Softermii

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the COO of a service provider CRM and fintech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

We were looking for a DevOps operator that could provide us with IT services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Softermii to develop and manage our DevOps software. Their team works remotely.

What is the team composition?

I am in direct contact with Softermii’s CEO.

How did you come to work with Softermii?

We found Softermii through a recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $250,000–$300,00 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Softermii is excellent at their job, and they always know how to fix any issues that we encounter.

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

Softermii has performed well in terms of project management. They’re accommodating, and they consistently deliver their work on time.

We primarily communicate through WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Softermii’s accessibility, responsiveness, and ability to execute their tasks well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no complaints.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of Luciid, a social media product. We’re starting up, and we currently have three employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

I first needed a website for the business as well as an NFT contract. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softermii started with this project entirely from scratch with a discovery phase, where we went through questionnaires on the specifics of the website. After that, we went into development and created an NFT contract for the Ethereum blockchain. The website's main purpose is to allow users to connect their wallets and mint NFTs for their set price.

Softermii designed and developed the website, which is unique and has a 360-degree immersive design.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with six members of their team — a UI/UX designer, a project manager, a frontend developer, a software analyst, and a QA resource.

How did you come to work with Softermii?

I did research online and used Clutch to get some background information.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $50,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2022, and the engagement is ongoing; the website phase is completed, and the next step will be building the full application.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I promoted this NFT project on Twitter a month and a half ago and got 10,000+ followers. Overall, people are gravitating toward the design of the website and the NFT project.

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

They've planned the project very well; they stay within budget and meet all deadlines. Regarding tools, we mostly use Slack for communication and Figma to review the website designs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They seem to be very good at incorporating all the things we need. Also, I don't feel they lack in any department regarding getting the job done properly — they are all-encompassing. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes it's hard to understand what they're saying because they're based in Ukraine. They speak and understand English well, but there's always an accent, so it's sometimes difficult to understand them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear long-term strategy regarding how you will use their services. I had a short-term plan, and I would've benefitted if I had more of a long-term strategy.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Director of Agile PMO at Convo. We are an enterprise communications company with customers across the world, mostly in North America and Europe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had an outdated webRTC solution in Kurento. We could not scale it or fix its bugs since Kurento was end of life. So we hired softermii to replace Kurento with Mediasoup, develop web, iOS and Android SDKs for us to use ahead In our solution.

SOLUTION

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

We selected them after our technical team interviewed their technical lead. We had shared our requirements before hand and had asked that the technical lead present a high level solution proposal in the interview, which he did and answered our team’s questions satisfactorily.

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

Develop backend with basic calling functionality, room participant support upto 25 per room, and autoscaling. Develop and handover Web SDK, iOS SDK and Android SDK to support this backend function. They delivered all 4 components to us.

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

There were 7 people who worked longer with us, 1 project manager, 1 webRTC architect, 1 backend and front end dev for the backend and web SDK development, 2 resources for iOS and 1 for android. 1 qa resource worked up till sdk delivery to us. Other resources such as business analyst, Devops worked when needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The deliverables were largely acceptable and the team was cooperative in fixing and improving areas we pointed out. They had logical, well thought-out plans with different execution strategies that had supported our timelines.

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

Project management was fairly good, we used Convo for communication. Status reports and daily meetings were held on time, regularly.

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

They are cooperative and responsible. They are based in Kyiv Ukraine and when the bombing started, even though they had to relocate with their families to safer places, they made sure to push our code to repos for us to sync and kept us posted about their availability situation.

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

I believe they are quite well positioned in their industry.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CTO at Soundit, a social media platform that merges the Web3 initiatives and is building a community through a mobile app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

We needed an experienced vendor to build our app using WebRTC. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softermii has developed our iOS app with WebRTC and audio integrations that help our bots communicate. We’ve provided basic designs, but they also handled some app designing. Softermii has heavily researched each feature they’ve integrated to ensure they added value for our users. We’ve also utilized their expertise to create an advanced editor and ensure our app and WebRTC architecture is stable. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 7–10 teammates from Softermii, including several developers, but primarily communicate with Slava (Co-Founder and CEO), Bogdan (Delivery Manager), Maxim (Head of QA and Business Analysis).

How did you come to work with Softermii?

We were looking for firms with experience in WebRTC and mobile app development. After finding Softermii on Google, we thought they’d be a good fit because of their portfolio. Their services were good value for our investment. Also, their team seemed to be very serious and organized in our initial introductions.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around €150,000 (approximately $164,000 USD) with Softermii so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Softermii began in September 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re finalizing the app for an April 2022 launch, so I don’t have specific success metrics. However, we’ve seen a lot of interest from potential investors. 

