Orases

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a couple of companies, including an ATM company and a company providing wireless internet connections.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Orases?

We needed to create an online portal to manage data control. We had worked with another IT company and had this portal built about 12 years prior to meeting Orases. To create this portal, our former IT company used outdated technology and didn't update it because it wasn't even upgradable.

Due to these issues, our portal failed every month. It billed customers incorrectly and caused us monthly grief. Despite having a faulty product, the company we worked with appeared not to be looking towards upgrading the technology stack, so we decided to hire and consult with Orases.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Orases has helped develop a mobile-friendly web app to replace our legacy portal. Initially, we gave them a blueprint of what we needed, showed them the portal we had in place, and gave them access to the backend of that portal so that they could see what was going on.

Then, Orases came back to us and told us that we were using very old technology. Therefore, they wouldn't be able to take what we had and upgrade it. Instead, they proposed to start over with a new portal from scratch using new technology. Since then, my team has been collaborating with Orases.

What is the team composition?

We've been working directly with around four of Orases' developers, who work for us as our day-to-day developers. I also know Nick (CEO), who has been involved in a couple of calls. In fact, he and some of his employees came to our office for a meet and greet.

How did you come to work with Orases?

My team used search engines to find development companies. Then, they started calling to find the best partner. We consulted with Orases and a few other companies, but we ultimately chose Orases based on some other projects that they had worked on.

We also really liked how Orases handled themselves. Choosing them required a very long interview process because it was a lot of money for us. As a small company, spending $1 million on a project was very difficult for us. Still, Orases brought the right people to every call and presented themselves better than any of the other companies we interviewed.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $1 million–$1.5 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around April 2022, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since my team started collaborating with Orases, they've been extremely happy — I hadn't seen them that happy in years. Orases' work has been flawless. We bill our customers on the 15th of each month, and every time that date arrives, I hold my breath. However, Orases always gives me a call and tells me that every bill went through successfully. Therefore, the main success metric for me is that our new portal does what it's supposed to do and sends the bills properly.

This product isn't something that will grow my company alone. My company grows from different things, but it can't work without this product. Thus, this product isn't aimed at company growth but at company management and billing.

How did Orases perform from a project management standpoint?

Orases has performed above excellent. We have weekly meetings and constant calls, and most of our calls are through Microsoft Teams. Overall, Orases communication has been phenomenal throughout our engagement.

One time, we had a problem, so they stopped everything they were doing to fix it. I had never seen a problem getting fixed so fast. Moreover, the follow-up on it was phenomenal. Their team ensured that we knew what the problem was and made sure to put things in place so that it never happened again.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I would like to give a shout-out to Denise (Digital Product Manager).

What did you find most impressive about them?

Orases has taken this project almost as if it were their own, and they seem to think along the same lines we do. Whenever we have an idea and start talking about it internally, Orases usually presents that idea to us before we present it to them.

Moreover, they've taken every call and delivered more than what was expected. Whenever Orases promises something, it is more than what's expected. Still, they deliver even more than what's promised, which is a bonus — that's how they operate. Their team is clear, and they never fall short of expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything Orases could improve on.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

The best part of our collaboration with Orases is the engagement in our communication. You need to communicate with them because it's key. If one side breaks down in communication, the project can't move forward.

We have a very strong team dedicated to communication on our end, and Orases is extremely good at communicating as well. They've even told us that we're one of the best customers they've had due to our strong communication. Whenever a customer doesn't get back to them, it slows the project down. Therefore, if you're going to work with Orases, you need to lear communication skills because they're very good in that regard.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of Fivestar. We're a sports platform located outside of Maryland.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Orases?

We needed support to develop our website. Our goal was to build our platform on time and under budget and to solve our leading problem, which we continue to do daily. We wanted to develop a product that allowed seamless transactions between creators and athletes. The creators market is growing, and there are thousands of sports creators worldwide, whether amateurs or professionals. For us, the pain point is how to sell or transition those assets from creators to athletes and their families. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After engaging with Orases, we had a discovery phase and a number of meetings to ensure the team understood what we were trying to accomplish and build. From there, Orases has built and launched our product in seven months. The team has delivered a platform that allows creators to sell their sideline shots, highlights, and photographs to the athletes they photograph. Orases has collaborated with our internal team on the platform's UI/UX design. 

