Saritasa

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a workforce solutions business centered around human capital and staffing across a variety of industries. The other half of the business is project-based. That involves data recovery, digital investigations, and data forensics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

We’ve hired them three different times, all for high-functioning websites that could serve as a demand engine for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For our first project, they built a custom WordPress website that integrated six companies and functions into one. We wanted customers to have a central location to gather information and expose themselves to our brand. Choosing the WordPress theme for its reliability, we brought in Saritasa to add several plugins and customizations, including a job board. 

They added features and functionalities to the site that allowed jobs to be searchable by location, so viewers could view specific jobs available in certain geographies. Starting with a pretty static theme, their team maneuvered through our priorities and brought in functionalities we wanted. In doing so, they kept the look and feel of the website consistent throughout.  

What is the team composition?

First, we spoke with a sales rep about our initial needs. Then, we were passed off to another manager to crystalize those needs. From there, we worked with a project manager and a lead designer.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

We both happened to sponsor the same charitable organization, so I’d seen their name a few times on the list of event sponsors. They were also local. It was easy to look them up and learn more about their capabilities fairly quickly.

Additionally, we wanted projects to eventually exceed web development. I wanted to that the business into VR and other emerging technologies, integrating them into our business. Their team displayed competencies in these areas, and it made sense to have a partner with that sort of experience. That way, they’d have continuity with the group that we could leverage in more advanced developments. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $25,000 on the first project we did with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

This first project lasted from October 2017–February 2018. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The performance of the site ramped up quickly through various social feeds and both inbound and outbound social connections. Ideally, we wanted the site to help people at different parts of their job search journies. We wanted to aid them in getting as close to employment as possible.

Through Google Analytics, we’ve noticed that we have a very good rate of taking people as far as they want in their journies. Our users are not dropping out at critical stages because the site is informative and intuitive enough to guide them. We get 30,000–40,000 page views, which is great for our industry.

Notably, we just sold our business last week. In my discussions with the new CEO, he praised our site for looking more advanced and credible than expected for such a small company. Our partners were able to show us in the optimal light needed so sell at a fairly early stage in the market. 

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

Both of our teams used different software and project management systems. But, it actually escapes me on what we settled to use because they were located so close to our team. We had such regular contact, either in person or over the phone, that I wasn’t relying on a project plan or software to manage our project for us. 

Each week, we’d have a handoff that would help us determine what we would focus on before the next meeting. Everything was well communicated if problems arose in between milestones and deliverables. I really appreciated the project manager for their accessibility and responsiveness.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had the competence to get the job done. In other words, they were willing and able to work through the challenges that popped up during the development. That quickly put my mind at ease, so I could refocus my attention on other aspects of the business. They made me feel like I had a true partner. 

The team constantly displayed a great balance of warmth and competence. What I needed was an empathetic partner that could listen to our needs and help me translate them into code, and they were able to deliver in a way that worked for our intended audience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve reached out to me with the same question, and I can’t think of anything big. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president for a sporting goods brand. Among other things, we handle professional baseball contracts in the minor and major leagues.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

I needed to update my web application to handle major and minor league contracts, as well as enable me to place equipment orders and track order history.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I initially began working with them, I showed them the old computer program I was using, which was built in 1998. I sat down with Michelle (Senior Software Sales Consultant, Saritasa) and went through the functions I still needed, what I liked, what I wanted to add, and what I could do without. From there, we developed the scope and I began working with a team of developers.

Based on my input, the development team created a template to show me how the web application would look and work. Since we had that collaboration early in the process, I was able to change things around easily. After my feedback, they engineered the web application and we went through iterative trial and error development stages. Now that it’s fully developed, they provide updates and maintenance.

Some of the key functions of the application include me being able to keep a history of teams a player has been on, where he was drafted, which round he was drafted in, his progress through the leagues, and his order history.

What is the team composition?

