Kellton

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Head of Software Development of a banks company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Banking

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Kelton provided us with hands-on experienced resources that we needed for our software development
• We were provided with very good resources and experienced resources which made a huge difference on our deliveries
• Kelton was always very professional and approachable in all our dealings

SOLUTION

How did you find Kellton?

Referral

Why did you select Kellton over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Kellton were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Kellton developers delivered high-standard, quality software within time and budget. This led us to continue hiring them way beyond the initial 3 months, and for the last 2 years we have been using their resources, which are still ongoing. Kellton reosurces have always shown to be very carefully elected, which gives us assurances that we only get very well qualified and experienced developers. The developers work on building, improving and maintaining our custom-made software to manage and handle banking loans and customers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Projects were delivered on time and on budget, using streamlined processes, and our issue identification, processes and resolutions became faster with Kellton's testing development.

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

Kellton always delivered on time and on budget. The team was always very supportive, professional, proactive and knowledgeable. 

What was your primary form of communication with Kellton?

In-Person Meeting

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

Kellton resources are always very experienced and carefully selected, which has always been detrimental to our good quality code. The company has always made us feel like partners in the journey, which helps tremendously.

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

I honestly can't think of any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Technical Architect of Fertis India pvt ltd

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Fertis India Pvt Ltd specializes in providing innovative solutions for agricultural management, including product development, resource optimization, and technology-driven advancements to enhance productivity and sustainability in farming.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Quality Development
• Bring Process to the development

SOLUTION

How did you find Kellton?

Online Search

Why did you select Kellton over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Kellton were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Application Development
Frontend Development:

Build a user-friendly, multilingual interface accessible via web and mobile applications.
Provide role-based access for stakeholders (e.g., farmers, traders, market administrators).

Backend Development:

Implement core features such as commodity listing, bidding, auctioning, and payment settlement.
Develop modules for inventory and warehouse management integration.
Ensure support for real-time trading and notifications for key events (e.g., bid closures).

Database and Data Management
Set up a scalable and optimized database for managing data related to commodities, transactions, and user profiles.
Implement data archiving, backup, and restoration mechanisms.

Security and Compliance
Ensure end-to-end data encryption and implement robust cybersecurity practices.
Comply with government regulations (e.g., GDPR, local agricultural laws).
Perform regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.

Payment Integration
Integrate multiple payment gateways for seamless transaction processing.
Enable Unified Payments Interface (UPI) support for quick and secure fund transfers.
Automate payment settlement and reconciliation.

Reporting and Analytics
Create dashboards for real-time insights into trading activities, price trends, and user engagement.
Generate custom reports for regulatory and operational purposes.

Training and Support
Develop training materials and conduct workshops for stakeholders to ensure smooth adoption.
Provide 24/7 technical support and issue resolution services.

Deployment and Maintenance
Deploy the system on cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS or Azure) for scalability and availability.
Perform regular maintenance, updates, and optimizations to ensure consistent performance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

 System Performance and Scalability

Uptime and Availability:

System uptime percentage (target: >99.9%).
Number of outages and their resolution times.
Transaction Throughput:

Number of transactions processed per second (TPS) during peak trading periods.
Response Time:

Average system response time for critical operations like bidding, auction finalization, and payment settlement.

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

Project Delivery and Timeliness
Adherence to Deadlines

 Quality Assurance and Deliverables

Testing and Validation:

Conducted extensive testing, including unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT), to ensure high-quality deliverables.
Proactively sought stakeholder input during UAT, enabling refinement and alignment with expectations.

Documentation:

Delivered comprehensive documentation, including system architecture, user manuals, and training materials, to facilitate smooth adoption and usage of the platform.

