Softkit

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of Aksel.nu

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Online carbroker for private autoselling

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Develop robust internal digital workflows
• Create customer facing digital product

SOLUTION

How did you find Softkit?

Online Search

Why did you select Softkit over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Softkit were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

They developed a completely new architecture to handle our internal workflows and integrations with our systems like CRM, data providers, and marketing tools 
In addition they developed a completely new user experience and digital product. Handling complex deal structures, custom integrations with financial vendors, and elegant admin interfaces.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The combination of new internal workflows and new digital user experience has enabled us to grow the business 3x without increasing team size. We are also positioned to grow additional 2-3x with while only increasing the team by 20%.

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

Always on time and within budget. Extremely proactive and highly competent. Always engaging in problem solving and foreseeing both technical and business issues well in advance so we have time to adress and fix. I'm very impressed with the quality of the work

What was your primary form of communication with Softkit?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Extremely competent, highly responsive, and delivers in record time. It's very rare that developers in general - and almost unheard of for consulting - to experience the level of proactive recommendations and problem solving both on technical and business issues, that I've experienced with Softkit. 

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

Actually, I'm just very impressed and satisfied 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I'm an executive at MINDK

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Software product development

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Augment the team with an experienced Angular/Java engineer
• Bring additional IoT expertise to the project
• Bring additional resource without exceeding project budget constraints

SOLUTION

How did you find Softkit?

Referral

Why did you select Softkit over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

What was the size of Softkit’s team?

1 Employee

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

Developing custom backend API and buildout of a front-end analytics platform used by large enterprise clients. The core of the work was in developing custom analytics widgets and backends that process data input and are subsequently used by the frontend widgets. The stack used: Java and Angular

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Multiple features were investigated in the timely fashion and delivered on time.The project had a handful of unknowns as it utilizes third-party analytics platform. Softkit resource assigned to the project showed great ability to work in an environment of ambiguity and many unknowns. He was able to investigate systems with little documentation and develop functional solutions in a short period of time.

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

Deliverables were always shipped on time. We had a sync-up meeting every week, and the Softkit resource was very receptive to feedback and our requests. They quickly understood our needs without too much guidance.

What was your primary form of communication with Softkit?

Virtual Meeting

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

I was impressed with the quality of their Java talent and the speed of onboarding.

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

Nothing I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO for a SaaS company in the utility industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softkit?

We were developing a new application that was part of our offering, and we needed additional software staff to help us ramp up very quickly. We needed someone to bring in people with experience in the technology space we were working in. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

This is a new application we're developing, and we're using technology that we didn’t have experience with before. Softkit has relevant experience, so part of what they’re doing for us is ensuring that the chosen technology is appropriate and can handle what we want. They also ensure that the speed and processing of data is sufficient to meet the needs of our customers. 

The application was designed and built from scratch, but we gave them documentation on what we were looking for ahead of time. The app’s main function is to provide customers with a nice frontend UI design to see the relationships between data surrounding the electric industry, like the characteristics of generators and transmission systems. 

The app is also designed to give forecasts for things like electricity demand, wind generation, and solar generation so customers can look at data from different angles and provide their own views on certain attributes. We wanted to give users the opportunity to modify the data and run it through the larger system to see how those changes would impact the electricity market as a whole. 

The main technology on the frontend is primarily React, and Node.js is on the backend. There are other plug-ins, like a data grid viewer that uses AG Grid. We initially were only working on development with Softkit, but we brought in another contractor focusing on UX/UI design. We collaborate with Softkit to develop designs using Figma and run usability testing to figure out what feels intuitive and comfortable. 

What is the team composition?

We work with one designer and one developer.

How did you come to work with Softkit?

They were a referral from someone else in the software industry. We chose them because we trusted the person that recommended them, and then once we talked to the team from Softkit and looked at their past work, we thought they’d be a good fit. 

How much have you invested with them?

We started working together in August 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve invested more than $50,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure success through meeting deadlines on development work and the ability to direct the work and make good suggestions along the way that help the product. Overall, our top metric is their ability to deliver on deadlines. Everything that Softkit has built so far has met our expectations. 

How did Softkit perform from a project management standpoint?

We use the Azure DevOps platform; we assign work and address everything through that platform. We have a set hourly rate for the developer's time and have minimal interaction with that in terms of management. So far, we haven’t had any issues. We use Skype and Zoom for communication. 

