Uptech

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Sprent, an on-demand delivery application that allows customers to order items from any story in our city and have it delivered within an hour. Founded in 2016, our business relies on freelancers to deliver the goods from stored to doorsteps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uptech?

I was working with a different company to develop my app’s backend, admin panel, and both the customer- and deliverer-facing versions for iOS and Android devices. Once we finalized those dealings, we engaged Uptech to make some enhancements, handle maintenance, and continue to develop new features and fix bugs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Uptech is involved in the entire development scope for our app, mainly providing front- and backend development. We provide a basic guide of the features we’re looking for; then they draft a UI/UX design and corresponding wireframes. So far, we’ve integrated multiple extensions, including implementing a one-click answering system for push notifications, integrating Twilio as a messaging gateway and HyperPay to manage payments, and linking the app to the Google Maps API.

The market feature is the core of our application. Once we receive an order, the app determines the location and assigns the delivery to the nearest freelancer. The system provides real-time status updates, allowing customers to track their products through Google Maps.

What is the team composition?

Our primary point of contact is our project manager, Dima (Co-Founder and Team Lead, Uptech).

How did you come to work with Uptech?

While working with the previous company, we began looking for a new provider that offered a higher quality of service and better understood our business. We looked online for reputable companies that fell within our budget. We shortlisted 3­–4 companies, all located in Eastern Europe. After interviewing each, we determined that Uptech met our criteria best.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Uptech in January 2018, and it’s an ongoing collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Currently, we have a total of more than 10,000 monthly active users on both the Android and iOS apps, and we’ve completed more than 100,000 orders. Before partnering with Uptech, our crash-free rate fluctuated between 85%–90%. Now, our iOS app is 100% crash-free, and the Android rate has reached 97%. The quality of their work is fantastic; I can’t say enough good things about their service.

As we start another project, we’re considering asking Uptech to help with the development. I’m satisfied with their approach, focusing on the business itself, rather than just the development. They show a real interest in our vision and a commitment to meeting our expectations with each feature that they develop.

How did Uptech perform from a project management standpoint?

I directly interact with both the project manager and their team of developers, mainly communicating via Slack. We share our status, milestones, detailed explanations, urgent issues, and our plans for each sprint. The entire team is responsive to all of my requests.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am most impressed by how they develop a proper understanding of the business before writing any code. Also, they’re a friendly team with a great office environment. I spent two weeks in Ukraine, working with them in person.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can improve in terms of UX/UI design. The team is a bit weak in that regard, but they’re improving.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of Butter, a social app about making new friends.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Uptech?

We needed them to help update our iOS app and design a brand-new UI/UX for our Android app.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to launch a new version of our Android app and integrate new API’s for ads into our iOS app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us by a friend.

Describe the project in detail.

They worked with both Android and iOS, fixing bugs and developing new API's respectively. They also worked on UI/UX issues. 

What was the team composition?

We worked with a great mix of design, development, and QA resources.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Android bug issues have decreased nearly 90% since the new version launched, and our engagement across both apps has increased.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It’s great and it continues to be an amazing relationship. We worked collaboratively, sharing our goals and managing the project through standard project management tools.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their team has been great to work with consistently. Not only is their quality superb, but they’re always around to hunt down answers to our most pressing questions regarding product development. We love working with them and are looking forward to a long-lasting relationship.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There aren’t any that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an online subscription website that gives people great deals on flights.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uptech?

I needed to build a mobile app for my users because we only had a web version.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an idea and they created the wireframes. They managed everything that had to do with the mobile app. They planned it out, did the user interface, user experience, design work, coding, and guided us through the process. The app sends push notifications to users whenever we announce flight deals. It allows them to change their settings that are integrated with the backend of our website. We used React Native and Firebase for the push notification features.

The project is complete, but they’re helping with upkeep. They add small features and fixes as needed. We’ll be working on more changes and bigger projects in the near future with them.

What is the team composition?

There were three developers and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Uptech?

Someone I knew worked with them before and recommended them. We chose to work with them because they’re straightforward and honest. I could tell they’re a good company. I chose them over lower bids.

How much have you invested with them?

The app cost $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2017, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the U.K., we’re ranked as the second most-trending app on Google Play and have an average rating of 4.8. We're the fifth highest-grossing travel app in the App Store, and have a 4.7 average rating.

Anytime they see bugs, they take time to make sure they’re fixed.

How did Uptech perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. I’m sincerely happy with them. I’ll definitely work with them again on any projects that I’m working on in the future. We have ongoing communication with them. We use Slack and have met in person as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a young team, but very professional. They adapted well to the way I do business and I was very impressed by that. They were well suited for my project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of a company that provides a marketplace for physical therapy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uptech?

