SooprIT

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a care homes platform provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SooprIT?

We engaged SooprIT to help us build a system to help the UK care homes industry. The software had a web platform and apps for iOS and Android.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SooprIT first met with us to discuss our requirements and the project scope. They helped us determine the essential features and remove what wasn’t feasible within our limited budget. They also advised us on service providers to support our system. Once we established the scope, we provided SooprIT with designs, and they built the entire platform.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Danil (CEO, SooprIT) who led a team of 5–6 people behind the scenes. Danil was our primary point of contact.

How did you come to work with SooprIT?

We searched at software developers and their portfolios to determine whether their skill sets matched our project’s needs. We contacted about ten developers, providing a preliminary scope and a proposal. SooprIT stood out from their competition due to their ability to understand our goals and their timely responses, so we chose them to complete this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

SooprIT met our requirements and served as a helpful creative partner, but they have room for improvement. They’re finishing up the iOS version of the platform’s app and have launched a landing page as an extension of the initial scope.

How did SooprIT perform from a project management standpoint?

Unfortunately, while they ultimately delivered on our requirements, SooprIT did not meet our agreed-on timeline. The delays came as a result of staff issues on their team and miscommunication in projected time estimates. However, our project was flexible enough to accommodate these holdups, and we’re satisfied with our engagement otherwise.

We collaborated through Skype calls and email. In the beginning, we had some communication issues: the complex algorithms they produced didn’t entirely match our specifications. However, communication was otherwise clear, and they offered valuable insights and ideas throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

SooprIT demonstrated the best understanding of our project goals in the proposal stage. They also organized their resources well to match our project’s needs and responded in a positive and timely manner, which we believed would make for smooth collaboration.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While their delays had minimal impact on our project, future clients may have stricter timelines that SooprIT will need to meet. They could improve their time estimates and the promptness of their deliveries. Also, their testing process could be more thorough; their testers did not always catch mistakes or areas where products did not meet specifications.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Make sure that SooprIT understands the timeline required for the project so that they can determine whether they can meet it. Ensure clear communication of complicated tasks and specifications.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a retail management software startup, developing a unique solution starting from a point of sale and moving to other complex systems. Our company is B2B. I’m the CEO and co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SooprIT?

We needed help with web and app development from start to finish.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were with us at the idea stage, the mockup, and when the system was working and we wanted to change or add things. Some items were already built and some were from scratch. We built the first core skeleton and continued to add more features. It was a mixture of an internal system that had an app and website. We wanted software that included a point of sale that was like a physical cashier, as well as one similar to self-service kiosks. They helped us with this frontend, as well as the server and the backend.

They were professional in how they thought about the requirements of the project, laid out the schedule, and went into hands-on work. They did the development, QA, and project management.

What is the team dynamic?

I worked with Stanislav [Business Developer, SooprIT], who led a well-defined and serious team of 5–7 people. One was the project manager, and the others were developers of different entry levels, from juniors to specialists, full stack, and so on.

How did you come to work with SooprIT?

We found them on hh.ru, a recruiting site in Russia.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent roughly $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017 and had to pause in July 2017 because of budgeting issues on our side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

If we mapped out a certain sprint or feature and asked for it to be completed in 10 days, it was usually done on time. If there was something not planned correctly or misunderstood, they took it upon themselves to make corrections. Not only did they develop it from scratch, they also got it to the point that it worked, which was the number-one thing. We are very satisfied.

How did SooprIT perform from a project management standpoint?

Aside from their project manager, Stanislav was our contact. He was the most senior person and would finalize price quotes and such. We used Jira to manage the process. Their communication was 110%.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their development level, skill set, and professionalism stood out. They are always on time, making it happen, and keeping a competitive price. When we looked at similar companies, they came out on top with cost, work, and communication.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Both sides were learning as the project developed. On their side, they did what it took. When there was a problem, they corrected it.

What tips would you give to potential clients of theirs?

When you find a good team, you need to stick to them. Put down the requirements you need. The clearer and more detailed you are, the fewer problems there are.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of a sole proprietorship that handles mobile app projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SooprIT?

I hired them for mobile app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SooprIT provided technical services such as database design, application design for user experience and user interface, and scraping data from other websites. One of their projects was a sports betting app, which was based on a concept that I had. They created a website with reports showing scores for major sports like the NFL [National Football League] and the NBA [National Basketball Association]. They built a responsive HTML5 application for placing bets on certain games, which was created from scratch. They also provided consultation on the ideal technologies for my application so that it would work efficiently after scaling to thousands of users.

What is the team dynamic?

There were 3 people involved in our project. I usually talked with the project manager, who managed the developer and addressed any issues. There were times when I communicated with them on a daily basis.

How did you come to work with SooprIT?

I placed a posting on Elance.com and received 15–20 bids, which I narrowed down by looking at their portfolios. After I shortlisted the potential partners to around 5, I talked to each one and had a good feeling about SooprIT’s expertise. I then contacted one of their owners, Stanislav, and he showed an excellent understanding of my project and goal.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost in 2017 has been around $3,000, while the overall cost has been around $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in January 2015. The engagement is ongoing, but it’s been on and off because of my level of commitment. I had to step away for 18 months. However, they were always willing to do the work when it was available.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work has been very good, better than other offshore companies I’ve used. One good thing about taking time off from the project is that I’ve been able to dig deeper in order to find issues. Fortunately, I haven’t seen a lot. Everything works as I requested, and there are fewer issues compared to the work of other companies I’ve used. I’m happy with the quality so far, and it provides a good foundation for the next phases.

