Phaedra Solutions

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As the founder of D & A llc -SW Florida's Premier Software Solutions Company, we have designed award winning solutions for international media content distribution companies, monitoring and dashboard reporting solutions for CirrusPoint Solutions as well as designing and developing a customized solution for local IT startups such as My Undercover Agent.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Phaedra to assist us with the "My Undercover Agent" launch. We needed their help to complete and implement the web design and later we asked them to design a mobile version of the web application.

SOLUTION

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

Phaedra had many great reviews and seemed knowledgeable and dependable. We love the team, they are very great at thinking outside of the box, and have solved many complex issues.

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

We worked with the Phaedra team to design the mobile and web application for My Undercover Agent. We had many steps from the design build to the implementation, to the subscription and stripe integration to the final launch. We used nodejs, AWS, React and many other technologies.

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

We worked with project managers, designers, mobile and web developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was a success, and won the SWFL Innovation Award for Technology in 2020. We have enjoyed working with the Phaedra team on launching this successful application.

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

Their project management is very organized and they are always make themselves available for meetings. As the communication is good, we have met our timelines with no issues.

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

Their humbleness, and willingness to resolve all the issues. They helped us immensely as we launched our application there was so much work to do, they eased into it without complaint.

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

none

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a software startup working in the energy space within logistics and procurement.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Phaedra Solutions?

We needed a reliable technical partner to build out a software solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We built several software assets, including mobile applications, a web portal, and a backend infrastructure used to manage our data. Initially, we hired them to build a single mobile app, and that expanded to an MVP of our entire platform. We’re expanding their development services further organically this year as well. 

The software is an internal enterprise resource planning procurement and logistics platform. Since our relationship started, we’ve pivoted to capture more of a global market. They’ve done a great job adapting to that, taking it in stride. 

What is the team composition?

We work primarily with the developers directly, however, we have contact with the CEO and CTO. Their executives have always gone out of their way to provide the services we needed from them. 

How did you come to work with Phaedra Solutions?

I originally found them on Upwork and spoke to them about our initial task for them. They performed well and our relationship grew from there. We’ve since moved off the Upwork platform, integrating their services more closely with our team. Our business is largely focused on the market in Southeast Asia, so a partnership with their team also made sense to us geographically.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $100,000–$200,000 on their work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since June 2019.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of their work is very high. I needed a technical partner to adhere to our needs from a development perspective without making assumptions about our needs on their own. Our industry and needs are niche, and they understood that in their work. As we expand our work with them, we’ll likely be augmenting our team with their software resources.  

How did Phaedra Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re good communicators. While there are some expected drawbacks from a time zone perspective, they’ve always been very responsive. If we bring an issue up, the management team going above and beyond to solve it. I’m happy with the relationship. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re great developers, working well with our give requirements and use cases. We also have a shared cultural knowledge through Pakistan, which is useful. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everything comes down to communication. Make sure that you take creative charge of your project, and don’t leave requirements up to the interpretation of their team.

They definitely have the ability to work with clients outside of their time zone and hemisphere. They’re experienced at communicating on that level.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Include someone with experience in product management in your communication. That will help you communicate exactly what you want. Issues in communication and misunderstandings will occur if they have to make assumptions as to what your team needs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CTO of a personalized shopping service. My role is to look after everything tech-related.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We've recently hired a designer and an expert to do a full re-branding exercise for the business. Since we're an e-commerce business, a lot of this exercise also meant an update in the UI/UX of our entire web application. As this was quite a big task and we had a timeline we wanted it completed by, I've decided to hire an external agency to do the changes.

SOLUTION

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

I hired Phaedra Solutions based on excellent reviews on Upwork and based on previous work they've done for other clients.

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

They took over an existing Ruby on Rails project and implemented the new UI/UX on it over the course of a few months, including addition of new features and a major clean up and optimization in the code.

