Computools

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an international logistics company that offers transportation services depending on the volume and type of commercial cargo, prepares accompanying documents, and organizes loading operations.

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

Our primary goal was to find the most viable solution for our internal processes that will offer competitive opportunities by improving the customer experience, accounting, and sales management. We were looking for software to streamline customer relations. Initially, we expected something like a CRM system that will store data on current and potential customers from various sources and optimize processes in sales, marketing, and customer service departments.

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

We did our research on the Ukrainian IT market and we were looking for companies with similar background/projects behind their belt. Computools`s portfolio, stellar consulting from their sales managers, and very specific knowledge about the industry were decisive factors for hiring them

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

We turned to Computools with the idea of creating a sales management platform for our website. Thanks to their business analysts we pointed out the optimal list of functionality that included full sales cycle management, automation of necessary documents, tracking, inventory management, client base management, and analytical tools for better transparency.

Computools`s engineers formed a tech stack for our project, development guidelines, and optimal project management methodology to stay on budget, and finally synchronized the developed sales management system with our existing website.

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

Apart from the tech side, we were looking for someone with experience in the business analysis since our project required a deep understanding of the niche. Therefore, the final team stack included: 4 software engineers, 1 project manager, 1 business analyst, 1 business development manager, and a quality assurance engineer.

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

The project has indeed shown measurable outcomes for our company. Since we had an outdated IT infrastructure, the implemented solution has helped us to increase productivity, get a fuller picture of our sales, and automate many internal processes that required a lot of manual work before.

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

As our company lacked technical prowess, Computools helped us to align business goals/needs with the best technical solutions. Therefore the project`s timeline ranged from consulting and product design to product engineering and testing.

First, they shared their vision on how and which technologies will fit for the project, analyzed and explored the existing solutions on the market, defined foremost goals, and pre-estimated deadlines, costs, and resources. After the consulting stage, it all boiled down to the technical side of the project where they allocated teams, estimated tasks, formed the project`s requirements and scope, and other important documentation for successful project completion.

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

It would definitely be the approach and communication. It was our first time working with the software development company and they did their best to outline the foremost objectives of the project, risks, and optimal deadlines; they carefully explained what is really needed from the system and how to implement it, conducted regular check-ins and meetings for better transparency, and did many other things that resulted in a great product and good impression of work afterward.

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

Nothing comes to mind.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director at a software development company. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Computools?

We needed additional developers and team members.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Computools is helping us develop a backend application, and they are responsible for most of its core components. 

What is the team composition?

We’re working with a business manager, a front end developer, and a back end developer. 

How did you come to work with Computools?

They were recommended by a friend. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent around £40,000–£70,000 (approximately $56,000–$99,000 USD).   

What is the status of this engagement?

For our first project, we worked togther from June–December 2020. For our current project, we started working in April 2021, and it’s going to be finished in July 2021.

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

We’re really happy with Computools’ work. I would recommend them, and they’re great. 

How did Computools perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re good at meeting deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m really happy with their services.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should communicate well with their team. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the manager at a digital agency located in Norway creating custom digital solutions for a wide range of clients.

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

We hired Computools to help us develop a custom LMS platform for a client that publishes a wide range of articles and magazines. We needed a team with professional senior developers that could handle a complex and long-term project.

The main goal was to create an unique easy to use LMS platform for teachers and students that uses the client's database with content. Content that the teachers can use to create multidisciplinary assignments.

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

We had meetings with different companies in Oslo in the fall of 2019. Based on our meetings we picked Computools to be a good match based on their feedback, follow up questions and quick turnaround when needed. We needed a company with great experience with the technology stack Laravel, React, AWS and Wordpress.

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

We started with UI and UX work before Computools got informed and hired for the project. Based on the project specification and design Computools used agile development to help us achieve important project milestones such as developing an pilot version for platform presentations and user feedback.

Since we did not have a strict platform specification containing user stories in advance, Computools helped us in an incredible way in terms of creating user stories and suggest solutions. They have been a great partner in this project, not just a vendor.

Based on end-user and client feedback on pilot version we continued to concentrate creating the first version for early platform launch in august 2020. Computools helped with auto-testing setup for quality and stabilization, and complete environment setup in AWS. 

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

The Computools team have consisted of 4-5 key resources and in some periods up to 7 people in the largest sprints. Their positions have been project manager, front-end dev, back-end dev, wordpress dev, QA, tech-lead and devops.

