CoreLine

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CTO of Creeact. We have a product called Bazeat, which is a concatenation of "bazaar" and "eating." We provide a platform for direct sales of food between consumer and producer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CoreLine?

I’ve been dissatisfied with the work of two development teams—one from India and one from Italy—as we’ve tried to create this platform. We engaged CoreLine to help us fix the faulty code and move our project in the right direction.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

With a few exceptions, I do all of the designs for the platform and make my recommendations for the technology we should use. We discuss each module individually and find the best approach based on their ideas because they are still savvier with the technology than I am.

When I first met CoreLine, I had an MVP of our web-based platform. It was functional when I demonstrated the product to potential clients, but I’ve relied on CoreLine to make the code more effective and utilize automated tests using a continuous integration/continuous development (CI/CD) pipeline. The platform is hosted on AWS and features a Node.js and MongoDB backend. We’ve enhanced the search function using Elasticsearch, and we leverage Prometheus for system monitoring.

What is the team composition?

In addition to Dominik (Founder/CEO, CoreLine), we work with 4–5 developers and a part-time designer.

How did you come to work with CoreLine?

We learned of CoreLine through an agency. We initially worked with just one developer. Because we had a positive experience with that lone developer, we asked CoreLine to contribute more resources and take our engagement to another level.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $200,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in January 2017 and remains ongoing. I expect that CoreLine will be with us for the long run.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their team has always delivered on time, which I appreciate. I’m very satisfied with the quality of their work to this point. They have lifted my platform from being an MVP to something commercially viable.

How did CoreLine perform from a project management standpoint?

We have developed an effective workflow from the ideating stage through development and testing. We have a Kanban and Trello approach that has worked well to track all of our modules.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can call Dominik on the weekends and ask for help. That’s been very convenient and a service I have not received very often elsewhere.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they need to scale their number of resources. There is a point where if they had more, I think they wouldn’t be stretched so thin. Otherwise, they’ve been a delight to work with. They’re a good team with good people.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Following the experience I had with the two teams prior to CoreLine, I entered with the mindset that I needed to have more control over the entire process. In retrospect, that’s probably not necessary with Dominik and his team. They know what they’re doing, so I think they’re worthy of more slack. As customers, we should be more project-oriented and focused on the results. I’d recommend future customers not micromanage as much as I have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Foam Comforts Europe Ltd. We sell sleep solutions, such as mattresses and other products that help people sleep better.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CoreLine?

We needed an IT expert to automate some of our manual processes and develop our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped build our website and create forms and questionnaires that people can fill out remotely. They also wrote the algorithms that process the answers and give the results to a person in real-time. We use CoreLine for a few other IT projects, such as some design work and running our Squarespace platform. I tell them what I want on the site, and they implement it.

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact and another person for design.

How did you come to work with CoreLine?

My predecessor found them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $15,00–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

been partners since February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We wouldn’t have been able to deliver our final product without their help. We’ve received positive feedback on the site, and it has very few bugs. It does exactly what we need and works seamlessly.

How did CoreLine perform from a project management standpoint?

They provided a lot of time and attention outside of their normal working hours so that we could accomplish something on time. We communicate via Google Docs, Google Hangouts, email and phone. They’re always available whenever I need them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They proactively engage with our project and resolve issues quickly. They pay attention to our needs and stay on schedule. I haven’t experienced such fantastic support in the 20 years I’ve been in business. We’ll definitely be staying with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They accommodate my lack of IT experience.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Build a good relationship and let them know how they’re doing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the IT director for Portman Recruitment. We are a boutique recruitment consultancy that helps match people with appropriate positions in the social care sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CoreLine?

