Linnify

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Law firm providing innovative legal assistance and advice, focusing on efficient, sustainable legal solutions tailored to the specific needs of one’s business.

Through our extensive experience and partnerships with multinational companies, public institutions, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and NGOs, we’ve developed a deep understanding of the market in which they perform, sustained by in-depth knowledge of our clients’ unique needs and goals. I am the managing partner of the law firm

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Linnify?

The collaboration has focused on creating a unique website for Lapusan and associates law company. The purpose of the website was to align the presentation website's quality and features with their level of professionalism. The differentiator has been a unique scheduling feature at the time in the local market.

SOLUTION

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

The gut feeling regarding people and the way they operate frequently brings more valuable results than a very calculated risk. I knew Catalin Briciu and I like who he is as an individual. I wanted to work with him and I was convinced that the people surrounding him are similar to what I considered valuable in him.

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

UX/UI Design Branding Software development Project Management

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

Project management lead Developers UX/UI Designer Branding Designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website has received praise and has been a conversation opener in regards to who has been behind the scenes of its creation. Regarding the scheduling feature, there have been meetings set up through it and struck as a remarkable addition to the website even for those who have set the meeting through the classical methods.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I am content with our collaboration. The vibe of the team is very nice. I’m sure that if you stick to not making major errors you will keep yourself on track.

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

The fact that Linnify is a very young company compared to everyone I worked with within the branch. The team's level of business maturity is a good one.

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

It will be a great addition to refine the follow-up procedure so that there is clarity on both ends and that things are completely taken care of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Naliciadji Vladislav and I’m Chief Product Officer at Stailer. Before Stailer, my expertise was rooted in Marketing, and I had focused on e-commerce companies both B2B and B2C services. Before the pandemic, I’ve been involved intensely in online shops. But as many things shifted massively when COVID-19 hit, so did my perspective. As for how Stailer came to life, Andrei (Ursachi, Founder of Stailer) and I were both doing e-commerce together.

At the same time, we were having another affiliate project with a big software company from the States. Since e-commerce has met a certain relapse with the pandemic, we decided to look around for other business opportunities. We did continue with the US partnership but with the eagerness to build a new product suited for the current times. The idea of Stailer wasn’t yet defined at the time but we could feel it coming.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

At some point, we came across one start-up idea similar to what we are doing now, but in a different niche and we started the research. Uber had also tried a pilot in Singapore at some point, in beauty. Through their app, you could have your nails done by the selected stylist in the comfort of your home. So definitely different, but interesting as inspiration.

In Romania, at that time when we started building on our idea, there were mainly SaaS (Software as a Service) apps given to salons where indeed you would make an appointment but they were quite limited compared to what we were envisioning that we want to do with Stailer. Competitors-wise, from when we started, 3-4 new apps in these areas came around. Yet given we've been in this field for a while now, I am well aware that there's so much more to it than just the idea of the product and its versatility.

SOLUTION

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

I knew Alin (Cătălin, Co-Founder Linnify) before starting the collaboration on Stailer. I introduced him to Andrei (Ursachi, Founder Stailer) and we started a project together while already building Stailer on our side. We soon realized we needed an app for Stailer, for the salons, and since we were already collaborating and getting along on that other project, it felt natural for Stailer and Linnify to start collaborating.

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

We started with a web platform but we shortly realized that we needed a mobile app for the salons, especially for the phone notifications. We realized that before the launch so that when we went live with it, we had the app ready as well. With Linnify, in the beginning, our main goal was to validate our MVP.

Having little to no technical background, it has been a game-changer to receive the guidance needed for us to understand exactly how everything works for the app to go to market. Linnify helped us build a stronger mindset that included the technical side of things. That was highly valuable to objectively synchronize the technical development with the business expectations. The MVP took around two months to build.

In this time, we started gaining a lot of clarity on what Stailer needed, and it has been a real confidence booster. Being in an incipient phase of my product management experience, collaborating with the team at Linnify has been inspiring when it comes to processes. Frankly, we had a lot of know-how to pick up in terms of management. We definitely couldn’t have made it without them. Especially with the app. Having no experience in the field, not knowing what type of people to hire, what software suits it best.

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

The team grow over time:

• Mobile Development
• Project Management
• QA Testing

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Another massive help that has its effects directly on the KPIs is the User App that Linnify developed for Stailer. Because of the user app, the appointments numbers skyrocketed. 70% of the appointments come through the app. Around 30-40% of our current success is thanks to their implication in the process.

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

Communication was a key aspect that brought a lot of value to our collaboration. What we have seen from their side was the value of unity within their team. Another thing is that we felt they genuinely cared for the product. The reason why I’m bringing this up is that we previously had less than pleasant experiences with outsourcing in the past, but with Linnify that fear dissolved completely.

