Amalgama

Please describe your company and your position there.

The company sells tickets to live events at a great price. We work with affiliate partners that have targeted audiences that are interested in purchasing event tickets. I am a Product Manager that focuses on providing solutions for these partners to sell even more tickets.

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

A complete agile team with frontend and backend developers to update a decades old partner program.

How did you select Amalgama and what were the deciding factors?

Consulting with a few partners in the local area, we were introduced to the Amalgama team.

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

Updating the entire affiliate partner experience with specific work such as: updated landing pages, onboarding, and new interactive tools.

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

3-4 members: Product Owners, Frontend and Backend developers.

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

Increased partner signups and adoption of new tools that were developed by the Amalgama team.

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

Agile with daily standup, weekly reviews, and retrospectives.

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

Most impressive was their desire, energy, and dedication to the work. Often projects may not be exciting but the team certainly were engaged.

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

Due to distance of the remote team, there was a bit of a struggle with time but we certainly as a team were able to overcome that hassle.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a strategic consultant at Mundo Dexia. We’re a startup that has an app for early language stimulation e-learning.

What challenge were you trying to address with Amalgama?

The team at Amalgama was hired to develop our mobile app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Amalgama developed our app for Android and iOS.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around four people.

How did you come to work with Amalgama?

When we first started, we asked around for different developers and firms. We received various proposals and references. Amalgama seemed like they could add the most to the project. We wanted not just to develop the app, but to bring all of our project’s visions to it. Amalgama offered that to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement started at the end of 2018.

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

Their work was excellent. We wanted a tool that we could test within the market, and we met that goal. We got the right amount of feedback and insight to adjust the app to fit the needs of our users. We’re now working with them in follow-up projects.

How did Amalgama perform from a project management standpoint?

Amalgama had their own project management tool, which they used to provide us with reports. Throughout the project, their managers were always involved and present. They provided us with a sense of security and a feeling of commitment.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with their involvement and commitment.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were a new company. In gathering client feedback, we did get it all, but the process could’ve been more precise and specific. How that was communicated could’ve been improved.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a product strategist for a product development agency. We build design, build, and implement custom digital products and software.

For what projects/services did your company hire Amalgama?

They were the full stack development partner for this project.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to design, develop, and implement a custom ERP solution for a CPG manufacturing company.

How did you select this vendor?

We have worked with them on other projects in the past. We selected them because we truly enjoy working with their team and they have a flexible and team oriented approach.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The team built a complete ERP with a companion mobile app for barcode scanning. This included ordering systems, inventory controls, manufacturing management, and barcode management. The handled the development and assisted in strategy, design, and roll out as well.

What was the team composition?

The team included front end and back end engineering, mobile development, and project management / strategy.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

This was one of the largest projects we have tackled in terms of build and complexity. While it was by no means easy we have clearly expanded our footprint and created a fundamentally new type of manufacturing software.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We cycled through a few PM tools throughout the project but landed on Asana for task tracking and Google Hangouts for remote communication. It took some work to get the system down between our teams but ultimately we created a great workflow.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were truly dedicated to the project. There were numerous challenges both from the client, the environment, and in the complexity of the product itself, but regardless they persevered and put in the work to get it done.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I think all teams can improve on their communication and organization. I don't think those areas were an issue on this project but it's always a good goal to evolve those two skills.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Mined.

What challenge were you trying to address with Amalgama?

We hired them to create a mobile app for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a mobile app for our emotional health streaming platform, which is our core service. The app was built for both iOS and Android. 

What is the team composition?

Around 20 people have worked with us. 

How did you come to work with Amalgama?

I believe I found them through a different company that wasn’t the right fit for us since we were in such an early stage. They recommended Amalgama because they like working with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $70,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019 and our engagement is ongoing.

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

Their work has been great. We haven’t launched yet, but we’re very happy with them as our provider. 

How did Amalgama perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m pleased with their communication and project management styles. They’ve been comfortable using the tools we use and they’ve been really adaptable, working like an in-house tech team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re an amazing team that works really hard. Their team is really collaborative. It’s not like we just give them a roadmap and they build it—they ask questions and are involved in understanding our business. They know exactly why they’re building the platform. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

From my end, there’s nothing they could improve. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of an education services company, providing services through technical tools. Our main product is a tutoring platform.

What challenge were you trying to address with Amalgama?

