Octal IT Solution

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I co-founded a startup company with a partner and a couple of other people that is to be an online marketplace for craft goods. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

I had a concept that I had been toying with for a number of years. Knowing that I did not have the technical savvy to create my own site beyond the standard Weebly-type site, I needed to engage somebody. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Octal Info did a little bit of designing and consulting. Early in the conversation, there was consulting involved and refining of my business model. I don’t think that was my direct intent, but as I talked through some of my concepts and scenarios, I was given guidance based on what they’ve seen in the market and from other marketplace sites in relation to my needs, as well as some features that I couldn’t bypass and some that I could live without. It was not a formal paid consultation—more like a business partnership as they walked through the pre-development planning.

They did have a designer on my project, which included the full website design concept. I do have an in-house designer who I use for marketing content as well as logo creation and those sort of things. They provided a designer for the project that really built the look of the website. It was a fully custom site.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

In a perfect scenario, I would’ve brought a developer onto my team as co-owner and work through it that way, but the market doesn’t have that kind of talent in my local network and market. I started looking around and saw some positive reviews for a few companies, including Octal Info.

So, I put out a bid for my concept to probably three or four domestic US companies, some companies in Eastern Europe, and a couple of companies in India.

From the beginning, Octal Info stood out as an excellent option.  It came down to their level of expertise and professionalism. Certainly, their price point was very competitive in the market; it may not have been the lowest quote that I received, but it was very competitive in comparison to some domestic bids.

The biggest hurdle they overcame was that I never thought I would’ve have gone with a company based in India. I’m not a world traveler, nor do I have a ton of experience with international dealings, so there was a concern on my side with sending thousands of dollars to somebody in another country from just an email. But, after doing some research and looking at reviews online, my comfort grew.

Again, the biggest selling point for me was their professionalism and the knowledge that they exuded throughout the process. I ended up using their proposal for internal use, including investor pitches. They were able to capture my thoughts better than I was.

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solution?

The original project, before I go through the second iteration of changes, hasn’t gone to market yet. It’s still kind of in the beta internal mode. Once that goes live, I will have probably $9,000 in total cost from them, which at this point feels almost unfair. They certainly provided me more than in value that based on the timeline of this project, but I think that’s where I’m at financially with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The timeline was very drawn out. I think the original proposal was a 6- to 10-week development schedule or somewhere in that realm, which included the case study design, actual website design, and full development. Due to my current position, I was not as available as I needed to be in order to meet that timeline, particularly from a testing perspective when I wanted to confirm with the site. The actual timeline dragged out probably close to a year by the time it wrapped and went live on the web.

The project concluded in March of last year, and they delivered code fully complete for testing somewhere in February of this year. They continue to work with me through the hosting setup as well as server configuration. I’ve actually had to upgrade my hosting options a couple of times because of the resource requirements of the website, so they helped me through that as well. They’re still on board with me as a tech consultant as well as a support provider. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work has been good. While they’re good at extrapolating my concept and ideas, I’ve not necessarily given them the full picture from the beginning. Some of the iterations took a while to get through, and I maintain that while they got some use cases for me, they kind of just went and built it. I expected more of a “here a fork in the road, which decision do you want to make?” process. They made a lot of those decisions based on their experience. I think that we ended with a good site, but it took an iteration process to get to where I wanted it to be.

As far as the reception from a user perspective, I haven’t gone to market, but I have rolled the site out to some users and it’s been received well. The clean design and the key features are pretty solid. The team internally loved it, so we’re very happy with the product that Octal Info delivered. I don’t have any metrics yet.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

I think the biggest thing is their willingness to work with you. I’m not a tech wizard. I certainly don’t consider myself tech illiterate, but when it comes to coding and even our server setup and that sort of thing, they have been a ton of help. They’ve gone above and beyond, which has been the biggest benefit for me. They’re a very good company as far as sticking with you. They value a long-term relationship and hope that the success of my business drives success for them.