After completing the app, Orases spent a couple of weeks ensuring there were no bugs before going live and starting our marketing efforts. Before this platform existed, creators used Dropbox, CashApp, or social media platforms for transactions. Orases has built a platform with features such as group upload so creators don't have to upload files one by one. Users can create a gallery, and buyers can preview assets before purchasing them. 

Before our platform existed, users would pay the creator the fee they asked and hope the photos' quality was good. On our platform, buyers can preview images and videos with a big logo of our company on top of it to ensure they don't screen-record it. Orases continues to provide maintenance and support. 

What is the team composition?

We work with around four teammates from Orases, depending on the work we have planned for each week.

How did you come to work with Orases?

My CPO found Orases. We had previously developed a product using a group overseas. For us, it was essential to bring the development of this product into the store, and we started researching service providers in Maryland. We interviewed and engaged in discussions with various companies, and Orases was the clear front-runner in building the product we were looking to bring to the market. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Orases built our website from April–November 2023, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've seen an increase in metrics since Orases launched our website. We've built this platform because we saw an opportunity to drive revenue, and we've been doing it since the first day it was launched, except for Christmas. We have 275 creators selling their work on our platform and 103,000 highlights posted for sale. Our user count continues to increase, and we're watching metrics increase largely due to Orases and their efforts.  

The team is everything we want a partner to be in terms of their involvement and knowledge base in every part of our product's development. From a functionality perspective, Orases offers a seamless transaction. Ultimately, my job is to discover how to make the transaction between creators and athletes seamless, and Orases has helped me achieve that. 

How did Orases perform from a project management standpoint?

Orases has delivered our work on time and under budget. The time Orases has spent building our platform is incredible. We interact primarily via Slack and communicate through email and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed by Orases' ability to deliver the product on time and under budget and their ability to be a partner. During discovery, we found that the team was open to our ideas, helped us define the problem we were trying to solve, and built something that fit our vision. I can't say enough about Orases — they're genuinely incredible. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything Orases can improve off the top of my head. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I suggest being very communicative. This was my first time working with a company like Orases, and in retrospect, I wish we had involved the team at the beginning of our product's ideation process so they could be a part of that. I suggest getting Orases involved as early as possible so they can be more helpful than they were to us, which they've been extremely helpful. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Assistant General Manager of Heritage Training And Shooting Center

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Heritage Training Center is a premier training facility and shooting range located in Frederick, MD. My position is Director of Sales + Range Operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Orases to accomplish?

• The custom software company provided Heritage Training and Shooting Center with a tailored software solution that streamlined their booking system, enhanced customer management, and improved overall operational efficiency, ultimately enhancing the overall experience for their patrons.

SOLUTION

How did you find Orases?

Referral

Why did you select Orases over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Orases were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Assessment of current software systems and business processes
• Collaboration with Heritage staff to gather requirements and define project goals 
• Design and development of a customized software solution tailored to Heritage's specific needs, such as a booking system, customer management tools, and operational efficiency enhancements 
• Integration of the new software with existing systems, such as inventory management or financial software 
• Testing and quality assurance to ensure the software meets all functional and performance requirements 
• Training for Heritage staff on how to use the new software effectively 

Key deliverables may include a fully functional and user-friendly software solution, documentation of the software, features and functionality, ongoing support and maintenance services, and a successful implementation that improves Heritage Training and Shooting Center's operations and customer experience.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Some measurable outcomes include increased efficiency in booking processes, improved customer satisfaction, enhanced data accuracy, cost savings, increased employee productivity, enhanced scalability of the software solution, and improved reporting capabilities for better decision-making and tracking performance metrics.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Orases had excellent project management - including the timely delivery of key project milestones, proactive communication on progress updates, and a responsive approach to addressing our needs and feedback throughout the development process. Their team demonstrated a strong commitment to meeting our requirements and ensuring that the final software solution aligned with our business objectives.

What was your primary form of communication with Orases?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The excellent customer experience, their expertise in software development, and their ability to translate our business needs into technology solutions.

