Nickelfox

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a Hiring Platform for candidates and employers. We empower candidates to apply for their dream jobs with a VideoCV. Video calling, interview scheduling, and candidate tracking tools for employers.

AI-based candidate & Job Profile matching. With seamless dashboard for employers and their teams with analytics and stats. I am the founder and CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Nickelfox?

Hiring good employees is always a difficult and lengthy process. Taking too much time in shortlisting resumes of sometimes 100s of candidates. Also creating a good CV which stands out also is a monumental task for candidates. We started out to solve this fundamental problem with the recruitment process. We wanted to create a smart hiring platform making the recruiting process simpler for both employees and employers. We wanted to partner with a development agency to build our platform, the first one in our suite of tests.

What were your goals for this project?

The project entailed development of a platform with multiple user types who are creating & interacting with video content. The platform included, iOS & Android Apps, Responsive Website, Multiple Admin Panels and core Machine learning model for intelligent profile matching. Scope also included creating UI & UX for a seamless user experience across a wide range of audience.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We got connected through a reference from one of my friends. After interviewing the core team we were convinced of their capabilities to handle the technology challenge with working with high volume of streaming video content.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We had the initial requirement for the project laid out. The team at Nickelfox help us map out the product phases. They also did the technical feasibility of the phases, according to our release timelines. After the scope detailing, they delivered a seamless MVP as planned. The were also expected to deliver the Wireframes and the design language for the entire platform. After wire-framing the development started simultaneously for web, mobile and backend.

What was the team composition?

They have an agile software development process for our project. The team had one Product Manger, a team of 7 developers & designers and 1 Tester. Initially the had 5 Developers & Designers. Later to speed up the development they added 2 more developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Results were great from the launch, we got many satisfied candidates and companies. As we were starting the product, we were able close long term contracts with many companies, almost 15% more than our initial projections.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management was great, the regular SCRUM meetings helped a lot in streamlining the over all development. For project management we used Asana, Slack was the main communication tool. Github for code reviews.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The technical knowledge and execution of the team are commendable.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could get a bigger office.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of engineering at Taste, a startup company and network that helps people find the best restaurant recommendations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

For the size of our company, it wasn't feasible to take on larger development projects in-house, so we engaged Nickelfox to help build our iOS app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nickelfox developed an iOS app, working off of some initial wireframes and preliminary code provided. After an initial assessment, they were able to determine how much of our preexisting code was usable and refactor it into the app. They incorporated Google Cloud and used Python and Swift 3.

They also supported the necessary design pieces of the app, as well as the web-based platform, integrating APIs and CI tools as needed.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with just two people.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

I had heard of them earlier on in my career, so I was already familiar with their work before we had a need for their services. Once we met with them, they seemed to quickly understand our vision and what stack to use to successfully deliver it.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from around January–July 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Nickelfox successfully launched our concept to market within specifications. Although we haven't done any marketing yet, a few hundred people have already downloaded and started using the app.

We're very happy with the way it turned out internally, and the fact that they were able to deliver it within our set timeline. Despite some ambiguities in the scope of work, they were able to stick to their original estimates.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

Although I handled most of the project management myself, their team did a very good job of conforming to timelines and being responsive through our communications tool of choice, Pivotal Tracker.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Nickelfox's ability to provide full services sets them apart. When we had unexpected design changes come up, they were capable of supporting our needs so we didn't have to hire another vendor. It can be difficult to find a firm proficient in both the design and development side of things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything; they delivered on exactly what we asked of them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of a computer software company. We’ve created a blockchain-based infrastructure within the African market. With our ecosystem, users can securely make payments, transfers, and investments with other partners in our network.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

We needed resources to build a website and a landing page for our initial coin offering (ICO) campaign. We also wanted an MVP for our iOS app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, they created a website and landing page for us, developing the concept design, building the wireframes, and implementing them. They also created 3D animations for the site and had our content translated into four languages: Korean, Russian, Japanese, and Mandarin. As for the iOS app, they developed it based on our technical specs and delivered an MVP in about three weeks.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked exclusively with their lead designer, but he also manages our account and serves as a liaison with the development team.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

We found them online through Dribbble. At the time, we were eager to push things forward, so we needed a vendor that could be flexible with our schedules and budget constraints. Out of all the other agencies, Nickelfox seemed the most accommodating.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $45,000–$50,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work started in January 2018 and is ongoing. While they’ve completed the site and MVP, we’ve continued to keep them on retainer for future development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our site has about a 60% retention rate, which is very high for an ICO page within our industry. While a lot of that has to do with marketing and content, we also attribute it to their web design and layout. The site is easy to use, and the translated pages helped us target our key markets.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve worked with at least 10 similar service providers, but Nickelfox has been the best agency by far. They’re extremely flexible with our schedules, accommodating any changes while still meeting deadlines. We faced some challenges due to time differences, but they went the extra mile to overcome them. On some nights, they even worked after business hours to ensure timely delivery.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s been an ideal experience. Aside from their cost-efficiency, what makes them such a strong vendor is the fact that they care about the client’s work. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t take the project. Furthermore, I appreciate that they’ve assigned a dedicated point of contact to handle all of our needs. Rather than sorting out logistics with multiple individuals, we’re able to go directly to our account manager with any inquiry.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Timestance, a company that provides time-lapse photography and video production.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

