Net Solutions

How did Net Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

The whole process was iterative. We ran single tests and got feedback from them. For our first release, I was given telephone and Skype support from Net Solutions’ side, literally hour-by-hour. We’re an events-based business and need to deal with issues in real-time.

After we came back with our feedback and findings, we made the next round of tweaks and iterations and tested it again in February and April of 2017. As a result, we have written a scope and started work on an editing tool for videographers and are tackling the next wave for the consumer website.

What did you find most impressive about Net Solutions?

I have worked with U.K.-based developers, but they were all small businesses, which cannot provide the same kind of support around an entire project as I’ve gotten with a company like Net Solutions. However, they’re not as quick as using 1–2 people to hammer code out instantly. Net Solutions’ work may not be instantaneous, but they ensure a thorough QA process. They won’t send me anything without testing it properly.

It may not be a unique feature, but having hotel rooms on-site in India is worth mentioning. I know that many organizations have a U.K. base, and Net Solutions has a great London-based digital strategist. Their CEO, Sameer, has been in London quite often as well, and I’ve met him a couple of times in order to explain the project and get his feedback. Meeting regularly with the dev team is not a vital requirement anymore, but it was a part of the initial process for cementing the relationship, allowing me to form relationships. We’ve established a connection, and I know that Net Solutions’ team is not treating the work as just another project. They recognize what’s important to me. I also know that, when I’m working with them, if something’s not quite right, there’s a reasonable explanation. Even in this world of technology, it’s still about people, and Net Solutions is very good in this area.

Are there any areas Net Solutions could improve?

Not being able to turn on a dime can become frustrating at times, but I know why that's not possible for them. We’ve also had occasional language and interpretation issues, particularly in writing, but this is to be expected.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Net Solutions?

Anyone looking to conduct this type of project should jump on a plane and visit Net Solutions’ team face-to-face. That’s the best way to build a relationship in the long-term.  

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

We’ve increased annual recurring revenue by about $600,000 since we’ve started working with them. We have lowered churn rate by about 25-30% on some of our Software-as-a-Service offerings. We’ve lowered churn rates. We’ve increased productivity.

I could tell you one of the reasons we decided to give them autonomy on some projects. When we were managing projects before, a client would come to us and say, “Hey, I want to modify XYZ.” We’d go back to the client with a six- to eight-month project scope and then they would say “No thanks; we just want to look elsewhere or stick with what we have.” So one time when this happened, we decided to involve Net Solutions, and it was the exact same scope with an eight-week turnaround. We won that deal and it was much more profitable for us, as well. The profit margins were a lot bigger.

This is the third project that we’ve given the complete autonomy on, but this is the first real big one.

How did Net Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

For all our projects, we use Basecamp as a project management platform, but we also use JIRA and Mantis for bug tracking and task tracking. We’ve used Aha.io for sprint planning. Most of the time, they recommend tools and then we take a look and we do it. They’ve influenced a lot of our internal project management and communication as well based on their recommendations.

They’ve also handled turnover issues really well. They provide shadow positions or shadow resources for all of our key positions so that if there is turnover, they have someone who has been able to soak in all the knowledge and can take over without any major hiccups. All the main guys, all the leaders and senior guys, they’ve been around since Day 1. They do a good job with their employees. I’ve actually been to their office in India in addition to their operations in Montreal and Toronto. It’s like a mini Google campus, so I don’t think their employees are ever going to want to leave. So the team that we do have, since they’ve been with us for so long, they have incomparable productivity.

What did you find most impressive about Net Solutions?

Their ability to integrate into our culture, take ownership of products, and invest in our products like we have. They live and breathe by our outputs, just like we do. I never thought that a partner company would be able to do that, but they’ve really become partners to us. They’re not vendors; they’re partners. It’s a hugely valuable relationship to us. We would be in big trouble if we lost them, that’s for sure.

Are there any areas Net Solutions could improve?

It would be counterintuitive for them, but if they had more senior architects, the super high-end software architects in Montreal or Toronto that would be great. Most of their highest-level architects are in India, and that’s where the best minds are, arguably. But I guess if they were in Montreal, it wouldn’t be affordable for us to hire them. As I’m saying this, I’m realizing it wouldn’t work. They have great soldiers on the ground here that do excellent work, but oftentimes some of the bigger resources are in India.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Net Solutions?

I’d say really engage Net Solutions in your decision process for the engagement model. By that I mean if you want to do dedicated resources or if you want to do it on a per-project basis, really compare and contrast the two. Figure out what works best for you. Make sure that you include more than just yourself or the project leader in communicating with Net Solutions. Make sure the teams are fully integrated. Make sure everybody there knows everybody from your office. That’s the most important thing.

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

What Net Solutions has built represents the crust of our entire company. We've been around for 5 years and have grown exponentially, both in terms of revenue and team. All of that is due to the infrastructure built by Net Solutions. While we didn't use Net Solutions for design initially, we have started doing this. As a result, we have received a lot of positive feedback from users regarding the interface and general look of our tools.

Another example of their impact was earlier in 2016 when we doubled our team. As we started growing, we began having issues with speed. Net Solutions was able to come in and helped us scale and become productive.

How did Net Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

It's kind of a mixed bag. The first iterations will always come in within the deadline, but bugs and fixes can push the schedule back. For the most part, we communicate using Basecamp and Skype with Net Solutions.

What did you find most impressive about Net Solutions?

For a company not based in the US, Net Solutions' project managers have been great to work with. They are fluent in English and easy to communicate with. Net Solutions' commitment to fixing bugs is good. Since they're intimately familiar with what they've built for us, nothing requires extensive explanations or effort.

Are there any areas Net Solutions could improve?

Attention to detail could be improved, particularly with regards to copy. On the technical side, Net Solutions has been great, but we've often needed to fix basic language errors on our site. This could be because the developers may not be as fluent in English as the project managers.