We planned and outlined the scope with Michelle, and once we both agreed on the specifics, I was introduced to the team of three developers that worked on the project.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

They were referred to me. I just heard about them through word of mouth.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in October 2016, but had some difficulties on our end and restarted the project in Summer 2017. They finished development in November 2017, the web application went live for Spring 2018, and they are currently maintaining and updating the app as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have saved me a substantial amount of time. For example, at the end of baseball season, we compensate players that use our equipment with a gift card to the company of their choosing. I would have to print off statistics and then handwrite and calculate them myself to determine which players would receive our minimum guarantee. Now, we download the data and, with the press of the button, have all of the information we need: statistics, addresses, contact information, and players’ preferences. It’s much simpler now.

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

Their headquarters are only 20 minutes away from my office, so I was able to meet with them in-person frequently. That made communication much easier because we were able to show each other exactly what we wanted or needed. Outside of that, we talked via email or text. They were very easy to get in touch with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were able to turn my wishes into reality. Every idea I had for an addition, they brought to fruition. They were patient with me trying to explain features I wanted, or trying to understand different technical aspects of the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really, working with them was outstanding. They are very technically savvy and patient in explaining everything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company builds mutual-consent mobile applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

We wanted a discreet, user-friendly, easily accessible, and unintrusive mobile app to help couples determine whether mutual consent has been given.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought them our ideas and our specs, and they gave us insight into which platforms and software would work best to achieve our goals. Then, they brought our concepts to life—from design through engineering—building out not only the apps, but a website, and our cloud platform. Plus, they designed our logo.

Currently, they perform maintenance on our apps, websites, and other IT concerns on an as-needed basis.

What is the team composition?

We had an account executive, project manager, graphic designers, and software engineers working on the project.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

After interviewing several firms, we selected Saritasa because they offered an outstanding suite of services, from app design and development to website customization to marketing. Plus, they’re fairly close to us geographically.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent just over $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first project with them was in 2014, and have worked with them ever since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have two world-class mobile apps, two websites, a logo, and a cloud platform. They were highly experienced, talented, and easy to work with. They are down to earth yet professional.

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

They met all deadlines and all corrections and revisions were done in a timely manner.

For larger projects, we signed contracts with progress payments stipulated. For the maintenance work they do now, we submit work orders and are billed at the end of the cycle.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They constantly provide status updates, their coding is stable, and their quality controls are outstanding (i.e., no crashes on any of our apps).

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would suggest implementing a large-scale intern program with emphasis on local talent and workshops to help with future growth and demand.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Know your mission and set your goals in advance.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Montes Medical Group Inc. is a primary care medical office. As the practice administrator, I work to improve business efficiency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

About 60% of our business involves managing HMO contracts. Insurance companies send us physical copies of our patients’ policies, and we spend hours transferring the information to a digital platform. After many unsuccessful attempts at using existing spreadsheets and database management software, I realized we needed a custom database to improve our antiquated filing process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We met with their team to discuss our goals for the project, and they offered great suggestions that improved our initial vision. Once we had a finalized concept, they drafted a model of the database and sent to document to their senior programmer for development.

We work with 25 Independent Practice Associations (IPAs), and all their reports have a unique format. As a solution, Saritasa developed custom search filters that allow us to view files by the health plan, the doctor, or the line of business. We’re also able to use the filters to identify missed insurance payments. The dashboard that they developed alerts us of missing files and allows us to track patient enrollment. We can link data entry fields to specific criteria, so we no longer have to search for line items while entering data.

This was my first time conceptualizing a database; in hindsight, there are a lot of features that I wish I knew to include. Future updates include combining line items to avoid cluttering the system and making a more complex dashboard that flags for issues that exceed a set benchmark.

What is the team composition?

We worked with their project manager throughout the entire project, and we also interacted with their senior developer and web designer.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

Since the project was relatively simple, I didn’t do extensive research. I found Saritasa while searching online for local development agencies. After reviewing their portfolio, I was confident that they could deliver a product that fit our needs. They appeared to be responsive and understanding of our goal, so that was also comforting.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little more than $30,000 on the initial project, and we are billed hourly for maintenance and additional updates.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working on the project in 2016 and finished within two months. They update the database as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s still a laborious process to manage the HMO contracts, but the new database is the best data management platform on the market. Our data is more organized and easier analyze, and the templates save us time inputting data.

