MindInventory

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of WEC Administration, an investment platform and education company, that’s also in the e-commerce business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MindInventory?

The group that was doing our development wasn’t cutting it for us in terms of our business trajectory. The partnership worked really well at the beginning when we were a small brand, but as we started to build, they couldn’t scale with us.

We were looking for alternatives for development and design, along with a couple of other sections that we wanted to do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We used them to fully redesign our platform from the ground up, and we’re continuing to build out e-commerce stores using WordPress and WooCommerce, so that non-technical people can continue to use them. In addition, we’re building native applications for both Android and iOS using Flutter, and have done some data-specific platforms using PostgreSQL, Laravel, and PHP.

We’ve done a lot of other development and plan to continue.

What is the team composition?

The number of people varies depending on our needs. The maximum at one time has been about 25 people on 5–7 projects at the same time.

How did you come to work with MindInventory?

One of their marketing gurus reached out to me via LinkedIn. I was impressed with the initial contact, but we didn’t need their services at the time. After I took this position, I knew I needed to scale this company quickly with quality code, so I went online and looked for onshore and offshore providers.

I kept coming back to MindInventory because I knew what they were doing — their design and development portfolios are second to none.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2021, and our partnership is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was always hesitant to hire outside because I didn’t trust the quality of other agencies’ codes. After reviewing MindInventory’s public suppositories that they work on and maintain, it’s easy to see their quality of work and how well they know the products that they use.

A number of technical and non-technical people continue to be amazed by the speed and quality with which they build products.

How did MindInventory perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management skills are awesome. We’ve worked with a couple of different project managers for a couple of projects, and all of them have multiple years of experience, both in development and project management. They know how to be a business liaison and talk with clients at a non-technical level, and can communicate technical problems, issues, and solutions.

Additionally, they’re very flexible in terms of the tools that they work with. They pretty much work with whatever we’re using which is nice, since we’re a bit unconventional and use Discord for our communication — but we find it works really well for us. The second major tool we use is Jira, which they’ve been fantastic in adopting the terminology — they’ve also helped us improve our own internal workflow.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like that they’re dedicated to quality work, and their attention to detail is second to none. They’re really quick to understand the domain and problem you’re trying to solve, and once we give them tasks, we know they’re going to be done correctly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been perfect all the way through from their communication to their project management and the delivery of high-quality work — all the technology stacks that we’ve had have been fantastic.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be prepared yourself. As soon as you start to work with them, you’re going to be hitting the ground running. Get all your ducks in a row so that you can maximize your time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a SaaS company that provides cloud-based ERP solutions to small- and medium-sized businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire MindInventory?

We engaged MindInventory for a website development project. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to build a functioning WordPress website. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We got in touch after seeing some of their previous work on Behance.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

MindInventory missed every deadline. Our second project manager was completely useless, and the third had obviously been pushed by his managers to wrap up the job. He expected us to review incomplete pages and pass them off as finished work. That's when we decided they were incompetent and pulled the plug. We spent a lot of money and had nothing to show for it.

What was the team composition?

We went through three project managers. Our first left the company, we requested that they replace the second, and the third asked us to approve broken pages. The head sales lead also had poor customer service. When I brought up these issues, he didn't take any action.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're out of pocket over $9,000 USD, yet they didn't hand over the completed work. We never got a response from the head sales lead. We hired another WordPress programmer, whom we paid to start the job from scratch based on our wireframes. This caused a big financial loss on top of the time and effort we had already spent.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It was arranged over email, and wasn't effective at all. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive thing was the robbery we experienced from hiring them. It was a complete scam. What looked promising at first turned out to be a complete disaster, and we didn't receive a single penny in refund. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

They should hire qualified WordPress developers and replace their heads of customer service and project management.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on March 15, 2019.

We used a milestone basis payment system for this project. Based on the remittance receipts for each payment, there is still $10,000 USD outstanding. We never received the remaining balance for the last milestone. During the partnership, the client made payments if they were satisfied with the work after testing. They made two payments after the initial payment, which followed the completion of work. We’re unsure why the client made these payments if they were unhappy with the work.

Once all work was complete, we asked for the final list of bugs to finish the project and deploy the system. The client responded by requesting a refund of the last invoice. We denied this request because that invoice corresponded with the completed work at that stage. Our team is okay with the negative review because the client informed us that they would submit one. We believe the original review, as well as those from our other customers, more accurately reflect our capabilities.  