We needed to develop a platform. We disposed of all what had been done by the previous company and started with Amalgama from zero, but using software they were not familiar with as the foundation. The team was required to study it to be able to build all we needed from that ground up.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Amalgama is currently building our tutoring platform.

What is the team composition?

We work with a part-time account manager, two designers, and two full-time dev resources. At the moment, we’re looking into getting an additional frontend developer.

How did you come to work with Amalgama? 

A personal colleague referred me to Amalgama along with a couple of other companies. When we presented our project to them, they understood the task clearly even though they didn’t have a background in education. I also found their price quote and CTO’s workflow to be very good.

How much have you invested in them?

We spend about $8,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since mid-January 2019, and the project should be finished this month in August.

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

I’m happy with their team. Everyone is always available, and the communication is great. The technical elements are strong, as well.

How did Amalgama perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Jira to coordinate, but I know they have their own management tool. As I’ve said, communication with their project manager has been great, so I have no complaints there.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really like their founders’ attitude. They understand our business goals and have even found providers and contacts for us when something is out of their field. I appreciate that they’ve gone above and beyond for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve recently faced a short delay because one of their resources left the company. Onboarding the new team member has taken some time, but I understand that it’s just a part of the process. Overall, there’s nothing major to improve, and they’ve optimized their resources.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a principal at an image retouching firm.

What challenge were you trying to address with Amalgama?

We needed a dev firm to create a tool for our retouching business that allows multiple freelancers to work together on different projects for big stakeholders.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The platform is in its first beta testing stage now. It allows freelancers to review images, mark them up, provide feedback, and approve final retouched images.  

What is the team composition?

We’ve got about six of their teammates on the project. They’re designers, developers, and project managers.

How did you come to work with Amalgama?

My partner met one of their team members in a coworking space one of our offices uses. The owner of the coworking spaces referred my partner to them based on the tools they’ve created in the past. We hit it off and were impressed with their portfolio—they had tons of experience directly related to our project. They push a lot of content and gave us a competitive bid, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership began in March 2018, and the work is ongoing. We have a roadmap laid out for another year or two of work.

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

Right now, the project is in its first beta testing phase, so we don’t have much feedback yet. But, so far in our partnership, Amalgama has quickly addressed all of our concerns in a timely manner. They really invest themselves in their projects, always willing to collaborate and provide us with feedback on what we could be doing better. We really find that valuable.

How did Amalgama perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is based in Argentina, while I’m in New York and my partner is in Minneapolis. But communication has been really easy. They used their own timeline tracking tool that they developed in-house. But, we also used Slack to communicate quickly, and they were always readily available in our shared channels.

We were constantly adding tasks to their plate, but they were great at scheduling and prioritizing while maintaining flexibility. Sometimes we had to communicate very frequently, but other times we didn’t have as much time to invest in them. They managed that dynamic very well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a unique fit for us. The team is so excited about what we’re trying to build. When we talk with them, we can tell they’ve spent time thinking through the project themselves. They play an active role in problem-solving and contributing creative ideas, continuously improving upon the final product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the beginning, we had trouble with one of the team member’s work styles. We approached Amalgama directly with this, and they quickly put someone else on the project. That was much appreciated, but it’s important to make sure that the whole team is the right fit for a client.

Also, there were times when it seemed like they weren’t completely up to date on some of the development technologies out there. It would be nice if they could expand their knowledge in that area.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a project manager for a digital marketing agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Amalgama?

We needed to develop an application for our agency. Initially, we worked with another company in India, but we weren’t happy with the quality of their work and service. We decided to look for another service provider.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Amalgama is working on a mobile development project for Android and iOS. They’re using React Native.

What is the team composition?

In total, we’ve worked with about six people from their team, including two developers for the first version and two developers for the second version of the app. An additional two people review the code and do quality analysis.

How did you come to work with Amalgama?

I came across them on a website. After contacting several companies, we decided to work with Amalgama.

How much have you invested in them?

We are planning to invest around $50,000 in the current work agreed and the work done so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2017. The project is still ongoing.

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

Everything has been fine. The developers take the initiative and don’t rely on our requirements and task definitions. They come up with suggestions.

How did Amalgama perform from a project management standpoint?

We use a project management system to monitor progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are great at communication and project management. So far, they’ve been highly professional and available.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a digital product firm. We do the full product process from initial strategy to design to development to ongoing maintenance.

What challenge were you trying to address with Amalgama?

