websmith solutions

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Nautilas Network, a seafarer’s job portal.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with websmith solutions?

We needed someone to develop our job portal.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and developed our complete website portal from scratch. Shipping companies advertise their position on the portal and the seafarers log into the portal and apply to whatever position they’re interested in. The site is still being developed. All the maritime trainings are on the portal. Right now I’m only targeting India. Anyone interested in doing the training will be able to come to the portal and find all sorts of training including competency training, mandatory training, and knowledge-enhancing training. They are listed on the portal and they can get all the information about the training. At the same time, they can apply. These are the two major things in the portal.

Having a job portal isn’t very difficult but the training part is. Imagine there are 150 training institutes and every institute does 50 trainings. Some trainings are every week and it keeps on repeating. This required a lot of know-how about how to create metrics. websmith solutions learned very quickly. I gave them an outline of what was in my mind and they could draw the picture. They used WordPress and Lennox.

For the design, I gave my requirements. They showed me the designs and we finalized them. The backend work was also completed along with the frontend designs.

What is the team composition?

I work with the owner. There’s also a designer and a coding specialist. All three of us talk almost every day.

How did you come to work with websmith solutions?

I did an online search and saw the work they did on another portal. I realized they would be able to handle the complexity of providing me metrics in a way that’s easily presentable. The amount of information that we had was tremendous, especially the training institute part. That is how they won the contract.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $27,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2020 and the work is ongoing. The project is expected to be over in January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The portal is already online. The end result is fantastic. It’s nice working with them. The end product is very satisfying.

How did websmith solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Due to the pandemic, we couldn’t meet face-to-face. We used phone and video calls. At first, things were understood in three different ways by three different people. Certain things I wanted weren’t understood by them. Now, I put something forward that I want and they discuss, analyze, and then come back to me and ask if it’s what I wanted. They can actually read my mind, which isn’t very easy. They deliver 100/100.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a very good team. I was very impressed. They’re approachable and understanding. They don’t get agitated when I ask questions or ask them to change certain things. They’re very considerate and positive about delivering the end product to the liking of the client. It’s something not easily seen in vendors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a little slow. It could be because of the pandemic, and they were short on people.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend them to anyone without hesitation. I will not look anywhere else if I need something developed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the co-founders of Kitmytrip. We’re in the business of providing digital solutions for international tourists. Our team has developed various options for making life easier for international travelers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with websmith solutions?

In the digital space, one of the key challenges is around recharging solutions for tourists who are traveling from one country to another and want to top up their mobile phones. We were specifically looking for a solution for a Middle Eastern location in the UAE to integrate a very difficult solution bringing together a lot of different platforms.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We reached out to websmith solutions and collaborated to develop this recharging platform. The key requirement was for it to integrate services from multiple telecom operators, not only in the UAE but from international providers as well. Even more importantly, we wanted a service that could be used directly by consumers as well be offered to business users who could further resell it in the market.

It was a complicated solution both from what it was ingesting and what it was providing to our end customers. websmith solutions helped us to bring all of that complexity out in a very easy solution, not only for consumers to use from the frontend but as well as for B2B customers who’d be resellers in a very simple manner. It was primarily providing multiple recharging opportunities for multiple telecom providers to a lot of business users as well as retail users, online and on websites.

The platform is based on Windows server technology and built on top of that was a .NET framework. The service is hosted on AWS so it’s accessed independently from a public cloud through various systems that we're using in terms of our e-commerce solutions. It just uses cloud access to consume the service from the public cloud.

What is the team composition?

The company owner himself takes a lot of interest when the solution is complicated. The assurance we got was that we had the support right from the top. The other good thing we found was that we have one key account manager who deals with us on a day-to-day basis. They also had 3–5 people who were working on different aspects of the solution and at different points in time.

The key takeaway for me was that we weren't talking to new people every time. We had a single point of contact who located the work internally, and we also had the assurance that the company’s founder himself was directly involved in making sure we were getting what we want.