We wanted to create an app for presenting our work to clients as well as to promote our services. We also needed a partner to manage our website and generate more inquiries for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nickelfox built my Android and iOS apps and continues to update them. They also provide maintenance for my website. I’m not tech savvy, so I entrusted all IT matters to them.

What is the team composition?

I’m currently working with their founder, who handles all issues and sends me reports.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

I got in touch with about three groups and chose Nickelfox because of their complete service offering, which included website management and web and app development. They had solutions for all my problems.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent around $20,000 so far across all the work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Nickelfox in January or February 2017. While the Android app’s development ended six months later, the iOS version is still being built. They also provide ongoing maintenance and development for the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before hiring Nickelfox, we were only focusing on time-lapse production and weren’t doing much to present our work, which was an issue. Once the Android app was completed, I shared it with my clients, making it easier for them to present our work to third-party individuals. We’ve gained more clients as a result.

Moreover, they completely transformed my website. It was just a blog when I handed it over to them; they completely rebranded it and updated the whole website. It has really helped me garner more business and presents our work both beautifully and professionally.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They delivered more than what I asked for. I didn’t have a good idea of how the Android app should work, but they made it into an easy-to-use product that’s helped me a lot. I had a lot of things planned for the site, and they not only understood my ideas but implemented them beautifully.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the assistant manager of ITC Foods, a food manufacturing conglomerate. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

I work in the consumer insights function. We reach out to consumers and collect data from them. We needed to figure out multiple ways to gather data from consumers. We needed help to develop an app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nickelfox created an app for us. They did the frontend as well as the backend, which is the dashboard and data collection. The app has a unique code and consumers put in all their details. We added a lot of images and made it interactive. We had multiple choice questions, or someone can draw a scale of how much they like something. Their designer developed beautiful icons.

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with the founder and his team.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

We’d seen their work and liked their cost.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–June 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Now that we aren’t using pen and paper, it costs us 20 lakhs per survey versus 50 lakhs. We’re saving a lot of time, energy, and data punching. Creating and printing that booklet for 2,000 people was a huge cost. This money is saved because we’re now collecting data digitally and over the phone. 

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

They contribute and give good suggestions to solve our problems. They’re good project managers because they make my life easy. If I have an idea that they can’t execute, they explain to me why they can’t do it and what the challenge is.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re dedicated, young people. They’re a growing team. They’re available whenever I call them, even on the weekends. We had good interactions with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They had to hire designers from the outside, but everything went smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re developing a small device that plugs into users’ phones and allows them to perform health diagnostic tests. The first test we’re providing measures hormones in urine to track a person’s ovulation cycle in order to generate a fertility chart. I’m the company's founder.

Creating a smartphone-enabled tracker presents a lot of advantages. Our aim was to combine the accuracy of higher-grade monitors with the convenience of an app that would bring an improved user experience while giving immediate access to data.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

We needed help developing the mobile app while our company focused more on the hardware and algorithms.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nickelfox provided the UI/UX design for our iOS and Android application. We handled the backend development.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the founder who led the project and was also our primary point of contact.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

I went to the same school as their founder and got to know them through my network. I also spoke to some of their previous customers.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of their work has been between $40,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in the first quarter of 2016. We launched the app to the market 6–8 months later as part of a trial period. The official launch was in December 2016. We’ve been engaging with Nickelfox for bug fixes and enhancements as we’ve continued to scale up.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Two of the measurable results we’ve tracked are project time completion and quality. We did overestimate a bit on the time and budget, but the quality was accurate. I don’t have any exact metrics.

Users love our product. It’s a combination of our work and Nickelfox’s, or, a combination of hardware and software. We’re picking up in the market and the overall feedback has been quite good.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

I would rate their performance as above average, but I wouldn’t call it excellent. There were some miscalculations in terms of timelines, but the work quality was still high. Nickelfox had to adapt to our team’s rapid-change mode.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re a small startup, so there were many unplanned elements in the software development process. It wasn’t as well-defined as that of a large company, but Nickelfox was able to adapt to our changing requirements.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Time and cost estimation could definitely be improved. We did miscalculate the original scope.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

SpoonJoy was founded to make healthy meals affordable and deliver it right at the doorstep, thereby making healthy eating a habit.

