Mood Up

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of product for an insurance tech company. We’ve been trading for three years, and we specialize in catastrophe insurance. We have a unique product called “parametric insurance”.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mood Up Team?

We’ve worked with them on a couple of projects. When we first started, we were distributing through brokers. We have a portal where brokers can get quotes for our product and eventually buy it for their clients. We’d changed the product and needed a way to display it more efficiently within the portal. It’s a very unique product.

The second challenge we had was that we’d decided to go direct to customers and not work only with distributors. There was a challenge of explaining our product to non-insurance-experts. We wanted to convey our product in a comprehensible and efficient way.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

One of the things we did with Mood Up Team was test some new concepts in terms of how we could better show our product to brokers. They helped us develop a prototype and took it through testing. Finally, they helped deliver the preferred solution.

On the second item, we did some co-creation with customers. Mood Up Team worked with us on that and on defining the customer journey. They delivered the UI/UX for that.

Mood Up Team also helped with the homepage. Our website was orientated toward brokers. When we decided to start working with customers directly, we had to make it appeal more to them. The website is built on WordPress.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one UX designer from Mood Up Team.

How did you come to work with Mood Up Team?

I’d worked with them at a previous startup.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Mood Up Team in November 2020, and we wrapped up in March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mood Up Team did their role very well. We’re not going to keep the design forever, but that’s just because we’re learning new things. Mood Up Team delivered the needed value, and they’ve given us the opportunity to learn. 

People generally find the site easy to use. With the function to save multiple quotes, we found that a broker was twice as likely to convert.

How did Mood Up Team perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Excel to log times and budgets.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Either their responsiveness, availability, or ability to make complicated things easy was the most impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I haven’t got anything.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

The difference between Mood Up Team and other UX firms we’ve worked with is that they’re more a companion than a lead. We also had to drive the process quite a lot.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder and IT Director. We are currently preparing to launch into 6 countries with our Technology and Business Model.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mood Up team, and what were your goals?

We designed very specific software to accommodate helping small to medium businesses whilst assisting Charities and not for profit organizations. This incorporated back end management systems, mobile phone applications and a payment gateway technology.

SOLUTION

How did you select Mood Up team and what were the deciding factors?

We found them to be competitive yet fair in all negotiations. They had a broad range of talent working with them and although our project was difficult and diverse they had staff on hand to deliver all aspects of the project. Prior to our commitment we were dealing with companies who had to outsource significant portions of the development due to a lack of in-house talent.

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

Mood Up supported us in front-end rewriting, creating bank communications systems, web and application development plus design and branding creation. We were so amazed to find such a one stop shop.

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

We have had numerous team members working with us over more than 7 years. All supported us in various fields. Overall more than 10 people are working with us on our current project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We found the project to be challenging as it was so diverse in design and architecture. Always MoodUp made them selves available. Even though we are based in Australia and MoodUp in Poland we found them always accommodating to our time zone difference.

Key staff and even the owners gave us direct access to them through their mobiles and made themselves available always when required including after hours when necessary.

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

The team was highly responsive. We held daily status calls and regular meetings for summing up sprints and reporting the project’s progress. Our feedback was always taken into account. Apart from video calls, we communicated Slack and emails and always received timely responses from the team.

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

The hands on leadership displayed by the owners was most impressive. The diversity in the skill sets of the staff also was an enormous benefit to all of our projects. They showed me that a small dedicated team can accomplish more things faster than larger established enterprises.

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

We have continued to work with the team now for more than 7 years and appreciate the efforts they make to satisfy. If they do not have the solution they quickly find and implement it. Because they had such a collaborative approach, I really would struggle to find anything I would want them to do differently.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm CEO of MyTeamGroup. We provide legal assistance in Poland. After a few years, the group broadened its activities, introducing accounting and tax advice services. We’re a team of professionals who possess experience in managing businesses and delivering legal, administrative, and financial services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mood Up team?

We hired Mood Up team to develop our mobile application idea. It’s an app that simplifies the invoicing process.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to solve a problem for one of our clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We considered several different companies and hired Mood Up because of their references.

Describe the project in detail.

The app allows companies to receive invoices for purchased services directly via e-mail. It takes a photo of the receipt and sends a request to issue an invoice to the indicated e-mail. Then, your contractor will send along the email.

What was the team composition?

