Flat Rock Technology

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Triteria, a computer software startup.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock Technology?

I came up with a concept for a piece of software. I turned to Flat Rock to develop that concept.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I approached Flat Rock with a written scope and some wireframes I’d drawn up, and told them I was looking to build a web-based application. The team worked on the front- and backend development, and had some free hand in design as well. 

The team came up with the entire solution, based on Azure, along with several other technologies including PHP.

What is the team composition?

I flew to their offices at the start of the project, and interfaced with about seven people. After that, I sort of left them to it. I have a direct contact with a project manager and don’t really speak with anyone else.

How did you come to work with Flat Rock Technology?

We’ve had a professional relationship for about 10 years now, from when I worked with them in a different role. They were the first company I thought of to help me develop the concept.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2019. They built it over about six months, and we’ve spent the last six months iterating and developing further.

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

We just launched a couple of weeks ago, so it’s too early to speak to the success of Flat Rock’s work. However, throughout the project, they’ve delivered everything we’ve asked for. They’ve gone about the project extremely professionally and iterated very quickly. 

How did Flat Rock Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate almost entirely through email. On their end, they use ticketing systems and other project management tools on their end. On my end, I typically take screenshots of what I’m working on and send it to them through PowerPoint with comments and requests, which they deal with accordingly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Flat Rock’s ability to grasp what we want to do and implement it quickly is really impressive. It was a rather complex piece of software, and trying to explain it in written form has been complicated. Very rarely has the team misunderstood what we’re trying to achieve. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind. Any mistakes we’ve had in the project have been due to miscommunications on our side. They’ve responded well to any changes in direction throughout the entire collaboration.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go and visit them if you can. A lot of what we’re doing is highly detailed and needs a lot of interaction, so it will be helpful.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of SaaS for AudioCodes, an international telecommunications company. My team is currently developing a new SaaS product.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock Technology?

We have a large team of engineers, but we needed more resources for a rapid solution project we had. We hired Flat Rock to help us enable voice technology for a chatbot.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Flat Rock team set up our entire SaaS system. We created the PRDs and requirements for the team to work from beforehand, including graphics and UI. The solution enables developers, customers, and businesses to purchase a virtual telephone number, which is then connected to a chatbot. The process is voice to bot, rather than texting or typing. The team used Google Dialogflow to help build the web app.

What is the team composition?

Miroslav (Project Manager) was our main point of contact, and we also worked with about six other developers.

How did you come to work with Flat Rock Technology?

One of our executive managers recommended them. We brought them in and had a few meetings, and ended up being impressed with their experience. The team was competitive, responsive, and understood what we wanted to do, so we decided to partner with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in November 2019 and is ongoing.

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

Flat Rock has definitely done a lot of the heavy lifting for the project. They’ve offered very professional services. We’re satisfied with the overall quality of their services. 

How did Flat Rock Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

They know what they’re doing when it comes to project management. They’re smooth and professional, always giving us quick responses. They’re a team of creative thinkers who like to think outside the box.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Flat Rock takes us very seriously as a customer. They make themselves available to us, which is something we don’t always get from other providers. It’s been a great relationship.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re always improving on their technical skills. Our engagement has been really smooth so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s really important to have a locked-in PRD. Know how your UI is going to be laid out. Also, understand that there will be a lot of surprises that neither you nor Flat Rock will be able to predict, and be prepared to be flexible, patient, and understanding with those additional hours.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital manager for an insurance broker. Though our offices are based in the US, I work from our UK office.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock Technology?

We hire Flat Rock Technology to expand our digital footprint and develop a mobile app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built us a mobile app for iOS and Android. When users first load the app, it will provide instructions that they can click through. After providing a secure login and password, users can enter policy information, upload documents and photographs, and can contact us via screen to request a quote.

What is the team composition?

Our initial discussions were with their CEO, and we discussed the contract with their financial officer. Then we had a project lead, a product development lead, a senior developer, another developer, and testers.

