SemiDot Infotech

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Latest Fitness Trends is a startup company providing content around products, workouts, and nutritional advice. I am the founder and CEO of the business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?

I was looking for a development company that could build my website. I had initially tried to build it myself by reading WordPress tutorials, but the scope I required included complex algorithms and analytics. I needed an actual web developer for those aspects. The budget I had was too small for local providers in the U.K., so I decided to look for offshore options.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an initial meeting discussing my budget and general scope—whether I wanted to build just a website, or whether I also wanted mobile apps. They determined if my requirements could be accomplished, and gave me a 20-question survey on the topic. They asked about the number of pages the site should have, the content, whether I had a logo and a domain, and so on.
After that, it was easy for them to design the website I wanted. I had done the foundation work in terms of setting up a domain and hosting server. I also bought a few templates. They took over from there, and had a team to design a logo and any other graphics I didn’t provide beforehand.

I initially neglected to mention some essential features for the site, so they had to recalculate the scope in order to deliver those. We are currently at the final stage of testing, making sure that there are no bugs and that the features I requested are fully working.

What is the team composition?

I’ve only been in touch with their account manager.

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?

After a bad experience building a mobile application with another company, I decided to do proper research for the current project. I knew of people who’d used companies in Russia, India and the Philippines to develop software. I made a list of 10 companies, looking at their reviews, how long those companies had been in operation, and how big their teams were.

I went on SemiDot’s website to look at their previous projects and spoke to a sales representative using their pop-up chat function. We discussed my budget and what they could do for me, then they got back to me the next day and we went from there. The fact that there was a person available immediately to talk was a deal-closer for them over the other companies.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their work has been £21,000. [$29,000 USD]

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2017. The project is set to wrap up in March.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re just reaching the final testing stage now, but I’ve been impressed with their ability to understand my vision. They’ve been developing sites for a long time, so they were able to implement my ideas well. Some colors could be changed, but that’s just a question of aesthetics. The overall site is my idea, made right the first time. They took the time to listen to what I had to say, did the work, then came back to me to make sure it was correct.

I’ve shown the site to friends and family to make sure that it’s something they could navigate easily. It was important to check that they understood what the UI elements represented, and they did—they were able to navigate through the site, find content, and also add it. I’ve heard positive feedback so far.

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a straightforward process despite our time difference—I am based in the U.K. and their team is in India. We had calls when we could find a good time for both parties. My biggest fear was the communication with their team, but the communication I’ve had with SemiDot was very pleasant. We used email and WhatsApp.

I was given an estimate for the hours required and paid them on an hourly basis. They were able to stay within that estimate. The UI design took a week to complete, then they came back and asked about any changes I wanted to make.

What did you find most impressive about them?

This was my first time working with an international company. I’ve usually dealt with local companies, so I was a bit skeptical at first. I’d also heard horror stories about dealing with offshore companies than ran off after being paid, or never completed the task on time. I never had this issue with SemiDot.

I’ve only been working with SemiDot for three months, but I’ve been impressed with their professionalism and technical knowledge.

They gave me their honest opinion about certain functionalities I wanted, saving me a lot of money. There were elements I didn’t really need or which could be built in other ways. They were able to answer my technical questions and find solutions to my problems. Other companies might have taken my money and done the work without any reservations, even though the final product may not have worked well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could open an office in the U.K. in order to eliminate the timezone difference. I haven’t had any real issues with them because I took my time to actually do research. Had I picked a random company, I would have likely had a worse experience.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It does help to learn a bit about building websites and to make sure that the full requirements are known and planned out. My basic understanding of how WordPress works meant it was much easier for me to have a conversation with them. We didn’t have to keep going over the same items so the process was a lot easier and cheaper.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of Wiseley LLC. I help respiratory therapists pass their board exams with an exam preparation course. I run the company alone and it is a part-time small project of mine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?

