Flexsin

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an IT professional for a real estate firm.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin, Inc?

Initially, we needed help fixing our work order system that had been improperly developed by another vendor.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We discussed our challenges with our work order system and Flexsin's team created a scope of work for the project, laying out the steps they planned to take to improve it. They created a proprietary software solution from scratch, syncing our SharePoint content with a SQL server. They added enhancements including ways to filter work orders and set up recurring reminders.

What is the team composition?

I had one main point of contact who worked with other resources on the team as needed.

How did you come to work with Flexsin, Inc?

I believe I found them through a Google search. The other vendors I spoke to weren't willing to start a project under $10,000, so it took a while before I finally found a willing vendor.

How much have you invested with them?

We ended up investing around $20,000. After the initial phase of the project was completed, our team loved it so much that we decided to continue making enhancements and adding new components.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2014 and wrapped the project up around April 2015. We didn't really have a set deadline. 

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

We went from having an inefficient manual work order system to having a simplified, seamless software solution. As a result, we haven't missed any work orders or recurring maintenance requests. Thanks to Flexsin's efforts, no work orders fall through the cracks and we're able to operate much more efficiently.

How did Flexsin, Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive and clear with the directions they gave us after listening to our specific challenges and needs. They made the whole process easy and were accessible through email and Skype. They also documented the system very well, making it easy for us to make integrations and changes later on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm most impressed by how incredibly knowledgeable Flexsin is of Sharepoint and SQL and the integration of the two.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just be mindful of their location and time zone. For us, it worked well, because I preferred communicating with them late in the evening during their normal business hours.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Aussie Digital is a blockchain-based technology business.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin Inc.?

I'd worked with Flexsin previously, and I thought they had the relevant skills to deliver an e-commerce solution.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started by building the cryptocurrency and a website to take on investors. From there we moved on to building an e-commerce platform that will take our currency along with other currencies. The next stage will be a social media platform and relevant apps to run social media e-commerce and payment.

They’re in the process of building a completely custom site with a fully functional backend. It allows users to check on their currency and check balances. It's also got an online wallet so users don't have to download anything.

What is the team composition?

I work with five members of their team.

How did you come to work with Flexsin Inc.?

It was a while back, but I think I first met them through a freelancer.

How much have you invested with them?

So far I’ve spent $21,000 AUD ($15,843 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began roughly three months ago (February 2018) and is ongoing.

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

The e-commerce site is still in development stage, but it represents an important step in launching the cryptocurrency for investors. It will help us get the idea across to retailers so they know it's coming. What makes this project unique is we're actually a small business incubator. Normally with e-commerce, by the time you pay for advertising you wind up making nothing. The goal of this project is to put the retailer on top again.

How did Flexsin Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very professional and always get things done on time. Their communication is great. I never have to worry that there's a problem. We’re in touch usually daily by Skype and email, and then probably twice weekly by phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re really good at problem solving. Because of the nature of these projects, there's a lot of problems that have to be sorted out. Nothing was straightforward. Everything I want done, it's never been done before. They never look at a problem and say they can’t do it. They always just jump in and figure it out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. Because they're not from an Australian English speaking country, sometimes it can be a bit difficult on the phone. It's not a major issue. Other than that, I'm very happy.

Any advice for potential customers?

Put your ideas forward and they will make sure it happens. They put everything in place and things seem to go very smoothly.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for the Masonic Collection, an e-commerce business that provides regalia for members of the Freemasons.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin?

We wanted to increase our web traffic and have our PPC campaigns yield a ROI every few months. Flexsin indicated that our site’s OpenCart platform wasn't very powerful or useful, and recommended we transition to Magento.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flexsin spearheads our marketing and SEO efforts including social media, blog postings, PPC campaigns, Google Shopping, and product campaigns. They assessed and improved our existing campaigns and target organic search rankings. We expanded their contract to include development after a year and a half. During my first meeting with their project manager, I detailed how many products we wanted to list, our growth expectations, and potential compatible additions to the site. Conference calls with the build team helped clarify my questions.

The team designed and built our second website and included all the key elements we requested. Various features let us send out newsletters, write blog posts, and showcase products and promotions. When the platform was complete, they loaded all our products. We kept the site in a testing phase for two weeks. This period gave me a chance to solicit feedback from our friends and colleagues. Once we were happy, they launched the platform. Even at that time, we kept a system in place to mitigate potential shipping issues. All those problems have since been resolved.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a project manager to organize planning details. During the build phase, I liaised with the lead developer. Three resources worked on the development side of our project.

