The NineHertz

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a real estate investor, both commercial and residential.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

My friend and I had come up with an idea based on our travel experiences across Asia Pacific and the Middle East. We wanted to develop an application that provided more tailored accommodation options, such as booking a hotel room for just a few hours while in-transit rather than a full day. We wanted to develop the concept and come up with a prototype.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nine Hertz helped us clarify the core concept and develop the prototype. We started with a web application and then they moved to a mobile application. We may ask them to do some marketing work for us in the future.

We started by building the concept together. Once we had the proof of concept they moved to design. They have built out the UI/UX for us in terms of moving from one screen to another, choosing options, and moving through the booking process. It includes a process for bidding whereby users can negotiate with hoteliers or other service providers.

We also needed them to integrate APIs for specific elements that we wanted to highlight to users, like updated weather for the destination location as well as maps and suggested places to visit. There is an API to deal with complaints so that users can get quick responses to service requests, like if the Wi-Fi isn’t working in their room. They added CRM using Salesforce as well so that we can reward our users with loyalty points.

What is the team dynamic?

We have a dedicated project manager.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

We were exploring the idea and searching for vendors. We had looked at between 20-25 companies based on the parameters we set. A friend of mine recommended Nine Hertz based on their web and mobile application work. I was particularly impressed by their CRM expertise.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve budgeted between $50,000-70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in February 2016 and are still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Right now, we have more than 50,000 users and revenues are solid. Revenues will increase once we release the mobile app.

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager keeps us updated on a weekly basis. We use Jira as well as Basecamp for project management updates and GitHub for the code.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm happy with the communication because the team is responsive. They send a lot of messages to keep us updated. The person who’s been assigned to us has done a good job. I’m satisfied and expect that they will continue doing similar work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder. We provide training for candidates seeking interviews with consulting companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

I was looking for a partner to develop the first version of an iOS application, one capable of enhancing my coaching methods.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I approached Nine Hertz with a fairly clear idea of what I wanted. I wanted a dialogue-based application with a number of functionalities, including audio, video, sound recording, and multiple choice question flash cards. Based on my experience as a coach, I created a briefing that included sketches, descriptions, and examples from similar apps.

The application allows users to rehearse by delivering question prompts and advice as if they were being interviewed in real-time. Users are then given math, structuring, and brainstorming exercises based on information given during the simulation. The app allows them to compare their own answers to the ones that were suggested, and lets users give us feedback, as well.

The program relies on fixed dialogue rather than chatbot intelligence, and its easy-to-use interface lets users study for interviews affordably and on the go. Once the app is approved by the Apple Store, we plan to give it to users for free in order to receive initial feedback. After adjustments are made, we will begin charging for the app.

What is the team dynamic?

Reena [Shukla, business analyst] followed all facets of the project. I worked with her primarily, and sometimes met with a member of the development team to get more detailed, technical explanations.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

I found them through Clutch. I contacted Nine Hertz’s sales person to provide a brief overview of my business and was then given a quote. They seemed to have a strong grasp of what building the application would entail. Based on the quote, proposed timelines, quality of their site, and their positive reviews, I decided to bring them aboard.

How much have you invested in them?

I have spent around $50,000-$60,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Nine Hertz in January 2017, and the project is ongoing. We are currently in the final phase of development and plan to submit the application to the Apple Store shortly. Since it’s a fairly simple application, we are confident Apple will approve it in the first or second attempt.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t completed beta testing at this time, but have shown a prototype to potential users with positive feedback.

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

Reena was my single point of contact, which worked out really well for us. She took responsibility for the entire project and was very effective in this role. Communication was never a problem, as she kept in contact every step of the way. We never used any formal project management software, but I was updated via Skype nearly every other day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Nine Hertz made an effective plan and followed through with every word. They paid close attention to my priorities, and their consistent communication during the early phase of the project gave them a strong understanding of my needs and helped avoid misunderstandings and rework. Project installments have been very clear and delivered on schedule.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have done well and exceeded my expectations. Nine Hertz is confident in what they do and was able to implement all the functionalities according to our timeline. While some minor issues came up, they were very proactive in fixing these errors.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a startup that provides professional development courses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

We are a small startup and we didn’t have the expertise to develop apps or websites with a sophisticated backend. In our backend, we need to track courses, modules, and progress.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nine Hertz is building our iOS and Android apps and the website, which are connected to a central database. They have seamless functionality between any device. We had a basic design of the app already, but they contributed as well. Nine Hertz needed to create a backend where we can organize the courses by association, and then by chapter and module.