How did SooprIT perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re a few hours ahead of me so I typically see email updates from them when I wake up in the morning. Since I’m based in Switzerland, the time difference hasn’t been an issue, but, if I were based in the U.S., it could become a factor. They keep me informed about the current status of the project, issues being worked on, and any open questions. They’re very responsive, and I appreciate this level of communication.

For an offshore company, their English is very good. Previously, I’ve sometimes experienced a language barrier while working with companies from other countries, but this hasn’t been a problem with SooprIT.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Based on their suggestions, I can tell that SooprIT doesn’t simply increase the number of hours just to make money in the short-term. For example, they gave good ideas even if doing so reduced the number of hours and affected their revenue. They put a value on long-term relationships, knowing that I will come back with future work if they deliver a good product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not at the moment.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Have the project planned upfront as much as possible. We experienced a lot of delays because I didn’t have all the requirements laid out, which also didn’t help Stanislav plan their work schedule. I realize now that it wasn’t convenient to have one of his developers work on my project for 10 hours per week here and there. Instead, he would have preferred that I hire a full-time resource 40 hours per week for however many weeks were required. Had I done this, it would have been more efficient for both of us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our platform offers the easiest and most accurate way to find new leads using sophisticated algorithms and the machine-learning approach. This allows our users to gain insights from their current clients and find suitable matches. I’m the CEO and co-founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SooprIT?

I needed to create a web-based solution and platform that would automate lead generation, making it possible for end users to easily work with the user interface. However, it was hard to find a professional team who could not only manage the software development cycle but also understand our business goals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided the whole cycle of software development, including project management, planning, programming, and quality assurance. They continue to support our software.

How did you come to work with SooprIT?

I found and invited them on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $100,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in February 2016, and it is still under development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve built a high-quality software solution that completely satisfies my business requirements. Usually, a third-party data indexing application is required for handling big data, but we didn’t need it anymore because of their solution, As a result, we’ve saved around $10,000 per year.

How did SooprIT perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great, thanks to their excellent communication and high responsiveness. We are always in touch, so issues get solved immediately. They meet our deadlines while excluding bugs from production.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like their sense of responsibility and their attention to details. Interactions among their team members are highly organized. No other dev company has come close to the quality of their work, communication, and project understanding. They not only deliver according to specifications, they suggest better solutions, which is a huge advantage for clients who are not developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They are more backend professionals, so it would be a good idea for them to find an excellent graphical UI/UX [user interface/user experience] designer.

Do you have any advice for potential future clients of SooprIT?

I would advise future clients to provide clear requirements from the start. They should also feel free to ask for help in finding solutions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

RTB.cat is an ad tech company. We provide a way for online media buyers to purchase digital advertising on websites and connected or smart TVs. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SooprIT?

Our system has many different components, platforms, and providers of inventory and data. We needed a uniform user interface [UI] with a single dashboard to put it all together and allow media buyers to optimize their purchases quickly and easily.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SooprIT built a platform where customers can easily see which websites are providing leads or sales. There’s a lot of data involved in such a platform. They simplified the visualization and created a place where our clients could make decisions easily. They built the platform on top of an API from a system called AppNexus. The process was challenging because the documentation wasn’t always correct. Despite difficulties along the way, they built a great platform from scratch.

They’ve finished the most recent stage and we are still looking at to tackle next. Our business went through a few pivots. We need to provide what clients want, and our clients need changes because the market has evolved somewhat. I will consider SooprIT again when need to build other items.

What is the team dynamic?

Their owner and lead developer was also our project manager and my point of contact. The team included 2–3 developers as well as a data science person. The team varied between 3 and 5 people, depending on the stage of work.

How did you come to work with SooprIT?

I chose them because the owner is a database administrator by trade. That’s what we needed. We were looking for somebody who could scan a lot of data and implement a logical structure. My decision was simple when I saw that they’d already done something for another client along similar lines. They’re proactive, so it was a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2016 and our collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The system that they built is finished and works incredibly well. The fact that our clients don’t use it often is not a fault of SooprIT. I didn’t correctly predict what our clients needed. I also didn’t predict that the market would change so suddenly. We have about 20 or 25 companies using the platform, ranging from 1 person to 4 or 5 people in a business with maybe 100 users on this niche product. Everyone who’s seen the platform and used it has been impressed by the features. It works. It’s not pretty, but it wasn’t meant to be. We didn’t hire designers. Currently, the product looks blocky, but we never asked SooprIT to produce a certain aesthetic. We just wanted a functioning platform.

How did SooprIT perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. The project manager suggested solutions and was agile. I’m not a developer myself, so the project manager acted as my go-between. He understood what I wanted and translated those requirements to the actual developers. They never made any mistakes. With other project managers, I’ve described a feature I want, but they come back with something entirely different because they misunderstood me. That never happened with SooprIT. They really listened and carried out the concept that I explained to them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were the third company that we tried and they were the only ones that managed to deliver what we wanted. We had already spent several thousand dollars while getting nowhere with other development teams.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We wanted to move into machine learning and AI [artificial intelligence], but they didn’t know enough about that area. They wanted to help, but I was not willing to pay them to learn. I would rather pay professionals with experience instead of subsidizing SooprIT’s training essentially. The whole world is moving towards machine learning and AI, so that’s something for them to explore.

What advice would you give to future clients of theirs?

They’re very competent, but I wouldn’t use them for machine learning. It’s not their level of expertise. In terms of the stuff they’re building and delivering, they’re excellent.