AnyforSoft

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the P&C Specialist ( Contractors and Projects) of Appnovation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Appnovation is a global digital solutions provider specializing in the design, development, and support of engaging user experiences, primarily through digital strategy, web development, and mobile application development services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Software Development

SOLUTION

How did you find AnyforSoft?

Referral

Why did you select AnyforSoft over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from AnyforSoft were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

AnyforSoft has proven to be an invaluable partner for us at Appnovation, consistently providing highly skilled and committed contractors who excel in delivering quality work on time. From software development to digital solutions, their team brings a blend of expertise, flexibility, and excellent communication that has been instrumental in the successful completion of our projects. 

Their commitment to meeting deadlines without sacrificing quality sets them apart in a competitive industry. In a nutshell, AnyforSoft is more than just a vendor; they're a strategic partner that we highly recommend for anyone seeking top-notch technical talent and project success

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

No

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

AnyforSoft's project management has been spot-on. They've always delivered on time and have been quick to respond to any changes or needs we've had. Their clear and timely communication has made working with them smooth and efficient. Overall, they've been great at keeping our projects on track.

What was your primary form of communication with AnyforSoft?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stands out most about AnyforSoft is their exceptional commitment to quality and deadlines. In an industry where these two aspects often clash, they've managed to excel in both. Their ability to adapt to our needs quickly while still delivering high-quality work on time was truly unique and has made them an invaluable partner for our projects.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of communications for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, a Catholic parish with about 10,000 members and 3,000 families. Our website gets many visits, and we organize many events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AnyforSoft?

Since we hold many events, it was important for us to update our look and make our website a better and more user-friendly experience. We were notified that our Drupal version would be discontinued soon, so we searched for a company to help us migrate our website from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9. Although we didn’t want a complete redesign, we wanted a way to modernize our look and feel. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

AnyforSoft has upgraded our website to Drupal 9 and enhanced its design. Our site is for parishioners and new users to get information about our events, how to schedule weddings or baptisms, and how to become part of the ministry or our women’s club. Users can also find our history and information on how to get involved in our parish.

Currently, AnyforSoft provides us with monthly site maintenance. 

What is the team composition?

Joel (Director of Business Development, US) was our main point of contact from a sales perspective during the proposal phase. Then, Oleksandra (Project Manager) was our main point of contact, and Lida (Head of Media & Entertainment Partnerships) was in charge of maintenance. Now, we have a new contact who handles the maintenance. 

How did you come to work with AnyforSoft?

While searching for vendors, some companies told us to move away from Drupal and to WordPress, but that would have made our site easier to hack. Therefore, we searched online for companies that worked with Drupal. 

Then, I remembered that I had previously received about three outreach emails about Drupal upgrades, including one from AnyforSoft. I investigated each company, and AnyforSoft had excellent reviews, which began my dialogue with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $29,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The site development lasted from August–December 2022. Since we have a monthly maintenance contract with them, our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Anecdotally, users have told me how much they love the site. Moreover, attendance at our recent events has been really high since we launched the website. I haven’t done a quantitive analysis of the website and likely won’t since we don’t make sales. 

How did AnyforSoft perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager is excellent. AnyforSoft has been very fast and has addressed our requests immediately. Initially, they provided a timeline through Google Docs. The team delivered every website item on time or ahead of schedule; we could have launched the site earlier, around Thanksgiving, but I got busy and had to put some final touches on hold. 

We use Zoom and email to communicate. During development, they would send me the links to staged environments to review progress. We also had weekly and bimonthly meetings throughout the design and development process. 

AnyforSoft is very accommodating; even though they’re based in Ukraine, they’re willing to meet at the end of their work day. Whenever I send them a question through email, they always reply immediately, no matter what time of the day it is for them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Out of the companies we considered, AnyforSoft was the most proactive candidate throughout the sales process. While I had to initiate communication with the other companies, AnyforSoft was very proactive in informing me of Drupal’s status and providing suggestions about how to start. 

Even though the sales process took about a year due to budget preparations, they stayed in touch with me throughout this time. Since the engagement began, they’ve continued to be just as proactive. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any negative comments about AnyforSoft; they’ve been excellent from the sales process through implementation. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Initially, I was concerned about working with an offshore company and how the Russian Invasion of Ukraine would affect our project. However, AnyforSoft has taken this into account regarding their employees’ safety, work environment, and the security of our files. 

