then allows doctors to adjust their treatment accordingly.

The solution, a desktop application, is written in C++. The team also used Qt for the UI components, which is the current focus. 

What is the team composition?

There are about 15-16 people on the team, most of whom are developers. My main point of contact is Misel (Technical Lead, Scopic). I also work with Artur (Web Developer, Scopic) and a UI expert. 

How did you come to work with Scopic?

We conducted online research for a company that could handle the graphics-intensive desktop application we had in mind. Scopic received good reviews, and so we ultimately partnered with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $850,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in 2015 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re very impressed with the quality of work they’ve provided. Scopic has a great talent for finding highly skilled developers to join their team and onboard them quickly. They hold their team members to a very high standard, which has been very valuable to us.

In terms of the software itself, we’ve received a great deal of positive feedback from many of our orthodontists who are pleased with the efficiency the platform brings to their treatment processes. 

Throughout the project, Scopic has been really effective at understanding our ideas and vision and being able to implement them into the technology itself. They also offer advice and feedback on features they think aren’t necessary or right for our platform, which we’ve appreciated. 

How did Scopic perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed really well. If we’re every behind schedule, it’s on our side rather than theirs. Even though we’ve had some challenges with a few of the developers working in different time zones, the team has done their best to work around our schedule. My Skype meetings with Misel often take place late in the evening for him, and he’s never complained about it. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re extremely impressed by the value we’ve received. The quality of Scopic’s coding compared to their rates really stands out. They do their best to stay as affordable as possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The difference in time zones has been problematic at times, but we can’t really solve that issue and the team does their best to work around it. Ultimately, the value and quality we’ve received from the team have outweighed the challenges.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to have one person in your organization who really understands the vision and can dedicate as much time and effort to giving direction as possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a small software company that sells software to the glass industry in North America. Our mainstay product allows glazing contractors to estimate, order, and fabricate jobs of all sizes. This company was started by a glass industry veteran in 1985.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Scopic?

We needed help rewriting our software with a SQL Server back end, and .NET front end. After spending a couple of years trying to find the write developer to add to our team, and not getting much done, we decided more manpower was needed at a reasonable price. We wanted Scopic to bring back end and UI knowledge to the table to make the new product as good as possible.

What were your goals for this project?

We have a working legacy product in VB6 that our entire customer base is currently using. Our in house developers are keeping that product viable, while Scopic develops the new product. Incorporating our functionality and feature set is critical while working with Scopic designers and developers. Getting all existing functionality in the new software, along with new features is key before releasing this new product. Expediting development is also a new goal for us with Scopic.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We saw that Scopic had experience in all areas that we wanted to utilize in our new software.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Scopic has provided UI design, SQL back end development and security recommendations. They have also provided C# .NET coding and production. In most cases they are working from a specification that we wrote. They also can leverage the existing software for needed feature sets and use cases. In some cases we have UI started that they could work with, and in other cases, they created forms and logic from scratch.

What was the team composition?

Scopic has assigned us a Project Manager, Team Leader, and two developers. Our own lead developer and I meet with the managers on a regular basis to discuss concepts, specs, functionality, and design. Scopic always makes sure we have developers on our project, even when one is on holiday or away.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our project is not yet complete, but the progress we have made is significant, and our own teem can keep our current software maintained while all of this new development is underway. We do believe that our dollars are going farther in terms of development with Scopic on our side.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Scopic helped determine the structure of the team and the current configuration was settled on in the first few months. This was our first try at a contract group like this, and they made the process very easy and effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Scopic has been extremely reliable and professional in every sense of those words. The project manager is always on top of the weekly work reports, work flow tickets, meetings, and planning. It literally is like having this person as an employee since they are always in contact with us regarding all aspects of the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Short of having our Scopic team in the office next door, there isn't anything I can see improving on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chairman at OPROGROUP, a manufacturer of custom mouthguards based in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic Software?

We wanted to move from the traditional method of making dental models for mouths and mouthguards into a more digital space and were looking for a software development partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Scopic Software developed a custom software system for us. The software takes a raw 3D file of a scan of a mouth and on the other end creates a model that can be printed in a configuration that we require to make our mouthguards. It uniquely handles the incoming files to create a bespoke model output. 

What is the team composition?

We have always worked with a project manager at Scopic Software, although that position has changed hands over the years. They’ve been my main point of contact in numerous Skype meetings. I also am in contact with one of the main software developers.

How did you come to work with Scopic Software?

