Slingshot

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm president and CEO of a company that manages IT expenses for medium-to-large organizations. We have a software platform that assists with that process.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Slingshot?

We originally brought them on board several years ago to rewrite our platform’s software. We wanted to rewrite it because of technology changes and new things we wanted it to do. Once we found out how good they are, we decided to keep them on full time to do our software development work and to continue to advance our product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Slingshot continues to add functionality to our platform. It’s a very complex software platform. We have a new release every 4–6 weeks, and they're fully engaged in that process. They not only help us think through everything, but we've also completely outsourced the actual development and support work on our platform to them. 

Our platform uses SQL and .NET environment, so Slingshot utilizes C# and other coding techniques. Our core functionalities are processing, monitoring, correcting, and auditing IT expenses. We're tied into our customers’ accounting systems as well as via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to most major carriers. Slingshot has assisted with the majority of that development.

What is the team composition?

Typically there's one full-time employee, and we add additional resources as needed. Just about everybody in their company has worked on our platform at some point. We used to have an account manager, but now we meet with David (CEO and president, Slingshot) a couple of times a year. Otherwise, we're consistently working with their project managers and developers.

How did you come to work with Slingshot?

One of their sales people called me every month for years. When we ultimately decided it was time to rewrite our platform, I asked him to come on in and talk to us in person. That's how it got started. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $250,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We first started working together in January 2011, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve added a tremendous amount of functionality. We’re now light years ahead of where we were before we started working with Slingshot. They do a good job of managing the platform, keeping it fresh, and upgrading it all along the way.

How did Slingshot perform from a project management standpoint? 

We wouldn't continue working with them if they weren’t a pleasure to work with. There are less expensive developers out there, but cheap isn’t what we're looking for. They're an excellent group. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

We most appreciate their knowledge, processes, and efficiency. We like that they work on other projects. They have a breadth of knowledge in the marketplace and find new methods that can apply to our environment. We also like that they're located in the U.S. so they're reachable and we can meet with them in person. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d like them to cost less. Nothing else comes to mind. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to stay engaged. Software development isn’t a one-time project. You're always going to have another idea or thought of what else you want done. Go into it understanding that it's a longer engagement as you continue to think of new ideas and concepts. They’ll help to continue to change it and keep it fresh.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a pet health insurance company. We service pets across the U.S. from start to finish, including issuing policies and paying claims.

I’m the CEO of a pet health insurance company. We service pets across the U.S. from start to finish, including issuing policies and paying claims.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Slingshot?

We had a proprietary software platform we’d built in 2004 and needed to rewrite some of the code and core processes. We needed a partner to identify pivotal points of efficiency, and we thought we’d need to rewrite the whole platform. However, Slingshot helped us realize that we only needed to change a few components through an iterative process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a discovery phase so that Slingshot could identify the most critical functions they could work on; we didn’t prescribe any solutions or areas of work. They outlined small projects we could build, test, and launch iteratively to consistently get value from our partnership. 

They’re working on a web-based app that we use internally and externally. It provides quotes, issues policies, and performs all aspects of customer service, including payment processing, reporting claims, and renewing memberships. It’s our primary tool used by both employees and customers.

The app was written in .NET, and Slingshot kept some features and changed others. For example, they rewrote our payment processing platform, transitioning to a new payment processor and updating how our software engages with it. For the next phase, they revised our renewal process, making it smoother and more accessible for the customer to understand. 

The final project was our claims processing feature, which we ultimately decided to pull out of the primary app and put into a new tool that’s built in Angular. The first two projects were redevelopment, and the last one was dev from scratch.

What is the team composition? 

We worked with three developers and a strategy planner.

How did you come to work with Slingshot?

We’d been connected with Slingshot for several years but weren’t ready to financially commit to an investment in our infrastructure. They maintained the relationship and, when we decided it was time for this project, we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $250,000–$500,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in November 2016, and the work is ongoing. We’re starting a new engagement soon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve increased how many failed payments we’re able to recollect on and also seen a significant improvement in our retention rates. Additionally, the processing times for our claims has dropped considerably, year over year, as a direct result of changes to our IT infrastructure.

How did Slingshot perform from a project management standpoint?

We know where the project is headed and what’s coming up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re committed to excellent service and take time to understand our business as a whole. Unlike other firms, we’ve never had to clean up their work once they’ve delivered it. They’re more expensive than similar agencies, but their work is phenomenal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re strong willed and move fast, and they could probably push back more if they think something we want to do isn’t the best idea. However, they’ve gotten better at doing that.
 