How did you come to work with websmith solutions?

It was through a mutual network professional that we came to know about them. Initial discussion and response were very fast. I sent them an email and got a response in half a day. Then, we were on a call the next day discussing and aligning requirements and how they could help us. We contracted them within three weeks from our initial discussion.

It was a pretty smooth process to decide to work with websmith solutions. We liked their business acumen and that they understood what our requirements were. They defined technical solutions around it instead of trying to force-fit any technical solutions. That helped us go ahead and collaborate with them.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent between $30,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial work started around two years ago in late April 2018 and it’s ongoing. The project lasted around two and a half to three months for the first delivery.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

websmith solutions helped us expedite and made the user experience easier for our customers. The platform is two-sided with the one side integrating telecom operators and the other side onboarding new business partners.

Without this platform, integrating each new business partner would take three months or so. With the platform, we’re onboarding them in 2–8 days if there’s some complexity on the partner's side. The comparison between the one week versus three months timeframe shows the time and effort difference they brought to our business operations.

After using it for nearly two years now, we haven’t found anything in terms of faults. The only thing is that we require new features so we've gone back to them to develop those new features. It has been a very peaceful journey for us. I’ve worked with tech teams for a long time and what I’m getting from them is one of the most stable platforms I’ve used in a long, long time.

We’re doing ongoing work with them and overall, it has been a very positive experience. Our team just contracted them again and as always, they’ve been very responsive. It’s the same engagement model and we have a dedicated person working with us who maintains regular communication. All our feedback is positive. Because they’ve been good at supporting us, we’ve gone back because of the assurance we get while working with them.

How did websmith solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication and sticking to plans are very important to me. websmith solutions has been stellar when it comes to those things. This is the third project we’re working with them on, and they’ve never asked me for a cost escalation — that’s the primary criterion in terms of peace of mind. For all three deliverables, they’ve gone according to the original quote. We mostly use email to communicate, and the tech teams have been using Asana.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ll find a solution to whatever I’m throwing at them. Whatever I throw at them — and it doesn’t matter how complex it is — they’re humble enough to say they don’t understand it and may not know it immediately. But then they go and check for solutions. I’ve never received no as an answer from them.

websmith solutions has always come up with a solution or a workaround to any business problem. That attitude for saying they can do it and that it can be done has helped a lot. There have been many times in the past where the first thing I’ve heard is that something’s impossible. I don't get this response from websmith solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I can say is while they’ve been very good at reusing their code, this is something they can do even more and better on. websmith solutions does have some code libraries, but this can be made even more robust by reusing their good work. Beyond that, everything is good, and we’re very happy with their performance.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about your business requirements. Because they’re very innovative, if we give them vague business requirements, they can be on a wild goose chase in terms of finding a solution. People who are very set in their outcomes will simply say what we have, but it’s different with the websmith solutions team.

If the business requirement isn’t clear, they might be set out on trying to find something that takes a lot of time and is a waste of effort for everybody. They can solve very difficult problems but be very clear about what you’re going to ask from them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of Universal Logistics Fze, a freight and logistics company for extremely high-value cargo.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with websmith solution?

We needed help with challenges around inventory controls, top management, and customs documentation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We handle freight and logistics, so we have to maintain proper documentation and records for the sake of customs. Our merchandise stays in a customs bond without any or and taxes unless it’s cleared out of the bonded facility. Without the proper documentation, we’re liable to pay a huge number of fines and penalties to customs. We have around 50,000 units coming in and going out each day for various customers. They customized and designed the software for us to keep a proper track of everything.

What is the team composition?

They assigned two dedicated people, and their owner is involved as well. He visited our company in Dubai three times to understand the exact requirements.

How did you come to work with websmith solution?

I was constantly looking for software developers. A company in Dubai was using websmith solution and they recommended me to contact them. I invited them and they immediately came to Dubai, understood my requirements, and agreed to assist me.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $32,800.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2017–January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They have great customer service. Someone was always on standby and available while we were implementing and developing everything.

