BrainMobi

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of a mapping company called Dharma Maps. We make topographic trail maps for North America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrainMobi?

We had been moving into the digital world for a number of years. Initially, we needed someone with tech expertise to help us maintain the app we already had with another vendor. However, after facing the limitations of the old app, we hired BrainMobi to build a new app for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mobile mapping technology changed significantly since our first app came out. (We were taking a traditional paper hiking map and turning it into an app.) BrainMobi built a new app for us from the ground up. It's up-to-date and includes many features, such as layering maps on other map sources. It's compatible with iOS and can be downloaded for free. There are also in-app purchases. 

What is the team dynamic? 

We had one main point of contact and 2–3 developers at a time. They were very responsive, always trying to find answers to my questions and addressing my concerns quickly.

How did you come to work with them?

We found them through an online search and checked their referrals. Everyone we talked to said very positive things about them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $125,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We have been working with them since 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Customers really like the app, and the reviews are positive. If there were any problems, BrainMobi responded quickly and resolved them.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

We didn't have any issues with communication. They were always available and eager to help. We mostly used text data, phone calls, and video chat.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were open and able to handle the technological challenges. They dove in, resolved the issues we had, and stuck with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were very timely, but sometimes we wanted things to be done quicker. The quality was excellent, however, which usually takes time to achieve, and we appreciated that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you take time upfront to think about what you want to built and to lay our your ideas, it will be a much smoother process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Cricket Line Guru, which provides live scores for cricket matches. While our app is free to download, our revenue plan revolves around the extras that come with the app. We also have a landing page where users can find links to our app store pages. Our company is based in Germany, but I am working out of India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrainMobi?

Our goal was to provide fast updates on cricket matches, almost in real time. My challenge was gathering and analyzing requirements for the Android and iOS applications.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They turned my rough idea into reality, handling everything from the wireframing stage up to implementing the complete solution. The first version of the app was launched in June, and since then, users have suggested more features like a comment section and ball-by-ball updates. We are trying to implement these in the second version. We also plan to include full histories and more details about cricket players, as well as introducing soccer and hockey leagues.

What is the team dynamic?

There were 7 people on the initial team. However, we have reduced the number to 5 since the apps are stable and I didn’t want to incur extra charges.

How did you come to work with BrainMobi?

After vetting a few companies, I found BrainMobi and contacted them.

How much have you invested with them?

The initial development cost was around $70,000, and we have spent an additional $30,000–$40,000 on the second version.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in February 2017, and the relationship is ongoing. They started on the second version in July. I plan to use their team for future applications.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have more than 100,000 downloads on Android and 10,000–20,000 on iOS. The app has been working fine for now, but we’ve had a few glitches with the Firebase database that we use for live updates. BrainMobi suggested using Socket.io, which solved the problem.

How did BrainMobi perform from a project management standpoint?

The development itself has been fine, and they’ve delivered on time. Aside from daily Scrums, we use Basecamp for project management since it’s been easy to determine where their team is and where they need to be. If I need to ask something, I can simply add a comment and get a quick response.

What did you find most impressive about them?

My experience has been completely positive so far. I like their approach to creating estimates, and we have full transparency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could focus more on quality assurance testing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

It’s a startup company, creating an application for users to book salon appointments. This is the first step in the project and the next step would be opening a salon with the same brand as the application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrainMobi?

The application solves the issue people have of trying to book salon appointments. There are many features we thought of that would make it much easier for users.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped through the whole process, starting with the list of features for the application to the acutal design of the app. They provided suggestions to make the app more user friendly. We went through the process step by step to figure out exactly what to, since I didn’t have any experience in app development. They tried to understand exactly what I wanted and translate it into a working app.

How did you come to work with BrainMobi?

I used a website called Appfutura. I hired an agent there and he suggested many different companies from all around the world. I choose to go with BrainMobi since they gave us the best offer and they were open to discuss the terms of our contract.

How much have you invested with them?

It was around $15,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started around the beginning of Aug, 2017 and the project is supposed to finish in 13 weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While the the project is not yet finished, the performance has been great so far. I have compared it to other applications which have the same complexity. There needed to be a few things changed after using the application, but Brainmobi has been very helpful and understanding. 

