Black Widow Tech

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Ebony Dollar and we’re a directory that allows users to find minority-owned businesses in their vicinity. We also sell merchandise to help fund what we do because theoretically, we’re a nonprofit organization. The products we sell are designed to target minority communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Widow Tech?

We needed developers to help us put our vision into a mobile app. Reaching out to Black Widow Tech allowed us to work with people who are able to articulate what we’re trying to do, and help us design a process to fulfill a need with a mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

From front to end, we laid out exactly what we wanted to accomplish with the UI/UX. We discussed what it was going to be like from a user, business owner, and administrative perspective. We built the preliminary wireframes to connect the blocks so that we had a bottom line to work with. 

Afterwards, we looked at the process and tweaked it to look and feel the way we envisioned it. Once that was done, we started testing the app so we can roll over into the final phase of knocking out small bits and pieces we wanted to edit out. This is done before we could produce the final product to the Apple Store and Google Play Store.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Tahir (CEO)

How did you come to work with Black Widow Tech?

I found them in Clutch through a Google search. I was able to look at the reviews from other developers, and Black Widow Tech was one of the three companies that I reached out to. I engaged with Tahir and worked through the process of developing a mobile app. Since I also have a background in it, I wanted somebody to give me a little insight into how they process the development. 

I did some research on Google and found a couple of his YouTube videos, doing my due diligence with some background work on them — just to see what they’ve done in the past. We had a couple of one-on-one meetings and then ultimately decided to go with Black Widow Tech. Being in close proximity to where I’m located also helped in the decision.

How much have you invested with them?

It was around $6,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

Phase one of the project started in July 2020–January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The opinion I share with my team is that it’s been a great start. The investment wasn’t overly-aggressive because we wanted to do things in a methodical way — not just throw money and have no idea what the return was going to be. We’re going into this project in phases and collectively, we feel like we’re headed in the right direction. It’s not the end of it, but we’re liking where we’re at, and we’re glad we chose Black Widow Tech for this.

How did Black Widow Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

The overall communication has been pretty fair. There were a couple of times when the process slowed down due to the pandemic. We experienced some miscommunications but it was really nothing unusual.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were extremely flexible from a cost and scoping perspective. As a result, it allowed me to be more flexible with some of the communication missteps. I wanted to meet their flexibility with the same type of energy they had given me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing they need to do is stay on top of their communications.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to make sure they lay out their vision, communicate with Black Widow Tech, and get an idea of what the scope is going to look like. You should also make sure to document everything in partnership with Black Widow Tech — they’re great partners to work with.

Lay everything out on the table so that they know exactly what they’re going to deliver, and so that there are no surprises on both ends. As long as your communications are open, you should have a desirable experience with Black Widow Tech.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and creator of a meeting facilitator app. It’s an ice breaker app to help people initiate conversations with people they don’t know.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Widow Tech?

The app is in need of funding for capital, so we needed them to create a template as well as a proposal to help get funding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We connected with the designers, came up with the color schemes, and further thought out how the app could look and how it would function. Black Widow Tech helped me fully develop the UX for it as well. They came up with the full design, color, and making it user friendly.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Tahir (Founder & CEO) and Ahmar (UX Designer).

How did you come to work with Black Widow Tech?

I Googled some companies in my surrounding area and evaluated the size of the company versus the pricing because I wanted something more intimate. I really liked the founder of Black Widow Tech and being able to read their passion for what they’re doing with their specialties in design. I also really liked the name so that was a plus. All of the notes fit for what I was looking for in a company.

How much have you invested with them?

So far we’ve only invested about $700.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2020 and the relationship is currently ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything looks really good so far and I feel like it will be successful when it comes time to pitch. I was speaking with another designer who said it would be really great to have a template so that I could share with other people how it would look and flow. The other designer also said it was really good.

How did Black Widow Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. The team is always on top of when the next meeting will be set, on time, thorough, and never rushing me off. They make sure we have enough time for them to answer all of my questions, and also I answer all of their questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Black Widow Tech is passionate about what they do and they’re very knowledgeable about different things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing, they’re pretty on point.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think it through. They need a clear vision and idea of what you need. Only you will know what you want and be able to explain the tools that you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a certified financial education instructor and I founded My Financial Blueprint, a business centered around finance education.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Widow Tech?

I approached Black Widow Tech to develop an app for the board game I’m creating. Basically, since the game is much faster and more robust than monopoly, I wanted to create an app to help keep the pace of the game.

Aside from a home edition, I also wanted the game to have commercial value where schools, organizations, and youth programs could play it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The app that Black Widow Tech built works as a reconciliation of accounts where you do your inputs, do your debts, and keep track of the money that’s coming in and out. The app was built this way so that it can provide an accurate assessment of each player’s accounts which it will interpret and update in real-time.