They’ve responded very well to our feedback, and we’ve had good discussions with them on anything we want to do moving forward. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Everything they do is very professional, and it’s very simple on our end. It is easy to contact them when we need something, and we don’t have to jump through many hoops to make that happen. They’re also very dedicated to the project, and we’ve had a very positive experience working with them. They’ve integrated into our team well and are very responsive. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re very satisfied with their services. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set your expectations early on, so everyone knows what is expected and what needs to be delivered. Also, keep up regular communication so that things stay on course.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner and CEO of a German-based software development company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softkit?

We hired Softkit to assist with software development projects. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softkit provides my company with software development services in Javascript, Agile frameworks, and Typescript. They also consult for us on designing and developing multiple projects, specifically for app architecture building. They have an excellent grasp of the React Native framework and provide great feedback on our concepts. 

For one project, Softkit developed a cross-platform mobile app for the manufacturing industry using a React Native framework. They made some design suggestions and optimizations to improve the app. On the app, users measured the width of their fingers to ensure manufactured rings were correctly sized. After our customer rolls out the app, Softkit will conduct maintenance. 

What is the team composition?

We usually work with the owner, three developers, and one designer. 

How did you come to work with Softkit?

We were looking for outsourced vendors in Eastern Europe and came across Softkit. We had a test project for each firm we contacted to compare their skills. Then, we received offers from several companies — instead of making us an offer, Softkit preemptively implemented and presented us with a solution. Also, Softkit's price point was below their competitors', and they had a good proposal.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around €12,000 (approximately $14,000 USD) with Softkit. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Softkit began in April 2020, and it's ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're able to turn a more significant profit from customer projects because of our partnership with Softkit — outsourcing with Softkit saves me a lot of money. Also, their team is quick to present perfect solutions to the challenges we're facing. 

How did Softkit perform from a project management standpoint?

Softkit delivers on time and within budget. Generally, we use Slack and Google Meets to communicate with each other. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Softkit uses their extensive experience to present pragmatic solutions to complex, demanding, and challenging tasks. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is nothing for Softkit to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd suggest customers understand the demand for Softkit services and make appropriate project accommodations. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project manager at Bettr Coffee Co., a specialty coffee company, and am responsible for the Bettr Cloud Bar project - a subscription-based and delivery-focused service to fuel coffee addiction.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softkit?

We are looking for an experienced developer to work with us to continue enhancing an MVP responsive web app, with opportunity to work with us for the long-term on future phases of this.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially developed the web app with a Singapore developer - it allows users to customise a freshly brewed drink subscription plan based on consumption, preference, habits of purchasing coffee. There are over 40 drink options as well as a choice to deliver to preferred addresses or pick-up at our retail coffee bars at selected timing. Users also have the flexibility to make changes to their subscription plan - to change the frequency of subscription, drink selection as well as mode of receiving the drink - the smart way via our responsive web app.

We approached Softkit to help us make improvements to the MVP responsive web app and fix bugs. Now, Softkit fully understands our product and the next step is for them to continue maintenance work.

What is the team composition?

I am in direct contact with the CEO, who also serves as a developer. I also work closely with the business development manager, who helps to understand our development briefs and translate work requirements to the developer.

How did you come to work with Softkit?

We found them through Upwork. The project spec we posted had requirements for experience with react js, node.js. next.js and Stripe. UI, UX, interactivity design, HTML/CSS experience a huge plus. When we first interviewed developers, Softkit stood out because they could quickly identify the issues with our web app. Softkit was also able to understand what we were trying to achieve.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we spent around $5,000 with Softkit.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have worked with Softkit since February 2021 and is looking at starting a maintenance contract moving forward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched our web app in March 2021 and don’t have any specific metrics yet. From the basic functionality perspective, Softkit has helped to fix bugs that would otherwise hinder users from subscribing via the web app.

How did Softkit perform from a project management standpoint?