How did you come to work with Flexsin?

A different vendor built our previous site while a freelancer worked on our SEO. These providers failed to meet our expectations after a period of time. While considering various overseas contractors, we found Flexsin on Elance.com, which is now Upwork. I assessed their recommendations, reviews, staff, and previous projects. They gave us a full proposal together and price quotation, I responded with detailed comments, and then we began our engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

I'm investing at minimum $12,000-$13,000 a year. The Magento site cost about $8,000 including changes, add-ons and product uploads. Flexsin’s monthly SEO fees have trended at $1,100 over the past 18 months. We came to a reduced cost agreement to include the second platform and corresponding social media.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have a monthly contract with Flexsin to improve and maintain our platforms and SEO. They currently manage PPC and other details for our two sites. We've built a strong relationship over the five years we’ve worked together.

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

Our partnership with Flexsin has consistently decreased our monthly budget and increased our ROI. Each week, they provide metrics on site-generated revenue. These statistics encapsulate our business’s success and reflect the quality of their work. We find this more useful than web traffic figures, since many site visitors never purchase our products. Many of our sites are currently ranked on the first page of Google. We expect these metrics to continuously improve as we go forward.

After our first two years working together, I was comfortable and happy. They’ve completed everything we've asked of them so far and delivered what I envisioned for the site. We’ve never needed to make drastic changes. The team is great at formulating ideas to foster continuous growth. This is a major reason we’ve worked with them for five years and invest the money we do. I've already referred them to other companies and have no problem doing so in the future.

How did Flexsin perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well. On a scale from one to 10, I'd give them an eight. The team worked promptly and synergistically. Although many resources spoke English as a second language, general communication was never an issue. We keep in touch between a weekly basis and every 10 days. We use email to receive updates or pass along new ideas. For more detailed discussions, we videoconference on Skype.

Our assigned project manager handles the business aspect. The lead developer manages the build team and answers questions about specifics. We requested that the design, development, and SEO teams all work together. Once we started targeting the new platform’s SEO, we didn't want to experience any site complications. Those processes go hand in hand.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Even though it’s my project, Flexsin often invested the most time and effort to make it work. They never complacently waited for my directions. I'm often busy with my business’s demands, so I appreciate how well they work independently. They’ll fix bugs or add blog content without being asked. Oftentimes, they’ll actually prompt me to take action and send reminders to deliver materials. They always make time for me and are available for discussions. Whenever I point out issues to prioritize they promptly book a Skype call.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I still want to see a further increase in sales, so we can't afford to stand still. I expect our Magento site to be well-known and highly ranked on Google within the next 12-15 months. By then, Flexsin will have had several years to collate data from PPC campaigns and increase the ROI. Christmas is our busiest sales period and I’d like to generate comparable income throughout the entire year.

The significant revenue we generate from eBay and Amazon indicates our potential to establish a comparable international market on our two branded sites. Once we achieve these goals, I’ll say it's a success story. E-commerce is the most important aspect of our business and I rely on them as my sole marketing team. They could be even more proactive and regularly offer suggestions.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea about your goals for the project from the offset. Fully communicate what you want in detail. Once they provide specs, look through them intensely, ask questions, and voice your concerns. As you go through the build, it’s critical to point out any issues straight away.

Most people will experience discrepancies with overseas developers. For example, some features we’d agreed upon in the budget were missing. We had to renegotiate with the consultant who’d given us the original quote. This breakdown in communication might not happen with a domestic vendor. To their credit, Flexsin mitigated many challenges by using screen mirroring effectively. Ultimately, they saved us a lot of money.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a platform that allows a user to search and connect with a consultant via webcam for a fee.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin Inc.?

We needed someone to develop the software and build the website. Our goal was to have a smooth well-operating website with all the functionalities we required.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the software and website from scratch using ASP.NET. Initially, we thought it would take about six months to complete the project, but it took about two years because neither Flexsin or us were able to pinpoint how much work it would involve. They underestimated the work, and we weren’t able to explain it well and didn’t realize what we needed. Both parties discovered along the way how much work was involved, and it took many phases and many steps. There were two aspects to it, the suppliers and the customers. We had to have a payment system, booking system, and other functionalities to make it work. It was much more complicated than it sounded.

As the connection would be made via video chat, the expert had to be able to see what the customer is struggling with via the webcam in order to help them. We could have used Skype, but we wanted it to be integrated within the site. The booking and payment system had to be interconnected because the video chat had to start at the same time as the booking starts and end at the same time the booking ends. We had to think of scenarios such as the customer or supplier not showing up, or the customer being satisfied due to poor connection or the service not being good enough or helpful. Solutions for all these cases had to be invented.

