Experion Technologies

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We offer a technology that connects businesses with off-duty officers. A restaurant, retailer, or other type of local shop can thus hire officers through a unified portal.

What is your position?

I am the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Experion?

When we first reached Experion, we were at the beginning stages of the business. We had an idea and had started to develop an app, but we were in the pre-MVP stage of production.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

When we turned development over to Experion, we had an iOS, Android, and web version of our app, plus the various packets that came with them. During our work with them, we have come to integrate with external APIs, so Experion has greatly expanded the scope of the platform.

How did you come to work with Experion?

I met one of the principals of Experion through a networking connection, and as a result, talked to him about what we were trying to build. We started working together from there.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total development cost has been over $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Experion in 2013. The project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any feedback from this engagement?

They've been incredibly responsive and didn't pose any of the typical challenges that come with offshore development due to lack of business understanding and also because of language and time barriers. If anything, the time difference has been a good thing. We can work with partners from other agencies during the day, identify any bugs or further development opportunities, and proceed to work with Experion through the night. Whenever we had an opportunity, we were able to capitalize on it quickly.

What distinguishes Experion from other providers?

Their responsiveness is an important factor. The lead developers from Experion have taken a sense of ownership in the project, which was key to our business success as a startup. We've maintained a relationship with them over the past two years. Typically, offshore developers have a high degree of turnover, but we didn't see this with Experion.

Is there anything Experion could have improved or done differently?

I can't think of any significant issues.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The name of our company is Tennis360 Hub. We're a tennis ecosystem that brings together players, coaches, stringers, retail shops, and administrators. It's an active network where people can conduct transactions, set up matches, approach coaches, etc.

What is your position?

I am the founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Experion?

We were looking for a company with deep mobile expertise. This included making a mobile-friendly website, and also iOS and Android development knowledge. We looked for someone with great experience in past projects of this kind.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Experion handled the entire software execution process for my company. They implemented the iOS and Android versions of our app, end-to-end. We don’t have any in-house developing capabilities.

How did you come to work with Experion?

They were initially referred by a friend. He had worked with Experion in similar projects. We initially handed them small pilot projects which we showed to our customers. The feed-back was good and the engagement became bigger and bigger as we entrusted them with more responsibilities.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The overall cost was between $100,000 and $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Experion in April of 2014. The bulk of the work was completed in January of 2015. We subsequently made a few more minor releases until June, 2015. Since then, it has been in maintenance mode. We will increase our scope as more people join the network, and we plan to continue to give more tasks to Experion.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The quality of Experion's work has been outstanding. The app was released on the Apple store in early January, 2015. The Android version came soon after. Since the releases, we have not found a single bug in the code.

We haven’t had many support inquiries for using the app. The UI is very simple and intuitive, which users really enjoy. People are able to start using it right away.

I’m overall quite pleased. We’re looking forward to giving them more tasks in the future.

What distinguishes Experion from other providers?

Their project management was fantastic. They assigned an architect/project manager to us, which streamlined our communication process. I could explain everything to him, and he could explain my requirements to the team.

I found no gaps in translation. Sometimes, when explaining your vision for a project, 30% can be lost along the way. With Experion, we didn't see that.

Is there anything Experion could have improved or done differently?

They could improve their budget estimates. The initial ones were based on our specifications at that time. Obviously, as time went on, there were things which we added to our specs. The updated cost was higher than what I expected by about 20%.

Experion used some frameworks and stacks which didn't work right away. They had to invest extra time because of this. Their time estimation error was of about 20%.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are Star Support, a technology and management consulting company. We work in helping companies to identify and realign their strategy and leveraging technology typically around marketing and analytics.

What is your position?

I’m a managing partner within the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Experion?

At TopGolf we had decided to shift from a per-game pricing model at our locations. It’s an electronic driving range entertainment venue. Prior to me joining them, they were on a per-game pricing model. You would get 60 balls. When we opened up the new locations we decided to change the pricing model to hourly. That meant that we took the guts out of the ERP system that had already been developed and we needed to redo it.

I gave Experion Technologies the same set of specifications that I gave the incumbent company that developed the original TopGolf software. When the incumbent company was still in development mode, Experion sent me a link to what they had done. They were already in quality assurance testing mode. That was pretty huge.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

They built us a cross-platform mobile and web solution. Originally, they did the ERP system that runs all the sites. Then, I had them do the first mobile app, which was native iOS and Android. They did that for both platforms and had to integrate them with the back end systems and pull data from there. Whenever you play at the game site you want access to your scores and history.

How did you come to work with Experion?

