TechAhead

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the principal at Innate Agency. We're a Fintech company that specializes in the insurance sector. We do everything from backend technology to ancillary product development, with web and mobile interface development as well.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

Our client in Australia needed some apps developed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked on native apps for both iOS and Android. We provided the scope, the business requirements, the wireframes, and the creative, while they took care of the backend development.

It's primarily a travel assistance app. The client is a travel insurance provider and they wanted to provide their customers with a couple of different features. They have a monitoring service around the world that sends alerts based on what is happening. For example, if there is civil unrest, a terrorism alert, or a natural disaster, the user receives a push notification. There's also a direct communication module that allows tracking users on the map. There will also be general information about the health issues, types of vaccinations, or visas that people might need when preparing for travel, and assistance for users already abroad, as needed

What is the team composition?

I work with Nitish (Assistant Manager, Tech Ahead) on the business development side of things, and another person from a project management standpoint.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

Working with local resources was extremely cost prohibitive, so we went looking for a more cost-effective outsourcing option. I'm not sure exactly how we found them; it was definitely outreach on their part. We vetted them and they seemed to be a viable option. After some communication, we decided to do a project with them.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $30,000 on this app.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2017 and the work is ongoing. We're currently working on a major update, and they're working on some other apps for us as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s been highly reliable. The only negative user feedback we had was when there was a slight hiccup with the Android features, but it could have been on us as well.

If any bugs have come up, they're responsive and willing to jump in and edit things. Our client isn’t the most organized, so continues to come up with additional feedback or edits, and TechAhead consistently is willing to make those edits. I don’t feel like I am getting nickel-and-dimed.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been fine. We tend to communicate with email and Skype, and the latter has been really effective. They are willing to take one-to-one or team calls to help resolve things. They do a good job of filling in the gaps and like to keep the project moving. They're good at being proactive from that standpoint, which has been nice.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are willing to work through things. I have a fair amount of experience in the web world and marketing, but apps aren’t my strong suit, and they've done a nice job of letting me ask simple questions. It's been relatively collaborative from that standpoint.

I can count on them to take a little bit of information and give me a ballpark, so I can start the conversation on my side. They are willing to continue to have that conversation until we get the project going.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I spoke to their CEO about them trying to be more proactive. It would be great if I had someone giving me suggestions about how we could do things better. They fulfill our requests well, but it would be helpful and beneficial if I could also get someone giving suggestions from a strategy standpoint. I realize that they are a service provider and their job is to do what I ask them to do, which they do.

Also, the payment mechanism is a bit of a hassle as they require wire transfers. I'm fine with their prices going up a bit because they're responsive and what they do is good. However, at some point, as it gets closer to what I can get in the U.S., we have to weigh some of the other criteria.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have your requirements be as tight as possible and really think through all the interactions so they have a really clear roadmap.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a program manager for Water, Air, Food Awards, which is a global nonprofit that solicits projects and initiatives around the world that are making substantial and impressive contributions to resource sustainability.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

We had an outdated and ineffective website that was difficult to maintain. We needed a complete rebranding of our online presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechAhead prepared the wireframes for the site, which took a couple iterations, and we discussed what features and functionality we wanted the site to feature. Chief among our priorities was making the application process available online and making the public voting process simplified and more secure as people decide on their favorite projects. Our site is based on WordPress and features PHP custom applications. They helped us craft ways to promote fundraising and our sponsors and contributors.

What is the team composition?

We worked with an account manager along with a team of about five developers and marketing strategists.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

They were recommended to our president by a colleague who had a successful project with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $29,760.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our negotiations in November 2017, and our website went live in May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve kept a close eye on our site with Google Analytics since our launch, and we’re happy with the results. We now feel our company has a really good tool to promote these important projects. Public voting for those projects began in June, and the website performed really well.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

We stayed well-organized by using Basecamp and Google tools.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have been so responsive, kind, and available. They’re mostly based in India, and a lot of our staff is in Denmark, so they have put in several late nights on the phone with us. We have really appreciated that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We didn’t have a tight focus on mobile development when we started the project. TechAhead is competent with mobile tasks, but our initial strategy for this project did not take advantage of that.