What was your primary form of communication with Kellton?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Expertise in Digital Transformation

Kellton Tech excels in enabling businesses to navigate digital transformation with innovative solutions tailored to various industries. Their ability to integrate legacy systems with cutting-edge technologies like cloud computing, IoT, and AI reflects their technical prowess.
Strong Focus on Agile Development

The company's adherence to agile methodologies ensures rapid delivery of projects while maintaining flexibility to adapt to client needs. This approach fosters continuous innovation and iterative improvements throughout the project lifecycle.
End-to-End IT Services

Kellton Tech provides a comprehensive range of services, including application development, IT consulting, system integration, and managed services. Their full-stack capabilities allow them to deliver seamless solutions that address all facets of a client’s requirements.
Innovative Product Engineering

Their focus on product engineering and development, especially in emerging fields like blockchain, data analytics, and API-driven ecosystems, highlights their commitment to staying ahead of technology trends.
Client-Centric Approach

Kellton Tech’s dedication to understanding and addressing client challenges is evident in their high client retention rates and strong partnerships. Their proactive communication and responsiveness foster trust and satisfaction.
Global Presence with Local Expertise

With operations spanning multiple countries, Kellton Tech combines global expertise with local market knowledge to deliver culturally and geographically relevant solutions.
Specialization in Enterprise Solutions

Their extensive experience in implementing enterprise-grade solutions, such as ERP and CRM systems, makes them a go-to partner for businesses seeking to enhance operational efficiency.
Focus on Measurable Outcomes

The company emphasizes delivering measurable business outcomes, such as increased ROI, enhanced customer experience, and streamlined workflows. Their results-driven approach differentiates them from competitors.

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

Enhanced Communication During Project Execution

Observation: While Kellton Tech is generally proactive, there have been instances where communication gaps during critical project phases have led to delays or misaligned expectations.
Improvement Suggestion: Implement more frequent progress updates, particularly during high-risk or complex phases, to keep all stakeholders aligned.
Better Change Management Processes

Observation: Accommodating mid-project requirement changes sometimes causes delays or affects quality due to insufficient buffer time in planning.
Improvement Suggestion: Strengthen change management processes by incorporating a clear framework for assessing the impact of scope changes and ensuring additional resources are allocated when needed.
Focus on Specialized Training for Client Teams

Observation: While the deliverables are robust, client teams sometimes face challenges in adopting and fully leveraging the solutions due to limited initial training.
Improvement Suggestion: Provide more comprehensive, hands-on training sessions, tailored to different user roles, to improve adoption and maximize the value of delivered solutions.
Streamlined Post-Deployment Support

Observation: There have been cases where support requests took longer than expected to resolve, particularly during the initial post-launch period.
Improvement Suggestion: Allocate dedicated post-deployment support teams to handle client issues with faster response times and a focus on root cause analysis to prevent recurring problems.
Improved Scalability Planning

Observation: In some projects, scalability planning did not fully account for unanticipated spikes in usage, leading to performance bottlenecks.
Improvement Suggestion: Enhance scalability assessments during the architecture design phase, incorporating stress testing and predictive analytics to better anticipate future demands.
Stronger Domain Expertise for Niche Industries

Observation: Kellton Tech’s expertise is broad, but for highly specialized industries (e.g., agriculture or energy), the solutions may benefit from deeper domain-specific insights.
Improvement Suggestion: Invest in building specialized domain teams or partnering with industry-specific experts to strengthen capabilities in niche sectors.
Tighter Integration Testing

Observation: In some cases, integration with third-party systems has encountered issues during initial rollouts.
Improvement Suggestion: Conduct more rigorous and end-to-end integration testing with real-world scenarios to reduce post-launch disruptions.
More Competitive Pricing for Small-to-Medium Businesses (SMBs)

Observation: Kellton Tech’s pricing structure may sometimes appear steep for SMB clients compared to smaller, more focused competitors.
Improvement Suggestion: Offer tailored pricing models or modular solutions for SMBs to make high-quality services more accessible.
Strengthen Internal Resource Allocation

Observation: Resource allocation across multiple concurrent projects sometimes stretches teams, impacting delivery timelines.
Improvement Suggestion: Ensure resource planning considers workload distribution and potential overlaps, with backup resources for critical phases.
Sustainability and Green Practices
Observation: While Kellton Tech is innovative, their focus on environmentally sustainable practices in IT development and operations could be enhanced.
Improvement Suggestion: Incorporate green IT initiatives, such as optimizing server energy use, reducing e-waste, and promoting sustainable practices within development processes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the senior manager of web operations at an Indian-based industry association of IT companies comprising over 3,500 members.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton?

