Tapptitude

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the founders of a startup. Our main product is a service marketplace focused on sports, leisure, and well-being.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tapptitude?

We needed to develop a service marketplace with features that competitors didn’t have in place.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tapptitude helped us brainstorm ideas including the concept, which guided us to an MVP. Their team helped us select features based on their know-how into what would require a greater or lesser amount of effort.

After that, they helped us through the design phase. Their team came up with mockups that featured the platform's look and features.

Then, Tapttitude developed and implemented the platform. They help us manage the marketplace, advising us on services and maintaining them such as Twilio, AWS, and Heroku.

What is the team composition?

We have a main point of contact — Ioana (Product Manager) — who is our project manager. On average, we’ve had 4–5 resources supporting this project.

How did you come to work with Tapptitude?

We found Tapptitude through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $250,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Tapptitude around April 2019, and our partnership’s ongoing. If we need a specific enhancement or solution, we turn to them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They earned our trust because their team built the platform properly. Their team delivered more than we initially expected. They also think outside of the box.

It’s not fair to use the outcome of the project itself to assess their work because we launched the project in a complicated moment. But I can rate their work based on the accuracy of their development estimates.

During the initial planning phase, we estimated the total cost of work and came within a 20% margin of our estimate. From this point of view, their team assessed the initial workload well. It wasn’t a closed solution, so we made changes throughout the project.

How did Tapptitude perform from a project management standpoint?

We met with them every Tuesday and Thursday. If needed, we had additional meetings during the week. We set up a ticket system, which we didn’t use often. Instead, we reached out to them via Skype. Their team quickly addressed our concerns. While it could’ve been a better approach to use the ticket system, we stuck to a more casual approach through Skype, which worked.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciate the quality of their suggestions. Their knowledge of existing services in the market allows us to avoid the development of custom solutions, which saves time and money. Usually, the existing services address the problem. Their knowledge of tools and how to keep costs low is their greatest strength.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Reporting is their only area for improvement. The work was delivered reliably, but it’s important for us to see figures clearly. Luckily, we trusted them. But it would be good for them to focus on creating professional reports.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They know how to guide and organize the engagement to reach your goals. If you want proper reports, set up those tools at the beginning of the project because it isn’t their strongest point. They tend to do more informal reporting.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a food delivery company, and I’m one of the co-founders and the CEO. We’re like a lot of food delivery platforms out there, but we have more of a B2B slant.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tapptitude?

We’ve worked with them for several years on various parts of our native software application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the beginning of the project, we sent them generic descriptions of what we wanted and they helped us come up with wireframes. Initially, it started out as an MVP for iOS. Over time, they’ve helped us build out the frontend for iOS and Android. They’ve also integrated the backend through the web, so we can access and track different things. It was predominately Node.js and React.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is our project manager, who has been great. We also speak to one of the co-founders and COO fairly frequently as well. the team itself consists of 6–8 people based on what we’re working on.

How did you come to work with Tapptitude?

We came across them on Clutch. We developed to a few other development agencies shortlisted on Clutch, and we’ve had several people recommend them to us. It just seemed like the best balance between technical capability, experience, and price.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £85,000 lbs (approximately $105,000 USD)

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve deployed the apps, and they’ve been live for a few months. We’ve had some testing sessions where all of the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Everything works the way it was designed to and how they promised it would. Design-wise, the feedback has been positive as well. Everyone has been happy with the outcome. It’s intuitive, easy to use, and looks the part as well.

How did Tapptitude perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Trello to monitor and manage the project. On a day-to-day basis, we used Slack to communicate with our project manager and the rest of the team as well. We had numerous phone calls with them so we were on the same page. My co-founder and I went out to meet with them in person and go over the elements of the project too.

They were great, we could always get ahold of them or schedule a call on the same day. We had absolutely no issues with deadlines. They delivered what they promised us, and if we asked for a last-minute change, they did their best to accommodate us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The interest they took in our business and the elevel they wanted to understand our business as a whole to build a product. We found that they were the only team that we spoke to who understood what we were trying to do, while other didn’t understand what our goals were. As a result, Tapptitude was able to offer us advice which helped us build a better product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

What you get out of it is the same as what you put in. With Tapptidude in particular, they make a concerted effort to understand what we were doing, so as long as you portray your goals clearly, you’ll be happy with the results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’ve recently taken part in a MedTech program at a university. Shortly, I’ll be founding a company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tapptitude?

I was participating in a college program. It was a hackathon to challenge mental health, well-being, and happiness. My team had a lot of psychological knowledge but didn’t know how to translate that into technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The program was a six-month tech accelerator program that focused on getting universal academic knowledge exchanged into entrepreneurial programs. I was partnered with a psychologist, and for five months, we worked together researching university student health and well-being. We were also on grant working with the university.

