Transparity

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of IT of Lantra

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Lantra develops training, assessments and qualifications in the landbased and environmental sectors in the UK and Ireland.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• To provide technical expertise with Azure
• To consult on Microsoft products and licensing
• To provide consultancy support and a SOC

SOLUTION

How did you find Transparity?

Referral

Why did you select Transparity over others?

Referred to me

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

Lantra needed the services of a Microsoft partner to manage licenses and provide technical Azure consulting services to bring its legacy infrastructure up to date.

Transparity provided technical consultancy to migrate our infrastructure and assist with back-ups, disaster recovery and patching.

We now also take advantage of their wealth of technical skills in various IT related projects including service desk, Defence in Depth and cyber security.  Transparity provide greate guidance on the products available to best solve our issues.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Better invoicing (from Microsoft) with cost analysis so that I could see cost savings easily

Security and cost recommendations.

Accurate licensing costs.

Security patching and security vulnerabilities in one easy place. 

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

Project management was really good; each project was delivered with a dedicated manager and consultants.

Communication was good as well with meetings booked for introductions, who was doing what and how we could collaborate.

Each milestone was completed on time, documented and a follow-up meeting to ensure we fully understood the documentation and how we could manage each solution.

What was your primary form of communication with Transparity?

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

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

Every step was really clear and easy to follow.

We knew how much everything would cost, when it would be completed, by who and how.

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

Sometimes there is confusion as to what consultancy is free through Microsoft

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the global IT director of The SR Group, a recruitment company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transparity?

We needed help with our cybersecurity posture and ensuring that we remained safe and secure within our Microsoft 365 environment. We also needed a 24/7 outsourced security operations center (SOC) service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Transparity has provided us with cybersecurity consulting and implementation services. We started with a discovery phase where we built out a list of specific requirements. Then, we prioritized those requirements and set them out as a normal project. We had gated procedures throughout the project’s lifecycle until we built the platforms and went live with the SOC service.

Transparity uses Microsoft Sentinel as part of our ongoing engagement with them. They also use Nessus scanning and have access to all of our cybersecurity backend solutions, such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Microsoft Intune. Currently, Transparity provides us with outsourced POC services.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 people, including a project manager, a technical delivery lead, a customer success manager, and a couple of technical delivery people.

How did you come to work with Transparity?

We found them through a referral from our account manager at Microsoft. We went through a market review and looked at feedback from many of Transparity’s customers. I also knew their CEO, who was coming in at the time. I used to work for him at another organization, so I knew how he operated and what he would be driving. They were at the top of the list, and that sealed the deal.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around £175,000, including the original project cost of £25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2023, and the engagement is ongoing. The project delivery and go-live phases are completed, but the SOC has transitioned into a business-as-usual outsourced service.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were looking for a cost-effective cybersecurity team because we didn’t want the cost of having internal headcounts. We’ve saved around £250,000 over two years. We’ve also seen a rise in our overall Microsoft Secure Score over a two-year period, going from 48% to 86%. The speed of reaction to live security incidents has also improved, going from 5–6 hours to less than one hour.

Overall, the quality of Transparity’s work has exceeded expectations. Of all the business partners we have in terms of outsourced solutions, this is the one that gets the most recognition from our board. I do a monthly board report that goes to our executives and non-executive board. Transparity is the one that never gets questioned in terms of cost and the quality of service they deliver. They continually get shouted out for the approach, safety, security, and comfort level they provide to our board.

How did Transparity perform from a project management standpoint?

Transparity has exceeded expectations in terms of delivering work on time and within budget, and communicating with us. We communicate through incident tickets or request tickets, which could flow into problem management. We have two monthly calls, one with the SOC team and one with our account manager. We also have ad hoc calls as needed to deal with incidents, requests, and issues that come up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Transparity understands their customers. While they’re in it to make money, it doesn’t feel like it’s just a money-spinning thing for them. They genuinely care, put their customers first, and are willing to go the extra mile, sometimes even at a cost to them. They do the right thing because they see this as a partnership, not just a sales negotiation.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing significant I would call out. Whenever we’ve come up with something, whether it’s a slight change to a report or feedback on things that may not have gone as well as they could have, we’ve always felt we can give the feedback, and it’s been accepted. We always get a report back to say what they will or won’t do about it and why that might have happened.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open, honest, and brave.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the IT operations manager for a water retailer. We deal with customers throughout the UK and most of the wholesalers, which are the water supply companies within the UK. We deal with them regarding outages and customer service. We also handle operational things like billing and credit control.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transparity?

