Pontis Technology d.o.o.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was an independent consultant when I worked with Clover Studio.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Clover Studio? 

We were building an iOS mobile app for one of the largest festivals in Europe. This was the first app like this that was being launched.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

There were location services and interactions included in the app. We also had an AR application that we wanted to implement as well. That was seven years ago, so it was way ahead of Pokémon Go. There was navigation on the map for this app because it was a pretty huge festival. There were more than 20 stages at the time. It was easy to get lost so there was a map that would pinpoint your location.

We wanted a specific overlay on the map. As maps go, it was a pretty narrow area. We had to draw a pictorial map of the site and overlay that. The AR component was included so that users could see where things are on the layout. I can’t remember whether we implemented that in the final version. I think we did. At the time, nobody had a clue what AR was. It was pretty revolutionary for that time. The guys had the technology and were building an AR game where you could shoot down the planes. We had geolocation across the site and different stages. Users could orient themselves by looking at the phone. Phones were not as powerful then as they are today.

What is the team dynamic? 

We interfaced daily with them. Ken was the CEO and was involved in the project. We had a dedicated engineer who was doing all the coding, and we had another person in charge of the frontend part. The end client was also involved in the communication. It was a rather complex project. The client was in Novi Sad and we were based in Zagreb at the time. I was not based in their offices, so it was pretty challenging.

How did you come to work with Clover Studio? 

We met Ken, the CEO, and Marko, the CTO, at a conference. They were pitching their AR game. They’re brilliant guys that had this amazing game. We started working on various projects and did apps for this particular festival two consecutive years.

How much have you invested with them? 

We spent 10,000 Euros.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in February 2010, and we did an app for 2010 and 2011 and ended the relationship in December 2011. After that, we gave them the code to manage themselves. The client didn’t have the budget to continue.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m not sure how many people used, it but we had really great reviews. The best indicator is that the festival guys kept the app for quite a few years after that. The festival is among the largest in Europe. We’re talking about tens of thousands of visitors each day. A lot of them downloaded it. It was internationally circulated.

How did Clover Studio perform from a project management standpoint? 

They were excellent. I’d definitely recommend them. We used email and phone to communicate. Back then they were just starting and were a relatively small team.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They were dedicated and were involved in all aspects of the project.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

I don’t remember, but not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Japan's largest advertising agency called Dentsu. My role is the global innovation and business development director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Clover Studio?

I've known them for seven or eight years and I have several mobile projects after coming to Dentsu. We developed Japan's first national database of evacuation shelters and we wanted an app that would help app users find nearby evacuation shelters based on their location. This goes into effect whenever an alarm is triggered by the National Disaster Service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They basically created anything other than design works because we are an advertising agency that does that in-house. Other than that, they provided app development for both Android and iOS for this program. We created the database of emergency shelters in Japan and they created an app from scratch that would ping the database and ring up nearby shelters based on GPS location.

The application relies on reliability, so a crisis management app like this one shouldn’t crash or stall. It needs to work flawlessly and be really easy to use. They did make some UX/UX design suggestions for things like button placement because the user experience is really important in these types of situations.

What is the team dynamic?

We have a weekly call and we have been engaging with the same team for close to four years now whenever we have a project going. A typical project has lasted about three to four months, then it goes through some experiments before it becomes live and in the app store. We work closely with the government on the app to make sure it works for evacuation exercises, where people download and test the app.

How did you come to work with Clover Studio?

I had my own strategy agency before coming to Dentsu in 2012 and I talk at a lot of tech conferences around the globe. I came across a representative from Clover Studio at one of these and we had several conversations. Another friend of mine had been engaged with them for a while and recommended that I meet up with them because they were doing a stellar job. Overall, their performance is also cost competitive, and that’s why we have been engaged with them for the past four years or so on a specific project.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first app wasn’t successful, which was partially my fault because it wasn’t marketed very well. This food app was back around April 2012. We are currently engaged with them for our crisis management app and have been for about four years. We have to address periodic government requirements and updates that can come in every few months or randomly, so we don’t have a set timeline.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent around $75,000 to $100,000 in total on any given project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s a little bit difficult because our app is so specific and isn’t always live on the app store for complaints or comments from the public. But over the course of four years of engaging with them, we’ve never failed in delivering something that the government expects in terms of crisis management. We have done very well. We’ve won three government awards from three different ministries for the app itself.

