App-Scoop

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of software engineering for a SaaS company that works in the healthcare space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

We had some specific needs. We started with mobile software engineering, which was one of the areas they specialized in.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App-Scoop is helping us to grow and enhance our native mobile applications for iOS and Android. They’ve worked on the portable version of the app, which enables healthcare providers to document and track referrals and orders for patients. Also, they’ve done some frontend design, architecting, and backend development.

What is the team composition?

Right now, we have two people on our mobile team and three on our product support team. They’re also helping us manage incoming requests for fixes and enhancements to our core product.

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

I searched for a company with a close presence to communicate easily with the account manager. App-Scoop had experience supporting mobile apps and in the healthcare space. Also, they were willing to be closely engaged in the resource selection process and met all our commercial terms — they ticked all the boxes.

We initially reached out to Paul (Director) and had introductory calls. We had some discussions about the skill sets we were looking for and what we thought was necessary to have a relationship with an offshore team. Then, we went into negotiation and finally engaged with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2021, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All the resources have been really solid. Their people are technically sound and engaged. They also have good communication skills, which we can’t take for granted when working across many time zones. App-Scoop’s team has helped us significantly expand our capacity, and they’ve worked closely with our team on the product management side. 

On the other hand, there are always bugs and fixes, but they’ve greatly contributed to enhancing our products. Overall, it’s been a positive engagement and a good relationship.

How did App-Scoop perform from a project management standpoint?

A couple of their resources are quite senior, so they wear many hats. They act as project managers, managing their own work due to the disparity in time zones. However, they also work closely with our project managers, so it’s been a pretty good dovetail of their experiences as contributors.

We’ve used email and Teams as tools to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness and quality of people are outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of. They’ve done everything we’ve asked.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with any offshore or third-party development partner, be clear about your expectations and requirements.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Arkit, a company that offers map-based project management software for the energy and environmental sectors. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

We hired App-Scoop for their mobile app development services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We needed to develop a mobile app for our already-existing web app. Our internal team didn’t have the background for that, so we engaged App-Scoop to help us. Their resources worked with us using JavaScript and other technologies that we were already using. Their task was essentially to redo the UI and architecture of the web app to turn it into an extension mobile app for both Android and iOS. 

At present, the app has been launched. We’ve also finished the testing phase, where the team has discovered and fixed bugs and crashes. We’re also trying to add more features to the product while refining it. 

What is the team composition?

We work with two people from their team, including the project manager who’s also a programmer. 

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

We were looking for teams to help us, and as we were doing that, App-Scoop contacted us — they had the right timing. From there, we did our due diligence. We also shortlisted other companies but ended up going for App-Scoop. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $100,000 CAD (approximately $80,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To measure success, we help App-Scoop break down their tasks, while the metrics are focused on the features they have to build. We go over their tasks and compare them to the features they have to build. 

Meanwhile, we’ve acquired minimal customer feedback because we’re a B2B company. However, what we’ve acquired has so far been positive. Our customers have no complaints about the app.

How did App-Scoop perform from a project management standpoint?

App-Scoop’s project management has been great. They work quickly and within the budget that they’ve quoted. To communicate, we use Slack for day-to-day conversations. We also have a meeting with their resources every week to track the progress of the job. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their strong point is that their project manager is located in Canada, so they’re in the same timezone as us. Given that, the manager can delegate tasks to their team in India without worries of time zone differences.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. They’ve done a good job, and we’re happy with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you need App-Scoop to build. Break your requirements down, and ask the team to help you accomplish them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a parent company for a number of sports teams. I am the software engineering director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

Initially, we needed staff augmentation support. We’re tied to our teams’ seasons, so our work comes in bursts. We brought in engineers to help us with a skill gap that we had on a short-term contract.

The second engagement was a product build for a pretty sizable platform in a two-month timeframe.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App-Scoop provides full software services: architecture, QA, project management, and even deployment of infrastructure components. We gave them requirements and UI designs and then let them handle the day-to-day building process in-house.

