GRIP Software Solutions

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Managing Director of Milestone Pavement Technologies

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Engineering services for road pavements

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire GRIP Software Solutions to accomplish?

• Design and development of a custom solution including mobile application for data collection supporting quality control and web-app for real-time monitoring and generation of reports.
• Improve efficiency and productivity by streamlining processes of collecting & sharing data
• Enhance quality for work by improving the quality of data collected, enabling proactive, real-time monitoring and streamlined, semi-automated reports generation

SOLUTION

How did you find GRIP Software Solutions?

Referral

Why did you select GRIP Software Solutions over others?

• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Excellent grasp of project requirements at initial meetings

How many teammates from GRIP Software Solutions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Grip Software Solutions delivered an easy to use on-site data collection system that provides immediate and secure on-line storage of results. The data format allows efficient reporting of results to clients. The system uses an app which can be downloaded to a smartphone. Grip Software Solutions delivered a secure, easy to use system that allows efficient processing and reporting of results to clients.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

30% workload reduction in data admin & processing

Faster delivery of results for clients

25% increase in sales & number of projects in first 12-months since software implementation

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

Grip Software Solutions were very proactive in delivery of the project. They organised update meeting where goals were agreed and progress was reviewed. A system was in place to address issues promptly during the commissioning stage. 

What was your primary form of communication with GRIP Software Solutions?

In-Person Meeting

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

Their personal touch and grasp of our requirements were particularly impressive. The company was eager for the app to succeed.

Are there any areas for improvement or something GRIP Software Solutions could have done differently?

Issues that arose were identified and corrected at review meetings on a regular basis. In general these issues could not have been forseen, so it would not have been possible for Gripp Software Solutions to have done anything different at the outset. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Examinations Officer of Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is an independent statutory body who set the standards for education and training for pre-hospital emergency care in Ireland. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire GRIP Software Solutions to accomplish?

• Complete elimination of candidates’ manual data-entry and processing
• Improved and automated validation and verification of required candidate's training completion criteria
• Streamlined communication with Training Institutions and Candidates
• Automation of exams registration workflows and processing of exam results
• Complete statistical reports for Examination Results
• Transfer data to and from 3rd Parties

SOLUTION

How did you find GRIP Software Solutions?

Referral

Why did you select GRIP Software Solutions over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from GRIP Software Solutions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

A complete database of exams, candidates, examiners.  A system allowing exam candidates to apply for state examinations, and for their accredited training provider to approve same.  The system allows for PHECC to approve and progress the candidates to a 3rd party exam provider, also allowing for results and data to import and export between both providers.  The portal allows for the manangment and maintainence of an examiner portal, a candidates portal, and RI portal.  The candidate and the examiner history to recorded.  Auto emails and responses recorded, saving on multiple man hours for our organisation each day.  The system is capable of running excellent detailed reports and statistical analysis.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Elimination of paper-based candidates exam applications allowing for verification from training providers. Recording history of events, results, emails and responses.  This system replaced multiple outdated systems and brought them all to one place, making the management of examinations more streamlined and successful. Removing human error when recording results and saving hours of repetitave data entry.  One system used by exam candidates, extenal examiners, training providers and PHECC staff.  Excellent automation of time consuming processes.  This is a very professional system with nothing but positive feedback recieved by all users, easy to use and manage.

Reduction of weekly administration workload by 65% (30 person hours per week)

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

Grip always responds promptly and is always very helpful.  They solve problems and assist staff in doing so.  Grip make suggestions for improvements and work tirelessly at reducing our workload by streamlining as many of our processes as possible.  

What was your primary form of communication with GRIP Software Solutions?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The one to one relationship and the fact that they will drop what they can in order to assist your business needs.  Our problem becomes their problem and Jarek and his team work hard on solutions. Grip have automated our  business processes, reduced our administration workload, eliminated all  unnecessary paperwork, removing human errors and improviding productivity.

