SmartTek Solutions

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Sentro

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

I am the co-founder of an IT agency called Sentro IT. We serve clients around the world with web development and mobile development services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• To expand our internal team, we were looking for Python engineers and .NET developers.
• Services SmartTek provide: 1. IT Outstaffing (Team Augmentation) 2. IT & Software consultation

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartTek Solutions?

Online Search

Why did you select SmartTek Solutions over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

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

6-10 Employees

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

There are many aspects to the projects, all of which are modular and involve front-end and back-end development and a flexible, agile approach. To support my current team, we needed additional engineering resources to scale up and down. SmartTek's team took the time to understand our specific needs and nuances. As a result, the candidates presented to us were not only technically adept but also culturally in sync with our in-house teams.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Regular updates, clear language and useful advice were part of the way we worked together. Their transparent approach eliminated any potential surprises along the way. SmartTek was deeply involved in the editing and enhancement of the project.

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

For our day-to-day communication, we used Slack and email. When we didn't need real-time synchronization, we used video recordings of our meetings to overcome some of the challenges of asynchronous work style differences.

What was your primary form of communication with SmartTek Solutions?

Email or Messaging App

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

Throughout our relationship, we've had a dedicated project manager who was always available to address any concerns or adapt to changing requirements. Their customer-first and delivery excellence approach shined in every interaction.

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

All is well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Project Manager of Lengin

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a software development company with a dedicated team of specialists based in the USA and Europe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Dedicated development team
• VR development (Unity)
• IT & Software consultation

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartTek Solutions?

Referral

Why did you select SmartTek Solutions over others?

• Good value for cost
• High level of technical expertise

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

2-5 Employees

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

I recently had the pleasure of working with SmartTek Solutions to develop a VR training application. From the initial consultation, the agency demonstrated a deep understanding of VR technology and its applications in training and education. They worked closely with me to understand the specific requirements of my project and provided valuable insights to enhance its effectiveness. 

They flawlessly designed and developed the VR training application, creating an environment that was not only visually appealing, but also interactive and engaging. Their attention to detail in capturing real-world scenarios and replicating them in the virtual space was impressive. 

Your team integrated seamlessly with my existing in-house team, providing the necessary technical expertise and support. They quickly adapted to our workflow and contributed their niche skills and knowledge to the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All development sprints were successfully delivered on time and planned project features were successfully implemented. The end customer highly appreciated the quality of the final product and the professional approach to development. The functionality of the VR training fully meets expectations.

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

Throughout the project, communication with SmartTek team was smooth. They were responsive to my queries, proactive in providing updates, and maintained transparent and open lines of communication. They kept me informed about the progress of the project, promptly addressed any concerns, and actively sought feedback to ensure that the final deliverable met our expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with SmartTek Solutions?

Email or Messaging App

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

What sets SmartTek Solutions apart is their commitment to delivering customized solutions that meet the specific needs of the client. They have consistently demonstrated a keen understanding of the project goals and objectives, resulting in a VR application that provides a highly immersive and effective learning experience.

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

We do not see any problems with the cooperation. Everything has been very good.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Research Development Team Lead of Lite+Fog GmbH

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Lite+Fog GmbH creates environmentally controlled vertical farms that use a fog-based system to provide nutrients to plants, with a sensory network and various electronics to regulate the farm, including pumps, fog generators, and controlled LED light systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Create an agent to establish connectivity between embedded systems and the backend
• Develop a backend system for the data/commands exchange with the cloud and integration of control systems
• Create Frontend for data visualization

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartTek Solutions?

Referral

Why did you select SmartTek Solutions over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of SmartTek Solutions’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

The objective of the project is to design an IoT architecture for the "Vertical Farming Module" that can maximize the product's potential for future users and customers. The architecture should enable remote data acquisition, visualization, and control of actuators. 

Additionally, it should be structured to allow for easy expansion to larger-scale applications in the future, without the need for a complete overhaul. While preparing for scalability and larger data streams, any current features required may be temporarily excluded, but should be planned for in advance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Bi-weekly Sprints with the small delivered MVPs

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

Their project management was excellent, delivering items on time and responding promptly to our needs. The biweekly sprints and delivery of small, functional MVPs allowed for iterative development and ensured that we stayed on track with the project timeline. Additionally, their clear communication and regular updates on progress helped us to stay informed and engaged throughout the project. Overall, we were very satisfied with their project management approach and responsiveness to our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with SmartTek Solutions?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

We were impressed by their professionalism, clear communication, and attention to detail throughout the project. They delivered a comprehensive IoT architecture on time and were always available to discuss our needs via Slack, email, or video call.

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

No, SmartTek Solutions provided exceptional service, demonstrating professionalism and expertise.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an IT Manager at Blue Sky Solutions UK Ltd. We specialize in wholesale packaging distribution for cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies. We also manufacture bespoke cosmetics for small and medium-sized businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Smart Tek SaS, LLC?