In order to grow my business, I needed some custom software development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had some experience with other freelance software development companies, but I need a solution that wasn’t off the shelf for this type of exam testing software. There were some unique attributes that I couldn’t find in any software that was currently out there. I gave them the parameters to follow, and they executed it pretty well and performed everything that I asked them to do.

One aspect of the software is a simulation quiz. Each question has 8 possible answers, and as the student selects an answer, they receive feedback for each. They then select the next button, and a dialogue box appears that either tells them what to do next to get to the next question or it may branch off to a whole different area. There are very specific requirements for this type of testing, and SemiDot was able to execute it.

What is the team composition?

We had an initial lead contact who understood what my needs were, and then communicated that to his team. Once the project was started, I dealt with Kapil Singh [Business Head, SemiDot Infotech] as he was the main developer and created the testing software. 

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?

Originally, I submitted a proposal of the job requirements. I had worked with a couple of other developers, but unfortunately, they weren’t able to meet the demands and requirements that I set forth.

I ended up moving on and did some Google searches. I found a few companies that I had narrowed down but was most impressed with was SemiDot. I spoke with them on the phone a couple of times and I got the impression they were very professional and that the software project was something they could execute and complete.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in November 2017 and the project was completed in January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It hasn’t gone live yet, but I am getting ready to beta test it with a group of students. I am sure the feedback will be just fine. Everything I have tested already is operational, and there are no bugs; everything is pretty clear cut and straightforward. It really models the board exams that exist currently for respiratory therapy students. In terms of functionality, it is a replica of what these students will encounter on their board exams and serves that purpose.

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

As far as tools go, we communicated over the phone or through email. One of the comforting things about working with them was their really good level of communication. They were very communicative, and I received responses pretty quickly. Any time they had questions, they didn’t assume anything and instead asked me. They wanted to be sure they were doing the right thing. Communication was definitely first rate, which was nice because I had had some bad experiences with other developers before where it was an issue.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did a really good job on the project and I am very satisfied with the end result. Their communication was fantastic, and as far as I know, the pricing was very good as well. They exceeded my past experiences with other software companies in all 3 areas: execution, communication, and price.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is a time zone difference since they are located in India, but they were still always available. I am at a loss as to what they could work on. It was a good experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

A lot of people have concerns starting out and trusting a company without having worked with them before. They are a reputable company that can be trusted, and you won’t be let down if you give them a shot.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm one of the founders of Buffting, a hair and beauty appointment and payment app. We connect users with local hair dressers, nail centers, and barbers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?

I needed developers to bring my app idea to life.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We went to them with the initial concept. I'm a structural designer myself, so I provided wireframes to convey my thoughts on the app’s overall design and they built it from scratch.

It has a number of core features, including forms which allow users to fill in their exact requests for any given appointment. You can call hairdressers directly through the app, send payments, and they also integrated Google Maps so users can find the best route to their appointment.

On the vendor side, participating salons can upload photos of their stylists so that customers can recognize them upon arrival.

The app is available for Android and SemiDot continues to provide routine maintenance.

They also gave advice on how to promote the app for launch.

What is the team dynamic?

I’ve never met the development team since SemiDot is based in India. I work directly with two team project leaders, including Harish [Kumar, Manager-Business Development, SemiDot Infotech], who then passed my needs onto their developers.

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?

They were recommended to me by a friend who was pleased with their services.

How much have you invested with them?

Our initial budget was between £40,000–£45,000, but we ended up spending £50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We recently launched and already have around 50 users and 10 participating vendors. We’re very pleased with the app’s overall design, user interface, and UX, and we haven’t encountered any bugs.

We initially wanted to hire a local developer to build the iOS version, but we’re so satisfied with their work that we plan to stick with SemiDot.

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed really well, especially Harish. They scheduled tasks in two-week increments, and everything was delivered on time. We conducted a number of FaceTime and Skype video calls, so they fully understood what we wanted to accomplish with our app. We invested a lot of money in this project, and we're really satisfied with the end result.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with developers in the past that lacked the technical skill to deliver all my requests. In terms of quality, SemiDot was a huge improvement. Their large staff allows them to accomplish any task in a timely fashion.

