Custom D

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a parks and recreation consultancy company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Custom D?

We needed a software solution to run a survey of a benchmarking program on parks and facility assets. We added a face-to-face user survey component as well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially considered several options before settling on a web-based solution that could send out a questionnaire and establish memberships access protocols. We wanted something where users could refer to guidelines for answering questions, have a variety of options, and then link those responses into a reporting framework.

We added a user survey, which was done manually. We wanted to automate it into a web-based interface where we could collect survey responses in the field using iPads or iPhones, upload the data into a cloud-based system, and do all of the analysis to produce the results around satisfaction and gap analysis.

Before, we used to do everything manually using Excel spreadsheets to generate a report. However, we desired a live report, which meant that a program could run all year and that if we added or changed results, the reporting would be updated in real-time on an online web-based portal.

At the moment, there’s no ongoing development. We’re looking at reviewing and rebuilding it on some new platform because the platforms we use are now outdated and not supported.

What is the team composition?

We initially worked with the lead software developer. Later on, they added a second person. They became the lead technical person as the other developer stepped into a management role.

How did you come to work with Custom D?

We found them through a file maker connection. We were looking for a file maker because I'd seen somebody do something similar. Custom D promoted itself as a file maker support expert. After talking to them, they said that a web-based solution was better, so we went down that track.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $500,000–$600,000. We have a budget of about $5,000 a month for maintenance work, but we've spent more on development projects. We're spending about $50,000–$60,000 on maintenance each year.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started around July 2008 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don't have anything specific regarding metrics. Custom D keeps the platform working, and they deliver timely responses.

How did Custom D perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management has been good. They’re great with communication; we use Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technical expertise and bespoke software design are outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their pricing. If things don't work or break, we still pay for everything they do.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear about your outcomes and the project scope as possible. It’ll help with scoping and pricing the project. Also, whatever budget they might come up with, double it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT manager of a clothing printing and print production fulfillment company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Custom D?

We're a 30-year-old business, and we're constantly updating our technology. IT customization and automation are a big part of what we do. When we bring customers on board, we want clear communication and transparency about our orders and fulfillment processes. We wanted to improve integrations with external people, so we hired Custom D to help us automate processes and create more detailed reports. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Custom D provides us with custom software development. We work with AWS, and the team helps us with order acceptance and APIs. Usually, we give them a 2–3-month project to update our systems or move to a more advanced level of customization and automation.

The team's tasks include working with external parties to ensure we can meet their requests for automation and send back information. Within the AWS environment, they help us find the latest technologies and methods to improve our speed to market (STM), catching any errors or issues and making sure we work through them.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with a few developers and a project manager from Custom D. Sam (Technical Director) is my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Custom D?

They're a sister company to a vendor we've worked with on a project connected to the same system. This other provider referred Custom D to us. We chose them because they were the quickest to respond to our questions and always came back with the clearest feedback, and communication and transparency are the most important things for us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With previous developers, we've had many bugs after deployment. Now, we see very few bugs with Custom D's work. This means they understand our project, know what we require, and don't take shortcuts — they do things properly. We usually send the team a very complex list of tasks, and they come back with clear solutions. Additionally, they're always happy to accommodate third-party requests. 

How did Custom D perform from a project management standpoint?

They're really good with timeframes and deliver on time and generally within budget. The team provides detailed project estimates, including a buffer in the budget in case things come up, which helps us plan ahead.

If things change along the way, they're always willing to accommodate us while keeping the original timeframe, which is great. We catch up with Sam once a week. He's really good because he's a developer with oversight, so he helps us manage any changes we need. We've had issues with previous developers where we couldn't get the time we needed from them to complete work within our timeframe. Meanwhile, Custom D always responds quickly. 

They're also very clear in their communication. We use Slack, where they're quick to respond. We keep in constant contact and track the history of all the issues we've had. They're so good at communicating through email and Slack that we don't have to collaborate on any other software. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed with how Custom D responds with clear planning and understanding of our requirements. When we put our issues and tasks on the table, the team is always willing to find the best way to approach them and prioritize them. Overall, they've gone above and beyond for us, and we're really happy with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing they need to improve comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to put it all on the table; be as transparent with Custom D as they are with you. This way, you can come to an understanding together, and what you achieve will be good for both of you. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director for IMEX Pacific Money. We’re a remittance provider specifically for Pacific Island communities from New Zealand to Tonga and Samoa.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Custom D?

We didn’t have a website where customers could arrange money transfers from New Zealand to Tonga and Samoa. We wanted a website so our Pacific community could go in and become familiar with the language.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The website was our first project with Custom D. They developed our money transfer site from scratch and integrated it so that our back-office system could still capture the information and data. Also, they had to design what we wanted visually. Custom D constructed our website and generated codes that followed through our system. Additionally, they engaged a graphic design company to help us with some of the visuals because our timing was a bit tight. They focused on the back-office integration.

The website has a chat function so we can talk to customers in our native language. They’ve delivered, and now we’re going into a second project to upgrade our money transfer system.

What is the team composition?

We deal with two people, and they have additional developers working behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Custom D?

