Industry
Manufacturing
Company Size
+500 Employees
Location
Grimes, Iowa
The Partner
National Carwash Solutions (NCS) has been a leader in the car wash equipment industry for over 40 years. Originally founded as Ryko Solutions in 1973, NCS was one of the pioneers in manufacturing automated car wash equipment. Today, NCS provides high-quality service, parts, and environmentally friendly cleaning solutions to car wash operators across North America.
The Challenge: Adapting to a Digital Shift
Over the last few decades, the car wash industry has undergone significant changes. With the rapid evolution of digital technologies, NCS needed to scale its software development team to keep up with new projects that spanned their front-end, back-end, and mobile apps. To address this, NCS sought experienced developers who could tackle these new challenges.
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Noah Hunter, NCS' Director of Engineering, had worked with Howdy engineers before and was confident in their ability to meet the company's needs.
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"I worked with a team of 12 Howdy engineers; it was great," said Hunter.
The Howdy Solution: Expert Engineers and Seamless Integration
Howdy provided NCS with access to a pool of thoroughly vetted developers from Latin America. This led to the successful hiring of Tomas Vukasovi, a senior back-end software developer from Argentina, who quickly became an integral part of the team.
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Although Vukasovi is based in Argentina, far from the NCS headquarters in Iowa, he is supported by Howdy’s dedicated team structure, which includes a local mentor, access to a physical office, and a community of Howdy developers
The Outcome: Success and Expansion
Despite initial concerns regarding time zones and communication barriers, NCS found that the integration of Vukasovi went smoothly.
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"Our current Howdy engineer is a great resource," said Hunter. "He's two hours ahead of us, but we don't run into issues."
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Hunter also highlighted Howdy's exceptional ongoing support for its engineers.
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"Howdy engineers have someone they can trust on their side," said Hunter. "If they run into questions, they can ask their mentor, 'What do you suggest?'"
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For his part, Vukasovi has flourished at NCS, finding the work both challenging and rewarding.
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"It's a great culture match," said Vukasovi. "The work is challenging and engaging."
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Currently, Hunter is in the process of adding two more Howdy engineers to his team, anticipating further growth and expansion.
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"We have other departments that may roll into me as well," Hunter said. "And if they do, I'll probably be looking to expand those teams with Howdy too."
The collaboration has been just as rewarding for Howdy engineers, who feel valued and supported by OJO.
"I was continually acknowledged, encouraged and recognized, which boosted my confidence in my ability to make things happen," said Pablo A., Senior Software Developer at Howdy. "The exceptional leadership of Qingqing was one of the standout parts of my time there. Her support and encouragement were crucial for my personal and professional growth."
Despite initial concerns regarding time zones and communication barriers, NCS found that the integration of Vukasovi went smoothly.
​
"Our current Howdy engineer is a great resource," said Hunter. "He's two hours ahead of us, but we don't run into issues."
​
Hunter also highlighted Howdy's exceptional ongoing support for its engineers.
​
"Howdy engineers have someone they can trust on their side," said Hunter. "If they run into questions, they can ask their mentor, 'What do you suggest?'"
​
For his part, Vukasovi has flourished at NCS, finding the work both challenging and rewarding.
​
"It's a great culture match," said Vukasovi. "The work is challenging and engaging."
​
Currently, Hunter is in the process of adding two more Howdy engineers to his team, anticipating further growth and expansion.
​
"We have other departments that may roll into me as well," Hunter said. "And if they do, I'll probably be looking to expand those teams with Howdy too."