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4.5
9 reviews

Denologix Inc. | Information Management

Specializing in Systems Integration and Visualization, Denologix has provided superior IT Professional Services and Solutions that empower companies to make the right decision.

Denologix is a Premier Analytics and Information Management company. A recognized industry leader in providing Big Data implementations and management, utilizing leading technologies for Cloud solutions. We help customers to better understand their market, competitors, risks, operations & customers through predictive analytics, data integration and data quality. Our projects have helped our customers Increase Sales, Reduce Costs, Meet Regulatory Compliance, Gain Market Share and focus on Customer Retention, Cross-selling/Up-selling.

Our Solutions Include:  Data Quality, Data Management, Data Integration, Big Data, Business Intelligence (BI), Master Data Management (MDM), Visual Analytics (VA), Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Analysis Dashboard.

Supported Technologies: 

R, Apache Hadoop (YARN: Pig: Hive: HBase: Phoenix: Spack: ZooKeeper: Impala: Flume: Sqoop, Oozie: Storm: HDFS), Cloudera CDH, Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) Web Svcs, Java J2EE, .Net, SAS, Oracle, DB2, SAS SPDS, SQL Server, Mysql, PostgreSQL, HTML, CSS, Javascript, Unix, Linux, Windows, MVS Android, iPhone, Blackberry

Key Partners: 

SAS, cloudera, Hortonworks, AMSIO, redhat, Canada Post, Smart360°Biz, Oracle, Microsoft

Our expertise and extensive partnerships in Big Data technologies enable companies to confidently embark on new Big Data solutions or leverage existing initiatives to further enhance ROI. Denologix provides customers Big Data services from project initiation to fully managed and administered Big Data environments. You can count on obtaining quality results for all your analysis needs.

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$10,000+
 
$150 - $199 / hr
 
50 - 249
 Founded
2002
Show all +
Toronto, Canada
headquarters
  • 161 Bay St - 27th Flr
    Toronto, ON M5J2S1
    Canada
    800.393.1203
other locations
  • 1230 Avenue of the Americas
    New York, NY 10020
    United States
    800.393.1203
  • 30 South Wacker Drive - 22nd Flr
    Chicago, IL 60606
    United States
    800.393.1203
  • 701 West Georgia St - Suite 1500
    Vancouver, BC V7Y1C6
    Canada
    800.393.1203
  • 701 Fifth Avenue - 42nd Flr
    Seattle, WA 98104
    United States
    800.393.1203

Portfolio

Key clients: 

ADP, Adidas, Algoma, Allstream, Aviva, BELL, BioMS, BMO, Brookfield, Canada Post, Cancer Care, City Bank, CIBC, CoOperators, Cornerstone, CP Rail, CCV, CTC, Dexit, Empire Foods, Ethoca, Fairmont, HHS, HBC, HomeTrust, ING, Innovapost, IOU, LCBO, LoyaltyOne, Ministry of Health, Munich RE, NHS, Ministry of Finance, MTS, Prognos, Pearson Education, PHO, PWC, RBC, RIM, Rogers, Samsung, SaskTel, Scotiabank, Sheridan, Shoppers, Sobeys, SunLife, SSHA, Telus,TD, THC, TransUnion, Workopolis...

Reviews

4.5
9 reviews
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SAS Implementation for Healthcare Company

"There’s not a lot of people in Canada that are doing what they’re specialized in."

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3.5

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
3.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Jan. - July 2018
Project summary: 

Denologix assisted with the company’s transition from a workstation SAS server version to the full server platform. They dealt with complex industry requirements and provided thorough documentation.

The Reviewer
 
201-500 Employees
 
Canada
Director of IT, Health Research Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

While industry regulations made the project more complex, their expertise contributed to an easier server transition and implementation, which has greatly improved internal workflows. Their perseverance in tackling a challenging project shone through, though they should hire more resources.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of IT at a clinical research company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Denologix?

We were looking for assistance with deploying a SAS server on premise. Previously, we had been using the workstation version and were looking for some help moving up to the server platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

This project was for the implementation of SAS Office Analytics Server to support multiple concurrent users based on requirements set in our industry’s regulations. We wanted to have a fully validated implementation of the server platform to replace the workstation software we were using.

