BitCot --Mobile and Web App Development

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder and former CEO of a marketplace app that connects photographers with clients.

What challenge were you trying to address with BitCot Mobile & Web App Development?

My business partner and I had never created an app before. We reached out to BitCot to lead and guide us in the development process.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We created the branding, the UX/UI, and a user journey for the iOS app. Raj (Founder & CEO) then came in and helped us refine those ideas before turning them into a fully-functional product.

The mobile app allowed photographers and videographers to upload their work to the platform. Clients could then shop, make payments, and schedule meetings with these providers.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Raj, who was our main point of contact. I know that there was a larger team behind him.

How did you come to work with BitCot Mobile & Web App Development?

My business partner found them through her co-worker’s referral. We set up a meeting with Raj and quickly decided that he was the best candidate. We had budget constraints, and he was willing to work within it.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere around $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2018, and the project wrapped up in March of 2019.

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

They delivered an amazing app that was soon launched. The final product was all that we had imagined, and better. We eventually had to close the business due to internal conflict and financing issues.

How did BitCot Mobile & Web App Development perform from a project management standpoint?

Raj was fantastic on this front. While he’s local to us in Orange County, he was collaborating with an offshore technical team. While we were initially skeptical about working with an offshore team, we had no problems because he handled all of the communication. He quickly got back to us when we called, and he helped answer any and all questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Raj is very hands-on. He didn’t just thrust a project manager at you after you signed a contract — instead, he made sure he was involved in every aspect of the process. We had a really great experience because of that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While it’s not something they’re responsible for, I wish I’d known the maintenance costs that would come with creating an app. Fees that have to do with data storage and updates quickly build up. It would’ve been great if our attention had been called, a little earlier, to that fact.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of AV Hero. We deliver on-demand audiovisual technician services.

What challenges were you trying to address with BitCot?

We wanted assistance with our web application which is our main platform for conducting business. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

I met with Raj (CEO) in-person to discuss the project. He then set over some examples of what the work would look like. After that, we went into developing beta versions of the product. After some back and forth, we did the development of the final product that would go into our testing phase with real clients. They integrated the platform with Stripe and Plaid, and it’s hosted on AWS. 

My team and I were more heavily involved in the design aspect of the project than in the development aspect. My in-house designer provided them with examples of what we wanted it to look like. 

Currently, we’re working on some additional products and enhancements with their team. 

What is the team composition?

Raj was my main point of contact. We also worked with three other people. 

How much have you invested in them?

We invested about $30,000 for the initial project. We’ve spent another $10,000 with them since finishing the initial development. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019, and we finished in March 2020.

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

Our initial goal was to build the number of service providers that were available n the platform, and I think we’ve achieved that. Over 2,000 service providers have signed up on the platform since we launched.

How did BitCot perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication was a combination of in-person meetings, phone calls, and emails. They also use Asana to track different tasks. We had a couple of different spreadsheets that we shared too. They also used Loom. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really seem to care about the success of their customers. Raj wasn’t afraid to be honest with me and made sure that we stayed on track. He felt more like a business partner than a service provider. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes, I felt like our expectations weren’t aligned and there was a bit of a disconnect. However, we solved this by having more discussions about scope. Raj was accommodating when I felt like what was being delivered wasn’t what I expected.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I write children’s books as a passion project.

What challenge were you trying to address with BitCot—Mobile and Web App Development?

Instead of the traditional publishing route, I decided to create a children’s book app to distribute my books. I needed a developer to help build the app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They build an iOS app, with an option to activate an Android version in the future. There was a lot of planning at the beginning. I’m not a technical expert, so they walked me through the whole process and the way they work. They delivered multiple iterations and evolutions of the app over the course of a few months. I received a new build every few weeks, which I reviewed and made requests for changes. Based on my feedback, they made new changes until we were ready to go live.

What is the team composition?

I had a single point of contact, but I know there were a several people behind him.

