Far Reach

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a project manager with GreatAmerica and have been with the company for 11 years.  GreatAmerica is a national commercial equipment finance company dedicated to helping manufacturers, vendors and dealers be more successful and keep their customers for a lifetime.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Far Reach?

The purpose of this project was to modify the Portfolio Services Group ACH processes; removing it from Access into the Lockbox reporter application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Working with frameworks and mockups that we provided, they handled development services for our company. Their team enables our cash team to pull accurate files, review their contents, and disperse that information. They also created some enhanced reports in our collaboration.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with two developers. Chad (Partner) was the main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Far Reach?

I worked with them on a few other contracts over the years. We walked through our scope with them and felt that we had a like-minded connection between our teams. They aligned with our principles, so we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $65,000.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2012, and our collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve consistently provided a great working experience. Knowledgeable in their craft, they work quickly to provide high-quality solutions. Chad has been very responsive to changes or defects. They ask great questions and make modifications quickly. Their work has been very helpful.

Their ability to lay out a clear schedule and plan has made it very easy to track their work on my end. The information they provide is exceptional. Between the quality of work and ease of tracking their progress, I’ve been very satisfied with our partnership. 

How did Far Reach perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication through Basecamp has been excellent and truly seamless. Front office staff handle project planning and scheduling. We can always count on that being taken care of on their end. Chad isn’t just an order-taker—he approaches each project thoughtfully. He will challenge us and work collaboratively to reach the best solution. 

We had weekly meetings and frequent standups. I received great feedback from my team about their work. They used a spreadsheet that further organized their sprints, which was helpful as well.   

What did you find most impressive about them?

They think outside the box, expanding upon our ideas and requests. Instead of merely following our requirements, they think critically about what they’re working on. Understanding our system is incredibly difficult, so it was very impressive to see their great input and questions early on. Their willingness to listen paired with their exceptional technical knowledge really made them stand out. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to their suggestions and let their technical creativity drive the project. Our openness was critical to making our project as successful as it could be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of iEmergent, a housing forecasting and analytics firm. We provide lenders, banks, and community groups with information about the future of housing migration.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Far Reach?

As our data became more complex, it became more difficult to use. We needed support around using our data and making it actionable. We needed someone to develop a custom web application that strongly incorporates GIS technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Far Reach developed our web app using GIS, a cloud server platform, building it on Silverlight. We’re now on our second version, and we’ve migrated to a completely Java-based application.

The team also designed and developed our website. They integrated Sitefinity so my team can go in and do a lot of the work themselves. Further, Far Reach set up our Mailchimp, several inbound and outbound marketing campaigns, and contact forms with different technologies to be streamlined and automated for us.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with six people over the years, but we’ve always had a main point of contact, our project manager. Chris (Partner) is in charge of the whole engagement. 

How did you come to work with Far Reach?

We sent out RFPs to some firms that were dedicated to GIS development. One of our colleagues referred Far Reach to us, and they took the time to do a very thorough proposal. Though they were a bit more expensive than some of the other vendors we were looking at, they articulated our business problem better than anyone else. Partnering with them was an easy decision.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $550,000 on the project so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2011 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen a lot of success with Far Reach’s work. The application has won several awards, and we were named a Rising Star and a Tech 100 company from HousingWire, one of the top industry publications. Mortgage Technology magazine named us Release of the Year in 2014 when we officially launched the app, without even having to submit our project for review. The recognition was based on their research and feedback from the community. 

We’re often complimented on the exceptional quality of the app. It’s very stable; there are few bugs, and our users navigate it easily. Far Reach also managed to bring a reliable security solution to the app that accommodates some of the bigger financial institutions in the country.

Throughout our partnership, Far Reach has remained very focused on staying innovative and ahead of the curve. The team is always thinking ahead, considering what technologies we’ll use down the road. They keep us informed of the progress they see us making in the next five years. That foresight and engagement makes them feel like business partners, rather than just development partners. Nothing could make us switch providers.

How did Far Reach perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been very effective. We use Basecamp, which keeps everybody updated and in communication. Far Reach also uses Targetprocess. We have a Kanban board I can access at any time to see what tasks are in the queue, and where I can check bugs and user stories.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Far Reach delivers quality work. There’s nothing out there like what we have —our application is robust and brings something totally new to an industry that’s very transactional. We couldn’t ask for anything more. 

I've never known such a team-oriented group of people. They don’t look at us as just a business, but as people who are very committed and passionate to what we do. Far Reach respects our level of engagement and matches it. They’ve been incredible partners, even mentoring us as they helped develop our vision and mission statement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We faced challenges in the beginning, because they were smaller and in high demand. Now, however, they’ve done a lot of internal streamlining and improved their processes, and are much more able to accommodate us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take advantage of the fact that they’re not just programmers, but that they want to know your business and can offer a strategic vision.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of a cloud-based solution that helps people who own and manage real estate do asset and property management. We do a lot of automation sand streamlining of processes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Far Reach?

