TechAhead

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.

BACKGROUND

My company works in the education domain. We provide enterprise solutions to schools, which help them bring efficiency in the operations and help them take decisions pertaining to the teaching and learning outcomes.

I'm one of the co-founders of my company, and I take care of the sales and servicing aspect of business in the Middle East Asia and North Africa region. I'm based out of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

TechAhead developed mobile apps, which helped the schools improve the communication between the school and the parent community. It facilitated multiple advantages to the teachers to record student attendance, capture anecdotal records, and communicate with parents.

Similarly, it allowed the parents to have instant access to the teachers and staff of the school. The parents had a complete view of the attainment and progress of their child. They could have a clear view of the topics being taught along with the learning outcomes.

SOLUTION

We had a complex solution already running for schools. With the advent of mobile tech, it was imperative for us to have a robust mobile-based app to compliment what we already had as a browser-based application.

We looked out for mobile app development company on Google, and we initially considered three companies. Based on the reviews of TechAhead and our visit and interaction with the team at their development center in Noida, we were convinced about their ability to develop a successful mobile app around the existing browser-based application.

The team sat with our project managers, understood the complete flow came up with wireframes, workflows, and ultimately the product. The entire task was completed in a time span of six calendar months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

The team at TechAhead has been fantastic in the support given to us. They worked diligently to ensure that the app was ready in time and within the budget.

I would happily recommend TechAhead to anyone who needs to work with a trustworthy company. They have the ability to understand the requirement and deliver the solution, in spite of the multiple complexities that are involved. The apps are live on Apple App Store and Google Play Store, and we are very happy with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
Field Automated Communication Systems (FACS) is an industry leader in cloud-based construction management software. We offer an array of project management solutions that replace outdated field, cost, and document management systems. As a result, our products help eliminate the constant delay in information as well as redundant work. Our clients are construction project owners, project managers, field employees, and contractors. We understand that every organization has a different workflow so we focus on learning how our clients operate. This ensures that we provide them with a cloud-based solution that satisfies all of their needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

FACS is based in the very competitive Bay Area technology market. At the time, we were having great difficulty finding qualified native iOS programmers. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project included designing and developing a native iPhone application. We have a very detailed SaaS application that we need to move down into the mobile iOS environment. Initially, we asked TechAhead to build a limited iPhone app. We are now using their services to convert our app so that it will work on the iPad as well.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

We found TechAhead online. After a few phone calls, we realized they knew exactly what they were doing.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first project with TechAhead has been completed. We are still working with them to expand our app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The work product they provided matched the scope. They also included suggested improvements. They were very helpful throughout the design, development, and testing process. They provided very detailed notes. TechAhead also had a very fast response time to questions and feedback. We found them very easy to work with.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

TechAhead’s project manager was very helpful throughout the entire process, guiding us to ensure we took the correct path. The project stayed on schedule.

What did you find most impressive about TechAhead?

TechAhead came in and saved the day! They are very easy to work with and very understanding of minor changes as the project moved along. 

BACKGROUND

GLEENET LLC is a Seattle-based startup providing social networking services targeting at the general public. We are as a think factory focusing on creating ideas for application development and marketing strategies, and most of the operations for production are outsourced. I am overseeing the entire process of the outsourced tasks by staying in communication with our contractors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

I needed to work with an Indian mobile app developer.

SOLUTION

I searched Google and tried to find recommendations for a development company. I also looked at TechAhead's website in order to review their portfolio. We have launched Blue Carpet application, the output of our partnership with TechAhead. They produced the application and are currently upgrading it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

TechAhead has performed well on my requests. I am very satisfied with their performance. Most of the feedback I've received informally is very positive. 

Especially, the project manager Ajay Kumar assigned to my project is readily accessible and communicated with me about the entire process. They always valued my questions and requests and didn't have issues when I pushed them to meet the deadline. They have all kinds of up-to-date solutions that make cutting-edge products.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We operate in the food tech industry, providing a mobile app for restaurants. I am the CEO [Chief Executive Officer] of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

We wanted to build 2 mobile apps, from frontend to backend. The challenge has been to develop a merchant panel with complex backend, along with complex iOS and Android apps.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechAhead built our apps for Android and iOS, as well as a web panel for restaurants, enabling clients to log in, post discounts, create profiles, upload pictures, enter business information and hours of operation, etc. The backend was quite sophisticated as well.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

I had been working with a Ukrainian company which didn't perform well. I found TechAhead through clutch.co. I contacted their team, had a conversation, and received a quote.

How much have you invested with TechAhead?

