Houlak

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of a corporate fitness business. We have an app that allows users to attend activities in more than 300 sports centers around the country. They pay a monthly fee to use the app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address Houlak?

We hired Houlak to work on the frontend of our app. Because we developed the backend ourselves, we needed them to handle everything related to the frontend.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the app for iOS and Android, using Native development.

What is the team composition?

There were about six people involved.

How did you come to work with Houlak?

We conducted some research to find companies that specialized in frontend development. During this search, we received great references from individuals who had worked with Houlak in the past. Our team met multiple companies, but Houlak was the one that made us feel the most confident.

How much have you invested in them?

So far, we’ve spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in May 2019 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As each day goes by, we’re more and more convinced that we made the right choice to work with Houlak. We gave them a very tight agenda, and their team had to work overtime to meet the deadlines. Not only did they manage to do this, but they did a great job throughout the process. Houlak got really involved in the project in a way that doesn’t often happen.

How did Houlak perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Microsoft Teams, Trello, and Slack to communicate, and it worked great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood the project’s requirements very clearly and committed to our tight deadlines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There weren’t any setbacks, so I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chief of innovation and analytics at a leading financial institution.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Houlak?

We were looking to replace our services provider for mobile development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Houlak provides us with native mobile development services for Android and iOS. They have also developed our website and all associated web solutions to consolidate our presence. They’ve built some in React and others in some other frameworks.

What is the team composition?

We work with about 7–9 people.

How did you come to work with Houlak?

I am not completely sure about how I found them at first, but I did evaluate several service providers while researching the market. I found Houlak to be a lighter studio with a faster response time than other agencies. The involvement of the company’s CEO was also important for us. I heard great feedback from their former clients as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $60,000–$80,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2018 and continue working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've worked very closely as technology partners; Houlak has been very involved with the company’s needs. Every challenge we’ve had, they have been able to accomplish successfully.

They’ve provided a great deal of know-how and expertise on mobile development, which has allowed us to have many new solutions for our digital channels.

How did Houlak perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked remotely so we’ve used Slack and Trello extensively since day one. These channels allow us to be very connected and have great communication. We’ve used an agile development methodology, and they have been very professional and responsible about deadlines. They’ve always had a great response when we’ve requested new things, even out of schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Something I would highlight is how involved they are on a day-to-day basis. That is very important when working with a technology partner. They are always responsible. Every member of their team — from the CEO to all the developers — has a strong sense of customer support.

Their expertise in mobile technologies is also great: we have been able to accomplish all of our goals and in a short time. They are a fresh agency that’s always very close to the latest mobile technology trends.