We originally engaged with Kellton in 2016 when we were revamping our website. Our website was based on Drupal 6, and we needed to upgrade it to Drupal 7.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kellton originally helped us revamp our website, upgrading it from Drupal 6 to Drupal 7. To kickstart this project, we shared a lot of details with Kellton, including the sitemap, the site architecture, the current design, and the content. The overall execution of the website revamp project took about 18 months.

Since then, we've been in maintenance mode with Kellton. One of their team members takes care of our basic requirements, helps us solve issues, and addresses any further steps that need to be taken.

What is the team composition?

Initially, Kellton allocated a business development executive to the project, who was in charge of managing the conversation with us and understanding the brief. We've also worked with a development team led by a project manager who has managed the project overall. Moreover, we've been able to interact with the developments directly in order to share our concerns and feedback. Kellton's team included Jatinder (Former Technical Architect), Sushil (VP of Technology), and a salesperson.

How did you come to work with Kellton?

We found Kellton online when we were looking for a partner with Drupal expertise. We launched an RFP and received proposals from a couple of potential partners. We shortlisted Kellton and ultimately hired them as our technology partner.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between 7 million–8 million INR (approximately $84,000–$96,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in 2016, and our relationship has continued since then. We'll continue working together throughout 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our overall experience working with Kellton has been good. They've followed best practices shared in the industry, such as creating the complete documentation of the project and creating a document called Software Requirement Specification Document.

The main impact of this project is that we've had a very stable website. from 2017–2024, our platform has been very secure. Although I also give credit to our internal security team, the fact that our downtime has been very low during that period is great. Throughout those years, our site has been down around 4–5 times, if not less. This is a testament that Kellton has built a very stable platform for us.

Moreover, our web platform is very easy to understand, and the support provided by Kellton has been very good. The developers assigned to our project have been very responsible. They know their job and have done a decent job of developing our platform.

How did Kellton perform from a project management standpoint?

At one point in time, we were exceeding the budget. However, the salesperson I mentioned was instrumental in getting things accommodated. He negotiated with us and got the project done within the budget we had. There was a branding element that Kellton was supposed to take care of as part of the website maintenance agreement, which was the deal the salesperson negotiated with us.

As for the timelines, we more or less have met those. There have been some delays, but I take the blame for that, as those delays have been on our end. Still, Kellton has done a great job in that regard overall.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Kellton's salesperson was very influential and helpful in getting this project started. He was very flexible and understanding of our requirements, providing us with a solution and negotiating the cost based on our budget.

Additionally, I would like to give a shout-out to Sushil, who I believe was a developer when the project started. He is the teammate who has worked on the overall technology architecture of our website. When the project was completed, I gave my testimonial about his work, and I know that he has been promoted in the company since then.

Throughout the project, Sushil was instrumental in helping us, going above and beyond the call of duty. At times, we needed support on issues like server hosting, and he was very proactive in interacting with our internal teams and getting us all the support and expertise required.

I would also give a shout-out to Hemant (Software Developer), who worked with us after Sushil was promoted and until March 2024. Hemant worked with me directly on the requirements. Although he wasn't a senior developer as Sushil was, he was very helpful and patient regarding our demands.

