Appstronauts

Please describe your company and your position there.

I run a small software consultancy. I'm advising startups in Europe and helping them to find the right tech partner early stage.

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

My client previously worked with various freelancers, but their work's quality was inconsistent, unpredictable, and almost always much behind schedule. The product is rather complicated because it consists of an IoT sound module (developed in-house) with firmware and a web app.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was a simple but not an easy one. To deliver the next product iteration (post-MVP) for the next phase of testing to the community, all within the budget we had left and within a quite short time. We had to release the device along with the web app so we could start beta tests on a larger scale.

How did you select Appstronauts?

I already knew some of the people working there and how they approach their own customers. They were on our shortlist from the start. It was important to choose someone who could adjust rather quickly to our needs and be a possible long-term partner.

Describe the project in detail.

The project is an IoT module for audio streaming with a web app for handling the stream settings, etc.

What was the team composition?

The team was composed of one full-stack developer and project manager - working part-time.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were able to deliver the beta on time, and we're gathering user feedback, so we're able to deliver a better experience when we hit the market with the final product. It also allowed us to look for further funding.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was just like working with our own team. We had ground rules for communication and project management set up from the start, so it went really smoothly. The process they suggested was very efficient, and we kept a quick pace all the time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are honest, straightforward, and very motivated. They really fell in love with the project from the start. Finally, they helped us with some implementation choices so the project could be delivered faster and on a lower budget.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't imagine something that they could improve on.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a Polish theater called Teatr Papahema. It’s a small-to-mid-sized theater with eight full-time workers. We travel around Poland and Europe, especially to Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium. We have original acts, and we also play ones like Hamlet and Alice in Wonderland.

What challenge were you trying to address with Appstronauts?

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a very difficult situation for us, given that borders were closed and many artists, in general, couldn’t earn money. We had to think about how we’d survive, and we started looking for ways to move the theater online. 

We decided to build some kind of video on demand (VOD) platform, allowing people to buy tickets and watch plays in the warmth of their own homes, with a coffee, beer, or wine. As the single person responsible for the theater, people were counting on me for their income.

We had to find a solution that would satisfy our patrons and would be easy to use and scalable. We didn’t have the budget for a custom platform, and we also had to react fast.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We sat with a senior business and technology consultant from Appstronauts and discussed the current situation and how we could translate our needs into a solution. They gave us an offer, and we set milestones.  

Our main website was already in place, and Appstronauts developed a subpage of it, which allows users to buy tickets and watch video content. On our side, we have a Vimeo integration for uploading videos. We have a connection with eBilet.pl, which is the most popular ticketing platform in Poland. 

Appstronauts developed functionality for generating custom codes to be sent to the ticketing platform for sale. Our main website is built on WordPress, and the sub-portal has a Node.js backend and an AngularJS frontend.

What is the team composition?

Appstronauts’ project manager was responsible for the contact between us and their team. We also had two programmers, one tester, and one business consultant.

How did you come to work with Appstronauts?

I asked a friend who had been involved in a lot of startups, and he gave me some companies to contact, but my project was too small for them. My friend then told me that I should find a smaller and active company that would understand my needs. 

Big software companies work mostly with corporations and startups with funds, and that wasn’t our case. I browsed Clutch and read articles about the top companies in Poland, and shortlisted 4–5 of them. I was interested in Appstronauts because of their portfolio. 

They’d done projects in media, including for a Polish radio station. One of their founders served as our initial consultant, and I could see that they worked closely with their customers. They were simply advising me and not pushing for a sale.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around 55,000 Polish zloty (approximately $15,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Appstronauts in late-August 2020, and the first release was in October 2020. The development took six weeks, followed by user testing and deployment.

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

We’re playing 4–8 acts per week through the platform, and it serves as our revenue source at the moment. We sold 40 tickets per play for the first four plays. The most important thing for me is that we’re earning money for the first time since March 2020. 

The platform is mobile- and desktop-friendly, so if we can promote it properly, we’ll earn money through it. Appstronauts helped us go from offline to online and gave us a way to survive.

How did Appstronauts perform from a project management standpoint?

