OpenSource Technologies Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a wholesale heavy equipment brokerage. I’m the owner, CEO, and CFO. 

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

We had a lack of technological support and were having problems with hacking. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided me with website and software development support and cybersecurity. They learned our industry and helped update and fix our infrastructure. We had previously hired another company to migrate our website to a CRM, but they’d fallen short. OpenSource Technologies picked up the pieces and made sure everything was in working order. 

What is the team composition? 

I have two main points of contact: Manish (CEO) and Vikas (Project Manager). There are at least 2–3 other people that work with them as well. 

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

My IT provider recommended them to me. I sat down with them and explained my industry. They quickly teamed up with us and our other vendors. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent close to $125,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2019, and the website launched in March or April of that year. 

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

We’ve seen a reduction in business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this has given us more time to evaluate our software and make sure it works properly. We’ve been able to increase our productivity as a result. 

How did OpenSource Technologies Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re fantastic. They’re detailed and always write everything down. The process is highly organized. I can reach them 24/7 if needed which is very important. The team is diligent and always ensures that work gets approved by the proper people. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re on point, detail-oriented, and work efficiently. There’s never a delay. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re very conscientious. The team is always calm, cool, and collected. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sit down and have a detailed conversation. Have an outline of what you need and make sure to be clear and concise. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of TrueVine Photography, a commercial photography company.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

We needed to build a new website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I let them know exactly what I needed within a website. Along with building the site, they help me with uploading and updating content.

What is the team composition?

Mark (Business Development) was the manager of the project. We also worked with two other people who worked closely on the site.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

I see Mark once a week in our networking group. I was able to see the work they do through presentations at the group. It was time for me to upgrade my site, and I knew I could trust their company.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $4,700–$5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2019–March 2020.

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

The site is responsive and works well. It attracts a lot of clients. The feedback has been phenomenal. It’s been a huge positive for our business.

Throughout the engagement, the team remained patient with me. Mark was extremely attentive, sending me frequent reminders.

How did OpenSource Technologies Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, they were phenomenal. Mark was always on me, making sure everything was available. The entire team worked well with me, even with setting me up on a payment plan. We communicated through phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The timing of the project. When they said they were going to get things done, their team got them done. Their creativity was also noteworthy. They did a great job putting everything together, and if I didn’t like something, they would make the change without any additional charge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I could tell. Everything moved smoothly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I just gave them a referral today. I discussed the ease of communication and their payment plan. I seem to be referring people to them every week.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of a grocery store that recently went online.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

We wanted to sell our products online, so we needed help in building our website. We also wanted to create an app.  

What was the scope of their involvement?

OpenSource Technologies is creating a WordPress website where people can place online orders for pickup. The team helped narrow down the best categories to create browsing options for shoppers.

What is the team composition?

There are currently three teammates assigned to the project. Manish (CEO, OpenSource Technologies Inc.) is my main point of contact, but I’m also working with a designer and an engineer.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

Someone in my family had worked with them before and recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in March 2017, and the project is still underway.

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

OpenSource Technologies’ work has been very helpful for business. Thanks to them, we’ve enjoyed greater visibility. The website has seen increased traffic, and we’ve had many people place orders for pick-up.

How did OpenSource Technologies Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They typically solve issues within 24 hours, and they’re responsive. We communicate via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Out of all the companies I’ve worked with, they’re the most communicative, and they provide the highest quality of work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a few occasions where I needed to remind them of tasks that they’d forgotten about.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Once you set the budget, they’ll make it work. You can also trust that they’ll be responsive.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief operating officer of 27th Investments. We manage and operate five different corporations in different industries.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

We started our relationship with OpenSource Technologies when trying to start a mobile app for 27th Investments for our investors and clients to have access to information. They moved into website design and setting up servers. Increasingly, they’ve been involved with other kinds of things.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped with app design. Their team built an app that you can download on your iPhone or another design. Full-scale app development was supplied, from design to information to client interaction. They also did all UI/UX and helped publish the app through the iOS App Store and Google. After the app was running, we started working with their marketing department as well.

What is the team composition?

There was one person that was always the point of contact with any issues that may have come up. Each department that they had for app development had a person who took care of the development as well as the actual work and design. I communicated with that person as well as their project manager for each department.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

They were recommended by somebody I know.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000 and $100,000. There’s also a monthly marketing spend.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in September 2018 and is ongoing.

