Chapter247 Infotech

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Product Officer (CPO) of DSTechSolutions LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

DSTech Solutions provides full service IT managed services for business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Chapter247 Infotech to accomplish?

• Migration of Database to new database architecture
• Development of the new Robust user interface of customers dashboard
• Successfully optimised the database, improving overall system performance and efficiency
• Implemented automated multi-tenant deployment processes, enhancing scalability.
• Completed IT strategy and consulting services, gaining deep insights into the client's business.
• Successfully migrated legacy systems to modern platforms while maintaining data integrity and functionality.
• Deployed the modernised application using MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture.

SOLUTION

How did you find Chapter247 Infotech?

Online Search

Why did you select Chapter247 Infotech over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Chapter247 Infotech were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Developed a complete rebuild of our product's (Plutoport) user interface. Also developed the platform and server migration of the product. Engaged in testing and changes as needed. Added an additional functionality of a calendar.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Increased user satisfaction: Measured through user feedback, reduced support tickets, or increased user engagement following the UI/UX improvements.
• Reduced maintenance costs: Achieved by migrating from legacy systems to modern platforms, potentially measured by decreased IT support hours or reduced hardware costs.
• Improved system performance: Measured by increased database query speeds, reduced response times, and overall system efficiency following database optimization.
• Enhanced scalability: Demonstrated by the ability to handle more tenants or users simultaneously without performance degradation, due to the automated multi-tenant deployment processe
• Improved data integrity and security: Potentially measured by reduced data errors, improved data consistency, or enhanced security metrics following the database optimization and migration.
• Increased development efficiency: Demonstrated by faster deployment times or reduced code complexity due to the implementation of the MVC architecture.

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

Yes. They are very mindful of completing objectives within the required timeframes, keeping us informed and updated, and taking our notes and corrections well.

What was your primary form of communication with Chapter247 Infotech?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their honesty, straightforward way of doing things, and quality.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Chapter247 Infotech could have done differently?

We were satisfied with their performance.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO for ZOIQ who is managing a platform for non-profits who have bespoke lesson and survey requirements for their organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Chapter247 Infotech, and what were your goals?

We launched the LMS project just before Covid, which amplified the requirements for the client in a Black Swan type of event. I was needing qualified engineers to spin up on a complicated project and provide specialized deliverables that would work across the code base.

Chapter247 was able to provide me with a dedicated resource who could work on complex requirements and turn them around in a methodical manner while writing very clean code that was easy to integrate and leverage with other areas of the app.

SOLUTION

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

We put out a coding exam as part of the hiring process. This agency and another one came back with the best results. The deciding factor came down to cost and the fact the leadership team was second to none during the requirements-gathering process. The other agency was not as attentive.

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

The project was set up on AWS, using React, a noSQL database and GraphQL. At the time it was difficult to find someone with all the technical skillsets. The engineer was able to help define schema requirements, write GraphQL queries, connect it to React and push process back into Lambda when necessary.

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

I only worked with 1 engineer/developer on this project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was a very positive experience. We were using Agile and had a continuous cycle of updates to production. They were able to handle the entire software development lifecycle.

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

The engineer was a dedicated resource to the project so this question is not appliable.

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

They are well-run and consistent and bring no drama to the process. The engineer was initially supposed to be on the project for 2 months, and he stayed on the team for over a year. The management team was very supportive and we had a positive relationship throughout the entire process.

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

Given their resource was a dedicated resource, they did everything on their side to ensure a positive experience from availability, escalation, and billing. Everything went smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a standardized test prep company that helps physical therapist pass their licensure exam.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Chapter247 Infotech, and what were your goals?

We had a desire to develop our own practice exam software. We wanted to be able to host 1,000+ students on the software in order for them to take exams and get their performance analysis.

SOLUTION

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

We found them through a referral and we’re the only quality-based company that we could find. We did try some major companies out there. However, we didn’t get good customer service.

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

They designed and developed a full website/practice exam software that allowed students to take exams. The site also included the ability to analyze those exams and provide score reports.

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

There were three people in the core team, including a 2 software engineers and a project manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to launch the overall project on time with minimal issues. Their team was available at a moments notice to fix problems that arose. They were also able to add in various things to make the website run better.

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

The project management was great, and always on time. They were very responsive and easy to book meetings with. They communicated primarily through Google Drive and email. Which made it very easy for us to make changes.

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

We had direct access to major players of their team. It was very impressive, the level of communication and detailed that they went to to make the project a success. I really love the fact that they were always thinking ahead and giving ideas for how we can make the website better.