They gave me a lot of charts and statistics, and they used Jira. I had access to a board where I could see the status of the work. We also used Slack and Gmail for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of engagement was impressive. I talked to their founders about the project, not with salespeople, and they remained involved throughout the process. Appstronauts was proactive in proposing a solution even before signing an agreement. 

We had short workshops, and they sent me articles about MVPs. They also helped me on the business side. They understood what our budget was, and they gave us an estimate of the time it would take for the platform to become profitable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m very happy overall. Communication was difficult at times, but they did tell me that the programmers would be very specialized and I may not understand them. They told me to talk to the project manager, and that she would take care of everything. If not, I could go to the founders.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should tell Appstronauts their expectations, instead of dictating every small detail. I simply came in and explained the situation I was in, and Appstronauts told me about what they’d done with other companies. In the end, my theater was transformed from offline to online.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're a nightlife marketing app that lets customers book and buy drinks packages for bars.

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

We hired Appstronauts for the app development project.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to improve and expand the capabilities of our mobile app. We needed Appstronauts to fix existing bugs in our app and develop new features, as fast as possible.

How did you select this vendor?

We were looking for experienced developers who offer high quality of work and know-how to manage issues. Appstronauts portfolio was promising and showed that they are experienced in similar projects.

It was crucial for us to find developers that would be available as fast as possible. Our final decision was based on Appstronauts’ offer and estimation they prepared for us.

Describe the project in detail.

Appstronauts jumped into app development quickly. They immediately helped us to get rid of the issues our application had. The company shared a lot of deep knowledge about app development with us. They advised us on the best architectural and technological solutions.

What was the team composition?

We hired one app developer.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Appstronauts managed to fix some important, disturbing bugs, and the quality of our app improved.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We used Slack for communication and Gitlab Tasks for project management. The tasks were divided into small periods of time, so we could easily keep the finger on the pulse and track the progress. Appstronauts were always in touch with us and made useful suggestions about the development. They were engaged in the project and the final success.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were impressed with their dedication to the project and a strong desire to solve all the issues we were facing with our app. They were communicating openly with us and shared their knowledge eagerly, advising on the best solutions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing comes to my mind. The team is professional and works transparently.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m CEO and the founder of a startup created to help people manage their savings.

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

We approached the company with a vision for a mobile app to manage savings in a fun and effective way, through a mobile device. We had an idea to equip people with a tool where they can add a saving goal, the amount of money needed, and then choose the frequency of passing the money on it.

The main purpose of the app was helping people to stay focused on the goal and stop them from spending money impulsively. We wanted to reach users on iOS and Android.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed Appstronauts to design and develop this app in the shortest time possible to put our idea on the market quickly. We wanted to develop apps for iOS and Android as fast as possible.

How did you select this vendor?

We were looking for a company that could provide us with a dedicated team of specialists offering high quality at a reasonable price. When we talked to Appstronauts, from the first moments we saw that they are perfectly organized and know how to lead the project to success. They were very enthusiastic about our idea and built our trust offering a detailed contract to secure our rights and interest.

Describe the project in detail.

Appstronauts took holistic care of our project. They provided us with UX/UI design, frontend development and backend development. Quality Assurance engineers were involved in our project from the very beginning, and the whole process was supervised by a Project Manager.

The company advised us on the best tools, technologies, and recommended cross-platform development. These were great ideas that allowed us to shorten the time to market and show our product to the world quickly. Appstronauts managed to deliver an MVP of our app for iOS and Android in 3 months.

To create our app faster, they chose to use the Ionic framework. It allowed them to share a great part of the code between iOS and Android. Also, thanks to that, only one team was working on our project which contributed to lower cost. The final effect was excellent.

What was the team composition?

We were working with a dedicated team that consisted of full-stack developers (frontend and backend), UX and UI designer, Quality Assurance specialist and a Project Manager.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The app was warmly received by initial users and allowed us to start building a business around it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project was organized according to the Agile/Scrum methodology and guided by a Project Manager. The whole process was really impressive and effective. The development team was working in two-week sprints, and at the end of each sprint, we were presented with the newest results.

On a daily basis, we were able to track the progress and time reports in Jira. We could talk to the team whenever we needed to. The company was organizing video calls using Slack to keep us in the loop. The team was always honouring our feedback.

