Mercury Development

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the President of a software development and digital marketing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Development?

The project we were developing for a client evolved to include a Windows application. We don’t have those skills in-house, so we needed to partner with an outside firm.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The overall product is a business process simulation used by a division of a Fortune 100 company. Mercury built the web app for Windows Desktop as the primary deployment platform. They also developed a version for iOS. They incorporated real-world statistical modeling into the platform that drives the client’s internal processes. In my experience, the sophisticated modeling work they programmed isn’t typical of similar business process simulations.

What is the team composition?

An assigned project manager was our primary point of contact throughout the engagement. We also worked with their VP of operations as he fulfilled a role similar to an account manager. We rarely spoke to the actual development team.

How did you come to work with Mercury Development?

We frequently partner with other firms to help with projects that include components outside of our expertise. We needed a solution and found Mercury through a mutual colleague. They possessed the skills we lacked, so we hired them to ensure a successful product for our client.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $175,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Mercury worked on the project from March–November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client’s initial pilots of the product have been enormously successful. As a result, the client expressed interest in pursuing similar projects for its other divisions.

How did Mercury Development perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly communicated through email, but would also have phone calls at least once a week. The frequency of correspondence increased during the height of the project and Mercury performed excellently. They completed every task to our satisfaction and communicated that via weekly progress reports. As for project management software, we used Google Docs and similar tools for sharing materials.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s not uncommon to experience communication difficulties when outsourcing development components to a remote company. However, we experienced no such issues working with Mercury. They delivered everything on-time and as promised.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything I’d change. It was a great experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

There were a few instances where we explained things in sufficient detail, but they still had questions or provided a solution that didn’t meet our expectations. However, this critique isn’t specific to them. Instead, it’s advice for any consumer looking to outsource a software development firm. Communication can help avoid this common pitfall.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Ombligo, Inc., an IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) company based in New York City. We help organizations maximize the value and minimize the risks to environmental and data security when using older or out-of-service IT assets. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mercury Development ?

We hired Mercury Development to develop Asset Track, a web application designed to inventory computer equipment; generate reports; and store, edit, and view customer information such as assets and orders for equipment delivery, repair, or replacement. Asset Track stores and processes both customer-received data and data generated by company staff.  

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to create an asset tracking and inventory system that simplified how we monitored our internal processes. We wanted a custom solution that reflected our operations because the standard options were not meeting our needs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We thoroughly vetted a number of development companies from across the United States, conducting initial conversations regarding the company, their resources, and past projects. Mercury offered an extensive portfolio of complex projects and highly skilled developers. Their in-depth proposal was priced within our budget and clearly demonstrated that they understood the project goals.  

Describe the project in detail.

Once we finalized the contract, we conducted an initial analysis to verify and validate the statement of work. We were also introduced to our project manager and determined a call schedule to review project status. Then we moved into the development phase, during which we were provided with weekly burn rate and resource utilization reports detailed to 15-minute intervals. After Mercury developed and QA’d the initial MVP, we tested it in our environment and were more than satisfied with the results. Mercury has since completed several iterations.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of an analyst, a project manager, three developers, and a QA resource.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product allowed us to easily and effectively track client assets through the recycling stage. We were able to replace a paperwork-heavy process with a custom solution that met our company's needs.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication was generally very easy. Because the call cadence was established early in the process, any questions or concerns for my project manager received prompt responses. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were most impressed with how quickly Mercury learned our business and needs, then proposed a solution within our budget. They understood the problems we were facing and created a quality solution to streamline our processes and save us time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are none that I can think of at the moment. They were professional and thoughtful throughout the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of Picture Paradise LLC. We’re developing a photo-based mobile application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Development?

I had the idea to create an app that allows people to place photos of themselves on beautiful scenery that looks like paradise. I needed to find someone to build the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mercury worked as a team to develop an app that has the tools to crop out the original background and then apply the photo on top of an image of paradise. They used native development to code the app for iOS. They made any adjustments that we asked for and then launched the app.

What is the team composition?

I had one main point of contact. He organized the project and communicated with the different teams (e.g., artists, app developers).

