Softarex Technologies

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Enetronx provides clients with a fully automated system for remote readout, management, processing, transmission, and storage of the consumption data from multiple smart meters (heating, water, gas, electricity) via GPRS/EDGE mobile network using the most advanced and secure technologies.

What is your position?

I am the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softarex Technologies, Inc.?

We wanted to conquer a free market niche with a new and flexible Energy and Utilities solution. Actually, the solution wasn't created for internal company needs. It was created for commercial purposes, as we’ve noticed a new market opportunity and spare niche.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We teamed up with Softarex Technologies, Inc. to deliver a Software-as-a-Service [SaaS] solution to help property owners, tenants, and other end-users access billing and metering data on their gas, water, and electricity consumption.

How did you come to work with Softarex Technologies, Inc.?

I had worked with Softarex at a previous company. After I left, we renewed our partnership once more.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

This project took us 3 years and we spent approximately $200,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We are still working with them for support and the implementation of new features.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Apart from the fact that the solution is secure, user friendly, and meets industry standards, it's quite flexible and easily scalable. The solution supports a diverse set of devices and has no geo-referencing.

How did Softarex Technologies, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We had strict project time frames for each interaction. We scheduled our interactions, and used emails, Skype and Jira for keeping in touch. They performed with a flexible approach towards management.

What distinguishes Softarex Technologies, Inc. from other providers?

The performance of the solution fully met our expectations. Softarex even provided us with a complex business analysis concerning our future projects.

Is there anything Softarex Technologies, Inc. could have improved or done differently?

Some improvements could be done concerning user interface. It would also be wonderful to level up the billing system according to other countries’ standards.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

What we're doing with our platform is what I call a channel marketplace as live channels – linear channels – on demand as well as live events. It's a combination of television and subscription content.

What is your position?

I am the president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softarex Technologies?

I met the CEO of Softarex [Alexander Lipanov] at an event in October 2012. I was just starting to look into development at that time. I got to know him and part of his team at the trade show. Then, I followed up with him and told him what we were trying to do accomplish. I asked if he would be able to take it on and make it successful. I started working on this eight years ago, but the technology wasn't there. The challenge was getting exactly what we wanted, which is what everyone wants with his or her development. We had some very specific requirements that we presented. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We needed a custom video platform that performed flawlessly and had to be integrated with multiple technologies and additional platforms. The challenge was I didn't have time to write the code myself. I might be able to do it in Xcode and iOS, but I wouldn't be able to handle Android and Windows. We brought the project to them, reviewed the requirements, and they said they'd done something similar in the past. They thought with new technologies, it would be simpler to accomplish what I wanted.

How did you come to work with Softarex Technologies?

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to meet the development leadership and team at an industry event. Having the opportunity to review their work in person and get to know them made a significant difference in selecting them to develop our project. This led directly to our contracting Softarex for our platform development.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total project is set to be near $350,000. The current status is around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project is in ongoing development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Currently, our platform is downloaded in more than 60 countries, and we've received great feedback.

How did Softarex Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager who is assigned to our project is someone I have been extremely happy with. I've worked for several companies through the years. I've lived in a lot of places and dealt with a lot of PMs. In my entire career, there's maybe one or two PMs that were on the ball and knew what they were doing. Alex is one of the most solid PMs I've come across. He understands when we give requirements. We don't have to hold his hand. He's able to take it forward and build out the project plan and I don't think I can think of any situations where I've had to tell him he's taking it in the wrong direction. He understands our goals and is able to keep the project going. I'm happy with how they've overseen the project. I recommend them to everyone I know who's looking for contract developers. I can't say enough things about the PM to the CEO. We're in different time zones, but he makes it a point to make himself available. He's usually available about half of my day, which means he's working until 9 or 10 or 11 at night. He's always available to take care of something that needs to be done.

What distinguishes Softarex Technologies from other providers?

They don't try to upsell me. I've had other development groups that approach me and tell me they can do the development and before we start talking, they're telling me what else they can do. I'm not looking for another developer. I'm super happy with who I have. They've been straightforward. I do track the progress. The other nice thing about the PM is we get weekly updates. If I requested updates more often, I would get them. It's broken down into all the different components for each phase. They don't try to pad their schedule. I don't have time to write the code, but I do understand what's going on. They're not trying to tack on stuff and get more money. I know some people do that. I appreciate that. The times I've been a consultant, I've had PMs I've worked under approach me and ask why I bill them in 15-minute increments. I tell them they're not going to pay for something they're not getting. These guys have that approach. Softarex is not just looking to get paid. They're looking to get the work done.