We had implemented a new ERP system called Odoo, but we needed continued development support to customize the system to meet our needs better, so we engaged Smart Tek to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided Smart Tek with initial documentation, and they’ve helped us address the ERP system’s operational issues and customized over 100 developments that vary in size and type. 

They altered the overall core functionality of the system to allow us to move inventory more freely. They’ve also worked to improve the system's manufacturing and financial reporting functions. 

What is the team composition?

Our Smart Tek point of contact is Anna (Project Manager). We’ve also worked with 5–10 other team members, including the DevOps team, developers, and QA specialists.

How did you come to work with Smart Tek SaS, LLC?

The owner of Smart Tek contacted us via email to offer their services, but they weren't local to us. We initially searched for a local partner, but Smart Tek provided competitive pricing and expertise, so we moved forward with the engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Smart Tek in March 2021, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Smart Tek has successfully delivered several solutions that have saved our company significant time and money. They work on various tasks that affect our entire business, and every project benefits us differently. They’ve improved multiple tools within our system, increasing efficiency in our day-to-day operations. They’ve also reduced our user error to the bare minimum of almost 0%. 

How did Smart Tek SaS, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

Smart Tek is very professional and committed to delivering quality work. Regardless of the requirement, they’re always on top of their game. 

They offer competitive pricing and consistently deliver projects on time. They’ve given us access to a communication portal within the ERP system where we can monitor progress and track project stages. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am impressed by their work ethic, and I really respect them. Despite facing challenges locally, they still do a significant amount of work for us and deliver it quickly, which is unbelievable. Smart Tek has really helped us, and I can’t thank them enough.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing Smart Tek could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I advise being specific about your requirements, expectations, and project scope. The more information you can provide, the quicker Smart Tek can provide you with an accurate estimate and deliver the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a platform where users can post their services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Smart Tek SaS, LLC?

Another company developed our site; it was very poorly done. It kept crashing and freezing. We needed a company to design and develop a scalable platform that could handle heavy traffic. Performance was also crucial for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Smart Tek SaS LLC to rebuild the site from scratch. Initially, they researched the best approach and what technologies to use. They gave us an estimation for the scope of work based on what we wanted them to do. Then, they delivered it within 6–8 months.

The website is user-generated content. We focus a lot on making it user-friendly and simple. Now, they provide ongoing work, constantly updating and improving the platform. They use PHP for the backend and React for the frontend. Additionally, they help us manage the servers. We have dedicated servers to host the website, and they provide network engineers to optimize those networks.

What is the team composition?

We’ve had a project manager, two frontend developers, and two backend developers since the beginning.

How did you come to work with Smart Tek SaS, LLC?

We found them on Clutch; we looked at a few other companies but chose them based on their references. We met with the developers and the project manager and discussed our concerns. They came up with a great solution.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project has been a success. The amount of traffic we’re getting is excellent, and when it hits peak traffic, the platform handles it well. We barely notice a change in performance.

Moreover, our company is actually possible now. We never thought we could get it to that level. 

How did Smart Tek SaS, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re in constant contact with the project manager. They meet most deadlines in general. Sometimes they haven’t met them due to our change requests. For communication, we use Skype and an ERP.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve had challenging tasks, and there hasn’t been one where they didn’t deliver. They always manage to solve any complex task implementation.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The time zone difference is challenging, but it’s not their fault. We knew that going in.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Always get time estimations to make sure you’re on the same page.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on November 29, 2018.

CEO, Startup
IT Services
1-10 Employees
Canada
$50,000 to $199,999
Apr 2018 - Ongoing

Project summary
Smart Tek SaS, LLC (formerly UkrInSofT) developed a new website for a startup after another vendor failed to deliver. The backend is built in PHP, and the project’s complexity was compounded by a large associated database.

Feedback summary
The speed of the site and Smart Tek SaS, LLC's (formerly UkrInSofT) ability to meet deadlines ensured a successful project. They are honest and enthusiastic, and their focus on long-term goals and quality products make them a supportive partner.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief executive officer for a startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with UkrInSofT?

We worked with another company who overcharged us and underperformed. We needed a new company that could design a new website for us and fix the issues that arose with the previous company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a new website that was extremely fast and that performed well. Some of its features were complex, but the most important part of the project was developing the site alongside a large database. They used PHP for the backend and are constantly upgrading and updating the site.

What is the team composition?

There were four frontend developers, three backend developers, one project manager, and we occasionally spoke with the CEO.

How did you come to work with UkrInSofT?

