Developing for the first time with seed funding

ー　First, could you tell us about your company's service and project?

We are a small group of sales agents for IT companies.

However, with the seed funding we have raised, we have come up with the idea of developing an IT sales-specific direct recruitment platform (Smacie Platform) that directly connects IT companies with sales challenges with IT salespeople who want to work as a double or full-time employee. The intention is to create a web service that can match more IT companies and IT sales people.

As we did not have any team members with engineering expertise, we decided to outsource the development. This development will make Smacie the only provider of a platform service specialized in IT sales in Japan.

ー　Why did you choose to request development from Jitera in an environment without in-house engineers?

Smacie is composed only of members with expertise in sales and marketing, and has no expertise in software development. We received proposals from several development vendors, including offshore vendors, but we decided to entrust Jitera with the development for the following three reasons:

• Extensive works in Japan (a sense of security with a track record of large companies, ventures, and various industries)
• Development speed (it was said to take about six months to one year at other companies, but Jitera could quickly develop the platform in about three months)
• Consultation with Japanese (smooth communication can be achieved for the most important requirement definition)

One of the reasons we decided to choose Jitera was that we had learned in advance about their hybrid development using the JITERA development automation platform, which could shorten the development schedule that would take more than six months at other companies to about 1/2.

ー　Was communication with Jitera's project manager smooth?

We held several meetings to incorporate our imagined platform specifications and user flow into Xmind and help them understand them. Although the communication was basically done through the project manager, who was experienced and communicative, I think it went relatively smoothly.

From the requirement definition stage, the designer showed us mockups, making it easy for us to give our opinions. Even in the development phase after the requirement definition, which included the design part, we think that it went quite smoothly.

We were especially impressed with the development speed unique to Jitera, which has its own development automation platform. We were grateful that we could discuss the product not only from a development perspective but also from a business perspective. We felt that we were not simply requesting development, but rather working together to create a product.

Completion of an easy-to-use and highly likable product

ー　Can the project be considered a success?

Yes. The release was generally on schedule, and particularly the UI/UX part was well-received by service users and satisfying. After the product release, we were able to identify areas for improvement and missing features by listening to user feedback. We continue to manage tasks with Jitera on a Kanban board and maintain communication towards service improvement.

ー　Are you satisfied with the after-sales support following product release?

Yes. Normally, the impression of system development companies is that they deliver and that's it, but what impressed me about Jitera is that they provided solid follow-up even from the perspective of what it takes to be successful after release.

When I consulted with Jitera about developing new features, they often suggested things like "Is that really necessary right now?" or "Could we start with a simpler implementation?". They are more like a business partner that performs the necessary development to grow the business quickly, rather than an outsourced development company that just follows instructions and charges accordingly. I have a great deal of trust in them.

If you have an aversion to system development, consult with Jitera at first.

While system development has many benefits, such as efficient business operations, data management, and competitive advantages, the aversion to it can hinder the growth and development of a business.

The following are the benefits of Jitera's system development:

• They can provide high-quality systems.
• They can optimize development time and costs.
• They can provide long-term support while considering the medium- to long-term vision of a business.
• They can customize their systems to meet business requirements.

System development for new businesses requires not only a development perspective, but also a business perspective in order to support and contribute to the business's efficiency and competitive advantage. With Jitera's development automation platform and highly skilled engineers, we can achieve the necessary speed and agility.

We believe you will be satisfied with our contribution, so please contact us.