Dogtown Media

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a fashion company. Our consultants sell our clothing out of their homes or online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DogTownMedia?

I wanted to create an app that would help sell our product. Our primary platform is Facebook, which isn’t designed for sales.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed a prototype that will ultimately allow users to login to our site and find the products they’re looking for. We’re still in the middle phases of developing an iOS app, with no specific integrations with social media or other software at this time.

What is the team dynamic?

Our project manager, George [Creative Director, DogTownMedia] was great. He understood my needs and produced exactly what I wanted.

How did you come to work with DogTownMedia?

A friend I trust used them for her business and recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

Our original investment was $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The bulk of the work was in December 2016 through January 2017. They’re still working on development with us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still too early in the process for beta testers. The consultants who have seen the prototype are very excited about it.

How did DogTownMedia perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication was very good. We had one video conference, but mostly met over the phone because of my schedule. They’re always great with email responses. Marc [President/Co-Founder, DogTownMedia] and George are both good to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really take the time to listen to the details, and to make changes. They’re mindful of customer service and satisfaction. They were always flexible and accommodating, and presented a great prototype.

Advice for potential customers?

Make sure you draft a business plan to go along with your app before you start development. That was a key piece I lacked at the beginning.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I oversee When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw Revelation and the Dr. Phil Foundation. It's a non-profit organization that supports advanced programs for domestic violence victims and children who have been abused and neglected. We don't provide direct service, but we contribute donations to different organizations, like shelters and programs that serve children and domestic violence victims.

What's unique about our foundation is that we provide a domestic violence curriculum, as well as the Aspire News app, which is a potentially life-saving app for victims and even students.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dogtown Media?

Even before I started, the Aspire News app was not working. It's supposed to work as a masked app; it looks like a regular news app, and within the app you can put a safe contact. For example, if you’re in a domestic violence relationship and you know things between you and your partner escalate, you can tap the app, and it'll notify your trusted contact that you're in danger. It will also give your exact location.

They actually launched this app in 2013. During that time, the developers of the original app went out of business without telling the foundation. As a result, we never received any of the backend coding or anything like that. The app was eventually deleted from the Android and Apple app stores; it didn't exist anymore. We received different emails and phone calls from victims asking what happened. That's when I reached out to Dogtown Media to see if this was something that they could take over.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I initially had contact with Tyler, SVP of Dogtown Media, and we talked about what was needed. After talking to him and describing what the old app looked like, and sending him what I had in writing, he responded with a proposal and timeline. He guaranteed the location accuracy, which was something I appreciated. Plus, during that time, we negotiated the timeline because October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

He gave me a realistic timeline and he also told me where it would be hosted. They are using a hybrid or cross-platform application so that they're able to launch it at the same time for both iOS and Android. They started working on it right away. He came up with a new design and basically gave the app a facelift. We were very excited about how it was going to come out. Since this is still in the works, they haven't provided any other services like marketing or strategy.

We plan to continue working with them for maintenance and updates after the apps have been launched. That's the goal because the initial part of our contract is essentially phase one. Phase two will hopefully be going global and providing translation for the app, as well as different resources. Currently, it only provides national resources. If you're in a domestic violence situation or if you just need help, you can call an 800 number or various shelters.

When we want to go global, the app would be able to identify the nearest resource to the user and get them the nearby help. Hopefully, our communication and relationship with Dogtown continues; they're wonderful to work with. The launch date will be announced on the Dr. Phil Show.

What is the team dynamic?

My main contact was Tyler, and he puts me in contact with other members of the team, like designers, whenever necessary, depending on what stage of development we’re in.

How did you come to work with Dogtown Media?

I just looked up developers on Google initially, and they were one of the top ones that came up during my search. I requested a bid from a few different developers. Dogtown Media was quick to respond, and I told them the situation and that I didn't get to save much from the old Aspire app. I shared with them what I had, which were snapshots I found online and snippets of the app from when I tested it out with friends.

