AnyforSoft: ownership format of cooperation with customers
IT ClusterUsing the format of cooperation where customers are fully involved in the process allows us to achieve more as it is aimed at meeting the interests of all parties. An obvious example is the successful work of AnyforSoft, one of the leading companies in Eastern Europe which specializes in development on the Drupal platform and JS, and PHP development. Having vast experience in project implementation in such fields as media, education, and retail the company provides innovative digital solutions to its customers, helping to achieve their business goals.
Not clients, but business partners
The key to the success of AnyforSoft is considering the customers as business partners. It is a crucial part of the company’s corporate ethics. The guys see themselves not as task performers, but as business owners, thus they implement the things that allow customers to earn more!
How does this approach affect work efficiency?
We study the client’s needs, take into account our experience in this area, the expertise of the team, and the best practices in order to create solutions for achieving the client’s business goals.
How does communication involve the customer into the business?
Everyone of our clients has an account manager, project manager, and sales manager. Therefore, the customer is aware of everything that is happening with his request and he also stays informed of the current project development stage. We can even say that he is “personally present” at all the stages. Our responsibility is to make sure that all parties clearly understand the points, goals, and objectives of the decisions that are being made.
Do we offer solutions which are better than the options suggested by the client? How do we present such ideas?
Of course, we offer better options, because it’ s our job! Clients often aren’t aware of all the possibilities that can be provided by web technologies. For example, it can be the automation of existing work processes or functionality expansion. Besides, our client gets the opportunity of choosing additional service packages, an expanse to improve, and to transform the site into a final product and/or service.
Anyforsoft example of non-standard solutions implementation
We have implemented an advanced content management system for a large media service, which is one of our biggest clients. Originally, there was a request to create not too complicated functionality, that includes more by hand work with content than automation.
The system which we have recommended and implemented, allowed reducing the cost for adding and updating content all over the client’s sites network by 80%. The system was being developed according to the client’s needs, but it wasn’t based on a solution which, in his opinion, was needed. Therefore, at the demo stage of the project, we were able to show that this system is much better in comparison to the system which was originally supposed by the client.
How does this approach affect customer relationships? How does it work in reality?
The customer retention rate is increasing, more and more people contact us on the recommendation and also recommend our company to their business partners – so this is how projects are looking for us. As a result, we work with customers on a long-term basis, as we bring them added value. New customers become the key to a further increase of retention and they also enhance greater influx of new customers.
Ownership as a team value: the tools of practice implementation
Ownership is one of our values. The owner takes full responsibility for a certain part of work. That is, we don’t just perform the tasks we have in the Jira, but advise how to make them useful for both the client and the end user. And so the person becomes the owner of this part of the work.
What values do you put first while selecting people to the team? What do the interviews include?
It is important for the candidate to be able to give a clear answer to the several questions: “What does it mean to be the task owner?”, “What are the consequences if the task fails?”, “What would motivate you to become the task owner?”
What processes and tasks should be included in the work of the team on an ongoing basis?
We advise including research, brainstorm within the team, exploring the competitors’ work, and giving the advice that helps the client to become a leader. We have a common task as we are partners, but not just performers and that approach makes the task easier to solve.
How to support the initiative of customer engagement into the business?
The right motivation is the main stimulus. The client must be interested in the development and sale of the project. The participation of specialists makes it much easier. In a highly competitive environment, it isn’t enough just to provide quick estimates or the lowest prices. The more quality and attraction the offer has, the better the client memorizes it among a dozen of others, the higher the chances of cooperation are.
Conclusion
What does it mean to become a project owner? The first point is to set goals clearly and to be guided by the client’s business objectives and current situation on the market. It is important to keep all the aspects in mind, considering the project as a whole.
The second point is always to be in touch. All information must spread quickly, otherwise, the project will be full of flaws and claims.
The third point is teamwork while solving problems. It is quite difficult to do without specialized knowledge in management. That is why we are focused on teamwork with the customer in the Ownership format and we get real results!