HQSoftware

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Rococo Co., Ltd.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide products, solutions, and services for people to make their life easier using AI technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire HQSoftware to accomplish?

• Experience about mobile development
• Deliver the project in short time

SOLUTION

How did you find HQSoftware?

Online Search

Why did you select HQSoftware over others?

Company values aligned

How many teammates from HQSoftware were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

According to the backlog and the test cases we provide, deliver a Kotlin Android app with quality. The application was made for breath alcohol content measurement with face authentication.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

0 production incidents and less than 3 issues. The results were 2 issues in 2 months after the launch. Less than we expected.

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

The project is being managed on JIRA therefore we can see the progress and current issues real-time on JIRA. The project is delivered in line with the planned project timeline. Any questions from us were responded to in a timely manner via Slack.

What was your primary form of communication with HQSoftware?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

All team members worked in various geolocation and time zone, but it didn't hinder the development and communication, which was the most unique and impressive.

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

If HQSoftware could have done enough test operations in the integration test according to our test plan, it would be better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Technical/Development Lead at a software development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire HQSoftware?

We had a client with specific requirements that we could not cover ourselves. So, we were looking for a reliable vendor to strengthen our team with experienced developers.

SOLUTION

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

Primarily, we needed help in organizing business processes to cut overall development costs. We checked HQSoftware’s profile and were happy with the client reviews and the average score, so we partnered with this company.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The goal was to develop a solution that would track all business processes and workflows for the company. HQSoftware’s development team helped us to build and deploy a project management system in no time, and they were extremely easy to work with. We had complete control over the project via Jira and conducted weekly calls to keep in touch and make sure we were moving in the right direction.

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

At first, we hired freelancers but quickly realized it wasn’t working for us. So, we decided to find a reliable tech partner. We chose HQSoftware from a list of companies that suited us because of their experience and good client reviews, and after a test week together, we decided that this was a perfect match.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to this collaboration, we were able to speed up the development process by 25% and were able to deliver the solution on time.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team was flexible in terms of tasks and working approaches, so we found common ground quickly. Also, all tasks were completed on time.

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

HQSoftware’s team members were proactive and always eager to find the best approach to our challenges and tasks. The collaboration is extremely productive, and the development process is executed according to the initial plan.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the head of development in a startup developing the next generation of online accounting and reporting software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire HQSoftware, and what were your goals?

We hired HQSoftware to provide us temporarily (6-24 month) with some extra development capacity to speed up development and reach our milestones in time.

SOLUTION

How did you select HQSoftware and what were the deciding factors?

We selected HQSoftware based on a recommendation. Deciding factors where price, availability, experience and technology fit.

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

We hired consultants to be integrated in our development team, they joined us on the same basis as existing employees. The consultants work on smaller stories or large epics, depending on the phase of the projects, changing teams as needed.

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

We had up to 5 consultants from HQSoftware employed during the first 6 month. This was to help us reach certain milestones. The bulk of the developers left after the greed period of time and we kept the two best people for the remainder of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While the project is in production, we are still developing many new features. The consultants from HQSoftware help us carry the development load, assuring we can release new features with high business value very week.

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

The HQSoftware consultants are seamlessly integrated in our team following our development approach, participating in meetings, planning their own work together with the other team members.

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

There are probably many good IT outsourcing companies available. With HQSoftware, things work, and if there are issues, they get fixed.

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

The communication skills of some consultants could have been better from the beginning. Slow we had a misunderstanding where a consultant we liked a lot was moved to another project/client without informing us properly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a digital marketing and web development agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with HQSoftware?

When we started, we had a lot of web development work. We really needed some help completing those projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team does Joomla web development for us. We have some large international clients that are constantly asking for updates and improvements. Specifically, they ask for a complex online registration system. We’re constantly making improvements, adding new features, and enhancing the sites. HQSoftware adds to our core development team.

What is the team composition?

 Currently, we use one developer, one project manager, and a part-time developer.

How did you come to work with HQSoftware?

Originally, we found them on Upwork. We were putting a lot of time and money into the engagement so we moved away from that platform.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2009, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They give us what we need. It’s almost effortless on our end. It makes working a lot easier and more seamless. I’ve never had any conflicts with them The team is super easy to work with. They’re always willing to listen to new ideas and try to figure out how to make something possible. Oftentimes, they make projects a lot better. They make everything really seamless and stress-free.

How did HQSoftware perform from a project management standpoint?

We manage the project on our end. They make sure everything is on task and on time. They use Jira internally, and we use Asana. We also have regular calls as needed. On rare occasions we use email. They’re very communicative and always easy to get a hold of.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their quality of work is huge. In the past, we’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on a good developer that we could get what we needed. We still can’t find anyone that compares to their level of quality.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we started working with them as they started. We’ve seen them grow so much, and now our engagement is seamless and easy.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your timeline and specifications about what you want. The more you put into the project, the less money and time you’re going to spend on it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product developer for a software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with HQSoftware?

