Better Software Group

Please describe your company and your position there.

elevensports.com is an online streaming service bringing long-tail and niche premium sports content to fans around the world. In my role as a Product Owner I work with our regional teams to ensure that their customer are able to get the most out of the service, including being able to access the service on different platforms.

For what projects/services did your company hire Better Software Group, and what were your goals?

We hired Better Software Group for the purpose of creation of a modern streaming service application for Samsung Smart TV built on Tizen OS using React technology. The main goals of the project were to significantly improve the typical fan experience of consuming live and on-demand content which would be available at convenience of the users so they can choose how and when they want to enjoy it. The app’s purpose was to provide them with the platform that is more engaging and improved than before.

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

We chose Better Software Group basing on referrals and recommendations. After reviewing their portfolio, we came to a conclusion that BSG with their extensive experience in the video industry would be a perfect fit for our projects needs and requirements.

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

The application allows the user access to our streaming service with live and on-demand content. Its main creation goal was to offer users a new platform where they can enjoy and experience their favourite content in a much more engaging and improved environment than before.

The application includes the ability for users to authenticate, to discover content through search and catalogues, and to watch the content of their choosing. Better Software Group was the side responsible for bringing in innovative solutions and skilled software developers as well as consulting, and they delivered all that with a professional approach.

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

2 frontend developers, 1 project manager, 1 quality tester

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

Our cooperation has resulted in the creation of a modern, user friendly and highly responsible application. Its' simple and initiative to use allowing us to reach a broad audience from different backgrounds and locations.

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

Better Software Group took the responsibility of project management and it had been ran smoothly and efficient. The communication with their specialists was without any problems and was highly effective.

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

We found the extent of professionalism, knowledge, and skills presented by Better Software Group impressive. They are real specialists in the field of video app development and presented their wide range of abilities during our cooperation. They seamlessly blended the benefits coming from the use of well tested solutions with the newest technological trends and created a modern looking app that has been developed up to the highest standards.

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

Like with every project, this one also has presented some challenges but Better Software Group has been nothing but professional and, as we expected, overcame them very quickly. Our cooperation has been fruitful and we are highly satisfied with the outcome.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Gonzo Agency and Sherwood Entertainment. We’re developing a streaming platform for young people that can compete with YouTube.

What challenge were you trying to address with Better Software Group?

We needed someone to develop our platform.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Better Software Group is working with us to develop a streaming platform. We first collaborated on a design process where we created the UI/UX design and other assets. Then, the team started writing the code using Flutter. Eventually, we decided to launch the beta version of the product, which they continue to develop.

The platform is a video-on-demand service and is available on iOS, Android, and the web. It features livestreams with dedicated chat systems. Users can register and create their profiles, as well. The Better Software Group team also included a CMS that allows us to filter and sort the videos featured on the front page and other pages.

What is the team composition?

The core team consists of six teammates, but it varies.

How did you come to work with Better Software Group?

I found them through one of my partners who had previously worked with them. He said Better Software Group was experienced in the livestreaming space and introduced me to them. We had a meeting and found they were a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over €1 million (approximately $1.2 million USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2019, and the development is still ongoing.

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

During the first day of the launch, we gained 8,000 users. This number has since grown to about 50,000 paid users who love the platform. We also have a bunch of free users. Furthermore, we host weekly livestreams from about 5,000–6,000 users. 

In terms of bugs, there were some issues at the beginning, but overall, Better Software Group has performed very well. 

How did Better Software Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done a great job, and their project managers are very experienced. We haven’t come across any unexpected issues, which is good. We use Jira to manage the project and Slack to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Better Software Group is attentive and dedicated — they work hard day and night to deliver their work quickly. The team’s work ethic is really unique. Additionally, they have some great UI/UX designers, and they’ve also helped us with business strategy by providing helpful insights.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve done an excellent job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to get to know each other and try working with them in person.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former regional sales manager at Arkena, an OTT backend SaaS provider.

What challenge were you trying to address with Better Software Group?

We needed help with the frontend development for one of our customers.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided frontend development, and our in-house team did the backend development. We worked together on an Android and iOS app along with the APIs. We authorized all subscribers using the app. The look and feel, and features required by the customer were provided by Better Software Group.

What is the team composition?

I was engaged with the CEO and project manager.

How did you come to work with Better Software Group?

We knew each other before I joined this company. They approached me on LinkedIn. I knew they were a good company, but I did some research to see if there was someone who would be better. In the end, from both commercial and technical perspectives, they were the best choice.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about €250,000 (approximately $294,260 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2017–January 2018.

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

The project required a lot of custom development and API integration. We weren’t able to do that without Better Software Group. They helped the entire project move forward because of their proximity, the cost, and the service they provided. They delivered quality work.