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the systems administration manager of Luxor Staffing. Our company has a huge footprint for warehouse staffing and food production. We have offices all over the US, but our main market is Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Before I started working here seven years ago, the company didn't have an IT department, but I created it because I saw the need for it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Orases?
We needed support to develop a time clock system for our company. We had niche requirements for a lot of the timeclock capabilities because we're a staffing agency, and our customers have different configurations and requirements for their time clocks. We needed to create a system that could accommodate those needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Orases is building a custom time clock solution from the ground up. The team has already completed the project's proof of concept (POC) and is in the middle of the entire project. In the POC, Orases has defined the solutions' hardware and API requirements. The team has identified time clock system providers and created a relationship so we could build the software on top of that. 

Orases is coding the platform's backend, which consists of a web portal integrated with clock software with configurations for our needs. The system will also connect to our payroll software through an API. Orases leverages multiple development languages and will host our solution in AWS.

We want to allow customizability between different customers and be able to integrate with our HR and payroll software. One of our solution's benefits will be that when we set users up in our system, the time clock system will be able to grab the data from what we've already created and automatically recreate that infrastructure for the employees. 

The system will also be able to capture more metrics and reporting about time, attendance, and the employee's payment rate. In our specific environment, we have what the employees are being paid, and then we have what we charge a customer for those employees working. 

Many timeclock solutions that exist already don't have the ability to capture both of those data points. Our system will be able to drill down on our customers' invoicing and time approval process, and the solution will be centrally managed. 

What is the team composition?

We work with two software developers, and Denise (Digital Project Manager) is our project manager. Those are the three core teammates we've worked with. 

I want to congratulate the entire team. 

How did you come to work with Orases?

I found Orases through a Google search. Our previous time clock software provider was raising prices and changing the agreement, so I started looking for custom solutions and contacted multiple software development companies I found on Google. I reached out to Orases and talked to Nick (CEO), and he was great. Orases was the company we felt matched our needs the best out of everyone I talked to.
How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $120,000–$150,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Orases in January 2023, and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Landing on the correct time clock system provider has been a huge benefit for us. Orases has been good at finding the devices that will be able to handle everything we need them to do. Orases has done an excellent job during the POC process because we ran into an issue with the initial time clock system provider we decided to use, and we had to go back and do more discovery work to get to the right service provider. 

How did Orases perform from a project management standpoint?

Orases excels in their financial planning. Software development can be challenging to budget for, especially in the beginning, and Orases has pricing structures. When we presented Orases with our needs, they were ready to accommodate to ensure we felt secure in the project budget and how the money would be spent. I'm impressed by the way Orases handles our financial relationship. 

I meet with Orases twice a week via Google Meet to ensure the project is on track and moving along. In these meetings, I also tell them my needs and next steps. We also use Slack and Trello to communicate. The team delivers work on time and within our budget. There have been times when we weren't ready for the next step and wanted to wait because we're not on a strict timeline.

If the schedule is starting to run behind, they let us know. We just need to launch it before our current solution is sunseted. We're the ones telling Orases to take things slowly. The team meets and exceeds deadlines. Orases uses Atlassian as a project management suite, which allows them to create pages of information for me to review.
Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to highlight Denise's work because project management can be difficult, especially with few technical resources. She knows when she needs to speak up and when she needs to sit back and let her teammates handle the questions. She's very good with her appointments and planning. She's also good at communicating how the project is going with the sponsors. I've been really impressed with Denise as the project manager of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed by how seriously Orases has taken the discovery phase, landed the correct time clock system, and formed a relationship with that company that will work alongside us. That is a big aspect of our project, ensuring we have the correct hardware and software providers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything for Orases to improve. This is my first time working with a software development company, and as far as I'm concerned, Orases has been doing a great job, and I don't have any complaints. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Ensure the teammate who manages the project from your company understands the technical and non-technical aspects of the project. This teammate needs to have a clear understanding of your company's needs. We've had a great relationship, and I feel like I can communicate with their team and my team. There isn't back-and-forth communication, and we've kept the project small. 

When you have too many decision-makers, keeping the project on budget and schedule can become hard. Having a smaller team of highly skilled subject matter experts is better than having a large team of department heads who don't necessarily understand the technical side. We do still have meetings with those department heads, but I prepare ahead of time and ask Orases to focus less on the technical side. 