We needed Uptech for backend development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Using our wireframes and mockups, Uptech's team is building our landing page using WordPress and designed the UX/UI. Their team connects our CRM system to that page and configures the web hub and API to third-party services.

Their work allows our content to be amassed on one main page and they utilize gravity forms to pull data—to connect to Facebook and AdWords.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is a project manager, who is also the lead developer. I also worked with one other developer.

How did you come to work with Uptech?

A colleague recommended them to me.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $10,000–$50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2016 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They deliver all projects on time without any crashes or bugs—addressing those immediately. We are very happy with the quality of their code so far.

How did Uptech perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate face-to-face sometimes, use Slack, and other management tools. They always deliver everything we need the first time we ask for it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their speed of delivery, high-quality work, and price point impressed us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t see anything yet.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to have a solid project already going. Nail down your wireframes upfront and it’ll eliminate a lot of mistakes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and founder of a video production business that specializes in market research.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uptech?

I wanted to create a custom-built live streaming platform and lacked the necessary programming capabilities in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I first hired Uptech, I described my initial idea of how the platform should look, feel, and function. After a couple of discussions, they put together a comprehensive proposal and began development. Since they built out the platform, we've had an open, ongoing dialogue to consistently tweak and improve the platform. In terms of specific technology, they used Amazon ECUs and a Wowza embeddable HTML5 media streaming player.

Live streaming has only recently become readily available. It's on the cusp of development. Especially in terms of programming, it's not the easiest technology to build. We’re always looking for the most cost-effective way to provide this service to my clients. I mainly work with large movie and video game companies. Our web-based platform is useful for virtually any company that conducts research. A different design agency worked on the frontend, which actually turned out quite similar to Uptech’s initial barebones backend design.

What is the team composition?

I had one point of contact and may have spoken to three resources total. I've noticed that three people are usually CC'ed on my emails. Our project manager relayed info to the rest of the team. Having all communications go through one person suits my personal preference.

How did you come to work with Uptech?

Initially, I was debating between building a custom platform myself or outsourcing the work to a developer. Certain companies offer live streaming services for $10,000 a year, compared to Uptech’s affordable, one-time cost. I found them through a personal reference. I researched examples of work they’d done for other clients. They definitely seemed able to get the job done, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

I've spent around $20,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project began in June of 2016. As with most tech projects, it never really ends because there's always more to add. As more clients become interested in this service, they constantly request new functions I outsource to Uptech. I continually hire them to refine it. If we stopped working on it today, however, the product would still be fully functional.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we built this platform, I've been tripling my revenue metrics compared to last year. Their work is reliable and professional. I can control and tweak every aspect. The custom design is critical; if my clients are spending thousands of dollars for this service, it shouldn't have a generic logo at the bottom. The audio and visual quality outperforms my competitors in the live streaming market. It looks professional and functions as desired, which are my two most important criteria.

My clients are super happy. The current market leader in my particular niche had held a longtime monopoly and refused to innovate. They appreciate that there’s a better, more flexible alternative now. None of them seems to have any issues with the platform's development. When bugs pop up, Uptech solves them pretty quickly. The platform functions smoothly and is an awesome new piece of technology.

How did Uptech perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a good job. In any business relationship, it takes time to figure out response style and level of self-motivation. As a business owner, it's important to set a precedent for the level of communication you prefer. Once we found our flow, the project progressed really well. Initially, there were a couple of missed deadlines. Once we collectively stepped it up, we really started to see results. We mostly touched base through Skype or email, and occasionally used WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of their work speaks for itself. That's what it comes down to. I ordered a project, and they delivered what I wanted. They took responsibility for any problems we encountered, and the final product is great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

My only qualm would be the amount of time it took. They could work on their timeliness and punctuality. Communication was very prompt, though. Every time I wrote an e-mail, it was quickly answered.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Touch base with Uptech weekly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Offlease Hub is an online platform for selling and buying used cars. I’m the chief marketing officer, responsible for promotion, marketing, and sales.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uptech?

We wanted to create the platform and needed a team who could develop it for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We discussed the project with Uptech and they sent me questions about it. I described my vision and provided them with brief information, as well as several of our competitors’ sites. Based off that information, they developed a prototype from scratch. I then gave feedback about what I liked and disliked.

The website is an auction system focused on the B2B market, as most of our customers are dealers. All of our cars are from official dealers and pass certification so we can guarantee the quality of the car.

What is the team composition?

There were 5 or 6 people that I communicated with. I don’t know how many people worked on the backend but there was a team lead, a web designer, a tester, and a developer.

How did you come to work with Uptech?

Their office is in the same building as ours and I saw they were a big team. I did some research and found that they work a lot with the U.S. market. That was confirmation for me that they had the capability to take on a difficult project. Their price was average, but I decided to try them because I like how they communicated with me. They asked questions and provided ideas.

How much have you invested with them?

