Apptension

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a design and engineering agency based in New York City. Our company works with clients to design, develop, and launch digital products and experiences. I’m a product lead on the product strategy team. I was the project lead on our work with Apptension.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apptension?

We were working with a luxury fitness studio to build and deliver an on-demand fitness app. Our in-house engineering team is relatively small, so we needed their help to build the backend services and capabilities needed to deliver a production level on demand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The end product needed to support workout video playback, payments, and subscription capabilities. It was built for iOS and Android and offered separate apps for trainers and subscribers. Trainers could upload content for the subscribers to play on their end of the app. On both sides of the coin, there’s room for a lot of photo-sharing. We connected the app to social media platforms. This was particularly important because many of the trainers are also Instagram influencers. 

Our team handled the upfront strategy, design, UX, and front-end development of both the iOS and Android platforms. Their team was brought on to augment the team for backend infrastructure work. They were tasked with server and database management responsibilities. On the backend, we used Prisma, PostgreSQL, AWS SQS for messaging, Cube, and Firebase. For the front-end, we used Swift, Kotlin, and various other technologies on our end.  

What is the team composition?

At max capacity, we had a total of seven people from their team. That included a project manager and developers. 

How did you come to work with Apptension?

Our head of engineering was connected with them prior to the engagement. Once we discussed the scope and our aggressive timeline, they were one of the only providers that were excited about that challenge and wanted to push themselves to meet our deadlines. We felt that they would be the most comfortable and competent in delivering this work.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $10,000–$20,000 on their work so far. The total project cost is between $50,000–$199,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the work in September 2019, and our collaboration is ongoing. There was a break in deployment for about a month, but we picked things back up in February 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any hard metrics yet. They collaborated well with us, suggesting technologies to use and explaining how to implement them. Their team was the expert for the backend development, so we trusted their judgment. Our team was impressed with their consistency, despite a significant time zone difference. We got into a rhythm and cadence with our work that ended up benefitting us.   

How did Apptension perform from a project management standpoint?

We landed on GitHub to discuss and identify problems while working. They recommended that we add another software on top of GitHub to further manage the project. That worked well. We also had constant communication through Slack. In addition, we had a weekly call with them to discuss progress. That later turned into a biweekly call because most of our communication could be handled over Slack or GitHub. It was nice to have someone on their end managing their outputs. That made the collaboration easier for us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’d never worked on an on-demand fitness app and neither had we. Even so, they took everything in stride along with us. Their ability to produce high-quality work with consistency while dealing with a new type of project was impressive.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were some holes in documentation both in and outside of code. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you’re communicating effectively because it’s easy for information to get lost in translation when working with an outsourced, remote partner. I’d recommend Slack for problem-solving, so all conversations are documented.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital project manager at Unit9.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apptension?

We were looking for development work to be done.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Apptension initially helped us with a VR project for HyperCRC. Now, they’re developing an app with a 3D program for use in the construction industry. They’re using Unity for programming, Firebase, and cloud servers. The app pulls data from the server, and then we showcase the data in 3D and make sure the data is parsing back to the server correctly.

What is the team composition?

For the HyperCRC project, we worked with three developers and a project manager. For the app, we’re just working with Krzysztof (Backend Developer), a Unity developer. We have a lead dev in the UK, but Krzysztof is the main person working on the app’s backend and synchronization with the client-server. He makes sure that the 3D element works with the data to be pulled into the app.

How did you come to work with Apptension?

HyperCRC has worked with them before. We’re currently using one of the projects that they built for organizing and scheduling our own internal system, so we knew them from that. Our lead in-house developer recommended Apptension, and our project managers have worked with Apptension on various projects. We like their work, which is why we continue to partner with them on projects.

How much have you invested with them?