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

While the quality of the work was great, there were times where I couldn’t understand what was being asked.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a SaaS company designed to improve management systems for the hospitality & retail sectors

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Chapter247 Infotech, and what were your goals?

We hired Chapter247 Infotech to take over the development of our web app, from a very basic MVP to adding multiple, complicated features. The nature of the work was to be ongoing, with constant communication, collaboration & feedback from both parties. We set out to develop a product with very basic functionality to be much more diverse, multi-functional product that could e used over multiple industries

SOLUTION

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

After having been through several months and a number of different developers that all proved to be very poor, I decided to set 12 different developers a few different tasks and get them to work on them at the same time with the same deadline and I would choose the best. Chapter247 Infotech won this by quite a distance.

The fundamentals of my choice would have been quality of work for a fair price, which they excelled at, but the real decing factor was the professionalism, communication & efficiency with which I was dealt with. The CEO was hands on from the start and constantly checking in to make sure everything was going smoothly, I hold customer support and communication very important.

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

Methodology: We needed a full stack developer well experienced in React, CSS and GraphQL, AWS and Amplify systems. The development process is based on the agile method, running sprints through scrums and constant weekly meetings and updates on how to proceed in the most efficient manner. We use a Trello board to run and communicate tasks and issues on a constant basis which will be updated frequently by the scrum master/ product manager based on any relevant issues and feedback.

• Stage 1: focus on the initial core feature: rostering main features for rostering are booking time-off, shift swapping, shift recommendations, shift/day notes, as well as multiple minor UX changes development of this feature will be in constant review and updated based on customer feedback
• Stage 2: focus on testing rostering feature & develop second core feature: a messaging system designed to work to the needs of the hospitality/retail industry
• Stage 3: develop a unique clock-in system that would maintain the privacy of employees, so without using mobiles, GPS or biometrics
• Stage 4: Make the platform functional across multiple venues with easy to follow reports for owners
• Stage 5: build out native apps for iOS and Android

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

The CEO, Sourabh, was very hands-on from the start with excellent communication and support. I worked with 2 of their full stack developers, both of whom I was very happy with, and if there was any technical issues the CTO was also on hand to jump on call as needed. Overall, a very well run operation

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Previous to Chapter247 Infotech I had been through a number of developers claiming to be much better than they were, this resulted in a lot of time and money lost. I was very impressed with Chapter247 Infotech from day one, they stood well above the crowd with how professional they were from the start and continued to deliver consistently high quality work, quickly and at a more than fair price.

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

Team management and communication is run through G-Suite with all necessary members of Chapter247 available, from CEO and CTO to developers. For the development process we use the agile method, running sprints through scrums and constant weekly meetings and updates on how to proceed in the most efficient manner.

We use a Trello board to run and communicate tasks and issues on a constant basis which will be updated frequently by the scrum master/ product manager based on any relevant issues and feedback. Everything is dealt with in a very timely manner and to an excellent standard. All issues were handled quickly and in the right order of priority, very happy with that

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

What initially stood out to me was how well the company seemed to be run and that the commuication was excellent. I felt like I could always reach out to all the relevant parties (including those at the highest positions) I needed to when I wanted. The quality of work was always of a very high standard, delivered quickly and with excellent commitment to quality.

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

The only thing they could have done better would have been if they were sitting next to me in the office! However they did everything they could to ensure it felt like they were: adapting hours to better suit our timezone, contacting staff after hours if there was an issue and the CEO seemed to be available around the clock (you can tell he works extremely hard)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Sales and Marketing Manager here at CDM. We manufacture and supply doors to the retail home-improvement industry and commercial/builder trade.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Chapter247 Infotech?

We were needing to update our website from WIX platform. We have a very complex configurator and we needed a team that would develop our vision and make it a live finished product where customers can go to LEARN about doors and BUY doors either directly or from any of our retail channels.

SOLUTION

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

We were referred to by a close reliable business associate. They pitched us on designs and processes and were among 3 finalists. We chose them.

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

We needed a smooth-running API that worked conjunction with our Roomle/Rubens configurator. We started with a flow chart of the process and worked systematically through the steps. Different types of products required unique solutions for purchase and shipping.

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

I mostly interfaced with 2 people. Nilisha and Anand and they were both very available and responsive.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website sales are up over 100%

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was smooth. The initial phases were mostly exchange of information, assets, ideas. Mostly we communicated by email and occasionally skype/google meet. We would work from a master issue list and share notes and docs via shared drive. For the ongoing work, its more of an initial email from my team to the Chapter247 team about what we want to tackle next and then we meet via video conference and discuss the details. Follow up is always prompt and thorough and we work together until a solution is created.