Are there any areas Octal Info Solution could improve?

I think that they need a clear vision—a real definition of exactly what the project needs to be. Since they’re across the world, there’s not a lot of opportunity for immediate back and forth discussions, so decisions were made a little more quickly on their side than I would’ve expected. I don’t know if that’s necessarily a bad thing, but it took us down a few rabbit holes at several points throughout the project. I’m not sure how that could be improved without increasing time and cost.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

Make sure that you have somebody on your team who can ask the right questions. When presented with technical jargon that I’m not savvy to, it would’ve been good to know the implications up front. For example, when it comes to hosting, a site built with MS Sequel kind of limits my options for selecting a hosting provider and creates some conflicts from an ongoing maintenance perspective. While there are probably counterbalancing benefits, it’s stuff that I don’t know.

So, even if they’re not going to develop it, having a resource internally that you could trust and speak to about some of the technical jargon would be helpful. I think it would’ve increased my comfort in working with any company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are developing a media database of journalists and institutions. The information is used by our clients for press releases, articles and so on. I am the testing manager of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

I have been the main tester for our product, aside from a few other resources which never lasted. We've had quite a problem on this front, which is where Octal Info Solution came in.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Octal Info Solution provided a testing team for our platform.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

Our head of IT had worked with Octal Info Solution in the past and recommended them.

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solutions?

I am not privy to financial information. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Octal Info Solution 4-5 months ago, and have no plans to stop the collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I used to be the only resource in charge of testing, which amounted to a lot of pressure. Octal Info Solution came in and performed very well in terms of maintaining our time scale and work quality. 

How did Octal Info Solution perform from a project management standpoint?

As long as we provide proper demos of what is being tested, they will get on it straight away.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

Octal Info Solution has been outstanding in helping us with our testing. We wouldn't have had the same success with our past releases without Octal Info Solution's help.

Are there any areas Octal Info Solution could improve?

What Octal Info Solution is doing at the moment is very good, so we don't need any changes.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

Octal Info Solution should be given the right understanding around the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO and owner of a consulting and development company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

We needed to develop the first version of our social networking app. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our initial project with Octal Info Solution was a retail solution allowing local businesses to create a sort of app-within-an-app. For our second project, we handled the specifications and wireframes for the app. It has social network and chat functionalities. Octal Info Solution took care of design and coding for the Android, iOS, and HTML5 versions.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

I initially did some research on platforms like Freelancer and found Octal Info Solution. I had worked with Octal Info Solution in the past, developing a mobile app which was not launched ultimately. We had a good experience, so we chose to use Octal Info Solution again. 

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solution?

The cost of our 2 projects with Octal Info Solution has been above $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Octal Info Solution in 2012 on a project which took 1 year. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For our first project, I handled the design, which didn't turn out very good. For the second engagement, I decided to give Octal Info Solution a bigger role in terms of design, which they handled well.

I try to run projects as lean as possible, but I'm a difficult customer and I require many changes, which has also led to a higher cost. Octal Info Solution has delivered at the right pace, and with good quality.

How did Octal Info Solution perform from a project management standpoint?

Octal Info Solution's team has learned a lot during our collaboration. They seemed to be better structured the second time around. Octal has a structured and logical approach, working in multiple parallel streams, and they are easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

I've only worked with Octal Info Solution as an outsourcing partner, but I've handled development for other companies. By comparison, I find Octal Info Solution to be efficient and cost-effective. Hiring the same team in Sweden would have been far too expensive.

Octal Info Solution's team compares well to Swedish developers. For the types of projects I've engaged Octal Info Solution on, their value-for-money was good.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

Testing is important for avoiding change loops, but I've made the work difficult for Octal Info Solution at times. For the second project, I've tried to make many changes as early as possible, in order to enable efficient testing. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

GoodMigrations was established based on personal experience relocating from New York City to Australia and then back to the United States, this time to Los Angeles. This is a painful process that thousands of people deal with each year and my co-founder and I didn’t think it should be so difficult. The goal of GoodMigrations is to make moving abroad as easy as possible. Our first product was improving the process of finding and booking an international mover, which can be fraught with danger for people who don’t do their homework.