How did Better Software Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They took over the cooperation between our company and the customer which was fantastic. It allowed us to use fewer in-house resources. They provided the scope of work and worked those out with the customer. They allocated the resources and kept the timeline. They talked to all three parties engaged in the project. Project management was the most important part and their strongest side. We used Jira.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most important value they provide is that they deliver what they promise. They don’t promise anything they can’t deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could market themselves more to generate more leads for themselves and get more business. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you want someone who is reliable with a lot of experience, especially in the video domain, but not necessarily the cheapest, I recommend going with them. They will deliver what they promise.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Global HR Digital Innovations Manager for the largest independent-chain restaurant operator in Central and Eastern Europe. Our company is also expanding into Western Europe, Russia, and China. During this project with Better Software Group, I acted as the product owner from the client’s perspective.

For what projects/services did your company hire Better Software Group?

We needed to continue development of a customized soft HR system, as out-of-the-box systems don't meet our company's expectations. Platform was already partially developed by another company, but due to tough cooperation we decided to change partner. Better Software Group was ready to continue development and took over responsibility for existing part what was the most important for us.

What were your goals for this project?

Goals:

1. secure maintenance of already developed part of platform (developed by another company)
2. deliver new functionalities like: job performance appraisal module, communication hub with company's intranet, applicant tracking system.

How did you select this vendor?

Better Software Group was selected as a winner of formal tender process. We had 3 companies on short list chosen based on clutch reviews and other recommendations.

Deciding factors: -

1. readiness of BSG to took over responsibility for whole system: new development and maintenance of existing part
2. high customer focus attitude of owners (which was visible during whole project)
3. estimations and pricing
4. positive feedback from other customers

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Project started in April 2018 after formal tender. BSG took over responsibility for maintenance of existing part of the system - they even hire more developers with specific technology stack to secure maintenance and project continuation. We, as a client, delivered basic documentation what do we expect to have at the end of project.

Based on that BSG organized workshops and analysis to prepare full documentation which could be delivered to developers to start programming work. We also had dedicated full time UX designer, to draw mock ups. BSG was responsible for Project Management, scrum and development of requested by us functionalities.

Key features which was delivered:

• Job performance appraisal module
• Communication hub
• groups, chat, intranet
• Employee Satisfaction Survey build based on own methodology
• Applicant Tracking System
• Technical stack: Phyton, React, Angular, C++,
• Infrastructure: Microsoft Azure

What was the team composition?

Project Manager/Scrum Master UX Designer Tester FrontEnd Developers BackEnd Developers Architect Size of the team changed over time and was dependent on our (client) needs. Team size was always accurate to deliver new features on time (based on estimation and needs).

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Result of the project was rolled out across whole company. We have over 50k users of this system, where we cover all soft HR processes. Thanks to that we are able to use tailor made solution instead of systems from the shelf which in our case always require customization.

Cooperation with BSG was very good, that is why we decided to give them responsibility for development of next systems and functionalities. We also signed and prolong SLA contract.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Most of the deadlines were met. If not it wasn't one side fault - sometimes we had changes to the changes and it affected final deadlines. Overall functionalities which were critical for business processes were always deliver on time.

If some bugs were present we had always dedicated people working even during Bank Holidays to secure process and system. BSG proposed to use their tools at the beginning of the project and we still use them: JIRA, Slack, GitHub. We also had regular Sprint Reviews planned in advance.

Part of my Team works from different countries, but we never experienced any barrier caused by language or time zone. BSG is always very flexible when it comes to meetings or unexpected calls to explain something.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their customer-focused mindset, open-mindedness, and flexibility set them apart. Those are definitely their strengths and I'm really glad that we have chosen them as a partner to cooperate. Previous company which we worked with should learn from them how to work with customers.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can suggest just one thing - they should push customers more to have deep analysis before start of the project. We experienced both approaches: with documented analysis and without and even if analysis requires investment at the very begging, in total it is always much better and we are able to save time during project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work at TV2, the largest commercial TV broadcast company in Norway. We have a streaming service, a news channel, the main TV2 channel, an online newspaper, and a web podcast.

What challenge were you trying to address with Better Software Group?

In Norway, we don’t have the right skilled developers to work on projects so we needed a development partner.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve been involved in placing the TV2 news on Apple TV. They developed a dedicated app for that. They developed the video news app for iOS and Android. They’re also involved in making the online newspaper app, too. 

What is the team composition?

There are five developers working with us. 

How did you come to work with Better Software Group?

They had a relationship with our company before I started working with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

They’re really skilled people and the quality of their service is really high. The news app we just released a few months ago got really good reviews. There are no bugs so our users aren’t disappointed. They deliver high-quality code and our customers are happy.

