Bitwise Industries

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of research and development for Sinclair. We’re a manufacturer of fresh produce labels for fruits and vegetables. We also manufacture the equipment that applies the labels to fruits and vegetables.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

One thing we wanted to get into is providing our customers (the growers and pickers of fresh produce) a consumer engagement tool. Using the label as a trigger, we could provide the end-consumer a link to the grower or picker’s website so they can tell their story.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had the idea of the label being a trigger. Most labels we produce for North America have a GS1 data bar. It’s a stacked barcode you’ll find on most produce loose sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Shift3 Technologies developed the app from scratch for iOS and Android. We only had a basic concept, so I only thing provided a specification document with ideas about us wanting to scan and provide information.

What is the team composition?

I was aware of at least four members. There were other people involved with testing, though. Corey (Director of Software Engineering, Shift3 Technologies) was my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

I looked at 3–4 potential partners. I provided each with our specification and interviewed them, Then, I settled on Shift3.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent just over $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May until November 2019.

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

The solution was released onto the app stores. Right now, it has performed well with what we were expecting. We’re in the process of fully evaluating it with customers, but user feedback has been very good. The people we’ve shown it too are pretty stoked.

They consistently delivered on time and budget. There was a little slip but that was mostly due to ourselves.

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They used Basecamp to communicate with my team. It helped me understand where they were with timelines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their overall approach was great. They were very open to the ideas we brought to the table and were nimble and quick in integrating them into their own ideas, which helped bring the product to life.

Are there any areas they could improve?

One thing they struggled with was the look and feel of the app. It came out well in the end but, in the beginning, they struggled a bit getting that dialed in and delivering what we were looking for. Our graphics team did some work to bring to life the imaging we wanted to have in the app. As far as functionality, though, that was all them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The only other thing I’d say is to make sure everyone is clear on start dates. Shift3 was a little slow in moving at the very beginning, but they turned on jets as we got going.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the treasurer and founder of an education nonprofit.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

We wanted to create a new online crowdsourcing donation platform for private schools.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We simply had an idea of what we wanted to accomplish, so they helped us create a scope of work and feature set. Hosted on AWS, Shift3 Technologies designed the platform’s UI, developed the backend of the site, and integrated CrowdStrike.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with their CEO, but we also have a salesperson and project manager on our team. I also know the project was supported by at least one designer, one developer, and a marketing team.

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

I was already working with their CEO on another project. During one of our discussions, I mentioned what we needed to accomplish in this project and they thought they could help.

How much have you invested with them?

At first, the development hours they contributed was a part of a broader negotiation. Other than that, we’ve spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in July 2018 and it is ongoing. However, we plan to go live soon.

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

We're very pleased that they've been able to bring our vision to life. We found a normal number of bugs during user testing, but they’ve done a good job fixing them and improving the stability of the site.

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Basecamp to manage the project. Although we didn’t have a consistent communication schedule, for the most part, they were responsive. The one exception was when the project manager had an extended absence, posing a few challenges. Either because of our own responsiveness or the manager’s absence, a few deadlines slipped by. We weren’t pushing very hard on our side, but scheduling could be improved.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The frontend design and marketing help was really outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The schedule and communication could be improved.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have a set, regular communication schedule, whether that is once a week or another timeframe that works for your project. Establish it in advance, and stick to it.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a co-founder of Listing Alert. We provide a tool designed to help real estate agents and brokers manage their listings.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

We engaged Shift3 Technologies to build our SaaS mobile product.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially only had an idea on paper but no structure or designs of the product we envisioned. Shift3 Technologies was immensely helpful in scoping the project and connecting us with the right marketing team. They had a full understanding of the concept despite having minimal experience with the real estate industry.

Our SaaS product is designed to reduce the amount of time between when brokers receive a listing to when it is shared on the market. Usually, agents must wait until the property is properly staged or photographed before it is placed within their multiple listing service (MLS). With our solution, real estate agents can market the property the second that they receive the listing by uploading it to the application and sharing it with other agents within their brokerage.

