Golden Owl Consulting Ltd

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have a small development company that provides Australian companies with help on the technology side, bridging the gap between business and technology development.

What challenge were you trying to address with Golden Owl Consulting?

We don’t have enough developers in Australia so people have to look overseas. The price is good there too. I needed someone who was professional and knew what they were doing.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Golden Owl Consulting provides development services for a real estate client of mine. Right now, we’re working on a cloud system in the form of a website that provides rent payment services and rental management services. It’s both a user-facing website and a background management system.

Recently, Golden Owl has created a new feature where tenants can log in, connect their bank account, and request an affordability report. The report factors in your income and expenses to create an affordability score, telling users how they’d be able to afford the property they want to apply to. Another feature Golden Owl’s team built is a user profile where users can apply to different properties and choose badges to describe themselves as a tenant.

What is the team composition?

I work with three people. One of them is a business development resource, one is a developer, and the last is a project manager.

How did you come to work with Golden Owl Consulting?

Golden Owl Consulting approached me on LinkedIn a while ago, and I remembered them when I needed an overseas partner. I reached out to them, as well as to a few others, and asked them to provide simple code to demonstrate their capabilities. Golden Owl’s work was a few levels above everyone else’s, so there was no competition.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000 so far, and I expect the cost to be in the tens of thousands at the end of the year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2021. I may begin using them for other clients as well.

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

So far, they’ve delivered high-quality products — I have no complaints. They’ve been amazing, and their level of professionalism is quite high. My client is extremely happy as well, as we’ve been able to deliver on time. There are very few bugs in the platform.

I’m very happy because Golden Owl knows what they’re doing, meaning that I don’t have to stress about the work or police the code as much as I have to when I work with other companies. Their team isn’t afraid to say if there’s a problem or ask for elaboration if they need more information. Some developers will do what you tell and not say anything if they foresee or encounter a problem.

How did Golden Owl Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m only using one developer, so it’s hard to say, but it’s been fine to date. I don’t have any complaints. We use Jira for the development and Slack for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If their developers were in Australia, then they would be highly paid and highly sought after. With my decade of history in development, I can tell when someone knows what they’re doing, and Golden Owl definitely knows.

Their level of pure software professionalism also stands out. The developer that I’m working with knows more than I do regarding development and programming. I can point them in the right direction, and they’ll find answers themselves. I don’t have to stress. This isn’t a feeling I experience with local developers, so it’s surprising and extremely impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t been working with them long, but I guess they could be a bit more organized. It isn’t a critical point, though.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start working with them and have a clear plan about what you want to do.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a sports technology company. We do mobile applications that encourage players and users to get out and play sports more.

What challenge were you trying to address with Golden Owl Consulting Ltd?

We were trying to find a company with competitive price points to provide mobile application development services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had been building an app using Google Firebase with Flutter technology. The app involved mathematics that made some of the app features more dynamic. Golden Owl took on this existing project and has helped us develop the mobile app. They’ve guided us through the technical process, determined the direction the project should take, managed timeframes, and several other tasks. 

They finished the MVP version of the app, and we are now working on the beta version. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with four team members. There’s a senior and a junior developer, a project manager, and a UX/UI designer.     

How did you come to work with Golden Owl Consulting Ltd?

I had some issues with a team member and was looking for someone who could carry on the work we had done so we wouldn’t fall behind schedules. I spoke with some people in the Sydney startup business, and they recommended looking for developers in Eastern Europe or Vietnam. We went with a Vietnamese company because their services were very similar in quality to those of Eastern Europe agencies at a fraction of the cost.

I did a Google search and found Golden Owl on Clutch and another business rating agency as well. I asked the team if they could connect me with Australian or Western-based clients who had done business with them. I asked them hard-hitting questions and got really satisfactory answers, including tips on how to best work with Golden Owl’s team.  

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested approximately $20,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement started in October 2020, and it’s ongoing. 

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

They completed the MVP in November 2020, and I was happy with the results, given the tight deadlines we gave them. The app’s beta version is going really well. We should have available a beta testing download soon.

