OptiSol Business Solutions Client Reviews

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Web Development

Sep 12, 2017

the project

Web App Design & Development for Tech Startup

"OptiSol is an exceptional company and they are very good at what they do."

Web Development

$200,000 to $999,999

Apr. 2013 - Ongoing

4.5

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

3.5

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

$200,000 to $999,999

Apr. 2013 - Ongoing

Project summary:

OptiSol Business Solutions provided technical resources for the development and design of an e-commerce platform, using languages such as MongoDB, AngularJS and Node.js throughout the project.

1-10 Employees

United Kingdom

Founder & CEO, Tech Startup

Verified

the reviewer

Founder & CEO, Tech Startup

Information Technology

1-10 Employees

United Kingdom

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

4.5

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

3.5

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"OptiSol is an exceptional company and they are very good at what they do."

Sep 12, 2017

Feedback summary:

Methodical and deliberate in their approach, OptiSol Business Solutions produces a significantly higher level of quality in their development work than other firms. The new web app is free of bugs and function deficiencies and has been positively received in the market.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of a tech startup in the e-commerce space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

We were trying to build our product and needed design and development services for a web app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We scoped an MVP, mapped-out and planned it, and iterated based on customer and market feedback through dozens of development cycles over a period of 18 months. We built a platform which did what we envisioned for it to do at the start of the project. It took a significant amount longer than we thought, but we did get there in the end.

OptiSol built a batching algorithm which was one of the technical challenges we faced. The software itself wasn’t technically-challenging because it used existing tech. The batching algorithm and the open-order book were the most advanced parts, though both are basic in terms of functionality. If we do develop anything remotely more advanced, it will be at a later point.

We used MongoDB, the Express.js, AngularJS and Node.js. I’m not a developer, so OptiSol made those choices based on our final use cases. I believe the stack is called MEAN, and it’s standard for what we built. They are up-to-date with the latest techniques.

What is the team dynamic?

Jayakumar Radhakrishnan [Co-Founder, OptiSol Business Solutions] acted as our business analyst, and we had a lead developer. I mostly worked with them during my time with OptiSol.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I initially spoke with one of their business development people 5 years ago, on a now defunct platform called Elance.com. They understood the parameters of what we were trying to do quickly, which is why I chose OptiSol.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost has been between $150,000 and $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with OptiSol in April 2013 on a different initial project. The current one is still ongoing. We’ve paused development while we get some feedback from the market.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a good product market fit. The platform is converting well, and is functional from this point of view. We don’t have any technical risk, given that it’s doing what it should be doing, after the usual bug-hunting process. We haven’t properly launched it yet due to a remaining market risk with our model.

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

This was a bootstrapped project. For the first startup project we did with OptiSol, where we were funded, their project management was excellent. We had a dedicated product manager then, but didn’t have one this time, because the project was bootstrapped. When OptiSol has the budget for product management, they’re very good at it. I couldn’t fault them there. We used Trello, Slack, Skype and Pivotal Tracker.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with an awful lot of freelancers over the years, and OptiSol is head-and-shoulders above most of them. It’s still not perfect, but they are better than the vast majority. They do what they say they will do eventually, even if they will sometimes be slow and methodical. Thinking about it, we’d prefer the work to be done slowly and right, rather than quickly and wrong. I’ve stuck with them through two projects, and I’m pretty happy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish they would spend more time in the initial stages of the project to scope it out better. This is more of a reflection on the project we’ve just finished than a criticism of OptiSol. It would save everyone a lot of time in the long run, but I can understand why this stage would be brushed over by OptiSol in order to get the business in the door. It can be costly for everyone concerned, eventually, which is a bit of an issue.

4.5

Overall Score OptiSol is an exceptional company and they are very good at what they do.

3.5 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Timelines do regularly slip, but this is sometimes my fault. It was unusual for OptiSol to meet a timeline.

5.0 Cost

Value / within estimates

They’re great value for money given the quality they produce.

5.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

We’ve had consultants from Accenture look at OptiSol’s code on GitHub. Everyone has been universally impressed by the amount of annotations, and how well it was structured.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

I wouldn’t hesitate.

Mobile App Development

Aug 31, 2017

the project

Mobile App Dev for Money Transfer Platform

"Even though particular areas of the project were not explained in detail, they were able to deliver as per my expectations."

Mobile App Development

$50,000 to $199,999

Dec. 2016 - Ongoing

5.0

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

4.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

$50,000 to $199,999

Dec. 2016 - Ongoing

Project summary:

To ensure the Payment card Security Standards and compliance, OptiSol Business Solutions built the cloud based money transfer web and mobile application software and delivered it on time.

1-10 Employees

Vancouver, Canada

Olga Bencini

Founder & CEO, AcceptLocal Online Ltd.

Verified

the reviewer

Founder & CEO, AcceptLocal Online Ltd.