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

Softermii has very structured project management, which I think is excellent. We use Atlassian Suite, including Jira and Confluence, to track project progress. We communicate through Slack, email, and Zoom or Google Meets calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Softermii’s expertise sets them apart from their competitors. Apart from that, Softermii is well organized, serious, and professional about their work. It’s great to know that all of the development is backed up by careful planning. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing for Softermii to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise customers to set up an introductory call with Softermii to analyze what needs to be done throughout the project. It’s important to plan out the scope of work and features at the start of the project. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have a software social media business, and we offer productivity tools that help people with their social media needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

I already had a platform prior to approaching Softermii, but the main reason why we approached them was to help us scale our development team. Another reason for that was because I worked alone and my business had been rapidly growing since 2020. As a result, we needed to modernize our software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the engagement by briefing Softermii with our project, and we shared what we were looking to achieve. During that time, I spoke with their business analysts, architectural developers, and other people on how to scale the platform. After that, the Softermii team advised me on the best course of action — and that was to build our AWS platform from scratch so that it could have brand new code and better scalability.  Overall, their recommendations were meant to improve our system.

Softermii then put together a team that is now helping us complete the platform. One of the features they’re working on is the server management feature for our media files — where we could place all of our documents, pictures, or video files. They're integrating task automation, enabling computing heavy tasks to be implemented, and connecting social media working sites on the platform, too.

Their goal is to help us have 100,000 users that could efficiently use our platform and are empowered to effectively schedule their posts. The other objective is to increase the number of our active users in the end while allowing a lot of moving pieces to be changed easily.

On the design part, I’ve provided Softermii with some of my ideas, and I’ve worked with their product designer to flesh out the project’s UI/UX design details. In the end, they’ve enhanced and utilized my designs on Adobe XD. They’ve also assisted in hiring customer support people to help me in my business — in order to keep things growing while we’re developing the new software. Four people are currently supporting us 24/7.

What is the team composition?

We work with around 12 people on the development side, including product designers, front- and backend developers, business analysts, and project managers. We also collaborate with four people on their customer support side.

How did you come to work with Softermii?

I needed to work with a team that had experience in the technology industry, specifically in the SaaS industry. We also wanted to work with a company that had experience building apps. What stood out the most when we were looking at Softermii was their great track record. I saw reviews from other business owners similar to myself that were very relatable. When I contacted them and spoke to them, they knew what they were talking about and they showed extensively that they could be trusted.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2020, and we continue to collaborate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform they’re developing has been working pretty well, and we’re happy with the direction of our engagement. If I have to rate them, I’d give them a perfect score. In fact, once they’re done with our project, we’re looking to ask for their help for system maintenance and updates.

I’ve been very fortunate to work with Softermii because we have a real partnership; they’re very understanding, and they’ve been very helpful. On top of that, they understand where I am as a businessman, as a business owner, and as a startup. I really enjoy working with them because they have great customer service.

In fact, I had no complaints about the advice they gave me; their recommendations made sense and it helped us have a fresh perspective on what we needed to do. Before working with Softermii, I worked with two other companies and it didn’t work out so well. That’s why the most difficult part in business would be hiring the right people.

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management process is great, and they have been good at meeting deadlines. They’re also very transparent and honest in sharing how much time they need to finish our deliverables — for the most part, they’ve been very accurate on this part, too.

I work remotely and even though I travel a lot, I contact them even during crazy hours. The team’s communication is always on point. We have a pretty strong relationship and I’ve met them a few times in person, and I’m excited to meet them again soon. In fact, I’ve been to Ukraine a couple of times, and they’ve helped me with my accommodations and everything else.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Being able to speak with their developers and project managers has been impressive. We don’t feel like a cash cow to them or just another client. They make us feel really important, and they speak good English, too. On top of that, when I speak to them and present my requests and demands, they always do their best to accommodate them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything on the top of my head. I’m very satisfied with Softermii’s services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust Softermii and their experience because they have your best interests at heart. Listen to their recommendations so that you could save a lot of time since they have a lot of experience working with big projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CTO of Wobi, an insurance comparison engine. We operate exclusively in Israel right now.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

We have a development team, but to reduce costs and to have a large enough team, we chose to hire an outsourced solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They work on our system, doing DevOps work and front- and backend development. The main technologies they use are Node.js, AWS, React, but there are a lot more.  

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Slava (Co-Founder & Director). We had four developers working for us, but there are currently three.

How did you come to work with Softermii?

