Marino Software

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of NeXplain Solutions, a program development company. We are based in Spain, but we do business all over Europe. We have a project called ImmuvID, which is focused on delivering technology solutions related to COVID-19, specifically in the tourism and border control industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Marino Software?

We had a very solid core technology stack that we had been developing over the course of several years that had to be adjusted for several market segments to be relevant to the pandemic, so it had to be done in a really short amount of time. Our company needed a B2C solution with several user interfaces for a diverse set of clients in the market space across the world.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Marino Software has created a multifaceted project for us that includes web and mobile development, and server-side programming. The team has developed an Android app, an iOS app, and a Huawei AppGallery app. They’ve done server-side implementation on the ImmuvID platform, and the development process is ongoing.

We first started working on the discovery phase, which was where the team really understood our business. We had a very significant face-to-face time with their CEO that helped us a lot because he managed to build the team very quickly. We did a lot of storyboarding with their incredibly talented UX team and then went straight to work on web development. We worked in parallel on the iOS and Android apps. The server-side and Huawei AppGallery projects stalled a bit because we had been waiting for some standards to be developed in the market that would be relevant to the rollout and release of the entire platform. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with the CEO, the head of the UX department, project managers, and designers. We’ve participated in several meetings with the Android, iOS, and server-side development teams. In total, we have a team of about seven people working with us. 

How did you come to work with Marino Software?

They were a referral from a business partner that had worked with them. We researched European companies looking for skillsets that could meet our needs. We had about 12 candidates on the list when I was introduced to Marino Software. The team particularly caught my attention with the work they had done for an app called Vero. It was clear that behind that project there was a very complex ecosystem in terms of privacy — and this was very relevant for what we wanted to do. 

I then had a talk with Keith (CEO) and decided to go with them because of their incredible commercial approach and perspective. Their adaptability also played a big role in our decision. We needed a strong and extremely experienced team that could deliver in a short period of time. This is very expensive of course, so Marino Software made us a deal so that we could pay them when we were more financially stable. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around €200,000 (approximately $242,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in January 2021, and it’s ongoing. We hope to have a secured engagement with them for at least the next 12 months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Marino Software’s team has met and exceeded all of our expectations, and we haven’t received a single negative comment from clients. They not only superseded our targets but also expanded upon them, making suggestions on how to improve the product. It has been a really good experience, and I have nothing but good feedback for them. 

How did Marino Software perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication has been tight, and the project has been expertly managed. The team works confidently and has an agile development style. We have a product framework that we agree on and very detailed sprint planning sessions.

We have biweekly meetings on Confluence and communicate in between these through Telegram. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive aspect is the fact that they put a lot of creativity and strategic effort into product development. I would even go as far as to say that they’re the reason why we have been able to develop the product. The best part of working with Marino Software is that they become an active part of the business, helping it grow and improve. 

They are not a passive service provider. They’ve collaborated with our team with a sense of urgency and very high-level technical knowledge to create a better product. I went looking for a software development company, and I came up with a business partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

What we could have done differently is the prioritization of one mobile platform over the other. We should have developed the Android app first, instead of the iOS one. This is because the actual market segment we ended up going for is more focused on Android. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to see Marino Software as a real business development partner. They have an interesting skillset inside the company. Not only do they build software, but also understand the commercial side of it. Be open to their business strategies, because you will benefit from them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was Founder of a company that used WebRTC to provide voice and video Customer Care to Enterprises. Customers of an Enterprise could "Click-to-Call" from a website over webRTC by using a simple button.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I approached Marino to develop the webRTC and Charging Platform. Our goals were:

• Easy to deploy webRTC "Buttons" that could be inserted into an Enterprises website and would provide a voice connection directly to the company.
• An easy payment mechanism (using Stripe for the Backend - that could also be supplied to Enterprises as a "Button" that takes care of eCommerce payments

SOLUTION

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

I talked to a number of vendors in the market. I found that Keith Davey and his team were the most professional and creative at helping to construct a User Journey and architecting a system that more than achieved the design goals at a reasonable cost. The team were very responsive when there were some last-minute changes required and we were able to deliver a customer demo on time at the Web Summit in Dublin

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

The steps were

• Feasibility
• An investigation of webRTC which was then still in flux
• User Journey experience
• Technology choice (webRTC and Ruby on Rails)
• Cloud implementation - Operations support

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

There were three or four people headed by a very competent and customer focused Software Architect

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was implemented on time and on budget and was well supported. I was very impressed with the professionalism and culture that Keith Davey and the Team have developed in Marino. The range of technology that they are familiar with is also impressive and they keep their fingers on the pulse of developments.

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

It was efficient and pertinent. Any relevant issues or risks were flagged honestly upfront and, so, we were able to address them accordingly.

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

Overall, Marino Software is the most professional services company I've worked with. They delivered on time and managed all the customer expectations in a professional and timely manner.

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

No, not really. Marino are in the top league of Developers worldwide in terms of their ability to deliver. on time and on budget.