Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Soluntech founded?

Soluntech was founded in 2012 by Alejandro Zakzuk, MSc Software Engineering in Barranquilla, Colombia with the mission to ‘foster innovation in every possible organization.’ Zakzuk’s strong software engineering background is the reason Soluntech was created with a focus primarily on cloud services for small and mid-size businesses.

The same year it was founded, Soluntech became the first channel partner of Google and AWS in Barranquilla, and obtained technical and commercial certifications that accredited them as experts in the design, development, and implementation of cloud-based solutions. Today, Soluntech remains an active partner of both technology giants.

In 2014, Soluntech partnered with Knack to offer fast software development services as an alternative to ‘building from scratch.’

In 2017, Soluntech registered as a corporation in the state of Delaware and began trading in the U.S. under the name of Soluntech Inc.

In 2019, Clutch.co — an industry-recognized IT review site — named Soluntech "Top Software Development Company in Latin America in 2019."

Alejandro works 100% in the firm as CEO and is actively involved in the day-to-day operations and management of Soluntech. Alejandro’s leadership style places a priority on 1) efficiency, 2) continuous improvement, and 3) long-lasting relationships with clients.

How is Soluntech doing financially?

Soluntech is debt-free and profitable. Since 2013, Soluntech has seen average year-on-year revenue growth of over 30%. We've achieved this by pursuing a diversified client base, forming long-term relationships with our clients, and expanding our services to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and South America.

Who is Soluntech's client base?

Soluntech’s clients are usually in one of the following categories:

• Non-technical entrepreneurs and executives with titles such as CEO, President, COO, Director of Operations, Director of Technology, or CTO
• Businesses that are frustrated with technology and need to automate bottlenecks and/or key workflows, or that need to improve upon existing, half-finished, or abandoned products
• Service-based businesses that see how custom software can give them the upper hand in their industry
• Businesses that are already established and have anywhere from 10 to 800 employees
• Business and individuals who are ready to venture with a digital product

The companies we work with come from many different industries: legal, technology, financial services, insurance, travel, sports, healthcare, oil and gas, energy management, education, fleet management, third-party logistics, real estate, and more.

Some quick facts about our clients:

• On average, most clients have been working with Soluntech for 2.5 years on an ongoing basis.
• We currently have 22 clients with active engagements.
• Since 2012, we’ve worked with 80+ companies and completed 100+ projects.
• 80% of our clients return for a second engagement.

With over 100 yearly inquiries for new projects (not including requests from our current clients), we select new clients and projects carefully.

What is the company culture like at Soluntech?

Our culture is best described as open, collaborative, and autonomous.

• People are direct in their communication.
• All members of our staff work remotely while still being able to fully collaborate.
• Everyone can see what others are doing.

What are Soluntech’s core values?

• Fully committed to those we serve
• Build relationships on mutual trust
• Do our best to deliver the most
• Stand by our words
• 100% remote
• See collaboration as a pillar to success

What services does Soluntech offer?

• Strategic Planning – If you’re wondering what exactly you should build, we’re here to help you answer that question and come up with a plan that will ensure results.
• Design – We know that elevating your company’s image starts with appealing, easy-to-use interfaces that delight your users.
• Development – Having code that runs smoothly, gets the job done, and is reliable day after day is important. That’s why we write and test all our code for these specific purposes.
• Quality Assurance – We test everything we build to make sure it is correct and that it works well across multiple platforms.
• Launch and DevOps – Users want to buy what you’re selling, so we make sure to get your products to them with minimum hassle.
• Hosting and Monitoring – We make sure all your products stay running smoothly and securely.
• Ongoing Support – We’re here to answer your questions whenever you need us with a dedicated software team who are determined to keep your product in top shape.

What can Soluntech do?

We are not "order-takers," and we don't just "build exactly to specs." We find the best end-to-end solutions for our clients by actively engaging with them and learning their products inside and out. Quick delivery and spot-on solutions have helped us build our reputation to be what it is today.

We’re open to new engagements or relationships for these development types: Idea to Prototype, Prototype to MVP or Beta, or MVP to Version 1.

• Software team dedicated to your specific project
• Legacy takeover and remodels
• Turnarounds or rescues for projects in crisis
• Improve existing teams by combining groups with shared values

We don't do the following:

• Build exactly to specs
• Just development or just QA — with us, it’s all or nothing
• Put our people on-site with our clients — we recommend finding a staffing firm for this
• Contract-to-hire engagements — again, a staffing firm is the more appropriate option for this

What are your working hours?

We work Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding federal holidays. Our time zone is Eastern Standard Time (-5 GMT).