We needed help with custom software development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

HQSoftware has developed different kinds of custom apps for us. We have projects running and new projects coming up all the time, and they help us with them. We tell them what we want the app to do, and they do the research and come back to us with a solution. The apps are for Android and iOS. For development, they use AR technology.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is the project manager.

How did you come to work with HQSoftware?

I searched for almost a year to find a professional company to cooperate with. HQSoftware had good reviews from other companies. We chose them mainly because we felt they understood things the same way as we do.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent €120,000–€150,000 (approximately $143,000–179,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure our apps’ success from our customers, and they’re satisfied. Furthermore, HQSoftware has been absolutely brilliant. They deliver great solutions on time and within budget.

How did HQSoftware perform from a project management standpoint?

In summer 2019, we traveled to meet them and talk face-to-face. HQSoftware’s project management is brilliant. I’m in contact with the project manager once a week or so. If I send him an email or call him, he answers very quickly with precise answers. Sometimes he has to discuss things with the technical personnel, but I have nothing to complain about.

We mainly communicate via email. When necessary, we have a Microsoft Teams meeting.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When they put a price on a solution, they stick to it every time. Sometimes we have to request changes, but they tell us early if anything would affect the price.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they should improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go to meet them. It’s difficult to get a 100% understanding of the people you’re cooperating with if you don’t meet them face-to-face. When we wanted to find a company to collaborate with, it was important for us to see how they think.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CTO, virtual try-on solutions for ecommerce

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire HQSoftware, and what were your goals?

HQSoftware developed a mobile showcase application that we use in our sales process to demo our technology to customers.

SOLUTION

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

Through LinkedIn. We had conversations with several vendors and decided to go with HQSoftware based on their references and geographical location.

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

The development of the app is mainly driven by our development roadmap. Finished features within our SDK are implemented into the app by HQ. The app is based on Swift and our proprietary SDK as well as a GraphQL backend and our Pictofit Content Web Service.

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

1-2 iOS developers, 1 QA, 1 project manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As the app is only used in our sales process and currently not publicly available, we can't share common metrics on it. However, internal stakeholders (marketing, sales) are highly satisfied with the quality of the implementation and use it on a daily basis when working with customers.

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

The project is managed in an agile manner. We provide specifications for new features and report issues. Slack is being used for communication. HQ is very responsive and delivers on time.

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

The company is very flexible and forthcoming. The team brings in their own ideas and suggestions and quickly attends to requests from our side. We see that the team really enjoys working on this project.

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

In the beginning, we had some smaller issues with QA. HQ took this very seriously and a stable QA process has been established.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of Tutkut, a real estate business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire HQSoftware?

My company wanted to create a seamless rental experience for both property owners and tenants. We needed a software development partner to build a platform and mobile application for iOS and Android.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to create a user-friendly solution. We needed to accommodate local market needs and requirements while adhering to a budget and timeline.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We compared vendors in the US, Europe, and India. My team selected HQSoftware based on their relevant development experience.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

First, HQSoftware’s engineers analyzed the local market and determined platform functionality based on the gathered requirements. Then, they developed a platform and a cross-platform mobile app. They provided consulting and support. The team adjusted the platform as needed. 

What was the team composition?

My company worked with a project manager, a UX/UI designer, a business analyst, a QA engineer, and three developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

HQSoftware designed a novel solution that meets the needs of both property owners and tenants. Owners can post their available properties while tenants can filter properties based on desired accommodations and timeframes. The platform and app have become key drivers of our business, and we are confident they will foster market expansion. 

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project managers were engaged and easily accessible. Communication was 100% effective.

​​​​​​What did you find most impressive about this company?

HQSoftware was fully committed to delivering the best product. The team presented several innovative solutions, such as user testing.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I did not see any. My only hope is that HQSoftware will continue to grow.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO for an air quality monitoring device that measures different metrics of chemicals, temperature, and humidity. It analyzes the data and gives recommendations on how to improve.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with HQSoftware?

There’s a physical air monitoring device. We needed an agency to develop the app component where users can see what metric is measured.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

HQSoftware developed an IoT device for iOS and Android. Their team built the technical sections from scratch, using JavaScript for the backend, while our team provided the designs. They are currently fixing minor bug issues.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was the project manager. In the beginning, we worked with five to seven developers, now only two or three are involved in the maintenance services.

How did you come to work with HQSoftware?

A colleague recommended HQSoftware. We requested quotes from various companies and received the most detailed and inexpensive one from HQSoftware.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between €60,000–€70,000 (approximately $68,000–$80,000 USD) so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with HQSoftware in March 2017, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are launching the app at the beginning of the year. Their team is flexible with our time sheets. Even if their team is busy, they find the time for us. I have nothing negative to say about HQSoftware.

How did HQSoftware perform from a project management standpoint?