Are there any areas for improvement or something GRIP Software Solutions could have done differently?

Nothing so far.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on February 25, 2021.

John Lally
IT Manager, Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC)
Healthcare

Naas, Ireland

11-50 Employees

Nov 2020 - Ongoing

$10,000 to $49,999

Verified

Project summary
A pre-hospital emergency care training firm partnered with GRIP Software Solutions in order to review their existing database system and recommend where they can automate.

Feedback summary
Though the company has yet to collect any measurable data on the project, they are most impressed by how the GRIP Software Solutions team was able to study all of their processes and document everything they have done so far.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council PHECC is an independent statutory agency with responsibility for standards, education and training in the field of pre-hospital emergency care.

PHECC also maintain a statutory register of EMS practitioners. I'm the IT Manager for PHECC and have been since 2001.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire GRIP Software Solutions, and what were your goals?

To review our existing database system and suggest a web based solution to allow our users to move away from an old paper and manual system. Where possible we wanted to automate processes and enable people to apply online.

SOLUTION

How did you select GRIP Software Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

We conducted brief tender for this development work. The deciding factor was their previous experience with some of our existing clients.

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

We began the the process with a detailed review of the existing system with GRIP attempting to map out the flow of data and information through our existing system. Once this was completed and the data flow agreed, GRIP they created a series of screen shots for the new system.

There were reviewed, updated and finalised. From here we began developing a test system and making minor adjustments before agreeing to a final solution. This final solution was then rolled out to a live system where GRIP then provided ongoing maintenance and support.

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

We had one point of contact for the whole project and he is the Chief Executive.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not at this stage.

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

Initially we had face-to-face meetings while analysing the existing system. Once done, we conducted the rest of our reviews online via Zoom.

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

Their patience and ability to pull our processes and step from our key members and document this is good.

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

No

STAR RATINGS
Overall rating: 5
Quality: 5
Cost: 5
Schedule: 5
Willing to refer: 5

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of a new digital solutions software company that is bringing a digital solution to the waste industry in Ireland that is paper-bound in terms of its regulatory filings.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with GRIP Software Solutions?

We brought GRIP on board to provide the technical solution for what we were trying to achieve.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The original waste solution concept was developed by one of our directors who has no IT experience. GRIP and some of our co-founders devised the technical specifications and the business requirements to start the programming stage.

It is a distributed software solution, which means that it has a database at the backend and a mobile app at the frontend. The app is updated in real-time, and then the regulatory paperwork is stored in the backend database.

Once the design and requirements were signed off on, GRIP returned and began phase one: developing the software. I was involved in the acceptance testing of it, identifying faults and problems. Then I went back to GRIP to get things tweaked and upgraded, and in some cases, added new requirements that had been overlooked or omitted at the initial phase.

After the acceptance testing, we moved to the point where GRIP provided an end-to-end solution where they developed the software and the hosting. 

They developed a service-level agreement to cope with the hosting and any user problems as we took users on. They ensure that all issues are handled at a technical level and the necessary corrections are made.

We always planned that it would be a multi-year, multi-phase development project — phase one was to get something up and working. Any additional functionalities that might come up down the road are added in phases 2–4. 

We are now taking on users. In phase one, the target user base is about 800– 900 users, and we are just working our way through that target market. We are still beta testing at this stage, and the software is live on a database. 

What is the team composition?

GRIP has a relatively small team, and we channel everything through a key executive at GRIP. I know from experience the importance of not having multiple interfaces because that is how mistakes happen. 

How did you come to work with GRIP Software Solutions?

It was a mixture of things. Several companies can provide software or web design service, but they can't necessarily develop a mobile app on the backend, and they certainly wouldn't be able to host with a service-level agreement. Since we have live users, we don't have any room for potential screw-ups by developers messing around with our live service. 

With GRIP, the fixed price they offered after we signed off on the design comes into it, as well as their technical competence. 

