MAXIMUS

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a startup called Food Filter. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MAXIMUS?

We engaged MAXIMUS to build a software application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

MAXIMUS developed a mobile application using Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android. They used Django and Python to build the backend. The app is available for iOS and Android users. 

The app enables users to log their food intolerances and allergies to their profiles. When they go shopping, they can use their smartphone camera to scan barcodes on items. Then, our app determines whether the product contains unwanted ingredients based on the user’s profile. If a user accepts the product, they can use the app to add it to their menu. Additionally, the app can help users with restricted diets because it features a counting tool that calculates and tracks calories, fat, protein, sugar, salt, and other macronutrients. 

The MAXIMUS team also built a website for us from scratch. Users can use the site to register for presale when the app goes live. They can also find information about the app, leave comments, or send us emails directly through the site. The site also features various categories of people who could benefit from the mobile app, such as those with religion-based dietary restrictions and new parents. 

MAXIMUS has finished their part of the project, but our team still needs to fill up the product database. We hope they’ll continue supporting us with frontend maintenance initiatives when we launch the app. 

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with the owner and a project manager, but there was also a frontend Kotlin developer, a Swift developer, a backend developer, 1–2 designers, and a website developer. 

How did you come to work with MAXIMUS?

I searched online for service providers in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. I found several companies on Clutch and other platforms and interviewed a few of them. MAXIMUS had the best portfolio and offer, so we moved forward.  

How much have you invested with them?

We invested €20,000–€25,000 (approximately $22,000–$27,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2020–January 2022; the engagement is on pause.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is flawless and works perfectly. The website has facilitated 100 comments and 500 emails expressing interest in the mobile application. 

We haven’t launched the mobile app yet because we still need to fill up the product database, but the test version of the app works well. Once we complete the database, we plan to launch the app locally and anticipate the process going smoothly. Then, we’ll work on expanding to other markets. 

How did MAXIMUS perform from a project management standpoint?

We provided MAXIMUS with a preliminary technical guide before moving to the production stage. Once we started production, we found the development process was more complicated than anticipated. As a result, the team took longer than expected to develop the app, but they didn’t raise our pricing, which was nice. We used Telegram and email to communicate and Trello to manage the project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were a very dedicated team who did whatever it took to finish the project. They took full ownership and responsibility, which we appreciated. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would’ve been helpful to have direct contact and consistent stand-ups with the developers to review progress and plan for the future.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important for you to have a plan and understand how your application works. Make a logical schema before involving MAXIMUS, so you can have an overview of the app and avoid putting all the work on the developers. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a former Lead Product Manager at an edtech company. It creates products that guide youth in education and employment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to develop a career guidance platform within a relatively small time frame. We didn’t have enough budget and human resources to build the platform internally. MAXIMUS had the required professional team ready to solve our problem quickly and within the available budget.

SOLUTION

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

Our team had an idea of an online career guidance service. It would be a web-based platform where school students and youth would take career aptitude tests and an algorithm would suggest a set of professions. Each profession would have a full page with descriptions, required skills, salary information, etc.

MAXIMUS had built the platform from scratch. We first explained to them how we wanted the platform to function, providing some references. Then they developed a quick mock-up, most of which we approved. Because of the short time frame we had on the project, both MAXIMUS and our team worked in parallel.

It was an iterative approach, so we had been seeing how the product was building up and we were giving feedback along the way. MAXIMUS accepted all our feedback. By our deadline we already had a fully functioning platform with minor bugs that we fixed shortly after.

We used Python on the backend and Vue.js on the frontend.

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

We constantly worked with a project manager, who would transfer our requirements and feedback to a designer and developers. They had different people involved at different stages of the project. We worked with 6–8 people. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The career guidance platform received high praise from our investors and the Ministry of Education on the day of the launch. We then secured the next round of funding and multiple nation-wide projects. The platform got more than 50,000 users in the first six months, which makes about 10% of the addressable market (SAM).

