Bluegrass Digital

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and owner of Digital Fire and several other United Kingdom and South Africa-based businesses. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bluegrass Digital?

I needed a quality software development and production house to work with some of our medium and large clients. We had a very big client that we needed to satisfy, so we brought them on to assist with some of the requirements.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In these development projects, they worked through our company or directly with our client, depending on our needs and the scope of the project. For some projects, we would provide examples of similar solutions to guide their thinking and development. Other times, they were tasked with creating a solution completely from scratch. Notably, they worked often with Umbraco, doing CRM work for us. 

What is the team composition?

I dealt directly with Nick (Founder, Bluegrass Digital) who was in charge of staffing developers to my projects and overseeing progress. 

How did you come to work with Bluegrass Digital?

One of their partners reached out to me, explaining what they handle. At the time, my company was being asked to do more and more for clients within the realm of development. I saw an opportunity to bring them on as a partner. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $250,000–$500,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the relationship in 2010, and our teams are still collaborating. I’m looking to do more work with their team for my other companies.   

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They always followed through on what they promised, working with up-to-date technology. They never produced anything that we were less than 100% satisfied with. I’ve been very happy with this partnership.  

How did Bluegrass Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

The reason we continue to use their services was their exceptional project management services. We work with clients from around the world, but they were always able to manage the project efficiently from their location in Cape Town.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood the quality of work that we needed and delivered on time. We’ve worked on great projects together. Their ability to implement within our technological requirements and strict timeframes was impressive. They also exhibited a clear understanding of our market.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything that they could’ve done differently. They’ve always delivered on time and accomplished what we’ve asked of them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you provide a strong, clear brief that details exactly what you want to achieve. The more work you do before the start of the engagement, the more smoothly the process will be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the lead project manager at DNAfit. Our company offers at-home genetic testing that gives users personalized information about areas of fitness, nutrition, stress, and sleep.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bluegrass Digital?

We needed to develop an app compatible with both iOS and Android that allows users to access their personal information and communicate through a chat platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did all of the design, but Bluegrass Digital was responsible for building the app for us. The application was developed using React Native. They created a platform that enabled users to communicate with our team and view results from their wellness tests.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a project manager and a small team of 2–3 people.

How did you come to work with Bluegrass Digital?

I’m not sure because it was before I was a part of the team. I decided to stick with them because they’ve already gone through the process of working with us; they really built themselves up. They already understand us and our business so it works well. Part of our company is based on South Africa, so it works well that Bluegrass Digital is based there, too. 

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It is good so far; it would be beneficial to get some expertise from them in terms of how well it is actually going to work for user functionality over time.

How did Bluegrass Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They were good. We mostly used Jira to manage the project and Slack for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The ability to exchange ideas and chat freely with them has been great. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their communication skills could be better by including their manager, so I wouldn't have to ask about their progress and find what we need to catch up on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be engaging, honest, and open with them. Give them as much information as possible. By working closely with them, you can get your requirements across and get what you’re looking for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a full-service marketing agency that specializes in digital projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bluegrass Digital?

One of my clients was looking to get materials onto Veeva, a marketing platform built for the pharmaceutical industry. I wasn’t familiar with the platform, so I reached out to Bluegrass Digital to make the project happen.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bluegrass Digital is our go-to agency for all Veeva work for our clients.

The Veeva platform serves as a marketing tool for our clients’ salespeople. They can meet with a client and have all the marketing materials and information they need on a tablet. They can track usage, take notes, and access regulations for many markets. 

By the time we bring Bluegrass Digital in, the creative work is done and vetted by a regulatory panel. Their job is relatively straightforward: they transfer materials onto the Veeva platform. This usually means source files—high-resolution PDFs and other visual content that needs to be programmed into the proper language so that it works in Veeva. They then smooth the appearance and make sure the functionality works properly.

What is the team composition?