Any advice for potential customers?

As with any project, it’s best to be as clear as you can on your requirements from the start. Otherwise, I would simply recommend using TechAhead. They cleared up a lot of confusion that we brought to the table, so I would encourage trusting them with a project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

All insurance companies have a back-office arm. We provide various backend support services like roadside, travel, and health insurance to the customers. I was a consulting CIO for the India operation. Then I became a regional program manager for a very ambitious initiative for the group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

We wanted a good, long-term development partner. We wanted a technically enabled partner who could develop a digital platform for us that included mobile apps and a backend web portal.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechAhead developed our digital platform for us for one of our businesses. They gave us a few apps to meet our business requirements. Then we wanted to have a lot of backend to support those apps. Over a period of 2 years, we have also developed a web portal which shares to the frontend mobile apps. It’s a full digital model for one our business models to digitalize manual processes into a digital platform. The apps are in iOS and Android and are mainly native apps.

We provide roadside assistance services in a digital model where you can use digital GPRS [General Packet Radio Service] location-based services to identify the fastest and most effective support model for the customers. The portal is LAMP [Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP] technologies.

What is the team dynamic?

We have a dedicated team working for us within the company. I interacted closely with the delivery head/project manager, and I also communicate with the resources dedicated to us. It’s important to know their capabilities, monitor their tasks closely, and to track their services and the agreed scope of work. They had a resource pool of PHP resources, iOS developers, UI developers, QA, as well as an Android development team. There were 8-9 resources engaged on average across all these platforms.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

We had a very detailed evaluation process, and TechAhead met most of our requirements. They focused on mobile apps, mobility, and digital technology. We wanted a company that was purely focused on this. They were also small, nimble, and flexible in terms of working in a different order to suit our requirements. They were rated highly and showed applicable experience.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested $200,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s too early to have metrics. We’ve gone live with the first country. It’s a regional initiative, so we’re going live gradually with other countries. There will be at least 100+ business users within 1 country who extend the service to their customers. The number of users in the system has been more than 500. If we have multiple countries, there would be 500–700 or more business users who extend the service to their customers per coountry. There are more customers on the portal side.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re good technology-oriented people, but formal project management is something that they could improve on. It’s not bad, but it could be improved. We have a sprint type of project management. We give requirements in sprints, and they deliver either a sole version or a new version of the platform. It’s a combination of waterfall and Agile methodology. They can ramp up quickly, and they’re flexible in their resourcing. If we need more iOS or more Android developers, we get those skills whenever we need them.

The project managers need more experience and continuity. We’ve had a change of project managers 2 times in the last 2 years.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are good with technology. They deliver on time and are flexible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should have more of a consulting approach. They need to improve their project management skills. We have driven them very closely as a business from a project management perspective. The expectation is that they will become a more consultant-based organization rather than order takers. They need more formality in their processes. They also need to improve their UI skills.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have good technical skills and the newest technologies. The company can ramp up depending on the requirements of the customers. On the other side, they need close supervision. Continuous engagement with the delivery personnel is important.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide integrated service management offerings that are comprehensive and standardized for full lifecycle services, covering the the full spectrum of ICT [information & communications technologies] & cloud solutions.

I served as the internal project manager for this project

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what reason(s) did your company hire TechAhead?

They are extremely professional and the best in their work. I would say they are incredibly communicative and timely. The time and cost estimates they gave us were very accurate and the best part is that they were actually able to deliver on their promises.

What were your goals for this project?

Our vision was to develop our own powerful internal communications and management tool for our organization for effective team communication as well as for managing other important activities like task management, performance management, etc. I am grateful to TechAhead for doing an amazing job for us.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We did research and contacted various app development companies and after discussing our project and possible approaches, we felt very confident that they’d be able to deliver what we needed.

What was the team composition?