I also told them that it didn’t always give the exact location; only the text notification consistently worked. I told them that was something that really needed to be accurate; it’s potentially a life-and-death situation.

I gave them our budget, which was very strict. We were able to recreate the app as a result of a grant that we received from another source.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

What I love about them is they actually involve the company that they're working with. They give drafts in a timely manner. When they say they'll give you the first mock on Friday, they actually mean it, whereas other companies that I've experienced working with would wait until the last minute before saying they're not done with it yet. They're very thorough, they mean what they say, and they're true to their timelines. That's something that's very important for me and for the foundation, too.

When they deliver parts of the project to us, they are functioning, or they’re doing what they can to send us working prototypes. It's in the testing stage at this point. With the work that I've seen so far, I have no doubt that it's going to be successful.

How did Dogtown Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, communication has been wonderful. Tyler had introduced me to whoever was designing, and they tell me exactly what they need. They communicate very clearly. We communicated by phone and email with Tyler and various people linked to different aspects of the project.

Since my background is non-profit and I know what’s needed, or what's important for women or college students to see, I provided Dogtown Media with additional resources that users would want to look into, for that section of the app. That's one thing that we collaborated on. I would also send them content, like quotes or a link to when Dr. Phil spoke on the topic of abuse and domestic violence relationships.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very consistent in their communication and checking in, whereas other bidders are interested in the project, but they don't really follow up as much. I appreciated the follow-up. They're very professional, but at the same time, you feel comfortable communicating with them. That's something that I find very unique. Some people explain things to you and it's very techy even though you told them you weren’t a techy person. Dogtown Media explained it to me in a language that I could understand, and so I was able to collaborate with them and be helpful. I appreciate that they're very sensitive to that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not at this time. They are very good. Every one of them has been very good throughout this project. I'm sure they are working on other projects, but I feel like they put importance on every project. That's what a client needs to feel—as if we're the only project they're working on. I really appreciate that; not too many companies would really make you feel like that.

Advice for potential customers?

Not at this time. Like I said, they're very thorough. They ask all the questions. They even work at night just to make sure that they have something to present to you, for example, if there’s a meeting in the morning. I would just tell a new client to go for it, talk to them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief technology officer of Emntr, Inc. The company aims to provide a platform for people to do peer-to-peer sharing of information and knowledge.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dogtown Media?

We are attempting to address the difficult challenge of developing a mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dogtown Media is doing all of the development for our app. That includes the wireframes, focus groups, front-end user interface design, back-end coding, all the way through to the customer journey mapping. For a small startup like ours, having a full-time in-house development team is very cost-prohibitive. Dogtown Media essentially gives us that in-house development team without us having to deal with all the overhead.

How did you come to work with Dogtown Media?

Initially, we did a cost-benefit analysis of an internal mobile app development team versus a company like Dogtown. We determined that using a third-party company was the best move financially and logistically. Then, we researched online for the top development shops in the country. We wanted a company that’s based in the United States and does all their development domestically. After extensive research and multiple rounds of interviews, we settled on Dogtown Media. The thing that I tell everybody is that we weren’t looking for a third-party vendor to build our app. Rather, we were looking for a partner, and that’s what we found in Dogtown. If you were to look at our email exchanges, you would think that we all work together for the same company.  

How much have you invested with Dogtown Media?

The amount we’ve spent on the app development is on the high side of $50,000 to $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We selected Dogtown Media and started the initial phase back in January. But due to us being a startup, we weren’t able to start development until April. Our target was to have the first phase of the mobile app completed in October. Dogtown Media has met all of our deadlines to date because we’re doing it in 2-week sprints. We project that they are going to finish the development earlier than they had anticipated and under budget.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve shown people our prototype, the mockup of the sites, and all the design that Dogtown has done. I honestly have not gotten a single criticism about their design. I have a lot of friends who are in the UX/UI world and a lot of friends who are in the coding world. I can confirm that  Dogtown Media’s work is world-class and top-notch. To me, that’s been the biggest thing. Beyond that, they continue to meet and exceed deadlines, and they continue to come in under budget.