In addition to them, I would like to mention Vaishali (Associate Project Manager) in this section. She joined the project more than a year ago when we were struggling with some project management issues. She helped us streamline many of the issues. Along with Vaishali, Nagina (Former Associate Project Manager) worked on those issues as well, and she was very helpful, too. Although I don't remember the names, other teammates in the cloud support team helped us with issues related to hosting.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The project management methodology that Kellton follows is impressive. They're great at taking notes at a personal level, understanding the requirements, following a proper documentation process, and following that documentation during the project testing. Overall, their workflow is beautifully managed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The teammates from Kellton who are involved in the actual project execution are very good developers. They're responsible young teammates who do a very decent job. However, I see an area of opportunity for them regarding project management. They need to be a little more proactive in suggesting solutions to the client rather than waiting for the client to come up with the problem and then working on an execution strategy.

In the technology world, and considering the way technology is constantly changing at a fast pace, development teams need to come up with new solutions for their clients. That's their business, so if they can generate new solutions, they'll generate more business for their organization.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I can recommend working with Kellton because they know their job. when negotiating the project, ensure to have a dedicated project manager from their team for a set number of hours per week to help you roll out the project.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on September 1, 2016.
Anirban Mandal
Deputy Director, NASSCOMInformation technology

India

51-200 Employees

Jan 2015 - Ongoing

Less than $10,000

Project summary
Kellton Tech Solutions is upgrading the client's corporate website to Drupal and will soon be building a mobile application. They have also built an iOS and Android app for the client's annual leadership event.

Feedback summary
The mobile apps received positive feedback from users and allowed the client to collect valuable information. Kellton Tech Solutions has efficient project management practices and is very flexible. The client has no areas for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for NASSCOM, a trade association for IT [information technology] companies in India. I am the deputy director of technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton Tech Solutions?

Kellton Tech is doing two things for us. First, they are migrating and rebuilding our corporate website. Second, once the website is finished, they will build a related mobile app. Third, they also built iOS and Android apps for our annual leadership event.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As a trade organization, NASSCOM does many events that are very much focused on different business verticals. We have a leadership event every year in February. In 2016, they proposed to build us a mobile app for this event where users can connect with each other, download the conference schedule, and contact a speaker for a particular session.

The challenge for us is the whole mobile app opportunity. The entire application world is moving toward mobile apps. What we did was ask Kellton to reuse one of their apps and tweak it for us. The app was very successful in that particular event. After that, we signed them up to modify that app for a couple of other events. They did one for an HR event, and they are working on a version for a marketing technology event. We'll be working with them in this manner for the next three years.

Our corporate website is on a Google platform. Once Google came up with their latest version, we wanted to migrate all our content to the latest system – a Drupal version. At the same time, we wanted to take the site to the next level with more interconnectivity with other apps. Kellton Tech understood the whole project, what the site currently does, how to identify the different aspects of the website, and translate those into the new platform. That's what they've been doing with us currently.

How did you come to work with Kellton Tech Solutions?

NASSCOM is an IT association, so we have access to the IT companies who are our members. We sent out a request for proposals to redevelop our website to all our members. Once we did that, we received many proposals. We evaluated all of them and finally settled on Kellton Tech.

How much have you invested with Kellton Tech Solutions?

We have invested with an agreement to provide them visibility as our partner on the website as well as at events.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them sometime in 2015, so it's been almost two years that we have been working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As far as our website is concerned, we're still in a beta phase. The mobile apps for the last couple of events have been very successful. The app was helpful in giving us data on which sessions attracted the most people. Customers have also given us positive feedback on that data

How did Kellton Tech Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well. Their project management was very comprehensive. Kellton Tech has been very good at letting us know what we can and cannot do and in working through changes with us. But, I've never seen them go off track. They always stick to the basic requirements of a project.

What did you find most impressive about Kellton Tech Solutions?

Technically, their team is good. They're quite helpful and quite open, too. Although we will be working with them for the next three years, we don't want to become dependent on them to make changes for every event. They were flexible enough to change the product to suit our needs and make it an open system so we can make changes to fit a particular event. Kellton was open to customizing the product the way we wanted. 

Are there any areas Kellton Tech Solutions could improve?

