Infrrd

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior IT product manager of a data, analytics, and innovation team for a European manufacturing company. Our team developed a client-facing tool that allows orders and quotes to be created directly in our internal systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Infrrd?

We wanted to take our tool to the next level. Tools for industrial solutions companies tend to be similar in function. We wanted our tool to be different and have more of an edge as far as getting quotes to customers as fast as possible but we weren’t certain of the final solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We partnered with Infrrd to develop the final solution of our tool. We came to develop this product through a partnership rather than a client-customer relationship. Their team applied their expertise in machine learning to our inputs.

They used JavaScript to create machine learning algorithms that handle payloads with our tool, which was built using NodeS. They implemented the ability for the end customer to upload PDF documents with job specifications. Our tool then scans through the documents, which can be 100 pages or more. Using machine learning and AI, the product extracts the schedules within the job specifications automatically. Our teammates then proofread, accept the panels, and submit orders straight to the customer. 

What is the team composition?

I interact with five different individuals from Infrrd. 

How did you come to work with Infrrd?

We came to know Infrrd through our VP at the time. We worked with the company in the past.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $700,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our relationship with Infrrd began in 2019 and it’s ongoing. We’re working on enhancements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The tool’s quite a significant productivity gain. The solution that we developed includes metrics that measure the accuracy of the AI algorithms that run behind the scenes as well as the number of documents that have been processed since the tool came to be. Their team wanted to be part of the solution, meaning they didn’t push an existing product to accommodate our problem. 

How did Infrrd perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team’s professional and good about meeting deadlines. We pushed deadlines by a week or two because we identified enhancements in the machine learning model. Instead of pushing the development into production, we took a step back to train the model with a few more inputs. That way, it didn’t run into any issues in a live environment. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Infrrd tries to solve the problem as a partner rather than providing a solution from their shelf. They tried to understand our specific problem to build a solution together. I haven't had any problems with Infrrd.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are improvements that can be made, which are what we’re working on currently. Also, we want to make sure that the solutions can be adopted internally. That task is out of their reach but we need to make sure that all the solutions are used internally to their full potential. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t try to put them in a box. Give them as much information as possible about the problem that you’re trying to solve. Rather than giving them job specifications, work with them to fix the problem at hand.