OptiSol Business Solutions

Please describe your company and your position there.

The review is based on the input of the COO and project manager of a mental health care company. We are a child and adolescent counseling center with 3 locations.

For what projects/services did your company hire OptiSol Business Solutions, and what were your goals?

We are still using paper charts at our institution. We use legacy software for our practice management and billing and store copies of our clinical charts in the cloud while keeping paper clinical charts in the office. We hired OptiSol to build us a customized electronic medical records system (EMR) and practice management system. Our goal is to have easy-to-use all-inclusive software that would simplify our clinical documentation, practice management, and billing operations.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We found OptiSol online. We were looking for a company that had industry knowledge and had experience building EMR/EHRs. OptiSol clearly grasped our needs and showed great industry knowledge, expertise, and best practices.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They are designing an electronic medical record system for our institution that will allow for clinical documentation, project management, and billing in addition to an electronic signature solution. The project was broken up into modules to be completed in 8 months. They are building our software solutions end-to-end and adding API handshakes as needed. The technology stack uses Microsoft Architecture: Azure SQL, Angular.js, ASP.NET and is deployed by Azure Cloud. The team works on two-week sprints and we meet with them bi-weekly to give them feedback on the sprint deliverables.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We typically had 4 members of the OptiSol SCRUM team on our bi-weekly calls. Team members on the calls changed throughout the modules as different needs arose. OptiSol's team has been very attentive and available.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The project is still ongoing. They are doing a great job so far!  We find the follow-up and the team's comprehension skills compensate for any cultural challenges. I know we will have an outstanding product as a result of their team's commitment.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The project management has been great so far. They are always available for questions. We communicate through email, Microsoft Teams, and Azure DevOps.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The whole team has been readily available to answer all our questions. They take all our input and feedback seriously and often come back with solutions that exceed our expectations!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The quality of work has been great. They have a good grasp of our workflows and overall vision. The only area I can see that could have been improved would have been to have received access to their Azure workbench and Microsoft Teams earlier in the project to be able to communicate more seamlessly on UI changes.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder, CEO and CTO of My Equipment Library, LLC. We provide SaaS to any business that is involved in manufacturing and have equipment that needs to keep running in order to have a successful business

For what projects/services did your company hire OptiSol Business Solutions, and what were your goals?

Our solution requires three core pillars of software development. The SQL Database Schema and programming which contains the bulk of the business logic is done by My Equipment Library. However, the other two pillars, the Web App and the Mobile App require massive amounts of specialized programming. We do not have these resources in house and had to find a partner to fill this need.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Optisol was recommended to me by a person I trust implicitly and knows has exceptional judgment as well as a few years of direct experience with Optisol. After my initial conversation with the friendly and knowledgeable management, Optisol was clearly the best choice.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We have a unique relationship with Optisol as we (My Equipment Library) directly create and develop all of the SQL structure and coding. We developed a custom JSON interface that allows much of the complex business logic to be handled at the SQL level and shared by the API calls from both the Web App and the Mobile App. Optisol provides as with a lead architect, who has decades of experience and a broad understanding of critical relationships between the three pillars of development. He also guides towards us towards the technologies that are better and applicable. Optisol then provides us Web App developers (Angular JS) who also develop the Back End code (C#) and the API system.

They also have helped implement a VMSS (Virtual Machine Scale Set) which is tightly integrated with SQL which allows us to spin up as many as 600 Virtual Machines within minutes when our customers demands peak (we process a lot of images and videos). This system also interfaces with Azures Cognitive Services to allow advance OCR and other AI type services to be passed through to our customers.