Team composition was based on our requirement. They have a large team available and they have taken care of everything very professionally.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have recently launched this application internally and it is working seamlessly. We are happy that have we have been able to achieve what we expected thanks to TechAhead. They are truly top-notch.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between our teams was very effective. They did a phenomenal job.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Apart from being highly responsive and timely, the best part about them is they really focus on understanding the project concept and help their clients to nurture their idea by giving their expert advice. Also, they are very transparent in terms communication and always kept us up to date.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They really excel in their work in each and every way so I don't see any area for improvements. I'm highly satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Whizooh, which is an early stage startup aiming to build a problem-solving game that measures current mental performance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

We used TechAhead to build a mobile app for our startup. The original challenge was building the app itself and testing it to make sure all the settings were accurate in measuring mental performance. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As the founder, I had designed the test/game and written all the questions and rules – then engaged TechAhead to build the mobile app. They designed and built a native mobile app for iOS and Android. 

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

We chose TechAhead because it was clear that they would provide a higher quality app with fees that were within our budget. I had contacted various tech service companies but I chose TechAhead because they seemed to offer the best package for native mobile applications. We were considering cheaper firms that would have offered hybrid technology but were convinced that a native application was best – and TechAhead seemed to offer the best quality development at a competitive cost. 

How much have you invested with them?

It’s been around $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

This project is ongoing, but a first version was developed in July 2017. It took around 6 weeks to complete.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are currently beta testing the app, but so far the app works smoothly and has had minimal bugs. We are hoping to launch an MVP very soon after further development with TechAhead. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is very professional, communicative, and fast. We would definitely recommend TechAhead. They built a world-class app for us at an affordable price. The team was always available and worked fast to deliver a quick launch. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not at all, I am a first-time entrepreneur but I was really satisfied with the services offered by TechAhead. They guided me through the process brilliantly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Tattoo Planet, a social network for tattoo shops, artists, and anyone interested in the tattoo world. It brings everyone together. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

I had the basics of the app already, but it wasn’t complete. I was using another team and tried to launch the app, but I wasn’t satisfied. I wanted to find a new provider after I saw my friend’s app that TechAhead built, which was amazing. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I started working with TechAhead, I was satisfied to the point that we released the first version. When I met them, the app was 5% done, but it’s now 30% done. The app is not completed yet because we are working through new versions.

The app is available for iOS currently and will be built for Android in the future. I work with TechAhead for most of the week. I have meetings with them, so I know them well by now.

TechAhead assigned 3 resources for this project: a designer, a backend developer, and someone who’s working on the app. When things need to be done by a certain time, they add people to get the job done. They’re a great, hard-working team.

What features did they work on?

There were a lot of requirements. Mostly, we’re building mapping and live-messaging features where users can communicate and share photos. Users can search the map for nearby shops and artists registered on the app. They can post pictures and videos to their profiles, manage scheduling, and choose a specific artist to contact. TechAhead also made a consent form from scratch, which I’m very happy with.

Once users select an artist to do their tattoo, they can schedule an appointment through the app. They can choose a specific artist at a shop and see their profiles and the work they’ve done. The consent form can be filled out in the app, which makes appointments easy. When you arrive at the appointment, the preliminary steps are done, so you don’t waste time waiting, and the artist doesn’t waste time writing the consent forms by hand.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

A friend referred TechAhead to me after showing me his app that they’d made.

How much have you invested with TechAhead?

We have spent $30,000 with them so far. The pricing is unbelievable.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2017, and the project is ongoing. It’s an endless project. We will continue to keep building and fixing bugs. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

TechAhead does amazing work. I’m proud to work with them, and I’m so happy that I met them. People are downloading the app, but it only launched a week ago, so I don’t have any metrics yet. We have over 40 shops registered, and some major tattoo shops and artists want to work with us, which is a great success. People are very interested in and excited about the product and told us they’ve been waiting for something like this to happen.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

A manager goes through all the tasks that need to be done based on our schedule. I’m amazed that they’re awake at certain times to get the job done. We use Slack and Skype for communication. We get daily updates, send messages and photos, and connect to every person who’s working on the project. The team notifies me about what’s been done and what’s in the pipeline.  

What did you find most impressive about TechAhead?

They have great UX skills and made the app as user-friendly as possible. We didn’t have any major challenges, but they did everything I asked. TechAhead found a solution for every request.

Are there any areas TechAhead could improve?