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Make sure your larger team is on board with the partnership. If so, you’ll get better input and a more productive engagement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a physician and researcher at a pediatric organization. I am an attending physician in emergency medicine, and I am also a researcher in the child abuse division. My work over the years has focused on trying to develop better ways to differentiate abuse from accidental trauma in young children. To conduct that research, I have to collect rich data to have those tiny details that allow me to see the difference between abuse and an accident.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Slingshot?

I hired Slingshot to develop the software I needed to be able to collect detailed research data.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first steps of our engagement included building a web application that would be HIPAA-compliant and meet all National Institutes of Health (NIH) requirements so that we could access patient data that were entered by investigators across the country. The web app also allowed us to take physical examination findings and code them in a way that could tag them to various research questions. Taking photos isn’t allowed, so we had to find a way of researching the nuance findings of a physical exam. In doing so, Slingshot developed a database of questions linked to data points entered in real time while enrolling a patient. All of that information was then connected to a larger data center so that all data could be collated in one place. Once my team received permission, Slingshot came on-site and shadowed us in our work environments to learn more about the clinical flow of patients. It was exciting to work with them in that way because they were willing to attempt something innovative and create something within the clinical sphere.

During our 10-year project, my staff and I have developed a data set that includes about 18,000 children. Slingshot still supports that initiative.

We are currently in the middle of an app development project for Android and iOS. Instead of relying on scientific publications, we hope that the apps can make our data more accessible to anyone working with these specific patients. The apps are being built so that it’s easy for anyone to answer a few questions and document injuries. The algorithm underneath will help them understand what the best next steps are. I am excited that we are developing the apps for the international market as well, meaning we’ll be helping and researching across the world.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with three people: David (CEO, Slingshot), Chris (CIO & Chief Product Owner, Slingshot), and Rachel (UX Design Lead, Slingshot). They bring others into the project as necessary.

How did you come to work with Slingshot?

I interviewed many companies for the first development project before being introduced to Slingshot. Their team was committed to taking on the challenge and making it work. After we moved our operation from Louisville to Chicago, we started interviewing firms for the mobile app development work, but nobody quite understood our needs like Slingshot. After several members of the hospital staff vetted the Slingshot team, we selected them again for our latest project. They were by far the most engaged vendor, and they were more willing to take some risks than any of the other companies we met with.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent close to $1,000,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in 2009 and remains ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Other NIH researchers have expressed a keen interest in the software and the application. I speak all over the world about this research, and when I present, the audience recognizes that this data is unique and doesn’t exist anywhere else.

The software has proven to be intuitive and accessible for users that are not particularly familiar with technology. I’ve also received feedback that the software and the data have had such a profound impact on other physicians that they have changed many of their practices.  

How did Slingshot perform from a project management standpoint?

I continue to work with Rachel and Chris each week to iterate the project. Slingshot has been a steady presence in my research efforts for the last 10 years. They’ve met every deadline in that span, which is crucial when being considered for grants. Slingshot has always come through for us, though.

They have been very adaptive. We enroll patients around the clock, and if something doesn't work in the evening, I can contact them, and they will address the issue. I’m unsure of how they manage to do that with their small company, but they’ve always been reliable in that sense. Further, if we want to do new things with the data, Slingshot will write the code necessary for us to view the data from a different perspective.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If you are trying to do something no one has ever done before, they want to hear your ideas and learn your vision. Slingshot wants their work to reflect your vision—as opposed to their perception of what the product should be. They are more concerned with what you’re trying to accomplish than with forcing their own ideas.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Slingshot has already made strides in this regard, but I’d love to see them add more gender diversity to their staff. I became much more enthusiastic about the company when they added women to our project. I’m a strong proponent of having women in problem-solving roles because they think differently than men. I think their company will continue to grow as they further incorporate women in all levels of their team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that while working with Slingshot—or any other company—that you break everything down into the most basic elements because your project’s developers can’t be making assumptions. What might be second nature to you needs to be said. You can’t assume that anything is already known.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of a mental healthcare company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Telepsychiatry and mental healthcare 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Improve digital experience
• Streamline content
• Enhance branding

SOLUTION

How did you find Slingshot?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Slingshot over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Slingshot were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Website overhaul for desktop and mobile environments

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Increase time on site, customer conversion

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

Excellent, organized, well coordinated. Provided timely updates and deliverables.

What was your primary form of communication with Slingshot?

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

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

Engaged key stakeholders to align on understanding of needs and executed project accordingly. Their work was quick and of high quality. Very receptive to feedback and generous with client education.

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

No