BlueLabel

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Cofounder of Rocket

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Mobile application that makes it easy and fun for consumers to shop, share, and earn cash rewards!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Help with product design
• Solutions architecture
• Build the MVP

SOLUTION

How did you find BlueLabel?

Referral

Why did you select BlueLabel over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

What was the size of BlueLabel’s team?

6-10 Employees

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

Product management, product strategy and design, react native iPhone and Android development with an ultimate end goal of submitting an MVP to the app store for beta testing purposes. In addition, we worked on a web-based admin panel to make it easier for key people on the business side to manage the app. The goal was to have a fully functioning prototype that can handle brand onboarding, creator and user onboarding, and have a full multi-vendor universal checkout experience.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Completion of the MVP based on agreed upon features demonstrated in our Figma prototype

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

The project manager on the project was excellent, communicative, and very pro active. Maggie demonstrated strong project management skills and really understood our vision for the product. She was responsive, always in touch, and an A+ performer. Overall, the team was responsive and organized.

What was your primary form of communication with BlueLabel?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Product and design were strong suits.

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

From a core engineering perspective, I don't think we had enough direct communication with the front-end and back-end engineers actually doing the work. I think this caused some delays and perhaps a bit of a mismatch between our expectations / vision against initial drafts produced. The engineering leads were strong and very thoughtful, but if I could do it again, I would insist on an investment upfront in getting the engineers fully up to speed on the product vision, expectations, etc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a department head for a life sciences company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BlueLabel?

We needed help with building a patient-friendly mobile application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BlueLabel built an iOS and Android mobile app that allows our patients to have access to our technology. Initially, I gave them some design direction, and they produced a prototype of what the app would look like. From there, their team was in charge of the entire UI/UX design and front- and backend development.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 4–5 people from BlueLabel, including a product manager. We also communicated with Zachary (Partner & VP of Client Solutions).

How did you come to work with BlueLabel?

I found them on a list of top mobile app developers in the US, and I read either their Clutch or G2 reviews. Still, we went through an RFP process, where we vetted 6–7 different agencies. BlueLabel was the only one willing to put in the extra effort and produce a prototype — that was why we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of the project was around $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started talking with BlueLabel in February 2022, and we signed a contract with them in June 2022. They delivered the app in January 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

BlueLabel was very committed to building a high-quality product, so they did a lot of extra work. However, we haven’t launched the app yet, so we don’t have any metrics regarding performance.

How did BlueLabel perform from a project management standpoint?

BlueLabel didn’t truly meet the deadlines; the project took twice as long as they said it would. However, the app was more complicated than we initially thought, and they were very accommodating. For example, we ran into some app crashes throughout the process, so BlueLabel had to redevelop some parts of it and reinstall it. We communicated via Slack and used Jira and Confluence to manage the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

BlueLabel was very strategic and thoughtful about what we were trying to accomplish, so they put a lot of effort into making the app as high quality as possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

BlueLabel should have asked for more documentation to accurately assess the project’s complexity. At one point, they knew they had to reestimate the project, but they didn’t. Instead, they asked for twice as much money later in the project. Although they tried to make up for it by meeting us in the middle, we didn’t appreciate that issue.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very specific about what you’re looking to do and share as much technical documentation as possible. Additionally, have them do an audit of the documentation to make absolutely sure that they provide a proper project estimate.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’d the director of products and new ventures for a nonprofit organization. We aim to identify and create new products to reach a broader, more diverse audience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Label Labs?

We have a small team, so we rely on assistance from external vendors to get us up and running. We hired Blue Label Labs because we’d identified a winning market concept for a home maintenance app and needed a development partner to help us create it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blue Label Labs has designed and built a home maintenance app. Our team had pre-tested the idea to ensure it was desirable and viable from a business standpoint, so we had a general idea of the proposition. 

When Blue Label Labs came on, they ran an entire design sprint where we got into the specifics of the proposition and the requirements to build an MVP. Then, they developed the app for iOS and Android from scratch. Since launching the app, they’ve continued to help us manage and grow the product. 