My company spent between $120,000–$300,000. The HyperCRC project cost around $80,000 for the year I was involved; the app we’re working on is £170,000 (approximately $209,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

I started at Unit9 a year ago, but the relationship between Unit9 and Apptension began about four years ago. The HyperCRC project has been in motion for two years now. The project that we’re working on currently, which is due to finish this week, has been three months long. We have been doing research for the app since December 2019 and began development in January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work on the HyperCRC project over the past year has been absolutely amazing. Our director has been very happy with their work. When the app goes live, we have a second iteration that will probably involve two of their developers rather than just one. We will definitely use Apptension in the coming months. There’s another project that involves the same company but in another country. 

How did Apptension perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a senior project manager for the HyperCRC project, and he was amazing. I actually learned from him in terms of growing as a project manager. His side handled the project’s organization and financing. His translation of dev port to normal presentation was great. When I first started in VR, I didn’t understand it, since I have immense experience in web. The project manager helped me understand a lot. 

For the app project, there was no need for another project manager. We only acquired a Unity web developer, and I’m the project manager. We have daily standups and communicate through email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Having worked with offshore development teams in India, Australia, and Canada, what differentiates Apptension is that they’re available whenever we need them. Aleksandra (Head of Project Delivery) and Dominika (Head of Client Engagement) handle the admin part of our work together, and they’re amazing about getting back to me right away. For example, the app was meant to finish today, but I asked for Krzysztof to be extended until next week. I got an email back within five minutes that this was okay. The price is absolutely great for the quality we’re getting. They’re good about working with our process and the current standards that our developers put into place. They code the way we want them to. Also, their understanding of Unity is great, which is a reason we’ll use them again. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

This isn’t really a fault on their end, but because they’re a company, they require at least two people on a project. If they do go into lending developers individually, without having to make hierarchy requests, that would be great, but that is only a preferred way from my side. They normally like to have two people minimum on a project. For this project, we didn’t need a project manager, so I had to negotiate with them not to have one on the project. That was just my preference, and they accepted it, so we didn’t have any issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have an internal lead. They have different levels of developers, so to remain in sync, have something like a daily standup to ensure you have control over what has and hasn’t been completed. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a company that invests in e-commerce startups and entrepreneurs in new e-commerce technologies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apptension?

We wanted Apptension to build an e-commerce chatbot for a number of very specific applications. The chatbot was built for potential development and investment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They are developing the chatbot. The chatbot has multi-purpose functionality; it could work on a website or an app. They use Svelte along with a Rollup.js configuration. AWS Lambda serves as the hosting platform. The backend is written in Python with a serverless framework.

Their team also did research around the AI technologies we could be using for the chatbot. Half the work was research and the other half was building the prototype.

What is the team composition?

There were 2–3 main developers I spoke with along with a main project manager.

How did you come to work with Apptension?

They worked with a company that I had previously invested in.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested somewhere between $20,000–$40,000. The total project cost is between $50,000–$199,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in July of 2019. The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of their work has been excellent. They’ve done an incredible amount of work and exponentially broadened the scope of the project in a smart way. The ROI on the budget we’ve invested has been great. They’ve exceeded the initial set of expectations.

How did Apptension perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve had conversations with developers on a weekly basis. The communication and tracking of the project have gone well. The project management is very conscientious; they are regularly in touch with me. Any changes have been communicated ahead of time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very knowledgeable about cutting-edge technology.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing that could be improved.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think other people might have a much more specific product to build, whereas I went in a bit unsure of what I wanted to develop.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the operations manager for Schema Design. We create data visualization products for our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apptension?

We engaged Apptension to help us create visual installations for a third-party client’s conference.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We created seven video installations and an interactive touch screen that would run throughout the conference. Our side made the videos and the interactive map for the touch screen; Apptension built the software to run both.

The video installations were run off of custom pillars with multiple screens on two sides. Meanwhile, the touchscreen installation was operated on Microsoft Surface Hub. Our teams weren’t familiar with these technologies, so Apptension learned their limitations on the fly. Their team figured out how to run each video on multiple screens and how to sync the video on both sides of the installation. 