They also work hard to maintain relationships with previous clients. I know three individual companies in London and Manchester who have worked with SemiDot, and their positive feedback is what convinced me to hire them. Based on my own experience, I know that I can recommend SemiDot, as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their costs could be lower.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re trying to decide between SemiDot and a similarly-priced vendor, I would suggest going with SemiDot because they won’t let you down. They have an experienced team and are highly knowledgeable about the latest software and coding technologies. They’re guaranteed to deliver a successful outcome.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are an electrical distributor in Chicago. I am the marketing coordinator.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?

We have a very outdated promotional and informational website. We wanted to revamp the entire thing. Once we found them, things went smoothly. They were able to give us the look we want to see on our website.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The person that was in my position previously had already created a file in MUSE and we wanted to use that as a basis for the new site. SemiDot was able to replicate the MUSE file into HTML 5 or whatever format they were using. They were able to tweak it and make it so it worked.

We were also doing an internet site along with our normal corporate site which we didn’t have before. The corporate site was the easy piece and they were able to develop that pretty quickly. Then they moved onto the employee site which took longer.

What is the team dynamic?

I initially talked to someone in Colorado, and that was the person we talked to to come up with a plan. They sent me to a man named Harry who was a developer. 

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?

I did an online search and found a site that had a bunch of web developers. I contacted a few, got some quotes, and we chose the one we wanted to go with. SemiDot’s response time was very good, and they were not overly persistent, but they kept following up. Some of the other companies did not.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $11,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in August 2017. The site is complete. We are waiting on our end to get some of the hosting stuff to send to them, and then it will up and running by next week. The marketing will be handled by me.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There’s only been a couple of tweaks we had to ask them to make. We had a general idea of how we wanted the site to look based on some of our competitors. We were able to mimic their style along with adding our own style. SemiDot did a great job doing that piece. After the mockups and demo site, we’ve only had to ask for minor things like color, etc. They’re very responsive and get things changed right away.

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

They were proactive and quick. They have not missed an expected deadline at all. We have an ending contract with our current web developers at the end of September. We want to have our new site up on October 1 so there’s not any gap.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very good about keeping me in the loop. I would have reminders for me to follow up with them, but most times, they follow up with me before I got to that reminder.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I know we had a general style that we wanted to mimic. They did a great job of doing that initially, but there are a couple of things I wish I would’ve done differently. Our logo wasn’t really standing out very well. There were things like that that were a little lacking. Initially, there was also some miscommunication about what we wanted done. That took longer than it needed to, but it worked out.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of ProImage Software, a hosting platform that lets wedding and portrait photographers put their images online. Their clients can view the images and purchase digital files or prints. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?

We needed to rewrite the frontend interface and change it from Flash to HTML5. We also saw a shift in recent years and almost had to let the whole project go because more and more brides and young people are using iPhones and iPads to view their photos. The day I realized something needed to change was when a bride who I had taken photos for called me and was trying to look at her images. She only had an iPad and didn’t have access to a computer. We didn’t have any capabilities in-house to let her view the photos on a handheld device. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In our quote request, we also asked SemiDot to make some modifications to our legacy code and update some elements. The code base is massive and robust, and the original developer didn’t want to continue to work on it.

My partner and I ran the site for a few years ourselves and but couldn’t make the changes that we wanted. We needed a way to allow a photographer to log in through Facebook or track how many times and when somebody logged in to view their images. That was all successful but not as successful as the HTML.

Once SemiDot understood what we wanted with the HTML, everything went well. We had a minor communication barrier with the backend as well as dealing with the legacy code. It’s challenging to dig into someone else’s code that may or may not be documented well and figure out what needs to be changed. I wish they had insisted on more handholding and documenting of what we wanted up front. Sometimes, they understood our wishes right away, but at other times they claimed they understood but actually didn’t. I have been told this is normal for any type of programmer, but it was exacerbated by their limited English skills.  

