I want to share my experience with Soft Air (www.softairltda.com), a company I hired to customize my SupportSuite support ticketing system.

For those who don't want to read all this, I highly recommend them for integrating Kayako SupportSuite into your website... especially if you want the "look" of SupportSuite to exactly match the look of your website. Here's the Support Page they created for me:

http://www.2bithost.com/support/

Now for the details...

I bought Kayako SupportSuite v3 with LiveResponse a couple weeks ago, and struggled to incorporate it into my site. I needed it to integrate into ModernBill as well. One of my biggest problems was the fact that I used FrontPage 2002 to build my site, and many of the table attributes I used in design get lost when trying to create custom headers and footers in a PHP page.

So I found out about Soft Air by browsing the Kayako member forums. I liked the samples I'd seen of their work, so decided to give them a try.

Well, let me tell you.... I am really glad I did. Juan answered me right away, and almost immediately started working for me. He started by giving me his MSN contact info, and I gave him mine. He kept me up-to-date via MSN as to how they were making out. This was no standard integration.... I asked specifically for:

1) Integration into my existing site so the support pages look EXACTLY like my other pages.

2) The creation of custom icons (widgets)

3) Additional widgets and descriptions, with my custom links

4) Customization of the Live Chat window

5) Custom text (I wanted "Live Chat" instead of "Live Support" in several places).

I even changed my mind half way through about 1 custom link (decided to put a link to Flash Tutorials instead of Forums). I told Juan to just keep the custom widget he'd already created, and put the new link in for tutorials.... and he said he'd rather create a new widget to better match the link. In other words, he really cares about the work he does, and wants to make sure it looks as good as it can.

Throughout the process (which took less than a week), I was also given MSN details for Felipe one of their programmers and I ended up chatting with him a few times to make sure everything was being done correctly.

Oh... and it wasn't ME bugging them to see how they were doing. Instead, they would notice when I logged in to MSN, and would initiate a chat with me. THEY wanted to make sure everything was right, and took the initiative to check with me... often.

Anyways.... I just felt I had to share my experience with Juan, Felipe, Esteban and Juss at Soft Air..... for any of you needing the same level of customization as I did for Kayako SupportSuite.

HIGHLY recommended.

Thanks Juan!!

P.S> You can contact Juan at Soft Air at jrodriguez@softairltda.com

P.P.S> Feel free to test the Ticket or Live Chat system... I'll respond to Sales department requests.

Regards,

Rob.

what did it cost roughly?

Very Nice. Its good to hear stuff like this. Glad you're happy!

Looks good, I'm also curious as to how much cost...

Woops.... sorry I forgot to mention the cost! The entire custom integration cost $200. You pay $100 up front, and then the other $100 when it's complete, and you're 100% satisfied. If you're not satisfied, they'll tweak it until you are.

What amazed me about it was their attention to detail in making it look exactly like the rest of my website.

Rob.

Yeh, they do some good work. Their examples on the forum were great!

Thank you Rob for this put and thank you guys for your interest, for any of your kayako or other php projects, please visit our site www.softairltda.com or drop us a message to jrdriguez [AT] softairltda.com

Regards,

Well, I am going to tell you of my expierence with SoftAir, and some of you may not care. However, I am going to "warn" others if they are thinking of purchasing this.
I talked to Juan online via Kayako, and was told that I was the first to purchase this. After I sent my $89 the ticket was opened and stated:
We did our Live Office Status and we have sold it to some other companies for $89 installed, let me know if you are interested.
I should have questioned how I was the first to purchase, but yet they have sold to other companies installed for $89, but I let it go as I was excited to get the new module for my site. Well, they then wanted me to pay $25 more for them to implement the script into my website layout...something I did not need them to do. After letting them know this, Juan agreed to the $89 for the script. This was purchased on 08 Nov 2006 03:32 PM. I waited for the script but had to call Juan to get a status. This was posted in the ticket:
08 Nov 2006 04:28 PM
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Thanks for your call Gene,
Preparing files at this time.
Best
JC
I waited, and waited, and waited....did I mention I waited? Then this reply:

08 Nov 2006 05:09 PM
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Hi Gene,
This is Daniel at Soft Air engineering dpt., I am preparing files for you (Office Status Module), we implement in our site with some static modifications, since I want to make sure you go thru a seamless process, let me generate a small script to make sure this module gets FULLY integrated to your kayako Staff Control Panel :)
Can you allow me 48 hours to go the extra mile and surprise you?
Can you also provide us with the following info:
URL where your kayako is installed
What status your company required for this module?(Open, In Meeting, Out of Office, etc)
Your Office Status Module will be first one fully integrated to Kayako Staff Control Panel, once this happens we will update product pricing and we hope you can let us portrait your site for this product.
Awaiting your reply,

Again, being told I was the first one...I felt honored. However, my honor would soon go into frustration. 48 hours for something that I was told was done by Juan not 4 hours earlier. However, I agreed to wait 48 hours because I really wanted this script for my site.
10 Nov 2006 06:33 PM
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Hi Gene,
This is progress reports:
Please find attached screenshots.
I have run into an encrypted file and I am know re-coding collateral files that will allow us to go around this thus achieving 100% dynamic automation, just to make sure that you are aware of what you be receiving as an upgrade version of this office status please check attached images :)