Although we hesitated to respond, we believed it was our responsibility to share the fact and our viewpoint to maintain trust with other parties. Visitors can see the other reviews that genuinely describe our approach, work, and deliveries.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Thailand Postcard. Our app allows for Thailand tourists to mail physical postcards through their phone. Users can send pictures from the gallery or their own library. It eliminates the need for users to find a postcard, stamp, and mailbox.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MindInventory?

We needed a company to develop and launch our mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We began by presenting our app idea to the MindInventory team; they helped us flesh out the scope and agreed that they could meet our expectations. They then developed our app for Android and iOS from scratch.

A few days before the launch, they delivered the app so we could check the final product and give feedback. Their team aided in the launch process and submitted the apps to the app stores for us. Additionally, they provided two months of free support in case of necessary repairs or updates.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a team of four people.

How did you come to work with MindInventory?

We sent emails to the top search results for app developers in India or Asia. After reading a New York Magazine article that mentioned MindInventory we began discussing the project with them. Then, after understanding all expectations, we started our business relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August - December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app has received 2,500 downloads in under a year, and our conversion rate hovers around 10%-12%. We received positive feedback from our survey of customer satisfaction, with most people finding it user-friendly. Our users, primarily those in older age groups, find it easy to use and there are no language barriers for those who don’t speak English.

How did MindInventory perform from a project management standpoint?

We frequently communicated through Skype at the beginning of the project. They responded to all of our questions within a day, which impressed us. Their team managed the project professionally, and they ensured we had a mutual understanding of the project. Throughout the process, they took our feedback and made necessary changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For the value they offer, their price is very affordable. Their team was prompt and helpful in fixing issues throughout the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could benefit from sticking to deadlines without having to be pushed to meet them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a currency exchange platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MindInventory?

I needed an agency to develop a mobile app for Android and iOS devices. I had a vision in mind but lacked the technical capabilities to bring it to life.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Using my wireframes, MindInventory guided me through the development process. In addition to the frontend design, they built features for currency conversion, chat capabilities, ID verification, and push notifications. We just launched the system, but plan to keep them on as support because they already have a good understanding of the product.

What is the team composition?

I spoke with three people, including a project manager. There were also some developers behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with MindInventory?

Looking for an agency that I could trust, I came across their profile on Clutch.co, read the reviews, and contacted their team. Our contracting process was easy; I brought some lawyers to review the agreement. After that, MindInventory provided a detailed quote and an organized timeline.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $15,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The application is working well, and I haven’t had any issues so far. I appreciated their professionalism.

How did MindInventory perform from a project management standpoint?

I spoke with the project manager daily via Skype. They were always available, which was important on my end because I was able to speak with them even on Saturdays. They used Basecamp to keep me updated on our progress. If we ran into a technical issue, the team explained the information in terms that I could understand.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Overall, I was happy with their service, specifically their accessibility, expertise, and knowledge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We struggled when working with iOS technology. The MindInventory team isn’t as experienced in that regard, but I think they will build their skills in time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of VoxPop, a startup company that’s been around since late 2017. We have an app that allows users of all ages to offer their opinions on a variety of subjects in a simple, anonymous way.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MindInventory?

I needed an overseas company to help me develop our website and our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I outlined what I wanted to do and my functionality requirements. I helped lay out some of the wireframes, but they translated most of my input into the app functionality and all of the code. The website they built is fairly simple, but the mobile apps for iOS and Android are a little more complicated. I wanted to make sure that the app was user-friendly and responsive to the user. I wanted users to spend a few seconds engaging with a particular survey and then be able to move on. MindInventory helped with all the product testing ahead of their delivery.

What is the team composition?

We have a project manager and a sales contact. The project manager handled all our requests for issues or any correspondence between me and the company. She’s very capable and manages their team of developers and coders.

How did you come to work with MindInventory?

I read an article by one of the owners of the company. I found the article interesting and researched them. I was looking for an overseas development company and everything I read about them seemed professional.  I followed up with them and we started working together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $16,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in September 2017 and they delivered the app in November 2017. We haven’t tested the product enough yet and only recently made it available in the U.S. market. We’ve had an on and off relationship with MindInventory and will work with them again once we have more interaction with the app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s too soon to have any clear idea of the market impact the app will have. I’ve asked a few friends to test the app and will do a lot more testing in the coming months. The quality of the app is very good. There were certain issues that were corrected quickly and I’m very happy with the results of initial testing.

