KODA Kollectiv

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CTO of Washerr, the marketplace for car washes. I have been involved in and developed few businesses and Washerr was my latest venture based on successes of few other marketplace concepts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired KODA Kollective to help us build a proof of concept for the web, and iOS and a web admin for the Washerr marketplace concept. Once we are able to prove the proof of concept, we planned to further develop the app in a full fledge solution to work with customers in 3 markets.

SOLUTION

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

We had initially hired a group from India and there were just too many communication challenges. We hired the team because we thought they understood the project, would add value to it and keep our costs low and we were long. Communication was painstakingly difficult and we decided to cut our losses and start over. I ran into Son, the founder of the company and he seemed to understand the technology, he was proficient in English and he blended into our team and I was in disbelief.

Son and a few other developers took the wireframe, and design that we delivered to them and handed back a proof of concept within the timeline and on budget. We proceed to build the entire IOS, web app, and web admin with Son and his team and I couldn't be happier. It was with Son and his team that my belief in outsourcing was restored. I have hired Son on a few other occasions and I happily bring his team on whenever there's a need.

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

Son and his team were brought on board to initially help build a proof of concept for a startup marketplace. Once we hit few milestones, the team was charged to fully develop the web, IOS and web admin solutions.

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

There were approx 3-4 team members we worked with however the main person Son handled the communication and the project management.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were a startup and had to hit many business milestones. With Son's team we hit all the technical milestones that included: - Completing web IOS proof of concept - Developing web admin for the merchant

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

Our communications were seamless. For the sake of ease, we had weekly meetings at first and then decided to shift to bi-weekly once the project was understood and development had started. We had to ability to review the development environment anytime and had exposure to the PM tools.

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

Communication and Skills. I was amazed at how well Son and his team understood us, how well they filled in the gaps and added value, and the foundation of all this was the skills and experience they brought to the table.

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

I had a great experience working with Son and his team. With technical projects, there are always things that you can improve on however I was comfortable with not micro managing all things technical and that led to few reworks in the process. What I appreciate is the willingness to get things right.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO and Founder of Light Awake. A light based alarm clock company. We create software applications to turn on lighting units to wake people up from sleep.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had to pair our app with a Smart bulb, add a store and a survey. Koda did these tasks for us. I am able to control my bulb with Light Awake app any where in the world and us the light to wake up.

SOLUTION

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

I found the CEO online when he was working as an independent contractor and when he formed KODA he invited me to use their services.

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

They created an interface for the Smart Bulb with the App, allowed bulb to connect to network and added a survey. The survey results will be sent to use directly.

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

2 main people people a project manager and a developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have great results in testing the Smart bulb and am currently testing the survey. I had great feedback from alpha testers and myself.

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

We communicate via a Slack channel which was fast, confidential and worked well. I found the project managers very responsive and they did a great job of serving our needs. The turnover for updates and app installs was excellent. They were attentive and did great work.

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

I found them very knowledgeable about the publishing Apps on the stores and they fixed bugs and kept the apps published. When problems arose they were able to address them right away and really listen to my concerns.

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

None they are wonderful.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a firm that provides consulting, branding, marketing, advertising, and PR for startups and/or companies that have plateaued over the years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were creating an app that, although insanely powerful behind-the-scenes, needed to appear simplistic to the end user. Essentially, we needed the best of the best coders to deliver a design that in no way appeared complicated. We needed a user experience that had never existed in any way and we needed coders that "got it."

SOLUTION

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

If you are looking to save money, going abroad is a no-brainer. That being said, language barriers can be brutal and if you have to constantly re-do projects because you're not on the same page, you're going to end up spending more money regardless. The Philippines, in my opinion, has a the best grasp of the english language when english is not their first language. This matters. The pop culture references, colloquialisms, the humor and banter—was so spot on and refreshing.

The movies we watch, the songs we listen to, the memes and gifs and TikToks, etc—all of these matter because if you are going to dave money AND have it done right the first time because they "get" you, then that's a best case scenario in my book. There is a 12 hour time difference between ourselves and KODA and the founder, Son, met me at noon my time and midnight his without even letting me know. I was busy and scheduled an appointment after seeing one of their ads, and he took the time slot.

