Smart Mobile House

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Biggest manufacturer and owner of the most well known brand in consumer products. I am Solution Architect for Digital Workplace and Collaboration.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Smart Mobile House, and what were your goals?

We were about to change the MDM solution that manages our company mobile phones. When planning the migration steps, we found that we will loose a lot of time with manual tasks and we have to automate it. We decided to build a web app that will allow users to retire and enroll devices easily.

SOLUTION

How did you select Smart Mobile House and what were the deciding factors?

We had previous experience working with Smart Mobile House. They answered quickly, fully understanding our needs. Business proposal was the best we got.

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

We had a call to discuss full scope of work and technologies. Decision to go with Azure App Services, Azure Cosmos DB. There were few API calls to be made to MobileIron and Microsoft Intune. We agreed to create 2 portals, one for end users and one for administrator to manage the migration batches. Additionally we requested the support of the tool for the whole time that migration was ongoing.

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

We were working only with Project Manager of Smart Mobile House, as we agreed on deliverables not on a team that will perform the activities. This was very convenient for us as we had single point of contact, and the rest was handled behind the curtains.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ultimate goal was to migrate all devices from old MDM system to new one. It has been achieved as all of the 50,000+ devices has been migrated. User feedback was very positive as the tool made the process much simpler for them. Load for the support team was minimized and was only about dealing with issues, no manual activities were left.

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

Working with Smart Mobile House is easy, we had ad hoc meetings, most communication happened through emails or calls. Tasks were assigned and completed in JIRA. No delays to the initially agreed timeline. When it was close to the go-live, we had a few testing sessions. All issues were solved as soon as it was technically possible.

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

The most impressive for us is how easily we were understood and how little we had to correct. Compared to other vendors, communication with Smart Mobile House is superb. Also flexibility and timeliness is something that is very important for this company.

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

None at all. It was a pleasure to work with Jerzy and his team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the tech transfer officer (or knowledge transfer officer) at Jagiellonian University, which is located in Poland.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Smart Mobile House?

I lack programming skills and was looking for a company to develop an Android app for us from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Smart Mobile House developed an Android application that guides hikers through the history of the trail they’re on. Much of the information pertains to WWI and is conveyed by way of 3D models. After building the application, they consulted with me on the servers I need to establish at my office. They assisted me with the configurations, along with the dealings with the university provider.

What is the team composition?

My sole point of contact was Jerzy (Managing Director).

How did you come to work with Smart Mobile House?

After a google search, I shortlisted 4­5 companies including Smart Mobile House. It was university protocol to post an RFP. Smart Mobile House gave us the best offer and price, so we decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $11,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between December 2019–February 2020. The application hasn’t been made available yet because we’re experiencing some roadblocks on the university side. That being said, I’m planning to reengage them for an iOS version.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m very satisfied with the quality of their work. When I explained my project to them, they were so enthusiastic and immensely helpful in its execution.

How did Smart Mobile House perform from a project management standpoint?

I had great communication with them. I could call or send an email at any time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’d highlight how involved, open, and helpful they were.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It was the first application I’d overseen, and the process was very easy. I chose a company and they made the application. It was a streamlined process so I don’t have any advice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product owner for a consumer goods manufacturer. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Smart Mobile House?

Our mobile app was not behaving optimally and wasn’t consistently maintained. We were looking for someone with the knowledge and skills to modernize the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They had to dive into the existing application, understand how it worked, and modernize it. They aligned it with the current infrastructure of the climate.

What is the team composition?

I currently interact with just one person. The team consisted of developers who interacted with our IT team.

How did you come to work with Smart Mobile House?

They had worked with us in the past, and we wanted to work with them again. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2019, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They succeeded in finding the solution we needed and provided high-level services in everything they delivered. Feedback has been positive; they respond quickly to issues raised and show good knowledge and technical support. Users seem very happy with the application, so we’ve been very pleased.

How did Smart Mobile House perform from a project management standpoint?