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

There were 2 people from their team working with me on a regular basis: a full-stack Ruby on Rails Developer and a team lead, who would oversee and consult on each sprint.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to launch the new, re-designed website with all the new features and deliverables on time. On top of that, due to their familiarity with the project and good work ethics, we hired them to work with me on a regular basis, to help with future development work going forward.

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

Project management was great. The full-stack developer had a daily report every day of what was done and was to be done the next day. On top of that, the team lead got involved regularly for weekly calls and for any issues that came up along the way.

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

Unlike most digital agencies, with Phaedra, I had both direct access to the developer and the team lead, pretty much at all times. They were available daily for any kind of review and were very flexible when we had to make additional changes to plans, treating this project as their own business and advising on best practices, rather than just a one-off task list.

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

One comment that I might make is improvement in communication. For the most part, all conversations were done through a team lead, who had excellent English and excellent technical skills. In his absence, I struggled a little bit to communicate directly with the developers sometimes.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Digital Director at Katch International, a PR and Marketing firm with offices in Sydney, London and Dubai.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Phaedra Solutions?

A client required development of an app for both Android and iOS. The app contained several complex systems, and was to include backend cloud-based CMS to manage app users and their listings.

The team at Phaedra was exceptional in both understanding the scope and executing on abstract ideas that required a high level of creativity and a thorough understanding of logistics.

What were your goals for this project?

1. A polished look and feel for the app
2. A scaleable approach to development to parallel the growth projections of the business
3. on-time delivery
4. on or under budget

SOLUTION

How did you select Phaedra Solutions?

I have worked with Phaedra on projects in the past. They have always delivered on our agreements and they are my perferred dev team for all complex projects that come through Katch.

Describe the project in detail.

We used our in-house designers to create the different views in the app. Prior to that, we ran several discovery meetings to understand the user story and how they would progress through the app. Once design and UX was established, we handed it off to Phaedra to complete.

Phaedra provided us with the requirements they need (hosting, domains, 3rd party software etc.) to get everything done. They then take the wheel and setup the milestones and tasks on Trello, so we can monitor every step of their progress.

What was the team composition?

Project manager Lead developer Development team

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app was launched on time, despite some unforseen challenges.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent communication, with the assistance of a well set-up Trello board.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Expertise in every aspect of the development process. A clear understanding of what needs to be done. Cost effective

Are there any areas for improvement?

I cannot think of a time when I have been let down by anyone at Phaedra over the course of several projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Foodkarma. We connect restaurants, wholesalers, and other companies to customers and professionals in order to reduce food waste.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Phaedra Solutions?

Phaedra Solutions took over all of our app and website development needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did our website and backend development. They also developed an app for us for both iOS and Android. The app can be used by both the customer and the merchant. They have also been creating some marketing ads and videos to promote the app.

The product is a delivery app. Users can scroll through different types of food by wholesale, cuisines, merchants, and the user can also track the order. There are live notifications, and the user will see how much food we have saved and how much it has impacted the environment.

What is the team composition?

We work with a total of five people. We regularly work with 2–3 developers. On top of that, we have the creative people who we work with when we need to make new videos.

How did you come to work with Phaedra Solutions?

It was word of mouth. They were recommended by someone I know who helped us at the beginning to start the base development. We needed to have something bigger and more sustainable and this vendor referred me to Phaedra Solutions. 

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent between $40,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around the end of August 2019, and we currently have them on retainer. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We send our customers a small questionnaire every two months to see what they like and what they don’t like. We use their feedback to plan for new updates. 

In terms of bugs, there were a little more at the beginning, but over 85% of users are absolutely loving it. Everyone loves the flow and how clean and practical the app is. We have been getting amazing feedback about it which is great, and that’s why we’re still working with them.

