IT Outsourcing Done Right

At Rapidsoft Systems, it is our goal to deliver the best services at the Fair prices.  But that methodologies doesn’t always work because a lot of time people are just looking for cheap prices.   Something is a cheap for  a reason. You can’t get quality if you are looking just for cheap prices

You don’t have to believe us on this. Here is a nice article on   Price versus Quality that we are producing from an outsourcing site:

Price Versus Quality

“Focusing solely on price-based criteria when selecting outsourcing vendors inevitably leads to quality defined by numbers rather than the customer experience. However, when outsourcing becomes about a business partnership rather than simply a financial transaction, the foundation is mutual benefit and shared risk and reward, which creates more opportunities to drive measurable customer experience improvements.

It may not be surprising to you, if you have familiarity or intimacy with outsourcing, that price is still the number one priority when choosing an outsourcing partner. According to Ovum’s CRM Outsourcing Business Trends Survey 2011, price topped the list as the most critical criteria, according to operator decision-makers for contact centre operations. You’re probably saying to yourself, “well we know this; it goes without saying” but it is worth talking about, because the conversation around outsourcing needs to change.

Outsourcing Software Development - The Right Way to Do it.

“There have been a number of news headlines in the past few years about recognized brands moving their operations back onshore as a result of large-scale failures with offshore outsourcing,” says Jeffrey Puritt, president, Telus International. “This is an opportunity for a new dialogue. Why are companies still prioritizing price as the number one selection criteria for outsourcing providers when it’s been proven that price-based relationships often fail companies, the outsourcing provider, and most importantly, customers?”

The contradiction between price-based vendor selection and outsourcing success is definitely a challenge for our industry. But it is also an emerging opportunity to drive critical change that puts the customer front and centre in any outsourcing client and provider relationship.

According to Forrester’s The Customer Experience Index 2011, the telecoms industry has some work to do in elevating customer satisfaction scores. Across wireless, internet and TV companies in the US, customer experience measures average 64%, 56% and 54% respectively. Considering that retail, the top performing industry, scored 82% in overall customer satisfaction, telecoms companies have a lot of room to improve, even ranking below airlines.

To that end, it’s time to look at how we evaluate, select, negotiate and govern outsourcing partnerships and initiatives across our industry. Initiatives that are primarily price negotiations can be doomed to failure right from the start because they discount the customer experience.

And analyst research like Forrester’s proves that to be true. In short, outsourcing should be a business partnership, not a financial transaction. Approaching outsourcing as a business partnership dictates that key elements of the origination and evolution of the outsourcing relationship must change.

“When I began to think about the disparity between price-based relationships and outsourcing success, I suspected that there was an opportunity to disrupt the peace a bit and hold up a mirror to entrenched cultural practices in our industry,” says Puritt.

“Most decision-makers, when first contemplating outsourcing, usually ask, “How do I determine if outsourcing if right for my business?” But the reality for most organisations is that the people who are best suited to answer that question – the operational leaders – aren’t always consulted.

In many organizations, outsourcing decisions are driven purely by number crunchers – the CFOs – who may not foresee the long term client experience risks of sending critical work, such as customer facing initiatives, to an outsourcer. It can be a false economy. It can create superficial savings.

At first look, outsourcing by relying on a price-based vendor negotiation and selection presents costs savings. But based on widespread failure, it ends up costing more – in unhappy customers, jeopardized loyalty, frustrated employees and low morale.

At Rapidsoft Systems,  it is our endeavor to provide the best services, produce best quality software and hardware. If you want to get outsourcing done  right contact us at!

Outsourcing Software Development – The Right Way to Do it.

Outsourcing Software Development – The Right Way

 

We started Rapidsoft Systems three years back in 2005 to create a software service company that provides professional, and world class software development services to businesses in the US, Europe and elsewhere. After spending over 20 years in the software and product development in the US, and having used some big names in outsourcing Indian Industry, I was very dissatisfied with the poor quality software or services that some of these big companies were providing specially in the technology sector. So, that dis-satisfaction led to starting of Rapidsoft Systems. In the last three years, we have seen numerous projects related to large web 2.0, ecommerce portals, mobile applications, networking servers, language translators, embedded software and even a wireless LAN gateway/ switch development for a major multinational corporation. We believe we have done a great job on each project and also learnt a lot in the process.