We usually have four people working on any given project. Matt (Business Analyst, Bluegrass Digital) and Nick (Managing Director, Bluegrass Digital) do most of the work, an account representative gives us quotes and updates, and Mark (Operations Director, Bluegrass Digital) oversees everything.

How did you come to work with Bluegrass Digital?

In my research, I came across Bluegrass Digital when they posted a Veeva primer on LinkedIn Learning. It wasn’t enough for me to learn how to do it myself, but it did bring their services and expertise to light for me. I reached out and set up a call with Mark to explain what I was looking for. We went from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend £3,000–£5,000 (approximately $3,900–$6,600 USD) on each project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first project went from June until September 2018. We’ve since done 8–9 projects together, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first project had a tight timeline, but Bluegrass Digital still delivered precisely what the client was looking for on time and budget. Since then, for every Veeva project, they’ve met or beaten our deadlines and budgets. Our clients are very happy with their work—it’s hard to find someone who can do those services and who consistently delivers on time or ahead of schedule. Respecting deadlines is very important to our clients and us, so I appreciate Bluegrass Digital’s diligence there.

Their team also never charges us extra for small changes or tweaks that we request. I appreciate that flexibility. I periodically look at other vendors, but I haven’t tried them yet—I’m satisfied with Bluegrass Digital. 

How did Bluegrass Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a few dozen people we can reach out to over a Slack channel or Skype group. In our first project, when we were getting to know each other, we did a lot of Skype and phone calls. Now that we’re more comfortable with each other, text communication—such as email, WhatsApp, Skype chat, or Telegram—is our default. I also get regular updates about where they are on the timeline. Their team is easy to work with.

The time zone difference is a challenge—I’m on the east coast in North America, and Bluegrass Digital’s office is in South Africa. We’ve figured out ways to schedule things during the 4–5-hour window where we’re both at the office. They’re also responsive when they’re out of the office, but I don’t expect that from them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their timing and responsiveness stand out the most to me. Bluegrass Digital is very good at estimating how long a task will take and get it done within that timeframe or even earlier. A lot of vendors can stay under budget, but not everyone can deliver on time. Timeliness is critical in my line of work, so I appreciate that dedication from them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The time zone difference is sometimes an issue, but I can’t blame Bluegrass Digital for it. Having them at an office down the street would make it easier for me to plan things rapidly without having to schedule so far in advance. However, we knew their location when we hired them, and their work has been fantastic.

Any advice for potential customers?

Bluegrass Digital is very good at adhering to instructions, so be as clear as possible about what you want them to do. Sometimes, we had them redo things because of some miscommunication on both ends. Make sure to plan for time zone differences as well. If you give them instructions the night before, they’ll often have the work done the next morning.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and director at Dineplan. We develop reservation software for restaurants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bluegrass Digital?

We wanted to develop a reservation booking app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the frontend of our consumer-facing restaurant booking app, which communicates with our software via an API for all the actual information. They worked on native Android and iOS apps in ReactJS.

We had a good idea of what we wanted in terms of the concept and functionality. We started from scratch with the wireframes and the layout and they helped us with that. The app has launched and Bluegrass Digital continues to help with new functionalities and maintenance.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, an analyst, a lead developer that did most of our meetings, and another developer.

How did you come to work with Bluegrass Digital?

We worked next door to another company that had a good app development experience with Bluegrass Digital and suggested we talk to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received excellent user feedback on the app’s functionality. We now have 40,000 users. Restaurants love it.

They have a really good process in terms of breaking down each development cycle. They make sure that the tasks for that cycle are very clear.

How did Bluegrass Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They handled the project very well and were a great team to work with. They used a project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We had never developed an app before and we found Bluegrass Digital really approachable. They understood what we were trying to do and had the resources and capabilities to pull it off.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve jumped when we needed them to jump. They’ve been great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good idea of what it is you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of digital production for a public relations and communications firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bluegrass Digital?