How did MindInventory perform from a project management standpoint?

I dealt mostly with our project manager. I was very happy with her guidance throughout the relationship. We communicated mostly through email and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication is one of their most notable strengths. They’re very easy to talk with, even with the time difference. Everything went very smoothly and the quality of the work is excellent, especially at the price they charge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were probably certain issues that could have been anticipated by them. If they attempted to forewarn me about certain functionalities the process would have gone a little smoother. Other than that, I have no negative feedback. They responded quickly and worked well with my requirements.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have little or no background in coding, lay out all the functionalities you want for the app, with as many nuances and intricacies as possible. If you anticipate the process, you will help make sure the code comes out properly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of an online wish list platform. Users can list a set of things they want and share it with their friends, who can then purchase what they want or start a crowdfunding campaign to fulfill the wish.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MindInventory?

We needed someone to build our mobile app from scratch with a modern design. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

This was a turnkey project so I let them know what my requirements were and they walked us through everything, from creating wireframes and designs on paper for us to review to registering accounts with the App and Play stores.

The apps—one for iOS and another for Android—have a database on the backend to store user data and a payment gateway. There’s also a third-party currency conversion integration so that a user in the United States would look at a campaign started in Australia and see the numbers in U.S. Dollars.

What is the team composition?

They gave me a project manager and a business development resource that handled all the accounting, payments and invoices.

How did you come to work with MindInventory?

I was looking at quite a few service providers and MindInventory fit the bill because we like their modern designs. They also compared well to other vendors we came across on a Google search. Their pricing fit our needs as well so we went ahead with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2016 until May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was quite a complex project and there were quite a few bugs but things look good aside from that.

How did MindInventory perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager was the focal point—a person I could go to with any problem and they would help me sort it out with the team. We communicated over video or phone Skype calls, which let us share screens and discuss designs, and used a project management tool internally. While we didn’t have weekly meetings, they would schedule a Skype call with us when they reached a milestone and I could ping them anytime and we would meet within a few hours.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They helped me right from the beginning to the end, not even leaving me alone when we published the product to the App and Play stores. If something I wanted wasn’t done, they would do it for me. In terms of budgeting, I can go to their business development resource after the project is done and ask them to add extra features and they’ll get me an estimate to approve.

While I don’t have other vendors to compare them to, I keep going back to them because they haven’t failed me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could focus more on testing and following-up with proof testing before delivery.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CTO of a hotel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MindInventory?

We engaged MindInventory to develop an iPad app, based on the architecture we created.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

MindInventory designed and developed an iPad app (version 12.9 only), using an architecture we provided, that allows guests at our hotel to check in. They also built a complementary Laravel backend web administrative app, acquired certification for our payment gateway system, and integrated different APIs, including our printer, the hotel's PMS, and Lightspeed POS. 

What is the team composition?

I work closely with about four people, who work with others on their team as needed.

How did you come to work with MindInventory?

I interviewed about 15–20 companies but was most impressed by MindInventory's response to our architecture. They were one of the few vendors that were capable of delivering within our budget and timelines.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested over $50,000 CAD (over $38,000) thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since March 2018 and development is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They've been incredible, exceeding expectations within our set timeframes. Guests at our hotel are happy with the check-in app overall, and MindInventory's team has been quick to fix any bugs as they come up.

How did MindInventory perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is quick to fix any issues and very responsive to communications, despite their distance. We track projects in Trello, which allows us to easily work through any bugs that come up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to their competitors in India, MindInventory offers high-quality work at reasonable rates. They don't overcharge for small changes or requests.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be helpful if they had a customer support team in North America to make communicating with them during our office hours more convenient.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and development lead for In-Kind Pro. We provide an innovative solution to tracking non-cash donations to nonprofits and grant-funded projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire MindInventory?

Initially, we needed an Android version of our iOS product, so MindInventory developed this for us. It was superior to our existing iOS version, so we had them refactor that one and rebuild our admin website.

What were your goals for this project?

We were in the process of developing a proof of concept product that we intended to market using the minimal viable product (MVP). We wanted to accomplish this.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them through an online search. They were incredibly fast to respond. Though our initial project was small, they accomplished it quickly and accurately, which led us to choose them for the iOS and site rebuild. We had already tried other local companies and we couldn’t justify their costs, so MindInventory became our development partner.

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

The initial project was part of an existing product. They were able to reproduce the software without any existing documentation and expand on it. They rebuilt the admin site, the original iOS product, and developed the Android version.