Currently, they’re helping train our team on the use of the system. We’ve also worked with them on high-level mobile applications. They built a number of React Native applications for us.

What is the team composition?

Right now, on the day-to-day, I talk to four people, but on the whole, there have been 10–12 people working on the project.

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

My boss used to work with them years ago. I’m not sure how they met, but they’ve kept in touch over the years about various technologies.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We've been working together since November 2020. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new experiential platform hasn’t launched yet, but we’re happy with it internally. My manager was very pleased with the work that they did.

How did App-Scoop? perform from a project management standpoint?

For the staff augmentation project, they joined the team that was already in place, and we used our tools to get the project done. On the platform project, we’ve let them run with it because the timeline is very tight. They’re good with communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

App-Scoop’s ability to step up and deliver on a wild timeline stands out. They bring in the right resources to get everything done. Additionally, they excel with the back and forth to control scope, making sure that we deliver something with valuable features that hits our timeline.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m not sure, as the platform hasn’t gone live yet, and it isn’t a typical project. We put App-Scoop into a difficult set of circumstances, and they’ve executed well. Everything is up and running.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

In general, try to work with the processes that you’re most comfortable with, as a lot of companies will try and impose their own processes on their clients.

App-Scoop works well with a little bit of structure — having a project manager, for example. This helps maintain communication across the whole team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a B2B SaaS company that specializes in the areas of social media and reputation management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

We had a web-based solution that we had been running for quite a while. It worked well and customers liked it, but we still didn’t have a mobile application for our business. Customers had asked us from time to time for an app that would allow them to check things on the go, and this is why we contacted App-Scoop.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App-Scoop has worked through requirements definition — building the infrastructure of code repositories and doing different DevOps processes. The team has also done creative work for different screens. They’re currently in the third sprint, so we’re halfway through the project. 

The app allows our customers to segment their clients and manage their social media and reputation. Our subscribers can schedule different types of posts on all the major social media platforms. For instance, there’s a posting gallery where users can keep photos, videos, and other media. 

What is the team composition?

I talked with the managing director when we were scoping to get the estimate. I have a project manager and I work directly with the development team, who asks me questions related to requirements definition as well as sprint reviews. 

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

App-Scoop reached out to me a couple of years ago, and I had been talking to them about different projects. The team showed me great case studies on solutions that they had built previously, and I decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The total project cost is about $35,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in March 2021, and it’s ongoing. We are on track to finish at the end of June.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

App-Scoop has had a good understanding of our business and gotten the requirements right the first time, so we haven't had to go back and forth many times. For me, this is an indicator that I can get the desired results. The project has remained on track, and the team has been meeting all goals. 

Their creative abilities also stand out; I did a couple of apps in the past with other vendors and wasn’t 100% pleased with the creative aspect. 

How did App-Scoop perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, they’ve performed pretty well. We communicate almost every day through Slack and follow a project plan. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve been very satisfied with the product so far. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only issue that I've found is that it's difficult to understand sometimes when you’re speaking directly to the developers in India, due to the language barrier. I’ve had a lot of interaction with offshore vendors, so it’s not frustrating for me, but I can see how it could be for some customers. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Interact with the team frequently and ask questions to make sure they understand where the project’s headed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of IT at NRI Distribution, a third-party logistics (3PL) company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

We develop our own software in-house, but with timing constraints, we needed a partner to help us with an app that we were trying to develop in a short time period. All of our operators use hand-held devices to pick up orders, and we were looking to modernize that app because it’s 12 years old.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App-Scoop created a React app from scratch to talk to our APIs to modernize our application as a whole. 

What is the team composition?

We’re working with two full-time developers, a project manager, a QA tester, and the owner.

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

They cold-emailed us, and it caught my eye because we were looking to do this project. A lot of the work they had done was local work in British Columbia, which gave me more reassurance that they were legitimate. Once I had a conversation with them and saw their work, I could see that they were on the same page as us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000–$70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in August 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal team verifies that the code is in line with what we’re looking for and they test the apps. We’re going into production soon with one of the features App-Scoop is working on, and we’ve been satisfied with their work. 