In addition, Optisol provides us Mobile App developers (Flutter) who are using the cross platform environment to produce a App for both the iPhone and Android mobile devices. The Mobile App and Web App are being coordinated to give our customers a similar look/feel experience while still allow certain functions only possible with a mobile device to shine through.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

An Optisol senior architect is available upon request and oversees the development process from a high level vantage point. He also manages the two main developers that work directly with us on a daily basis. We have a senior programmer working full time on the Web App and Back End code and a senior programmer working full time on the Mobile App. In addition (which is a big benefit), these two programmer often reach out within the Optisol group to get additional resources when specialty need arise, such as IT configuration, VM Image creation, best Plug-In options, etc.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Our business is built around this project and is designed to be perpetually on going. At this point we have a complete framework that can ultimately support a complete ERP system. This includes multi-tenancy within a single database with options to replicate these databases as our customer count increase. Todays status of the system would be that of a typical MRP system.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We like the directly relationship we have with the programmers since we are talking to them as programmers. We extensively use Azure DevOp Story system for posting and tracking the work flow between My Equipment Library and Optisol. After decades of on premise, closed source development. We're constantly impressed with Optisol's speed and quality of the app development that they're able to achieve on a consistent basis.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The combination of their seasoned architect who keeps his eye on the 'forest' with the youthful skill and dedication of the programmers who are erecting the 'trees' as fast as we can think of them is absolutely impressive!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

no

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a design agency that caters to non-profits in the UK.

For what projects/services did your company hire OptiSol Business Solutions, and what were your goals?

We needed to develop a mobile and web app for one of our charity clients to enable a better method for gathering monthly reports. Our goals were to create a platform that is easy to use for the end-user to get support and report their voluntary work, and that was easy to update from an admin point of view.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

After speaking to various development companies we were very impressed with OptiSol, their communication and previous body of work were excellent and chose them for the project.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a number of discovery meetings to discuss the goals and objectives of the project. OptiSol then created working wireframes so the client could fully understand how both the end users and the administrator would interact with the app, and over the course of a few weeks refined the design with the addition of some new features. Before launching we ran it through testing to ensure any issues were ironed out.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A project manager was assigned as our main point of contact throughout the entirety of the project. The development team was composed of a front end developer, a backend developer, a UI/UX designer, a tech lead and a test engineer.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The PWA was launched this month and has received tremendous feedback from the client and their end users. Monthly reporting is now far less time intensive for the client, and the ability to interact with their service users immediately and get near instant feedback is especially beneficial.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The project manager was very professional and easy to communicate with and delivered frequent updates throughout the design and development process. We communicated via email and Teams on a day to day basis, and used Pivotal Tracker to keep track of all deliverables.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their development skills were excellent although this was evident even before hiring as seen by their portfolio. What impressed me the most was their willingness to go above and beyond what was asked, putting in extra time where needed and adapting to client changes without question. This was our first mobile app and they helped us greatly by walking us patiently through their process.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We found their work to be excellent, especially working through the COVID-19 crisis without incident.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of Smashedlabs. We are a SaaS provider.

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

We needed a quality resource to help us with mobile and web development and create a video streaming library. In addition, we needed someone who could help us across domains.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol delivered a software development kit (SDK) for viewing and streaming video from a native mobile app for iOS and Android. On top of it, there’s a web SDK that can be integrated into a browser. OptiSol developed a mobile and web app.

The requirements were to deliver the libraries and a test application so that all the functionalities in the library could be validated. On top of that, we had delivery criteria set up to automate all functionalities delivered. The library, an application, and automation were all part of this scope.

For QA automation, they had additional resources for helping me. I also requested some support for the deployment of DevOps resources. They were willing to put some deployment resources to get certain things up and going.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Jayakumar (Co-Founder & Director of Operations). He was the one who signed the contract with us from a documentation perspective. For day-to-day activities, I worked directly with their project manager and technical lead. For automation, they brought in an automation lead.

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I worked with OptiSol 10 years ago to develop mobile apps. Their quality of work was good, and they were easy to work with. However, we had cases where the milestones needed external sources to be ramped up. They went beyond our original contract and brought in extra people and made sure we hit our milestones and deliveries.

I decided to engage with them again because of the breadth of technological knowledge they had. We were looking for someone with experience in audio and video streaming and had multi-platform expertise, and they had that.  

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $31,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from August–November 2020.