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

We did a lot of in-house testing and the app functioned how we wanted it to function. They also did a great job with the website, which had a more complex backend. Some issues came up, but they immediately fixed it. They put their own ideas and opinions on things. They don’t just rely on information coming from us.

How did OpenSource Technologies Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Whatever issues we had, it would get resolved almost immediately. It’s very easy communication. They’ve been extremely accommodating. Everything was delivered on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge of technology and ability to communicate were impressive. There’s never been a question of whether they could do the work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t complain.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They should contact them and tell them exactly what they need.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the agency principal at 309 Enterprises. We’re an authorized agent for the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. 

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

It’s vitally important for me to have a web presence. Most of the people who use my services need to transfer a vehicle title, which is required in our state. My company does that transfer, but most customers don’t know who I am until they come for their title transfer appointment. We need a good web presence and a comprehensive site to make sure I show up on top of search results.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team handles my SEO to ensure that we show up on the top of SERPs. Along with that, they designed my website to be best optimized for SEO. Because my business expanded rapidly after they designed my first site, they created a new website for me that’s about 500% larger than the first. The site is designed for consumers but can be used for businesses with commercial vehicle needs. 

The layout of the solutions includes links that connect our company to the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. That gives customers the resources to collect all the required forms on their own before they even need my help. They also suggested that I include functionalities that allow for those with sight or hearing impairments to understand our content.

That comes in handy for the registrations I provide for handicapped drivers. They even went as far as developing a privacy policy for my team. They’re still on contract for site maintenance and SEO. 

What is the team composition?

I deal directly with two main points of contact. However, they also work with content writers and other specialists on our account. 

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies Inc.?

I was introduced to them through my local chamber of commerce. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $20,000–$40,000 with them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2019, and our collaboration is ongoing.  

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

Traffic and phone calls increased as soon as they started handling my SEO efforts. Initially, phone calls increased by about 30%, and foot traffic increased by 20%. 

The new site is easy to understand, providing users with a step-by-step plan of what they need prior to arriving here. Now, whenever someone searches for a key phrase relating to my services, my site is now showing higher and higher.

They make quick updates to the site and adjust their keyword strategy rapidly. At this point, I’m noticing my phone ringing more because people are now very aware of what I offer. That was really impressive.   

How did OpenSource Technologies Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They were patient and focused when following up with me. My main point of contact was incredibly understanding. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They went above and beyond my expectations for them, pointing me in the right direction for tasks outside of their scope of work. We’re a small business that’s not focused on tech. They wanted to learn more about our business, which was pretty niche. Their team took the time to understand my business and kept devising ways to work with customers. That led to many changes in my SEO strategy. Throughout, they really had a lot of patience with me. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d recommend them to anyone. In fact, I’ve already referred them to two other businesses. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Choose them for their quality work.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own Bango Systems, an e-commerce company that sells wholesale goods all over the country. We work in a bunch of different capacities, selling different types of goods, and so on.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We had our website custom developed on the OpenCart platform by another team. They did a great job of it, but we needed some functionalities that the other team we’d worked with just couldn’t handle. I presented a current issue we were having to them, and they came back saying it was impossible to fix, and they couldn’t think of any other ways to do it.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re working with a supplier with a huge website and millions of products on it. We don’t carry every product our supplier does; only a few of them. Our supplier couldn’t give us a CSV export or an Excel file with all of the SKUs and an inventory level. What we required was to scrape that supplier’s website, download all the information relevant to us, (leaving the information that wasn’t) including product descriptions and pictures, and update it every couple of days with the new products added that met our requirements.

That also required that we setup a custom scraper to grab inventory levels, and that was not something our supplier was making easy for us. We could get the inventory levels if we wanted, because they were just listed on the website, but we couldn’t get them in the form of a CSV. OpenSource did tons of engineering work to set up two separate servers to go in and pull in all of this information, perform the backend work, and post it on our site. They put it on our site with no issues. It was a huge project, and they pulled it off flawlessly.

We still use OpenCart, and OpenSource built inside it using PHP and Java.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked directly with two people from OpenSource: the project manager and their head engineer. I know that the head engineer runs a team, but I haven’t dealt with anyone there, aside from a couple of times to answer some questions.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

I started looking for a new team that could take over what our original development team had put together for us. Looking for a provider to take over existing work is always a nightmare, but I found OpenSource and reached out to them.