How did Better Software Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is really good between our teams — we really understand each other. We have video meetings and use Slack to communicate, and we meet in the morning. They’re the best company I’ve worked with so far. We have really good communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They know when to do something without asking because they know the difference between what needs to be done or what they should ask to do. We have a good level of understanding for when they can go ahead or when they should contact us first.

Their approach saves us time. They’re a good fit for all of our people. They do a really good job. The people on the team are super skilled and excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m really happy with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have good communication with them and have a predictable way to work with meetings. As long as the communication is really good, they will be an excellent partner.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a strategic consultant at a news agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Better Software Group?

We were looking for a partner to develop platform applications. We wanted to launch a new version of our mobile app, web service, smart service, and HbbTV service.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the UX/U for all of our platforms. They collaborated with our team to engineer and write code for the platforms. They will soon be working on a proof-of-concept (POC) for another project. 

What is the team composition?

We had 1–2 full-time software developers, one QA person, one test engineer, 2 UX/UI designers, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Better Software Group?

I found them online. We were looking for a vendor with software development skills, UX expertise, and system development capabilities. We met to explain our needs and expectations, and they presented their ideas to us. We chose to work with them based on their digital experience and portfolio. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June – September 2019.

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

They delivered a completed application that we’ve all been pleased with. It’s innovative because they kept up with industry trends and introduced modern solutions. We were very happy with the collaboration.

How did Better Software Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were prepared for every meeting and offered more than expected. All of the deadlines were met. If changes were presented to them that required extended deadlines, they communicated that and met the new timeline. We communicated through email, phone, Skype and meetings. In the first month, we had more frequent meetings, but lessened them as we communicated more through other avenues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attitudes, approach and level of experience were most impressive. They thought out of the box and looked for new solutions, perspectives and methods. They were flexible to meet our needs. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing I can remember needs to be improved. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you want to do something modern and innovative which will be state-of-the-art, they are the best company. This is true from an engineering, code quality, and UX/UI perspective.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a software company integrating different technologies for financial, insurance, and healthcare institutions.

What challenge were you trying to address with Better Software Group?

In a project for one of our bank clients, we were building an electronic banking platform for them and Better Software Group was our subcontractor to handle the mobile application.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They delivered us a full team that was capable of building the app and managing the project, as well as testing quality assurance. We ran the project in scrum according to our methodology, and they delivered a native iOS and Android application.

What is the team composition?

I worked with about five members of their team in total.

How did you come to work with Better Software Group?

They were recommended to us by some other companies who had worked on projects with them and been satisfied with the quality, so we decided to work with them too.

How much have you invested with them?

I think the total value of the project was around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from about March–July 2018.

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

We finished the project with great success, and the application is fully up and running. We had a very good experience with the Better Software Group team. There were no problems in the solution that they delivered, and our customers and their clients were all very pleased.

How did Better Software Group perform from a project management standpoint?

We ran the project in scrum, so we had a weekly review of the software and made sure everything was working correctly. They conformed to our methodology, which helped the project to be very efficient and allowed us to meet all of our project deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their strength is that they specialize in mobile development, so they have a lot of expertise regarding mobile solutions and how to deliver on pretty much any problem you can have.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. If I had to do the project all over again, I would absolutely choose them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Tulum Technologies. We operate in the video and media industries. After working with consultants on different projects, we launched our own products about two years ago.

What challenge were you trying to address with Better Software Group?

We wanted to develop a platform that connects celebrities with their fans through personal video messages they record individually. The user seeks a celeb of their choice and books a video request (birthday, anniversary, big test). The celeb gets the request, records the video message, and sends it to the recipient through the platform. The user can then share the video on social media platforms or download it to their device.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a backend web app and a mobile app. We met and discussed what we wanted to do, and then they started to understand the scope and determine the MVP. After delivering the MVP to validate the product and business case, they built out the whole solution. The system is built on Flutter, which allowed them to use one code for the iOS and Android mobile app.

What is the team composition?

We worked with different amounts of people during different stages. Altogether, though, there were seven: a project manager, two backend developers, one frontend developer, two mobile developers, and a QA resource.

How did you come to work with Better Software Group?

We’d worked with them before on a different project, where they developed a platform for uploading fitness videos for fitness instructors. It was a very good experience, and they were local for us. This allowed us to meet in their office and see their faces and work process. That prior experience was the most important factor, though.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $250,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2018 until September 2019.

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

Right now, we're talking with agencies that work with influencers and celebrities. Their feedback on the app has been good, but it's not open to the public yet. We’re actually going to Lisbon to show it at a web summit, soon. The app will be live in the next month or so, as we’re in the prep stage for a successful market entry.