There was a whole lot of documentation that accompanied that because of our regulatory requirements. Denologix completed that documentation around system validation and did some of the technical setups as well.

The requirements and industry regulations for pharmaceutical related systems are quite complicated. Denologix helped with writing test cases and creating a validation plan, and at the end, they provided the validation summary.

What is the team composition?

We didn’t have a consistent project manager assigned due to health issues. We know it wasn’t their fault, though.

How did you come to work with Denologix?

They were recommended by SaaS Canada and were local to us. Since we had a short timeline, we felt that having a local partner just a couple of hours away would be easier to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000-$100,000 CAD (approximately $37,823–$75,646 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2018 and the collaboration lasted six months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their technical know-how was very helpful in speeding up the implementation. The server increases the collaboration, reduces licensing costs, and allows for more consistent workflows.

How did Denologix perform from a project management standpoint?

They were out of their comfort zone on this. The documentation that we requested was so far out of their normal requirements that it was really a learning experience for them. They took a fair bit of assistance from us, but they were able to complete it. They definitely could’ve done better with communication, but part of that was due to some staff turnover.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There’s not a lot of people in Canada that are doing what they’re specialized in. They certainly have some very large, well-recognized Canadian clients, which gives them some credibility.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I suggest that they add more staff. Denologix should have dedicated technical writers to assist with some of these projects. When there’s a situation like ours that’s very technical and demands highly specialized resources, they should really be spending their time doing the technical things and not so much on documentation.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that the statement of work is very well crafted and that both parties really understand what the capabilities and deliverables are.

3.5
Overall Score
  • 3.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They were generally able to meet deadlines. Perhaps the scope of work or the unique challenges of our project contributed to timelines being extended.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    For this rating, I’m focusing more on their core deliverables and less on the specialized stuff we asked for.
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Data Architecture Dev for Investment Company

“Denologix’s work will have a transformational impact on our company.”

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4.5

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Apr. - June 2018
Project summary: 

Denologix provided consulting and support for a migration to the cloud and data architecture. They built a data lake using AWS tools that transforms operational data for business analytics.

The Reviewer
 
1,001-5,000 Employees
 
Toronto Metro Area
Craig Gatten
VP of Data Management, Investment Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Denologix delivered a data architecture that is markedly more efficient than the previous version. Multiple rounds of testing yielded positive results. On a weekly basis, they provided detailed documentation. The executive leadership was closely involved in the project. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of IT at a Canadian investment company. In my role, I’m responsible for client reporting and data management.
 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Denologix?

Our company needed professional consulting to build and test proof of concept for a new data architecture and migration to the cloud.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Denologix worked with our business from project inception to implementation. They created a data lake from the legacy data store. The team handled the migration to cloud using a variety of AWS tools. It uses a relational database service (RDS). 

Through a web service called Elastic MapReduce (EMR), it processes data using a Hadoop open- source framework. It transforms operational data using Talend and stores it in the data lake for advanced business analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

What is the team composition? 

We worked with a lead developer and two business analysts from Denologix.

How did you come to work with Denologix?

Having worked with Denologix before, I knew they had the necessary expertise for this project. I considered other companies, but most were more expensive and too rigid in their consulting structure.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $100,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Denologix for two months this year, from April-June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Denologix’s work will have a transformational impact on our company. They tested the new architecture with multiple datasets. Based on the results, it seems incredibly efficient. We are now doing some internal work before we roll out architecture on a larger scale. 

How did Denologix perform from a project management standpoint?

Denologix sent us weekly timesheets with information from the analysts and lead developer. The documentation was consistently detailed and thorough. The owner of Denologix, was involved in our project, and I could contact him when needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Denologix wasn’t “salesy” and never tried to run up their hours to increase the cost.  I appreciated their honesty and admired their expertise. I would definitely consider working with them for related projects in the future

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wanted Denologix to get my team more involved in understanding the development. They offered some training and education, so they partially accommodated my request. Overall, I’m pleased with their work.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Analytics Software Implementation Partnership

"They're very knowledgeable and willing to understand their customers..."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Jan. 2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Denologix implemented a business intelligence platform for data scientists, enabling design, creation, and execution of a variety models – Hadoop, Oracle, IBM Db2. They also provide big data consultations.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Toronto, Canada
Channel Account Manager, Software Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Exhibiting great attention to detail and flexibility, they're able to expedite projects and keep clients satisfied. Their high level of expertise, responsiveness, and customer focus made them a reliable long-term partner.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work at a global analytics firm that specializes in advanced analytics and data management. We work in different varieties of industries and verticals. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Denologix?