Tapptitude developed a prototype for a mobile app that would be an AR game. The app functions using positive psychology interventions to foster well-being. Our product designer was multilingual, so the plan was to develop the app in multiple languages.

What is the team composition?

My point of contact was their business development manager. He had a team of developers based elsewhere, but he met with us in the UK.

How did you come to work with Tapptitude?

I attended a product discovery workshop at the college’s hackerspace in the UK. I met a company there that worked with us on product development, user experience, and flows. When we knew that we wanted to build an app, they recommended Tapptitude.

The business development manager understood the space, which is quite tricky. There had to be a good understanding of mental health and well-being. The team at Tapptitude had an exceptional understanding of what we were trying to achieve.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost around £25,000 (approximately $32,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We were introduced to Tapptitude in early July, and the showcase where we presented at the college was in September 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Tapptitude did an excellent and extraordinary job for us. Since we were presenting to a university, our primary success was the presentation. What we showed at the showcase was enough that we can take the next step in development.

This was a unique partnership because it isn’t the typical entrepreneurial journey where funds can be raised frequently. The team at Tapptitude worked well with us and our tight timeline.

How did Tapptitude perform from a project management standpoint?

At our first meeting, we explained our goals and strict deadline. Our point of contact was superb, researching the whole area before coming back with a comprehensive Google Doc with key points. This document helped align our goals. We stuck to it, and there were no issues or delays.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Coming from a non-technical background, their team did an excellent job of explaining concepts and processes to me. They weren’t condescending about it. I came with a wealth of psychology knowledge that they were enthusiastic about. Their team was excited to learn about different markets and segments.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Initially, the only issue was their invoicing, which we needed in pounds because of the university. As soon as I told them, they adapted. The team at Tapptitude was adaptable in various aspects.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask for their dedicated business development manager.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Cityhive, a residential referral platform. Our platform allows landlords or apartment owners to oboard their buildings, units, and residents to incentivize their residents to help fill vacancies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Archbolt: Venture Studio?

We needed to take our theoretical idea and turn it into a product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Archbolt: Venture Studio developed a web app for us. Through a handful of strategy sessions, they came up with an execution and business plan. Development started from there. 

They built out our backend, which is our technological backbone, from scratch. Their team was also responsible for the frontend, including UX, graphics, design, and the overall feel. They wrote the application in HTML and CSS. Their team also used Ruby on Rails. The application platform was also linked to various third party sites.

What is the team composition?

We work directly with two members of the Archbolt: Venture Studio team. Initially, it was four or five people on the strategy and advisory side, but when we moved to the development phase, we worked with these two people.

How did you come to work with Archbolt: Venture Studio?

We found Archbolt: Venture Studio through a marketing site. They came well recommended so we contacted them. After meeting up and getting a good vibe from their pitch, we chose to work with them in the consultation phase. Eventually, we chose them to build up the project as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested between $125,000–$150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Archbolt: Venture Studio began in July 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product is done and we’re going to market next week. We had as positive of an experience as it gets. We’re very happy with everything they’ve provided.

How did Archbolt: Venture Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Archbolt: Venture Studio is professional, thorough, and organized. They send out weekly updates and communicate transparently. I couldn’t ask for a better partner on this.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is well rounded. They’re young which means they’re well versed in technology and understand the latest trends. Archbolt: Venture Studio is not the kind of team that just does everything you want. Just because you’re the client doesn’t mean they won’t think through your recommendations and provide better ones when necessary. Their goal is to make sure you’re producing the best product. If that means they have to push back on certain ideas to find better solutions, they will. We appreciate their honesty and candor. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re happy with everything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you want to develop a product and need a consultation advisory as well as development work, I would reach out to Archbolt: Venture Studio before you do anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and owner of My Dialogues, a mobile research platform. We have international ambitions, but our scope is confined to the Netherlands for now.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tapptitude?

We wanted to move from our initial MVP—a functional platform limited to the Netherlands—to the second version of our product—a SaaS platform that we can deploy on a global scale.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tapptitude is helping develop our app for Android and iOS devices. They also work on our platform’s web backend, database, and machine learning functionality. The team first led an audit of our existing system, evaluating what worked well and what needed to get fixed. Tapptitude then implemented analytics before started to develop the revamped platform as a SaaS tool.

What is the team composition?

We work with 6–7 people who specialize in the web, databases, apps, and other components that make up our platform.

How did you come to work with Tapptitude?