We wanted to implement a tool that could efficiently collect relevant job listings from other vendors and aggregate the data into a single database. We could then use this information to enhance our larger digital marketing efforts by sharing only relevant and pertinent job postings to our customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

CoreLine designed a tool to extract job listings from disparate systems and organize it into a database built on a DynamoDB schema. The tool is built on an Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform with a rendering engine to collect jobs from our version-controlled database using Git. The jobs in the database are rendered through a pipeline to the production site. The backend of the website and database are serverless, preventing any defacing of the data. The aggregated data is then manipulated out to Git and JSON before being published on a content-driven site. CoreLine has helped us integrate this information into our digital marketing strategies and we are now working to optimize our approach to audience targeting. Additionally, the team continues to maintain and improve the program.

What is the team composition?

I work with two representatives from CoreLine. I speak with one person in particular about my architectural ideas for the project.

How did you come to work with CoreLine?

I was familiar with the success of a small project they did for another business. I described our project to them and they said that it was within their capabilities.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in March 2018 and the partnership is ongoing. Their team completed all deliveries and is now working on marketing campaigns.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

CoreLine’s program has been useful to us as an internal product and digital marketing resource. The program has only just launched, but we are optimistic about the results.

How did CoreLine perform from a project management standpoint?

The CoreLine team put a tremendous amount of effort into meeting our company’s expectations. They used story points to illustrate a predictable outcome and instilled a degree of confidence on our part. They hit all major deadlines and took ownership of their work and processes. We communicated and tracked progress through Pivotal Tracker. We are happy with the agile approach, but plan to do sprints to reassess and then reprioritize the approach for our ongoing relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their approachable customer service system distinguishes them from other offshore or nearshore outsourcing agencies I have worked with in the past.

Any advice for potential customers?

Do not try to preemptively estimate the necessary time to complete the project. Allow CoreLine to determine the scope and in trust their ability to deliver.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the managing director of BORN.com, a company based in Europe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CoreLine?

We needed to find an independent development team with expertise in React.js (for the right price) to develop and maintain our marketplace.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team worked on our two business units: the BORN Awards website, a yearly competition with 7,000 candidates, 196 nominees, and 48 winners, covering six regions; and BORN.com, a B2B service platform that allows brands and professionals to connect and discover products.

For the website, their team configured it to gather candidates, nominees, and winners effective. They developed a feature that allows the uploading of text, video, and pictures. Then, they implemented geolocation to allow access for users in different countries

For the platform, CoreLine implemented password-protection and created a dashboard where brands can upload text, images, and videos to showcase their products.

CoreLine is continuing developing both the front- and backend of our platforms. They are configuring the solutions to be mobile-friendly and acting as our for-hire maintenance team.

What is the team composition?

My only contact is Dominik (CEO and Founder, CoreLine). He has a team of three engineers and one graphic designer. If we need more people, we have access to additional freelancers, who are also managed by the CEO.

How did you come to work with CoreLine?

I found them through word of mouth. They were part of a small community that used an obscure technology in the React.js field; they were exceptional on it. They had experience in retail and with building mobile platforms. Naturally, we tested and choose them for the project.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested around $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the engagement with CoreLine around July 2017 and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

CoreLine's architectural work alleviated a significant amount of our website's speed problems, nearly doubling our traffic. They made sure our servers were efficient and not overloading on calls. This first step was critical for me, as they re-engineered our previous work be robust and fast. I am not an engineer,  but even I can appreciate tangible results. 

How did CoreLine perform from a project management standpoint?

So far, they’ve been very responsive and methodical. They are extremely accessible via Skype, WhatsApp, or email. We have a weekly call, usually on Mondays. We also have an assessment calls on Fridays. Their approach has worked well for me.

They use Slack with my team, but I prefer Skype and WhatsApp. They have also introduced us to an online-ticketing tool called Trello. It works well for my team and manages all the features we’ve asked them to do.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to a lot of suppliers we've used in the past, CoreLine stands out by being able to easily translate my problem in layman's terms. They really understand what I am trying to achieve and translate our requirements into an architecture that works. A lot of engineers and developers are sometimes a bit obtuse (using only technical language) and lose information during translation. CoreLine understands my commercial, non-engineering words and makes them into a technical reality—a trait I truly value.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing so far. Perhaps, they could cost less, but they’re not the most expensive. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should communicate with their CEO. I am based in London, while CoreLine is based in Croatia. It’s good to meet in person, and their CEO has no problem with traveling.

