SDI - Software Developers Inc

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of product management at Olympusat. We produce and distribute Spanish content in the U.S. and all over the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SDI - Software Developers Inc?

We needed a way to distribute our content via apps. We also needed help with the app development and maintenance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SDI - Software Developers Inc helps with the development of apps. They manage and maintain the apps. Their team also submits them to stores for approval. The apps are for Android, iOS, Amazon Firestick, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and also for Smart TVs.

They developed the backend, the code, and did the frontend design as well. We are thinking about hiring them for marketing-related activities but we haven’t yet. The apps distribute video content, movies, and live television.

What is the team composition?

They have a tech lead for each platform and two project managers that help us in the day-to-day activities.

How did you come to work with SDI - Software Developers Inc?

They’ve been working with the company for a while prior to my employment.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested between $200,000-$500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018 and it's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The apps work. They’re willing to advise us because most of the time we don’t know what we’re looking for. They’re experts when it comes to app stores. They make suggestions.

SDI - Software Developers Inc is not just a provider, they’re like a partner. Our apps are reaching at least 1 million views a month in Latin America. If we find any bugs, they’re very accommodating.

How did SDI - Software Developers Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

SDI - Software Developers Inc has a project manager for each of the projects. Our teams meet continuously. They keep track of the delivery times and dates. They’re consistent and they perform well. Their team has a couple of tools that they use for project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They meet deadlines. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could provide more advice without us asking it perhaps.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clearly outline your goals and objectives. Spend a little time going over the project plan before you start working.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing manager at a Retail focused FMCG Wholesale company. We sell food, drink and household goods to retail stores.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SDI - Software Developers Inc, and what were your goals?

Our website was outdated and needed a refresh. We have worked with SDI for many years as our trusted developers, and have worked closely on giving the website a fresh new look and also developing our app platforms on both Android and iOS. This will help to significantly bring more traffic online and push our collection and delivery services as well.

SOLUTION

How did you select SDI - Software Developers Inc and what were the deciding factors?

We have worked with SDI very closely for many years and they have become our chosen partner for I.T development across the business.

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

We discussed the objectives and goals through a virtual meeting and our team put together a detailed plan of all the key features and mocked up wireframes and designs to work from.

Their team designed and developed the website and a CMS platform in WordPress to upload content and connected our Erp system to link our inventory to the website to sell online.

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

We worked with 3 main members from SDI, the managing director as project lead, a designer and a developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is scheduled to go live in April, but we have had great feedback from the team and suppliers that we have shared the new website with. They have loved the updated design and new features across the website.

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

We have had weekly meetings to keep on top of progress and to ensure all team members are on track with their tasks. This helped to resolve any issues and possible delays ahead of time. We coordinated over email and virtual calls which worked well for both teams.

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

SDI has given us a great new website that is up to date with all the important features that matter to our customers, such as a favorites page, account history, account details to track their purchases, credit balance and much more.

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

We have had a few bug issues but were able to fix these immediately with the SDI team. They have been very helpful and a trustworthy partner in developing our online platform.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of a consulting group focused in the oil and gas industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SDI?

We needed help implementing a transportation asset management system. We have so many products that we’re moving from one location to another, it’s hard to manage all of it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed software to manage all of the supply chain and logistics for our company. We’re able to see in real time what the cost is of running a job in relation to its planned cost. They created the system on AWS. Recently, we’ve added an AI portion to help project managers and coordinators manage the job a lot better.

What is the team composition?

There have been hundreds of people working on the project, from California to India. Saskshi (VP Sales) is my main point of contact. Raj (Chief Strategist) and Sachin (CTO) are other points of contact.

How did you come to work with SDI?

I wanted to work with a team from Silicon Valley. I found several companies and SDI stood out. I’m very happy with the answers they gave me.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $300,000–$400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in late 2016, and we rolled out in late 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As far as cost-savings, the new system is a life-saver for our business. Especially with the price of oil fluctuating as it has, anything that they do to cut costs is beneficial. It’s a very strong product.