How did App-Scoop perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Slack and all of the tickets are in Jira which allows us to see how they’re progressing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

App-Scoop is incredibly responsive. They wake up early to talk to us late at night, and they’re up late to get us the work that we need in the morning.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, it’s been good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on the requirements and walk through them with App-Scoop to make sure that everyone is on the same page before you let them go. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief commercial officer and co-founder of a healthcare IT services company. We provide a care coordination platform in healthcare.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

The first feature they worked on for us was called a smart check-ins feature. From a customer perspective, the problem we were trying to solve was streamlining check-ins with patients between medical visits. That helps when a patient is discharged from the hospital and the doctor needs to follow up a week later to make sure pain is surprising. During COVID-19, it also helps doctors access patients that are isolating at home. Essentially, it’s a remote monitoring tool.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided them with the design, and then they did everything after that stage. That includes project management, product management, development, QA testing, and provided the integrated product to us. They used our tech stack throughout development, which included Ruby on Rails.

Not only did they develop a new feature for our platform, they also integrated the feature into all of our existing platforms. To do so, they had to get to know our existing functionality.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with Peter (IT Consultant), who is our project manager and lead technical architect, and Paul (Co-Founder) was our overall project lead on their behalf. They have several developers and team members working on out project, but we don’t interact with them directly.

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

One of my co-founders knew of them through the technology space. We looked at 2–3 companies before selecting App-Scoop.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2020 and this particular project is just wrapping up now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We plan to launch today or tomorrow. Ultimately, we’re looking forward to seeing how the feature is used and getting feedback from customers. We measured their performance on how often we found bugs and their ability to resolve them. They delivered on time and on budget.

How did App-Scoop perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication has been really good. They’ve been clear on the timeline and they let us know ahead of time if deadlines are going to be difficult to accommodate. They also keep us informed throughout the process.

Upon our request, they used our product management tools, including Atlassian, Jira, Confluence, Slack, and GitHub.

We’ve developed a good relationship and have been able to identify ways to improve the process on either side of the engagement in order to accelerate things. We’ve been very agile, which has been really important since we have two development teams working together for the first time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Once we’ve set our requirements, they’ve gone on to deliver it without any nonsense.

Are there any areas they could improve?

That’s tough because when issues arise, it’s can be on our end or on theirs. Collectively, we could improve for we spend our requirements across regular browser and mobile devices to make sure everything work consistently across different platforms.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The outcome will be as good as the quality of your own specifications. They execute exactly what you tell them to, so be specific when outlining your requirements.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product manager for a software solutions company. We mostly do fleet management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

We’re working on a personal management feature in our system. One of the things we’re lacking is a mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App-Scoop is helping us develop an Android app for personal management. The team manages both the frontend and API development, while our internal development team works on the backend. 

On the server-side, we share the map information and the geofencing information. If the GPS is detected inside a geozone, a notification will be generated.

At the beginning of the project, they provided wireframes and UI designs, which we approved. The project is ongoing because we’re still waiting for the final signoff from our customer.

What is the team composition?

I work with the founders. I also work with the lead developer and with another developer as well.

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

The project was passed onto me from higher management. I think what they considered were pricing and the quality of their online reviews.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost so far is about $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2018 and the work is ongoing. We did a second project in March 2019. Recently, we just signed a support contract with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

App-Scoop delivered most of the requirements we had. Our team has to do testing because the environment for our customer is really hard to reproduce. 

For some of the requirements, until we get the field testing, we won’t know the final results. However, the majority of the requirements have been satisfied.

How did App-Scoop perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication has been good. We have regular meetings. Since the development is offshore, our meetings are often outside the normal work hours for our company. 