Also, having a monthly or quarterly physical review helps communication a lot. It’s not mandatory, but I would suggest having a beer with the CEO as well. Virtual collaborations do work, but I felt that meeting him in person to explain our business in detail has been beneficial to our relationship.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a software services provider, and we have clients in San Francisco, D.C., and Germany. We have an online studio based in Croatia, and we specialize in digital products. I’m the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CoreLine?

We needed extra help developing a mobile application for one of our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

CoreLine used Node.js to build the backend for our iOS and Android app, and also set up our Dynamo database. They also built all of the dev ops. It’s a community-based app which is similar to REST, so it involves specific communities where users can share certain things and have their own profiles. The goal was to allow users to share things that aren’t shareable on other social media networks.

CoreLine also has experience with AWS [Amazon Web Services], so they assist with hosting and day-to-day optimizing. They also have some frontend experience involving Angular and React.

What is the team composition?

We have a core software team of 8 people who use Angular, React, and Node, but we outsource some of our work as well.

How did you come to work with CoreLine?

A person we often use for outsourcing had worked with Dominik [Co-founder, CoreLine], and he recommended them. They were also local to our company.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $35,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2017, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is still in development. They’re very experienced, and their development speed is outstanding. They are experts in their field.

How did Coreline perform from a project management standpoint?

We talk with them often, but we handle client relationships, project management milestones, and roadmaps ourselves. They’re well organized, and they have the ability to think critically due to their experience with integration. They understand what they’re doing, and they’re fast workers. We use Slack, email, and phone calls, and we communicate on a daily basis.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Potential clients may need to acquire their own project management resources. I’m unsure if this is required, but it’s what we’ve done in working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are waiting for development to finish in order to form a company. It will consist of three co-founders, with me as the CTO [chief technology officer]. We wanted to focus on the product first, and it didn’t make sense to open a company sooner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CoreLine?

We reached out to them in order to develop our product. It’s a job search portal for managing the supply and demand of job offerings. We wanted to upgrade the design, given that our strongest Croatian competitor was weak in this regard. We saw potential and wanted to build something which young people who are used to browsing modern, beautiful websites would enjoy and appreciate more.

We heard this input from many of our friends, and made some surveying. Most of them were dissatisfied with this aspect, and this is where we saw an opportunity. We have a strong connection with student organizations and this platform is something we can offer better than the competitors.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We setup a project plan before the work began. We wanted to orient it towards the student population, offering case studies and knowledge quizzes. The idea is for users to grow along with the site, whether they’re students with no experience, or experts who can build more complex case studies. It was built using HTML5, CSS3 and Node.js.

Infographics are an important part of our site as we wanted to create profiles which stood out from traditional CVs for ease of application. We plan to move more towards sites like LinkedIn.

Later on, there will be options to expand the site and allow companies to advertise on it, paying more in order to gain visibility. For now, we are focusing on a creating beautiful user and company profiles. The site is 80% complete at the moment. We still need to polish user profiles and implement a payment gateway.

What is the team dynamic?

We didn’t have a project manager for this smaller scope as the frontend coder took this role, and communicated with us regarding specifications. Since the company hasn’t been formed yet, my partners retain their full-time jobs and haven’t that much time to work on the project.

How did you come to work with CoreLine?

We browsed through a decent number of companies before coming across CoreLine. They came recommended by a mutual friend of my partner’s. Their references were great and other companies offered much higher prices, without seeming to match their skill set.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of the site will be in the range of $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This is a hard question to answer since the site isn’t live yet. I’m sure that CoreLine’s advice will be beneficial to our user satisfaction, but we will have to wait and see for the metrics.

How did CoreLine perform from a project management standpoint?

