SourceBrains Technolabs

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a company called BMA Technology in Singapore. It’s a private limited company focused on providing internet services based on a particular WiFi platform.

We also build mobile applications, websites, and other products. We have 15 employees and are considered to be a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME).

What challenge were you trying to address with SourceBrains Technolabs?

SourceBrains and I are working on a project based on commissioning a mobile app and new website. I engage with them directly as our outsourced provider. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

SourceBrains designed and built our website and mobile app, and they continue to host and maintain them. This has included a pharmaceutical app and an app for a mining community.

Generally speaking, I instigate the relationship with SourceBrains based on a project. We have a general overview discussion, and I outline an executive summary of what the project is. I identify the project’s essential elements and what the outcomes of those essential elements are as far as deliverables for my client. Then, SourceBrains goes back and estimates the time and potential cost for the project. Once I approve that, we sit down, create a detailed project timeline, and cost that specifically. I then present that to my client.

When the client approves, we start working on the project based on the project brief I wrote, which outlines specific outcomes, timeframes, deliverables, and report-backs. The coders and developers working on the mobile apps ensure that the apps are suitable for both Android and iOS platforms. Also, we typically use WordPress platforms and servers when building websites.

We’ve worked on quite a number of different projects. I engaged SourceBrains to be my telemarketer lead generator for a number of global conferences on WiFi. We used their services when we were running a large WiFi conference. I think I have a new project coming up now, which will be an online teaching platform.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Ash (Senior Consultant) and Sumer (CTO). They are very much hands-on people. 

How did you come to work with SourceBrains Technolabs?

I’m not completely sure, but it was either through Google or one of my LinkedIn contacts, because I often use that for my activities. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around January 2016. I have an ongoing relationship with SourceBrains, and we keep coming back to them. 

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

They produced some fairly solid results for the global WiFi conferences. Additionally, the pharmaceutical mobile app received a number of awards. The mining community app also received a couple of international awards.

The quality of SourceBrains’ work is why we keep coming back to them. I enjoy working with them, particularly Ash. He has a reasonable degree of international experience — he has traveled outside of India, and he understands and speaks English very well. Ash’s mentality allows him to engage and clearly communicate with people. It is not a challenge to work with him; in fact, it is an enjoyable time. We have built friendships because of Ash’s experience and leadership.

How did SourceBrains Technolabs perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Skype because we have been users for a long time. We also use WhatsApp and Zoom, and we share documents via email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The desire that SourceBrains has to solve my problems sets them apart from other providers. I have gone to them several times with extreme emergencies, and they dropped what they were doing to help me. My requests are probably inconvenient for them, but SourceBrains always stops what they are doing and fixes my problems very quickly. They make me their number one priority and take that extra step to help me. 

SourceBrains is also really good at providing the general starting information and timeline updates based on the brief I provide. They are growing leaps and bounds because they have such good quality service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

A lot of the requests for work were going directly to just one person in the organization. While that provided them the ability to please their clients, it created a bottleneck on turnaround times and follow-through. Not talking directly to the developers and coders created a communication issue.

At that stage, I suggested that they have 3–4 points of access who we could approach to get the activity done. I understand that this is in motion now, and instead of having just one person, they’ve engaged 3–4 people to manage projects.

Any advice for potential customers?

It is important to have a very clear foundation document that includes what the project is, what you want to achieve, and what the timelines are. SourceBrains can’t read minds, and they have a range of different projects happening. The project will change in the course of its development, but everybody will have a clear picture of the end goal through the foundation document.