First Line Software

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work in the technology department of a printing company called Sandy Alexander. Over the last few years, we’ve expanded our technology department, and my role is in product development and project management for the different technology initiatives our company is focusing on.

What challenge were you trying to address with First Line Software?

A few years ago, we identified a need for printing menus for the casual dining industry. Therefore, we started to develop a solution for marketing individuals at the casual dining brands, to develop a platform for them to build versions of their menus.

We were experiencing a challenge in developing technologies that can be integrated with printing. We wanted to expand the technology side of printing and help our clients easily manage their assets and that’s where we involved the First Line team.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our main interaction with the First Line team is building a custom software. Additionally, we also worked with them to build an ordering portal so that clients can log in and see and purchase all their assets.

We started this project around three and a half years ago and used an agile approach. The first phase is what we call the menu solution. We build menus based on the data from different restaurants using a versioning algorithm. Big chain restaurants have maybe hundreds of different versions of their menu, so we base the data on prices and regional requirements — since certain states require disclaimers.

These menus can be quite cumbersome on the client’s part especially if they have to manage all of it manually. Therefore, the first phase is all about developing a tool to help clients better manage their menu data and versions.

The second phase is to build an ordering portal, and bring other clients outside of the casual dining industry onto that portal. Before this, we had like 3–4 different ordering portals that we were using for different clients. It just became too time-consuming to keep up with all of the different portals, especially since each one has a different configuration on the backend.

There’s a lot of button clicking, as well as not having good ways to import and export data, so we said it wasn’t a good way to do this. That's why we're building our own ordering portal with the First Line team, and developing a solution that can handle the different needs of our clients.

Additionally, we use Jira to document and track all of our issues and features.

What is the team composition?

Right now, we have three developers who we work with. However, over the last three years, we used to have a few more people working on this project. We’re thinking about getting QA back, but we kind of stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

How did you come to work with First Line Software?

That I’m not sure about because they were already working with the First Line team before I joined the company. We did work with a web to print expert consultant when we first started the project, but I don’t know if they connected us to First Line or if we found them on our own.

What is the status of this engagement?

The company started working with them in October 2017, and it’s been ongoing since then.

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

As far as metrics are concerned, we’ve been able to onboard a significant number of clients and they’ve all been able to use the software seamlessly. They’re a very great team to work with and they’re very knowledgeable. Often times they’re 1–2 steps ahead of us where they’ll provide us with different solutions on how to solve our problems.

Sometimes, when we have a critical bug that pops up in the system, it is immediately deployed to the staging environment, so we can test it and get it into production. This way, it wouldn’t have any negative impact on our users. The team is really an integral part of keeping our clients happy. They really understand the business value and a lot of what we’re creating, which is helpful because they’re the ones building our software.

How did First Line Software perform from a project management standpoint?

The First Line team is great and they understand what we require for each of the features. They can go ahead and do it and if they can’t, they ask questions. If we have requirements that don’t make any sense, they’re always thinking one step ahead of us in coming up with solutions for those.

The bulk of our documentation is in Jira along with the different user stories. They’re very responsive in Jira and we’re very clear with the business needs and requirements. All the comments in one specific issue are all in the same place, so it’s really easy to find and reference previous conversations. It’s kind of incredible how responsive they are sometimes because of the huge time difference.

We also use Slack to communicate with them, Google Spreadsheets to help track the issues that we create in Jira, and use email to schedule meetings. Additionally, we have daily standup meetings with the team so we can talk and catch up with them every day for 15 minutes. We also have a backlog grooming session just to go through all the user stories, and at the end of each iteration, we have a demo of the new features that we deploy.

Moreover, We run an agile method of software development, so we have three-week sprints where the team has a certain capacity to complete within those three weeks. They’ve always been very transparent because they tell us about their availability for the upcoming weeks. They created a calendar that shows their availability, so we have a good understanding of the team’s capacity for our next iteration.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re very impressed with their quickness in resolving certain issues and their transparency. They keep their estimates very realistic so that we’re not setting the expectations for our stakeholders unrealistically. They’re just a great team and I have nothing bad to say.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really have an answer to that one. I have nothing negative to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say that they’re very knowledgeable. I’ve worked with other developers, but I found that the First Line Team is very knowledgeable and helpful. I would totally recommend them to anyone who’s looking into their services.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company specializes in consumer products and I am the COO.

For what projects/services did your company hire First Line Software, and what were your goals?

We hired FIrst Line to build our e-commerce site. They brought in the expertise with Epi and helped us realize our vision for the new site.

How did you select First Line Software and what were the deciding factors?

Through an RFP process. First Line was selected for its overall value in the RFP.