How did BrainMobi perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very organized. I have the whole team working on my project - each member of the team is handling a specific part, and there is a project manager that I can talk to regarding anything. We also use an application called “basecamp3” to document all of the discussions and things we are working on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate that the team was very cooperative, and that they were open to my suggestions. They suggested things themselves in order to improve the application,  some of which required more work  on their end. That showed me that they really care about the projects they work on and they want to deliver the best quality work they can.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with BrainMobi?

I would recommend them for any project, but especially if you are new to this field and want a team that would help to explain things to you. They didn’t mind explaining things to me and walking me through the process,  and they answered all my questions and concerns.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of uTemporis. We create mobile app concepts and outsource the development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrainMobi?

uTemporis is an investor in Millie’s Gelato, a vegan gelato company in San Diego, California. They have wholesale distribution, and we’re developing a system for online purchasing for them. We wanted an app that would tell their story and allow people to find stores and place orders online.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave BrainMobi drawings to build wireframes from, and they bid on the project and gave us timelines and development estimates.

The app is for both iOS and Android. It’s more of a directional, informational type of app. Users can look at flavors and ingredients, watch videos, and locate stores that carry Millie’s Gelato.

It doesn’t contain an e-commerce component at this time; our main obstacles are is the cost and logistics challenge of shipping a frozen food. We’re still exploring options to offer robust e-commerce.

What is the team dynamic?

The main person I interacted with was Dheeraj [Senior UI Developer, BrainMobi]. He was the main dev engineer on the build. I’m sure he had people under him that did a lot of the coding.

He was also my point person for project management. I didn’t really interact with anybody else. He and I discussed and defined the work for the team, such as milestones and testing.

How did you come to work with BrainMobi?

I’ve worked with Dheeraj in the past, so it was more like a referral. I didn’t do an online search.

How much have you invested with them?

$25,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2016 until August 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback has been positive. People email us saying they’ve seen our videos. They also say the app’s helped them find a store that carries the gelato.

During initial testing, there were only minor bugs, and BrainMobi fixed them before we released it.

How did BrainMobi perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good. We largely stayed on target. The app was straightforward with nothing tricky, and they met our timelines. I wasn’t disappointed at all.

Dheeraj and I would talk via Skype at least once a week. We would also use WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re responsive, enthusiastic, and positive. They create a good work environment.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be helpful if they had an affiliate office in the U.S., but the offshore location didn’t hinder production.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there

We are a U.K.-based software development company running our own projects. We use a combination of internal developers and outsourced ones.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrainMobi?

One of our projects is a professional networking app that connects companies and people at events. Unfortunately, our developers were occupied with other projects, so we needed outside help. We decided to outsource the project due to a combination of manpower and time constraints.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BrainMobi has handled the backend of the project while we’ve focused on the frontend. Together, we’ve built the app for Android and iOS. They have helped with branding and marketing, providing advice on how we could promote the app and take it to market.

The app is designed for user interaction during events. It uses Bluetooth beacons to identify the nearest companies and retrieve information about those companies. The app is free to download, but a part of it is paid on the corporate side. Rather than being available on the app stores, it’s an enterprise app.

What is the team dynamic?

BrainMobi assigned two iOS developers, including one for the backend and APIs. We’ve also worked with their digital marketing team.

How did you come to work with BrainMobi?

We shortlisted five companies. BrainMobi was the most flexible in working with our deadlines. They also had expertise in this kind of application, which gave us more confidence about hiring them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve had a cost breakdown for each project—the backend, the frontend, and the API. So far, the total has been $40,000–$45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with BrainMobi in September 2016. The first version was launched after about six months. We’re continuing to do work on it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far, we’re satisfied with the outcome. We’ve had wonderful feedback about the app. Recently, it was used by the National Health Services organization in the U.K. for a couple of big events. For example, they had an issue with too many people occupying smaller rooms, but the app allowed them to manage this effectively. With it, users could be directed to different workshop rooms in a flexible manner.

How did BrainMobi perform from a project management standpoint?

They are responsive, and the communication is good. We’d had problems with outsourcing in the past, but BrainMobi understood the work. They have answered our queries and set up meetings whenever we contact them.

