247 Labs Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO and founder of a smart reader and data logger business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

We needed mobile app development for a medical data collection platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we provided the build requirements. 247 Labs Inc. then did web design and developed a mobile application for iOS and Android. Medical doctors use the site and view data via a smart reader. We send that data to the cloud and read it on one of the apps 247 Labs Inc. has created.

What is the team composition?

We work with about four developers and one project manager.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

I found them through a Google search. I had contacted a couple of other companies, but decided that 247 Labs Inc. was the best fit for this project.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2016 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The app’s quality is excellent. We’ve received positive customer feedback. If there are any bugs or crashes, we inform 247 Labs Inc. and their team takes care of the problem.

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They respond immediately. We use email and phone to communicate, and we have met them in-person as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They complete work on time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the assistant manager of a dental technology company that creates innovative products related to dental hygiene and other dental services. I’m in charge of managing projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs Inc.?

I hired them to create a dental mobile app. They were in charge of all my web and mobile design and development needs.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to make it easier to serve my customers by giving them access to the dental data they need through their phone.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were strongly recommended by another company that had worked with them before.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was to build a mobile app that allows dentists to connect to a system and see all the data they collect by using our Smart Reader device. They also created a web portal that shows the same data that can be seen from the app.

What was the team composition?

I worked with an account manager, a product manager, a designer, two developers, and a tester.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

I’ve made more sales and have created strong strategic partnerships with enterprise organizations thanks to 247 Labs’ help. They delivered the mobile app and web portal on time and implemented changes within hours.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their project manager was organized and led a transparent collaboration, following a clear process and managing risks well. I knew their team had daily calls, but I didn’t want to participate in those. We only did weekly demos, and whenever I needed to reach them, they’d respond promptly by phone or email.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re a great team. I finally found a software development company that actually cares about understanding my business and goals and is willing to adapt to our requirements and budget constraints while giving us honest advice.

Are there any areas for improvement?

My customers caught some minor bugs, which could’ve been avoided if they had more people testing the platform across all kinds of devices.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Toronto North Local Immigration Partnership is a partnership between organizations that serve newcomers. These organizations collaboratively develop and implement settlement and integration strategy that creates more welcoming communities and enhances newcomers' experiences. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs Inc.?

Through consultations with our member agencies, we identified a need for an information resource to improve the accessibility of community services. It needed to be modern, easy to use, and available to everyone.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to develop a mobile app and website that would help immigrants and refugees in Toronto find programs and services to help them settle successfully. The app would be free, user-friendly, and accessible to people of different ages and immigration statuses.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We researched a few companies and met with three of them. We selected 24/7 because of their positive attitude, their efficiency and professionalism, and their understanding of our sector and newcomer needs. 

Describe the project in detail.

Many immigrants and refugees use the Internet and various applications to access information. Our preliminary research revealed no app that covered Toronto-based immigrant services, such as settlement, employment, and healthcare.

The existing databases have certain limitations. Limited resources in the social service sector mean that information is not kept up-to-date, and the categories used to sort data are not necessarily intuitive for newcomers. Most countries of newcomers’ origin do not have settlement services, so they don't search for them upon arrival. Other online search options, such as Google maps, don't have all the features that we hoped to include in our app.

We wanted to ensure accessibility for vulnerable groups of newcomers, such as youth, seniors, and people with limited literacy and English or French language skills. Since Toronto welcomes over 300,000 newcomers on an annual basis, the app will be used by at least 50,000 people a year.

What was the team composition?

They provided a project manager, designer, architect, and developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The mobile application is available for free to all newcomers to Toronto. The development has just been completed, so it's too early to report its impact.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was very effective, and the team was efficient and pleasant. The project manager responded within hours, gave clear instructions, and always tried to accommodate our requests.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was most impressed by their attitude and sincere desire to help newcomers to Toronto. They don't have any direct business interest in the app, since it's free, doesn't have ads, and is funded by the government. However, they are still helping us promote the app and develop marketing materials to support our project. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

Due to our limited budget, we couldn't implement several features that we wanted. However, we hope to do so in the future.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company is web and mobile development company, focusing mostly on Angular SPA applications. We outsource other types of projects. I'm CTO within this company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs Inc.?

We needed them to build an automated way to collect and track all calls of web application visitors.

What were your goals for this project?

This application needed to work with WebHooks and be able to support thousands of calls in a day, tracking this information and showing it to other visitors of the current application.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The customer requested the use of Laravel and SSE, so we decided to hire a company that has experience with that. 247 Labs was the best candidate with the necessary skills.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

The web application uses CallRail API and collects all calls and tracking information from it. It synchronizes with each call, showing a popup notification on the app which is to alert other visitors about the recent call. The application uses SSE and WebHooks to send events to the tracking site.

What was the team composition?