Each project has its own challenges and each customer brings his or her own challenges. Some customers have well defined requirements for their software projects, and come with firm requirements and others are just trying to describe what to develop on the phone. Despite these individual differences in the customer’s level of preparedness, each customer needs a quality product at the minimal cost, and should get one.

I keep on telling our software engineers we cannot afford to not give our best to every project that we undertake – well defined requirements or flexible requirements. A software is only as good as the people who develop it. Software development is far more than just coding. Is language chosen right for the job? Are algorithms are chosen correctly? Do the engineers know how to write a test plan and test a software? All these things make a big difference in the final result.

Other day, a customer came with a code that a local contractor has developed for them for a mobile phone application. Despite spending three months, Software wasn’t functional. It wasn’t properly written to meet the mobile carrier’s requirements how an application should behave. Finally, the customer gave up on the gentleman and came to us to salvage whatever we can. The whole process delayed customer’s product introduction by six months since salvaging a badly written software, often, is lot harder than just doing the fresh development. The point that I am trying to make it choosing inexperienced individual software developer can appear to save the money, but may cost a lot more than if you had begun with a good solid team. So, here are my simple bullets for choosing software services vendors for outsourced software development.

A new beautiful Web Site designed By Rapidsoft Systems Team

  1. Know the background of management team. Do these people have the software development background and necessary educational background to develop software. In India these days, everyone from a construction company owner to a former restaurant owner has started a software company. You should definitely avoid these companies whose owners have no direct software background. Why would you trust a company whose management is not quilified in the area? So, read carefully the background of the management team. Have they worked on applications similar to yours. Don’t trust the posted bio (which is often fake) – instead demand to speak with the management team member.
  2. Can developers speak English and are available in your time to talk to you is very important. A lot of things can be done by emails, but there are times only a phone conversation is needed to clarify. How would you communicate if other side cannot speak fluent English.
  3. Project management – who manages the projects in the company and if things fail, who you can deal with to get the situation corrected. It is so important as standard for project management in the US and other western countries are very different than in developing countries. For instance in India, unless timeliness is enforced from the US, it is hard to get anyone to commit to a given time. So, insist on US based project managers.
  4. If you are signing a contract with a foreign entity with no US operation, you have no legal recourse to any thing. Legal systems in most developing countries, including India, are broken. In India, it takes 20 years to get a simple case to go through legal process, if you are lucky. So, insist on US based staff, and the company entity, and US legal jurisdiction.
  5. Many people like to see sample jobs and ask for customer references. But these are like job references. Do you think any one will give you name of a customer who is not going to give them a favourable response? Therefore, I suggest speak directly with the management team member of the company, ask good exploring questions, and you will learn a lot more about a company’s operation than just by references alone.
  6. Insist on a clear development methodology and project plan. Don’t leave things vague as in software – unless agreed well defined in advance – a feature means to different things to two people. So, be clear and insist on regular updates. Most importantly, insist on well written requirements and design documents. This alone will ensure that you know what is being developed and how this is being developed.

I hope this helps if you are looking to outsource any software development. And, if you would like to talk to us – you can visit us at http://www.rapidsoftsystems.com/. We promise to give you no obligation help whether you use us or not for your next software project.

Rapid Protect – A comprehensive mobile application geared to address the safety and security needs of the families worldwide

Announcing Rapid Protect – A comprehensive mobile application geared to address the safety and security needs of the families worldwide

Rapidsoft Systems, Inc, a leading product and software development company, today announced the launch of RapidProtect, a comprehensive mobile application suite geared to address the safety and security needs of the families worldwide. The application is currently available on iPhone with Android, Blackberry, Brew and J2ME applications to be released shortly.

