Blink22

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a freelance data scientist with 11 years of experience working on research and industry projects. I also have a doctorate in electrical and computer engineering.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blink22?

I hired Blink22 for the development of a web app for analyzing marketing data.

What were your goals for this project?

The main goal was to develop a stable version of the web app, which helps marketers save time by accessing their email metrics on Slack.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I hired them based on reviews of previous customers.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

The project was ongoing, so they had to dive into the code already implemented. They became familiar with the project very quickly and started making progress.

What was the team composition?

The project team had about four people: the project manager, two full-stack developers, and a frontend developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It's still an ongoing project, but the early feedback has been encouraging. I'm very satisfied with this cooperation so I'm going to continue working with them.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The collaboration is excellent. We use Slack, Jira, and Bitbucket. They are easy to communicate with and adhere to deadlines. Plus, they take advantage of best practices and the latest technologies.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What differentiates them is that they always provide guidance and support that goes beyond their assigned tasks. It feels like I have a technical co-founder working with me.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I really can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of WishYoo. We have a web platform as well as an iOS and Android application. We’re in the consumer products category doing, what we call, the next evolution of the greeting card.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blink22?

We were looking for someone to help us with our Android app and solve chronic problems around implementing original features. We needed someone that could think outside the box and develop something unique.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and implemented many features we had planned for our native Android application. We provided them with some wireframes for a few of the features, and for the others, they came up with the best way to adapt to our needs.

They integrated a sign-in board and everything that went around having people being able to post signatures, dedications, pictures on the same surface at the same time. There were many other features, for example, managing different profiles and classes of cards and users.

What is the team composition?

We worked with at least four people from their team. Some were on and off, while others were more on a continuous basis. We sometimes worked with a project manager, and sometimes directly with the developers.

How did you come to work with Blink22?

We posted the job posting on Upwork and they responded with an offer. We started off slow and gave them a bit of room to prove themselves, then we finally engaged with them for the whole application.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent between $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in 2016 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app has been working very well. Most of the time the Android app has been outperforming our iOS app.

How did Blink22 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed very well. We’re not the best company when it comes to communication, and there were lots of changes as well as back and forth throughout this engagement, which isn’t easy for developers to manage. However, their response has not only been very proactive, but also very helpful. They’re always respectful, and communicative. We use Slack, email, Asana, Google Drive, and the phone.

Among the many contractors and teams we’ve worked with on this project, they’ve been the one that’s never failed to communicate. This has been invaluable because the one thing that CEOs and founders don’t like is silence—we like response and we like to move fast, which they do.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am a very astute person when it comes to what I want, and they have been one of two, out of 20, people that we’ve worked with that have been able to survive in our project. They’re doing a good job. They proved to be very proactive in a way they helped us solve problems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything I would have wanted them to do differently. They worked fast, responded quickly, and the code is good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on what the problems are. If you communicate clearly and graphically, that is more than enough for them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and MD of Carpool Club which connects passengers commuting to work with drivers who have spare seats in their cars, helping to address problems with traffic congestion.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blink22?

We needed two apps developed to allow passengers and drivers to connect in real time. Each one was for iOS and Android operating systems, so there were four apps in total. The development included a payment gateway and inclusion of specific parameters for how connections should be made.

What were your goals for this project?

To have apps that work seamlessly, within the agreed timeframe to allow the company to launch.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Through a contact I had worked with in Australia.

Describe the project in detail.

They developed the apps for iOS and Android, each for passengers and drivers. Users enter their daily commute when they are ready to travel. The apps then find drivers and passengers heading in the same direction in real time. 

Passengers buy tokens within the app to pay for trips. When trips are successfully made, the tokens transfer to the driver’s account. The driver can then use the tokens to travel as a passenger themselves or cash them in. Passengers can also apply filters to refine which drivers get offered their trip. Finally, drivers and passengers rate each other at the conclusion of each trip.

What was the team composition?

Two Blink22 developers based in Alexandria, Egypt were my contact for all work done.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The apps are working well after having gone live in January 2018.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their responsiveness was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They did a great job of taking my brief and converting it into a workflow of development work. They came up with excellent enhancements along the way, which improved the final outcome. They delivered on their brief without significant increases to work required—other than changes I initiated—and the majority of the time milestones were met.

Are there any areas for improvement?

On a few occasions, the team initiated modifications which they thought would improve the UX, but which I had not requested and were not deployed. This was due to them not understanding our local market. I was not charged for that work, but it took up time and resources. 

Although their intentions were good, it would have been better for the team to check with me before initiating these changes. However, there were other initiatives of theirs that were used, so I wasn't too concerned.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Mgr of an energy & natural resources company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Enery solutions 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blink22 to accomplish?

• Develop digital application
• sales lead generation tool

SOLUTION

How did you find Blink22?

Online Search

Why did you select Blink22 over others?

Good value for cost

How many teammates from Blink22 were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Digital and web platform devleopment 
• freindly use by users

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• testing phase before introduction 
•  

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

• Project delivered on time
• they are responding timely to all the requests needed and with high adoptablity and flexability 

What was your primary form of communication with Blink22?

Virtual Meeting

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

• Their adaptability to changes along the project as per raising needs was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Blink22 could have done differently?

none

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?
Need to understand business needs, and employee's engagement to ensure success

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive of MODO FOOD

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are building a food services phone app

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blink22 to accomplish?