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

We carry a variety of signature brands and SKUs that appeal to a wide-arrange of customers. We needed a solution that integrated well with our ERP / CRM. We also wanted a platform that was best in class and one we can build on in the many years to come. As many project lifecycles go we initially started with a vision, scoped out the requirements, and quickly got to work through development sprints.

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

5 - 10, depending on different parts of the project plan.

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

The project was a major success and well-received by our customer base. We have seen an incremental uptick in business on our web sales.

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

The First Line team is very professional and willing to do whatever it takes to get the project done successfully. We facilitated regular status meetings to keep key stakeholders aligned with all deliverables.

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

Their expertise in the solution definitely made the difference. Simply put there are subject matter experts and taught us a ton!

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

Not at this time.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chief strategy officer at Triptych. We’re a marketing delivery company, meaning we do print and digital marketing. We also have a software sales and marketing enablement product, and I oversee that division of our firm.

What challenge were you trying to address with First Line Software?

We were trying to develop software that made it incredibly easy for sales organizations to achieve their goals. We hired First Line because we couldn’t find an existing product that fit with our vision. One of the main challenges was finding a company that could understand and focus on our users—salespeople—and create a product that didn’t require extensive training.

What was the scope of their involvement?

It’s almost entirely development. They’ve been working to bring together disparate types of functionalities to help users manage omnichannel marketing efforts.

Part of the challenges is building a product that handles different file types and size and creating a process for routing work to get approval from stakeholders. They’ve had to consider all different kinds of marketing—TV, bus wraps, email, and social media—along with traditional digital marketing.

What is the team composition?

I work with a broad group of people. Our relationship with them is not very hierarchical, and the team changes to match whatever we’re working on at that point in time. At different phases, I’ve spoken with a customer success manager, the vice president of sales, a lead developer, and a QA person.

How did you come to work with First Line Software?

We sent out an RFP to a group of firms from one of our tech partner’s approved vendor lists. Eventually, we narrowed down our options based on referrals. Although we went through that formalized process, it was the testimony from their past clients that lead us to choose First Line.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them for over five years now, and the partnership is ongoing.

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

We’re building a new product from the ground up, so I don’t have any metrics yet, but I am very satisfied with their work. They’ve had the necessary expertise to implement our vision.

How did First Line Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re in an Agile environment, so issues do come up, but they’re always moving the project forward. We’re happy with how they’ve managed change. Most of our communication happens through phone, email, or in-person dialogue. We have daily stand-ups and biweekly progress meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their network of services sets them apart. At this point, they’re our go-to development partner. I don’t feel that much of a distinction between their staff and my own. If I have a problem, or we decide to start another development project, I look to them first.

They have a large team, and because of their breadth of services, they can give you that flexibility to work on other projects. Even if you don’t have a dedicated need, they can help you in many different ways. Adding another technology to your stack, for example, is one way they could support you.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We view them as a partner, but I sometimes have to remember that they are a separate group. We’ve had excellent communication with their team, but there have been times when their internal changes have causes problems. I’d like to see them reach out more proactively about staff changes or growth in certain areas. It would help us to know when they’re expanding their services because they’ve been growing quite a bit.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise them to be very transparent and expect the same in return.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder of YAPILI, a micro-subscription messaging service for health advice, online follow-up, and secure digital health records. In African societies where professional medical facilities are scarce, costly, and stigmatized, YAPILI offers people new opportunities to establish effortless, affordable, and confidential contact with local and international healthcare professionals for a variety of issues and conditions. After building the core team, developing the product, and rolling out a pilot program, I now advise on product roadmaps, financing, and operations. 

For what projects/services did your company hire First Line Software?

We approached First Line Software to design, build, and deploy our web-based solution as an Android app. 

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to improve YAPILI’s usability on Android phones, which is the primary channel for online access in many of our African target markets. 

How did you select this vendor?

We had heard of them by word-of-mouth within the The Hague business ecosystem. After connecting with First Line and explaining our challenges and aspirations, we found their team relatable on business objectives, technical solutions, and work culture. 

Describe the project in detail.

This was a comprehensive and challenging software development task. Not only did First Line Software exceed our requirements in several engineering tasks, they also managed to guide us toward the backend enhancements necessary to serve the new app. Work began within four weeks of the initial engagement, and our very tight deadline was no issue for them. They were incredibly responsive to our needs and scaled quickly when required. We were not only grateful but surprised that such professional discipline still exists today.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of an Android developer and business team from First Line as well as a technical team from YAPILI.

