TECSOL Software

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

My company is BudEase LLC. We operate in Cambridge, Mass. We are a mobile app that helps students in colleges and universities to connect with other students and meet more people based on similar activities and interests. It can be something as simple as going for a Thai dinner or playing a game of basketball, or something extreme like skydiving. We coordinate the when and where so that making a plan is super easy.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with TECSOL Software?

They did the entire technology and the development of the app and android and iOS as well as all of the service side systems required to support the app.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

It's primarily limited to the actual technology and development of the components, such as the app and the server. The development was completed from their side, but then I worked along with their designer to get the UI [user interface] in place. Once we did that, the development team took over and took it from there.

What was your process for selecting TECSOL Software with which to work?

I was recommended TECSOL through a friend. I spoke with them about a number of projects that they've done in the past and the kind of clients and products that they've brought out. It was impressive. After talking to Faraz, one of the founders of the company, I had a very good feeling and felt they'd be up to the challenge and would be able to deliver what I required for my product.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

I would like to keep that confidential at this point, but I’ll say that the pricing is very competitive.

When did you start working with TECSOL Software?

We are still working closely together since the project is almost ready for launch. There are just a few small things that we're changing. The project is still ongoing, but it's pretty much at the tail end of what's required for Phase 1. That will probably be finished this week.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Are you satisfied with their performance?

Everyone there is very knowledgeable. They know their job and are experienced. They've been in business for about five years. I think they are a little more comfortable with clients who are present in India because that's where the development team is. Despite having the distance and the time difference, they have been doing a good job. As long as there is clear communication without leaving things up to interpretation, it's a very smooth process. Having a face-to-face meeting always makes ambiguities easier and I could see the physical distance becoming an issue not only for TECSOL, but for anyone who is operating halfway across the world.

Is there anything unique about TECSOL Software that really makes them stand out, compared to other online marketing companies?       

In other companies, they require that all the communication go through the project manager. Sometimes, that can be tedious to get certain small-level details done quickly. TECSOL has good communication between every person working on the project. If I need someone working on the iOS app, for example, I can talk to that person directly rather than having to have the process go through a tedious and long setup. They take your input and give certain recommendations and feedback based on their experience and expertise.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The company is a crowd-sourced parking company. We haven't launched yet.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I'm the company's co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with TECSOL Software?

They made our iOS phone application. That is the crucial part of our business that should set us apart.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

TECSOL did the design and development of the app for iOS. They really pushed the project from start to finish.

What was your process for selecting TECSOL Software with which to work?

I wanted to hire a development team and a designer. I came across them through my brother. He had briefly worked with them a few years ago, and I interviewed them and looked at their previous work. I learned more about the processes that they followed and about their company in general. It all seemed very good, and I hired them.

When was the project completed?

The work is still ongoing. I think it will end in another three to four weeks, sometime in September of 2014. I plan to continue working with them for maintenance and if we build an Android app.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they've done for you?

The app is a full-fledged iOS app, which runs on all iOS devices. In terms of time, it took about four to five months with one designer, two developers, and one project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

It has been successful so far. They are prompt in delivering frequent bills, so I can see the work that is occurring. The designers are very good and put a lot of thought into their design. Often, they send out a design and if I have feedback, they're happy to accommodate the changes until I'm happy.

Overall, I feel involved in the work that's going on. That's a very good thing, especially since I'm so far away. They are very good about explaining what's going on as well as coming up with alternatives that will work.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other developers?

Their founder is very good with his technical knowledge. He understands how everything interacts and is very good about explaining it to others. He can explain what the best solution is for each product. He is great for the team. There are a lot of processes and automation that they put into place, such as sending out bills regularly. I don't have to ask the team for anything. I am notified promptly about all the features that are being built. They are very organized.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

I decided to have someone else help us out with user experience, to do all the wireframes. By the time we started working with TECSOL, and they started working on those, we spent a little time redefining some things. It was not the most optimal flow in some cases. We decided to change a few things. If I were to do it again, I would probably have TECSOL do the user experience piece as well.