Halfway through the meeting I realized it was not 1 in the morning and we'd be laughing hysterically most of the time. During the interview, it was clear KODA could do it all—frontend, backend, app, website, onboarding, videos, animations, and more. When he told me the price, I almost fainted. It was so inexpensive that I have found myself giving extra whenever possible. It is beyond fair and if you've ever received quotes from the US, you'd immediately see how important this was.

The final deciding factor was shared what I wanted my app to be and he literally clapped. Not clapped as in, "let me butter you up and tell you what you want to hear," rather, he clapped because he "got" it and had felt the same frustrations we had felt which led us to creating the app in the first place. There are a lot of people that make apps for the money (which is fine), but it's a rare experience when the person making your app also loves the entire concept.

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

Here is what I found most interesting—there are sets of things that developers provide to you that make sense to them. KODA was phenomenal at working on what I could understand. Think of it like love languages. Son, in particular, learned how I best operated and then made sure I received visuals that helped me best understand timeframes, deliverables, and next steps. In addition, we constantly received wireframes, mockups, video run-throughs, and daily updates via Slack.

I can not stress that part enough—having daily updates on slack about what was worked on and accomplished was invaluable. There were weeks when we only needed one update a week, and then some when it was daily, even multiple times a day. My favorite part of all of this is that he always had himself and supporting teammates on standby for our most important launch dates and events as our emergency standby. I literally can't say enough great things of this company.

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

Son stayed as our original project manager until it was time to hand off to designers, coders, front end, back end, web, etc. Even then, my instructions would be to him and he would relay to team members who would then update me on slack. It was a nice system to ensure that he took my messaging and delivered it perfectly to his team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're very intentional with our app release and focused solely on word-of-mouth. Since our app is anti-ads, it was important for us to do it in this way. He was able to get the app to work flawlessly in nearly every country in the world and we have regular users in over 65 of them! Our app constantly received "oohs" and "aahs" and have been flooring people ever since.

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

Son is articulate, hilarious, knowledgeable, kind, insanely hard working, determined, flexible, creative, and beyond fair. If you're looking elsewhere, you can stop your search!

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

They are hungry for fun projects or, at the very least, fun people. They really value kindness I believe. The single most important takeaway that someone looking for a developer team—cost. They're pricing is ridiculously low, but the output is better than anything out there. They just know their stuff and they don't get caught up in trying to get every penny. They'd rather be happy and make a fair wage. I'd be happy for anyone to contact me and you'll hear it in my voice. KODA is the real deal.

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

Zero. When you conduct yourself honorably, good begets good. I have absolutely no recommendations for how they could improve. They are legit that good.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder & owner of a small multimedia company as well as the primary designer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had an IOS app under development since 2012 that previous developers had been unable to complete for over 3 years. We had used local firms, independent freelancers & even known associates. Much progress was made but the process had been slow & very frustrating. Koda founder Kimson was hired to rescue this project & help me bring it to market.

SOLUTION

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

I sought out many, many applications by posting the job online for bids & inquiries. Kimson had a limited portfolio at the time but the projects that he had worked on displayed the abilities that I needed. After lengthy consultation with many applicants, Kimson's philosophy as a developer and his apparent views on how good business is done brought him to the top of the list.

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

GraffWriter is a graphic design app based on a long-standing web-app online since 2004. The first 80% of the app was already developed. Now we just needed the second 80%. 100% of the initial content was already in place, there was an established brand, domain name & server-side assets in place.

Kimson would be the primary Objective-C programmer, working with Apple xCode, the Apple Developer Portal, git, Java, php, Firebase, Bitbucket, Trello & various other technologies to debug, complete & add the hundreds of controls & features in the app. I do a lot of the work myself. Son & his team have always followed directions perfectly & even stepped in when I've had difficulty with my own contributions.

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

In the early days I worked directly & almost exclusively with Kimson. Over time He was able to Phase-in Jessa as the primary coder. She's been my go-to contact and developer for a few years now. Kimson will jump in upon request. Other administrative functions have been provided by other staff.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most significant outcome was the completion of the initial release after so many others had failed. Other developers universally took liberties, ignored details, misunderstood context, generally thought they knew better. By having the humility to take orders paired with the good sense to know when their expertise outweighs the clients request Kimson and his team have been able to produce update after update, steadily adding features & keeping the app healthy for years.