To facilitate this process, Shift3 Technologies developed a SaaS application that agents will download from the Google Play or Apple store. The agents will work from that application, but Shift3 Technologies also supplied a web portal that serves as a backend management platform, which is where we figure the brokers will operate much of the time.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with a project manager and a developer.  

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

Through a Google search, I compiled a list of app developers in the Fresno area. Shift3 Technologies was the only firm, however, to demonstrate a strong understanding of the idea.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000­–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The development process spanned September 2018–April 2019. We plan to launch the product in the coming weeks, and we have entered into a year-long maintenance agreement with Shift3 Technologies. Because of their success with this project, we anticipate working with them again on a handful of other products we hope to create.

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

We are more than pleased with the outcome of their work. It’s been a wonderful experience from the very beginning. We are grateful for how much they’ve been able to accomplish.  

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been tremendous communicators. I typically get a response to all of my concerns within an hour. They’re committed to making sure they complete everything that is asked of them. Shift3 Technologies has stuck to their timeline estimates and followed through on all other promises.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s obvious just by sitting across the table from them that they love what they do. This has been a gratifying process for us because we can see the joy they have in their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At this point, no. They’ve provided excellent service. Everything has fallen into place perfectly as a result of Shift3 Technologies’ recommendations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I understand that the cost of their services can be a bit daunting, but I’d urge future clients to take a leap of faith with Shift3 Technologies. They’re experienced, open-minded, and professional.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the President of Vocation Plus Connections Inc. We run a vocational day program for adults with developmental disabilities. Our focus is to help people gain independent living and vocational skills. Ultimately, we to work to give our clients a sense of fulfillment in both their career and personal lives.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

We serve over 200 clients on a daily basis, so scheduling is a paramount aspect of our business. Our direct care staff members do everything from picking individuals up from their homes, so those routes often involve several stops. Furthermore, our staff assists clients throughout their program day. As a result, keeping everyone organized is a challenging task. We needed an automated scheduling system to safeguard the reliability of our day-to-day operations. Ideally, the solution would work with the foundation and structure we already had in place.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shift3 Technologies began the engagement by going through a quick synoptic version of our scheduling process. Their developers came out several times to observe and our scheduling staff. Understanding our daily workflow enabled them to create detailed wireframes. After internalizing our approach, they started building an application-based system that mimics our established procedures.

The app’s current build features templates that enable us to schedule program itineraries several days in advance. Furthermore, working with over 200 clients often means accommodating a wide variety of idiosyncratic tendencies and preferences. That process is made more complicated when a member of our staff gets sick or calls out. Luckily, Shift3 Technologies produced a program that incorporates a user-friendly interface. The drag-and-drop feature facilitates sudden logistical changes.

Another notable feature within the app is its ability to produce attendance calculations. Our state reimbursements rely on the program’s attendance numbers, so that integration streamlined our billing process. We can now process relevant calculations efficiently and accurately.

While the initial build is complete, Shift3 Technologies helps us continually improve the app by adding new features. We’ve recently branched out the software and have entered phase two of the project. Previously, the scheduling app would email daily schedules to our job coaches. Now, the app features a user portal that the direct care staff can access. The portal lists their daily schedule without requiring our scheduling team to send each email manually. The platform’s latest integration is a messaging system. Creating a communication outlet between direct care staff and the scheduling department helps both teams perform better.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 3–4 individuals throughout our engagement with them. That includes a project manager, a lead developer, and designers.

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

We were introduced to Shift3 Technologies by a tech conglomerate that’s involved with our local community. After meeting with their business development manager, I felt confident they’d provide a personalized service. Plus, I like to utilize local businesses whenever possible.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $50,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

Our scheduling team is pleased with the contributions of Shift3 Technologies. The application reduces the amount of focus and effort required to organize efficient program schedules. The restructuring of that process allows the scheduling team to spend more time with our participants on an interpersonal level. Additionally, each scheduling coordinator is now able to engage with and enhance various parts of our organization. In that sense, Shift3 Technologies helped improve our company across multiple departments.