I was the founder and CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

We wanted to enable users to order healthy and home-like food from the comfort of their home and/or office. Given that most of our target population was office-goers, we expected a lot of traffic to be coming through mobile. Hence, we wanted to give the customers a simple, easy-flowing UI to order food with their mobile applications. The partnership helped us get the application ready in no time and to our satisfaction.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project entailed the development of a mobile application for iOS platforms. It included UI design, applications flows, and core iOS app development.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

I knew a few members of the team and had seen some of their work that they had done. I knew they fared better than most of their competition in terms of skills and the quality of work. Also, in terms of cost, Nickelfox is better than other similar service providers.

How much have you invested with Nickelfox?

The cost came out to be around $25,000. I constituted around 650-700 manhours.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was initiated in May 2015 and was completed in September 2015. The duration of the project was around 4 months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results were fantastic. Overall feedback from the team and customers was that it was easy to navigate through the app and that it was pretty intuitive. The look and feel of the app was appreciated a lot as well.

What did you find most impressive about Nickelfox?

The kind of commitment and dedication this team has shown sets them apart from their competition. The team is highly knowledgeable and take responsibility of their work products.

Are there any areas Nickelfox could improve?

They could work on the project estimation process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Boda Tech Private Limited is essentially a wedding services company, and we have built a mobile app platform. I am the founder and joint Chief Executive Officer of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

We were trying to create a one-of-a-kind wedding app that would allow a couple to invite their friends and family to their wedding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nickelfox used a whole host of tools. They managed our iOS and Android development along with the backend development. In terms of iOS, they assigned a four-member team to be in charge of the complete end-to-end product. With Android, they assigned us a five-member team, and they were able to get the product out before the stipulated time in the contract. As far as web and backend were concerned, I think there were two people involved. That development was also done within time. They also helped us redesign our UX [user experience] and UI [user interface]. Initially, they developed the entire product for the first two years, and now they are only managing our iOS development.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

A common friend of mine recommended them. He had worked with them on another project. I mentioned to him that I needed somebody to make an entire app for me, and he told me about Nickelfox and how they are very well accomplished in the product architecture. I then called them and we met. After discussing the vision for the product, I decided that they were the right people.

How much have you invested with Nickelfox?

The project ranged from $30,000 to $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Nickelfox in February 2013 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before we were working with them, we were very disappointed with our earlier iOS product, which gave us a rating of 2/5 on the App Store. Once we started working with them and released the new product, the majority of the ratings were 5/5 on the App Store, so the product at least worked without any crashes. For us, that was a big deal because it is a slightly complicated product.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

Three years back, we were new to building apps. This was our first project. They introduced us to Slack, which was an app they made us download and use. They were very efficient in terms of project management. I think that only on two occasions in our milestones they were late by a day or two, but other than that, almost everything was managed on time. We were very happy.

What did you find most impressive about Nickelfox?

One thing is that when they are not able to deliver, they clearly say no. That’s the one thing we appreciated about them, that instead of saying yes to all our whims and fancies, they were very clear about having every milestone noted. After detailed discussions of exactly what we wanted and how we wanted to go about it, they would commit to the project, which I think was the right way to go about the partnership to avoid any sort of miscommunication of expectations.

Are there any areas Nickelfox could improve?

In our first version, which was created back in 2013, the Android app had a few bugs. The backend and the Android app weren’t totally in sync all the time. That issue took unduly long to get resolved, but once we pointed out what wasn’t working, they resolved it in decent time. Initially, the product given to us had a few bugs, but we were really happy that they fixed them once we brought it to their notice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

At my organization, we are building a product that helps women find clothing according to their emotions and perceptions about their own body. We’ve built the technology right now in the form of a mobile app that our user downloads. They chat with our app to describe their perceptions about their own body, and then the app is able to recommend them clothing from online and offline stores of their favorite brands in the US. Our software finds clothes that will flatter their body and make them feel their best.

I’m the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

I met Nickelfox about a year and a half ago. At that point in time, I did not have a co-founder. I did have a backend engineer working with me, but I was looking for frontend help for our app, and specifically someone who could be more than just an outsourcing company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We are a startup, so we have gone through a few versions to get to where we are. With Nickelfox, we’ve done three different versions of the app, in each of which there were completely different features built. With this project, I was specifically looking for a partner that could not only build the app but also help guide us through determining the best practices. Nickelfox helped us figure out how the technology will be best experienced by the user and what should be divided between the clients and servers. From a design perspective and from their tech knowledge, I think Nickelfox has a good mix. I could really feel that they put a lot of thought into their work as they were always asking me questions and really vetting it to themselves to understand what they are building. Early on, I trusted that I was in good hands with respect to the frontend development of my app.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

When I spread the word that I was looking for a very good frontend engineer, I was connected to Nickelfox through their director of technology and through one of the founders, whom I had already known.