Nothing. I don't have anything negative to say about them. They've been very open to doing everything we asked of them.

Star Ratings
Overall rating: 5
There's no doubt about it – their team is very well managed and very helpful.

Quality: 5

Cost: 4
All the proposals I've seen from them appear to be very cost-effective. Financially, we have not spent much with them.

Schedule: 5
They push to make things happen.

Willing to refer: 5
I would definitely recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the lead program manager at an edtech company based in New Delhi. I currently look after our program management department and also handle program management activities related to the UX of the products we're developing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton?

Our website was built using .NET and an old version of Drupal. However, we weren't able to hire resources with Drupal expertise. We discovered that Kellton had developers with a Drupal background, so we decided to hire them to engage with those developers for our website development projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

My company has been collaborating with Kellton for over four years. Our partnership revolves around engaging resources from their team. These resources work with my company on website development and enhancement projects, so their team handles all tasks related to our website.

For every project, we share a job description with Kellton for them to know what kind of resources we need from their team. For example, we might need a Drupal engineer or a Java developer for a project, so we share those details with them. Then, they come back with a list of engineers available that meet our demands. Then, we interview those candidates, and based on their interview performance, we shortlist them and choose the one that fits our needs.

What is the team composition?

We have a dedicated account manager from Kellton working with us. As for the number of engineers we've onboarded with them, we've had about 4–5 resources working on our project. Still, we've reduced that number, and we're currently working with only one engineer from their team, Kunal (Senior Software Engineer). Our team size varies from project to project because we focus on cost optimization.

How did you come to work with Kellton?

I wasn't responsible for the engagement. Kellton was working with us when I joined the company, so I don't know how the engagement started. As for the engagement with their resources, we typically sign an agreement with them based on the skill set and expertise we need from their resources.

What is the status of this engagement?

I've been working with my current company for about two and a half years. Before I joined, they were already collaborating with Kellton, so I believe they originally engaged in 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ours has been a fruitful engagement. Kellton has been very supportive in providing us with resources to work on our projects. Typically, we have a fixed set of requirements on the skill set and expertise we need, and Kellton has been very supporting in meeting those requirements.

Moreover, the resources we've onboarded have been very proactive. These resources work on our website projects only, and they've been able to bring their expertise and complete all the required development work we've needed. We haven't faced any issues in that regard.

How did Kellton perform from a project management standpoint?

Given that Kellton's resources have worked as part of our team, our engagement doesn't require project management or budget compliance. They have a fixed salary, and based on their expertise, they can complete an enormous amount of work for us. Ultimately, the engineer working with us is working well. We're on a time-and-materials kind of engagement, so this engineer works with us eight hours a day.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I would like to give a shout-out to our account manager and to Kunal.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've been very proactive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's nothing Kellton could improve on. We haven't faced any challenges thus far.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Before you engage in this kind of engagement, compare the price Kellton charges for a developer to the price of hiring a developer available in the market.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of engineering for a surrogacy services platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton?

 We needed their team’s development expertise.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kellton has worked with us for a little over two years on the software development side of our company. Their team has worked very closely with me and another in-house product manager to develop our web app. As for the technology stack, we've predominantly used Python, React, and JavaScript. Although Kellton has mainly focused on developing our web app, they've also been great partners in designing and architecting it as well.

Our web app helps us screen and evaluate our users regarding their involvement in gestational carrying and surrogacy. We're basically a platform that helps connect intended parents and surrogates, so it integrates with a number of APIs for identity verification, background checks, and medical-related information. This platform makes it easier for doctors to make decisions regarding the next steps to make intended parents have children.

We've built an online portal that helps guide users through a very complex set of steps that need to take place in order for surrogacy risks to be minimized, ensuring safety, privacy, and best practices compliance.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with three teammates from Kellton: a backend engineer, a frontend engineer, and a part-time senior-level teammate focused on the architectural side of the app.