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

Since the project is a long term project and it’s not finished we don’t have final outcomes yet. So far the work done by Computools is solid and they have delivered above our expectations.

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

Computools have had a single project manager. This have made communication swift and effective. The team have mainly used Skype for daily communication and Jira for project management. Google docs have been used for documentation and sprint planning.

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

We are very impressed in how the Computools team have contributed in the project by solving difficult tasks that is not always described in detail. I think this have pushed the team to think for themselves and contribute to this project in a big way.

We are also impressed on how professional the company are in terms of follow up communication and how they want to build a long lasting professional relationship.

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

Nothing specific no.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the project manager of a cryptocurrency exchange "Rokes exchange" based in Estonia.

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

We were working with Computools on development of the new design for our exchange platform and some tasks on the backend. It was a major update for our project and the Computools team worked on PWA version of our main app.

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

Computools was chosen as a vendor by one of the previous PMs, and I am not in a position to tell what this decision was based on.

Over the course of the year we worked with Computools, two other vendors were engaged in the development process, but in the end we decided to only stick with Computools, and this decision was based on their professional skills, the timely delivery on the tasks and good communication skills of the team.

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

The UI redesign was centered around frontend technologies, mostly the implementation of PWA version and web version of our app using Vue.js. Apart from that, Computools also participated in the implementation of GraphQL API in our project.

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

We had varying number of team members over the time we worked, but we always had one project manager and one business manager for the whole duration of our contract, and the development team was changing depending on the current scope of our development requests, while the lead developer was also with our project almost all the time.

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

We have successfully launched our new design and the PWA app, mostly by the hand of Computools team. Everything was delivered as requested by our specification and design document. The quality of work was on a very decent level, and although there were inevitable minor bugs or things that needed small corrections, everything was fixed in a timely manner.

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

The project manager assigned to our project by Computools was proactive, had great communication skills and demonstrated fluency in English. We held sprint meetings and interim calls, while he them communicated with the development team.

If needed he also facilitated the calls directly with the lead developer and we always appreciated the team's ability to adjust to our changing requirements and deliver on tasks with little or no delay. For communication we used MS Teams, for planning we first used Trello, then MS Planner and then Github issues and board. T

he team had no problem with using any of these tools and also made reasonable suggestions on how we can improve the collaboration process using these tools.

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

Their ability to work in a very flexible manner, timely delivery and communication skills from both managers helped us to upgrade our product in the planned terms and their contribution was the most valuable among other vendors we worked with. They were able to easily collaborate with other teams and our internal team, sharing their extensive expertise and finding consensus with other developers was a crucial part of their work with our project.

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

There is always room for improvement and some things could be done differently, but it our case it is hard to tell what would that be and overall we are very happy with their work and performance.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a healthcare company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Computools?

Due to the range of different branches in our company, it can be challenging to control all of them. We needed an application to help us to track medical equipment using barcodes within the hospital territory.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did all the stages of the application development. The first step was to analyze our existing solution and strategy, also considering the market and our main competitors. That allowed us to identify the basic needs of our target audience. Their project manager then distributed the necessary tasks among developers, designers, and other team members.

What is the team composition?

I worked mainly with their project manager and their business analyst. For technical questions, I discussed with the technical team leader. There was a team of developers, designers, and QA testers.

How did you come to work with Computools?

We looked at different candidates and decided to use Computools as they provided the best plan and solution for our cooperation. They also offered the best deal considering our goals, timeline, and budget.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2018–February 2019.

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

Our main target was to get an application that can be useful for our business and it was achieved. The application works; it has organized our work and given us more options for better control.

How did Computools perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re really responsive. We had daily communication and reports from their side, over Skype, email, and phone. They preferred to use a scrum methodology to give us quick responses and good turnaround. We had a large variety of different meetings and communication was properly organized, so we didn’t need to micromanage them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have made a good impression on us. They worked in a timely manner, communication was good, and the results were good. They delivered a high-quality application in a professional manner that reflected their experience in the healthcare sector.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re satisfied with the results.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a logistics company. We design global supply chains that enable businesses to deliver products to customers. My responsibilities include organizing distribution operations.

What challenge were you trying to address with Computools?

Our company is growing rapidly, so we needed an external firm to develop a system capable of managing customer data.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started our engagement with Computools by determining the project’s budget, scheduling deadlines, and discussing communication methods. Afterward, we held a strategic meeting where we analyzed their proposal and asked questions. They helped us visualize the process by designing a workflow diagram. Then, their project manager and business analyst created a roadmap that outlined the rest of the project.