Why does Soluntech have an initial call?

We want to ensure that we’re a good fit for your project, which is why our first step is to always conduct an initial call. We look for a dependable budget, a clear vision, and a full commitment to the project.

Additionally, we would like to learn about the purpose of the product, research the niche market, receive a description of each of the main workflows, and gain a better understanding of who the main users are.

Does Soluntech have references for me to contact?

Absolutely. We know how important your decision is and that checking references is part of the buying process. After we have our initial call and determine that we’re a good fit for your project, we are more than happy to share those references.

If you would like to check some public reviews about Soluntech before contacting us, the links below are a few from industry-recognized portals:

https://clutch.co/profile/soluntech

https://extract.co/soluntech

What is Soluntech’s policy on signing NDAs?

We will not sign an NDA before our initial call. The reason for this is so that we can evaluate the business and make sure there are no conflicts with other clients. We inevitably hear similar ideas since we talk to over 100 potential new clients a year.

A few circumstances where we will sign an NDA are if:

1. It's mutual or bilateral (we typically use our own).
2. We determine that the project and client are a good fit for Soluntech after discussing the project requirements.
3. There’s no violation of any other company agreements.

Will you give me a quote from my RFP or specs document?

Short answer — not likely. Here’s why:

• Although RFPs are often extremely detailed, they usually fall short when it comes to business context.
• There is a very low probability of the document containing the optimum feature set.
• Agreeing to an RFP means we have to rely 100% on someone else’s ability to set up the correct requirements. Instead, the project team should learn what the right features are through user interviews, mockups, prototyping, releasing actual software, and getting feedback from real users.
• Contracts of this nature cause the client and consultant to work against each other from day one.

Will Soluntech do a fixed-bid project?

In most cases, we don’t. We may consider them only for very short, predictable work packages.

We believe that it’s important that we interact with prospective clients to educate them about the risks behind fixed-bids, which are generally not a good fit for custom software projects.

Can Soluntech use my existing custom software?

Absolutely. We always start with a live demo of the system and then a code audit. Once we complete the audit, we send you a full report that includes: analysis, recommendations, and a takeover proposal (if applicable).

What is Soluntech’s policy on copyright and intellectual property?

All the code and designs Soluntech produces during the project will be owned by you. We always make sure to have a services agreement in place before we start any work. The services agreement assigns ownership of all work, products, and deliverables to you, as long as we’re paid.

Can Soluntech help me if I'm not ready for development?

Yes. Most clients that come to us are not yet ready for development. We know this is an important step and will take the time to help you determine ideal solutions to build, as well as a budget for your project.

What is the process of creating custom software for my business?

If we’re creating new software, we start with pre-project consulting to figure out exactly what you need for your project. The first step allows us to provide a preliminary plan and estimates. Then, we’ll move forward with a Discovery and Planning session to prioritize and refine estimates. After D&P, we’ll begin the development of your software. You’ll be involved every step of the way.

Is Soluntech accepting new projects, and what is the timeline to get started?

Yes, we’re always looking for new projects. The pre-project consulting process normally takes about 1 day. Our Research, Design, and Planning phase can take anywhere from 2 to 7 days. After that is when the actual development begins. Learn more about our process and timeline here.

Project Experience

What is the success rate of Soluntech’s projects? How are issues prevented?

We’re very proud of our 87% success rate in an industry where 40% is the norm. Our high degree of success and strong reputation can be credited to constant communication, tight feedback loops, and removing inefficiencies.

Has Soluntech ever had a project that failed?

Yes, a handful of projects have failed. The reason for these failures was mostly due to communication issues such as:

• The scope of the project not being fully understood
• Miscommunication on what was needed vs. what was being built
• General lack of communication throughout the project between the client and the team

What technologies and languages do you work with?

Soluntech has a broad set of skills, which gives us the power to explore options and select the best languages, platforms, and tools for each job. We do about 80% of our work with the following:

• Web – NodeJS, Python (Django, Flask), ASP.NET (C#), PHP, ReactJS, AngularJS, HTML5, Bootstrap, Sass
• Mobile – iOS, Android, Cordova
• Desktop – Java, Microsoft WPF (C#)
• Database – SQL Server, MySQL, MongoDB
• Low code platform – Knack

Can Soluntech create software for iPhone and Android?

Yes, we can as long as your project doesn’t require advanced polling or data processing. We generally use Cordova since it allows us to target both operating systems with the same code base, which cuts down on development time and costs.

Which industries have Soluntech worked with?

• Healthcare
• Travel
• Sports
• Aviation
• Energy Services
• Retail
• Media
• Logistics
• And many more

Is Soluntech able to share projects they’ve worked on?