The app targets first-time homeowners and allows them to identify maintenance tasks specific to their homes. The Blue Labs team has built features within the app that allow users to submit information regarding their appliances and systems. The app takes that information and creates a customized plan for users to maintain those items, which includes scheduling notifications.

Blue Label Labs has also embedded educational features within the app. For example, users can access a step-by-step guide to learn how to clean gutters or reseal floors.

What is the team composition?

We’ve mostly worked with Zach (Partner & VP of Client Solutions), Stewart (Senior Director of Client Solutions), and a project manager. Throughout the development stages, we also interacted with a UI/UX designer, researcher, engineering manager, and the development and QA teams.

How did you come to work with Blue Label Labs?

Blue Label Labs was a referral from within our network. They submitted an RFP for this project, and we chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $750,000 in the partnership with Blue Label Labs. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Blue Label Labs in July 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app has been really successful in terms of user acquisition and downloads. We’ve been nominated for several awards since launching the app, including a Webby for best UX. The app has also been featured under different categories in the App Store and Google Play Store. Fast Company has also nominated us for an innovation award, and we’ve been featured on their list of best new apps.

How did Blue Label Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is a strength for Blue Label Labs. Our meeting cadence has been dictated by project phases, but we typically meet with them 2–3 times per week, and they have an internal appointment to move the project forward. 

They’ve done a great job keeping tasks on track and managing the project efficiently. Asana is our primary project management tool, and we use Jira to track backend development progress. We communicate via Slack and Google Meet and share documents through Google Workspace and Miro. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Blue Label Labs is a very well-rounded 360 app development shop. The team is particularly strong regarding product design, strategy, and development, which was impactful for us during the product launch stage. 

They’ve been a great development partner; they’re smart folks who’ve been a pleasure to work with. Even though things can’t always be perfect, they’ve always done everything in their power to resolve issues quickly. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

As with any development project, we’ve had some learning curves and growing pains. Initially, they didn’t offer data analytics instruments because they didn’t have the skill set. Although we went through some trials and tribulations, they were open to learning alongside us and brought in a data expert at no additional charge.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of development for a national provider of behavioral healthcare specialized in substance abuse and mental health treatment. We currently have a large network of nation in-patient treatment centers. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Label Labs?

We hired Blue Label for their development services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blue Label is developing custom software for a mobile and web app, which we’ll use to provide telehealth therapy to our clients. 

Everything’s done from scratch, and our development stack includes Zoom, Stripe, Azure, and MailChimp. The programming framework is React Native for iOS and Android, while the website is done via WordPress. They’ll handle all of our post-launch support and maintenance needs. 

What is the team composition?

I work directly with seven people, but 20 other people have worked with the team at some point. I interface with Amanda (Technical Program Manager), Ashkan (Director of Client Solutions), and Cecilia (Product Manager) every day. 

How did you come to work with Blue Label Labs?

We did a national RFI and vetted nine development houses. Blue Label beat everybody else in terms of price, time, and scope of work. They weren’t the cheapest, but they weren’t the most expensive team — they were right in the middle. More importantly, they had an honest sales and development expectation process. In other words, they won our business just by being transparent and honest. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $450,000–$500,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first contact with Blue Label was in February 2022, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app isn’t live yet, so we measure success based on development milestones. So far, Blue Label has hit every development milestone on time and within budget. We’ve only had to extend our timelines and modify our budget when we have a change request.  

Overall, Blue Label has done a phenomenal job keeping the original scope of work together. They outline anything out of scope and tell us what it will take to achieve it. 

How did Blue Label Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve introduced us to various project management tools, including Slack, Asana, and Miro. The team has also used Jira tickets before, but we track everything now via Confluence. Blue Label is extremely well-versed in these platforms, making our communication seamless.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Blue Label’s honesty and people are impressive. When working on a project, other teams’ members aren’t always agreeable; sometimes, they don’t have a good way of communicating or are not always available — a million things can go wrong when working with a contractor. 

