247 Labs Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a motorcycle training company.

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

I wanted to develop the framework and programming for an online course I wanted to offer through my website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

247 Labs Inc. has been helping us with the custom software development of a web app that I just created on WordPress. We started by committing to a schedule, which they keep tight. After that, we went through a testing phase, and we’re currently working on polishing the product they created.

In addition to that, we want them to provide maintenance and updates to our platform.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

We put out an application on Upwork, and they responded to it. We had a meeting with them where I gave them a detailed list of my requirements, including the government standards. 247 Labs Inc.’s team said that they were up to it, showed me examples of what they could do, and I decided to go forward with them.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent around $30,000 CAD (approximately $23,300 USD) with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

I’ve been putting around 200 people every month through our software, and I haven’t had any functionality problems with the system. Overall, the product functions as intended, meeting our expectations.

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been meeting our deadlines and budgets. Regarding tools, we’ve been using email, phone calls, and Microsoft Teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The professional look of the software they’re creating is outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could enhance their bug testing and run-throughs to avoid bugs. Other than that, everything’s great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as detailed as possible with what you need.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own mPwrWare Canada (11994808 Canada Inc), a company dedicated to building bridges between users with medical complexities and the larger world, through power and web technology.

For what projects/services did your company hire 247 Labs Inc., and what were your goals?

I hired 247 labs to perform web and business development, marketing, support, and hosting of; two web projects. The first project is a clinical project positioned somewhere between an object-oriented drawing package like Visio and a word processor like Word, allowing users to paint sentences like an artist would paint a painting. The second project is a pan/zoom/rotate manager for 2D stills/video streams that is entirely driven by an eye tracker to allow quadriplegic users to easily drive this behavior just as easily as a neurotypical person would use a pinch/zoom gesture.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I created a worldwide Upwork campaign with descriptions of both projects and interviewed dozens of individuals and teams around the planet. I selected 247 because they had experience building medical/accessible apps and because their lead salesman took a good amount of time to get to know me and the way I work in order to determine the level of fit with his organization. Never at any time did I feel pressured, only encouraged.

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

The projects were envisioned as having to be done in well defined phases, with pauses in between as rounds of funding become available. Since 247 team members work on multiple projects, this kind of on/off project planning works well with their system, and with my available funding realities.

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

The lead salesperson was my first and ongoing contact. The project manager stepped in next, then a UI and a UX designer, then a developer. As the projects mature, other skill sets are also available to onboard and contribute, such as digital marketing, support, hosting and business development. It's this kind of flexibility that makes a company such as this so attractive to small organizations like mine.

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

(Mar 29/22) The projects are on their first pause, so I expect to update this review periodically when we re-activate them.

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

The projects are run according to a specific process which is well explained in the earlier rounds of meetings, and detailed invoices are always provided that indicate exactly what kinds of work are being done.

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

We love their understanding, patience, empathy, and flexibility.

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

I'll defer answering this one until I have a chance to work more with this company. Early working relationships are very good, I am optimistic they will continue to be so.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Dave Wall, and I’ve been a truck dealer in the automotive industry for 35 years. I have a website that displays all of my inventory.

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

I hired 247 Labs Inc. for web development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team has created my WordPress website from scratch. We continue to work with them for future changes we want to incorporate into the platform. They’re also in charge of hosting and maintaining my site.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with four people, including Boris (Client Advisor) and a developer. Another person is in charge of setting everything up.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

We searched around quite a bit, and we felt comfortable working with 247 Labs Inc. because of their great reviews.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2021, we still collaborate.

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

They’ve been able to make my vision into reality. 247 Labs Inc. has also been able to integrate all the custom work I wanted to put on the website. I’m personally using the website on a daily basis and it allows me to save time.

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a great project management process, and they’re always available to us. They set meetings in advance in order to find exactly what they need to do. In addition, they answer emails promptly. We communicate through Zoom, too.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I base my career on listening to people and doing things right and 247 Labs Inc. has been able to do that in our project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’m happy with our partnership.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you’re clear about what you want. We’ve done that and we’ve got exactly what we wanted.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an innovative app that automatically writes a user’s autobiography for legacy purposes. 