Princeton Jct, NJ, Oct 23, 2011 In a rapidly changing security environment with all kinds of natural and manmade threats around us, the well being of family members is a major concern for all of us. To address this growing need of family safety, Rapidsoft Systems announces the launch of RapidProtect – a comprehensive mobile application suite geared to address the safety and security needs of the families around the world. The application is currently available on iPhone with Android, Blackberry, Brew and J2ME applications to be released shortly.

Many families rely on Rapid Protect application to help them stay connected to their children or elderly family members wherever they go. Moreover, there are many features available in this application which helps parents to get a better sense of their children’s whereabouts when they’re away. The application is designed as a safety centre helping to provide even more ways for parents to get information on keeping their families safe. Users, in the US, can search the areas surrounding specific addresses such as their homes or children’s schools and view sex offender’s residing in the neighborhood. They can get details such as photograph, descriptions and conviction details and give alerts to their family members through emergency call, sms or email.

The RapidProtect platform can be accessed at http://www.rapidprotect.net. The RapidProtect iPhone application can be downloaded from http://itunes.apple.com/app/id469362789?mt=8

Rapidprotect is a very useful application for tracking family members and address many safety concerns in the daily life. The key features of the applications are:

  • Track your family members and locate them on map
  • To let you know about your family member is living at safe place
  • Find Sex Offender in your nearby area with various searching options
  • Send alert with sex offender person details through email to any phonebook contact’s address at their nearby area
  • Weather forecast details on a click for your current location
  • Send Safety Alerts to your added family members
  • Send Emergency Alerts on a click to your emergency contact
  • Many more features coming soon

RapidProtect is about providing tools to protect your family and enable other location based services. The company offers mobile applications for family members to track each other’s locations and pass necessary safety messages to one another. In addition, the company will be adding a number of patent pending unique services to the application soon. The application aims to facilitate parents in keeping track of their children’s location and ensure their safety. It lets parents in the US check the location of sex offenders in their neighborhood. It also lets parents check weather alerts and be in touch with their children. These tools are geared for a family to remain connected with one another in the case of emergency.

“Mobile phones are defining our life styles like nothing else before. A mobile phone is a very important part of our lives in this information age, and Rapidsoft Systems is happy to contribute to the safety of families using a device that they already carry with them. We truly believe that RapidProtect is a very useful application for everyday use as it removes a major worry, i.e., safety of your family members, from your mind,” said Dr. B. Kumar, COO of Rapidsoft Systems, Inc.

“We are proud of RapidProtect because it has some great features that are being made available for the first time on any smart phones. This is just the beginning as we are working on a number of enhancements that will be added in the future release of the application.” further added Dr. Kumar.

RapidProtect

Commenting on the development, Mr. Gurbinder Mavi, VP of Sales and Marketing for Rapidsoft Systems said, “We are excited to launch RapidProtect. It took us some time to develop the application, but we are very happy with the end results and appreciation that our application has received from the users. I am confident that parents will find it a very useful application to track where their children or elderly family members are and if they are safe or not. I am confident that savvy users will like RapidProtect as it is far superior to other family safety applications available in the market. None of them have integrated weather related features. Weather alerts alone can save lives during natural disasters like Hurricane Irene. ”

About Rapidsoft Systems, Inc.

Rapidsoft Systems (http://www.rapidsoftsystems.com) is an emerging global leader in software and product development services, a knowledge driven company that values transparent business practices and provides comprehensive solutions to its global clients. Rapidsoft Systems provides software development, product design, IT consulting, and outsourced software development and product testing services. It has a subsidiary, Mobisoft Technologies (http://www.mobisofttechnologies.com) dedicated to mobile applications.

Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. has its main office in Princeton, NJ, USA, a US R&D Center in Mercerville NJ, and sales, support and development offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Bombay, and Noida (India).

Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. competence lies in its ability to offer full software product lifecycle services in verticals such as Mobile, Networking, Healthcare, OSS, VoIP, Embedded, Business Intelligence, Security, Finance, Logistics, Web 2.0 Social Networking, Media & Entertainment, Gaming, Travel & Hospitality, Education & Training, Web Applications and Retail. Its technology expertise includes Java/J2EE, C/C++, Ruby on Rails, RDMS, Open Source, SaaS/On-Demand, Siebel CRM, J2ME, Google Android, Qulcomm Brew, iPhone, Palm Pre, Windows Mobile, Flashlite and Symbian platforms.

Rapid Protect adds driver safety mobile applications to its portfolio to protect drivers from over speeding or texting while driving.

RapidProtect, a company focused on the development of mobile applications for family safety and security, has added two new apps: SpeedApp and SpeedControl to its portfolio. These applications are currently available on Blackberry with iPhone, Android and J2ME versions to be released shortly.

Princeton Jct, NJ, Nov 30, 2011 The use of a cell phone can be a major distraction while driving. Research has shown that countless accidents could have been avoided if the driver was not distracted while driving. There is way to enforce the rules now. Rapid Protect, a developer of a mobile safety application suite has added two new mobile applications to its portfolio. These applications are called SpeedApp and SpeedControl. The applications are currently available in the Blackberry market place. The availability of Android, iPhone and J2ME versions of the same will be announced soon.

The applications are aimed to promote driver safety by reducing accidents caused by distracted driving on the road. SpeedApp currently available on GPS enabled Blackberry devices is designed for those who want to support the life safety of a driver. The driver may be your friend, family member or a subordinate. SpeedApp locks the phone if a user exceeds a specified lower speed limit. SpeedApp will send a SMS to the parent or supervisor’s phone number configured in application setting if a user exceeds the specified upper speed limit for a specified duration. SpeedControl enhances the functionality of SpeedApp. It will auto-reply to incoming text messages when a user is driving.

Distracted driving and use of mobile phones by drivers has caught attention of lawmakers. Governments around the world are putting restrictions on the use of cellular phones while driving. They are trying to spread general awareness regarding hands free technologies promoting safe driving. Several countries around the world have made it illegal to use a cellular phone while driving. Research has shown that taking off hands from the wheels leads to accidents. Rapidprotect apps are meant to enforce compliance. The company plans to white label these apps for transport companies and government agencies.

RapidProtect provides tools to protect your family and enable other location based services. Besides driver safety applications, the company offers, RapidProtect, mobile application for family members to track each other’s locations and pass necessary safety messages to one another. In addition, the company will be adding a number of patent pending unique services to its applications soon. The application aims to facilitate parents in keeping track of their children’s location and ensure their safety. It lets parents in the US check the location of sex offenders in their neighborhood. These tools are geared for a family to remain connected with one another in the case of emergency.

The application was developed by mobile application development team of Rapidsoft Systems, a leading developer of mobile and web applications. Commenting on the development, Mr. Gurbinder Mavi, VP of Sales and Marketing for Rapidsoft Systems said, ” Research has shown that taking off hands from the wheels leads to accidents. A cell phone is a big distraction both for new and experienced drivers. I am confident that parents and companies both will find it a very useful application to protect their drivers from possible accidents. ”

SpeedUp is available at https://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/61443?lang=e, and SpeedControl can be downloaded from https://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/62285.

About RapidProtect.

A RapidProtect (http://www.rapidprotect.net) is a developer and publisher of mobile applications for family safety. It operates out of offices in the NJ and CA in the USA.

About Rapidsoft Systems, Inc.

Rapidsoft Systems (http://www.rapidsoftsystems.com) is an emerging global leader in software and product development services, a knowledge driven company that values transparent business practices and provides comprehensive solutions to its global clients. Rapidsoft Systems provides software development, product design, IT consulting, and outsourced software development and product testing services. It has a subsidiary, Mobisoft Technologies (http://www.mobisofttechnologies.com) dedicated to mobile applications.

Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. has its main office in Princeton, NJ, USA, a US R&D Center in Mercerville NJ, and sales, support and development offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Bombay, and Noida (India).

Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. competence lies in its ability to offer full software product lifecycle services in verticals such as Mobile, Networking, Healthcare, OSS, VoIP, Embedded, Business Intelligence, Security, Finance, Logistics, Web 2.0 Social Networking, Media & Entertainment, Gaming, Travel & Hospitality, Education & Training, Web Applications and Retail. Its technology expertise includes Java/J2EE, C/C++, Ruby on Rails, RDMS, Open Source, SaaS/On-Demand, Siebel CRM, J2ME, Google Android, Qulcomm Brew, iPhone, Palm Pre, Windows Mobile, Flashlite and Symbian platforms.

Mobile Banking and Money Transfer Solutions

Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. in partnership with Global Systems Solutions Ltd, Launches Mobile solutions for Money Transfer and Bill payment for the financial companies such as banks and the post offices. Mobile Wallet will enable mobile subscribers to perform secure and convenient money transfer using their mobile phones. The system includes server software as well several custom mobile clients that will allow consumers to initiate and receive money using mobile phones and also pay their utility bills. The system is available on turnkey basis with all components including full system integration services.

Princeton Jct, NJ, August 2, 2011 Rapidsoft Systems, Inc., partners with Global Systems Solutions (GSS) Ltd. in launching integrated mobile money transfer and bill payment solutions for emerging mobile payment market. The Mobile Wallet solution for Mobile Money Transfer comprises of the server, user application, as well as system integration services. The solution, being marketed as the Mobile Wallet service, works on many major handsets and will enable mobile subscribers to perform secure and convenient money transfer using their mobile phone. The mobile clients for Mobile Wallet can utilize data networks with smart phones as well as work using SMS based transactions on low end feature phones. The deployment of Mobile Wallet solution can help banks and financial institutions reach both banking and non-banking subscribers to receive money in a secure and safe manner.

The Mobile Wallet’s user-friendly interface enables mobile subscribers to make secure and easy peer-to-peer money transfers and pay every day utility bills from their mobile phones. The Mobile Wallet can be used for making or receiving payment of many regular payments. For Instance, subscribers can arrange to have their pensions and other regular income paid directly into their mobile wallet -an innovative feature. This greatly empowers banks and financial institutions to connect with unbanked in rural areas and increase their reach at a very low cost. The system has been designed with security and end user convenience in mind. The initial system deployment/pilot launch of services is being planned with banks in two Latin American countries and negotiations with other financial institutions are under way.

The mobile money transfer is simply another way to send money. It is a transfer of money to a receiver in which the funds are deposited into a “virtual” wallet accessible by a consumer’s mobile phone. The benefits of a mobile wallet are:

  • Lower cost for remittances
  • Stimulate convergence of the financial and mobile industries
  • Help in establishing optimal regulatory frameworks for all participants
  • Stimulate innovation in the delivery of mobile financial solutions
  • Bring financial services to many unbanked in developing countries for the first time

Commenting on the development, Mr. Gurbinder Mavi, VP of Sales and Marketing for Rapidsoft Systems said, “We believe that Mobile Wallet is an ideal solution in a modern world where people are always on move. There is often a need to transfer money from a migrant family member to other family members. Mobile Wallet can reduce the cost of money transfers, and reduce the long delays in money transfers. The deployment of mobile payment services can create a win-win situation for everyone. We are open to partnership with cellular operators, banks and other service providers”

Jules Charville, President of GSS, Ltd. commented, “In association with Rapidsoft Systems, we offer a solution that is a feature rich, easy to use and deploy. During development, we took the concerns and needs of an average consumer who may not be very technology savvy. Secondly, banks need a secure solution that is as secure as all other operations of banking systems. To achieve that we have integrated highest level of security at all levels. We believe that we have a well implemented solution for banks, operators and other financial companies that wants to offer such services to their subscribers in any part of the world.”

Mobile wallet solution is jointly marketed by Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. and GSS Ltd.