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

They went beyond the initial agreement just to make sure that our customers were taken care of. I worked with them daily, and I knew the quality of the resources I was getting. All of the SDKs were delivered with the quality I was looking for, and the releases were done with testing reports and automation attached to them.

Software is always going to have bugs, but there was always a test report attached to clarify what was tested and what wasn’t tested, so we never had issues. The main measurement for me was the quality in terms of milestone deliveries. These milestones pan out as an external milestone for my client, and they were happy with every milestone that I received.

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

We worked really closely with OptiSol. We had daily scrum meetings and also had management calls with their director once or twice a week. They were really flexible to work in my timezone, which was their night.

We never had problems whenever I asked for something that needed to be done or when extra hours were required. There were cases when their resources worked with me until my afternoon, too.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had already worked on the technologies I was looking for. They had good coverage for me, and whenever I changed the requirements, it wasn’t a problem.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t find anything that they could have improved.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve connected them with a few other companies after my experience with them and I advise people that the team is flexible, but to be clear with your requirements. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I have had the pleasure of working with Optisol from a couple of companies over the years.  Of the two most recent, one is a SaaS platform that provides real-time photo sharing and tagging for small to large sized teams, and the other is an eCommerce business in the agg industry.  My position in both companies is CTO.

For what projects/services did your company hire OptiSol Business Solutions, and what were your goals?

Optisol has an amazing team of business development professionals, software engineers, and data architects.  They have built native mobile apps, robust web applications, REST APIs.  One of the most interesting was a REST application that fetches and parses agricultural restrictions from State-published PDF documents on a recurring basis, and using machine learning and other text-recognition tools, helps us determine what products can be shipped to what states.  Doing this process manually would take hours.  This tool helped us do it in seconds.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

My relationship with Optisol began with a referral from a colleague.  Their breadth of knowledge, professionalism, and dedication to a successful project outcome is why I always look forward to working with them. 

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I have worked with many engineers, designers, project managers, and business developers.  When working on a project with Optisol, they always make sure that all aspects of a project are covered, from the business model, to the experience, to the technolgy itself.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Projects are typically managed by a PM.  Engineering typically has one or more tech leads, and depending on the size of project one or more developers with varying experience.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What I like most about Optisol is their dedication to problem-solving.  It's easy to find programmers, but it's hard to find engineers that are this interested in problem-solving. Who are willing to suggest alternative solutions, and who become extensions of your team.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Manual regression testing and QA is sometimes an issue, but Optisol is always quick to resolve issues when they come up.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a group of consultants who work for business automation and process re-engineering.

For what projects/services did your company hire OptiSol Business Solutions, and what were your goals?

Our customer concern was managing the everyday physical copy of the delivery for around 2000 customers. We need to sort by customer and deliver it with a monthly invoice. When the payment follow-up happens with a customer, they complain about the missing delivery notes. It is tedious to bring back 2 to 6 months' worth of physical copies of the delivery notes. Due to this reason, there were a lot of bad debts and payment delays.

We wanted to automate this to solve all these issues and so the system can verify the delivery notes every day, seal requirements, and notify the required team on the go-to sortout. Also, so that customers can have a copy available on their portal immediately after the delivery. Both parties will have the proof of all the documents and the invoice can be processed on time and stop the bad debt issues.

How did you select OptiSol Business Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

Optisol has the talented resource to build the application the way we want it to work. They have a dedicated techno-functional resource and knowledge of the latest technology to drive the project on track.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

As part of cost optimization and automation, we have designed a portal that will bring all the scanned copies of delivery from our delivery vehicles and compile them on the customer portal, segregated by customer information.

The portal will also verify that all the delivery notes are captured every day by reading the van distribution database. If there are any missing, the corresponding person-in-charge will scan and upload them to the customer portal.

For authenticity, one of the requirements was to have a customer seal in the delivery note to make sure it is genuine. The system also stores the customer seal images and compares them with the corresponding seal to make sure the seals are authentic. Otherwise, the system will notify the person-in-charge to fill the gap.