How did Better Software Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They provided daily updates and worked in scrum, so we had longer, biweekly sprint sessions where the developers would show us a demo version of what they’ve done. Communication was pretty much daily, through conversations and emails

I’m satisfied with their work, which was fluid, collaborative, and transparent. I knew exactly what was going on, and they informed me about every issue that arose before dealing with it immediately.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by their expertise, and they taught me a lot about technology. I was also impressed by their speed and willingness to learn about our market. The platform is mostly for younger people, so we wanted it to be intuitive and pretty. Better Software Group dug into that and did research, providing ideas about how to make it better and more appealing and easy to use.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I had a good experience with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

What helped us a lot in developing quickly was spending time on developing the MVP. It validated our project idea and how the project could look. In a project like ours that’s dedicated to social media users, it’s important to have your unique characteristics identified in the beginning.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Product Manager in R&D of Unit4 Polska. Our company has about 600 employees and we develop ERP / BI and HR systems named Teta. Please look at https://www.unit4.com/pl

For what projects/services did your company hire Better Software Group?

We wanted to have a BI software that would allow managers to see and analyze changes in performance, retain forecasts, and monitor progress in business strategy implementation.

What were your goals for this project?

The main goal of the project was to deliver an outstanding application that supports managers in decision-making process. End users are provided with a simple and flexible solution that enables customizing system in terms of budgeting, multi-dimensional data analysis, and forecasting (together with reporting and presenting data).

How did you select this vendor?

We came across BSG several times because they are known in Wroclaw for delivering great software. We have collected few offers from previously selected companies and finally decided to go with Better Software Group as they had required skills and presented the most attractive offer.

Describe the project in detail.

Delivered application’s main goal was to focus on enhancing the decision-making process in enterprises by providing user-friendly solution. Users can access the data in a quick and simple manner.

TETA Business Intelligence meets the requirements of modern solutions that are widely used both in Poland and around the world. The application can be accessed with a use of different tools. It can be installed on user workstations, used as an Excel spreadsheet, as well as accessed through a web browser, or via e-mail.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of 10+ people. During the project we had assigned up to 5 Software Developers, 5 Consultants, a Business Analyst, a QA Specialist, and a dedicated Sales Rep.

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

One of the most important values in the delivered application was possibility of combining data from different sources and providing a detailed and accurate perspective of current situation.

Regular reporting systems seem to allow users to only investigate previously provided data without giving an option of cross-sectional analysis. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain the most valuable information that can be useful when predicting future performance.

BSG team managed to overcome this issue when developing TETA Business Intelligence solution.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The cooperation was smooth and the communication seamless. Both sides were committed to achieve the mutual goal giving us the feeling like they were a part of our internal team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I think their work ethics are quite impressive. The team was focused on the project and supported us with their ideas and solutions. The cooperation was very transparent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don’t seem to find any. We were very satisfied with their work.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a technology company in the video industry. We consult on various video projects, and we're currently developing two projects of our own. I'm the CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with Better Software Group?

We want to start, manage, and grow our own initiatives. We started an online fitness platform that allowed coaches and trainers to post a variety of workout videos.

What was the scope of their involvement?

After they understood what we wanted to do, they worked within a scrum methodology to build the platform. They created all the functionality and designed layouts. They came up with ways to protect the content, integrate a payment system, and set up how the streaming content would look. They've tested the product, but we're still acquiring videos before we launch.

What is the team composition?

The team was made up of two or three developers, a project manager, and a quality assurance lead.

How did you come to work with Better Software Group?

I did some online research for development companies in our area. Several people I work with referred them, and we felt we might have a positive experience with them. We started a conversation, and we decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

Our cost was around $300,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in the beginning of 2018, and they completed their work in May 2018.

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

The product hasn’t gone live yet. We have shown it to content providers and instructors, and everyone who sees it gives us positive feedback. People with non-technical backgrounds feel the user experience is easy, and we feel we've achieved our key goals.

How did Better Software Group perform from a project management standpoint?

I'm very satisfied with their work. They were responsive, and they clearly did their homework. They were always prepared, and they learned about our industry from the viewpoint of the end user. Our sessions involved a lot of brainstorming, and they were able to challenge some of our ideas based upon their own research. We had short daily online meetings, and longer meetings every two weeks to go over their work and to plan next steps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our whole partnership was very good. Not only did they listen to us, they often came back with better solutions. Scheduling and timing were good, and the project went according to plan. Overall, I was very happy with our collaboration.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I'm happy with their work, and they provided me with everything I needed. I don't think they could have improved anything on this particular project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get to know the team you plan to work with daily. The people we worked with understood our business and fit in well with our internal group.