Kurzor

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are the leading business chat provider in the CEE region. Our client base is increasing rapidly year over year with 56 000 companies actively using Smartsupp.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kurzor?

We supplied Kurzor with the list of platforms where we wanted users to be able to use our service via Smartsupp plugin. We wanted those plugins to be available in platform marketplaces.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to make it easier for users to use Smartsupp on their webpage. Another goal was to increase our conversion rate for transforming free users into users paying subscription.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We already collaborated with Kurzor in the past under another company. Given the great experience, we decided to continue with the collaboration for this project as well.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Kurzor obtained the list of platforms and their versions for which we wanted to integrate our Smartsupp plugin. The goal was to study the possibilities to implement the plugin, deliver the implementation and conduct the steps to put the plugins into platform official marketplace. User support for each of the platforms was also included.

What was the team composition?

The project team were 3 people. There were 2 programmers and one web coder.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Integrations met our high expectations. We observed the increase in our conversion rates and a number of subscriptions per day.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Kurzor provided excellent project management, communication and meeting deadlines was smooth. We were regularly updated on progress of each project and tasks.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The high level of technical experience, amount of new platforms they were able to study and successfully pair with our plugin.

Are there any areas for improvement?

In my opinion, the team did everything precisely and functionally as it was asked to do so.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder of verkstedt, a software development company. We support larger organizations by building and shipping features and helping them to innovate and rethink existing applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kurzor?

We typically engage with clients for a pretty long time and we were working on a very large project that exceeded our development capacities. However, we were not looking to grow so we decided to look for outside development support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kurzor augmented our staff and provided development services. Their developers work remotely, but they really became part of our team. The team worked in JavaScript, building APIs and mobile apps.

What is the team composition?

We work with four members of the Kurzor team, two who built APIs and two front-end developers.

How did you come to work with Kurzor?

I had some experience working with remote companies and was specifically looking for smaller companies based in Germany. We really liked that Kurzor’s founders were on board and available for us to talk to, so we decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested over $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Kurzor began in November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t measure against any technical metrics, but the spirit Kurzor exhibits is incredible. They are always willing to invest time in the work and be part of the team. I always know I can rely on them. The team is incredibly proactive and I never need to micromanage them. 

How did Kurzor perform from a project management standpoint?

Kurzor provides the environment and stability necessary for offshore development to be successful. The management team at Kurzor holds regular performance reviews with their team, checking in to ensure everyone feels sufficiently challenges. They really care about their team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Kurzor is a trustworthy and reliable team. If they ever have questions, they approach me. I appreciated their proactive nature. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything has worked out really nicely. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure offshore development is the right choice for you and your business before getting started.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of Oak’s Lab, a full-service digital development agency. We partner with venture capital firms to deliver product development services to startups they invest in. These entrepreneurs are normally looking to build an MVP tech product such as a mobile application or a web app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kurzor?

The startup we were working with was committed to building a large enterprise application with a PHP backend and a React frontend. As we only build apps in JavaScript using Node.js, React, and React Native, we brought in our traditional PHP partner, Kurzor.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project itself was a real estate-lifecycle web application that could also be accessed via a mobile browser. The system allows users to buy and sell real estate, manage the renovation process, and apply for loans. We designed the full product ourselves and created a clickable prototype using InVision. Kurzor then built the front- and backends from the ground up, including both the software architecture and database model. Their PHP and React work really drove the technology side of the project.

What is the team composition?

They provided a dedicated team comprised of a lead software engineer (our main point of contact), and 3–4 other full-time software engineers. We had a large Slack channel where we could interact with all the engineers, but around 60% of our communication was with the lead engineer. Their CTO was also involved at the beginning to ensure everything was set up properly, though he remained available if we ever needed him.

How did you come to work with Kurzor?

I found them from a Google search and contacted them through their website. We had a good kick-off meeting and tested them on a small project.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent over $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them on the real estate project from February 2017–January 2018. Unfortunately, funding ran out, but we liked our assigned team so much we moved them onto a different project. The second effort finished up in December 2018. If we receive another project, we’ll work with them again.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app launched successfully in January 2018 as a robust product. Of the three main flows (buying real estate, selling real estate, getting a loan), two worked perfectly. Users could buy and sell a property, but the project ran out of funds before Kurzor could implement our loan program. This wasn’t within their power to change; their quality was outstanding.

Our startup end-client was quite happy with the app as it streamlined the whole process of buying and selling real estate, which they used to do offline. The tool made the process much more efficient and easy.

How did Kurzor perform from a project management standpoint?

For the most part, we filled this role with our own internal project manager and designer. However, Kurzor’s lead engineer had a project management background and would knowledge share with our project managers, creating a co-management team.