How did you come to work with Mercury Development?

I found them online. I'd searched a long time for a developer who could carry out the project. Many people were charging too much money. Others couldn’t take on the task because they thought it was too complicated. I finally found Mercury and they were willing to do it for a reasonable price and in a relatively quick amount of time.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent around $11,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from November 2017–February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had about 1,500 downloads in the first two months. The feedback from customers has been really positive. They're really enjoying the app and they've been asking us to develop it for Android. I hope to be able to do that once we have enough funds. I’d definitely use Mercury again because they did a very professional job. I’m very happy I found them because developing this app was a dream of mine.

How did Mercury Development perform from a project management standpoint?

They did great. Whenever I needed something they were there to take care of it. Just this past weekend we had a minor issue. I sent them an email and even though it was a Sunday, the team leader quickly responded and took care of it. They're very professional. They were always willing to suggest ideas and to educate me because it was my first time doing something like this. They were very patient and would walk me through the steps, helping me to understand the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Overall, they provide great customer service. They’re really good with people, and care a lot about the needs of the client.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They did such a great job but it would have been helpful to have a phone number and to be able to contact them via phone. Some things require just a quick answer and waiting for an email took longer.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Before you start an app development project, make sure to have a well thought out plan. Mercury is fantastic but it will go better on the client side to have an idea of everything that’s needed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a real estate tech company, based in South Florida.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mercury Development?

We hired Mercury to develop the app and for guidance.

What were your goals for this project?

Our initial goal was to see our options and to eventually develop the app. 

After selecting Mercury, they decided to start with an Analysis phase to ensure every aspect of the project was defined and understood by their team.  They also greatly helped us understand what was possible, what tech stack to use and created a working prototype for us to show potential clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Mercury Development after a web search of developers. Their transparency and focus on creating a cost-effective minimum viable product (MVP) set them apart. Their focus on startups that made the process easy and kept to our budget. Their sales and analysis team was very professional and transparent.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

They started an analysis phase of weekly calls to identify our needs and offered alternative options. They discussed platforms, tech stacks, design/UX, and developmental recommendations.  Mercury created a functional prototype app.

What was the team composition?

They provided a team of five, that included analysts, designers, developers, and a project manager. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The prototype is being used as a blueprint for our business objectives during pre-development and is to be showcased to potential clients and investors.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicated primarily and easily with our assigned Project Manager.  We use a task management system to track the project's status. They communicate through weekly calls to discuss the project's timeline. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their transparency and focus on keeping the MVP costs as low impressed us.  They feel like a partner and not just a development company. We were very impressed with their work with startups and their ability to guide us through the process. 

Are there any areas where they can improve?

As of now, we do not have any areas that could be improved.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company was started three years ago. We have developed mobile apps and a kind of wireless router that connects to vehicles. I am one of the main shareholders and the director of engineering. I work closely with our internal engineering team and with Mercury Development, ensuring that everything is developed correctly.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury?

We wanted to find a top-level mobile app development company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mercury has developed our iOS and Android apps, as well as the cloud functionality that connects vehicles to technicians and mechanics. The web portal was optimized for Google Chrome. We initially set out to develop the cloud functionality in-house, but gave the task to Mercury based on their previous performance on the iOS side and knowledge of what we needed on the cloud side. The Android app was developed later.

We began the process with a general summary. We had a lot of discussions over Google Hangouts about how we should put everything together. We had several development iterations.

The app is intended for automobile owners. On the other side of the platform, our target audience includes technicians, mechanics, and automotive and performance enthusiasts. People can buy our product, connect it to their vehicles, and allow their friends to perform remote diagnoses or even update the cars. Users can read OBD-II PIDs (On-board Diagnostics Parameter IDs), specifically RPM, boost, and other parameters that reflect the condition of the vehicle. They can also check and log diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). The app can record an infinite number of logs and re-flash the electronic control unit (ECU). Depending on the model, a car can contain 20 or more computers. Our device allows users to connect to them and flash them through the OBD port.