In terms of metrics, it comes down to cost. If we were developing this project in Australia, it would cost around $168,000. With the hours we’ve invested in this, I’m saving around ten times the cost I would get in Australia. This has been a key metric for us, and we’re delighted with the outcome. 

How did Golden Owl Consulting Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

Both times I’ve worked with them, they’ve given me a project manager whose system works with the team. I work closely and well with her because the relationship has grown. This takes the weight off managing the technical team and their performance. She keeps me updated on a daily basis, and if there’s anything we need to change, she’s always willing to work on it.

We have a Google Meets conference once a week and communicate through Slack. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a very good, hardworking team. We quickly established our ways of working, and they’ve accommodated our business needs and circumstances, where most companies would not. We have given them short deadlines, and they’ve managed to deliver always on time with satisfactory results. 

Another strength is their communication. They constantly keep you up to date. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only downside is that sometimes things get lost in translation because Vietnam is not an English-speaking country. Their English writing skills are flawless; their speaking could improve but it’s not an obstacle for working with them.

Any advice for potential customers?

I'd advise them to test the waters and find a way of working that suits their organization before spending lots of money. First, engage with a company with a small job to see how they work, and then bring in the big projects. When I first started working with Golden Owl, they didn’t build exactly what I had in mind. We had to revise our methods and have weekly meetings to check everything was on track. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Business Analyst of the company which office is located in Singapore.

For what projects/services did your company hire Golden Owl Consulting Ltd, and what were your goals?

To build a mobile app version for asset portfolio which allow user to individuals and companies to invest in various cryptocurrencies

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We learned about Golden Owl from a friend colleague from Singapore who recommended them.

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

The scope is to build the minimum viable product version and to keep upgrading it based on user experience or need of the business.

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

A project manager was assigned for the project and there are 3 fulltime developers.

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

Golden Owl had experienced in working with the same product with their other clients, thus, they are very familiar about the product that they are building for us. They deliver on time as what they have committed.

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

We used Skype as our main communication tool, there's a weekly project meeting which helps a lot in communicating all the issues or concerns of the project.

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

They have technical expertise with the product that they are building for us. Very knowledgeable with good project management.

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

Although we know English is not their main language, I suggest this one need to improve in terms of communications with client.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the product owner for the company and have been involved in managing development for the companies products that Golden Owl has been developing together with us as part of our team.

For what projects/services did your company hire Golden Owl Consulting Ltd, and what were your goals?

Building and managing our substantially complex web app used by clients on a global scale.

How did you select Golden Owl Consulting Ltd and what were the deciding factors?

We found Golden Owl through our network.

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

We work together on a daily basis and use kanban/scrum-style project management to deliver tasks and features to meet deadlines. We work with everything from design to tech implementation.

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

Vary from time to time, but 1 project manager, 6 different developers across different areas (web app, ios, frontend, backend, full-stack, senior developers, etc).

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

The development has been going smoothly and we could not be happier with the results. The work is ongoing.

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

Good and clear communication and good project management skills. Logical no-bs approach, highly appreciated.

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

Their talent for handling remote work is impressive on the scale. If we have 6-10 developers at the same time, everything is clear and well managed. Also, their ability to keep up with demand as the company is growing, onboarding new developers effectively.

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

For remote working, we could not think of any improvements.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a Fintech startup in my hometown in Brisbane, Australia. Although I work in the US.

For what projects/services did your company hire Golden Owl Consulting Ltd?

We hire the team to build a mobile app for an e-wallet, which allows for bill settlement, money transfer, saving accounts, discounts, etc. And maintenance package for the future.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to build a mobile app that looks and feels fresh, to target the youth in Brisbane. What we aimed for was a Fintech app that is functional with a huge load of data, strictly secure with intuitive UI.

How did you select Golden Owl Consulting Ltd?

We learned about them from a friend who recommended Golden Owl Consulting as an outstanding IT agency in Singapore, which is near Brisbane.

Describe the project in detail.

The project lastes for about a year. We were focusing on building the MVP version and then keep upgrading it from feedbacks. They were the ones to take care of the whole project from the start. We kept updating over a long period of time.

What was the team composition?