At every end of the month, the system will read the invoices and will make sure that the uploaded delivery notes match the numbers and amount, then it will upload the invoice and SoA to the corresponding customer portal. We have given all the document copies to Optisol to teach them the ML system and get them ready to build the back-end system to read the required data from different sources. They developed a portal for the customers to log in and download the documents.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

1 project manager, 1 techno-functional resource, 3 technical resources, 4 programmers, and 2 testers. 

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We could deliver the system exactly as per the requirements, which essentially given a lot of cost-savings to our customers. Also, the productivity improved a lot. It was considered one of the major steps toward our digitalization initiative.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

They use AGILE project management. Scoping includes Discover, Assess and Recommend. They use multiple tools for communication and delivery like Pivotal tracker, Invision, worksnaps and slack. The delivery was broken into multiple sprints and a complete cycle.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were able to keep up with the delivery requirements in terms of time and quality.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nothing specific, still overall periodic monitoring by senior architecture will boost the quality

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of Freer. Freer is a mobile application that creates self sustaining communities through the smart consumption of everyday items. Instead of buying an item to use infrequently, it is highly likely someone in your community has that item they are not using. Freer connects these people so they can lend and rent to one another

For what projects/services did your company hire OptiSol Business Solutions?

Optisol were referred via a technology contact to deliver an MVP app again a specification. This is the first iteration of the application and needed to be more than a working demo but not a fully functioning application. It needed to be delivered so real users could enter data and search for items and then lend or rent those items to fellow community members

What were your goals for this project?

To deliver an MVP+ application that was capable of being put into production and recruit users into the app.

How did you select OptiSol Business Solutions?

They were referred through a technology contact who had worked with them before.

Describe the project in detail.

There are a number of facets of the project. The design templates were already created via an agency and provided to Optisol. These were the style guides for the remainder of the project.

• Users needed to be able to register for the app and then follow a process to be verified by another 3rd party using ID and biometric data.
• Users needed to be able to create a profile and also be able to add products to the marketplace.
• Users needed to be able to communicate with one another through the app.
• Users needed to be able to understand any issues with renting or lending including late returns or other matters related to the product.

The team provided the frameworks based on the designs provided. The app was a hydrid app using React Native and was required for Android an IOS. There were limited technical integration points

What was the team composition?

Although the team changed over time there were central figures who persisted throughout. The lead developer and BA were consistent and test and other development resource came in and out of the team.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The app is not yet live so there are no hard metrics. Part of this is due to remediation issues needing to be be undertaken in no small part to the API and related security measures. Overall the look and feel of the app is quite well received and they implemented the style guides as suggested albeit there seemed to be a transition when a number of elements of app are not at all delivered to the style guides provided

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Generally there was reasonable effective communication between the teams and we used Slack effectively. In terms of approach it became apparent that Optisol could have benefited from spending more time up front asking questions and understanding how the app was going to work and the work flows. This would have saved time later.

Language in general was not an issue. Generally the team were quite responsive until later in the project when were were looking to solve outstanding issues when it definitely took longer for them to respond to issues.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are certainly very dedicated, made themselves available for late-night calls, and clearly worked long hours.

Are there any areas for improvement?

More time up front understanding the conceptual basis and asking questions on how the app would work. The app only really came together right towards the end. Version control is clearly an issue. Items that worked in a previous release did not work in following releases. Overall the app is good.

The issue for us lies in the APIs. Clearly different teams with different capability and skills worked on this. The APIs are causing ongoing issues and challenges that we are still looking to resolve.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of a software development company. We specialize in digital transformation, mobility, and cybersecurity services products.

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

We were looking for a development partner.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol Business Solutions provided software development services for us. Their team helped us with the modernization and advancement of a web portal using the latest technologies. The managed security services portal was specifically built around the security products we sell. Our teams use Mongo, Angular, Node.js, and more. They also occasionally provided UI/UX design services.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–3 members of the OptiSol Business Solutions team.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $40,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from November 2018–June 2020.