Olga Bencini

Financial Services

1-10 Employees

Vancouver, Canada

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

4.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"Even though particular areas of the project were not explained in detail, they were able to deliver as per my expectations."

Aug 31, 2017

Feedback summary:

OptiSol Business Solutions was able to build a complex secure financial platform according to requirements. Their professional team was able to cover all the areas of the software development and cloud based infrastructure, which is quite impressive.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a fintech startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

The app is a money transfer platform that can be accessed via the computer, and we have it available for Android and iOS. I was looking for a partner to help build the software for both the web and mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, I was looking for an individual programmer to perform some specific development for this project as the rest of the development had already been completed by my business partner and his team. We had been in discussion with OptiSol, and after my business partner and I separated, I had asked OptiSol to provide me with an offer for the entire development of the product. They proposed an offer and I was satisfied, and then we moved forward from there. They ended up developing the entire software for the web and app. They were my personal development team.

It was important for me to have a very secure software. As it is a money transfer software, all the language and the cloud based software had to be secure. It was a challenge for OptiSol to choose the architecture platform. We had been in discussion regarding which language to use, and where the software should be based. In the end, we decided to base it in the Amazon Cloud, and use JavaScript languages, as well as other languages that they chose to add.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I found them through PeoplePerHour.com as I was initially looking for a developer to perform a small frontend job, and had contacted them last year when I was at the beginning stages of development. My business partner at the time had looked at their profile and saw they were knowledgeable in all the languages we wanted to use. They also had the full expertise in terms of their ability to perform future jobs which may be necessary to continue in the development of the product. What I really liked about them was that they were available at the time, which was a necessity for me.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2016, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app has not been published yet.

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They were able to deliver the first phases on time and the communication has been quite good. They are very engaging. Because of the 12-hour time difference, their project manager collected all the information and provided great support. He communicated with the team and provided the project plan. They had offered me the use of their project management tool, which would allow me to contribute; however, the project is quite complex so it was easier for me in the end to establish a relationship with particular team members for a specific aspect, whether it was the Android leader or iOS leader, who I would connect to directly. The project manager would then follow up on all the communication and record everything within the tool, and made sure that everything was on time. It was easier for me to communicate in this way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Although I provided them with specific documentation, as we were building a brand new software, it was not very detailed. As it is money transfer software, we needed to build an accounting system and had to be able to connect to the Visa card network, which was quite complex.

I was surprised by how enthusiastic and inspired they were, and even though particular details of the project were not explained, they were able to deliver it how I wanted it. I also like that they use InVision, which in a way replaced the project management tool, as they were able to present the product in a mock-up way. We could then follow the progress, and they designed it precisely as I wanted it, and that was impressive.

5.0

Overall Score It was a great experience. I had the opportunity to visit with them at their office in Chennai recently, and I was really impressed with their dedication and knowledge.

4.0 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

They did a pretty good job in estimating all parts of the project.

5.0 Cost

Value / within estimates

4.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

Even though the deliverables were precise and designed in the way I wanted, unfortunately, there were times where some of the work wasn’t 100% perfect quality. It was corrected very quickly, though.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

Custom Software Development

Aug 09, 2017

the project

Chemistry Formulation Solution for 3D Printing Company

"They're very responsive to suggestions and will pull a meeting together to ask how they could do something better."

Custom Software Development

$50,000 to $199,999

Jan. 2017 - Ongoing

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

4.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

$50,000 to $199,999

Jan. 2017 - Ongoing

Project summary:

Recognizing the need for a software that can securely hold data and share confidential information within an organization, OptiSol developed a solution with integrated APIs and a project management capability.

11-50 Employees

Concord, California

Ken Kisner

Founder & CEO, Molecule Corp

Verified

the reviewer

Founder & CEO, Molecule Corp

Ken Kisner

Chemicals

11-50 Employees

Concord, California

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

4.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"They're very responsive to suggestions and will pull a meeting together to ask how they could do something better."

Aug 09, 2017

Feedback summary:

The best part about working with OptiSol Business Solutions is their commitment to being readily available to their partners. They're even willing to work into late hours of the night depending on time differences. The solution they produced has already doubled efficiency levels.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My organization is Molecule Corp. We are a startup that's a little over 3 years old. We're an innovation company focused on 3D printing and industrial inkjet. We design and sell the chemistries going into those markets. I'm the founder and CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol?

During the R&D cycle within the chemical industry, there's a consistent issue with keeping track of formulas and sharing information within the organization while keeping certain parts of that information confidential within the organization.

Most of the industry uses lab notebooks to keep track of their formulas. When a person is done with the notebook, it goes on a shelf and it's not very secure. Somebody can walk out with a lab notebook and have all of the work you've done.

Excel is also commonly used in the industry, which again is an insecure method since anybody with a thumb drive could walk away with your technology. It's a bad way of sharing knowledge within the company.