I am one of two co-founders of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

Another challenge for expats is learning about the city they’re moving to and understanding where to live. I had never been to Australia before; we moved sight unseen. I found myself reading a Lonely Planet guidebook in order to find out about some of the neighborhoods that might appeal to me and learn what it's like to live in Sydney. There are other travel guides out there, but they're all focused on tourists. That’s an audience with very different needs than someone relocating, who cares less about hotels and tourist attractions and more about things like home price, school quality, and local amenities.

Based on my experience, I knew that this was a gap; I also interviewed other expats around the world in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, probing them on the things they'd want to know when they moved to a new city. There were some differences in the answers, but there were about ten key things which almost everyone talked about, including cost of living, safety, how to get basics like internet, and so on. From those interviews, I was able to create a specification document for what a guide should look like and have the pages built by a design firm.

The next step was finding a team which could develop the City Guides product. This is what I asked Octal Info Solution to do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The page designs were performed by a design firm that I’ve been using for a while, but Octal Info Solution developed the entire City Guides product. It's a web application that is mobile-responsive.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

I got quotes from and interviewed several offshore teams and was most impressed by Octal Info Solution.

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solution?

Sorry, this is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Octal Info Solution in April 2016. We’ve launched the City Guides and I continue to collaborate with them on enhancements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I appreciated the way in which we were able to work together. Octal Info Solution provided dedicated resources, quickly responded to feedback, and had a talented team. This was true both for initial specifications when we mapped out a 9-week development plan that Octal Info Solution stuck to, and also along the way as I made enhancements.

Their work was high quality. I did find defects, but they were minor and often the result of my specifications not being thorough enough. Octal Info Solution has been solid to work with.

Anytime I've worked with offshore teams, there was a concern about language challenges. I have had none with Octal Info Solution.

How did Octal Info Solution perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management component of this work was not very visible. Octal Info Solution's project manager did take part in all my communications so I know he was keeping an eye on things. A single developer did most of the work, so the manager didn't have to coordinate a number of different people on my behalf.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

Two things really stood out. The first was how responsive they were to feedback. I never had to wonder about the status of something; they were always very communicative and quick to act on my input. The second thing was their feedback to me when it came to designing the solution. I'm not a technical person and Octal Info Solution oftentimes presented an alternative approach to what I specified that would result in a faster or simpler solution. This kind of thoughtfulness is extremely helpful since it gives me multiple options on how to solve for a requirement.

Are there any areas Octal Info Solution could improve?

None based on my project experience. I'm very visual and explicit in how I provide feedback to the team and always use annotated screenshots so any changes are clear to them. There was nothing during our ongoing collaboration that raised a red flag.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

Requirements are always the hardest part to get right when building a large application. Once development starts it’s common to find there are gaps in the requirements. I don't know what the experience with Octal would be like for people engaging without a specs document, but it’s critical to have a clear sense of you want to build.

BACKGROUND

We are a provider of staff advances to organization employees. I am the Director/Chief Executive Officer. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Our goal was to get a solution to automate volume customer registration, loan origination, servicing, and collections. We need to develop a custom platform with an IT firm to accomplish our business goal.

SOLUTION

Their scope of work was to develop a web/mobile app in which customers can enroll onto the system, borrow, and manage their accounts. For backend work, it was to develop a system for managing customer loans and, customer accounts, etc.

We selected Octal through an online screening process and RFP/RFQ. Octal stood out as a company that had international client experience and had a portfolio of similar products.

When we reached out to their sales team, they quickly put up something for our discussion, and through Skype, we were able to hold our initial discussion very quickly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Octal was able to develop a world class Google mobile app with a very impressive user interface, together with a website to match. They incorporated our feedback in the designs. Octal also developed a backend loan management system that we use to manage client accounts, disbursements, and repayments.