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent about $40,000 with GRIP so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started around January 2020 and our partnership is ongoing — we're looking towards the next stage of the project. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It feels like GRIP was set up specifically for this solution. The Irish national regulator has said he thinks it is a great product. Because we are dealing with regulatory paperwork, we have had to ensure that the regulator was on board with it.

While he can't endorse any product, he is enthused and wants to push this type of solution within the industry. He can see a future where they use legislation to entice the waste industry into adopting this type of solution. That is the best feedback we could've hoped for. 

How did GRIP Software Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

The project has taken longer than we initially thought, but we are guilty of getting back to them slowly. I would say that seven times out of 10, my team could've done things in a more timely fashion.  

GRIP has to deal with all of our directors who have other interests outside of this specific project. We are distracted with other day-to-day stuff — GRIP has to work around us being tardy with responses.

We communicate through a mixture of phone calls, emails, and face-to-face meetings. We use Word documents to share information because it's crucial for us to have everything written down to remove any potential for misunderstandings. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I have come to appreciate the teammates I am working with, and GRIP is very easy to work with — I can talk to them, and things will get done. 

After that, I would then note their technical capability. When we have technical requests, they work to come up with a complete and viable solution. They really think about what we need to achieve and the best way to get our software to work.

Price is important as well, and we're getting value for our money — they're not charging us an arm and a leg. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is nothing significant.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is similar for anyone looking to do a technical solution. Clients need to understand their business requirements early. Clients can't expect the developer to think for them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the general manager and director of Hampers & Co, a luxury food and wine gift company based in Ireland. We've been in business since 1993 in various forms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with GRIP Software Solutions?

The biggest issue we were aiming to resolve was our stock control system. Until 2019, we were operating the business on spreadsheets that took me weeks to build each year. We wanted to replace that and have a system that was ongoing, active, and dynamic. We needed a hamper design tool as well.

We needed a multi-user platform to handle everything for the business, including data updates for goods in stock control, hamper design, sales orders, and everything else related to purchase orders. We also wanted to improve our ability to integrate purchase and sales orders with that same system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with GRIP Software Solutions in May 2018 with design and specification meetings. We reached out to them because, at that stage, we didn't know exactly what we needed to solve the problems that we had.

The GRIP Software Solutions team looked at our existing business and at what we thought we needed. We went through a few platform iterations, mockups, layouts, business process flows, and other related deliverables. They stayed with us and learned how our businesses operated. They came up with specifications and delivered them to us. 

We ended up delaying the project from May 2018 to early 2019. It was impossible for us to develop a new system while also trying to run a small business. 

When we could, we went back to GRIP Software Solutions and revised the specifications. They then modified the design slightly based on our experience from how our business did in Christmas 2018. Then in May 2019, the actual software development kicked off. 

They delivered the platform to us and started on implementation and roll out in August 2019. Their team supported us through our first big Christmas season with the new system and through to the end of the implementation phase in May 2020.

I'm going back to them in the next week or two so they can make some changes to our screen layout and add some additional calculations and reports.

What is the team composition?

I initially worked with two main teammates, and then another teammate became my main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with GRIP Software Solutions?

GRIP Software Solutions was recommended to us. My partner met another business owner through a businesswoman's group here in Ireland. She had an employment agency and GRIP Software Solutions had done sales calls and processing software solutions for them — they said GRIP Software Solutions was great. 

When I talked with them, I realized that they knew how to interpret my business and convert it into an online system. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested €44,300 (approximately $51,400 USD) in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

The core project went from May 2018–May 2020, but we have an ongoing support service contract with them, which we pay for each month. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s hard to figure out how to measure success. But for us, the biggest plus has been that the system enabled us to grow the business. Last year, through the pandemic, our business grew 300%. We couldn't have done that without the multi-user system from GRIP Software Solutions. Our website uptime is also now at 99.9%. 