I wanted to create an efficient way for people to formulate new chemistries and share them within the community while protecting the IP.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We designed the software internally. It's called Albert. OptiSol Business Solutions created the software stack that we've utilized to suffice our needs as an organization. The software they designed solved the problem that we had, and we've actually re-engaged with them to develop more technology.

They designed the software which also includes a project management solution. We define all of our projects' targets and divide them into phases. Those phases are shown on a calendar where we can visually see how far along our in-house projects are. As people work towards these targets, we can see exactly how each project is meeting the demands of the customer. We also implemented APIs that bring in a huge amount of additional information from the internet so that the innovators and chemists have access to that information at their fingertips.

What is the team dynamic?

We had a whole team of people. We worked with Prem, Selva, Karthik, and Ravi. We met with Ravi every single morning from 9 to 10 o'clock for the last 7 months. He was the day-to-day lead on our project, but all of them were very, very accessible.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

They were our first partners. I have an employee here that worked in the software environment for a few years. He was aware of OptiSol and actually built a software package with them in a previous career. We put together very detailed requirements documents and put them out to bid. Not only was OptiSol incredibly competitive financially, but their response to our document was incredibly thorough.

How much have you invested with them?

The costs that we have incurred is about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged with them the first week of January 2017. The project has been completed. I've invested in this software independently of this company, so I have a separate company that is holding the software and licensing it to my other company. We plan on deploying it into the chemical industry as a revenue source amongst itself. I expect to be engaged with them for at least a couple more years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I now have all my intellectual property protected. The entire company has visibility of the things that I need them to have visibility of, so the efficiencies there are phenomenal.

The number of chemical formulas or batches that make have doubled. With the new tool developed by OptiSol, we can make more batches and get results from those batches, which we are then able to make decisions on. With the same number of people, we are performing twice as much work.

How did OptiSol perform from a project management standpoint?

They do extremely well. Luckily, I have an employee here that is incredibly good at project management. I think that we have actually helped OptiSol in this respect. We utilized a couple pieces of software where we put in our requests in phases to keep track of what we're expecting and how they're performing. We've worked together constantly to improve that process, but I've been very pleased with it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I didn't feel the pain of them being in India, and I think that's unique. One of the biggest concerns I had going into the project was the fact that they were in India. Like a lot of people in India, their English is phenomenal; it's not difficult to understand. Even with us being on the West Coast, they made time to ensure that we had plenty of time to work with them in our comfortable mornings.

If we needed to have longer discussions, they stayed into the wee hours of the morning working with us without complaint or without even mentioning the fact that they had missed dinner and bedtime in India. It's very comfortable to work with them in our hours to get the project done. It was easy enough that it was largely unnoticed; no different than working with a company in the US.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They're very responsive to suggestions and will pull a meeting together to ask how they could do something better. One of the things that we improved on in the last 6 months is the method that we utilized to keep track of the project. I think we both learned a lot from that process. It's our first attempt at developing the software, and I think that they improved dramatically from the beginning to the end.

As we were deploying parts of the software, we learned a lot of things that we wanted and therefore the timeline would slip because they were taking on more effort. I don't think that was a negative. I thought they were very open and didn't push back on any changes we asked for, which was really nice. The project would creep a bit timewise, but I always blamed it on us for adding more effort that they were required to do.

5.0

Overall Score My experience has been incredibly positive. They were incredibly easy to work with, even with changing requirements.

4.0 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

I blame 90% of the delays in timelines to our changes in requirements. Often, they would work on weekends to catch up if they were behind.

5.0 Cost

Value / within estimates

They are incredibly competitive, but are only a fraction of the cost of US companies. They are definitely the most professional of the foreign companies that we were looking into.

5.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

I'm very happy with the result of the software. I'm getting all of the advantages out of it that I expected and more.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

I have already recommended them twice, and I expect to recommend them several more times as I meet people that need these types of services.

Mobile App Development

Dec 19, 2016

the project

UX/UI Development for Event Sharing App

"The passion that they've had for the project, all the way up to the top of their organization, was fantastic."

Mobile App Development

$50,000 to $199,999

Jan. 2015 - Ongoing

4.0

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

3.5

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

$50,000 to $199,999

Jan. 2015 - Ongoing

Project summary:

OptiSol Business Solutions provided both the backend and frontend development of the client's app on iOS and Android devices to create an optimal user experience.

2-10 Employees

San Francisco, California

Nick Talken

Co-Founder, Hype

Verified

the reviewer

Co-Founder, Hype

Nick Talken

Media

2-10 Employees

San Francisco, California

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

4.0

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

3.5

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"The passion that they've had for the project, all the way up to the top of their organization, was fantastic."

