ChopDawg.com

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of a sports app startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

I hired ChopDawg.com to develop a non-functional prototype of my app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com created the design, wireframes, and everything else required to program the app eventually. It’s a clickable hotspot built using InVision. Users can click through it and see how the app would function. I’m using the prototype now to rally investors and to move forward to the programming stage. 

What is the team composition?

I communicate with three main team members: Josh (CEO, ChopDawg.com), who I had tons of back-and-forth with on the initial proposal; Child (Designer, ChopDawg.com); and Chris (Project Manager, ChopDawg.com).

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I searched for top app developers on Google. Ultimately, I found ChopDawg.com on a top 10 or top 15 list on Clutch. After reading their reviews and looking through their website, I reached out to their team. Right away, it seemed like they were a perfect fit for me. 

How much have you invested with them?

I spent about $18,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2019. The prototype is complete, but we still have an ongoing relationship. I can email Josh or Chris and ask questions, and they’ll support my efforts going forward.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I couldn't be happier with the quality of the prototype. It's as good as I could have imagined it. I had the idea in mind, but I wouldn't have been able to put this together myself until I came to ChopDawg.com. They helped me bring the concept to life. Their team created an outline of all the screens that the app would need, including ones I wouldn't have thought of. I could not have imagined a better tool to use in order to get my funding.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

The back-and-forth communication is as good as it could be. ChopDawg.com responds right away, and they're on top of everything. There is no dumb question. I can comfortably ask any question suggest any idea, and they’ll let me know whether it’s a good one or not as feasible.  

ChopDawg.com outlines their deadlines and expectations very clearly in the proposal, and they’ve never fallen short of what they promised. The communication is also literally perfect. Their team accommodates my schedule without complaint while meeting all deadlines on their end. 

At the end of the project, I received all the design files that they worked on, which I deeply appreciated. We’ve used InVision throughout the process, from looking over wireframes to designing the hotspot itself.

What did you find most impressive about them?

From beginning to end, ChopDawg.com has been so welcoming to me. They’ve said that I’m part of the ChopDawg family now, and I can still reach out to them and receive advice without issues. I really feel like more than a client to them. I don't have the words to describe how great an experience I've had with ChopDawg.com. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I'm struggling to think of a single thing, to be honest. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a CIO/CTO of Flynn O'Hara Uniforms. We specialize in school and nursing uniforms. We develop contracts with schools, and those contracts are shared with the parents. We have 34 brick-and-mortar stores, as well as a website, for access to our products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

We swell up pretty immensely in the July–September period, and that’s when most of our business occurs. The challenge was figuring out how to expedite and improve the customer experience as they went through our stores.

We would take information from our customers, which was a slow process. Unfortunately, parents wait until the last moment to purchase uniforms for the school year. In their defense, that’s because children are growing, so they need to make sure they have clothing that’ll be adaptable for the whole year, versus coming back to buy new uniforms.

We reached out to ChopDawg.com because we wanted to build a mobile app, and we wanted to start the buying process early through it so that we could capture all the customer information and create customer profiles. Our business is based on the school, the gender, and the grade, and we wanted to incorporate that into our mobile app, whereby a consumer could come in and—utilizing a 2D barcode—check-in and start their buying process. As they would exit the store into their point of sale, they could check out with that same barcode. That would fill our POS system with all the information they needed for the purchase, and expedite the customer out the door.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com started out with InVision designs. That’s a touch-and-feel application where we could prototype what we were looking at. They organized weekly meetings, and we signed off on every piece to move forward. There was no scope creep, and nothing along the lines of “I said this, you said that.” The process was instrumental in moving forward with this application.

The initial scope of the project was to do a full-blown mobile app, with everything from customer profiles to buying items, prior to going to the store as well as covering the in-store process. Unfortunately, we had to take a step back for internal reasons and consider a phased approach. We made a proof of concept first, and worked in phases from there, with building blocks along the way. Josh and I brainstormed that idea, and his company was flexible enough to accommodate us.

