Interview with the COO of TestFort - Oleg Sivograkov

1. What inspired you to join TestFort, and what are the company's core values and mission?

While I came on board a few years after TestFort was launched, the thing that drew me to the company was the strength of its purpose. The company was founded on a clear and much-needed vision: to provide dedicated, independent software testing at a time when quality was too often treated as secondary. That mindset of QA as a strategic advantage, not just a checkbox, still defines who we are. Our mission is to help clients build software that works flawlessly and delivers real business value. We achieve through full-cycle testing services, deep technical expertise, and commitment to being true partners in product quality.

A really wrong statement would be to say I joined the company by chance. In fact, it is contradicted by my method of concluding sentences at all. The company had a solid, heartfelt basis: to provide specialized and independent testing services where software testing had either been taken for granted or considered a peripheral activity. Therefore we offer an advantage to the whole notion of QA rather than just a tick in the box. We continue to deliver full-cycle testing services to our clients at great technical levels and quality, partners who hold themselves to the highest standards.

What personally resonated with me were the seriousness with which TestFort approaches its art and client relationships. It is a company where technical excellence, transparency, and a proactive approach are not word-traps, but rather words that are exemplified in teams communicating with each other, collaborating, and taking ownership for products. That culture allowed me to be 100 percent behind the mission while growing the business without taking away from what really allowed it to be great in the first place.

2. Being a COO, how do you ensure effective communication and harmony among different departments and teams?

From my perspective, it begins with clarity concerning goals, roles, and expectations. Once everyone understands the direction of things and how his or her work plays a part in the greater scheme of things, collaboration will go on more smoothly. I personally ensure cross-functional collaboration right from the beginning, not on during delivery. This includes regular check-ins between departments, transparent planning sessions, and clear ownership of outcomes. We also have invested in tools and routines that ease knowledge-sharing and eliminate uncertainties, which really matters for distributed teams.

The culture of respect and accountability is something I deeply believe in. Every team has its own type of knowledge and priorities, from QA to sales, and I buttress the idea that instead of competing, teams serve as one another's support system. I try to teach teams that they should express themselves when they need to, listen attentively, and see a problem as a challenge that affects both sides. That's when real collaboration occurs: when people feel heard and are empowered.

3. What testing methodologies does TestFort primarily rely on, and why?

Mainly, Agile is preferred because testing is embedded at every stage of development, with opportunities to catch issues earlier and alter the course if need be, which is all the more important when every moment counts in today’s software environment. However, we are also familiar with Waterfall, V-Model, and hybrids and adapt the processes based on the needs, industry, and technical setup of each client. Our attempts always lean toward what can provide the most value in terms of quality, rather than putting clients through a rigid methodology.

4. What sets TestFort apart from other software testing companies, and what are some of the company's unique strengths?

The unique thing about us is the mixture of deep technical expertise and the flexibility of looking at things in a more business-oriented manner. Indeed, we do not just find bugs- we improve software quality in a way that can directly support the aims of our clients- faster releases, reduction of costs, or better user experience. The clients appreciate the fact that we bring strategy to QA and act like an extension of their team, rather than simply an external supplier.?

Another critical strength is that our turnkey solution is truly full-cycle. It takes in everything from test strategy and manual QA to advanced automation, performance, and security testing. Our engineers have significant domain expertise and are highly skilled in a variety of tools. We tailor solutions to contexts, rather than contorting contexts to fit standardized solutions. We also pride ourselves in going that extra mile, establishing long-term relationships with clients, and consistently creating value that exceeds the test plan.

5. As a COO, how do you achieve a balance between short-term goals and long-term growth?

For me, it’s about constantly flipping between zooming out to the big picture and zooming in on the smaller details, tracking the things that need to get done today without ever losing sight of where we are headed. I wear my hands-on attitude on delivery and operations, yet I keep questioning every single decision with regard to its contribution to the long-term ventures towards scalability, better expertise, or improved client outcomes. I believe in intentional building: investing now in the right people, tools, and processes, so we are not just meeting today’s demand but preparing for tomorrow.

6. What actions do you take to build and maintain strong relationships with clients?

Consistency and transparency are two factors that make for good client relationships. I stay very involved in key accounts so that we are able to stay ahead of client needs, instead of technically fulfilling some contract that serves no real purpose for them. My involvement is a very hands-on process: working with them on regular check-ins and staying transparent with everything- including the challenge aspects, not just the triumphs. I also ensure that our teams understand the client's business context, which never stops at the project scope, in order to provide value that goes beyond testing. Trust is nurtured in the long run by showing we care as much about their success as they do.

7. Can you speak about the company culture at TestFort and how you think a diversified work culture contributes to the success of the business?

An atmosphere of constant technical excellence, transparency, curiosity, and community spirit is being built at TestFort. Teams are scattered country-wise, but we still manage to stay close through casual online meetups, learning sessions, and various social activities. We consciously try to maintain an active social life, accepting the notion that people engaged in multiple facets are able to maximize their best output in their professional life. While delivery holds importance, establishing an ambience where people gained appreciation, trust, and motivation to grow are essential.

We believe that being diverse in terms of backgrounds, different time zones, and viewpoints is a great asset. It endows us with wider perspectives into both technical challenges and customer needs, permitting us to look at problems in several ways. We've always noticed that more inclusive, cross-cultural groups in which everybody brings forth something special tend to become innovative and sustainable groups, and it is the constant endeavor of TestFort to ensure this.

8. With the rise of AI and machine learning, do you foresee any major changes in software testing approaches?

AI is already transforming testing. It allows faster analysis of data, faster generation of test cases, and the detection of anomalies, with the optimization of test coverage. Then, we partnered with a premier AI-powered testing platform to enable automation of test case generation and execution. The overall effect is greater efficiency from the association while maintaining the rigor of quality. However, one thing is certain: human testers are not going to be replaced anytime soon.

What really is going on is a change of thinking around the idea of AI-enabled testing, where it is viewed as a technology infrastructure meant to handle the repetitive or technically complex chores at scale, letting our experts step into those more cerebral areas such as strategic thinking, exploratory testing, and quality at the product level. The human judgment, domain understanding, and critical reasoning that testers bring remain irreplaceable, especially in complex or high-stakes systems..

9. As a COO, how do you motivate and inspire your team to achieve their best work?

I uphold the central idea that genuinely productive people are the ones feeling trusted, supported, and clearly tied to a purpose. The communication is kept as open as possible, with recognitions given for all accomplishments, no matter their size, and this helps to instill in each person the knowledge of how their work contributes to the growth and profitability of a business. I promote ownership and constant learning, allowing teams to develop and become proactive; at the same time, the people need to feel proud of what they are building and assured of support to take big steps forward in the journey.

10. You've been in this sphere for a long time, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start a successful software testing company?

I would just like to begin by stating that the software testing market has become more competitive and demanding, giving rise to pressures for faster delivery, more automation, and staying abreast of changes in such technologies as AI and cloud-native architectures. The clients want testers who would partner with them as strategists while viewing their business so that they may propose real solutions rather than simple checklist-type testing and bug reports. An aspiring tester may consider this intimidating, but it shouldn't discourage them; every challenge always equals an opportunity to specialize, innovate, and build something that really adds value.

My idea to offer is for you to keep yourself close to the work. Get to know the pain points and pay attention to your clients. Do not force yourself to cease learning. Build a team that values quality as much as delivery, and nurture the culture of transparency and growth. Do not focus on scaling quick - build good work, and you will be known, because word will spread. There is room still for newer companies in the market, but the newer companies must lead with their substance, not their salesmanship.