What was the team composition?

We generally work with our project manager, but we interact with other teams when needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We went from having a product designed for our own organization’s needs to having a commercial product in less than a year. We are now in the client acquisition stage and MindInventory has been nimble enough to make changes quickly.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Their project management has been good; they use BaseCamp and GitLab for communication and progress. Their speed is usually exceedingly fast. Their language skills are exceptional.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their speed is impressive. Most changes are accomplished within days. Their QA is very good, as well. They’ve bent over backward to try new methods to simplify the process.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

There is no issue we have specifically with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work at an institution of higher learning in Norway. I am a senior executive officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MindInventory?

The goal was to translate our idea into a product, a service app. The app is free to use by the public. It is used for the purposes of the research and is non-profit. We needed the user data to be anonymous so that the information given in the app could not be traced back to the user. The information provided by the app gives a lifestyle feedback to the user and it allows us to use the anonymous information for research purposes. We wanted our app made so that it could be used by both the iOS and Android users.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We needed someone to make the app for us. Mindinventory did that. We provided them with instructions how we wanted the app to look and what we wanted the app to do. They followed our instructions and delivered the product promptly. They followed the schedule. They did not deviate from the original price estimate. They delivered a quality product.

How did you come to work with MindInventory?

We did online research and came across their website. They had great reviews and were recommended by others. Their app portfolio was also available on the website.

How much have you invested with MindInventory?

We paid $6,000 USD for the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took roughly 45 days to complete.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As of now, we do not have any metrics. However, we did receive a few emails from our followers thanking us for making the app.

What did you find most impressive about MindInventory?

They were incredibly great to work with. If we had any questions or concerns, they responded to those within the hour. They set out a schedule and followed it to a T. They were easy to work with, and I would definitely recommend them.

Are there any areas MindInventory could improve?

They worked with us and were with us every step of the way. They did what we asked them to do at a reasonable price. This is what customer service should be like. No criticism. Just keep up the good work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our startup has developed a new social media app for iOS. It works similarly to FaceTime, but centered on text messages. Any time a user sends an image or video message, the receiver will have their facial reaction recorded and sent back to the original person. Our app has been available in the App Store since February 2016.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with MindInventory Technologies?

I needed development resources for my app.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

MindInventory Technologies has developed the front-end and back-end for our app. We provided the design and architecture elements.

We were assigned a team of at least seven people: two back-end and two front-end developers, two testers, and one project manager, who was responsible for communication with our team.

How did you come to work with MindInventory Technologies?

I searched Google for relevant criteria and found a few companies, MindInventory Technologies being one of them. I also asked a friend in the industry who had heard of them and told me that MindInventory Technologies was a good developer.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The initial development cost with MindInventory Technologies was around $20,000. We kept sending new requirements and adding features to the app, with each iteration ranging from $200 to $2,000. We also use MindInventory Technologies for database and server maintenance.

We have in-house technician for managing the database and cloud server, but the main development, especially in the back-end, was handled by MindInventory Technologies.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with MindInventory Technologies in October 2015. The second version of the app was delivered on April 2016. We will continue to work with MindInventory Technologies for further developments.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Our app has reached 3,000 registered users within the first three months, without a marketing effort. We only promoted it within our university, so the result is pretty good.

How did MindInventory Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

MindInventory Technologies did a good job of delivering on time, but there were a few communication issues within the process. Overall, they did a very good job.

I mainly communicated with our project manager through Skype and email. We also used the Apple iTunes Connect for version control and keeping track of user feedback.

What distinguishes MindInventory Technologies from other providers?

MindInventory Technologies is a professional company in terms of ongoing development. We have developed many new functionalities on top of the old app. MindInventory Technologies worked very fast. There were a few issues like bugs, but MindInventory Technologies resolved everything quickly. The most valuable advantage for me was that I was always kept informed by MindInventory Technologies whenever we made a change, allowing me to schedule the project on my end.

Is there anything MindInventory Technologies could have improved or done differently?

MindInventory Technologies could perform better if they implemented a dedicated testing team, doing unit and automation tests, comparing their deliverables to the original requirements. Throughout the entire development cycle, I've come to test my app frequently. 

The only drawback was our time difference. We are based in the United States and MindInventory Technologies is in India, so I have to get up very early or have their team stay up late anytime we communicate. They could assign a project manager to a late shift for customers, in order to improve service.