Oracast

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the secretariat of Embracing Life. We’re a collaborative table of agencies and stakeholders in northern Saskatchewan that focuses on community wellness and suicide prevention in our region.

What challenge were you trying to address with Oracast?

They helped us build a suicide prevention app and modernize our website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we worked through a discovery phase and brainstormed our work together. The application is primarily a mobile app (for iOS and Android), but you can access it from our website as well. Oracast also developed a brand new website for us on WordPress.

The website provides information about mental health and suicide prevention to our users; it acts as a resource in your pocket to help when you’re struggling, as well as help you connect with people if you know that they’re struggling. Young people find these conversations difficult, so we created a script and a chat people could work through, as well as resources for people to get more information. I engaged young people and elders throughout the process to ensure we were on the right track to meeting their needs.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the co-owners, as well as their design team, which was made up of three resources.

In the beginning, I had a meeting with their entire team; there were five of us during the discovery and brainstorming process, and they would bring in other people as necessary.

How did you come to work with Oracast?

I found them on Google. After answering our email, we had an initial conversation about what we hoped to do, and they were as excited as I was.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000 CAD (approximately $78,000 USD) with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2021, and the app launched in March 2022. We’re moving forward into phase two, where they’re helping me with marketing and creating promotional materials. We depend on grant funding, and some of that funding has left, so they’ve been like a partner in the way they work for me. When I spit out an idea, they know exactly what I’m talking about.

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

The app is beautiful and amazing. We haven’t spent a great deal on marketing, as we’re low on funding at the moment, but we currently have over 1,000 downloads. We’re happy with where we’re at right now; the app is available in every province in Canada, the US, Brazil, and the UK.

One of the cool pieces of the app is that, according to Google, the most time people spend on an app is around 7–9 minutes, and people are spending 80 minutes on our app. Additionally, 81% of our users are engaging on multiple platforms.

Some of the features include a journal and a gratitude box, where users can put things to remind them of why they need to be here. There’s also a safety plan feature that you can send to others that will allow them to help you.

How did Oracast perform from a project management standpoint?

The only person who didn’t do well staying on budget and time was me. We speak weekly, if not more than that, and if something comes up I can text one of the people on their team and get what I need in 30 minutes. For example, I was in a meeting and was having trouble accessing the statistics I needed, and they were able to provide them for me.

We mostly communicated on video calls, but we also had lots of phone conversations and email threads. Google Suite allowed us to upload photos and documents. We created all the content for the app and they put it all together.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The application was very outside the box for them, as they’d never done anything in the field of mental health, but they were very passionate. Their team truly wanted us to be successful. In fact, three of their team members have downloaded the app and started sharing it with their families as well. My project is their project, and I’ve probably made some life-long friendships working with Oracast.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not a chance. They’re great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tell them exactly what you need. Even if you’re not sure, speak out loud and ask a lot of questions. I had no idea what they were capable of doing until we started talking. Their creative and design team is top-notch.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and owner of HSETracker Inc. We provide a software service that allows companies to manage safety training for their workers, employees, and contractors.

What challenge were you trying to address with Oracast?

We engaged Oracast to build the software as a subscription-based service. We needed a robust system with high reporting capabilities and other sophisticated features.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We targeted companies in the oil and gas industry who have to oversee contract workers and employees on different job sites that require distinct training certificates. Many workers need over 15–20 certificates, and they have to carry hard copies of each one. Companies use Excel spreadsheets and Access databases to track them. 

Oracast helped us develop a system that digitizes this process. Companies can check on training certification and expiration dates so they can budget for the year. They can also create reports. Workers meanwhile can use a card or a QR sticker on their hard hat that stores their training and certifications in an individualized profile. 

What is the team composition?

Ryan (COO, Oracast) is my primary point of contact. 

How did you come to work with Oracast?

I met Oracast while their team was leading a web design project for one of my other companies. They mentioned their other services and specialties, including building software systems. After a few conversations, I brought them on to help me jumpstart HSETracker Inc.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $500,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2010, and the software launched in spring 2011. Oracast provides ongoing support.

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

Oracast forms an integral part of our business; without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Since we launched the software system, their team continues to develop updates and create custom modules for clients as needed. We’re very much satisfied with the work Oracast has done for us.

How did Oracast perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly calls with them. When a project is running, we keep in touch every day. Oracast is excellent about providing updates and scheduling meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Oracast excels at understanding a client’s needs. They demonstrate a deep understanding of code and can translate technical language into layperson’s terms—and vice versa. Ryan acts as an excellent interpreter between their development team and our side. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

From time to time, the team encounters busy periods that can cause slow responses. However, if we ever have an urgent task for them, Oracast will get it done right away, even during those periods.

Any advice for potential customers?

Oracast schedules regular calls for status updates during projects, which we appreciate. Stick to their scheduling and outline clear expectations.