They’re an OpenCart preferred provider. I did some googling for those kinds of firms and reached out to them, but I didn’t get a good feeling from anyone until I talked to OpenSource.I scheduled a call with them about the custom functionalities I wanted to build, and I appreciated that they had US reps working US hours, which is rare. I was able to talk to someone then and there. After considering my problem, they came back telling me that they had to learn the specifics, but that they thought it was doable.

Most companies I talked to previously asked me exactly how I wanted the problem to be solved, but I’m not technical enough to put together a plan. OpenSource laid out exactly how they thought it should be done, which was refreshing. They didn’t sugarcoat it though. They told me that what I was asking for was pretty serious, and required two different servers to be set up and all kinds of scripts to be run. But, they came together and built that complex system perfectly for us. They did it on time and slightly under budget, too.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost has been in the $40,000–$50,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with OpenSource in February 2019, and the collaboration is ongoing. The one functionality piece we gave them has worked so well that we’ve been working with them since, on the same website. We update, fix, and move things around to make the experience better for our customers. I don’t see us coming to a halt with them anytime soon.

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

The site was not pretty when they started working with us, in the sense that it was slow, annoying, tough to work with, and didn’t perform properly. It was a good base to start with, but it was a bear to use for our customers. Before we started working with OpenSource, we were doing $25,000–$30,000 per month in business. Now, we’re doing well over $90,000 per month. That’s a big step up in only a couple of months, and we credit a good amount of it to OpenSource. Some of that is due to the marketing we’ve done a company, but none of that growth would’ve been possible if our website still sucked, and our website doesn’t suck anymore.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

To say it as simply as possible: I feel like I’m their only client. Having hired a lot of contractors to do a lot of things for me over the years, I find that to be unbelievably rare. When I send a message or call OpenSource, they immediately respond and handle whatever I’m asking for. They project plan whatever I asked for within hours, not days. If I ask for a task, they come back with a plan in three hours and are ready to execute.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Everything about them is noteworthy. I can go to them whenever I have an issue or new idea for the site, and their answer is always yes. They always come in with a reasonable quote, and their support is amazing. I’ve leaned on them during a lot of Saturdays and Sundays, and during midnights, when the site went down. We’ve done a lot with them, and it’s been a great relationship so far.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no complaints about them. We’re always working together, and they’re always responsive. Their support is amazing, and we’ve continued to work with them on an ongoing basis.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

The biggest adjustment for me was telling them what I wanted. I’ve worked with different contractors that wanted me to tell them how to do what I wanted done. With OpenSource, I just tell them what I want, and they put a plan together for me and do it. That’s amazing, and it’s the best part about working with them, but it threw me in the beginning. I was giving them overly technical directions, which didn’t confuse them, but it wasn’t the way they did it.

I advise clients to tell them what they want, not how to do it or how to get there. Just tell them what the end goal is, and let them put the plan together to get you there. They will, every time.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of Buy Door Hardware Now. We sell commercial hardware online throughout the United States.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

The team is our web development partner.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OpenSource Technologies updated our existing website to the new OpenCart version and migrated it to a new server. The ongoing partnership has been limited to backend development.

What is the team composition?

The owner oversees work done by the manager and three developers.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

We found them through the OpenCart website.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $15,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2014 and the partnership is ongoing.

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

The experience was stressful, but they were professional and pushed through the hurdles. We’re happy with the team and continue to use them.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

The team provides responsive service in a timely and professional manner. We usually have teamwide emails, calls or Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team’s strong communication skills distinguish them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

OpenSource is very knowledgeable in many areas.  We’ve used them to develop our website, add google reviews, SEO keyword work, and our email system just to name a few.  In terms of possible areas to improve, I wish they knew a little more about the merchant processors and all involved in the credit card checkout process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When it comes to technology services, tasks can be broad.  What seems simple sometimes becomes very complicated.  You must be very precise about explaining what you need and then let the experts decide how to get you there.  Know that costs are usually based on time.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the web and digital manager for a nonprofit organization in Canada. We operate in the think tanks space to influence policy.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We knew OpenSource Technologies was familiar with our Drupal site infrastructure and our organization, so we turned to them for support. Primarily, we needed them to create a template we could use as a new format to illustrate some narratives in our work

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our website is built on a Drupal framework. I put together initial wireframes and handed them over for OpenSource Technologies to review. We discussed how we wanted to them to implement it. They copied the current theme we'd been using and developed a module based on these materials. Using this method made it easier to integrate back into our system once it was complete. 