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform great considering the nature of the project. I wouldn’t say perfect, as we’re still working through some minor glitches. Regardless of the challenges we face, their team is always available to guide us toward a resolution. They’re dedicated to providing excellent customer service. In addition to face-to-face meetings, we communicate via phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team consists of passionate individuals that work to produce the best product possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The application would’ve benefited from going through a more extensive testing process before it was delivered to us.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CFO of Hedgerow Software. We provide software almost exclusively to government environmental and public health agencies. Our company headquarters are in Alberta, Canada, and the U.S. branch is based in Fresno, California.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

To sell our product in the United States, we had to develop some software specific to the country because it would obviously differ from our Canadian product. In California, specifically, environmental health agencies have specific requirements for hazardous material. We contracted with Shift3 Technologies to develop software to accommodate the California and U.S. markets.

What was the scope of their involvement?

During the engagement, we worked with a single developer on Shift3 Technologies’ payroll who helped us develop some of the requirements for the California hazardous material program. At the end of 2017, we exercised an option in the contract to include that employee on our payroll, and he’s remained there ever since. His tasks are generally completed using Microsoft’s .NET framework, and it’s worked wonderfully.

We relied on this developer to help us complete our database engine that allows environmental health agencies to conduct their various inspections, accumulate data, track employees’ time, and produce reports.

What is the team composition?

I coordinated with Landon (Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, Shift3 Technologies) on the project’s details and contract, but otherwise, we worked with just the lone developer.

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

I was one of the founders of BitWise Industries, the parent company of Shift3 Technologies. When we needed outside assistance with this project, I had faith that they could deliver a talented developer.

How much have you invested with them?

The total project cost exceeded $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement spanned March–December 2017.

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

We were confident that we would receive excellent service, and we did. The developer produced great results, and we’re very happy. I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback about the quality of the code.

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We formed a consortium of five or six agencies in California and had them guide us through the requirements of the code we were developing. The developer participated in all of those phone calls. We’d have several of those calls each month, and the group would review the progress and determine the next steps. It was a pretty interactive project from all parties.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were quite pleased with the entire life cycle of the engagement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know if I can speak to any necessary improvements only because this arrangement of our side taking their developer onto our payroll is not their standard approach, but it worked very well for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with any development project, it’s good sense to make sure the expectations are set properly and monitored properly.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CTO for Fresno Unified School District. We're a large school district of about 74,000 students and approximately 10,000 employees in Fresno, California.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

We are developing a program that would allow about 20,000 students to take home an Android tablet. We wanted to preload those tablets with educational software and track the user’s total time using the tablet and total time using the software.

As part of a separate project, they developed an application for our human resources staff.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once we entered into a partnership, they proposed an app that operates in the background on the Android application and monitors the amount of time the user spends with each app. The application sends us a report once per day with those figures. Our internal team coordinated the app’s design, but we relied on Shift3 Technologies to develop it from scratch.

Their team also developed our human resources application that streamlines the hiring process for our managers. All resumes, letters of support, and other hiring materials for each candidate are loaded into a database and easily accessible by each manager. During the interview and hiring processes, the application makes it easier to rank and sort the applicants. Shift3 Technologies developed that application from scratch as well.

What is the team composition?

In both cases, I worked primarily with Landon (Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, Shift3 Technologies) and Corey (Application Project Manager, Shift3 Technologies).

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

Shift3 Technologies is a branch of a larger company called Bitwise Industries. We know the owners of the parent company, and as we spoke over time about our ideas, they mentioned a division of theirs that could be of use for this kind of work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in 2016 and remains ongoing. The HR application has been complete for quite some time, and the Android application has been complete for about a month.

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

We have hundreds of managers using the HR application, and we currently have about 5,000 students using the Android tablet application.