We’re currently in the final functionality, including push notifications and the testing phase.

What is the team dynamic?

They have an iOS, Android, and web team along with a project manager.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

We found them on Clutch. They were one of the top-rated firms that we found. We’re based in Canada and had gotten quotes from some companies in Canada. Nine Hertz did a comprehensive proposal that was 10 pages long that blew away anything we’d gotten from other firms.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent $30,000 on the project so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them 6 months ago, and the work is ongoing. We expect the project to be completed in August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still working out bugs, and they’ve given me access to their bug fix tool so that I can report bugs directly to the development teams. They’re responsive to my requests for changes.

I measure their success in the look and feel of the apps and the website. It’s a high-quality, consistent user experience which is the most important to us. We contributed to some of that with the design, but on the website, they’ve done a lot to help us to build what our vision is.

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

They have one project manager that is my main point of contact. They’re on track with their deadlines. We’ve added more functionality that has extended our deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t worked with other providers, but their degree of technical skill, in terms of the functionality they’ve been building, has been impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The communication around some of the technical terminology was a challenge because of not having English as a first language. That’s an ongoing challenge when working with firms from other countries. We’ve developed a good way of overcoming that challenge by communicating in writing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a web and mobile platform for bookings of classes, activities, events, and workshops.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

We approached them to build an MVP for us to go to market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the backend of our website and an iOS application, and continue to provide support for us in terms of maintenance. They did a lot of consulting in the early stages of the project because we didn’t have much experience, especially with mobile applications.

What is the team dynamic?

I wasn’t connected with the entire team. We had a project coordinator, Rahul, who was excellent.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

We found them on Clutch, and we were able to see what was available by price range and previous reviews. We looked at company websites to find what we would be comfortable with and to contact them. We went with Nine Hertz because their customer service was the most approachable.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000-$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them a year ago. The main milestones of the project are completed, but there are still some tweaks and updates that we’re working on.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The system is live and we are extremely happy with it. Nine Hertz has been very productive, and we’ll continue to use their services to upgrade our software. We don’t have any metrics yet, but overall, we’ve exceeded our expectations in terms of people using it.

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

There were some hiccups with the software, but Rahul [Project Coordinator, Nine Hertz] was able to manage our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would recommend that if anyone in the future works with Nine Hertz, that they ask to work with Rahul [Project Coordinator, Nine Hertz].

Are there any areas they could improve?

They underestimate their capabilities. We were surprised to learn how much more they could do than we initially thought in terms of software development. I would recommend they market their skills regarding mobile application on their website.

I recommend potential clients to be communicative. Their team is very responsive, so if you let them know what you think and want, they’ll react accordingly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of VISP in Doha, Qatar. I work in aviation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

I contacted Nine Hertz about an app idea that connects consumers with service providers in various areas, such as handymen, lawyers, and freelancers. Nowadays, a lot of people don’t reap their full earning capacity. This app is a good way for people to not only sell themselves as a freelancer but to maximize their earning capability by setting up a profile where they can offer their qualified services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I collaborated with Nine Hertz to come up with innovative ideas that allowed us to have a competitive edge against other companies. We’re developing both Android and iOS apps and started off using existing code from another app that had similar concept and design. As we started to progress more into the project, it became apparent that Nine Hertz was developing their own code, because we were in constant communication. The app has some very innovative features.

The design was the hardest part of the project. I needed Nine Hertz to understand what I wanted from the app in terms of customization. After they shifted their mindset from what they were used to seeing, they were completely on board and understood the concept I wanted to drive the app forward.

What is the team dynamic?