What is the team composition?

In the beginning, we worked with someone on inventory. We had a project manager, who changed once during the process. In the end, we had five people working with us, and each of them had a whole team.

How did you come to work with Flexsin Inc.?

I searched via Guru.com and via Upwork. I was in contact with many suppliers, but their text and the way they presented themselves made me reach out to them. Once I had them on the phone, I felt they understood what we needed and were capable of completing the job for us at a good price.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent a little over $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December of 2015, and the project was completed in December of 2017.

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

We haven’t launched it yet as there are some content and photos that need to be created first. We have taken a step back for a while so we can come back and look at it with fresh eyes. We had been so deeply involved in the project for the past two years, and especially the last four months, that we needed a short break from the goal. We didn’t realize we would be involved so much. We felt that we built half of the website, and they did the coding. We had to come up with every functionality and how things would look and work which required a lot of time, involvement, knowledge, and creativity.

They are amazing with coding. We asked for a lot, much of which was difficult and perhaps completely new for them. They always found a way to develop it even though it took some time. They had a learning curve, but they delivered every functionality in the end.

How did Flexsin Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

In the beginning, we were in contact once per week. Through the course of two years, there were a couple of periods where there wasn’t any contact from either side for about three months. They were busy with other projects, and occasionally our project wasn’t on the top of their list. Because we didn’t pay them much, we felt we couldn’t ask for too much. Building a website along with a web developer takes a lot of time, and we needed a break sometimes. For the last several months of the project, to get it completed we were in contact daily which was exhausting but also necessary.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing was that they were able to pull this whole thing off. It was a really complicated and huge project. It is a really big website with many complicated functionalities involved, and they were able to do it all. Also, our project manager did a stellar job.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When seeing the website, it is clear that it was a big job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you start with any web developer, know your business well and know what you want. Be clear on every detail of the website including any scenarios before approaching a developer. This will save a lot of time and trouble, the price calculation will be more realistic, and you will shorten the time it takes to develop.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I represent Big Web Apps, a web-based help desk that assists a wide range of companies.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin Inc.?

We wanted staff augmentation for providing our clients with SEO consultation and keyword optimization to improve their Google rankings.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope varies for each client, but Flexsin provides general manpower to help execute our optimization strategies. They work alongside us to manage PPC campaigns and assist with Organic SEOs.

They manage a number of our smaller portfolios on their own, and provide us with consultation.

What is the team dynamic?

I primarily interact with our project manager, but there's approximately ten people working on our projects at any one time.

How did you come to work with Flexsin Inc.?

One of my business partners worked with a client who used Flexsin. Since we regularly work with offshore companies, we decided to send them some initial projects. We’ve entrusted them with more and more of our workload each year.

How much have you invested with them?

At least $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the end of 2012 and our relationship is ongoing.

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

We base their success on whether they’ve improved rankings for the terms assigned, and they accomplish this goal consistently. We’re satisfied as long as the rankings move in a positive direction.

How did Flexsin Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We don’t require constant communication since we’ve worked together so long. I generally touch base with our project manager once every two weeks and sometimes reach out if I have ideas for better keywords to focus on.

We use SEMrush to track their SEO results and they also keep us updated with regular activity reports.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're reasonably priced and very consistent. Their dependability is the number one reason our partnership has lasted so long.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I share any issues with them directly and they make adjustments immediately, so I can’t think of any suggestions at this time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

SEO work can be a painstaking process, so go in with realistic expectations. If you have clear, long-term goals, then Flexsin will get the job done.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a social media mobile app for dancers, bartenders, and patrons of gentlemen’s clubs.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin Inc.?

I had the idea for the app, but I didn’t have any technical expertise, so I needed a company to do dev and walk me through some of the other aspects of creating a mobile app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I created a wireframe with about 50 screens, and Flexsin started the dev from there. They put together a software requirement specification, which detailed the function of every page and button, and a flowchart for the layout. Once I approved that, Flexsin made a working wireframe where I could interact with the app, and then they started to build the actual app.

We’re planning on launching within the next few weeks, first on iOS and then Google, and Flexsin has directed me to the proper avenues for setting up those accounts. We wanted to launch earlier, but we’ve added a lot of upgrades, such as new APIs, to increase the user experience.