A good friend referred Tapptitude to me. They had collaborated with the Tapptitude team for over a year, and the experience went well. I also ended up choosing the team for my project because they seemed to understand my goals and have the technical skills to accomplish them. I wanted a partner who can do more for me than develop.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2019, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Tapptitude has reduced many of the stumbling blocks in our old system. We now have a stable platform with analytics that keeps track of bugs and performance. We’re currently working together to build a new system, moving from an app to a SaaS system.

How did Tapptitude perform from a project management standpoint?

We have daily communication with Tapptitude—even if it’s just a 10-minute call—to talk about what’s going on and what we need to do for the day. Our teams communicate through Skype, Jira, Slack, and Google Docs. Tapptitude is highly professional, staying on top of every message and taking the initiative to fix any issues. Their team’s style of project management is a positive change compared to my experience working with other development firms.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Tapptitude meets every deadline and ensures that we stay under budget. They’ve dug deep into our product, making it their own and figuring out how they can add value. The team came up with many ideas on their own to improve our platform. This level of partnership distinguishes Tapptitude from other companies I’ve collaborated with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can only think of one thing: The project manager we worked with at the beginning of the project left Tapptitude, so we had to onboard a new project manager. That took an extra 1–2 weeks to get them up to speed, but Tapptitude took on the cost of those hours. This isn’t something I hold against them. People leave companies all the time, and if it were my employee, I’d have the same delays.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for an app developer that helps founders translate their vision into products with high growth strategies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tapptitude?

We were trying to build a complex e-commerce platform in which the requirements weren’t fully defined by the client.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with Tapptitude on numerous projects. In this instance, they developed an iOS app while working in an agile iterative basis. Their team educated us on the potential risks involved so that the end-client could make good decisions about the architecture. 

What is the team composition?

Our main points of contact are Alexandru (Project Manager, Tapptitude) and Lucian (Operational Manager, Tapptitude), but we also work with a team of engineers. 

How did you come to work with Tapptitude?

We found Tapptitude on Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2018, and the work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The code of the app was reviewed, passing with stellar marks. Given the circumstances, Tapptitude has been fantastic. They created a strong product. At this time, the app is live and is doing everything the end-client was looking for. 

How did Tapptitude perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate with the Tapptitude team over Slack and they are fairly responsive. Anytime we needed something, they made sure to help get it done. The project was planned out in two-week sprints, which they executed accordingly. This enabled us to make progress while minimizing bottlenecks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of their code is phenomenal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although we have a good partnership with Tapptitude, sometimes it feels like the project managers and the rest of the team has a lot going on. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to communicate with them. If you’re feeling a certain way, bring it up. The Tapptitude team will do what they can to make it right. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO and CTO of Palate Wizards, LLC, a company that provides technology and marketing services for beverage alcohol retailers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tapptitude?

We needed someone to create an app for beverage alcohol retailers nationwide.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re building an e-commerce platform for the beverage alcohol, liquor industry, specifically for small retailers. We do marketing services on the platform including notifications, targeting various elements of recommendations, advertising, video, sponsorships, and more. We make money by selling to producers.

They developed our Android and iOS apps using native code. They also helped design the apps.

What is the team composition?

There’s a project manager, an iOS developer, an Android developer, a few designers, and QA people. The QA and design resources can change from time to time depending on what they’re developing for me.

How did you come to work with Tapptitude?

They did mobile development for us during a previous project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2015 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The apps work well and we’re happy with everything Tapptitude produced. They’re great UI/UX designers and they have a good feel for how the apps work and how the consumers interact with them.

How did Tapptitude perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked in an agile development process with two-week sprints. We monitored the progress and activity using Google Meetup once or twice a week and Trello to follow the project on a daily basis.

Their project manager is an excellent communicator. They have an outstanding response time for fixing any issues. They all understand English very well and understand the issues with software development. I can’t think of a better team to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their speed and efficiency at the price they charge is second to none. I’ve been in mobile development for almost 10 years and they’re the best I’ve experienced.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The time difference is sometimes challenging. However, the project manager is great at accommodating us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you understand how an agile development process works.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm the CEO and founder of Artfare. Our platform helps artists and galleries develop a following and sell their art by connecting with collectors and patrons.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Archbolt focused more on technical implementation than UX design. Another agency made a lot of the creative aspects. Both providers worked together to establish processes for the user experience and how to implement the product vision in a technical way. 

They programmed the native iOS app in Node.js and Swift. The Stripe Connect payment integration they added to the platform was quite complicated. A special feature they helped to build out was an augmented reality experience using ARKit.  

What is the team composition?  

We worked most closely with the CEO, who checked in with us on a weekly basis. They assigned us both a primary and backup project manager, and we got to know both of them quite well. 

The head of technology was based here in New York, while the rest of the development engineers were in Romania.