We needed help with our IT infrastructure.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Transparity has helped us set up our IT infrastructure. We use Microsoft 365, and the team assists with migrating and setting up applications within Azure servers. We don't have any on-premises infrastructure; it's all in Microsoft Azure. Transparity deals with the entire setup of that service and links it to specific other applications outside of that estate.

The team has also implemented firewalls and network switches. They set up the Wi-Fi endpoints and ports within the building. We now use Transparity's cybersecurity operations center (SOC) services. They provide our service desk support for everything related to our infrastructure, Microsoft, and a few outside of that.

Transparity also manages the patching of the servers and upgrades when needed, in conjunction with us.

What is the team composition?

We interact with various people from the service desk, including the service desk lead and a sales manager. We've dealt with the CTO in the past, but we don't work with him much now. We've also worked with different consultants for project work.

How did you come to work with Transparity?

I wasn't involved in the decision-making process for Transparity since I didn't work for the company then. Transparity was chosen because we were a new startup. The government decided it would be a good idea to introduce competition in the retail sector in the non-household water market.

We decided that rather than opt out and give the customer base to someone else, we would spin up our own company. It was a whole new company, so we needed IT infrastructure. Transparity was chosen then for their innovative entry into the Microsoft Cloud market.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent over £1,000,000 throughout the time we've engaged with Transparity.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2016, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've had legacy systems that Transparity doesn't directly support. We used to have many problems with downtime and issues with one of our key systems. Transparity's team has looked at how we've been doing things and improved the processes, resulting in a more stable system. We have fewer problems and less work for Transparity in the long term.

How did Transparity perform from a project management standpoint?

Transparity doesn't usually run over deadlines or budget. Generally, they come in on time. We communicate via email and Microsoft Teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Transparity's willingness to find a solution and work with us has been impressive. They go the extra mile on products that they don't directly support.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Transparity should ensure they continue to be small enough to care. We've seen a lot of transitions throughout their growth, and we've had a bit of a dip in service. However, Transparity has pulled that back, and we currently have good service from them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend time planning and get the requirements and expectations right upfront. Then, work with Transparity to track the delivery.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Project Manager of Cornerstone

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At Cornerstone, together with our customers, we identify areas where we need to place radio mobile infrastructure, from greenfield sites in rural locations, rooftops, street works, or small cells in cities. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Develop software to ensure both Cornerstone and the customers’ workflow systems are kept updated with the latest forecast and actual dates for each milestone.
• Test delivered Software and support launch
• Provide ongoing support for delivered software

SOLUTION

How did you find Transparity?

They had been used by the company previously

Why did you select Transparity over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Transparity were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

This project created a new Milestone Exchange Gateway (MEG) system that replaced the current solution. The MEG was built to Cornerstone’s application architecture standards, hosted in the Cornerstone’s Azure Cloud environment, and initially supported by transparity. The solution retains the essential and desirable features of the current solution but simplifies the milestone reconciliation logic to what is required by Cornerstone and our customers today, whilst providing the flexibility to adjust this logic as business needs evolve.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Meeting the requirements in the agreed Business Requirements Document (BRD)

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

Close collaboration between project teams ensured aligned deliverable dates, even when timescales were reviewed and changed—this was done as a joint decision.

What was your primary form of communication with Transparity?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Close collaboration and quick responses to communication kept things moving with a clear, agreed-upon plan.

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

In the early stages of the project not all sprints contained the expected deliverables, but opening up lines of communication and closer working resolved this issue. Also it wasn't always easy to see what had been developed during the sessions because the software was a "sealed box" but we developed on WBS structures and clarified which functions were available, this worked well to track progress.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on (11/16/2022)

Alex Tye
Test Manager, Telecommunications CompanyTelecommunications

Reading, England

201-500

May 2022 - Ongoing

$50,000 to $199,999

Verified

Project summary
A telecommunications company has hired TTransparity (formerly Ballard Chalmers) to help them improve their business-critical integrations in order to provide enhanced reporting, monitoring, and alerting.

Feedback summary
Thanks to Transparity's (formerly Ballard Chalmers) help, the client now has improved monitoring and alerting, which gives them more time to resolve issues before they escalate. They can also check the status of the integrations in a dashboard, making it easier for them to manage their responsibilities.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Test Manager of a Telecoms company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Transparity Ballard Chalmers, and what were your goals?