I’ve learned over the years that the more people we involve in a project, the more we’ll have different ideas being thrown out, collectively increasing the scope of the project. I’ve found that ChopDawg.com follows the same methodology as I do–we take a step, we all agree on it, we sign off, and we take another step. It’s like a building block to a production environment, making sure that both sides of the coin are equal, and that we all understand what they need to have.

We’ve just signed off on the prototype. They nailed that phase, and we’re now going into development, which I can’t comment on yet.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three people from their team so far, including Josh (CEO, ChopDawg.com).

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I’ve been in this business for 40 years, and I just took a stab at ChopDawg.com based on their website. I brought them in along with another vendor, and they outshined that other vendor immensely. They weren’t a very starch kind of software shop; they were open to different ideas, and they brought their experience from other outfits to the table. They’d worked for a large restaurant, which impressed us.

They also had a very casual approach, which fit with our team. They impressed us with their understanding of how mobile applications work, but they also followed a workflow that met our requirements.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost so far has been $10,000, and I expect that we’ll pay another $50,000 when this is all over.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February or March 2019, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ChopDawg.com is very open to ideas. When we started building this project as a team, they didn’t tell us, “our way or the highway”. They were open throughout, and they were able to utilize InVision to really show the look and feel of how the app would operate once it came into production. They also came up with new ideas, which helped us expedite the process.

We don’t know what we don’t know, and bringing their expertise and former trials and tribulations within the mobile app environment have been beneficial for us. This was the first mobile app our company made, and we wanted it to be successful. So far, ChopDawg.com has met our expectations.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re using UberConference. It gives us reminders before the meetings, which has been very useful for us. They use InVision for prototypes as well as for timelines. They’re responsive in any way or form. We can email or even call them at any time of day or night and they’ll respond to those requests.

I’m very happy to have found a vendor like this. I’ve worked with other vendors that had no methodology and were just slapping things together, whereas ChopDawg.com is putting together the building blocks to make it a production mobile app.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I just think they’re in-tune with the technology. They’re coming up with many different ideas, and they’re flexible. If all of a sudden, we were to go down an unforeseen path, they’d just take a couple of steps back and do it a different way, in order to satisfy us on how we want the app to work.

They bring their mobile app knowledge to the table and they’re very easy to work with. I would highly recommend them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t point to anything in particular.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of a sports gaming app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chopdawg.com?

We needed help developing the prototype for our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

So far in our partnership, they’ve completed the prototype, collaborating with us by making changes and building new features along the way. At this point, we’re waiting on investors to start the development process. We intend for Chopdawg.com to say with us for that. In its completion, the app will be available for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

There was a total of three team members working on the app, including Josh (CEO, Chopdawg.com).

How did you come to work with Chopdawg.com?

Our lawyer, who handles patents and trademarks, referred us to them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in February 2019 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their team was amazing to work with. They made constant updates to the prototype and responded to all of our recommendations. Chopdawg.com always got things done right away.

How did Chopdawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re on top of things no matter what. Chopdawg.com gave us constant updates on their progress, so I always knew exactly what was happening on their end. I couldn’t have gotten anywhere without them.

We had weekly conference calls with their team where they would put us on their screen to show us all of the new features and capabilities. It was like having a front-row seat. Otherwise, we communicated mostly through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I couldn’t have asked for a better team. We were just so impressed with their constant updates and great attitudes. It didn’t feel like they were working for me, it felt like we were working together.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

This is my first time building an app, so I don’t have much to compare this experience to. It would’ve been nice if they hit all our deadlines, but it’s very difficult to do that in this industry. They were great to work with the whole time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder, CEO, and product architect of a political platform. The app creates content silos around diverse political viewpoints.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

I needed an experienced development company that understood the complexity of my product and had attention to detail. We engaged ChopDawg.com to redesign my existing designs of the app and then build it out.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com is building the app for both iOS and Android devices. Despite being a purely mobile product for now, it will require a website, a payment mechanism, and emerging technologies such as blockchain and VR. We’re still in the design stage. Having finished the design sprints, we’re not making a color prototype and creating the backend. We’re rethinking that backend infrastructure to account for the amount of data we plan to enter in the app.