We’ve created Slack and Skype groups, although we are more comfortable with the latter. We also use Asana for project management, and we keep track of all tasks on it. We’ve had some typical bugs on iOS, but they were resolved right away.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For the first version of the app, they were willing to go the extra mile to ensure the project was delivered on time and with good quality. There is a five-hour time difference between the U.K. and India, but they are always willing to help us even when we contact them outside of their office hours. They are professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could hire more people for the backend work. However, they’ve generally seemed to know what they are doing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

OnTime Consultants does marketing for HR recruitment. We are trying to target the market in India and other parts of the world. I’m the CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrainMobi?

I gave them the idea for my project and their team worked on it fully from the wireframing design to delivery. They handled everything. We were in discussion with them to develop our mobile application as well. They have a very good, strong, analysis and engineering team.

The purpose of the app is if a person needs a requirement for a manager or a regional manager, we can put that position on the app so that everyone can see what we are looking for. Now we have to go from person to person. That is more time and more hard work for my team. I wanted to set up something that would help me find a company and at the same time find a good candidate. I wanted to create an app where I can post what we are looking for in a candidate.  

We create a GD [general description] and put that on that application. Anyone can apply on that who is relevant for the job. We want to make this app because every day my team is facing this problem. We have to call around 100 or 200 people in one day. I want to be able to save that time to do some good work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope was the completion of an Android app. It’s still under development. I’ve had discussions with their team and they’re doing a good job for me. I’m happy with the team. They have given me ideas of things to include. I have taken some of their ideas and included them into what I am getting. They are doing good. They are treating me openly which I like about them.

What is the team dynamic?

There is a dedicated team for my project.

How did you come to work with BrainMobi?

There are plenty of app development companies in India and finding a partner was a difficult task. I decided to go on social media and other reviews. I was not too worried because I wanted the MVP to begin with. I found the list of companies and asked for proposals. I went with the BrainMobi because they had a quick response time. Their hourly rate was also within my budget.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $25,000. They were within my budget. My company is also a startup so I needed someone who would respect my budget. There are other companies charging more than what I paid. I’m happy with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017, and the MVP took them one month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still in the process of checking it out.

How did BrainMobi perform from a project management standpoint?

They used a communication channel where I can reach out to them at any time. There’s nothing bad. They have a very strong analysis and engineering team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are good people. I have a very good relationship with them, and I’m looking forward to my application.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing to improve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of marketing and technology for a concierge service provider. We work with a number of vendors through which we offer services to customers in India and internationally. For clients outside of India, we offer services like home management and maintenance, including pest control, errands and so on.  We are based in Gurgaon, India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrainMobi?

We have a wide range of services, for which we tried to create a technical interface on Android and iOS. We got in touch with BrainMobi for the iOS part. We initially started with web development (which was done in-house) but decided to create an app, so that we could reach more users.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BrainMobi developed our concierge app for iOS. It allows users to schedule our services. We provided a concrete design plan. They discussed all business and technology requirements and handled everything in terms of interface design and coding.

They also helped with marketing, promoting the app, and building the SEO/SEM architecture.

What is the team dynamic? 

There were 4-5 people assigned from BrainMobi’s side, including a project lead and 3 developers. They were collaborative and came up with solutions fast for the tasks we assigned. 

How did you come to work with BrainMobi?

I found them through some friends who had previously used their services.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of the project was between $20,000 and $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We provided a timeline of 3 months, and they delivered on time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are not actively promoting the app, so we don’t have significant metrics. We have reached around 2,000 users on Android, and 1,000 on iOS.  I am happy with the functionality, uptime, and design of the app. BrainMobi is a very good outsourced agency for iOS app creation. 

How did BrainMobi perform from a project management standpoint?

They were collaborative in development and design, taking our issues and resolving them on-the-go. There was a project manager who took my feedback even during off time. As a team, BrainMobi was approachable, tech-oriented, and design-oriented.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very particular about project navigation, and the changes we suggested were implemented quickly, without impacting the overall timeline. I appreciated this, given that there were different stakeholders working along with BrainMobi in the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We are looking for app improvements and will discuss those with BrainMobi in a couple of months when we know what updates might need to be made. For now, we are happy with the app and there haven't been any major issues. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

TimeKeeper Bank builds time banking software for communities and members. You can create a service that you want to offer and a request for help. Through this platform, which uses no money, people exchange services and find community groups where they can go and time bank. It’s basically volunteering: they go there and exchange their time at a time bank and receive hours from the community group. Also, a lot of these time banking communities are based on sustainability. I’m the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrainMobi?