We truly appreciate Linnify for sharing their know-how on internal procedures we needed to improve at the time. This involved QA, Sales, and Project Management teams. Our teams communicate through slack and we always set the roadmap together and we have weekly calls.

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

Linnify is a vital component of Stailer. We truly appreciated the strategic involvement of Cătălin who managed to share the vision of the project and bring ideas and suggestions that helped us align within the Stailer team. That had a lot to do with the needed features and their timing for the success of the project.

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

Nothing is crossing my mind right now as the collaboration between us has proved to overcome all of our initial fears.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a healthcare and education company specialised in delivering first aid courses. We are a team of more than 15 doctors, paramedics and medical students and growing by day.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Linnify?

We were aware that people would not react to simple first aid responsability as ignorance and underestimating its importance are everywhere around us, so we needed a really strong branding to get our message through.

What were your goals for this project?

As we were just starting, our goal was creating a powerful message and delivering it through impactfull branding and website into our community as people of all ages spend a lot of time online.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We offered them a first aid course as they were interested in acquiring new skills for their team and company and thus creating a safer working environment.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They provided us with a full description of the stages that would need to take place in order to create, spread and maintain our brand: powerful message, a logo with elements blending in an harmonious way, advice on every step in our development as a business and a neat vibrating website that can express our message adapted to our style.

What was the team composition?

We had several meetings with one of their CEOs and CTOs and constructed a team of 3-5 members which gathered online (due to the ongoing pandemic) to discuss the workflow, exchanging information and feedback throughout the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We grew our facebook page from 100 likes to 2000 in less than 2 months thanks to their layouts, colors and advices on how to get more people engaged. Clients started approaching us after launching our website.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had a perfect exchange of opinions and information. The meetings were hold right on time. We demanded flexibility (as both of our co-founders are currently working as full-time doctors) and they offered it. The interaction with their employees was impeccable.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As we spent a lot of time inside their company, we were impressed by their unity, their way of interaction with one another, creating a feeling of closeness between them and also with us. That place felt more than a company headquarter. As for the business part, they were really keen on delivering good stuff and on time. There was a constant flow of opinions and information, as they were clearly reaching to understand exactly what we want and how we want it to go. Topped with their advice, the result was more than we expected.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, I really don't know what could have gone better. Surely they have space for improvement. It always is, but I have nothing to add.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Beez, a start-up that focuses on improving customers’ financial behavior by allowing them to cashback a part of their transactions in their Beez account.

The system is built on an affiliate marketing business model and when a user purchases an item from an online store, a part of the commission received is added to their account. Using the app for multiple transactions results in money stacking up in the user’s account and access to prizes in the form of Sweet Deals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Linnify?

The goal of the project was to develop a crawling module for our existing application.

What were your goals for this project?

Our affiliate business model results in partnerships with hundreds of platforms. We were looking for a fast way to integrate with them and display the product details our users wanted in the mobile app. That could be done by inserting the link of a product from one of our affiliate partners and we would extract the data and display it in our own application .

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We knew they had past experience in extracting data from different sources in a sustainable and fast way as one of their own products had a similar functionality as the one we required.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

First we started with integrating the platforms from our biggest partners manually. After this we switched to a faster solution that would allow even a non-technical person to connect a new platform.

The module was developed using Python and Cloud Functions from Google Cloud Platform, while the data was stored in Firestore. Using a NoSql database allowed us to easily adapt to the types of data we were storing and move fast.

At the end they delivered a fully working backend that we connected to our admin dashboard. Our employees can now integrate new platforms from there, reducing the addition of a new platform to our system to less than 30 minutes. They are currently maintaining the solution, offering support and helping us with small improvements.

What was the team composition?

They allocated a backend developer which was supervised by Razvan, their CTO. I was constantly discussing with Alex, one of the Managing Partners, in order to find out the best solutions for the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Although, we are only in the post-implementation phase we can already see an impact regarding customer satisfaction and experience during the ordering process. Our sales process improved and we expect to see even bigger growth in the near future.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Every week their developer had a meeting with one of our Project Managers in which they checked the progress. In between the meetings the communication took place over email. They consulted us constantly throughout the process offering us multiple solutions and suggestions that could help us scale faster.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They offered us a solution on which we agreed. Before starting the development they came up with an even better solution which benefited us more and cost a lot less than the initial one. They are always taking an interest into how to help you grow your business and assist you every step of the way.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They exceeded our expectations in every area.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am one of the founders of Cooldress, a startup in the fashion industry and I am responsible for managing the business part.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Linnify?