As promised, the Russian Invasion hasn’t been a factor, nor has it impacted how they do their job. Therefore, potential clients shouldn’t shy away from AnyforSoft because they’re based in Ukraine. The team has done excellent work for us and has great customer service, so their location shouldn’t be a detractor.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Scientific instrumentation sales worldwide. I am director of technical information and manage two corporate websites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our two global websites (one multilingual, one Japanese) required upgrades from Drupal 8 to Drupal 9. Numerous modules were out of date and needed to be tested for compatibility with D9.

SOLUTION

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

We asked for a quote from a Drupal partner we worked with previously. It was very high so I was asked to get another quote from another company. I found AnyforSoft on the Drupal partners site. Their quote was far, far less expensive than the initial company's.

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

I provided dumps of the SQL databases and all files for the two websites. They worked on the upgrades on their dev/staging servers and provided me with remote access to review their progress. Of particular note, they also gave me access to an "agile board" that storyboarded the project and let me see what was in the queue and what was complete at every stage.

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

Overall, I was in contact with four people. The first person responded to my RFQ and passed me along to a couple of project managers, one overall, one technical. The "real" work was performed by one technician, who kept me up to date, asked me for additional material as needed, and responded (quickly) to any of my queries.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

AnyforSoft delivered the upgraded sites to our server and gave me step-by-step directions on how to successfully deploy the two sites. They were detailed and transparent in their billing and provided detailed end-of-project documents.

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

Agile development with total transparency. I was advised of anything that might cause delays (vacations, etc.) well in advance, and the team was highly responsive in general.

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

First of all, they are very affordable! But that doesn't mean they cut any corners--the work was professional and they delivered exactly what we requested in a timely manner.

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

Nothing at all -- they were very supportive and responsive.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO, we build a SaaS and Standalone IT product. We offer additional configuration and customization services around the product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire AnyforSoft?

We rely on AFS to provide talented developers to assist us with the configuration and customization services we provide around our product.

SOLUTION

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

We were referred to AFS from another agency that work on the same tech stack.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We engaged them in two types of projects. The first was ongoing with 2 to 3 full-time developers. The developers worked as part of our team reporting directly to our lead developers. The other project was a software upgrade engagement where their team worked independently.

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

The thing I appreciated the most was they didn't rush into the engagement. They wanted to take their time to make sure expectations were clear and their approach met our standards. They let us interview the individual developers and gave us access to their project management team. It was important to us that the team was consistent and didn't change often, they have delivered on that promise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

We have experimented with teams in India, Costa Rica, Argentina, Mexico and back again to India. This is the first group that has provided developers that we didn't need to train on basic coding standards and who also met their deadlines.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their approach to projects is very similar to ours so workflow ran smoothly. I believe the biggest key to our success was their ability to communicate. They participate in our planning meetings, our stand-ups, and even retrospectives. They don't just say yes, they ask good questions and ask for help when it is needed.

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

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their developers, yet what I found the most impressive was their project management. They took time to learn our expectations, our technical needs, and how to work within our systems. They're a perfect size, big enough to provide quality resources, yet small enough for management to jump in when needed.

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

Not at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Cheppers USA is a technology firm that provides website/application development, design, and infrastructure services. I am the Chief Operating Officer overseeing all the US operations, partnerships, client management, and project delivery.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire AnyforSoft?

During our engagement with them we had 2 periods. The first was with hiring their front-end Drupal developer for several months, which worked well. Then we had a big Drupal 9 project along with a separate dedicated back-end Drupal developer for another client.

SOLUTION

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

We’ve met with AnyforSoft in NYC and then during several Drupal events. We’ve been in touch with them for several years when at some point we returned to them when there was a need.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Our client is a non-profit organization in the US. The project aimed to create a questionnaire based on Drupal 9. The project started with a design phase. We had rough incoming project info from the client and had to take it to proceed with the design phase where AnyforSoft suggested their solution and agreed on it with the client.

There were several major project tasks that have been distributed among a team. Project deadlines were quite tough, so the project challenge was to finish work and have a website being launched on prod as soon as possible. The team was autonomous and worked directly with the client.