Here’s a list of some of our case studies. For confidentiality reasons, we won’t share details about other projects until we determine there’s a good fit and get a mutual NDA in place. After that, we’ll send you a portfolio and a complete reference list.

Hosting & Monitoring

Can Soluntech do cloud hosting?

Yes. We’re channel partners of AWS where we host and manage our clients' applications. The products we host and manage are accessed by thousands of users every day. We have never had a problem with uptime in our production environments.

What comes included in Soluntech’s hosting package?

Sandbox environments for development, testing, and staging, automatic switch on/off on our servers, and web server and database backups as agreed.

Contact Us

Email, Physical Address, and Contact Numbers

For mailing: Soluntech (Z001809), 7630 NW 25 Street # 2B, Miami, FL, 33122

• Phone US: +1 (786) 220-4668
• Phone Colombia: +57 (320) 517-9361
• Email: info@soluntech.com
• Online

How do you estimate a project or iterations?

The whole project is broken down into iterations, which in essence are ‘mini’ releases that contribute to the full product outcome. An iteration can be thought of as a work package that’s estimated according to its length and complexity. As each iteration is completed, future iterations can be re-estimated based on what we’ve learned from the previous one. This prevents unnecessary contingency and allows for a level of re-prioritization and new/revised features to be defined by the client.

What are ranged estimates?

Each iteration consists of a range of estimated hours to complete. For example, an iteration may have an estimated range of 30 to 60 hours for a given set of scope. Estimates are based on the number of hours it takes to analyze, model, design, develop, test, deploy, and perform any other activity required to comply with the client’s request. The mentioned estimate also includes a buffer that depends on the clarity and reliability of the requirements established.

Can a re-estimation occur? What would happen if the estimates were too short?

As much as we strive to be completely accurate with our estimates, it’s possible that a piece of work could be estimated too short. When this happens, we’ll let you know why and how many additional hours may be required.

As a rule of thumb, we’ll offer you the option to remove the story from the iteration if the estimates were short by more than 20% of the upper range of the initial estimates. Alternatively, you have the option to accept the new working conditions. For example, if the original estimate was 10 to 20 hours and we find that 25 hours are required, we’ll inform you about the new upper range increase, as the difference between the initial upper range and the new estimate would be 5 hours, which is more than 20%.

For your peace of mind, 90% of the work we do is completed within the estimated hours; 50% is completed even faster!

Can I finish my project early?

Absolutely. You’re allowed to terminate the project early if enough of the product has been delivered and there’s no further ROI to be achieved by continuing with a project that will only deliver marginal gains. This clause is typically allowed at any time. The benefit for the client is that the project will finish early, having delivered all the valuable features necessary to make the product viable. In return, the client is required to pay for hours that have been worked during the ongoing iteration, as well as any other amounts due.

Can I make changes to the product I need?

Yes. We don’t expect you to know everything needed to make a product successful from the outset. So, we promote change. At the end of an iteration, changes can be swapped out for old features no longer deemed necessary or a priority.

Bear in mind that changes can affect the budget or schedule, and we may require a deposit to mitigate risk.

What happens if I have additional work?

Through the life of a project, more features may be identified that would not be achievable under the existing agreed release(s). In this scenario, we can either add additional newly priced iterations to the project or revert to time and materials.

What is the typical size of a team for each project?

The typical size of each project team is 3-5 people, who are also supported by UI/UX designers, software testers, managers, back-end developers, and front-end developers. Having each development team share resources allows us to reduce costs for our client’s projects and ensure our developers are spending their time writing production-level code, which improves efficiency.

Who is the main person on each team?

Each team includes a Project Lead who acts as a full-time manager and is responsible for project success, planning, and communication with both the team and the client.

What is communication like at Soluntech?

Communication between project teams and clients is usually through the Project Lead. In some cases, a technical member may be invited to participate in a meeting to ensure we get immediate feedback from the field expert.

The usual communications that happen throughout a project are:

Communication: Email with the main objective of iteration and candidate stories

Purpose: To outline what we want to achieve during the next iteration and which stories will take part. Normally, this communication will include some estimated hours and an estimated completion time.

Communication: Email with story stays

Purpose: This is to let you know the status of each story as agreed for the iteration. A story can be: Approved, Work in Progress, Ready for Your Revision, or Completed.

What tools does Soluntech use to manage projects?

We use several tools to manage projects, but the list may vary as we discover new tools that make project management easier.