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

Email was our primary channel of communication. Their project manager was very responsive and kept us informed throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Although I only possess a basic understanding of technology, I never felt intimidated explaining my vision to their team. Saritasa was very receptive to our needs and went out of their way to ensure that our requests were satisfied.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We delayed a few updates because the original scope of work didn't include the services.  I understand that extra work comes at an additional cost, but it would have been nice to have more flexibility with the scope of work.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Digital EMS Solutions, an electronic patient care reporting (EPCR) company that provides HIPAA-compliant software to paramedics in Los Angeles County. The solution is an iPad-based iOS app that captures data from paramedics' interactions with patients. Once the data is captured and massaged, the app sends it to the backend website for hospitals, the billing company, and the mandated reporting agencies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

Although I know how to write and read code, I don’t have the time to manage the software or do updates. Saritasa serves as a white label vendor for the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We built the app with another vendor prior to Saritasa’s engagement and train clients individually using a turnkey approach. The team primarily does software development. Developers code in Objective-C and Swift, and use HTML5 templates. I submit requests by writing out specifications and drawing pictures with arrows to make the requirements as clear as possible. They then come back with suggestions intended to future proof the app.

They provide ongoing support, and in the last two years, have ensured new machines are in code so that nobody has to touch the servers physically. The team also created our Amazon Web Services (AWS) account from scratch.

What is the team composition?

I work with the project manager and serve as his counterpart for our team. I also communicate directly with developers as needed.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

We looked for new agencies after realizing our initial vendor wasn’t providing sustainable service. They lacked the vision to think outside of the box, in addition to possessing limited programming experience and troubleshooting processes. After our search to a few companies, we met Saritasa’s CEO and select team members. We liked the team’s work and approach.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we’ve spent just under $1 million. Instead of using a retainer, we send monthly update and improvement requests and then receive a bill for the previous month at the end of that period.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2011 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had one beta client when the app first launched. Now, we serve 27 of the county’s 31 fire departments, in-part due to the app’s user-friendly turnkey format. The increase is significant, but we’re not looking to expand outside of Los Angeles County.

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager is an effective liaison between teams and that communication with developers helps our team better understand project status. They’re responsive to requests and have quick turnarounds that meet the occasionally rushed timeframe. Furthermore, the team makes the AWS fixes future proof to ensure that we’re not affected by future outages. We use Jira and Skype; calls on the latter sometimes include extra resources. I also direct message developers as needed, and always keep the project manager in the loop.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Not only does the team provide helpful feedback on design specifications, but they also have the vision to create things better than how we originally anticipated. Those proactive future proof efforts only make the app better.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Saritasa could scale the team to keep the business competitive as they grow. But there isn’t anything specific because we have a good dynamic with the team. The teams have grown accustomed to each other’s development workflows.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be as descriptive as possible with design specifications and then allow them to ingest and massage those instructions. Their constructive criticism will improve the results and better fulfill the original goal. Likewise, know what the end-result should look like.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of a behavioral marketing agency. We primarily focus on using Facebook to find audiences for our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

We're outsourcing Saritasa to build the ground level of our technology. Our CTO does the architecting and Saritasa implements the software at a granular level.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Saritasa was originally hired to develop an app, but that project has evolved into a long-term assignment to build and constantly update two social media advertising platforms

What is the team composition?

They provide one project manager and development teams both domestically and overseas.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

A friend of ours was a client of Saritasa and recommended them to us. We had two or three other competitors we were looking at, but they stood out with a first-rate presentation and we believed their stated commitment to customer service.

​​​​​​​What is the status of this engagement?

We started the engagement in January 2011 and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients are very satisfied with our service. Additionally, the Saritasa team is consistently delivering timely updates to make sure our platform runs smoothly. 