In general, hiring domestic developers in Israel is more expensive than hiring outsourced developers. I’ve worked with developers from Ukraine before, so when I chose to look for an outsourced firm, I went to meet a few companies in Kyiv.

Out of all the people that I met, Slava had good chemistry with me, and I believed that he and his company could deliver what they promised. I am very pleased and will continue working with them.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $300,000–$400,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began the project in December 2019, and we are still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve only had one issue where a developer wasn’t delivering what we wanted. Softermii relayed that information to the individual and then let us decide what we wanted to do. They were very transparent, offered their opinion, and then cooperated with what I decided to do.

A few months ago, we were struggling to hire developers, and I couldn’t understand the issue. We had a big discussion about the market, Softermii’s position, and how we can improve the hiring process. Again, they were very transparent, and the discussion was very good. Slava and the team were very cooperative. I am very pleased with them.

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

We give them access to all the tools that we use internally, including Jira for managing the project. They participate in our daily status meetings and are integrated into our Slack system. They’re like an extension of our team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

While most companies turn to vendors like Softermii because they don’t have internal development teams, I had an internal team, so they became part of mine. I treat them as though they are my employees. Softermii’s team is very responsive to the way I want to work.

I have experience working with other companies, and Softermii excels at recruiting. They’ve brought in some amazing developers. Beyond that, Slava is a great resource. He’s very responsive and does his best to keep me and my organization pleased. You can’t ask for anything more.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It isn’t easy to keep developer turnover low in a competitive market, and from experience, Softermii is pretty good at it. Their reach is great in terms of finding new developers and keeping them with inducements beyond salary. I’m fairly pleased, and they’ve done a really good job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The only advice I can give is that you should talk to Slava — he’s great. Besides that, working with Softermii is a good idea. I don’t think anyone will be disappointed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chairman of the Board of Directors for a new startup company based in Dubai. We organize events and focus on online virtual events. We work internationally in many different markets, and we have clients in Mexico, Africa, and the Middle East.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

We’re event organizers by default, and we’ve been organizing physical events for 20 years now.

When the pandemic started, we were looking for a way to imitate a physical event and create a totally different experience. Thus, we searched for a company that could develop our main platform from scratch based on their experience and knowledge.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had the requirements for an event that would happen at the end of October when we started dealing with Softermii. Their team has supported us and completed all the requirements on time.

We have a website, a platform, and two URLs. At that time, our platform was very basic in terms of the auditorium to show the speakers and exhibitors, so they’ve enhanced features and functionalities based on our experience in the event industry. We’ve added more functionality to create multi-buildings.

For example, the platform includes 15 buildings, and each building supports a dedicated activity. We have the main networking function of the platform, chat, video calls, and group chats and video calls. We’ve also created a digital business card to enable the participants to exchange business cards, as well as the ability to take digital notes on each of them. We’ve developed the video engine, which helps us do the onboarding for the speaker through the platform itself. We don’t have to go through any third-party application.

After completing three months of work, we’ve enhanced the complete process of development and QA. After another three months, we’ve done additional enhancements on it, so we’re now 100% on the right track. In the past, it might have been a little difficult or complicated for the team, but now everything is going very smoothly — we understand what we need and everything is delivered on time.

What is the team composition?

There are almost nine people working on this project. We’ve worked with an account manager, a project manager, a QA team, and some DevOps. We’ve also worked with five developers — two frontend, two backend, and one full-stack.

How did you come to work with Softermii?

We went through a research process from the start of the pandemic, and we shortlisted three companies. After meeting and interviewing them, as well as seeing their proposal, we shortlisted Softermii to be our main development house.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent nearly $650,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The relationship started in August 2020, and it's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our mega event was held in October before we started commercializing the platform to other countries. We succeeded at delivering 95% of the tasks required before the event date. This was a very high percentage compared to our expectations. The team worked extra hard to make sure that they delivered those tasks on time.

Furthermore, we’re very close to completing a real hybrid solution that offers a different experience from Zoom or any other platform. Our solution facilitates physical and online participants to be together and network in a safe environment. We’ve also started to implement our AI engine, which will help in the matchmaking service between all of the systems.

There’s a team in charge of live events, and if we face any technical issues during one, within 15 minutes maximum, they will solve the problem. We don’t have to wait hours. This level of support is very important and much required in our business. The clients appreciate this and the service that we provide them.

Also, we’ve started to develop a new application from scratch because of the quality work that they’re delivering.

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

For project management, we use Jira and Confluence to track the tasks, issues, and bugs. There is a time zone difference from the Softermii team, but they give us full support even on weekends. We have meetings to decide on the sprints that are ongoing for the upcoming week.

