Sloboda Studio

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a mobile advertising platform that helps app developers who want to expand their business, especially those who have just launched an app. We help them bring in more users. We also work on retargeting to make sure that they are engaging the right users.

I am responsible for business intelligence and analytics, making sure that data is available for either decision-making or action. A large part of my work is related to automation such as fraud detection and prevention tools, recommendation engines, and so forth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sloboda Studio?

At that point, we were interested in growth hacking. We wanted to come up with a small application that would make an impact on the business. Instead of a complex product, we thought of doing light development on something that could bring in revenue within a very short time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sloboda is doing everything in terms of design and development. We’ve mostly been working with Ruby on Rails, and used databases like PostgreSQL, Redis, and Swagger.

The project started with basic tasks such by building all kinds of REST API tools that makes our data available externally. We also worked on price optimization. After we determined the pricing logic, Sloboda helped us with the distribution method. They also updated the campaign management system that sent emails to our partners.

Recently, we’ve started going into a different direction. After one of the applications started becoming more successful and robust, we decided to make a completely new design. Our designer worked on that with an additional AngularJS frontend developer from Sloboda.

What is the team dynamic?

Internally, we have all the right people to make decisions and make the engine in our analytics team. However, we can only get so far without the engineering to support them, so we’ve established an automation team.

Sloboda has assigned two people to the automation team while another person works on the engineering team on an outsourced basis. So far, we’ve been using full-stack developers, and our engineering team works with them directly.

How did you come to work with Sloboda Studio?

Since we already had teams in two countries, we did not want to set up an additional engineering department. We were looking for a team that could work with us immediately, but we were unsure if it would be a long-term or short-term engagement. Eventually, we decided to go with Sloboda since our company had outsourced work to them in the past.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Sloboda in January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since I haven’t done code reviews on their work, I can’t give a full answer about quality. The application has been stable, for the most part. If there is a problem, we receive relatively quick answers, additional development, and code verification.

Their team is young and motivated. They allow us to make things in an automated fashion, and we consider them an integral part of our analytics team.

How did Sloboda Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

I handle project management with them. Delivery has gone well, in some cases exceeding expectations. Sloboda has met deadlines, even though we work based on prioritizations given on the same day, not on sprints. They let us know in advance if we need to adjust a deadline. They also don’t mind giving extra hours if we let them know that something is important.

We’re constantly in direct communication using Slack and Skype channels. It’s good that I am able to explain details on a daily basis, which helps keep things on track. The communication is straightforward, with no excuses.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We are impressed with the timeliness and simplicity of delivery. They don’t waste time on things that wouldn’t take us forward. For prototypes, they don’t focus on the user interface too much; they deliver something functional that we can improve from there.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great to have more transparency on technical designs before they start development.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It is important to have constant check-ups and daily calls to make sure that everyone is aligned. Secondly, create motivation around the business value; invite the team on site, make sure they know the people whom they’re working for, and share any articles about the products they developed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a university researcher working on a side project. It is a platform for conducting psychological experiments with multiple subjects at the same time, which I plan to expand into a for-profit solution.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sloboda Studio?

I needed a matching engine which could group several individuals on a trading platform. I had used outsourcing companies which weren’t as good as I expected, and I was looking for someone who could solve the issue of matching potentially hundreds of individuals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

From a visual perspective, I had already made a basic design for the platform; it had been implemented already, but it had a poor engine. Sloboda Studio rebuilt it from scratch, using the same visual framework. The software was developed using Ruby on Rails and some Java.

How did you come to work with Sloboda Studio?

I shortlisted some companies on Upwork. I moved away from the idea of using single freelancers working on their own. I wanted to find companies that had multiple resources, as well as reputations which they couldn’t afford to lose, which I why I selected Sloboda Studio.

How much have you invested with Sloboda Studio?

The cost of Sloboda Studio’s work has been around 100,000 Danish Krone [$14,600] so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Sloboda Studio around a year ago. I have some further plans, but I’m using the system for my experiments at the moment. I will definitely use Sloboda Studio again.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of the work is great. From a service and project management perspective especially, Sloboda Studio is very good. I haven’t tested the engine’s limits, but it’s working within the agreed specs. I don’t expect it to handle many thousands of individuals at once, but it can do what I need it to do now.

How did Sloboda Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Sloboda Studio was referred to me by another one of their clients, who also told me about Slack, which is a great platform for these types of projects. We can communicate via different channels, and I was able to provide feedback and address questions as if Sloboda Studio’s team was working in the same office.

What did you find most impressive about Sloboda Studio?