How did Dogtown Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed 100% perfectly as far as I’m concerned. The communication has been great and they are on top of everything. We are a startup and the 4 of us all have other jobs. Dogtown Media has done a wonderful job of keeping us accountable to our deliverables while not coming across as too pushy. That has been instrumental in keeping us on time with our development schedule.

What did you find most impressive about Dogtown Media?

It’s the personality, the heart and soul of the company. Those guys all believe in what they’re building. They all love what they do. They take ownership and they take pride in their clients’ work. Dogtown Media delivers a product that is absolutely world-class.

Are there any areas Dogtown Media could improve?

I hate saying this because I've harped on it so much with them. But to be honest, they're just so perfect for us that I don't think they could improve upon anything. One area that works for us but might not for others is the bluntness in their approach. There is an honesty in their feedback and execution to try and keep things on schedule that some might not appreciate, but I not only appreciate it, but also encourage it from them. That's what you want out of a partner that's helping you build your mobile app.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We have an ambitious approach to trading high-end products via a mobile app. We are still in the development stage of our product.

What is your position?

I am the founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Dogtown Media?

We needed development work for our product.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Dogtown created all our prototype screens, including wireframes and mockups. They helped us work out the details that are essential for its UI [user interface] fluidity. They worked on the graphic design of the app as well and are currently building our WordPress site. They're not doing the development currently.

How did you come to work with Dogtown Media?

We researched their company and spoke to their account representative. We found that person to be very informative with a good sense of what our aim was.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The total pricing has not yet been determined. We're currently discussing this with Dogtown.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing. Our app development stage hasn't yet begun.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I appreciated the patience of their team. My concern regarding working with an app development company was that there might be a cutoff moment in terms of development rounds, and exceeding it would result in additional payment. Dogtown, however, believe in our project, and are interested in the success of the prototype, so they will go the extra mile to ensure it is up to our specifications. We haven't done any metrics analysis at this moment.

How did Dogtown Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Our account representative has always been available for us. He has been a good project manager, rallying the troops, so to speak, around our requests. He has been the driving force around our app's development. I found that to be the largest benefit in working with Dogtown.

What distinguishes Dogtown Media from other providers?

Dogtown provided true leadership for our project, despite time constraints and very ambitious concepts on our side.

Is there anything Dogtown Media could have improved or done differently?

Some app development companies have a formal, structured organization while others behave more like guns for hire. I can't say exactly where Dogtown would fall between the two extremes, but I couldn't say anything negative about their quality of work. Based on what I've seen so far, in terms of their patience with the client – regardless of how exacting the specifications might be – I can say that they're a standout company, able to take your concept and work with you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are an on-demand parking platform that allows businesses and homeowners with vacant parking spaces to rent them in an Airbnb style, to drivers in and around the Los Angeles area. We are called Kirb.

What is your position?

I'm the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Dogtown?

We're working with Dogtown to develop an iPhone app. We're planning an Android one for a later time.

The revenue model is commission-based, and parking time is determined in hourly units. The goal of our startup is to improve parking for people in Los Angeles, and to make spaces that otherwise wouldn't be used, available for parking. We want to make the streets less congested.

The app does a few things that weren't previously possible for drivers in Los Angeles. One is allowing drivers to reserve parking in advance. As an example: if you want to go to the beach on a Saturday afternoon, you can reserve a Kirb parking space several days in advance. That can save you literally hours of time.

The second thing that my company does is to provide an extra revenue source for local businesses. In LA, there are thousands of parking spaces that belong to businesses, and which aren't always in use. We make those spaces available to drivers. The app will also indirectly drive new customers to businesses and areas where parking is in high demand. There's a lot of economic benefit.

