Code Brew Labs

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Tech Lead at a leading gas manufacturer and distributor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Zafflesoft, and what were your goals?

We hired them to create a delivery management system for our business. It would help our delivery partners easily navigate and find our retailers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We had several companies on our list. To filter them down, we opted for a trial with each one of them. We selected Zafflesoft as we liked their coding methodologies and portfolio.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They first mapped out all the features of the app. Their team also developed a few concepts for the app. The design resonated with our brand colors and was aesthetically pleasing. Post finalizing the design, their team coded the app from scratch. As of now, they are testing the app thoroughly to ensure there are no bugs.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We mainly had an account manager who handled our project. Apart from him, a team of mobile app developers were working dedicatedly for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The app is yet to be deployed - so don’t have any numbers just yet. But the project has been executed very well. Their team was responsive and took care of every minute detail. The delivery management app is fast and snappy. It automatically optimizes the route for our delivery partners and helps them plan ahead.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We didn’t have any problem with the project management. For the most part, we used Basecamp to track updates and communicated via Slack and Zoom.

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

They are diligent and friendly. There were a few delays along the way, but overall, we are happy with how it all finally turned out.

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

NA

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an entrepreneur who invests in my own ideas, mostly, related to SaaS in different industries; as well as a Consultant in Supply Chain and Logistics.
 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Code Brew Labs, and what were your goals?

CBL had internal challenges that I only could get to know when I managed to get a hold of one of their founders.

Since then I had been trying to land on a solution that would be fair for both parties, as my project was not delivered within the timelines agreed.

SOLUTION

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

After negotiations, CBL and I landed an agreement whereby both minimized losses and other negative impacts on our businesses whilst remaining on good terms.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with Zafflesoft evolve?

We’re on good terms

How did Zafflesoft address the challenges that arose?

Professionally through conversations with one of their founders

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

Working with them has been a learning experience and an opportunity to know people who have the guts to put a face to their mistakes and are keen to negotiate different solutions.

How was project management handled?

At this stage, we have been handling a fair exit from the project so, based upon such I can tell it has been managed well.

Is there anything that Zafflesoft did well or that you would consider a strength?

The involvement of a founder to sort out major challenges has been fairly good.

In what specific areas can they improve?

Communication

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

• Contracts need to be specific and detailed. It does not matter how many pages you will have to type and read, but before signing off you need to ensure risks are manageable.
• Have your contract draft reviewed by an attorney before you sign
• Ensure you get a copy of the profile of each member of the project on the other side. It is important you know who will be handling your project
• Include penalization from your side too based upon deadlines and milestones
• Beware that COVID restrictions affect everyone around the globe and, hence, you need to keep some flexibility in terms of time.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on September 17th 2021.

Marco Antonio Carreño

CEO, Grupo Carreno EIRL

Consulting

1-10 Employees

Bosnia

$10,000 to $49,999

Oct 2020 - Ongoing

Project summary

Code Brew Labs provides web and mobile app development services for a logistics and supply chain consultancy firm. They were tasked to deliver the project within a 3-4 months timeframe.

Feedback summary

The project is still ongoing and the client is disappointed that the project is already 8 months delay. They have paid 90% of the required payment but the project is still under development which is 80%. The client feels like he works with an inexperienced team from Code Brew Labs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of GRUPO CARRENO EIRL, a firm involved in Logistics & Supply Chain Consultancy, as well as in a diverse number of entrepreneurial tech initiatives (APPs, Websites)

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Code Brew Labs, and what were your goals?

I hired Code Brew Labs to develop for me both a mobile app and a website for an on-demand food ordering and table booking service within the restaurant industry, in both iOS and Android. An app/Website that were supposed to be launched in the Middle East as i was living there then. This project should have been contractually delivered in 3-4 months since the day we signed the agreement.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I was approached by their Commercial/Sales Manager in the UAE. The reason why i decided to work with them is because the Sales person had a robust understanding of what i wanted, to the point that he offered me to build my product on the basis of an existing similar product they had, so it would take shorter time and, cost wise, it would not be considered as a project from scratch.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The project scope was to deliver both a mobile app and a Website to offer 2 main services to customers: Online restaurant table booking and food ordering for home delivery. Customer would also be able to order food for collection at the restaurant (takeaway) as this was already built in the existing APP. There were different milestones to be delivered but never they did provide accurate timelines for so thus, from a 3-4 months project we are now on the one year mark and, yet, no deliverables.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The sales person at the beginning and even during part of the project as he would help me resolve some concerns. A project manager, which is now the 4th or 5th i work with from this company, as the others were removed - i would guess - as they were not delivering. There’s also a Senior PM but she has little or not understanding of the project (bet she has too many on her plate to deal with) and, certainly, not a business-oriented mindset (as everybody else in that company). There’s a Customer Servicer person but serves (in my view) as an intermediary to exchange messages avoiding any risk of conflict.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