I go to them for a number of different solutions that concern implementation of BI [business intelligence] platforms, big data expertise, or advanced consultations. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a project with a major retailer recently: they implemented a BI platform for their data scientists. Using different databases, the platform designs, creates, and executes various models, such as Hadoop, Oracle, IBM Db2.

What is the team composition? 

We work mostly with our project manager and he allocates resources as needed. 

How did you come to work with them?

They've been a successful partner for us for 15 years and have extensive experience, so it was natural for us to choose them for this project.

What is the status of this engagement? 

I started working with them in 2017 and the relationship is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They're flexible and available to expedite the project. They're our partner, so we can rely on them to do things that we're not able to do. Their attention to detail is exceptional and our clients are happy with their services. 

How did they perform from a project management standpoint? 

They're responsive and I can always get a hold of them. Because we have a strong communication line, we can quickly overcome the issues that arise. Usually, I call or email them (I prefer to call).

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very knowledgeable and willing to understand their customers, making them their priority when dealing with these difficult types of consultations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I like having one main point of contact, but sometimes it would be good to have more project managers assigned.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    We haven't had any problems.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    There were almost no complaints.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Custom SAS Development for Telecom Co

“I really appreciate their willingness as an organization to spontaneously jump in and assist us.”

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
May 2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Denologix helped develop, technically implement, and deliver a custom software solution for a telecoms client. The big data analytics solution uses machine learning to find useful patterns in call records.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Toronto, Canada
Palle Johnson
National Platform Engineer, SAS
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Denologix rated at least eight out of 10 in all customer satisfaction surveys, and the client was pleased with the product. Showing high accountability, they quickly handle rework, often at their own expense. Integrating business methodologies helped foster a close, long-term partnership.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The SAS Institute is a $3,000,000,000 analytics and data management company based out of North Carolina. I'm responsible for platform engineering, and work with the sales organization in professional services to deploy solutions to customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Denologix?

We utilize Denologix to augment our services organization, since we lacked some necessary skills internally. We had skilled staff in our services department, but the demand and number of implementations that we're doing exceeded our resources.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I worked closely with Denologix to help a telecoms customer implement a big data solution. Using Hortonworks technology, it analyzes call records and related details for patterns. A form of machine learning indicates the types and quality of these calls. We had to develop a solution that could look at literally billions of call records, and yield useful takeaways. Their team’s technical experience with Hortonworks and knowledge of the SAS platform were very useful. They worked on both the technical implementation and the development for this custom software.

What is the team composition?

Initially, we mostly interfaced with the president, Shaz Ahmed. Due to the nature of our projects, we now work directly with the developers. Our dynamic has evolved to the point where several staff from Denologix are basically our extended team members. In many cases, they were actually sitting on our premises.

How did you come to work with Denologix?

Our first criterion was being a SAS partner. We sought them out based on their level of certification in the SAS product sets. As evidenced by the key technical staff we interviewed, their depth of skill was also very impressive.

How much have you invested with them?

For this project, we spent about $200,000. For the whole duration from 2015 on, it's in the neighborhood of a couple million. Denologix has also become a channel partner with us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in May of 2015, and that particular project took about a year to complete. The relationship has been ongoing since then.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We produce a customer survey at the end of every project. Whenever we've used Denologix, they've been rated at least eight out of 10. Our customer, the telecoms company, was very happy with the product that they were given. At one point, they even insisted that some of the key members of staff from Denologix were part of the project. Another measure of success we utilize is assessing how re-work is handled. If there is re-work to be done, they’re quick to come back to the project, oftentimes at their own cost.

How did Denologix perform from a project management standpoint?

