Softcery

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Lockhern Digital, a digital marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softcery?

I hired Softcery to build a custom application for the Shopify platform that allowed our clients to import their customer data to marketing platforms, such as Facebook, TikTok, and Google.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softcery has helped us develop a custom app for Shopify. We had no documentation or code before they joined; I simply explained what we were trying to achieve, and they translated my requirements into code. Part of their solution uses out-of-the-box elements, so there hasn’t been any graphic design work involved. Still, they’ve helped organize the UI of this app in a logical manner.

Thus far, Softcery has already delivered the MVP of this app, so we’re now on the beta testing phase. Moving forward, they’ll help with ongoing maintenance and improvements. Our app specifically works on Shopify, so it’ll be available through Shopify’s add-ons and plug-ins marketplace.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a project manager and an engineer from Softcery.

How did you come to work with Softcery?

I found them on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2022, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of Softcery’s work is exceptional. They provided me with the GitHub repository, where I’ve been able to review all the code and their notes. Everything has been up to standard coding practices, and I’ve been able to easily understand what each part of the code does, which is excellent. Their code was almost correct the first time; it required minimal improvement, demonstrating that it had been well-QAd.

How did Softcery perform from a project management standpoint?

Softcery’s communication is excellent, and they’ve met our deadlines and stayed on budget. From the start, their team suggested setting up a weekly status call to go over roadblocks and the next steps. This recurring call has helped us keep accountability on both sides, especially mine because it has helped me know when I need to move on for certain tasks on my end. We use Slack and Notion to collaborate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Softcery’s strengths are their attention to detail and their ability to think outside the box for problem-solving. We’ve faced a number of issues related to getting approval through specific APIs. Still, their team has been incredibly diligent in finding solutions, going far beyond what I expected them to do throughout the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any constructive feedback for them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set up a weekly status call with them as the development goes through.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a marketing agency specializing in content production.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Softcery?

We were building an analytics tool for our customers and needed help with custom software development. I had the technical understanding of how to get the product done, but I still couldn’t implement it because I’m not specialized in coding, so I decided to reach someone who could build the product for us with high-level quality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softcery helped us with custom full stack software development of an analytics SaaS platform; they took us from the concept we had through the functional prototype stage of a web app. Regarding technologies, we used TypeScript, React.js, Terraform, and AWS.

What was the team composition? 

We worked with around six members of their team, including Elijah (CEO), who was my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Softcery?

I posted an opening, and Softcery applied for it with a detailed scope of the requirements and additional questions beyond why I shared in my RFP — their overall application was personalized and high-quality, which stood out for us. Moreover, they seemed to have a great business sense on top of their development skills.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $4,200 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September–October 2022. We had to end our partnership due to a financial issue on our end.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their strategy and progress were rapid and high-quality; they separated everything into separate categories so they could develop everything independently and simultaneously. Moreover, they built a flexible product in case we wanted to add more features, like API integrations.

How did Softcery perform from a project management standpoint?

For project management, they always stayed ahead of deadlines. Regarding tools and communication, we used Slack and a shared Notion board to communicate on specific project elements.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were proactive with suggestions, asked the right questions, and understood our objective. Overall, we felt we hired a team consultant rather than just an outside developer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t think there was anything they could improve on — everything went well with them, and we had a great relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start having a call with them so their team can prove their value by refining your idea and showing you that they can understand our needs better than other providers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of ProperKey, a technology startup aiming to deliver services to estate agents and homeowners so they can rent their premises via a seamless transaction. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softcery?

We identified an issue in the rental transactions in the UK — rental transactions were outdated, and we knew we could develop software with a reputable company that could modernize transactions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softcery provides us with full stack development for the software using AWS; they don't provide design services, although they have before. The entire platform has been built from scratch. Their team has integrated several APIs with MIDAS to keep our platform running smoothly.  Softcery’s team uses information from conversations between me and Elijah (Co-Founder & CEO) to inform their work.

We’ve taken our idea and transformed it into a workable product. Our product is a calendar that allows homeowners and estate agents to connect with tenants. The calendar minimizes the risk of communication issues via phone calls and text messages. There are also negotiations and customizable forms functions integrated into the platform. 

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Elijah. However, Yaroslav (Golang Developer), Taras (Backend Developer), and Bogdan (Golang Developer) are involved in the project. 

How did you come to work with Softcery?

A good friend of mine referred me to Softcery. We’d looked at companies on Upwork, but Softcery stood out because of Elijah’s involvement in the project, which really resonated with me. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $25,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

This ongoing project with Softcery began in December 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still in the early stages, but I can now use this software for my real estate business. I’ve been very happy with Softcery. The quality of their work is really good — whenever there are bugs, they are very responsive and fix issues quickly. 

How did Softcery perform from a project management standpoint?

Softcery always delivers on time and their communication via Slack is excellent. We have a weekly call on Google Meet with them to provide feedback and check in on the project’s progress. Outside of those calls, we use Notion to track tasks and store documentation. 

What did you find most impressive abo​ut them?

I appreciate that Elijah is heavily involved in our project. It feels like he wants to be a part of our project, which is different from the other companies I’ve spoken to, who have more of a transactional approach. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m satisfied with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The more you communicate with Softcery, the smoother the project will go. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of LinkUp Studio, a software development company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softcery?

We hired Softcery to help us complete a project for a customer because we didn’t have enough internal resources. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softcery has developed software for us from scratch. Our initial project with them was focused on backend development in Go. Since then, our project has expanded to include further development services for the back- and frontend using TypeScript and React. 