We’ve also done about four or five government evacuation experiments with 500 or 600 people in total, in which we haven’t seen the app fail once. It’s a complex app with nuanced calculations in the back end. We have made some micro-enhancements on the Android and iPhone side, but we haven’t seen any major flaws due to upgrades, so we are extremely happy working with them.

How did Clover Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They basically respond 24/7. When we do government projects, normally these exercises are held on Saturdays and Sundays. The team would be up and running on Japan time for the weekends to be sure that we don’t fail, so in that respect, they're extremely reliable. I don’t see that kind of dedication coming from other small mobile app developers because it could be very cumbersome.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aside from their professionalism, they are very cost competitive. If you look into Eastern and Central European, they are extremely competitive markets. They also do web development, so they understand multiple platforms and different kinds of OS services. They understand the balance between the server side and the other sides of the application.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We do most of our design work in-house and it would be nice if we could rely on them for that. But again, that is not their area of focus and they did help us from a UX/UI standpoint. If they could have done the design as well, that would have been the icing on the cake.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Trace

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Augmented Reality Software 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pontis Technology to accomplish?

Develop Web CMS

SOLUTION

How did you find Pontis Technology?

Online Search

Why did you select Pontis Technology over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Pontis Technology were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Web based content management system that allows for the setup of teams, workspaces and management of 3d assets.  Inclusive of login, content setup, settings and backend systems and permissions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Excellent delivery of the website, close adherence to specifications, great communication and expert advice and consultation on core technologies

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

They were extremely responsive, flexible and kind.  Ideal partners to collaborate with. 

What was your primary form of communication with Pontis Technology?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The team's expertise was evident, and they were extremely professional in their delivery and execution.  Their flexbility and communication allowed us to identify the best approaches and deploy solutions that fit our goals and solved new problems as well.

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

No, they were excellent partners in every way! Highly recommended! 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive of Cocoon Education.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Cocoon Educations's goal is to create a parenting tool that solves the problem of children consuming harmful content online. We aim to do so by allowing parents to supplement and control their children's journey on devices without hassle.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Clover Studio to accomplish?

To design and develop an MVP for our application

SOLUTION

How did you find Clover Studio?

Referral

Why did you select Clover Studio over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Good collaboration

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

Key deliverables included wireframes of the design and the app itself in two stages. The app includes: 

• a backend interface for us to interact with
• the use of YouTube API services
• user interface
• user verification/initiation

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is available on the app store now and works! We are currently testing it with a focus group of users.

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

We had one point of contact who was very helpful and flexible with our schedule (including late calls even on Sundays). The team responded well to our needs, although in-person collaboration is, of course, always easier.

What was your primary form of communication with Clover Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Clover Studios was the first development company we had worked with, and they were helpful in explaining things to us and giving feedback on our ideas.

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

They could have guided us to use services (e.g. phone verification, cloud services) more fit to our start-up needs. As we have no expertise in these subjects, we made suboptimal decisions (ourselves).

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Orca is a secure digital vault that elegantly stores and visualizes all your assets, liabilities, people, and documents in one place. We give you the big picture so you can make better strategic choices about your wealth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Clover Studio?

We wanted to build a frontend prototype that would let us validate our business idea with prospects. It would help us gain confidence before building the actual platform.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were a recommendation from my professional network.

Describe the project in detail.

Initially, we assigned a trial project to see how they work in practice. They also helped optimize our UX before the actual implementation.

What was the team composition?

We worked with one project manager and up to three frontend developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

They acted fast and did not shy away from working hard to achieve tight deadlines. This was important to us.

How effective was the project management?

We’re very happy with our project manager, Siniša Brčina, who was in contact with us on a daily basis.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We appreciated their project management and the benefits of working with a small team. They were fantastic and had a client-centric attitude.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

They’re great at prototyping, but I cannot comment on the code quality of the actual product.