The development last three months. An Apptension team member then flew with us to the conference to provide live support.

What is the team composition?

Apptension dedicated a full-time developer to the project. We also worked with a project manager, a QA person, and a few part-time developers.

How did you come to work with Apptension?

Our founder met their team at South By Southwest (SXSW), and we started collaborating on other products. When this opportunity came along, we felt that they would be the perfect team to pair up with.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000 and $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The software performed well with minimal bugs and issues. Apptension made tweaks on-site to ensure that the event ran smoothly. Our client was pleased with the end product, and so were we.

How did Apptension perform from a project management standpoint?

Aleksandra (Head of Product Delivery, Apptension) led a highly organized and talented team. She kept us in the loop on progress updates and warned us of any potential delays. We met twice a week and communicated through Slack and Jira.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We valued their professional work ethic and their personable approach. Despite our time zone differences, the Apptension team adapted to our work schedule and was highly approachable throughout the collaboration. We could never have completed the project without them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Any advice for potential customers?

We found it helpful to have frequent meetings. Apptension provided valuable insights and progress updates. They also organized each meeting carefully to use our time as efficiently as possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the senior digital producer at Bonsaininja Studio, an independent creative studio that designs and delivers complex communication and digital projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Apptension?

One of our top clients asked us to design and deliver a large interactive exhibit that would showcase two of their brands at an international technology conference. The display was to convey the public vision of the brands and illustrate how a futuristic kitchen might operate.

Our primary challenge was to provide a gamified experience through VR technology that would lean on facial and emotional recognition. Our team designed that element with a group of psychologists, but we hired Apptension to develop technical solutions to ensure an enjoyable experience for all users.

What were your goals for this project?

The main goal was to showcase a technology that will become mainstream in the years to come in an engaging and fun way.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I contacted several Italy-based vendors we’ve worked with in the past, along with a firm I knew from when I worked in Northern Ireland. We also received a number of other references. After we presented the project, challenges, and budget to the development teams, we narrowed our list to three companies. We selected Apptension from the group because we felt they were the most reliable team and the most enthusiastic about the project.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Apptension provided technical direction and frontend and backend development of IoT devices and other featured software. The technology was built to react to various visual stimuli, deduce the users’ specific customer profile, and recommend a particular product. The technology gently harvests user data and provides group analytics. Apptension conducted QA testing and thorough maintenance. They coordinated training sessions and worked to ensure functionality in a live environment.

What was the team composition?

We had access to a single, full-time POC. The project team consisted of a technical leader, front- and backend developers, a DevOps designer, and a QA specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We consider this specific activation a great success. Our client collected a great deal of data during four days at the conference. The overall footfall was higher than past editions, and we imagine that the facial recognition activity contributed to that success. The results exceeded our initial goals, and our client was enthusiastic about the project’s outcome.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

All assets, services, and products were delivered on time and within budget. We used Jira, Slack, Google Slides, and Basecamp for project management purposes. Although much of the development happened remotely, we didn’t experience any troubles because of the time differences.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Apptension exhibited a strong capacity to understand our needs and respond accordingly.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We would have needed more testing to ensure that the application accurately recognized more diverse faces.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated on October 9th, 2019, by the client. The original star ratings were: Overall - 4.5, Quality - 4.5, Schedule - 5, Cost - 4.5, NPS - 4.5. New content is below:

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
For what projects/services did your company hire Apptension?

One of our most important clients, has asked to renew, redesign and deliver a new digital activation for the 2019 edition of the IFA, the world’s most important technology exhibition which will be held in Berlin, Germany, from the 6th until 11th of September 2019.

What were your goals for this project?

The refurbish of the previous version of Facial Recognition should have been done taking in consideration of different constraint: timing, budget and smooth functionality on booth.

SOLUTION
How did you select this vendor?