We've been able to go from a small, two-person company up to a staff of about 8–12 core people who now use GRIP Software Solutions systems all the time. I now have a hamper design teammate, a production team that uses the software and production schedules, and a warehouse staff that processes goods. I have the accounts team who are monitoring the sales orders, the processing, and the invoicing. In the past, that wouldn't have been possible.  

The system has freed up my time so I can oversee other things, including warehouse operations, health and safety, and the administration — it’s enabled every teammate to be more productive. I'm also not spending weeks every year rebuilding spreadsheets with new hamper designs.

How did GRIP Software Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

GRIP Software Solutions is good at project management — they always delivered on time, to the specifications and original budget we’d laid out. We were actually the ones that delayed the project. 

We didn't use any project management tool because our main point of contact was in close contact with us — he interfaced with his team. If they were using any project management tools, they were doing it internally and I wasn’t involved. However, I do know the maintenance team uses Jira to create support tickets. 

Pre-pandemic, during the design phase, we had face-to-face meetings most of the time. We also communicated by phone, text, or email. They still contact us once every 2–3 months to see how everything is going. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Besides the system's reliability, all the uptime, and everything else that we have now, I was very impressed by the fact that they were so relaxed in interpreting our information and our business processes. We knew from day one that there was nothing that we were asking for that GRIP Software Solutions couldn’t implement.

They have a quiet but solid confidence that they can interpret any business process and give realistic implementation expectations. 

They’re dealing with what I would consider the boring parts of the software industry: interpreting business processes and methodologies and bringing them all together. It’s a tough part of the business because it’s not very glamorous, but it’s important. But at the end of the day, what they’ve delivered is really effective for us. 

Everything is now very straightforward — the data is presented in a very straightforward way. Now my partner can see the stock and hamper designs remotely and it’s made a phenomenal change to our business. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they nailed the project. It's hard to fault GRIP Software Solutions because their team had the right level of contact without being our face, delivered on time and on budget, and were very professional.

Any advice for potential customers?

I would tell customers to take the budget for the design specification phase and double it. The GRIP Software Solutions team will go over the design specifications, the screen layouts, and everything else with customers. But if a customer invests time and money in the design specification phase and runs over specifications multiple times, the implementation will run like clockwork.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the IT manager of a Security Company. We provide manned guarding and mobile patrol services to companies in the west and midlands of Ireland.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire GRIP Software Solutions, and what were your goals?

We needed a reliable way to check the well being of our employees while at work. Most of our employees work alone and and it is important to check their well being throughout their shift. We needed a clear visual way for our control room to monitor the employees, records of the checks and any actions taken and a way to analyse the data. We also needed a mobile app that was easy for employees to use to confirm their well being

SOLUTION

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

We were looking for an Irish based company that was responsive and could deliver the project in a short time frame. We approached 3 companies with our requirememnts and Grip was by far the most responsive and flexible. Jarek listened carefully to our requirements making helpful suggestions based on his experience

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

They designed and developed a web based dashboard app which provided the required monitoring functionality. It was critical that we could upload our rostering data from csv files and we needed the ability to continuorly modify the data using only upload. The GUI delivered on our our requirements for look and feel. They also provided phone apps for iOS and Android to interfac to the back end roster data and provide notifications at defined intervals to check on well being. Detailed mockups were provided as a first stage to agree the project. Functionality was released to us for testing as it was ready.

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

We mainly worked with the Chief Executive. His main designer also attended the early meetings when we were agreeing the specification.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project is only just completed and is still be introcuded within the company. Feedback from Control Roomn operators is positive as it is very easy to use and understand.

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

Project Management is was excellent. Meetings were via Zoom as Covid restrictions did not allw or face to face meetings. Most communication once the project specification was complete was via email and they were very responsive to queries and requests. Any problems/issues uncovered during trialling were quickly addressed.