90% of the money already paid, and although it seems 80% of the project is done, the remaining 20% is probably the most critical part of it (accounting). Project is already one year on the make, so that’s 8 months delay from what contractually was agreed.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Quite disappointing at all levels, except for the commercial/sales exec who has been always supportive. Communication tools: WhatsApp for messaging and, sometimes for sharing MoMs too! Google documents as a sharing folder for updates. Overall, low quality and poorly structured system for reporting and updating

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

Their marketing on social media, and the way they show their lack of commitment to deliver as per agreements signed. Also the way they seek for more money from a customer in order to cover their own expenses due to the delays they internally experience (i.e. any small observation i make and they need to fix, would be a customization job so more time for the project and more money from me)

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

If i were the CEO i would make a full review of the staff I’ve got, and set clear objectives and KPIs to ensure projects are delivered on time to customers. I would also suggest they implement a more customer-centric project team, and to train them in business so they not only understand business from a commercial/sales perspective but, also, from a project management side.

Star Ratings

Overall rating: 1

Quality: .5

Cost: .5

Schedule .5

Willing to refer .5

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Franchise owner of a popular fast food chain having over 600+ outlets across the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Zafflesoft, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a food delivery app for our chain of restaurants. The three main goals were to simplify order management, streamline workflow, and deliver better customer experiences through the app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We had a long list of vendors sorted out based on their portfolio and experience. Code Brew Labs stood out as their pricing was reasonable than other vendors.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They created a custom mobile app that connected all our restaurants with customers. It was built from scratch and their team turned it around in less time than we had expected. They took care of all the phases from development to design and everything in between.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We were mainly associated with the account manager assigned to us. He managed the technical team on behalf of us and maintained the communication.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The app that’s been developed by them works flawlessly and has helped us increase our orders by 230%. It performs well, even when there are many users simultaneously operating it. We’re happy with the interface as well. The project was executed well and we’re happy with how it was handled.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They know their game. So as far as communication goes, we didn’t have to guide them at every stage. We had calls once per week - generally on Wednesdays. In our meetings they shared with us the status of the project and where it was headed and sought our approval if and when needed.

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

The best part about them is that they can work autonomously. We didn’t have to intervene in their processes and they pretty much got the job done by themselves. I personally prefer minimal intervention with the vendor and let them do their job. We’re happy with our partnership and will collaborate again in future, too.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of an education firm that helps students prepare for various competitive exams.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Code Brew Labs, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop an app that had advanced features such as tracking, 2FA for account verification and so on. Since these required technical expertise we wanted a company proficient in it, to take care of the project for us.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We were in touch with a few app development agencies. We selected code brew labs as they had developed several apps similar to ours and their pricing was affordable, too! They understood the kind of app that we were looking for and produced a proposal that catered to those needs.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Once the project was assigned to them, they immediately set to work on it. Within two weeks they had a prototype ready for our approval. Once we reviewed the prototype and notified them of the changes that needed to be made, they started to develop the app.

They notified us of some valued additions that they can make that will be useful for us. These feedback helped us a lot and we added a lot of features they suggested. They were prompt in making changes and delivered the completed project on time. They also made sure they can finish the project within the budget they quoted.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A total of 7-8 people worked on our project but we were mostly in contact with the project manager and the QA engineer. We were in contact with the other members of the team as per requirement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The app worked without any glitches from the time of its launch. Every time they add a new update we can see the app performing better visibly. Not to mention the pleasing user-interface of the app. A lot of our users complimented the aesthetic interface of the app. It was easily navigable and worked without any crashes.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We were in touch with the project members via email. In addition they had set up an individual Whatsapp group where we could post any queries that arose. They were prompt in answering us and always made sure to keep us posted on the latest developments of the project.

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

Their punctuality and trustworthiness were unparalleled. They reached their milestones before the deadline. Since we were always kept informed, we were confident that they would complete the job in time. They valued trustworthiness more than anything.

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

Everything was perfect from the start to the end.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work as a Sr. Marketing Manager at a leading digital agency offering end-to-end marketing and branding services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Code Brew Labs, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop an app for one of our clients but due to lack of manpower, we decided to outsource the project to Code Brew Labs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We shared the list of features with a few firms specializing in mobile app development and also Code brew labs. We asked them to contact us with a plan and a budget in mind. The Code Brew Labs team came up with a clear plan for an affordable rate therefore we decided to go with them.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We conducted a call with them where we described in detail the project to the team. They had valuable inputs at every stage of development which they conveyed to us during our weekly meetings. A lot of that technical feedback was very useful and insightful for us. They also asked feedback from us and completed the project while keeping us in the loop.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A total of four members contributed to the project consisting of the project manager and designers and developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The working was seamless as far as we were concerned. Few technical glitches too were rectified by them during the early stages of the project testing. The app was aesthetically pleasing and the interface was user-friendly.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had a meeting once a week where we discussed the development of the project. In addition, we were constantly in contact with the project manager via email. They also made time for us when we had to set up an urgent meeting. Overall, they were highly communicative and efficient.