Dec 19, 2016

Feedback summary:

Passionate about their vision, OptiSol Business Solutions believed in what the client wanted to accomplish and delivered a quality product as a result.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We provide a social application for event sharing. It includes photos, videos, and other types of media. We have been around for one year. I am a co-founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

We needed help building our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol Business Solutions started working with us at the beginning of our product's lifecycle. They were in charge of the backend, including AFP web service calls and SQL procedures, as well as the front-end for both our iOS and Android apps. OptiSol Business Solutions assigned a backend team as well as user interface [UI] designers to our project. We started the process with InVision storyboards focused on making the best user experience possible. We're a young team, so it was nice to have partners within OptiSol Business Solutions who had experience with the different technologies we were trying to implement.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

We evaluated a few of offshore and onshore companies, looking for a team with full-stack capabilities, from the backend SQL servers to the frontend UI design. We looked at teams in San Francisco as well as Ukraine and India. The price was the first decision factor. Onshore companies were simply too expensive, quoting us between $500,000 and $1,000,000 for just an initial prototype. That would amount to a lot of risks before we even validated the product in the market. We started looking offshore, taking into account the passion and capabilities of the teams, more than just the price. We ultimately chose OptiSol Business Solutions because they were incredibly passionate about our vision, and they liked working with small dynamic companies.

How much have you invested with OptiSol Business Solutions?

The cost of OptiSol Business Solutions' work has been around $80,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed our contract with OptiSol Business Solutions at the end of December 2015, but the actual work started in January 2016.

Our initial plan was to simply use an offshore team as a catalyst for our company, instead of having a continued relationship. We have been slowly transitioning parts of the work to our office over the last year, which makes it easier to maintain the codebase. We see OptiSol Business Solutions as eventually becoming a support organization for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have recently released our apps, which makes it hard to have good statistics for them. The main result has been the validation of our initial assumptions in terms of the market value of our product. There is still a lot of work to do in order to reach our goal, especially in terms of user experience. That's our weakest point at the moment. The logic and codebase are solidly-built, but we haven't focused enough on user aspects. We have been beta-testing for a couple of months, and have seen people adopt our technology.

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

OptiSol Business Solutions has used the standard industry tools in order to manage our project backlog and user stories. We work in a modified scrum environment, assigning different project managers for each project. There will always be issues and miscommunications, especially given our time difference and language barrier, but everything revolves around putting processes and tools in place. We use InVision, Pivotal Tracker, Slack, and other standard tools in order to ensure that everything is done timely and efficiently.

What did you find most impressive about OptiSol Business Solutions?

I appreciate OptiSol Business Solutions' passion. Many people can write software, some better than others, and their team is in the middle. OptiSol Business Solutions isn't exceptional, but definitely not bad. The passion that they've had for the project, all the way up to the top of their organization, was fantastic. One of the company's founders has been present for all of our calls, helping interface between developers, handling project management, and providing ideas for additional features. This was definitely unexpected, and it's a reason for choosing OptiSol Business Solutions.

Are there any areas OptiSol Business Solutions could improve?

We like their work, but a big challenge has been the 12-13-hour time difference. It leads to one or both of our parties working at an inconvenient time for them. We have mostly made that sacrifice, working from 9 PM until deep into the morning, ensuring that everyone's aligned. Both of our companies have been growing and learning at similar rates. OptiSol Business Solutions has improved many of its processes over the course of our relationship, managing GitHub better and ensuring that releases are more well-planned, and don't conflict with our own work, especially since we've started to work on the same codebase. This type of setup requires good synchronization between developers, which can be challenging for any organization, no matter how large.

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

Clients should get consultants beforehand, who can provide a structure for OptiSol Business Solutions to work within. They're a dynamic company, and they will work in the way they see best if the client doesn't provide a structure. It's often a matter of perspective, and not of right or wrong, but different clients have different preferences.

4.0

Overall Score There are exceptional as well as average aspects of OptiSol Business Solutions. We are happy with our work and definitely plan to engage with them in the future.

3.5 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

OptiSol Business Solutions has pushed hard to get the work done, but it can be challenging to estimate the exact workload. OptiSol isn't a slow group, but they can provide wrong estimates.

5.0 Cost

Value / within estimates

OptiSol Business Solutions has provided better value-for-cost than anyone else I've seen.

4.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

There is wide variability in terms of team members' experience and knowledge. Some of them can have weak points, iOS being one of them.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

I've already done it.

Development

Dec 09, 2016

the project

Android Naming System for Materials Tracking Company

"The clarity of communication offered by OptiSol Business Solutions was excellent."

Development

Less than $10,000

June 2016 - Ongoing

3.5

Quality:

3.5

Schedule:

2.0

Cost:

4.5

Willing to refer:

3.5

Less than $10,000

June 2016 - Ongoing

Project summary:

OptiSol Business Solutions developed an Android version of the client's app that allows their naming system to upload files directly to their servers.

2-10 Employees

Austin, Texas

Phil Lifsey

CEO, ExQual

Verified

the reviewer

CEO, ExQual

Phil Lifsey

Oil & Energy

2-10 Employees

Austin, Texas

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

3.5

Quality:

3.5

Schedule:

2.0

Cost:

4.5

Willing to refer:

3.5

the review

"The clarity of communication offered by OptiSol Business Solutions was excellent."