Our supportive project manager provides excellent communication. We frequently talk through Skype, and they answer quickly. They deliver comprehensive work, especially in their quotation. Everything has been exceptional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There’s been transparent communication throughout our relationship. HQSoftware’s responsive team was dedicated to understanding our business needs and providing detailed information.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are none that I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared for any surprises that may come up. Keep in mind that there will be bug fixes that will need additional funds.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are an Australian-based superannuation audit firm specializing in retirement funds. Our company size is around 50 staff and we have offices in Australia and Sri Lanka. We are the second-largest company of our type in the Australian market. I am the director of operations for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with HQSoftware?

We have built a cloud-based superannuation audit software which streamlines and automates the process. Up until now, it has been used in our internal business, but we are planning to market the software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our tool was initially developed by another firm. HQSoftware provided coding services, taking our business specifications and redesigning the platform on HTML5. The development was brought to a much higher level of quality. HQSoftware also has built and continue to build new modules for the platform from scratch. The team has worked out a technical strategy, creating a development plan for making the software white label ready. This included creating the server infrastructure that allowed us to house the software.

How did you come to work with HQSoftware?

HQSoftware was referred to us by an Australian technology partner who had used them in previous development projects.

How much have you invested with HQSoftware?

The average cost of HQSoftware's services is $20,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with HQSoftware a year and a half ago. The project is ongoing. We are planning to take the platform to market, so we will have continual iterations for its improvement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The project has been completely successful. I couldn't be happier. The quality of the developers and the consistency of our core team has been above and beyond what was required.We do not engage HQSoftware to provide QA, so testing is done internally. Because we're involved in that process, it's not relevant for me to mention the bug count. Compared to our previous developer, the quality of the code has improved. HQSoftware has had to start with a hard base, but they worked out strategies for ensuring that the quality would get better as we went along.

How did HQSoftware perform from a project management standpoint?

HQSoftware's project manager and 2 of our developers have been working with us since the project was started. The staff turnover is very low, which I personally find reassuring. Since the work is very complicated, I don't want to have to pay for training new people.

What did you find most impressive about HQSoftware?

HQSoftware is a part of our business. I haven't worked with a project manager as good as the one from HQSoftware. I feel that they are personally invested in the project, which is great. We don't want people who will simply write the code and hand it over. The work is very complicated, but HQSoftware's understands what we want and how we want it. We have developed a relationship by which HQSoftware knows what to do without even asking. The project management side of things is top-notch.

Are there any areas HQSoftware could improve?

Our company is based in Australia, while I work from America. Working through these time zones can be a bit difficult, but this is not something that HQSoftware can improve. There's nothing negative I could say about them. We've had issues at 10 PM on HQSoftware's time, but we could reach 2 developers online and fix the problem.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with HQSoftware?

Clients should work with HQSoftware as if they were part of the team, giving them as much knowledge and exposure as possible. We always get the best out of people if they're made to feel that they're adding value.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a software company. We provide various software development and software projects management services for clients worldwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with HQSoftware?

We had a large-scale project that exceeded our capacities. We also had a strict budget, so we were looking for an offshore dedicated team in order to have more flexibility with our resources. Our goal was to find a long-term partner to balance resources during peak times. Reasonable pricing was an important point. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The plan was to start out with the development of a booking engine for one of our customers and involve them with other projects as needed. The project we started out with was a booking system similar to Airbnb. HQSoftware developed the system from scratch, including the web platform and mobile application. They worked as a full-cycle team and were in charge of all stages, from business analysis to testing and delivery. HQSoftware also provides maintenance and support. From time to time, we ask them to implement new features. The core team from HQSoftware consisted of 7 developers. We were directly involved in the selection process.

How did you come to work with HQSoftware?

During our selection process, we contacted 11 companies from different countries. HQSoftware turned out to be the most suitable based on their technological background. We also liked their approach to communicating with us.

How much have you invested with HQSoftware?

The overall project budget was over $350,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have worked with HQSoftware for more than a year. At the moment, we are still working on the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The biggest achievement was that we managed to decrease development costs, thanks to our collaboration with HQSoftware. We had a successful preliminary launch a while ago and we got extremely positive feedback for that project.

How did HQSoftware perform from a project management standpoint?

Even though HQSoftware handled project management, we could easily track progress and adjust as needed. They always stayed within the specified budget and I always got responses to my questions. Communication was very important for us, and HQSoftware was very proactive and straightforward. They would always warn us about any changes beforehand. Moreover, they proactively informed me about possible risks and suggested mitigation measures. We had very clear management workflow setup and I was always kept in the loop of everything that was going on. They were very agile and successfully handled any changed requirements. They were also very good at project estimation. For any additional features, they could quickly come up with an estimate. Basically, we were always on time with project deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about HQSoftware?

I was especially impressed by how HQSoftware managed urgent issues. Typically, they were resolved within a few hours.

Are there any areas HQSoftware could improve?

None that I can think of at the moment.