How did you come to work with BitCot—Mobile and Web App Development?

I did a lot of research on possible software developers. Another developer felt they would do a good job with this kind of project and recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent $25,000-$30,000 at this point.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around July 2018. We’re still working on a few elements, but the app launched in November 2018 and is currently available in the App Store.

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

Working with them is very rewarding. Not only do I have a platform for my own work, I now have a service that will serve other children’s book writers. I’ve had good conversations with users, and the app serves as a good proof of concept.

How did BitCot—Mobile and Web App Development perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was great. We had weekly calls and would email as needed. They delivered on time and met all my expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to create good products at a good value. Other vendors I spoke to quoted much higher prices for the same product, but BitCot was very cost effective.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any areas they should improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do your planning and know your scope at the beginning of the project. Be available for their team and your process will go quickly.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a social trivia platform that allows fans to interact with their favorite YouTubers and content creators.

What challenge were you trying to address with BitCot?

I hadn’t built an app before, so we needed a mobile app developer who thoroughly understood social media and our requirements, including the ability for users to follow social content creators’ feeds; a trivia challenge-building function driven by YouTubers’ Q&A videos; and a challenge leaderboard displaying top fans, top creators, and their rewards.

What was the scope of their involvement?

BitCot developed our app for Android and iOS. Their team integrated Facebook so players could post awards they win in our app to their social media. BitCot also helped us create challenge cards in the app so content creators can link players to their social media. The challenge cards send followers to their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to find codes they can submit to earn points. In addition, their team developed a host’s Fan Queue to house entrants and keep track of top users. They designed the app so it is easily interchangeable to run multiple host users. This allowed us to spread out and bring on various trivia round hosts, who could then share content with their participants.

They also configured our in-app purchases through Shopify, which calculates prizes and deducts points. They developed our backend admin console where we can control the app and check reward requests. They conducted some test runs with our live versions to prepare for the release. They also helped us launch on Google Play and in the Apple Store.

Plus, their team also helped us with rebranding and renaming. We’re currently making updates to our UX based on user feedback.

What is the team composition?

I contacted their CEO with my requirements, who directed three main developers.

How did you come to work with BitCot?

I’d had significant problems with a previous vendor who failed to deliver anything usable over the course of a year. After that experience, I looked for companies in San Diego and Las Vegas. A lot of them didn't answer back, listen to my ideas, or understand my requirements, so I searched online and found BitCot. Compared with other vendors who went straight to voicemail, their CEO answered right away. Even though he was busy, he scheduled a future call to flesh out my ideas. He understood that I wanted to build a game with different components that could facilitate interactions between content creators and their fans.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in August 2017 and launched the app in March 2018. We’re now working on the third round of updates.

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

In test runs, the app has run smoothly with a large number of users without any crashes or errors. It has received positive comments on Google Play with five stars all around. Consumers think it's a cool idea and that it’s fun to play. We’ve attracted some popular YouTubers, and our future additions are sure to improve upon an already great app.

How did BitCot perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet every deadline, and they’re very responsive: they send reply emails and call back immediately. They take the time to understand my questions and listen to my requirements and feedback, creating multiple designs and iterations, and providing accurate estimates along the way. As the CEO submitted our requirements to his team, they analyzed them to make sure we were on the same page. We talked back and forth, and I was able to make changes on the fly.

Their attention to detail helps them focus on creating aesthetically pleasing and eye-catching designs. They look at the product as a whole as opposed to just its component features and functionalities.

What did you find most impressive about them?

BitCot does what they say they’re going to do, which is refreshing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be useful for them to somehow simplify testing the mock versions builds of their apps. Testing the staging version of the app build using multiple accounts was at times a bit overwhelming. If they had a way to run mass login of accounts we created for testing it would make testing easier as we could make sure entries are going through. However, as we don't have the technology to test mass volume in this manner, this isn’t BitCot’s fault.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Stay open-minded and listen to their suggestions and feedback. They always think 10 steps ahead and help you avoid future problems you’ll never think of.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a co-founder and CMO. Our company is a men's and women's clothing brand.

