Kolosek

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an IT solutions and web development outsourcing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kolosek?

We needed support to build a mobile application for a client.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kolosek has provided support in building the backend of the iOS application. They’ve created an API using the Ruby on Rails framework and connected it with third-party systems, including PayPal and Shippo. Additionally, they’ve helped us set up a Heroku server and do QA.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with several teammates from Kolosek, including a backend developer and a project manager. We’ve also worked with other departments in the company, including system administrators and QA testers.

How did you come to work with Kolosek?

Some of my clients recommended Kolosek. I spoke with Kolosek and realized they were very close to my company. I recognized that everything would work perfectly if we were in the same time zone, spoke the same language, and worked the same way.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When summarizing the entire project, it's been a success. We’ve had some problems in some parts of our vision, but that’s usual in every project. Overall, we’re happy with Kolosek’s work. I would give them a high rating; about 80% of the work has been very good, and maybe 20% is where we've had some problems. Still, they’ve done a good job, and we’re pretty happy with them.

How did Kolosek perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project manager is very good. We communicate via Google Meet and Slack and organize the project using Trello.

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

I want to give a shout-out to Luka, who has been our main backend developer for more than two years.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Kolosek has high-quality Ruby on Rails framework skills. They know everything about that framework for backend development and the infrastructure that is needed to support it, such as Heroku servers, system administration, and database management.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they need to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide a very precise description and documentation of your project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Star Sudio

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a UX Design Agency focused on delivering cutting-edge UX for NextGen projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Website redesign
• Landing page creation
• Digital Campaigns

SOLUTION

How did you find Kolosek?

Referral

Why did you select Kolosek over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Kolosek were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Agency Kolosek worked on developing and implementing marketing strategies for our company, focusing on creating effective landing pages and digital campaigns. They are incredible! They quickly integrated with our team.

Scope of Work:

1. Landing Page Creation: The agency designed and developed multiple landing pages optimized for conversion, including user experience analysis and A/B testing to ensure maximum efficiency.
2. Digital Campaigns: They implemented a variety of digital marketing campaigns, including SEO, PPC, and social media, aimed at increasing brand visibility and user engagement.
3. Reporting and Analysis: They provided regular performance reports on the campaigns, analyzing data to adjust strategies and improve results.

Key Deliverables:

1. Developed landing pages that increased the conversion rate by 30%.
2. Established digital campaigns that generated a significant increase in website traffic.
3. Detailed performance reports that enabled better decision-making for future strategies.

I highly recommend Kolosek!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of the primary indicators of success is the increase in the number of visitors to your website. For example, if a campaign aimed to boost traffic by 30% and achieved a 40% increase, this would clearly demonstrate success in driving more users to the site

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

The project management by Kolosek was highly effective, as they consistently delivered all items on time, demonstrated flexibility in accommodating our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Kolosek?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Team flexibility. Culture and their management skills. 

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

Not sure. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an online marketplace for contemporary luxury fashion. We partner with amazing boutiques in the most fashionable cities and sell their products to consumers around the world. I am the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kolosek?

Over a period of several months some new developers turned out to be cutting corners and we realized that some aspects of their coding was sloppy... in turn it was causing some unexpected surprises... We contacted Kolasek to help us fix this issues and reinstate the proper coding procedures so that all of our previous developer work was robust and able to handle the incoming business without issue...

What were your goals for this project?

We needed someone reliable to go back through the code structure, find the weaknesses and fix them in a thorough manner so that we did not encounter issues later on in the process. That would require us even more work at a later stage...

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Upon speaking with several firms, this vendor was recommended to us. They took the time to understand our needs, look through our issues and come up with a plan to help us get back on track. They were very detailed oriented.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We were built using ruby on rails and spree commerce. We required someone to go through the last several months of our code and correct several structures that were not completed as per the required. As can be imagined, various issues arose that required additional time to rectify. For example, our payment gateway was not

What was the team composition?