They provided reports at the meetings. There was full visibility on progress, risks and mitigation, timeline, and so on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness impresses us. They are creative, providing unique ideas and solutions in response to tasks and challenges discussed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was a small problem with their grasp of the English language occasionally.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have the courage to go deeper, faster, and broader with your vision.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an Architect in an international Tobacco Company. Among my tasks is developing new backend solutions for the company – and collecting new ideas for them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Smart Mobile House?

We are an international Tobacco Company with business all around the world. This means we have to stay competitive on a multitude of markets – and here is where my role starts. My task is to make sure we have the most current and innovative solutions possible.

What were your goals for this project?

We pride ourselves in giving our employees the chance to contribute in the development of the company. We know their jobs require them to stay up to date with the newest solutions available, and we want to let them know that we want to hear from them. We wanted to give them an easy platform to share their propositions.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We sent the request for app development propositions to a couple of highest-ranking mobile development companies in Poland. Reviewing their projects helped us narrow it down to three, among which the Smart Mobile House gave the most detailed and compelling presentation.

Describe the project in detail.

Smart Mobile House proposed a solution that works somewhat as a bulleting board. All registered employees are able to submit their idea – they provide the subject and a description, as well as a project owner and where the idea came from. This not only gave us the way of keeping track of all the ideas without them becoming “anonymous”, having the submitter and an owner named, but also lets us know if the idea is new and innovative, meaning we will be developing something brand new, or if it solves an existing issue that our employees noticed and know how to solve. The most common areas of the ideas we receive include AI, smart automation, Big Data, blockchain and Internet of Things. Finally, a dedicated board gathers to review the ideas and changes their status.

What was the team composition?

Our dedicated team within Smart Mobile House was composed of a Project Leader and three developers. We were in constant contact with the Project leader, who kept us updated and helped us implement changes that arose during development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the app was launched, our employees were eager to get on board. We have several active registered users, who regularly submit potential projects. Due to the sensitive nature of the projects, I cannot share more detail, but some of them are already underway in the company.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly effective. We were updated on a regular basis. If something seemed redundant or overly complex, an alternative solution was presented with clear explanation – very important for those who do not deal with backend development. All info was exchanged quickly and response times were short.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Since most of us do not have a lot (or none) experience in the mobile app development, we were very pleasantly surprised by their proactivity. When an issue occurred, we were given a proposition for a solution as well. Smart Mobile House took care of 100% of the project – to an extent we were not expecting. The cooperation was very well streamlined and smooth.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing comes to mind. We enjoyed working with Smart Mobile House and would recommend it for others, as they have shown a lot of experience and engagement in the project at hand.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company offers a vast selection of boxed diet plans. Trained chefs prepare 5 meals a day that get delivered to our clients all over Poland.

As the co-owner of WygodnaDieta.pl, I was among the ones who noticed that every now and again, a package would not be delivered or the packages were misdelivered to the wrong recipient. Despite that being an incidental issue, we knew we had to make sure to minimise the risk of our clients receiving wrong boxes.

I’m the co-owner of WygodnaDieta.pl – a service delivering daily boxed meals to our clients. We offer a spectrum of dietary plans in varying caloric values. Each client can choose what elements should be excluded from their meals, and our trained staff prepares the meals in a certified and safe kitchen daily.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Smart Mobile House?

We wanted to streamline the delivery process. Due to a large number of everyday deliveries and growing number of couriers involved, we had minor issues with miscommunication and missed deliveries.

What were your goals for this project?

We decided on a mobile app for the couriers, which would – first of all – send a delivery list to each and every courier, and then monitor the delivery status. This would allow us to keep track of the deliveries and make sure all were completed on time and none were missed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Smart Mobile House due to their reputation in mobile app development. We looked into the most recommended software houses in Poland and narrowed the list down based on their portfolio.

The profile of companies that cooperated with Smart Mobile House was very impressive, and their delivered apps matched our needs.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

After exchanging e-mails regarding our needs, we met with Smart Mobile House to discuss the project. The company presented several solutions that could be implemented to ensure our delivery system will become more reliable. Once we knew what functionalities were needed, the contractor returned within a short time with a couple of proposed designs for the app.