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

MAXIMUS’ project management is very good. Because we were working online, communication was key. We agreed on communication tools and a schedule for mandatory weekly updates. However, we communicated more often via instant messaging apps and email.

We were working iteratively. They were asking for more details on the platform's functionality and processes, and we were giving feedback on their work along the way. It was an iterative approach.

We had to change the way the platform works in mid-project, so they had to rewrite some parts of the code. They never never complained about it. We updated our scope to make the deadline. Not only did Maximus deliver the result on time, but it was of high quality.

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

Their design team is awesome. They created an eye-catching platform that would instantly receive our audience’s interest. 

We also felt that they were really dedicated to our project. They wouldn’t complain about some changes in the project requirements or scope. The whole team was very polite all the time. They would respond to us at any time during the week or sometimes even on the weekends.

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

I’m happy with the experience of working with MAXIMUS. No complaints.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of marketing of "Agrochemical Technologies" (AHT)

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

"Agrochemical Technologies" (AHT) is a leading Ukrainian brand of plant protection products with 14 years on the market. The brand's portfolio includes 60 products, 8 innovative products with no analogs in Ukraine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Develop the iOS and Android application
• Improve the user experience for farmers and partners

SOLUTION

How did you find MAXIMUS?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select MAXIMUS over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

What was the size of MAXIMUS’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

We needed a vendor to help us create the most convenient application for the Ukrainian agrochemical market. We needed the most straightforward possible navigation, as competitors' apps could be more logical and easier to find something in them. We have worked out the structure of the application and optimized it. But the Maximus team listened to the problem, evaluated the user journey and offered a much simpler and more convenient solution.

It's also important to note that our app is not just a product catalog app. This is a system with "smart" search, which captures unsuccessful search queries. Our customers can find any product in just two clicks. This allows farmers to solve their problems immediately.

Also, the Maximus team implemented a built-in survey on the first screen, which helps us analyze the audience. Another detail that sets our app apart from the competition is the 3D balls. They were developed for us by the Maximus team. We did not even imagine such a thing was possible, and most importantly in a short time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• 94,5% of our users voted for this app as "the most convenient application of plant protection products in Ukraine"

What was your primary form of communication with MAXIMUS?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Project management was excellent. We met the deadline, although we slightly exceeded the budget. This is because we added several functions during the work. The Maximus team was constantly in touch and always reminded us if we needed to remember to do something. Our joint work was maximally comfortable.

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

Their approach! It is difficult to call them contractors: during this four months of collaboration they became the part of our team. We could get an answer to any question. We were also impressed by their engagement; sometimes, it seemed like they were more motivated to make the best app :) We are happy to return to MAXIMUS with a new project.

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

Team Maximus should recruit a bigger team and deliver more cool projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the digital marketer of GudFoodHome

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

GudFoodHome is a frozen food delivery service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• We asked Maximus to make us a new website.

SOLUTION

How did you find MAXIMUS?

Referral

Why did you select MAXIMUS over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing first our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

What was the size of MAXIMUS’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

We started in 2022, it took some time to find a style - we didn't understand what we wanted to look like, what features our new website should cover. We came to them with a ready-made UX/UI design. The Maximus team helped us realize all of our visual goals the way we wanted. We are grateful to the development team for spotting the flaws in our outsourced web designer's layouts in time and offering help.

In this way, the Maximus team offered its version of the site design, which is even more convenient for the client. Thanks to this, the customer's journey on the site has become easier, and more people reach the payment page.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• speed of response to requests
• no bugs

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

Managers of the Maximus company are always in touch and are open to any changes and innovations on the website.

What was your primary form of communication with MAXIMUS?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I was very impressed with the approach to work. MAXIMUS' specialists are always ready for discussions and improvements to the site. Their expertise helps a lot to make a really convenient site for customers.

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

Maximus can get the work done, but they need to have structure and architecture, and an environment in which to perform. But the result is always great.