I spent some time looking on the Internet for companies that could develop 3D dental software. Through research, I found Scopic Software and saw examples of work they had done in the past. After I sent them a raw specification for what I was looking for, they indicated that it was within their skill set and we began to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Scopic Software began in January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am the chief person who tests anything that comes through and looks for bugs and ways to improve the software. The software created by Scopic Software is really quite groundbreaking. Whenever I’ve come across anything that isn’t working as well as I’d like, they’re very quick to make the necessary modifications. When people see what they’ve done for us, they’re quite amazed.

How did Scopic Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is absolutely excellent. Everything is done via online portal so all communications are in one spot. The detail in their responses is always quite good. I can always turn to my project manager at Scopic Software and they’re always very responsive. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They don’t have a physical office in a city but instead pull talent from all around the world based on their skill sets. That’s worked very well in my case. Scopic Software brings together talented individuals from all over to form the best possible team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, Scopic Software has been excellent. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Always make sure to provide them with a long and detailed scope of work before they start. It’s good to be specific and thorough so they know exactly what should be done.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I run a farm called the Pallerico Family Partnership, and we’re based out of California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic Software?

We needed help in developing plant simulations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The plant simulations took the form of a software development project, which we brought Scopic Software in to handle. I provided them with some of the technical information, ensuring that they’re aligned on our goals for the modules, and they handle all of the programming. Built using MATLAB, the final software calculates the changing water needs and quality parameters of a plant.  

I’m also working on this software to move the project forward. If I have any trouble, they’re able to step in to resolve issues.

What is the team composition?

I worked mostly with the developers directly. 

How did you come to work with Scopic Software?

I found them while doing an online search for software development companies. They were the first team I found that could do the job. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the engagement a few years ago and are still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With them, we’re able to continue moving forward with our projects. I’m very pleased with their work. When I need help with any aspect of the development, I’m able to call on them to take care of it.  

How did Scopic Software perform from a project management standpoint?

There haven’t been any issues with project management. They use email, phone, and Skype to get in touch with me to discuss progress. Their billing system also smooths out the payment process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re professional, completing tasks in a timely manner. Whenever I request help, they respond. So, everything’s been just fine.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything major. The only thing that would beat this partnership would be having a developer working right next to me. When communicating over the web, communication takes longer and intent can get lost in translation.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder of Mobile Outfitters, a US manufacturer and consumer brand of cell phone accessories with a network of 750 retail locations across 50 countries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Scopic Software?

We needed to create live dashboards, some utilizing Klipfolio and others being built from scratch, that looked at a variety of inputs (MS SQL databases, shipping software using their API, etc) to display our company metrics in real-time.

What were your goals for this project?

To create these custom dashboards, and use them on a regular basis throughout the company.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After learning about Scopic's attention to detail, their timely response, and the fact that you get a dedicated project manager - we were very impressed by their level of involvement in the project (which is rare amongst offshore dev companies), and their willingness to go the extra mile in creating a detailed scope (which is the key to a successful project).

Describe the project in detail.

We provided a description of the reports that we wanted, and the reason why, as well as access to all of the data. Scopic really took the reigns from there, interpreting what we wanted, investigating how to do it, and ultimate executing our vision (along with some of their feedback to make it even better) to create an amazing end product that we continue to use every day at the company. We have over 50 live reports that we monitor every day.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a dedicated project manager, who served as our main point of contact. The PM managed all developers, collecting our feedback, etc which was a very effective way to manage the project and resulted in an on-time, on-budget delivery.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project was executed on time, on budget, and according to our vision. I couldn't ask for anything more! The reports work every day, without error.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Scopic was the single best offshore development company I have every worked with. Their model of providing a dedicated PM who manages all of the developers and serves as a single point of contact is a game-changer.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The dedicated project manager, who is always available when needed, and who also provides weekly summary reports with a detailed line item of hours spent, is very helpful and rare when working with development companies.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Scopic does a fantastic job, and I can not think of anything I wish they did differently.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an assistant professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at a university.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic Software?

I hired Scopic Software to develop a website for a research study that’s designed to help patients in addiction treatment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For development, their team used Laravel, ReactJS, and Shibboleth. The site needed to be secure because of the health-related information on it. It also needed to integrate with our university’s single sign-on system. The website also has interactive graphs that change when patients complete surveys regarding their healthcare.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Miloš (Senior Software Engineer, Scopic Software) and Dejan (Project Manager, Scopic Software). There were also other team members that they assigned work to.  

How did you come to work with Scopic Software?

I found Scopic Software during an online search. I assigned them a small piece of the website first to get an idea of how they worked. I liked them, so I continued to work with their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started engaging with Scopic Software in April 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re not tracking anything specific. I’ve found Scopic Software to be helpful and knowledgeable about the work they’re doing. We’ve had some challenges integrating the website on our research server. Miloš is very adamant about figuring things out. He’s taking on a lot more than we anticipated, but that’s due to a technical issue on our side. They’re sticking through and reaching out to find as much information as they can for fixes.