We follow a workflow internally, and we’ve agreed on that process and those protocols to develop the features and make sure that QA is working on testing before we deploy it to live production.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their response time is really impressive. We had an event in Mexico City, and we had an issue because the number of people on the platform exceeded our expectations. The platform went down completely because we were expecting 5,000 and we ended up with 12,000 people. Within 15 minutes, it was back up and running. No one else can provide this kind of response. They’re very reliable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We completely understand that to get high-quality service, you have to pay a premium quote. We’re also 100% sure that we’re getting a quality of service that matches our client’s requirements, but just as with any client and supplier relationship, we would like them to improve the rate.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

To get the highest client engagement, you have to understand the mentality and culture of your client very well. If you have a clear understanding of the product that you’re developing and you’re able to transfer the knowledge, business analysis, and requirements to the developers in an easy way, you’ll get a product that completely matches the market requirements.

On the other hand, if you don’t understand the business model that you’re working on and you try to develop a product, you will fail. We always try to advance the development to make sure that we’re matching the latest trends in the market due to the COVID-19 restrictions. We’ve developed the hybrid solution to match everything that’s currently happening, especially in Dubai.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a founder and director of a real estate solutions startup. We are working on developing products for professionals and companies operating in Bahrain's real estate market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

We wanted to create a website that would solve a problem within Bahrain's real estate industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided wireframes and did the UI/UX for a prototype of the website. This site will serve as a holistic real estate database, including information on service providers, professional content providers, brokers, and others. Since it combines multiple solutions into one platform, it's quite a complex site.

Starting with the discovery stage, we had several calls to discuss the problem and explore a solution. In addition to asking us questions about our business and goals, they did the research necessary to advise us on how to best approach the project. They provided with several options for how to move forward.

What is the team composition?

We engaged with more than six people, including the head of development, a UI/UX designer, a business process manager, and 2 or 3 others that came in to do small tasks.

How did you come to work with Softermii?

We did a Google search and contacted several companies. Their team made a great first impression and was extremely engaged from the start. They showed deep knowledge and experience, quickly grasping the concepts we presented. We clicked with them and were excited to begin working together.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $18,000–$20,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the first phase of the project from March–April 2021. We will most likely take on the next phase of this project with their team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched the site commercially yet, but they've contributed thoughtful suggestions that have had a positive impact on the project. They're great with time management and produce high-quality work. Because of how satisfied we've been with their work on this project, we're exploring bringing them in on a separate project as well.

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done an outstanding job. Their team gave us the opportunity to review their work and provide feedback a few times each week. After these reviews, we'd have a follow-up call with their business process manager to ensure they were meeting our requirements in a timely manner. They finished the project on budget and within the timeframe quoted. They even proposed alternative ideas to help us stay within budget while not compromising quality. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're proficient from both a technical and commercial standpoint. They are organized, knowledgeable, and have a wide range of experience. Everyone we interacted with was professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They work with clear schedules and charge per hour. If you want to stay within your budget, be prepared, organized, and responsive throughout the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of information systems for a nonprofit association in the real estate industry.

In France, people looking to sell a house must sign an exclusivity contract with an agency, which stipulates that the agency has the right to share the listing with other agencies. If one of those agencies find a buyer, the commission is shared with the initial agency.

The aim of our association is to cater to these exclusivity contracts and share them amongst agencies within relevant geographic areas. We do this through a B2B software platform, which has an iOS app for agency users. They can see all listings and pricing through it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

They were in charge of implementing the iOS app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Based on our requirements, Softermii developed our app from scratch. The app displays a map with the locations and details of all houses, flats, and business spaces for sale. For a house, users can see the surface, number of rooms, price, and so on. Then users can search by location type, size, and other criteria.

We share listing data only with the agencies within the area, and the seller has access to the full list of agencies that have received their listing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, 2–3 software engineers, and a designer.

How did you come to work with Softermii?

One of our agency members was based in Ukraine, and we started working with a company there, but we quickly saw that it wasn’t going to work out.

We wanted to find a new company in Ukraine because it would be less expensive than using a local team. One of the people we spoke with told us about Softermii. We compared their prices against their local competitors and decided to work with them because they were an affordable option.

How much have you invested with them?

I estimate that the development cost was around $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Softermii in May 2019, and the project was frozen in June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We froze development on the mobile app in order to focus on the web app. However, we were still very happy with Softermii’s work. The team had a solid skillset on the technical front. They found solutions for all of our performance issues. Not every development company could have executed on the same level as them.

