Atlasopen

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of two companies. One is CampusLife, a company that helps match university students with small businesses to gain experience in employment. The other is a sister company called SocialStar, a marketing agency that uses university students to provide marketing services for those same small businesses. Both companies fulfill the same need but in slightly different ways.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlasopen?

We needed help with developing a software platform where university students and small businesses could create their profiles in an effort to match them together. In Australia, a lot of companies use platforms like SEEK to post job offerings, but a lot of university students aren’t necessarily looking into those platforms, so these businesses find it difficult to connect with students. Thus, our main challenge was creating a platform that could comfortably connect their two different demographic profiles and styles of communication for commercial purposes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Atlasopen has helped us develop our platform. They’ve built it on an open-source software platform, allowing them to create a mobile version of it for iOS and Android devices. It also has e-commerce capabilities, for which they’ve integrated Stripe as the payment gateway.

This platform operates as a two-sided marketplace with two different sets of profiles, one for students and another for employers. It has a functionality where businesses can search and find what they’re looking for in a match. Additionally, it processes payments for the students’ services and has communication tools to connect with them once they’ve matched.

The platform is video-driven to appeal to the students with its TikTok-style look. Students can go in, create their profile, fill in their details, and upload a video about their skills in an interview-like format. Those videos are available for employers to see, and those businesses can also upload a video about their organization and the jobs they’re offering.

The matching functionality only allows businesses to reach students and not the other way around. This prevents job offers from being flooded with resumes of unqualified prospects, easing the matchmaking process with highly qualified individuals. Once they’ve matched, students can see the employer’s video and engage with them through a chat room to discuss further details.

Currently, we’re starting to work with Atlasopen on a second phase of the project to enhance the platform’s capabilities. Moving forward, we want to allow students to also use it as a freelance services marketplace for small projects.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Clarence (Director), but I’ve also met a couple of Atlasopen’s developers.

How did you come to work with Atlasopen?

I was referred to Atlasopen by someone who worked for me at the time. Still, I went through a procurement process and interviewed Clarence, after which I decided he was the right person for the job. I also interviewed two other companies, but Clarence understood the project the best, and his proposal was also better.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $80,000 AUD (approximately $55,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed the contract in December 2021, and they launched the product’s beta version in the same month; it was very quick. However, we spent the next months testing it and solving issues, and we finally released it to the market in April 2022 during an event. Since then, we’ve kept them on a retainer for maintenance until we’re ready to go into the next stage of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Atlasopen has completed the project per our specifications, which is a sign of success itself. Although we found many issues with our platform’s beta version, by the time we released it to market, it worked very well. Currently, we have about 100 students and 10 companies using our platform, and it is very stable and well-built.

How did Atlasopen perform from a project management standpoint?

Atlasopen is very good at doing their work as long as we communicate regularly with them. Initially, most of our communication was via email, but I found it more effective to have regular meetings with them. Clarence is very understanding and great to work with; we get along very well. Besides emails, we communicate via phone calls and video conferences.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Atlasopen’s honesty is impressive. We’re able to have robust discussions about issues, areas of improvement, and new ideas, and they clearly explain the reasoning behind their logic and their work. Additionally, they’ve taken the time to explain the technical details of their decision-making process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When Atlasopen released the platform's beta version, we found many bugs that should have been fixed before the release. However, they quickly identified those issues and worked to resolve them in good time.

Additionally, Clarence is sometimes busy because he also writes code himself, so it takes him some time to get back to us. Still, we can always have a quick call if needed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have clarity upfront about the scope of your project. Additionally, make sure to go through the project details or have an advisor do that for you so that you understand what you’re getting for your money.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager of a member services organization with over 200 members.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlasopen?

We needed a custom-built digital marketing platform that would allow us to send email, dripmail and SMS campaigns on behalf of our members.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided wireframes and briefed Atlas on exactly what we were trying to achieve with the platform, including the customer journey. They built it to our exact specifications, allowing us to market on behalf of our members. They used Sendgrid for the email component.

We also wanted to include the ability for our members to opt in or out of buying offers. 

Once our platform was launched, Atlas helped us onboard our members and make further changes following user testing.

What is the team composition?

We have two main points of contact, including Clarence (Director).

How did you come to work with Atlasopen?

We heard about them through a similar group to ours but decided to go to market to ensure we were making the right decision. We looked at 3 different options but chose Atlas as they most closely fit our requirements and budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in January 2021, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our success metrics are really the satisfaction of our members, and they’ve been very thrilled with the product Atlasopen created because it delivers what it’s designed to do.

Additionally, even though we constantly change the scope, their team has been very accommodating. If our requests aren’t within the scope of what we agreed on, they’re very transparent if we need to pay additional fees.