During initial communication, I talked with the director and he assigned me to another person, who then assigned me to a technical manager. The experience has been phenomenal, and thanks to WhatsApp, we’ve been able to progress at a quick pace. We’ve been online for 16 hours a day punching the work out, and we also use Skype and email to share links and updates to the app.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

I came to Nine Hertz because a work colleague recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested $63,000 with Nine Hertz.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working on the app concept in April-May 2016. Although it is still in developmental stages, I hope to have it finished in the next couple of weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had friends and family members, some of whom are very critical, try out the app and compare it to similar ones. After looking at their findings, we’ve made no changes because there doesn’t appear to be anything close to it on the market. It’s been exciting to realize the potential and innovative quality of the features within the app itself.

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve stuck with every milestone discussed in the contract. Early on, we also discussed how I have no IT background, so every time an update comes through, they explain all the changes and expectations for each milestone to me. By the time the app comes out, we will have communicated so much that we’ll basically know what to expect.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Nine Hertz’s communication skills are a definite strength, along with how structured they are. They’re also great brainstormers, and if I come up with an idea, they’ll come back with a technical perspective on how we can implement it. They’ve been tremendous. I've already told Nine Hertz that when the app’s finished, I'm going to fly into India for a weekend and take them all out to dinner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I knew nothing about IT going into this project, but I have learned so much from Nine Hertz and it’s been phenomenal. I can’t think of any weaknesses. When I went to Barcelona and Portugal, our communication was limited, but that doesn’t fall on their shoulders because they were still trying to reach me anyway. Someone with more IT knowledge may have a different opinion, but for me, I would 110% go back to Nine Hertz.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am co-founder and CTO of a startup working on a solution for matching shippers who have cargo to be moved from one location to another, using various vehicle types. This consists of packages of any size, from small parcels to 20- or 30-ton shipments. Our service is a kind of Uber for the trucking industry. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

We were looking to outsource development work. We started in September 2016, after which we came up with a list of requirements and a plan for where we wanted to launch the service. We didn’t have the budget or funding to hire someone in-house, so we needed a technology partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once Nine Hertz understood our requirements, they began to create a corresponding design and development plan. They started by converting our specs to wireframes and gave us a UI design. From there, we went into database design and ultimately started development work. This was broken down into multiple phases, for the website and iOS and Android mobile application. We started with iOS development, then we replicated the functionalities on Android. After this, we started website work.

The look, feel, and quality of the app were all based on the client’s original requirements, while I completed the original design, although I am not an expert designer, so Nine Hertz’s team provided a person to help me with the wireframes. We did not focus that much on the design part during the start, but rather on the functionalities. During the last 3 months, I hired an additional designer out of Ukraine, who has done the new version. This is where phase 2 comes into play. During the first phase, we focused on getting the solution to work, and now we plan to implement the new UI.

What is the team dynamic? 

We had a project manager from their side, with whom we had weekly discussions to review the work. During development, we had small teams working on each portion using the Agile process. They worked collaboratively in order to deliver each part of the solution. When Nine Hertz’s team had a functionality ready, we went through a testing process. As with any project, we encountered bugs and worked on fixing them. These were filed through a bug-tracking system. The developers were able to review each one and come up with a deadline for solutions. 

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

We underwent an extensive evaluation of multiple vendors and conducted interviews. We initially found Nine Hertz on Clutch.co around June 2016. We interviewed at least 20 companies in total, looking at different criteria, from cost to quality and their ability to provide both websites and mobile applications. As the CTO, I had detailed discussions on the requirements and design. Based on the responses, we selected Nine Hertz as our developer.

How much have you invested with them?

The project was completed in a couple of phases. The first one had a cost of around $35,000. It was a fixed-rate project, and they delivered within that budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first phase started in September 2016. We started receiving outputs for our requirements starting in December. From December until March 2017, we were able to complete many functionalities that helped with the main workflow. We continued adding new features until July, at the same time resolving the bugs we found along the way.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still in the beta phase, so we don’t have any statistics yet. In terms of measurable results, we have a working application in accordance with the original requirements and business purpose. In terms of quality, we achieved a good result based on the original business model.

We have signed up around 10 companies for the pilot, which we are in the process of initiating.The real proof will come when we will get all the transactions from the customers we’ve signed up. In the month of August, we will have a better idea of the performance of the application. Overall, we gave Nine Hertz work, and they delivered accordingly.