I found them on Clutch. I interviewed four or five other companies, but their price and their owner really stood out. The developers I work with have a lot of experience and the rate is amazing. Yuriy (CEO & Founder, UkrInSofT) is the most honest person I’ve met. He’s straightforward, genuine, and passionate. The personal touch and the assurance of quality drew us to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $80,000 in this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I sent the project to our users for some feedback of the UX. They delivered the site at the speed I wanted and have done a great job overall.

How did UkrInSofT perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager is great and always willing to do what is best for us. He’s very responsive and treats the project like it’s his own. We use Jira to manage the project, and communication via Skype or email is good. We can contact them at odd hours or on weekends and they’re always quick to respond. If there is ever any issue, they dive deep to solve it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They truly care for their customers and want to make them happy. They focus on long-term relationships and always consider the big picture. They have a far-reaching vision and are very concerned with our success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their cost estimation. We did make a lot of changes to the scope and complexity of this project, so several factors were beyond their control.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Whenever we reported a bug or an issue, we sent videos. That worked out so much better than sending a picture or a screenshot. Try to communicate all your issues and concerns ahead of time, and they will take action. They will consider everything you tell them and will try to make whatever improvements they can.

RATINGS

Overall rating: 5

Quality: 5

Cost: 5

Schedule: 5

Willing to refer: 5 - I’d definitely recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-owner of the software development company. We offer development services to our customers from the EU, US and Canada. We are based in Ukraine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire N-development, and what were your goals?

The challenge is that for daily operations our employees have to use multiple software to perform business operations. Software provided by our HR, Sales, PM, inventory system, and so on. That makes live a bit more complicated than it could be if we would have just one app to manage everything. That was our main task.

SOLUTION

How did you select N-development and what were the deciding factors?

We had few vendors shortlisted for the project. N-development was referred to us by another company we have been working with some time ago. That was a deciding factor.

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

As usually all IT projects start with business analysis. We had a series of calls with N-development project managers and business analysts. Such interviews helped us to better understand what we actually need, and for the N-dev team to understand our processes and how to map them with the Odoo framework.

Then, the development phase. During that phase we had weekly sync calls, and few demo calls with the team. They were presenting some drafts and we were sharing our feedback with the team to make sure that everyone knows what is the expected result. Then, we went live. It was difficult for us to get used to odoo, but the N-development team made training for us and supported our staff with all the questions we had.

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

N-dev team: 1 project manager, 1-2 QAs, and 2 developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I would say that we were able to reduce the time needed for our daily operations by at least 30-40%. I also think that we can now keep updating our system to better match our processes and reduce that even more in the future.

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

We used gmail, slack and google meets. Their constant availability pleased us; they are relatively quick to respond to any of our queries. As I mentioned above, we had weekly meetups, so we were constantly updated with the project progress, or with any risks or issues down the road.

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

Even if sometimes we knew what we wanted, the N-dev team was capable of telling us when our ideas were, let’s say, not that great as we initially thought they were. Some of them required too much time and resources, some of them didn’t actually drive that much value as we thought they would. This was valuable for us during our cooperation with the team.

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

I was satisfied with what we received at the end. I will work with the team in the future so maybe there would be something I could share here during our next projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a Ukrainian e-commerce development company. We develop e-commerce stores to our clients from the EU and US. We are based in one of the most important East European outsourcing software centers - Kharkiv, Ukraine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire N-development, and what were your goals?

We are highly experienced in delivering complex business and e-commerce solutions, with the increasing number of satisfied clients worldwide. Therefore, we need flexible project and data management, effective personnel management and usability.

Our goal was to avoid the situation when we had to check 4-5 apps on a daily basis to run the business. That was our main priority and task for the N-development team.

SOLUTION

How did you select N-development and what were the deciding factors?

We had few candidates to select from. We went towards N-development, because we liked feedback from N-development' previous customers. I would say that was the deciding factor.

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

We had a discovery phase first. During that phase we completed the business analysis activities. The deliverable was a GAP analysis. After that we kicked off the development phase. That lasts for months.

The N-development team was delivering functional pieces of the software on a regular basis with some intervals. During that process the Project Manager was maintaining a good level of communication and was able to keep us updated about the project progress.

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

The Project Manager was our main point of contact throughout the duration of the project. Also, 3-4 developers and 1-2 QAs. That was the team composition from N-development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After we went live, we noticed that time needed for our employees to operate and perform daily tasks decreased. That leads us to the fact that we became more productive and were able to do more things that we were able to do before within the same time frame. That definitely has a great impact on our financial side of things as well.

As an additional thing, the new software was able to reduce the level of human errors throughout different processes in our company.

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

We used Slack, gmail, and Google Meets for communication purposes. The project management style satisfied our needs. We had weekly sync calls to stay updated about overall progress on the project. Also, the response time was less than 1 hour in most of the cases within business hours, which is also good. If we had a need to schedule a call to go over some details it was not a problem.