The app contains numerous features, including getting directions to a specific club or dancer, messaging, and dancer profiles with pictures and videos. End users and performers can purchase minutes to talk with one another, which makes it more private and safer so phone numbers don’t need to be exchanged. Users can also book appointments with specific dancers, who can let their followers know when and where they’re working. It’s designed so that a performer or bartender never has to lose contact with a client again.

I also had a security feature built into the app so that it can only be accessed with a code; that way, not everyone who picks up your phone can open the app. In the future, we want to include geo-fencing so users can see who’s at a club or party.

What is the team dynamic?

I mainly work with four leads; one is located in the U.S. and the other three are in India. There’s also a whole team of developers who work on my project.

How did you come to work with Flexsin Inc.?

A friend suggested I use Guru, and that’s where I found Flexsin. Their website and testimonials made me give them a call, and I talked to Amit [COO, Flexsin Inc.], who made me feel extremely comfortable and safe.

How much have you invested with them?

Between $10,000 to $50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in January 2016, and the work is ongoing.

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

We haven’t done official beta testing, but a performer and I have been vigorously testing the app. We plan on launching the app and just making updates later. We’ve shown it to a few people, and they all love it. Clubs and dancers can’t wait to use it because they feel like it’s something the industry really needs.

How did Flexsin Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Flexsin is great at project management. They complete tasks on time and deliver on their promises. If they run into any issues, they don’t let it stop them and continue working on other assignments.

We met in-person a while back, and that helped improve our relationship. I trust them 100%, and we talk four or five times a week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They always seem to be working. Even with the time difference, I can call their office and someone will answer. They’ll reply to emails over the weekend, and they’re overall very thorough. We’ve never run into any communication issues.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Because they’re in India, not everyone on the team completely grasps American styles and interests (like how we expect a web page to look), but that’s not a big problem because their design team compensates for that. I’d like to see them develop a broader range of designs and not be afraid to take risks and try something new.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You can just give Flexsin a list of jobs, and they’ll do them, but to get the most out of your relationship, be prepared to work a lot. They’ll share as much information as you want, which means you can be incredibly involved in the project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We gather and deliver content for media and newsrooms in the IT industry.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin?

I needed someone who understood the difficulties of development. Everyone’s not well equipped with IT knowledge in both web and app development. I needed to decide on a technical stack, then develop the product. I’m not a technical person, and I didn’t have a team who could help with development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the website for our business, and worked on the backend to make special features for us. We started out discussing our ideas, and as we narrowed it down, we decided on the exact requirements, tech stack, database, etc. Once I submitted the requirements, we moved on to documentation and listed everything that had to be developed. Our SLS [service level specification] was implemented in conjunction with the architecture, which was decided beforehand.

Afterwards, we started the development process and linked the UI/UX, then continued to make changes as needed.

Flexsin actually implemented chunk uploads when uploading a large file, which is unheard of in this context. At the receiving end, I wanted to retain part of that data even though the stream may have broken. In countries like India, data is not as reliable as most people think. Flexsin managed to set this up for me. We built all of those together, then reviewed the results.

They sent me a proposal to help with SEO [search engine optimization] and PPC [pay-per-click], which looked promising. However, difficulties in the media industry here require somebody to efficiently handle SEO. The timeline of the solution deployment and the SEO project didn't align with the development timeline. We just did a soft launch for now.

What is the team dynamic?

They assigned 7–8 people to the task, including a business analyst, development head, and other resources depending on what was needed. If we were working on the UI [user interface], I had a team of designers available to me, as well as 1–2 developers working on the architecture. I couldn’t tell that the team size changed during my project.

My main point of contact used to be the business analyst, and we would communicate twice a week. He moved up, so I was assigned someone new. Later on, I was in direct contact with the developer because my project was delayed on almost half the timelines, and we changed the approach. As things were eventually streamlined, I was in contact with the development head twice a day. There were a few times I had no developer, and the UI/UX [user experience] development was delayed.

How did you come to work with Flexsin?

I was searching for IT companies in this part of India. I wanted someone who had a decent client base. I found Flexsin on LinkedIn, but I looked at 10–12 companies and evaluated formal proposals before I decided to award the project to them.

In our first meeting, I met with Flexin’s top management, Amit [Senior Business Manager, Flexsin] and Raj [Business Development Manager, Flexsin]. They were very keen on grasping the business, and also knew exactly what I wanted. On an idea and implementation level, they were very coherent, which was a game changer for me. Out of all the companies I’d met, Flexsin was really accurate with what I wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent ₹1.5 million Indian Rupees [U.S. $20,000].