The team included the product owner, a project manager, a lead full-stack developer, and two senior developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

All expectations were fully met—we got a solution with high performance and sustainable functionality.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They used agile and scrum techniques to manage the project, and all milestones were clearly defined and delivered. We had daily stand-ups and weekly retrospectives to keep track of things.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive thing was the solution-driven approach. They were not just completing tasks, but caring about the resulting product and how effective its functionality will be.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

Everything was perfect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a home renovation and construction company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs Inc.?

They’re in charge of all my web design and development needs. I hired them for a specific project, creating a web portal application for my staff, as well as to build my website.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to make it easier for my crew members to communicate through simple messaging, sharing websites, and tracking projects.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was referred by friends who have previously worked with them.

Describe the project in detail.

They built a crew portal website that allowed everyone on my team and other contractors to log in, create and modify projects, then add photos and text updates. It also allows me to manage my users and projects while integrating a chat feature.

What was the team composition?

I only directly dealt with a project manager on their side. Throughout the project I had others attend the meetings with the designer, the developer, and a few other specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They built the portal and completed it ahead of schedule. I love the website they created.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They had weekly meetings and sent me updates almost on a daily basis.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by their friendliness, transparency, and leadership during the process as they walked me through what I needed to know.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are always areas for improvement. It would be good to know ahead of time what things we may want and then be able to better plan for them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-owner of somerton creative, a Toronto based boutique agency specializing in creative design, branding, marketing, and events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs Inc.?

We needed to hire 247 Labs Inc. to build our website based on our creative input and guidance.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to change the appearance of our website from a portfolio site to a full-scale agency website. We needed the complete project in a one-to-two month timeframe.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met this vendor at a Toronto entrepreneurs trade show. We reviewed our project with them and other vendors and they were our best fit for future projects. 

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

We provided our vision during all phases of the project. Their team built seven web pages for our site, along with setting up 12 individual project pages. Their team also handled bringing the new site online and providing us with backup support.

What was the team composition?

I coordinated with their digital solutions consultant, technical director, project manager, and front-end developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We launched the site only recently, but the new site better reflects who we are and serves the company well.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Oksana (Project Manager, 247 Labs Inc.) was incredibly efficient with communicating our requirements to her team. Their team completed the work at lightning speeds and were very prompt with replying and dealing with any concerns. They made managed the whole process well and it was very smooth.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

247 Labs carefully listened to our demands and took the time to understand the requirements throughout the project.They completed our requirements immediately when we requested them, allowing the project to flow smoothly.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

We were completely satisfied with our experience working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have a director-level role within a charity set up to help Canadian military personnel transition to civilian careers after completing their service. I was the program manager for our work with 247 Labs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs?

We were looking to build a platform that would connect retiring service members with employers, educational institutions, and entrepreneurial opportunities. At that time, our company had a job board in place, but it wasn’t searchable and had no automated matching capabilities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were initially subcontracted by our main vendor, who came from the learning space. 247 Labs was involved in two stages of the project, focusing on development work for our administration and data analytics site. Once the product was launched, 247 Labs was retained to provide support.

The platform has a MongoDB and MySQL databases. 247 Labs used Laravel PHP for development on the application side and implemented the Experience API (xAPI) for the MongoDB side. This lets us track analytics like time spent on pages and users’ progress on the learning modules.

Since our applicants have trouble describing their capabilities in civilian terms, the platform gives them the ability to create automated profiles with relevant skills. Once a user has entered the system, it also makes automated matches based on rank and military training. Candidates can quickly see the jobs they are compatible with.

The employer side also has a degree of automation, allowing recruiters to easily see which candidates are suited for certain roles. In addition, the platform has a number of learning modules about interviews, writing resumes, and negotiating salaries. We also match mentors to candidates based on different criteria.

What is the team composition?

The main project manager was from our company, while 247 Labs assigned a project manager from Ukraine. We also worked with two developers, one of whom was based in Tunisia. I met the CTO of 247 Labs in person. He also handled some development work.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs?

We found them through our main vendor, who retained 247 Labs as a subcontractor after one of their developers left the company. Our main vendor gave us assurance that 247 Labs could deliver on what they promised.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their services has been in the $50,000–$60,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with 247 Labs in March or April 2017. The project was launched in September of that year. We liked their work, so we maintained our relationship with 247 Labs after terminating the contract with our main vendor. They continue to support our product.

In addition, we are about to enter the machine learning area in order to implement some job-scraping plug-ins. I don’t know what 247 Labs’ capabilities are in this area, but their CTO is a local AI expert.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve seen an impressive adoption rate within a very short time. Initially, we migrated around 7,000 candidates to the new platform. It reached 10,000 users by February 2018, which was a confirmation of the site’s design and usability. Our employer count also increased, from 300 at the time of migration to 450 by February 2018.

I’m extremely happy with 247 Labs’ work for such a fast-paced project. They have amazing capabilities for the work we’ve done so far. I would refer them to anyone in need of similar services.