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

The product has improved our business position enormously. In addition to winning awards, we are able to speak to interested investors with more confidence and a stronger product. Not only did First Line deliver on time, but their outstandingly professional, polite team easily surpassed the high standards we expected. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was their preeminent skill. Prior to development, they walked us through their process quickly and simply in order to clarify the scope and timeline of the agreement. They informed us immediately of any delays or complications, then worked tirelessly to resolve them. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Because of their solid work ethos, flexibility, and mastery of skill, they are the most reliable aspect of our delivery pipeline. We are confident that we will achieve even more success in the future with First Line, so they will continue to be our first choice. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

Based on the quality of our deliverables and the work produced by our collaboration, we saw no areas for improvement. We highly recommend them to anyone pursuing a software development project, regardless of complexity.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Engineering for Phoenix Energy Technologies. We provide cloud-based IoT [Internet of Things] enterprise energy management solutions, which include energy monitoring and optimizations and reductions across buildings for a variety of different verticals.

What challenge were you trying to address with First Line Software?

We needed quick, scalable resources. We were growing our teams and I wanted to add an offshore team to supplement the people we were hiring locally. I was looking for trustworthy senior engineers that could work with Agile methodologies and had good communication skills.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The product set of our company is mature and we were developing enhancements to web applications. The core Engineering team, design, and architecture are all local since there is a high complexity and deep domain knowledge required in our space.

First Line was brought on for a particular project and has since been assigned to another engagement that became more important from a business standpoint. They initially provided resource supplementation for web application and database development and QA [quality assurance]. We since pivoted them to help build out new product offering that is launching in Q4 of this year. The technologies core is Microsoft stack – so primarily Microsoft.NET and SQL Server.

What is the team dynamic?

We initially brought in a more senior person to help with project and process standup, followed by a few more developers and QA specialists. We invited them to our California office location for requirements gathering and to build trust and communication with our local team. Currently, we’re using 4 of their members including the project team lead. We plan to bring them on for other projects in 2018 but the team size has been adequate for our current work.

We follow Agile, so our teams have Scrum meetings every day, either phone or sometimes via chat if little to discuss. We also conduct biweekly sprint planning, demo, and retrospectives. I also get on the phone with them on a monthly basis for higher level management meetings to discuss the current team, if there are any concerns, or identify opportunities to continue to streamline the processes. Open communication is key with remotely distributed teams.

How did you come to work with First Line Software?

I first worked with the FirstLine team 10 years ago when I was working for ScriptLogic. We were looking for an offshore development partner that could help us scale our Product Development costs. We looked at several different vendors, did site visits, and selected the FirstLine team. Over the years at ScriptLogic we grew pretty large teams that supported multiple commercial software products; ranging from in the 50 – 60-person range at one point. We contracted with them for development, QA, tech writing, and user interface/user experience design. ScriptLogic was bought by Quest Software and while in Engineering leadership there we expanded FirstLine teams for some additional products. Quest Software was subsequently acquired by Dell, and we had to onboard FirstLine as a Dell approved offshore partner and continued to use them to supplement our Product Development initiatives.

As I started building our Engineering and products teams here at PhoenixET, I knew that First Line would be a good option for managing costs and helping me ramp things up quickly. They’ve been a trusted partner to me for many years and have been able to adapt to whatever products or technologies I’ve needed, whether it was the Microsoft stack or an open-source technology. I appreciate that FirstLine is flexible on the business side and always able to find the right skills for my projects because I don’t have to start over with a new partner every time.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with First Line in September 2016 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

They’ve helped me contain costs as we scaled the team and have definitely helped us increase our productivity as a department by providing supplemental contract resources. The quality and automation levels will increase over time as we have more QA. The team is adaptive and strives hard to meet the schedules as required.

How did First Line Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, they’re excellent to work with and if I have a question or a point to discuss, I can reach out to them and they are thoughtful and collaborative. They’re highly available despite the time zone difference; our project manager has been happy to jump on a call if needed at 10 PM. On the account management and sales executive side, they’ve been top-notch and supportive. Early on, FirstLine met with our executive team in order to present company overview which made everyone comfortable with them coming in as a new partner (since nobody knew them but me!).

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of service, attention to detail, quality, and thoroughness are all impressive. FirstLine works to integrate and understand the whole product set so they can be a helpful part of our team, unlike other offshore companies that simply follow instructions on project tasks. They’re dedicated, want to do the right thing, and not afraid to ask questions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only drawback is their cost—as they’re not the cheapest but we also get what we pay for. They need to continue to maintain prices and models at a competitive level.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Don’t be afraid to ask for their input. Many people think that everything needs to be spelled out up front when working with offshore companies, it’s great if you can do that all upfront. I’ve done it so many times that we have cookie cutter template processes, but for a new company starting with offshoring, it’s often because the current teams are resource-challenged and costs are tough. In that process, I would say don’t be afraid to work with FirstLine jointly to help get the right project teams, infrastructure, and process in place to manage. They’re not just an outsourcing company where the client hands over detailed specifications and they go away and build to spec; depending on your current team and resources they can also be a great supplementing resource partner to help validate whether you have the right offshoring plan in mind – appropriate staffing levels, skills, architecture, design or technology choices even.