Appstronauts were able to make decisions quickly and implement changes without hesitation. Thanks to that kind of project management, everything was delivered on time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What impressed us a lot, was that Appstronauts genuinely cared about open and transparent communication. In outsourcing mutual trust is crucial and in my opinion, it contributed a lot to the final success.

We felt like they were a part of our team and really engaged in our success. We also think that the way the company organizes projects is very impressive. They have everything under control and deliver on time.

We appreciate that they advised us on the best development direction and technologies, which allowed us to show our product to the world really fast. We’re delighted with the partnership and its results.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing comes up to my mind, we are really delighted about our cooperation with Appstronauts.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Head of Product & Senior Project Manager of Smartfix30, a SaaS platform developed by Solutions30 company, which aim to improve technician / customer communication.

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

We hired Appstronauts to develop the whole Smartfix30 SaaS platform.

What were your goals for this project?

The initial goal was to create a proof of concept designed for B2C business, which we finally adapt and sold as a B2B SaaS platform.

How did you select this vendor?

We pitch a few companie and selected the company who had the best offer: a combinaison of price, flexibility and good practice.

Describe the project in detail.

We build the SaaS platform step by step in collaboration with Appstronauts team and our own clients using scrum method, ie with small and fast iteration. My role is to keep the product vision of the platform, my team is providing specs, design and Appstronauts team is in charge of the technical choice.

What was the team composition?

Initially, there was a team of 3 developers, during the evolution of the project we raised until 4 developers and a Project Manager, now the team is composed of 1 lead dev, 2 developers and the Q/A tester from Appstronauts and a product owner from Smartfix30.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

After more than 2 years, our platform is using by more than 4000 technicians, 2000 back office agent, and 100 000 clients a month.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

After a few adjustment about who is in charge of what, I think we reached the perfect organisation (see above). The 2 teams are communicating daily, several time a day via Slack, Phone calls, Jira.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Appstronauts' strength is the availability of their team.

Are there any areas for improvement?

n/a

Please describe your company and your position there.

We’re an interactive agency that helps businesses create consistent media image. We design and develop websites, dedicated applications, offer hosting and e-commerce solutions

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

We needed additional team members during the implementation of our Ionic app project. We were searching for a company that would provide experienced Ionic developers to support the project.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to deliver flawless web and mobile apps for one of the world’s largest banks. The project was about creating a perfectly operating app that would enable the bank’s employees to register their business trips.

How did you select this vendor?

We were looking for a vendor who would provide us with developers specialized in creating web and mobile apps with the Ionic Framework. Appstronauts have certified specialists and an excellent portfolio of Ionic projects. They are experienced Ionic specialists, and that was exactly what we were looking for.

Describe the project in detail.

We created cross-platform web and mobile apps for one of the biggest banks in the world. Apps’ goal is to allow employees to plan and account their business trips. An employee can add various expenses and information connected to trips that already took place and the ones that are scheduled. The supervisor, on the other hand, has the ability to manage all the trips, as well as accept/decline the scheduled ones. Appstronauts helped us with the frontend of the apps, which was created with Ionic and Angular. While delivering the apps Appstronauts team used continuous integration and continuous delivery. It allowed for earlier bug detection and serious cost reduction

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of one Project Manager and one full-stack mobile developers

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Thanks to Appstronauts team’s support, we were able to finish the project within the time limit successfully

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The whole project was organized with the Scrum framework, with one-week sprints. Each day started with a daily when they planned the entire work, and each sprint ended with a demo day when new features were presented in real-time. To communicate, Appstronauts used Slack, and for managing the project - Jira. The communication with each member of the team was excellent. The Project Manager was looking after implementing everything according to the plan. The whole project was managed and organized transparently, and Appstronauts were very supportive. It allowed for smooth collaboration and timely releases of new features.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Communication with Appstronauts was so transparent that we really felt like they were part of our team. They were also very hardworking and collaborative. We admired their enthusiastic approach to problem solving and passion for what they do. Appstronauts proved that they are not only experts in developing apps with Ionic, but also with managing projects.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing comes to mind that they need to improve.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Store Manager at Decathlon. Our company is the largest French sporting goods retailer in the world. 