To create the application from the ground up by developing the mobile frontend and the backend system. For that, a database design that would allow fast scalability was necessary. We hired them to cover the entire process from product strategy, design, development and testing to even helping us with suggestions on how to market the product. The marketing was not done with them as they had no available person at that time.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted Linnify to create a mobile application that would have a modern design and would be easy to use by our target customers. As our application was B2C it was really important that the interaction with it to be smooth and to constantly keep the customers engaged. The final goal was to have our application released in the App Store and Play Store and have our first users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were working with another provider that was building us a web application. We were looking for someone to help with development when we met with one of Linnify’s Senior Developers. I showcased them the product and they pointed out some mistakes the current provider was making.

We hadn’t been working with that provider for long and those issues could have impacted us as the project progressed, so we decided to end that contract and work with Linnify. We also decided to change the product’s type from web to mobile.

Describe the project in detail.

The idea behind the application was to have a product in which users can share different clothing styles: smart casual, sport, winter, etc. Users would be able to view those styles, select clothing items and buy them by taking advantage of an affiliate business model. The application was developed using React Native. That kept our cost lower and we were able to launch on the stores faster than developing a native solution.

The backend was developed using Node.js, while using Google Cloud Platform as a service provider. Initially, the data was stored in an unstructured way, but as the application’s structure became more clear we migrated to MySQL. They offered business assistance during the process and walked us through the entire process of building the application, explaining every part and helping us in scheduling our steps. They have a lot of experience in working with start-ups and they are knowledgeable when it comes to keeping users engaged in the application.

What was the team composition?

We started with 1 mobile developer and 1 backend developer. Later on we added 1 more mobile developer on the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The application is launched in the stores and we have had our first couple hundred users. We received good feedback from them and with a few tweaks the application was working perfectly. As some other products on the market implemented similar functionalities as ours in their products we are currently analyzing different directions in which we could pivot.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

For the first few weeks, until a prototype could be sent we received status updates every week. After that we received a build every time new features would be integrated and we would have a meeting every two weeks. We held meetings more often before launching, so we could set in place the exact pieces that would go into the product release. We maintained the frequency after the launch, as we needed to address the feedback received from users and other stakeholders.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their response times and communication were impressive. Every time I had questions or an issue appeared I could call one of the founders or the person in charge of the project. They were always direct and transparent in discussions and made us feel that we were building the project together.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Initially, the process lacked structure, but they were able to improve and adapt to my needs as we moved on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the managing director of a cybernetics company that is part of a larger collection of companies in the manufacturing sector. We deal with software, particularly involved in data analysis.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Linnify?

We needed a development partner to tackle some specific software projects that we didn’t have the capabilities to complete entirely in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They focused on developing a manufacturing execution application for us that will be deployed as a cloud service. Their product takes data from machines and users working in a foundry and calculates and displays the data to deliver results to the owners of those companies.

On the backend, they worked in Django and Python, and the frontend uses Angular techniques as well as C for connecting the industry data.

What is the team composition?

We have primarily worked with 3–4 members of their team but peaked at 6 fulltime developers.

How did you come to work with Linnify?

My partner had worked with them on a previous project that worked out well, and he knew that they had the technical expertise to handle the different requirements we needed for this project. We decided to try them out and liked their work and their personal style, so we decided to take on a bigger contract with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $300,000–$400,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in January 2019 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There is nothing negative to say about their work whatsoever. We are very pleased with the results we’ve gotten so far, including meeting all of our KPIs and a very smooth QA and testing phase that they were able to facilitate because of the quality of their original work.

How did Linnify perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Slack to communicate and have fully integrated both of our teams on there. A lot of our work takes place on different schedules because our customers are located all around the world, and they have been really good about accommodating that.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really enjoyed the process of working with them. One of the reasons we hired them was because it felt like a good fit from the beginning, and they continued to be responsive throughout the project. I would speak to them several times a week, and they were always engaged and open to feedback as well as providing their thoughts back to me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think there is any room for improvement in their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Their project management team is really excellent, so lean on them and they will help you to accomplish everything that you want.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Albu si Asociatii and as a social worker we provide services for elderly homes and Public Authorities who administrate social services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Linnify?

The goal of the project was to develop a web application for social workers that have multiple elderly homes as partners.

What were your goals for this project?

They build an application that has two parts. One was for the beneficiaries and enabled them to complete the internment form online and download a pdf containing all their information. The second was for the social workers and the elderly home managers and allowed them to manage all the interned people and generate multiple documents that must be reevaluated at certain periods of time.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I know one of the co-founders and their entire culture, values and work processes was what I was looking for.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

After the initial talk about the project requirements and the budget allocated on this project, they presented me with multiple solutions, the pros and cons of each of those and the costs they implied. I had a limited budget on this application so we went with the solution that had the lowest infrastructure costs. The web was implemented in Angular 9 and the option they chose for the database was Firestore due to its free quota. The generation of PDFs was done using Google Cloud Functions. The architecture they chose for the project managed to keep the infrastructure costs close to 0. They quickly understood the domain knowledge of the project and the requirements and helped during all the steps of the process. They were very responsive to all the changes and managed to implement them quickly.

