Avenga

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

They provided us with quite a lot of people within a limited time. If I had to calculate the impact, it’s relatively high, especially on their high profile projects. They’re doing a good job, and they’re a high-quality partner.

How did Avenga perform from a project management standpoint?

We have project managers on our side. They’re managed internally by us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Avenga has good account management, and the team is top-notch.

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

We have found some really good people through Avenga; we now have some awesome people working on our account.

Overall, we're very happy with the collaboration with Avenga. There were two people that we had to get rid of and one person found another job. Apart from that, we retain more than 96% of the people they send us.  They hit the mark and are able to find the right consultant for us. 

How did Avenga perform from a project management standpoint?

It has been very good. The people we have had the pleasure of working with have all been very engaged. They've been very good at communicating, and have been open and transparent about various challenges.

They are very attentive, honest, and transparent which were all important factors at the beginning of our engagement.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We work with a lot of talented people and it is also a pleasure to see that a lot of females are sitting in higher management positions in Avenga. I think it sends an awesome message to the whole of IT because there are a lot of men in IT. I couldn’t be happier with the performance of the developers and engineers that are female.

I think it sends a strong message to everyone. Avenga does not only talk the talk about equal opportunity they also walk the walk which is super important for us. In our engineering center, we might not reach 50/50 men and women tomorrow. However, we are working hard to be an attractive workplace for girls in IT and it's essential that our strategic partners align with us strategically as we are rapidly growing the female ratio of our IT talent. Avenga is leading the way in this aspect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

One of our other partners has a pretty fantastic online administration system that we wish Avenga would use. The tool lets them manage all the consultants that we have on contract with them, view the data regarding their rates, and monitor the expiry of the contract. Everything can be called out electronically from this portal. 

When we ask, they will send all that information to us and it doesn’t take very long. Still, I believe in self-service so if I can log in to a portal a see all of that, then I don’t have to disturb anyone on the team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be absolutely transparent about your needs, what kind of success factors you have, and the type of candidates you are looking for. Transparency will help them deliver what you want. 

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

They had a number of people who were really subject matter experts in very specific areas, like information security, test automation, or web analytics. If we needed support in an area for which they had an expert within their company, the expertise was really good. On the negative side, they sometimes didn’t necessarily have all of the competencies and expertise, so for some other areas, we’d have to pull the expertise from elsewhere.

How did Avenga perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was generally okay. We used the scrum methodology. I think communication could’ve been a bit bitter. They were a bit weak in terms of internal collaboration, but that could’ve had to do with our model, through which we were hiring people from them to then work for us like they were part of our team. A problem was that they weren’t very good at communicating with other parts of their own company; for instance, if there was a particular challenge where we were looking for specific expertise, they weren’t very proactive about finding that expert within their own company. We’d have to go to the account manager.

Some of the subject matter experts were really good, but they were like isolated hero characters, whereas the average person that we worked with wasn’t that strong. When we were dealing with a subject matter expert, we got exactly what we wanted from them. However, some of their team members weren’t able to work as a team. The coordination didn’t always work out very well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were pretty good at running some of the scrum ceremonies, such as sprint reviews. During the reviews, they demonstrated the work they’d done over the previous two weeks. I thought those were usually professionally executed, especially compared to some other companies we’ve dealt with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When we worked with one of the individuals on their side, that usually worked really well. However, as soon as that individual needed to involve other people from their company, it didn’t work as well.

Any advice for potential customers?

You have to know pretty precisely what you want and be able to specify that upfront. They do have some people who are best-in-class in their specific areas, but it’s important that you know to ask for specific competencies; you can’t just expect that you will get the best people by default. It also helps to know their organization and the references of their resources, so that you can pick the best people that they can provide.

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

They have fast reaction times and quickly resolve issues.

How did Avenga perform from a project management standpoint?

The account manager we work with is very helpful and diligent about coming up with solutions that work for us. We have a very open and honest atmosphere. If there’s a problem, we can quickly resolve it and find a solution that is beneficial to us.