For what projects/services did your company hire BitCot --Mobile and Web App Development, and what were your goals?

Our Shopify site was built by other developers who left a bunch of conflicting and messed up code. As our company grew and business increased, our site was suffering from one meltdown after another.

How did you select BitCot --Mobile and Web App Development and what were the deciding factors?

BitCot came by way of recommendation from a friend who has worked with them. They have experience in Shopify, Shopify app creation and mobile app creation. Also, they are in California.

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

BitCot has been able to untangle our code and get our site working. They are also developing Shopify apps to meet our particular business needs.

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

The founder of the company and at least two developers have been working directly with us.

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

Our site is up and running and stable. That's that main thing.

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

Communication is timely and work is completed quickly.

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

Many Shopify developers are faceless and exist in far away timezones. BitCot communicates face-to-face, or at least on Zoom, as the case may be these days. They are in multiple timezones and generally available.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the CEO but also very involved in product design and technology.

For what projects/services did your company hire BitCot --Mobile and Web App Development?

I hired them to assist with our mobile development as we didn't have in-house mobile expertise. They were very helpful and delivered a solid product.

What were your goals for this project?

The solution had to be quick to the marketplace and reliable as it had to do with key aspects of travel.

How did you select this vendor?

I had met Raj before and was always very impressed with his knowledge, ability to provide sound advice and availability if we needed assistance.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They provided all phases of the mobile development and QA to ensure that the product got to the market in time.

What was the team composition?

The team consistent of front end design and development, back-end developers and QA. Primarily, developers.

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

BitCot has become a tremendous resource for me and source of knowledge when it comes to mobile application development, software tools in general and technology strategy.

In this day and age of "technology experts", Raj is the real deal and has the track record to prove it. His development project for us was well architected, crisp in performance and delivered on time. He is aggressive at communicating and works to ensure that both teams stay on track.

What I have learned to appreciate the most is that, as the CEO, with any idea or project that I discuss with him, he always provides me with thought-provoking examples, ideas or technology recommendations that prove very useful. Raj is always ready to lend a hand to help a fellow startup, and I consider him a true friend.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management was provided by both our team and BitCot and it worked very well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I stated it above but it really was the knowledge that Raj and his team provided, the timeliness of their delivery and the quality of the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There was not much that they would need to improve. I guess if I had to state anything it would be to ensure that the requirements and phases are documented as clearly as possible. But no one does that perfectly!

Please describe your company and your position there.

DoubleM Systems provides products and services for startups. I'm the CEO and have had 55 years of experience developing software and advising CEO/founders of startups. I have not done an iPhone app before so that's why I chose to outsource it, and found BitCot as the best of the companies I interviewed.

For what projects/services did your company hire BitCot --Mobile and Web App Development?

iPhone and Android versions of an app that contains thousands of quotations that were selected as best for startup CEO/founders.

What were your goals for this project?

To get the job done on time and on budget, and have a bulletproof product.

How did you select this vendor?

I interviewed several local resources and chose BitCot as the best. I wanted someone local so that I could meet with them in person as the project evolved.

Describe the project in detail.

The app was to contain educational, motivational quotations that would be suitable for CEO/founders of startups. Additionally the app was to be highly functional with features that would allow searching by author and keywords, and schedule delivery of notifications, etc. I worked on overall design with the help of BitCot, and another team member dealt with the content.

What was the team composition?

Several team members: 1. Project leader 2. Content leader 3. Technical lead (Raj Sanghvi at BitCot) 4. Programmers (off shore) 5. Website developer

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

5 star reviews on App Store and Google Play attest to the overwhelmingly positive response to the product.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was excellent overall. I kept a separate sheet of fixes and bugs as the programming was being done, and this sheet was shared 24/7 with BitCot and the offshore programmers.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Most tech shops was to tell you how they want to do things, and they want to come up with reasons why it's not going to work if you want to do things your way. Raj (BitCot) takes the time to understand what you want, and why, and figures out a way to get it done.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Probably the only area of improvement that I can imagine is a method that they suggest for reporting fixes and bugs. When we started our project they didn't have that going in, but they almost certainly have that base covered now.