How did you come to work with Kellton?

I joined my company after the engagement with Kellton had begun. However, I had worked with a number of service providers in my previous roles, so one of the first things I did was evaluate their team members and the quality of their work. Based on my findings, I made the decision to continue working with them and increase the engagement. I was very impressed with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We used to spend around $15,000, but this year, our engagement increased to around $20,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the beginning of 2022, and our engagement is ongoing. Recently, we've ramped up our engagement. One of our team members was working part-time for us, but now we have two full-time teammates working on our project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've integrated our platform with over 10 APIs and external data sources, which is noteworthy. Additionally, we've launched not one but two apps, one for end users and another one for staff members, which allows us to offer a business product to enterprises.

How did Kellton perform from a project management standpoint?

Kellton has delivered work on time and within budget, and their team communicates well with us. We primarily use Slack, Google Docs, and Linear, a ticket management software. Using those three tools, and obviously GitHub, we've been able to have very effective communication.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I would like to congratulate the whole Kellton team and particularly give a shout-out to Agata (Frontend Software Engineer). Although she's currently on maternity leave, she has been fantastic. We've had a great engagement with her and hope to work with her again in the future. Still, the whole team has been great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I've been very happy with the quality of Kellton's work. Additionally, I've been very pleased with their attitude in treating us as if they're part of our team because we're a team. All of us working together feels great, and the work quality has been excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Kellton has been great at taking our feedback as we provide it, so there's nothing I would have them improve. I would only ask them to keep doing what they're doing because they're doing a great job.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Set up a clear internal teammate from Kellton as your main point of contact and treat them as part of your team. That arrangement has worked very well for us because it makes us feel like we're a single team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Reviewer 1: I’m the deputy VP of technology for an insurance company. We only offer our services digitally.

Reviewer 2: I’m the AVP of technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton?

R1: We needed their team’s development expertise.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R1: We have a continuous collaboration with Kellton to develop our website using a .NET framework. All of our products are configured in the policy administrative system, and the website is integrated with this backend system.

R2: We have two websites. The new website has been maintained internally, and the old website is maintained by Kellton. Our strategy has been to not make big changes to the old product, so Kellton has only done minor changes and fixes. 

Usually, we reach out with requirements, and Kellton starts working on them. We’ve mostly not had stringent timelines.

In 2022, we started a new product, which required some bigger changes. Now, we’re working with Kellton on the new product launch.

R1: The website has always been on a .NET framework, even before our partnership began. We shifted the server to be on the cloud; we are responsible for hosting, and Kellton only provides development services.

R2: We’re working on changes to the website that Kellton manages, so we’ve added two new resources from their team.

What is the team composition?

R1: There are nine people currently, including developers, a program manager, and a business analyst. The team also includes a team lead.

How much have you invested with them?

R1: We spend around $12,000 per month, or $144,000 per year, totaling $1,440,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

R1: We began working with them in January 2014, and we’re still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

R1: The site is currently up and running, but there are a lot of bugs and challenges. I think Kellton should upgrade and come up with a different solution that’s not .NET. 

R2: The Kellton resources we’re working with are not very experienced; they only have 2–3 years of experience. 

R1: Kellton is not agile; they haven’t offered support with Google Ads or SEO, even though we are expecting that. I think they should proactively offer those services because the market and technologies are changing and Kellton is operating the same way they always have.

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?

R2: We often need to add teammates on demand because we have a strict timeline from our management that we need to deliver within. Kellton’s team can scale the team as needed, but the teammates take more time to complete tasks than experts would. Even with more teammates, we still see delays. They deliver the requirements, but we have to be patient; Kellton’s team needs time to understand the tasks.

For most of the partnership, up until 2022, there have been no strict timelines or major fixes needed. If we expected something in three days, and it took Kellton a week to develop it, it wasn’t a problem. For this reason, we never highlighted the issue. Now that we have stringent timelines, Kellton’s lack of timeliness is a problem. More recently, we’ve brought up the timeline issues verbally with Kellton’s managers.

