Elders Ltd.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of software development at Membertech LLC. We offer web services and build mobile apps and web pages.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Elders Ltd.?

We hired them for enhancements to our flagship Android and iOS apps.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked on our apps using online design documents and a sprint cycle tracking tool.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, an iOS developer, and an Android developer.

How did you come to work with Elders Ltd.?

We received a recommendation from someone at an associated company who had worked with them and found success.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent 46,000 euros (about $50,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from March–June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were really impressed with their excellent work.

How did Elders Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

I had a daily meeting with them for code review and testing. They were responsive and prepared every day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were extremely professional and they knew what they were doing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we were completely satisfied.

BACKGROUND

I am the Head of Innovation at Prüvit, a US lifestyle company. We're the world’s largest distributor of ketone supplements.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

We needed to develop our mobile app. The app is a personal lifestyle tool that tracks meal intake and creates recipes for users. It also creates macros for communication apps that talk to specific sectors of our user base. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the front- and backend for our native Android app. On the backend, they built the app infrastructure with Cassandra and a .NET core. They also changed the mobile file structure. On the frontend, they've made improvements by creating a front-facing admin tool in Angular. 

What is the team composition?

We work with six Elders Ltd. team members. 

How did you come to work with Elders Ltd.?

We mostly searched through contacts on LinkedIn to start. We had crossed paths many years back, so I kept in touch and developed a friendship. Suddenly, an opportunity arose to work with them on a project, and we chose them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around $1 million. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in 2016, and we're still working with them in various capacities on ongoing development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the platform launched, we've been able to effectively communicate with promoters and customers. It's become our primary communication hub. There's a massive cost saving compared to traditional email and SMS channels because it's our own proprietary solution.

How did Elders Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is always good. They use Jira and GitHub when working with us. During development, their team employs an agile DevOps workflow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Elders Ltd. is very straightforward and honest. They never say something for the sake of making us happy. If there is a correct solution, they always go after it. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think their company culture is very focused and black-and-white, which is different from ours. There isn't much small talk, and we'd like if they keep adapting to the client's communication styles. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're an enterprise SaaS CRM platform for network marketing. We also offer professional services and custom software development. I'm the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Elders Ltd.?

They've worked with us for several years to build our flagship product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They work on two separate projects. We have an internal team, and their large team supports us. We leverage them for our flagship product, and now they're rebuilding an additional platform. They provide software development, solutions, QA, and mobile development. Most of their stack is in Microsoft, including a C#/.NET core and a SQL backend. We also use them for DevOps, solution architecture, and execution.

What is the team composition?

We work with a team of 12-15 developers. Some of them are Android and iOS specialists, and we also work with a QA team and a DevOps team.

How did you come to work with Elders Ltd.?

We found them through a mutual contact. We've been one of their largest partners for the last couple of years, and we've doubled down on that partnership because they're so good.

How much have you invested with them?

We've probably spent around $2 million so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership began in March 2016, and we actively collaborate with them now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have a very high opinion of them. The partnership is extremely close, and they participate in our standup calls and meetings. We don't have any equity in them, but they've ingratiated themselves to such a high degree that we consider them a part of our team. They set an amazingly high bar, and we use them as the benchmark for our own internal hiring.

They drive our current project in a great way. They do the architecture for it and are pushing the initiative. Without their drive, it wouldn't be so successful. They're instrumental in mitigating issues and resolving things over time. Without complaint, they jump in at any time for urgent issues or rebuilds.

How did Elders Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

We use our own internal managers, but they're very good with estimates. They're extremely effective, even though our platform was difficult to work with before they joined. Without being hyperbolic, their team is largely better than most of our internal staff.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They excel at technical pieces and solutions, but they really became a part of our team because of the ownership they take over their work. We had an urgent issue that called for 27 non-stop hours of development after we broke something on our side. Without any blame, they stayed up late into the night helping us triage and resolve it. They're true team members, and their work and dedication continue to amaze me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would like them to add project management to their suite. They could also push harder with the best solutions without worrying about hurting our feelings.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Managing Director of a boutique data analytics and engineering consultancy

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Elders Ltd., and what were your goals?

We were asked to develop a software solution for measuring engagement in the social media space. Elders supported us with access to high caliber development staff to deliver the design.

SOLUTION

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

We found the vendor through Clutch and selected them after interview with a number of different vendors. They appeared to be easy to work with and able to flex, so far we have not been disappointed.

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

Commercially sensitive

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

There were four people from the vendor's team. The structure was reasonably flat with key staff aligned to technical requirements, project outputs and project management expertise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Commercially sensitive

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

The project experience was excellent with regular an open communication channels. Comms tools used included Slack, Favro and email.

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

Their approach was cool, calm and considered. Working with the Elders team has been a pleasure and enabled us to scale our business.

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

We have regular feedback sessions. There's very little outside typical work pattern to comment on.