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Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of an international bill payment company that permits people in the US to pay for bills outside the US.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mas Uno?

We hired them to develop our app and make connections between our customers and our service providers outside of the country. The project entailed creating a platform, a UI, a backend, and a CMS — full stack development from top to bottom. 

I had initially hired another offshore company that had won awards. We worked together for about a year, and they couldn’t get the app off the ground. From there, we salvaged about 10% of the project and hired Mas Uno to take over.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I supplied Mas Uno with APIs, and they analyzed them and created a schedule with a system. I had developed a roadmap with a third party, and Mas Uno took that and reworked it to create a more streamlined project manual. The team worked with me to develop the MVP features we needed to get the app off the ground, using the work we'd salvaged from our previous provider. 

The development was complex due to the third-party providers we were working with. Mas Uno upgraded our environment for the APIs using Flutter. They hosted the app for a while, and they've since moved it to AWS. 

Although we launched the app two months ago, before large-scale marketing, I asked the team to change two features that weren't in the original scope. We'll launch those features soon, and app store optimization (ASO), Google Analytics, and marketing are included in Mas Uno's scope of work. The team will also offer maintenance, which will be a necessity due to the complexity of the app. 

The app has an onboarding process and follows Know Your Customer standards, so the user has to be connected to a compliance platform. For this feature, Mas Uno has integrated Unit21. Once the customer gets a green flag, they receive an SMS code to input into the app, confirming their identity and phone number. From there, the customer can use the app. 

The core functionalities include searching for bills outside of the US. For example, users can search for an electricity company in Peru and input their account number. The app pulls that account number's debt from the database through API integrations. Then, the app turns the currency from Peruvian soles into USD using integration with foreign currency conversion APIs. 

From there, users can input their credit card information through our integration with Stripe, pay that bill, and check out. The bill is paid instantly as soon as the Stripe confirmation comes back, and the customer receives a receipt via email, or they can download the receipt from the app. Users can also view their history, save favorite payments, and make payments in a shopping cart-style feature. 

The Mas Uno team has used GitHub to store the API information and GitHub AI to write the code. They've also used Python. Currently, they're developing the automated clearing house (ACH) transactions through Stripe, finalizing a searching by categories function, working on a UI redevelopment, and installing the marketing tag managers so that we can begin to do analytics. Moving forward, they'll work as our third-party CTO. 

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Roger (Project Manager), Max (Digital Strategy Consultant & CMO), and Cristobal (COO). Sometimes, I also work with Luis (CTO). Roger is my main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with Mas Uno?

They were on our radar because we had worked with them before on a project unrelated to financial technology. Mas Uno developed a platform for users to plug and play their television networks as online streaming and integrate social media. We were offering these services to television networks worldwide, and Mas Uno did well with the development. The system worked flawlessly, even though it was a complex project.

Although we'd already done a project with them, I was unsure if hiring Mas Uno for this project was a good idea because financial technology and video streaming are very different. However, after our previous provider let us down, we decided to work with someone we trusted, so we hired Mas Uno. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent $100,000–$120,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around January 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

Mas Uno is very good, and the app has come out really nicely. I'm happy about how the app works; the payments are instant and without error. Since the concept and ideas are very complex, launching the app has been our biggest success metric. Mas Uno has accomplished something harder than a run-of-the-mill app, and they've gotten our product approved by Google and Apple. Thanks to them, we have a functional international bill payment app — the first of its kind. 

There are many heavy-hitting features in the app where we asked Mas Uno to do things that had never been done before, so there was no manual or model for them. Therefore, they've brought in a lot of innovation. Moreover, we've been able to use the app to present the project to investors, who understand the function of my company thanks to the app and have been more inclined to jump on board. 

Mas Uno is knowledgeable and trustworthy, so I'll keep them on for a long time. If I ever have to hire in-house development teams, they'll manage those teams; I wouldn't want to change a team that works well and understands what we're doing so well. We've completed the first step of a few more that we'll take with them; they'll continue developing and expanding our project. 

How did Mas Uno] perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been able to deliver on time within reason. Due to the nature of the project, we didn't account for many aspects, so I don't blame Mas Uno for the delays. When they develop something within their existing abilities, they deliver on time, such as the new updates they're working on. Therefore, if things had gone as planned, they would have been able to meet their detailed plan.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mas Uno's biggest distinguishing factor is their ability to work with Latin American developers while also understanding the needs and level of efficiency and design for American standard apps. They have both those abilities, meaning API integration throughout Latin America isn't an issue, nor is it integrating with American products. 