 

Blackberry Mobile Money Transfer Blackberry Mobile Money Transfer
Blackberry Mobile Money Transfer Blackberry Mobile Money Transfer
Blackberry Mobile Money Transfer

Blackberry Mobile Money Transfer Application Screenshots

About Global Systems Solutions Ltd

Global Systems Solutions Ltd. is a registered Anguillian company, with headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica. It is the parent company of Prepaid Masters Ltd.(www.prepaidmasters.com) and Cashnxt Technologies Ltd. (www.cashnxt.com)

Since 2008, Global Systems Solutions has specialized itself into the development of various mobile applications and has became a dominant force in those markets today.

The combination of Cashnxt Technologies Ltd. and Prepaid Masters Ltd. gives the general public access to the latest state of the art technology for the exciting world of Mobile Commerce.

About Rapidsoft Systems, Inc.

Rapidsoft Systems (http://www.rapidsoftsystems.com) is an emerging global leader in software and product development services, a knowledge driven company that values transparent business practices and provides comprehensive solutions to its global clients. Rapidsoft Systems provides software development, product design, IT consulting, and outsourced software development and product testing services. It has a subsidiary, Mobisoft Technologies (http://www.mobisofttechnologies.com) dedicated to mobile applications.

Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. has its main office in Princeton, NJ, USA, a US R&D Center in Mercerville NJ, and sales, support and development offices in Palo Alto, CA, USA, Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Bombay, and Noida (India).

Rapidsoft Systems, Inc. competence lies in its ability to offer full software product lifecycle services in verticals such as Mobile, Networking, Healthcare, OSS, VoIP, Embedded, Business Intelligence, Security, Finance, Logistics, Web 2.0 Social Networking, Media & Entertainment, Gaming, Travel & Hospitality, Education & Training, Web Applications and Retail. Its technology expertise includes Java/J2EE, C/C++, Ruby on Rails, RDMS, Open Source, SaaS/On-Demand, Siebel CRM, J2ME, Google Android, Qulcomm Brew, iPhone, Palm Pre, Windows Mobile, Flashlite and Symbian platforms.

Contact Information

RapidSoft Systems, Inc.
Mr. Manny Srivastava
+1 609 439 4775
info@rapidsoftsystems.com
www.rapidsoftsystems.com
For Additional Info: Gurbinder Mavi, VP Sales and Marketing. gmavi@rapidsoftsystems.com

IPAD3 Launching on March 3

Rumors surrounding the next iteration of Apple’s iPad have an altogether calmer feel about them following last year’s iPhone speculation frenzy. Perhaps that means they’ll actually be right this time. Well, we should all know soon, as the tablet is expected to be unveiled on March 7.

A website that called it right with the iPhone 4S’s launch date says that the iPad 3 will be unveiled on Wednesday March 7.

In a report on its website Monday, iMore said that “according to sources who have been reliable in the past,” Apple will launch the third generation of its popular tablet in a matter of weeks, a device which it says will feature a 2048×1536 Retina display, a quad-core A6 processor and possibly 4G LTE networking.

The rumored launch date ties in with a recent AllThingsD report which said it had information suggesting that Apple would unveil the eagerly anticipated device in the first week of next month.

The AllThingsD report also said that the event would be held in the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco, a location not unused to big Apple launches.

As for what to expect with the new model, speculation is, of course, rife. But in contrast to last year’s largely wayward rumors regarding what turned out to be the iPhone 4S, recent reports on the kind of things we can expect with the next iteration of the Cupertino company’s tablet have been more focused.

Besides the Retina display and quad-core processor, the iPad 3 is expected to have improved photographic capability and better battery life. If the recently released image of what was supposedly the back of the new device is anything to go by, then the actual look of the iPad 3 is expected to be pretty much identical to the current model.

iPAD3 Image

Apple’s iPad dominates the tablet market, with the company shifting more than 55 million units since its launch in April 2010. No other company has come anywhere close to matching Apple’s strong sales with tablet devices of their own. Only Amazon, with its recently launched Kindle Fire tablet, has been able to sell a similar device in any significant number, though of course its simpler, cheaper offering is located at the opposite end of the tablet spectrum.

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