SoftKraft

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Wink Reports

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Dashboards and automation SaaS for inventory and field service businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Redesign the UX to be elegant and streamlined
• Implement the new UX as a fast and robust front end application

SOLUTION

How did you find SoftKraft?

Online Search

Why did you select SoftKraft over others?

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

How many teammates from SoftKraft were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

We brought Softkraft in to improve our UX/UI. Our current product is quite old and clunky to use over the years. We focused on the onboarding and report/dashboard creation user flows. We required a completely new design, which went through several rounds of user testing to get feedback. And then once the design was completed, to do the react implementation of the UI using ant design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

User testing and feedback was fantastic. The new UI is a lot more intuitive, and also scored much better in the visual looks category. Our software now feels like a modern sleek yet powerful SaaS product.

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

Softkraft are a pleasure to work with. They really have the processes fine-tuned and never missed a single meeting. They were very accommodating to fit in with the project management tools and communication apps we already used. As with any project there are occasional small issues which poke up, but Softkraft always took care of it and made me feel like a VIP client.

What was your primary form of communication with SoftKraft?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Just all the talent they have on board. Their UX experts and designers are simply out of this world. The best I've ever worked with. And their coding team is the same - their sprint velocity is fast, but without making quality suffer. They are a company of tech experts for other tech experts; they are a joy to work with.

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

I don't really think so. For a year long large project I think interactions has stayed remarkably fresh and there is no sign of "project fatigue" from any team members.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the senior operations manager at Kölle Zoo, a pet retailer that runs an online shop. I'm responsible for all IT projects and manage the external interfaces with providers and suppliers. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SoftKraft?

We were building a new online shop and wanted to move our entire operation to the cloud to scale up our operations in the future. Our team was finding a lot of structural deficits in our existing system, and we needed a new provider to help us with the cloud migration.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the beginning of the project with SoftKraft, we had a briefing meeting where we outlined our vision for the shop's workflows. We provided SoftKraft with the scope of work, infrastructure layout, data processes, and project expectations. During that briefing, we also provided them with documentation outlining the standard practices we wanted them to follow when coding in PHP and communicating with databases.

Once SoftKraft received our requests, they brought in industry specialists to provide us with the resources we needed. Their cloud engineer gave us a clear cloud framework, and then we interviewed several back- and frontend developers before working with them. 

How did you come to work with SoftKraft?

We wanted a firm that was native to the cloud environment. SoftKraft's services were referred to us by another IT professional who worked with them on another project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve already invested €100,000–€250,000 (approximately $109,000 – $272,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with SoftKraft began in August 2021, and it's ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In June 2022, we plan to launch the shop and hope to keep SoftKraft for further development projects. Internal IT sourcing is complicated in Europe, and we're pleased with the agency model; we're planning to set up a permanent partnership with SoftKraft. However, I don't have any objective metrics because this development project is all from scratch. 

When we explained our situation and examples of specific problems, SoftKraft responded and rectified our issues within 24 hours. I appreciated their accountability, which contributed to my positive evaluation of our partnership. 

How did SoftKraft perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Asana and email to collaborate with ​​SoftKraft. For our day-to-day communication, we use Microsoft Teams. Outside of that, we have about three meetings and phone conferences during the week. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

SoftKraft is very professional and pays a lot of attention to the quality of their deliverables. They are their own biggest critics — they spot project problems before we can. I value their ability to rectify their mistakes. They aren't expected to perform at 100% every day, and when they don't, they're very transparent. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd advise customers to allow SoftKraft to participate in their business process modeling. Customers must share their business goals, motivations, and project ideas — SoftKraft is good at the technical aspect of each project and can also provide insights on how to improve it. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Head of Talent Development at a leading Fintech company that empowers financial institutions to accelerate their digital transformation through their omni-channel platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We worked with SoftKraft to create an app to upload files to the employee document tab in our HRIS, BambooHR. We would manually upload pdf documents in the app and, based on a unique identifier (employee number), would automatically upload these documents into the individual employee file in BambooHR. With this we are streamlining our administration process as previously we had to manually upload all documents one by one.

SOLUTION

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

We found SoftKraft through reaching out to various companies and one of them said they couldn't do the project but referred me to SoftKraft. We selected SoftKraft due to their uncomplicated approach in a way that they could also help us with the maintenance of the app after go-live, without buying recurring maintenance hours.

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

We first went through our requirements in a call and then the SoftKraft project manager made a proposal for how the solution could look like. He always looked out for making steps more automated, even though, due to technical constraints (missing API key on the sending side), we couldn't reach this goal in the end. We had weekly meetings where I learned about the progress and timelines. Once ready, we engaged in testing as well as in a code review and SoftKraft followed up on any issues or change of requests quickly.

