INSSIO

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of iCUE Solutions GmbH. We provide portfolio and forecasting planning solutions for companies that need to understand their path forward, want to sustain growth, and need plannability in the organization. The specific system is a SaaS that adds the best industry forecasting solution into systems.

What challenge were you trying to address with INSSIO?

I wrote the original code about 15–16 years ago on Microsoft stack. A lot of math came into play, and it was published on a specific, industry-standard model for forecasting and planning. Over the years, I spent a significant amount of time adding every other forecasting model in the market.

A few months ago, I realized that the entire stack needed refactoring and brought up to the latest standards. I wanted an API interface, but I wanted to offer it differently. We needed to review and change the architecture and the codebase, which was entirely in C#. Also, it required rewriting in specific parts and some new components, so we engaged with INSSIO for custom software development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we had multiple conversations with INSSIO to convey the specific knowledge required because we were dealing with sophisticated math and complicated flows in the code. Documentation was sparse, but they picked it up fast. To my surprise, they did the first round of taking it out of the old environment, refactoring it, and plugging it into a new containerized world in a short time. Also, it was extremely high quality. I had several tests to ensure that the math worked fine, so I applied that, and it was great. We ran the part against the GitHub repository, and I checked in often on the progress.

The core feature is to take everything and containerize it so we can run it on any cloud. Specifically, we’ve asked them to put it all in Docker and create an API using the Swagger interface. Now, Open API is the standardized name. Also, we’ve asked them to refactor the masked components, make sure that the math was in line with the new architecture, and that there are ad components to monitor the running components. These jobs involve calculating forecasts, and they can take days. To have clarity about what’s running and if there are errors, INSSIO has implemented a standardized and more modern approach.

We obviously want to make sure that the math spits out the right results, so we’ve done some scalability testing. We’ve run a large data file from a customer, and we can say that we feel very comfortable with the solution we have in place right now. It can scale massively.

What is the team composition?

Our initial point of contact was the CEO and founder. They were involved a bit with the architectural redesign. Eventually, they brought on one of the senior developers. Since then, we’ve predominantly worked with him. I’m not aware if they have more people working on the project, but he’s my point of contact at INSSIO. Additionally, we’ve had a couple of talks with their senior staff.

How did you come to work with INSSIO?

I reached out to my network. A friend recommended INSSIO; they had worked with them before. I got in touch with the founder and CEO, and we had a short conversation. We felt really comfortable with their knowledge and process.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around €50,000 (approximately $58,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

It started in March 2021, and it’s ongoing.

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

The solution is fully functional and operational, and it’s serving my clients as we speak. INSSIO has established the full continuous delivery and integration process.

Also, as a CTO, I’m very experienced in these areas. I’ve voiced my opinions and wishes, but they’ve shown me a better path in certain areas. I brought them in, and they’ve shared their knowledge. Moreover, we’re very impressed with the result.

How did INSSIO perform from a project management standpoint?

I have a lot of experience in this area, and I’ve personally run and managed many teams over the years. Their performance has been excellent in how they work with us and what they do. It’s just great work. I’m very picky, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

We use GitHub, which also has a Kanban board as a project component. We use it for communication throughout the week, and we have a weekly call with them through Zoom. Overall, it’s a straightforward process. They’ve added me to Teams for quick chats, and when questions arise, they quickly answer them. Also, if we want to add anything, it’s nicely folded in.

All in all, the communication is streamlined, and we have a really great flow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re exceptionally well qualified in Microsoft technologies’ implementation, and what they do is high quality. Additionally, they’re very easy to work with. We’ve gotten what we’ve asked for; there isn’t any fluff. If we ask for advice, we get advice. INSSIO gets to the point, and they don’t offer what they can’t do.

In the working relationship, we liked that they addressed everything within the same business day. Otherwise, it’s put into a queue and addressed as soon as possible. They’re very accommodating. Even after the project officially ended, we found a few things that we wanted to change. The senior developer found the time to do them even if he was already working on a different project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I guess it’s a matter of size, but I can’t pick out anything that I would have missed. On the other hand, it would be easier for me to talk in German since I’m not a native English speaker. Therefore, if they want to serve a broader audience, maybe they could have more languages available.

Nonetheless, it’s been a perfect service, and there isn’t anything we would improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on what you are asking for and how you interface with them. The more clarity you provide, the faster you can move on, and it usually saves money. A clear channel of communication is something that I always recommend. I want to be able to reach them at any given point in time.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director of product management at Sedgwick in the Auto claims division. Sedgwick has 110+ locations within the USA. Sedgwick is a TPA for fleet and insurance providers handling loss adjusting services.