How did websmith solution perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is perfect, with communication over Skype. They understand the requirements and customize effective solutions, making sure that they align with what we need.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood exactly what we wanted; doing a fantastic job of understanding our requirements.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At times, it would have been better if they had more resources available.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

A project might take two to three months longer than expected because there will likely be some alterations required.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior manager of technology at Indsoft. We provide web solutions to our customers. Our company has offices in India and the US, and I’m responsible for managing customer interactions, development project, and product deployment initiatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with websmith solutions?

We were working with a client who wanted to develop a mobile cryptocurrency exchange using blockchain technology, but we didn’t have any internal resources with the necessary expertise. We needed a vendor to help us with development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided websmith solutions with designs, and they developed a mobile application to support the cryptocurrency exchange. The team included all of our requested functionalities, including an in-app wallet, a trading platform, and more. So far, they’ve only built the Android version, and we’ll speak with them about building the iOS version soon.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a total of six people from websmith solutions. There was a project lead, three programmers, a designer, and a tester.

How did you come to work with websmith solutions?

One of our existing clients had worked with them in the past and recommended their services. We considered a couple of other vendors, but we felt that websmith solutions was the best fit based on their past experience and technical capabilities.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $27,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2018, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far, websmith solutions’ work has met all expectations and delivered every milestone on time. We’re happy with the team’s performance and the quality of their services.

Before this initiative, the platform was only available on the web. With the Android version up and running, our client has been able to increase their user base.

How did websmith solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate with the websmith team primarily via email and phone call, and they’re very timely and responsive. Because we made some changes mid-project based on feedback from our team, there have been a few delays, but our project manager provides routine updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The websmith solutions team was very competent and technically skilled, and they charge a very competitive price. We’re satisfied with the results of the partnership. There were a few issues here and there, but they were great overall.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Whenever we made scope or schedule changes, it took them a while to adjust. If we requested any addition features, there were even more delays. Otherwise, it was a very positive engagement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients should be clear on their milestones and requested features for the project. They should consult with the websmith solutions team before starting any work, and make sure the entire process is well documented.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Rythium Technologies LLP, a startup company. We’re going to be making mobile applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with websmith solution?

We didn’t want to hire an in-house development team because we’re only a startup. Therefore, we were looking for good software developers that could deliver an initial set of mobile applications we wanted. We already had our concept, but we needed to translate it into mobile applications with a backend database.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

websmith has been involved in the entire application building process. They did our initial wireframing and designed our look and feel based on what our users wanted. Before developing the actual applications, they constructed the corresponding database that would store our content. The apps contain a lot of content in almost every Indian language that’s represented in the market. It supports multiple types of music players, and users can play music both online and offline. We’ve been building our apps one by one, and the first one is launching in 2–3 weeks.

What is the team composition?

At least 4–5 people have been working on the project at a time, but we’ve had up to 8–9.

How did you come to work with websmith solution?

I found them and several other companies on LinkedIn. We were looking for someone who could bring value to the table and was capable of understanding the technology and design features we wanted. The cost was also a concern. We interviewed about 10 firms and found that websmith solution tried hardest to understand us. They were also flexible in their timing and ready to listen. I interviewed two of their technical people, and they were good. We questioned them on how they'd manage the project, and they gave us an initial set of rules that they'd follow.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $40,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve been very happy with the team. The applications perform well and are scalable. We’ll know a lot more once people start using the first one. 

How did websmith solution perform from a project management standpoint?

They appointed an account manager to be a point of contact, and that person connects with us daily. We use email more than any standard documentation tool, (they do have one) but it works well. We review their schedule document every two weeks or so. They always follow-up and are communicative and responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re eager to learn and experiment, and they’re not afraid to say they don’t know something. They’ve also been committed to making changes and corrections. They’re open to criticism and act quickly to remedy issues with the build our users may not like. Capability-wise, they’re extremely good, but they have no ego. They’re great people.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Though they’re interested in transitioning to newer technologies, they could utilize them on a more regular basis.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of CSK Infotronix. We manufacture hardware in the IoT space, focusing on solutions that aggregate data on-site in real time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with websmith solution?