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

1 main contact from SoftKraft to work with me, he is the Client and Team Lead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We uploaded about 800 salary letters into the individual employee files in one go, which helped us to tremendously reduce the manual effort.

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

Project management was great. We communicated through email and had a call once per week. There was transparency on progress, issues and provided different possibilities to fix issues.

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

Straight forward, uncomplicated approach. They facilitated great project management.

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

In the end, we required more budget than what we first anticipated. This is because of a change in our requirements to make sure we are compliant with internal requirements through the code review. Nevertheless, this could have been monitored more over time. At the same time, our contact was always transparent in terms of the effort for new features.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief development officer of a technology company working in the telecommunications/data-communications space. We have customers with global footprints, and we work with hundreds of technology-related suppliers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SoftKraft?

We needed help with developing an enterprise application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SoftKraft has helped us develop an enterprise application for the community of users who work with us, and they’ve made it extensible and available to customers and two suppliers. They’ve built it within the GitHub environment, using development languages like Python and Django.

Creating this application has been challenging for SoftKraft because they’ve implemented different user workflows. Within this application’s functionality, they’ve also helped us implement processes for data management, data visualization for customers, and content addition for suppliers.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with about 12 people from SoftKraft so far. Their core team consists of 7–8 people, including the president and CEO, database engineers, backend developers, and frontend designers.

How did you come to work with SoftKraft?

One of my friends in the technology space recommended SoftKraft to me when I was looking for an offshore development partner. We went through a fairly rigorous review vetting and evaluation process with five different vendors worldwide, including them, looking at their skill sets and how good our dynamic was. Ultimately, we went with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $800,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve set many metrics to keep track of our different milestones, and SoftKraft has always achieved and exceeded those metrics along the way. However, the most successful metric is the value that our new software has given to our company. It took around a year for our software to be known, but our company’s valuation exceeded our expectations tremendously once it did.

When we started this project, we knew that it would require a heavy lift from the UI design side. Our software had to be highly functional while looking very different from other conventional enterprise software pieces. Still, SoftKraft’s engagement in the design process exceeded our expectations. They understood from the beginning our challenges, and they’ve continued to step up to them using different resources and implementing different tools to provide us with what we need.

How did SoftKraft perform from a project management standpoint?

We work on a sprint-based rapid application development model, and the execution of SoftKraft’s work has been within our expected timeframe. Regarding communication,  they’re very candor, and they’ve never hesitated to tell me the truth. They never try to tell me what I want to hear to make me feel good. SoftKraft uses an internal ticket tracking system. Additionally, we communicate via Slack and have regular Google Meet calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

SoftKraft’s key ability is their reliability; I can always depend on them to achieve what we need to get done. We’ve had some slippage, but they’ve always been very reliable, demonstrating an immense work ethic. Behind their reliability, SoftKraft has their technical skills. They have a depth of resources and capabilities, which is very impressive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know yourself, your organization, and your objectives, and see if your approach matches with the vendor. SoftKraft is very responsive to their clients’ points of view.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the monitoring and evaluation officer for a research and education organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SoftKraft?

We were looking to develop a web app that could collect information about geopolitical situations in real-time and in a more streamlined fashion.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SoftKraft developed our web app from scratch and designed a simple UI for it. We didn’t want to put too much emphasis on big, fancy logos; we were more geared towards developing the needed functionalities. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with an administrator, an operations manager, two project managers, and two web developers.

How did you come to work with SoftKraft?

Clutch provided us with multiple options for vendors, including SoftKraft. We conducted an internal selection process and interviewed those vendors. According to our metrics, SoftKraft had the most capacity to think outside of the box. They also showed a good understanding of the requirements. Though they weren’t the cheapest, we decided to work with them simply because they met our standards.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from February–December 2021

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

SoftKraft had good quality control throughout the engagement. Their team responded quickly to any issues that we would encounter with the beta version of the web app. They also addressed anything that didn’t fit within the scope of work.

How did SoftKraft perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management wasn’t perfect as there were instances of miscommunication. Their team missed the mark a couple of times due to the convoluted nature of our application, but the overall outcome was satisfactory. SoftKraft was open to having different discussions whenever we requested it. 