What has really smoothed over this process is having a project leader who is knowledgeable about the technical and business requirements of this solution. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice President, Operations of Wireless ATM Store Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We sell and support cellular devices as a micro-ISP with a heavy focus on providing connectivity for payment-processing equipment and similar business critical assets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Orases to accomplish?

• Build an interactive device management platform for our wireless customers and administrative staff to use for reporting, troubleshooting, billing, and organization.
• We also needed them to takeover, support and enhance our existing e-commerce website.

SOLUTION

How did you find Orases?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Orases over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Orases were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Build a custom software platform and database that would consist of over 80,000 cellular devices assigned to over 1,200 unique clients. There needed to be a high amount of flexibility for our administrative staff to modify devices, service plans, customer assignments, etc. There needed to be an extensive amount of API integration between the platform and the carriers' platforms (Verizon, AT&T) as well as the devices themselves. 

The scope also included the ability for the platform to aggregate usage for each device and subsequently create monthly invoices to be distributed to each client. The system also provides the ability for our administrative staff to easily submit ACH transactions to our bank for all of the monthly charges owed. Additionally, the system has a robust module for determining how and when devices receive configuration and firmware files in an automated fashion. 

The project also required an elaborate dashboard to be built that consolidates an extensive amount of data and provides attractive visualizations and metrics. Key deliverables for the project consisted of work being uploaded to a beta environment periodically for user acceptance testing, as well as a final "launch" of the portal in July 2023. We are still in an ongoing contract and are regularly testing and releasing new features to the portal since the launch.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our customer base. The responsiveness, speed, and efficiency of the platform has been much higher than expected, and lightyears better than the platform that our previous software vendor provided. The launch of the platform to the live environment was near seamless.

 We have maintained an amazing rapport with our team at Orases during the entire project, which helps facilitate a highly productive process as we continue to move forward with new work. As a byproduct of the the way the platform was built and the understanding of our scope, we have much more visibility into the inner-workings of the database, which ultimately has added productivity to our staff's daily responsibilities. 

We are able to utilize software tools provided by Orases to have full transparency of the flow of stories/items that are being worked on, in testing, ready to launch, or completed.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The project management at Orases far exceeds any project management we have experienced with any other vendors. The team is highly responsive, organized, works well together, and always transparent. It has made our participation in the project much easier to manage. They met deadlines most of the time, and when unable to, we were always given a fully transparent rationale for the need to extend when needed. 

I have never had any experience with Orases where I felt there was a lack of responsiveness at all. They've understood our needs from the very beginning and are always thinking of ways to find the best solution for all of our requests/requirements.

What was your primary form of communication with Orases?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We found that their existing portfolio/clientele was very impressive. During the project, their unique approach in terms of project management transparency and access to all team members on a recurring basis was extremely helpful to us and made the project efficient and productive, with little to no need for any rework due to scope misunderstanding. 

They also leverage great software products for project management. The amount of interest in our business model and "why" we were requesting certain features was also very unique and impressive and something we had not encountered at all with previous software vendors.

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

I cannot think of anything that would drastically stick out in terms of improvements.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the CEO of an advertising & marketing company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We specialize in SEO, ads, content marketing, and WordPress development/hosting, elevating businesses through digital excellence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Orases to accomplish?

• Overcome previous challenges with offshore developer outsourcing by providing a robust, on-time, and within-budget solution using PHP and React technologies.
• Develop and maintain a multi-tenant workflow management system and customer portal for comprehensive content management.
• Streamline the workflows for planning, writing, editing, QA, final review, and posting of blogs, service pages, social media content, newsletters, and more.
• Replace inefficient systems like Asana with a tailored solution to improve organizational efficiency and content management.

SOLUTION

How did you find Orases?

• Online Search
• Referral
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Orases over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Orases were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Orases was tasked with the creation of a sophisticated workflow management system utilizing PHP and React. This system was to replace our previous chaotic setup with Asana and other tools. They focused on developing a platform that supported our end-to-end content development processes, from planning and writing to QA, final review, and posting. Before this, our attempts to outsource development were unsuccessful. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The implementation of this system revolutionized how we manage content creation, significantly improving efficiency, reducing errors, and enhancing collaboration across teams. Overall, we can take on more work because of the system, we spend less time on QA and client meetings for feedback, and we are considering turning our system into a SaaS product.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

It has been a game-changer in managing workflows and has directly contributed to our growth and ability to handle larger, more complex projects.