We worked with them on weekly sprints, which we planned via story points. Their developers met or exceeded their story points by the end of the week, and their development philosophy was above our standards. We had them attend daily stand-ups remotely to fully integrate into our team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Instead of simply following orders, they contributed their own ideas like active team members. Their feedback prioritized scalability and long-term thinking but also took development time into account. Additionally, loyalty to us and a strong work ethic led them to work late when it was needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our experience with them was overwhelmingly positive, so it would be hard to pinpoint anything negative. In the beginning, it did take time to develop the flexibility we needed, but that was because we weren’t their primary client. Over time, we established a true partnership, and they communicated their priorities to us more clearly. It was smooth from then on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you can, work with the same four team members we did. They were amazing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of a one-year-old company with a team of five people, providing bill management services for clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kurzor?

We employed Kurzor to develop a new website which could be used for marketing and promotional reasons, and also as a sign-up process for new customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kurzor handled the full-scale frontend and backend development for our WordPress site. It’s relatively complex and features a sign-up and price-quotation process based on the services selected by customers, their region, and the number of people in their proximity. 

Kurzor developed a process by which we could sign up multiple people using the same account. We worked with 3–4 people from their team.

How did you come to work with Kurzor?

We had worked with companies in London before and found Kurzor through a recommendation from our last agency. They had worked together directly, and we were looking for a team that could do the work that we wanted on a tight budget. As a startup, we always look for good-valued prices.

How much have you invested with Kurzor?

The cost of their work has been below £10,000 [U.S. $13,034].     

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Kurzor around September 2016. We still collaborate on continually adding features to the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There are a few specific metrics which we hold Kurzor accountable to, including cost and timelines. An important one has been launching our site and going from zero customers to onboarding 250 new ones.

How did Kurzor perform from a project management standpoint?

I don’t think this is their strong point. We manage projects on an ad-hoc basis and arrange calls when needed. We also communicate by email.

What did you find most impressive about Kurzor?

They are able to handle the complexity of the work to a high standard and at a competitive price compared to other service providers.

Are there any areas Kurzor could improve?

Project management is where they can improve on the most. We have a UK-focused product, and as a Czech developer, they’ve had some misunderstandings over what’s needed and what is contextually relevant for our platform. In terms of functionality, they provide high-quality services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of a software development business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kurzor?

We were looking for an overseas development partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kurzor has provided web and app development, as well as software management on our behalf. They’ve provided some good development capabilities, and the management attitude towards the staff and the team is good. Kurzor specializes in LAMP stack development.

We have worked directly with the founders of the business, who have been a pleasure to work with. They've been open, transparent, and honest. We have also worked with five or six staff members from Kurzor's team in various capabilities. We have found the best of them to be motivated, focused and capable.

How did you come to work with Kurzor?

They’re based in Brno, Czech Republic, where we also have an office. We found them through a review of the companies in that city.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Kurzor in July of 2015. The work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Kurzor has primarily provided augmentation for our team. As such, the main metric is in the form of members whom we've continued to keep on, and who have had good performance. I’d say that we’ve had two very good resources, an average resource, and two who didn’t work out. This is a reasonable result, and we've preferred to evaluate people quickly and change them if they’re not a fit.

How did Kurzor perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management could be improved. Kurzor’s team members are better developers than they are project managers. They lack some deeper attention to detail, documentation, planning, and communication skills, which are all typical project management capabilities.

What did you find most impressive about Kurzor?

They’re terrifically committed and really focused developers. We have an open and transparent relationship, which is quite valuable for development.

Are there any areas Kurzor could improve?

Project management is the main area.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a official BMW and MINI dealership in Czech Republic since 1990. We have three location, one in Brno and two in Prague.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kurzor?

We needed a new website and got recommendation from our partner to Kurzor company.

What were your goals for this project?

Our old web was not responsive with mobile device and had old design. So we needed change it and also change design.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We have got a recommendation from our partner and after the tender we selected Kurzor

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They designed, developed, configured and launched a our new web. The project began with discovery workshop, witch let us reach a mutual understanding of customer on web. The functional version was ready for user testing in our customers.

What was the team composition?

The project team had about ten people. Two from PPC agentur, they did analytics. Three from our Renocar team and rest from Kurzor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website met our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Kurzor is fast, experienced, and friendly. They did exactly what we need.

Are there any areas for improvement?

In my opinion, there are not any areas for improvement. Kurzor did exactly what i want from them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are building a financial technology ecosystem with a focus on providing bank connectivity across Europe. I'm the Tech Lead of the Connectivity Division.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kurzor?

In our effort to move to the Czech banking market we needed a partner in the country to connect to the top banks including maintenance of the connectivity once established.

What were your goals for this project?

Providing stable connectivity to the top banks in Czech, first via web scraping and later via regulated APIs.

SOLUTION

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We provided the scope of banks to connect via our in house frameworks and supported the initial development with consultation and pairing. Kurzor was responsible for providing the code for the bank connections which was tested by us.

What was the team composition?

Kurzor provided us with up to three developers during the time of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The developers assigned were very junior but caught up with their given tasks quickly.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The team on Kurzor side was managed by us. We integrated them into our internal issue-/project-tracking workflows.

Are there any areas for improvement?

N/A