Nextant

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO and founder of a healthcare software company, and we help professionals and families manage care for older adults.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Heinsohn Business Technology?

We experienced challenges with the software development team that we had at the time, and we wanted to change them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Heinsohn has done full-stack software development for us, and they have also helped us develop an iOS and Android application. They're currently doing a rework on our public-facing marketing website.

The web platform is already made, and Heinsohn just took over its development. For the app, we already had the wireframes, and most of its work involved building API hooks to integrate the mobile version into the existing web app.

What is the team composition?

Originally, Natalia (Business Development Manager) has been our point of contact for project management until Viviana (Development Coordinator) came to assist. 

We work directly with the software developers. We started with one developer, and had them work in tandem with our old software development team — we wanted to see the resulting workflow and communication. Over the years, we continued to grow Heinsohn’s team, and we currently have six software developers.

How did you come to work with Heinsohn Business Technology?

We had software development teams based in India and Eastern Europe, and we wanted to try providers in South America. They seemed advantageous for us because we would be working in almost similar timezones, and we felt they had a better understanding of our culture. There was also the opportunity to build a team spirit to keep our developers engaged and motivated. After all, personally meeting teams from South America is much easier compared to the others. 

We looked for candidates and reviewed proposals from South America. Later, a friend of mine who’s been doing business there introduced me to Heinsohn. Their managers happened to be in Chicago at the time, and I met with Natalia and another manager. After that, we decided to give them a try.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent around $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Heinsohn went from working with another developer on a single project, to having all our development work. 

I had traveled to Colombia and met with them in person, and their team members had also visited us here in the US. I recommend Heinsohn to anybody that ever asked about software development. I also use them for personal projects. 

How did Heinsohn Business Technology perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is fantastic, and they’ve adapted to our processes. We used Slack and Pivotal Tracker to collaborate. Every week, we have two team meetings that involve other development teams, as well as daily stand-ups where the developers document their accomplishments and tasks for the day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am confident that Heinsohn can solve any problem that I will encounter. 

Also, when we encounter personnel changes, Heinsohn has done an excellent job of making sure new resources are properly onboarded. They have also been quick to recognize if a teammate is not the right person for us, and they could quickly find a replacement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their onboarding process, so new developers can get up to speed with our platform faster. They can create a quick onboarding system so that new teammates become operationally effective as quickly as possible whenever we encounter personnel changes. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend that they use Heinsohn. Also, you have to make sure you get the right developer on your team; and if the developer isn't the right fit, communicate that with Heinsohn so they can address it. If you have a bad experience with a single developer, it doesn't necessarily mean Heinsohn is doing a bad job. Address individual developers first before you look at the overall relationship.