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

Understandably, Koda prefers to deploy developers on one project at a time which tends towards longer chunks of work with breaks in between. They require payment for the month ahead. They have always made accommodations for high-priority changes if something pops up unexpectedly. In the rare events of misunderstanding about technical issues, scope of work or anything else, the vendor has stepped in 100% of the time to resolve issues and keep the project moving virtually uninterrupted.

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

I have been an independent developer & designer since the 1990s. I have vast experience working with companies of all sizes & projects of every imaginable type from sites, to branding to apps, books, video games... I am intimately familiar with being on the B side of the B to C relationship.

I expect the same standards, flexibility, communication & results from my contractors that I provide my clients when I'm the contractor. Projects like this can be very difficult. Countless unexpected issues arise. Koda has always come through in the end.

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

There have been minor issues due to Apples relentless release of new hardware & software. Small companies like my own or Koda can have trouble keeping the full array of the devices and operating systems constantly available for testing & development. As Koda has grown, this issue has gotten better. I would also suggest further developing the ability for developers to juggle multiple projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a networking app. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KODA Kollectiv?

I needed someone to help me develop my app. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KODA is building my networking app, which is available for both iOS and Android. Basically, my app aims to replace business cards with phones to allow instant connection and data exchange.  

When a user walks to a room, the app can tell how far they are from another user. The app only displays usernames and doesn’t show full names. When a user wants to exchange business cards, they can find the other person through the app and exchange details from there. 

The app also allows a user to share their business card with all participants in a large meeting. The card has the user’s picture and other relevant information, including phone number, email, and social media links. 

KODA is developing the app through Xamarin, making it available on both iOS and Android instead of us having to pay two separate teams. 

KODA is building my app such that I can add features and functions later on. Once we launch, I want to stay ahead of potential competitors because there are always copycats bigger than me. As long as I can keep on making upgrades, I can stay ahead of them.

What is the team composition?

I work with Kimson (Managing Director), a project manager, a team lead, and 3–4 other resources.  

How did you come to work with KODA Kollectiv?

I found KODA through another entrepreneur at a networking event. I interviewed them and liked what they had to say. Additionally, their rate was more affordable compared to developers here in the US. 

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent somewhere between $50,000–$60,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2019, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

KODA is creative at solving problems. Whenever we run into an issue, I can leave it to their team, and they always come back with great and executable solutions. A lot of companies aren’t going to be that accomodating. KODA is flexible enough to work with you and help you along. 

Overall, I’m happy with KODA’s work — the app does some impressive things.

How did KODA Kollectiv perform from a project management standpoint?

I appreciate my relationship and love working with Kimson — he keeps his finger on everything. He is an honest and hardworking person. He says what he means, and he does what he says. He’s very helpful and works with me to solve a problem. As a result, I trust KODA. Kimson is honorable, and he feels guilty whenever his customers are not happy. 

Their project manager has been good as well, and they’re usually on top of things. They talk to me all the time and keep me updated about the project. We communicate through email and Skype. We use Trello to check iterations of the app.  

Generally, it’s difficult to work with someone on the other side of the planet that you only talk with through emails and Skype. However, KODA has developed a process where we can effectively collaborate. We get on the phone and talk to each other every few weeks. 

If you’re looking to build an app, KODA can do it, and you’ll be happy with the level of transparency and honesty that you’ll get from their team. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

KODA is hardworking and honest, and they want to please their customers. I like their company and trust them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their QA process was a bit lacking at first, and they had to build that up. That said, they’re much better now compared to before. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

People who want to build apps but haven’t done it before should talk to Kimson. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a startup nanny hiring agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KODA Kollectiv?

We needed their team’s expertise in frontend development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KODA Kollectiv developed and designed the frontend of our nanny hiring application using React Native. We needed it to be connected to our app’s backend, so their team implemented the necessary solutions to make that possible.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with Kimson (Managing Director).

How did you come to work with KODA Kollectiv?

We posted a hiring ad on Craigslist, and Kimson reached out to us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from March 2020–April 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

KODA Kollectiv delivered a functional platform that met our expectations and requirements. However, the project wasn’t completed due to the pandemic.