What is the team dynamic?

Harish [Manager of Business Development, SemiDot Infotech] was our point person and contact with the greatest knowledge of the English language. Rohan [Director, SemiDot Infotech] has a fair amount of technical skills and acted as the lead project manager. We also interacted with one of the programmers, but he didn’t always have a good grasp of English, so Harish often translated for us.

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?

We found them through a local contact who connects American companies with Indian programmers. He acts as an intermediary and stays involved in the process throughout the project. I found this contact through an ex-girlfriend of mine that started working for him.

We did some research on SemiDot and a few other companies. We liked their quick and direct response. Before they gave us a quote, they took enough time to understand some of our issues. We got quotes back from firms that hadn’t even researched our project. SemiDot’s proposal showed they took the time to explore our needs, which gave us confidence in their abilities.  

We initially met with our local contact, who passed our proposal to SemiDot. Having someone to funnel stuff through who speaks my language was really helpful. I don’t know if I would have hired SemiDot without that contact.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent just under $60,000. We added a few things to the project that they’ll complete later.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2017, and phase one was completed a week or two ago. We will be doing more work with them, for sure. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People are really enjoying the new site. SemiDot included some fun, interesting things that I wouldn’t have asked for. When you’re looking at images on the screen and hit the shopping cart button, the image shrinks towards the upper right-hand side, which makes it visually clear that you just ordered something.

They’re good at looking at the latest trends in design and implementing them on the site. We’ve included a login and share feature for Facebook and Twitter. That went really smoothly. They took the lead on some things that I didn’t know we needed. If they posted something that was a little off in our language, I would just send them a message, and they’d make a change right away.

Feedback has been really positive. I’ve talked to 6–8 people who really like the site and say it works well, and a few of those used the old system and think this version is better. 

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

The time zone was a bit of an issue. They were 12.5 hours different from us, so we had some early and late meetings. They were definitely willing to work outside of normal hours. We had some 9:00 a.m. meetings here that were at 9:30 p.m. there.

They could improve their project management by using a specific tool. They said they’re willing to do that. This project didn’t initially appear large enough to require that. But, as time went on, we realized that because of the complexity it would’ve been nice to have an outline. On the HTML side, the management flowed much more smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a certain levity and lightness about them. That made me feel okay about criticizing an aspect of their code. Sometimes coders get upset when you ask for changes, but with SemiDot, I could just tell them I didn’t like something, and they’d ask what I wanted. They made the interaction and tuning process more enjoyable than experiences I’ve had in the past.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should ask for more clarity about what they need to do and what I want. That would come more easily if they had an organized project management approach. I have to say if they’d come at me with a whole week’s worth of needs to manage and schedule, I might have been turned off. I know they have larger clients than our company. I think they just didn’t understand the scope of our project, so they didn’t feel the need to put in that extra time in the beginning. Doing that would’ve saved us a fair amount of time. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
I run an organization called Network Engagement. We’re a boutique marketing company. One of the products is an online thinking style assessment quiz that allows us to interact with people and help them understand their thinking style so we can then give them feedback on how they best move forward with their businesses or how to reach out in different marketplaces. The website is www.myezog.com. It’s a Ruby coded site we built and launched a few years ago.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?
Recently our product broke and SemiDot helped us put it back together, get it working again, and migrate to a different payment strategy, and we’re working hard to refresh the website and tidy up some of the backend.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.
SemiDot Infotech are giving me some UX ideation cues for modernizing the site we put together 5 or 6 years ago, which looks old now. They’ve streamlined the payment notification process. It’s more reliable and works better than it did a couple of months ago even before it broke. I have one main contact, Harry [SemiDot Infotech]. There is a developer doing the backend Ruby work who joined a couple of calls and was able to clarify what the steps were. I’m lazy to that extent, but as long as I’ve got 1 person that picks up the phone and answers emails, I don’t need to be more involved in their organization. Just a key person on the interface who’s articulate, responsive, and can communicate what I’m trying to do effectively, and then bring in other members of his team is all I need. If it gets technical, it’s the right outcome for me, and that’s what they deliver. They fixed the problem and bugs that initiated the engagement. We’re going for a fresher image and a sharper UI and UX, and we want to make it more engaging and easier to take the test and there’s a revenue end to the product, and that’s also what we’re going to try to bring to the forefront. We have 100 people who take the test, and only 1 buys the report. We’d like to have 1,000 people take the test and 500 people buy the report so we’re working on both sides of that. We’re hoping to launch the refreshed website in about 30 days, and then there’s a backend cleanup that needs to happen on some of the reporting scripts.

