Introduction

Intelligent Environments Group PLC (IE) is a U.K. AIM listed company that provides online software products for financial services organisations and their customers. They offer a complete online application, account management and administration capability for the consumer finance and investment markets.

With four out of the top five U.K. retail banks forming part of their client base they have enviable status within the financial sector. In the current economic climate, their clients need to find ways to cut costs while maintaining service levels. For banks, enabling customers to carry out their business online is a key part of making savings. IE is one of the few independent European vendors for eBanking and eSavings software, and is, therefore, well positioned to continue benefitting from this trend.

Challenge

IE has built up its enviable client base and reputation through consistent investment in their research and development team. Their products are built using Microsoft .NET technology and operate using a single product platform called NetFinance that integrates into existing online banking systems, call center databases, workflow and back-office systems. Their focus on R&D keeps them ahead of the competition through development of a core product, which is then customized to meet the exact requirements of their clients. This progressive approach to new product development helps their clients realise a rapid return on investment through significant cost savings, new revenue generation, and improvements in customer service.

During 2008, IE doubled its investment in research and development but realized additional staff were required to accelerate the rate of development of their core NetFinance product. This was not an effective strategy in the U.K., as the costs would be prohibitive and would not deliver a cost effective solution to their clients.

The management team at IE looked into the options available to them. Initially full outsourcing was considered, but the greatest concern was lack of control over their development team. The option of setting up an outsourcing operation run directly by IE was also examined. However, to make this work, a substantial amount of management time would need to be devoted to the necessary legal and compliance issues. In addition, the high level of risk to IE meant that it was not seen as a viable option.

Solution

Further research brought IE to an alternative; the Quickstart Global’s In-House Anywhere™ offering addressed all of Intelligent Environments concerns. Andy Sloman, Operations Director, commented, “There are great advantages in having people we treat as our own, they feel part of the company and share our approach to work. Quickstart Global took away the problems and we had a team, handpicked by us, ready to go on day one”.

The requirement for IE was to build a team of ten technical experts; five .NET developers and five testers to supplement the R&D team in the U.K. Through Quickstart Global’s local recruitment team, IE developed the job descriptions and let QSG facilitate reviewing and vetting the CVs. Andy commented “We were impressed by the quality of CVs that we received. QSG really seemed to understand our requirements and there were enough candidates with the right skills and experience. We undertook telephone interviews from the U.K., and then flew to Pune, India to conduct face-to-face interviews. We interviewed around 16 people, and of these, 9 were offered positions. This really exceeded our expectations as we thought we would need two or three trips to get the people we wanted."

Although it is early days in the growth of the R&D Team, IE has firm plans in place to maximize productivity. Initially, the team leaders will visit IE’s Head Office in the U.K. for intensive training for two weeks, then U.K. team leaders travel to India and work with the team in Pune to ensure that all members of the team are fully up to speed and have a close understanding of the projects. As IE use the Agile (Scrum) development methodology, daily videoconferencing meetings will ensure that everyone can have a regular catch up. There will be a dedicated senior technical adviser in the UK for each project who will be an integral part of the team.

Andy continued "One of the great advantages of working with Quickstart Global is that the office space was there for us when we needed it and we know that there is flexibility built in, so if we need to increase our office space in the future it will be simple to do so. We are also provided with IT support onsite. Whilst we can log onto our staff’s computers remotely and manage them from our U.K. office, we know that if a hard disk fails or if there is a network problem there is someone there to deal with it, so our people can get on with their projects."

Conclusion

The solution arrived at by IE has provided them with everything needed to get the new team up and running in a short space of time. They now are benefiting from a local recruitment team in Pune who not only understand IE’s requirements, but also the local job market. They have an office that was ready to move into when they wished, along with the facilities expected in a modern working environment. All legal and compliance issues are dealt with by Quickstart Global, freeing IE from months or years of entanglements within a potentially bureaucratic system. As the team are legally employed by Quickstart Global, all day-to-day issues such as holidays, pay, and sickness are dealt with locally by the HR team.

Andy concluded "I can’t wait until we start delivering on the projects in hand. I feel very optimistic about the team we have recruited and how they will contribute to the growth and development of our company."