How did KODA Kollectiv perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via Zoom and email. KODA Kollectiv was a responsive and budget-oriented team. They strived to deliver everything on time, but our timelines got affected by the COVID-19 restrictions towards the end of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were most impressed with their expertise and communication skills. Kimson was especially good at meeting our expectations and deadlines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We would’ve benefited from a more definite and well-plotted scope. As I mentioned, the pandemic hindered the progress of our project, and it could’ve been avoided if they adjusted the timelines to accommodate this.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come up with a well-defined scope and communicate this to their team, including the possible challenges you might encounter along the way.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the creator of the School of American Mah Jongg, the first interactive gaming platform in the world to teach American Mah Jongg.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire KODA Kollectiv?

To develop a web based platform to teach American Mah Jongg.

SOLUTION

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

Was turned down by many because of the difficulty in getting this platform created. Kimson of Koda Collective was the only person whom I knew understood my needs and single handedly took on this project before he grew his company in the recent year. Now one of his expert level staff is continuing ongoing improvements and new features.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

An Interactive platform to teach American Mah Jongg. I created the idea and outlined the steps. Kimson began his development and completed it enough to where I was able to open the online school 9 months later (1/2020).

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

Initially Kimson took on this project single handedly and as he grew, he assigned another expert to handle my growing needs and new features.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yes, I sure can! There is no other platform like this in the world for Mah Jongg. This is groundbreaking and has been received well by the public. I've taught 100's of students thus far and love every aspect of it!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their workflow is extremely effective. No complaints at all.

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

Daily updates on the progress are what I liked most of all. It is nice to see when things get done even if one small step at a time.

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

No really. I did have a hard time understanding the invoicing at first but once explained I was good with it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Hi, I'm Cynthia the CEO and founder of Likeli Inc. We are a software development company that proposes to make scheduling with others easy!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have been working on the Likeli project for a little over a year at this time. Our goal is to scale our company, keeping Koda as the a long term for development offshore.

SOLUTION

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

Koda was recommended to me by someone who had worked very closely with Son, the founder of Koda.

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

I moved my project from Pakistan to Koda after I had begun to lose trust in their ability to deliver as per the requirements. Koda asses the builds in their current state and then proposed a plan. Ultimately, we decided to rebuild the backend as we had determined that the original build was not scalable. Since that time, I work very closely with the PM to implement new feature sets based on market demand.

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

I believe that I have personally worked with 6 resources specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have launched two native apps in the app stores. We are now working on a customer facing admin panel...coming soon!

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

Their style is pretty straight forward. We started working in Trello to manage the project. They accommodated me. I have since moved to Clickup, and of course they are converting in order to accomodate me.

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

I couldn't write one like of code if I tried. When I started this project, I was a wedding photographer. Yet, with Koda behind the code, we have been able to build very powerful productivity software...together. They have been honest and transparent. I trust them. This is a very different experience from my previous experience.

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

Ha! There is one thing that they probably could have done differently. They could have told me "No", you can't add "x" at this point in time. I think it is called "scope creep"? Yeah, that's me!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of Paddling.com - an information and community site for kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I partnered with KODA Kollectiv to develop, maintain and improve upon native mobile apps to allow consumers to find, add and update details on paddling locations

SOLUTION

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

We searched for several months for developers all over the world that were both capable and affordable. After several poor starts with other organizations, KODA was the best team and provided great service.

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

Over the course of several years, we worked with the KODA team to create and improve the Go Paddling app to its current state. I completed all wire framing and the KODA team worked from the wireframe to produce the app.

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

KODA has grown significantly over the past few years. Initially, I had direct contact with the founder. Over the past couple of years, project managers were added and that has helped streamline the process for all of use.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, KODA produces quality products that work as requested with minimal issues. Any issues that do arise post-deployment are addressed quickly.

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

Email, slack and gitlab were preferred tools. A few video/voice calls were used for more complex issues.

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

They had great prices and fast delivery time.

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

Sometimes there were challenges with lack of a clear understanding on a particular request. Projects are typically delivered exactly as requested (even if the request doesn't end up making good sense).