PROTOTYP

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Alpha Investors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PROTOTYP?

My company went into a semi-disruption in the buy-and-sell industry. We saw an opening and decided we needed to build an online marketplace that’s different from what’s currently available. That is where PROTOTYP came into play, they helped us build our platform from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a complex, established pipeline of inbound deals. Essentially, we were getting a lot of people who wanted to sell their site or online business. However, we didn’t have the bandwidth to acquire all of them. For context, we usually acquired 2–3 sites a month, but at this time we were getting 20–30 sites a month into our pipeline. We decided to create a marketplace where we could point all those sites to.

The marketplace needed to be private and gated. Users must pass through certain thresholds to access it. We started expanding on the concept and essential features. The platform would be different from what’s currently available because we do due diligence. We focus on the buyer and make sure they have all the information they need to make a good buying decision. PROTOTYP helped us brainstorm and put everything together.

At the beginning of the engagement, we held a discovery meeting and brainstormed how everything was going to work. We collaborated on how the platform would function and what features it would have. The PROTOTYP team took all of my requirements and then presented me with a plan and quote, which I accepted. Within a couple of days, we had another meeting and started working right away.

They built the platform using React. Everything was custom-developed. The developers only used 10% of the coding they’ve utilized for other projects, everything else was from scratch. We launched a closed beta version of the platform within a month of starting. After a lot of testing, we decided it was ready for a full launch to the public.

Right now, we’re working on the platform’s second version. PROTOTYP is working on a pretty complex bidding and offer system, which is also being built from scratch.

What is the team composition?

Upon engagement, I met with the CEO, COO, lead designer, and lead developer.

How did you come to work with PROTOTYP?

PROTOTYP is a local business here in my hometown. In fact, they’re located just five minutes away from me. I was searching for companies that are local-based but also serve international markets and they popped up. I contacted them and we clicked fast.

I made a few inquiries with other companies but PROTOTYP replied the quickest. They responded within hours of me sending the initial email. The other two firms took two business days to reply. The communication process went smoothly with PROTOTYP, and I really liked that.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent about $110,000. When the project wraps up, we will have spent around $130,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in September 2019, and it’s ongoing. The first version of the platform was finished in February 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform has been launched for three months now and the entire concept has yielded an ROI of over $50,000. That’s 40% of revenue that’s been generated back in just a couple of months — that’s pretty solid.

How did PROTOTYP perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management has been excellent. In fact, it’s an aspect that highlights what I really like about working with them. Our project manager is very responsive and often responds within hours of when I email him. He and I click on a personal basis. We use Slack to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I run an in-house team of developers and designers. This was the first time I’ve ever outsourced, and I’m satisfied that I did. Overall, there’s nothing bad I can say. I’m really enjoying the experience. When this project is done, we’ll probably work with them on another one.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there are no areas that need improvement. Whenever I have something that needs to be changed, I let them know. They put that into their workflow, and it gets taken care of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a digital marketing specialist at the Zito Group, which has subsidiaries in the agriculture and food industries.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PROTOTYP?

We had an idea and general content for a new website, and we hired PROTOTYP to make it happen.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to create an attractive and product-oriented website. It also needed to be optimized for digital marketing.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had a contest in which multiple agencies participated. PROTOTYP won because of their showcase and project presentation.

Describe the project in detail.

PROTOTYP designed and developed a website for an edible oil factory. We mostly interacted with Igor (Design Lead, PROTOTYP) during the wireframe creation phase. During the development stage, Andrej (CEO, PROTOTYP) was in charge of all the activities and communication, while Robert (COO, PROTOTYP) handled content and SEO-related tasks.

What was the team composition?

I mostly interacted with Andrej, Robert, and Igor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We finished the project within two months, well within the deadline. Our CEO and board members were quite pleased with the website. It’s still pretty new, so it's too early to talk about metrics.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was a pleasure to work with the PROTOTYP team. We communicated daily, and they were responsive to our messages. They were organized, thorough, and proactive. They performed tasks in time or ahead of schedule.  

