Shakuro

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Salestech provided technological services for several brands within the financial industry. The company had around 500 employees; 80 of them in the technology department and 50 for product R&D. I was the CTO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

We had seen growth in the R&D department and wanted to make sure that we'd grow in parallel in Israel as well as offshore. We wanted to recruit resources on both fronts, in order to have a good pace and there was also an issue of cost. We wanted to offset the cost of Israel employees, which we were able to do by 2/3 when recruiting offshore resources. Our business worked from Monday to Friday and wanted a development unit which would be available beyond this for any production issues. Shakuro's team worked from Monday till Friday..

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shakuro's employees were treated as our own, given the same code to work on. They built platforms, working on new features and architecture.

We needed to build a new solution from scratch, so we established a part of the team in Israel, using Shakuro's Russian team as an extension of it. Our managers were in charge of a single Scrum team for both groups. Most people in Shakuro's group are full-stack developers for PHP and .NET C#, but we also utilized frontend and QA resources. They worked on our CRM [customer relationship management] and payment systems, performing manual and automated testing. We also had a product owner and DevOps people on Shakuro's side. Overall, we had a 20-person team, consisting of developers, QA, managers, and so on. Our project manager was Shakuro's current COO. He is a very trustworthy person, and I enjoyed working with him. He knew how to bring people together, ensuring that our recruitment and retention were being done optimally.

We wanted to set up their team so that they could work independently, with all the required functionalities existing on the Russian side.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I had known Shakuro's manager from a previous collaboration and wanted to continue working with him.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

The cost of Shakuro's work was around $500,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Shakuro in July 2015. The project ended in December 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We'd had problems with our old systems, and wanted to replace them. In a very short period, around four months, we were able to overcome our problems with the legacy payment system and deployed the new one to production. Shakuro's team mainly built it. We saw a significant revenue increase after four months of working with them.

Shakuro's team was very professional. They were doing architecture work for a new system, and adopted a well-established infrastructure, thinking about the long-term use of the system. They were detail oriented, and the code reflected this. We were satisfied with the testing efforts and everything which was reflected in our ALM [application lifecycle management] tool. Overall, we felt that Shakuro was part of our Israel team, and they felt the same. We had visits from Israel to their location and vice versa, in order to establish a common atmosphere and culture. I was very satisfied to see this happen.

The system was meant for internal use. The business units who were using it were very impressed; we gave them everything they were hoping for in a very short while. It amounted to a general boost on the business side.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked through the Agile methodology, using sprints. There were more long-term projects for which we put together plans, and we achieved this with Shakuro's team because they were integrated with our own. Everyone was conscious of our targets and worked hard, long hours, including on national holidays.

We set up video conferencing equipment in every room on Shakuro's side. Each member had their own camera, which they turned on during our standups. This was important for us, since being able to look at a person makes the communication much more personal, and leads to more commitment and a better culture. This was expressed in every aspect of the ceremonies, including our retrospective and planning meetings. We were always inviting Shakuro's team to join our meetings over Skype and any other software which allowed that.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

I know that there are many offshore companies on the market, but the most important thing for me was to know that Shakuro's team would see themselves as our employees. Shakuro allowed that, giving them a dedicated office so that they could work alone with no other clients around. We felt that Shakuro's employees adopted the culture of our company, which is very important in the business culture of Israel. Shakuro had very good management and stability, assigning dedicated managers. The site manager knew everything that was happening, coordinated the work, and raised flags whenever there wasn't enough work. Many other companies will use resources for multiple clients regardless, but I was able to trust that Shakuro's team was exclusive to us and that they wanted to contribute to our effort.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Shakuro?

My advice would be giving Shakuro the mindset that they belong to a company, putting together events and branding everything accordingly. I would also advise clients to allow the team to be as independent as possible. My strategy is to start with a distributed team and gradually allow the outsourced party to be self-sufficient with their own Scrum master, product owner, and so on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Novus.io is a part of Tenengroup, which is one of the largest e-commerce companies in Israel. We are the technology arm of the group, in charge of development and anything else related to the field.

