About This Client
This client runs a marketplace and events-management platform connecting service providers with the events that need them.
The Situation
As a small business, the client had relied on an offshore team to build and maintain their software, but had grown dissatisfied with both the quality of the work and the level of service. Because the owner lacked the technical know-how to independently manage the infrastructure, they felt locked in to that vendor with no clear way out.
What DS Business Solutions Did
Phase 1 — Regaining control: Before making any changes, we assessed the risk of switching away from the incumbent vendor, since the client did not control key parts of their own infrastructure. We established a backup plan in case the previous provider did not cooperate in handing back access, then spent time getting a solid handle on the existing codebase. Once we had both the codebase understanding and a fallback plan in place, we engaged the previous provider and successfully restored the client’s control over their own site and infrastructure. With control restored, we began working through a backlog of items that had been stalled for an extended period.
Phase 2 — Rebuilding and launching the platform: We then performed a full rewrite of the codebase, leveraging AI-assisted development to complete it in under three weeks, followed by a full QA process. The new platform has now launched.
The Outcome
- Client now fully owns and controls their own site and infrastructure, with the freedom to choose any service provider going forward — not locked in to any single vendor
- Shipping cadence went from about once every two months under the previous offshore team to multiple changes shipped about once a week on average — with the capability to deploy multiple times a day when needed
- Launched a modern, fully rewritten platform with a better user experience and improved performance, built in under three weeks