I was taking an unfinished project from another company that had a lot of bugs and errors in it. We had to slice it open and recode a lot of the sections, and that was very difficult, especially for a project that I’d been working on for over two years.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It took BrainMobi about a week to read the code. It’s so much code I can’t find anything honestly. They put developers on different sections of the code in order to understand the flow I had. They read the PDF files, and I had to understand the project really well. It is very important because when you’re talking about time banking software, it’s about exchanging time. There’s no currency being exchanged. For some developers I’ve worked with in the past, this is a difficult concept for them to understand because of the community currency that we’re building.

The software is an Android application. Communities can sign up on our website that BrainMobi built. They implemented the designs from the designer to get everything working. They finished up the mobile app. We’re almost done with it. Two more months, and we’ll be able to launch and get past the leaky bucket phase. The application is on the market right now, and we’re going through user testing and iterations.

Another project we’re developing together is an iOS app. We’re taking a lot of the functionality from the Android app, and we’re building a new iOS app for that. It should have similar functions and features, but it’s in an entirely different software programming. We didn’t end up using code that you can use to build two different apps because the app that I took from a different company and brought over to BrainMobi was not looking too good. Now the trend is to use compatible software for both platforms, but there are challenges there—there are two different software platforms, and you have to make sure the developers are really good. I’ve got an entire team that’s working on this project: an iOS developer, an Android developer, a backend developer, and a website developer.

How did you come to work with BrainMobi?

I looked at a lot of different websites, and I found BrainMobi on AppFutura.

How much have you invested with BrainMobi?

The cost has been $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with BrainMobi in 2016. The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

One big issue I had working with another company is I wasn’t always receiving feedback on bug tracking and updates through Basecamp. Sometimes, I would send the company a message and wait, but BrainMobi is always very responsive. That’s important because the software project is my baby, and you always want to know that your baby is cared for.

Because of the complexity and size of the app, there are a lot of bugs. This app has over 160 screens. We’ve removed some features from the app, which means you must go in and remove all the extra code laying in there. BrainMobi made those changes in two weeks, which was very important because, from the user feedback that I received, I decided it would be better not to implement that feature and wait a while before implementing it.

BrainMobi has given me a lot of good ideas. Because they’re a younger company, they went from having a few employees to having 30. I was able to watch this expanded growth, and it’s very inspiring. I have a small team over here in California, and I’m starting to build my team locally with different time banking communities and groups. Working with them was really great because I got a lot of inspiration from that. Some companies are really big, and they’re not as personal. I believe that we have a good working business relationship and mutual understanding.

How did BrainMobi perform from a project management standpoint?

The deadlines are a little bit difficult because I added change requests that extended the timeline. Unlike some companies that would keep updating you with a new timeline, we went into this continuous development phase where we’re always moving forward, and I think that’s really important. Sometimes if you focus too much on the timeline, I feel you’re wasting energy. They use a bug tracking software called Mantis, and I can see when a bug gets resolved on their side, which is really important because I can tell that a developer is working on it every day.

What did you find most impressive about BrainMobi?

BrainMobi makes recommendations. I might want something implemented a certain way, and that might be completely the wrong way to do it. Other developers, because you’re paying them, will just do whatever you want. But BrainMobi will say, “That’s not the best way we should do it, I think this way would be better. Take a look at a few of these other options and see how we implemented it.” And I go, “Wow, thank you for that.” That’s big because I would hate to have to change that in the future. If we implemented it the way that I wanted to originally, it would have cost more time and money to remove that feature. They look at the project as a whole and provide feedback on that, and that’s important because that means we’re having good communication.

Are there any areas BrainMobi could improve?

There’s not really anything other than the speed of development. But from doing software, I understand that if you have too many developers working on a project, it slows it down or gets out of hand. It’s about finding a good balance. We have a good team on the project.