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

I previously used other app development agencies, but some went bankrupt, and I wasn’t happy with their services. We needed help in app development. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, 247 Labs reached out to our previous agencies to retrieve our intellectual property and source code. The other vendors were uncooperative, but we ended up getting 80% of the work so far. 

After that, 247 Labs reviewed our existing code. They identified the functionalities that needed to be corrected and the remaining tasks to complete the app.

247 Labs has already finished developing the app, and it’s for Android and iOS. We’ve recently launched it on the App Store, while it’s awaiting approval for the Google Play Store. I’m currently reviewing and getting a quote for 247 Labs’ other services.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with an account manager, a project manager, and a developer.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

I found them through a Google search.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent around $16,000 CAD (approximately $12,500 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2021, and our relationship is ongoing. 

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

247 Labs has successfully built our app such that we can launch it. We appreciate that since the other vendors have failed to do for years what has taken 247 Labs only four months to finish. They double-check everything, so we haven’t experienced any bugs so far. I’m sure they’ll address those right away if ever we encounter any.

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

247 Labs is great at project management. They’ve delivered everything within our agreed timeline and budget. They were very trustworthy, communicative, and reliable. Whenever I reach out to their team, they immediately respond professionally. 

247 Labs has kept me abreast of everything, and during our meetings, they outline tasks that need to be done and detail areas for growth. They’re clear, concise, and open. We communicate through Zoom, emails, and phone calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

247 Labs provides excellent service; they’re dependable. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them know exactly what you’re looking for.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Dream Recruiter. We’re creating an app that helps high school and college athletes get to the next level of their sports careers. The recruitment process is done through the app where athletes can upload a profile, which will be passed on to coaches. The app also benefits college-level athletes by helping them get to the professional level. Meanwhile, the other half of the app involves collegiate coaches and professional scouts, who can reach out to the athletes through our platform.

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

During the recruitment process of schools and colleges, millions of athletes send their recruitment documents every year.  A lot of those documents get lost in the wayside. As a result, we want our app to eliminate the paperwork involved in such a process. This is also good for the environment. Moreover, our app should provide exposure to every athlete throughout the nooks and crevices of the world. In other words, we want to create a competitive market for the athletes, and 247 Labs is helping us develop this app. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

247 Labs is developing our app. It will primarily be a mobile app available on both Android and iOS devices, but we’re also developing a web platform. That way, we can also serve athletes that don’t have the luxury of having a smartphone. They will have the option to go to the local library or access a computer at home to use our platform. 

We should be wrapping up the website development soon, and our next step is to pitch our idea to investors. Once we receive funding to complete the app, we’ll spend another 6–12 months on development. Hopefully, the app will be completed by the end of next year. 

What is the team composition?

We work directly with Boris (Senior Client Advisor), who is our main point of contact. Sheraz (Director of UX Design) oversees the development group. He talks to me about pricing and the next steps involved in the project. Muhammed (Senior UI/UX Designer) handles the development of the web app. Overall, I mainly work with 3–4 people. 

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

When I thought about this project and wanted to bring it to fruition, I did thorough research and looked for developers. What struck me as interesting about 247 Labs was their transparency. I touched base with them to inquire, and I saw their transparency. On top of that, they were highly professional and competitive in their prices. They also provided high-quality work based on the examples they'd shown me. Right then and there, their transparency, quality of work, and professionalism truly spoke to me.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested over $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started everything in March 2021, and the project is ongoing. 

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

In terms of success metrics, 247 Labs provides sample end results, which they review with me. If I want to make any changes, they’ll do it. 