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016, and the project is ongoing. We were supposed to be finished a few months ago.

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

The site is still being developed, but it was due 5 months ago. They are slow because of the team size they deployed for me. The developers understand and implement what I want, so they’re pretty good. The site is decent so far, and with a couple of revisions, it will be good.

How did Flexin Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

My project has been 100% delayed, which says everything. I’m under a lot of pressure from both sides, so if my timeline is delayed, my logistics are as well. Their project management is poor.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As far as functionality goes, they do well. They’re very good at identifying the business, but not so much at delivering.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should stick to the timelines, because it’s the most important thing. The project was supposed to be completed 5 months ago. We were counting on it being completed in October, but as of right now, we’re still waiting.

Do you have any advice for potential clients?

If someone wants to do a project with them, they need to have really strong technical knowledge. They’re not compatible with non-technical people.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are the producer of a patient-generated health data product with multimedia communication between physicians and patients using patients’ homes as virtual offices.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin?

I am a physician, not an engineer, so I needed help with design and coding. I had the vision but not the skills, so I needed help creating a product. This was my first time working on a project like this. I had tried doing the work with single engineers on several occasions before coming to Flexsin, but it was too much for them.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flexsin handled the coding and design of our telemedicine solution. It’s a complex product consisting of a mobile and web application on the patient side and a web-based version for physicians. We initially had a discussion around the requirements, and then built wireframes and flow designs, following a standard process.

The platform is HIPAA-compliant and features symptomatology alerts, scaling graph information, and appointment scheduling. It can follow patient progress, as it occurs, real-time. It also has email communication and provides medical records, including imaging. Patients can input symptoms while doctors enter diagnoses.

For a patient needing hand surgery, he would set up a relationship with a physician by first making a request. After the request is accepted and also following the surgery, the patient can use their device to review a list of symptoms they will experience and ask questions regarding diet or reactions, as if they had gone to the office. They can take pictures and send them in real-time to the physicians, making it unnecessary to visit the office most of the time.

What is the team dynamic?

We had design, development, marketing and business teams handling everything I required. Most of the teams consisted of two people. They were receptive to any question, concern or problem I had, and dealt with the issues I raised. We spoke as often as it was necessary. One thing I learned was that I had to talk to the right people; the coders would do exactly what I said, as opposed to the right thing to do.

How did you come to work with Flexsin?

I went to Guru.com looking for single developers and found Flexsin. They listed multiple projects and had a large team. I called them and liked what I heard. We had a second, face-to-face interview, and I decided they would be right for the job. I looked at two other companies, but Flexsin’s team was sharp, amicable, and open to new concepts, and they understood exactly what I wanted quickly.

I thought that there would be a language barrier, but Flexsin’s team spoke English well so this was not an issue.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Flexsin around a year ago.

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

The end result was an excellent product. It’s not fully launched yet. I had not tested out the concept before designing and building it, so I’m beta-testing it now. So far, people have said it’s intuitive and easy to use, fast and simple.

How did Flexsin perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve guiding me through the whole process from start to finish. I couldn’t have built the product by myself, using only one or two engineers. Having a whole team made a big difference. We’ve had meetings with six or eight people from different teams, all working on my project.

Everything was delivered within budget. It was a complex product, so there was a slight delay.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were receptive and open to understanding any problem I had and dealing with it. Flexsin did everything required of them, and I have no complaints.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Being a complex project, it took a little longer, but I’m quite happy with the product and everything that Flexsin has done.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a truck and driver tracking app for a transportation company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Flexsin?

I wanted to develop the app for our transportation company because I wanted a way of tracking the drivers via cellphones.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flexsin developed the app itself as well as the website that shows the app, which I believe was built on WordPress. The app tracks the location of the drivers, the speed, and history. It is built for both iOS and Android and features Google maps implementation. There is also a messaging system built in where drivers and dispatchers can communicate via the app. They are currently managing and updating the app.

What is the team dynamic?

They had three or four people at any given time working on the project, depending on what aspect they were working on.

How did you come to work with Flexsin?

I was looking to outsource the work and had reached out to them via Upwork.

How much have you invested in them?

I have spent around $30,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2012, and the work is still ongoing.

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

The feedback I have received has been very good. I haven’t advertised the app yet because I am trying to perfect it before really putting it out there, but so far, we have had positive feedback.

How did Flexsin perform from a project management standpoint?

They have been pretty good, Skype was our main method of communication. Flexsin is organized and overall I am satisfied with their work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have been pretty flexible with payment, as well as their rate.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything was fine.