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?
Part of the collaboration on myezog is with a colleague of mine out in Boulder, Colorado, Brian Tsuchiya. He works with quite a few different platforms, helping SemiDot engage in North American businesses, and they come up with some Ruby capabilities. I told him I was looking for a flexible Ruby team to fix our broken project, and he recommended SemiDot. I was looking for someone who was a referral and who has good communication skills.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?
We agreed to a $10,000 budget to complete the 3 phases of work, which was to fix the problems, build a new website, and update the backend. It’s on track at the moment.

What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them May 2017 and have been working together since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?
I presented them a stack with which they were originally unfamiliar, but they bolted the pieces on progressively. I’m sure they spent a few hours behind the scenes fixing it, and it worked. It’s on an Amazon web server, and EC2 [Elastic Cloud] is the host. They had some challenges getting all the protocols revised, but that’s their problem. It wasn’t code they wrote, nor was it hosted on their system. It wasn’t set up how they would probably do it but the customer doesn’t care. The customer just wants it fixed. They took that on board, and they fixed it.

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?
We’re on track. This is a progressive project so it’s not something I’m trying to knock out in a week. I get a weekly update on progress. I want to go away and think about something and come back with a way of doing it better. We communicate at that level. They are giving me what I want.

What distinguishes SemiDot Infotech from other providers?
It’s clear that they care, and they make suggestions to try and do things better. While other people ask what you want and say they can do whatever you want, they ask what you want, then look into it and come back with what they think is the best way of doing it. I appreciate that.

Is there anything SemiDot Infotech could have improved or done differently?
If we could get documented strategy, that would help. They are exactly as I would expect. It’s not that there’s a letdown, but it’s like with any project documentation. I’m sure if I looked into the code, there are things I’d see. I don’t look so I don’t know.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a nationwide U.K. company that provides face-to-face and online training to children’s homes, fostering agencies, and local authorities that look after vulnerable children. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?

When we first started the business, we offered face-to-face training. We quickly realized the need for online training. For example, a client would hire us to deliver a child protection course for 20 people, but only 12 people would come. The people that didn’t come still needed training, which prompted us to decide to build our own courses.

We had been using an off-the-shelf learning management system that made us pay for every user we added. We knew that as we grew, the system wouldn’t be able to do what we wanted. We came across SemiDot, and they understood our needs for a learning management system and were able to meet our requirements. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We came up with the ideas of what the system should look like, but SemiDot’s involvement has been extensive. They were able to execute our plans for the capabilities and technical aspects. We didn’t give them too much autonomy because we knew what we needed.

Our platform has client and learner logins. Our clients can add people to the system who need to be trained, and then they allocate different types of courses to those learners. We offer 150 online courses that all our clients can utilize. Learners can log in with their password and start going through the online courses that have been allocated to them.

SemiDot used various platforms to enhance our capabilities, and they continue to make enhancements to the site. We build certain courses on a monthly basis, which need to be loaded into the system. They’re also migrating the system to another site.

I deal with a single point of contact who allocates the work to the team.

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?

We spoke to various organizations to find a vendor that could understand who we are and what we require. We based our decision on their capabilities and portfolio, as well as timely communication. Based on those criteria, SemiDot was our top choice.

How much have you invested with SemiDot Infotech?

We’ve spent £150,000 [$194,550].

