Global Software Consulting

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of uDress

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

uDress is a peer-to-peer mobile marketplace based in Riyadh that lets users buy, sell, and rent pre-owned dresses for special occasions through a zero-commission model.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Global Software Consulting to accomplish?

• Design and develop a cross-platform mobile app (iOS and Android) for buying, selling, and renting pre-owned dresses in the Saudi market.
• Build a real-time in-app chat system that lets buyers and sellers communicate privately and complete transactions on their own terms.
• Deliver a clean, user-friendly interface with advanced filtering (style, color, size, occasion) to help users quickly find the right dress.

SOLUTION

How did you find Global Software Consulting?

Referral

Why did you select Global Software Consulting over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Global Software Consulting were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Global Software Consulting designed and developed the uDress mobile application from the ground up — a peer-to-peer marketplace that allows users in Saudi Arabia to buy, sell, and rent pre-owned dresses for weddings, parties, and special occasions. The scope of work covered the full mobile product lifecycle, including UI/UX design, native iOS and Android development using React Native, backend setup, and deployment to both the App Store and Google Play. Key deliverables included: A complete UI/UX design system tailored for the local Saudi audience, with a clean and minimal interface Native iOS and Android apps built using React Native and TypeScript User registration, authentication, and profile management features Listing creation flow allowing sellers to post dresses for sale or rent with photos, pricing, and detailed descriptions Advanced search and filtering by design, color, size, and occasion Real-time in-app chat between buyers and sellers using WebSockets Push notifications for new messages, listings, and activity updates Backend infrastructure built on Node.js and Firebase for authentication, storage, and real-time data Profile management features including archiving, marking dresses as sold, and managing active listings App Store and Google Play submission and successful launch

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• 1,500+ active installs across iOS and Android within the launch period, building a solid early user base in the region
• 600+ dresses posted on the platform, demonstrating active two-sided marketplace engagement from both buyers and sellers
• Successful dual-platform launch on both the Apple App Store and Google Play with zero critical post-launch issues
• Real-time in-app chat maintained 99%+ uptime, enabling seamless buyer-seller communication
• Average app load time under 3 seconds, contributing to strong user retention and repeat usage
• Daily new listings added by users, indicating healthy organic growth and product-market fit in the local market
• Project delivered on schedule within the agreed January–April 2025 timeline, with all major milestones met 

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

Global Software Consulting's project management was highly organized and consistent throughout the engagement. They followed an agile workflow with clear weekly sprints, regular progress updates, and structured demos at the end of each cycle, which made it easy to track progress and provide feedback early. Items were delivered on time, and the team met all major milestones within the agreed January to April 2025 timeline. When small adjustments or new ideas came up mid-project, they accommodated them without disrupting the overall schedule. Their responsiveness stood out the most. Despite the time difference between Riyadh and Lahore, they were always quick to reply on messages and joined virtual meetings prepared with updates, screen demos, and clear action items. Communication was transparent — they flagged risks early, suggested solutions instead of just raising problems, and kept the project moving smoothly from kickoff to launch.

What was your primary form of communication with Global Software Consulting?

Virtual Meeting

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

What impressed me most about Global Software Consulting was their genuine ownership of the product. They didn't just execute the brief — they thought like founders, suggesting improvements to the user flow, recommending better technical approaches, and pushing back constructively when something could be done in a smarter way.

Their technical depth across React Native, Node.js, and real-time systems was clear from day one, but what made them stand out was how they combined that expertise with strong product thinking. The team understood our market, paid close attention to the small UX details that matter for a Saudi audience, and delivered an app that felt polished and ready for users from launch day.

They also operated with a level of professionalism and reliability that was rare for the price point. We got the quality and engagement of a much larger agency without the overhead, which made the partnership feel like real value rather than just an outsourced job. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Global Software Consulting could have done differently?

Honestly, the gap wasn't on Global Software Consulting's side — it was on mine. Looking back, I wish I had scoped AI-powered features into the original build, like smart dress recommendations, AI-driven search by image, automated tagging of listings, and personalized buyer-seller matching. At the time, I focused on getting the core marketplace right, which was the correct call, but the product would have been even stronger with AI baked in from day one. When we move to v2, I plan to add several AI features to enhance the user experience, and I have full confidence Global Software Consulting can deliver those just as well as they delivered the core platform. So the "improvement" is really about my own product roadmap rather than anything they did differently.