Compoze Labs

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the General Manager of a company that provides software services for metals manufacturing and distribution industries.

For what projects/services did your company hire Compoze Labs?

We used Compoze on 2 different projects.

One: We were working on our first server less project in AWS. We wanted to use Cloudformation, Codebuild and Codepipeline to orchestrate the CI/CD pipeline for the stack.

Two: Help us containerize our micro services. This involved the process of setting up a pipeline that would create and publish the containers and the ability for our customers to securely download and launch them.

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

Compoze was referred to us by an influencer in the Cloud Industry. Compoze was also working in the same space (ERP) as BTS-IT, Inc. The sales and the technical team seemed knowledgeable and down to earth. They understood our issues and had a strong grasp on the business and technical side of things.

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

Initial kick off call was set to to review the approach and the solution in detail. An estimate of different phases and clear deliverables for each phase were drawn up. A weekly review was set up and the dev team clearly explained what was done and what will be tackled next.

Any unexpected changes/additions were discussed in a transparent manner and we were always kept in the loop on the project status. Finally and most importantly - clear documentation was provided at hand off so that we can maintain what was built.

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

For the first project we had one resource: Managing Partner (and a technical architect). For the 2nd project we had the partner + another senior dev/architect

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

The first project (to set up the CI/D pipeline with cloud formation) was very successful. Compoze's team was very thorough and taught us a lot of new tricks. We hired them on the 2nd project to containerize our microservices and they are ahead of schedule and under budget on that one!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Compoze was very responsive. The team would respond to emails reliable and we also had a weekly cadence to catch up in which we discussed project progress. They were also willing to answer general architectural questions we had.

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

Highly technically competent plus the technical team has the ability to talk to the clients - they can explain complex technical concepts in a simple way. They guide you to make decisions that are really in your best interest. The team also has a variety of technical expertise.

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

None that I can see so far!

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work with companies to help the develop digital solutions for their problems, to increase business efficiency and improve outcomes.

For what projects/services did your company hire Elko?

A company I was working with had issues with connecting to to patients when they couldn't actually make it to the clinic. They also had problems with processing EMHR data, as their processes were largely still focused on manual input, which was time consuming and not without error.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to streamline processes and help the clinic connect properly to patients with a secure, HIPAA compliant application for messaging, feedback, data input and video calls. One of the key aspects was a high degree of simplicity and usability.

How did you select Elko?

Elko seemed to have some experience in the healthcare space when I found them, and it was clear fairly early that they had they expertise in data handling specific to the healthcare sector that I needed.

They had a big focus on putting data security first, which we needed, and also pushed hard on what they kept calling 'patient-centric design' which seemed to resonate with me.

Describe the project in detail.

We worked on coming up with a feature set that met our requirements and was viable within our budget, then we had extensive workshops to decide the flow and layout of the application - so that it would be easy for even the most tech-phobic patients to use intuitively.

After this we went through the design and build process, first completing the MVP - then the final product.

What was the team composition?

I worked with the guys from sales, the leadership team and several developers, designers and product managers - they were great at getting people in the room at the right time.

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

We have an app up and running and patient feedback has been fantastic so far.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was excellent. We had regular catch up and feedback calls, the team was always on hand for last ditch tweaks and really had our interests in mind throughout.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They explain every step of the process, simply but in detail - and their pricing was completely up front too so we didn't have any surprises.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We'll continue to update and improve the app and its features with Elko

Please describe your company and your position there.

I undertook this project in partnership with for one of my clients, a telehealth provider.

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

Due to Covid-19, we needed to upgrade our patient care solutions - as we were dealing with higher volumes

How did you select Elko and what were the deciding factors?

Elko showed us that they had expertise in data privacy and HIPAA compliance, a huge factor when looking for a solution provider. Security of EMHR was paramount.

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

Elko worked with me closely to discover my exact requirements. We then went through detailed product strategy sessions to come up with solutions to some problems that were likely to come up during development or even after deployment. The Elko team were really effective at finding solutions to the problems.

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

I worked closely with around 5 of the Elko team, including sales, senior management, project management and development.

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

The end-product is amazing - it's far better than myself or my client could have imagined prior to starting. It has helped us hugely with patient communication and relationships.

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

The team were incredible at communicating on the project. There wasn't really a time where I was in the dark about anything.

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

They are brilliant to work with, simple as that really. The process was professional, but friendly and stress-free throughout.

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

None

Please describe your company and your position there.

number8 is a consulting company that provides custom software development solutions for organizations leveraging agile development. I work as the Marketing Manager for number8, but the information in this review was collected from Monica Lopez, who is the Technical Account Manager from this project.