What is the team composition?

At the moment, I’m working with two designers and a project manager. I also speak to the CEO, a marketing person, and the assistant to the CEO regularly. We expect the team to be 10–12 in total when the development starts and we scale up.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I interviewed several local tech agencies in New York. Many of the larger ones wanted to scale down my project dramatically while charging high fees and didn’t seem to understand my concept. One of the smaller firms planned to outsource the code, design, and project management to outside the US. Given the potential for language barrier issues, I didn’t feel comfortable with that arrangement.

Then I went onto Clutch and looked through reviews for a number of agencies. I landed on ChopDawg.com and clicked through to their website where I watched their videos and looked through the methodologies. Their level of sophistication blew me away. I reached out and received a reply from Joshua (CEO, ChopDawg.com) right away. I was still in the process of redesigning the app and had to wait nine more months to start the project. They were patient with me throughout this time. When I was ready to start, I gave ChopDawg.com the business because they were way ahead of the other agencies I spoke to.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $170,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2019, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I'm absolutely ecstatic with the way that the design has come out. I’ve never been happier. ChopDawg.com fully understands the project and frequently suggests new ideas and solutions that I miss. My team and I are blown away the quality of their work and their dedication.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager is very attentive. However, because I'm so hands-on, I prefer direct communication with team members. ChopDawg.com lets me talk to their designer daily without having to go through the project manager. He’s shared the sketch file with me and let me make adjustments as needed. The designer then updates the project manager and Joshua. I’m also happy with my relationship with the CEO. I can text Joshua, and he’ll get back to me in under 30 seconds. He’s like my CTO. ChopDawg.com truly feels integrated into my company, which I never expected with an outside agency. They’re responsive and reliable—they haven’t let me down yet. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m more than thrilled with the work that ChopDawg.com has delivered so far. Whenever I go to them with an issue, they always come up with a simple and effective solution. If I question their ideas or processes, they’ll sometimes come back and agree with my pushback. I’ve worked with many tech people over the years, and I expected to have more issues with a remote. Instead, the opposite is true of ChopDawg.com. I was blindsided by how easy it is to work with their team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. Our teams’ communication is 100%; there’s no daylight between us. Their prices are excellent as well; they charged me half as much as larger agencies I considered, and they are interested in the challenge that my project poses.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Murphy Cares, based in Philadelphia, PA. We offer 24/7 digital pet therapy so users can always access a live dog, at any given time. As a startup, we are in the process of building out our company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg?

We hired ChopDawg.com to design our application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After listening to our concept, ChopDawg.com started laying it out visually. They designed high-fidelity wireframes using InVision. 

During the design phase, they captured who we are, our mission, and our purpose. As a benefit corporation, we want to give back to the dogs who are helping us. We donate a portion of the revenue from our subscription base to support them.

Our platform is universally useful. Users can pick a specific dog to connect with. Anybody can tap into the benefits of dogs through our app, including patients in a hospital, college kids leaving home for the first time, people who feel anxious and scared right about their flight takes off, or the elderly who feel lonely when left at home. The user has complete control over the experience through our positive, interactive, and immersive UX.

What is the team composition?

ChopDawg.com assigned us a program coordinator and two developers. We worked more closely with the one who was based in San Diego.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg?

Joshua (CEO, ChopDawg.com) made a great impression on us. Most people at our startup are working moms, and many of us are health care professionals. He was very accommodating and took the time to explain everything about ChopDawg.com's process. 

The proposal they presented was very thorough. We found their collaborative style very appealing, and they offered the best and most reasonable prices for what we needed.

What is the status of this engagement?

After a couple of initial meetings, we officially started working together in March 2019. We will be done with our project in about two weeks from now, in June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ChopDawg.com captured our vision in the wireframes they delivered. We've gotten very positive feedback so far. Everything has been moving along smoothly.