What was your primary form of communication with Orases?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Working with Orases was like getting a fresh perspective; their approach is methodical, thoughtful, and aligns with our objectives. We were really wowed by their ability to keep the initial development under 12 months. They completed the initial demo in 6 months, and the application was live in 8 months. The real heros were the PMs. They did a great job translating our requirements.

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

Orases's performance and delivery exceeded our expectations, leaving little room for improvement. Their team adapted well to challenges and always found solutions to meet our needs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr. Director of IT & Operations of a non-profit company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company is the unifying champion for quality youth mentoring in the United States. Our mission is to close the “mentoring gap” and ensure our nation's young people have the support they need through quality mentoring relationships to succeed at home, school, and ultimately, work

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Orases to accomplish?

• Develop Requirements for a new system
• Develop a new system and transition the organization to it
• Support Management for the new system

SOLUTION

How did you find Orases?

Referral

Why did you select Orases over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Orases’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We own and manage a country-wide mentoring volunteer system. After going through an unsuccessful rollout and partnership with a previous vendor, we sought to find a new partner who supports our vision and has experience rebuilding an entire system. Through an RFP process and recommendation, we found Orases and agreed to move forward with them. The project involved a complete redo of requirements, approval of Phase 1 requirements, the redevelopment of the system, testing, training, and launch plans.

Additionally, we agree on a support management contract to continue with further improvements and enhancements. We are currently in discussions to plan phase 2 of the volunteering system. They are also working on developing another system of ours that includes integrating it into the volunteering system.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• We launched the project on time and included all of the phase 1 requirements, plus some added items. We also observed a reduction in user support requests, which means the system was built easily and was user-friendly.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their project management is impeccable. The PM and Team were easy to work with and made us feel heard. They valued our input and ensured we were comfortable with the designs before it was considered final. Most importantly, they managed to pivot and were flexible with last-minute changes. All hands were on deck. We certainly made the right decision to partner with them.

What was your primary form of communication with Orases?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their BA walked us through the requirements and design sessions phenomenally. They were patient and ensured we understood the details clearly. They quickly learned the system and process, making these sessions seamless and effective. We were very impressed!

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

There was a last-minute change of resources, which required a bit of delay in onboarding.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director of Technology for an association of immigration attorneys.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Orases, and what were your goals?

It was time for us to update our custom e-commerce store which was about 10 years old. The goal was to develop something within our custom AMS and not continue to have an outside product that connected.

We also had new products we wanted to sell that wasn't easily handled by the previous system. We also needed to be mobile friendly and give users a better experience with digital files.

SOLUTION

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

Orases is our primary technology vendor. We are in a multi-year project plan with them to integrate all of our separate systems into one larger system. Key to continuing to work with them has been the work they have done on prior projects

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

The project went through a detailed discovery and then a development process. The platform is built in cakePHP. It integrates with our custom AMS and accounting system plus two external vendors for e-learning and a warehouse for physical products.

Key deliverables included a back-end product management system, a front-end store for users and an administrative checkout for our internal customer service teams

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

A project manager, a UX person for requirements gathering, a lead developer, 2 additional developers and a QA person.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Final deliverable was excellent and both staff and users were very pleased with the product. Ongoing support and adjustments have also been very smooth. Our staff is happy with the easier product creation interface and access to better sales data.

As part of this process we did learn that our own organization needs to work in a more waterfall environment and to complete all discovery before beginning development. Orases has been accomodating and future projects are following that structure

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

For this project we used Basecamp and Redmine as our project tools. During the discovery phase we met 2-3 times per week over Zoom and during development once every 2 weeks. Redmine tickets were used to track individual elements and their status.

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

The entire team at Orases is really easy to work with. They're also very prepared for meetings and take excellent documentation

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

Bringing new team members up to speed in our complex custom environment can be time consuming. But Orases seems to have developed a good plan for onboarding and we haven't had many issues.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a DevOps engineer and web application developer at a company that offers a sports rating platform. Users can upload videos of their sports highlights on our platform and have their peers rank them. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Orases?