The app also has chat functionalities that allow users to connect directly to technicians, who can log in from any web browser, access the cloud, and connect to either their own or their customers’ vehicles. They can create engine calibration profiles and push them to mobile apps and vehicles. They can also view all the data logs associated with a vehicle, check diagnostic trouble codes on the web, and chat with the owners. The app records and organizes all the vehicles a technician has connected to. It puts the technician in the passenger’s seat of any automobile.

What is the team composition?

We have worked with three or four main contacts. The team has included 50 or more resources.

How did you come to work with Mercury?

We scheduled meetings with 5-10 developers, and had back-and-forth discussions. We went through an intensive screening and review process to look at candidates’ previous work. We also browsed the app stores, looking at all the developers with apps close to 5 stars. Mercury seemed well-organized, straightforward, and able to ensure that our final product would be top-quality. They were ready to start right away. They gave us a realistic timeline, and they’ve always done their best to adhere to it.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested close to $3 million in their services during the last three years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Mercury around three years ago. The first phase took around 18 months to complete. We have an ongoing collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mercury is one of the reasons we’re valued as a high-quality and reliable company. We wouldn’t be where we are without them.

We’ve hired QA testers whose sole job was to identify bugs in Mercury’s code, and we’ve also used our own team for the task. Once the apps deployed, we could point out any bugs and have them fixed within a few days. None of the issues we’ve encountered took a long time to fix. They take care of their customers.

How did Mercury perform from a project management standpoint?

This is one of their strengths. We had few management or organizational skills when it came to laying out development work and putting together a scope. Mercury's technical writers put together summaries of our discussions. Once we review and approve those summaries, they are sent to different developers. Most of the time, we can create a summary in a few hours.

From there, Mercury manages the work all the way to deployment. After this, we upload the code to a staging platform, test it, and make sure it meets our requirements. I can’t think of an occasion when something didn’t match our summary. We had weekly phone calls. We generally communicate every weekday.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stand out for their project management. They’re well-organized and efficient in getting to the point. Mercury can quickly determine what we want, which can sometimes be hard to communicate over the phone or on email. Many of their developers are in Russia—which is a significantly different market—but they quickly wrap their heads around what we’re trying to implement.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

We get what we pay for. Their team is not the cheapest option, but they’re worth every penny. If a client values their time and doesn’t want to manage every minute of a project, Mercury will be the best fit.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Swagelok is based in Solon, Ohio. My position is the senior manager of digital marketing and communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Development?

Since I have joined Swagelok, I have not gotten to work with them on a project yet. I’ve only been with the organization for close to a year. I can provide details on 2 of the other companies at which I’ve worked with Mercury. They’ve followed me to different places over the last 8 years.

I first worked with Mercury when I was working with a chemical company. I was trying to create something for sales people to take into high-end meetings with executives at car manufacturers, in order to present a specific product. It’s an adhesive which makes it possible to combine similar metals. It can lightweight a vehicle by basically gluing aluminium to steel in certain places. We wanted to show different examples of where this adhesive could be applied on car frames. The iPad had just rolled out at that time, so there wasn’t anything in place beforehand. Mercury was an early adopter for trying to develop for the platform, and we were able to take advantage of this.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the aluminium gluing project, we took some 3D models, both of card exteriors and interiors, highlighted the key areas, and made it so that the car could be rotated, in order to have discussions about those areas. It allowed users to pick between a few different car examples, and there was a calculator on the side through which they could determine how much money they could save on the CAFE exhaust taxes by light-weighting the cars, having them consume less gas, which led to fewer emissions. We wanted to show just how much manufacturing costs could be reduced by just light-weighting each car coming off the line.

It also calculated rough estimates on overall CO₂, basically showing how many trees would be saved, as cars were coming off the manufacturing line. It was a very successful project, on which Mercury not only handled all programming but also designed different UX experiences for the interface. It may have contributed to my promotion within the company, given how well-received the application was received at the General Motors group. I also had a chance to meet some of the leaders at Hyundai and other places, and influence sales.

The biggest surprise for me was how simple the process was. I needed to find some generic 3D models, and Mercury detailed the polygon count and other information for what I had to obtain. I found a freelancer who created those models for $150, after which Mercury took the files and pulled them right in.