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We outlined a fairly demanding timeline for the tablet application, and they beat it by a few days. We’d communicate primarily through emails and phone calls. They’re flexible in how they operate. We appreciate that they’re willing to build software that’s in line with our development stack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their wide range of expertise is evident. We don’t have Android developers on our team, so their availability and their deliverables made it so that we didn’t have to hire full-time Android developers for a one-off project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they lived up to our expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We learned that Shift3 Technologies operates best when a delivery date and a set of expectations are clearly defined.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the IT director of the California State University Fresno Association. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

We contracted Shift3 Technologies to redesign the website for the Save Mart Center, an approximately 16,000-seat arena for concerts and sporting events in Fresno. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Consultants from Shift3 Technologies held several meetings with our event staff to get on the same page for navigation and priorities. They brought in a team of graphic designers and marketing specialists to discuss the intended focus, target audience, and specific features we wanted to add.

After the discovery phase, Shift3 Technologies presented several template layouts to convey a rough sense of how they wanted the site to look. We chose one that best matched our vision and worked collaboratively to fine tune it. We provided examples of other event arena’s pages and indicated which ones we preferred. The team developed wireframes and custom graphics for us to review and refined them based on our feedback. 

The full redesign included migrating the site to a new content management platform. They transitioned our platform to WordPress based on its ease of use for custom coding and the widespread availability of specialized knowledge experts and web hosts. 

What is the team composition? 

Shift3 Technologies assigned us a team that included a marketing specialist, graphic artist, web designer, programmer, and project manager. 

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

Shift3 Technologies is a division of a company that had recently launched and was developing a relationship with our university at the time. We reached out to them to see if they could bid on our redesign project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $17,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed our agreement with Shift3 Technologies in July 2015 and conducted our final review in February 2016. Ongoing maintenance was an option they offered, but we have our own tech support internally that handles updates we need. We will probably reach back out to Shift3 Technologies if we ever want to do another redesign or need any major site changes.

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

Shift3 Technologies' redesign streamlined our operations and resulted in a much more professional-looking site. The platform has been in operation for over a year and a half now, since February 2016, and we haven't had any issues with the functionality. 

During the design phase, we specified an essential requirement for the navigation. Our event marketing staff needed the option to enter event information through a single point. The previous version required users to input information across multiple pages and social media channels. On the new site Shift3 Technologies designed, our employees simply navigate to one place to add information that gets automatically published to several different areas. 

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Shift3 Technologies handled each phase of the project. We were very pleased with their project management style. They set up a shared collaboration location using Basecamp to funnel any documents or project updates. We had full access to current status information. The team had fast response times to our questions and quickly made any changes we needed during development. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed with the team Shift3 Technologies brought in at the beginning of the project. During the discovery phase, they made a marked effort to understand what we wanted and to guide us in the best possible direction.

Shift3 Technologies used modern best practices to streamline the site and make it easier to navigate. They were very knowledgeable about what the focus of an event arena website should be.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Since we worked together 2–3 years ago, I don't know if I feel comfortable commenting on ways they could improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We were very happy with the work Shift3 Technologies performed for us. I would recommend that anyone who is entering into a similar project get multiple bids and pick the company you feel the most comfortable working with. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the controller and information systems manager at RJO Produce, a produce broker/business services company that provides inspection services, category management, ad planning, etc.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

We engaged Shift3 to redesign and develop our mobile app from scratch.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Shift3 designed and developed a mobile app for iOS and Android from scratch, incorporating features that allow our field inspectors to input data from the field it into our database and grants access to PO information to customers. Their team used PostreSQL and JScript to build it out, and hosted the app on AWS.

What is the team composition?

We work with a project manager, mobile developer, designer, web developer, and a database manager.

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

A business associate of mine recommended them, so we interviewed them along with a few other firms and felt they were the best fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested over $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2016 and the relationship is ongoing.

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

Shift3 accommodated our needs, saving us a minimum of 50 man hours a week. Despite some miscommunications in the beginning, they delivered a strong app with few errors and a great ROI. The engagement has been money well spent.