We selected Apptension since our previous experience was very good.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

• Deployment to Berlin IFA 2019 and on-site assistance for 3 working days
• Event hardware and software configuration
• Code updates due to breaking changes to any third party API or third party data
• Warranty / bug fixes
• Professional Errors and Omissions Liability Insurance

What was the team composition?

Tobiasz Jankowski Business Development Specialist Jakub Matuszczak. Project Manager Michał Przyszczypkowski Frontend Developer Patryk Poleszczuk: Developer

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

It was very important that the development of this installation could have the same impact we obtain in the version of IFA 2018. Our client was satisfied with the result, and this was pretty fundamental for us.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The management was excellent, they were very punctual and dedicated even when remote. Budgeting was very clear and precise.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Apptension is a trusted parter capable to understand and to adapt to our time constrains. Apptension team has been fully dedicated, kind and they and leaning to be a valuable problem solver.

Are there any areas for improvement?

On site we encountered some little bug/problem, that maybe could be solved more rapidly if the same developer of 2018 was available or reachable.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive producer for a digital studio. We provide a variety of services like experience design and web development. We can also take on large-scale interactive installations and documentaries. Our other services include video content production, marketing material design, and 3D asset creation for web development projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apptension?

Despite having an in-house development team, we occasionally get too busy and need to extend our capabilities by engaging a trusted partner. We've meant to work with Apptension for a while and when two projects came up simultaneously, we seized the opportunity to hire them for web development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Apptension helped us over the course of two projects. First, they developed an informational website for an educational institution. Then, they developed a campaign website that utilizes user data to display exciting infographics and innovations. We attached a director to both projects and provided the technical plans. They contributed to those documents as well. Our internal QA resource worked with their QA team. We designed each site’s UI/UX, but only provided minimal development support. They skillfully lead the development efforts.

What is the team composition?

They assigned a project manager, a QA team, and a few developers.

How did you come to work with Apptension?

They were referred to us by a colleague who has an ongoing engagement with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in Fall 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They believe in producing high-quality work that’s on par with what we develop internally. Apptension remained transparent and proactively engaged in communication to accommodate challenging client feedback. This approach enabled them to navigate short project timelines and deliver successful products.

How did Apptension perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re communicative and organized. We interacted through email, Slack, and Google Hangouts. All document sharing was rooted in Google Drive. We overcame a six-hour time difference by meeting with them at the end of their day. They worked ahead of the production schedule, so our meetings consisted of reviewing their progress and making a plan for the following day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The speed at which they delivered an early build of the first site was remarkable. They stayed ahead of the curve throughout both projects and that allowed us to polish each deliverable further.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We found that each party had a different understanding of the scope at several points throughout development. We were able to clear everything up quickly, so that didn’t negatively impact the engagement in a significant way. However, both teams discussed the issue as something that could be improved during the next project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Visual references and guidelines were useful in communicating our vision to them. I’d also recommend establishing a plan to maneuver around the time difference from the start. Later in development, revisit the unknowns that occurred at the beginning of the engagement to ensure a unified understanding between both teams.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital delivery director at a creative agency that works with footwear and hospitality companies. Our digital campaign services include product launches, advertising campaigns, and marketing campaigns.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apptension?

We do annual internal projects. This year, we wanted to create a digital experience based on a local photojournalist’s print work. The photographer had documented his relationship with an elderly man who has lived in Hoxton for over 80 years. We wanted to do something based on this for our project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We built an interactive website using Apptension as a development partner. We handled the creative and the UX/UI design in-house. The photography came from our partner. We also commissioned music, produced videos, and created other content. They worked solely on web development; their UX and design teams collaborated with our in-house development team.

We had audio recordings from both the photographer and actor that portrayed the subject – someone who’s lived in the area for over 86 years without and never left. We segmented the experience into different chapters based on the audio’s topic. They built facial recognition software that uses the webcam to track users’ faces.

The site invites users to close their eyes during each chapter. The experience then introduces background noise to complement each picture. The site asks users to open their eyes after they’ve had enough time to imagine the scene. After detecting that their eyes have opened, we will display the photograph of that scene, so that they can see what it actually was they’d been imagining.