After this project, we created the ability for folks at trade shows to have discussions with different potential customers. We had downloaded different materials, from videos to technical documents, around which someone might want to have a discussion in real-time with a potential customer, and we also created a shopping-cart-like feature. The salesperson could click-off documents they wanted to send to the prospect after the conversation. The software allowed for someone to have a conversation, go as deep into it as the other person wanted to, and, if they didn’t have the time, the additional materials could be sent to their inbox as attachments or links, before that person even walked away.

I left the chemical company at the end of 2014, and joined a fire protection product manufacturer at the beginning of 2015. I came into a digital role while things were a bit crazy. One item was a catalogue app on which the people before me had spent an overabundance of money. The company that had developed it was on its way to going belly-up, so I retrieved the source code from them and had Mercury take over to fix the project. They did it at a fraction of the cost.

That company focuses on different means of fighting fire, including high-end industrial and chemical fires. This group was set in Texas, but, if there was a fire at a plant in Philadelphia, and there was a chemical which the people there didn’t know how to put out, the team would be brought in by a fast plane or helicopter. As soon as they were on-scene, they gave the orders to everyone.

One of the things they wanted to be able to do was to create a calculator which would tell them what kinds of hoses and valves they needed, and the distance travelled through those hoses by whatever fluid was being used, so that they could know what kind of output speed was possible. I worked with Mercury and our engineering team. From a bunch of spreadsheets and some wireframes I mocked up, they were able to put together a solid application which is still being used.

How did you come to work with Mercury Development?

I made some web searches and looked at 3-5 companies. There weren’t many groups which were taking advantage of the iPad at the time. Mercury stood out through the simplicity of the messaging on their website, which lined up with my goal. They were also responsive after I contacted them. We had a few quick back-and-forths on email, which made me confident that Mercury was a group I’d want to work with.

How much have you invested with Mercury Development?

The chemical company's investment was between $100,000 and $150,000. Not only did Mercury start doing projects for me, but some other people at the company continued to work with them on some other tasks, including some for the Olympics.

For the previous company, the original fire protection app that was designed by the first company cost the company around $80,000. Mercury was able to fix everything around it for around $6,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

My first interaction with them was in July, and I started working with Mercury around October 2010. I have introduced them to our online team at Swagelok, and we’re working on finding a project to start. We’re 11 months in, so it’s taking a bit of time to move through the corporate approval process for vendors.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I wanted the ability to visualize what I wanted from the experience, and Mercury has basically made it happen. They don’t try to come in as a turnkey solution, and really know what they know and don’t know. This made talking with Mercury’s team effortless. They’ve never shied away from a challenge and never thought that my ideas were too crazy to even consider.

On one occasion, they had taken some 3D car models which were being projected through an Xbox Kinect. This was happening in 2010 or 2011. Not only was Mercury able to accomplish things, but they could take my ideas and come up with something even crazier. No one else was really doing these things; I did a lot of research to find Mercury, and what I saw from the early conversations matched up with my needs. I knew they would be a good partner, and it’s why Mercury has followed me to different places and has been a factor in my success in making different things come to life for various organizations.

How did Mercury Development perform from a project management standpoint?

I worked with a core team of 3-4 people, but I don’t know how many different programmers were involved on the backend. At times, we spoke weekly, but it could also be monthly. As things got closer to delivery, we usually touched base once a week, but much of this was just a back-and-forth on email for any iterative things along the way. I mainly spoke to the senior management.

Whether I was talking to some of the leadership people, or the project managers, everyone was always enthusiastic. I never had a problem getting a hold of someone, and I never had any questions about them being realistic around timelines. Mercury would usually surprise me, and have things done sooner than our expectations.

There are certain meetings you can look forward to because you know you will be energized and have fun, no matter where they take you; these were our conversations.

What did you find most impressive about Mercury Development?

The most impressive thing has been the fact that I haven’t come up with something that Mercury wasn’t able to find the technology for.

Are there any areas Mercury Development could improve?