I'm happy with the level of communication and integration. At this point in time, they're truly like an extension of our team. SAS has a standard methodology that we've developed for deploying projects, which Denologix has embedded within their own corporate culture. It's often hard to tell where they start and we end.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're impressively knowledgeable about both the SAS platform and the underlying technology of the operating system. I really appreciate their willingness as an organization to spontaneously jump in and assist us. We're not haggling about price. They obviously get compensated, but their attitude is focused on doing the right thing for the customer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Growing their staff would probably be beneficial.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

SAS Deployment & Security for Consulting Firm

"Their subject matter expertise distinguishes them from other companies with whom we have worked in the past."

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
4.5
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Sept. 2015 - May 2016
Project summary: 

Denologix provided expertise on cloud-hosted services—including their installation and configuration—and developed a web-based application to facilitate their secure administration.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Phoenix, Arizona
Susan Seal
Managing Consultant, Prognos
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Considering the niche subject matter at hand, Denologix provided high quality work and background knowledge that was essential for completing this contract. They ensured that the product would be usable by non-experts in an ongoing capacity, and were both easy to work with and flexible.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My current title at Prognos is managing consultant, but in practice I am the head of support services for all analytic pricing solutions for our company. We offer consulting services and analytic solutions in retail. During the project with Denologix, I was the team lead of implementation services for pricing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Denologix?

For this particular project, we were partnering with SAS to provide certain services to our client. Our expertise is in analytics and mathematical solutions to business problems, so most of our employees are mathematicians or computer scientists. At the time we did not have any internal expertise in cloud-hosted services, however, as part of this contract revenue optimization, we needed someone who was familiar with everything concerning use of the cloud. They also needed to have knowledge of security constraints for multi-server infrastructure. We lacked that SAS administration capability, and that is what we sought in Denologix.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, the team led by Ahmad Damra [Senior Architect, Denologix Inc.] installed revenue optimization for us on the Amazon Cloud. Second, they configured user administration for us on the cloud, and implemented a client-directed security protocol. All of the infrastructure related to security dictated by the client was mandatory for our contractual needs. Third, they built custom solutions for quality assessment infrastructure, so that the data copies to and from the servers. Finally, they developed a web-based application to facilitate us using all of the above on an ongoing basis. In other words, they created a frontend for all of their scripts in order to allow non-programmers to easily execute their tasks within this system.

What is the team composition?

Ahmad was our project lead. Later on during the work process, he transferred his knowledge to a Prognos consultant.

How did you come to work with Denologix?

I had worked with Ahmad previously on a project very similar to this one. Additionally, both my company and Denologix are SAS partners, which made the collaboration more straightforward.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested approximately US$75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work was completed between September 2015 and May 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfortunately, I cannot make a quantitative assessment of their work’s benefit for our client, other than to say that they created a very supportable tool that we will use in an ongoing basis to build a profitable model for our clients.

How did Denologix perform from a project management standpoint?

Similar to our company, Denologix’s employees are made up of subject matter experts in a very niche field. They did not need to be directed on their day-to-day task load, and they often gave us guidance on best practices. For the most part, they are very self-motivated. They did the work that was asked of them, but they also contributed in a way that utilized their own prior knowledge and experience to help finesse our procedures regarding this project. We communicated primarily through email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their subject matter expertise distinguishes them from other companies with whom we have worked in the past. There is a relatively small community of people who work in revenue optimization as partners for SAS, and an even smaller group of people who do that very well. Denologix is among that latter group, and Ahmad is an expert at what he does. Denologix is a very good partner, and they always build something that can be supported on an ongoing basis. It was a pretty flexible and easy-to-navigate process with our consultant.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you are dealing with big, out-of-the-box solutions, it is important to have people who know the subject very well, but who also understand it very broadly and know precisely what the tool is supposed to be doing for the business to drive revenue. Make sure that you are engaging a partner who can do all of the above for you and your company.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 4.5 NPS
    Willing to refer

SAS Implementation for Insurance Company

“I’ve always been very happy with them.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Mar. 2010 - Aug. 2011
Project summary: 

Denologix implemented a SAS for one project and integrated WebLogic with SAS for another. They continue to provide technical support.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Toronto, Canada
Michel Sabourin
Fmr. Senior Manager, Aviva Insurance
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

One of Denologix’s SAS implementations facilitated the success of a following multi-million dollar project. They consistently deliver on time and within budget, take responsibility for problems, and dedicate themselves to finding solutions at an attractive price.  