We communicated via email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Though the initial phases of the development were a bit bumpy, there was never any negativity from SoftKraft. They remained positive and open to feedback, recapturing the essence of our requirements and adjusting their practices accordingly. In that regard, they were very successful. We saw that they were highly dedicated to producing a satisfactory final product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should have a structured method of reporting, especially if the client has specific deadlines. This would be better than having to go back and forth on a random timeline.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Even if you’re directly in touch with the programmers, don’t hesitate to reach out to their higher management. They’re responsive and able to clearly communicate issues that you’re facing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Yotme is a events management CRM for brands and non-profits. I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SoftKraft?

Front end software development on a collaborative project.

What were your goals for this project?

To launch several new features

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Softkraft came highly referred from a person that I really trust.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

1 front end React developer, 20-30 hours per week collaborating with the team of existing developers

What was the team composition?

6 developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did a great job, project was finished on time and on budget.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

we have our own project management and the Softkraft developer fit right in.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are straight forward and easy to work with. They delivered what they said they would.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a tech startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SoftKraft?

When I started this company, I was trying to decide if I should hire developers or outsource the work. We’re developing solution to enable one-to-one video conferencing between students and teachers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a PowerPoint type of thing that I developed in Keynote, and a series of screens. Basically, they built it from scratch based on what I wanted the architecture to be. We talked about where it should be hosted and the benefits of going with AWS versus something else.

Right now, it’s all cloud-based and works on Google and Firefox. We’re currently looking into creating a version for mobile devices. I wanted a clean UI with minimal information for folks to deal with. We went through several iterations throughout the project. Users can make requests, and then teachers can say whether they can help, and then they’re connected through the video conferencing platform.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people. I communicated with a project manager, and then we had one person working on the backend and infrastructure and one on the database modeling, as well one developer as building out the CMS.

How did you come to work with SoftKraft?

Initially, I went through Clutch. I went through the selection process and identified three companies in Poland and got quotes from. One company didn’t give me much detail on what they would do and quoted a very high price, and another recommended an architecture that I didn’t think would support what I wanted to do, so I selected SoftKraft.

They really showed that they wanted to know what I was trying to build and why in our initial meetings. The focus of our first meeting was identifying my priorities and ensuring that the team knew what I wanted to buy.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent about $42,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in November 2019 and I’m still working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The company provides financial solutions for online applicants. My role is the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SoftKraft?

To develop the full platform.

What were your goals for this project?

Aquire regulatory approval to operate through providing a functional platform.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended by another vendor who could not accept the project due to time constraints. After interviews with other service providers, we believe this vendor showed the best grasp of the project with the most appropriate pricing.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed, tested, configured an online portal to manage and review loan requests. The workflow was managed through two week sprints with a weekly meeting to discuss progress.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of professional individuals working throughout the project interchangeably from 3 to 5 members, all team members possessed great experience in their fields and provided great insight on best approaches to meet required deliverables in a timely manner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was the initial kickstart for our business. It helped us launch with our desired offering

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Communication and project management was excellent. The team always met our crazy deadlines and set realistic expectations for deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The technical expertise and quick grasp of information by the team for new concepts was impressive. and the ability to translate deliverables into small tasks with full clarity and tracking of progress was a big help

Are there any areas for improvement?

My only advice would be to clearly communicate the required documents and frameworks before starting the project to arrive at a mutual understanding of expected end-results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the former CTO and managing director of ZenGuard, a VPN service provider. Subscribing for a VPN on our website grants users the ability to connect to different locations in about 30 different countries. Once a user logs in, we provide full encryption for total web traffic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SoftKraft?

The infrastructure of ZenGuard consists of the application that handles the user which is cloud-based and the several hundreds of real servers all around the world that are working as VPN nodes. Both parts have to be maintained and improved.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to maintain and improve the technical infrastructure during the time where our own team was not fully stuffed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I worked before with Selleo and while searching for a company that could support us with system engineers we found out that Selleo and SoftKraft are well connected and as I had already a high trust in Selleo we also introduced the people from SoftKraft to our team.

Describe the project in detail.

For the application part, we had to deal with raising loads as the user based was increasing. There we had to improve the infrastructure that peaks can be handled while having a good cost control. For the VPN infrastructure, we introduced a lot of automation to handle the amount os virtual and bare metal servers.

What was the team composition?

One of the system engineers from SoftKraft worked with us on a full-time basis remotely. A more senior engineer supported their work as a from time to time. He worked as a steering partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The projects involved work on our internal infrastructure. As a company in the cyber-security space, we cannot share any insights as this might reveal possible weak points.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective as the people of SoftKraft were very good embedded in our own team. They take part in the regular meetings of planning and worked very direct with their counterparts, mostly using Slack.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

SoftKraft has extensive knowledge of cloud technology and more traditional system engineering. Challenges were discussed on their team to find the most optimal solution.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No