At each stage of the development, we were updated and shown the results as appropriate. We could provide feedback during the development and get familiar with the app.

The app is also completely integrated with our CRM, which means that the workflow is smooth and doesn’t require switching between different systems – that is a significant time-saver and made it easier for all employees to familiarise with the new tool.

What was the team composition?

The team we cooperated with was lead by a project manager, who worked with front- and back-end developers whom we also met during the initial meeting. We were communicating directly with the project manager, who relayed updates and our feedback between us and the developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From the launch of the app, we noticed that packages were delivered faster and more reliably. The ease of planning the deliveries with the list in the app allowed us to reduce the delivery time by 30%.

The amount of client complaints has also dropped significantly, both including the lack of delivery on a given day, and the wrong dietary plan package being delivered. With the functions of the app (GPS tracking, code scanning and photo evidence) we can quickly address all the issues and resolve them immediately.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The manager leading the project replied to all of our e-mails and calls. We received regular reports on the progress, and all of our questions/issues were promptly resolved.

The overall communication was excellent, we were honestly informed about upcoming milestones and challenges along the way, which let us stay stress-free and we received the finished product in a very timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were very pleasantly surprised by two aspects of our cooperation.

Firstly, the Smart Mobile House team had great ideas on the looks and functionalities of the app. That showed us their experience in the matter – they came with a ready draft of the project.

Secondly, they not only made sure that all our needs were met, but also noticed several spots where extra functionalities could be added. Their UX knowledge let them notice some potential issues and resolve them before they could even become problems.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are very satisfied with the design process, the implementation and with the ongoing support provided by the team after the launch of the app

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the co-owner of a service delivering daily boxed meals to our clients. We offer a spectrum of dietary plans in varying caloric values. Each client can choose what elements should be excluded from their meals, and our trained staff prepares the meals in a certified and safe kitchen daily.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Smart Mobile House?

Our company offers a vast selection of boxed diet plans. Trained chefs prepare 5 meals a day that get delivered to our clients all over Poland. As the co-owner, I was among the ones who noticed that every now and again, a package would not be delivered or the packages were misdelivered to the wrong recipient. Despite that being an incidental issue, we knew we had to make sure to minimise the risk of our clients receiving wrong boxes.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to streamline the delivery process. Due to a large number of everyday deliveries and growing number of couriers involved, we had minor issues with miscommunication and missed deliveries.

We decided on a mobile app for the couriers, which would – first of all – send a delivery list to each and every courier, and then monitor the delivery status. This would allow us to keep track of the deliveries and make sure all were completed on time and none were missed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Smart Mobile House due to their reputation in mobile app development. We looked into the most recommended software houses in Poland and narrowed the list down based on their portfolio. The profile of companies that cooperated with Smart Mobile House was very impressive, and their delivered apps matched our needs.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

After exchanging e-mails regarding our needs, we met with Smart Mobile House to discuss the project. The company presented several solutions that could be implemented to ensure our delivery system will become more reliable.

Once we knew what functionalities were needed, the contractor returned within a short time with a couple of proposed designs for the app. At each stage of the development, we were updated and shown the results as appropriate. We could provide feedback during the development and get familiar with the app.

The app is also completely integrated with our CRM, which means that the workflow is smooth and doesn’t require switching between different systems – that is a significant time-saver and made it easier for all employees to familiarise with the new tool.

What was the team composition?

The team we cooperated with was lead by a project manager, who worked with front- and back-end developers whom we also met during the initial meeting. We were communicating directly with the project manager, who relayed updates and our feedback between us and the developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From the launch of the app, we noticed that packages were delivered faster and more reliably. The ease of planning the deliveries with the list in the app allowed us to reduce the delivery time by 30%.