• To develop our app on both IOS and Android
• To integrate our app with other apps and online services
• To help us build our strategic integrations

SOLUTION

How did you find Blink22?

Clutch Site

Why did you select Blink22 over others?

• High ratings
• Good value for cost
• Their previous projects

How many teammates from Blink22 were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

To develop a hybrid application that suits food lovers in finding the best options for ordering food at the cheapest prices and fastest delivery time, in addition to finding the best food places that meet their desires and expectations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We received an elegant, tailored-fit, and detailed MVP that meets our expectations

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

• Precisely on time.
• Prompt response and timely action.

What was your primary form of communication with Blink22?

Virtual Meeting

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

Responsiveness, collaboration, harmony and results. They are very supportive and constantly understanding of our needs.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Blink22 could have done differently?

Whenever a challenge occurs, they automatically come up with highly satisfactory solutions and alternatives, even sometimes exceeds our expectations. Therefore, i believe that their maturity level is unquestionable.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Project Manager of a financial services company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Asset Management firm specialized in private, real estate, and alternative investments

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blink22 to accomplish?

• IOS native application
• Android native application
• Back-End Proxy and Integration with Third Party Applications
• UI/UX Design

SOLUTION

How did you find Blink22?

• Online Search
• Referral
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Blink22 over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Blink22 were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Blink were entirely responsible for developing our mobile applications in iOS and Android (investment application, in a heavily regulated space). They were responsible for driving the discovery phase, leading the spec documents, and ultimately managing the sprints to deliver key milestones during the development process. Blink was also responsible to communicate with our existing back-end engineering team to understand all interactions of the product from Finance, compliance, money movement, fund deployment, marketing, and even customer success.

They were also key in integrating our application with a MMP (mobile measurement partner) and also a CC engagement platform. All in all, we moved from a SoW basis to a retainer model given how integral the team has been to our development. They are not an external vendor to us but truly an extension of our core team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Outcomes were clearly defined in increments. The entire application build in particular was split into 4-5 sprints with key milestones. For example, in the first milestone we ensured that users had a way to login and sign up the application. In the second milestone, we implemented the KYC process; and so on. Communication at every step was and has always been stellar.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Blink is by far the most responsible development agency we have worked with. While our project was delayed, none of it can be attributed to Blink butrather the nature of third party dependencies with a financial application such as ours. On one occasion, we asked Blink to tweak a figma prototype for a video shoot at 3am (while this was not in the scope of their responsibility). Blink came through immediately.

It is at that point we fully appreciated that we truly made the right decision to partner up with Blink - they were always willing to go above and beyond and provide exceptional value.

What was your primary form of communication with Blink22?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

• Agile development process
• Exceptional communication
• Motivated staff Down to earth and exceptional founders

Are there any areas for improvement or something Blink22 could have done differently?

Naturally, every agency or service provider can improve. While we certainly provided continuous feedback to Blink to suit our development process, there have never been any red flags or major concerns whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of a telecommunications company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Build a platform for value communication and selling digital products

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blink22 to accomplish?

• Software development

SOLUTION

How did you find Blink22?

Online Search

Why did you select Blink22 over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Blink22 were assigned to this project?

Other

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Build cross functional App ( Android, IOS ) , and integrated with web app , We develop Critical features related to communication and payments methods

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Actual app building , demos and QA testing

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes , they are cooperative and flexible to our requirements, we’re comfortable dealing with their team

What was your primary form of communication with Blink22?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They have a fantastic culture. The team members are cooperative with each other, which leads to easy communication and high work quality.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Blink22 could have done differently?

No they’re fantastic, We did feedback loop in retrospective meetings for improvements after big release

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a news access management service called NICKLpass based in Philadelphia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blink22, and what were your goals?

We wanted to hire Blink22 to build a mobile app for the company that would help them access their content.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We went through a rigorous interview process that narrowed our search to Blink22 and a few other firms.

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

iOS, javascript Take functionality of desktop extension, and then apply them to mobile app that consisted of wrapper around chromium.

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

3 - designer, mobile developer, front end engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We shipped v2 of our mobile app.

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

We project managed overarching, but they did a good jab managing the tactics.

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

They were flexible and delivered quality solutions.

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

I think they should hire more PMs to help with large complex projects (which they have proven they are worthy of)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a AI and Big Data company headquarteredin Paris. Our company has 17 employees and we deliver AI powered cloud solution to large and global organisations operating in Automotive, banking and Energy industries in Europe, MENA, and starting 2020, the USA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blink22?

We work with leading software editors like HPE and SAP. For a public institution based in the MENA we needed to Co-Develop a mobile application version of our Data management interface designed for governmental organisations like ministries of interior. Mobile development expertise was missing, thus we needed to find a contractor able to develop the solution in 5 weeks.

What were your goals for this project?

Deliver a top noch solution to our client.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We sourced the contractors on UpWork.

Describe the project in detail.

For obvious reason, We can not give any details about this project.

What was the team composition?

Full stack, Devops, Mobile developer (react native) for iOS and Android development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Big impact on our client and our partner HPE.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their workflow was perfectly effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Commitment. Effectiveness. Quality of the listening.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Design.