It also allows homeowners that have driveways or private parking lots, to make a little extra income. We estimate that a homeowner that is participating in the platform, and is able to lease their space for an average of two hours per day, can make an extra $300 per month doing virtually nothing but allowing us to utilize their vacant space. A business can make more than $1,500 of extra income per month, through the use of only three spaces, at a similar utilization rate.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

The team is very involved, not just in the development of the software, but also with the business and market strategy aspects. They've been an integral part in the growth of the company.

Through the prototype development process, as a team (four or five individuals at Dogtown, myself and my partners), we were able to brainstorm a lot of the hurdles that we anticipated would arise in the use of this type of application.

Through the course of the prototype development phase, Dogtown helped us steer around the turns, and anticipate many of the challenges that we might encounter in a fully-functional app. We decided to continue the work with them because of their insight and interest in the concept, and our shared vision.

How did you come to work with Dogtown?

My business partners and I are fairly new to what could be referred to the Silicon Beach community. Most of our relationships, in terms of app and software development, are in the San Francisco area. We wanted to source locally and word of mouth drove me to Mark's [CEO of Dogtown Media] team. I gave Tyler Leonard a call, Mark's business development director. We'd never met before but his name had been given to me by an acquaintance in San Francisco. I explained the concept to him, told him that we were looking at a couple of other companies and freelance developers that would help us develop the prototype.

It came down to Tyler's interest in the project. We pitched the concept to their user interface team. We had a couple of visits to Dogtown's office, and were impressed with the conversations that we had and their staff. It was a no-brainer to choose them.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

This is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've just finished a prototype, and have received funding for a fully functional app. The product isn't yet launched.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We hadn't had the benefit of pressure-testing this. Dogtown did a lot of competitive research in advance, which was excellent. A lot of time was spent looking at past attempts in this category, why they failed and why they succeeded, and where the white space was. If I could say one thing about Dogtown, it would be about their thoroughness on prospecting the competitive environment.

How did Dogtown perform from a project management standpoint?

Dogtown has been able to bring a lot of insightful market and environmental research to the table. We knew that we were entering a category that has been penetrated by other entrepreneurs. There have been parking apps launched in cities around the country. Our concept was unique though; they saw that, and were able to guide us into new areas and categories that we knew were going to be fertile for innovation. Dogtown defined our concept and goals better and were able to make a better project because of their management and ideas.

What distinguishes Dogtown from other providers?

Mark has a very good vision for identifying gross potential and the shared economy. This is an area that has been exhausted by a lot of developers in the United States. Mark is incredibly gifted at giving sensible counsel to new players in this field. He and his team have been fantastic.

They have introduced us to other interested parties. One of our principle investors is someone who Dogtown identified. They've also introduced us to web developers who have been important in the marketing aspects of the company. Dogtown has been a real partner in all facets of launching a new startup.

Is there anything Dogtown could have improved or done differently?

This is a tough question to answer. They're the one and only company we've worked with in this project. We're still in an early stage. I've been very pleased, generally. They're approachable, responsive and organized. It's hard for me to critique their work. I would be more likely to give them accolades.

The problem with any new partnership is establishing a timeline and calendar, and sticking to it. This is not necessarily a weakness of theirs, but more part of the growing pains of working together on a new project.

As far as I can tell, they have all the human assets necessary for the work that they promised to do. From what I've seen over the past year, Dogtown has a healthy business, and they've been growing in terms of fulltime team members. The people we've worked with a year ago are still there.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are Mommy Dearest. It's an on-demand sick day delivery service. We offer over-the-counter medicine, natural remedies and sick day essentials to your doorstep in less than an hour. We have three different curated packages. One is a hangover package. The other one is the comeback kit or the lifesaver. That was in a preventative package where when you start to feel your cold coming on you'd order that one. Then we have an all-encompassing package where when you're sick and you feel like you need everything.

What is your position?

I'm founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Dogtown Media?