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

At Sedgwick we required a custom built claims solution to handle auto insurance losses. Being a large provider, security was very important to us in choosing a development solution as well as modern development procedures. We required a team that was responsive, followed internal SDLC and abilities to work with internal product teams.

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

We had tested Inssio with a few other vendors and they outperformed and exceeded expectations of the others.

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

We outlined the end goal of what was required from a claim system and then broke the requirements out to Epic level and user stories. The team works in an agile environment with sprint schedule every 2 weeks.

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

The CEO is activley engaged as well as a project manager, 5 developers and a QA person.

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

We have launched many projects that allow us to provide additional services to our clients and continue to grow the application for future goals.

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

Communication is excellent, the team is very responsive to our inquiries and always flexible to meet our deliverables. We utilize Azure devops as the repository for user stories, updates and future development items.

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

The friendliness of all of the team at Inssio as well as their development skills. They are top-notch developers who help bring solutions to reality.

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

There were typical growing pains where the team was forced to adhere to internal security requirements that were not used before. Overall the team adapted very well and overcame any challenges presented.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO of a consulting firm in Germany. We offer services and software for freight procurement.

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

We hired Inssio to develop our own cloud analytics software for freight procurement.

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

We found Inssio through referral. Project references, an on-site visit and the fact that Inssio provided all necessary skills under one roof were the deciding factors.

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

The objective was to develop a multi tenant web app (SaaS) for the analysis of freight proposals. They helped us to specify our project and gave valuable input at a very early stage. All development steps were provided in a testing environment to get feedback from us on a regular basis.

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

There were three people working on the app, the CEO, a senior developer and DB specialist, and on guy from quality. Additional staff was included in the process, if special skills were needed. Currently we have one senior developer for continuous product development, bug fixing and technical support.

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

The web app was delivered as specified and exceeded our expectations. We are using the app for consulting projects with great success. The time saving is significant and the analytic insights are superior. First customers have signed up already using the app on a regular basis.

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

PM was very good and communication was easy. Committed time lines were met. We used MS Teams, Jira and later DevOps to structure and coordinate the project.

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

They really take the time to understand your requirements before thinking about the right solution. They were very skillful and creative and always kept the commercial aspect in mind when proposing technical solutions. We trusted their judgement 100%. What we really love: They don't think about problems, they think about solutions.

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

Maybe they could come up with more ideas themselves for improvements of our app. But that's really not the big deal.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Nationwide Appraisals is a leading supplier of Independent Appraisal Services to the Insurance Industry specializing in automotive appraisals.

For what projects/services did your company hire INSSIO?

Over the course of the last 4 or 5 years we have hired Inssio for multiple application development projects from our Claim Management system, Vista Claim to our multiple mobile apps that we use to manager our business.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals for this project were to improve our overall work product through integrations and developing a easier to use platform that can grow with our business.

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Inssio by have a competition between 3 vendors for an old IT solution and Inssio was far and away the best choice of the 3 vendors that we piloted.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They did everything from the design to the development and everything in between. To this day they still do the maintenance of our applications, as well as our ongoing enhancements and improvements to our technology.

What was the team composition?

The team consists of Danilo and several other members behind the scenes depending on the project and/or enhancement that is ongoing.

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

The application that Danilo and his team built for us has been game-changing and has allowed our operation to grow significantly over the course of the last 5 years.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Compared to the other 2 vendors that piloted against, Danilo and his team have been outstanding to work with. Their communication is top notch and even with the difference in time zone, he is always extremely available and easy to get in touch with and provides good timeframes on when projects will be completed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their most impressive trait is their ability to think outside of the box and come up with creative solutions that will help bring our ideas to life from a technology standpoint.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not at this time.

Please describe your company and your position there.

IT Solution Provider, cloud-based services. Head of Digital Transformation

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

We had 2 distinct projects with INSSIO:

1. A solution architecture for integrating multiple vendor platforms
2. A custom solution for enabling easy to use, frictionless screen sharing between sales agents and prospective clients.

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

Interviews, reviewing past projects and work experience.

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

Azure cloud services.

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

1 x Sr. SOlution Architect, 2 x Sr. Software Engineers from INSSIO

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

The solution and the environment were delivered according to requirements.

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

Analysis, scoping and costing completed upfront. Iterative development for delivery. Used MS Teams and Azure DevOps to manage work and communications.

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

They're very creative when it comes to conducting research and finding solutions.

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

We complemented their team with our own client-facing business analyst and project manager