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the work in 2015, and we continue to use SemiDot on a monthly basis. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

We have between 40,000 and 50,000 learners in the system, and 98% of their feedback reports that the system is great. It’s user-friendly, agile, and easy to navigate and understand. Our users also suggest certain changes they’d like to see.

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been great with project management. We have various ways of communicating with them, including Skype, phone calls, and emails. They are very responsive. Even though we’re in the U.K. and they’re in India, whenever I message them, they get back to me in 10 minutes.

What did you find most impressive about SemiDot Infotech?

They get the job done, and they understand and implement our instructions effectively. Overall, the communication is excellent. They are willing to help us anytime, even on weekends. Few agencies will do that.

Are there any areas SemiDot Infotech could improve?

In the beginning, we thought we’d have some problems with communication, but there haven’t been issues. When someone’s providing a service from another country, understanding each other can be challenging, but SemiDot has done this effectively. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Classy Collections is a supply and wholesaler. The business covers all of India, and we import from both Thailand and India. I’m a co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?

I came to SemiDot with an expectation of doing something innovative. We wanted a website developed where customers could purchase, place/change orders, chat/call, and view pictures.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their business analyst, Harry, communicated with me. We had a discussion on the requirements on the website and worked together on the documentation. They made the website on Ruby on Rails. Along with the development, they offered other services such as SEO and marketing—the main features of any e-commerce website. We worked mainly with the developers, project manager, business analyst, designers, and SEO staff.

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?

I decided on them after looking at online reviews and references from clients of theirs. I wanted to visit their office, but that was not possible on our end, as we’re in different cities. So I communicated with their business analyst and got to know the things that they can provide.

We approached a lot of companies because we wanted the best products for our business. SemiDot told me that they could provide the full package, including marketing, SEO, and design. That was a surprise from my side because our budget was not that much. SemiDot agreed to our budget, telling us that whatever we required, they were providing for that budget only. That was the main reason we chose SemiDot, and it was a good decision.

How much have you invested with SemiDot Infotech?

Around $20,000-$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We met and had discussions in August 2015. They launched my website and we continued to work together. If there are issues with the website or any updates that I don’t understand, I call or ask for support and they assist me. They also assist me in marketing ideas and design features

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Consumers are happy with the site. The impact on my business was positive; I’m getting a good response from my friends and colleagues. SEO and marketing seemed beneficial for my business. They’re always ready to solve my issues whenever I find anything on my website. Overall, it’s good.

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well. I’ve never had an issue with project management. We used email and Slack for communication. I worked well with the project manager who kept me updated on the progress.

What did you find most impressive about SemiDot Infotech?

The most impressive thing about them was the communication channel. It was superb from their end. My requirement was to have a site developed, and that was done properly by SemiDot. We had several discussions and there was a high level of involvement from them. They delivered everything I required on time, so they are very responsible.

Are there any areas SemiDot Infotech could improve?

Improvement is always ongoing. From my point of view, I can’t say anything specifically for them to improve upon because I got exactly what I wanted from them. Working with them was a superb experience—nothing really bad or negative from their side.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m currently working on an idea that is similar to Airbnb. It’s a vacation rental business called Stayza Rentals. Hosts can rent their apartment, flat, or villa, and customers can communicate with them and book their houses on my website. The focus of my business is all over India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot Infotech?

The main challenge was to develop a website similar to Airbnb. I wanted an agency that could work on the same structure with the capability to handle it easily.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I came to SemiDot with an idea, and their business analyst communicated with me. Together, we worked on the documentation part. Then they started working, and I got communications from their project manager. I also visited their office. Along with development, they offered SEO services and some marketing ideas, which was a good part for me. Right now, I’m planning for the second phase, but that will be later on. For now, their services have included some documentation, development, SEO, and marketing.

The technology they used for my website is PHP. I had one project manager, a designer, and a developer working on this project. One important feature allows users to communicate with hosts who have rentals available. The host can then approve or decline the booking. The platform also allows the user to pay for the booking directly.