I met them when I was the CIO at TopGolf. Since then, we have just stayed in touch. I’ve become personal friends with one of the three principals. Last March, I flew over to Trivandrum to meet with their Chief Executive Officer. I had met their Chief Technology Officer during the TopGolf project. They’re currently doing the backend development for a project that I’m helping them run, for a client in Austin that’s developing a real estate portal.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

For the mobile app it was in the $10,000 to $50,000 range. For the ERP system, it was between $50,000 and $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started this project in August of 2012 and the first site needed to go live in December. It was a short timeframe. The ERP system took about three months. The mobile app was in 2013 and that took four months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The app had very few flaws. Most of the issues around the number of downloads were due to marketing efforts. Some of the other features that they were able to turn on with the app and prepare us for, was being able to change the TV channel in the bay that you were in from the mobile app. We became the first public venue in the country that enabled that. As far as the software and code they delivered, I don’t remember having any issues with it. Most of the time, delays were because of our own marketing team.

What distinguishes Experion from other providers?

One of the biggest things was that they’re more of a software product engineering company. That’s a pretty big distinction compared to a software development house that’s going to work on a time and materials basis, for example. Experion is able to create products that have a longer term viability, which could be used for some other company going to market strategy.

Is there anything Experion could have improved or done differently?

The only thing I can point out is the language and culture issues. It’s something that all the offshore companies have. They keep getting better with that as they gain experience working with US based companies. It’s just a different way of doing business.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a free, national media company that helps people find a place to live. We started out in print publishing, but are now strictly digital – website and mobile.

What is your position?

I lead product management for web and mobile.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Experion?

When we first started working together, our company was already outsourcing a lot of its work in terms of design, development and product management. We contracted Experion to develop an Android app, based on an existing iOS app that had been developed by a different vendor.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Experion has helped us to develop several of our mobile apps. Initially, they developed our Android app and they have also worked on upgrading our iOS app. They have since helped with all our mobile needs, and have become a true partner for our product and development teams.

They also help to develop our iPad app. Additionally, they helped us with some marketing focused apps. We don't have a dedicated mobile developer team, and hiring someone wasn't feasible. Going with a company like Experion, which had both the talent and resources necessary, was the best option for us.

They are always on the cutting edge of technology. For example, when Apple released their Swift language, we approached Experion to see if they could help us to build our apps using Swift and they were more than interested and capable of fulfilling our needs.

We outsource our mobile work to Experion, but in truth, they were more of an extension of our development team.

How did you come to work with Experion?

My company had worked with Experion in the past and decided to use them again.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

I can't provide that information. I will say that the level of work was significant. We provide our applications on a nation-wide scale. People are visiting our site and producing leads numbering in millions.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started working with them five years ago. Our relationship extended on a project by project basis. As we needed to update our apps, either quarterly or bi-annually, or when we had a new initiative, we would contact them. They would scope our project and provide estimates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did Experion perform from a project management standpoint?

They don't need a lot of hand-holding for doing their work. We had regular check-ins and standup meetings (for the scheduling of which they would be very accommodating) to make sure that we were on track, but the experience as a whole was hands-off. Once they would receive the requirements and scoping, they would run with them. One of the key things I like about Experion is that you aren't required to micromanage the entire process.

I've worked with other vendors on our company's mobile projects, and they were a nightmare by comparison.

What distinguishes Experion from other providers?

They're always on the cutting edge of technology, always enthusiastic about using new technologies. This goes to the extent that they will give you a better deal simply because they want to work on the new projects badly. This is true for the entire team, from the state-side presence to the ones in India.

They give you the ability of using specific developers that you've worked with in the past, whom you like and are familiar with. They adapt their schedule to our time zone, which is also helpful. If there is an urgency for delivering on a specific date, they will do everything possible to help you achieve your goals.

They've been more of a partner than a vendor for us; a true extension of our team, and a pleasure to work with.

Is there anything Experion could have improved or done differently?

In the past, I've mentioned to them that they should consider improvements to their design capabilities. We’ve worked with them more on the technical things, once they've been handed a wireframe and designs.

I've seen their recent work on some estimates, and thought that their designs were better than what they were previously. It's an area that can still be improved, but they've clearly made steps to address it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The company in which I worked with Experion was a startup mobile app developer in the Phoenix area.

What is your position?

I was the Chief Technical Officer [CTO].

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Experion?

When I came on board, the company had a first version of a mobile app that had been developed by another vendor. That product had been written with the Microsoft Stack. We wanted to move to open source interfaces, like PHP and MySQL. At the same time, we wanted to rewrite the application itself. We approached Experion with regards to porting that app and others to PHP and undertaking a rewrite for the iOS and Android platforms.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

As I mentioned, the company was a startup, so there were no near-hand development or support resources available. I managed the team from Experion and handed them all our technical challenges.

They took care of any bugs in our products and handled our servers in an operational capacity, making sure that they were backed up and online. If we had any technical problems, they would be the ones that logged into the rack space and got everything running. Experion was our end to end IT solution.

The initial plan was to get the company running on its own and hire dedicated staff, but we never got to the point of needing to replace Experion.

How did you come to work with Experion?

There was an existing contracting company we had done work with before. Working with them was painful: everything we did seemed to turn into a multi-thousand dollar project. Any change with an app involved project plans and timelines. There were no rapid turnarounds.