The project team consisted of a developer and a manager. We spent considerable time explaining both our business model and the key requirements we need to have accomplished. Our timing was limited, hence we needed someone that could provide us results efficiently so that our ongoing business we not affected.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our solution was effectuated in a timely manner and we were able to have this accomplished with minimal effect on our ongoing business. We were able to have business continuity while we were "fixing" serious issues on our back end. Key tasks were prioritized so that secondary tasks were accomplished at a later time providing a smooth workflow...

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We provided all of our requirements with the project manager at Kolosek... we had in depth discussions to understand the business and our back end requirements. In turn, we wrote in depths tickets to better clarify our requirements in writing to the developers. This resulted in tasks being completed in a timely manner and helped us continue our operations...

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The ease within which we were able to communicate was impressive. Companies are always in a hurry and having someone that you can communicate with practically immediately is a great first impression rather than having to go through several people before your concerns are addressed.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Frankly, we found little to improve on. As usual, companies would always like for developers to work faster. This depends on several factors and what is actually possible. We have been pleased with the relationship.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO and founder of an HR startup. The scope of our project is substantial, stemming from years of market research on hypotheses, business models, and service delivery approaches. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kolosek?

We hired Kolosek for platform strategy, architecture, development specifications, systems setup, UI/UX design, front- and backend development, and testing assistance.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted iOS and Android mobile apps, as well as a full web app, for our market launch.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After defining and prioritizing a set of 15 parameters, we conducted interviews with five vendors in three countries.

Our key criteria included the ability to understand the nature of our business, quickly grasp the user scenarios and requirements, and deliver an integrated solution spanning architecture, requirements, design, and development. We needed a vendor who could propose new, better ways of implementing our desired functionalities.

We didn't want to feel like just another development project; we wanted to know that our vendor invested in the project and took ownership of the concept. Kolosek outranked the other vendors by far.

Describe the project in detail.

After selecting Kolosek, we held a series of workshops and knowledge transfer sessions. We quickly decided on a scrum structure and interaction model. Although we had a full development outline, we planned all these steps, constantly re-evaluated the best sequence of deliveries, and made sure the project and team succeeded early.

The project took many twists and turns as we discovered better ways of implementing its features. Throughout these change requests and scope alterations, we felt a greater level of interaction and responsibility from Kolosek. They often suggested better scope and development plans. 

What was the team composition?

A three-person team established the basic elements. Upon seeing their high level of competence and excellent output, we quickly scaled the team up to 10 people. This team handles web and mobile development, design, architecture, and project management.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While waiting to launch the service in a broad market, we've conducted soft launches and targeted tests with selected clients. The project is a great success, and every app has surpassed our wildest dreams. The apps Kolosek developed are simply amazing!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow is seamless. All of our interactions, not just the easy times, are perfect. When technology is making life hell, Kolosek and their CEO step up and ensure smooth sailing.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I'm impressed by their level of competence and flexibility, their interactive approach, and their willingness to take responsibility. They understand our users, their needs, and our requirements. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, but we learn a lot from them. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of Grand Consulting. We provide outsourced IT services to small-to-medium-sized businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kolosek?

We engaged Kolosek to build a custom web application that would capture our incoming and outgoing calls.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a solution to better manage our call times and more easily bill clients for our time.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We received a recommendation from one of Kolosek’s previous clients who was happy with their work. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Kolosek built a call recording service in Ruby on Rails using DevOps methodology. They then connected the system to our servers, which run on custom Linux installations.

What was the team composition?

We worked with several developers overseen by a team lead. They built our MVP. Now, we have one developer who will provide support services for the next two years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is now a core part of our business. We now have a more straightforward process for billing our clients for phone services.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Kolosek uses Pivotal Tracker to stay on top of development requests. We can see progress in real time and communicate without a hitch.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The CEO responds quickly to every inquiry at any time of day. He gives a high level of support and is very much invested in our success.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I really can't think of any.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an architectural company. We do architecture, urbanism, and design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kolosek?