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The PROTOTYP team was highly skilled and results-oriented, which is a winning combination. They are a professional team that’s adept in all areas of website building: design, content creation, development, and SEO.  

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't think of any right now.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the COO of a communications company that provides products and solutions for mobile operators and enterprises around the world. The company was founded in New York and now has offices in Dubai, Hong Kong, and Osijek, Croatia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PROTOTYP?

We had worked with other companies in the past while creating our corporate website, but when we embarked on a new product release—an app—we reached out to PROTOTYP to do both the corporate and product websites. 

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a website with a standout design and smooth navigation that was easy to maintain and manage. It needed to both complement our parent corporation but also appeal to a younger, more modern audience. We also faced time constraints on product completion due to upcoming events. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

One of their clients, who was happy with their work, recommended we speak with them. We met with them in person and knew immediately that they were an experienced, well-versed team. Their enthusiasm, presentation, and exceptional portfolio convinced us that they would be able to deliver what we wanted. 

Describe the project in detail.

Responsible for all concepts, designs, and development, PROTOTYP guided the entire project from the initial briefs to the wireframes and staging. They assumed most of the decision-making regarding the process, but we felt comfortable offering our own suggestions or ideas.  

What was the team composition?

We assigned an employee to communicate with the PROTOTYP team, which consisted of the CMO, several designers, and the CEO, who contributed his own development skills to the app website. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project satisfied all of our expectations. We now have a modern and sleek corporate website that is on par with the top companies in our industry. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication was smooth and reliable, and the scheduling respected our deadlines. PROTOTYP was always pushing forward, at times waiting on us for feedback or material, which we provided using tools like InVision. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The PROTOTYP team was professional yet friendly and pleasant. Secure in their deep knowledge of website design, UX, and optimization, we felt confident that we would be pleased with the final product. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. The project was delivered on time and the price was well worth the value we received in the team, workflow, and product quality. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and COO of ORQA FPV, a hardware company. We help startups and corporations to build new innovative consumer electronic products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PROTOTYP?

Since we’re engineers, we needed a vendor that understood our approach to visual design and marketing. We hired PROTOTYP to provide branding and digital design services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team executed full-service branding. They designed our brand style guide, logo, business cards, and stationery. Deliverables included custom illustrations and custom website design and development. They now do ongoing web updates and upgrades.

What is the team composition?

I mostly interact with Andrej (CEO, PROTOTYP) and Robert (COO, PROTOTYP), who is in charge of marketing.

How did you come to work with PROTOTYP?

We searched for an excellent long-term partner while already knowing one of PROTOTYP’s employees from their previous company. He was a talented designer with a great reputation in Croatia and a solid understanding of engineering language. We hired PROTOTYP because they offered 24-hour response times to bugs.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve never regretted partnering with PROTOTYP and have recouped our investment. Their insight into user behavior, UX, strategy, and design are invaluable. During meetings, the team brings a fresh perspective to development and UI. After two years of collaboration, we’ve become friends. Investing in PROTOTYP was one of our company’s best decisions.

How did PROTOTYP perform from a project management standpoint?

They respond to text or email within minutes, even on the weekend. The team finishes tasks within the given timeframe and resolves bugs within 24 hours. Everyone is fluent in English and has strong communication skills. I call separate resources for development questions and bug fixes. The team provides weekly reports.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The design and development resources are talented and professional. They are experts in engineering language, pitching, marketing, and sales tasks. PROTOTYP understands our needs to the point where we trust them and don’t question their decisions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could hire more female engineers and designers.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Brainstorming sessions and chats benefit the client’s overall experience and enhance the results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an online web design and dev agency. We work primarily on e-commerce and iOS apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PROTOTYP?