$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2017–December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone in our company is satisfied with the work, including our co-founder, who liked the site and its design. We aren’t online yet but expect to launch in March. I don’t know if there are any bugs, but right now everything is working.

How did Uptech perform from a project management standpoint?

It was excellent. We used Messenger to communicate and all my questions were answered within 15–20 minutes. There were no problems with communication and I liked how they organized everything. I didn’t always know exactly what I wanted, so I liked that they gave me choices.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very open and transparent. I was supposed to provide content for the website and didn’t make it in time, but they pushed me. They not only organized their work, but helped me to organize my tasks as well.

Their quality, experience, and transparency were impressive. They were eager to discuss any questions, were very organized, and never missed deadlines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know anything they can improve. In my eyes, they did the job perfectly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Believe in the team. If they suggest something, you should listen to them. They will help you to realize the project at the highest level. I’m very happy that I listened and did what they recommended.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Prometheus is a platform for free, massive, open online courses with 500,000 registered users. We are a non-governmental organization and our main goal is to spread online education in Ukraine. I'm the CEO of this organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Uptech?

Our platform is built on the Open edX engine. We had updated the engine to the latest version and needed to launch mobile apps for it.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create mobile apps for Android and iOS with the following features for our users:

• Stream class videos via Wi-Fi or cellular connection

• Download course videos to watch anytime

• Test your knowledge with basic quizzes and exams

• View course announcements and handouts

• Follow-along course videos with closed captions

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Uptech from the advice of two of our partners.

Describe the project in detail.

We gave Uptech the existing prototypes of the Android and iOS apps updated with the Open edX latest version. We reconfigured our servers to communicate with the apps. The rest of the technology was built by Uptech based on the provided prototypes and our technical specifications. We had very detailed requirements, but Uptech challenged the existing prototypes and took them to a completely new level. They could re-code video playback functionality in such a way that the apps could stream course videos directly from our servers. Uptech built a solution that ensured that our mobile apps are stable and suitable to be used by our large student audience. We have been working with Uptech since March 2017. We still need quite some time until we'redone, since we have a massive stack of technology to carry out. We have no intention of canceling the collaboration with Uptech; we are very happy with our collaboration efforts.

What was the team composition?

We worked with one project manager and two developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our mobile apps went live in the summer of 2017 and have already increased our audience. With the ability to “learn on the go,” more people have become interested in our platform and it's really due to what Uptech has built in a short timeframe. We have gotten very positive feedback from our students. Also, we have agreements in place that would not have been possible without Uptech's apps.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project management is very well done. Their approach is clear and the lead on the project is both capable and committed, which is echoed by the team of subordinates. They have delivered everything faster than we expected.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I believe it's a part of Uptech's slogan, namely that “the customer isn't always right.” Their customer base appreciates that; you want a developer that can come up with a better solution. Uptech can do this much better than other companies, who simply build what they are told to and don't question requests when it's necessary to.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are fully satisfied with the cooperation and have already recommended Uptech to our partners.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the mobile app product manager for a Dollar Shave Club.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uptech?

We have very active members and we wanted to give them a great, seamless way to maintain their subscription with us and keep them engaged beyond just the subscription itself. The best way for us to achieve those goals was through a mobile app, which would provide them with account management tools as well as additional content to encourage engagement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Recruiting and maintaining talent in the mobile development space is hard. Our company initially was just a website, so moving into the mobile space was new territory for us. Uptech began work with us about a year before I came on board, so I can only speak to the time that we have overlapped. Uptech does our Android development, since we have an in-house team that takes care of the iOS app.

In terms of actual features that we develop and implement within the app, Uptech is part of the planning stage. We do not just give them running orders. They are highly collaborative, and we all meet frequently as a group—the engineers from Uptech, our design and UX team, and myself—to brainstorm and discuss features. Our UX team will then provide Uptech with designs and wireframes. As a group, we all estimate the level of effort required to implement those features and then break everything down into smaller tasks.

What is the status of this engagement?

They began working with us back in October 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The last I checked, our Android app rating in the Google Play store was around a 4.8 out of 5 stars, which is very high. We have a ton of great user reviews, and we get consistently excellent feedback from our customers.

How did Uptech perform from a project management standpoint?

For a while we used Trello for project management, but we recently moved over to Jira. The transition from one to the other with Uptech has been more or less seamless, and they caught on to the new system quickly. Our whole mobile app team has regular meetings, to which they regularly attend. We have a stand-up once a week and a morning check-in the other four days of the week. They have been good at giving advance notice when they have vacations or paid time off coming up. Because we have these regular meetings, our whole team—including Uptech—has become fairly adept at being able to estimate how much work we can get done in a two-week sprint.