I’m not trying to make them all puppies and rainbows, but I haven’t had a bad conversation or experience with Mercury.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Mercury Development?

Have a conversation, and get an idea of what you’re trying to do. Mercury is at its best when the client has a concept which is ready to go, so the team can feed off of the excitement. In general, technology is becoming easier to do, while making good business plans is becoming increasingly difficult.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Initially, I was the CTO for a company building digital cloud storage with a focus on rediscovering memories in the form of photos, videos, and music. In that capacity, I worked with Mercury for around 3 years. Due to that initial experience, they were asked to assist with my new company’s current project, which kicked off 2 months ago. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Development?

We needed a mobile strategy for our initial product, which only had a web strategy at the time. Our focus was migrating to a mobile-first experience for users, with web being secondary. We chose to outsource the project for several reasons, including time to market and cost. The challenge became finding experienced developers in the areas we were targeting—namely, iOS, Android, and desktop applications.

As we continued the project, we increased its scope to include fairly sophisticated integrations with specific mobile hardware. One of the facets was a partnership integration with an Indian handset manufacturer. This involved specific camera functionalities and video-processing equipment that had to be custom-fit.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our in-house team started the initial work on the web part of the project, and we brought Mercury Development onboard a year later. They initiated the Android, iOS, and desktop work.

The productivity of our engagement with them was reliant on the nature of the consultant team and the capacities of the in-house team. We offer fairly high-level visions and good product management; however, we did not have sophisticated wireframe design capabilities or requirements-gathering and documentation. Mercury has a relatively comprehensive set of skills that can be added in a modular fashion to our own capacity. This made it possible for us to have high-level discussions and explore details, and then the Mercury team fleshed out the remainder of what we needed in more precise terms. When we needed more details from an analysis point of view and wanted to capture additional requirements, they were able to do so. When we provided that information, Mercury Development simply captured and implemented it. We fit together well.

In the middle of the project, we developed an adaptation to a particular deployment in India. In this case, we had a disconnected user base, as opposed to our situation in the US, where people generally are connected to the internet all the time. This meant that we had to design our caching of information in a way that was synchronous and could support an offline situation. That required a thorough analysis of complex synchronization situations, including the ability to create folders and take photos offline, add metadata to them, and synchronize all of this information with the cloud once a connection was present.

We organized our teams by a couple of verticals and horizontals, with a team for each platform, centered on a single language and set of characteristics. These included iOS, Android, Windows desktop, and Mac OS teams, with core engineers who provided the actual implementations for the feature sets (some cross-platform, and some not). Layered on top of this, we had some horizontal groups such as business analysis, which was not platform-specific. For example, some features required analysis specifically in the context of Android versus iOS. The native contacts infrastructure on iOS is fundamentally different than on Android, so, even though the business analysis involves some sort of integration with contacts, the platform-specific integration requires its own analysis based on the platform’s capabilities. In general, an engineering team was in charge of the implementation with several cross-platform layers, including design, analysis, product management, and quality assurance.

At most, we had approximately 30 people from the Mercury group and amongst those 5 teams. Over 3 years, we had the advantage of changing the team sizes, allowing us to balance resources as our business requirements changed. We could add brand-new teams and adjust the velocity of feature production.

In the US, our market was predominantly iOS, as 60% of our customer base used this version of the app. However, in India, the market was 99% Android, which prompted us to build resources according to our business definition.

How did you come to work with Mercury Development?

They were engaged with the company before I joined. I re-engaged them after viewing their previous work. For our first cloud project, there were no other vendors when we made the initial selection, but I did perform a vendor review, using other companies on the market for comparison. I was open about this with Mercury, in terms of ensuring that they offered the highest value and were market-tested.

For our next project, I conducted a 3-vendor comparison prior to selecting or recommending Mercury. This included SOWs [statements of work] and RFPs [requests for proposals] with 2 other stellar vendors.

The vendor-selection process was fairly standard. Certain parts take time and involve some risk. In the current RFP, a point in Mercury’s favor was familiarity. This is an intangible benefit which makes a difference when differentiating between independent contributors. It allows increased efficiency and communication within the team. This is important not only for the engineering groups, but also for the different horizontals such as product management, business analysis, and design.