How did 247 Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Since they have a billing system that tracks the work almost to the minute, we can see what their team is doing and the completed tasks in real time. We used Jira as the main collaboration tool and Bitbucket for version control. Our management team is not very technical, so we used Google Docs for reporting.

They’re prompt and efficient. Since their developers work in different time zones, they were able to deliver tasks overnight. In contrast, a Toronto-based company would have delivered the same work in 1–2 days. At certain points, 247 Labs also worked during weekends.

What did you find most impressive about them?

247 Labs is very professional, courteous, and responsive—all of which are things I look for in vendors. They’ve lived up our extremely high expectations. They are technically knowledgeable. They’ve provided consultation and delivery on a wide range of tasks, from security to application design.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

247 Labs excels in agile work, and I would recommend them for this type of project. I haven’t tested their waterfall abilities.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own an electronic cigarette and accessories online retail business. We’re based in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs Inc.?

We hired  247 Labs to build a critical integration piece between our online  stores and a third-party age verification tool.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to understand the third-party’s SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) API and build the integration between that and our customer's checkout process. This integration will validate each users age causing as small a disruption in the checkout process as possible.

SOLUTION

How did you select 247 Labs?

We selected this vendor because of their ability to start almost immediately. We based our decision on their eagerness and the knowledge their technical director demonstrated in our initial call.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They provide clear pricing structures, dedicated project managers, and developers who work around the clock to deliver on time, even when our supplier through a curve ball their way.

They have coded a plug-in to to link the two platforms together.

What was the team composition?

We deal with three or four people which includes two developers and one project manager. I catch-up with them weekly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

247 Labs are great to work with. They have really sunk their teeth into it, and linked the two platforms together with a little help from our partner. This accomplishment has increased our compliance within the industry.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

247 Labs’ project management is great. It can be tricky to work with developers in different time zones, but the work is delivered.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to adapt to changing situations, clear, well thought out solutions, and existing knowledge of technology is impressive.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They would benefit from hiring more developers in time zones better suited to their clients.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of Connective. We’re building a platform that will provide networking and resources for artists and creatives to turn their passion into a viable livelihood.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs?

We needed support to design, develop, and clarify the scope of our platform. I hired 247 Labs to segue my initial concept into a tangible product.

What were your goals for this project?

Initially, we needed a prototype to solicit feedback from coworkers, investors, and potential customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I researched potential vendors online. We considered a dozen development firms located across Canada. 247 Labs had consistently positive client feedback. They exhibited efficient and friendly communication on our consultation call. Most importantly, their focus and expertise aligned with our requirements.

Describe the project in detail.

During our project kickoff call, 247 Labs established a mutual understanding of the scope and requirements. They stress tested our concept by questioning specific aspects and suggesting alternatives. Weekly progress reports included updates on user flows, objectives, wireframes, meeting notes. Ultimately, they delivered the final designs.

What was the team composition?

The team included a project manager, technical director, and creative director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

247 Labs successfully delivered on our project requirements. I showed one of the platform’s final iterations to some my friends. They all provided positive feedback on the design.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They communicated promptly and effectively across the board. The project managers sent thorough and consistent status updates. Our teams synergistically collaborated to quickly complete the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their genuine dedication to achieving our goals. 247 Labs was sincerely invested in our success. It never felt like they were just working for a paycheck or focused on their next client acquisition. They put in additional effort to ask generative questions instead of taking directions at face value.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Efficiency could always be improved, but 247 Labs barely took two months to complete the designs from start to finish.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a freelance graphic designer who works on digital projects with individual clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs Inc.?

Based on my designs, 247 Labs developed a website for a real estate client

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of the project was to create a website that showcased large photographs, gave the agent more credibility, and allowed clients to browse properties and invest time in the agency. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I posted a brief on Upwork, and 247 Labs reached out to me.

Describe the project in detail.

The client came to me because they wanted to improve a few pages on their current site. After reviewing the site with 247 Labs and discovering that the template was outdated and unresponsive, we decided that the best approach was to overhaul the site entirely. The scope of work grew significantly, from 5 to 12 pages. I designed the pages on a WordPress template, but 247 Labs was extremely accommodating with customizations. Our client was extremely detail-oriented. 247 Labs remained extremely patient and easy to work with despite a growing list of customizations and delays.

What was the team composition?

I was the designer and middleman, corresponding with both the client and 247 Labs. On 247 Labs' side, they provided a project manager and developers, although I'm not sure how many worked on the project. The owner supervised the project but was not involved with its day-to-day progress.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

The site looks fabulous and works exactly as it was designed. It's extremely responsive and looks good on every format. I'm very satisfied with the outcome of the project and grateful for 247 Lab's patience throughout the process.

How effective was the project management?

Between the owner and the project manager, I felt that my project was always being given attention and consideration. If there were any shortcomings, they were my own. I wish I had connected the team at 247 Labs directly to the client.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their patience. This was not an easy project.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

I prefer phone calls over Skype, so I wish they would offer that.