7ninjas

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

My technical team praises the app, and they enjoy working with the 7ninjas team. They’ve been highly collaborative. We feel comfortable launching the current project, but we’re still working through some bugs. We’ll probably be done by the end of October.

How did 7ninjas perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management system is good. We have a daily call through Google Hangouts, but we also use Slack and Trello. They’re very responsive and knowledgeable, working efficiently through each task. We’ve never run into scheduling issues—their timing is on point. 7ninjas is also very good about communicating their needs, making sure we provide the necessary information and updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Working with their project manager has been great. He’s communicative and responsive. We wanted a high-quality, cost-effective solution. He’s doing his best to meet our needs, really looking at the product form the client’s point of view. The developers are also great. With a quick turnaround time, they deliver working prototypes that reflect different elements of the app.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t. The only hiccups we’ve had were related to billing, converting USD payments to Polish currency. We don’t do wire transfers that often, so it was a little confusing, but we’ve resolved that.

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

People love the beautiful site they built. It's gone a long way toward establishing our brand. As we secure further resources, I plan to update the site quarterly since it’s been a major driver in building our community. Currently, we have about 2,700 subscribers, and I attribute that success solely to this great site.

How did 7ninjas perform from a project management standpoint?

They are incredibly responsive. They only bill me once a quarter because I don't give them enough work for them to bill me monthly. Whenever I reach out, however, the team is always very communicative and gets it done.

When we were building out the site, we had a couple Skype calls and used Slack and Trello, but since then we’ve used email exclusively.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I love working with them and have no desire to go anywhere else. They’re trustworthy, affordable, and have always been incredibly fair. I can also tell they value me as a customer and I wish I could afford to do more with them. I wish them all the success in the world!

Are there any areas they could improve?

When you are dealing with people with no development experience, it's important to set expectations. While something like adding a button might seem very simple and straightforward to me, it can be incredibly complicated from a development standpoint. It’s not just 7ninjas that could do a better job educating its clients, but all developers. Many clients only have experience using WordPress, which has a strong user interface, and transitioning to a custom site requires completely different knowledge. They could have done a better job explaining what it would take to run the site. I'd find it helpful if they developed some product, quick tutorials, or videos to help their clients be better clients.

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

Every project they’ve worked on for me was very well-received by my clients. As a result, those clients have continued to partner with me.

How did 7ninjas perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a good job. I have no complaints. I don’t have to look over their shoulder constantly. I give them a brief of what I want, they work on that, they bring what they have back to me, I give them my feedback, and we cycle through that process until the work is completed. We use Slack to communicate and Trello to leave feedback on ongoing work. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Unlike other freelancers I’ve found on UpWork, Eugene is extremely forward-thinking and has a firm grasp on high-quality development. He uses the latest technologies to ensure the best user experience. 7ninjas is the most impressive front-end development firm I’ve worked with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I prefer to work with a developer directly as opposed to a project manager because I’d like to communicate with a small team to ensure nothing gets lost in translation. 7ninjas has expanded since I started working with them, so I’ve had to work with their larger team. But I recognize this as more of a preference on my part, as opposed to something negative about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise that potential customers, regardless of the firm, have a clear idea of what they want. Don’t be vague about your expectations.