What is the team composition?

The project manager was responsible for planning, delivery, timelines, and managing the development team. However, we maintained direct communication because we prefer close relationships between design and development resources. The development team included three people and the CTO.

How did you come to work with Apptension?

I had friends at a company that previously engaged them. They suggested speaking to Apptension.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between March – April 2017. The website is still live, but won’t be updated as it is a one-time project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site won about four industry awards – a great recognition of our work. We didn’t use KPIs because this was a passion project. From an internal perspective, we loved the site and the creativity that went into it. Everyone was proud of the site; it was a positive experience.

We didn’t necessarily want to attract a specific number of people to the site, see a number of shares, or something similar. We wanted to create a compelling experience that resonated with people. To that end, the site experienced organic growth without paid media.

How did Apptension perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive via Slack and phone. We had daily standup meetings each morning to review that day’s work. The team was flexible and adapted to our preferred methods. Our project manager helped them transition to our workflows. They performed well once they learned our processes.

They were experienced problem solvers; we felt confident about the integration between teams. We had access to senior developers. They were ambitious and worked late nights to deliver our vision.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their approach enhanced the team dynamic. As a remote partner, Apptension extended themselves; they were interested in our work and make the project their own. That sense of responsibility and engagement truly distinguished them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Near the end of the project, I spoke with the IT business manager about how we’d like to work with them in the future. We didn’t want to go through the same startup process again. Similarly, any future projects would need a more efficient onboarding process for new team members. We also had some specific feedback for improving QA, which didn’t perform on the same level as development. QA is just as important during the building phase.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Outline requirements to Apptension as soon as possible, and make sure that expectations are clear. We had an upfront discussion on this topic but later found that our approaches differed slightly. Had we provided more information, and spent more time discussing how we wanted to run the project, they would have been in a better position initially to react to that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and partner of a small digital studio that designs and builds websites and native apps. We typically work with third-party developers on larger projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apptension?

We carried out the planning, UX, and design for a travel app for a client that allows users to reserve and pay for travel activities. We needed development resource to help us build the iOS app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They collaborated with us to build the iOS version of the app; while we created wireframes and provided the designs, they helped us to define the specifics of the functionality and developed the app to our specifications.

The primary functions facilitate vendor-user interactions. Vendors can advertise their activities with photos and promotional videos. Users then browse through the offered activities, organize them with filters, and request bookings. The app also features text/email notifications, integrated digital payment options, and user itineraries.

Currently, they’re providing ongoing support for the app, and we plan to launch other releases by the end of the year. They’ve recently released an update that allowed us to add other markets to our vendor base.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with a tech lead, developer, project manager, and a QA tester.

How did you come to work with Apptension?

We received numerous referrals from our colleagues, so we contacted them and detailed our project objectives. Compared to other companies, they responded quickly and diligently to give us estimates. Ultimately, we chose them based on their high-quality portfolio and previous clients.

How much have you invested with them?

We prefer to keep the project cost confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

The iOS build lasted from March–September 2017. Now, they continue to provide app maintenance and have plans for a potential Android version, though this will depend on our end-client.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The end-client praised the app and wanted to continue working with us, which reflects the caliber of Apptension’s work. They accurately replicated our designs in the final build and included all of the required functions.

How did Apptension perform from a project management standpoint?

Throughout the process, we learned to collaborate with them and came to consider them partners. We met weekly with appear.in and communicated primarily through Slack for smaller inquiries. They always replied promptly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re great communicators and easy to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As we went along, we conveyed minor concerns to them, and they addressed everything we mentioned.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I don’t know what we could have done without our constant communication. They excel at keeping their clients informed, so customers should not be afraid to reach out to them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a conversational commerce platform focused on the beauty and cosmetic space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apptension?

We needed to quickly put out an MVP of what we were launching into the market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Along with our head of engineering, they built two products and got them to the point where we could test them with consumers.