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

I was very impressed by the way they took our very complex building and pricing of units and made a seamless application out of it. Yes there are always issues and changes needing to be made and Nilisha and Anand are always all over it!

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

My experience with them has been nothing but positive, so I have no complaints or suggestions as to how they could improve. It's like the old saying "Why fix it if it ain't broken?"

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of a social media platform that marketing professionals can use to create shareable portfolios.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chapter247?

We had hired an agency of freelancers to get our platform up and running, but we outgrew them.  We needed a more professional, robust team to support us, and that’s where Chapter247 came in.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Chapter247 overhauled our frontend and provided some input on the design. I acted as a technical designer for most of the platform, working very closely with the frontend engineer on both concept and production.

On the backend, Chapter247 had to clean house. The database was fragile and very unstructured. They also shored up security and authentication.  They then began executing against the backlog, a mix of front- and backend challenges. Chapter247 also managed our Google Cloud for me. 

The tech stack that we used might not have been what Chapter247 would have chosen, but I didn’t want to start redeveloping the website from scratch. The frontend was built with Javascript, HTML, and CSS. The backend used Laravel, jQuery, Bootstrap, Javascript, and Cropper.js. The database was MySQL, and the server was Apache 2.0 hosted on Google Cloud.

Chapter247’s scope of work varied depending on the complexity of whatever feature I was requesting. Early on, I provided high-fidelity wireframes, which they translated into code. Due to time constraints, and as their frontend developer got up to speed, I would sometimes provide high-, mid-, or low-fidelity wireframes, or sometimes just text. They would then translate what I provided into the actual design. 

They built the entire sign-up and the onboarding screens that helped new users get started with the website. The screens explained what our platform does and guided users to complete their profiles.

Chapter 247 helped us reinvent and recreate the user experience of how a user added marketing campaigns to their portfolio. Chapter 247 built the backend and the UI/UX, allowing us to capture user information.

For business reasons, we wanted to test out a feed of content that every user on the platform can view. Chapter247 helped us create the feed and its functions, first allowing search functionality and then allowing users to filter the feed for different marketing verticals.

We needed a way to add more marketing campaigns to show the value proposition of the website, so Chapter247 created a feature where we could add marketing campaigns under a generic profile. Any user who worked on that marketing campaign could add it to their own marketing portfolio with a click.

What is the team composition?

I worked most closely with Anand (Project Manager). He acted as a systems architect, lead engineer, and account manager. I had a full-time frontend developer and a full-time backend developer. Chapter247 also provided us with a DevOps engineer as needed.

How did you come to work with Chapter247?

Chapter247 found me on LinkedIn. We interviewed them and probably 20 other companies. Chapter247 seemed like good partners given their cost, knowledge, and account management, so we negotiated a deal with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $25,000–$27,000 with Chapter247.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Chapter247 from February 2020–September 2021. Our engagement with them only ended because we had to re-pivot our business.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

During the time that Chapter247 partnered with us, user signups and traffic probably increased tenfold.

One of the most impactful features was being able to upload campaigns under our generic handle for users to claim — it created a highly populated website with a lot of amazing campaigns. We were able to reach out to customers, telling them that we’d uploaded campaigns they’d worked on, so they had an almost readymade portfolio.

How did Chapter247 perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a good dynamic with Chapter247’s team, thanks to Anand. Anand was good at maintaining the team’s execution pace. I didn't participate in their daily stand-ups, as those were highly technical. Anand was very good at participating on my behalf and pushing the team to give me daily updates about what they had worked on.

Despite the time difference, Chapter 247’s team was quite responsive when I provided feedback or needed clarity. Occasionally, we did get together as an entire team, so I did have a chance to talk to the front- and backend developers.

They were extremely flexible concerning everything that was happening with COVID-19. Sometimes projects got a bit delayed, but I didn't mind because we were always trying to stretch a little bit more than what seemed reasonable. They always stretched to take on a bit more than they thought they could handle while still delivering ahead of time. They accomplished that goal many times. I didn't control for hours, but they seemed to be putting in extra hours to get projects done. 

Chapter247’s team was quite flexible in adopting the tools that I wanted to use. I requested that Chapter247 collaborate with me via Notion, Slack, and Adobe XD.

From a financial standpoint, they provided regular reports on hours used that we would discuss with Anand. He was very good at explaining why numbers fluctuated in situations where they thought that they were at fault. He reduced the average to make up for any mistakes on their end.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve only used two providers, so my sample is very small — but of those two, Chapter247 has certainly been better at project management and communication. They’ve executed faster in terms of speed and quality, and I’ve probably paid less for their services.