I haven’t noticed any areas where they can improve. They’re already an accomplished company, and their professional team can work on any project. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I am the founder of a company that simplifies construction industry communications and reporting. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

I wanted to build a full website and mobile application software that was interconnected and used cloud services to store images. Through user inputs via the mobile application and the website, customers will be able to create a report each day through the software. I needed help with UX/UI design, coding the entire platform, and building administrative management capabilities.

Construction professionals have to complete a job site report each day about safety issues, weather, and anything that happened on the job site. They also have to update the entry pictures and text to explain what happened on the job site. Typically, this used to be done by hand, but we wanted to create a solution where construction workers could use their mobile phone or tablet throughout the day to take pictures and let the app compile a report to simplify the process. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

TechAhead built a native Android and iOS app as well as our website in a simultaneous process. They’ve assigned 2 teams to work on our project. As we went through the different versions, they’ve become similar and really feel like the same app. TechAhead is building an admin panel for the backend of the website to manage all the customers as well as a client-side website. I know they’re using HTML and Java but not sure beyond that.

On our website, there’s a frontend that’s for marketing. TechAhead designed that part and are building it out. Their design is so gorgeous it blew my mind. Then, users are able to log in and create reports using all the inputs on the website. We’re building a whole section that lets users customize how the reports look. Making that feature has been pretty complicated.

Users can also pull up their old reports, and the app will be able to store images in a photo gallery. TechAhead had great ideas for all those designs and really helped me through that process.

I’ve got an almost fully functional app and website already. At this point, we’re just fine-tuning things.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

I vetted about 10 companies in the United States as well as 10 international companies. Two or 3 of those were Clutch reviews, including TechAhead. After talking to different companies, TechAhead was at the top of our list. They had a good price point. It wasn’t the lowest price point, but I wanted to choose a firm that could properly execute my vision. I looked into some of the apps that TechAhead had built in the past, and they’d actually created reporting inputs on a mobile device. They also had a construction app with a ton of different inputs to monitor different things. I felt confident that they’d be able to execute the project properly. I felt comfortable working with their price point, and it gave me a little extra budget if I needed to work on the design and stuff like that. They’re really skilled in their designs and provide impressive work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2017, and the work is ongoing. We'll continue to work with TechAhead to add features and improve this product. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I actually used to work for a company that had a mobile construction app, so I have a list of people who’ll help me beta test. I’ve asked a few of them who work in the industry to go through the mobile application and I’ve gotten extremely good feedback from them. As far as the functionality goes, I figured I had a good grasp on what customers need, but they’ve been really impressed with the design. The app is really easy to navigate and looks clean. I have to give TechAhead almost 100% of the credit for that because I had the framework laid out, but I had no idea how to make it look.

TechAhead has exceeded my expectations on this project. They have been great at taking my vision and making it a reality.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve worked closely with 2 people at TechAhead, and they’ve really understood my needs and executed on a high level. They made sure that an experienced project manager was available for my project as well. That was advantageous because he was familiar with the construction industry. I also work with a lead developer coordinator.

We have a phone call every week and email 3–4 times every week. We also use Skype. They send me the credentials to test the application and the website. They’ve been easy to communicate with, which surprised me. I haven’t worked with an international team before, so I was a little worried about language barriers, but it’s been a breeze.

What distinguishes TechAhead from other providers?

TechAhead provides everything I need and exceeded my expectations with their suggestions and designs. The great communication between our teams has led to solid service and a good understanding of the project. I would highly recommend TechAhead to anyone in need of a website or mobile app.

Is there anything TechAhead could have improved or done differently?

No. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a startup in the education apps business, developing products for kids in first to fifth grades. We have a set of 10 apps that TechAhead is helping us build. They help kids learn science through gamification, so the overall idea is not to stress them with difficult manuals and to make kids enjoy learning.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

TechAhead has been our technology partner from the start.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechAhead helped us create the full technology stack, consisting of our iOS phone and tablet apps for all five grades, both free and paid versions. They have also helped us on the backend with analytics, building a notifications framework, and so on. We handle customer support ourselves.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

I visited Clutch.co, as well as a few other sites, found some companies, and spoke to their salespeople. We asked TechAhead and two other vendors each helped us with the initial prototyping process, and TechAhead's prototype was the best. 