How did Atlasopen perform from a project management standpoint?

They follow a scrum methodology, which allows them to be clear on the deliverables they need to finish. On top of that, they deliver on time and on budget. Furthermore, they have great communication skills; we communicate weekly to make sure that everything’s on track, which is mostly done over email. They also reach out to us if they need anything. As a result, we always know what’s going on with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been very patient even though we ask a lot of questions, and they offer reasonable prices for their services. To be specific, our main points of contact are very knowledgeable and efficient.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have a clear idea of the frontend design that you want for your platform.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a co-founder at an e-commerce marketplace targeting the African market. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlasopen?

We needed somebody to bring our website to life. When we went into this project, the most challenging part was to get somebody to understand what we were trying to do. 

The website had complex features — it wasn’t a standard e-commerce site — and it required somebody who was willing to follow us through our journey. As an example, we had a group buying feature, and very few e-commerce companies used that feature to get customers. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to build an e-commerce site that allows customers to buy in groups and share with friends. Atlasopen helped us create a digital platform that facilitates this. Near the end, we also wanted them to design our logo.

What is the team composition?

All in all, there were around 2–4 people who worked with us on this project. We mainly worked with Clarence (CEO) and Judd(Senior Developer). They also brought in a designer to design our logo. Other people were also working in the background.

How did you come to work with Atlasopen?

Hiring Atlasopen was actually a last-minute decision. We had been doing research for a while, and we stumbled across Clutch and found them. There were other providers that had more competitive pricing, but we went for Atlasopen since their office was in Melbourne. I liked that their office was close to ours; I could drop by at any time. 

On top of that, Clarence seemed to understand clearly what I was trying to do — he was a smart guy. If things went wrong, I felt comfortable contacting him. He also didn’t overpromise. He was simply genuine and very straightforward. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent in the range of $40,000 AUD (approximately $30,500 USD), including the logo that wasn’t in the original scope of work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from March–September 2020. They already delivered the last deliverable. Technically, though, the relationship is ongoing since we plan on retaining them for ongoing maintenance and app design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In terms of the impact that Atlasopen had on our business, they were very generous with their time. Clarence was always on the phone with me during the execution process, making sure that our visions aligned and they were delivering what we want as best as possible.

How did Atlasopen perform from a project management standpoint?

For deadlines, the original plan was to wrap up the project by the end of July, but the scope changed. We had to augment the requirements and think about what to do. The original timeline was not met, but it was reasonable since I changed the scope. In terms of communication, we used text messaging and calls as well as Zoom meetings.

Meanwhile, Clarence was quite impressive based on how quickly he understood what we were trying to achieve. He brought our ideas to the site and helped us understand how they were implemented.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I went to work with Atlasopen, I didn’t want drama. Issues were inevitable, especially since we were supposed to go out of the country. I needed a professional; somebody who would let me knock on their door and give me time. I found all of that with Atlasopen. 

I couldn’t really compare them to other service providers, but they had what I was looking for from potential partners during the project. On top of that, the pricing of their service was reasonable and the quality of their work was good. They also had accountability, which was very important for me. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The process of defining exactly what the deliverables were was longer than anticipated. Although going through the process does help in reducing misunderstandings, it could be improved and the expected timeframe for finalization explicitly communicated before commencing the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of Armourguard. We are a waterproofing and painting business in the construction trade. We have a fleet of 16 vehicles, with over 20 employees, going to more than 100 mostly residential properties each week.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlasopen?

We wanted to streamline communication and job information between employees and our admin team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a mobile and web application for us. They also advised us on the web app, which is controlled by our admin team. The design was done by our in-house graphic designer.

The app tracks jobs, including which vehicle is used by each worker, and ensures the proper information is given to each employee. They can log in to the app, answer a few questions about the job, and a consistent report will be generated.

It also includes images and validation comments regarding a finished job. Those reports can be given to builders, and used to obtain permits. 

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with two people.

How did you come to work with Atlasopen?

I found them on Clutch after I had done some market research and received advice from several developers. They were the most prompt of the companies we reached out to, had a lot of good reviews, and were in the middle of their competitors regarding price.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000 AUD (approximately $23,700 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2020 until October 2020, when the app was launched. They helped with bug fixes and more until February 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The streamlining with the app is quite good. Prior to that, we were using Excel spreadsheets to give job information to employees, and they had to send pictures to admin for each job, which was hard to keep track of efficiently. We have had positive feedback from employees and admin staff, and also regarding the reports generated.