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a project manager assigned, and there were weekly calls with a certain agenda. We were able to go through specific tasks, issues, and clarifications; we also had bug reviews. Nine Hertz was responsive once we clarified issues on a call, and worked on them quickly. There were times when we had daily calls for very specific bugs. Once the issue was clear enough, we would go back to the weekly process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their willingness to work around the customer’s requirements is their most impressive trait. With these projects, especially for a startup, requirements change along the way. In some cases, they may not have been detailed enough in the beginning, but, as we work them, we become clearer about what we want. Nine Hertz was willing to accommodate those changes. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

In terms of communication, they could establish up front procedures and specify who will be the point of contact. Since I can understand them well, I was able to handle the collaboration, but, if Nine Hertz is to attract more US customers, this will be an area of improvement for them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of O&J Holdings. Our company created a phone app that’s a puzzle/social media platform that lets people share pictures as a puzzle. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

We needed someone to develop the app because we’re not developers ourselves. We came up with an idea that we were excited about. We wanted to find a provider that could bond with us over our vision. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Kapil [Managing Director, Nine Hertz] is a good salesman. He made us feel like the app would be easy to produce, claiming that it was definitely in their scope and that they could do it quickly. He gave us a timeline of 6 months to a year. That was 4 years ago.

When we started going through the stages, they were hitting our benchmarks at first, which was great. Then, they wanted us to pay the final benchmark so that we could receive the final product. We put the money in escrow, and Kapil said the final step would be done on a certain day and wanted us to release the funds so that they felt confident releasing the app. We released the funds. (We learned through this experience never to do that again.) Then, Nine Hertz kept telling us that the app wasn’t done yet. The experience dragged on, but they wouldn’t make any changes. They had their money, but we were stuck.

We went back and forth with them. They would send us pieces and changed some things, but they stopped focusing on the app and refused to put any more work into it. We tried to remain patient and worked on other things associated with the app.

At this point, I’ve had many calls with Kapil where he’s gotten aggressive, which is a huge change compared to before they had our money. We tried to talk to other people, but that didn’t help. We sent stuff to and called their office in Ohio, but it’s been a miserable experience.

We are now at the point where they’re walking away from everything. After we mentioned that we would have to review them, they started trying to work with us a little bit. We want people to know that Nine Hertz hasn’t done anything substantial. We feel that if they’d focus on the project, they would’ve had a great thing for their portfolio. They just didn’t want to see it through.

At this point, they have the app that they wanted to make, which is not the one we agreed on. We tried to have them make changes, but it’s a battle every time. The total scope was to develop the app that we’d specified. That included the design and functionality of a simple picture-sharing app that breaks images down into puzzles. Currently, the name of our app is PixxedUp, but the original name we had chosen was Pixel. We found out that someone else is already using that name, so we changed our idea. Two years ago, another company in India produced a similar app concept called Pixel. We brought this up to Kapil and let him know that his team had taken so long that someone else made our app. He denied everything. The fact that a company that’s also in India is using our original name makes us feel terrible. Our whole idea is gone. We signed NDAs, but when working with people overseas, there’s nothing we can do legally to protect our idea.

The final app we agreed on had many different functions that were never put down. Part of the agreement was that once the app was finished and we got to a certain amount of users, Nine Hertz would get incremental bonuses. For a year after the app was on the App Store, they were supposed to provide tech support. We never got to that point, and now they are walking from the project.

Kapil sold us on everything, but he’s stopped responding to my emails. Until recently, he would respond to WhatsApp messages from me but would not respond to anything from my partner. There was a huge breakdown in communication and follow-through. When I looked at their reviews on other sites like Facebook, other people have had the same experience. They also have a lot of good reviews, but most of those are from people in India.

The app is 85% done, and it’s been like that for 4 years. They said the app was completed and they’d release when we provided the final payment. But, when we released the payment, the app actually wasn’t complete. We would give feedback about something that wasn’t working in the app, and they claimed they’d fix it, but months went by with nothing. Then, they told us the language changed and we needed to do something totally different. We’d get the app and try to download it, but it wouldn’t open. We asked for at least part of our money back if they weren’t going to finish the app, but they didn’t do that.

I think the breakdown happened once they got the money. They have never had a successful app. When I went back and looked at their portfolio, they had a couple of apps listed, but nothing over 500 downloads. Maybe they can make a functioning app, but when it comes to finishing it, they don’t seem to pull through. I’ve seen other companies on Elance (now Upwork) write this. The platform shows they have completed 100% of their jobs, but the reviews don’t say that. I have some appointments with some other people to tell my story because this is the only way we can get the word out about Nine Hertz.