We needed help building an iPhone app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our app is like a rental service for tools that people may have around their home or garage. PROTOTYP manages all of the dev, everything except the design. They take care of all the integrations and implementations. We’re also working on an Android app that will come out after the iPhone version.

What is the team composition?

We work with their cofounders.

How did you come to work with PROTOTYP?

We looked into a few agencies, but a colleague recommended PROTOTYP. They were more organized and proactive than any of the other firms, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $60,000–$75,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been partners since May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our test users say the app functions well and is user-friendly. We’re happy with their work.

How did co-founders perform from a project management standpoint?

We talk multiple times a week, using phone and email to communicate. They manage the project through Asana and proactively keep it on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a smooth process and solve problems before we even realize they’re issues. We’re satisfied with their work, and they meet all our expectations. They’re organized and understand our workflow, making it a pleasure to work with them. We’ll definitely do more projects with them in the future.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be prepared on your end because they’ll move things along quickly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I am the co-founder and director of a 14-man software development firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Prototyp?

We were developing a web-based application and we needed help with the user interface design. We wanted the projects to look really polished and easy to use. We needed Prototyp to give it that professional edge and to reduce support queries because of issues of usability.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We’ve had some really positive feedback. We have tweets and emails saying it’s awesome and how they wish I had made it years ago.

How did Prototyp perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent and very responsive. We sometimes conversed via Skype, where they articulated their vision of how the application should work. They came back to us when we wanted more detail.

What distinguishes Prototyp from other providers?

I’m happy with the responsiveness and the follow-through. When they said they’d do something, they did it.

Is there anything Prototyp could have improved or done differently?

I think they did a perfectly good job. I was really happy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of design for a full-service digital agency. Our core businesses are websites, mobile development, and product design. The company has 150 people, and I'm leading a team of 12. We’re based in Croatia, with offices in 2 nearby countries. We also have an internal department working on marketing services in our region.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Prototyp?

At that time, we had some mobile application projects for a beverage client. We are always looking for partner agencies. While we have a lot of projects, we don't want to expand the company at the moment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prototyp helped us with user experience and user interface design. We sent them an initial brief for the beverage industry project. This application was an events finder, and it was also designed to locate different bars. After we went through the document on Skype, Prototyp started to work on wireframes and digital prototypes. After getting our approval, they started working on the user interface design and visual concepts for each screen of the mobile app.

In total, Prototyp has worked on 4 mobile applications for 2 different clients, with 1 app still in progress. The second app was for boat rental services. The third was made for local studios who are working closely with other agencies. This app allows users to easily find smaller studios to outsource to.

There were 2 people from Prototyp working on these projects. Of these, 1 was a designer. The other person was both a developer and designer.

How did you come to work with Prototyp?

We found Prototyp’s portfolio on Dribbble. We chose them because we liked their visual design skills.

How much have you invested with Prototyp?

One application was around $5,000–$8,000, and all of the applications are in that range. The total is close to $20,000 or $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in May 2017, and we continue to work with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Prototyp's people share their knowledge, and it's turning out to be an excellent collaboration. We are learning new processes for project management and digital design.

Of our projects, 1 of the applications is live, 2 of them are for approval, and 1 is in the development process. The live app received positive feedback from the client, who was really happy with the final product.

How did Prototyp perform from a project management standpoint?

They use tools like Basecamp for project management and collaboration. They send us reports every day about what they did and inform us about future plans. We have weekly and daily Skype calls, allowing us to look at the progress and status for each day.

What did you find most impressive about Prototyp?

Prototyp’s people are skilled in both design and development. Because they’re all designers and developers, they know the processes involved in both areas well. They prepare all of the files in a slightly different way than we do in our agency because we have separate designers and developers. 

Are there any areas Prototyp could improve?

I think they need to work on more projects. They are really small — we are an agency of 150 people, and I think they have only 6 people. The biggest improvement would be expanding their team, but this is more of an internal comment.