How much have you invested with Mercury Development?

This is not something I can disclose. There was some fluctuation.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Mercury Development in August 2013. The first version of the mobile application launched within 3 months. From that point, we continuously deployed new features on a 2-week sprint cycle.

Our current project has been running for 2 months, and we have a team size of 7 people. It’s a much smaller-sized project, and I anticipate that it might go on for another 4–5 months.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

It’s difficult to say since our business metrics are confidential, and it would be hard to attribute them solely to the implementations of a single party. I can certainly say that some results would not have been achieved without Mercury’s help, but the same is true for many different aspects.

On a high level, fundraising for the first project was achieved because of the development of the application and its demonstrated functionalities. The partnership with the phone manufacturer and distributor in India required us to install the app at the factory level to ensure a high customer acquisition. Our app basically replaced the native gallery, which made usage statistics go through the roof. We could make some estimations based on when the partnership with Mercury began and the number of phones deployed since then. Roughly speaking, this equals the number of users we have and parallels our other business metrics. I cannot attribute this solely to Mercury, since there were other factors involved, including our business partnership and management.

How did Mercury Development perform from a project management standpoint?

As the product owner and chief technology officer, I interacted with Mercury’s team every day. We used an Agile scrum methodology and had several touch points with different groups. In the capacity of product owner, I’d discuss with the business analysis and design teams at Mercury on a bi-weekly basis. We also had normal sprint communications like retrospectives, demos, and planning sessions for the next cycle.

With the engineering teams, we’d have a daily scrum, depending on the nature of the task. If there was a problem that I could resolve, Mercury’s team contacted me more frequently. If there were no problems, we could go for days with only general communication.

We used Google Hangouts and email primarily, as well as frequent interactions through JIRA, Basecamp, and so on.

What did you find most impressive about Mercury Development?

I don’t have a single example. I appreciated half a dozen factors, including their project management (attention to detail, organization, meeting recaps, precision), business analysis (thinking through requirements, finding details, asking clarification questions), design (aesthetics and UX based on available technology), and engineering (velocity, documentation, quality insurance). Among these functional areas, I appreciate Mercury’s desire to be above-average in every respect. They don’t rate perfectly in every area, but their quality across the board makes them stand out. They’re strong collaborators.

Different companies may need different things, depending on the situation. I may view Mercury as the right solution for a startup context when in-house talent isn’t sufficient.

Are there any areas Mercury Development could improve?

I’ll always want better pricing and project-based budgets, as opposed to time-and-materials/staff-augmentation models. Other than that, I don’t have any comments.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Mercury Development?

In some cases, a startup needs to put together an MVP or proof-of-concept as rapidly as possible with low costs. I would not recommend Mercury for this type of engagement. Other companies fit that model better.

Mercury is a well-documented, organized, and detailed group that’s not too expensive. They offer a great project management style. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Aisle411 is a software development company creating retail platforms that allow clients to find store-based products through the use of mobile devices.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Development?

We needed support with integration for various retailers around the world. We needed to ensure that our software was up-to-date and that all the systems were tied together properly. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We always seek to support our clients by building robust platforms that are tested and functional. Mercury has done a good job of providing a turnkey platform that lets us find use cases. They’ve built and tested those solutions.

Mercury has provided development and UX design for a variety of platforms, including iOS, Android, and web. They also developed the backend databases that tie into our web services.

One particular iOS and Android integration enables people to search for and find products inside stores.

The team size has varied from 2–10 people from Mercury’s side, depending on the platform and requirements. They have a robust staff of people who can do many different things in parallel. Typically, our VP of engineering will work with Mercury’s project management leads in order to put the teams together. I don’t know if there’s turnover within their organization, but the quality of work has never suffered.

Mercury’s project managers act as our primary points of contact. The daily communication with the developers is filtered through the tracking platform.

How did you come to work with Mercury Development?

At first, we handled development with in-house people, but we became frustrated with them. We’d been using Mercury on-and-off for the past 9 years and had always been impressed by the quality of the products they created. We knew they would do the work properly and have continued our collaboration based on this ability.