My partner runs a website company where he works with other people in India. We told Kapil to hand off the code to someone else so that we could go our separate ways. But, Kapil won’t honor our request.

We wanted Nine Hertz to talk to our new developer and explain certain things about the code, but Kapil would not agree to that. We sent an email that had some specific questions, but he ignored it. When I reached out to him on WhatsApp, he said that he wasn’t responding because the questions were too general and he didn’t have time. He did do some things after I threatened to give a bad review, but then he said to go ahead with the review.

Once they had their money, it was a drastic turn. We were very patient at first, thinking they were finalizing everything. They claimed that the app works for them and it’s too bad it doesn’t work for us. We’ve had a couple of phone calls that got heated in which Kapil called us “idiots.” In the end, they said they could build the app we wanted but called us "dummies” when it didn’t work.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

We needed to find an affordable firm, so we went to Elance. We interviewed many developers. After meeting Nine Hertz, they promised us they could make the app.

How much have you invested with Nine Hertz?

We agreed on paying them $7,000 to do the app and had benchmarks for releasing the money.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2014.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through email, Skype, and Elance. Benchmarks were set through the site and were checked off as they were completed. We’ve only had contact with Kapil. I tried to connect with another guy, who was helpful for 2 days until the company stopped him from contacting me. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company is a social media dating mobile app. I’m the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

We wanted to target a specific clientele and gender on a social media platform for dating and classifieds.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built a mobile app for Android and iOS.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

I did a Google search and reviewed some companies, and then I decided to hire Nine Hertz.

How much have you invested with Nine Hertz?

We spent between $50,000–$55,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2016, and the project was completed in June 2017. They continue to work on maintenance of the app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did a good job, and I’m happy with the app. I’m still working on launching the apps and am doing a few things on my end to get it ready. I have some friends who have gone over it and made sure it’s working the way I want it to. I’m getting ready to do my backend, which includes some of the product I’ll be selling on the app. The app is easy to navigate and user-friendly.

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through Skype and email, and there was a lot of take and give. They would get to work at midnight Central Time, and I would stay up to have a 30-45-minute conversation with them. They would also extend their work hours so that I could work with them in the morning.

What did you find most impressive about Nine Hertz?

What was special about Nine Hertz was that they pushed me harder than I pushed myself to complete this, and they followed up thoroughly on everything. They had good communication skills. This is the first app I have built and understanding my lack of knowledge, they guided me to the right answers and advised what would work best for me. They offered a lot of input in the project, so it wasn’t always just me making decisions.

Are there any areas Nine Hertz could improve?

The only issue I had was that they are based in India, and there is a time difference. For my first project, I was very impressed. Their communication was good and they stayed on top of the project and pushed me to get it done, giving me advice along the way on which direction to go.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Near Me, a unique social networking app with geolocation features. It allows users to connect with people within 10–20 meters. Users can also create a group allowing all members within that distance to interact together.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

I had an idea but didn’t know if making the app was possible. I haven’t seen anything like this as an actual product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I asked Nine Hertz if it was possible to create an app that let me pick, say, a coffee shop I like, order a drink, and send it to a girl who I noticed in the shop in order to connect with her. The app is built on iOS, but we haven’t released it yet. When I shared my idea, Nine Hertz came back with multiple options, and I chose what I wanted. They’re currently doing maintenance work and making videos for the app’s release. We’re also testing it, and we hope to start building an Android version in the next couple of months.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

I wanted to make sure I had a creative team to design the app’s screens and make it user-friendly. I found Nine Hertz on Clutch and was impressed by their great reviews. I called a few other companies, but I wasn’t happy with their responses to my questions. I chose Nine Hertz because they were the only company that gave me specifics and could do the work right away. They also were more creative in their designs. When you contact them with a problem, they always have a creative solution. They are very flexible and responsive.

How much have you invested with Nine Hertz?

We’ve spent $75,000 on the project so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in the summer of 2016, and the work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We expect the app to be released in the next few weeks. Nine Hertz made the product user-friendly through creative designs and engagement strategies. I was very happy. They helped me along the way by including my thoughts in the app.