We needed to improve our business-critical integrations to provide enhanced reporting, monitoring and alerting. As experts in this field, Transparity Ballard Chalmers provided and guided us to the right solutions and supported the transition.

SOLUTION

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

We have an ongoing relationship and so have an established partnership and trust. As experts in the relevant fields, we rely on their support and guidance, which is always professional, timely and the team are easy to work with.

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

We delivered a brief and then received back detailed documentation that fleshed out the detail of how our requirements would be met. Our middleware was BizTalk but a decision was made to move to Azure and the team were experts in both these areas

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

A project manager and developer were the main contacts although other areas of the business supported us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have improved monitoring and alerting so that should any of our integrations run into issues, we will know and have a chance to take corrective actions before the issue escalates. We have useful Dashboards of data so that we can review the status of the integrations whenever we wish.

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

The project manager was (and is) always supportive in moving things forward. They are always available and clear in communications. They are all friendly personable people, as well as being highly skilled which makes the relationship blossom.

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

Always willing to listen but with integrity, they will tell you realistically what you can expect rather than an unrealistic sales pitch

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

I think that the integrations would have benefited from a separate set of eyes prior to handing over to us for User Acceptance Testing. An experienced QA would ideally be involved in all pieces of work rather than reserved for bigger projects, so that issues could be teased out sooner rather than later

STAR RATINGS

Overall rating: 4.5   

Quality: 4.5   
Real pleasure to work with, no hesitation in recommending them

Cost: 4   

Schedule: 5   
No issues - clear communication on the projects

Willing to refer: 5   

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the head of business intelligence delivery for Inspired Villages, a retirement living operator. We build, operate, and develop retirement communities across the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Transparity?

We hired Transparity to build a data warehouse infrastructure from scratch. We wanted to centralize all our core systems across the business and analyze the data using business intelligence to understand it better.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Transparity has built the data warehouse from scratch using Azure SQL and SQL Server Management Studio. They've also used SSIS, analytical cubes, Power BI, and Targit BI. The team has implemented the data warehouse in our environment, and we've invested in our infrastructure. We have a support package with them, where we can ask questions and request help at any time of the day.
They would implement everything and teach how and why they did it. So, we can learn to do some things ourselves, but we still use them as a partner to help us when we get into sticky situations that we don't understand.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with 3–4 team members, including a business intelligence consultant.

How did you come to work with Transparity?

My old boss contacted some of his colleagues who had gone through the same process and asked if they could recommend anyone. That's how we ended up with Transparity. They were experts, so we brought them in; we didn't have anyone with that expertise to build something like this.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent roughly £200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've been able to centralize all our sales reporting across the business, which allows us to understand what's performing and what's not. They've also been a good supplier of setting it up, and equally good at teaching.

We've also built our in-house applications to manage our business better because there was no technology out there that we could buy. We've built ourselves, and done that with a data warehouse.

We've leveraged a lot of automation across the business, so notifications are sent to people much quicker when things need to be looked at. We're a lot less reliant now on people remembering and forgetting.

Using the warehouse, we've been able to study our financial performance, help understand our business, address defects, and establish a bigger technology overview across the villages.

How did Transparity perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is always accurate regarding the time it takes to complete the work. So, for example, when we have a support or maintenance side, we might do one-off bespoke projects that might take a little more time than we want to use the maintenance time. They can tell us how much work is involved and what we need to do.

The team has never exceeded budget; they've usually come in under budget, which has always been great.

We communicate via Microsoft Teams and phone calls. We like the way they manage our relationship with them. They're very in touch, so they constantly keep you in the loop and are agile. We can also reach out to them at the last minute and speak to them about a request, and they'll do it for us nine times out of ten.

So, whereas some of you find some consultants like this will do the work, hand it over, and then go, they're very different from what we like.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We're impressed with how willing they are to share knowledge and how open they are to teaching us how to do things. The team is willing to do complex work and teach us, which has made our relationship so much better.

The team feels more like part of our team. They have taught a lot of the people in the business, there are two ways, they don't just come in and do something and leave, they come in and support, teach and show as well, so they've been fantastic in that respect, because they're on our MS Teams and we chat to them every day getting things bill or changed; and they've been just excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They are a Microsoft house, so we don't know where we could stand if we decide to use technology outside of Microsoft.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Map out what you're trying to achieve fully so they get the best, clear picture. The more you can get them involved in discussing the project, the more you realize you might be going down the wrong avenue.
There have been multiple times over the years when we thought, "Oh, we'll do it like this," but actually, once, we spoke and were clear with them about what we're trying to achieve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of The Care Database, a software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Transparity Ballard Chalmers?