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great; I’d rate them highly for this. Their senior client advisor goes out of his way to ensure that we’re happy. They’re also extremely responsive, and they keep me up to date with what’s happening. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we use Microsoft Teams to have visual meetings over the computer. We also use phone calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The 247 Labs team is highly transparent at every stage of our engagement. They also make sure that our requests are being done — their integrity is real. Simply put, they do what they say they’re going to do, and they follow through on it. Integrity goes a long way, and that’s what keeps them growing their business.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

The changes I request are based on my initial vision, so when something doesn’t meet my standards and they have to make minor changes, there shouldn’t be any added fees. When developing software, there will always be changes that may not necessarily be established at first. We also might not be on the same wavelength in terms of vision. As a result, when the results come, we’ll have to do minor tweaks, and those changes shouldn’t entail any additional fee. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take time and don’t rush — explain your vision to 247 Labs to ensure everybody’s on the same wavelength. Everybody should have the same understanding of what needs to be done to ensure that what you request is what’s going to be delivered. If your vision is unclear, then you’ll shoulder additional fees when something needs to be changed. Simply put, make sure you stick to your vision and everybody has a clear understanding of what you see. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of a nonprofit organization.

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

We wanted to create an application for our employment opportunities and forthcoming services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we told 247 Labs about our organization and our goals for the app. We had lengthy Q&A sessions with the designer to discuss the features and purpose of the app. Then, they came up with a work plan and an estimated timeline and cost.

247 Labs developed and designed the mobile app for iOS and Android, and it allows our clients to access all of our services in an easy-to-navigate place.

What is the team composition?

Zohair (Technical Project Manager) was my main point of contact. Ahmad (Delivery Manager), Mohammed (Scrum Master & IT Project Manager), Azwar (CTO), and another person were involved in the weekly calls.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

I interviewed three app developers. I liked the first meeting with 247 Labs because they really listened and understood our needs. They also were familiar with working in the nonprofit sector.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–June 2021.

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

The app just launched last week, so it’s difficult to discuss any impact yet. However, my team’s feedback is that the app is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Now, clients with any language level will be able to find the programs they’re looking for.

I appreciated the flexibility of 247 Labs and the fact that they made our project a priority. I also liked the precise questions that they asked during the design phase — they helped with the design and development of the app.

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

247 Labs was a great communicator. They gave detailed updates throughout each step of the process and delivered everything on time.

We had weekly meetings through Microsoft Teams or Zoom, and we used Google Drive for sharing comments or feedback. However, email was the primary form of communication, and everyone involved in the project was included in the emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

247 Labs offered reasonable pricing and were good at delivering within the deadlines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could pay more attention to detail, especially in the final stages of a project, which is critical.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Follow their instructions and know that the Q&A sessions are worth the time spent during the designing stage. Communicate thoroughly and promptly as much as possible.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an IT consultant at a nonprofit organization.

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc?

Our website was really outdated, so we wanted to refresh it and implement a functionality to start taking in members online because we had been working with paper-based processes.

What was the scope of their involvement?

247 Labs Inc. has developed our website on WordPress from the ground up, and we’ve provided the site’s copy. We first starting working on our requirements sessions, where they understood what our needs were. The team came up with a plan with different sprints and assigned certain tasks to each one of them. We then set weekly meetings and started the development process. 

The staff has worked on making the site look more modern, streamlined, and organized. The site allows users to search and register for programs online as well as sign up for memberships. Members can create a profile to manage their address and dependents and have access to an electronic membership card; there’s also an area for them to see what programs and services they’re registered to. 

What is the team composition?

Our team has worked with a business analyst who has been subbing in as a project manager. We work with at least one developer and bring in additional ones if required. 

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc?

Our company sent out RFPs which included all of our requirements to probably 6–8 firms that we had researched and saw they had good reviews. 247 Labs Inc. bid on the RFP and came up with a solution that met our needs, so we decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000 CAD (approximately $25,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We issued the RFP in June 2019 and selected the winner by August. Our engagement formally started in September of the same year, and the website was launched in July 2020. Since our organization has obtained more funding for the project, we’ve partnered with them again and have finished phase two enhancements. We’re now in discussions to start phase three.

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

247 Labs Inc. has renovated our site completely. Our e-commerce has received great user feedback, and the staff has implemented functionalities that meet our most important KPIs. For instance, our team is now able to register clients on the site, and users can enroll on our online programs and get the Zoom meeting link after they’ve registered. 