How did Atlasopen perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a fantastic job. The two main people were knowledgeable and accommodating. We communicated via Zoom and Google Meets regarding updates, challenges, anything we could provide, such as examples or photos, and ways to streamline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to understand and appreciate our concerns while continuously find solutions was very impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There are some differences in our industries and they could have a little better understanding of where their liabilities are.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear understanding of the scope of the project and translate it to the team in a way that allows for working efficiently.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director and co-founder of a security systems company that does encryption and decryption.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlasopen?

I needed an amazing development team to help develop my mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed my mobile app for iOS and Android. We have a barcode reader that gives call outcomes such as showing products, who is viewing those products, and where. We’re just about finished with the second version of the app and will move to the third soon. I have a dozen versions that I want to roll out in orderly fashion.

What is the team composition?

There are four people and I’ve emailed with three of the four of them.

How did you come to work with Atlasopen?

I looked very carefully and approached five companies, telling them very little of what I wanted in order to assess how well we’d be able to interact with them. The person from Atlasopen was really clear and precise, and he understood how to interface and use documentation appropriately. They’re also in Melbourne, which is fantastic.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent $150,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2019 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first version is spectacular, precisely meeting what I defined and showing what I wanted. Each layer of the functionality connects to our Java technology framework. Version two is about to be released and it’s on track to be exactly the same. I also have another project that I’ll be bringing to them that’s with another company that I have.

How did Atlasopen perform from a project management standpoint?

They were no time issues and they were on budget. They’re only a few suburbs away from us so it’s gloriously easy. They come to my home office to do presentations. I couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome. We use email and it’s great that we can communicate so well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been a really great find. They understand the level at which I need to be involved. Everything flows in terms of the timeframe and functionality as I’d expect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d just like to see them grow to be really huge, but not too successful for us. They get the work done and are very personable, so it’s been a delight. They’re eloquent too.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and director of a company that specializes in making tea out of the leaves of the coffee tree and from byproducts of the coffee process. We help farmers in emerging coffee communities diversify their income from the coffee harvest by making various teas out of tree leaves, coffee fruits, and blossoms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlasopen?

We needed help with marketing, web development, SEO, and directly contacting our customers via MailChimp.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Atlasopen developed our website to be simple, bold, unique, and highly visual. We presented examples we liked from other companies’ pages and collaboratively developed a wireframe for the design. The site’s direct connection to Instagram lets users make purchases from our Instagram page. 

We wanted the look and feel to speak directly to the customer and communicate our company’s personality and product offerings. How we interacted directly was quite a challenge. We had a good experience working with the team.

What is the team composition? 

We worked with two people from Atlasopen, the owner and a web developer.

How did you come to work with Atlasopen?

We found Atlasopen through a friend of mine who knows the founder. When we met with him, he clearly spelled out how they would work with us in a way that other digital agencies don’t. As a startup, they offered exactly what we wanted at a very fair price. Had we gone with an already established digital agency, it probably would have been double the cost. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Atlasopen delivered the structural aspects of the site we needed. Now, it’s up to our company to create new products to post and include and in our social marketing strategy.

The team’s work has been very good and well-received. People who have used the site have expressed that it looks really great and is functional. Based on their feedback, users can easily understand the angle we’re taking.

How did Atlasopen perform from a project management standpoint?

The project took a bit longer than we expected. Upon reflection, we could have been clearer about our needs and timeframe. Once we narrowed down and clearly explained, the project sped up and gained momentum.

Each week, we either met or touched base with the Atlasopen team. They have a board room set up in their office. I worked one-on-one with two resources who communicated requests to the rest of the team. It was direct, live communication. They worked on any problem that arose.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Before we first met with Atlasopen, we had seen the range of websites they’d created for past clients. They had done SEO and digital marketing for large scale businesses and created e-commerce websites for service-based companies.

We were amazed by their breadth of experience and diverse portfolio, especially as an emerging startup. Atlasopen is really great to work with and I would recommend them to anyone. They have a wide range of services to offer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Atlasopen’s communication is fantastic, especially their email response rate. Earlier on in the project when we were fleshing out the scope, they probably could have asked a few more leading questions to fully understand the tone and feel of the site. As an ecommerce platform, creative visuals and direct customer dialogue is really important. This did no detract from the overall experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what you want. Atlasopen is a very creative group. They’ll work with you to create the exact kind of site you want.

Have a clear understanding about your target audience and send them specific examples. Weekly communication worked well for us. Send regular emails to convey your ideas so they understand your intentions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the director of FirmChecker.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Atlasopen?

We wanted to increase the efficiency of our data collection for a large scale survey we run.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to undertake auto-analysis of data collected through our survey as well as auto-distribution of that data. We required strong security and privacy measures for our users, and the ability for respondents to remain anonymous.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I searched online for WordPress developers. One that I initially found then referred me to Atlasopen.