How much have you invested with TechAhead?

The cost of TechAhead's work has been under $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with TechAhead 12-14 months ago. The initial two-month period was dedicated to prototype development. They are still our partner, but the amount of work has decreased now that 80-90% of the work is done.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We initially contacted TechAhead for the development of a single app, but we engaged them for more and more work. They eventually delivered almost all10 apps. Our core business is dependent on the mobile area, and we wouldn't exist without these apps. TechAhead has definitely helped us be successful.

The apps have a few hundred thousand downloads. We see around 15,000 downloads for each app, per month, with a total of around 70,000 per item.

What did you find most impressive about TechAhead?

Initially, I was skeptical of working with TechAhead, but they have a good team of developers, and it seems that they are a good company with full-stack capabilities. After reviewing TechAhead's initial work, we found that they could also build and manage our backend well. Their members know their job well, and have competencies outside of the mobility part, in terms of analytics, notification systems, machine learning, and so on.

Are there any areas TechAhead could improve?

TechAhead could improve in terms of timelines.

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

The mobility business has changed dramatically in the last few years. When engaging a provider, customers should consider whether they're a full-stack developer, or can only work as a mobile partner. The partner should be able to do everything, as far as the product is concerned. I feel that TechAhead was able to meet all our needs.

BACKGROUND

We are a products company serving over 700 organizations worldwide. We sell enterprise collaboration products for employees and boards of directors. I am the Co-Founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

We needed to go mobile for an employee collaboration platform. The target market was banks and credit unions in North America. The end game here was to stay current on our offering, increase customer engagement and improve customer saturation.

SOLUTION

TechAhead helped us make mobile applications for specific needs our customers had. They were involved from design to development and testing. The project is ongoing.

They handled both iOS and Android applications. I originally found TechAhead from a personal referral from some friends, but I also knew their CEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

The results are very good. They really did a good job and kept us within budget and on time. That is a rare example of going far beyond the initial promise. They have a very process oriented approach and allowed us to work with our agile development cycles with their team working in sync.

The system is live and is being used by a few customers. It is being used internally and it's great. We are deciding whether or not to launch as is or expand it more first. Our team and initial users were very excited by its functionality.

We had some growing pains at first but after 2 months, we were into a great cadence. We knew after that initial 2 months of struggles that it was going to be a great collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

FitChirp is a positive, educational, and collaborative health and fitness community. At FitChirp, we believe that proactive health is incredibly important and should have its own platform and community that is dedicated toward supporting the development of quality health information and connecting individuals with trusted proactive health professionals.

I am CEO and founder of FitChirp, based out of Palo Alto, California. I am a personal trainer and fitness expert myself, having years of experience in health and fitness industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

At FitChirp, we were trying to create a proactive health community where individuals can source proactive health information easily while collaborating with health professionals and other health-driven individuals from around the world. I was searching for a mobile application development company to meet the needs we had, see our vision, and bring our app idea to life.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had developed all the designs and flows, then TechAhead strategized and organized the strategy of the completion of the apps. We kept in weekly phone communication. If more was needed, it was done.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

We found TechAhead through numerous searches and investigating mobile app development companies on the web. Through a series of discussions, we determined TechAhead was the best fit for us among the companies we short-listed based on the work they did in the past and our conversations with them. They understood what we were trying to achieve with the apps and that they would be able to create them for us.

How much have you invested with TechAhead?

We have spent between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

TechAhead managed the developmental process once they received the necessary flows and information. The project lasted 6-7 months, and I currently still am using TechAhead for the development of the next phase of the app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have received a lot of positive feedback from users for the apps on both the App Store and Google Play store. People have loved the apps and said they wished it was present from the start, so they could have been more proactive about their health and fitness sooner.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

TechAhead's managers have been great, always keeping us in the loop with maximum transparency, and their development processes were executed very efficiently.

TechAhead had great communication and, when needed, they came in with some ideas and strategies to solve any issues that came up. The team that was assigned to my project worked hard and when necessary went the extra mile to meet a deadline or solve any issues.

What did you find most impressive about TechAhead?

I was happy with the communication, especially keeping in mind the fact that the development was being done in India.