The regular updates from their team have been great. They give us feedback and updates if we’re not able to make it to the meeting. We're very satisfied with App-Scoop's service. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their follow-up after they delivered the application. They did a really good job in following up to make sure there’s no issue with the release that they give us. 

In our field testing, to get it to the customer and get the feedback from the actual customer, it takes a bit of time. After the project was finished, they did a really good job checking up with us on a weekly basis for about a month to a month and a half, just to see if there’s any issues.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We felt the documentation was lacking a little bit at the beginning of the project. If we communicate it well, they are willing to make those changes for us. It just wasn’t well communicated initially.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on the deliverables. We didn’t really specify specifications from the development side or any testing reports. We were expecting the outsource team to deliver the same amount of information and documentation as expected. If that’s not specified in the contract, that’s really hard to expect that from the other team. Make it a bit more clear on the initial contract.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the engineering manager at Varis Mine Technology Ltd. We provide mining communication equipment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

We wanted to develop an application that our customers could use to view our products with short descriptions and then request quotations based on a compatibility matrix. We wanted to make our application work so that a customer wouldn’t buy products that aren’t compatible with each other because there are specific installation requirements.

We also wanted App-Scoop to solve the requirement of having all customers request support directly through the application. We wanted the product support to involve documentation, installation guides, and troubleshooting.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App-Scoop built a React Native hybrid application for iOS and Android. I created wireframes for their team to show them how I envisioned the platform. Their team executed on the development and applied the aesthetic touches. They created the web backend, which allows our representatives to edit the product categories and listings.

What is the team composition?

Initially, I worked with the CEO who assigned a project manager to the work. They also have a team of developers, but I mainly communicate with the project manager.

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

The total cost for this project will be $67,000 CAD (approximately $48,300 USD).

How much have you invested with them?

My CEO met the CEO of App-Scoop at a conference or event. He recommended App-Scoop. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We officially began the project in November 2019. We’re scheduled for completion in June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It appears that we’ll be on time and on budget. It’s easy to work with them. I would definitely work with them again.

I’ve shown the application to my team and everyone likes the look. My team suggested minor improvements but that’s par for the course with any development project. Whenever I’ve gone to them with feedback, they’ve been responsive.

How did App-Scoop perform from a project management standpoint?

We use JIRA and Confluence. I communicate with the developers through Slack. We also meet via Google Conference.

They’re on time and on budget, so we’re on track to meet our deadline. Their development’s flexible and agile. That’s an anomaly in most development projects. Their team’s responsive to my queries. Even with my late-night ideas, I receive an answer by the next morning.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to respond to feedback sets them apart from other agencies. When I say that I spotted an issue, they respond, understand, and fix it within a day. I can trace all their work through collaboration tools. I appreciate their transparency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing that jumps out at me at the moment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I generated a few specification documents, which made the process straightforward. You can have discussions based on those documents.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Deleezy Technologies Inc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App-Scoop?

We are developing an on-demand technology for delivery via a mobile app. We are going to use crowdsourcing models for the delivery drivers. We’re also going to have a B2B business and supply small businesses with our platform to use it to perform their deliveries. 

There will also be a business-to-consumer (B2C) side where customers can order deliveries either from stores or for running normal errands in their daily lives.

Due to being a startup with limited resources, I didn’t want to hire an in-house team. The logical way for us was to find a partner that would be able to translate our business model into a workable piece of software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App-Scoop developed four pieces of software. The first was an app for the drivers in order for them to be able to pick up the orders. The second was an app for the customers to place the orders and track the deliveries. The team made both of the apps for iOS and Android. 

Thirdly, they developed a web app to cater to the other customers who don’t want to use the mobile app. And finally, the team created another web app that’s going to serve our business customers. They use React Native and do the front- and backend development.

What is the team composition?

We worked with their project manager who is based here in Vancouver. He has an assistant helping him with the admin work. They also have a tech lead, a QA specialist, and a few developers.

How did you come to work with App-Scoop?