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’ve worked at both Bell Canada and Aviva in business intelligence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Denologix?

I needed the SAS [statistical analysis system] licensing and support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For Aviva, they provided and installed the SAS for me. Their ongoing support involves finding software solutions whenever we run into issues.

At Bell Canada, they were the only vendor who could do a WebLogic implementation, which was a major milestone. We had 2,000 users who we wanted to use the application. We also needed to make sure it was secure. Nobody could do an integration between the SAS and WebLogic here, but Denologic was able implement the technology.

What is the team composition?

There are three people who I can reach out to. I usually contact the lead who then passes on information.

How did you come to work with Denologix?

I’ve been involved with them at various companies I’ve worked for. Bell Canada was my first engagement, and Aviva was my second.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $300,000 for the Bell Canada project and $400,000 for the Aviva one.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2010, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their SAS implementation for Aviva permitted the success of a multi-million dollar project that followed. It was also implemented on time and within budget.

How did Denologix perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve always been very happy with them. I try to engage with them every time I move to a new company because I know if I hire them that they’ll deliver on time and within budget. Communication is great with them. We use email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re committed. They are dedicated to overcoming challenges and always make sure to fulfill my needs. If we run into a problem, they don’t blame it on other people. They will hone in on the problem and solve it. I’m very impressed with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’re very good at what they do. Shaz [President, Denologix] is one of the most professional and honest people I’ve ever dealt with in my life. They always stay true to their proposed costs. If I omit something, he’ll usually include it at no extra charge. He’s easy to work with.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They always take responsibility and have never missed a deadline.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Their prices are very attractive. They always stay within budget, and I’ve never been surprised.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’d 100% recommend them.

Canadian Bank Data Analytics Regulatory Project

"They know how to maintain the highest standard of professionalism and accountability. "

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4.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$1,000,000 - $9,999,999
Project summary: 

Over the course of 3 years, Denologix customized a data analytics model. The team used SAS for the infrastructure and implemented their data model. The project required multiple iterations and improvements.

The Reviewer
 
Toronto, Canada
Former IT Manager, Major Canadian Bank
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Denologix performed well despite tight time constraints, difficult deadlines, and constant regulatory developments. The team remained diligent, collaborative, and positive throughout the high-pressure project. They had a unique understanding of customer needs and offered personalized solutions.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your company?

We're one of the largest banking organizations in Canada. 

What is your position?

When Denologix worked with us, I was responsible for some risk technology solutions development. I was managing the development and maintenance of our warehouse. It’s a risk data warehouse, which sourced information from various legacy systems in the bank. The tool provided us with a single integrated view of the bank’s retail risk for regulatory reporting, internal risk management, and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenges were you attempting to address with initiating the projects with Denologix?

The data model that we acquired had to be customized to fit our organization and reporting needs. That’s essentially why we needed to source outside expertise. Even though SAS had dedicated some resources from their own shop, we still required additional resources.

SOLUTION

How did you select Denologix as your solution partner?

I was not directly involved in the selection process because I joined the project to turn it around. I think Denologix had done some work with one of the senior executives in the bank on separate projects. I believe they were then referred, and that’s why they were brought in to deal with a few reporting and data requirements.

Was SAS the only platform used?

Yes. They brought in SAS as the main vendor to set up the infrastructure. They had brought their data model.

When was that project completed?

The project was completed in late 2007. There was some post-implementation work in early 2008 as well.

Can you give us a sense of the size of the initiative in monetary terms?

The entire project, including the work and technology, was approximately $40 million range. We had about 50 consultants. Our In-house employees numbered around 15, but we had brought in another 35 to supplement during the implementation of the project on the technology side. On the business side, I think there was an equal number of stakeholders.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the work they've delivered?

It’s still alive and well. That’s what I can say. I wish I could offer more, but I don’t work with that team anymore.

How did Denologix perform during the project?

It was a very tough project, and we had a tight timeframe. There were very hard deadlines to meet. There were also plenty of new developments as the regulators refined their reporting needs for us. It was a very challenging project.

Overall, everyone came through and delivered. There was a need to work very hard, long hours. I think even though everyone was under pressure, Denologix staff never complained. Sometimes, in this kind of project, things can get nasty and people can point fingers. Even though we faced challenges and issues, it remained a collaborative effort. That’s what I liked about Denologix: they know how to maintain the highest standard of professionalism and accountability. 