As of today, these are the tools we use:

• Project5 - for hours tracking and billing.
• Developed by us, every client gets their own sign-in details - https://project5.com.co.
• Jira - for managing project progress
• Slack / Email - for managing communication
• Sketch / Figma / Invision - for design and wireframing

We have found that poor communication is the number one reason why projects fail; therefore, we’re always taking every possible action to make sure communication is clear and logged.

Who is my point of contact on the team?

The short answer is the Project Lead. We prefer that clients have a single contact source so that messages aren’t scattered among team members, but every person on our team is happy to help and communicate with clients directly.

What role and responsibilities will I have during the project?

As the expert in your business and market, you will play an active role during your project. Without your knowledge, there’s no way for us to know if we’re creating the right product for your needs. Involvement includes online meetings, phone calls, or emails during normal business hours.

How does Soluntech handle client feedback?

Client feedback is extremely important throughout the process. We always want clients to provide feedback, even when early project features are still rough. Feedback gives us a better sense of what’s important to you and your business, and it helps us prioritize your needs.

Is it possible to adjust the plans or features during the project?

Yes. Flexibility is important and could help with the success of the project. However, big changes after the project has already started may affect the budget or schedule.

Will I be able to see what’s going on with my project regularly?

Yes. We believe that the key to successful software projects is open and transparent communication. Your team will always be in contact with you and you’ll have access to them whenever you need them as well. Project Leads will usually email or call their clients a few times a week to make sure you always know what is going on with your project. We also provide weekly status updates through our project management system — Project5 — to keep you in the loop.

What happens once the project is completed?

The software can always be improved, which means it is rarely “complete.” Even after the initial delivery, clients and users will continue to have new ideas to help your software adapt as your business changes.

We’ll usually pause building new features after it is released and focus more on enhancements or fixes.

What are the QA processes at Soluntech?

Test plans are put together by QA staff on Day 1 of a new project so that testing can happen throughout the project and not just at the end.

Does Soluntech code everything from scratch?

Soluntech uses open source tools, libraries, frameworks, and even entire projects or our own proprietary libraries teams. If there’s already an existing tool that’s suitable, we’ll use it. However, we always code custom parts for your specific project from scratch.

How does Soluntech handle source control?

We store and manage all of our projects’ source code in a private GitHub repository to help facilitate an easier deployment.

We also have a standard way of deploying to different “environments” as outlined below.

Environment: Local

Purpose: Projects start in our development computers, and they remain there until the first push into the development server.

Environment: DEV

Purpose: In development servers, the code gets merged with other developers’ code. At this stage, each developer can see if their code conflicts with the code from other developers.

Environment: QA

Purpose: Once we’ve made sure the work has no conflicts, the Project Lead will approve the push into QA. In QA, the testers are ready to perform functional testing, hopefully using real or near-real data. The Project Lead will also let the client know that the work is ready for review.

Environment: UAT

Purpose: The code may be promoted to a real environment when it’s in the last phase of the software testing process. During UAT, actual software users test the software to make sure it can handle required tasks in real-world scenarios, according to specifications.

Environment: PROD

Purpose: The code may be promoted to a real environment in the final stage. Once the client has approved work on the QA environment, the Project Lead approves the push to the production environment. At this point, new features are released to live users.

Knack projects work differently. We develop and test a copy of the production app.

Costs & Schedule

What size projects does Soluntech take on? What are the typical costs and schedules?

Soluntech's clients are diverse, but we can categorize our projects and clients into two groups:

• Individuals and Startups: We help them to reach a working prototype as quickly as possible. We focus on the main features only, with a basic interface. The purpose is to reach a point where the client can ‘beta’ test their idea, collect feedback, and get ready to build their MVP.
• Established companies: Typically, they come to Soluntech to automate an existing workflow, connect different systems, or develop a custom solution.

Projects can run from a few days to a year or more and can range in budget from $1K to over $70k.

We know that custom software development is a big investment, so we help mitigate risk, make smart trade-offs, and get the maximum value for your budget.

Visit our pricing page to learn more about typical project timing and costs.

What are Soluntech’s typical project stages?

For a typical project the stages would be:

• Research, Design, and Planning engagement – 3 people, 1 to 5 days
• Idea to Version 1 – 3 to 5 people, 3-5 months
• Proof of Concept – 3 people, 1 to 2 months
• Knack Services – 2 people, varies
• Project Rescue – varies
• Dedicated Team – retainer per month
• Fill a gap until an internal team is hired – 2 people, 3 months
• Work in collaboration with an existing internal team – 3 people, 6 months

Some clients come to us with just enough budget for a “Version 1.” Once they get more familiar with the software, they return for another round of design and development knowing more information about where the software needs to go and what they want from it.

How much will my project cost?