Right from inception and from project conceptualization, Octal managed the work through a project team that overall had very good project management expertise. We had frequent chats with the project manager and were able to send updates through very regularly.

Working with an overseas partner like Octal can be challenging, especially due to language issues. We did have a few language issues, which I’m pleased to say, were dealt with very fast when spotted.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

AMGO offers mobile app video on demand solutions for African movie producers and premium content owners.  Mobile is becoming the infrastructure of choice in the region, so we wanted to create a product akin to iTunes, allowing users to buy movies and download them to their phone.

The content is encrypted at a local level, which means that it can't be transferred between users. There is an almost 5-billion-dollar industry in Africa, but piracy takes away almost 80% of the revenue. We have locations in the US and Ghana.

I am the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

We are working with around 8 vendors on creating APIs [application program interfaces] for our platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially used another developer for our app, but the work was taking too long. We had to move everything to Octal Info Solution. They could not utilize our existing source code, so the app was built again from scratch, based on the existing idea. Octal Info Solution also incorporated custom APIs into our solution, for coding, encryption, payment, and so on.

The app is only available on Android, at the moment. This is the platform for 80% of phones in Africa, so we needed to gain traction on this market before tackling iOS.

Our work site is myamgo.com, which was also developed by Octal Info Solution. Our content used to be hosted on Amazon Web services, which is an expensive solution, and one which is difficult to get out of. Octal Info Solution helped with the migration to an IBM solution. I worked with one main contact from Octal Info Solution, who acted as a project manager and clarified any issues. I don't know how many resources worked in the backend.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

I found Octal Info Solution through Upwork, after posting a request. I received around 20 responses, but Octal Info Solution had worked on a similar project involving a content platform for India, and was able to provide a case study. Octal Info Solution gave me ideas on how we could move forward in terms of scalability and other factors.

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solution?

The total cost of Octal Info Solution's services has been between $15,000 and $18,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Octal Info Solution in 2013. The platform was supposed to launch in 2015, but we came across a challenge in terms of payment options for the African market. Legacy solutions like Visa and MasterCard don't work on mobile software, so we needed to incorporate mobile money purchase functions. Nobody had really tried to use mobile money for in-app purchases, which gave us an 8-month delay. We've had to negotiate with a vendor in Africa, and let them buy into the idea.

Because of their experience with the platform, I am looking into working with Octal Info Solution for maintenance and updates, as well as for developing an iOS version, but I will build an in-house support team as our business grows.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I've worked with Octal Info Solution for almost 3 years, so I've been impressed with their work. We've had a soft launch on Facebook, and have accumulated 200,000 views so far from Ghana and Nigeria. There have not been any major challenges so far, and the user experience has been good. The app has 100-200 downloads per day. It's picking up, but it hasn't gone viral yet.

It's impossible to launch a perfect product, but we will improve the platform, add content, and have a major launch in January 2017.

How did Octal Info Solution perform from a project management standpoint?

We separated our project into milestones, with cost and time estimates for each one. Keeping aggressive deadlines and maintaining constant contact has helped our collaboration with Octal Info Solution. They delivered on-time in 80% of cases. There have been some challenges, but Octal Info Solution was responsive in terms of performing tests and coming back with solutions to any issues which came up.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

Given that we are based in Africa, and we have a different culture to Indian developers, I considered outsourcing customer service to a local partner, but Octal Info Solution has helped me do a good job so far, and I plan to keep working with them. I can contact Octal Info Solution with any business concern or issue.

Are there any areas Octal Info Solution could improve?

Our main challenges came after the work was completed. They were efficient during development, but Octal Info Solution became a bit sluggish on the support side.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

I would advise any clients to inquire about the support that Octal Info Solution can offer after the app has been completed. This is a critical point, because once the app has been taken live, issues will come up.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a startup running an e-commerce website, where we provide mobile devices. I am the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

We needed development services, as well as consultation for the design of our site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Octal Info Solution has developed our website, as well as iOS and Android apps for our company. I provided my requirements to their team, and Octal Info Solution found the best solution in terms of design, coding, marketing, and business logic.