The amount of client complaints has also dropped significantly, both including the lack of delivery on a given day, and the wrong dietary plan package being delivered. With the functions of the app (GPS tracking, code scanning and photo evidence) we can quickly address all the issues and resolve them immediately.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It was very effective. The manager leading the project replied to all of our e-mails and calls. We received regular reports on the progress, and all of our questions/issues were promptly resolved. The overall communication was excellent, we were honestly informed about upcoming milestones and challenges along the way, which let us stay stress-free and we received the finished product in a very timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were very pleasantly surprised by two aspects of our cooperation. Firstly, the Smart Mobile House team had great ideas on the looks and functionalities of the app. That showed us their experience in the matter – they came with a ready draft of the project.

Secondly, they made sure that our needs were met, and also noticed several spots where extra functionalities could be added. Their knowledge about the user experience let them notice some potential issues and resolve them before they could even become problems.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not particularly. We are very satisfied with the design process, the implementation and with the ongoing support provided by the team after the launch of the app.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the managing director of Empire State Software and Development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Smart Mobile House?

Smart Mobile House helped us create a keyboard app. We hired them because they had the expertise we lacked in-house that this project required.

What were your goals for this project?

Our company needed to create a custom keyboard.
 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We reached out to Smart Mobile House via social media. After speaking with a few candidates, we decided to hire the team.

Describe the project in detail.

Our project centered on creating a customized keyboard. Smart Mobile House provided the specific skills our internal team needed to build the product.

What was the team composition?

Jerzy (Managing Director, Smart Mobile House) and his team worked alongside our internal development team and me.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With Smart Mobile House’s support, our team was able to create the keyboard. They met all the original requirements.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between our team and Smart Mobile House was seamless. Their communication is fantastic. Jerzy (Managing Director, Smart Mobile House) is an absolute star, and his team always goes the extra mile.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was most impressed by the level of communication. Smart Mobile House showed a commitment to delivering great work. They’re really a gem of a company.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are none at all.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the communication specialist at one of the biggest humanitarian nonprofits in Central Europe. We offer aid to those who suffered at the hands of armed conflicts and natural disasters. We currently operate in Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, and Poland. In my role, I manage our social media accounts and our relationships with external contractors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Smart Mobile House?

A lot of users were contacting our organization via direct messages on Facebook, and we were struggling to respond to all of the questions and comments. We noticed that the issues were pretty similar in content and the volume of messages intensified during emergencies or humanitarian crisis. To save time and respond with more urgency, we needed a solution to help us manage our message queue.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a useful app to reduce our workload and support our fundraising activities.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Smart Mobile House contacted us on their own to fill their corporate social responsibility (CSB). They wanted to create a mobile app that could help us overcome a challenge. Together we decided to develop a solution to manage our Facebook messages.

Describe the project in detail.

Smart Mobile House created a Facebook Messenger chatbot for us, helping reduce our response time. The tool allows our followers to make an online donation through the messenger app or send an emergency donation request.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with their senior sales and marketing specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The chatbot has improved communication with our followers. We’re delighted with the outcome of the engagement.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was smooth. We put together a schedule at the beginning of the project and followed it exactly. There weren’t any delays.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Smart Mobile House team is professional, open-minded, and client-oriented. They made sure they understood our needs and used their extensive technical background to meet them. Even though the chatbot development turned out to be more complex than we’d predicted, Smart Mobile House handled the work with skill.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a telecommunications services provider. I am the senior brand manager, responsible for mobile multimedia services and payments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Smartmobile?

We needed to deliver new product services and applications for our company's portfolio, addressing tariff plans and multimedia bundles as well as to provide updates and maintenance for these applications.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Smartmobile provided consultation for new company products which we wanted to deliver to customers and our internal sales force. We are starting to implement one of the solutions proposed by Smartmobile. They helped us understand what issues we can expect to face while delivering new products.

How did you come to work with Smartmobile?

We posted a request for information and considered several developers. We focused on the scope of responsibility that those companies could handle, and what solutions they could present to our needs. Smartmobile was one of the candidates. They have a focus on mobile application development, but also have expertise in the smart TV area. We have a cross-platform approach for our portfolio and found Smartmobile to be an appropriate agency. We contacted them, asking for possible solutions to our problem.

How much have you invested with Smartmobile?