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

They have their own internal project management tool to keep track of the progress. For us, there are ongoing platform issues, but Saritasa’s team is always right on it. We have a very proactive relationship. They are very responsive and the work is excellent.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are probably the most responsible and responsive vendor I've ever worked with. They truly go out of their way to provide the most professional customer service.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you know what you want to accomplish, and they will deliver for you. They are very proactive and adapt to your business’s needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Curved Space Creative is an app development company primarily developing an iPad app for Porsche.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

Our former developers became unavailable, so we had to find a replacement team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They performed a code takeover and rescued our project. It's a complicated vehicle-delivery iPad app that allows users to explore virtual vehicles with interactive hotspots containing text, pictures, and interactive exercises. There's a large number of tracking functionalities and other elements.

The product has three components: an API and a large CMS that feeds the app—both written in Ruby on Rails—and an iPad app written in Xcode, with some HTML elements. We had to regenerate all three components with our own hosting and there were also analytics that the previous developers hadn’t properly implemented.

What is the team composition?

We have an account manager on their side. We talk to her about overarching issues and she checks in on what’s going on. We also have a specific project manager in their California office who we talk to about our basic project status. The rest of the team is based in Russia and Vietnam.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

We received a range of referrals, several of which were for Saritasa. There were a couple of other providers suggested, but they declined the project because of its complexity.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $140,000–$150,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began talking to them in February 2018. We got the code from our previous developers and began working with Saritasa around March.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t involved the end-client too much into the detail of things. They participated in the brainstorming and made a good impression on the client. We’re fairly close to sending them a final build so unfortunately, I cannot provide any feedback at this point.

We’re not actual programmers, so we haven’t looked at the code. We’ve been working on various iterations of this app for six years. It’s been expanded and developed in that period. We can see when things start going wrong—when the developers are rippling through the app and causing problems. The only issues we’ve had were Saritasa revealing things that were already shaky, then going back and fixing them. There have been no new problems.

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

The project is tracked through Jira. We’re able to add comments, bugs, and new tasks, and keep everything on-track. We interact with the developers, but only on a task basis. They also track time on Jira. We don’t use any other tools, except for email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stand out in terms of honesty. Our previous developers were very casual with the truth, which is a huge issue, as it made us look the same. It’s a stressful thing to take a delayed project that had already run its budget. We have been funding this redo, and we’ve had some fairly tense discussions with Saritasa about trying to do the right thing, but also reining the budget. These have been productive, adult business conversations with resolutions, which is really worth something.

They took responsibility. Once we hired them to work on this, it became their project. They promised to get in and really understand the project, which they did not only on a technical level, but also a business level—even helping us with our client. Their conflict resolution is mature.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We hit a budget issue in the middle and had a disconnect in terms of managing the budget, tasks, and time. They could be a bit more focused on this area, in terms of project management. They should establish a feedback loop in order to ensure that they are delivering in-line with our budget, time, and tasks. This would be less of an issue on a new project, but it is one for a redo.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients have to understand how long these things take. If the client isn’t experienced with app development, they have to understand that it’s a fuzzy process. What we’ve seen with Saritasa is as good as it gets. The process was as regimented and accurate as it was going to be, but we can’t necessarily always work on a budget.

Even when we had budget issues with Saritasa, they tried to do the right thing. They were always trying to get the work done right. This is a necessary level of trust.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a digital advertising firm that works with pharmaceutical companies. We build websites, develop mobile apps, manage mobile messaging campaigns, and support other marketing- or sales-related products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

We were building a software platform for a client and needed more developers for strategic implementation. We needed a bigger team and deeper technical knowledge than we had in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Saritasa helped us architect, design, and build the platform. We’ve now built multiple projects with them.

One project they’ve worked on for us is our conference management application built for iOS and Android. Our clients in the pharmaceutical industry send lots of people to large conferences; sometimes up to 500 employees attend the same conference. Those clients need to manage their employees during the conference—to know where they are, what hotels they’re staying at, what sessions everyone should attend, etc. Our app enables them to manage their employees while on-site at the conference.