How did you come to work with Flat Rock Technology?

We found them online, and they had already built a mobile app that was very similar to what we wanted to create.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $100,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from 2016–2018, but we’re still in contact for maintenance and minor issues.

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

They delivered everything as we expected. We use Google Analytics to track the app's success. Using the admin facility Flat Rocks Technology. Built for us, we’re able to monitor the number of policies uploaded, users, and the number of quotes we received.

How did Flat Rock Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project lead did a very good job bridging the gap between their developers and our team. Many of their teammates were based abroad, but communication wasn’t an issue. They were constantly in contact with us, and they spoke very good English. Sometimes they weren’t available on national holidays that we don’t celebrate, but overall, they were very helpful.

What did you find most impressive about them?

 I was impressed by their experience and ability to come up with innovative ideas.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although our communication was very solid, I wish they had a local office where we could meet face-to-face.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We’ve learned that it’s easier when you’ve already scoped out your work properly. Decide what you want to do before your engagement starts and provide your project requirements up front.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of Digilog UK, a company specialized in utilizing and deploying voice risk analysis technologies in various behavioral analyses for the purpose of fraud prevention and detection. We mainly operate in the financial services sector.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock?

Flat Rock Technology has an amazing team of developers that can help us with our technological work very quickly. Our clients usually require bespoke solutions that can be deployed with their legacy systems. We needed resources to address requirements from specific clients, and Flat Rock Technology not only helped us find the right team but also to understand what’s required to develop the product within time and budget. Flat Rock Technology has been our partner for almost three years.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flat Rock Technology has given us two lines of service. The first line of support is internal and for simple issues. They provide a second line of support for whatever is needed around our technology. For tasks that are a bit more complicated or that require integration, Flat Rock Technology will develop, help us integrate, or support us in resolving issues around the solution.
 
The main area of our relationship with Flat Rock Technology is the continuous development of the application—anything to do with databases, interfaces, cloud databases, and so on. Flat Rock provides these services on an ongoing basis.
 
Since November 2018, we’ve broken our scope into various stages and phases of development, each one with a list of tasks to achieve, from integrations to UI development, databases, and cloud servers.
 
We customize our systems for specific clients, based on their specifications, and we make sure we’re in line with whatever technology’s in the market. We always have to keep updating and improving on this. It’s a never-ending process. We use Flat Rock Technology for all tasks of this kind. They have the expertise, the knowledge, and the people, and they’ve done a fantastic job so far, so we’ll continue to use them on future phases.
 
What is the team composition?

Roussi (PMO Lead, Flat Rock Technology) is our account manager and main point of contact. We do visit Flat Rock Technology sometimes to meet more people from the team, including the developers and the QAs. However, we go to Roussi for everything we need, and he delegates it down internally. 
 
How did you come to work with Flat Rock?

We did a lot of research before deciding on Flat Rock Technology. The team ticked all the boxes for our requirements, and we knew their capabilities well before starting any work. 
 
How much have you invested with them?

It’s in the hundreds of thousands of pounds range. It’s been a very high investment from our end. 
 
What is the status of this engagement?

Our collaboration with Flat Rock Technology started in February 2017, and it’s ongoing.

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

We have development cycles that end with a feedback and review section during a site visit. Flat Rock Technology gives us all the mechanisms and safety nets we need at the end of a phase to ensure the quality of the outcome. Even if something doesn't work quite right—as we would expect with any technology development—the team is always there to rectify it. We only came across this once, and they addressed those issues reasonably quickly.
 
We have a scoping session for every phase with Roussi and everyone else relevant to the job. We will outline the project and receive from them a timeline and a project plan that breaks down all the dates and what will happen at each stage. We can then evaluate our status within the project as well as add and subtract things. As we get closer to the end of the phase, there will be some mechanism of review and summarization before we move into the next stage.  
 
We’re now at the end of phase three, and we’ve already gone through a couple of very long phases. It’s worked very well for us.
 
How did Flat Rock perform from a project management standpoint?