It was over $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Overall, the project took around 15 weeks to complete. We're still reviewing bugs and making additional changes. I have hired TechAhead on an ongoing basis, and I trust that they will be able to finish the work. To complete this project in such a short amount of time is a miracle to me. No other firm could even handle the technical challenge, yet alone finish this quickly.

They would literally go back to the office at 3 AM and leave bed to complete this project on time. I've never met a team that works so hard and is dedicated to their work and success.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results were amazing. TechAhead's team doesn't sleep at night. They worked around the clock, and were extremely responsible. Even during holiday evenings, they went back to the office at 3 AM, and started coding until the objective was met.

From the first version of our app on the iOS store, it has been used 96% crash-free. The feedback we've received is perfect. People like the user interface, user experience, and everything else.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

Ajay Kumar, our lead project manager, was amazing. He is good at his work, very responsible, amicable and caring. The CEO of the company is also a nice person.

What did you find most impressive about TechAhead?

I've been an executive for 14 years, and I haven't found another company that would be able to build a product like ours in 15 weeks.

Are there any areas TechAhead could improve?

Our project is a bit delayed at the moment, but that is associated with me. I've added additional functionalities throughout the project.

TechAhead has had some not so good employees, which were actually fired during the project. Overall, the team is amazing. They will get rid of anyone who isn't top notch before it affects the project greatly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I work for a company in India

What is your role?

I am a vice president here.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

Our company took on a project for a well-known brand that required a team of more than 20 designers, developers, and testers. I needed to find the resources to handle a project of this size for us. 

The app we wanted to develop was to be based on a combination of ideas present in several apps on the App Store. The biggest challenge was to keep the app usable despite the complexity of integrating multiple ideas into a single solution. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

We were 90 percent clear on what we wanted, and the suggestions the TechAhead team offered helped us reach 100 percent clarity on what was possible, and, more importantly, what was not possible.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

The search included following up on various links and, of course, a Google search. We looked at a number of companies, and the Clutch reviews were very helpful in putting together a short list. Since TechAhead has an office in Noida, and we are located in Delhi, we held a face-to-face meeting with them, along with two other firms.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

TechAhead helped us a lot in the beginning to clarify our ideas. Then, they followed a logical project management process. They provided us with milestones and always kept us in the loop. When we had questions or doubts, their team was very responsive in addressing our concerns. We, of course, have our own technical resources in-house, so we made several suggestions throughout the course of the project. They were quick to accept our suggestions, at times offering better solutions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

GeekUdyog is a startup that provides a mobile app to help users search for and identify technical talent and skills available near them. The app is community based, location based and available on-demand.

What are your position and responsibilities please?

I am the founder of GeekUdyog. I was responsible for evaluating mobile app development vendors who could develop the app for us.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

With technology impacting our lives more than ever, households are surrounded by more and more high tech gadgets and appliances. The current challenge people face is to identify available options to get those appliances installed, properly set up, serviced and fixed. But calling a technician from the company that sold or manufactured the product is highly unsatisfactory, since most companies focus more on sales than on service. As a result, customers too often experience poor response time and unsatisfactory resolution of their problem.

GeekUdyog believes this challenge could be solved by rolling out an app where Geeks in various fields could register. Then when users were faced with a problem, they could use this app to find a relevant Geek close to them to get the help they needed.

SOLUTION

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

The first thing was to search online for app developers in India. I shortlisted four vendors I found on Clutch based on their ratings and cost. These were the four I wanted to have further discussions with. I had face-to-face meetings with all four of the teams that would potentially be working on the project before finally selecting TechAhead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics, metrics or other feedback from your work with TechAhead?

Unfortunately, the TechAhead team that I met at the time of my discussions—before the contract was signed—was not the team that was actually assigned to do the work—after the contract was signed. I had no information about the team that was actually going to do the work. I had to repeat everything to a new person, who met with me alone and without a team. Time and energy were wasted. Overall, TechAhead was simply behind other developers when it comes to project management.

Furthermore, I experienced frequent changes in people assigned to the project, and the delivery milestones were not met. However, invoices were regularly received in the last week of every month. From day one, it was a very frustrating experience.

What distinguishes TechAhead from other providers?

Two things were clear. First, TechAhead showed a total lack of commitment to the project. Second, this was compounded by a striking lack of skills made even worse by a poorly defined and followed project plan.

What is the status of this engagement?

After seeing no improvement in the work of TechAhead after 75 days, I decided to terminate the engagement. 

How would you rate your overall experience collaborating with TechAhead?

Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. The Clutch ratings played a significant role in shortlisting and selecting this vendor. My trust in such ratings has been reduced. I am now excluding app development vendors listed by Clutch for my next search.