We had an existing product that we created with another company, but the other provider couldn’t handle our platform’s growth, so we needed further development support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Transparity Ballard Chalmers took over our existing platform and is helping us with custom software development. The software is a patient management system for a children’s hospital we’re working with. The system records patient notes, care plans, referrals, bookings, and rostering. Regarding technologies, they’re using C++.

What was the team composition? 

We work with around five members of Transparity Ballard Chalmers’ team, including a project manager, two developers, and their business staff.

How did you come to work with Transparity Ballard Chalmers?

Transparity Ballard Chalmers was already working with us when I took my current position.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2019, and the engagement is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Transparity Ballard Chalmers’ team immediately handles any bugs through a deployment schedule based on set priorities.

How did Transparity Ballard Chalmers perform from a project management standpoint?

Transparity Ballard Chalmers’ project management is excellent. The project manager they’ve assigned to us is proactive in suggesting improvements, responsive, compliant with the timelines and priorities we set for every task, and quick at solving any change requirement or issue that arises. 

Their team also works closely with us to ensure good communication between their developers and us and ensure we don’t go over budget — they lead a very efficient process. Regarding tools, we use monday.com, emails, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re delighted with the way they work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a small software company that’s under a children’s hospital. We decided to build our own record-keeping software for our patients. That went so well that we began selling that software to other companies. I’m the director of operations. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ballard Chalmers Ltd?

Another developer built our application but started to struggle in supporting us after the build was finished. We wanted someone who could provide ongoing development work at better rates and quality than our previous provider. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started our engagement with a fixed-price support agreement at an annual cost to our company. They also provided a discovery phase and review of our application, hosted in Microsoft Azure. With their past experience with Azure, they returned to us with suggestions for improvement.

On top of implementing their suggestions, we gave them additional development work that was focused on enhancing the product. 

What is the team composition?

Depending on the work required, we interact with 5–6 people on their end. 

What is the status of this engagement?

 They’ve been working with us since December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

If we find a bug in the product, we’re able to speak directly with the developers to correct issues quickly and easily. In our prior partnership, we didn’t have direct contact with developers, so that was a huge improvement in this engagement. It helped us complete tasks more quickly. 

How did Ballard Chalmers Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

They always give accurate time and budget estimates. Tasks are handled quickly and efficiently. We can always get in touch with developers whenever needed. They have their own ticketing platform that we use to communicate issues. However, we communicate mostly on Microsoft Teams and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate having direct communication with the developers, which has made the project much more straightforward. We’ve saved time and money through that structure.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear with your requirements and needs. That makes projects much easier.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT manager of a company in the luxury yachting industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ballard Chalmers Ltd?

We had a bespoke core business application that was poorly managed by another software development provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

There are two levels to Ballard Chalmers’ role. They took over the software’s management and help us to stabilize it. Their team also evolves the product to modern standards. We have a detailed roadmap that they help us to achieve. Their team understands our business context and gives us advice if we’re going down the wrong path.

The platform’s functions are native to our day to day operations. The application manages certifications, safety procedures, and crew rotations. 

What is the team composition?

We collaborate with about four people from Ballard Chalmers.

How did you come to work with Ballard Chalmers Ltd?

We scoured the internet and created a list of potential companies to replace our provider at the time. We initiated contact with Ballard Chalmers. Based on their responses and level of experience, we finally chose them to be our new provider.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed the contract around December 2019, and our partnership’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Senior stakeholders are absolutely delighted that we chose Ballard Chalmers. A key stakeholder who manages the application from the business side is frequently in contact with them. Overall, the feedback’s extremely positive.

Their team’s extremely competent. Unlike our previous vendor, I don’t have to worry about their ability to complete tasks. They’re engaged and turnaround results quickly. Whether it’s competency or cost, it’s all positive.

How did Ballard Chalmers Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

During the initial transition, we had weekly calls with the project manager and their lead developer. Every now and then, we also talked with their CTO. If we needed to discuss our contract, Andrew (Managing Director) joined our calls too.