Before working on the final product, Computools developed an interactive porotype version of the software we requested. That helped us wholly understand what needed to change within our internal systems before we put a lot of money into the project. We agreed to their recommendations, so they started creating our data management system using Java. We use the software to store customer information and service requests. Accessing that data allows us to make informed decisions about how to improve as a business.

What is the team composition?

They allocated a project manager, a business analyst, developers, and several designers.

How did you come to work with Computools?

They were recommended to me by a business partner. After researching the company and some of their previous projects, I decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $85,000­–$199,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in April 2018 and was completed several months later. They continue to update the system as needed.

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

We’re satisfied with the quality of work they deliver. They listen and try to understand our needs instead of finding new ways to charge us. I happily recommend them to my colleagues.

How did Computools perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve never had an issue with communication. They usually interact with us via Skype and Slack. We agreed to a comprehensive project framework, regular online meetings, and a weekly email report. They honored their promises and reacted quickly when we changed the scope of work. They offer reasonable pricing and deliver viable solutions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciate their transparent work structure. They kept us up-to-date regarding their progress throughout the entire development cycle. Knowing the system’s status throughout the coding process put my mind at ease.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I happy with how they perform, but every company has room for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be forthcoming with project information and Computools will deliver.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a small software company called Data Access Inc, based in North Carolina. We provide a custom CRM solution for specialized service/equipment companies.

For what projects/services did your company hire Computools?

Part of our CRM system is a mobile website for technicians to interact with their jobs. We hired Computools to create a native iOS and Android mobile app to replace our mobile site.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to replace our existing website with a mobile app to give our users a richer, more responsive experience.

How did you select this vendor?

I found Computools on Upwork. I interviewed several companies during a trip to Ukraine, and Computools was the easiest choice. Their sales team impressed me by going above and beyond in presenting their process and ensuring I was comfortable with their plans. 

Describe the project in detail.

The Computools team developed the mobile app to perform the same tasks our website offered field technicians. They built scheduling and payment processing features into the app, and created tools for placing orders, resolving appointments, and checking in and out of jobs.

What was the team composition?

I work with one sales representation, a project manager, and two QA testers.

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

The Computools team is still working on the project, but I’m pleased with the progress so far. My team has caused any issues we've had, and their developers have given us no problems.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Skype is our primary form of communication. Since most of my team consists of contracted employees who have other projects, we are often delayed in responding, which slows down the process. The Computools team has been understanding of our situation and work with us patiently.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their team has given us strong learning opportunities, and their developers are accommodating and collaborative. During the few times I’ve worked onsite in their office, I’ve appreciated their relaxed, friendly work environment.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is nothing that could improve the project, aside from the slow responsiveness of my own team. However, we began the project knowing this could be an issue.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I used to be the general manager of United Coding, but I’m now a member of the board of directors. We’re an IT development company working with agencies in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

What challenge were you trying to address with Computools?

A major university with 25–27 different PHP CMS and Symphony websites was a new client. As part of a test project, we needed to update all the websites. We had never worked with PHP CMS and Symphony.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project scope had two parts. First, we needed to close security issues. Second, we needed to develop the university’s entire online presence. To start, we provided Computools with the client’s documentation—wireframes and prototypes—and the team received full access to the sites. They identified problems, which we subsequently communicated to the client. These parts lasted approximately two months each. Computools also consulted us on our own technical issues 24/7.

What is the team composition?

Their team has approximately 15 developers and two technical leads. I’ve served as project manager for the project’s second part.

How did you come to work with Computools?

One of our partners recommended them. We also considered a Ukrainian company, but the interactions with Computools went well from the first meetings. We had worked with Computools before, and we gave them a test for this project. They were aggressive and good at closing technical issues.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $48,000 on the project’s first part.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Computools in September 2017. The team completed work on the websites and we continue to partner with them on other projects. Our relationship with the university is ongoing because it’s such a large project.

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

Computools’ reliability has enabled us to grow our business. They also help us get other projects. Likewise, the code is reliable as well. The client tested it with other programmers and couldn’t find an issue in any of the 27 sites.

How did Computools perform from a project management standpoint?