I made a short-list of three companies I found on Clutch and got proposals from each of them. App-Scoop was the best in terms of value for money.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $107,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2019 and we hope to finish the project in June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The three aspects that were important to me were the value for money, the sense of partnership, and the timeframe of execution. As a startup, I wanted someone who would put my needs ahead of any big project that they’re working on or at least at the same level. 

Given this was a new concept, it was a big risk for me. I needed value for money, given the complexities I was looking for and how smart the system should be in terms of locating drivers, bundling offers together if they’re going in the same direction, and all these smart elements that are necessary to make sense of such a model. 

It was clear to me from the day I started working with App-Scoop that they were really paying attention and trying to make sure it worked. Their mentality is not based on our agreements or what we’re paying for. 

Rather, they are more concerned with trying to think of the added value that isn’t necessarily the scope. The team works in a collaborative way which is really helpful for a startup like us.

How did App-Scoop perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Slack, Confluence, email, and UberConference. I’m able to see what is going on behind the scenes. They are really receptive to my phone calls, and the communication is very fluid.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their sense of partnership sets them apart. App-Scoop tries to help us in any way they can to make sure that we succeed. It’s been an easy and straightforward process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their time management could have been better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t hesitate to ask all the questions that you want to ask before you sign the contract. Give them a clear idea about what you’re looking for. If you’re not sure about the scope, that might not be the best approach. If you communicate effectively, they’ll be able to help you with almost accurate estimations of what it will cost you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of TaskBee, which is an online service connecting communities together to accomplish odd tasks and errands in their area. This platform services Canada and is set to launch in the coming months.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App-Scoop?

We needed them to develop a web platform for clients and maintain the site’s needs after launch.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to see them finish what my previous development team could not. Our main goal was to have the platform launch ready within a matter of months. They had to understand the previous team's code and my site needs and goals for the platform.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I conducted an online search and read reviews. I was speaking with the owner of App-Scoop for several months during my issues with the old team I had hired. The owner was extremely knowledgeable and helpful in dealing with the problems I was facing. He made the transition from the old team to App-Scoop very easy. My dealings with him before even hiring him and the amount of help and advice he offered me is what ultimately made my decision, as I knew I could trust him and his team to bring my vision to life.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They found the most feasible solutions to benefit our business in the long run. They integrated payment solutions and came up with a flow that would make the most sense for users. They implemented a start-to-finish process for when users post a task, apply for one, and complete one.

What was the team composition?

I have one main point of contact, who is the project lead. The owner also checks in to make sure that things are going smoothly and that I am satisfied with the work being done. The project lead communicates with the development team, so everyone is on the same page.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our platform is close to launching now, which it was nowhere near before. Without App-Scoop, I'm not sure where we would be in the development process. They really brought everything together to make my business idea a reality. They have been helpful with suggestions that would make the platform more efficient as well. They’ve shown that they care about the success of my business and given advice based on their own experiences.

They worked in a very efficient and timely manner to bring the development timeline back on track. The App-Scoop team has a wealth of development knowledge. It makes leaving the entire development process in their hands very stress-free, as I know my expectations will always be met.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I was extremely impressed with how organized everything was. From using tools such as Trello for project management and Slack to communicate, I learned a lot and felt at ease during the entire process. I always knew what was going on, what was being worked on and when things were expected to be finished. They respond right away when we message them with a question or concern. They have tools such as Uber Conference, so if we can’t get into the office, we can voice call and screen share on there to show exactly what we’re talking about. Overall, their exceptionally organized setup has made my experience working with them really great.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I went from a terrible experience with a prior company to just being blown away by App-Scoop. They care, they know what they are doing, and I'm really thankful to have come across them to handle the development of my first venture. I don't see anyone else taking my platform to the heights they can. I plan to work with them for the entirety of this business and any other business I venture into in the future. They know just what to implement and which third-party company is best for my particular needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There really isn't anything I can think of that needs improving. From my initial discussions to starting on the development to where we are now, it has been a really great experience.