Mercury was based in St. Louis, although they had programmers in different parts of the world. That was a substantial factor when selecting them. We never had any organizational challenges with them, no matter where they were located subsequently. We’re always a phone call or email away from getting what we need. Now, we’re focused more on the quality of the product and of the support. We’ve always been happy from this vantage point.

How much have you invested with Mercury Development?

The cost of their work has been hundreds of thousands of dollars.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Mercury Development in 2009 or 2010. First, we asked them to build an internal iOS app. A year later, they developed the Android version based on the quality of the initial app. Although we haven’t worked with Mercury Development consecutively since that time, we always reach out to them for various projects. We’re always impressed by the quality of their work and their focused approach. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Mercury Development built the first version of our Aisle411 app for iOS and Android. They continued to support us with a later version of another app, which is still available in app stores. They’ve completed phenomenal jobs for us over time.

How did Mercury Development perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great at setting milestones, specking projects, putting together Gantt organizational charts, and breaking down tasks. We know exactly what we’re going to get, both from a frontend and a billing standpoint. They approach tasks precisely, showing which team member is responsible for what. Everything has been delivered on time and within budget.

What did you find most impressive about Mercury Development?

They are diligent and professional.

Are there any areas Mercury Development could improve?

I can’t say anything bad about them. I’ve always been happy with the outcome of everything Mercury has managed.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Mercury Development?

It’s important to know what you really want when building software. Mercury will do a good job of planning, but not knowing the targeted outcome will likely lead to extended budgets. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a consumer products and services company. We create interactive, AI-powered gaming experiences for families through our game console. We blend digital and physical play using body movement, focusing on fun, fitness, education, and safety for all ages.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mercury Development?

We needed help with system software development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mercury Development has developed the front- and backend of our game console’s operating system.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 25 teammates from Mercury Development.

How did you come to work with Mercury Development?

Someone referred Mercury Development to me. I chose them over other options because they were a great culture fit, their company values aligned with ours, and they had strong capabilities.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Mercury Development in 2023, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mercury Development has delivered a high-quality operating system scaled to a million devices and growing. We’ve also had relatively smooth quarterly updates.

How did Mercury Development perform from a project management standpoint?

They always manage the scope well to meet our hard deadlines. We communicate through virtual meetings, emails, and messaging apps.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mercury Development aspires to execute perfectly, ensure everything is done right, and take our project as their own product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they need to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Managing Director of a mobile data solutions firm.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a mobile data solutions company that specializes in the efficient distribution, management, and resale of mobile internet services, leveraging partnerships with leading telecom providers to deliver affordable and scalable data access for individuals and businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mercury Development to accomplish?

• Build a reliable, user-friendly platform
• Ensure all payment and data transactions are secured through advanced encryption protocols

SOLUTION

How did you find Mercury Development?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Mercury Development over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Mercury Development were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Mercury Development were hired to build us a secure, stable, and scalable mobile platform that supports real-time data transactions, wallet management, and integration with telecom providers, as well as payment gateways. They developed the mobile application and backend system, implemented core features like user authentication, funding, data purchase and transfer, and an admin dashboard for monitoring operations, while working closely with us through regular communication,  progress updates, and iterative feedback to ensure the final product alligned with our requirements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new app offers faster, more secure, and more convinent access to mobile data than our previous one, enabling real-time purchases and transfers, more secure digital payments, increased uptime and reduced delays and errors.

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

The project was managed in a structured and professional manner, with regular updates, and consistent communication throughout the develompent of the app. The project was completed within the agreed timeline and minor delays were communicaed in advance and handled efficiently. They were responsive to feedback and flexible in accommodating changes, ensuring  our requirements were properly understood and implimented to align with our expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with Mercury Development?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The team's strong communication and responsiveness throughout the project was outstanding, combined with their ability to translate requirements into functional, well-structured solutions while maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.

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

I can't think of anything I would have wanted differently. The team was extremely thorough, detailed, responsive, communicative and delivered on time.