They've given us exactly what we wanted. The team has even provided work outside the scope to make our product more inviting.

How did ChopDawg perform from a project management standpoint?

ChopDawg.com's project management style is very efficient, organized, and structured. We've even been able to contact our developer outside of the set structure via email and phone calls.

We used UberConference for our weekly meetings. The project manager took minutes and sent them to us afterward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

ChopDawg.com's team has an impressive set of personal characteristics. They have a fresh, enthusiastic perspective. In light of our technical experience, they've been understanding and supportive about where we're coming from.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything has been running well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO and co-founder of a startup that is making it a marketplace for small businesses, who serve as our suppliers. Through our platform, people who need to buy something locally can find exactly where to get it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

We hired ChopDawg.com to help us develop apps for iOS and Android as well as a Wordpress site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our website is a basic landing page that helps users find our apps. Clicking on different links shows them a preview of either the Android or iOS version depending on which one they would be using. 

They can also read our blog posts from contributors and ones our in-house personnel have written. The page also links out to our social media page. A box for our email marketing lets people add their email to our subscription list. 

Technologies ChopDawg.com has used in this project include React Native to build our mobile app for both platforms. They used a carefully chosen and modern technology stack to build the admin component of our WordPress site.

What is the team composition?

I've interacted with three developers and a designer that ChopDawg.com assigned to this project. Specific resources work on the frontend and the backend. A senior developer created the framework and architecture.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

I initially found ChopDawg.com on Clutch. The reviews on their profile were positive, and they seemed like upfront people. I thought their site was modern, unique, and engaging.

They seemed like a scrappy, up-and-coming team that would do a good job, so we reached out and eventually hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since December 2018 and are just getting started with the development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The work ChopDawg.com has done for us is tremendous. I don't have any complaints at all, which is especially impressive because as a designer, I'm a highly detailed-oriented person with highly specific expectations. 

ChopDawg.com found a way to make my vision come true. We came up with an attractive and fully functional prototype together. To this day, they still reply whenever I need, even when Game of Thrones is on. They've been extremely helpful.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

The tools we use include Google Drive, InVision, and UberConference for our video calls. They use Asana internally, but I'm not involved in their account as an outside client.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication is ChopDawg.com's greatest strength. They are always very accessible. I felt like they truly understood the entrepreneurial experience and where I was coming from. The team is very relatable. 

They give us useful advice based on their technical knowledge to help us figure out what the MVP should include, nail down the scope and key features. They really focus on how to make our app a winner, and have always been right there with us to guide us along the way.

 Are there any areas they could improve?

This is minor, but there's room for slight improvements in our weekly meetings. Sometimes I felt like they could have taken care of everything we discussed the week prior. This was never a major problem because we kept in touch and worked together throughout the week. 

Whenever we contacted ChopDawg.com, they responded immediately. I thought it was amazing how the designer always made time to collaborate with us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

ChopDawg.com is a great partner to have. I highly recommend them. They're very experienced at working with entrepreneurs on their first venture. I'm glad to have them in my corner. They made a difficult process much easier and took a huge load off my shoulders.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Perfecting Pizza. We’re a subscription-based website that helps independent pizzeria operators make their businesses better.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg.com?

Our goal is to develop an application with a database for ingredients, recipes, and menu items. These tools would help operators price food, set menus, and create coupons.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ChopDawg.com developed a prototype, which our team will use to find a partner that will greenlight the complete build.

What is the team composition?

We have worked with the president, a project coordinator, and a designer.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg.com?

We found the team on Clutch after narrowing our search down to vendors that work on smaller projects. ChopDawg.com understood our goals and didn’t try to overcomplicate the project. Also, their estimates were within our budget.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000 on the prototype.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2019 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ChopDawg.com is the right fit for us because they have delivered on time and on budget. The team is responsive and makes changes until we are happy. Consequently, they provide great value and deliver exactly what we want.