We worked with a project manager from Octal Info Solution, as well as 2 developers, one designer, and one tester.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

I searched online with keywords like "mobile and website development", came up with a few companies in India, Ukraine, and the US, contacted 2 of them, and sent out my requirements. I inquired about their price, as well as business and technical skills, ultimately choosing Octal Info Solution.

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solution?

The total cost of our project has been around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Octal Info Solution in 2016. Our project has been completed a month ago. We're still going through some legal formalities, so the website hasn't been launched yet. I plan to use Octal Info Solution for maintenance and additional changes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am 100% satisfied. Octal Info Solution didn't simply work as a developer, but also put in their own suggestions and improvements for my product.

How did Octal Info Solution perform from a project management standpoint?

Octal Info Solution provided a schedule with complete details at the beginning of our project. I was able to review deliverables on their development server. The work was delivered 2 days before the deadline. We used Trello for project tracking.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

Many of the software companies which I've used in the past were simply developers. I gave them specifications, which they completed without questioning if any elements were wrong, and without inputting any ideas from their end. Octal Info Solution's team is made up of intelligent people, able to provide business ideas, and discuss requirements with me, in order to deliver the best possible product for the current market.

Are there any areas Octal Info Solution could improve?

No.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

Clients should discuss their projects fully, and create proper requirements before starting the work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work as a technical consultant for various companies, helping clients in the e-commerce and booking industries. I am an independent consultant, so I work as a sole proprietor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

I outsource assignments to other companies, and Octal Info Solution was one of them. I received a project for developing a cruise booking system for an Australian company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Octal Info Solution built a solution featuring native mobile applications, as well as PHP APIs for interfacing with the legacy .NET CRM [customer relationship management] system.

Octal Info Solution's business analyst came up with an architecture and system flow which, although technical, was easy for a non-technical person to understand. From there, we kicked-off the project.

I have worked with a group of 6 people from Octal Info Solution, including QA resources, designers, technical developers, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

Because I work as a consultant, I need to have a good overview of the developer I'd be recommending to my own clients. I had a discussion with Octal Info Solution's representative who, although a non-technical person, captured that department very well, and was able to come up with relevant questions based on my requirements. I asked Octal Info Solution for examples of past work, client references, and a demo project, which came up very well.

I'd used other outsourcing companies in the past, and didn't have a very good experience, mainly because communication is a problem when working remotely. I was able to have video conferences with Octal Info Solution, and maintained contact with their key technical person. I like Octal Info Solution's processes, and I feel that I've received value for my money.

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solution?

The total cost of my project with Octal Info Solution was between $75,000 and $85,000. The cost was a bit high, but Octal Info Solution provided good quality for it. I've worked with companies that charged less, but produced lower-quality results.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Octal Info Solution in 2014. My project was completed earlier this year, and I'm now in discussion with Octal Info Solution about an upcoming project for a ticketing system.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Octal Info Solution provided various skillsets, including a business analyst and a competent technical team. I also appreciated that Octal Info Solution has a QA department, so anything delivered to me was taken through a testing process. Octal Info Solution provided reports showing how many bugs had been identified, and how functional the system was overall.

How did Octal Info Solution perform from a project management standpoint?

The project was delayed because I couldn't obtain client feedback in time, and some requirements changed along the way. Octal Info Solution operated very well, and a 4-week delay on a project of 16 months is acceptable.

We used Jira for tracking our project requirements. Octal Info Solution also provided me with a scrum dashboard through which I could oversee the progress, and what items had been completed, or were being tested.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

Compared to companies I've worked with in the last 10-12 years, Octal Info Solution has provided a skilled team, and they didn't try to sell resources as having more experience than they actually did. Octal Info Solution told me from the start if a particular task could be accomplished or not, or if they needed more time. This assured me that Octal Info Solution was an honest company.