Many factors go into the cost, so we are unable to answer until we fully understand your idea, business, market, users, etc. What we can do is compare your project to any of the 70+ projects that we’ve worked on since 2012 and tell you about commonalities that will help you set a responsible budget before you do business with us.

Most projects get broken into multiple phases, so our main goal during the first phase is to focus on the highest value features and build something that will help set us up for future phases.

We always want our clients to receive products that go above and beyond our fees, no matter how large or small their budget is.

What is the typical length of a software project?

Projects have different-sized teams based on their needs. A small team for a project is two to three full-time people. A large team for a project is four to six people.

To get a rough approximation of how long a project will take, we use the estimates above and divide them by 20 hours for each person on the team. For example, a 600-hour project takes approximately 4 months of calendar time for a team of 2 people (600 hours / ((2 people x 20 hours/person/week) x 4 weeks/month) = ~ 4 months).

If there is a larger project that requires more people, we can bring them in and go faster, which is not something every team or company can do. By having additional employees available, we can grow the teams as necessary.

How does Soluntech bill?

We track and bill by the hours worked during the iteration. We feel this is the most straightforward way to bill our clients. If someone is out sick, you don't pay for their time. In turn, this also helps ensure that everyone (including clients) is focused on the most valuable features at any given time, as opposed to encouraging scope creep. It takes everyone's awareness of the budget and how we’re tracking to keep the project on target.

Who pays to fix bugs in the software?

Short answer, you do. When you decide to create custom software, your mindset should be that you’re paying a team to design and develop the first draft of the product. Custom software projects come with a lot of risks, such as building the right product, funding and schedule risks, third-party integrations, and technical approaches that need to be tested.

Remember, the reason you’re paying a team to help you is not to financially own them but to reduce your risks. Each iteration that is released is not guaranteed to be a finished, bug-free product.

The standards and best practices we have set up are meant to encourage team members to do their best and build high-quality products no matter what version it is.

When our clients embrace bugs and risks, it helps us address both when they appear. The team dedicated to your project will make sure to track bugs and work on fixing them along with other backlog items.

Our teams are highly experienced and do their best to predict bugs when building your product. We will quickly integrate new insights into each iteration to keep giving you the highest quality product possible.

Ultimately, the financial risk of developing custom software is in your hands. The warranty you offer to your customers and employees doesn’t come from your development team. However, the financial risk is also what gives you the possibility of significant financial gains.

What are Soluntech’s payment terms?

With the ‘On-Demand’ model, we bill every Friday, and payment is due within 5 days. The ‘On-Demand’ model has a maximum of 25 hours per bill; this means that once we reach the 25-hour limit, you’ll get an invoice with the outstanding balance, regardless of the status of the work.

The 'Development Packages' model works like a retainer. You pay the full amount of the selected package before the work begins. The payment is due upon presentation of the bill.

In general terms, we encourage the ‘Development Package’ model. It offers cost control and discounted hourly fees; and, since you’ve already paid, you'll get priority over projects with the On-Demand model.

How do I pay Soluntech?

You can wire transfers to our bank account in the U.S. You may also pay with a credit card or with PayPal. Payment details are presented with the invoice.

What are your hourly rates?

Our rates vary over time, but we try to keep our rates between $50 to $65 per hour.

How competitive are your rates?

We believe that we offer a very competitive rate considering our experience, speed of delivery, track record, demand, and talent pool. You get extraordinary value for the money!

Should I just hire a freelance developer instead?

You could, but the chances are high that it may end up costing your organization more time, and ultimately more money too. Remember that software is not just pieces of code wired together; it’s your future packed together as value to your users.

When you hire Soluntech, you get the required package to minimize the risks associated with developing custom software. With a single developer, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll get the same level of experience, methodology, techniques, skills, speed, quality, and project management.

Will Soluntech stick to the planned budget?

Yes. Our engagements can be "fixed budget, scope controlled," which means we'll help you come up with a good budget for your project and make sure we stick to it. Our job is to figure out the best possible software application we can build for the users and the market while staying within the given budget. After that, we make sure to control the project scope, both in-depth (polish, refinement, complexity) and breadth (features, functionality).

Does Soluntech offer any guarantees?

We guarantee cost and transparency on how we use the hours you've paid for; otherwise, we'll eat the costs. We go to great lengths to mitigate risk for everyone involved, especially because the industry is known for cost overruns and low-ball bids. It is because of those efforts that we can produce spot-on solutions, closer estimates, and successful, long-term relationships.

Another guarantee is that you have the power to cancel at any time. We have found that giving our clients the ability to terminate ensures that we’re held accountable every step of the way.