When working with Denologix, is there anything you'd consider unique or special compared to other vendors you may have worked with?

Their ability to understand customer needs is quite special. Generally, consultants are stuck in their own ways have the tendency to remain intransigent. They may try to impose it on an organization even if that solution doesn’t fit the organization or the information needs of the organization.

Denologix was very good at listening to us and coming up with solutions, which they were able to sell to our own internal clients easily.

In retrospect, are there areas you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently when approaching this type of project?

Overall, it was a successful project. There were some challenges along the way, but I wouldn’t say they could have been completely avoided. I wouldn’t say we could have done something better.

I would say Denologix was there alongside with us, and that’s what matters. We can always say there’s always room for improvement. I cannot pinpoint a single thing that we didn’t do well.

4.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Yes. I constantly recommend them to various groups in the bank if there is some interest in their skill set. I don’t have any problem recommending them.

Insurance Company SAS Implementation and Migration

"Partnership like this, you don’t find anywhere. I met very few vendors that I could say that I trusted."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
Project summary: 

Denologix updated an SAS business intelligence platform and provided all data migration. The team provided expert SAS advice on the entire migration.

The Reviewer
 
Medium-sized firm
 
Toronto Metro Area
President, Boutique IT Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Denologix provided a pricing model that inspired confidence by fixing the price upfront. The team was willing to work on-site and was always very transparent on the project and make sure that all elements are completed.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Can you please provide a brief description of your company?

I have worked for a number of large enterprises that worked with Denologix. I’ve worked with large software companies but this particular project is for a Canadian insurance firm.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I was head of the business intelligence practice at the time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What were your company’s business goals for this particular project?

We were looking for somebody to install the SAS business intelligence platform. I needed the platform to be installed to enable the business units to share. My organization had got multiple business units.

SOLUTION

What was your process for selecting Denologix?

A fixed price to me is a safety net and I liked how Denologix provides this pricing model. That was one of the big things that I really like about Denelogix. They come in. They assess the work. They talk to you about what you want. They also tell you other options.

They were bidding against SAS. Denelogix came in with a more reasonable bid and they did their job.

Can you please describe the scope of the project and what Denologix did?

This was a migration of the SAS platform, migration of the data, implementation of a new version and also installing all the products that we got from SAS. This wasn’t just an install, walk away type of project.  It was a complicated project because SAS isn’t easy to learn and we wanted many portals and features.

The scope was very specific. I wanted a SAS install, 9.3 install. 9.2 first, and then some customization. We wanted 9.2 installed so the business units could share data. We wanted it in one computer, not multiple computers like a big server. We wanted one big server. We wanted the fastest IO possible. We wanted the data to be processed. We didn’t want the data to max out. So we wanted to make sure that we purchased the proper equipment.

They also did a data migration onto 40 work computers. Denologix sent us an amazing installer. The programmer spent over three months and they also provided an expert SAS administrator.

The implementation went very smoothly, Denologix has helped a lot with all the details, every communication piece. The experience was very pleasant, they totally communicated everything that they were doing. We had a project plan that we were following step by step. The only thing that caused trouble at the end, was the migration.

Can you give us a sense of the initiative in dollar terms?

It was over $1 million but I can’t recall the exact figure.

When was the project completed?

I believe it was 2006.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did Denologix perform during the project?

Their top people do a lot of important projects in Canada and are willing to work on-site and make sure the job gets done. I have worked with them for over a decade now. I’m very happy with them. I’m still happy. I still do business with him.

Are there any areas that you feel Denologix could improve upon or maybe you would do differently?

I am tough on vendors and always ask them to deliver more. However, I love that they stick to a fixed price and deliver what is promised. I can’t make any complaints.

When working with Denologix, what is unique or special about them compared to other vendors?

Their team is very honest. Their leaders are very transparent and open. Partnership like this, you don’t find anywhere. I met very few vendors that I could say that I trusted.

This vendor is amazing. I am happy I chose Denologix and would do it again.

5.0
Overall Score Vendors can always deliver more but they are perfect for pricing and schedule.
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    I’m a tough guy.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Yes, and I have many times.