The project management tool we’re currently using is Jira. This is where we write out and assign tasks. The timeline is managed in Microsoft Excel.

R1: Kellton works in sprints of 15–20 days.

What did you find most impressive about them?

R2: Whenever we have reached out and escalated an issue to Kellton’s management, we’ve seen immediate action taken.

Are there any areas they could improve?

R1: Kellton’s delivery should be on time, and they should update to new technologies rather than working with old technologies. They should be more agile and offer 2–3 solutions.

R2: Additionally, they should add more responsible teammates to the team so everyone knows what’s going on and we don’t have to contact management.

R1: Finally, they should automate their testing; it’s all manual right now.

R2: Kellton should upgrade from traditional methods.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

R2: If your company is more traditional and you don’t have big requirements, you won’t have a problem with Kellton.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of BSS applications for a technology, information, and internet company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton?

We needed Kellton to provide custom software development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kellton provided us with custom software development. The team designed and developed a platform from scratch using React Native and Laravel. The platform is built for Android, iOS, and web, allowing customers to make payments online. In addition, they did user and performance testing. The team continues to provide support. 

What is the team composition? 

Our main point of contact at Kellton is the project manager and the salesperson. I have a very good relationship with the team.  

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost under $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in  August 2017, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Kellton’s work has been flawless. The project launched in eight months and the mobile app is widely used. 

How did Kellton perform from a project management standpoint?

Kellton has managed the project well. They have a good understanding of our requirements. The team works seamlessly and delivers on time. We communicate via email, WhatsApp, and phone calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with how flawless Kellton’s work is. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Kellton could have a better understanding of how our industry works in order to come up with their own ideas. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t have any advice. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a manager for Digital CE; we are a farming service and agriscience company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton?

We hired Kellton for custom software development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have different digital solutions that Kellton supports, including a loyalty program for retailers. We also have various applications for distributors to help streamline the sales process and distributor engagements. The other major development work that Kellton supports us in is master data management. This is the primary medium for all our applications and where we have the main master mappings and end user management. 

Key technologies include .NET, the Microsoft SQL Server, and the IBM server; we’re migrating everything into Microsoft Azure. Kellton also helps us with Power BI dashboard data analysis and reports. These dashboards integrate with the applications Kellton develops. 

How did you come to work with Kellton?

I’m unsure because my company was already engaged with Kellton when I started. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in early 2018 and are still engaged with Kellton. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are very pleased with the service from Kellton. They know our company values and are dedicated to understanding our purpose and needs. They are willing to do anything we ask, which we appreciate. 

How did Kelltonperform from a project management standpoint?

There have been a few issues with staying on schedule and communication, but overall we’re very happy with the collaboration. They have a process they follow for development, and when we come to them, our requirements go to the right people. 

We typically communicate through email, and we use a software management tool for tickets and when we need to let Kellton know about enhancements and other requirements. We also use this tool to track the project's progress and have daily stand-ups. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are highly experienced and can outline and analyze everything when we have new development requirements. They complete extraordinary work for us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Kellton could take more ownership over the decisions they make because we feel like they don’t always come to us with solutions when issues arise. Kellton is sometimes more concerned about the work than the application's outcome. 

We also wish Kellton would help us with AI because it is so important now. We are actively exploring AI and hope they can get up to speed to help us.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They supply excellent service, and we recommend people use their company. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a department manager at a semiconductor company. We make semiconductor chips, as well as software and hardware, for various original equipment manufacturers so that they can use them to build their end user products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton?

We needed help with website maintenance, support, and ongoing development. Our main challenge was upgrading our platform from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kellton has helped us upgrade our Drupal environment to Drupal 8. Initially, we had a series of meetings with them to walk them through how our current system worked. Since then, they’ve helped us with website maintenance, and we work on an ongoing project basis to enhance both our external website and intranet.