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

The first period included 1 dedicated front-end Drupal developer. The second period included 1 dedicated Back-end Drupal developer and the following team for the project. Their Project and Account manager were the 2 main points of contact. The technical team was composed of:

• 1 Designer,
• 1 Drupal Tech Lead,
• 1 Back-end Drupal developer,
• 1 Front-end Drupal developer,
• 1 QA,
• and 1 DevOps specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

Our client was pleased with the work and project management style.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

There was no micromanagement from our side and we gave them enough space to communicate with the client directly. We were impressed with their communication skills and at the beginning we knew this project would be successfully delivered.

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

We found AnyforSoft to be more of a partner than just a vendor. They took the time to think through the issues at-hand and come up with alternative solutions that would save time/money throughout the implementation. You want a team that has a vested stake in the success of the project instead of just individuals that blindly complete tasks.

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

AnyforSoft finished the project and delivered the product to the client as expected. There turned out to be some Drupal limitations the team faced at the end of the project (a Drupal patch to one module was to be created to make things work on this specific project as expected). AnyforSoft found a solution that satisfied the client.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Bluecadet is an award-winning experience design firm with a long history of working in the cultural space. We create innovative experiences for web/digital product and the built environment. I am Head of Technology and lead the development team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We brought on AnyforSoft to provide support for our web development team and solve some interesting problems in our project—specifically how to best architect and implement a single Drupal CMS for multiple Gatsby front-end sites. AnyforSoft handled data migrations and custom module development for the CMS.

SOLUTION

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

AnyforSoft had been a vendor we were familiar with, having met some of their team at conferences over the years. This project was a good opportunity for our teams to finally work together.

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

The project was a single Drupal 8 CMS serving data and content to three separate Gatsby front-end builds. The CMS was deployed to Pantheon, and the Gatsby sites were built on Gatsby Cloud and deployed to Netlify. AnyforSoft wrote custom modules to provide preview functionality for the three separate Gatsby sites. Contrib modules exist to do this, but they assume a 1-to-1 relationship between CMS and Gatsby site. AnyforSoft also helped us migrate different content types from multiple sources (WordPress blogs, Drupal sites) into the new Drupal 8 CMS.

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

We worked with two members from AnyforSoft:

• a developer
• a project manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

AnyforSoft was able to implement challenging technical requirements, and their custom module work allowed our client teams to preview Gatsby content for three separate sites in the same CMS.

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

AnyforSoft was embedded with our team—they joined our twice-weekly project standups and they worked off the same Github issues kanban board. They also communicated with our team regularly in Slack, and were available at very short notice for quick Zoom calls.

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

AnyforSoft was very receptive to feedback and they provided excellent development work. Their communication was timely and helped us keep the whole team on the same page.

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

None that I can think of at present. I’m hoping we can work with them again on a future project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Druid Oy, a custom software development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AnyforSoft?

We hired AnyforSoft to help us with our clients’ large and complex projects, specifically to provide outsourcing and consulting services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

AnyforSoft helped us with one of our customer’s projects. Our customer provided all the information, and we worked using agile methods so there wasn’t any heavy documentation upfront.

We continue to work with their consultant who is a Drupal backend developer. He’s not really responsible for any specific deliverable. Instead, he just works alongside us and he helps us with many tasks that are related to Drupal forms.

What is the team composition?

We work with Andriy (PHP Drupal Developer).

How did you come to work with AnyforSoft?

We contacted a couple of companies when we were figuring out how to start the project. In the end, AnyforSoft had a suitable candidate available for us. They had a good reputation, and we knew them from past Drupal events. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in August 2021, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re satisfied with AnyforSoft’s work, and we’re happy with them. We plan to continue working with them even after this project.

How did AnyforSoft perform from a project management standpoint?

AnyforSoft actively manages our account, and they actively reach out to us. Since it’s a joint effort, they do daily check-ins with the whole team and they plan the development cycle in two-week sprints. We communicate via Google Meet. More importantly, they deliver what we request on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We consider ourselves to be really picky about who we want to work with. With the current situation, it isn’t always easy to find reliable talent. Despite that, their team has managed to find people that are really professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. The development work has gone really well. Overall, I have nothing to complain about.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Treat them as if they’re your own employees. In our case, we accepted their consultants as full team members.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a digital web agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AnyforSoft?

We hired AnyforSoft to develop a custom portal for one of our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

AnyforSoft helped us build a custom mortgage application portal for a client in Michigan. The team integrated that portal into the client’s existing marketing website, which was built on Drupal 9. We came up with the designs on our end, and AnyforSoft was essentially in charge of all the backend components.