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

We are very satisfied with the result we received. The resources they provided to us were very great and they excel at the services they offer. I have already recommended working with them to a few of my friends and colleagues

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

We had multiple communication channels to ensure we’re always on the same page, including Slack. Our teams also used Jira as a project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

OptiSol Business Solutions was flexible and available. If we ever had any questions and needed to contact them, they got back to us very quickly. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we were completely satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend OptiSol Business Solutions.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re developing an aggregation platform for students.

What challenge were you trying to address with OptiSol?

I went to them to build the entire platform. I had experience on the business side, but I needed help transforming the proposition into a viable system.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OptiSol translated my concept into milestones. They’re using open-source technologies for development, and the aim is to make the platform as accessible as possible.

What is the team composition?

I have a six-person team at OptiSol, with one business analyst, a solution architect, one frontend developer, and two backend developers. One of their directors is involved at the interface level. He helps me maintain clarity over the product.

How did you come to work with OptiSol?

I got references from other customers of theirs. I got in touch with them, and we went from there.

How much have you invested with them?

Once it’s finished, I expect the cost of the MVP to be 20–25 lakh Indian rupees (approximately $26,000–$33,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with OptiSol in August 2020, and our engagement is ongoing. I’m looking to have the MVP out within about three months.

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

I haven’t seen too many slips from them so far. They deliver on time. 

How did OptiSol perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very strong technically, and they’re good at project management. We recalibrate expectations as the product matures and we come up with new ideas. We discuss what changes to make and what the right timeline for them is. We keep a backlog, and we have constant discussions on Slack. 

They’re always responsive, and they get back to me whenever they’re stuck on something. I’m not a technical person, so they’ve held my hand throughout the process. I appreciate that, and I have no complaints so far.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The process is easy and consultative. OptiSol takes the time to explain things to me. I don’t understand technology, but they’ve run me through it patiently. I’ve made some changes, but they didn’t require additional money for those. They’re committed to building my platform, and they’re passionate about the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a good team of designers, but they could still improve in that area. Their designs aren’t bad at all, and they’ve met my expectations. It’s a good start.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

OptiSol is a good choice in terms of technical expertise.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of Spotted Ltd. Our company allows supercar sponsors to engage with vehicle owners, creating connections and networking to enhance their portfolios.

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

Our company is mobile app-based, but we needed someone to build the app for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

After providing them with a rough outline, OptiSol Business Solutions built both an iOS and Android app from scratch. Their team took our designs and integrated them with their own idea on how to best build the platform. 

What is the team composition?

I first spoke to Soniya (Digital Transformation Consultant, OptiSol Business Solutions) who helped talk me through the stages of process for development and provided a timeframe. I then had a main point of contact who would liaise with the developers, graphic designers, and technical team for me. He was the core of the whole project. 

How did you come to work with OptiSol Business Solutions?

I contacted OptiSol Business Solutions based on their previous work for other clients. Their location-based applications were particularly impressive, and all of the reviews were outstanding so I chose to work with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about £6,000 (approximately $7,300 USD)

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with OptiSol Business Solutions began in May 2019.

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

Our work is currently ongoing, but their entire team has been efficient with the workflow. Everything they created is better than I ever imagined. 

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

OptiSol Business Solutions uses Pivotal Tracker, which allows me to see exactly what they’re working on or where they are in the build. We also use Hockey, which allows me to download the build and have it on my phone. Their team introduced me to InVision so I can comment on their designs.

I am managing the project, but I haven’t had to do too much because everything they have shown me has looked great. Due to the language barrier, I’ve done some of the text writing, but they’ve done an amazing job. 90% of the ideas they’ve come up with haven’t needed to be changed at all. They’re almost always spot on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their commitment to the project is second to none. OptiSol Business Solutions consistently brings forward good ideas and hard work. Their dedication has shown through every step of the way. It allows you to put your 100% trust that your investment is going to come out great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. It’s my first time making a mobile app but they’ve been wonderful to work with. They couldn’t improve in any way 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go for it. You will get the product that you want with OptiSol Business Solutions. Have a vision, but be open to their ideas because they know what they’re talking about.