In our development cycles, we utilize target dates, but they are very much dependent on client information. Once that information is there, however, it’ll usually only take us a week to meet all the targets required. It’s crucial for us to meet the deadlines that we communicate to our clients and ensure that they see the results we promise. 

Flat Rock Technology is highly aware of the importance of meeting our targets, and we haven’t missed any so far. We’ve shifted some deadlines between us because of factors out of our control, but Flat Rock Technology is generally exceptionally well managed.
 
We use Jira for the project outline and timeline, and we mainly communicate over the phone, Skype, and video conferencing. We also have face-to-face meetings once every two months or so. It’s always easier to go through the details and address the issues that may come up when we’re in front of someone. After that point, we’ll use email as the main line of communication between our teams.
 
What did you find most impressive about them?

Flat Rock Technology has various departments with different capabilities. The best thing is to work with someone who has access to each department and can delegate the work within the timeframe and scope. We don’t have to get involved with the work; we just see the end products.
 
Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. Ever since we started working with Flat Rock Technology, we knew what their capabilities were and what they could do for us. There have been no surprises or disappointments during our three-year relationship.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m self-employed, as is my colleague. We work for the chairman of an independent investment company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock Technology?

We hired them to create a database for our employer’s personal art collection. We had initially hired another company to make a bespoke database, but they didn’t have the proper developers in-house. We eventually decided to find another company because maintenance was becoming too difficult.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the partnership by sitting down with Flat Rock to discuss the nuances of the database. We had them complete some smaller tasks to gauge their competency. The actual redevelopment of the database didn’t happen until further down the line.

Flat Rock took over the system and made sure that it was running properly. They soon made it clear that the system was poorly written and that the code wasn’t going to sustain itself over time. After some negotiation, we decided to accept Flat Rock’s proposal to completely redo the system.

They set up a curatorial database that serves as a private, in-house system. We have an ongoing support and maintenance agreement, and Flat Rock continues to host the platform and troubleshoot as needed.

What is the team composition?

They assigned a project manager to us. Originally, we weren’t sure whether the contract was for a UK-based project manager or not, but it ended up that he was based here more permanently. Most recently, we’ve been assigned a kind of customer manager as well, and she has a colleague that assists us when necessary.

How did you come to work with Flat Rock Technology?

We were originally introduced to someone who’s no longer working at Flat Rock. Our old IT company had a change of ownership, and the person who originally developed the bespoke system recommended that we reach out to Flat Rock. The rep that we spoke to was very knowledgeable and gave us a detailed breakdown of the services that they offer. We built such good rapport with the rep that we only reached out to one other company.

 We didn’t have extensive knowledge of web-based platforms, but we felt that we didn’t have to shop around too much. We’re based in the UK, so the proposition of using a provider with very low comparative costs was attractive to our employer. Flat Rock was the best of both worlds. They were affordable but also had a London office. Although they’re based in Bulgaria, their proposal included a permanent contact in the UK, should we like one.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Flat Rock in September or October 2017. We finalized the development plan in March 2018. I believe that development took about six months, including a three-month warranty period.

The warranty was quite useful for us in ensuring that the system did what we wanted it to do. We were able to make amendments within that time, as per the original scope.

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

Flat Rock delivered a scalable system that we hope to update in the future.

How did Flat Rock Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

There was a short period of time when our project manager had to return to Bulgaria, but that didn’t affect his responsiveness. He still got back to us within the same day. When he couldn’t give an answer, he would offer a detailed timeline to let us know that someone was dealing with the issue.

Now that the product is finished, our resource is somewhat less responsive, because most of our requests are less urgent. When we do have an important fix to make, they’ll typically get back to us that same day. Quite often, they can make small fixes within a couple of hours. They’re good about managing the time difference.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve loved their can-do attitude and refreshing approach. Our previous provider could no longer offer support or a plan to deal with concerns that mattered to us. It got to the point where we could tell that it was a hassle to deal with us when we had an issue, particularly as we eventually found out they had no backup or record of the product’s code.