We're a fairly new company and we were building out some of our initial functionality. We needed some support to get there and needed to work with some experienced software developers that we trusted to help build our product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were building out basic services around supporting commercial real estate. We develop on AST.net, and host on Microsoft Azure, with an SQL database. They've helped us build out dashboards and tables behind the scenes so that we can easily pull up information. They've helped us with some optimization, build out some functionality between common area maintenance reconciliation, which is kind of a big task that a lot of commercial real estate owners have to deal with.

They helped us create templates and ways to import information, to expedite the onboarding process. They've done a lot with calculations to make sure that anything we're calculating with loan values or asset values is calculating correctly for those customers on the fly. Sometimes we provided mockups, but other times we didn't.

What is the team composition?

We've probably worked with five members of their staff.

How did you come to work with Far Reach?

We started interviewing different firms before we even started this product. They were recommended to us by our attorney, and it just worked out. We just kept giving them more and more work and they've passed with flying colors.

How much have you invested with them?  

We invested $250,000–$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2018, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Far Reach has been great to work with. They're flexible and they tell it like it is. They always come out on time and on budget which is huge. We work with multiple software developers and additional firms and when we need something done on time and within budget, they're our first choice. The feedback from the customers has been a "wow" factor that they can finally access this information so readily. People feel that when they're using our product that it's easy to understand, easy to navigate, and part of that goes to Far Reach and their ability to help us on that front.

How did Far Reach perform from a project management standpoint?

They use BaseCamp. They keep everything up to date, and our project manager is in constant contact with us, letting us know how things are going. Sometimes they'll do wireframes for us, and they keep up to date on the budget. They really adapted to our development process using GitHub, but they also use their own internal tracking mechanism.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are quick to recognize if there's been an issue and will acknowledge it. We try to be open and honest with them if anything that is an issue. When we've had an issue, they've dealt with it and it's been done in a professional way to our satisfaction and theirs. They're easy to work with, easy to talk to, and we do consider them true partners in every sense of the word.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don't think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to share your ultimate goal of what you're trying to achieve. In the end, it costs less. We never back ourselves into a corner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the executive director of a local nonprofit that specializes in transforming lives through affordable homeownership opportunities and neighborhood revitalization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Far Reach?

We hired Far Reach to help us select, design and implement new project management software.

What were your goals for this project?

We had never used project management software and felt our organization was struggling keeping all of the information between departments straight and among projects that are very different in type and scope. We were struggling with keeping up with due dates and communication in general. We were also overwhelmed with the different versions of software that was available. Our goal was to hire a firm that would be able to dig into our unique business model, help us select software that would work for us and help keep us accountable with implementation.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was familiar with the company over the years. I appreciated they were a local company that cared about their local community. We looked into a couple of other options as well, but was very impressed with the team at Far Reach every step of the way.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected Far Reach, they walked through a time of discovery with the staff - both in group settings and individually. After learning more about how our organization operates and the pain points that existed, they suggested a software trial. We were able to experiment with it before committing to purchasing. Once we purchased, we continued working with Far Reach for several months in an implementation phase. Their assigned staff continued meeting individually and in small groups with our staff to ensure the implementation was working smoothly. This helped immensely with our accountability since software implementation and changing old habits can be a challenge.

What was the team composition?

We worked with three staff members from Far Reach. The initial team of two people were involved in the discovery and selection of the software. As time moved on, we worked primarily with only one staff member assigned to our project for the implementation phase.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have felt this has been very successful for our organization. We have experienced a far higher level of project management across multiple departments and areas of our work. Our projects have been completed in a more timely fashion, communication between staff members is much improved, tasks are completed on time more than ever before, and the stress level of the team has been reduced overall.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was very effective. They used our new software for setting up tasks that we needed to complete, and emailed to schedule meetings and calls when appropriate. They also used our new software for training purposes, which was very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was very impressed with the staff team members that we worked with at Far Reach. They were knowledgeable about software options and selected something that was oddly perfect for us - despite the sea of options that exit. They also cared about us, our team and our business model. Without that, I don't think this would have been so successful.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, thank you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT manager for Peterson Genetics, a company that out licenses soybean genetics to other retail seed companies in the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Far Reach?

We initially partnered with Far Reach to digitize our sales books. From there, our partnership expanded to developing a customized internal tool for our sales team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Far Reach built a customized portal that allows our internal sales team to analyze the data from our different soybean varieties to determine which are the best performing. From there, we use that information to select which soybean varieties to sell to our customers. Far Reach built the platform on Azure, using .NET and ASP.NET Zero.

What is the team composition?

Our main points of contact are the project manager and lead developer. We also work with a UI expert and two other developers.