I am the CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

We had a big problem with recruiting quality developers and QA [quality assurance] resources in Israel. There is a lot of demand within the local market, and very few candidates. The salaries here are also very high, so the decision to outsource was based both on obtaining higher-quality members and on trying to reduce cost.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We use an Agile process and have two Scrum teams consisting of developers and QA specialists. We received assistance from Shakuro within both of our teams, one of which is in charge of developing the external products we're selling as an e-commerce platform. The other team is in charge of internal development for our existing systems. We recruited three QA resources and 4–5 developers from Shakuro's team. Each one was allocated to a team and worked together with us in a joint manner. We view them as an extension of our own group.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

We went through a process of examining different software service providers. I went on several trips to Russia and Ukraine, visiting a number of companies, including Shakuro. One of the reasons for choosing them was the feeling of dedication, hard work, and experience that their personnel gave. I had had a previous positive experience working with one of Shakuro's founders, while he was working for another company. This fell in with other factors, like price, ease of recruitment, distance, time zone, and the educational opportunities offered by the universities in that area. Once I did the math, it became clear that Shakuro was a good choice for us.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

The cost of Shakuro's work has been between $10,000 and $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Shakuro in July 2016. The collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because we work in Scrum, we keep several measurable units, like sprint velocity. The progress we were able to make was increased after working with Shakuro, but there are all kinds of other parameters, like the number of bugs found and the number of missed tasks. They've all improved, so we're quite happy with the results.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a project manager in Israel who is in charge of our work with Shakuro. Their team simply receives tasks and ensures that the development and testing are being done. In terms of operational management, we have frequent calls and meetings with our site manager from Shakuro. The communication is very good, with 2–3 meetings per week. We address any new issues, like the need to recruit additional employees. I'm very happy with our contact from Shakuro.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

The thing which brought me the most benefits is not having to work a lot for our collaboration with Shakuro. The team is managed by them in terms of human resources and other day-to-day affairs. Our agreement implies that we will know what we can expect from Shakuro, and they will keep track of what we need. The process runs smoothly, and I was never involved in details that didn't require my involvement. I am only notified about the most important issues.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

I can't think of anything. Whenever there was an issue, I talked about it with Shakuro's team and they resolved it immediately, or within a couple of days. For example, we had a problem with their video conferencing equipment, so Shakuro changed the microphones two days later.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated on May 17, 2019, by Idan Feilhardt (VP, R&D, Novus.io). The original ratings were: Overall – 4.5, Quality – 4.5, Schedule – 5, Cost – 4.5, NPS – 5. New content is below:

Can you give me a brief description of your company and your position there?

I’m the VP of R&D at Novus.io, a web services company. I lead the entire technical division. I’m updating this review for Tal (Former CEO, Novus.io), who I replaced two years ago.

What has the scope of their involvement been since 2017?

In 2017, we were pursuing a major project with Shakuro, and Tal oversaw our mixed team with them. We had team leaders in both Israel and Russia managing Shakuro’s developers in Russia, who provided QA & R&D. Unfortunately, the project failed, and we reduced our work with Shakuro and regrouped internally.

Since then, we have maintained our mixed team with Shakuro, but rather than spanning multiple geo-locations, we now have full-service, autonomous development teams in Russia. They deliver everything and fill in as needed. Our product team provides them with tasks, and they groom, plan, and kick off sprints. They also handle production issues.

The scope of our work together has expanded beyond traditional R&D to include dev engineering and DevOps.

How has the team composition changed since 2017?

We previously worked with around 7–10 Shakuro developers, and now we work with around twenty.

Tal said you spent between $10,000–$15,000 each month. Do you know how much additional money you’ve spent with Shakuro up to this point?

Our monthly costs have increased three- to fourfold. We spend between $35,000–$45,000 each month.

What has been the effect of Shakuro’s work since this new project began? 

They have provided R&D that is the basis of everything we do, including rewriting our email system and creating product pages in our back-office system. We have also done unique in-house development work based on Shakuro’s efforts.  

Are you happy with their work?

We are 100% satisfied.

How are their project management skills?

Once we moved to autonomous teams in Russia, things improved a lot. We still experience the challenges of working with an offshore team, but we’ve established an effective workflow. We communicate online via Slack, Skype, and other instant messaging solutions.

Why did you decide to continue working with Shakuro, instead of going with a different service provider?

Shakuro did and continues to do great work.

Is there anything else that Shakuro is particularly good at?

They’re great at recruiting talent, which has allowed us to grow relatively quickly. They are professional and offer reasonable prices, which is what anyone looks for in a long-term partner.

Is there anything they could do differently?

Their location causes some restrictions. Also, market demand changes; for example, it is easy to find a .NET developer but difficult to find one who specializes in Node.js. These are factors that Shakuro cannot control, but they’re worth considering. 

Do you have any advice for future clients for how to best utilize the partnership?