We were connected to two designers and two app developers during the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app was launched in four months (as scheduled) with no issues.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had a very good relationship. They explained and adapted everything we asked for.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are very communicative and showed us all the options we needed to decide at every step.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. We were very impressed with their app design and workflow.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a self-improvement education platform. We provide the means through which anyone with emotional difficulties can realize their life force and creative potential. Our end goal is to contribute to building a society of healthy and emotionally mature people who live conscious, happy, and fulfilling lives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mood Up team?

I was in the process of publishing my first self-improvement book and wanted to create an innovative way through which my readers could follow the steps outlined in it. I decided to develop a mobile app to help me with this and came across Mood Up team.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to build a user-friendly app that would enhance the reading experience of anyone who purchased my book. The app was created to add value to my readers, and Mood Up team did a fantastic job with their design to help make it so.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I looked around for app developers in my local area who could help me develop an app that matched my requirements. There were three initial prospects, and I decided to go with Mood Up team because they had more experience developing apps like mine and offered a reasonable estimate.

Describe the project in detail.

Mood Up team listened to what I wanted for the app and started with the design first. The designers did a good job of asking me the right questions and made me realize what was right for my app. One week later, I received UX wireframes and three design style propositions for feedback. I was pleased with what they sent over and how little effort it took from me to drive the design. 

The team then started developing the app for iOS and Android once I approved the design. They made sure I was provided with a test version every Friday. I was very appreciative of these Friday meetings as it allowed me to see the status of my project and reassured me that the project was on track. 

Below, I’ve listed the functionalities that the Mood Up team built for my app:

• Self-improvement summaries about user thoughts
• Everyday coaching sessions with cards/questions for every occasion 
• A quick notes module with folders and voice memos 
• Future goals list to help users prepare for tasks that they would like to get done 
• Online courses curated by my methodology 
• Notifications with inspiration throughout the day

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of a designer, two developers, and a QA engineer. My main point of contact, however, was the project manager who was allocated to my project. He made sure the work was carried out on time and within costs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team managed to complete the initial goals and the final version of the app on time. There were some slight issues when we launched the app, but Mood Up team helped me fix them as soon as they were discovered. I also received a good number of feedback from the users of the app about its look and feel.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was just very smooth. The team was available on any communication medium I wanted, and all issues were resolved quickly with emails and calls. I was also kept informed of all progress with the app throughout development, and this really helped improve my peace of mind.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by how collaborative the process was. This wasn't a simple project, but it sure seemed like it was as everyone took ownership of their work and completed it on time. I felt as if I were part of the team since I was in the loop throughout, and I had a great experience.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not that I could see. I plan on creating a new app this year (2019) and will be using Mood Up team again.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of Andrew Lucas London and we provide technology-based insurance. We use smart technology to detect potential incidents in a users house and try to prevent them from becoming a major issue and insurance claim. When users purchase insurance from us, we provide free smart technology for preventing issues from happening in the first place.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mood Up team?

I wanted to use an experienced team of mobile developers to create native iOS and Android insurance apps, instead of experimenting with hiring a firm that I hadn’t heard of or worked with before.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our in-house UX person gave Mood Up wireframes and clickable prototypes so that they understood exactly what our vision was. We would also usually create user stories and detailed tasks to ensure that everything they built was aligned with our business case. With that, they would develop native iOS and Android apps that interact with our equipment.

Once our customers receive their equipment—typically sensors, high definition cameras, and a hub—they can access a self-installation wizard from the app, which walks you through how to install everything yourself. The self-installation wizard feature includes video tutorials and integrates with our cloud-based IoT platform.

Once all the devices are configured, users can access the dashboard for their house. From there, users can make sure there are no threats or incidents, as well as check the status, battery life, and recent activity of every device in the house, and their insurance status and value.

If an incident is detected, the app will trigger a status change and send users a push notification. Users can then look through the cameras to see if there is an incident and confirm or escalate it to our monitoring sensor. The sensor then contacts emergency services or sends a tradesman to the user's location.

With the app, users can also communicate with our technical support. There is an integrated intercom through the app, which also uses push notifications. The app works with third-party cameras and insurance and allows users to define settings like extra users, permission codes, face ID, and geo-fencing modes. The geo-fencing mode is especially interesting. It uses the location of users’ phone to automatically disarm their alarms as they arrive.

Developing the app required a lot of analytics and error reporting tools. We used analytics panels, like Google Analytics, which enables us to deploy multiple systems branded differently, using the same platform component.

What is the team composition?

Mood Up provided us with an iOS developer, an Android developer, a QA tester, and a project manager. The project manager made sure everything was delivered on time, that there was no scope creep, and managed both the Mood Up and our in-house developers.

