Serving as the Backend CakePHP Powerhouse for a European Digital Agency, Doubling Their Capacity
Industry Digital Marketing Agency
-
$10B+ Client Revenues
-
12+ Successful Years
-
1000+ IT Ninjas
-
5000+ Projects
Client's Testimonial
"Developers.dev is our secret weapon. They are our trusted, silent backend partner. Our clients think we have a massive in-house development team, but it's the seamless, white-label work from Developers.dev that makes it possible. Their CakePHP expertise is phenomenal, and their professionalism allows us to confidently sell projects we couldn't handle before. Our revenue from development services has grown by 120% since we partnered with them."
Managing Director, Berlin Creative GmbH
Client Overview
A growing digital agency based in Germany specializes in branding and frontend design for mid-sized clients. They frequently won projects that required custom backend development, particularly for clients with existing PHP websites. They lacked the specialized in-house backend expertise, especially for CakePHP, which forced them to turn down profitable projects or risk using unreliable freelancers.
Problem
The agency's core competency was design and frontend development. Their inability to offer reliable, high-quality backend development was a major bottleneck to growth. They needed a partner who could work invisibly behind the scenes, delivering robust CakePHP backends that integrated perfectly with their designs.
Key Challenges
Skill Gap
Lack of senior backend and CakePHP expertise in-house.
Scalability
Inability to take on multiple, backend-heavy projects simultaneously.
Risk Management
Bad experiences with freelancers led to project delays and damaged client relationships.
Seamless Integration
The partner needed to integrate into the agency's workflow and act as a natural extension of their team.
Our Solution
We established a long-term Staff Augmentation partnership, providing the agency with a dedicated Senior CakePHP developer who acted as their backend lead. This was a white-label arrangement where our developer communicated through the agency's project management tools and email addresses.
⚙️ Dedicated Expert
We assigned a senior developer with 10+ years of experience in PHP and CakePHP, as well as excellent communication skills.
👻 White-Label Operations
Our developer was integrated into their Slack, Jira, and email systems, appearing to clients and external partners as a full-time employee of the agency.
📈 Flexible Scaling
As the agency's needs grew, we provided additional developers from our bench on a project-by-project basis, managed by the dedicated lead.
💡 Technical Consultation
Our developer also acted as a technical consultant during the sales process, helping the agency scope backend work accurately and price it profitably.
Implementation and Execution
Onboarding
We conducted a thorough onboarding to understand the agency's workflow, coding standards, and communication protocols.
Project 1: Custom CMS
Our developer built a headless CakePHP backend for a client's new corporate website, which used a React frontend built by the agency.
Project 2: E-commerce Maintenance
He took over the maintenance and feature development for an existing client's CakePHP-based online shop.
Project 3: API for Mobile App
He developed a complete set of REST APIs to power a mobile application for another one of the agency's clients.
Workflow Integration
Our developer participated in the agency's daily stand-ups and sprint planning sessions via Zoom, ensuring tight alignment.
Knowledge Base
He documented all the backend projects, creating a valuable knowledge base for the agency.
Positive Outcome
💰 Increased Revenue
The agency was able to take on larger, more complex projects, increasing their development services revenue by 120% in the first year of the partnership.
💸 Improved Profitability
By leveraging our cost-effective model, the agency significantly improved its profit margins on development work.
✨ Enhanced Reputation
The agency built a reputation for being a full-service firm capable of handling complex technical requirements, helping them win more business.
⬇️ Reduced Management Overhead
The agency's leadership could focus on sales and client relationships, knowing the technical delivery was in expert hands.
Why Choose Us
🤝 Vetted, In-House Experts
We provided a reliable, senior talent that the agency couldn't find locally.
🌐 "Ecosystem" Model
When a project required DevOps support, our lead could tap into our internal ecosystem.
✅ Verifiable Process Maturity
Our professionalism made the white-label relationship seamless.
🛡️ Zero-Risk Trial & Guarantee
The first project served as the trial, proving our value immediately.
⏰ Seamless Time Zone Alignment
The overlap with Germany was perfect for real-time collaboration.
🔒 Full IP & Data Security
All IP developed was owned by the agency and their clients, under strict NDAs.
🛠️ Deep Legacy Modernization Expertise
Our ability to handle their clients' existing CakePHP sites was crucial.
🤖 AI-Augmented Delivery
Our developer used modern tools to work efficiently.
🗓️ Proven Track Record Since 2007
Our stability made us a reliable long-term partner.
Conclusion
The white-label partnership with Developers.dev transformed the digital agency's business model. By filling their critical backend skill gap with our expert, scalable talent, we empowered them to grow their revenue, enhance their reputation, and operate more profitably.