Our next goal is developing version 3.0 and getting it launched to the App Store.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Tahir (Product Manager).

How did you come to work with Black Widow Tech?

I sent out a couple of feelers to see if anybody would respond and Tahir did. We set up a time to have a phone conversation and the conversion felt really good and sincere. He understood what my needs were and explained how he would approach it and get it done. I took a chance and ran with that team.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested about $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The ongoing engagement started in June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My family and I have been playing the game for a couple of years now and we’re loving it. I’m expecting the full product to be delivered in a week. I believe it’s going to be a key element in acquiring the funding for the rest of the game to be manufactured and distributed.

And as for general feedback, since it’s an add-on to the actual board game, the measure of success would have to be the complications experienced on the launch, the smoothness, and how fast it performs.

How did Black Widow Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re 100%, absolutely pleased with them meeting deadlines and their performance in the production of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with their professionalism. Tahir was always really good at communicating because he would always keep me updated to let me know what was going on. We talk regularly, about once a week, to show me how the project is progressing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m really pleased with the work they’ve done for me and how they’ve dealt with me so I really can’t say if there are any areas to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to communicate. Try to be as detailed as possible. Paint a picture for them but avoid broad strokes. Tahir had this set of questions when we were going through our initial conversation that fleshed out a lot of information.

This can help you be really in-depth with your needs so be upfront about those and give them the opportunity to deliver.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an app marketing consultancy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Widow Tech?

I bought an app and I wanted someone to help me fix the codes, bugs, and improve the design. We also needed an analytics implementation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The main thing that I've tasked Black Widow Tech with is updating our app. We needed it to be compatible with iOS 14 and to squash a lot of the bugs. There were several bugs that were creating a bad user experience. They’ve also worked to ensure the app has analytics that has mobile attribution so I can move ahead with advertising it.

What is the team composition?

I‘m working with Ahmar (UI/UX Designer), Tahir (Product Manager), Igor (Full Stack Developer), and another developer. So I am working with four people in total.

How did you come to work with Black Widow Tech?

I’ve been in the mobile app industry for eight years and I was looking for an opportunity to start my own app publishing business. I saw their ad online, we started a conversation, and that’s how I came to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in August 2020 and it is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I bought the app in a pretty ugly state, but they were able to fix the crashes and bugs. They also managed to update it and connect it to the App Store. 

How did Black Widow Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

Although I think they could do better at communicating, I care more about the results. We communicated via text messages and calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with their turnaround time and availability. Plenty of times we were having to call during the weekend, and that means a lot to me. They understand that I am betting my capital on my project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could provide transparent communication by utilizing a project management tool that would give me an idea of where things are.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the initiative to schedule regular calls and be proactive regarding the communication that you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sole proprietor of LRG2020.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Widow Tech?

I came up with an idea for an app that would help US-based users find their unclaimed funds, which are normally held by each state. Black Widow Tech helped me get that up and going.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Black Widow Tech developed a nationwide app that allowed users to located unclaimed funds — that refers to different types of money that citizens might have forgotten about in banks or security deposits. Each state is responsible for holding those funds indefinitely until the individual claims it.

After explaining my idea, Black Widow Tech helped me come up with the designs, starting with the wireframes to sketch out potential screens. They then built out the product around my initial ideas.

Currently, the app is complete, and we’ve submitted it to Google Play and the App Store. They’ve sent us some requirements to change, so that’s what Black Widow Tech is working on, now.

What is the team composition? 

Tahir (CEO & Product Manager) was my main point of contact, but there were about three more individuals on the project.

How did you come to work with Black Widow Tech?

I saw one of their ads on Facebook and reached out to them. In the ad, they mentioned a few of their services, so I decided to take a chance and create this app.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent about $2,500–$2,800.

What is the status of this engagement?

The bulk of the project lasted from May–July 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s been a worthwhile project. So far, users like the app, and the feedback has been positive. The only thing we need to do now is to make some adjustments for the app stores. 

How did Black Widow Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

This was my first time developing an app, so working with them was extremely helpful. They guided me through the process from beginning to end. There’s a lot of requirements that go on behind the scenes that I wasn’t even aware of, so it was an eye-opening experience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was a good experience throughout. They were thorough in explaining the app development process to me so that I could understand it better. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have anything critical to say at this point. Everything that Tahir explained to me or said he would do has worked out.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d recommend Black Widow Tech to anyone, especially if they’re a beginner to app development. There’s a lot more to putting out an app than just coming up with an idea. That’s why I appreciated that they took their time to walk me through the process and give suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of a fuel delivery service. We provide on-site refueling services to business fleets with either gas or diesel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Widow Tech?