How did SDI perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m very happy with them. I don’t know how I got so lucky to pick them out among the other companies.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve done a great job of bringing more to the table than I had initially expected. They offer great suggestions that’ll help us market the product better than originally planned. I’m kind of pushy, but they’ve come through and delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been extremely happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come in with your base expectations, as far as what you want to get accomplished. Allow them a little leeway to make the product better than what’s anticipated.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of company that manufactures engagement rings and wedding bands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SDI?

We needed help upgrading our website with better functionality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redesigned our Magento website. The team implemented a complex mapping software and a customization software.

What is the team composition?

Sachin (CTO) was our main point of contact. We also worked with Sakshi (VP Sales) and Raj (Chief Strategist).

How did you come to work with SDI?

One of my teammates found them online.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2016, and we wrapped up in January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The software they implemented improved our sales by about 200%. They were also able to increase our leads by 50%.

SDI was very organized and had a lot of skilled team members that understood the process.They were able to simplify complex issues and turn them around quickly. The team completed the website without any hiccups. They were very flexible and adaptive throughout the project.

How did SDI perform from a project management standpoint?

Raj was always available no matter what. We had no complaints. I would give them a nine out of ten for project management. We communicated through weekly calls and emails. They also sent a summary of completed tasks each week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a good hybrid of understanding the US marketplace while having an overseas cost structure.

Are there any areas they could improve?        

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be very clear on your objective and goals from the beginning.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder as well as a member of the board at a religious organization. It’s centered around creating access to religious applications in an easy way. It’s leading the pace of technology while also catering to the needs of Muslims around the world. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SDI - Software Developers Inc?

The main challenge was creating an app with one platform where we’d be able to bring together all different facets of religious applications. We had noticed that there was a lack of such platforms, and any such app that existed out there in the market had disappeared. 

In Islam, people can read supplications, Arabic transliterations, or translations. It was essential for us to develop a platform that allowed users to choose what type of interface they wanted to work with based on those three options. That was core to our partnership with Sakshi (VP of Sales) and her team,

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve created an iOS- and Android-friendly app and an accompanying website that goes along with the landing page. We’ve spoken about creating a web version of the app, but that’s still down the road. The purpose of the website is to have a digital presence, but there’s no need for that right now. We’re also in conversation about how we can put the app on smart TVs and CarPlay. 

I’m able to provide all the designs for them, so it’s a matter of bringing those designs to life. We also have different sections where users can share certain pages. We’re also adding enhanced audio and line scrolling features. 

Their work is mainly app development, but I also always receive advice from Sakshi. They’ve been our sounding board for a lot of different issues, although they primarily focus on the app. 

What is the team composition?

Sakshi is my main point of contact. We worked with her and her developers. 

How did you come to work with SDI - Software Developers Inc?

We had this idea to build an app for years. We were trying to work with one developer previously, but it didn't pan out and we were left to figure things out by ourselves. 

With a quick Google search for app developers, I came across SDI. I called them, left a message, and, two hours later, I received a phone call from them. We were really impressed at how quickly they responded, and so we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $40,000 for their services so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from March 2019, and the partnership’s ongoing. The app was launched in March 2020, but we continue to work with them to add features and upgrade existing elements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measured success based on the feedback from users as well as the download rate. In the first month, we hit close to 3,000 downloads. We’ve been petering on that number for a while now only because when we first launch, we had momentum. However, we’re really impressed with the results. 

In terms of actual commentary and testimony from our users, they have consistently been positive. They return to the app on a daily basis, so that’s been amazing. 

SDI has been very innovative and made sure we stay up to date with what’s happening in the market and the latest trends both in terms of technology as well as user preference. We’re also forming partnerships with organizations that can help amplify our platform. 

How did SDI - Software Developers Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

We use ActiveCollab to communicate. It’s like a forum where I can continuously communicate with our developers. There was initially some apprehension about how we were going to have consistent communication and share ideas if we’ve never met. 

I’m on East Coast and the developers are in India, but through ActiveCollab, we’ve been able to keep a pulse on what’s going on, what’s to come, what needs to be fixed, and what needs to be addressed. 