The total cost of Smartmobile's services was around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our latest project with Smartmobile was concluded in May 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of our projects had some development constraints, but the solution proposed by Smartmobile is under implementation.

I found Smartmobile to be professional. They key thing for us was that the consulting company have a broad knowledge in the field. Smartmobile has very competent employees and provided a good overview of the issues brought to them. Smartmobile posted adequate questions for our situation.

What did you find most impressive about Smartmobile?

Out of the companies which we initially contacted, Smartmobile was one of the few who had a good focus on the issues and constraints of our project and brought in good knowledge on how the concept could be implemented in the long run and what problems we'd be likely to face. From beginning to end, Smartmobile's expertise was acute. We've had a very successful collaboration.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Smartmobile?

There isn't much I can say. In my opinion, Smartmobile is well-prepared within their scope of responsibilities and interest. It's important to have good cross-company contacts. This is not feasible for us at this time because we have service partners that utilize their own dedicated developers. If we ever have a need for creating a standalone application, we will look to Smartmobile. They have the right competencies and knowledge to take this on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company provides several services, including consultation for web application development, digital marketing, and product design. We have a 40-person team in Norway, and around 25 members in Croatia.

I'm a co-owner of the company. I've had several positions within the company over time, including that of product manager and marketing manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Smart Mobile House?

Our challenge was divided in two: we needed extra resources, as well as specific competencies which we didn't have at the time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Smart Mobile House's involvement has been loosely based on specifications that we provide for various types of development, including iOS and Symfony stack solutions. Smart Mobile House has worked with quite a few people in our company, so I haven't had insight into all of the services that they provided. Rather than giving them full specifications, we told Smart Mobile House what we wanted to solve, and asked for their help. We sometimes handle design, but Smart Mobile House has had freedom to develop bigger parts of our software, depending on the project.

I've only been in touch with our project manager, whom I've also met physically in Cracow, but other people in our company contact developers from Smart Mobile House directly.

How did you come to work with Smart Mobile House?

We did extensive research a few years back in order to find external partners which we could rely on during periods of high demand, for technical consultancy or niche development skills. We looked at developers in Poland, since it's close to Norway. Smart Mobile House was one of those companies. We gave them some minor test projects, and continued working with them.

How much have you invested with Smart Mobile House?

The cost of Smart Mobile House's services has been between $4,500 and $11,000 [4,000 to 10,000 euros] per project. We've used them for at least 10 projects, so the total cost has been $100,000 at least.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Smart Mobile House in 2010. We have an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Smart Mobile House didn't work through very clear specifications or architectures from us, so there have been instances when there was less clarity. There have been some error corrections for the work that Smart Mobile House provided, but they were always resolved as necessary. I wouldn't point this out as a negative issue at all. There haven't been any major concerns which turned up with Smart Mobile House.

One app in particular, which Smart Mobile House developed, is still in use by quite a large audience because of an ongoing festival. It worked well, and the customer was quite happy. They continue to engage us for updates every year.

How did Smart Mobile House perform from a project management standpoint?

Smart Mobile House has delivered over-schedule at times, but this is true for our team as well. Any delay was also no greater than a few days. They always kept the budget, which is something that made Smart Mobile House stand out.

We use Jira and Confluence internally, as well as HipChat and Skype for keeping in touch. Smart Mobile House has used the same systems as our own team.

What did you find most impressive about Smart Mobile House?

We've had a regular business relationship, so there isn't anything in particular to mention.

Are there any areas Smart Mobile House could improve?

Communication could be improved. It hasn't been a huge problem, but there have been some misunderstandings, mainly due to the fact that we are based in different countries. We've had Smart Mobile House's team come to Norway for project planning, which worked out very well.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Smart Mobile House?

We've worked with Smart Mobile House through a relatively loose chain, without specifying a huge amount of details. We mainly give concepts and designs to Smart Mobile House, and it's up to them to solve the task. We agree on details during daily catch-ups. My recommendation to any clients would be to allow Smart Mobile House to come up with ideas on how to solve problems, but at the same time, have regular check-ups in order to ensure that they're heading in the same direction.