Hefes Technology Group

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of Avovent.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Hefes Technology Group, and what were your goals?

We were looking for a strong technological partner for our fresh startup. Together, we were a three entrepreneurs with a vision, and we were looking for a strong, competent, passionate candidate to fill the technological role.

SOLUTION

How did you select Hefes Technology Group and what were the deciding factors?

We have conducted a thorough candidate research and screening. Because we do not have a technological background, we have hired a senior software architect to help us create the tests and evaluation of candidates.

Our interview have consisted of: - Video presentation - Interview with the team (general) - Technological skills tasks - Interview with outsourced senior software architect (acting as CTO of our company in the interview) Initially there were over 50 applications, but after intensive testing, Dragan have emerged head and shoulders above his competitors.

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

Initially we have teamed up together with Dragan to fill out the role of the back-end developer. The project started with two developers - front-end and back-end. However, we have decided to part ways with our front-end developer, because milestones were not met in time. Dragan needed to step up and take over the tasks, and act as a full-stack developer for our project.

Doing everything from design changes, to building databases, microservices, handling devops and more. He have single-handedly created an entire, difficult project. Avovent is based on microservice architecture, which is not a small thing to do, and he have handled the job really good.

How many people from the Hefes Technology Group team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We have worked with Dragan.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we have started, all we had was documentation and designs that were ready to be handed over to the developers. Working together we were able to build an entire software, and prepare the MVP for the launch. Everything - the design, databases, microservices, servers, application handling, were created mostly from scratch.

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

The communication is very straightforward and easy. We have communicated over Slack, mostly in chat. It was great that long video calls and meetings were not needed, as Dragan was able to pick up what needs to be done really quickly.

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

The most impressive thing is proactiveness. It is difficult to build a tech startup with no actual technical background. A lot of the ideas that you come up with may not be viable to do, or may not be the best route of achieving the goal. This is where Dragan have stepped in multiple times.

He came up with solutions to make the end result better. This is uncommon, as a lot of development companies try to deliver exactly what client asks, even if they know that is sub-optimal way of achieving things. They just want to stay in the given guidelines as much as possible, and "play it safe". But not Dragan - he proactively suggested great ways of moving forward.

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

The entire project was a big learning curve for everyone in the team. We have underestimated the difficulty of the project from the start. However, I do believe that Dragan learned a lot during this project. One of the main issues we have had in the very beginning was deadline estimations.

However, when time gone by, and project was starting to shape together, this has improved dramatically.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of Expertico AG, an online marketing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hefes Technology Group?

I had been working with different freelancers and companies but they didn’t understand the systems which meant I’d have to hire 2-3 programmers for one project every time. I was looking for a new company to help me with development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provide a full-stack programmer who has significant knowledge about all systems and all technologies that we need here. He helps with web development projects, including those that need complicated calculators and comparison systems. There are a lot of complex projects that require his help outside of programming, too.

They also support in realizing projects, giving us good ideas. They contribute their input for various projects, which I appreciate because I’m not a professional in programming. 

What is the team composition?

There are 2–3 people involved. 

How did you come to work with Hefes Technology Group?

They were recommended to me and I’d worked with the CEO beforehand.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $30,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They deliver everything on time. Every deal that we close is correct and within budget. From those who have seen the work, they find it to be very good. We now have a new client for one of the tools they helped build. 

How did Hefes Technology Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management between our teams is very good. The communication is very simple. Their whole team is competent and I don’t have a desire to work with any other companies. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They deliver when they say they will. If they say the project is going to cost $10,000, it costs $10,000 or sometimes even less. They’re very smart and really helpful even outside of the programming work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve.