R2Consulting

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Penta Network, a software development company. We specialize in blockchain technology and blockchain-based applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with R2Consulting?

We hired them for a few different pieces of custom work. We had two products — one for supply chain traceability, and the other was a new data privacy portal.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

R2Consulting has worked on three different projects. First, they helped us build a website for our new product, including some custom applications as part of the site. Then, we hired them separately to create some dashboards and frontend interfaces, which was custom work related to the other product. Also, they’ve helped us with our SEO strategy and implementation.

They do a careful analysis and discovery process at the beginning of each project. From their analysis, they come back to us with a quotation for their services. Then, they go into implementation.

There are a lot of technologies involved. R2Consulting has provided full stack development services across the three projects, as well as frontend development on React. They’ve worked on several backend services, including Jason, JavaScript, automation services, blockchain technologies, and other software.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked directly with more than six people. Primarily, we work with Brian (CEO) and the CTO. Also, we’ve done some work with members of the development team.

How did you come to work with R2Consulting?

I knew Brian, and the CTO has been my friend for a long time. When we needed help, they were one of the few vendors we spoke to. However, we felt that their process and team were the best choice for us, so we decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $50,000 on all the projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first project started in February 2021 and ended in September 2021. The second project lasted from September 2021–February 2022. However, our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of metrics, we have clearly defined deliverables in each of the projects, and they’ve delivered on those and been good about the timeline. Also, one thing that they do well is the issue-tracking process. At the end of a build, we go through the product to identify bugs or problems and correct them. We use that as another set of metrics to track progress on the final product’s delivery, and the process is pretty transparent.

On the other hand, they’re an amazing group to work with in terms of feedback. They’re hardworking, diligent, and transparent. Overall, they have excellent communication, technical knowledge, and expertise.

How did R2Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re an agile shop, so they have regular scrum meetings, and we’re invited. We’ve held weekly meetings for each project and kept communication channels open and flowing. In general, they've implemented their agile process, having weekly touchpoints with them to integrate our team into their workflow.

We’ve used Google Meet and Zoom for video conferencing throughout the engagement. For development work and documentation, we use GitLab and some GitHub. However, they do all their product management in Jira, so we’ve been given access to their task flow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have an excellent process. R2Consulting is very transparent and communicative, and they have a hands-on approach. Also, they give us a lot of face time, not only for me as the CEO but also for my development team, which is really great.

Moreover, they have a broad range of technical expertise, unlike some teams that only do frontend, backend, or specific technologies. R2Consulting has a much larger toolbox, and they can work with us in many technical areas.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. We’ve had a significant interaction with the team, and we look forward to doing more work with them in the future.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d encourage anyone working with R2Consulting to invest time and effort in the discovery process and provide as much information and documentation as possible. It’ll facilitate a good workflow process.