How did you come to work with Far Reach?

We were looking for a local web dev company and found Far Reach online. We met with them and felt they were a good fit and had the capabilities to complete our project, so we hired them. The first project went well, so we expanded the partnership.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $189,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first partnered in July 2014, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal sales team has provided positive feedback about the tool, which allowed us to process the most data we’ve ever had. The portal that Far Reach built is far better than any other solution we’ve tried before.

How did Far Reach perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re responsive and maintain continual communication. We meet twice a week to track project progress and work through any problems.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re not a huge firm, so they’re able to give us personalized attention—we didn’t get that level of treatment from our previous partners. The team is easy to work with and consistently exceeds our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of any ways they could improve.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re small but effective, meaning you’ll get high-quality and attentive service. They’re a great choice for a web dev partner.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of an athletic uniform manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Far Reach?

Our virtual uniform builder was outdated and we wanted to create an updated site that our dealers and customers could use.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we met and figured out the greater scope of our project. Then, we went through a phase of preliminary designs and developed a timeline. We did two-week sprints, which enabled us to map out what we wanted to do in the immediate sprint. They did wireframes for us and we eventually decided on our design those preliminary sketches. We’re able to pull orders into our system from the builder which eliminated a lot of manual entry.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Chris (Partner & Chief Product Officer, Far Reach), Jen (Product Owner, Far Reach), James (Developer, Far Reach), and Kate (Partner & CEO, Far Reach).  

How did you come to work with Far Reach?

We were referred by another large company who had used Far Reach in the past. Far Reach appealed to us because they were local and could do custom work. We met with them and looked at their current projects and decided they had the technical wherewithal to handle the size of our project.  

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in May 2015 and the status is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results have been very positive. Our dealer network appreciates the simplicity of the custom builder and we love it internally. 

How did Far Reach perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through BaseCamp. I like that they have a staff member on all of our calls, taking notes, and mapping out our plans as we develop them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed that they were able to divide the work into manageable chunks. If we had issues, we’d go back and fix them along the way. It was overall a very well-run project to date. They were responsive in a manner that we haven’t experienced with other vendors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been the best vendor we’ve ever worked with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to give them a try and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-owner of Adrenaline Fundraising, an organization that fundraises for high school sports teams.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Far Reach?

We wanted to figure out a way to collect order forms digitally to decrease human error and save time, so we engaged Far Reach to build an online portal. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Far Reach designed and developed an online platform that allows kids in high school to input their information and receive rewards, and to share their link for others to purchase fundraising products from.

What is the team composition? 

We usually work with a project manager, as well as two to three developers.

How did you come to work with Far Reach?

We considered a few vendors in the area but ultimately felt that Far Reach was the most excited about our project and provided the best input. We felt comfortable with them from the start. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Far Reach built a robust platform that's significantly streamlined internal processes. Our representatives no longer have to tally order numbers, which has saved countless hours of work. Credit card sales have also increased, meaning we get paid faster, and we've saved upwards of $50,000 in paper alone. 

How did Far Reach perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very responsive and meet with us once a week over Zoom to walk through priorities and next steps. They always bring a lot of great advice and new ideas to the table as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It's as if they're part of our team; any problem we have is of equal concern to them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Anything we've asked them to change has already been addressed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the product and technology lead for Corn States, a division of Bayer CropScience. We license our technology to independent seed companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Far Reach?

We needed help communicating our new and existing products through a website, showcasing data and product characteristics to independent seed companies. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Far Reach developed a dynamic, web-based solution that enabled us to upload information about our products. Licensees are able to log into the website to access all the information they need. 

What is the team composition? 

It varies, but we initially worked with one of the owners to establish a game plan and then collaborated with a project manager and a few developers. We've probably worked with about 4–6 people in total. 

How did you come to work with Far Reach?

They were recommended by another company we've worked with who had engaged Far Reach for similar services for the same types of customers.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested close to $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since August 2015 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've received a lot of positive feedback from customers using the tool they've developed. They've also continued to make annual enhancements to improve overall satisfaction, streamlining internal processes and making the platform more user-friendly year over year.

How did Far Reach perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very agile and responsive. They utilize Basecamp to document and track project milestones, which has been an invaluable project management tool for us. 

Making enhancements has posed some challenges along the way, requiring more work than expected and, thus, more time and money. However, our experience has been very positive overall. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a smart, small, and fairly agile company. Overall, they've been great to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although someone on our team has been managing the relationship, it would be helpful if someone on their end provided more guidance and direction. It seems that we've had to do a little more architectural work than I would've expected when collaborating with an external vendor. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sit down and meet with their team in-person to ensure there's a clear understanding of project expectations. It's been very valuable for us to spend a day brainstorming with them one-on-one, rather than meeting via video conference, to hash out the scope of work and a clear path for developing solutions.