They built the app for both iOS and Android. It has a backend content management system that allows us to update content in real time. The CMS is customized so that our project managers, and even the client, can log in and manage the conference. We can also manage multiple conferences at the same time.

This project has been a massive undertaking. They built the original version in 2012. Last year we rebuilt it from scratch in order to integrate new technologies and features. They’ve probably spent more than 20,000 development hours on it.

What is the team composition?

My in-house project managers work with their project managers throughout the process. I’m involved with them in the project kickoff stage.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

I started talking to their account manager six years ago based on a project at the time. They’ve been working with us ever since.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $500,000–$600,000 a year for the last six years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since 2012 and it’s going.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We manage probably 150 conferences a year and have a 90% –95% retention rate with our clients. It’s not all because of their work—good project management from our team is obviously important—but it certainly has to do with the quality of the software. Our clients are absolutely satisfied. Everything from the UI through implementation is very high quality.

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

We Skype back and forth a lot and email. We also use Jira and Trello. One thing that's great about working with Saritasa is that they have a homegrown project management system with their own CRM. I can call any of their project or account managers at any given time to check in and they can give me an up-to-the-minute update with exactly how many hours they’ve spent on the project.

They're also very fast. Once we start moving, they stick to timelines. They’re really great to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would say that they get it. I tried a couple of different development firms when I started my business in 2009 but they couldn’t get the specs right and didn’t understand UI. Saritasa has a process. Truthfully, sometimes it can be a little bit laborious at the beginning but it's effective. They ask a lot of questions. They want to know about the business use case and the end user. They want to understand how the user will use it and what features will help them. Then they build it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say trust them. They don't go with any random client or project. They want to get to know you and your development team personally. Trust their process because the end product will turn out very well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the founders of a cryptocurrency startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Saritasa?

We needed help to develop an application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their building a web-based application.

What is the team composition?

I have two project managers from their side, along with a technical manager and a sales manager.

How did you come to work with Saritasa?

We found them through Google. They seemed to be the right size and understand the project. I also liked what they said.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I've shown the work to my other founders and they’ve liked it in terms of direction, scale, and speed.

How did Saritasa perform from a project management standpoint?

Through Jira, I have access to what each person is logging and what they’re working on at any given time. The communication is done through email and web conferences, and they’ve been able to work around my schedule, which is nice. They’re also very responsive via email generally. Currently, they’re in the process of putting together a report regarding the breakdown of work to date.

What did you find most impressive about them?

This is the first time I’ve worked with anyone in this regard, so I don’t have anything to compare them to, but they’re easy to communicate with, and they understand what I’m trying to portray, whether it be on the technical or design side. They get it right the first time so there’s not a lot of back and forth.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There hasn’t been anything so far but the work is still ongoing.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be as detailed as possible in what you expect. If you’re creating something brand-new, write out exactly what you want it to be. This way, when they’re putting together the scope and going forward with a written document, there will be less back and forth.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the City Engineer/Building Official of City of Ashland

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Local political subdivision of the State of Ohio.  Engineering Division includes Building Department that contracted with Saratosa to build a local portal for tracking permit applications and inspections.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Develop software in lieu of paying high annual subscription fees for already developed software
• Develop portal to track building permit applications and inspections
• Tailor the software based on actual workflow, not prescribed workflow from existing software solutions

SOLUTION

How did you find Saritasa?

Online Search

Why did you select Saritasa over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Saritasa were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Software portal for building permit application and inspection tracking

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Increase efficiency to improve customer service.

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

Saratosa provided a project lead, who was very attentive to our needs and provided deliverables within the agreed upon timeframe.

What was your primary form of communication with Saritasa?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Peter provided great oversight and correspondence with our project team throughout the development of the software portal.

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

I have no recommendations for improvements as we are very pleased with the services received.