We were frustrated with that experience, so we decided to shop for a company that had a more startup and agile mindset. We looked at a couple of other companies, but one of our partners had done business with Experion in the past. They came attached with a recommendation, which was one of the main factors that made us consider them. They were also competitive with the other choices in terms of pricing.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

Experion was tied to the company from the point of hire to when we ran out of money, basically. That was a span of approximately 18 months. The total cost for the duration of our collaboration with them would run in the six figure area.

The cost of regular operations, per month, would be south of $10,000. We ran numerous projects with Experion, each one ranging between $50 to $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from February to 2013 to October 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I've worked on a number of offshore projects, with teams in India, Malaysia and the Philippines. Out of those, the team at Experion was definitely the best I've worked with. They were on top of things and very attentive to quality.

How did Experion perform from a project management standpoint?

Agency-type firms will typically give you a set amount of resources to do what you want with. Experion, on the other hand, has their own internal processes, they handle their own quality assurance, design reviews, and they have internal management of the teams. They're a very well-run organization, and the quality of the product we got out of them was every bit as good as what I could have managed directly. I was very pleased with our results and wouldn't hesitate to use them again if I was given the opportunity.

What distinguishes Experion from other providers?

Their quality was good. The other thing that distinguishes them is that, if something goes wrong, they just fix it. There was no hassle about it. If they didn't understand a requirement, we didn't have to get the task re-quoted or reassessed. Usually, if there's a hiccup, your partner will see it as an opportunity to wiggle a bit more money out of you. Experion was not like that. They were in tune with keeping you satisfied, making sure that the product worked the way in which you wanted it to. They felt that their name was on what they were building, and this came across in their way of working with you.

Is there anything Experion could have improved or done differently?

This really isn't their fault, but it could have been handled differently: as startup companies are wont to do, we went through cash flow problems. I was managing the Experion team, trying to get the work done, and looking through the timelines. At some point, the progress stopped. I knew there was something wrong, so I checked with them. We let a couple of weeks go by until they told me we had a problem: they hadn't been paid. Management was telling them to slow down and work on another project that was actually paying. It made me feel bad about whipping on them up to this point, but from my perspective as the CTO, I felt I should have been looped in to the fact that they weren't getting paid. I told the people in my company that they couldn't push on me to get the work done when we're not writing checks. This was the main point of failure, but in any case, I wish Experion had come to me with the problem. They were in an awkward situation: not wanting to bring up payment problems with their technical contact.

Other than that, from the standpoint of the product that they delivered and the professionalism of their work, they were solid. I haven't worked with them for over a year, but when I was, the prices were amazing, especially when our previous experience had been with an onshore group that seemed over-fixated on billing hours. I felt that the value that we got with Experion couldn't be matched.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Hi Hydra Limited

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

SaaS platform enabling digital marketers to monitor permission changes, manage access, onboard and off board users to the major ad accounts, analytics and social channels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Experion Technologies to accomplish?

• Build the MVP for hihydra.com

SOLUTION

How did you find Experion Technologies?

Referral

Why did you select Experion Technologies over others?

• High ratings
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Experion Technologies were assigned to this project?

28

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

The project involved intensive API research with Google, LinkedIn and Meta products as the platform is a genuine innovation with no current competitors. As such, Experion had only our prototype and our desired features in order to scope out an agile project with MoSCoW priorities. The project included APIs, back-end and front-end UX development and UAT. We had three environments - dev, uat and production. We also required integration with Zendesk, AWS and Stripe and everything was delivered.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Successful delivery of the MVP, including integrations into production.

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

The communication was exceptional. I had a BA and Project Manager allocated to us and a team of 25 made-up of developers, UX'ers and testers and we would have weekly stand-ups and scrums. A lot of comms was in Jira, Confluence and Basecamp. Such a driven and dedicated team and it was a real privilege to meet them face to face part way through the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Experion Technologies?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The passion in the project. They are a very humble, capable, and trustworthy team, and our relationship with them is beyond anything I have ever encountered in my 30-year career working on projects.

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

The very nature of an agile project like Hydra, means we are all learning and adapting together - as long as we are taking learnings and evolving we are always winning and I genuinely have no notes in doing things differently. I was a little cautious outsourcing dev, despite the strong recommendation but I am now a massive supporter of Experion.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of a SaaS platform

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to hire a team to maintain and add features to an existing platform that we had developed. The goals were to onboard the new team quickly and cost effectively.

SOLUTION

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

We found Experion through online reviews and reached out directly on their site. We chose them because of their professionalism and preparedness for the task. They went out of their way to show their dedication and experience in similar tasks.

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

The team was picking up where we left over with a webapp using Node, Vue.js, Firebase, SQL, S3.

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

4 total, 3 engineers, and 1 customer support agent.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their team onboarded very quickly. They fill in the necessary positions from cultural and engineering perspectives.

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

Their management style was to integrate directly into our team. We had daily communications on slack, and zoom. Comunication was great.

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

Communication and professionalism

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

I wish I found them sooner.