Are there any areas Octal Info Solution could improve?

Octal Info Solution could provide more detailed quotes. Some details were overlooked in our project because of this, even though they were added in later. This wasn't 100% the fault of Octal Info Solution, but if something could be done on their side in order to provide more details, that would be a good improvement.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

I would advise clients to try Octal Info Solution's services; they won't be disappointed. I've already recommended 3 people to the company, and they are happy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

SixthContinent is a global social commerce platform which distributes income in real-time to users from all over the world.

I am the founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

Octal Info Solution is our software development partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Octal Info Solution has been involved in the whole development process, building the custom frontend and backend elements of our platform, as well as providing support for it. The technologies used were PHP, JavaScript, Objective-C, and Java. The biggest part of the project involved our e-commerce features, which enabled our own team to upload and change commercial offers. Octal Info Solution has also developed social frontend features.

Octal Info Solution's team has visited our headquarters in Italy, and worked with us here for 3 months at the beginning of our relationship. We are now connected with Octal Info Solution as one team, working on a 24-hour basis. We have come to know each other well, which I find to be an important element. This isn't easy to achieve while working on a remote basis.

Octal Info Solution's general manager also came to Italy in order to assess the more complex features which we needed to develop. It has been a good experience, given that he is a very good engineer.

We have a 6-person team from Octal Info Solution, but we've used up to 10 resources as-needed. We work directly with our developers. We have one iOS and one Android dedicated developer.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

We looked online for developers with Symfony experience, and found 2-3 companies. We interviewed Octal Info Solution's general manager through Skype, and liked his professional approach. We decided to give them a try, but an initial requirement was to send Octal Info Solution's team to Italy for the first part of our relationship. In this way, we came to know the people from their team, and Octal Info Solution saw what our work process and quality level were.

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solution?

The cost of Octal Info Solution's services is around $225,000 per year. We estimate to spend less in 2017, but we have been working in high gear, and having the team come to Italy doubled costs because of increased taxes. We knew that the price would be higher, but we preferred to have the team here in order to train them and have a successful collaboration.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Octal Info Solution in December 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've had a good experience with Octal Info Solution. Our features were delivered in good time, allowing us to develop new sales channels and attract new business.

How did Octal Info Solution perform from a project management standpoint?

I found it important to manage our project plan daily, along with our local general manager. Octal Info Solution delivered on time, which is the most important part. We also never found problems in terms of cost. Octal Info Solution respected the pre-authorized budget.

Octal Info Solution was able to work within our time zone, through a dedicated shift.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

Octal Info Solution has an understanding of the business process behind the e-commerce platform. Octal Info Solution worked as a partner for us, and helped boost our business.

Are there any areas Octal Info Solution could improve?

No. We've been happy with Octal Info Solution.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

The key to a good collaboration is to only outsource part of the work. Previously, I tried to handle the whole development in India, and it didn't go well. The head of the team needs to be based in the same location as the client. It's not always easy to explain every requirement, so the developer may deliver something which they see as complete, even though it's not. The outcome may be completely different in terms of concept and user experience. I am happy with the work done by Octal Info Solution, but their team is managed from Italy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Vuelio is a media database company, providing monitoring for around 1,300 corporate clients across the UK and Europe.

I am the Product Director of the company. I am in charge of the whole software development lifecycle of our product, from coding to support.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Octal Info Solution?

We needed to implement some changes to our legacy product, and provide regression testing on our software suite. We needed a scalable resource which would grow according to our demands. We considered having an in-house team, as well as several other options, but after considering the inefficiencies and costs involved for getting things done, we gave the work to Octal Info Solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Octal Info Solution took over development for our legacy platform. We utilize the Microsoft stack, including C#, .NET, as well as some native Azure services. The platform also has JavaScript components.