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company builds project management software solutions. I worked as the Project Manager and bridged gaps between developers and management.

For what projects/services did your company hire BitCot --Mobile and Web App Development?

We hired BitCot to help us build the software platform.

What were your goals for this project?

Strong user experience, secure transfer of information, and substantial improvement to the user's workflow efficiency.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

I worked with the team at BitCot on building a SaaS platform in 2018 and 2019. As soon as we started the project, I was impressed with the open lines of communication and attention to detail put on display by Raj and his team.

With Raj's help, my company established an efficient process for designing and building new features on our platform. BitCot did an excellent job of bridging the gap between the technical and non-technical aspects of building a software platform.

What was the team composition?

I worked with the head of BitCot and some of the developers at BitCot.

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

We were able to build a working platform - the platform is still being improved and further developed.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I oversaw the project and ensured everyone understood the goals and objectives of my company.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their communication and willingness to listen to my team's ideas set them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Communication can always be improved.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a mobile application called Bonus Billing.

For what projects/services did your company hire BitCot --Mobile and Web App Development?

We engaged BitCot to design and develop our mobile app.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking for an Android application with a fully developed backend and APIs.

How did you select this vendor?

We found them through a search engine exploration of software developers based in San Diego.

Describe the project in detail.

BitCot built the app in Ruby on Rails and deployed it on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Its features allow users to automatically track mobile phone consulting, track phone minutes to re-evaluate monthly retainers, and easily export invoices within a variety of timeframes.

What was the team composition?

Our project was assigned a project manager, a fractional CTO, and a team of developers.

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

The app has garnered positive user feedback. BitCot fulfilled our requirements and delivered the product on time and within our budget.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication between our teams was excellent. We held weekly production meetings throughout the project to discuss problems and progress.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

BitCot’s professionalism, dedication, and communication far exceeded our expectations. Their ability to produce and deliver rivaled some of the largest software firms I’ve worked with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I would highly recommend BitCot to anyone looking to develop any kind of software.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the president of Crierspost, Inc. We're a startup that operates an app and website where users exchange videos about the places they live or have visited.

For what projects/services did your company hire BitCot Mobile and Web App Development?

I hired BitCot to develop our app and website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a professionally designed and developed platform to attract millions of users.

How did you select this vendor?

Before approaching BitCot, I extensively researched website and app developers online. My research revealed that several nationally-based companies could probably handle my project, and that local freelance developers might be able to fit my project into their schedules. I selected BitCot because they married these two options for incredibly professional, fast, and efficient results.

Describe the project in detail.

Once I selected BitCot, they provided sample design screenshots within two weeks. Over the next two months, they contacted me at least once a week to update me on progress, ask for my input, and give me test versions of the iOS app. They developed the Android version and accompanying website shortly thereafter.

What was the team composition?

My primary contact was Raj (Owner, BitCot), who was professional and personable.

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

A little more than two months after initial contact, I had fully functioning iOS and Android apps. They contained no bugs or flaws at launch.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Raj made me part of the development process by updating me at least once a week, but usually more. If I had an issue, I sent him an email or text. He responded the same day and quickly addressed my issue.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

During my initial meeting, Raj made me feel completely at ease. As I explained my idea, I could see the wheels turning in his head. By the end of the meeting, Raj had transformed my idea into something more than I could have ever imagined. Their frequent communication and willingness to listen to and implement my input was refreshing. That's what I was looking for in a development company.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Communication was sometimes an issue, which can happen when meetings are not held in person. I would suggest in-person meetings versus online or phone meetings.