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

number8 partnered with Elko to collaborate on the development of a web design project using .NET and Microsoft Azure.

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

We knew Elko would be a good fit to partner with number8 because of their outstanding reputation and technical skill level.

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

The key deliverables of this project were to connect DecoNetwork via JWT with another connection between the new app and the client. DevOps, Azure, and C# Corner were all used in the execution of the project.

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

We worked closely with two members of Elko’s team to deliver this project for the client.

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

The client was very impressed with the end result of the project. The standard of quality was extremely high and the project was accomplished under budget and within the expected timeline.

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

The project was managed with Kanban using Asana as the main tool.

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

Everything went smoothly throughout the whole engagement. The communication was open and honest from day one. number8 tends to collaborate with enterprise-sized clients, so we were most impressed that the size of Elko does not hold them back from delivering very high quality work.

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

Nothing comes to mind, we were very pleased with the experience and look forward to a continued relationship with Elko.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of the Colorado Amateur Hockey Association.

What challenge were you trying to address with Elko?

We were trying to come up with a way to build an objective ranking system to rank players.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Elko started by going through a consultative process to make sure they knew what we were trying to achieve. They then went into the design phase where they created screenshots of what the end product would look like. Now, we’re working on the development of the iOS and Android app.

What is the team composition?

We work with a project manager, a design team, and some developers.

How did you come to work with Elko?

We had a relationship with a hockey specialist who had a ranking system and customized it for Colorado a couple of years ago. We then decided that we wanted to develop our own, and Elko was the team that had developed the original ranking system.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $30,000. There’s a fixed fee for the design, but the development is based on material.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in October 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

Elko’s approach to development has been spot on. It’s exactly what we were looking for and expecting. What I really liked about their approach was going through the design process and agreeing on the UI. It’s been a great experience.

How did Elko perform from a project management standpoint?

The team meets expectations if not exceeds. We’ve had conference calls with designers and developers. We have weekly calls, and they always provide meaningful updates every week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was pleasantly surprised by Elko’s approach and communication.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into it with an idea of what you want the end product to look like and what your goals are. With that, Elko is great at uncovering elements that you should consider along the way. They asked great questions about what we were trying to do at the end of the day. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of Deposit Defender. We provide a platform that helps tenants maintain their security deposits.

What challenge were you trying to address with Elko?

We needed to build our app and initially engaged a development company that changed the project's cost multiple times. I tired of their practices and switched to Elko.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I handed them all of the work our previous vendor completed, which included the screen designs. Their team then developed the app. Before we can launch the platform, we need my Apple Developer account to be created. After the launch, Elko will update my website.

What is the team composition?

I work with Paul (Managing Partner) and John (Project Manager). There was another teammate who actually developed the platform. 

How did you come to work with Elko?

I searched online for app development companies. I contacted a few and ultimately chose Elko because they could work with our budget and timeline.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent what we agreed to, which was $13,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our engagement in March 2020, and it’s ongoing.

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

Elko’s been absolutely great. They notably improved the app from our previous vendor's version. Their team created a cleaner platform, so I’m happy with them. I’m thinking about creating another app, and I plan to hire them to build it.

How did Elko perform from a project management standpoint?

Unlike the previous vendor, Elko meets with us every Thursday to update us on the week’s progress. We usually communicate via email, and their team responds quickly. I'm happy with the weekly progress reports.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m happy that they agreed to a price upfront. While the project took a little longer than expected, Elko struck to the original price. Their team didn’t try to charge us more.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Elko was supposed to finish the project in a month, but it took longer to complete. We made improvements, so I understand. However, I would’ve rather they finished when expected.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront with the team about your expectations. I originally agreed to the one-month timeline with Paul. A couple of weeks into the development, I realized the developers didn’t know about that promise.  

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder of Simply Next Level, a Strategic Business Development Consulting Firm

For what projects/services did your company hire Elko?

I have clients who are now realizing that APP's are important part of most business owners, clients, and customers, everyday lives. Therefore in order to compete with the competition in their giving industry it is now essential to ensure their services are seamless. This is where Elko comes. By providing the architecture and design of a personalized app using a platform that is already established my clients are able to make it to market first with new ideas to ensure a new source of revenue can be generated for all my clients!

What were your goals for this project?

To find new and creative ways to reach my customer target market!

How did you select this vendor?