Dec 09, 2016

Feedback summary:

Despite some issues with quality control, this client commends OptiSol Business Solutions for their professionality with project management and communication.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

ExQual is involved in materials tracking and documentation for verification purposes. Our primary target is oil and natural gas, but we're branching out into multiple other areas. I am the chief executive officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

We have developed a naming system for iOS which allows us to photo-document items outside of the scanning tracking system. We needed to create an Android version of the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol Business Solutions has provided software development for Android. The app has FTP [file transfer protocol] integration, allowing the system to upload files directly to our servers.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

OptiSol Business Solutions was recommended to us by another developer we approached. We started working with them based on that recommendation.

How much have you invested with OptiSol Business Solutions?

The cost of our project has been $3,100. By comparison, the iOS version had a cost of almost $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project began at the end of June 2016 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a hamburger menu overlay as a part of the system's functionality, the implementation of which has led to some regression in our progress. OptiSol Business Solutions is close to resolving it, and they've moved quickly overall.

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

OptiSol Business Solutions was the most professional partner we've had in this respect. The clarity of identifying what we desired was excellent. OptiSol Business Solutions asked relevant questions.

What did you find most impressive about OptiSol Business Solutions?

The clarity of communication offered by OptiSol Business Solutions was excellent. Our previous developer had the notion that we were a huge company, so they had no sense of urgency or completion, as a result. Ironically, they were our most expensive developer and didn't even complete the job. We went to 3 other companies, but none of them were very clear in what they were doing. OptiSol Business Solutions was forthright and asked the right questions.

Are there any areas OptiSol Business Solutions could improve?

Reaching targets has been a point of frustration. OptiSol Business Solutions should assign additional resources to our work, given that we're 3 months removed from having a functional product for our clients. OptiSol Business Solutions is starting to get there, but it's been challenging.

3.5

Overall Score If they are able to deliver our product with full functionality, the rating will go up, and I'll forgive the delay. Since it took us 7 months to create the iOS version, OptiSol Business Solutions is actually ahead of schedule, by comparison.

2.0 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

I would have rated OptiSol Business Solutions 4.5 for the first 2 months, but I'd only rate them a 2 for the last period.

4.5 Cost

Value / within estimates

OptiSol Business Solutions is significantly more cost-effective. For what we're getting for our money, I couldn't find a better value.

3.5 Quality

Service & deliverables

The functionality was present, but it was lost after implementing a new layer. Quality control wasn't provided in order to identify that loss.

3.5 NPS

Willing to refer

Much of this depends upon OptiSol Business Solutions' ability to finish our product.

Mobile App Development

Dec 09, 2016

the project

Mobile App Development for Meal-Planning Startup

"The product was better than expected. OptiSol Business Solutions has a good understanding of my requirements."

Mobile App Development

Less than $10,000

July - Dec. 2016

4.0

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

3.5

Cost:

4.5

Willing to refer:

5.0

Less than $10,000

July - Dec. 2016

Project summary:

Their better pricing option is what lead this client to select OptiSol Business Solutions over other UK agencies to develop their mobile meal-planning app on iOS and Android devices.

2-10 Employees

London, United Kingdom

Founder, Meal Planning App

Verified

the reviewer

Founder, Meal Planning App

Internet

2-10 Employees

London, United Kingdom

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

4.0

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

3.5

Cost:

4.5

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"The product was better than expected. OptiSol Business Solutions has a good understanding of my requirements."

Dec 09, 2016

Feedback summary:

Their strength in project management and commitment to the project requirements is what impressed this client about working with Optisol Business Solutions.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of a tech startup providing an app for meal ordering.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

We needed to build our mobile app. I had worked with a UK company but decided to look for an option with better pricing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol Business Solutions developed my app for Android and iOS. It is a swipe, touch-dial app with the option of auto-calling menu options.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I found OptiSol Business Solutions on PeoplePerHour. I had a look at their previous applications as well as the feedback they'd received. I contacted OptiSol Business Solutions and was impressed with their understanding of my requirements.

How much have you invested with OptiSol Business Solutions?

The cost of OptiSol Business Solutions' work was around $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with OptiSol Business Solutions in July 2016. The app is about to be completed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

OptiSol Business Solutions was very good in this regard. They provided a project tracking tool, but I haven't used it.

What did you find most impressive about OptiSol Business Solutions?

OptiSol Business Solutions was quick to understand what I was trying to do. Compared to UK rates, their rates have been beneficial. I was worried by the project management side of things, given that OptiSol Business Solutions was a cheaper option, but I was very impressed.

Are there any areas OptiSol Business Solutions could improve?

The overall completion of the project could have been quicker. There were a few 1- to 2-day delays, which added up to a few weeks. The delays were similar to what I’ve experienced with the other companies I've used, so I can't really complain about OptiSol Business Solutions.

