SunDevs Inc

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a general manager at an e-book company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with SunDevs Inc?

They helped us develop a platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SunDevs Inc created a platform for one of our e-books that is focused on learning and skills development. Using Android technology, they developed the platform for web and mobile.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked directly with three people and the general manager.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

I know them personally from a long time ago. They have always been our technology partners; whenever we need any digital developments, we go to them.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working with them for about 10 years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had a great experience with them. They’re able to take our ideas and turn them into a solid project. They have also provided us with many great new ideas to implement into our projects. 

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They used every communication tool we had on our end. We had constant communication, and they were able to meet all deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In my experience working with other companies, developers often tend to be late and unprofessional. This is not the case with SunDevs; they have always met all deadlines and provided an added value with their great communications and advice. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could advertise themselves more.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of LIDERIT, a technology company that develops systems with government and private contractors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SunDevs Inc?

We needed mobile development support for our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SunDevs developed the frontend for the app we were working on, and they did so using PHP. It was a native mobile app that was built for both Android and iOS. 

What is the team composition?

We worked in a remote environment, so we weren’t in contact with everyone. There were 6–7 teammates that worked for us at that time.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

A digital marketing company in Columbia that a partner of mine had used recommended them to us.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them on this project from March–September 2014. We also worked with them in 2016 and 2017, I believe.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results were very good, and the client liked the product a lot. SunDevs Inc knew what to do, and they did things that were new for us. Mobile development wasn’t as popular then as it is now, but they did a very good job.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They were available all the time. This was very helpful to us since we had a short timeline because the project was during the time of the World Cup. 

We were in contact with them every day. We communicated via phone calls and Microsoft Project, and they also proposed Jira, which was great.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team was very good at mobile development, which was the main service we contracted them for, and they knew how to do it very well. They had a strong knowledge of Apple and Android products, which worked out well for us. I highly recommend them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At the time, we didn’t have a lot of tools connected to do the job. Or, if we did, we didn’t use them as we do now. As a company with services available worldwide, SunDevs Inc could’ve integrated these tools to do the work remotely. They should have the tools now since everyone is mostly working remotely.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was a trader at a supply chain company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address SunDevs Inc?

We hired SunDevs Inc to help with various projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our website wasn’t very good, and SunDevs helped to update it. They also created an app for iOS and Android. The app allowed us to consult which alloys belonged to the metals that we worked with. 

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with the company’s CEO.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

My brother had worked with them, and when I started looking for service providers, he recommended them. I asked for quotes and interviewed different companies, but SunDevs was the one that I liked the most. They had better customer service, and I felt more comfortable with them.

How much have you invested in them?

The company spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in 2011, and it lasted about four years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website update they did was excellent, and it helped the company to be contacted for new projects and partnerships. The app allowed us to automate processes, which saved the company time and thousands of dollars. It also helped avoid many mistakes.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They were always available; I never had any complaints regarding their project management. We used a project management app.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The app was great. We received many compliments about it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I couldn’t say anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the legal representative at an e-learning platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address SunDevs Inc?  

We hired them to develop our platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, SunDevs Inc developed the platform for Android. They also provided support services for our platform in countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, and Bolivia. 

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with around six teammates.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

They were referred by someone who had previously worked with them. After contacting them, along with other companies, we conducted interviews. We decided to work with SunDevs Inc in the second stage of the project.  

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $70,000 for the development. Support and maintenance have been extra.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them towards the end of 2014 or at the beginning of 2015, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The services we offer have improved a lot. We were also able to have a greater and more open reach. Additionally, being able to provide our users with 24/7 support is just great.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve used new technologies over the years, so we’ve been able to improve many elements and stay up to date. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

SunDevs Inc’s attention and responsiveness are impressive. The team has been able to manage any issues that have come up in an efficient, clear, and professional way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions. We’ve encountered issues along the way, however, we have been able to solve them through good communication.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there

I am a product manager for Mobylengage, a telecommunications company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address SunDevs Inc?  

We hired them to develop a custom mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the app for both iOS and Android. The team has also used .Net for the backend, and we've integrated cloud services such as AWS.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked directly with at least six teammates.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

We were looking to develop a specific type of product, and we knew they had developed something similar in the past. After receiving good references from them, we go in touch with SunDevs Inc and started working on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve had different cycles with this project. The most recent one started last January and ended in March.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results have been great. We believe that we can develop a long term relationship with them and continue working on new projects. They have always been open and flexible and have shown great willingness to collaborate.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

We usually communicate via Skype and work under a scrum model. We were in constant communication with the project manager.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can’t think of anything. We provided all of the outlines and specifics.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe integrating a project management tool that allows us to keep a clearer record. We used mostly conversational tools, but including another tool that allows for a clearer outline and follow-up would’ve been great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the former marketing manager of an automotive sales company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address SunDevs Inc?