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

We’re well-known for our big retail stores, but we also have concept stores in various cities. Recently, our concept stores entered Poland, and we needed a mobile app to optimize the work of the back office. We wanted to improve the communication between local stores in order to facilitate the process of shipping products from one store to another and deliver a required product to a client on the same day they requested it.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed an app that would enable a salesperson to communicate easily with other stores and warehouses to check the supplies and to order, on client’s requirement, an item or clothing from another local store. The app should allow our employees to make an order, confirm a transaction, generate a bill of lading, and a code to self-service checkout for a client. We also needed an easy-to-use panel for store managers.

How did you select this vendor?

We searched for a software house in the nearby area. Our goal was to find a company from Warsaw that offers rapid development of an MVP, high-quality of the developed product, and could handle a long term relationship. Appstronauts' team fulfilled our requirements and showed us a portfolio of previously created products. They turned out to be experienced in progressive web apps (PWA). We’ve selected this company based on their competitive offer and experience.

Describe the project in detail.

Appstronauts provided us with UX and UI design at the beginning of our project. Then, they designed the whole system architecture and developed a PWA using the Ionic framework. The MVP was created in a couple of months.

We received the app that covers both sales and logistics modules and has an intuitive admin panel. Developing a PWA allows us to have a useful web application that can be also added to the home screen like a mobile app and delivers a native mobile experience. The whole time Appstronauts provided us with IT consulting, we could count on their advice and experience.

What was the team composition?

The team was composed of 3 full-stack developers and a UX/UI designer.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

At this moment, we have an MVP that is used by our salesmen in concept stores at Warsaw. The app allows us to optimize work, significantly accelerate the process of delivering required products to clients, and facilitate communication between stores. Now our local stores are connected, and sales associates can easily send items between them.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Appstronauts used Agile methodology, and the whole work was divided into sprints. We could track the progress in Jira, and after each sprint, new features were presented to us during a demo. The team appreciated our feedback and implemented every suggestion. We used Slack for daily communication, mostly cooperated with Project Manager but also could communicate with developers directly. The whole project was well-organized, and the process was very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I especially appreciated open communication and friendly atmosphere during the project. Appstronauts treated us like a partner and did their best to provide us with a product that complied with our requirements. The company approached the project with a lot of enthusiasm.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We received a polished product that met our requirements. We appreciate the partnership.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a startup that was created to unite craft beer lovers in Poland. We have a mobile app that allows beer passionates to find places that serve their favorite beverages.

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

We hired Appstronauts to develop a functional, visually attractive mobile app.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to quickly create an informational app that allows users to search for new flavors easily, but also carries the idea of a community of those passionate about beer. The ideal app would differentiate us in the market, providing a detailed base of craft beer pubs and prices.

How did you select this vendor?

We were searching for developers in Warsaw that could offer high quality, rapid development with a competitive price and excellent project management. Appstronauts offered all of this, plus we were thrilled about their approach, engagement, and ideas.

Describe the project in detail.

Appstronauts provided us with UX and UI design ideas. We brainstormed together, participating in design thinking sessions. Iterations of the solution were tested in a group of future users. The MVP was finished in four weeks.

They used Atomic Design Methodology and an Ionic framework for app development. They prioritized quality frontend development, access to native device features, and a polished UX. They added user-centric features such as a geolocation function to the solution. 

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of a UX designer, a graphic designer, and two full-stack developers.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The mobile app was the core of our startup, and it turned out to be a success. Beer passionates were very enthusiastic about the solution. Also, whenever parts of the app were tested on future users, it was clear that Appstronauts drove the project in the right direction. Now, the final version is available at the app store. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We were always up-to-date on the team’s workflow. We remained in regular contact with developers and the project manager. Appstronauts informed us about every status change, and we could also track their progress in Jira. The whole project was organized very effectively, and we were able to give our feedback and adjust the requirements at each stage of the process.
 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Appstronauts were not just our developers — they also supported the business side of our project as they were invested in our success. They treated us as a valued partner and showed enthusiasm as if they were a part of our team. We really appreciated their open communication and efficient work processes.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We’re thrilled with our partnership with Appstronauts. We’re happy about the work we did together.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a project manager at Agora SA, also known as Agora Media Group. A major media company in Poland, we own several radio stations including Radio Złote Przeboje. I oversee new digital products and relationships with partners.