We wanted to build mockups of the prototype of our iOS and Android mobile app and needed a partner to draw those up with us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team worked with us to come up with ideas for delivering a better UX and lay them out in detailed mockups to be implemented on both the app and the frontend of our website.

We went through an ideation process just to test out different ideas, and then once we had figured out what we were looking for, we iterated on a few more specific designs till we arrived at a final product.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with Tahir (Owner).

How did you come to work with Black Widow Tech?

They were referred to me by a friend of mine who had a great experience working with them as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent under $2,000 on the work.

What is the status of this engagement?

The whole project lasted from around April–June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When I think about the work that Black Widow Tech provided for us, the two words that come to mind are reliability and consistency. They came through in every aspect that we needed them to, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the result that we arrived at because of it.

How did Black Widow Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an excellent job of managing all of the work and communication between our two teams. We just used email and phone calls to discuss the designs, but they were able to keep everything very organized and were always professional throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Having direct communication with the guy in charge really goes a long way in helping operate at maximum efficiency. If you want to make a change, you can send that directly to him and he will make it happen, so there is always a very quick turnaround on anything you give them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I was happy with everything they did.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just make sure you have an idea of what you want to create, and they will help you move forward from there.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and president of AE Construction Services, a construction company focusing on both interior and exterior rehab apartment complexes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Widow Tech?

The online presentation of our business was lacking, so we needed a partner to help us develop a website that would allow us to keep up with the pace of our industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team built the website from scratch using HTML5, CSS, and Webflow form. They provided a logo and small animations for the site. I provided content that they could use, and we went back and forth to make sure that the organization and presentation of everything was aligned with what we were trying to achieve as a business.

What was the team composition?

For this project, I worked with eight members of their team.

How did you come to work with Black Widow Tech?

One of my friends who owns an online business had recommended that I reach out to them, and they felt like a great fit from the beginning.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, I spent about $3,800.

What is the status of this engagement?

The whole project took place in March 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within 3–4 days of launching the site, I landed a huge client that came directly through the new platform. In that regard, the results have really spoken for themselves.

I have even received calls from residential companies that wanted to give me residential leads who I had to turn down since I focus on residential. On top of that, everyone who we meet with compliments the website because of how sleek and easy to navigate it is.

How did Black Widow Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

From the beginning, I received weekly reports about how their progress was going, and they ended up delivering the final product two days ahead of schedule, so I was really pleased with how they managed all of the work.

Our teams primarily communicated over Google Docs and phone calls. They showed me mockups along the way, and I was able to tell them which I liked better and provide feedback on the direction so that I was totally satisfied with the final result.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their management did an excellent job of handling communication with us throughout the project, and the quick turnaround that it resulted in was beyond my expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

For the quality of service that they are offering, I honestly think they could be charging more than what they currently do.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Look at your work with them as an investment in yourself, not just a number you have to spend. You’re in great hands, and the project is going to be well worth whatever you put into it in the end.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a security company that provides physical security for clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Widow Tech?

We’re trying to streamline our operations by making an app that serves as a one-stop-shop for guards to check-in and out, report incidents, take photos, and log their hours.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Black Widow is helping us develop our mobile app. We’d seen something comparable, so we already had an idea of what we wanted the app to look like. We communicated that to Black Widow.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people. I came on in the middle of the project, so I don’t know their positions.

How did you come to work with Black Widow Tech?

My partner knew Tahir (CEO & Product Manager) and reached out. He found them online and chose them because of their reviews. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent a little over $8,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

It’s been about a six-month process, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still in the test phase. We haven’t launched because we’re waiting on certain credentials. For instance, our Apple Developer enrollment just went through. 

We’ve seen a demo, but we haven’t actually implemented the app into our entire program, so we can’t provide feedback in terms of operations or functionality.

How did Black Widow Tech perform from a project management standpoint?

Black Widow has been very responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Black Widow’s attentiveness, responsiveness, and ability to work around our schedule stand out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only criticism I have for Black Widow is that there were certain aspects of the process that required video direction. Once we overcame that obstacle, we were able to advance the process. They corrected the issue, but it might have delayed the process slightly.

I’m not a techie, and I found that there was an oversimplification of things that were actually more involved, and I needed assistance with them. Once I explained it to them, they were good at making sure that any follow-ups were facilitated. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Firstly, I would advise that whoever is using the service should have a strong idea as to what they want. Secondly, once the concept is presented, just follow the steps. Depending on the level of technical competency, make sure that Black Widow is walking the person requiring the services through the process.