As with all remote developers, be aware of the constraints that such a business relationship entails.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of The Social Corporations. We develop internal HR applications for corporations in order to bridge the gap between management and their employees. I’m also the co-founder of I’m in Diary, a social diary app that makes it easier to organize events with friends. Aquapps is another company that I’ve started. It is an experimentation company that allows me to make budget apps to learn the trade.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

The Social Corporations has a project called OMGene, which is the internal software for a media multinational called Omnicom. I started the project with another developer who wasn’t very good, so I had to look for a replacement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shakuro took our designs and modernized them, coming up with a base concept. The designs Shakuro came up with were approved very quickly by the client, so there was little back and forth. They did the development and design for the frontend for both iOS and Android. They also created the backend CMS [content management system] that powers the application. They set up our Flurry and customized it to analyze the app, using Ruby on Rails as a coding software. For the CMS, they used the existing white label CMS called Admin Panel.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I found them when I was looking for someone to build a personal app. I used oDesk to post the ad and the founder contacted me via Skype. I liked him because he was serious and asked the right questions. You could tell they knew what they were talking about. I looked at their website and saw they had done professional work.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We spend between $50,000 to 200,000 per year on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project had a positive outcome. The app was developed for a UAE company and they’re going to roll it out globally. Our client’s sister companies have taken an interest in the app and it has become a hot property in the Middle East.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

This is their weakest point because there is a communication gap sometimes. Sometimes, the answers are quite vague. I find that I have to follow up more, and I don’t get any daily reports of the status of the project. They are not able to meet deadlines because of the amount of QA they do. They want to make sure it’s perfect, but they don’t communicate that to me. Otherwise, their quality is outstanding in terms of functionality and the way they work.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

I’m a startup, so we fostered good relationships on a personal level. It’s not really formal. I’m happy that the quality of the apps is top-class. My clients are happy.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

They have a unique business model, which is difficult. They charge per hour, so sometimes if I just need a quick mockup, they start quoting the hours. I tell them that I just need the mockup so I can approve 100 hours later on. They need to work on fixed rates. I’ve also noticed that they share project managers between different projects, so I think they’re trying to be lean because they’re a startup. They also need to keep me up to date on the deadlines.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company is a financial marketplace founded in 2014. I’m the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

I needed a team for development services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They used Ruby on Rails and Angular. I had a team in the US start the design of the platform and then Shakuro was following that design.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I found them about 10 years ago on a technology platform where they were featured for of one the sites they built. I had seen some of their code and had worked with them on another project. Shakuro is a close-knit organization, and their culture is good. The people are focused on accomplishing the task. The consistency of their code is really good.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We’ve spent around $500,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re establishing a disruptive marketplace that takes a long time. Financial markets are slow to adapt new technology. The adoption curve is not as it would be for a consumer application. The goal is to optimize the workflow for a specific application. Shakuro has done a great job at understanding the requirements. We have gotten positive feedback on the workflow and design. Shakuro has done great at interpreting the work from the US design team.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

We have dedicated resources from Shakuro working on our project which is very helpful. We have a fulltime PM [project manager] to manage the team of 7. Without her, it would be difficult in terms of communication. She’s an excellent communicator. She goes above and beyond by asking questions and making sure there’s a full understanding of every feature.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

Other outsourced teams have not understood the requirements, and the delivery is off target. Asking questions is key to a project, and Shakuro does a great job with that.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

It would be good if Shakuro could extend their technologies beyond Rails and Angular. For most websites, it’s fine but it Shakuro wants to grow, it would benefit them to expand their technologies.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior software developer in .NET. I work in the commercial industry and am currently building a case management tool for managing security clearances. I’m also working on a federal contract with GSA to do a .NET MVC conversion from an older system. I also have 2 special needs boys who play special-needs hockey, and I came up with an idea about how to manage that.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

I needed .NET MVC full stack development to help support a Portfolio Management project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The database is SQL Server, and on top of that we have Entity 6 framework, and on top of that we have WCF, and on top of that MVC. They work at all levels. It’s a full stack implementation.

The site they did for my boys’ hockey team is more exciting for me. The site registers all the kids and then provides specialized reports. It keeps track of their attendance and the kids can then get credit for their community service in order to graduate from high school in our county.  