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

The responsiveness and can do attitude. Jarek made clear from the start that they would try their very best to deliver exactly what we wanted. They made helpful suggestions where they thought something might not work well according to their experience.

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

We wre very happy with the process and the deliverables.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the executive director of a software company basedin

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire GRIP Software Solutions, and what were your goals?

We needed software which could derive allergen and macro and micronutrient content of recipes used in the retail industry. We also required hosting of the data. We wanted a product that could run on traditional desktop/laptops as well as tablets, and it needed to be fast and user-friendly for less tech savvy users.

SOLUTION

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

We found GRIP through a referral and selected them over 2 other vendors due to the level of engagement and simplicity of the solution provided. They also committed to a tight deadline.

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

Key project steps:

•  analysis of requirements specification, including technical & non-technical requirements
• software architecture design including definition of workflows & business processes, data-model, screen wireframes, graphic design
• software development based agreed design & scope
• customer testing of functions delivered
• deployment, training and sign off

Technologies used: Java, Spring MVC Framework, Hibernate, PostgreSQL

Definition of food items (products) including their nutritional details, option to import food items in bulk, definition of simple and complex food recipes including automated calculation of recipes’ nutritional information based on recipe ingredients (food items & other recipes), generation of product labels for created recipes including nutritional information, reporting including allergens reports.

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

During the project we worked with Project Manager & Software Architect who were the main points of contacts; once software was completed we are dealing with Support Team for ongoing maintenance

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product was released on time and has proven a success with our customers. GRIPs customer support is excellent with bug fixes being rolled out rapidly. We have continued our relationship with GRIP as a result.

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

Very tight project management and adherence to deadlines. Revised deadlines based on changes to the design and logic were clearly communicated and within reason. Email and telephone communication were most commonly used, with regular face to face meetings taking place as well.

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

We like their responsiveness and their ability to work with the owner directly as needed.

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

As far as our project is concerned I am happy with GRIP as a whole.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and director of Irish Culture Bay Area

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire GRIP Software Solutions, and what were your goals?

We were looking for a mobile app for events calendar listings and newsletter creation

SOLUTION

How did you select GRIP Software Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

I was advised to use GRIP Communications Ltd through a client of theirs who was very pleased with their work

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

From my initial meeting with Jaroslaw Woznica, GRIP CEO, the project ran smoothly through stages of mockups and design of interface, back end functionality and beta testing. I am not exactly sure the technologies used but the steps were thoroughly reviewed before progression which was very helpful.

How many resources from the GRIP Software Solutions team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked primarily with Jaroslaw Woznica, Chief Executive

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app continues to be downloaded both through Apple and Google without issues. All working great!

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

The team is professional, thorough, and Chief Executive Jaroslaw is an extremely calm and nice-natured fellow.

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

This was the first app for Irish Culture Bay Area and I found GRIP very helpful in explaining the process and development. We also got an additional piece - the ability to create a newsletter automatically through extracting the events calendar listings. This is very helpful as it saves using another third-party service.

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

I was - and continue to be - very happy with everything!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director and financial controller of a sports technology company. We have developed a booking system and an app for organizing small-sided football, which, in our case, is five-a-side soccer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with GRIP Software Solutions?

We wanted to create a platform that could get people to turn up more consistently to small-sided football games. We had two failed attempts to develop a mobile application with different software companies, so we finally decided to turn to GRIP for help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

GRIP developed our Android & iOS application. They were responsible for the front- and backend development as well as the UI/UX design. We went through a set of wireframes that GRIP assessed to determine which would and wouldn’t work.

With GRIP’s expertise, we created a platform that could take away the challenges related to organizing games, finding venues, and collecting money from individual teammates. Players could buy credits and game organizers have the ability to book a venue, pay for that booking, invite teammates, and receive confirmation through the app.

It could also help venues promote their facilities, get more bookings, and reduce the number of cancellations or no-shows. GRIP built the app in such a way that if a player fails to show up, a replacement promptly shows up to take their place, guaranteeing that a game will always take place.