The communication style, the experts they provide, and their management style is what has made us stay with them as a partner. They’re close by and can drop by for a face-to-face discussion.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very diligent with their preselection process. Sometimes, providers send all kinds of profiles that aren’t suitable or don’t fill your base requirements. Avenga makes sure that they preselect the appropriate resources that have the skills we need. In general, they have a very solid process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open about any problems you encounter or if you’re not satisfied with one of your contractors. They will make sure that problems get solved, such as finding a replacement candidate. Work on building a relationship with them. Maintain communication and provide regular feedback on how the contractors are performing.

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

One of the really strong parts of Core Value Inc’s organization is that they were helpful in assisting our navigation of delivering three platforms at a time. We released our first version of the platform about 30–40 days and we are now working on rolling out an Android version as well as enhancements to the UX and back administration experience. The Core Value Inc team was great at the organization and management aspects involved in developing multiple platforms at once. I’m not sure we could have done it as well with another partner.

How did Core Value Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good in terms of communication. Core Value Inc is very structured, and we would have weekly tech and project management meetings. Our teams have ongoing daily discussions about metrics to communicate the percentage of completion on features of the platform. They also let us know about any issues, bugs, or anomalies we needed to address. We always knew where our time, money, and efforts were going, which is the key component of a good partnership.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Core Value Inc’s willingness to make sure that we are collectively successful stands out. Whether it's bringing on more resources or providing some other capabilities, they go above and beyond. They bring their broad portfolio of talent to the table. I have had bad experiences with vendors in the past, but Core Value Inc made me feel like I had nothing to worry about. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were some cultural divisions that impeded communication. There are always aspects of projects that could be better, but there wasn’t anything totally detrimental. To their credit, whenever we were having any kind of challenge they would always step up and help guide the way.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t overestimate the amount of communication that could be needed to onboard everybody upfront. That was probably the biggest challenge for us. Their team was very helpful in bringing in more people, setting up more meetings, or having more discussions to make sure we get through issues quickly. This was possible because we stayed on top of communications. 

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

They've become an integral part of our team’s ability to actually deliver the work we need to do. Core Value Inc. met all assigned deliverables, which made them very valuable.

Judging their contributions as members of a scrum team, the feedback has always been that Core Value Inc. consistently provides top performers. Their employees are often the strongest members of the various teams. We've been extremely happy with the contributions they've made, and continue to see the benefits of having them on board. Because of their successful work to date, we just brought back the two people we used recently for a different project.

How did Core Value Inc. perform from a project management standpoint? 

We led the project management and oversight. We got weekly updates and reports so that we could understand where Core Value Inc. was in the project and what they’d provided us. We also integrated them into our communication systems. We used Skype, Microsoft Teams, and Azure DevOps. They were fully integrated as members of the team and using the same technology as everyone else. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Core Value Inc. was quite flexible in their availability. We've got a good working relationship. They've been able to accommodate us, even when we required additional resources on short notice. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, at the moment we're very happy with the people we've used. Their team is so strong. As a fundamental issue, I expect augment staff to be able to work as if they are part of our team and have been for a while. Core Value Inc. is absolutely able to do so. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

I encourage you to work the way we do and incorporate them on your scrum teams. Give them the same tools as everyone else and treat them as if they're an FTE.

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

The tool has garnered a reputation for being user-responsive, even though it is one of ABB’s oldest tools.

How did Solidbrain perform from a project management standpoint?

The senior developer is very pragmatic and transparent. If we present impractical ideas, the Solidbrain team is upfront and proposes great alternatives. Rather than expecting us to tell them what to do, their team is part of the thought process. They are incredibly committed and engaged. Our collaboration has been smooth and easygoing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Solidbrain conducts thorough technology tests before releasing anything. We are confident in the team’s ability to deliver high-quality work on schedule, which allows us to focus on other areas. They have made the collaboration effortless on our end.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of any, which is unusual for me.

Any advice for potential customers?

Engage Solidbrain’s team as much as possible. Make them part of the full process and ensure that they understand your requirements and goals.

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

We’ve built several key databases, which store all the important KPIs we need in order to make decisions. Deploying those databases and making sure they’re continually operational is a tremendous success story, given that Core Value has done it in such a small amount of time.