How did ChopDawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

The team set benchmarks and deadlines for four different milestones. They then stuck to that schedule. We have used weekly teleconferences to review progress and InVision to discuss the prototype. The latter is more efficient than email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We spoke to a dozen vendors, but ChopDawg.com was nearly the only vendor that understood our small business needs. The team listened to our vision for the scale of our operations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have constructive criticism because we are where we want to be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of Buddy Project. We're a nonprofit aiming to prevent suicide and raise mental health awareness.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg?

We wanted to create a mobile app, but we didn't have the technical expertise. We needed a vendor to help us translate our ideas into reality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They're building an app for iOS and Android. We've just finished the design process and we're now in the development phase. The app will match people with their buddies from anywhere around the world. Users can enter their interests and get a list of people with similar interests. Then, they can choose who they want to connect with. We want to foster growth and strong connections, so users can only get a limited number of connections a week.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with their CEO, a project manager, a designer, and a couple of developers.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg?

We wanted to work with a local company. We liked ChopDawg's mission and the examples of their past work, so we felt comfortable choosing them.

How much have you invested with them?

By the end of the engagement, we will have spent about $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're impressed with the design. They implemented our ideas and recommended the ways we could improve them, so the design turned out amazing. It really fits the vibe of the app, which is exactly what we wanted.

How did ChopDawg perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver everything on time or ahead of schedule, so we've been very pleased. They send me email reminders and we use UberConference to communicate, both of which work very well for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've exceeded our expectations. They're invested in the project and form strong connections with their clients. I've always felt comfortable talking to them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Willow. We’re working on a modern mobile application for the funeral industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chopdawg.com?

I needed a vendor to develop the application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

So far, ChopDawg.com has created a prototype of the mobile app that I can share with investors. After I secure enough funding, the team will build out iOS and Android versions of the platform.

What is the team composition?

I’m working with a four-person team.

How did you come to work with Chopdawg.com?

I searched for development agencies located in Philadelphia and interviewed multiple candidates. In my meeting with ChopDawg.com, the owner took the time to thoroughly explain the company’s capabilities and approach. They were willing to hold my hand throughout the project, from start to finish.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent about $20,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in September 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Chopdawg.com delivered a professional prototype that resembles a fully functioning application. We held several focus groups, and their team has been good about quickly implementing changes based on consumer feedback.

How did Chopdawg.com perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very communicative. We use InVision to share information about the application and Google to facilitate conference calls and screen sharing. The owner responds to emails and texts immediately, going above and beyond to address all of our concerns. The lead developer works remotely and travels often, but always sets aside time to join calls at my convenience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The owner leads his team and manages the project efficiently. Aside from technical work, he also provided a lot of helpful and valuable insight on how to run a business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. It’s been a great experience so far. I’ve been recommending them to friends looking for assistance with projects similar to mine.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Accelestate. We provide a platform for legal services to make wills, track net worth, and other tools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ChopDawg?

We hired ChopDawg to develop the entire application for us. After an unsatisfying experience with a previous developer, we wanted a team to create a functional product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided their team with our designs for the platform. They created the web app using a range of technologies, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. Their developers handled all backend and database creation. They integrated Plaid into the system so users can connect their bank accounts to the program.

What is the team composition?

They provided two project managers and a lead developer. There were also a few others working with us.

How did you come to work with ChopDawg?

We began looking for a company with experience in our industry and followed a recommendation. After reaching out to ChopDawg, we knew they were the right choice because of their expertise and pricing.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $50,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in August 2018 and we’re about to launch the app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because the app isn’t live yet, we don’t have any specific metrics. However, ChopDawg did a great job building the product and knowing the technical limitations.

How did ChopDawg perform from a project management standpoint?

We had biweekly conference calls and primarily communicated through email and phone. They were available for changes and other needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciated that their team was vigilant and brought issues to our attention. They guided us through the project and we’re pleased with our experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’d be helpful if they improved their QA process so we didn’t have to do as much on our end.