SmartDev

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a mobile wallet application solution provider for banks and card issuers. I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmartDev?

I needed disciplined Agile mobile developers who performed well and were cost effective. We had previous bad experiences in India, Ukraine, Romania, and Morocco.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SmartDev was involved with development on Android, iOS, backend, and design.

How did you come to work with SmartDev?

Out of all the offshore development experiences I have worked with in my life, Vietnam offers the best English skills, discipline, and overall performance. I started with another firm, then moved to SmartDev since they offered better prices and a better work environment for the developers; quality was proven over time to be there.

How much have you invested with SmartDev?

We had 22-24 permanent developers and 2 product owners. We spent approximately $50,000 per month including regular overtime.

What is the status of this engagement?

The collaboration is ongoing. It started in January 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As we work on white label products for banks, I am rarely allowed to share my client’s names, but the quality has been satisfactory for Swiss banks, and myself. Most of the success comes from also managing them properly, which has worked well for me because they are overall professional. My previous frustrations with other firms have not been an issue here.

What did you find most impressive about SmartDev?

The overall quality and communication with the experienced Agile development management and developers is great. In regards to their location, Da Nang, Vietnam, it is always a pleasure to be onsite for extended periods of time. Their office is clean, with European standards, and has proper internet and video conferencing abilities which are crucial for managing remote development teams.

Are there any areas SmartDev could improve?

The time zone difference is the only real drawback, but if one gets up early its fine. This can’t really be improved. What is important in remote management is to manage the developers properly with regular skype/video meetings and a proper service desk/Jira. The issues we have had have been contained to the occasional developer considering his worth and asking for a raise, which inevitably is transferred to me for the final decision to raise or replace that resource.