I wanted to build an app prototype so I could see what I wanted it to look like. I tested out a bunch of apps and combined everything I liked from each delivery service. They helped me understand the tech world, which was nice because I'm totally new to it. They were honest and real about their advice. I talked to many other companies, and they were one that stood out to me.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They provided an iOS mobile application. 

How did you come to work with Dogtown Media?

I Googled stuff. I was in San Diego. I wanted an app company in San Diego, and they came up even though they're in Santa Monica. I reached out to them. I was living in New York at the time and planning on moving back to San Diego. 

I reached out to bunch of app companies in New York and everyone was standoffish and not willing to help. I didn't know what I was doing, so I needed somebody who was also going to give me good advice and feedback, be honest about what my app should look like, and understanding my company and what I'm trying to do. I spoke to Tyler [Leonard, director of business development and sales for Dogtown Media] for a few hours and he was so helpful. He gave me good advice and believed in my concept.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

It was  from $50,000 to $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We're still in the process of doing a few things. I'm taking Tyler to Ireland for a web summit. It's a tech conference. I was accepted to the alpha program there. We're fixing the prototype and taking it with us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did Dogtown Media perform from a project management standpoint?

I'm incredibly satisfied. I love that they're always available. They get back in a timely manner. They're easy to communicate with. I have so many ideas that come to my head, and I write them an email and they add it. 

What distinguishes Dogtown Media from other providers?

I just love how real and honest Dogtown Media is. I find that in the world of tech people, many people are competing against each other and you don't know who's being genuine and who's not. I think with them it's refreshing to sit down and have a conversation and know that it's a trusted space and they'll give you feedback from all their experience.

They look out for your best interest, and they're not just trying to take your money. There were certain things I was thinking about doing in the app, and they would say they didn't think it was necessary. It would have cost too much. I didn't find that with any other company that I spoke to. I'm a huge communicator, and I think it's disrespectful when people don't get back to you in a timely manner. I love that about them.

Is there anything Dogtown Media could have improved or done differently?

This is my first encounter with developing an app. I don't have experience with other people. I can't think of a negative thing that I've experienced with them so far.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Opt In is a new software program that we're building with Dogtown. It's going to help women who stepped out of the workforce opt back in. Not only did we develop a special algorithm matching skills of women with open positions, we're also going to be a full resource operation. These women will be able to update their skill set and have female mentors and peers, all of which will ultimately become a social network.

What is your position?

I am the founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Dogtown Media?

Dogtown has been a great partner for us. This is my second startup, but it's my first in the technology industry. Their CEO [Marc Fischer] is knowledgeable. Not only are they handling the product development on the website and app, but also working on the back-end as well as everything else. Their CEO has been helpful as far as guiding us in looking at our options.

He's also going to spend some time acting as an investor and asking us all those tough questions. He goes above and beyond. He's not charging us extra for that but he really wants us to succeed. You can see it in his whole team. I really can't say enough good things about them. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

In addition to the technical development, they are also helping us with advertising. They actually connected us with some SEO [search engine optimization] companies. Through them, we hired someone who would work with us on gathering all the analytics from the website.

Dogtown has been a real partner. I feel the relationship is more like that of a partnership than one with a vendor, which they are. Their development team is great. They're ahead of schedule and under budget.

How did you come to work with Dogtown Media?

We interviewed here in Santa Monica for different companies to assist us with this project. In choosing Dogtown, we went with our vibe and our gut, and they have been a huge asset for us.

In the beginning, we were kidding around with their CEO because, as an advocate for women, it was important for us to have a woman doing the development. When we first met him, I said we'd hire him if he would hire a woman, and he said they were interviewing three right then. Since we've taken them on, they've hired additional women.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We've spent somewhere between $200,000 and $1,000,000 working with Dogtown. We have been using our chief funding to do the whole development. What's nice is we can finish our series A funding with a completely functional beta tested website.