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We experienced some communication errors in the beginning, because the project turned out to be more complex than we originally anticipated. However, their team handled the scope of work very well overall and met with us on a weekly basis over the course of the first year of work. Whether it's urgent or not, their team is responsive and organized, documenting less urgent communications through Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm most impressed by Shift3's talent pool and their ability to replace resources as needed. They also successfully fulfilled our vision even though we ended up wanting to go in a different direction at a certain point.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is paramount; make sure expectations are clear from the start before going into development.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Dancers Unified, a membership-based networking site for dancers and coaches.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

We needed a developer to build our web application from the ground up.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had a vision of what I wanted and I had many exchanges with the design team. I had input on the web app’s visual appearance and they worked to match my vision using WordPress. Shift3 Technologies developed a payment integration with Stripe and created security measures to protect minors on the app. They used a development playground to set up a test version. The team then did social media outreach on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

What is the team composition?

I initially worked with JP (Business Development Manager, Shift3 Technologies) during the project’s early stages. I have since worked with a project manager.

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

A colleague referred me to their parent company. I felt an immediate connection with Shift3 Technologies because the team understood my ideas.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000—$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2018 and the partnership is ongoing. They currently provide support.

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

The reliable and functional platform exceeds my expectations. Both colleagues and potential customers find the solution user-friendly, intuitive, and well-designed.

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

During troubleshooting, they resolved issues quickly and in a professional manner. We communicated through email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge of the industry made a difference, as well as their willingness to listen to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The process took longer than I anticipated, but we were developing a solution that had not been done before. The longer timeline was worth it because of the quality of their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Shift3 Technologies is very knowledgeable about the e-commerce market and they gave me several suggestions for advertising and payment options. The client does not necessarily need to conduct that research alone.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

At the time of this engagement, I served as a data QA analyst at a government agency that provides housing for homeless clients throughout our county. I currently serve as the senior database administrator at the same agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Shift3 Technologies?

Every year, we do an unsheltered homeless survey throughout the county—called a point-in-time count. To do this, we dispatch hundreds of volunteers. In previous years, they would use paper surveys. These were time-consuming, problematic in certain weather conditions, and troublesome when it came time for data entry, which took hours upon hours to complete. To troubleshoot these issues, we engaged Shift3 Technologies to develop an application to house the survey.

What was the scope of their involvement?

In our initial meetings, we outlined the features we required. Shift3 Technologies then coordinated the entire design and development processes. We had a healthy exchange of ideas to determine the exact deliverables. Shift3 Technologies built the app to be easily manageable on our end, and they were conscientious of the frontend design to be intuitive for the population we’re working with.

The app needed to work online and offline because we’re occasionally in areas with low or no connectivity. They included geolocation services so that, if connected, the app captures the location when the user opens the survey. When not connected, the app prompts the user to manually enter their location using cross-streets or notable landmarks.

Once the app was completed, the Shift3 Technologies staff was on-site during our waves of canvassing the county. In case anything went wrong with the application, they made sure to be accessible to fix it quickly.

What is the team composition?

We interfaced primarily with a two-person team.

How did you come to work with Shift3 Technologies?

They are a well-known entity in California because of their capabilities. We reached out to a few other companies, but Shift3 Technologies far exceeded what everybody else could offer. Shift3 Technologies had the best combination of experience and expertise.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $30,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in 2015 and ended in 2016.

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

The quality of their work was impressive. It was easy to use for less technical personnel. The app’s utilization helped decrease the number of null and unanswered questions during the surveys. We were able to collect about 50% more surveys because the app was a far more efficient process. Once the surveys were complete, we saved a week’s worth of time by having paid members and volunteers to coordinate the data entry.

How did Shift3 Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They were communicative in all matters. We were always well-informed regarding their progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team strove to understand the population we work with and build something useful for them. They wanted to be hands-on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we worked well together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I wish we had engaged them earlier. As the project evolved, we thought of more features or deliverables we wanted to incorporate, but we weren’t able to because of our strict timeline. I would recommend engaging earlier than you think you need to so that you can allow growth in your ideas and the inclusion of their ideas.