Every two years, an automotive fair takes place here in Colombia. It’s a very important fair in which every brand presents its models and any new products. We were looking to find a way to capitalize on our participation in this fair and easily gather all of the information from people visiting our stand and requesting information. We contacted SunDevs to develop a platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SunDevs developed a platform that allowed our team to quickly capture the information of people visiting our stand at the fair in real-time via a tablet. The platform had many features, including information about the cars, pictures, and a financial calculator, amongst others. I don't know the exact technologies they used, but it was a custom development. 

What is the team composition?

During an initial process, we worked with two people; later on, we worked with three. They had a support team of about two people.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc? 

They were referred by someone from our technology department that had already worked with them in a previous job post.

How much have you invested in them?

My company spent around 14 million Colombian Peso (approximately $3,600 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was developed in the second semester of 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The development allowed us to be more efficient and optimize our commercial process. Before we had the platform, this process was completely manual and time-consuming. The platform really optimized the process and allowed us to have a greater and more useful database. It was an important step for the company.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a great experience working with them. One of the reasons we decided to work with them was actually their willingness and capacity to gather information and to really understand the requirements and needs of our company. They were also great at understanding the brand and using it through all of the projects. Also, we never had any time issues with them; they provided constant support all the time and showed great commitment. It was a very pleasant experience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In the first stage of the project, they showed great leadership and were very clear in the requirements. They really got involved in the company’s processes to be able to understand our needs more deeply before starting with the development. They always went above and beyond to get a clearer picture and to really understand the final user.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If we encountered any issues during the process, there were successfully resolved in the moment.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Grupo Exito is the largest retail company in Colombia and one of the largest in Latin America. It has business lines that range from the production and distribution of food products to the largest retail chain in the country that includes the most efficient Hypermarkets in the market. I am the company's Director of Innovation and through my position I seek to create new experiences for the consumer

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SunDevs Inc?

In 2019 we decided to create the store of the future for our Carulla brand. A place that would bring together products that are respectful of the environment, an experience that is very focused on what the user looks for and wants when it comes to eating, and the state-of-the-art technology that would allow us to create this experience both in the front and in the backOffice. SunDevs developed one of the experiences that are key today for our customers

What were your goals for this project?

Raise customer purchase ticket Increase the frequency of visits Increase sales of in-store consumables

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I knew his work previously

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

SunDevs developed for us an In-Store entertainment platform that allows the client to find useful information and play with fun activities while spending time having a coffee and consuming our products.

What was the team composition?

1 Manager 3 Developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We increased the customer's purchase ticket by 14%. Warehouse visits increased by 50% compared to other warehouses of its type Sales of in-stock consumables rose by 20%

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

SunDevs exceeded our expectations. We had an idea of what we wanted and they helped us not only to shape it and make it a reality, but to improve it by taking into account their user knowledge experience and their interaction with digital media

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are always open to understanding what we want to achieve in order to propose what to do and how to achieve our goals. They are a very proactive team, they do not wait for us to tell them what to do; sometimes they'll be the ones to pull our team forward.

Are there any areas for improvement?

none

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am an IT manager at a movie theatre company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SunDevs Inc?

They were first brought on to collaborate with our company on the development of a mobile app. Since then the services of the mobile app have grown a lot.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The app was initially created for iOS and Android, but now it’s a full platform that includes kiosks, web, and mobile features. The last innovation they added to the app was using Microservice iOS. They added an update for security and cloud. SunDevs Inc also developed a framework for all of the company’s apps. 

What is the team composition?

We work directly with about four developers and two managers, but there are other teammates involved.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

Their CEO used to work for the company that developed one of the first digital projects for us. So, when we were looking to develop this app, we reached out to him. He had already founded SunDevs Inc and seemed like a good fit for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in about 2011. We continue working with them, adding new elements to the app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results have been excellent. They are innovative in terms of technologies and their performance has been great. SunDevs Inc is always suggesting new elements to improve our systems.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a project management and ticketing system that works very well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their innovation capabilities and project management are very impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At first, they were trying things that were out of their usual business model and were not their specialties, but they changed that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a sales systems manager at a luxury auto company. The company’s main activity is to manage all logistical processes, from the import to the distribution of vehicles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address SunDevs Inc?

We had two important projects for the company’s premium brand and needed development support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first project involved developing a sales platform for our commercial advisors. The platform enables them to see all of the information they need to sell a car, from technical specs to photo galleries, on a tablet. It also allows them to register the client’s information and to follow up with the sales process.

