The Background
SMSOne is an Australian facility management business with a live software platform that supports service requests, ticketing, and day-to-day operational workflows.
For a business like this, software is not separate from operations. The platform needs to stay reliable, keep evolving, and support the business as client and internal requirements change.
The Challenge
When SMSOne engaged Lanex around 2023, they were looking for PHP engineers who could help maintain and improve two active projects running in parallel.
This was not just about keeping legacy systems alive. They also needed developers who could contribute to new features and functions while integrating well with the team already in place.
SMSOne interviewed our engineers directly and selected two who matched both the technical requirements and the company’s working style.
What SMSOne Needed
SMSOne needed:
- PHP engineers who could work effectively in live production environments
- support for maintenance work and ongoing feature delivery
- people who would fit the company’s culture and team rhythm
- a delivery model that could scale down cleanly when demand reduced
That combination matters. A developer can know PHP and still be the wrong fit for a long-running product team. SMSOne needed engineers who could contribute consistently and work well with the people around them.
How Lanex Helped
Lanex provided two PHP engineers to support the company’s parallel project workload.
They became part of the delivery function, helping SMSOne maintain existing systems while continuing to build new functionality. The value of the engagement was not only in extra capacity. It was also in the quality of fit.
Over time, one of the engineers stepped up into a technical lead role, becoming an even more important part of the team and taking on greater responsibility inside the delivery process.
A Flexible Team Model That Matched the Work
This engagement also shows why flexibility matters in team building.
During the earlier phase, SMSOne needed two engineers because the work was spread across two projects at the same time. After about a year, once requirements subsided, the company no longer needed the same level of capacity.
Instead of forcing a rigid structure, the engagement adjusted with the business. SMSOne moved from two engineers down to one ongoing engineer, who continues to support the platform today.
That gave the company continuity without unnecessary overhead. They kept access to someone who already understood the systems, the business context, and the team’s way of working.
The Result
Lanex helped SMSOne strengthen engineering delivery in a way that was practical, scalable, and sustainable.
The engagement delivered:
- added PHP capacity across two live projects
- strong culture and team fit through direct client interviews
- leadership growth, with one engineer progressing into a technical lead role
- long-term continuity through one ongoing engineer after initial demand eased
This is the kind of engagement Lanex is built for. We help clients find engineers who can integrate properly, contribute over time, and stay useful even as the shape of the work changes.
Why This Case Study Matters
Not every company needs the same team size forever.
Sometimes the right outcome is to start with more capacity, create momentum across multiple workstreams, and then scale down to a leaner long-term setup without losing continuity. That is what happened with SMSOne.
Lanex helped SMSOne add the right PHP capability at the right time, support two parallel projects, and retain trusted engineering support for the long term.
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