Their availability has always been great. Sakshi and her team encourage us to call or text them when something’s wrong even over the weekend. From when the app first launched, there’s been flexibility across the board. They’re transformative, and with that, we’ve been able to create such a project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s great to be working with a company that’s able to take our ideas and bring them to life. There’s never a “no” from SDI. They always tell us we’ll work together. We go to the drawing board and create an idea together, and they’re always willing to work with us to come up with something.

Sakshi was formerly a mobility specialist, so it was a special circumstance that she stayed on the project. I value that because I’ve been communicating with her about everything since day one. It’s nice that she’s been able to be on this journey with us and see the app come to life. She knows exactly how I think and what my expectations are. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their prices are high, and everyone can wish for lower prices. However, our experience with SDI has been phenomenal. Any hiccups or small things that we’ve seen have always been addressed. I have nothing bad to say about them. I only encourage them to continue what they’re doing and not drop the ball. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Potential customers can expect SDI to be invested in their product. There have been multiple times where Sakshi and the developers proposed different ways we can reimagine a feature. That’s really helpful, especially for someone who’s coming from a non-technical background.

They think about what goes in the app and the layers behind it, so customers should expect to have a brainstorming session with them. The product will definitely be worth it. SDI has done a good job in terms of making things a reality, so customers should come with all their ideas. They’ll never be disappointed. The team members are invested in the project and they treat it as their own.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a farm-to-table delivery service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SDI?

We hired them to build our initial system. It’s the same system that runs our warehouse and CMS for inventory and partners.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built our system from the ground up. We hired a third-party designer to do the frontend design but SDI handles the backend design of our CMS. It was originally built on a .NET stack but we’ve since begun to transition to a MEAN stack.

The system was built using a MySQL server, .NET, JavaScript, and Jason. They continue to maintain and host the system on AWS. Currently, we’re scoping out a rebuild for the system.

What is the team composition?

We work with two developers and one account manager. We work with Raj (Regional Account Manager) and Sachin (Senior Project Manager) as main points of contact.

How did you come to work with SDI?

I wasn’t on staff when our company started working with SDI.

How much have you invested with them?

Annually, we spend $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2012, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because the system was built so long ago, it’s all about optimizations. We’ve had a long-standing relationship and they meet all of our needs.  

How did SDI perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great at communication and meeting deadlines. We don’t have an assigned project manager and we manage their developers directly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When it comes to building things for our warehouse, they’re excellent. They know how to simplify business processes and take things they’ve learned from other clients to apply to us. They’re very knowledgeable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t worked with their designers much, but I do prefer our in-house designers.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to have clear expectations and a clear design going into the engagement. I don’t expect them to know everything but we work together in a collaborative way to achieve our goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a web-based B2B software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SDI?

We needed to outsource development at a reasonable price.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They develop a sophisticated MySQL database for our business. They’re involved in all aspects of functionality, design, and architecture. Everything is completed remotely.

What is the team composition?

I work with 4–5 people, including their CTO and senior developers.

How did you come to work with SDI?

I found them through a Google search. They seemed reasonably priced and experienced.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $3,500 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2020, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of work is very high. They definitely have great communication. Sometimes when you have an outsourced team, the communication is not great. They’ve always been able to resolve any issues that came up. Overall, the experience has been good. Everyone is happy with the end result.

How did SDI perform from a project management standpoint?

As far as communication goes, everything has been good on their end. They’re not always perfect with deadlines but we’ve been very happy with their work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their dedication to the project across all team members stands out.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to make sure you have a communication channel set up on Slack or another tool.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior marketing manager bridal jewelry manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SDI?

We’ve always had a B2B model, but recently we released a collection that was B2C. We needed a team of developers to build an e-commerce platform for us. We were working with some other developers at the time and felt they weren’t successful in achieving the KPIs we’d set for them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First. they helped us migrate our site onto the Magento platform. They made the site more efficient and “shop-able” and a better UX than it was before. They built out the e-commerce portion of the site and managed the entire platform.

The team made sure there were no broken links and they set up data feeds. They also addressed areas where the aesthetic and layout of the site could be improved. Additionally, the team helped with SEO projects to optimize our site.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 3–4 main contacts, in addition to 3–4 web developers and engineers. At one point, we had as many as nine developers working on our site.