We were looking for a company that could help us with our website. During the pandemic, people couldn’t access our agents in New Zealand. Several lockdowns happened, so we felt it was time to set up a website because e-commerce was the way to go.

We looked at reviews on Google. Custom D was local and one of the first companies that showed up in our search. We also approached a few others but didn’t get feedback or response. We gave Custom D a call, and they were really interested. We clicked with them and had a good rapport; they understood precisely what we needed.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent $50,000 New Zealand dollars (approximately $31,000 USD) on the website.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in July 2021, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of the successes is the ease that people have using the website. We’ve gotten good feedback and can respond in our language. Our staff can call the customer and explain things over the phone. It’s a relatively straightforward payment gateway, and customers understand it. Within our community, we aren’t an old-school money remitter. We’ve been modernized by going online. People can access our website, so our customers have switched from coming into the office or calling us to going online and doing their transactions on the website.

How did Custom D perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve been very happy with them in terms of meeting our deadlines. They’re patient with us — as we learned more about what customers need, we wanted to make some changes, and they accommodated our wishes. Moreover, they’ve been hands-on with our staff. They respond quickly when we reach out for fine-tuning and ironing out minor issues. We usually communicate by email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Although they’re swamped, they’re able to fit our project into their schedule. Also, we’ve found that they’re really willing to help. It was pretty new for us to embrace the new technology, and they assisted us and were patient. We aren’t a big money remitter; our business is still growing and is specific, but Custom D is willing to accommodate us to achieve what we want. They listen to us, which is essential in business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re pleased with what they’ve done, which is why we’re moving on to an even bigger project with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what you want and be prepared to describe your requirements. We weren’t, but Custom D helped us realize what we would need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior partner manager of Podium, a software company based in Lehi, Utah. We help local companies with solutions for texting, payments, and reviews.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Custom D?

We needed help with building some integrations we wanted.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Custom D has built two integrations to our APIs and two other companies’ APIs. These integrations include an internal system for easily processing data. Ultimately, this solution aims to enable us to onboard our customers onto these integrations to help them automate reviews and text messages for their businesses.

Although they’ve already finished both integrations, Custom D monitors and maintains them. Additionally, we keep working with them on other projects.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with 5–6 people from Custom D, including Matthew (New Business Director), who is my main point of contact, and a few engineers.

How did you come to work with Custom D?

I found them on Xero’s website.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around June 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The fact that we now have clients using our integration, and it's working well, is proof of the success of our project.

How did Custom D perform from a project management standpoint?

Custom D’s project management is good. We had weekly check-ins throughout the development project, and they kept us in the loop about their work the entire time. We use a Slack channel to communicate easily, and they’re also very communicative when things come up. In addition to Slack, we also communicate via Zoom, email, and text messages.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Custom D is very transparent and easy to work with, and they deliver good value for the money.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Explain your challenges, the kind of solutions you’re looking for, and the outcomes you need; Custom D will find a way to make it happen in the most efficient way.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Company director - Sole trader

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

To re- develop an app that I had already had made elsewhere and that was not able to be accepted. That company had financial difficulty so I approached Custom D. We had to start from the beginning again

SOLUTION

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

They were local, had a good track record and their communication very good

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

As I already had had the app previously developed it was a matter of going through exactly what I wanted again with slight improvements.

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

3

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am in early days yet but the app is up and running and the feedback has been really positive

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

Contact with my developer has been really easy through the Slack platform. They respond promptly and keep me informed

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

Custom D is easy to work with — they always listen to my requests and attend to them promptly. They're very friendly and professional as well.

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a co-owner and the primary developer for QAOSH AviationSMS Limited

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to make access to the reporting forms for our safety and risk registers easier to access and provide offline capability that the internet (web-based) forms that had proven to be a significant limiting factor for our customers.

SOLUTION

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

We were keen to work with developers that have a good understanding of the local NZ business environment, and had experience with working on smaller scale projects. Simplicity of the user interface and scope for ongoing product support were key considerations.

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

Following a wireframe mock-up based on our own concept development, we had a series of virtual meetings. These covered the web-based components of the safety and risk reporting system and our customer needs we were seeking to address. The project proceeded into production with continual communications to address specifics of the back-end database and series of record rule requirements needed for it to integrate with the web-based system.

The release to the App/Play stores proved to be challenging, with Apple requiring additional features that were not consistent with how we wished to deploy the app. Custom D provided an elegant solution which allowed for us to provide public download and successfully challenged the App Store decision. Post release, the last-minute changes that required corrective action were attended to quickly with updates as issues were identified.

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

Two key Senior Developers / project managers were in direct contact, with several others assisting

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our aim for deployment by July was achieved, and the app has performed well following the initial run of updates.

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

The use of Slack for rapid direct messaging and zoom calls greatly expedited communications

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

They took their time with understanding our customers' needs before providing suitable solutions for us. They made sure to keep the app as simple to use as possible.

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

Overall we're really happy with the result.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sales assistant of a wholesale patisserie that distributes products all over our state.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Custom D?

