Net Solutions

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?

My site is live, and I've been in the process of wrapping things up. The project with Net Solutions is finished, but there are no users interacting with the platform at the moment. I can only mention what Net Solutions has produced for me in order to make the site successful in the future.

How did Net Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Basecamp and Skype for project tracking. Net Solutions was always available to answer questions. The interactivity of the project was maintained on a continuous basis, until the end.

Being in the U.S., on Eastern time, I appreciated Net Solutions' setup. I was able to work with the team at 7 or 8 a.m., before my workday started and at the end of Net Solutions's day, getting a lot done.

What did you find most impressive about Net Solutions?

Net Solutions always delivered the work on time and often performed tasks beyond what I requested in cost quotes, just to please me. I find Net Solutions's conduct to be admirable. My wife works for a large accounting firm in the U.S. and has received quotes from Net Solutions. Net Solutions caters to large companies as well as entrepreneurs looking to develop businesses.

I have contacted one of the largest web development firms in the U.S. early on for a quote. The costs were 7–10 times what Net Solutions proposed, particularly for my member management functionalities. The other company was not only expensive, but they didn't know how to build certain features and gave a much higher timeframe. There's a tremendous inefficiency in the U.S., particularly when it comes to technology and startups. Net Solutions particularly caters to this segment and is looking to establish long-term relationships.

Are there any areas Net Solutions could improve?

Most of the billing in the U.S. is done on a monthly basis, whereas Net Solutions prefers weekly billing. This could be improved, and I have mentioned it with Net Solutions. Their account managers offered to accommodate me in other ways and manage my payment themselves. This isn't really a negative, it's just a difference in approach.

Net Solutions was always very flexible, and their account manager was exceptional. Working on so many projects during an extended period of time, there will always be something that doesn't go perfectly. Misunderstandings were always worked out, and my contact was always there on my behalf.

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback you’ve received that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

Generally speaking, our model of working with Net Solutions is different from the norm. We work as a team with them. The feedback that we’ve received is consolidated feedback, and it’s not simply a reflection of Net Solutions and their work, but also a reflection of our own internal team. The best performance feedback I can offer is on a platform that has more than 10,000 licensees and about 3,000 clients, the maintenance is far below levels of requirement than you’d expect.

From a day-to-day perspective, the platform is self-sufficient, self-managing, and the quality of the code is what should be expected at an enterprise level. We’ve had an independent code review conducted on the work delivered by Net Solutions, and it came back highly positive.

When working with Net Solutions, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

They’re definitely very conscientious about their work. One of the common complaints against most outsourcing firms are that the quality of the solution, the quality of the code tends to be below quality expectations. There are elements of effective development that are generally not adhered to. I’ve worked with numerous outsourcing firms of varying sizes, and one thing that is common is exactly that. In fact, the amount of time you have to spend getting the delivered code into a shape is shocking. Net Solutions doesn’t fall into this trap, which has been great for us.  

They’re also relatively open to modifying their processes and procedures when the client requires it. When we have a certain requirement that we don’t like, a part of the process, they happily accommodate our needs after thoughtful consideration.

In retrospect, are there areas in which you think they could improve as a service provider?

Sometimes, you want to be less process-driven and be a bit more reactive. It’s a fine balance between the two. It bothers me once in a while, but it’s not a huge issue for me because we work it out well. So, our need for agility and process is well managed.