How did Scopic Software perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of how they delegate tasks, they’re well-organized. The process is straightforward, and from our end, we can see each piece of what everyone is working on. Their tracking is very detailed, allowing me to communicate changes when I need to. I’m not very tech-savvy, but their team does an excellent job of communicating my wants into technical language. We use email and Teamwork for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is fantastic at delivering what I ask. Internally, they have a nice structure in place. Some of their team handles quick and straightforward tasks, while others are strong technical experts that can go in and solve more profound challenges that take more time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

This project was for me personally, not connected with any company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Scopic Software?

I hired Scopic to develop a C++ program to link to my investment broker's trading platform using the broker's API. This program will accumulate and display market data and allow me to trade.

What were your goals for this project?

Lose no data streaming in, historize data, provide tools to review and study real-time and past data, submit trade orders, send emails and text messages.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I used a freelancer site and preferred Scopic because they are a company with a team of true professionals geared for custom software development at a very reasonable price.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

I wanted a C++ program that met my exact needs. I myself, a chemical and electrical engineer, have done a good bit of medium to low complexity programming for years in a number of languages, including C, and can manage to do some simple C++ programming, but the bulk of C++ features and functionalities are beyond me and would require becoming a student of C++ to understand and be able to use efficiently and effectively.

I am a perfectionist and want things done the best way, the most powerful way, the most efficient way, the most appropriate way to meet the needs. In this project I wanted to work with a programmer in such a way that I would understand the possibilities that C++ offers, and understand the details and mechanics of the solutions he proposed in such a way that I could then modify the code in the future, that is, the programmer essentially teaches me many things in the course of providing the solution.

What was the team composition?

1 programmer, and 1 overseer. In addition, they have several other layers of people assigned to the project that are there if/when needed, and some of these have been briefly involved now and then along the way. Probably 95%+ of the hours I have paid have been to the programmer. This is spectacular!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Scopic has exactly meet all of my needs, handled all of my concerns, and fairly often has proposed additional useful functionalities to compliment my requests. There have been a number of times when they vastly surpassed my expectations, due to the programmer's talents and persistence.

Therefore I am able to do exactly the type of trading I want to do, exactly the way I want to do it. Scopic does not know my strategy or what/how I am trading, but the functionalities and tools they provide have completely met my needs.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It didn't take long for the project manager to see that the programmer and I have a good relationship with each other, and communicate very well and effectively with each other. We cc her on essentially all of our many emails.

It may take us say 50 emails to investigate, study, and arrive at a particular architecture, in complete detail to accomplish something that is difficult, complicated, and extrensive, in a perfect way.  Many things are much quicker, of course, but we do a lot of communicating and discussing. The project manager will step in from time to time make a high-level observation/suggestion, but this has become less frequent over time.

I have a high regard for the project manager. She knows when to step and an when not to. She is good about notifying when my programmer's availability will change based on other projects he's working on, and on helping to meet my own schedule needs. The project has flowed smoothly the entire 3.5 years its been going on so far (I have a lot of requests).

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The quality of the work. It's top notch. Clean, efficient code. When someone knows what they are doing they get it done efficiently, effectively, and elegantly, straightforwardly. It's no more or less complex than it needs to be.

In addition to the current project I am reviewing, which is the biggest and longest one, I have actually been working with Scopic on various trading software projects to connect and trade with other brokers since November, 2013. I have had the same results on every project. They hire talented people who know how to communicate. Its impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of three founders of Medical Records Tracker, which is a startup devoted to building an app for medical records tracking. We’re based in Australia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic Software?

We fleshed out a business plan discussing the logistics and architecture of the app, but I needed someone to take it through a technical build phase. That would include the launch, testing, and ongoing optimization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting with our wireframes and business requirements, Scopic Software turned our idea into code. They were picking up where a past service provider left off, developing our iOS and Android app from the front- and backend. 

Their team also created a launch plan for the app and website supporting the app. They also handled the marketing material surrounding SEO, ensuring we were promoting the app in the best ways possible. The final app contains ads, so they spent some of their time on ad optimization too.

The final app will function as a repository for medical data, including prescriptions, photos, and X-rays. It will allow users to manage their individual data and the data belonging to parents, children, and carriers. Users can access the life cycle of their data in realtime.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was an account manager. We also worked directly with representatives from the marketing team. In total, there were probably 10–20 people assigned to my project at any given time. 

How did you come to work with Scopic Software?

I heard of Scopic Software through reputation and contacts in my network. After reaching out, I spoke with them and about five other vendors. They each came to me with a scope and timeframes for the project, and Scopic Software’s stood out.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in July 2018, and I’m still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to launch in the intended timeframe with the correct functionalities and UI/UX. In terms of the number of user downloads, we’re also meeting expectations. We’re still working together to constantly optimize performance, but we met requirements overall.