Anand was very good at discussing business and system requirements without using too much jargon, which allowed for good brainstorming and eventually led us to good requirements for the rest of the team. Whenever needed, Anand was great at translating my business needs into technical requirements for his team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although I had great communication with Anand, I never had a good feedback loop with the rest of the team. I was pretty active in asking for feedback regarding pretty much every part of the development process. They could have challenged me more — that's probably the one thing that I would have liked them to improve.

We did experience recurrent surges in access to our Google Cloud server that Google thought was crypto mining. Chapter 247 was able to bring the server back up very quickly each time, and they did put effort into a variety of means for mitigating or resolving this issue. In the end though, this issue continued to recur, and I wish the vendor could have ultimately resolved the issue.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have your business case and design requirements very clear, and Chapter247 will do a great job of translating those into technical requirements. I think that if you have your strategy and discovery set, then Chapter247 can bring you home with the rest. They can do a good job in recommending your tech stack, system design, and data modeling. They’ll move efficiently toward actual execution.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of HolaMaven, an ed-tech company. We prepare students for entrance exams for US universities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chapter247 Infotech?

We wanted to create a testing platform for our students. We needed a company to develop custom software that suited our requirements.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Chapter247 has provided custom software development for our testing platform. It’s an e-commerce platform where we can create and sell our product to our existing students and new markets.

Initially, we shared our requirements and expectations with them. It only took us one call to explain what we wanted out of the product. They created a timeline and jotted down all the basic requirements into a draft. Then, we started with the software.

Since we’re looking for a very customized platform, it’s being developed for different types of questions in terms of the test’s adaptability. We’ve introduced that feature in our software and testing platform. It requires different tables to get started, and it has an integrated calculator for all the required sections.

Chapter247 has customized all these things for us. Additionally, they’ve done all the research, and they use the latest technologies.

What is the team composition?

We’re in contact with the CTO and the team lead.

How did you come to work with Chapter247 Infotech?

An ex-colleague referred them. We’d worked with two other companies before getting in touch with Chapter247, but we didn’t have a great experience with them. We paid one of the companies and stopped the project in between.

We first met their CTO and team lead, and we had a Skype call. Before that, we gave them our basic requirements. When we had the first meeting with Chapter247, we were very impressed with the homework they’d done. They understood exactly what we were looking for.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2021, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve delivered exactly what we had in my mind, and the product is above par. There haven’t been any issues with it. Moreover, we’ve had a great and seamless experience with the team. We’re ready to go ahead with the second phase of development, which will start in February.

How did Chapter247 Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is excellent. Initially, they promised to deliver in around two months, and it only took them one extra week to deliver the final product. They explain every feature they develop and ask us if we want changes. The team replies to all of our queries, and they’re very prompt. Our point of contact is always available when we need them.

We’re in touch via email. We only have to wait if it’s a non-working day. Overall, we’ve had a good experience with the team lead. We haven’t needed the CTO other than the first three meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The product is above our expectations, and they delivered it only one week past the deadline. We’d wasted our time with the other two companies, but when we got in touch with Chapter247, it was finally delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Their team will understand the customer’s needs. We only required one meeting for them to understand our product; it’s the first time this has happened to us.

Also, be in touch with their team lead and ask for development updates. They’ll listen to whatever changes you require, so keep suggesting them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Vice President of an original equipment manufacturer of material handling equipment including hydraulic scissor lift tables and shop cranes. I am responsible for all operations, including sales and marketing as well as production.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Chapter247 Infotech, and what were your goals?

Chapter247 built our online store last year consisting of a full customized Product Configurator and eCommerce portal. This year, we engaged with them again to upgrade the online store to incorporate user registration and wish list features.

SOLUTION

How did you select Chapter247 Infotech and what were the deciding factors?

We selected Chapter247 because of the successful implementation of the previous project, and their knowledge and familiarity with the system. The deciding factors were our previous work experience, their knowledgeable and friendly staff, and reasonable cost of services.

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

The online store is built on a custom PHP platform and this project consisted of the following requirements:

• User Registrations
• Sign
• Login
• Change password
• Forgot password
• Profile update
• Order history 
• Reorder option
• view order and print
• wishlist list

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

We had one primary point of contact, our Project Manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was completed successfully and the new features that were added met our requirements and function as desired.

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

Communication was handled exclusively through e-mail and was timely and thorough. Any corrections or changes were handled in a timely fashion, performed to our satisfaction, and communicated well.