Is there anything Softarex Technologies could have improved or done differently?

We have been extremely pleased with their performance and would not change a thing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a computer software company. We outsourced development of a health care solution.

What is your position?

I'm the IT [information technology] director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softarex Technologies?

We are trying to be flexible and competitive in market in which there are significant competitors. We think Softarex can supply us a very good-quality solution with flexibility in management. We required the development of this solution in order to supply the solution to a set of our customers in health care sector.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We needed to create a solution that can manage very large part of the patient clinic information and to be the central point for the health care structure for the management of collecting data via third-party interaction with largely used technology in this sector, such as web services HL7 protocol, DICOM protocol, and so on. As a framework, we use Java web-based application. We use these health care technologies and similar technologies that permit us to interact with health care machines. We interact with the system to share the image of radiology. Most technology is industry specific. Development was also in Java.

How did you come to work with Softarex Technologies?

I worked with them a long time ago at another company. When I moved here, I contacted them to start a partnership in this new company, too.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We work on this project from three years, and we get initial budget near $200,000 to 250,000 for the whole application. It grown with time.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in the end of 2011. We are at 70 percent complete now. We need to work on it at least until 2018 by already defined contracts. It's clear we are working to extend it for next five to 10 years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We get a large advantage in retrieving patients' information. The management of patients are pretty good in this application, but the best results are inside the fascicle of the patient in which we can recover, very quickly, all the information we need, such as personal information, laboratory or radiology results, patients' appointment schedules, and so on. All the patient data is collected in the health care structure that's inside this application.

How did Softarex Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We manage the project with strict resources interactions. We get a daily and continuous relation using as main resources: Skype for direct conversation and JIRA as document and project management.

What distinguishes Softarex Technologies from other providers?

We always get great flexibility in the project management. In the case that we need a strong support for a brief period in which we must meet some scheduled deadline, Softarex always gets us the support to match the goal with good quality. This is very important to us.

Is there anything Softarex Technologies could have improved or done differently?

In terms of technology, we are in a very good state. I think now, in this sense, there is not much to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are Pinxter, an app-based marketing platform.

What is your position?

I am the Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of Pinxter. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Softarex Technologies, Inc.?

We needed someone who could develop solutions and help our internal teams release products at a faster and more efficient rate.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They developed the solutions, including database management. They did the solution for our front-end design and the native applications. They worked with HTML5 and Java on the back-end for the database application. They now work on optimization and updates.

How did you come to work with Softarex Technologies, Inc.?

We learned of them through a referral from a business partner.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We’ve spent about $250,000 on this project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We first began working with them in 2013. This project really got started in 2014 and ramped up. 2015 has been a strong year with them, and we are continuing to optimize the project with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Softarex and the development expertise on our applications, back end and front end was exactly what we needed to take our business to the next level.

Qualitatively, we’ve gotten great feedback on the user interface and experience. Quantitatively, retention has been fairly high at 25-28%, which is certainly above the market average. Also, they offer 6 months of free bug fixing. This is great because there could be an error with a new iOS that didn’t happen with the last version. They’ll fix that for us. If we contract out another project, that’s another 6 months. It’s basically having a free tech partner.

How did Softarex Technologies, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The six month project was completed early in five months. We had weekly calls with them. When we talked and went over project plans, they outlined all the expectations and managed them very well. We didn’t have any problems with project management.

The app upkeep, bug fixes, development work, and project management were all keys in the success of not only building, but also optimizing and maintaining the products.

What distinguishes Softarex Technologies, Inc. from other providers?

Softarex’s professionalism, efficiency and communication is unmatched. They like to run through a short meeting 1-2 times per week. That’s good, because we are never in doubt of what’s going on. They communicate very well and frequently. That moves the project along much better. I’ve dealt with providers in the past that take the initial project description and deliver something completely different months later.

Is there anything Softarex Technologies, Inc. could have improved or done differently?

There’s nothing honestly. However, I would love to see more optimization of documentation.