Our team received positive feedback from clients in addition to requests for the app to be available in more languages. The app was not, in the immediate term, intended for non-English speaking markets. But, that demand is indicative of our success.   

How did Scopic Software perform from a project management standpoint?

The product captured my vision because we were able to work so closely together. We had a daily back-and-forth between our teams over email, phone, and Skype. If I had any questions, I knew I could be in quick contact with them. I also had access to their dev site, so I was able to log in to track progress, bugs, and overall performance. Communication was truly seamless. 

They were also very clear about business requirements, costs, and predicting outcomes. We had very few circumstances that threw us off schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re strong from a technical perspective but also with project and account management. Finding a partner that’s broadly effective in all three aspects is pretty rare.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about requirements and expectations, and you’ll have a very successful project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of HelpSocial. We offer software that companies use to provide customer service within social networks. Our solutions monitor Twitter and Facebook and other platforms for customer comments and send them to a call center. The software fits into the customer service agent’ desktops, and they use it to reply to customer comments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic Software?

We needed development help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once we spun-off the company ourselves (we started as an internal project of another company) we started working with Scopic to build on top of our existing software. In addition to building new features and capabilities from scratch, they developed an Android app based on an iOS app we were refactoring. They also finished developing a Twitter app.

What is the team composition?

The team expanded and contracted based the project we were working on at the time, but we’ve ranged from 1–5 developers, with the average being three.

We had a project manager for the Android project, but for all other projects, we’ve had direct contact with the developers.

How did you come to work with Scopic Software?

We found them online. Lots of people replied to our project bid, but we went with Scopic. After having a great experience with Tim and his team, we’ve stuck with him since.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $250,000–$500,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since later 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We evaluate Scopic in two categories. The first is how do the developers work with our team. We want them to be as much a part of our team as our in-house people. They’re friendly and personable and good to work with. We don’t have to micromanage them either, because they don’t disappear on us. They’re very responsive, self-starting, and engaged.

In the end, though, it boils down to the work they do. They deliver everything in a reasonable amount of time and ensure it's of good quality. They follow through on what they say they’re going to do.

How did Scopic Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done great. We only had a PM for the android project (when we were smaller and needed day-to-day help in managing the team), and they made it really easy for us. 

We’re in communication on Slack all day long and have regular team meetings over phone calls or video chats. Everything is built in GitHub, where we also store our project dashboards. We treat them like they’re as much a part of our team as anyone else, having them attend regular meetings, received company updates, and take the same paid days off we take internally.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to find talent all over the place in a short amount of time is outstanding. Often, when we come to them with a new project or a request to add people, they’re ready to do it then.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

One important thing for us has been—since we’re building new software and inventing things as we go—clear communication. Their written and verbal communications are easy to understand, which is exactly what we need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of business development for PKC Pharmaceuticals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Scopic Software?

My collaboration with Scopic Software spans three different companies. The latest project—for my current company—involved maintaining a legacy e-commerce site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Scopic Software took over our e-commerce website developed in Ruby. They maintain the site and expand on its functionality using PHP, Ruby on Rails, and Python.

What is the team composition?

We work with 6–7 people, including two project managers, 4–5 Ruby and Ruby on Rails developers, 1–2 PHP developers, and 1–2 Python developers.

How did you come to work with Scopic Software?

I had worked with Scopic Software at past companies. I had such a good experience that I decided to approach them again. We had previously engaged two different development teams for this project, and when the time came to move on from them, I reached out to Scopic Software.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in August 2015 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any metrics I can share. Nonetheless, Scopic Software has done everything we’ve asked of them—and promptly as well. We highly value their work.

How did Scopic Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project isn’t very complicated, so it requires minimal management. Scopic Software has done perfectly fine as a result. When we need additional resources, the team finds ways to provide it. They let me scale the team up or down as needed. Scopic Software is highly responsive to my needs as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Scopic Software always gets the job done in a timely and cost-effective way. I’ve led software projects for the past 12–15 years with teams from around the world. If I had to rank all of those teams, Scopic Software is consistently the best of the best.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, any limitations came from our side. We’ve been slow in providing specs and responding to inquiries. Scopic Software is very patient with us. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Look into the full capabilities of Scopic Software before you consider other vendors. Scopic Software has experience in providing digital marketing, social media marketing, HIPAA-compliant software, Golang development, mobile apps. 

I wasn’t aware of these services lines in the past and outsourced projects involving these to other vendors. In the future, I will go to Scopic Software first if I’m not sure if they can provide a specific service.