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

They are extremely professional, prompt, technically wise and take deadlines seriously. The quality of work was also excellent.

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

None as far as we were concerned. Their professionalism impressed us massively.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a digital agency based in NYC. We offer a full range of services from marketing to development and everything in between.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Code Brew Labs, and what were your goals?

One of our clients wanted to create a mobile app for their business. Because we didn’t have enough expertise in app development, we decided to collaborate with an agency that had hands-on experience with app development. The goal was to create a mobile app from the client’s website. They wanted to create both an iOS and Android app for their business.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We discovered Code Brew Labs via search engine and decided to get in touch with them. The vendor team was confident with the kind of service we were looking for, since they had worked on similar projects previously. Their pricing was affordable, too. So we collaborated.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Code Brew Labs first took the time to study our client’s business to have an understanding about their products and services. They began to work towards creating a native Android and iOS versions from their website. The team ensured to continually update both the apps with the latest features and functionalities.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Our project was assigned a project manager, who proved to be effective with respect to helping us make decisions for the betterment of our project. There was a sales team who took ample time to work in favor of what our expectations were, before laying down the initial offer. The work commenced after a formal statement of the work for the project was laid out.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We received a lot of positive feedback for several features that we incorporated into the application. Not only does the app run seamlessly but also delivers an engaging user experience all round. What’s more, it’s fast, snappy and very well designed. We’re happy with the overall work done by them.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The project was managed as per our needs and they continued to do it in a smooth and professional manner. It was easy to communicate with the vendor team because they were willing to adapt to our way of working so that we would feel comfortable with their team and they also made sure to give suggestions and opinions so that our application would be highly successful. The communication tools included Google Meet for lengthy discussions and mainly sent emails to convey brief messages.

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

Code Brew Labs has a team that’s motivated and highly driven to work towards the success of the project and we’re impressed by their dedication and enthusiasm. They always had something to add to our ideas and their insights contributed significantly to the project.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a company that operates parking lots and distribute products related to that industry

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Code Brew Labs, and what were your goals?

We wanted to offer our customers an app that operates parking lots, where the user can find an easy solution and nice experience using the parking premises. At the same time, the administrator of the site will have the tools to offer solutions to the user and control of the revenue.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched online app developers to end with two candidates. One candidate was a developer from the same country and the other was Code Brew Labs from India. The proposal from Code Brew was nicely done, stating timelines, develop concepts, hour investment, solutions to tech problems, and a platform and support plan very convenient to our project. The Mexican company which was on the other end were a kind of a rookie with a plan that has no timelines and a very high support cost.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Well, one month after we give the down payment, the company representative of Code Brew was fired and all the proposal was lost. I mean, there were no key deliverables, no milestones accomplish and no technology used. In fact, they only ask me to get technical information so they can continue the development of the project.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

They started with a representative of the company named Diego Alba which was kind of a salesman, but with tech knowledge that understood the product, we were supposed to get. Then, when this guy was fired, the company assigned a developer guy from India named Mohandeep Singh, after this guy lost almost 8 months of the project, I demand the attention of the company´s CEO, where two guys assist me if you can say so: Gagandeep and Pargat. This guy named a delivery manager of the company to manage my account, this guy´s name is Sukhchain where finally it all returned to Gagandeep which I never understood his position at the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Unfortunately, there is no measurable outcome related as a result of the development since today and after 13 months and counting, we don´t have any app launched or so. What we can measure is how we are losing market share in our city and how our accounts are in risk since we can´t offer a solution that our customers demand. This situation hit us on a -7% market share from a yearly income of 24 Mill just in our city and jeopardizing the future of 3 sites that our company operates, 250k per year

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

One important situation that had our decision for Code Brew was that they had a representative who speaks the same language. Well since that representative was fired, I only had contact with India´s team and we have a lot, I mean, a lot of language and communication problems. The company stated a platform (basecamp) where we were supposed to communicate each other issues and deliver the meeting´s resume but the company didn´t give a follow up to that platform and I had to state by writing via a platform, email and WhatsApp about the bad situation that our company was dealing regarding the bad service Code Brew provide.

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

The impressive thing was at the very beginning since the project proposal was so much interesting and detailed, but that was that. No one at Code Brew honored that business proposal they delivered in February 2020 and I really never find a greater value from that company.