I read several reviews and then interviewed live 3 different software and APP development companies. We finally partnered on a number of healthcare based web app and mobile app projects with Elko. Most of all we continually called on them, because we greatly appreciated the iterative and agile manner in which they developed the products for each client.

Describe the project in detail.

I can only share high level, but I currently have 3 projects in the works all proprietary and have to protect the best interests of my clients. I can say step by step Elko has followed through and ensured they met ever deadline to ensure a successful launch of each APP!

What was the team composition?

HARMONY!

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

Several leads generated, amazing data communicated from software to end users and clients! All new sources of revenue generated!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our teams very nicely complimented each others efforts.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Management effectively communicated when needed and did not ever waste our time!

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that we experienced.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an illustrator that is working to create a platform to create children's book writers with uniquely skilled illustrators.

For what projects/services did your company hire Elko?

I hired Elko to help me develop an app that allows illustrators to upload their work and for writers to browse and contract the illustrator. The app includes the ability to exchange payments and contracts.

What were your goals for this project?

My goals for this project are to create a platform that makes it easier for children's book authors, whether they are self-publishing or working with a publishing house, to be able to find the perfect aesthetic to match their manuscript.

How did you select this vendor?

I found them while researching for companies online, they were prompt to respond to my inquiries and very helpful for helping my vision come to life.

Describe the project in detail.

The project is to develop and design an app that is intuitive to use. It's a business platform so it is very important that the payments be secured before the projects begin. There are pre-formatted legal contracts that each party will have to sign before beginning a project to outline the agreements on royalties and payments.

What was the team composition?

I talked to the project manager at first who helped me outline exactly it was that I needed and wanted. He then had his UI/UX employee work on a mock version of the design and functionality. Then he sent it to his two developers and it is currently in the works.

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

Everything has been delivered ahead of schedule. I'm very happy with the designs and the prototype. I'm very excited to launch this app and help others in my field.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication between our teams has been very clear and organized. The project manager is very good at making sure everything gets accomplished in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Elko has exceeded my expectations all around. I am impressed by their timeliness with completing tasks ahead of schedule. The quality of their work is also very impressive and definitely not compromised by their efficiency.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, working with them has been a treat!

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a marketing company with the focus of driving traffic to local businesses while supporting the community. I am the owner of the company.

For what projects/services did your company hire Elko?

I hired Elko to develop two mobile apps to move our company forward digitally.

What were your goals for this project?

Allow people to support local business, while raising funds for their passion.

How did you select this vendor?

I chose Elko for several reasons - value, communication, and experience. We were their first client, but both partners had years of experience in the mobile development industry. Their communication and responsiveness to our needs were exceptional. We could not be more pleased.

Describe the project in detail.

Paul and Andrew were very detailed orientated in walking me through the app development process. As we started development and changes came up, they were responsive and adapted quickly to our demands. At each stage, we were able to test and explore features to ensure we went to market with solid apps.

What was the team composition?

As their company grew, so did our team. My main contact were the owners Paul and Andrew. They initially handled all aspects of the app development. As they added employees, some tasks were given to them, based on their expertise. This minimized our app development time, while giving us the best product.

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

Since our launch, we have received nothing but positive feedback on our apps. They are intuitive and easy to use. We have plans to continuously improve the apps and look forward to them implementing our ideas.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was seamless, working with Paul was very easy. They use Asana, which kept me in the loop on what they were working on at all times.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I found the communication the most impressive. Being in constant contact with Paul made the whole project easier. My app was not a complex app, but working with Paul made my vision come to life.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only improvement would be on my end. Providing wireframes for them to work off of, would have expedited the process slightly. For example, I had an idea for pin images on a map, which was different than what they created. This would have been easily avoidable if I provided them with a simple example.

Please describe your company and your position there.

This was a personal project. I needed their help to build an application to manage a Downhill Ski Race series I work with.

For what projects/services did your company hire Elko?

Elko created a Mobile application that racers could use to see when and where upcoming races where being held and provide the results in an easy to us Mobile application

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted a simple to use mobile application that was easy for skiers to see upcoming races and results of those races

How did you select Elko?

I did an internet search found them and reached out one of references

Describe the project in detail.

They created the designs based upon a number of very detailed questions they asked and results that I was looking.

What was the team composition?

We have a project manager who we worked with weekly thru design all the way until completion. Very easy to work with.

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

The ski season was cut short last year, so we will be rolling it out soon, provided Covid does not mess things up.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Easy, they provide examples and we approved or disapproved. Worked great

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their designs were really great, how quick they were to make changes and overtime to get the app built

Are there any areas for improvement?

I was really happy with their work.