There were certain tasks that we couldn’t evaluate the complexity of because we didn’t have a background in IT. Despite this, Flat Rock handled every request in the same way. In other words, they never belittled our requests and were transparent with us if they felt that some tasks were relatively small or unimportant.

From what I gather, Flat Rock is still small enough that the people at the top are involved in most of their projects. Chris (CFO, Flat Rock Technology) is still copied on our correspondence, and this shows me that he’s committed to staying informed. They seem to be quite a cohesive company.

Aside from being a cohesive firm, Flat Rock was very flexible and accommodating. With my colleague and I, it was important that both of us could work from the office and at home, and Flat Rock was flexible around that. Also, our project manager was always reasonable in trying to get at what we wanted.

We needed to clarify some things with our project manager during the warranty period, and there was a bit of back and forth about what had been included with the original estimate. There were some instances where we had different perceptions about how things should be set up, and we struggled to communicate our concerns from an IT point of view. On the occasions when we were adamant about specific changes, they were accommodating. Our project manager and his team were understanding and open to negotiations.

Similarly, they were quite understanding about renegotiating our monthly maintenance. We were able to structure it so that we could pay quarterly or at six-month intervals. They’re a good company to work with from a maintenance perspective. Their post-production support is as good as the actual work, and that’s been quite important for us. Most companies don’t bother with maintenance after they’ve received their payment.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Ideally, we would’ve wanted to have a maintenance person that had been involved in the development, but the resource that we got was sufficiently updated regarding the work.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It depends on the size of the company, but, if they have the time, it’s definitely worth it to have a face-to-face meeting, even just to present the requirements and to set up the workflow.

It’s important to get a feel for the project manager. Depending on the project, there can be a lot of things that Flat Rock can help with, and it’s a lot easier to get those things right from the beginning. That way, when you have an estimate drawn up, the actual desired outcomes will be made clear.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a platform for booking classic cars.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock Technology?

We needed to upscale our development team and didn't want to hire internally. Instead, we wanted to work with a development house that would have all of the different skills we needed including design and frontend and backend development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flat Rock Technology built a custom web portal for us including design and development. We’ve also been discussing with their mobile development team.

What is the team composition?

We work directly with a project leader and the head of development.

How did you come to work with Flat Rock Technology?

My partner worked with the owner of Flat Rock Technology. We interviewed about five different companies and chose them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2017 and it’s ongoing.

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

They have several developers on their team which allows us to both upscale and work at a faster pace than we could with our in-house developers. The development phase has thereby been shorter for us since we are less dependent on one person. We have a team at our disposal and their range of different skills make it possible for us to do things we couldn’t do before.

How did Flat Rock Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate with them several times a day. We set up all of the tasks with their own message boards through which we can communicate. We chat and have regular meetings via conference call to go through tasks and prioritize them.

They’re quick to respond and willing to help in any way they can. Sometimes we would like them to be quicker in delivering on project tasks. It’s hard for me, without programming skills, to understand how many hours some projects take. I would like them to work faster but it’s simply not possible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven't had much experience with other companies to compare with. I can say that, compared to what we could do before with in-house programmers, this works much better because we are less dependent on one person.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I'm sure there are but nothing comes to mind at the moment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Organize your projects into small tasks so that it's easier to estimate time requirements and set goals with timelines. It will be easier for them to understand what you want and the projects will be more transparent.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the managing director at S2DNT UK. We're a mobile and web platform that connects small businesses with talented students from London universities.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock Technology?

I needed a company to build our student-recruitment platform from scratch. I was looking for contractors because it was more cost-efficient than having a full-time team.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We shared our ideas with them and they put together all the architecture and functionality. Then, they proceeded to deploy a native mobile app for iOS and Android. They handled all the development aspects, including the construction of the CRM, CMS, and APIs. Flat Rock Technology continues to manage our updates, so we don't need a full-time in-house technical team.