How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

I was thrilled with their ideas. My coordinator would give me the plan of the stages of development. After the plan, they would give me the cost estimation. When Nine Hertz made a feature, they began with the design and showed how it would work. If I agreed, we moved forward. When I disagreed, they made the necessary changes. After we were clear on the plan and the features, they created the design and showed it to me. We tested each piece before going to the next phase.

Are there any areas Nine Hertz could improve?

At this stage, I can’t think of anything. I would tell them if I wasn’t happy with something. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a startup in the early stages. We’re developing a dating application. I’m one of the people starting the company. There are four of us right now, and we’re located in New York City.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nine Hertz?

We have some background in technology, but we’re not full-fledged app developers. We needed to work with experienced app developers to bring our idea to fruition.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They broke down the entire process into five milestones. After achieving each milestone, they would send us an update, and we would send the payment. So, if we had issues, we would ask them to fix those prior to receiving payment. They began with the user interface development and progressed to the final stages.

The app is built for both iOS and Android. They’re currently doing some maintenance, so we haven’t really launched it. It’s not yet in the app stores, but it should be there soon. We’ll be using them to help us with the actual launch and getting the apps on the app stores. They’ve told us that they’ll make sure the app doesn’t get rejected by Apple, because they have some criteria. I don’t know the details about that, but Nine Hertz has ensured that our app satisfied all the requirements. After the app gets launched, they promised close to five or six months of bug support without additional cost being billed to us.

How did you come to work with Nine Hertz?

We used an online Google search to find companies. Also, one of my partners has some experience and some contacts in the app development field. He researched on his own and gave us the names of several companies, and Nine Hertz was one of them. We were looking at companies who could give us a good UI and had some experience in developing apps. Cost was one of our concerns, as we’re not yet funded. In addition to Nine Hertz, we spoke with three other firms. We finally had a long discussion with Nine Hertz, and that’s how we came to hiring them.

Initially, their sales team contacted us and gave a rough idea of the cost structure. At that point, we did not reveal what the app was for, so it was just a rough estimate. After a few discussions, we sent them a PowerPoint presentation on what our basic idea would be. They signed a non-disclosure agreement, and then we gave them more details so they could give a better budget estimate. We bargained with them, and they were pretty accommodating. They were very excited about the project, and they were trying to work within our budget. Once that was done, we signed the contract.

How much have you invested with Nine Hertz?

We’ve invested $60,000-$70,000 so far. The budget is a rough estimate, and we still have some payments to make. Once they launch the app, we’ll make the final payment.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the end of February this year, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They are very proactive. Most of the guys I work with are in India. We have daily calls, and they’re very accommodating if we need to contact them over the weekend. We had a lot of back and forth during the UI phase, and they were very helpful. They gave their insights and expert opinions into how this could be made better, so that was very helpful. Since they are in this business, we would always ask them for recommendations.

Before we hired them, we had some technical discussions and we felt they had the knowledge and the right team to deliver our app in an effective way. I was very happy with their follow-up. They didn’t miss any emails, and I was always able to contact them by phone, which was very nice.

 How did Nine Hertz perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Skype and WhatsApp as our two main communication channels. When we had small issues, like a color or font change, they sent us snapshot images on WhatsApp. Once we finalized, we would officially send them an email. We also had discussions every other day about how the work was progressing, if they had anything pending from our side. Initially, they gave us a plan with the five milestones, and that was very helpful. After achieving each one, they would call us and ask if we were satisfied. Once we were all good, they would go to the next phase of development.

What did you find most impressive about Nine Hertz?

This was my first experience in working with an app development firm. I was very happy with their customer service and how they handled the whole situation. I felt they were really hard-working, and they always achieve their targets on time. They basically followed the entire plan they had given us to the T. If there were delays, it was probably from our side because we didn’t have time to respond to their emails instantly. We sometimes caused a week or ten-day delay. I was impressed with their ability to deliver on time. They were working on an hourly basis, so that was really nice. Also, they gave us good recommendations on the UI and the navigation side of the application. That was very helpful to us.

Are there any areas Nine Hertz could improve?

I’m sure there is always something you can improve upon, but nothing, in particular, comes to mind.