Major Bank Regulatory Data Analytics Project

"[Denologix] is very rapid in acquiring new capabilities."

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4.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$1,000,000 - $9,999,999
Project summary: 

Denologix provided SAS integration for a large company. The team was later hired to perform various SAS software installations and has worked on over 20 projects in QA, data management and product analyses.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Toronto, Canada
Vice President of Alliances and Business Development, IT Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The project yielded a high degree of client satisfaction and was completed on time and on budget. Denologix is flexible and acquires new capabilities quickly. The team developed relationships with both SAS and in-house employees through great customer service.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Can you provide a brief description of your company?

We are the world’s largest privately held analytics software company. We have more than 13,000 employees in more than 100 countries, and we’re the market share leader in advanced analytics. We are based in the United States.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the vice president of alliances and business development. I have various responsibilities including being responsible for all partner relationships in Canada. I own the responsibility for one of our global systems integrators. I also have global responsibility for one of our top 20 customers, and I do special projects in the corporate development area as needed.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business goal for this particular project with Denologix?

Denologix was selected as a primary subcontractor for SAS as we delivered the first ever Basel risk solution in one of the top five Canadian banks. That was probably the first large project that we collaborated on with Denologix. We selected them because their reputation preceded them in the data management space. We knew that their principal [Shaz Ahmed, the president of Denologix] had an interest in further developing his analytic capability. We invested to build up their SAS technology capability with the existing data management strength they had. The goal was to have Denologix grow apart after being part of one of the largest SAS Canada implementations we’ve done to that date. It was highly reference-able for us with a high degree of client satisfaction.

Following that success with Denologix, we made various commitments to them, and they became our go-to partner for installations of various SAS software products. They gained particular expertise in some of our data quality, master data management, and other analytic products.

SOLUTION

What are the advantages of SAS for data analytics?

There are many. One thing is SAS’s business model. SAS has had a subscription-based business model since its inception. They don’t sell perpetual licenses, and you don’t pay for upgrades. You subscribe to an offering and SAS commits a very large percentage of revenue to continuously upgrading that software, and those upgrades are available at no charge to clients. SAS invests approximately 25 percent of its revenue in R&D, and that’s about 10 times the industry average. That’s how SAS maintains a significant lead on all competitors in the capability of products.

Customer retention of products is much better than anyone else in the industry. They have a single-digit percentage cancelation rate across the world. When clients buy SAS software, the software capability accelerates rapidly. They keep the SAS software for a long time. Then company staff gain great depth of expertise in using it. These firms become more effective at deploying analytics in their business.

Can you give us a sense of the size of that initiative either as a ballpark dollar figure or personnel work hours?

The services business was in the order of $5 million to $6 million in services fees for that project. I would say that Denologix business delivered at least a quarter of that. That’s just ballpark figures. They did a lot of the data management work. They did a lot of the software configuration. They supported the development of the actual risk analytics.

When was that project completed?

It was about five years ago. I would guess that Denologix has worked on more than 20 projects since then with us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Are there any statistics or metrics to track improvement from that project?

There are some metrics, but they were not as impressive as most projects because this Tier 1 Canadian bank need a committed deadline to comply with a Basel regulatory regime. They were unable to do so. We completed our project on time and on budget. The bank achieved compliance with the Basel accord. It’s a compliance thing as opposed to an ROI type of project.

How did Denologix perform during that project?

Terrific. Denologix has a fantastic reputation with tour business in terms of being flexible. They are very rapid in acquiring new capabilities. They have established strong customer relationships and relationships with internal SAS departments. I have nothing but good things to say about them.

Compared to some other SAS vendors that you’ve worked with, what is unique or special about them?

They’re not global in scope. They’re focused on a particular geography. We don’t expect them to have global scale. They’re not Accenture or Deloitte.

Within the sphere of regional systems integrators, they are fantastic. We judge them by looking at the expertise of their staff, their approach to customer service, and their ability to develop effective relationships with both SAS ad the customer. I would score Denologix at the top of the heap for all three of those factors.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or maybe you would have done differently?

I can’t think of anything on that project they should have done differently.

4.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    We recommend them to any client who’s looking for expertise that fits in with their portfolio.