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I found Shakuro through a friend who had used them to fix some coding that had been done by a different firm.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

In total, we’ve spent $40,000 on the hockey project and $80,000 on the Portfolio Management.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them on the Portfolio Management project in August 2015 and the project is ongoing. The project for the hockey team started in September 2014 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everybody’s velocity is different, but we’ve done about 20 points a sprint. I’ve had no problems whatsoever.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

When Alex is directly involved, it’s phenomenal. I get a weekly report. They suggested daily Scrum calls but that didn’t fit my style, so we don’t do that.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

They’re supremely competent in what they do, plus they’re incredibly polite and thoughtful. We bonded very well, which helps to keep everybody motivated to do good work.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

Not really. I hope to be working with them 10 years from now.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of San Mateo Construction Corp., a subcontracting company dealing with contracts for a primary electric company in New York State. We also provide other subcontracting services such as security, outside securement construction, and so on.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

We wanted to digitalize and automate processes because we were lagging behind in technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shakuro helped with all aspects of the business such as payroll, administration, company tax, health benefits, and automating dispatching. Initially, I was looking to create a very basic database management system. They built the backend for the system. Shakuro used Ruby on Rails, Swift, Java, and SQL. They did the wireframes to show me a simplified way to solve our issues. For example, multiple users had to be able to access multiple time sheets.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

I had a conversation with Alex and his team listened to what our needs were. After hearing their suggestions, we realized his company could offer us a complete package unlike anyone else could.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We have spent between $10,000 and $50,000 so far, but this amount will continue to grow.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of work was lightyears better than anyone out there. I can track every detail. We deal with another very large company and I’m making their jobs easier. Our system is better than what they have now. In the past, it was possible for people to fudge a time sheet a half hour. But now, we have a 99.87% efficiency of completing jobs, thanks to geolocation. We never had a statistic like that before and we are saving a lot of money with the system we now have. Shakuro has shown me more ways we can be efficient and they’re ready to help me with those projects when I’m ready.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was done the way we wanted and it was on time even when the deadline was tight. There is a time difference, but I have access to them 24/7. I use GitHub and they send me live updates.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

They take initiative and don’t waste time building something that’s not useful for me just for more money. They give suggestions for better solutions. If I have any issues, they’re handled quickly compared to other private freelancer programmers I’ve used. I don’t think I ever want anyone else because of the great quality and cost I get with them.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

The only challenging part was the time difference, but they made it work. There were a few hours in the afternoon that were the most challenging times. That being said, there were times they would help me in the middle of the night.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Lore Media, Inc. works with augmented reality devices to take literature and move it into mixed reality medium. I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

We wanted to construct our web presence. The platform allows users to upload their stories and literature so that it can be presented in virtual and augmented reality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We used a pre-existing software called Discourse. There are very few developers who know how to manipulate this software because we wanted to turn it into a CMS that we could use for our content. There was a lot of collaboration between our teams. My goal was to provide them with as clear a picture of what we wanted as possible. They brought anything I had missed to my attention. They also did a helped us set up a temporary form for our landing page which they did free of charge.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

We posted a job on Upwork, and we had a few people apply. After talking with Shakuro, we found they were definitely the most qualified out of 4 or 5 other companies that we spoke with. They had previous experience with the software, so that was a great start. Another thing they were very good at was communication.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

The cost of the project so far is under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project has been postponed as of September, because of financial issues on our end. I plan to continue working with them in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far, we’ve been focusing on the functionality and making sure everything works correctly. We’ve been working with a new framework called three.js which is used for manipulating 3D objects in your web browser directly. Very few people know how to use it, and it’s been very impressive to see how well Shakuro adapts to different and complicated frameworks.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is great. I think there was one time that we had a delay in the project, but it was expected because we had changed the scope.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

Shakuro engages with their customers to be sure they have a superior experience.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

A lot of the developers are based in Russia so time zones can be an issue. Once I got used to a schedule that worked for both of us, it worked out well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Cubebrush is an online marketplace. We’re a little bit like Etsy but for digital content for the game industry. I am the CEO [Chief Executive Officer].

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

I needed a team to develop everything. I had the idea but nothing else. I reached out to a couple of companies. Shakuro was the best case scenario. They had been in the business of game art for a long time. They were a really good option.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I came to them with a very vague idea of what I wanted in the end. The idea was to make an eCommerce platform where people could open their store and show their content. We went back and forth multiple times. They would suggest ideas and eventually solidify the idea. I had a lot of different images on my site that I sent them, and they improved. It was more of a collaboration with them than me telling them what to do. As far as how the platform was built, I got what I wanted. I knew that their team was using Ruby, which was something I wanted. That was one of the main things that I wanted my developers to do, and they were doing that already, so that was a plus.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

A big part of it was them previously having a very, very successful platform that all the artists in the industry used for their portfolio. Their name was out there and known. I contacted a bunch of others, and Shakuro offered the best price really. Their quote was unbeatable compared to the other companies.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

We spent $300,000 to $400,000 in total over two years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’re working together now. We started towards the end of 2014. I think it was October.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform launched publicly in January 2016. We have about 80,000 users right now on the platform. It’s one of the big platforms in this industry where people can put all their content, so I guess it’s pretty successful from that standpoint.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