We had 6 main devs for the whole projects, and others has joined to help with issues here and there

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

Our project was quite complicated but from the start, they have proven to be experienced with project management besides their coding expertise. There were only a few mishaps over the project period.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicated through slack and trello, they were quick to response and we like the supporting attitude

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Technical expertise. They were knowledgeable about the job and good with project management.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They work from afar so sometimes things get lost in translation.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Co-founder for a startup matching freelancers to companies

For what projects/services did your company hire Golden Owl Consulting Ltd, and what were your goals?

Our website has been in development and is pending launch. We engaged Golden Owl to assist in bug fixing as well as to develop some features.

How did you select Golden Owl Consulting Ltd and what were the deciding factors?

We were approached via email and after comparing with other solutions, we decided to go with Golden Owl

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

We sent a list of bugs and features that required development and were provided with an estimation for it. After deciding to move forward, we were assigned a project manager and developers to help complete the project.

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

2 developers, 1 project manager

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

Bugs were fixed with no further issues, new features were developed according to specifications, work was done and delivered promptly

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

Trello and Slack was used for project management. Daily updates by the developers, responsive communications with everyone. They were happy to do a demo on their work when it was requested.

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

They were receptive to minor changes that we requested on the fly

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

More details on the Trello task cards so that it is easier to remember which bug/feature it is referring to

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CTO of a Sports IT firm based in Malaysia that creates challenges for runners

For what projects/services did your company hire Golden Owl Consulting Ltd, and what were your goals?

We had serious performance issue for our backend server and had to engage Golden Owl for their expertise. Our main goal is to resolve the server's performance issue when many users are using the system at a single time. They were able to resolve the issue soon after.

Impressed, we continued to engage them to help enhance our backend capabilities. Recently we also started engaging them on helping to revamp our mobile app and the project is going smoothly so far.

How did you select Golden Owl Consulting Ltd and what were the deciding factors?

We had a few mini projects with other companies beforehand and Golden Owl's expertise impressed us. They have extensive knowledge in the language and goes the extra mile to ensure the project's tasks are completed within targeted timeframe while not sacrificing on the quality of work.

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

Scope of work includes:

1. Debug and fix the performance issue that our backend is having with all the timeouts happening when many users are accessing the system at one time
2. Load testing the system to understand how much load the system can withstand after improving on the performance
3. Various features/enhancements for our backend/web
4. Revamp/Rewrite of our mobile app v2

Technologies used:

1. Ruby on Rails
2. React Native
3. Javascript AWS
4. Heroku

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

A total of 7 people including: 2 Project Coordinators 4 RoR backend/web developers 1 React Native mobile developer

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

We were able to resolve the performance issue within 3 months. Other tasks were also completed within the timeframe

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

We communicated through Slack and uses Trello to manage the project tasks. We communicate daily on the tasks that each developer is working on and whether there's any issue they face

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

Their communication skills are good and they can understand our requirements well. They also try to offer suggestions to improve certain features sometimes. Their quality of work is often very good as well

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

While the code quality is great, sometimes, certain tasks might be misinterpreted and developed wrongly. I would attribute that to miscommunication and lack of communication. The few occurrences were rectified subsequently after my feedback and they have been communicating better and more frequently nowadays.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the on-site technical lead.

For what projects/services did your company hire Golden Owl Consulting Ltd, and what were your goals?

For continuous development of the platform which has been and is used both as a SaaS and in-house.

As we are a start-up we are using Golden Owl to develop remaining must-have features, bug fixing and soon enough turning towards more nice-to-have features.

How did you select Golden Owl Consulting Ltd and what were the deciding factors?

Not sure, it was decided before my time at the company. I believe it was a bit random according to stories I've been told.

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

Golden Owl was brought in to speed up and continue the development of the platform. Key technologies are React.js, Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL and Neo4j.

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

Once again, I'm not historically updated. It has been fluctuating between 1-4 fullstack developers if I'm correct.

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

We use a Kanban system (Clubhouse) for development and Slack for other communications.

Golden Owl has been self-going and reports on what is being done and when things go live.

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

Hard working (with individuals varying of course) and produces code fast.

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

Sometimes fast goes too fast and bugs ends up in production that should have been detected in development. I would happily trade some speed for accuracy.