Client: Chicago based software start-up
Industry: Advertising technology
Technology: Microsoft .NET, Team Foundation Server
Remote Team: 2 Software Developers
Location of remote team: Romania
What were the reasons you sought a remote team?
There’s a lot of competition in the marketplace for .NET developers, particularly front-end. We had time constraints and needed to hire more quickly. We understood that we had to look to other markets.
What are your impressions of the remote engineering resource provider?
TeamFound had vetted our provider on other projects, so we felt much more at ease working with them. One of their principals visited us in our Chicago office. Our feeling is that they were listening. They understood our challenges and were very capable in resourcing a talented team.
How much engagement do your remote developers have with your internal team?
In a startup, there can’t be a single point of contact. Multiple lines of communication are needed. The remote developers engage with all our engineering team members, as well as our customer success team. Essentially they function as an extension of our internal team.
Startups move quickly. How well is the remote team working in your fast-paced Agile workflow?
We have 1-week sprints, and daily scrums that include the whole engineering team, internal and remote. We feel they are part of our team. They engage with us very well, are proactive in asking questions and communicating with our staff. No one’s afraid of asking questions and speaking up when mistakes are made.
How well does the remote team fit into your culture?
There’s a good cultural fit. They’re comfortable with the informal and fun side of our culture. They work at the interpersonal relationships. This is important. We include them in our monthly company-wide meetings, so they understand the vision and bigger picture. And they also receive company updates from our business team. They loved receiving company t-shirts for Christmas!
I asked the remote team lead what he felt about the collaboration. Here’s what he said:
Communication is exceptional. Personally it’s been the best experience in remote work that I’ve had. Everyone is super friendly and have a great attitude in collaborating with us. Never felt like i was here and not there. We feel we are part of the team.
Team Found 