I wouldn’t be working with them if it wasn’t great. It’s been a very, very cool casual partnership that we’ve had. I’ve had the same guys working on my team since the beginning. It’s almost like they’re my employees, but they’re not. They’re [Shakuro] meeting the deadlines and communication is clear. I talk to them multiple times a day.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

In the beginning, I wasn’t as experienced as a team leader. There was a lot of technology that I wasn’t sure that we should use. I have no serious complaints.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Arthur Page Society is an international organization that represents the 300 Chief Communication Officers from the Fortune 300, and the 100 Chief Executive Officers of the 100 largest PR firms in the world. We sponsor research in PR and also provide thought leadership in that space. I lead our technology and website efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Shakuro?

Our website was previously on ExpressionEngine, which is predominantly used for blogs. It provided a public face for our organization as well as a member directory. We also have a separate donor database which we use to manage donations and other finances. We were looking for a way to combine the website functionality with the donor database.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We took a branding study we had done and gave that to Shakuro. They were able to develop design concepts which we presented to our executive committee, and they selected the overall look and feel for the website. They also worked with Shakuro to help provide the UX. It was very collaborative. It was us and Shakuro working together to get the UX right, but everything largely was done by Shakuro.

How did you come to work with Shakuro?

One of our members had loaned us a UX designer that works with them. She was on our team and she helped us with the UX.

How much have you invested with Shakuro?

The project was $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’re still working with them. We started working them in 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The one big thing we’ve seen as a vote of confidence is that we’ve seen a 50% increase in our member donations for our technology. We allow our members to donate to specific endeavors. Traffic has been really successful. We didn’t realize how bad our old site was until we saw the numbers for uptake on the new site. We saw a 60.53% increase in usage after we updated. The new site has a much better member directory, is mobile enhanced, and it’s really easy to search for members. We’ve gotten all kinds of praise from our members. They’ve all been complimentary of the website.

How did Shakuro perform from a project management standpoint?

We couldn’t do it without them. Yulia is the person we work with. She is amazing. I’m in charge of managing the project on our side. If it had been left to me, this project wouldn’t have launched. She’s been the backbone for everything. She keeps us on schedule and makes sure that we have our deliverables sent to her when we need to.

What did you find most impressive about Shakuro?

I’ve worked in technology before working with my current organization. I know good code and I know bad code. Shakuro browser tests across all platforms. I’m confident that when they hand something to me, I don’t have to check it in every browser. They write quality code. I can’t say enough about their quality of their development. It’s really good code.

Are there any areas Shakuro could improve?

No. I’d say that if I were going to launch a startup, they would be the first people I’d hire. They’re very precise and careful on their communication. They keep their projects on time, tell you no when they need to, are very accurate, and just a good group of people to work with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Manager

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provides outsourced, 24/7 Site Reliability Engineering and professional DevOps support to manage, monitor, optimize IT infrastructure and ensure seamless business operations

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Shakuro to accomplish?

• website design and development

SOLUTION

How did you find Shakuro?

Online Search

Why did you select Shakuro over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Proven expertise

How many teammates from Shakuro were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Shakuro translated our vision into a polished, professional-looking website. They responded quickly to feedback, offered valuable design insights, and delivered everything on time and within the $13,500 budget. Communication was efficient and transparent, which made the collaboration smooth and productive.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The collaboration between Pillars and Shakuro resulted in several measurable outcomes that demonstrate the success of the project. User engagement improved, with metrics such as time spent on site and page views per visit showing that users were more interested in our content and found the website easier to navigate, reflecting the effectiveness of the new design in attracting visitors. Additionally, the optimized user experience led to higher conversion rates, with more visitors requesting our services.

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

Shakuro's project management was highly efficient and well-organized. They delivered all items on time, adhering to the agreed-upon schedule and ensuring that every milestone was met without delays. They were proactive in responding to our needs, quickly adapting to any changes in requirements or feedback. Their team maintained open lines of communication, regularly updating us on progress and addressing any concerns promptly. This made the entire process smooth and ensured that the project stayed on track from start to finish.

What was your primary form of communication with Shakuro?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The most impressive about Shakuro was their ability to seamlessly blend creativity with technical expertise. They not only delivered a visually stunning and user-friendly website but also ensure it was optimized for performance and functionality. Their attention to detail, adaptability to feedback, and proactive communication mode the entire process smooth and enjoyable. 

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

Shakuro demonstrated a high level of professionalism throughout the entire project, and their work met all our expectations.