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

Our mobile application for Radio Złote Przeboje was last updated in 2013, and its downloads were falling short of our goals. We engaged Appstronauts to lead a total rebuild of the app.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a competitive radio app that would attract new users and increase user engagement. It needed engaging functionalities and a high level of usability and reliability. We also wanted to update and maintain the app easily going forward. 

How did you select this vendor?

Our team searched for app developers in Warsaw. We wanted a company that offers high-quality products, rapid development, and transparent project management at reasonable rates. Appstronauts provided a competitive offer with an appealing tech stack, so we chose them.

Describe the project in detail.

We first provided Appstronauts with a new design of the app. The team built new functions and an improved UX for the app. They developed it as a cross-platform app using Ionic Framework. 

Key functionalities include an alarm clock, a geolocation feature that finds the nearest radio station, a contest mechanism, sharing, analytical tools, communication features, and integration with Google AdMob. 

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with a project manager, but we also could contact the development team, which consisted of two full-stack developers.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The final application met all our requirements. Its functionalities and UI/UX are significantly improved. Thanks to its analytics tools, we can see that more users are joining and the app’s reach is expanding.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our cooperation was excellent. We appreciated the ability to contact developers directly if needed. It made communication that much fairer and more open. We kept in touch via Slack and received progress updates in Jira.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Appstronauts treated us like a partner rather than a client. They were personable and invested in our success.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could have developed more detailed test scenarios. However, we ultimately received a polished and bug-free product that met our every requirement. We’re thrilled with the partnership. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of Asap Technologies, a freight marketplace that matches carriers with shippers. With our innovative system, we deliver a tailor-made solution to supplement empty carrier loads and offer reliable service and competitive prices to businesses/private clients.

For what projects/services did your company hire Appstronauts?

We wanted to develop a set of web and mobile apps for our carriers and shippers. 

What were your goals for this project? 

We were searching for a reliable partner that understood our need to pursue perfection in development. They were responsible for helping us outline the most valuable functionalities for our MVP before developing the apps.

How did you select this vendor? 

My team contacted app developers in our area and shortlisted a few companies based on their provided case studies. We then met with each candidate to learn about their experience, evaluating them based on their pricing structure and approach to our project. The latter was important for us to establish a meaningful partnership. We eventually went with Appstronauts.

Describe the project in detail.

Initially, Appstronauts led a series of workshops to help us define our needs and establish the core functionality for the MVP release. They then developed all of the designs before proceeding to the first phase of development.

The team created a set of apps for shippers and carriers. Each user side had an iOS/Android version in addition to a progressive web app (PWA). They developed the apps using the cross-platform framework Ionic and integrated Braintree payment functions. To monitor all of the carriers, shippers, and orders, they also created a CRM and dashboard. 

Currently, we’re alpha testing the apps and hope to launch in Q2 2019. They’ve created a website to help promote our services. 

What was the team composition?

They’ve assigned a project manager, two full-stack developers, a project tech lead, and a QA specialist. 

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? 

Right now, we’re in alpha testing for all of the apps and plan to go live by Q2 2019. Initial results have proven that we’ve created a set of good, intuitive apps. We’re currently trying to recruit additional carriers and find shippers to participate in our marketplace.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their workflow is very impressive. Appstronauts uses a Scrum methodology, preparing a backlog of tasks and Sprints. After each sprint, we have a day to demo the new version release, perform our own tests, and give direct feedback. They’ve been very helpful in quickly implementing all of our suggestions.

Overall, the contact is consistent, and they feel like a part of our team. We use Slack for daily communication and Jira to manage the project. This grants us access to the entire team and allows us to track the progress ourselves.  

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re agile and open-minded, making quick pivots to implement improvements. Not only do they understand the programming side of the project, but they also grasp our business needs, which helps to build great products. As such, they’re dedicated to developing apps that best align with our goals rather than just sticking to the agreed specifications. Finally, they’ve simplified our MVPs, focusing on the most important functions to be more cost-effective. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of any at the moment.