How did you come to work with Archbolt? 

My co-founder had worked with them in the past when he was running a small tech consultancy in New York. During our initial conversations, we were impressed by how quickly they established an understanding of our vision as it related to the product. They brought thoughtful proposals on the technology architecture to the table. 

How much have you invested with them? 

So far, we have spent $1,000,000.  

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working together in April 2018 and have an ongoing engagement. 

SOLUTION

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

Archbolt built us the best app ever for discovering and buying art. Our platform is live at this point. It's still early in the process, but we currently have 150 artists on board. 

We've gotten positive metrics that indicate users like the product, such as a five-star average rating on the App Store and 10,000 app downloads.

How did Archbolt perform from a project management standpoint? 

Archbolt has performed quite well from a project management and communications standpoint. Most of our communication happens through Slack. They're structured and organized for maximum efficiency.  

At the end of every week, they send us a recap in an email. They use client-facing Trello for planning and ticketing to keep us up to date on progress with development and our current priorities. The developers use a different type of software, too.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Being a cost-effective solution differentiates Archbolt from the competition.  As a small business, they're nimble and flexible. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, I don't think so. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Early on, I suggest getting familiar with the team's communications process. If you engage with them and stay active, everything should work out well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and product manager for DineMarket, a B2B marketplace that connects restaurants with their vendors. It compares pricing and automates purchasing. I’m in charge of the technology development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tapptitude?

We hired Tapptitude to build our mobile application for Android and iOS.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After discussing the business requirements, we worked with Tapptitude to design the mobile product for our customers’ needs. Based on the specifications, they implemented the app for iOS and Android. We had our designers, but Tapptitude took care of the UX. Their team used JavaScript for Android and Swift for iOS.

The app has various roles, as a complete B2B marketplace. Employees of restaurants can go into the app and view their order, as well as easily purchase merchandise from one or many vendors. They can pay by credit card, check, or other methods. At one point, we also had an offline mode for building the inventory for the restaurants. Vendors can also view the same app. They can log in, check their orders, and communicate with the buyer.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was our project manager. We had a dedicated developer for Android and another for iOS. In addition, we had a part-time QA tester.

How did you come to work with Tapptitude?

Someone who had worked with them before recommended Tapptitude to us. Before moving forward with them, we initially gave their team a small test.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement began in February 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We enjoy working with Tapptitude. Their professional team not only helped with coding, but with the entire creation of the product. We’re satisfied with how effectively the apps work.

How did Tapptitude perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great. We had daily contact with the developers. If we had any technical questions, they wasted no time responding. We worked in an agile manner, so everything was transparent.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We hadn’t worked with many providers, but for me, it was important that they helped build the actual product and code. Their team got extremely involved with the project, thinking of any scenarios we might have missed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always room for improvement, but I can’t think of anything major that their team needs to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tapptitude is experienced in mobile app development.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO and CFO of a fintech software company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Archbolt?

We engaged Archbolt to help us plan and design a new SaaS application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Archbolt first led an in-depth discussion with my business partners and me about our company and the past platforms we’ve developed. The team helped us define the roadmap for the application and how we can achieve a better and more unique customer experience—a major goal for this project. 

After leading several joint application design sessions and whiteboarding workshops, they help design the application and the user experience. Archbolt created wireframes that we then turned over to our in-house and offshore developers to build. Once we had an MVP, the team took another look at it with us, helping make tweaks and bringing it closer to an optimal product

Archbolt also assisted with a rebranding project. They helped us redesign the application and then our website and company brand.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people: Matt (CEO, Archbolt), a project manager, a partner, and a person to help gather information.

How did you come to work with Archbolt?

The team helped me and my wife release a mobile application as a personal project. They provided design input and helped built and publish the end product. I thought that they would be a valuable partner to design and plan my company’s new SaaS platforms.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2017–March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform has launched and received positive feedback on its user experience as well as its look and feel. Archbolt helped us achieve the product we first envisioned. We couldn’t have done it without their insights and design help.

How did Archbolt perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was highly responsive to our feedback and questions. They kept in contact regularly as well. On occasion, they delivered work more slowly than we would have liked, but we also held to an aggressive timeline. We’re overall satisfied with the collaboration.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Archbolt offered valuable perspectives throughout the process. As the discussion went along, they shifted from a high-level strategic view to more tactical advice, such as how to minimize the number of clicks and screens a user has to navigate.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their team had a top-notch approach to handling our project. However, Archbolt could build more flexibility into that process and tailor it more closely to customers’ needs.

Any advice for potential customers?

Define your objectives and goals as clearly as possible. Know what you would define as a successful project in advance. Archbolt will help you achieve your vision.