The team also developed what we call a booking system, which they branded as a booking hub. The booking hub is connected to the app but is delivered via a web server, so users — particularly venues — could log in to track payments, manage bookings, and get financial summaries and reports. We now provide this platform for free to our affiliate venues.

We initially had to go for an MVP because we were working with a limited budget. Since then, we have made a couple of upgrades to the product with GRIP’s help. We intend to make more enhancements in the future with their team. 

What is the team composition?

I don't know the exact number of people that were on the team but we dealt directly with Jaroslaw (Founder & CEO).

How did you come to work with GRIP Software Solutions?

One of our directors, who’s knownJaroslaw for a good number of years through a business networking group, recommended them highly.  We had a meeting with GRIP and decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The total amount we have spent so far is around €35,000–€40,000 (approximately $41,000–$47,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We officially started working on the product in January 2020 and our partnership is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've received very good feedback from users even though we are still in the process of launching the app. We have about 300 people signed up on the app, majority of whom have given the app good ratings. A lot of people see it as a solution to problems that commonly occur in the small-sided sports industry. 

We’re just about to get into full commercial use and have begun to use the app to organize a five-a-side soccer league for this winter. Like most applications, however, ours has come with a few bugs and issues. GRIP has been very prompt to address all of them. Anything we’ve reported, they’ve been able to fix straight away.

How did GRIP Software Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform very well in this aspect. We do not have any issues with them not meeting deadlines. Once we agree on a timeline, GRIP makes sure to match it. Everything comes through in a timely way.

When we discuss needed changes, their team works out a solution and comes back to us with a description of their action plan, an estimated timeframe, and a quote. We have a good rapport. We mostly communicate through phone calls, in-person meetings, and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

App development is not my area of expertise, so I don't have a frame of reference for whether we're being overcharged are undercharged. Jaroslaw, however, is very trustworthy. We love working with him because he has helped us overcome our fear of being ripped off again. We’ve come to a point where we believe and trust anything he says, even if we don’t like what we hear.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I'm satisfied with everything so far. I believe that we're in good hands. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about what you want and make sure to communicate it to GRIP. Trust that company will give you what you've asked for at a fair price. Though their services may come across as cheap, they are sure to treat you very well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Proprietary Director of Knowledge Business Systems, we provide Coaching & Business Advisory Services to the SME/SMB Sector. Our focus is to assist Clients Build a Better Business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire GRIP Software Solutions, and what were your goals?

Our systems were primarily manual, spread across documents, spreadsheets and a myriad of different pieces of software. The goal was to simplify the system so that others could be trained to use it with ease, rather than total dependance on the two Principal Business Advisors to be involved in every project.

SOLUTION

How did you select GRIP Software Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

Through Social & Professional Networking, we were aware of Jarek and his business GRIP Communications. Jarek came across as an exceptional individual, diligent, hardworking and committed to anything he put his mind to and actually good company to boot!

Nonetheless, there was a process of competitive tendering with two other companies of note and good reputation. Jarek and his team invested a huge amount of time in understanding the nature of the business, the problems we were having and the options we had used and discarded in the past. He documented his understanding and presented it for confirmation and feedback, even prior to quoting.

His preparation and diligence were evident in every aspect of his work. He gave us the option to build the system on a piecemeal basis, getting quick wins first to fund further development to get even bigger and better wins (he said). Not only did Jarek provide the best solution at the lowest price: the team brought their own knowledge and experience to bear and provided a much more elegant solution than we could have expected or imagined.

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

Define the scope and systems required to deliver Business Coaching in the unique manner that Knowledge does. Develop a system that is simple to use, robust in delivery and can be used at multiple levels whether for us as the Owner or our Clients. Build and test the systems with test, check and delivery on a programmed basis.