4.0

Overall Score

3.5 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

The collaboration has been overall good, but there were some short delays.

4.5 Cost

Value / within estimates

4.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

The product was better than expected. OptiSol Business Solutions has a good understanding of my requirements.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

Development

Nov 17, 2016

the project

App Development for Automated Retail Company

"They have met my expectations and my client was happy."

Development

Confidential

Mar. 2015 - Ongoing

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

Confidential

Mar. 2015 - Ongoing

Project summary:

OptiSol Business Solutions was hired to develop a mobile app for a retailer that utilizes the client’s automated kiosk service. They designed the technology to integrate with a CRM portal in communication with the kiosk hardware.

1-10 employees

Woodbridge, Ontario

VP Software, Automated Retail Company

Verified

the reviewer

VP Software, Automated Retail Company

Retail

1-10 employees

Woodbridge, Ontario

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"They have met my expectations and my client was happy."

Nov 17, 2016

Feedback summary:

The main benefit of working with OptiSol Business Solutions is their larger team size. They have substantial technical resources that made the project seamless and on-time.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization is in the automated retail industry. We distribute retailers’ products via very high-end vending machines that are fully automated. Many of our clients are very high-end Fortune 500 companies who have brick and mortar stores in various parts of the world, and they would like to penetrate into various other areas with their presence using our automated retail kiosks.

I am the vice president of software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

To take our business further, we use various kinds of new technologies, one of them being applications on digital mobile platforms. We needed to outsource the development of a mobile app for one of our clients based in Los Angeles. That’s where we hired OptiSol.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The client provided their design of how they wanted the app to look and feel, but it was entirely up to me to translate their requirements to the developers. Over various meetings and discussions, we were able to nail down how the technology would be, how there would be a web service outside of our existing automated retail kiosk server, and how the two would communicate. The technology was nailed down first, then the development happened, which went very smoothly. Moving forward, we did not deviate much from the kind of technology that we used. The one feature that we spent some time on was how the app would accept payments through the mobile devices, but eventually, that also was ironed out.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

After doing some research and interviewing various providers, I came across OptiSol. I did my due diligence and did some research on their background. Their proposal sounded reasonable, so I hired them to build our first mobile app for our client.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Optisol in March 2015 and our engagement is ongoing. They continue to be our preferred outsourced partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was completed on time and it was very successful. There were some issues in the beginning. There was the first beta version, the first build, and the second build. I then bounced them off of my client until eventually, the final version in production is exactly as per their specifications. Unless there are some new features requested, the final app covers the entire project very well.

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

It was transparent, which was my biggest concern. The communication between the project manager, myself and the client was very smooth. Of course, there is a lot of communication required. There is a huge time difference between North America and India, but they were mostly available during late hours which suited us. We did not have any issues or delays because of that.

What did you find most impressive about OptiSol Business Solutions?

There’s one thing that caught my eye: the team size. That was a big requirement for me. I didn’t want to deal with a company with just one or two people because of problems I had read about on forums. OptiSol has a pretty large team and the resources allocated for the project are also substantial. That’s why they were able to keep to the timelines.

Are there any areas OptiSol Business Solutions could improve?

If I’m speaking to that one project, then I don’t see any room for improvement. For this particular project, I had practically no issues that I can point out.

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

If you rely on them to come up with the designs that you would like, it may delay the project. I would advise having some designs already made or giving them as much information as you can. It’s not a matter of improvement, it’s a matter of expectation. You have to be realistic with what you are asking for.

5.0

Overall Score I’m continuing to work with them. I’ve lined them up for my full-time project as well.

5.0 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

The deadlines are definitely met. I have had zero problems with that.

5.0 Cost

Value / within estimates

I can’t get stuff done for much cheaper. For the kind of team that I have working for me, the cost is very reasonable.

5.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

They have met my expectations and my client was happy.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

For sure. Absolutely. Very likely.

Development

Nov 16, 2016

the project

App Development for London IT Company

"They give me exactly what I ask for every time."

Development

$10,000 to $49,999

Apr. 2015 - Ongoing

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

$10,000 to $49,999

Apr. 2015 - Ongoing

Project summary:

OptiSol Business Solutions aided the client in developing their mobile app by providing advice on the hosting and maintenance of various features of the app’s design.

1-10 employees

London, UK

Tom Jutla

Founder, Tapin World

Verified

the reviewer

Founder, Tapin World

Tom Jutla

Information Technology

1-10 employees

London, UK

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

5.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

5.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"They give me exactly what I ask for every time."

Nov 16, 2016

Feedback summary:

Their dedication to project management is what sets OptiSol Business Solutions apart. Their ease of communication and responsiveness makes them feel like a close member of the team.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is called Tapin World which will hopefully be a mobile app company using the ‘Tapin’ brand. My project with OptiSol is the first app in development.