What is the status of this engagement?

It's ongoing. We finished phase one ahead of time. When you're working on a startup, it's easy to get delayed, and Dogtown was good about looking ahead to the next phase. That's what kept everything on schedule. They knew what was coming next. I didn't. Right now, they're 75 percent finished with phase two.

Phase one was the website, and it's up and running. We haven't launched it yet, but Dogtown is now working on phase two. We got the opportunity to go in for our series A funding the first week of November, so that changed the focus on our side. We will keep them on as a source for technical service until we can hire someone in house, which won't be for a while.

We hired Dogtown in June [2015], and we are ready to launch. But, we can't launch yet because we're the link between jobs and the women. We need to have the jobs onboard before the women can come on. We're doing a parallel PR campaign. Next week [October 2014], we are going to start loading jobs from some big companies in Los Angeles. They have several project-based, part-time flexible jobs. It's not your everyday recruitment jobs. The women that we're targeting don't want your traditional job. They want something part time so they can be a mom and still keep up their skills in the workplace. They're willing to trade compensation for flexibility.

We have to go to the companies and have them relook at the way they're posting jobs. We don't want the LinkedIn jobs or the Monster.com jobs. We want project-based, flextime job shares, which will really change the way women work and ultimately change the entire workforce. We are loading up on the company side and, once we get an investor onboard, we're hoping we can develop a presence for other companies. We're in a holding pattern on the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics, metrics or other feedback from your work with Dogtown Media?

In the beginning, we got a lot of feedback from potential users. I originally thought this was going to be an app. We did some large focus groups, and the women said they didn't want to be on their phones. We changed the nature of the project from app-based to web-based. Every time new ideas come up, I call Dogtown's development people in San Francisco, and they're always very accommodating. They built the site to be flexible, and we built it with some huge growth in mind.

What distinguishes Dogtown Media from other providers?

As a team, Dogtown Media works well together and has a good vibe and energy. They're very knowledgeable in the field. One of the partners introduced us to a very good friend of his who's in the recruiting business, and he stopped by yesterday and asked about becoming an advisor. Those are important connections. Dogtown is open to having us learn more and giving us as many resources as they can. It comes from a genuine belief in what we are doing.

Is there anything Dogtown Media could have improved or done differently?

We worked with a couple vendors in the beginning and one we let go. The other one was doing the job, but we could see they wouldn't be a long-term partner. The technology is the most important part of what we're doing. I'm so glad this relationship with Dogtown has worked out and that they'll be a long-term partner because switching vendors is difficult. I'm sure they'll be problems along the way but, right now, I can't say that I see any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a company that is based around the social distribution of professionally shot editorial photography. So, basically, images that used to be available to the press, we deliver direct to the consumer.

What is your position?

I am the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Dogtown Media?

We did a revamp of our primary app. We are launching a new product that goes live tomorrow, called First Look, which is an entertainment imagery-based product. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We worked with Dogtown on the UX/UI [user experience/user interface] side of the product and the creative direction. We don't look at it as compartmentalized piece of a product. For us, it's a long-term relationship. Dogtown is a group who understands both our product and our methodology. On our side, what I loved about it and the reason that we continue working with them is because we actually have a team for support as opposed to me hiring a single designer or a single UX engineer.

The fact that we've got their team, and their team falls directly within our demographics, means they really understand the product. They know our market much better than the average development firm. One of the things that we loved about this project is that the team at Dogtown were and are core users of what our product is, so it was a natural fit.

How did you come to work with Dogtown Media?

We had worked with a lot of different design firms, a lot of different specifically UX engineers, and we were both referred to them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We are absolutely satisfied with their performance. We have a very intense development crew on our side, and the ability to get exactly what we ask for, with a whole range of creativity that we never asked for, on a regular, recurring work basis is great. A lot of times it might be, "OK, let's go ahead and do the UX/UI, get that finished, and then go through and start running in coding." We have very tight timeframes, so things were done simultaneously. We were literally working hand in hand. Things would get done, and we would be able to implement it immediately and test it out immediately. If it worked, it was great. If it didn't, we could do the revision.