Additionally, their ability to analyze, research, and compile a plan is also outstanding. They're very reasonable with their time and budget; they aren't too expensive or cheap.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have limitations on how many people they hire, and they're capped when it comes to projects. Therefore, if I need to get something faster or need more developers, they don't have those resources, which is their only downside. Other than that, I have no complaints. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of what you want and which third-party partners you'll work with to develop the product. That way, Mas Uno can do their analysis quickly and efficiently. If you bring 10 things to the table, they'll have to analyze 10 items, which will take a long time. 

Once Mas Uno has clarity, they can build a clear schedule and precise budget that will work well. Don't waste time asking them for advice on certain aspects. You should only ask their advice on which technologies to use for development.

Please describe your company and your position there.

BMW Chile, Supervisor of Customer Experience

For what projects/services did your company hire Mas Uno, and what were your goals?

We work with Masuno to develop the web solution regarding appointment scheduling in our technical service, their solutions and developments are creative, modern and flexible, just what we need in a business partner.

How did you select Mas Uno and what were the deciding factors?

Masuno is one of our business partners, because they are creative, fast, flexible and understand our needs and the business.

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

Masuno uses the most up-to-date tools and they worked in conjunction with the IT area of ​​BMW Chile.

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

We work with two key people, Luis Valdivia, the project developer and Cristobal Delgado, the commercial manager.

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

Initially, the implementation of the scheduling website increased workshop appointments and allowed us to free up time from the call center team to perform other tasks that add value to the business. In short, its development brings efficiency to our business, which translates into undoubtedly higher revenues.

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

At BMW CHile we work with the AGILE methodology, and Masuno adapted very well to our dynamic work style.

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

Their speed to meet our requirements that are always urgent and our standard of demand is quite high, they were able to meet our needs in a timely manner.

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

they could improve their deliverables regarding Manuals and documents associated with the developments.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We have an app that promotes wellness within corporations. I’m the founder of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mas Uno?

They helped us develop the app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started our engagement with an MVP that was created by a previous provider. They were responsible for building a website and app based on the basics laid out in the MVP. They understood what we wanted, so we started from scratch with them. Their team recommended Flutter for the mobile app development portion of the process, which they utilized to build out the final product.

While the app has since gone live, they’re still working with us to incorporate new features into the platform. 

What is the team composition?

We work with five people, including a product manager, and assistant, a development lead, and a design lead.

How did you come to work with Mas Uno?

One of the owners worked on a website for one of my friends, who enjoyed the collaboration. We set up a meeting after having a poor experience with the app development team that built our MVP. They seemed like they would be able to involve themselves more deeply in the project and execute a better solution. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $32,000 on their work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around December 2018, and they’re still working with us to update and improve the app.   

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

Our app is working very well. It’s been a good experience for us, so we’re planning to continue the relationship into the future. I’d recommend them to other companies as well. Our API integration goals weren’t straightforward or easy. They stuck with it and were able to think creatively to save us money in the implementation process. We appreciated their creative, outside-the-box thinking.  

How did Mas Uno perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a strong communication cadence between our teams. Before the pandemic, we had 2–3 meetings each month. Now, we’re meeting less frequently but are planning to pick up our engagement level in 2021. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a diverse team with specializations in several different technologies. I found that helpful while working with them.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

We thought it was going to be easier to integrate APIs into our solution. It would’ve been helpful if they managed our expectations there.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of NETZUN.com, an e-learning platform.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mas Uno?

We needed to create native apps.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and developed our native iOS and Android apps. We’ve used their services before, so this was our second project.

What is the team composition?

We work directly with four people and there are 2–4 others.

How did you come to work with Mas Uno?

I’ve known the owner since we were in school. I was looking for different options for who could do my apps and I remembered he had this company. I saw his previous work and decided to go with him.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $13,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2020 and the project is ongoing. The first time we hired them was in 2017 for a different project. 

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

The quality of service is very good and they pay very personalized attention to the project. 

How did Mas Uno perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good. They always meet deadlines. Delays are on our side when we’re missing a piece of information. They’re very proactive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We don’t have to be on top of them. They’ve been on top of us and the work so that the project can be completed successfully. That’s very difficult to find with an app development company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have very good skills with native iOS and Android technologies. Just be aware of what technologies you need before making a decision.