I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I had the idea of an app that I designed, and I needed a development company within a certain budget.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol has given me a lot of advice on hosting and maintaining the app. Even during the development of the app, they advised the best options of how to program it and how it will be hosted, including the features I wanted to add. They advised on the involvement of the hosting costs for each feature and advised the best way they would go about developing those. They would advise different ways of developing the features I wanted so I'd still get the same results with a better design.

The great thing about OptiSol is they're happy to offer a lot of advice free of charge. I'm a novice, and I wanted to design it myself, which saved me a lot of money. They were happy to take my designs and make suggestions for improvements. They were happy to redesign a design I had done and show it to me to see if I was happy with it. They would do that free of charge, as well. They were very happy to accommodate me with the lack of knowledge I have.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I did a lot of research using Fiverr and People Per Hour. I put out a job on People Per Hour. OptiSol weren't the cheapest, but they had great reviews. I contacted a few companies and even their proposal was better laid out and more professional.

How much have you invested with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I have spent 15,000 pounds [approx. US$ 18,650].

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with OptiSol in the end of April 2015 and have continued working with them to present day.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Really well, actually. Since they are based in China and India, and I'm based in the UK, I thought it was going to be a bit of a challenge. We use Skype, email, and any other forms of connection that they advise. At times, we use Envision for the prototyping. I can ask them any question and they're at the other end every time. The line of communication with them is probably just as good as if I had a project manager here in town. That's something I was really impressed with, which is one of the reasons I stay with them and keep getting work done through them. They're very professional.

What did you find most impressive about OptiSol Business Solutions?

It's the project management part, especially when you're working remotely from your contractor. That is the bit that sticks out the best. I can't fault them from project management, and I think that's a big sales point for them. You shouldn't be afraid to outsource abroad any of your work, especially if you have a company like OptiSol.

Are there any areas OptiSol Business Solutions could improve?

So far, I haven't really encountered any problems. I can't fault them yet. Hopefully, there won't be any faults for the remainder of the time I stay with them.

5.0

Overall Score

5.0 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

I'm a bit of a nightmare for deadlines because every time I make a change, we have to push the deadline over. They always come back within their deadlines. They've never been late.

5.0 Cost

Value / within estimates

I couldn't have gotten a better value anywhere else. I think it was half the cost to go with them than somebody here in the UK and somebody in the US.

5.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

They give me exactly what I ask for every time.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

I already have recommended them.

Mobile App Development

Nov 09, 2016

the project

App Development for Software Service Provider

"They [OptiSol Business Solutions] are very organized, honest and trustworthy. When they say they'll do something, they do it."

Mobile App Development

$10,000 to $49,999

Jan. 2015 - Ongoing

4.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

3.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

$10,000 to $49,999

Jan. 2015 - Ongoing

Project summary:

OptiSol Business Solutions built and completed a mobile app on native Android software for the client to augment their system for business-customer interaction.

1-10 employees

London, UK

Owner, Software Service Provider

Verified

the reviewer

Owner, Software Service Provider

Information Technology

1-10 employees

London, UK

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

4.0

Quality:

5.0

Schedule:

3.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"They [OptiSol Business Solutions] are very organized, honest and trustworthy. When they say they'll do something, they do it."

Nov 09, 2016

Feedback summary:

Despite some issues with delays, the client found Optisol Business Solutions to be a cost-effective, trustworthy and knowledgeable team of developers.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're an online software service provider. We allow small business venues and independent shops to create an account on our system and interact with their customers. I'm the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

As a startup, we were looking for a cost-effective way to launch our software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol built and completed the mobile app using native Android software. The actual cloud-based platform was done in AngularJS and Laravel PHP. OptiSol had a lot of knowledge and experience in building similar applications.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

We used a freelance software based in the UK called PeoplePerHour where you can post job requests for freelancers or businesses. We posted a request for proposal, and there were quite a few businesses and freelancers that responded. Although OptiSol wasn’t the cheapest option, they came back with the most professional and detailed response.

How much have you invested with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I would give a ballpark of around 10,000 pounds ($12,500).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with OptiSol in February 2015. The engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

At first, excellent. Over time our project manager changed, and I don't think they handled that very well. I felt like we had to double our efforts, re-explain everything, and go back to the drawing board. I'm not sure what happened internally, and there was no way of managing that locally from our perspective.

What did you find most impressive about OptiSol Business Solutions?

I've worked with freelancers before, and I have worked with another development team in India. They're very organized, honest and trustworthy. When they say they'll do something, they do it. I do enjoy working with them; they're like an extension of our team.

Are there any areas OptiSol Business Solutions could improve?

I think they could provide more feedback. I would like OptiSol to give updates on a regular basis and report back with details of what was done, what needs to be done and by when. One of the key issues is deadlines. I think that's the only thing that needs improvement.

4.0

Overall Score

3.0 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

It used to be great. Now it's not.

5.0 Cost

Value / within estimates

They're good for how much they charge.