Softkit’s project management was good. Softkit was helpful, responsive, and efficient when it came to bug fixes. Usually, we’d send over a brief with all the issues found in the app - highlighting both the current issues and ideal outcomes we were looking for. The process was streamlined and easy, especially if the brief was detailed enough for them to understand how to proceed. We mainly used Rock to correspond, and have Google Meet or Zoom calls if needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Softkit responds quickly, and we have a high level of trust in each other. They have a very good sense of how the web app works on both the front- and backend.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Would be great if Softkit has a Stripe subject matter expert — they have some experience, but it’s not strong enough to address all the issues we’re trying to fix.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients need to be specific about what they want from a project but remain open to suggestions from Softkit.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of a psychology technology startup based in London. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softkit?

We were unable to find the level of skill we were looking for in the UK that was within our budget, so we were looking to outsource cost-effective software engineering support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softkit helped us with custom software development. They primarily used Java, MongoDB, and Vue.js. At the start of the project, we provided them with plenty of documentation, including responsive prototype designs and specification documentation. We also worked with them on some of the initial R&D. 

Although they mainly did programming work for us, the team also gave us advice on technical architecture. Eventually, we decided to hire an internal software engineer, so we ended the partnership with Softkit. The software is now live for our business customers.

What is the team composition?

We primarily interfaced directly with Alexander (Java Software Engineer), but we spoke to Vitaliy (Founder & CTO) a few times. During a specific phase of the project, we also had a project manager.

How did you come to work with Softkit?

We found them through a search engine and ended up hiring them because Alexander’s services were very well-priced for his level of expertise. It also seemed like Softkit gave a lot of support to their clients, so if we ever had an issue, we would have someone to help us resolve it.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from December 2020–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to their help, we have a working product that our clients can use. The fact that my company still exists and is still growing is probably the most compelling evidence of the project’s success. 

Although we decided to end the project, it wasn’t due to any problems with Softkit. Their expertise was very beneficial, but our requirements just changed.

How did Softkit perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was great — they gave us a good level of support and communication. We mainly used Slack and Zoom to correspond and Jira and Trello for project management. We decided to manage the project ourselves because we just needed their software development expertise. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was very impressed with Softkit’s high-level technical expertise — the team had extensive knowledge of state-of-the-art technology. Alexander was a very talented engineer. In addition, the owner was a real expert in the field. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve been more proactive in terms of thinking up ways to help us. We usually had to ask them for help. However, they did an excellent job overall.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to articulate your problems very clearly. Explain your problems very clearly and let them help you define the solution — they’ll give good advice because they’re experts in the field.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Managing Architect at 18F responsible for the new application development

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Softkit, and what were your goals?

We had an issue with stuffing projects with competent technical resources capable of understanding the "bigger picture" and working toward the end goal and not just acting as "sprint junkies". The project in question had a very tight deadline because old hardware had to be decommissioned by a specific date

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Softkit had been recommended by the friend of mine. I had an extended conversation with Softkit's co-founder and CTO and deemed the company qualified to handle the project

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Softkit team developed a custom CRM (Angular, Java Spring, Oracle). We used more or less standard Agile approach, but longer sprints to minimize unproductive time. This approach works well when senior people are involved

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

• Front End: 2 developers from Softkit and one from the company;
• Backend: 2 developers from Softkit;
• Data store: DBA from the company Day to day management and CICD has been handled mostly by the Softkit CTO
• Testers: 2 company employees

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The first phase of the solution had been launched on time and within a budget.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Project management responsibilities had been shared between Softkit CTO and myself. With Agile being used those took very little time

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

The team has solid technical people that deliver promises.

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

no

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project manager of OpenChannel, and we’re a SaaS company that helps B2B companies launch their marketplaces.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softkit?

Softkit is helping us in our core project which we are currently working on right now.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softkit is helping us build a template builder that allows our customers to quickly launch a marketplace, without having someone from our end go there. We also provide customers access to codes that they can customize and upload themselves. Softkit is working with us as an external team, and they’re responsible for the development part of the template.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with Vitaliy (Co-Founder & CTO), Alex (Java Developer), Julia (Junior Frontend Developer), and Pavel (Frontend Developer).

How did you come to work with Softkit?

It was actually my boss’s decision to hire Softkit Through a selection process. When companies make it to the final stage of the selection process, we do a test. This test is then checked by our internal team in terms of quality and skill — Softkit came out on top. All of the team members are really good and they complement each other well.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent somewhere between $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2021, and our partnership is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To measure progress, we run scrum meetings and have reports in terms of velocity and what’s accomplished. We also have milestones of when we expect something to go out, or when we start having our clients use them. So far, Softkit has met all the milestones with no delays — they’ve been really good and accurate so far.