How much have you invested with Nickelfox?

So far, in total we have spent $11,000 on the three projects, but there’s going to be more work.

What is the status of this engagement?

It’s ongoing. The two previous versions of the app that we worked on with Nickelfox have since been closed. The third version, which should be the final version, is ongoing. Even though I have a co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, and my technical team is getting established properly, I still think that there’s value in working with Nickelfox. Even right now, we hire full-time iOS engineers because I think the quality of their work is really good. We have been working with Nickelfox for one and a half years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first two apps that I worked on with Nickelfox were not launched. The current version is actually in private beta, and it’s been five weeks. We have 115 users already, and the conversion rate of our product is very high, which is about 54%. The industry standard is 2%. The private beta is going really well. It’s still very early to share more numbers, but the few key metrics on our product are the percentages of accuracy of likes that users see of the product that they like. That is more than 50%. Our conversion is more than 50%, so at least the standard metrics are really good, way above the industry standard. From a product perspective, in the last five weeks, we’ve been getting a lot of feedback from the users, and Nickelfox has been implementing that feedback on a daily basis so that we improve the product every day. They are almost like an extension of my own team.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, Nickelfox has been really good at project management. In the last two projects, I was going through a period myself of understanding what we are building, and in the early stages, their feedback was really constructive. Their response rate was very helpful as I was in my own process of finding out the right thing for the product. Overall, I would say that they’ve been really responsive. Even though we are in different time zones, I think their ownership level is very high for what they do.

What did you find most impressive about Nickelfox?

The most important thing that distinguishes Nickelfox is the fact that they really put their heart in understanding what we are building. Over the past year and a half, I appreciate the personal relationship that I have now ended up building with them. To me, it doesn’t feel like I am talking to some third party who is just going to do whatever is written on the paper. I don’t fear that they will raise the invoice for every single little detail that I might ask them to change. I feel like they’re sharing the goal with me of what I am trying to build. Whenever we send them a chunk of work, they do their best to understand it and ask me all the right questions. I don’t hesitate to approach them with changes; they adjust very well and come back with the reasonable next steps.

Are there any areas Nickelfox could improve?

I just hope they don’t increase the cost because as a startup, that’s a very key factor that we have to consider to make sure that we can still afford them. Otherwise, nothing really comes to my mind in terms of what could have been done differently.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Founder of a media company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide professional music feedback and artist support services for musicians. Our services include detailed song reviews, music consultation, playlist promotion, and other services designed to help artists improve their music and reach a wider audience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• We hired Nickelfox to help us design our website based on detailed instructions and references that we provided in Figma. A representative of our team worked closely with a Nickelfox designer throughout the process, providing direction, feedback, and specific requirements for the different elements of the website. Our goal was to turn our ideas and requirements into a polished, professional, and user-friendly website design.

SOLUTION

How did you find Nickelfox?

https://dribbble.com

Why did you select Nickelfox over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• High quality samples

How many teammates from Nickelfox were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Based on the visual references and materials we provided, Nickelfox created approximately 20 desktop page designs and corresponding mobile versions for all of them, resulting in around 40 individual page layouts in total. The work was completed to a very high standard, with great attention to detail and consistent quality across both desktop and mobile versions. We were very satisfied with the final result. I was also particularly pleased with the work of Ayushi, the designer assigned to our project. She did an excellent job throughout the project, and I was very happy with the quality of her work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The main outcome of the project was that we received a complete, high-quality website design that was ready to move into the development and implementation stage. The designs provided us with a clear and consistent visual framework for the entire website across both desktop and mobile devices. The project was completed successfully, and the final result met our expectations in terms of quality, usability, and overall visual presentation. We were very satisfied with the outcome.

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

The project was managed very well. The team was responsive, communication was easy throughout the project, and they were always attentive to our requests and feedback. They delivered the work on time and were flexible whenever we needed adjustments or revisions. We worked closely with the designer throughout the project, and any comments or changes we requested were addressed professionally. Overall, we were very satisfied with both the communication and the way the project was managed.

What was your primary form of communication with Nickelfox?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What impressed me most was Nickelfox’s approach to doing business. Their philosophy of working with clients is very similar to our own — they seem to focus on building long-term relationships rather than simply completing a project and moving on. Throughout our cooperation, I felt that they genuinely cared about the client’s interests and wanted to make sure we were happy with both the process and the final result. I particularly appreciated their willingness to find solutions that worked well for us, even when it required additional effort on their side. This client-first, long-term approach is something I personally value very highly in business, and it was probably the thing that impressed me most about working with Nickelfox.

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

Nothing significant comes to mind. Overall, we were very satisfied with our experience working with Nickelfox. Whenever there were questions or something needed to be adjusted during the project, the team was open to discussion and worked with us to find a solution that met our needs.