For one of our projects, we needed to monitor energy parameters. We had the appropriate hardware elements, but we needed a vendor to develop the software component.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided the websmith solution team with a rough idea for the software, and they created a set of wireframes. After we gave our approval, they started working on the design. They built the UX/UI elements, then the team put together the foundational architecture for the software and integrated it with a database.

The final product gathers data from our IoT hardware in real time and analyzes the information. It’s programmed to compile reports and display the data in various graphs. The websmith solution team developed Android, iOS, and web-based versions of the software. They also helped us identify different ways we could expand the product with additional tools and features in the future.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, an iOS developer, an Android developer, and front- and backend developers for the web-based version.

How did you come to work with websmith solution?

I was referred to them by a friend. We also came across their website in a local online search.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on this project from July–September 2018, and we currently have a maintenance contract in place.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The iOS app is live on the App Store, and we’re distributing the Android version manually to our clients. They aren’t open-market applications, so our only users are those that also use our hardware devices. We’ve received positive feedback on the real-time analysis functionality and the graphs that the software generates. The information is clear and accessible. Anytime we run into an issue or need to make changes, we can reach out, and the websmith solution team will handle it.

How did websmith solution perform from a project management standpoint?

They provided timelines at the beginning of the engagement, and they stuck to them. There were a few delays, but they followed a timely workflow overall. We didn’t use any tracking software.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their owner is involved in every project that their company takes on, asking for feedback regularly and showing a real interest in the results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If we need to make any last-minute changes, they have some difficulty scaling up their efforts and resources.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder and the director of Brisk Learning Solutions, an education technology company based in India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with websmith solution?

The primary goal was to provide curated content for studying and exams. There are regions in India where textbooks aren’t readily available. We wanted an app that delivered our materials anywhere, with no geographic or demographic constraints.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our team develops reference materials and delivers it to various institutions and B2C customers. We create the content in a Q&A format and reference books. We contracted websmith solution to build a system to effectively managed that information. Their team developed a website with a CMS backend, using .NET, and an Android application that connected to the site through APIs.

The platform is live, but their team supplies regular maintenance. We’re also entering the B2B segment and will continue to use websmith solution’s as a service.

What is the team composition?

We initially started with two resources, but those gradually increased as our scope expanded. We work with three backend developers and three mobile developers. We also work with S Gandhi (Owner, websmith solutions), and senior backend and frontend developers.

How did you come to work with websmith solution?

We came across websmith solution through an industry reference. We were working with another company, and they used websmith solution for a development project. Our startup had limited resources and needed a small, but useful firm.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $40,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with websmith solution in May 2016, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There are 225,000 registered users on the application, and over a million questions have been viewed within the past year. There is an impressive bar graph that tracks how many times a question was asked, which provided extra value to the platform. We’re quite happy with websmith solution’s work. Their team delivered amazing quality within the timeline. Being a startup, we received more than we expected from websmith solution.

How did websmith solution perform from a project management standpoint?

Our team composes the requirements and user stories, and their team manages the entire workflow. Their process is efficient and streamlined, and the delivery is excellent. This is why we’ve continued working with websmith solution.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve had issues with previous vendors that were unable to comprehend our business requirements. The team at websmith solution is extremely experienced. They’re dedicated to understanding client requirements and directing their team. Their team’s systematic approach leads to exceptional communication. Their diverse portfolio of technology experts allows the team at websmith solution to work well together.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is always room for improvement in a project. Their team could focus more on training newer team members involved. There are also some gray areas within billing, but that isn’t a negative point. The team at websmith solution could be more transparent and keep proper track of time sheets.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

This was a learning experience for our team, coming from a business background. We didn’t cover all the possible scenarios in our requirements. I advise potential clients to focus on this and provide user stories to enable their developers to work effectively.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a start-up that makes hospitality platforms. We build app solutions for restaurants and hotels in both iOS and Android encompassing front-office, back-office, and mid-office.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Websmith?