I got images...wow. 3 pretty pics of a module...I was not impressed. However, the 48 hours was still going on.
78 hours past.....still no update or script. Juan assured me after I contacted him that the script was in final stages of revamping. Then:
12 Nov 2006 06:13 PM
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Hi Gene,
Daniel and myself are now final testing the whole modification at our local kayako, two small bugs found so far and fixed now, allow us 170 minutes to finish quality assurance and OK and to send, we are real excited about this brand new Office Status Module.
We will be standing by for you after file is sent in case you want to install at once and required additional assistance, this module is FULLY integrated to: Client Support Center, Admin CP and Staff CP, literally part of your kayako.
Best,
JC
More time? More time? What were they doing....recoding Kayako? At this point I began to get really worried & frustrated
12 Nov 2006 09:31 PM
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Hi Gene,
Translating into standard English at this time, sending shortly
Best
JC

Next Post by JC:

12 Nov 2006 10:44 PM
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Hi Gene,
We will delivery in about 20 to 30 minutes.
Best
JC
I thought finally an end to the madness I have been going through these past days.
However, time passed and still nothing, so I replied to JC:
12 Nov 2006 11:51 PM
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Ok...well now I am frustrated. I have sat at my computer to make sure I see when the file comes across. 1 hour, 170 minutes, blah blah blah. I seem to be getting nothing but wasted time here. So, either send me the file now or a refund. I am sick and tired of your excuses for a project you were suppose to be delivering within 48 hours of time of payment. I have been more than patient and to be honest...very nice with this situation.
"12 Nov 2006 09:31 PM - Translating into standard English at this time, sending shortly"
Now 2 hours later an nothing to show.
"12 Nov 2006 06:13 PM - Daniel and myself are now final testing the whole modification at our local kayako, two small bugs found so far and fixed now, allow us 170 minutes to finish quality assurance and OK and to send, we are real excited about this brand new Office Status Module."
It has now been 331 minutes and nothing to show but posts that the script is on its way.

I have been very patient with SoftAir after reading at Kayako of your posts and such..however, now I am thinking that I should have not worried about this. So, far I have nothing to show for a payment that was made 3 minutes after it was sent. So, what do I do? Do I give you another 3 days to work out another bug, zip it up more, or what? How long does a zip file take...it must be around 8Gig for it to be this long.
I contacted you on another project that I am interested in doing, however, this expierence has made me second guess my thought of looking into SoftAir. Your timeframe on a project is terrible, your updates are worse, and promises are broken. So, now I am thinking I need to warn others at Kayako about this. However, it will do no good since you have happy clients.....which is why I contacted you. So, again....5 days later and nothing to show for my $89. You stated I am getting this script for a cheaper price than what you will be selling it for...Yea me, however, you quoted me this price, and then wanted more money for development and integration. Well, glad I did not pay since $89 has been 5 days of waiting...anymore and I would be more upset.
So, either send the script now or refund my money now. Either way I do not care but I want something NOW!
Maybe I was harsh, but at this point I needed to be. I mean....JC has feed nothing but lies to me about time needed. I would understand if more time was needed, but when a programmer says 20 minutes.....then I expect something in 20 minutes.
Well, then finally:
13 Nov 2006 12:17 AM
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Hi Gene,
Thanks for your email and then again sorry for the delays, you are getting a top updated product at this time.


To make it short...I am very upset with SoftAir, and will probably not do anymore business with them. Now, I find that the code to show the office hours, open - closed status, and such....it is hardcoded into the template...not was JC told me.
This is just my personal expierence with SoftAir, and wish to share with others. It seems that they have done great work, but my 1st time dealing with them was the worst ever. It took my close to 5 days for a script that was done prior to purchase, and then followed with timeframe lies by JC. I have called the 877 number to contact them, but no one bothers to call back. I believe I talked with Carlos's wife when I called, but not sure. I gave her my number to have him call back....but nothing. Yes it is after business hours, but I guess I was hoping for a miracle from them. I was wrong. I replied to the ticket all this came from, but still no response......again hoping for a miracle.
Anyways.....I hope others have a better time with SoftAir than I did.....good luck to all and happy holidays!!!

http://www.2bithost.com/support/

I can not see Custom Kayako SupportSuite integration

Wow.... revival of a 1 year old thread! That link no longer works, as that website/business (www.2bithost.com) is no longer operational.... and not the fault of Juan or SoftAir!

I am sorry for your frustration fieldsq, but I assure you that my experience with Juan has been nothing but great. Last year when they customized my Kayako installation, they were fantastic, and as far as I'm aware, they continue to be.

I realize my recommendation doesn't carry much weight with a broken hyperlink!! So let me fix that.... we did a custom tutorial for SoftAir that showcases much of their work. This was put together many months ago, so there's probably many more customizations that they've done that aren't included here. Here's the link:

http://www.demowolf.com/demos/softair/softair_examples.html

There's a dozen or so examples of their work in there.

I'm sure if you give Juan the chance he will make ammends with you somehow. He's a very reasonable person.

Best of luck.

Rob.