How did you come to work with SemiDot Infotech?

I found them through a Google search. I communicated with them, and they shared some references from past work. I reached out to those references, and then visited SemiDot’s office. We established some trust, so I decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with SemiDot Infotech?

I’ve invested around $100,000 to $110,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in August of 2016, and our relationship is ongoing. The project is about 95% completed. I have launched the site, and it’s working, but we’re currently in the testing stage.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

My friends and colleagues are all happy with the site. The design part was done well. We don’t have customers yet, so I don’t have feedback there, but testing has been done and it’s working well.

How did SemiDot Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well. We use email and Slack for communication. I worked well with the project manager, who updated me on the progress. I never faced any issue with project management; they did it well.

What did you find most impressive about SemiDot Infotech?

The communication was good. My challenge was to have a site developed that was like Airbnb, and that was done properly by SemiDot. We had several discussions, and I appreciated the high level of communication. They delivered everything I required.

Are there any areas SemiDot Infotech could improve?

I think they could improve their branding work. They SEO and marketing service they provided were good, but I am targeting a big brand, so I also need branding. They could improve a bit on that part.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and main employee of Jitow, which is based in South London. We are a video only instant messaging platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SemiDot InfoTech?

I designed an MVP [minimum viable product] of the app I wanted, and I included all my ideas about how it should function. I sent screenshots of the MVP to SemiDot InfoTech, and they developed the app based on my MVP.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We focus on videos with our app, which allows you to change your profile video. Each video lasts for 30 seconds and goes away after 24 hours. Another feature of our app is that it lets you react to videos by using any emoji, instead of using comments and only a handful of pre-selected reactions.

How did you come to work with SemiDot InfoTech?

I met SemiDot InfoTech online, and we spoke by email at first and then via phone call, which is when we decided to meet in London (they have an office in Manchester). We talked and discussed the app for more than an hour. I was happy after our chat, and I thought I could rely on SemiDot InfoTech. I don't have any other investments, so I have to work every month to fund my project. We agreed to a timeframe of four or five months. I hired SemiDot InfoTech because they cost me less than it would have cost to hire a developer team in London.

How much have you invested with SemiDot InfoTech?

I’ve invested $15,000 with SemiDot InfoTech.

What is the status of this engagement?

We kicked off in October 2016. The iOS version of the app has been completed, but the Android version is still in the works.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We have gotten feedback from investors in London, family members, friends, and angel investors who are interested in what I'm trying to do with the app. Right now, we’re in the process of agreeing on how much we would give away in shares. We do have some interest from investors, but I haven't mentioned this to SemiDot yet because nothing has been approved. If it does go ahead, we should be able to pay off whatever we owe them and have the project go faster.

How did SemiDot InfoTech perform from a project management standpoint?

I know they had a manager, a project manager, and the other roles that every development company has. I think they said that more than 14 of their developers are based in India, but I believe they had a few in Manchester and Australia as well. I speak to one of the project managers on LinkedIn most of the time. He seems all right. I also speak to most of the developers via a group chat on Skype. We communicate almost every day regarding features, functionalities, and UI designs. They seem OK. I fund the project in stages, and when I’m happy with a stage, I transfer the funds for it.

What did you find most impressive about SemiDot InfoTech?

One big thing has impressed me about SemiDot InfoTech. I have been a bit late on my payments here and there. I think I was late on a payment in November, and I explained to SemiDot InfoTech what was going on, and I said that I would double their payment in February to pay for the work from both months. To my surprise, they went forward with it, and they continued to do the work. Normally, if you don't make a payment, a company will stop working until they’re paid. SemiDot InfoTech was calm, and they understood where I was coming from. SemiDot InfoTech was lenient with me. I’m just in college, and I'm working two jobs to make sure I can pay these guys at the end of each month.

Are there any areas SemiDot InfoTech could improve?

At this stage, I can't really think of anything I would want SemiDot InfoTech to improve on. Everything seems fine so far.