Flat Rock Technology

BACKGROUND

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.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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.

SOLUTION

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.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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.

BACKGROUND

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.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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.

SOLUTION

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.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the marketing associate at Wilbury Stratton.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking for a company to redesign our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to have a corporate WordPress website with multiple pages, a clean application, a menu bar, and a call to action. We had a few meetings with Flat Rock and explained to them what we were needed. After that, they started designing our new site.

What is the team composition?

I mostly work with Miroslav Kuzmanov (Project Manager, Flat Rock Technology) and one other member of their team.

How did you come to work with them?

The relationship had already started when I joined the company.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $4,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I'm happy with the designs they've sent us. They're responsive to our feedback and work quickly to implement changes.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They send us weekly reports and always make sure we understand what they're working on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciate their level of engagement. They listen to us and do their best to meet our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I'm a department head at Nomado Group Limited

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Business development

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Flat Rock Technology to accomplish?

• To create a functional prototype for an online application
• It had a very tight deadline

SOLUTION

How did you find Flat Rock Technology?

Previous connection

Why did you select Flat Rock Technology over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Flat Rock Technology were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We engaged with Flat Rock to build an MVP prototype for ‘Properly’, a digital conveyancing platform designed to streamline the property transaction process for buyers, sellers, and conveyancers in the Australian market. We provided the UI design for the MVP, and Flat Rock brought it to life. The MVP scope included: User onboarding flows for buyers and sellers, including user type selection and capture of personal and property details. ID verification, allowing users to upload photo ID, utility bills, bank statements, and a verification photo. Document Vault for secure upload and storage of property-related documents, with file type recognition and status indicators. Task tracking system, enabling users to view and update tasks across key transaction stages, with status labels (To Do, In Review, Complete). Milestone tracking, visualising key events in the conveyancing process. Buyer and Seller dashboards, providing a progress overview, task summaries, and recent activity logs. Conveyancer dashboard, allowing legal professionals to manage clients, tasks, timelines, and documents in one workspace. In-app messaging, supporting communication between buyers/sellers and their conveyancer. Administrative sections for managing user-submitted data and property transaction records. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Having the interactive prototype built and ready for presentation to stakeholders was the measure of success at this stage.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Miroslav Valev was my mail point of contact and he delivered what was promised in good time

What was your primary form of communication with Flat Rock Technology?

Virtual Meeting

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

The speed at which they are able to create great things stood out.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Flat Rock Technology could have done differently?

Nothing comes to mind