In our work processes, we weren’t digitalized at all. We got some funding from the European Union and wanted to create a digitalized environment where we could create architectural specifications. Thus, we hired Kolosek to help us create three modules to make our work easier.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kolosek designed and developed a web platform for internal use. They used Ruby on Rails for the backend and React for the frontend. We had a big Microsoft Word document where we explained what we needed and why we needed it. Kolosek used that to create the platform.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and 2–3 developers from Kolosek. The project manager was our main point of contact, so we explained everything to him. He was the liaison between us and the developers.

How did you come to work with Kolosek?

We found them online. Their pricing was good, and we had a good feeling about them. Moreover, they were near us. We had negative experiences with other companies, but Kolosek’s CEO was nice and professional. We felt they were trustworthy, so we decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2023–October 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Kolosek delivered everything on time. We knew what we wanted, and they understood it. They gave us a better solution than we expected. Overall, it was a really good collaboration.

How did Kolosek perform from a project management standpoint?

We had weekly two-hour meetings every Wednesday at 8 in the morning. They showed us what they did, and we reviewed it on Thursdays and Fridays. Throughout the project, we asked for a lot of changes, but they were fine with that. We used Google Meet and an internal software for task management and meeting minutes.

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

We’d like to give a shout-out to the project manager.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The best thing about Kolosek is that they put themselves in our shoes. They weren’t just a service provider; they put in the effort to understand what we needed and correct us where necessary.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could use a better UX designer. We had some frontend issues, and they forgot to make it look nice. It wasn’t a big deal, but it could’ve been better. When those issues occurred, they corrected them in two days.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them the whole idea you have and the reason behind it so that they can get the wider picture. When the why is clear, the how is easy.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Architecture company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We Are an architecural office, we do architecture, interior and urbanism.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Specifications
• Bill of quantities
• Tender

SOLUTION

How did you find Kolosek?

Online Search

Why did you select Kolosek over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from Kolosek were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The scope was to create an internal software to create specifications ( list of materials and products that we will use on projects). Create and integrate Bill of Quantities with specifications and from Bill of Quantities create a Tender system where you can tender any piece of the BoQ that you have in there. Export all in PDF and .XLS files. Share it with external users. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered everything on time and it was great. Every change that we wanted to make was not a problem for them. The deadlines for specification modul were on time, so we tested it and it was good and then we moved on the BoQ everything was great and then the last thing was Tender. They were doing and delivering stuff so Because of that it was easy to measure What did they do. 

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

PM was great they delivered almost everything on time. We Had some changes and they understood us and didnt Made a big deal out of it. 

What was your primary form of communication with Kolosek?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their openness and customer support were amazing. We Are not developers, and we don't know what is possible or what is not in our platform, and they really explained everything to us: why something is hard to do, why it may not be good for our platform, and so on. 

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

Of course Like evey company, they could have better design team, frontend we Had some UI/UX things that lasted a little bit longer then expected, but nothing serious. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of LambdaWorks

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

LambdaWorks is software development company that provides whole product development. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Support us in developing and releasing a mobile app.

SOLUTION

How did you find Kolosek?

Referral

Why did you select Kolosek over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Kolosek were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Kolosek worked with us in developing and releasing an MVP of a mobile app. Work consisted of backend and mobile development. Key deliverables were mobile app released to stores and API to support it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Delivery of the production ready app according to the planned timeline.

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

They worked accoring to our scrum proces and delivered times on time. They were a proactive part of the team.

What was your primary form of communication with Kolosek?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their board knowledge of technology.

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

Yes, but not for this work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the business owner of a real estate company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a residential real estate brokerage in Austin, TX

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Add features to a brokerage management platform
• Add OCR capabilities
• Add automation

SOLUTION

How did you find Kolosek?

Referral

Why did you select Kolosek over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Kolosek were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

We hired Nebojsa (Nesha) Z and Kolosek to add features to our existing platform.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This project was a disaster. We ended on incredibly bad terms with Nebojsa Z / Kolosek. We disputed payment, he threatened us, and we ultimately paid him to avoid any illegal actions.

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

They did not deliver items on time and often did not deliver items at all.

What was your primary form of communication with Kolosek?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Absolutely nothing.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

Communication was lacking. Care was non-existent. Upon reviewing the code with future developers, it was extremely subpar.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on December 6, 2023.
Fake review.