The second project was the development of a landing page that includes photo galleries and different promotions and options targeted at various clients. Our clients can book pre-sale premium vehicles on the landing page. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, two developers, and a person in charge of testing. In total, there were around five people involved.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

I knew them from a previous position, and I had heard many good references. When these projects came up, I recommended we include them in our pool of potential services providers. From there, we chose three companies to evaluate. SunDevs Inc was one of the companies that stood out for their skills, reviews, references, etc. I also read some of their reviews on Clutch, and they were very well-rated.

How much have you invested in them?

My company spent around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2018, and our last project ended in October 2019. We still consider them for new projects. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of quality, the results have always been great. As for our second project, we were the first company in the sector to have an online pre-sale of a product of this kind, which was very good for our brand. Also, we sold 120 vehicles through the web app, so it was pretty successful.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

We had an account manager that we were always directly in touch with. SunDevs Inc used their own communications software internally. We didn’t use any collaborative tools, as our development was on very short notice; however, our project manager kept us informed. They always managed to adjust to our scheduling needs. They met our requirements and complied with deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were able to adapt to our needs, even if that meant they had to use more resources. Also, at every stage of the process, they were able to establish a close relationship and communicate well. In general, they were great at communicating, project management, and quality.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although it was great that they were able to adjust, I believe that having a defined end date for scope closure would have been good for themselves and others involved in the project. SunDevs Inc was very open to hearing about the needs of our brand, even beyond our technical department. However, functional areas of the company do not always have a clear vision of a project’s technical complexities, and they created requirements that made our technical department and the SunDevs Inc team work overtime to meet deadlines. Having a clearer end date for these kinds of requirements would have been helpful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there

I’m a systems engineer working in technology-related customer experience for a multinational movie theater.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address SunDevs Inc?

We needed to develop mobile apps for different countries.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SunDevs Inc developed the app for Android and iOS. An API feeds the app, which makes its management easier.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team that included about seven people.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

SunDevs Inc was involved in the migration of our POS two years ago. When this project came up, we decided to continue working with their team.

How much have you invested in them?

This project cost about $6,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2017 and our partnership’s ongoing. We work with them on all mobile projects. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw immediate results in the percentage of sales from each country in which we launched the app. We’ve always seen an increase in sales. In Colombia, for example, sales from the app were the same as sales from the website, which isn’t common.

During a movie premiere, many people bought tickets and many websites went down. However, our app managed that huge number of sales without failing. The product never fails.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re using Aha!, which allows us to have greater clarity on the project’s roadmap. At first, it wasn’t all perfect. Over time, we’ve learned more about each other and established good communication. We have better clarity.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their availability and flexibility are their most impressive qualities. They’re open to hearing our thoughts. Their team has been flexible with any adjustments without increasing their costs, which is the key to us having a long-term partnership. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

At one point, we didn’t have a clear status on their efforts, so we couldn’t communicate progress to our management. However, we were able to standardize processes. They proposed using Aha! to create reports and allow us to have a clear understanding of the project.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated by Wilfredo Rojas (International IT Director, Cinemark) on May 1, 2020. The original star ratings were: Overall - 4.5, Quality - 4.5, Schedule - 5, Cost - 4.5, NPS - 5. New content is below:

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am an international IT manager at an entertainment company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SunDevs Inc?

We work with them on different development projects. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

SunDevs Inc started out by developing our international mobile app, which is being used in different countries in Latin America at the moment. The project grew and now they have developed apps for 7–8 different countries. They normally use .Net in their development, however, in this current project they are working with AWS.

What is the team composition?

I work very closely with one of the owners and a project management officer (PMO). Between the two projects, they’ve had a team of 10–15 people.

How did you come to work with SunDevs Inc?

One of the owners had worked for our SalesPoint in Colombia which is how we first heard of them. So when the mobile app development project came up, we did some research on different services providers. I contacted SunDevs Inc and we started working with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began about three years ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen a very positive impact. Thanks to their development work, our sales have increased by 50% on digital channels. This is due to their work and the support they have always provided. The team has provided us with personalized attention during each one of the projects.

How did SunDevs Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

SunDevs Inc uses Aha! and Jira. They register every roadmap and advance in Jira, and it immediately reflects in Aha where we can see it at any time. We also have a weekly update call. Their communication has always been very fluid and open, and the roadmaps are always completely clear.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have always been very open and had great communicators. This is very important for us as it allows us to always be clear and know when we will have the project ready.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At first, the roadmaps were not completely clear but they have managed to change that effectively using project management tools.