We always provide them with documentation, but they always go in and improve it. Based on their input, we alter deadlines and budgets for projects. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with engineers from Softcery. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested over $50,000, but our engagement is still going, and we plan to invest more. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership began in April 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m very happy that we’ve gotten a chance to work with Softcery and that we can continue working together. Our big project will launch within the year, but so far, our customers are very happy, and we’ve been able to get another round of investments for this project.

How did Softcery perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re in the same time zone, but because of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, we’re all working remotely. Their team communicates transparently through Slack and weekly calls; they’re not afraid to let us know when our scope of work could be better laid out. They’ve also communicated team changes to us. 

They act as if they’re a part of our team; Softcery has adapted to our processes. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Unlike other companies we’ve worked with, Softcery is great at letting us know when we’re wrong. They have gutsy engineers that can see beyond the basics of the assignments we give them. Their team solves problems before they’ve even come up. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We didn’t expect to have to hire developers because we’d already brought on Softcery, but they had a limited capacity when we needed to expand the team very quickly. I think Softcery could set up better recruitment processes so they can provide more resources to us. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers need to know what they want — Softcery has strong engineers, but they need a lot of details for each project. Their team needs clarity on each piece of the project. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of awayaway, an online travel agency startup. Our goal is to combine the best of human travel planning expertise with the efficiency of machine learning, to create bespoke, personalised travel recommendations for our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed full stack development for our project, covering everything except the design, data science and machine learning parts. The objective was to have a basic version running as quickly as possible that we could use to learn about the needs of our prospective users and test our hypothesis that such a product would have a demand.

Now that has been achieved, our objectives are to add features that turn this from a prototype to a fully functioning first version ready for public release.

SOLUTION

How did you select Softcery and what were the deciding factors?

We worked with a consultant CTO who interviewed numerous agencies. We were looking for a talented and dynamic team who could integrate seamlessly with our other team members.

I have almost 10 years experience of recruiting developers for different projects and it was clear to me that once we spoke with Softcery, they were the correct partner for us, and our decision has since been justified.

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

We had a near complete design ready to go. The front end quickly came to life and was integrated with our recommendation engine, giving us a basis which could be used for user testing.

After feedback during user testing, we were confident that we should continue to build the product and set about completing a working end-to-end first version. This included integrating all ancillary parts, such as backend tools (using Retool) and integrating APIs from our partners (travel inventory and payment processors).

Everything is deployed to AWS.

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

Right now we have two backend engineers and a front end engineer, as well as a tech lead and of course the valuable contributions of the founder, Elijah, who oversees everything. The team has changed in size, depending on the scale of the current challenges and allowing us to keep costs as low as possible without compromising the quality and speed of progress.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As a startup product, Softcery took us from zero to having a tangible site so we could progress along our roadmap. Our test was launched promptly and we were able to get enough feedback to decide to continue the project and which features should be prioritised for our next version.

I am generally pretty picky about getting products to a good standard before they are released even in MVP capacity, so Softcery had plenty of work to do, and it was all handled brilliantly.

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

We use: - Notion for project management including a roadmap - Slack for daily communication - Github for hosting code - Calls are arranged weekly and separated into relevant teams

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

To define what is most impressive about Softcery is difficult. There are several things which standout when compared with other freelancers and teams that I have worked with before. A significant difference is their interest in the success of the project as a whole.

Most developers will see that their code works and be satisfied, but Softcery keep a focus on the My conversations with Elijah personally have helped shape the direction of the business. There's also a transparency and honesty to Softcery that is rarely found amongst freelance teams, but so valuable.

Elijah is not afraid to say when they believe that something could be done better or cheaper elsewhere. This final point I cannot overstate how impressive it is. As a founder, you hope for resilience amongst your team; you want a team that will overcome any challenge.

What Softcery have done, despite a war breaking out in their nation during our time working together is remarkable. A handful of days were taken off during the most difficult time of their lives, before recommencing work at full pace, perhaps even more determined than before.

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

They've given the quality of work and value in the partnership.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an entertainment exec with multiple ongoing projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I asked Elijah and his team to help me create an online tool for musicians that would allow them to browse through Spotify playlists and submit their music to curators easily.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I hired Softcery through Upwork. They had a great portfolio, great communication, and a talented, dedicated, 360° team.

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

Most of our communication took place over email. First, Elijah asked me questions to better understand the project and thoroughly planned the execution. We did a lot of brainstorming and the Softcery team suggested a lot of great ideas and took time to troubleshoot problems and potential issues beforehand. Then, Elijah suggested a plan and described the different milestones necessary to complete the project. The team started working on it and proposed a first version of the site, then another one with a more modern and cooler UI. They delivered the website and everything went smoothly.

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

Mostly Elijah, who was the lead developer and project manager on this case. I also received advice from his marketing team. I believe he had graphic designers and UX/UI designers work on the project as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The deliverables were very well-executed. The design of the website was perfect and the interface was as well. Everything worked perfectly.

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

Lots of communication and great project management skills. We used email and Slack to communicate, and Miro to map the app.

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

They work fast and can do pretty much anything. I was blown away by the quality of their work and their dedication to each project.

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

The only thing I regret (and it's mostly my fault) is that I have 0 control over the tool we created. This doesn't make it easy to sell it and forces me to rely on them for any updates or changes. But again, it's on me -- I should have planned for that before commissioning the project. Elijah and his team have done a wonderful work and are great to work with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We develop custom software solutions for online merchants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired software to develop and manage our custom user-facing software.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We found them through referral. We we're blown away by the excellent code quality, QA and the teams communication skills, a must-have for outsourced teams.

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

The project is mostly built using Go and powered by Amazon AWS.

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

7

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are growing every month.

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

We communicate mostly over Slack, with weekly conference calls.

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

We like their ability to be creative and respond fast to concerns.

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

Nope!