Compared to our old product before we had engaged with them, we had mediocre to low consumer engagement on our product. On the revision and doing all of our user testing, all of our beta testing, we've seen beyond a tenfold improvement on the engagement in our product.

How did Dogtown Media perform from a project management standpoint?

There was not a single negative thing to say. I have almost 20 years of experience in development, and I've never worked with a team that was so in sync with what we do. Especially when you're working with outside contractors, there always tends to be some semblance of a gap. There wasn't with Dogtown. They were literally right with us the whole time, and the results were phenomenal. If they weren't, we wouldn't be releasing it.

What distinguishes Dogtown Media from other providers?

The biggest thing that stands out for me is the quality of the whole team at Dogtown Media – the understanding, the follow-up, the care, and the concern. They really take ownership of the product. We were working with them on the design aspect of it, but I know when you are sitting and working with developers, for example, most of the time it's like, "Here's the requirement, let me get the work done. Here, I'll give it to you without any concern to what the product is."

The guys at Dogtown took complete ownership of it. They felt it was as much theirs, and that's something that is important. It really stood out for us. That's why I've gone and recommended them to five or six colleague companies that are working with us. We told all of our contacts to go straight to Dogtown and ignore the other firms.

When we looked at doing more complex things that may involve some of the development staff, and sitting and working with Rob, they're more than capable of handling the larger sides of the project. We've got a phenomenal development team of our own, but it's necessary to augment at times. We're self-sufficient on the development side, but just knowing the fact that Marc [Fischer, president and co-founder], Rob [Pope, CTO and co-founder], and the team [at Dogtown Media] are around is phenomenal. If we were doing something outside of our sphere of expertise. We know we've got a great resource that we can turn to.

Is there anything Dogtown Media could have improved or done differently?

In working with third-party contractors, I've never had as good an experience as I had working with Dogtown Media. Even in my own internal teams, I had a startup that I created that grew to 300 people that we sold off to Getty Images. It was the largest acquisition in our industry ever, and I never had an experience working with teams like Dogtown. That's really how good they are.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We specialize in mobile personal emergency response systems.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the chief technology officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with DogTown Media?

We worked with DogTown because we were getting into mobile health monitoring. We sourced out a piece of hardware that looks like a Band-Aid that can monitor health information, such as the heartbeat, respiration, and so on. It connects to an iPhone library. We sourced out another offshore company to do it originally. They built it, but it didn’t work well. It crashed a lot and couldn’t handle the amount of data that the health module put into the application. It just crashed after running for a while. It had a lot of bugs, and we weren’t happy with the way it worked. We started looking for another firm that could make the app work well enough to get into the App Store.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work?

The module is a new technology and just became available. We started with a generic application in order to show it off to different health companies. We’re not a health company ourselves, so we don’t know the exact application the customer may use it for. We needed DogTown to make a generic app for demonstration, and there are people at CES showing it off now. Our next phase will be to find out what potential customers need for their applications, then have DogTown modify the app to meet that need.

Right now, it displays the different metrics that the module can measure from the body, such as temperature, heart rate, and if you fall down. It connects to our website, and we display it on a dashboard. It doesn’t meet a particular application right now. It wasn’t developed specifically for an ambulance company that would use it for a particular situation. We would have to modify it to fit their need.

DogTown created a generic demo app. Once we have a customer who has a specific need, whether it’s a hospital or retirement home, we can modify it to meet their needs. That’s the next step for DogTown.

What was your process for selecting DogTown Media?

We found a good review of DogTown online and looked at their website. I met with them at their office, and we were impressed by the first meeting. They were different from other firms that we’ve used to create apps. They were more creative and out of the box. They didn’t just use our exact requirements, even if they don’t think that’s the right way to do it like a lot of other firms will. The other firm did exactly what we thought we needed – we weren’t the experts on apps – and did exactly what we said without thinking about a better way.

When we met with DogTown, they already had a lot of advice of better ways we should be doing it, such as displaying data and so on. I was very impressed after that first meeting with them, and I had decided to use them for the project.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

This demo app was around $9,000.

When was the latest milestone completed for that work?

Development was completed in early December of 2013. The QA process followed that, and there were only minor things to fix. It will be in the App Store shortly.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

Because it’s not a consumer-level app, the metrics will be based on what kind of deals the app helps us set up. We’re leaning toward white labeling it for larger customers, rather than having a consumer download it from the App Store. It’s different from a normal consumer app. It also pairs with selling the hardware. The cost comes from white labeling and customizing it for people.

How did DogTown Media perform during the project?

DogTown was great. We laid out the ideas of what we wanted in our first meeting, especially the point of the app and the direction we want to take. That was good, because they cared about that more than exactly how it needs to work. They used some of their own judgment. I gave them the documentation for the module, which came from one of our vendors. It has all the library documentation.

It surprised me how fast they became experts on it. It only took a day or two, and it took our other vendor weeks. They knew exactly how to talk to our vendor about the module; it was as if they had been working on it for weeks. We used them as if they were staff instead of an outsourced vendor. That enabled the vendor to share information and not have to worry too much. They picked it up very quickly, which solved the concern I had about how fast they could learn a complicated library that the vendor supplied.

It was very quick, and we received timely progress updates. We gave them the list of “need-to-haves” and the “nice-to-haves,” and they met everything without too much effort. DogTown ran across a lot of issues that the vendor had with the library itself that weren’t their fault. They were able to work directly with them and get past them very quickly. That was nice. They didn’t say, “Oh, this part doesn’t work” and just kick it back to me. They worked with the vendor and figured it out.

The first release back to us had three minor issues that weren’t even in our requirements. We sent it back to them, and they added them within a couple of days. Everything came out perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better firm, and we’ll definitely use them for any applications we do in the future.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

For me, they act like they’re already part of your team, rather than just a vendor. They don’t wait for you to ask them things. They’ll call you and act like they’ve been employees the whole time, working on it. I like that. It makes you feel better than having to hound them for updates. They treat you like you’re their boss at work and that they’re trying to impress you. That is enlightening and very nice after what we dealt with before. That was my favorite part of working with DogTown, outside their technical prowess.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

The only thing that I mentioned to them was very minor. It didn’t really relate to me, but to other companies that don’t have as many technical people on their own staff. They could provide a few more detailed updates every couple of days regarding what they worked on and how far they got. When we talked about what needed to be done, I understood what they were saying. I do development as well and know how long things usually take, so I didn’t worry about it. Some people may not, such as a CEO or CFO asking for an update.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your company?

We're a mobile application development firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What were the business challenges you were attempting to address when initiating the project with DogTown Media?

We were essentially looking to outsource some of our development work, because we had experienced a considerable increase in demand and we were unable to keep up. 

SOLUTION

How did you select DogTown Media as your solution partner?

We became acquainted with DogTown Media through word of mouth. 

Could you describe the scope of the project in terms of components: did it include custom design, development, training, ongoing support, etc.?

Our application allows users with an iPhone or an iPad to design a family crest using the preexisting elements what we’ve provided.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How satisfied are you with the work they’ve delivered?

We're pleased with the work that they've delivered. They came in on time and on budget, so we’re happy. And they’ve also provided support without increasing the cost. They've been extremely generous in that respect. 

What platforms have they developed for?

iOS.

In retrospect, is there anything that you consider unique or special about DogTown Media compared to other developers that you’ve worked with in the past?

They were willing to meet face-to-face. They’re extremely available and responsive. They’re young and they’re very open to new ideas. They're great at managing expectations and cost.