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

They had the skills we needed, were able to meet tough deadlines, and were responsive. We had some changes in the validation phase, and Softermii handled those quickly. 

We didn’t set many deadlines because we wanted to focus on building a quality product. We had one tight deadline, and it became apparent it would be very difficult to meet about two weeks beforehand.

Softermii worked a lot of extra hours to meet that deadline, and we greatly appreciated it. As a result, we knew we could trust them in these kinds of situations.

They’re also flexible and are willing to work on either an hourly or fixed-price model.

What did you find most impressive about them?

At one point, one of our developers left and we needed to find a replacement Softermii was good at finding a new resource and making the transition. We had no more than three developers on the project, so replacing one person was a big change. Even with documentation, it was like a part of the project left when that person left.

However, Softermii ensured that the transition would go smoothly and our new developer would be just as skilled. They delivered, so we didn’t have problems stemming from this event.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Of course, we can’t expect that a company abroad would speak the same language as us, but it would have helped us if they had French speakers on their team. I have no comments apart from that.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It’s important to learn how to work with a company outside our country, with a different culture and language. Managing a project with people working from different sites requires some initial calibration.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Scoby Social, a social media platform. We just incorporated in June. The central organizing principle is live, real-time, public conversations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softermii?

It was clear with COVID-19, everything was moving to remote video calls. I realized what was missing was a directory to find what someone wants to join and what they care about. We needed help with development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softermii developed our iOS and Android app using React Native. The apps were in the app store in November. Now we’re working on the crowd-pleaser features that we need in order to start building users. 

We went through several iterations with the UX expert, who was very helpful. He built all kinds of flows and prototypes. I was pretty much the product owner/project manager but he was my hand who would really make it look good. The business analyst did the user flows and articulated the actual stories to put in the rapid board.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a frontend developer, a UX expert, a business analyst, and a project manager once the project got going. It was a small but incredibly talented and flexible team.

How did you come to work with Softermii?

I went on Upwork and interviewed several companies. I knew I wanted a vendor from eastern Europe because I’ve had success with eastern European development teams. I was looking for a team that had business analysts, user experience, engineering, CTO, etc. I found a bunch of good ones, and I narrowed it down to 3-4 who I thought could really do the project. 

The reason I picked Softermii was specifically because of their model. They have testers and the team that they share between projects. They also have individuals they could provide according to our needs. They had actual experience in video streaming. 

Their CTO was really good about thinking things through. They’d bring him on calls. We’d talk about different possibilities and they proposed an open-source platform we could build off of. I had a lot of confidence in their technical capabilities. The thing that really made it for me was the idea of having my own team. The people who were there are always there and they’re not going away. It’s like they’re a part of our company.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $125,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2020 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Softermii delivered a really robust, technically sophisticated app that integrates multi-party video conferences with social media dynamics. We thought we were going to have to hire a much bigger team, but they accomplished that with only two full-time engineers and the support of others. 

The app got through the App Store on the second pass — all the App Store asked us to do was to change some things in our terms and conditions.

At one point, I began looking for a separate machine learning resource. I found someone I liked, and Softermii built an API for him and got him integrated. Now, they’re working together as a team. 

Something similar happened when I wanted my own full-time product manager. Now they’re just part of the team as well. The quality isn’t just in Softermii’s technical capabilities — it’s in the culture of the organization. They’re not your typical outsource firm where they write the specs and go build.

How did Softermii perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is stellar. Anna (Senior Project Manager) is always available. She’s totally committed. Her reports are detailed. I feel I’m in great hands. Sometimes I’ve opened up our app in the afternoon here. She’s in Ukraine and I’ll see she’s using it at 11 PM or midnight to make sure something works for a release. 

We’re on Slack. We have daily 15-minute standups and one articulation estimation retrospective a week. The project manager is ultimately responsible for the communication and making sure things happen a particular way, but she’s part of the team like everybody else.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I see our engagement as outsourced development meets coworking. That blend of having our own UX specialist, business analyst, project manager, and tester that are shared with other projects plus the few people that are mine long-term is a real differentiator.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Some of the things I’m introducing did require a little bit of a culture shift, but everyone’s adapted really quickly. I think if they made it part of their overall culture, it could actually be a competitive advantage that gets some other customers and projects.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

This is true for any outsource company. Really own your product. Use their resources in terms of the business analyst and the project manager and UX specialist. Achieving success is showing up and participating and reviewing and explaining. 

Also, get their feedback. This is the thing that surprised me most with them is how much value they actually contribute. The frontend software engineer sometimes implements things in ways that I wasn’t thinking but they’re better.