Can I be honest and say that I don't actually understand the technology any more that I do with Excel, Word or any other everyday product? Jarek and his Team delivered an end product that is simple, accessible and 'bullet-proof, at the various levels of usage required for us as Owners and our Clients, whether face to face or independent in usage.

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

There were actually four people that we connected directly with, though there were others who probably did the real work of coding. Jarek was the Designer & Architect who was Project Manager & Owner and Client facing.

Michal did the testing and was delighted with my continued and on-going efforts to both break the system and test it beyond the limits. I wanted it idiot proof (Secretly, I think Michal thought that he had the perfect model to test it, though he never SAID anything aloud).

Milena managed the Administration and made sure that we were on track: basically oiled the wheels. I think she had to act as a governor on Jarek because of his propensity to accept unplanned changes and developments not in the previous specification. Basically, she was more immune to my charm than Jarek was. Her greatest admonishment of me was to quote me back to myself: 'Let's work for excellence and not seek perfection just yet'

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Collecting and Collating the Client data was face to face and took anything from two days to two weeks Now it takes two to four hours Preparation of Reports and action plans took between four hours and two days. Now it takes 30 minutes to four hours. There is an exceptional quality in the presentation for users and for end reports: the wow factor is still there

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

Relaxed, engaging and ruthlessly efficient No question was left unanswered. Delivered on time, on budget and above expectations. Everything was presented and explained with time left for review and come back. Initially, significant changes were allowed.

As the project progressed, changes became more in the nature of cosmetic or presentation (unless Jarek or one of the team thought that there was a better option for us) Communication was person to person, supported by email and documentation as well as phone calls and I think it was pre-zoom, so the first iteration of video contact

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

Their willingness to invest hugely in understanding the business has been impressive. Their level of professionalism in delivery on time and to budget. Their level of adaptability and innovation to bring us 'the more elegant solution'. Their unfailing good humour and willingness to accept my quirky sense of humour (after all, I am the Client)

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

Certainly.... Have Milena focus with the team back at the office and with important Clients and let Jarek and I agree on those couple of extra independent mega-systems I thought were actually included in the originally specification. even if they weren't documented. Clearly it was a pleasure and despite my nature for always seeing a better option, I would not ask for anything, except maybe for Jarek to say No occasionally when I abuse his good nature!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the operations manager of Be Independent Home Care, a home care provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with GRIP Software Solutions?

We needed a total care management software package.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

GRIP Software Solutions designed, built, implemented, and managed a web-based care management software package. We use the system to plan our daily activities and store the data about our caregivers and clients. Additionally, it serves as an information point for our care staff. Our clients also have limited access to the system.

We can access the system through a regular browser, and that flexibility is great — while we can use the system in our office, our clients and caregivers also have access to it. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with the managing director Jaroslaw (Founder & CEO) and a couple of software support teammates as well.

How did you come to work with GRIP Software Solutions?

They were recommended to me by a colleague who knew them from a business network.

How much have you invested with them?

The initial cost was about €25,000 (approximately $30,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial system development and design started in February 2013, and it was completed in a matter of months. They’ve done a series of upgrades since then.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal team found the results successful in that the system created by GRIP Software Solutions helped us manage our services efficiently. The external performance indicators we had would be the feedback we received from our clients and carers.

I’m highly involved in handling the accounts in our company. I could say that the quality of the system they made for us was perfect because it contributed a lot in helping us create accurate invoices.

How did GRIP Software Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

GRIP Software Solutions delivered well in terms of project management. We started the initial stage of the development through a series of meetings. They exceeded our expectations with regard to how well they put the project together and how they responded to any changes or glitches that we had at the beginning.

What did you find most impressive about them?

GRIP Software Solutions was a very honest operator — they delivered well upon their promises without any surprises in terms of money. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were very happy with their performance, so I can’t think of any areas for improvement off the top of my head.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Based on my experience, I think they are a very easy and direct company to deal with and I would be happy to recommend them.