We engaged Bluegrass Digital to build .NET websites on behalf of third-party clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bluegrass Digital built multiple responsive websites using Umbraco.  Once we assign their team a project and agree on the timeline and milestone, they complete development using a waterfall model. In one case, the team helped us coordinate with NASDAQ to incorporate New York Stock Exchange data into a website.

What is the team composition?

Nick (Managing Director, Bluegrass Digital) and Mark (Operations Director) serve as our main points of contact. They coordinate a team of front- and backend developers behind the scenes. 

How did you come to work with Bluegrass Digital?

We found their team through a referral by an internal colleague. Once we performed our due diligence and checked them out, we started working with Bluegrass Digital.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2013, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients are consistently pleased with Bluegrass Digital’s work. We showcase their websites as case studies and have won new business from new clients as a direct result. Bluegrass Digital is consistently an excellent partner for any large web development project.

How did Bluegrass Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

Accessible and professional, the team always stays on top of tasks. Over the years we’ve learned how to complement our skills and approaches to work, and our partnership runs smoothly as a result. They keep us up-to-date on progress and inform us of any issues or potential delays. We primarily collaborate via Planio, Slack, and Redmine. Their project managers coordinate with ours before every project to arrange communication tools. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technical knowledge and expertise lead to reliable and high-quality products.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be open and honest from the start. Share as much information as possible with their team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of development for an investment fund management company. We deal with retail and institutional clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bluegrass Digital?

We needed a company to develop our CMS.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We went through a high-level requirements gathering process, and Bluegrass Digital augmented our business team to deliver the project. They developed our CMS using Episerver. We were looking for something out of the box with new features and wanted to track data analytics as well. A large part of our implementation was around content and gathering data that would impact analytics. The last part of the implementation was to serve that content with documents like a high-level brochure.

We went live with the CMS in December 2017. They’re on retainer with us and there have been quite a few releases. They recently did an upgrade for us that went live last week, so there’s still ongoing development.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with their director and senior digital project manager on the project management front, and with their managing director on the account management front. There have been three or four developers and one or two QA specialists involved as well.

How did you come to work with Bluegrass Digital?

We had an RFP process to determine which vendor we would choose, and Bluegrass Digital came out on top. They had ample experience, fair prices, and we liked the culture of their organization.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2017, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re a capability-oriented organization and have the ability to make changes right away, which we appreciate.

How did Bluegrass Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Atlassian and Jira to communicate. We have frequent standup meetings and haven’t had any issues with project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a lot of knowledge and deliver quality products.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They have the knowledge and experience to fix any issue.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Stay engaged and be flexible. Don’t stick to a very formal process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive at PrioriTiger.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

A productivity app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bluegrass Digital to accomplish?

• App development from inception to going live.
• Create a compelling user experience.
• Stand out from competitors.

SOLUTION

How did you find Bluegrass Digital?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Bluegrass Digital over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Bluegrass Digital were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

This project was a full app development journey that included finding creative/innovative but sensible solutions that suited the idea, technical execution of building the app and ensuring quality till launch. Essentially: Bluegrass took the idea for an app, created the UX , built the app, tested it, and launched it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The launch was recent. So no measurable statistics, but it works beautifully, and the launch was seamless.

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

Their project management is excellent. They are also on time with their targets and attentive to my needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Bluegrass Digital?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The ability to combine the creative and the technical was what I most needed, and this is what they did incredibly well.

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

I'm very satisfied. So none.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and the project was to develop a new web site.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bluegrass Digital?

Website set up and design.

SOLUTION

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

UX design, website development - CMS system. User Access

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

5

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Website is up and running and we are pleased with it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Generally very effective.

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

They have delivered a good website that looks good and is highly functional. They were talented and had good teamwork. The back-end is good and flexible. Good process, very good budgeting, and tracking. I liked that.

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

We are not web experts and missed that our project was bigger than expected and would take more time to deliver.