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

They built a custom plugin for our WordPress site. The plugin allows our users to send out mass personalized survey invitations to their clients. We are then able to aggregate and analyze the data while our users can access the ratings and reviews, then put them in the context of industry benchmarks. It's an MVP, but has a lot of potential.

What was the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Clarence Ho (Founder and CEO, Atlasopen). We didn't have any direct contact with the developers, but I understand that there was a combination of on- and offshore talent working on it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It's still a bit too early to say. At this stage, however, we think there's a lot of potential and it will operate as a labor-saving device as well as a means for ensuring higher quality data.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management was done between myself and Clarence. I'd say it was pretty effective. The timeline dragged out a little longer than we'd hoped, and there were some UX and QA issues that could have been picked up a little earlier in the process. It was a case of needing fresh eyes on it. That said, we were on a tight budget throughout.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their creativity was impressive. They really understood our business quickly, were engaged with its results, and came up with creative, customized solutions that we'd not thought of. This has resulted in business opportunities we hadn't anticipated and could potentially be transformative.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

The management of expectations. In particular, with respect to time, but also with respect to the budget. There's often a gulf of knowledge and expectations between lay people and developers. It would be good if they could deliver faster, or provide less aggressive estimates for when the product will be delivered.

In terms of QA, there were small bugs and issues of robustness that probably could have been anticipated and fixed earlier. In most cases, I support the philosophy of shipping things to customers and iterating them quickly, but when there are no in-house tech resources to make small fixes it's important to do more thorough QA. That said, my method of working is pretty hands-on, so this type of approach suited me. Overall, I'm definitely happy with the result and the input of Atlasopen.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and director of Adeptio Health, an exercise physiology business in Newcastle, Australia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Atlasopen?

We needed Atlasopen to create an online presence for us. We also required SEO implementation. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our initial goal was to launch a website for our business. We also aimed to be one of the top three ranks on search engines. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We previously worked with their director on other projects. Knowing their level of skill, I had no doubt in their abilities to meet my needs.

Describe the project in detail.

They initiated the project by developing a company website. They created a search and appointment feature, and the team curated our content to be relevant. Altasopen also built out our brand and created organic ads to garner exposure on social media. They are currently implementing SEO work and providing market insights for us.

What was the team composition?

We were provided a project manager who keeps us up to date throughout the process of what work is being completed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within 6–8 weeks, we improved our online presence, and our customers were very impressed with our website. The results have been outstanding so far and we are confident they will continue to exceed our expectations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their communication is wonderful. Atlasopen outlines everything well and updates us frequently. They keep it simple and easy for us to understand and continue to build our confidence in what they are doing. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge and understanding of the market and their guidance to efficiently generate leads impress us. Their team brought ideas we never thought about. Their feedback and swift responses to my needs are also great.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I don't see anything. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a footwear and athletics startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Atlasopen?

We needed an app that would help our staff communicate with each other and share documents in an efficient, effective manner.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals for this project were to facilitate and encourage the exchange of ideas between staff members.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My team vetted three agencies to award a contract. Atlasopen stood out because they provided value beyond just app development. They could advise us about which features could be built in what timeframe. They also helped us design the UX by creating user stories, which we tested with some of our staff.

Describe the project in detail.

After kickoff, we had a series of meetings to discover what our staff wanted. Atlasopen initially created wireframes to determine which features our staff would value. After the staff gave feedback, they revised the designs to meet their needs. Once this process was complete, they designed the logo and added fonts and colors to our exact specifications. This paved the way for their engineers to build the app.

What was the team composition?

The team included a project manager, a designer, a backend developer, and a frontend developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The development of the app was a highly successful project. It increased communication and idea generation within the team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our communication while developing and implementing the app was excellent. Atlasopen effectively managed the entire project, exceeding our expectations at every stage.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their most impressive characteristics were their excellent technical knowledge and their ability to manage my needs and expectations. They knew what they were talking about and could easily explain themselves.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlasopen?

I needed help with website development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped me develop my website using WordPress. We’re continuing to add features, and I’m also going to use them for SEO.

What is the team composition?

I work with a couple of guys.

How did you come to work with Atlasopen?

I did a Google search and sent out an email to several developers. One guy said he couldn’t do it, but that he had a friend who could. He gave me Atlasopen’s contact information.

How much have you invested with them?

$1,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m satisfied with their work. If I tell them to do something, they use common sense; I don’t have to tell them every little detail. I’ve had comments that the website looks professional.

How did Atlasopen perform from a project management standpoint?

They kept me in the loop. We communicate through email and phone calls, and I’ve met with them in person a couple of times.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re personable and have good communication skills. They know what they're doing and are genuinely enthusiastic about building the website. They like working on it and seeing it grow.