Most likely there would have been more in-depth project management reviews and meetings if this was a more complex project, but since it was an upgrade to a previous project, we were able to handle the project and communications informally without wasting any time.

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

I am impressed with Chapter247 for their resourcefulness and creativity. They provided exactly the features we requested with a pleasant GUI that integrated nicely with our theme and site design.

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

Some of the prompts and confirmation messages were not perfect English grammar, but that is a very minor improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an online travel agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chapter247 Infotech?

We had no website so we hired them to create one.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided all of the graphic design and Chapter247 Infotech developed a functioning website that executed our vision. The team connected an API to our inventory and supplier. 

What is the team composition?

We were in direct communication with four teammates, but there were 4–6 other individuals working behind the scenes at various times. 

How did you come to work with Chapter247 Infotech?

We found them on Upwork. We then interviewed multiple candidates, and Chapter247 Infotech came across as the most credible and fairly-priced option. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from October 2018–February 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Chapter247 Infotech was able to execute on all of our goals and our vision. For that, we’re very grateful, especially because it was a very complicated project. My partner and I are both non-technical, so the team did a great job of interpreting our layman description and translating it into a well-functioning program. 

As far as the quality of work, the program functions just as we envisioned. The only issue is the speed, but that’s probably related to our funding ability because, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we are clamping down on expenses. Overall, we are very pleased with the work that the team has done for us. 

How did Chapter247 Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management could’ve been improved. They were neither organized nor disorganized, but tasks just took longer than we thought they should’ve. We’re not expert developers so we’re probably not the best judges of how long certain tasks should take.

We spoke over Skype and video chat and used Google Docs. There was a challenge with communication, which is expected when outsourcing development work. My partner, who dealt with them mostly, wasn’t familiar with communicating with outsourced developers in a professional capacity, which led to a lot of misunderstandings.

The compensation for that was the price, which was much less expensive than it would’ve been in the U.S. The cost for us was critical because my partner and I funded this personally, so we had cost limitations. This was the first program that we ever custom-designed so we had a learning curve along the journey. Because of this, we weren’t able to advise Chapter247 Infotech in the most efficient way. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with how they executed exactly what we wanted, despite the fact that our project was very complex. Before working with them, we had worked with two other developers but we had to let them go. 

What sets Chapter247 Infotech apart is that they really are the ones doing the development. They are very committed to the project and sincerely want to be a part of and contribute to something successful, which is priceless. 

Through thick and thin, Chapter247 Infotech has been very dedicated and flexible. They’ve also been very fair in their business dealings with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve improved on the language barrier. Chapter247 Infotech had a great project manager but he couldn’t stay on top of all the communication. So, we had to communicate with the developers who work under him, which is where the details were getting messed up. This, combined with our inability to communicate technically, led to some breakdowns in the progress.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you can communicate effectively with Indian outsourced developers. Additionally, watch for consistency on the development team working behind the scenes.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

SimpleStudy is an online education program that offers exam paper solutions and study notes for the Irish educational system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Chapter247 Infotech?

I hired Chapter247 to build the site from scratch. Together we worked through UI/UX design, exam organizational structure, a subscription system, along with all the other aspects of our educational program - from facilitating payments to adding sub-users.

What were your goals for this project?

My goals were to build the full site to accommodate subscribers to our system and to be able to adjust the content and exams as we please.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I trawled through over 50 applications to the project on UpWork. Chapter 247 just had the best work ethic and applicable experience to what I was looking for.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The team at Chapter247 began by discussing in-depth how we would like to develop the project, allowing them to explore different options for the design. We then began to build out the backend and the separate content organization features for the site. Then the different types of subscription for monthly/yearly, single/multi-users. Beyond that, I was demanding in terms of our ability to modify the site ex-post.

What was the team composition?

The team was composed of Anand and Damini who dealt with my requests and communicated all the relevant information to me. Apart from that the developers and designers worked under the guidance of Anand/Damini who then reported back to me.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Currently, we are at the stage of data input before launching our site in October. Yet already we have had great interest and many compliments. We ourselves are really enjoying the reactivity and responsiveness of the site.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was very effective. All information was communicated directly to my personal e-mail. We then held a group chat on Skype was through group calls we would discuss the best plan to achieve the vision I have for my business.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

There are many strong points in this company. Communication is very strong, and the ability to adjust schedule and change style/feature lay-out in a short space of time was highly appreciated.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There were no real weak points for the company, even though they didn't understand the Irish educational system. The effort made to understand our industry was exceptional.