At the moment, we're working with around 7 resources from Octal Info Solution's team, including 2 quality assurance testers, a project lead, and the developers themselves. We mostly interact with our project manager, which has worked out well for most of the time. Octal Info Solution's project management has been good, so there was no need for us to engage directly with developers. As long as we have source code and architecture reviews, everything will flow well.

How did you come to work with Octal Info Solution?

I don't remember how the initial contact was made. I visited Octal Info Solution at their offices, in order to get an idea of the company and its founders, making sure that they'd be a legitimate partner.

Many outsourcing companies have a lot of turnover in terms of staff. The project manager may remain constant, but if they're in charge of resources which are changing every 3 weeks, the project will become a nightmare. Jaipur is not a known center for software development, but it churns out thousands of IT students every year. Octal Info Solution is a well-known employer which pays well. They have a good reputation and a small, captive market, which means that the company will have access to some of the best programmers in Jaipur, which is a large pool of talent. It's more of a tourist city, and there isn't the same level of opportunity which some technology centers in India offer, which results in more consistency and better management. The owners are well-respected, and they treat the staff well. I found this to be fundamental when choosing Octal Info Solution.

How much have you invested with Octal Info Solution?

The cost of Octal Info Solution's services has been between $5,000 and $10,000 on a monthly basis.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our current project with Octal Info Solution started in March 2016. Prior to this, I'd worked with Octal Info Solution for a different company, over the span of 3 years.

Octal Info Solution is almost effectively a part of our own staff, with their own company emails, and full access to our source code. We have a continuous demand for their services on special projects, non-core development work, and testing. We have an ongoing relationship with Octal Info Solution, and see no reason to change this.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Octal Info Solution has been keen to help our company. Recently, we needed to provide software patches for 800 clients because of a problem with a dev tool. Octal Info Solution worked through last weekend without any issues. We found Octal Info Solution to be flexible and willing to work hard.

We've been pleasantly surprised in terms of bug testing. Octal Info Solution picked up many more bugs than our onshore testers. We've had a positive experience overall.

How did Octal Info Solution perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is one thing that Octal Info Solution handled well. We receive hourly breakdowns consistently. We used to keep organization on a project basis; if the estimates were wrong, Octal Info Solution ended up paying for it. We've moved to a retainer model, which has proven beneficial for us. Octal Info Solution is almost like our own staff in this sense, and the invoicing has stabilized. We don't have any budget surprises, and the quality has remained the same.

We use Asana as a project management tool, as well as Office365 and Skype. We use GitHub as a code repository, and TestRail for testing.

What did you find most impressive about Octal Info Solution?

We haven't had much staff turnover on Octal Info Solution's side, and have dealt with more-or-less the same people for 4 years. Apart from this, Octal Info Solution is a medium-sized shop, which means that their owners and managers are working on-site every day. The environment is more paternalistic and caring than some of the bigger companies.

Are there any areas Octal Info Solution could improve?

Communication can be difficult when working through Skype. Their English is very good, but our staff can find them difficult to understand because of their strong accents. We tend to do everything through chat. Octal Info Solution's team has good written English skills. The initial communication process can be difficult for some people, but it's also because of the cultural barrier.

Without clear requirements and communication, there will be inconsistent project management. Octal Info Solution cannot be put in charge of the full initiative, because they don't have a fundamental understanding of our business logic. This isn't what we want them for, in any case. As long as there is a clear process of communication, and the requirements make sense, the relationship can be quite beneficial. Octal Info Solution's team loves coding, and they're very good at it.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Octal Info Solution?

The client should focus on the work done on requirements and pre-planning. I even handle some of the user interface/user experience components, and have found that it can be very helpful in allowing the team to see how the application is meant to look and function. Octal Info Solution is very good at coding and are hardworking and quick, but less adept at guessing what the client wants. If that is provided to them, then there's almost no room for error.

We have daily standup meetings with Octal Info Solution's project manager, and also produce documents reviewing changes to be made. We can get some extraordinarily rapid development done in this way.