If the timelines start to slip, they give us a heads up right away. Their team’s proactive and goes beyond the role of a supplier. They’re more of a partner and fill in that role perfectly. Their team’s not afraid to tell us when they think that we should pursue a different option.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their levels of transparency and honesty distinguish them from other providers. Their team’s upfront, which is a relief because they’re dealing with our core application. They make recommendations based on our best interests.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At this point, no. That’s probably because we were in a difficult situation last year. We’re relieved to have a competent and experienced partner.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be direct with them and reveal all of your cards. The success of the project requires engagement from both parties.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the commercial director at Computer Systems Integration Ltd (CSI). We’re a managed service provider that helps businesses migrate from on-premise solutions to the cloud.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ballard Chalmers Ltd?

We wanted better reporting and visibility with our order base. The CRM we had was poor and unusable, so we asked them to develop some tools within Microsoft SharePoint to give greater visibility.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided custom CRM development. The main point of development was a bespoke approval system workflow built into SharePoint. Through this, our salespeople can send out proposals to clients and managers can approve them before they are sent out. They also built a repository to store contracts, jobs, and documents. We gave them a piece of paper with drawings and they converted it into specification documents.

What is the team composition?

They had 2–3 people and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Ballard Chalmers Ltd?

One of our directors knew someone who worked there. They produced what we were looking for in terms of a proposal and the cost was right. We decided to not waste more time looking elsewhere and went with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started in October 2015 and ended in February 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ballard Chalmers’ work was a big step forward for the business. We were able to access and manage far more information. That data was also accessible to a much greater number of people than previously available.

How did Ballard Chalmers Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great, I think project management was the best part of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would say the quality of their people and their willingness to help.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be more proactive. They never really came to us with any new projects or concepts since the completion of the project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you’re engaged with the senior partners because they seem to drive the business. I think that’s key.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m one of the founding partners of a UK-based digital transformation company. We provide software engineering, mainly to UK government entities, to help them transform their digital assets. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ballard Chalmers Ltd?
We were doing some work with a university in central London. In anticipation of a key developer's exit, the university wanted to bring on senior Microsoft engineers to do a risk management review of their Microsoft applications. To mitigate the risk of application failure, they wanted to determine how each application was being used and supported, and what the key documentations were. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?
The project was more about mitigating risk on the Microsoft applications than it was about reviewing detailed, low-level code. 

The deliverables included a master spreadsheet with a register of all the client’s software applications (e.g. Microsoft Azure and Office 365) and key information about each application. This document would allow our client to hire any .NET contractor to fix a software issue as it would contain all the information the contractor would need to know (e.g. functionality, location, contact point within the company). We recommended that the client add more in-depth detail to the documentation, and they’ve been able to do that.

Another part of the project was performing a licensing assessment for the client’s Office 365, looking through existing enterprise agreements and modeling requirements based on future needs. They also helped with budgeting for the Microsoft applications. 

What is the team composition?
Geoff (CTO, Ballard Chalmers) was our main point of contact, and Andrew (Principal, Managing Director, Ballard Chalmers) was also involved. They both helped to manage their Ballard Chalmers team. 

The master spreadsheet was mostly completed on-site by a senior software engineer, and an architect worked on-site to complete the licensing assessment. Geoff also went on location to provide his Microsoft expertise. 

How did you come to work with Ballard Chalmers Ltd?
In the past, we’ve used Ballard Chalmers to extend our delivery capability, and so we turned to them when we encountered this project. 

How much have you invested with them?
We’ve invested around $50,000–$200,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with Ballard Chalmers around May 2018. We’re not using them at the moment, but we consider them whenever we have Microsoft-related work. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The client was extremely happy with the deliverables. The team’s work mitigated the risk surrounding the exit of the client’s key developer. Now, the client feels comfortable using the orientation documentation the team provided to hire contractors. On the licensing side, the client is now in a much stronger position to negotiate their deal with Microsoft. It has likely saved them quite a bit of money.

How did Ballard Chalmers Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?
They have a robust project management style, with a traditional, well-structured approach. They maintained clear communication, always setting checkpoints so we knew where we stood on the timeline. We also received budget estimates throughout the process, to ensure we weren’t spending our funds too quickly. 

They’re approachable people, and they clearly care about the quality of their work. Geoff and Andrew were always happy to speak with stakeholders via a phone call. The team worked both remotely and on-site in about equal parts. 

What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re simply a group of honest, hardworking people. They know their market and area of expertise, and they’re very efficient and focused when it comes to that work.

For example, when we asked Ballard Chalmers if they could work with Dynamics 365, they told us they didn’t have expertise in that area. They don’t pretend to specialize in what they don’t know. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish they covered Dynamics 365, it’s a difficult space but there’s a big market for it. With their knowledge and reputation, it would be sensible for them to do more in the cloud-based Dynamics suite.