By contrast, Blue Label serves not only as our employee but also as our friend. They want to have a long-term relationship with us. Their members care about the project. They invest not only in the contractor-client relationship but also in the personal relationships between our teams. As a result, our collaboration has been a truly pleasant experience. They do a great job of making every feel they’re a part of a bigger team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They brought in Confluence a little later in the project, but it would’ve been super helpful if we’d used it since day one. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be available. Blue Label can only work with whatever information they have, so they’re only effective if you’re willing to work with them — they can’t read your mind. If you want to work with them, dedicate yourself to the project to get everything you want out of them. 

You don’t have to dedicate every minute of your time to them. Just be responsive when they have a question. Be proactive and excited about your project; they’ll reciprocate your energy. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the VP of Product at a global digital media company. I manage all digital consumer products, and a team of product managers and designers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blue Label Labs, and what were your goals?

A new mobile app (iOS initially) - we hired BLL both for design and app development.

SOLUTION

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

We looked at 2-3 mobile app specialty agencies, and chose BLL based on the clarity of their vision, some of their past media company clients (and references).

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

Phase 1: ideation/design/UX: brainstorm sessions, wireframe iteration, design iteration

Phase 2 (development): in-progress now, working closely with product to build out features, components, architecture

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

I believe around 4-5 team members: 2-3 engineers, 1 project manager, 1 designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far, the designs were delivered on-time and on-time, with a lot of collaboration throughout the process. For development, this is still ongoing, but we have a weekly calendar of targets and so far have been on-track in hitting these.

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

The project manager has been great with weekly check-ins, sharing an agenda, and providing updates via tickets, Confluence, etc. We also have a Slack channel used for some collaboration too.

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

The people were passionate, creative, and informed in the work they're doing.

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

Not sure

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the President of Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, one of the largest physician owned fertility clinics and Reproport our software company which we have partnered with Blue Label Labs to develop our exclusive Patient Portal, My Reproductive Portal.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blue Label Labs, and what were your goals?

We hired Blue Label Labs to take an existing product and customize it to create My Reproductive Portal. As a healthcare company, we knew nothing about software development and we needed a strong partner that could work together with us to evolve the software into a clinical support tool for patients and providers.

SOLUTION

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

We bid this project to 3 vendors and it was no question that Blue Label Labs was the right partner for us. The entire team from product design, scope, management and technical services were completely understood our vision and in a short amount of time could clearly communicate how they can help us achieve our goals. The Blue Label Lab teams allowed for customization on how quickly we would develop. They taught us to think in sprints which helped us account for the costs over time.

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

The scope of work included a deep dive understanding of the current product, meeting with key stakeholders to guide us in establishing our wish list for the improved product thru focused conversations and prioritization. Miro boards allowed us to see everything in a clear and organized manner so we could better understand the road map.

The scope of work for our first major development effort was to reskin and launch the new product design while adding technical features like mobile friendly and removing bugs in the existing platform.

The second major engagement was to add a series of functionalities to the existing product like access to lab results, cryopreservation details and patient instructions which was all guided by initial focus groups.

The sprints allowed us to ensure we were achieving the launch dates and that the functionality worked as intended. The Blue Label Labs team worked closely with our EMR team to integrate the product.

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

There were 4 key people in the initial team including our project manager, lead developer, product designer and business development team. The business development team helped to ensure that the scope of work initial discussed matched the product development work. Since launch our core team includes the project manager and lead developer and our same product designer comes in as new features are added.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to launch the product on time and within budget. The BLL team kept us updated all along the way which allowed us to be flexible to add or remove features as our priorities shifted.

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

We use Jira to guide our development work and our project manager in house has open and transparent access to work achieved and can help the team prioritize as needed. We get reports twice per month on if we are tracking on time and on budget and if we aren't we are presented with options so alignment occurs across both their team and ours.

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

We had direct access to the whole team at all times. The BLL team truly makes it feel like we are all a part of one team. The retention and longevity of their team speaks volumes on the culture of the company you work with. Having a dedicated technical developer on our team calls has allowed us to move efficiently and effectively to our goals.

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

No. The team is truly fantastic!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-chair of the addiction services of a clinic, so I work with people with substance use disorders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Label Labs?

We were looking to develop a mobile application for patients who struggle with substance use to assist with our treatment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The application is a research-focused app to organize how we digitally interact with our patients. