Focusteck

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Contact Cultures Properties Ltd

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

we are a property investment,  development and management company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Focusteck to accomplish?

• We required a Property Management System suitable for the UK market to manage our real estate operations more efficiently.
• Our challenge was to develop a new, modern system that could streamline our property management processes and integrate seamlessly with other tools we use

SOLUTION

How did you find Focusteck?

word of mouth

Why did you select Focusteck over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Focusteck were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Scope of Involvement

Focusteck was involved in developing the Property Management System from scratch. They handled the full development cycle, including planning, design, development, and deployment.

• Team Composition

The team included 2 developers, a project manager, and QA specialists. Each member had specific roles, and they collaborated effectively throughout the project.

• How We Started Working with Focusteck

We chose Focusteck based on their reputation and experience in developing similar systems. After initial discussions, we felt they were the right fit for our needs.

• Investment

So far, we've invested around GBP10,000 with Focusteck.

• Status

The project is ongoing, with Focusteck continuing to support and enhance the system as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Impact of the Engagement

The new system has improved our operational efficiency and allowed us to manage properties more effectively. Customer feedback has also been positive.

• Project Management

We used Slack(its app) for communication, which worked well for us. They were responsive and kept us updated on the project's progress.

• Most Impressive Aspect

We are most impressed with Focusteck's technical expertise and ability to translate complex requirements into a functional system.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

the focusteck team were very focused on delivering what we required. at times communications could have been a little better but that was our fault as we were not very clear what we needed to achieve. their response was very positive and very professional in ensuring we achieved a clear vision and are helping delivert that

What was your primary form of communication with Focusteck?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

their ability to understand our vision when even we were not very clear about what we were trying to achieve. their understanding and professionalism especially in finding solutions to our problems even though we were thousands of miles away. their unique point was in every member of their staff wanting to ensure we got the best service for our money

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

• Areas for Improvement

Generally, we're satisfied with their performance. However, improving communication on some occasions would enhance the collaboration even more.

• Advice for Potential Customers

Ensure you’re clear on your objectives and communicate well with Focusteck to get the best results from the partnership.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the commercial officer of an IT services and consulting company. We provide community equipment, software management, and logistics software to council bodies and private people.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fokusteck?

We reached out to Fokusteck to help us strengthen our position on the iOS side of our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the process by highlighting our areas of strength and telling them what we wanted to achieve. Consequently, Focusteck started doing custom software development, using GitHub and an existing application we already had as guidance. They're enhancing that older version with older iOS programming language by turning it into the latest Swift version from Apple.

Regarding functionalities, the app allows users to scan labels and assets and keep stock checks and fill orders — it's an asset-based logistics scanning system for equipment.

What is the team composition?

We work with around three members of their team, including a senior iOS developer, a project manager, and a development assistant.

How did you come to work with Fokusteck?

A colleague referred them to us.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we've spent around $60,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the engagement around November 2021, and it's still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've seen that they deliver what they promised and have provided our additional resourcing needs. Overall, our team is happy with the product that Focusteck is creating, and we're about to launch it. In addition, they've been great at solving the bugs that have arisen.

How did Fokusteck perform from a project management standpoint?

The project is taking slightly longer than expected, but that's common. Nonetheless, they work hard to meet deadlines, which they often do. Regarding communication, we use Microsoft Teams. We have a group chat, and once a week, we have calls with them to discuss the project's status and the issues presented.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very hardworking. It was a challenge for them to walk in and understand someone else's software and start working on it, but they have an impressive ability to manage the task we've given them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Generally, we're satisfied, but the project management could improve in terms of sharing timeframes and project plans because they sometimes lack that.

Any advice for potential customers?

Ensure you're clear on your objectives and communicate well with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Exmapp, and I am one of around six interventional cardiologists-electrophysiologists — or what we call hybrid physicians — in the country. I run a medical device company and am an angel investor or venture capitalist for startup medical device companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focusteck?

We needed help with development for our medical device company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Focusteck helped our company, Exmapp, develop a software and application for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in large-scale countries. We spoke to various healthcare specialists to determine what tools were required to address limitations and challenges in monitoring and managing the pandemic, and we put together a document that outlined our findings. 

Once we felt that the document was robust enough, we began the development of the software and the app. Focusteck created a tool that could help healthcare providers and ministries of health best deploy assets to manage outbreaks. Their team also built functionalities for real-time patient monitoring. 

The software has been rolled out in the Caribbean and in various countries. I have since worked with Focusteck on various other projects.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager who oversaw the whole process, with 4–5 people working in the background.

How did you come to work with Focusteck?

I went back and forth with one of Focusteck’s New York-based agents. We talked about working on various projects, and she put me directly in touch with the folks in Pakistan to get things started.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent between $250,000–$500,000 to date.

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with them in 2014. Our partnership is ongoing and we have a lot of projects that we are working on right now. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Of the various developers I have worked with, Focusteck has become my go-to team. They’ve produced superior work that goes beyond simple app development. Outside of this project, we’ve been able to rely on them for marketing, branding, design, and animation work as well. It is seamless working with them and getting things up and running. Our business relationship has essentially developed into a friendship. 

How did Focusteck perform from a project management standpoint?

We speak 3–4 times per week about our multiple ongoing projects. We have various streams for communication such as WhatsApp, Google Meet, and Zoom. We also have a running document that is being updated on a daily basis. It helps our agile process and timelines and allows me to see what is being added or subtracted in real-time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Focusteck has the ability to be flexible and adaptable to various languages. There is never a barrier; they seem to have a ready mix of adept programmers in their wheelhouse who can knock these projects out in a very short amount of time. They are very well-put-together and have the resources to get stuff done no matter what the issue or topic is.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any drawbacks. Our communication has been seamless even across different time zones.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a well-defined idea on paper. It doesn’t have to be hashed out completely but having a basic, shareable idea of what you want is a good starting point. Focusteck has the expertise to help you further develop your ideas into a proper requirement document, and then into a project plan.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of On Call Platform, a SaaS healthcare staffing startup. We help healthcare organizations scale up and down flexed workers and save on the lead time to communicate with their critical staff. Essentially, we can mass communicate opportunities to their workers and do scheduling and time tracking.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focusteck?

We engaged in a multi-month contract with Focusteck for development work and QA. It was a platform, so it needed website and mobile compatibility.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, the work was around refactoring the platform. Then, Focusteck had to roll out the features around our scheduling workspace. Scheduling was the most significant functionality, and the platform used AWS services and React on the frontend.

They pretended they’d provided us with a senior developer, but in fact, it was a junior developer. Therefore, the quality of work, tickets, and tasks was failing user acceptance testing.

We’d contracted them hourly, but they said they had to take time off for a religious holiday, so we couldn’t get that money back. It didn’t make sense for us to pay them for four weeks when they couldn’t provide that work. It wasn’t stipulated in the contract.

What is the team composition?

We started with a full-time and a half-time developer. Then, we transitioned to one full-time developer and one QA. Asad (Director of Engineering) and Adil (Founder & CEO) were my main points of contact.

How did you come to work with Focusteck?

I found them through Upwork, the freelance contracting website. I engaged with them because I thought they seemed to know what they were talking about during our initial interviews.

How much have you invested in them?

Our first month was about $5,000–$6,000 alone for 2–3 weeks of development. In total, it was a little over $20,000, and they owe us $2,000–$3,000 of work.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started around March 2020, and we don’t work together anymore.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

We had an extremely negative experience with them. The developer stopped working on the project by the second or third month, but they demanded that we pay them at the beginning of the contract. We had sent them thousands of dollars, and they refused to refund us for the hours. We have the emails to prove it.

We talked to the CEO every month, and they said they’d give us another developer. However, they still didn’t provide us with any additional support after six months. They kept saying they’d have someone in two additional months, but they stopped replying to me.

We should pursue legal channels, but it’s hard to sue them since they’re in Pakistan.

How was project management handled?

At first, they put a senior developer on the project, and then they had a junior developer, even though we’d contracted the senior developer. The quality decreased, and the junior developer quit because he wasn’t getting any guidance. We thought the senior developer was doing the work the entire time, but neither of them would do it, so they stopped.

When he quit, the senior developer refused to do the work as well. They stopped completing the scope in the middle of the contract and refused to give a refund or provide additional support. Then, they stopped communication overall.

In what specific areas can they improve?

Focusteck asked us to leave a Clutch review and kept on threatening us about it. At the time, we weren’t comfortable leaving a review because it wouldn’t be positive, and we wanted to give them a chance to do better. They told us we were terrible clients and that we were risking their reputation by not leaving a good review.

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

Be careful because they make you sign a contract and don’t complete the work or services.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on October 28, 2021.

This review has been very upsetting for our development team. It's a biased and made-up review. Since we did not accept the unfair demands of the client that were against our written service level agreement. The client has left this review to damage our business and online reputation.

The Total Cost of these 2 projects were: $11,800
Upwork Contract: Feb 12th - March 22nd, 2021
Cost: $4500
Monthly Retainer: March 19th - May 30th, 2021
Cost: $7,300
 
Here is a quick summary of the engagement: 

We have started this contract with our client "Di Yu" through Upwork. The job was to refactor the poorly written codebase. We spent 4 weeks with our development team of 2 developers and One QA and completed the job successfully. As per the mutual understanding, we started a new agreement of Monthly Retainer of a Dedicated Full Stack Developer and 20 hours/month QA Engineer started on March 19th, 2021 which works fine until April 30th when a client without notice requested for part-time service which was against the signed contract but we started to provide part-time development service in a good faith to keep this business relation. As per the client's own throughput criteria, we were 40 hours short in productivity, and the client request 40 hours of work refund i.e $1000. We failed to provide a refund because it's not written in our contract, resulting in this review by the client and more threats on the emails.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of application development and information security for the organization. We’re a life safety and security monitoring company. We monitor devices and take action to report on them, usually dispatching emergency services.

We’re a medium-sized company with about 700 employees, and we’re located primarily in New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focusteck?

We wanted to build a small application. It involved a one-time verification code to authorize a caller to come into our central station. Given the nature of the architecture, we needed an external team to free up resources on our team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave Focusteck an outlined proposal. They had to write a simple app that could send text messages to customers and allow the central station to verify the message and ensure the caller’s identity. The key feature was the unique code that had to be generated and sent directly to the contact’s cell phone.

We did part of the backend, but they had to integrate it with our API. It was a relatively simple project. In summary, it was more about testing our engagement and understanding how their team would engage with us.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with two people: a dedicated project manager and a developer.

How did you come to work with Focusteck?

We went through Clutch and filtered based on the technology stack, pricing, and reviews.

How much have you invested with them?

It was under $3,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between June–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our measure of success was based on two things about how the engagement went. First, they stayed on top of the project. We were looking for regular meetings and good follow-ups, and Focusteck did that well.

Then, we looked for competency in the actual development and bug-free code. Focusteck was very flexible with our needs around how we expected the code to be handed off to us. We didn’t have issues, and they delivered promptly.

How did Focusteck perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well. I told them ahead of time that they’d have to stay on top of us, and they did. We never had to worry about where the project stood. They followed up often and kept good communication. We used Zoom for meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication and customer service were outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could use a project management tool to show the project plan in a portal or online format.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of a vacation property rental company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focusteck?

We wanted to build a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Focusteck took a website we already had and rebuilt it with a new theme using WordPress. Additionally, they helped us link Escapia to our site by tracking up the API for that.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with one person, but he had a team of developers working with him on our project.

How did you come to work with Focusteck?

We found them at Upwork; we read other people’s reviews about the work they’ve done and decided to give them a chance.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $1,350 with them. They charge us $15 an hour, and we’ve been working together for 90 hours so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re making our website interact the way we want it to interact. There’s a lot of custom coding that has to link with the API track on our website, and the calendars have to be custom coded to match and respond. Several things needed to be done, and they’re doing them.

How did Focusteck perform from a project management standpoint?

We chat through our own application.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness is the most impressive for me. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they should work on their ability to follow directions. There’s been sometimes where I have to reiterate what I need.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be direct and exact with what you want. In addition to that, be able to supply designs to show them what you want — that can make things go easier for the engagement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

faremakers is one of the leading online travel sites that enables travelers to buy air tickets, hotels, and tours. I'm the owner of the company. We have more than 45 employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website was created over 2 years ago and had become outdated. Since we didn't have in-house developers to invest in a new website, We hired this team to design and develop a web app for us. By doing this, we were hoping to increase our traffic substantially by the end of the year.

SOLUTION

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

We searched online for web developers in our area and shortlisted 5. After interviewing them, We chose this vendor based on their past projects, design skills, and cost estimate.

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

We had a kick-off meeting to discuss our goals and objectives. From there, the team delivered mock-ups and wireframes for our site. After a few iterations, their team designed and developed an informational web app. They updated the content to reflect our company's services and created a landing page with a contact form.

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

A project manager was our main point of contact throughout the process. There were also 2 full-stack developers and a designer working behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After launching our app, we saw a 50% increase in traffic, and our incoming leads doubled month over month.

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

We had daily stand-ups with their project manager, who communicated with the rest of the team. if there were any delays, they let us know ahead of time so that we could prepare. We used slack, Jira, and GitHub. They coordinated and worked well with our team.

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

They gave us a professional web app that's easy to update. My team had never worked with web app before, so they took the time to teach us how to update the content ourselves.

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

Nope!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CEO & Founder, Drbeen

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Focusteck built an web app that helps DrBeen to help medical students become great professionals by using DrBeen's one of the best medical lectures in the world.

SOLUTION

How did you select Focusteck and what were the deciding factors?

We searched online for web developers on LinkedIn, Twitter and Google. We shortlisted 3. After interviewing them, our team choose focusteck based on their past projects, Remotely skilled developers and cost estimate.

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

We had kick-off meetings to discuss our goals and objectives. From there, the team delivered mock-ups and wireframes for our site. After a few iterations, their team designed and developed a healthcare informational web app. Their teams updated the content to reflect our company services.

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

Our main contact person was the project manager throughout the process. There also a team of full-stack developers and designer working behind the scenes

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After launching our web app, we saw an 80% increase in leads, and our incoming leads doubled month over month

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

We had 24/7 stands-up with their project manager and team. if there were any delays they let us know ahead of time. They worked well with our team and we used Jira, Slack, and GitHub to coordinate throughout the project.

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

They develop a customized web app that's easy to update for us. Our team was not familiar with tech but they took the time to teach us how to update the content, Users, etc. ourselves.

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

The beta version of the web app was successfully launched, receiving positive responses from the specific user group being tested. Focusteck establishes an effective workflow through clear and open communication. The team is certified, experienced, skilled, and professional.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of a business optimization software company. I run sales and operations for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Foucsteck?

We needed help with software development for various pieces of our product as well as to help with sales.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I worked closely with Focusteck in terms of putting together drip campaigns and reaching out to a select part of the market that we’re targeting. The campaign focused on outreach via email and cold calling as well as some social media outreach. They came up with language for the drip and scripts for cold calls. We provided them with collateral and from that, they reached out to prospects and set up discover calls. Every week, they sent us a list of who they’re targeting and if they received any responses. We stopped the marketing campaign after four months because we were headed into the fall season, which our target market is primarily retailers and a lot of them shut down in terms of new development and working with vendors. We’re currently working with Focusteck from a development standpoint. We just signed them up to redo our website.

What is the team composition?

There’s one main point of contact that I work with, but that person has their own team they’re in contact with. I also interface with the head of Focusteck.

How did you come to work with Focusteck?

My co-founder found them through references from former colleagues. We heard they were easy to work with and had fair pricing, which was important with us being an early-stage startup.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little less than $10,000 for the marketing campaign and now we pay them $3,000 per month on a retainer. The website project is a one-off and we’re spending $2,000 for that.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in March 2019 and the relationship is currently ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, everyone is really happy with their work, especially from a development standpoint. They got us ten discovery calls, one of which is interested in becoming a customer and if that happens, it will pay for itself.

How did Focusteck perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re really great. They communicate mostly through email and we have a standing weekly call. We’re included in their messaging systems and they’re also very active on that as well, so they’re very good with communicating.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re really responsive to whatever question or feedback comments we have. They’re also really flexible. We’ve dealt with some development shops and outsourcing sales shops in the past and the lines of communication were always below what we expected. Always understanding of the situation, Focusteck has been above and beyond. They also make really great suggestions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be helpful is they provided a little more detail in proposals and scope of work, so we have something to reference whenever we need to.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you’re in sync with Focusteck on what’s being asked for and that those things are put in writing and agreed to both in the proposal and in the scope of work. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to them if you have any questions; it’s not like they’re going to bill you for that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and managing member of a web-based platform that connects employers and recruiters with qualified job seekers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focusteck?

We were seeking to create a dependable platform with unique features. Since our old platform couldn’t withstand our anticipated traffic, we were looking for a vendor who could redevelop and enhance our previous product to make it more reliable. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I consulted with Focusteck before they launched into development. They’re currently working on the platform’s proprietary features.

What is the team composition?

I’m working with a lead developer, but he has a team of two behind him. I’m also in contact with Muhammad (CEO, Focusteck).

How did you come to work with Focusteck?

They happened to reach out to me just when I was in need of a development partner. Their timing was perfect. I did a little research on them and decided to give it a shot.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in February 2019, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product that they’re giving us is excellent. Everything is going fine, so we have no complaints.

How did Focusteck perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been great. We have weekly Skype conferences where we discuss project progress. We also communicate using Asana, and we’ve had no issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s been very easy working with them. The lead developer, who oversees a larger team, is very responsive. We really don’t have any complaints.

Are there any areas they could improve?

A development project with an overseas partner can take some getting used to. It can be challenging at first, but they’ve managed to circumvent potential issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do your homework before reaching out to them. See if your project is within their scope of expertise. For us, it’s been working out just fine.