We needed help with web development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed our website. It was a basic site using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

What is the team composition?

There were a developer and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Amalgama?

They reached out to us directly. I looked at their website and they seemed legitimate. I met with their CEO in person in New York.

How much have you invested with them?

It cost $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2018 and the work is ongoing.

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

We were satisfied with the quality of work. We were very happy with the process.

How did Amalgama perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive. Communication was easy. They gave us direct access to work with their developers when we had small things we were working on. They were very open to using the internal processes we have set up, which as great for us. We use Asana. We brought them on board and they became almost an extension of the shop. They are more of a partner than a vendor.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We had some very detailed animation requirements. In the end, we got where we wanted to go, which we were impressed with.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am developing a social calendar focused on sharing content online around specific events and following people based on different interests, so users never miss an event.

What challenge were you trying to address with Amalgama?

They're working on my iOS application by picking up the minimally viable product I'd built with a financer and turning it around.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The biggest challenge for them has been working on code done by another group, evaluating it, and prioritizing my needs in the fastest and most efficient manner possible.

What is the team dynamic?

They've assigned 2 developers and a team manager to my project.

How did you come to work with Amalgama?

A friend introduced me to them. They were more expensive than a freelancer but my first choice after ending the previous collaboration.

How much have you invested with them?

I've invested around $5,000 in their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them 2 months ago.

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

We're aiming to have something available live, which users could test. The results in terms of quality, given the limited budget and timing, have been good so far. I've been able to publish the app on the App Store.

How did Amalgama perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via email, phone, and WhatsApp. For planning, Amalgama use their own platform, tmp. It allows me to prioritize activities dynamically, so I know how many hours they've worked at any point in time and make decisions based on how much is left.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've always been amazing in terms of putting ideas down on paper, quoting, planning, and allocating the needed resources. They've met all deadlines, provided extremely fluent communication, and are always there for me when I need them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Given that they're working on nonfunctional code, it's tough to measure quality. They've mostly focused on fixing issues and have done a perfect job, relative to what I was expecting.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the product manager for a technology company serving the needs of underrepresented minorities in the financial services.

What challenge were you trying to address with Amalgama?

We needed a mobile app developed for our customers who were sending money from the U.S. back to their home countries, primarily in Latin America.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Amalgama helped us from the very beginning. They worked with us from the wireframing stage all the way to developing the application. They integrated the API of our service provider with the frontend. Amalgama assigned 2 frontend developers, 2 backend developers, and 2 designers to the project.

How did you come to work with Amalgama?

We came to know about Amalgama through a mutual friend, and they ended up being the right fit.

How much have you invested with Amalgama?

We paid about $30,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from July 2014 until July 2015.

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

There were 2 real advantages to doing business with tech firms in Argentina. First, we have similar cultures. When we worked with developers from other countries, everything had to be extremely detailed. We had to describe exactly what we wanted them to do. However, we weren’t looking for someone to write the code exactly as we described it — we wanted someone who would push back and give us better suggestions. Fortunately, Amalgama was not afraid to give feedback and share their opinion about how things should be designed.

The second benefit of doing business with firms in Argentina was that there was no time difference. Amalgama’s business hours were virtually the same as the East Coast. That made it easy to jump on calls with them. We were also working on the West Coast at the time, but we didn’t have an issue there either. Those back-and-forth sessions allowed us to get little things ironed out quickly.

The design of the app received positive comments from our startup community. Potential customers were able to navigate the intuitive interface. We also received positive feedback from our business partner who provided the backend API for the financial transactions.

How did Amalgama perform from a project management standpoint?

Amalgama excelled in project management — they distinguished themselves in this area. I appreciated the fact that they hit all their deadlines without being too aggressive. I believe they were using Trello or Basecamp or something similar, but I can’t remember what exactly. They were sharing updates as each development milestone was completed, so we could watch their progress on those items.

Amalgama had 1 point of contact who managed all of our communication. They were extremely communicative and always on Gchat. We felt that we had a strong collaboration with Amalgama.

What did you find most impressive about Amalgama?

Amalgama was more than just an outsourced tech shop for us — they were really consultants, which was the value that they brought to the project. It was pretty seamless to work with Amalgama because they’re both a design and development firm. They were definitely not just outsourcing the code. Amalgama’s team was well-integrated. They had top-end designers and engineers all sitting together so they were not waiting for each other.

Are there any areas Amalgama could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.