We needed to get everything working on the iOS and Android platforms and make it all work together seamlessly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve been involved for a year and half. In software, there are four phases: requirements, developing, testing and deployment. For a typical project, we do the requirement gathering and business analysis, and they come up with the architecture for the app, the actual coding and the development of the product. I haven’t gone to ten different restaurants and built ten different apps: in essence, they have built the platform that allows us to develop multiple apps for restaurants.

In total, we have 11 people from Websmith Solution, ten developers and QA and one project manager.

How did you come to work with Websmith?

It was a reference from a friend of mine, who is also a friend of theirs. They were doing some other unique stuff because they like to take on unique challenges, so we decided to give it a shot. They do some good quality stuff there. They are offshore, which presents some challenges, but that’s true with every company once you go offshore.

How much have you invested with Websmith?

About $75,000-$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in December 2014 and we’re still working with them. It’s going to be for at least the next year until we go live, at which point they will continue in a supporting role.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We are piloting a couple of restaurants already, and the product definitely works. There were bugs and defects, but that’s true with any software. The customers are satisfied; we didn’t have any technical troubles; everything is going smooth. They have a good support structure as well. One of the objectives from one of our investors was to finish on time and have a KPI on delivery, and we met that at 87% when the product was rolled out.

How did Websmith perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a pretty lean team on project management, frankly, but they’re building it up. We had our own project manager, so it worked out fine. We use Agile Accelerator and Google Docs every day to keep track of work.

What did you find most impressive about Websmith?

They just go out of their way to get things done. They don’t give us a hard time if some of our requirements aren’t really tight, and if they have to work extra hours they will. They’re very transparent, so they’ll let you know if they’re going to miss a deadline or something. But they usually don’t.

Are there any areas Websmith could improve?

They could use more people for project management. Their teams are pretty limited right now. Their communication skills could use some improvement, especially with overseas projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Finnov8 Solutions is a bill payment portal. Our consumer brand is called SuperCharge. I’m founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with websmith solution?

We needed to get the business off the ground with eCommerce development and website design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, they provided connectivity with billers using APIs and other means, which was not available through several other providers. The second thing was that they provided basic process design and the e-commerce flow to the site. The third was the website and app design work. The business that I’m in, which is providing users the ability pay their bills online, is a space that websmith solution understands well, especially as it relates to the core use case which is prepaid mobile phone recharge. It was a very collaborative approach.

In the initial days, I was not intending to do all the work we did, but it turned out that the design work was something we really liked. Because of this, a lot of the other work that we thought would need to go to other firms, didn’t need to after all.

How did you come to work with websmith solution?

I was searching for a specific provider in India. I shortlisted websmith solution and went to meet with them. I went to a few of their local customers and that’s what gave me the confidence that they could deliver what I wanted. One of the reasons I went with them was because of their pricing.

How much have you invested with websmith solution?

We’ve spent between $10,000 and $50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We are a startup and they were central for us to be able to launch. We are acquiring users and we know the transactions run smoothly, so obviously, they’ve done their job.

How did websmith solution perform from a project management standpoint?

With a startup like us, there were a lot of ideas and we would change our minds often, but they would just adapt to it. They’re good at meeting deadlines even with all the changes we’ve had.

What did you find most impressive about websmith solution?

One of their biggest strengths is their flexibility. Often in these types projects, you change direction. Not once did I hear from them that what I asked for was not in the scope. I’m actually very surprised with their commitment. They’ve worked long hours and I didn’t expect that. The team members work in a way that you'd expect the owner to.

Are there any areas websmith solution could improve?

As we grow larger, I feel they could be more structured in their approach. They’re up to the tasks but I still want to test them. They’re a reasonably sized team, but if I was doing a project with them, I would make sure there are backups available.