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

They have to install some real administration tools at their company, the attention to the customer is so poor. Once I started to complain about the situation, the monthly survey emails I use to receive, stopped. There is no structure at their organization, they changed their responsible of Mexico´s office twice in 12 months, they don´t believe they have to answer questions. I had to color in red the part where they should answer the questions I stated to them and finally get an answer after three attempts. Why they don´t answer? because it seems that they don´t care about your opinion and they only validate theirs, be careful with this one, the service you get because of this company´s philosophy is way out to understand.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO - Traditional Products Store

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Code Brew Labs?

App Development

What were your goals for this project?

I was looking for a competent team that would develop a marketplace for my applications

SOLUTION

How did you select Code Brew Labs?

I came across Code Brew on Facebook and the sales rep hooked me up just to the right man, Mr. Abhimanyu. After reviewing a few companies, i selected Code Brew Labs because of their promise, reviews and pricing

Describe the project in detail.

Online marketplace

What was the team composition?

I spoke to a total of five people, Mr. Abhimanyu was the leader of this awesome team. Mr. Alpna and Chirag who were also exceptional.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our project was completed in record time. The application they developed for us is very fast and so interactive. It does everything for our business. We just love it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Code brew was very committed to my project. They were very communicative and always answered our calls promptly. They also had a solution for every problem we ran into.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team was very devoted and went above and beyond to ensure nothing stood in the way of our project. They developed a very fast and accurate marketplace app for my online business and in record time. Very easy for my clients to use yet simple to manage vendors.

Like any other preliminary builds, the app had a few modifications that i requested and they sure fixed it before our deadline. Abhi and his team,

Mr. Chirag and Alpna are very responsive and just by what they do you can tell they are the masters of app development. If you are out there looking for a developer to bring your ideas into reality, this is the company to go to, and preferably, ask for Mr. Vij. I highly recommend them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would almost say none, however, in future i would like to see them expand their offices to the USA, that way communication timezones would be much easier. I used to wake up at 2am just to speak to them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder & CEO of Grintafy, which is a platform for amateur athletes looking to be discovered.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Code Brew Labs?

I needed some full-stack development done.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Code Brew Labs developed the whole product, including two apps and a webpage. They made an app for carriers in Android and iOS, and an app for service providers in Android. The team also created the landing page for the site, as well as the admin to manage both apps.

What is the team composition?

There were 5-6 people initially, but the project has grown, and the team has increased to about 15 people. 

How did you come to work with Code Brew Labs?

I met with the founders, and I liked how confident they seemed about doing the project. From the start, I had a good feeling about working together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2017, and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The resources working on my projects are highly skilled. There were some issues with things not being done properly, but they fixed it. That’s normal in development projects. 

How did Code Brew Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Code Brew Labs does very well. They quickly addressed issues I brought to their attention, and got the project back on track. We used Basecamp at first, but now we use Slack and Sheets for communication and project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We have developed a strong working relationship, like partners. The thing that sets them apart from others and makes me continue working with them so long is the supportiveness of their management team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There isn’t anything specific. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be involved, staying in close contact with the managers. Speak up immediately if something isn’t going the way you want it. They’ll listen and adjust.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a scooter rental platform. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Code Brew Labs?

I needed a mobile application built.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built two apps: one for iOS and one for Android. It’s a micro-mobility shared application that activates the scooter. The user can also open a map to see where the scooters are in relation to them. The app is linked to an admin panel with a dashboard that allows us to manage the subscribers. We have customer reviews, problems, feedback, and more documented there. 

There are two backup servers to monitor the users, to ensure no delays in downloading the app, and to minimize crashes. They currently monitor and maintain the application. 

What is the team composition?

There are 7-8 people who work on the team: an Android developer, an iOS developer, two backend supports, a QA tester, a designer, and someone in charge of monitoring the servers.

How did you come to work with Code Brew Labs?

I had worked with a few companies unsatisfactorily. When I found Code Brew Labs, I spent a few days visiting them, talking with the CEO, and seeing their workspace. I liked the way they worked and decided to test their skill before deciding to work on the project with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $140,000 - $160,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in September 2019, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is live for both iOS and Android, in the app stores. They continue to add and tweak features for us. We went into operation a week prior to COVID-19, so we are waiting for the government to allow us to reopen.

How did Code Brew Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They do very well. They update me every couple of days, as well as send weekly reports for documentation. We use Basecamp and WhatsApp. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is very good and works quickly. I like that they come to ask questions when they need to instead of just pushing forward without clarification. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice if they assigned a team from the local office for easier interaction.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you want to develop a clean, professional application, this is a good team to work with. They cost more than some others, but are worth it. They deliver what they promise.