Upon design confirmation, they quoted us a price, and we moved forward with the engagement. We kept an open line of communication back and forth. After they’d complete an aspect of the site, they'd return it to me for revisions. We continued using that feedback loop until the project was finished. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with 2-3 people from OpenSource Technologies. 

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

We selected OpenSource Technologies for this project based on our previous relationship. When we’d partnered together in the past, they had performed timely work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January or February of this year.  OpenSource Technologies completed this component of the site in May 2018. 

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

OpenSource Technologies created a template that helps us illustrate the efforts our organization is hoping to accomplish. We would like to use it again for other formats and pieces of work. In-house members of our organization are enjoying the way it turned out. They've made positive comments on the fresh new look and feel. 

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Our frequency of communication ranged from daily to weekly. Since they're located offshore, the language barrier caused some miscommunications with colloquial speech. Sometimes, I had to elaborate on my explanations to ensure clarity. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

OpenSource Technologies works on a quick turnaround time. The director completes my requests within a day or two of when I contact him. His teammates are equally prompt to respond and deliver. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

OpenSource Technologies uses a centralized approach. A lead developer or manager disseminates information to the rest of the team. At times, they'd have to pull in one of their designers or developers to answer my questions about the design or backend. Sometimes I had to wait a few hours to hear back, but that's to be expected from this method. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I encourage future clients to be as detailed as possible about what they want OpenSource Technologies to create. Outlining every single detail will ensure that the finished product won't be missing any components. Everything should be covered and documented. 

Introduce your company and what you do there.

I am the CEO and founder of Zepeel Inc., a mobile video dating app. 

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We were struggling with online visibility so we needed SEO assistance.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They write content for our website, including articles and blogs. They developed keywords and built backlinks to drive traffic to our site. They also made minor coding changes to our website to make it more appealing and informative.

What is the team composition?

I initially interacted with Manish (CEO, OpenSource Technologies) but now primarily interact with my project manager. We also work on a regular basis with another colleague and one blog writer.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

I discovered them from an email that offered SEO services. I expressed interest, then Manish contacted me.

How much have you invested for their services?

We’ve invested around $7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since February 2018.

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

When we promote our blogs and articles on social media, we get many more likes and comments. Since we’re now in the top 10 results on Google, our organic web traffic has risen—largely because of the keywords they helped us implement. We’re still working on increasing conversions, however.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver on their promises consistently and perform excellent work. We communicate regularly and have monthly calls to review data and results. They are easy to work with and accommodating to our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They respond quickly to any questions or issues. Unlike other companies that take their time in responding, OpenSource Technologies resolves all of our email inquiries the same day.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There aren’t any areas for improvement. Whenever there is an issue, we discuss it and resolve it immediately.

Do you have any advice for potential clients?

The partnership works best as a collaborative effort; be prepared to work toward the end goal as a team.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT Director of an herbal medicine company.

What challenge were you trying to address with OpenSource Technologies?

We wanted to make our site more mobile-friendly and add more features to it. We had a lot to update which required more workforce.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked on both the frontend and backend functionality. They used PHP to build the site. Our site is industry standard, but we wanted our customers to be able to search for products either alphabetically or with a product ID. We are still working with them to add more features.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 4–5 people for this project including a project manager, designers, and developers.

How did you come to work with OpenSource Technologies?

We found them through an online search.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2017 and the work is ongoing.

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

It was a big challenge, but they were able to deliver a solution that made the site easier to use. People have been happy with the additional functionality and features that they were able to implement for us. We haven’t had any bugs.

How did OpenSource Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They are pretty good at achieving their milestones. They are usually on time. Anytime they needed extra time, they communicated it to us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The project manager is excellent. We are in constant communication, which I like. I have been pretty impressed with their timely completion of their work, and they always answer our questions and sort out any issues that may come up.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. So far, it has been working well for us and we like the way that things have been going.