Computools worked without a contract during the first two months because the client preferred the waterfall methodology. Our company didn’t have a contract, so we couldn’t even subcontract them. During this period, we communicated with the client every Monday. Oleg (CTO, Computools) assisted me with answering questions and preparing presentations. Subsequently, the client pivoted to agile to streamline the workflow.

We now do daily standup sand double-check issues with the client. Computools answers our questions multiple times per day. We used Skype initially but have since switched to Asana.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We trust Computools to deliver on their promises. Although we can’t make precise estimates, nothing has fallen through. The team may work nights because they are always available and have fixes completed by morning. That efficiency has helped us with client relations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They didn’t understand German and Swiss cultures completely. We’ve always taken the time to double-check that Computools understood the requirements.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I highly recommend Computools for mobile and web projects. We’ve had a perfect experience.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of an IT outsourcing company that develops websites and mobile apps.

For what projects/services did your company hire Computools?

We were hired for development on a project, but we did not have the internal resources to handle it completely on our own. Specifically, we needed backend and iOS developers to work with our own designer, Android developer, QA specialist, and project manager.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to create a minimum viable product (MVP) mobile application for iOS and Android.

How did you select this vendor?

We chose Computools from among five companies. Their sales manager was the first to respond to our request that indicated we were looking for a team with fast communication skills and detailed and reasonable evaluations. We hired Computools because we initially believed they fit our needs.

Describe the project in detail.

The project involved creating an app that would be used in the healthcare industry. Specifically, the app would have administration panels with statistics and the ability to make payments and manage users. Backend development was to be done using Node.js with real-time data synchronization as the largest development challenge.

What was the team composition?

The Computools team consisted of backend and iOS developers and a project manager to work with our own team of designers and developers.

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

Our work with Computools was unsuccessful. The first bad sign was a delay in backend development tasks that were to be done in two-week sprint cycles. The architecture was very poor, and each time we added new a functionality the old ones stopped working. As a result, iOS and Android development was delayed by a month and a half. They eventually replaced their Node.js developer with a more professional one and he managed to fix the main issues in a month.

The iOS version was bad as well. Basic functionality such as registration and login had multiple bugs. Then we faced the next problems when Computools fired their iOS developer and it took a month for a replacement to be hired. The new developer worked less than three weeks before he too was replaced, but it still didn’t solve the issues. When one bug was fixed, three more appeared and we were forced to stop working with Computools. Instead of three months, development took eight and the product still wasn’t ready. By the time we stopped working with Computools there were more than 120 bugs overall and around 30 critical ones. We were forced to rebuild most of the functionality for the iOS version of the app ourselves to get it working.

After ending our partnership with Computools I wrote to their CEO about the situation and asked for possible solutions. In response, he did not take responsibility.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had daily scrum meetings with them and they never delivered what was planned. Every build was full of bugs.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Maybe the only good thing about working with them was the communication of their account/sales manager. I had the impression that he was doing his best to help us and solve issues.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We provide video recordings of user experiences at leisure venues, such as go cart tracks or paintballing arenas. I’m the director.

What challenge were you trying to address with Computools?

We needed a freelance developer or agency to build our software from scratch.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our videos are normally recorded on wearable cameras. The software allows the user to upload the data from the camera to a computer, and then scrubs the camera memory. The user can then manage everything from the computer, including sharing the finished videos on social media. Computools had the first version of the software completed in about a month.

What is the team dynamic?

Four people from their team worked with us. Sergii [Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Computools] was our initial project manager, and our current manager is Marina [Web Developer, Computools]. They’re located in Ukraine, so most of our communication is via Skype.

How did you come to work with Computools?

We found them through oDesk [Upwork]. We considered three developers for the project, but Computools had the most experience with this kind of software.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $2,000 on the initial build.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project late in 2014. We still work together to fix bugs and amend the software.

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

The functionality is great when it’s working properly. The software does need minding, as it can be buggy and unpredictable at times. Overall, it’s been reliable, and I understand that bugs are normal for this kind of software.

How did Computools perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great communicators, with great response times. There is a one- or two-hour time difference, but they’re happy to work late to match our schedule. The skills of their project managers are improving all the time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can message them any time of day, and I usually have a response back within a few minutes, even late at night. The software is really good, and a good value.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall cost has been difficult to predict. Bugs add hours to the schedule, so it’s hard to know what final costs will be.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get a contract and plan ahead. Even simple feature changes can be costly, so it’s important to know what to expect, and to share your goals and future plans with your software company. Make sure you’re on the same page, especially for the project timeline and potential bugs.