5.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

Quality of work is excellent.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

I would definitely recommend them to a friend or other business as their quality of work is great.

Web Development

Nov 01, 2016

the project

Web Development for Online Community Startup

"They [OptiSol Business Solutions] have been very friendly and they kept up with the work. They did the job as we had discussed and as everything was arranged."

Web Development

$10,000 to $49,999

Aug. 2015 - July 2016

4.0

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

4.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

$10,000 to $49,999

Aug. 2015 - July 2016

Project summary:

OptiSol Business Solutions custom-coded a website for the client using JavaScript and Photoshop. They developed an administrative panel that can be used to adjust the user experience.

1-10 employees

Miami, FL

Ryan McClellan

CEO, iLookin.com, LLC

Verified

the reviewer

CEO, iLookin.com, LLC

Ryan McClellan

Health, Wellness and Fitness

1-10 employees

Miami, FL

Phone Interview

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone.

Verified

4.0

Quality:

4.0

Schedule:

4.0

Cost:

5.0

Willing to refer:

5.0

the review

"They [OptiSol Business Solutions] have been very friendly and they kept up with the work. They did the job as we had discussed and as everything was arranged."

Nov 01, 2016

Feedback summary:

The client appreciates that working with OptiSol Business Solutions was a personal experience. OptiSol was friendly in providing information and offered a good price for their services.

the review

Background
Challenge
Solution
Results
Ratings

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

iLookin is an online community with a means of self-help and personal development. Once a person subscribes to our website, they have access to many different modules that guide them through their personal development and self-esteem. Our website includes a journal for writing, a community forum, and some resources like eBooks and such. I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol Business Solutions?

Our website is imperative, so we worked with OptiSol to build the site in a way that we could adjust certain things.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol put together the website themselves, piece by piece. We wanted the website to be custom-coded to meet our standards so we couldn’t just use WordPress. We coded the entire website using JavaScript and PhotoShop. We were very pleased with the results. The coding was tricky in the beginning because we had to put all the right pieces together to create the right content. OptiSol worked on several different frameworks and APIs [application programming interfaces]. They custom-coded both an administrative panel for us as well as the client side panel, which is what the actual individual sees when they log in. Now we can adjust everything on our side that needs to be seen on the user side, which is very useful.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

We had a very low budget of $20,000. With that budget, we decided not to go for an American developer and instead look for alternatives. I put out an ad on Craigslist and went on LinkedIn. We engaged with about 40 other developers. OptiSol initially provided the best price which I thought was going to be the only factor, but they ended up doing stellar work for the amount that we were paying them.

How much have you invested with OptiSol Business Solutions?

We spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with OptiSol from August 2015 to July 2016. The project is completed, but there are still adjustments that they make based on what we need, to make sure subscribers are set up in the right manner and that payments are processed the right way. The engagement has been ongoing, but mostly the project is finished.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We did get a couple of subscribers. It's been very slow to start, but that's normal with any start-up.

How did OptiSol Business Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They did very well. OptiSol shared a lot of the sketches and kept us updated on all the very complicated procedures that they went through. They were very friendly in keeping us informed.

What did you find most impressive about OptiSol Business Solutions?

They are very efficient in the sense that when we needed something done, it was done within a couple of days. They also shared a lot of their research. The most important parts were the friendly relationship and the price. The pricing was phenomenal considering the amount of work they had to do.

Are there any areas OptiSol Business Solutions could improve?

They didn't give much input as to how the website was developed. We had to do a lot of work on our end to make sure that it was done correctly. It would have been nice if we had known a little bit more about what they were going to be doing before they did it.

4.0

Overall Score They have been very friendly and they kept up with the work. They did the job as we had discussed and as everything was arranged. It was a very good experience.

4.0 Scheduling

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Towards the end of the project, we'd be asking 4 or 5 times every 2 weeks to see what the hold-up was. I think it was because we added changes even when we said we were finished. It wasn't their fault, but they could have been a little quicker too.

5.0 Cost

Value / within estimates

They did what we needed for an incredible price.

4.0 Quality

Service & deliverables

I reserve 5 for stellar work. They were great, but they weren't anything out of the ordinary.

5.0 NPS

Willing to refer

I would certainly recommend them.

Contact

Software, Mobile, Web Development Machine Learning

headquarters

other locations

Focus

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Reviews

Reviews

the project

the reviewer

the review

Sep 12, 2017

the review

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Value / within estimates

Service & deliverables

Willing to refer

the project

the reviewer

the review

Aug 31, 2017

the review

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Value / within estimates

Service & deliverables

Willing to refer

the project

the reviewer

the review

Aug 09, 2017

the review

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Value / within estimates

Service & deliverables

Willing to refer

the project

the reviewer

the review

Dec 19, 2016

the review

ON TIME / DEADLINES

Value / within estimates

Service & deliverables

Willing to refer

the project

the reviewer

the review

Dec 09, 2016

the review