Sloboda Studio is a customer-minded company. They are willing to go out of their way to understand and solve problems. Sloboda Studio was also easy to contact and always available.

Are there any areas Sloboda Studio could improve?

Our lead programmer was changed twice during the project, as was the project manager. I would have liked to continue using the same people.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CTO of Battere. We’re a Switzerland-based company. We rent power packs in convenience stores for people who are on the go and run out of battery. Our rental batteries come pre-charged with solar power.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sloboda Studio?

We have two projects with Sloboda. The first one is a Ruby on Rails application that we use internally to track our production processes. The second one is a mobile application, where we used the React Native framework and Node.js.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The initial project was the internal ERP [enterprise resource planning] system, and then we started with the React Native project on top of that. The first project ran for the first year and a half, and the last six months have been spent on the second project. Both projects were built by Sloboda Studio from scratch.

How did you come to work with Sloboda Studio?

At my previous company, I was working with a different Ukraine-based agency which specialized in Python and Django. I had a good experience working with Ukrainians in general. A friend recommended Sloboda to me because I was looking for a React agency this time. We also contacted Russian and American agencies, especially for the React Native part, the frontend. At the time, Sloboda was not offering React Native as a service. In the end, we decided to go with Sloboda, and one of their JavaScript developers actually learned React Native on this project.

We had a pilot program with them, and it turned out well. I preferred to stay with Sloboda, rather than going to a more experienced agency in React Native because I know it’s hard to find a good agency, and I was happy with what I had. I was ready to take that risk.

How much have you invested with Sloboda Studio?

Sloboda works like an extended part of our team, so it’s not project-based. We have two developers from them, and they work as part of our internal team. It’s hard to say what the product costs are, but our total cost has been between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in 2015, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have metrics, but I can say that the quality of the developers from Sloboda Studio is good. As a CTO, if I wasn’t happy with the quality, we wouldn’t have been working with them for almost two years. They met the expectations of the project regarding deliverables.

How did Sloboda Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m very happy with that. I don’t have any bad experiences in project management with Sloboda Studio.

What did you find most impressive about Sloboda Studio?

I really like their flexibility in terms of adapting to the customer's needs. I wanted to do a lot of my apps in React Native. Sloboda didn’t offer the service, but they agreed to start a pilot project, and now it’s a success. I think that was really cool. I didn’t have to resort to another agency.

Are there any areas Sloboda Studio could improve?

I have nothing to suggest. I’m really happy with the relationship.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We organize IT business conferences for executives as well as sales and business development managers in Ukraine and Belarus. We are also planning our first conference for the Polish market. We hold classes for sales and business education. I am the chief operations officer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sloboda?

We were looking for a system that could give us the opportunity to manage the participants list, schedule, and staff. It should also let us sell tickets and handle other tasks during conferences. Our competitors typically use Red Payments for this task, but we were not willing to pay 7%–10% of a ticket's price for the operation. We decided to create our own system for processing payments, and it proved to be a good decision. A week before a big event, one of the biggest systems of this kind on the market crashed. It could have been catastrophic for us, so we've seen the importance of developing these solutions ourselves.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had already designed two screens, and Sloboda created the rest of the interface based on the style of our initial work. They also worked on the development and provided consultation on what would be the most suitable choices for our platform. We are working on a mobile version of the site at the moment.

How did you come to work with Sloboda?

I also live in Kharkov, where Sloboda is located, so I'd heard a lot about the company. I had also met their CEO. It was important for me to start a project with someone I could trust.

How much have you invested with Sloboda?

The cost of Sloboda's work has been $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Sloboda 2 ½ ago. We are in preparation for the Poland conference in April 2017 and continue to work with Sloboda.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am quite happy with the decision I've made, and I wouldn't want to work with anyone else. If I have a problem, I can write to my developer from Sloboda's team and know that he will address it even after hours.

How did Sloboda perform from a project management standpoint?

We are usually within budget. There have only been a couple of critical moments due to an update to the payment system. Sloboda's project manager is always there to help me. We communicate face to face and follow a Scrum process for setting up tasks. This is a comfortable approach for me.

What did you find most impressive about Sloboda?

Our developer is a very knowledgeable person and is able to propose additional or alternative features for our platform.

Are there any areas Sloboda could improve?

We could use more developers since the work can be too much for a single person.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Partnership Manager of a software development company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We specialize in digital transformation solutions, focusing on enhancing business processes through innovative technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Sloboda Studio helped us develop a custom software solution that improved our operational efficiency by integrating advanced analytics and automation features.