How did Phaedra Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been super responsive, and get back to me even when I contact them after hours. They are based in Pakistan, so sometimes, especially with my being French, there may be a mistranslation and I need to reexplain things, but otherwise, it has been amazing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t worked with that many providers, but I have to say that they are super flexible and extremely responsive. Every time I have an emergency, they are on it and try to solve it within 5 to 10 minutes of me texting them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the beginning, because they didn’t know me, they didn’t take the initiative to tell me what they felt was better, but now they do that. They don’t wait for me to tell them to do something, they come to me and tell me what they think would work better. They are taking the initiative which is what I appreciate. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be extremely clear about what you want. For example, I like to create a point of reference so that they properly understand how I want it to look when it comes to the color and wording. If you know exactly what you want in your head, it is good to put it on paper for them so they won’t waste time trying to clarify with you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a software architect for Dudley Debosier, a law firm and legal services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Phaedra Solutions?

We hired Phaedra to create and manage a number of software projects and services, including large scale enterprise applications.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to find a reliable trustworthy software partner that could fulfill our hiring and project requirements.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed many vendors and ultimately went with Phaedra because they have a history of providing outstanding technical services and they have a proven process for managing talent and projects.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Phaedra does two very valuable things for us, they manage the recruitment and HR responsibility of hiring and retaining top development talent, as well as the technical responsibility of managing our software projects.

What was the team composition?

Phaedra currently has around 50 developers with many senior technical leads and management. They also have about 5 executives to manage business processes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

From the beginning we set out project guidelines and have managed those expectations step by step.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I had very specific and unique requests regarding my project management structure. My project requires 24 hour development which requires shift management. Phaedra worked to find the right team members for my project and insured it's success.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I recently took a trip from the US to visit their office in Lahore. I was surprised to find a 3 story office, with a work environment that I would put on par with any business, anywhere in the world. This is a top-notch organization.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are always areas of improvement, but I can't think of any specific improvements at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provide a marketplace for tailors

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Phaedra Solutions to accomplish?

• UI & UX

SOLUTION

How did you find Phaedra Solutions?

Online Search

Why did you select Phaedra Solutions over others?

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

How many teammates from Phaedra Solutions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

UI UX Design about 40 pages

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have created a usable very nice UI UX design which exceeded my expectations

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

everything was on time and as promised

What was your primary form of communication with Phaedra Solutions?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

the discipline and that they were very well in sync with one another.

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

no. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Strengthening Future Families, a public charity supporting research on teaching parenting and child development to adolescents.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Phaedra Solutions?

We needed help developing our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Phaedra Solutions has developed our website according to our specifications. The main deliverable has been more than 150 successively robust website versions. The team has worked on dashboards, grant request submissions, security, login and account management, submission management, submission review, grant making and post-grant project management, and a messaging subsystem. Phaedra Solutions has also handled some design, database development, quality assurance, website deployment, and website operation.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three primary teammates from Phaedra Solutions, with others added as needed.

How did you come to work with Phaedra Solutions?

We found Phaedra Solutions through an online search.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2021, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Phaedra Solutions has taken our website from concept through initial installation into iterative improvement. The website continues to build interest, add functionality, gain traffic, and improve its grant-making process. We measure success by the quality of our grant submissions, and we’ve received positive comments from time to time, although this isn’t typical in our industry.

How did Phaedra Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management isn’t one of Phaedra Solutions’ strengths. However, the team does an excellent job of project communication. We communicate via video conferences and email, and updates are daily. Upper management is always available promptly and as needed for major decisions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve been most impressed with Phaedra Solutions’ constructiveness and determination to solve our problems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Project management could be improved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Principal of a legal company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Legal Services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Phaedra Solutions to accomplish?

• Website Design

SOLUTION

How did you find Phaedra Solutions?

Online Search

Why did you select Phaedra Solutions over others?

High ratings

How many teammates from Phaedra Solutions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We worked together to design a website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They designed a great website!

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

They were very timely and efficient.

What was your primary form of communication with Phaedra Solutions?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their organization. Highly organized, on top of matters, timely. You can't do better.

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

None