How did you come to work with SDI?

I believe one of our executive team members sought them out. I wasn’t involved in the actual sourcing of the company.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work helped us grow average sales. The team was very proactive in identifying opportunities to us. We definitely saw the return in sales based on reports.

How did SDI perform from a project management standpoint?

We have dedicated calls twice a week, sometimes more depending on the scope of the work. The team is super organized and very proactive. We use a project management tool to keep track of things and keep in touch via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We hired them to build out an e-commerce site. The fact that they introduced us to so many more opportunities is excellent. They help us improve and go outside the box on their own time to recognize opportunities for growth.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always room for improvement. There were sometimes a few delays, but they were all reasonable. Otherwise, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to keep your expectations up front. The best way to get the deliverables you’re looking for is to be upfront with the expectations. SDI is able to deliver for us because we set clear expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and owner of a security services firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SDI - Software Developers Inc?

In 2010, I had a vision for an online parking permit system. I needed help developing the website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created our website. Users can update a permit as needed. They developed the front-and backend. The front is the website where users can reserve parking. the back handles administrative matters for clients. The site is hosted on their servers and they continue to provide upkeep as needed.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Rob (VP of Sales) and 6–7 other people from their team.

How did you come to work with SDI - Software Developers Inc?

I found them via an online search. I called a couple of companies and SDI got back to me immediately. I started talking to them and got a good vibe. We had meetings and we progressed from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $100,000 CAD (approximately $78,400).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2010, and they still monitor my backend.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

If I have any issues, they look after me and take care of the problem. Overall, I’m happy with the end product, the services, and their people.

How did SDI - Software Developers Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

Yes, they were prompt in meeting our deadline. We had no issues with them at all. I can text, call, or WhatsApp them, and they always respond.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re easy to deal with and talk to. They offer the same small business feel that I have, which I like.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m happy with what they do for me. Maybe in the future, we can do some upgrades.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have a clear picture of what you want to accomplish. It makes the process easier. I had a detailed vision of what I wanted and they were good at seeing the project from my perspective.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

I’m the founder of an independent consultancy that helps clients with their technology management solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were attempting to resolve when you initiated the relationship with Software Developers India?

Because our resources are limited, we don’t have the technical capabilities to handle our larger and more complex development initiatives. I needed to be able to outsource that development to qualified team of programmers while we focused on the more strategic and business-related priorities.

SOLUTION

How did you select Software Developers India as your solution partner?

It was very simple. I’d already heard of them because they have an office just down the road from me. I visited their site and reached out to them with our project description. They came in and demonstrated some of their previous work to us, which was all very impressive. Their pricing was very competitive and there was the bonus of having them readily available to us. That ended up being a big value-add because they offer offshore pricing while essentially being an on-site development team.

Could you describe the scope of the work delivered?

At the moment, they’re working on a custom chat application for iOS and Android. We’re focusing most of our energies on the iPhone and iPad, with the plan to deploy an Android version soon after. We provided the concept and framework and they’re responsible for building the functional app. That includes everything from requirements gathering and scoping to deployment, testing, and enhancement.

Can you provide a sense of the size of this project in monetary terms?

The initial cost was between $4,000 and $5,000, but I have a monthly retainer with them, too.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

For this particular project, the mobile app development, I don’t have any figures or statistics. We haven’t released a functional version to users yet, so we also don’t have any end-user feedback. What I can tell you is that up to this point, the development has gone extremely smoothly. We’ve only run into a few minor issues with bugs, but they’ve been fixed very quickly. Overall, the application is being built according to plan and according to schedule. We’ve been very pleased with the results so far.

When working with Software Developers India, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach or development methodology that distinguishes them from other vendors?

They’re very responsive to our needs, and they maintain an excellent work ethic. The pricing they offer is great. Their development process is completely transparent to us, which is great from a project management perspective. Above all, the quality and consistency of their programming is well worth the cost of their service.

In retrospect, are there areas you think they could improve on as a service provider?

I can’t think of any criticisms. I’m happy with everything they’ve delivered to us. That’s why I continue to give them my business. They’re always responsive, they communicate well, and they always deliver.