SOLUTION

How did you find Sloboda Studio?

Referral

Why did you select Sloboda Studio over others?

Known for their robust engineering solutions and efficient project management.

How many teammates from Sloboda Studio were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Sloboda Studio provided comprehensive development services from initial concept to final deployment, including backend and frontend development, cloud services integration, and AI capabilities to enhance user experience.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was completed 30% faster than anticipated, significantly reducing our time to market and increasing ROI within the first quarter post-launch.

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

Sloboda Studio applied an agile project management approach, which allowed for flexibility in adapting to changes and ensuring deliverables met our expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with Sloboda Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to quickly understand our industry-specific challenges and propose innovative solutions was remarkable.

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

While overall very effective, there could be more proactive communication about potential delays or issues.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Account Management of an it services company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Software development agency with a focus on web and mobile app development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Custom Software Development and Project Management

SOLUTION

How did you find Sloboda Studio?

Referral

Why did you select Sloboda Studio over others?

• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Extensive expertise

How many teammates from Sloboda Studio were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We hired a few specialists from Sloboda Studio to improve our workflow on the project. The specialists' main tasks included software development and project management. They were professional and delivered results timely, possessed good communication skills, and improved our workflow and delivery.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Sloboda Studio provided high-level expertise and executed complex tasks efficiently.

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

Sloboda Studio ensured strict compliance with the deadlines.

What was your primary form of communication with Sloboda Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Sloboda Studio's professional expertise provided us with insights and needed qualifications to improve the workflow. They managed to speed up the development and make it more efficient.

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

no more comments

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing manager of Netpeak

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

A holding of multiple digital companies aimed at internet marketing and SaaS development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Developing and scaling a SaaS solution.

SOLUTION

How did you find Sloboda Studio?

Referral

Why did you select Sloboda Studio over others?

• High ratings
• Extensive experience

How many teammates from Sloboda Studio were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We hired developers from Sloboda Studio to participate in developing a SaaS solution on the Django framework. The collaborative process was seamless and efficient. Sloboda Studio developers provided valuable insights for the developers and contributed to the smooth functionality of the solution. They also helped us to improve server responses and ensured the software's scalability. Sloboda provided us with a well-tuned team which paid out in an efficient partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Sloboda Studio provided us with proactive developers. They suggested valuable insights and shared their expertise.

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

Sloboda Studio kept up with the deadlines that were set and kept the hand on the pulse of the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Sloboda Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Sloboda Studio's developers contributed to the team with their proactive approach. They shared our vision, main goals, and values which we appreciated a lot.

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

No more comments.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of Elev8 DMS

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are revolutionizing the Dealer Management System (DMS) landscape for independent auto dealers across the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Build out application

SOLUTION

How did you find Sloboda Studio?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Sloboda Studio over others?

• High ratings
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Sloboda Studio were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

They helped build out the front-end as well as the back-end and were very receptive to ideas and suggestions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are in the process of securing funding.

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

Everything was delivered on time and met or exceed expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with Sloboda Studio?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They have great talent and are very personable.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of a fintech company that helps users with international payments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sloboda Studio, and what were your goals?

We were building a new web app based on a new set of payment providers along with a simple onboarding process for users. We wanted to build this web app with Sloboda.

SOLUTION

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

We searched for web app developers and shortlisted close to 8. Interviewed them and finalized Sloboda based on pricing and previous projects.

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

We kicked off with existing wireframes and then Figma mockups before starting the app development process. We used Python, and React for the development.

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

A project manager along with a front-end developer and two back-end developers. Additionally, one more project manager used to join our calls.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app delivered works smoothly right from onboarding, payment booking. The app pages load quick and work as expected.

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

We used two check-ins in a week and used to communicate primarily through Slack. The time tracker was shared on Google sheets.

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

They have been transparent about the technical tradeoffs while building different features.

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

When we are finalizing the product roadmap, the initial team spent long hours but after the second set of team members joined. Things became much easier.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm managing the development in a fintech startup

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sloboda Studio, and what were your goals?

We were looking for a freelance backend developer to join our team. A strong backend developer who can do multiple diverse range of tasks.

SOLUTION

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

We interviewed many candidates. Independent and from agencies, and Sloboda had the candidate who was the best match to our needs.

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

N/A

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

1 - Backend Developer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The candidate Sloboda provided us with is now a valuable part of our team. That is exactly what I was looking for.

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

I requested them not to be too involved, as I manage my team, and they are doing it great. At the same time, they make sure I am aware of local holidays, etc.

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

No.