Customer Story: Retta
We work with many different customers across many different domains, and our customers range from small startups to large companies and governmental organizations. Our consultants have high-level expertise in specific positions in the IT industry, such as UI/UX design, full-stack development, and project management. Our mission is to find the best consultant to fit our customer’s specific project; something that we like to call the Marvelous Match. You can read more about our services on our services-page.
One of our customers is Retta, a company that operates in the housing and property management industry. Our consultant helped Retta design and plan their potential new service.
Retta’s customer experience of working with Marvel Consulting
We wanted to ask Salla from Retta about their experience of working with Marvel Consulting. Here is our interview!
Could you introduce yourself?
"My name is Salla Ahveninen, and at Retta I’m responsible for the Maintenance Management service, Retta Living. Retta Living is a service for housing companies, through which property maintenance, cleaning and other maintenance services can be implemented systematically and cost-effectively. I originally came to the company to be responsible for digital development and 3 years ago I moved to lead an accelerator (kiihdyttämö), where new digital services were developed. I explored various opportunities within the real estate industry, either as value-added services for property management or, more broadly, within the housing company space.”
How would you describe your company to someone who doesn’t know anything about it?
”Our mission is to streamline everyday living. We make owning apartments and properties easier and more sustainable, profitable, and responsible. Since last autumn, we’ve been part of Odevo, a large Swedish corporation that offers residential property management and housing-related services globally.”
How important are software products and digitalization for your company?
“They are at the core of our operations. We focus on services, which often lead to cost savings for housing companies, and digitalization plays a major role in this. We’ve been developing IT solutions for 5–7 years, establishing ourselves as the largest player in the industry in Finland. As a pioneer, we've also had access to the best resources for this work. Our current parent company originally started as a developer of property management software and has since expanded its operations to include everything related to property management in housing.”
Why did you want to bring in a consultant for this project?
“We met with a technology provider that offered camera-based parking solutions, and we started brainstorming a new service with them. We were exploring technology options and the concept itself and realized that we needed someone who could understand the whole picture. I searched on LinkedIn for suitable people, interviewed a few, and then came across Sampsa from Marvel Consulting. Business knowledge and understanding of the best tech solutions were key factors in our decision.”
In what situations would you recommend a consultant to other companies?
“In situations where a certain kind of subject-matter expertise is needed but not available in-house. Or when there’s a project of a specific duration that doesn’t justify hiring a full-time employee. Employees also often lack exposure to other industries, which consultants who move from project to project tend to have. This often results in deeper and broader industry knowledge for the consultant.”
What was your process like when you started looking for a consultant?
“We have different consultants working with us who have come through networks, inquiries, or by googling. Right now, we don’t have any other tools in place for finding consultants.”
Why did you decide to choose a consultant, specifically from Marvel Consulting?
“Marvel Consulting offered the full package: business understanding, subject-matter expertise, and specific technology know-how.”
What kind of problem were you trying to solve with the help of the consultant?
“The project involved setting up a parking services business and mapping out different business models and technology options.”
Did the consultant solve the problem or bring help to the specific situation you were in?
“Yes, the consultant was helpful in our situation. And the work was efficient too! That’s the benefit of using a consultant; you get someone who already has the needed expertise. You get answers right away instead of having to try and fail multiple times yourself. If someone can tell you from the start that a solution won’t work, you can immediately move on to the next and better option.”
Do you feel that bringing in a consultant was the right decision for you?
“Absolutely.”
What aspects of the collaboration worked well?
“There was a good and relaxed vibe working with Marvel Consulting right from the start! The consultant was also knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. We got straight to the point. Sometimes, with consultants, things remain at a high level — which is also important, but in this case, the work didn’t stay on an abstract or theoretical level. The work was concrete, and we moved from bottom to top and top to bottom, looking at both the big picture and the details. We were able to make real progress on the right issues.”
Would you recommend Marvel Consulting to others and why?
“I definitely would! I was left with the impression that things are done well, with quality, and with a great attitude. There’s a wide range of expertise, and if a particular consultant doesn’t have specific experience, Marvel Consulting has strong networks to find the needed expertise.”
Thank you to Salla for answering our questions! And if you’re looking for a software consultant to help you with your project, visit our contact-page and let’s chat more!