One is for content creators or influencers, helping them to understand how much revenue they make from their content. The platform allows influencers to generate revenue when people purchase products from their posts. The content creator aspect allows them to indicate which products were in the piece of content. The second was a retailer product that allows retailers to upload products to the platform, and in turn, those products are provided to the influencer.

They used Django on the backend and React for the frontend, a web version and not a native version.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 12–15 people who covered the frontend, backend, QA, and project management.

How did you come to work with Apptension?

We had used them before and felt they knew what they were doing.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $170,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from May to December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were able to bring technical design thinking to the project. They helped to push the product into something that could be extendable in the future. The code and the work were good quality and were really what we were looking for.

How did Apptension perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was tight and I always knew what was happening. They ran a scrum and agile process with a two-week scrum duration. They always did 10%–15% more than their story point estimates. Their English and the communication was good, generally. We worked through the time difference by conducting calls in the morning and that worked out pretty well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a great group. We were happy to work with them and really happy with the results. They developed their own product, so they understand what you go through and there is a lot of positives that go into that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re a solid team and overall, the engagement was positive. Any problems were just general technology issues that anyone would have when doing a project like this.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We went over there for a week to spend some time with them, which we found beneficial. It would be worthwhile for anyone doing a significant project to spend time with the team in-person and become familiar with them. That means when doing remote work, it will work well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Simply Soup

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

I am the Founder and CEO of Simply Soup, a food delivery startup in Zurich, Switzerland. I was working as a head chef in one of the popular restaurants in Zurich and started working on this idea eight months back. With our app, users can get food anywhere from their nearby favorite restaurants. We target local restaurants to register as a business with us and earn more by getting more orders through our app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Apptension to accomplish?

• For food delivery app development, we have hired a team of Apptension. For the first phase, we planned to start with the food delivery and after becoming popular in the city, we will start with the second phase of development that includes groceries and parcel delivery. With this commercial platform, we have also included one unique feature in the same app to resolve food wastage.

SOLUTION

How did you find Apptension?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Apptension over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Apptension were assigned to this project?

15

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

With the rough idea, I have contacted them. Mrs. Hannah from Business Development Team helped me to schedule a meeting with their technical team who prepared the Scope of Work document for our requirement. I expected Android and iOS apps as deliverables but after discussion, they added the admin panel, restaurants panel, and website to the list of deliverables.

We have signed the contract to start the project first, then they assign us a project manager Mr. Uresh and a team of designers and developers. First, they deliver the wireframe and prototype and after our approval, they start development. Generally, we discussed progress with the team on weekly basis, and they were always ready to present us with some new tasks completed without any errors. Before sending any file to us, their QA team test it twice for the issues. We are almost completed with the project and after two weeks our maintenance and support time will start.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We are happy with all the deliverables and continue to work on phase 2 with Apptension in the next 3 months. Delivered apps are beyond our expectations and help us to launch our business in this very much competitive industry.

We are working on the launching strategy and planning to launch it in the first week of June. We have already attracted a wide range of restaurants to register on our app using email marketing and personal meetings in Zurich, Switzerland.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

As a project manager, Mrs Hannah helped us in the development of our dream app idea and manage every stage smoothly. We have given access to Zoho project management tools in which the whole assigned team shares updates daily about the progress of development.

We were not able to find any loophole in communication during the development stage. The project manager understands everything and shared it with the team to plan the development tasks. For communication, we used WhatsApp, Skype, and email.

What was your primary form of communication with Apptension?

Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their expertise was very impressive, especially in this demanding industry. They suggested us some amazing and unique features and also helped us to improve our app workflow to get success in the market. If one with an idea of any type of on-demand app, I recommend them to discuss it once with Apptension for sure.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Apptension could have done differently?

It will be good if they give at least six months of maintenance support. Their code quality is a very nice and clean and developed solution without any bugs. In our case, limited time for maintenance and support is fine as we are working on the second phase of development soon.