We needed help to develop our mobile app’s algorithm feed, which is the algorithm that displays videos on the app’s home feed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Orases has designed, developed, and implemented our mobile app’s home algorithm using Node.js as an environmental tool. Orases has also used AWS Lambda functions, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) to host the code, and Amazon MQ for pipeline communication. 

At the beginning of our engagement, we had several meetings with Orases’ team to discuss the project’s technical requirements and objectives. We then moved on to the development phase, where Orases worked on the algorithm’s main functionalities and fixed any errors within the development cycle. After this, Orases enhanced the algorithm, implemented it in the app, and resolved any live production bugs that didn’t come up during testing.

Orases conducted straight-up user testing, where live and beta users gave us feedback that we used to progress in the development. During the final phase, Orases enhanced the algorithm to cater to our users better.

The algorithm's main functionality is it suggests content for users to keep watching based on their content consumption within our app. For instance, if a user watches a lot of hockey videos, the algorithm sources similar videos from our database that the user may like.

Moreover, Orases has also offered us key insights to design our suggested followers algorithm, which is the one that displays suggested accounts for users to follow. Additionally, Orases has helped with the app’s architecture and figured out how we could communicate two servers with each other.

We still have a technical support agreement with Orases, where they offer us maintenance and troubleshooting services for any bugs that come up. Orases also assist us with the app’s hosting since they have access to our hosting environment.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked mainly with three teammates from Orases: a project manager, a lead developer, and a lead business analyst. During the development phase, Orases had a bigger team of developers working on our project, although I didn’t talk to them directly.

How did you come to work with Orases?

I believe we found Orases through a referral. However, I wasn’t part of Orases' hiring process. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Orases in March 2022, and they launched the app’s MVP in April 2022. The project's development phase has finished, and we currently have a consultancy agreement with Orases.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our main metrics for this project have been the integration and unit tests that Orases ran during the development phase. In software development projects, we test individual functionalities of the algorithm by using other code. 

Overall, Orases’ development team has met the project’s goals and release dates.

How did Orases perform from a project management standpoint?

Orases meets deadlines and stays on budget. We use Jira and Confluence for project management. 

We communicate with Orases through Slack and Google Meet. We’ve had different frequencies for meetings throughout the project: in the early stage of the development process, we had weekly meetings. Then, during the production phase, we had biweekly meetings and then just monthly meetings to enhance the app’s algorithm.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Orases’ knowledge of software development. They’re very communicative and open to discussions. Overall, Orases has done a great job. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything for Orases to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend customers start the engagement with Orases having a business requirement to expedite the process. If they’re looking to build five-star software, they need to have their business requirements before going into development. This will help the development team to have a clear understanding of the work they need to perform on their end.

Once they achieve this with Orases, the process should be smooth after.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a media and entertainment company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Orases?

We were trying to integrate one of our custom apps for supplier management into our main financial record system. We were previously taking care of our financial tasks manually by our account receivable team and ourselves, and that was taking a significant amount of time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Orases did custom software development for us. They focused on helping us integrate an existing custom app into our Oracle financial system of record from scratch. The main functionalities we asked for were the ability to incorporate and manage our existing and new suppliers within our organization, including their address information, tax statuses, invoice attachments, and any other tax forms.

In terms of technologies, they used API integrations, payload to pass and distribute data, and security encryptions.

What was the team composition? 

We worked with two members of Orases’ team, including a project manager and a developer.

How did you come to work with Orases?

Orases was within our vendor ecosystem because they worked with another department ar our organization. It was natural to reach out to them because they were already a trusted supplier for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $75,000–$100,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2022–January 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product that Orases created will help us get huge cost savings and enable us to relocate resources to other tasks since the platform will now automate some of our data integration processes. The system will also help us improve the accuracy of data management and alert us whenever an issue arises. Moreover, Orases understood our design perspective, which they translated into the development efforts, and were good at testing the product. Overall they were a top-notch partner.

How did Orases perform from a project management standpoint?

Orases’ project management was outstanding. They led a communicative process, asked us questions whenever they didn’t understand something about the development process, and were always willing to help us whenever needed. In terms of tools and communication, we used emails, Zoom standing meetings, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Orases’ communication skills and turnaround times were great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t think there was anything they could improve on.