How did you come to work with Mood Up team?

They were recommended to me. I decided to work with them because they were enthusiastic, had relevant experience, and were operationally ready right away. Their developers had worked with the IoT platform we used and the features we wanted to include in the app in past projects. Additionally, they had good testimonials and reviews.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement with Andrew Lucas London was May–August 2016. However, after that, I set up a separate company and brought the software they developed. They are currently engaged at that company continuing to build the product further.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s difficult to talk about quantitative metrics since the mobile app is a component of the whole insurance solution. However, I can say that the quality is amazing. They’re knowledgeable and experienced. They communicate well and work well with the rest of the team.

How did Mood Up team perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management tools we used were Jira and Confluence. Currently, we use Clubhouse for project management and Slack, Skype, or Google Hangouts for communication. Their replies are fresh, professional, and polite. They always delivered on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are a pleasure to work with, have good communication skills, a lot of experience, and are professional. All of those factors add up to a really great partner to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. They know what they want to achieve and are ready to work. They strive to be the best in what they do. They just have to keep doing what they’re doing and they’ll be great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

VYDA is a live streaming company. I’m the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mood Up?

We needed to create a mobile app since we started our company before Facebook Live and Periscope came about.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mood Up created native applications for both iOS and Android. We designed it from scratch using Ruby on Rails for the backend. We provided the wireframes, and all the specifications and Mood Up developed it according to what we wanted. They were good at giving suggestions of their own, and we changed some things as a result of that. When a user opens the application, there are listings included for users, live streams and replay. A user can start their live stream and can stream their display, so it’s like screencasting but from a mobile device which is really unique.

How did you come to work with Mood Up?

A friend of mine recommended Mood Up. I met the owner, and that was the start of our relationship.

How much have you invested with Mood Up?

We have spent between $100,000 and $200,000 over the course of our relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2015, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have gotten positive feedback from people in the industry. We have a test market in Hungary, and we have 170,000 downloads. The product is now ready for the market, and we are starting with marketing soon.

How did Mood Up perform from a project management standpoint?

We work with Mood Up remotely and have daily Skype meetings to talk about the results from the previous day and develop upcoming tasks. Mood Up is extremely professional. They were able to meet all deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about Mood Up?

The whole team is very passionate about the project. Mood Up works as hard as they can to reach our goals because they view it as their project as well.

Are there any areas Mood Up could improve?

No, I’m totally happy.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of Converge

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Converge helps the construction industry build a net-zero future through the combination of sensor data and machine-learning.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mood Up to accomplish?

Accelerate feature development in our teams across frontend and backend

SOLUTION

How did you find Mood Up?

Referral

Why did you select Mood Up over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Mood Up were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Mood Up supported our engineering team in delivering backend, frontend, and mobile app improvements. This included graphing data from our connected sensors, and interacting with those sensors for things like firmware update and data collection over BLE.

The key deliverables were new features, bugfixes, and improvements to our product suite across the board.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our sales have continued to grow, and the number of technical issues / bugs has continued to decrease.

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

The Mood Up team members integrated into our team directly, and were very well liked as colleagues, always working to schedule.

What was your primary form of communication with Mood Up?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Mood Up were always very happy to help us out, adding developers to our team sometimes at short notice. They onboarded very quickly, and were productive members of the team in very short order. They have always been very collaborative and helpful.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP of Engineering and CTO of Leslie, offering a QR code based ordering and payments solutions

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mood Up Team, and what were your goals?

We hired MoodUp to join our development team and help us to scale up our development with developers, QA and designers

SOLUTION

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

I knew MoodUp from the past, I've been working with them in my previous companies.

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

MoodUp provided us Flutter, iOs & Golang developers to join our team

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

Just under 10 in total, mostly Flutter and iOs developers, 2 QA and 1 designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Extremely happy with MoodUp, professional developers, great attitude for development.

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

We use online toold such as Google meets, Slack, JIRA and others

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

They helped me scale up our team fast with professional developers.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder and publisher of Blog.Bohème, one of the most successful German blogazines since 2014.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mood Up team, and what were your goals?

Website development and some changes to my existing website.

SOLUTION

How did you select Mood Up team and what were the deciding factors?

Recommended by my business network.

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

We had a conversation via mail.

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

I worked with one person from Mood Up team who was responsible for web development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

 It was really easy to work with the developers from Mood Up team.

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

Easy communication via mail.

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

Their price, work attitude, and speed were outstanding.

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

To be honest, not really. Mood Up team is a great company and I work with them for some years now.