The app connects employers with university students across London. We screen and interview the students on our platform for easy recruitment. Employers then use the platform to give the best students tasks in the fields of research, design, and social media.

What is the team composition?

We usually worked with our project manager.

How did you come to work with Flat Rock Technology?

I met their managing director through common friends.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £140,000 ($183,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in October 2015, and we went to market in January 2017.

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

They worked quickly and efficiently. They produced some very effective technology, and I'm happy with the results.

How did Flat Rock Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

The process was very smooth, and they sent us weekly updates. I've been in business for 20 years, and they're the best team I've worked with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can't really compare them. I've mentioned everything above.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. From my experience, they're spot-on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about what you want to achieve and how you want to get there. Since I was the only one designing the system, it was easy to maintain clear communication, which made things so much smoother for everyone.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a director and the chief global strategist at the Lex van Dam Trading Academy.

For what projects/services did your company hire Flat Rock Technology?

We hired Flatrock Technology team to build a bespoke online learning platform. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to have the first and best e-learning platform for retail traders and investors.

How did you select this vendor?

I interviewed through my network, searched for developers online, and came across Flatrock Technology on a review website. I was pleasantly surprised with their professional handling of my inquiry.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They designed, developed, configured, and launched a bespoke front- and backend system that operates e-commerce, e-learning, database hosting, and voucher redemption. They also provide ongoing maintenance. We've updated the website many times to meet our changing business needs, and Flatrock Technology always offers cost-effective solutions, timely deliveries, and attention to detail. 

What was the team composition?

About 10 people were involved at the early stages, but professionals come and go depending on their skills. Our main point of contact is a stable project manager with whom we can communicate at any time. 

We met their teams in the U.K. and Bulgaria and were thrilled with every member. We've seen their team change, but every recruit is excellent. We're happy to see that their teams maintain Flatrock Technology's friendly, dedicated culture.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We run a successful e-learning and e-commerce website thanks to their work. Industry colleagues and partners have given the site positive feedback. It has run smoothly for over five years with only minor updates and fixes, which Flatrock Technology has executed without disturbing our day-to-day sales and business operations. More importantly, we sleep calmly at night knowing they always have our back.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Their project management is impressive. They do a fantastic job meeting our needs and managing the work internally. No other service provider is so patient and wonderful. We have direct access to our project manager and their team, who always help in a timely manner. Flatrock Technology treats every urgent situation as a priority and solves them in the blink of an eye. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're the most reliable, knowledgeable team of experts I've ever encountered. They're also humble, which makes them an absolute pleasure to work with. They explain the technical aspects of their decisions patiently, and we always work out a reasonable solution together.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

Life is a learning journey for all, and they're professionals who continuously learn, reflect, and improve. All I want is for their team to stay at the forefront of the services they offer.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a project manager at a large petrol stations operator. We have about 500 stations across the United Kingdom.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock Technology?

We wanted to upgrade the software that Flat Rock developed for us years ago, so we reached out to them again.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Petrol stations have convenience stores and we provide those shops with planograms that help them distribute their product on the shelves. The tool that Flat Rock developed enables us to communicate with our retailers and keep them up-to-date with the requirements. For this project, they upgraded the software–from the on-premise version to the Cloud version with the same functionality.

What is the team composition?

They're a small team based in Bulgaria, so I mostly worked with their project manager.

How did you come to work with them?

The relationship started before I joined the company. Flat Rock developed the first version of the product in 2009.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in January 2018 and it ended in May 2018.

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

They delivered everything we had requested on time and on budget. We're very happy with the results.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

Our dedicated project manager did a great job, so I didn't have to be involved in too many details. We usually used email and phone to communicate, and they also provided us with weekly reports. If we had any issues during the testing phase, they addressed them quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Being a small company, they're very cost-effective and able to give one-on-one attention to their clients. Also, their technical team is very competent. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They didn't keep any documentation from the time they developed the original tool, so they had to train their team internally to understand the software. It was more of an internal issue for them, so they didn't charge us for that.