What was the team composition?

The entire project was handled by a Senior Full Stack Developer. He managed the project and was also the person with whom I was communicating.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

I was able to test the application with all the elderly homes I am working with and the feedback from them was positive. A part of my clients are now willing to buy the application and develop more functionalities that help them manage their centers in a more benefic way, while constantly bringing value to their beneficiaries.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The communication was done weekly and I was announced every time a new feature was released. Every time I had any questions regarding the software or the progress of the application I called the person responsible for it and he answered fast every time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The passion they put in their work and how they helped me turn my idea into a real product. They understand very quickly the domain knowledge of the product and the requirements. A big plus was the communication, which was very good.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, our collaboration was flawless in all the areas.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Activize is a company focused on startup scouting, startup programs and product building. In 2018-2019 we worked on a product called AudioBrief.News, a playlist with audio news focused on tech news briefs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Linnify?

Developing the prototype and the user interface/experience for AudioBrief.News

What were your goals for this project?

The delivery of the web application to test with with users, which should also work on smartphones as progressive web app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I've met one of the founders of Linnify during a Cluj Startups community events and workshops. When we wanted to start the development I asked for a quote which was fitting our needs.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They built our web platform using Angular 6. Some initial mockups were enough for them to figure out how we want our application to look like and what it should contain. The application built was mobile responsive.

After the development started, due to feedback from our users, we decided to develop a PWA (Progressive Web App) so that it can be installed on mobile devices. Due to PWA limitations on ios devices, they decided to use Cordova to transform the web application into a mobile app and publish it on Google Play and App Store. As a startup, we had a limited budget, and they always came with the best solution to fit our needs in terms of technologies

What was the team composition?

The team was composed of a designer that prepared the mock-ups and created the user journeys through the app and a frontend developer that implemented the functionalities required. The communication took place with a project manager on their side during the entire process to ensure a continuous process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We were able to test the prototype with a few hundred users and to get feedback from them, as well to measure their interest in the value proposition so to make a decision if to develop further or not into a fully fledged product.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Daily communication on Slack, on-line calls and meetings face-to-face for more important topics and planning.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The communication skills and the connection we developed during the project. Their team was responsive and understanding regarding the product requirements and pace we wanted.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Don't have anything to add on this topic.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I founded Freiheit Software about three years ago. We provide IT services, mostly software development, for companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Linnify?

I was looking for a company to collaborate with on development projects. I wanted to subcontract them for needed development resources.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Linnify has worked on several projects for us. One of them included collaboratively developing and implementing features for an insurtech startup. They used PHP and jQuery initially but migrated to include Java code.

For another project, they took the setup we installed and continued with additional features as requested by the client. Their team used Ruby on Rails in the backend, but most of their work took place on the frontend, using Angular.

For the latest project, they worked on development from scratch. Their team used Google Cloud as the hosting provider, and some of the software’s functions also use Google Cloud. The backend development used Django, and the frontend used Angular.

What is the team composition?

Initially, I worked with two people. For the current project, there are about four developers working.

How did you come to work with Linnify?

My first customer worked with and referred them to me.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent $50,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m very satisfied, I work closely with them.

How did Linnify perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Jira for information exchange, Slack for communication, and Google Hangouts for video-call meetings. We maintain daily contact for specific projects. I speak with my main point of contact at least 2–3 times per week about the progress of projects. We have strong communication which has only gotten better over the course of our business relationship. They take change requests in stride.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Linnify is very ambitious considering their company size. They’re great at communicating and making themselves available. We can call at any time, and they’ll make time to work with us. They definitely know what they’re doing from a technical perspective. Their team has intense recruitment procedures and strategies to produce excellent developers. They’ve mastered the ability to provide a quality product in a timely fashion.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can improve on testing against edge cases. We’re working on that, and they’re progressing in that area.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Their team has the ability to deliver a whole process without being too time-intensive. They communicate the cost beforehand, which can be a tricky topic. Linnify cares about their customers and works to keep you updated along the process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Manager of a mortgage services company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Mortgage origination. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Establish UI/UX designs for marketing platform
• Assist with branding, look, and feel.

SOLUTION

How did you find Linnify?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Linnify over others?

High ratings

How many teammates from Linnify were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Re-branding our proof of concept and providing an improved user experience design. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Leadership approval. 

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

Stayed on top of things and delivered on time. 

What was your primary form of communication with Linnify?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I was impressed by their quality and timely work. 

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

No