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m a project manager myself, and I’ve been able to collaborate with them without issues. They provide us with Gantt charts that show the sprints and a breakdown of the project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the most impressive aspects is the value they provide for our money. We got quotes from other providers, and 247 Labs Inc. wasn’t the cheapest, but they weren’t the most expensive either. I am pleasantly surprised with the amount of work they’ve been able to deliver with the limited budget we’ve had. They’ve maximized their efforts, and that’s something we really appreciate. Our organization is very happy with the team so far. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

When it came to our initial requirements, they were able to give us an idea of a solution, but as we explored it, we ran into some challenges, so maybe we could’ve spent more time clarifying our needs. Other than that, I can’t really say much. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on what your expectations are, document your requirements, and make sure that they are well understood by the team.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My organization is a dental startup. I am co-founders with my wife. We’re filling a space for dental professionals and customers. It’s an industry that hasn’t evolved into the digital world. Our product is an online app that connects professionals and clients.

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

My wife runs a dental office, and she needed tools to contact her clients. Every time she was approached by a digital company, they couldn’t do exactly what she was looking for.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The existing code from previous developers was all over the place, so we decided to start fresh from scratch. The app itself is a one-stop shop for any dental office. One important feature is verified reviews Online reviews are very difficult to be confident in, so we solicit reviews by having patients fill them out right there in the office.

The app also keeps track of how a dentist, hygienist, or oral surgeon performs. The industry runs on personal recommendations and word-of-mouth; it very much doesn’t live in the 21st century.

The app also contains communication capabilities. Once a dental professional speaks with a client, the app supports communications beyond email and texts. There are also educational videos that answer people’s frequently asked questions.

What is the team composition?

During our time with 247 Labs Inc., we’ve had one dedicated project manager, one business analyst, and one developer. They aren’t always the same, depending on resource availability.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

Halfway through our scope of work with an independent resource, we realized that they couldn’t produce what we were looking for. As a one-person show, it wasn’t that unexpected. Eventually, we decided to take the plunge with a larger investment with a development shop, doing the work properly.

Once we solidified our idea, we hunted for a development shop. 247 Labs Inc. is based out of Toronto like us, and we were looking for someone local. The reviews on 247 Labs Inc.’s website put them over the edge. We’d had bad experiences with independent developers, so we didn’t want another backroom deal. Their portfolio also impressed me.

How much have you invested with them?

The total is under $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2020. The app is post-implementation right now. Once we get the beta up and running, we’ll revisit with 247 Labs Inc. for either a phase two, a different implementation, or enhancements.

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

We haven’t released the app anywhere, but we’ve had a great stream of people work on the project.

This isn’t our full-time work; it’s a side-project that we’re hoping will take off. As a side-project, there will always be delays and challenges, but we’ve worked through them all.

The app will be targeted toward dental professionals. Eventually, we’re going to look world-wide, but our local area is the focus of the MVP product. My wife is planning on using the app in her office and then offering it to other dental professionals as a closed beta.

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve met most expectations and done pretty well. They're not perfect, but perfect seldom happens. The project has stayed on pace.

We had calls on Google Meet when our goal was to get it out before a convention that we were going to advertise at. When COVID-19 hit, we slowed down moving to weekly or bi-weekly meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our collaboration is great. Me coming from somewhat of the digital industry, they let me lead with what we were looking for rather than overtaking the project. I knew how I wanted the app to work, so I asked for expertise on how to get there. Our collaboration was a great plus. They did well in the advisory role.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could provide more updates on the balance of hours they work. Perhaps this is too demanding, but I would like a countdown of how many hours we have left in our contract after every week. We always work things out, but being proactive with that information would be nice.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very specific with what you want.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a product manager at a nonprofit organization. I work on the data analytics and evidence building side of the business.

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

We work internationally, and we get a lot of data from the field that comes in poor quality. We wanted to find a way to score that data in real time to identify the quality of it.