How did Softkit perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always open to talk and discuss ideas through our daily scrum meetings. Softkit has always performed well and they’re always approachable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Softkit is always there when you need to talk to them, and they have really good communication to discuss problems or solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s hard to say because they’re integrated with our own process and we’ve improved a lot since we started working together. Right now, I don’t have anything to say that could be improved.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to always be open to collaboration and integrate them into your team. I would also advise having a project manager deal with the project. Some people tend to consider contractors and leave them to do the job, but we have a different approach. We always try to bring them into our team and align them with our priorities and goals.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the technical lead at a real estate start up.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Softkit, and what were your goals?

I've had the opportunity to work with a few team members from Softkit over the years on numerous projects, and what I love about their team is that they are very versatile. They have quite a wide range of skills and have knowledge of current and latest trends of technologies. They're never afraid to take on new challenges with a positive attitude and never complain.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We found them through a referral.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Some of the projects we've worked on together include web applications built in NextJS, React, Typescript for the front end. For the back end, Java based microservices in spring boot, nodejs, api's using AWS Api Gateway and Lambda. The team has also helped with some Dev Ops work, including integrating Jenkins and Codebuild for CI/CD.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I've worked with the lead developer and 2 other developers. All were capable of working the full-stack.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The lead developer helped me scale down our AWS EC2 servers and we were able to cut our monthly costs down by 25%! He also helped me tighten up our security and helped us get a AWS CIS score of over 80%. Outside of measurable outcomes, the team has proven to be a reliable asset I can count on. The lead developer also worked with me over the weekend to help us meet a very important deadline.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We host daily stand ups at 9:30am PST every day, and they are able to make it. We also have a weekly tech team meeting with leadership, which they are also able to attend. In terms of project management, we use Jira and slack for communication. They always provide status updates on the tickets they work on, and are very on point.

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

Not only are they hard-working and experienced, but they also have a sense of humor. We sometimes share programming memes with each other to help promote a more collaborative team culture.

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

No complaints from me.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of Distil.ai and we’re developing a CDP platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softkit?

I was essentially trying to find senior Java developers to help me build our platform. The customer development platform relies a lot on underlying open source big data architectures. We needed experts in Java, Apache Cassandra, Apache Spark, and Elasticsearch. We also require them to know Spring Boot and PostgreSQL for the backend development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softkit has been involved in the project from very early on in the development and is still involved heavily on an ongoing day-to-day basis.

We scope the work in Confluence and break down the tasks onto a Kanban board in Jira to plan the current and upcoming work. Daily stand-ups using Google Meet are performed to keep all stakeholders informed, and the daily/short-term goals aligned.

As part of the ongoing development, Softkit is heavily involved in the discussions of building the architecture behind the app, including a couple of phases where we’ve had to do some technological discovery and assessment, to see which solutions are going to meet our requirements to the fullest degree.

What is the team composition?

I’ve primarily been working with Vitaliy (Co-Founder & CTO), involving 1-2 other developers from their team when required.

How did you come to work with Softkit?

I used a website called Upwork where I posted an initial contract for the work. As part of that process, I set an extensive and rigorous testing procedure to test potential candidates. Vitaliy scored incredibly high on the test and subsequent interview, and we immediately thought he was a good choice and fit.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested approximately £90,000 (about $127,300 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The ongoing partnership started in June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I couldn’t recommend Softkit highly enough. I’ve been immensely impressed with the level and amount of work they can achieve. They put the time and dedication into the project we’re working on.

How did Softkit perform from a project management standpoint?

There are only a few of us working on this project. I use the Kanban approach as opposed to 2-week sprints and it’s a very fluid management style that they have adapted to. We have stand-ups every morning to make sure our priorities are set for the day/short term and keep all stakeholders updated on progress. We use Google Meet for our internal phone/face-to-face meeting, and use Slack extensively as our primary communications channel.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What distinguishes them from the other providers is the level and quality of the work they provide.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Based on my interactions with them, I’ve got no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d give them the same advice I give to anyone hiring external developers. Test them out to make sure they fit your needs, and if you’re on the same wavelength. From a technological and fundamental point of view, I’d have no hesitation in recommending Softkit.