We were also supplied with project documentation from the N-development team.

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

The N-development team was able to give us great advice and navigate us into the right direction. They also helped us to make better decisions backed up with their experience in the past. That impressed us and led to the fact that we were able to successfully launch our software in time.

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

There were some bugs during the development phase, but that was resolved in timely manner so we were happy about it. Other than that, I don't see any other points worth mentioning here.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an e-commerce company that sells kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with N-development?

We needed them to build a new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

N-development is currently developing our website using Odoo. 

What is the team composition?

We work with five people, including Ivan (Co-Founder & Managing Director) the CEO, a project manager, and two programmers. 

How did you come to work with N-development?

They were referred to us by Odoo, and we got a good quote price-wise. We felt good about them when we had the initial conversation, and that’s why we decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in February 2020 and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have not measured anything yet, but the experience has been good, so far.

How did N-development perform from a project management standpoint?

In general, we have been very happy with them. They've been very good to work with and they always keep their timelines and deliverables. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

N-development is very responsive. They’re eager to serve our needs and the functionality that they build works.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really — I haven’t found anything they can further improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you have a good project manager in-house.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an Australian comapny that design, manufacture and supply independent living aids across the globe. We have manufacturing facilities in China and Turkey and sales support offices in Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, China, Turkey and Dubai. My role is Brand & Data Manager

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire N-development?

We hired N-development to develop a custom instance of ODOO ERP (community version) tailored to our unique business requirements

What were your goals for this project?

To develop an ERP system that covered all aspects of our business: sales, project Management, inventory, warehousing, customer support, invoicing & e-commerce.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

N-development were recommended to us by another Australian company who had used them previously.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They installed the ODOO instance on our requested hosting and studied our business and work flows and:

1. Advised how ODOO out of the box functionality could be utilized to meet our needs.

2. Consulted on custom development that could be undertaken to meet our business needs.

3. Executed the custom development and delivered a seamless ERP specific to our needs.

What was the team composition?

We had a dedicated N-development project manager who was our main point of contact, the project manager was knowledgeable in all aspects of the project which ensured communication was great. In addition to our dedicated project manager, N-development had 2 developers working on the project, a business analyst, and a QA engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have yet to fully implement the ERP system within our business, though this is no fault of N-development. Since the start of the project our business has gone through a period of rapid expansion which has created the need for additional development of the system as our requirements were constantly evolving.

Though we are yet to officially go live, I can already see the immense value the ODOO ERP is going to have for our business in reducing project times, reducing human error through the automation of our ordering processes and most importantly allowing us to get product to market faster.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project has been managed very well by N-development, N-develepment have always met or exceeded deadlines. Our dedicated project manager has exceptional technical knowledge which resulted in the vast majority of our questions being answered immediately on the spot. Any inquiries that need further clarification were always answered quickly with clear concise responses.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Again the technical knowledge and clear communication provided by the project manager were impressive and helped the project run smoothly.

N-development have always been extremely accommodating in regards to scheduling calls with our staff (we are on the other side of the world) our N-development project manager made himself available late at night or early in the morning which our staff certainly appreciated!

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall we have been very pleased and don't have any suggested improvements

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Chief Knowledge Officer at Youpal. We build custom web and mobile projects as well as provide onsite and remote resources for our customers globally. We are headquartered in Stockholm Sweden with offices in 7 countries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire N-development?

We implemented Odoo ERP system for internal employees. We needed support from Odoo experts to help us customise a number of application modules such as HR, Sales, Projects and Accounting

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to ensure that Odoo ERP system could be customised to our business processes and usage in order to run efficient business operations

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had tested one or two vendors with very little success. We then selected N-development by chance as we were in a situation to have custom work done fast. Our first meeting with them was very efficient and they knew exactly what needed to be done and importantly provided a very accurate estimate. They also provided sound advice on how we could move forward. What we liked about them was that they really cared about our situation instead of making blown up sales pitches.

Describe the project in detail.

This was not your typical project process as we were under pressure to deliver. We had one meeting to explain the situation and what we needed. They estimated the project on the spot and provided a realistic deadline. They went straight to work and gave us regular updates on the progress via chat. Keep in mind this was a Friday and they sacrificed their weekend to ensure delivery of the critical module before Monday.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of a Project manager from our side and two Odoo developers on their end.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Key success areas are: On time delivery, quality work and within estimate Our business was able to operate without any slow down. Our operations are more efficient.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had a direct chat channel so we always had communication with no more than 10 minute response time from their team. We also were invited to their project management tool so we could see tasks and progress of these tasks

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are no-nonsense, honest, hard-working professionals. What they estimate and when they deliver has been spot on. Furthermore, they are all very social, fun and most importantly provide really sound advice to help you make the right decisions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing to add here- it is a pleasure working with N-Development