What was the scope of their involvement?

247 Labs helped us build the backend, in terms of structuring the development of various algorithms we requested for data quality. There were both subjective algorithms, where we would define the rules based on our understanding of good and bad data, as well as objective. 

Then, we integrated this with the digital data collection platform for all the data that came in, so it could be automatically evaluated. 247 Labs built out the UX for us so anyone without a technical background can go in and understand how to build the rules themselves for a particular project they want to do.

The team built the platform on Linux and PHP.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a variety of different people, maybe three or four. There were mostly developers, but I also interacted with the CEO.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

We had an internal RFP, and we met with three vendors. We chose 247 Labs based on their price and because they understood the problem we were trying to solve as well as our broader vision beyond that. We felt there was an opportunity to grow with them and strengthen some of our own features.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was about $50,000 CAD (approximately $40,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–August 2019.

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

247 Labs delivered a fully functioning platform that provided us with a way to customize how we evaluate surface-level data. That was a huge success for us. 

Generally, they’re a team of high professionals with a strong technical expertise. They’re very engaging and collaborative, and they’re great at communicating their deliverables. 247 Labs is also very patient when it comes to understanding and resolving issues. The bottom line is that they went over and above. 247 Labs committed to providing us with a top-quality service throughout the project.

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a difficult project, and things came up that we hadn’t anticipated, which set some timelines off. For the most part, however, the team was quite good. They were always communicative and responsive to our requests. 

We used a Google spreadsheet to track our progress and issues, and we communicated over video calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very good listeners. If they ever completed something that wasn’t right, they worked really hard to correct the mistakes, even if it cost them more money. 247 Labs was committed to making us happy with the end product. That was the most important thing from my experience with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They do have changeover in their staff sometimes, which can create a bit of a knowledge gap. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear in scope and try and get as far into the details as you can.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a SaaS company that specializes in social impact management software.

What challenge were you trying to address with 247 Labs Inc.?

I worked with an independent developer and the experience wasn’t great. I wanted to move to a development team in Canada to work on my client-facing portal.

What was the scope of their involvement?

When 247 Labs came on board, we just had a skeleton in place for the portal. They first had to review the code and then work with the previous developer to migrate everything over. Their team worked with the previous developer through the knowledge transfer and then dove into the portal to find out where the code had issues and needed improvements.

We also had to pick a direction, and their team did research. For example, we needed to move to host on AWS, and they researched the best options. We then started a more regular process of figuring out what needs to be fixed and how to best accomplish them.

What is the team composition?

I regularly work with two developers and a project manager. Depending on a project’s phase, I will work with up to three additional people who do testing.

How did you come to work with 247 Labs Inc.?

I found 247 Labs through searching online. Their price transparency was a big factor in my decision to work with them. They wanted to start on a retainer basis to examine my product and ensure that their team could help. Unlike other vendors, they didn’t want to make any promises that they couldn’t keep.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $15,000–$20,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2020.

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

We’re in the beta phase of onboarding clients, so I don’t yet have client feedback. However, we go through a rigorous and responsive workflow. After they come up with wireframes, I review them and the budget for approval. They then test, stage, and produce the products.

Even though I’m not the biggest client, my work is important to them. If a server crashes or a client has an issue, I can be in touch with them right away.

How did 247 Labs Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We share everything in a Google Sheet, so it’s clear what needs to happen and what I can expect from them. I can see what they’re working on each minute, which feeds into our budget. I really appreciate that we’re in touch on a regular basis through Slack. We also have weekly status calls via Google. The product manager who oversees my account is also a great communicator.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their transparency around the budget is one of the greatest parts about working with them. It was clear. When you’re contracting all the development out, it can be difficult to feel like you’re all on the same page. Through our constant communication, I know that 247 Labs is on hand to fix any challenges that arise. Their reliability and transparency are qualities that I value.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As this is their area of expertise, I tell them to come to me with new ideas. However, they’re really respectful of the direction that I give them too.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear plan for how you want to implement your ideas. They can make anything happen.