We were amazed by their accuracy in hitting all targets and milestones; time limits were not breached. I also work in a web development company and know that it can be common to surpass milestones in this industry, even for a big company. However, they followed the plan as we set it in the beginning. It was a friendly relationship, and there was no situation in which we might have had to argue.

They informed us each time a bigger push was deployed, which is what we wanted. Bugs were fixed right away. They also advised us on certain business and user experience decisions, steering us away from investing in functionalities that might have been too expensive or that users might not have liked. We were informed about the value of the MVP [minimum viable product] we were building at the moment.

We used Slack for communication, where they posted screenshots, as well as WhatsApp. We used CodeJar to display wireframes, and had access to their repository, even though we didn’t actually check their code as we don’t have the skill level to assess it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They started as a team and have been for a long time. They were a well-played team from the get-go, which was beneficial for us. They’re very good with user experience [UX]. The process hasn’t felt as strict or regulated as with projects from my own company, but they’ve come through with all the milestones, and provided a customer satisfaction level which surpasses that of bigger companies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re still very young, so there is a lot of room for improvement. However, as far as our project goes, I can’t say there’s anything — I’m generally satisfied. We made this deal while they were still inexpensive, compared to what they will charge when they have more seniority.

We have asked them what the biggest issue they faced during development was, and they stated that it was the Google Maps customization. There was some lagging that they didn’t know how to fix, but after browsing through GitHub, they managed to find a small post about it. This was a problem which a more senior developer would have likely been aware of, but they ultimately did find the solution.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Get them while they’re young. I would recommend them to any customer, as long as that customer is ready for an Agile approach, and not used to a strict, corporate structure. I’m not saying that they lack seriousness — there is no reason why that seriousness should be there as long as the work is done properly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Enfluar. We are a digital agency with a primary focus on social media and creation of websites, both presentational and functional web applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CoreLine?

We were working for Renova property consultants, and our agency needed help with web development for a web application with the main goal to organize properties for client's internal use.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked on the functional part of frontend development and developed the backend which included infrastructure setup. They used AngularJS and MongoDB, Amazon Service for the storage of images, and DigitalOcean servers for the application’s basic operations.

We were mainly responsible for User Experience design, but there was collaboration with CoreLine in project definition, involvement in prototyping and testing of the concept. Additionally, we worked on User Interface design, art direction, the visual part of frontend development, and Project Management.

Frontend development was done by both parties. We mainly used HTML5, CSS, while CoreLine took care of more of the functional side, such as JavaScript and the whole web app part.

What is the team dynamic?

We mostly worked with Dominik [CEO, CoreLine].

How did you come to work with CoreLine?

We knew each other as friends, but I knew that Dominik had worked on successful projects.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $50,000 on the overall project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in September of last year, and the project concluded this past September in 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are currently going through some final testing, but it is functional and running on the client’s servers.

How did CoreLine perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything went according to schedule. There were some delays when the client didn’t approve things on time, but other than that, everything went well during the collaboration. We mostly used email for all official things, and for detail specific things we used Slack. We also used Bitbucket, Hangouts, and WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I have only good things to say about our collaboration. They are professional, they do their job, and I would recommend them to anyone.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. All aspects of the project were well done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

There are both sides to a collaboration, and it is not only CoreLine who takes care of the whole project. There are points of approval which clients should take seriously, but when the client approves everything on time, there are no issues.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Villa Vega

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

I actually own a rent house for torusim

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire CoreLine to accomplish?

• Web Visibility

SOLUTION

How did you find CoreLine?

Referral

Why did you select CoreLine over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from CoreLine were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

They have delivered the whole web page from scratch to both mobile and laptop app

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The whole team was perfect and really friendly. From initial communication to the delivery of the final version, everything was going really nicely and without problems.

What was your primary form of communication with CoreLine?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their personal approach. Besides my inputs, they have also participated in the way that they gave their thoughts and inputs on how to make the app more efficient. The whole brainstorming process gave me added value in the process

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

No