Also, their team is quite small, so there was only one person who interacted with us. We were OK with that, but I was concerned there could be a problem if that person got sick.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They're very competent and do an excellent job. They were very focused on meeting our needs and delivering everything on time.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of digital technology at Brompton Bicycle Manufacturer. We sell urban bikes that can fold because or their unique design. We ship to 42 different countries and build about 45,000 bikes a year. My primary role is ensuring day-to-day IT functionality and strategically managing the e-commerce site for our trade customers.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flat Rock Technology?

We initially need help setting up our B2B e-commerce site, and now leverage Flat Rock Technology’s support for site improvements and additions.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flat Rock Technology has been a long-standing, reliable supplier for us. Initially, they were brought on board to open up a B2B e-commerce site—a trading platform for our dealers around the world. They set up that platform, as well as developed a configurator for users to customize their bikes and place their order.

That project began with a requirements capture, followed by design sprints where they designed the system for usability. They developed it, tested it, released it, and now they handle ongoing improvements as the business changes.

They have also worked on integrating with different systems that we use, such as APIs. We have a click and collect channel, meaning customers buy the bike online and pick it up later with the closest brick-and-mortar dealer. Flat Rock Technology developed and implemented that technology.

After an order is placed, the dealers, the customers, and ourselves receive a notification. It informs us that there is an order, lets the dealer know when to expect delivery, and gives the customer materials like an owners manual. These orders can come from customers wanting bikes, or dealers ordering new parts, so it has to deal with pretty vast and complex business knowledge.

Currently, Flat Rock Technology is developing software that will help us meet country-specific regulations, so that we can expand our click and collect channel. They are also assisting us with an ERP transformation, changing how our e-commerce platform communicates with our internal systems.

What is the team composition?

We have a technical project manager who we communicate with anywhere between a day-to-day to weekly basis, depending on the workload. He then works with his own internal team of developers.

How did you come to work with Flat Rock Technology?

They went through a selection process with a few other agencies and came out on top based on their technical skills and cost. They were competitive when it came to the balance of their cost and quality. Additionally, their CEO had relevant experience and wanted to work closely on the project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $150,000 a year since 2011, which totals around $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first began working together in June 2011, and while our initial work together is done, they are still providing ongoing updates and improvements, as well as expanding our click and collect channel.

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

Our initial objective of eliminating the manual input of sales orders into our ERP system was met, which enabled our sales team of ten members to take on other tasks. By opening up new channels, we have increased our sales revenue opportunities exponentially.

How did Flat Rock Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

A few times there has been a bit of a language barrier, but the project manager has always been able to act as a good liaison between the teams. Ultimately, that has helped us because it has forced us to be more descriptive about our goals and requirements. The project manager either comes directly to our office, or speaks with us over Skype, and we speak on an at least weekly basis.

Any time that they won’t meet a deadline, they approach us instead of waiting for us to ask, and always try to resolve hurdles in the best possible way. I’ve been very happy with them as a supplier and with their project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There are several things that impress me about them. On the management side, they are good at setting expectations—specifically when it comes to timelines—and either meeting or exceeding them. Additionally, they consistently deliver high-quality code. I think that is what separates them from their competition. There is a high degree of professionalism in the team, and they always go the extra mile to complete a task.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have high expectations of being up to date on the project’s progress—ideally I would have real-time feedback—and Flat Rock Technology didn’t always meet those expectations from the administration side. I would have liked to be able to log on at any time to see what ticket the developer was working on, and my only criticism is that they were a bit slower than I would have like with updating that documentation.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would suggest establishing a structure for the working arrangement at the start of the project. Setting up standards that benefit you and the project overall will ensure the success of the engagement. I have full confidence that Flat Rock Technology will meet or exceed expectations as long as clients detail them ahead of time.

I would also say that their team is skilled and talented, so it’s worth it to invest in a technical manager and a QA tester, and really listen to their advice on timelines and updates.