To access our intranet, employees get connected through our SSL. This site is just a basic CMS to house internal documents and information. In addition to Drupal, the technology stack includes JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and PHP.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with four people from Kellton, including one project manager and three developers.

How did you come to work with Kellton?

A colleague who had worked with Kellton at a previous company recommended them. When I compared them to their competition, they had similar skill sets, and their cost was slightly lower. However, my colleague's high praise was a deciding factor. He already knew how they worked, and he was very happy with the past project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2020, and our engagement is ongoing, although we’re currently in maintenance mode.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although our site looks the same in the frontend, the Drupal upgrade has allowed us to adhere to Drupal’s security requirements.

How did Kellton perform from a project management standpoint?

Kellton has delivered on time and on budget, with no surprises in that regard. They’re always very upfront, and everything has aligned with their initial estimations. Throughout the Drupal upgrade project, we shared emails and Jira tickets interchangeably, and we held weekly Zoom meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Kellton is responsive, and they answer our questions quickly. Moreover, their work is very consistent, and their team is good at solving issues quickly. Still, whenever they feel they won’t be able to complete something according to my expectations, they bring it up in our meetings and explain their reasons. During these meetings, they also give me suggestions on how to work around those challenges or change my expectations so that I’m still satisfied with the alternatives.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great if Kellton improved their QA processes. I’m sure they have QA resources. However, during the Drupal upgrade project, I felt as if I was the one doing QA.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand your needs and expectations for the project, and be aware that their team works from India, so you might face time difference challenges.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a software development manager at MSA Safety. We provide gas detection equipment for retail and industrial customers, and I’m in charge of software development for our fixed gas fire detection team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kellton?

We wanted to move our systems into the cloud. As a small company producing hardware, we didn’t have the expertise to do it ourselves, so we needed help with building our cloud-based solutions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We engaged with Kellton to develop a greenfield product used to track maintenance on our equipment out in the field. Their team first worked closely with us to architect the solution, defining a set of milestones to be delivered within a year. Then, they developed the solution following the plan they had defined. After delivering the solution, they kept working with us for two years in a maintenance support mode as we brought the project internally so that we could support it long-term.

As for its technology stack, Kellton developed this solution’s backend in PHP with a Laravel framework. They also used Angular for the frontend and MySQL for its database.

One of the key features of this product is that it is a multitenant solution to support a wide range of customers, for which Kellton helped us overcome the login complexities associated with that. As this is a paid service solution, it also has an administrative side to support end customers. As end users are technicians who aren’t necessarily tech-savvy, Kellton also integrated simple forms for them to enter the core data for the administration, allowing higher levels in the company to read that data.

Moreover, the heart of the product is to assure compliance for equipment owners. Depending on their geographic location, users have different compliance requirements, so this app helps them with that compliance. It tells them when they should go to check the equipment and what to do once they find the problem. It also has an engine to generate reports that users can then supply to the different government bodies that enforce regulations.

What is the team composition?

Kellton’s team changed over the years. At its largest, we worked with six people: a software architect, a project manager, three developers, and a QA engineer.

How did you come to work with Kellton?

I wasn’t involved in the selection process, so I don’t know how we found them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around July 2019, and the project ended in October 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Kellton designed our system to standard modern practices. After they delivered it, we found that their team was helpful and responsive to support tickets.

How did Kellton perform from a project management standpoint?

Kellton was communicative and good at meeting deadlines. Although we had geographical challenges and an expected churn rate over the last two years, their team’s project management was positive overall. We used Slack to communicate, Microsoft Teams for daily meetings, and Jira and Confluence for task tracking and project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Kellton’s engagement level and rapid turnaround time were outstanding. Whenever we gave them a problem, they responded to it very quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Looking back, it felt like Kellton simply handed off the design part of the project to the architect. It didn’t feel like the team was behind this person, so it would have been great if they had followed up on the design work more thoroughly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t have any particular advice. Every project is different.