Our objective was to garner more convenience in regard to ordering and customer service. Right now, it’s not as convenient as it should be.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Custom D designed and developed our website. Their team talked to me about all of our needs and implemented that into building our online ordering software. It provides customers with different ways to order from us. Currently, the ways to order doesn’t show a full range; it’s pretty limited and not very progressive.

What is the team composition?

We worked with five of their team members.

How did you come to work with Custom D?

We chose Custom D because they were willing to provide some services that other agencies were not. Their team was more flexible and easier to work with. It just worked out.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement was from September 2019–March 2021. Things slowed down in the middle due to COVID-19.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched the website. Our internal and external feedback on how the website looks is positive. They fulfilled what we needed and had good communication throughout the whole process.

How did Custom D perform from a project management standpoint?

Custom D was really accommodating. They’d always work with our time despite being in a different time zone. Their team compensated and adjusted to our timeline. As for deadlines, we understood that things were slowing down for everyone because of the pandemic. Custom D was great at communicating that and explaining everything to us. We utilized Slack and Trello.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication and willingness to accommodate us. Custom D is reliable. If I have a question that needs to be answered quickly, I can ask for a Zoom or call with one of their team members and they reply quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront from the start. It’s important to say if you have any issues right away instead of waiting and being unhappy only to change something last-minute.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Committee for Perth is WA’s leading independent think tank. Through our evidence-based and solutions-focused approach, we have a track record of driving structural and cultural change to enrich Greater Perth’s reputation as a place to live, work, invest, study and visit. I am the Manager of Member Services & Operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website needed a refresh and redesign to make more of our research and make the pages more visually appealing.

SOLUTION

How did you select Custom D and what were the deciding factors?

I met Custom D at an Associations Forum conference and was impressed with the way they approached their scoping of projects and understanding what the client needs.

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

The scope was to redesign the website pages and make the research more visually appealing. The key deliverables were to see the redesigned pages, input the information to the website and then launch.

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

2

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website pages redesign was the main deliverable and was great, they took the feedback given well and resigned something that was 90% perfect, with a few suggested changes the website has never looked better.

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

They were great. They were quick to respond and delivered on time and as quoted.

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

The quote that was given was fair and they delivered to that.

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder & CEO of global fin-tech Art Money

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Product build (website, algorithm & database integration)

• API integration - external agencies eg credit bureaus, Xero, payment gateways

Objective:

• build a low-cost fin-tech product for a boot-strapped startup, that is best practice and is equal to the VC funded fintech
• Seamless API integration with a number of parties, particularly payment gateways and credit bureaus
• Develop e-commerce plug-ins and custom integrations
• Develop ID integrations to solve KYC/AML reg-tech and use those solutions to become an industry leader

SOLUTION

How did you select Custom D and what were the deciding factors?

Trusted, highly competent, no bullshit, chilled (Kiwi's), fairly priced. We had a prior longstanding relationship and felt they were best placed to take us into the world of fin-tech & APIs. We were right. They operate more like an internal team than an external provider. Very close relationship of trust.

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

Really too broad and too much scope to detail here. Happy to provide further info on request.

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

Project Manager New Business Director Director Also: various developers & designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just closed a successful Series A based on great client adoption and retention, partly due to the great experience clients have with the tech - despite it being in many ways still at MVP stage.

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

Strong communicators, honest, realistic, tight with budgets. We feel their project manager is really part of our broader team.

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

Ability and breadth of skills. Honest communication. They are genuinely interested in and committed to our company purpose. Have been very flexible and understanding when we went through financial ups and downs as a startup. A less flexible approach might have killed our business opportunity. They are a true partner.

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

Nothing significant.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Business Process Designer for Industrial Design Consultancy with offices in Sydney and Melbourne

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our existing back office systems were crumbling and unsupported. We were using multiple spreadsheets and doubling up with data entry to capture time and materials for purchasing, invoicing and payroll. Previous searches to find an off the shelf solution had cost significantly in time and money and not worked out.

SOLUTION

How did you select Custom D and what were the deciding factors?

We stumbled across Custom D whilst looking into updating our website, and found they had similar problems with their own back office system and so we leveraged from their work and expanded and customised to suit our processes.

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

We worked closely with the team to map out work flows and pain points in the current systems we were using, approaching the project in different modules. First up we tackled time entry, then invoicing, purchasing and supplier management, and finally reporting. Each module was released separately to ensure seamless integration with our workflow and accounting systems, and to minimise disruption to our clients.

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

We've probably worked with about 8 different team members from Custom D since the start of the project but have had constant interaction with 3 key team members throughout.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For the most part each time we've released a module or a change to the system it has gone largely unnoticed by our team (approximately 50 people). This is always regarded as being a huge success, as it means there is no disruption or downtime to ongoing project work.

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

Utilising 'Slack' for project communication has been great for keeping track of all the requests and changes along the way. Communication is easy. Timelines are mostly met, but sometimes extend out due to changes in constraints and additional requests.

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

They really understand the way we work, so it was a great process to work with them to drastically improve our administration procedures.

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

Can't think of any.