Even though their scope is specifically Android, we have a lot of interaction between all of our teams; mobile apps, site, backend services, and infrastructure. A lot of our work and updates require significant coordination with these different teams, and Uptech has been great about communicating consistently with everyone involved.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One thing I have really appreciated is that we have mostly been able to work with the same developers. I have worked with other contractors where you are constantly onboarding somebody new as developers move between projects. The consistency with Uptech has been really nice. They have integrated seamlessly with our in-house team, to the extent that we no longer see them as contracted resources, but as our Android developers. Although a time difference is often an issue in such types of partnerships, it has never been a problem for us. They adjusted their schedules to meet at times that were convenient for our office in Los Angeles. I have nothing but positive things to say about working with Uptech, and have genuinely enjoyed our collaboration, particularly in regards to seeking their advice. They have responded very well to us sharing our ideas and general goals with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing that would speak to Uptech specifically. Any challenges that we have faced are the kind that you face with any team, whether it be a contractor or in-house. They have been a vital and vocal part of the process as we continue to improve our overall approach to mobile development.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Lean on their expertise in Android, seek out their thoughts and advice to ensure that you are designing and building the end product in a way that makes sense. Including them within the overall process is essential for an effective workflow and positive final result.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of a company that sells aerial photographs to a variety of customers, including real estate, construction, and insurance firms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uptech?

We needed to augment our in-house engineering team to build our mobile apps.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

While I realize it’s common for companies to outsource entire projects, we preferred to maintain the product’s specs and design in-house. We hired Uptech to support our senior engineer and integrated them as members of our team.

Together, they’ve designed a complex mobile app for iOS and Android. Intended for drone pilots, it allows users to see which drone missions are available and then connects the cellphone to the drone’s SDK for easy piloting.

The app also connects to our servers so we can receive data.

What is the team composition?

We hired four team members, two for iOS and two for Android.

Any team member went through a two-part process. I conducted an initial interview and passed their information to our senior engineer if I thought the individual was suitable. If the engineer approved, then they were added to the project.

How did you come to work with Uptech?

We have an in-house recruiter who stays in contact with other companies. One of his contacts recommended Uptech, so we reached out them and they began sending us résumés and setting up interviews.

How much have you invested with them?

Around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2017 and our relationship is ongoing. The iOS version has launched, with the Android version set to follow in the coming weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their Android engineers recommended moving to clean architecture when they first came on board, a proposal our in-house engineers hadn’t considered. Uptech’s engineers introduced the concept, explaining how it utilized different layers to create an organized, logical grouping, and this ended up being an effective way to structure the app.

How did UpTech Team perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very transparent. We stay organized through daily sendups wherein they communicate their status. We also rely on project management tools like Trello and Jira. In this way, each task is represented as a work item we can monitor.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I interviewed them myself, so I can speak to the technical depth of their team members. They’re good, solid engineers who’ve helped us create a challenging, one-of-a-kind product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend using our two-part interview process, which worked well for us. Keeping the product specs and design in-house also ensured we had ultimate control over the product’s quality.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of products for a startup in the e-health sector. We generate automated nutrition plans.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Uptech?

We needed more manpower in different areas to provide white-label technology solutions to companies. This included bug fixing, refactoring, new white-label and features development, as well as process management. We were looking for a vendor who was qualified and experienced with React Native.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Uptech worked on many different tasks involved with frontend development. They implemented features and styling, fixed bugs, and refactored poor code that was a result of hurried development.

Our mobile application has a feature that allows our company’s customers to input things which they want to have in the app. Our assigned developer, Max, worked a lot on the actual screen and also implemented style and design changes to white-label solutions at the request of a customer.

The shopping list that is specific to our app was fixed as well.

What is the team dynamic?

We mainly worked with Max, who is one of their developers. We also briefly worked with another developer, Andrei, for two days. We had to freeze the project and reallocate our focus for now due to our business situation.

How did you come to work with Uptech?

We’d searched for developers for 1–2 months, and had interviewed several companies. A friend in our network recommended Uptech, so we interviewed them. They seemed promising, made us a good offer, and also did well in the trial phase. We have high standards for code communication, so we felt lucky to have found them.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent approximately €3,000 Euro [U.S. $3,553] per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June or July 2017, and the relationship ended in September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've been able to work through projects that we wouldn't have been able to without their help. We've had to put a pause on development temporarily, but we're looking forward to picking the relationship back up as soon as we have the next need.

How did Uptech perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is communicative, on time, and reliable. They even gave us suggestions on how to improve our own processes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very organized and on top of their tasks. We didn't run into any trouble at all throughout the relationship. We really enjoyed working with them and hope to again in the future.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The Uptech also asked me this question during the project, and I struggled to find anything they needed to improve. I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential clients of Uptech?

I definitely recommend them to anyone in need of development services. Don't let the fact that they're young deter you, because they are very capable and skilled.