The portal features an interactive, customizable online form that the client can use to collect information from mortgage applicants. AnyforSoft built that form and all of the conditional logic behind it. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three people from AnyforSoft, and our main contact is the project manager. 

How did you come to work with AnyforSoft?

One of their account managers reached out to me a couple of years ago. When we finally had a need for their services, we simply contacted them directly.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $43,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in October 2021, and we are now in phase two of the project. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our client’s feedback has been really good. AnyforSoft’s involvement has helped us improve the first phase of the project, giving us the confidence to move forward to phase two. They’ve exceeded our expectations in that they’ve made a lot of good recommendations for the UI/UX. 

How did AnyforSoft perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done really well. I appreciate how they’ve set up the project and how they’ve managed the QA portion of it. One of the staff assigned to our account is a project manager, and he keeps me updated in terms of our schedule and where we’re at with the budget. 

AnyforSoft has also been flexible enough to work with our project management tool. They’ve integrated all of their tasks and feedback into that platform. We also use Slack and do virtual meetings weekly. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed by AnyforSoft’s great project management skills, technical development expertise, and ability to understand a project and its scope. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We experienced some communication difficulties initially, but those have since been improved by AnyforSoft. They responded really well to our requests. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be really open with the team about what you need. Be clear about the specifications and goals of the project, and encourage them to ask questions to ensure that you’re always on the same page. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Director at a North-American digital consultancy

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire AnyforSoft?

One of the biggest projects we use AnyforSoft's capacities for is a North American telecommunication giant. We involved several Drupal developers to assist us with this project. Moreover, one of them now helps us with team leading activities. Also, we have multiple Contentful-based projects, for which AnyforSoft was able to provide qualified resources.

SOLUTION

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

We were looking for a trusted agency that can provide us with top-notch Drupal developers. Over the course of time and as AnyforSoft's expertise broadened, we started to use their ReactJS resources to serve our JAMStack based projects

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Most of our projects require new development, ongoing maintenance, regular updates, and work with legacy code.

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

The recruitment process involved a technical interview with our developers and a secondary interview with our managers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

Valuable team members with great technical knowledge in Drupal (especially Drupal API) and JavaScript

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Despite significant time difference we succeeded to organize a workflow that suits both parties. On regular basis, their developers follow Ukrainian working schedule but they are not just 9 to 5 guys and in case of urgency are ready to quickly respond to a customer need. Our AnyforSoft resource is currently an integral part of our project delivery team.

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

Flexibility, transparent management, good customer service, valuable work ethic. The company also went above and beyond to try and find good and reliable candidates whenever new resource requests were sent to them.

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

Not entirely related to the company itself, but it is sometimes hard for them to retain the developers due to the evershifting marketplace but we understand they put a lot of effort into it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a software engineer and lecturer, responsible for online education at megu.edu. I’m the Product Owner of megu.edu.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had our previous website built in WordPress. Our team had difficulties managing the website, as the previous vendor hadn't done their job correctly. It was complex to make content edits, the site often crashed and it wasn’t fully responsive.

The other issue was the outdated design. And when an educational institution has an outdated website design people think that teaching is outdated. Thus our goal was to have a stable, content editing friendly, and modern platform.

SOLUTION

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

Their Senior Drupal Developer has been lecturing on our IT faculty and we asked him to connect us with AnyforSoft. We did like their approach and were sure of their Drupal expertise and decided to go with them.

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

We wanted to shift from WordPress so the newest Drupal 9 was chosen. At first, we went through a series of design iterations and finally got to a final version. We were able to see results every 2 weeks and tell them our needed changes, which they successfully implemented.

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

There was an account manager who helped set up the team, UI/UX designer, project manager, 2-3 developers, and QA engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to launch the project 1,5 months before the start of the pre-entry period for educational institutions, so we had time to test everything. The overall performance seems great and our goals are reached. I can’t tell the exact numbers for now as the academic season hasn’t started yet.

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

The project manager was very opened to our ideas and always tried to clearly explain all the deliverables. We used Skype for messaging, Google Meet for online calls and Email for official stuff.

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

I commend their cooperativeness and willingness to help and clearly explain all the peculiarities of the project. They were able to quickly respond to upcoming issues and reply even on holidays.

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

To be more diligent on the documentation.