The data is quite accurate and it’s supported multiple products and markets successfully. Our ETLs are running smoothly. Data is coming in and going out with no issues. We’ve been able to leverage that data for reporting to partners and for internal processes.

From a data science perspective, the people from Core Value involved in the work have had tremendous success. They’ve helped us detect and reduce fraud by a large portion, by providing key metrics in that direction.

They’ve been able to improve our product and ad spend significantly, informing our team on our marketing targets, and how to improve efficiency.

How did Core Value perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re in touch with them daily, and they’re very much integrated into everything we do. They’ve taken on a lot of work and consistently delivered on it. We work in an agile setting, with two-week sprints. Our velocity has increased, and the whole company has started working in the same methodology. The analytics velocity is always high, and that’s largely because of Core Value’s effort.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the most impressive things about them is their ability to understand our business, and not just the technical implementation. They understand why and how we’re doing things. Core Value is an offshore team thousands of miles away, but they’re very much integrated with our product line. They always ask key questions and they have a vision of what our company is trying to do, and how they’re contributing to that effort.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re worth considering as an offshore partner, and we haven’t run into issues regarding communication nor effectiveness.

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

Solidbrain has provided a lot of valuable guidance and helped create a formal MVP, which has had positive impacts on our customer base. Bugs have been minimal, and the quality of their work and support has been outstanding. 

How did Solidbrain perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been great to work with, guiding us through a new world of technology while managing the process efficiently. They've been very understanding of the fact that we're a startup. We can always reach them through email and Slack. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm most impressed by both their communications and knowledge in the space we're exploring.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they've been very transparent and responsive to any feedback we've had. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start a conversation with their team about project needs and be open-minded as they provide advice regarding the best ways to bring the product to fruition. 

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

Their team managed the development at a consistent pace and delivered things on schedule. When we planned the features we wanted to be developed, we’d estimated that it should take six or seven months and that’s about how long it took. Within the span of under a year, we managed to deliver three major releases of our product and are working on the fourth. We’ve successfully installed the platform for one live client and done several demos. We’ve also been able to update successfully for our client without running into any errors.

How did Core Value Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

I handled the project management overall and coordinated with the project manager/scrum master from their team. He coordinated things on their side and was highly involved in the project. He ensured that the processes from our side were executed correctly and always provided proper metrics for product follow-up. We were always alerted if there were delays or if project components wrapped up ahead of schedule. They did a great job of communicating so we could adjust our priorities, plans, and potential executions as needed.

In terms of communication, we held a sprint planning call at the beginning of each week and a review call at the end of the week. We’d also connect by phone as needed if there were crucial issues that required more detailed discussion. We also used a project management tool to exchange technical details and information that the development team needed. If necessary, we’d also touch base over Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The first version of our platform was built by a legacy team, and when we went to install it for a live client, we realized it hadn’t been properly tested for large volumes of data. We couldn’t proceed until the errors were fixed and the Core Value Inc. team addressed most of those bugs and gaps in the code within one week.

In another instance, we had a partner who installed Salesforce for a client and was supposed to build out some processes on top of our platform. These weren’t built correctly, and we couldn’t connect back to them to get the errors fixed. Our client needed the repairs quickly, so we asked Core Value Inc.’s team to investigate the system. They located the issue, fixed it, and retroactively applied the patches to catch up on all of the data updates that hadn’t happened while the processes weren’t working.

In both of these cases, they took ownership of code they hadn’t built, deciphered the problems, and resolved them promptly. Their reaction time was great, and their technical competency was impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. We repeatedly adjusted the process throughout our collaboration and the team was always flexible. They were quick to adopt new ways of doing things or handle changes in scope. Some of the team members had weaker English skills, but it wasn’t an issue because they collaborated with those who were stronger. Most of the communication was in writing, so language didn’t impact the project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We worked in close collaboration with the account manager, who did a great job, and that worked well for us. If there are any prevalent issues or bottlenecks, they can help find a solution. Core Value Inc. was always very flexible and proactive in offering assistance.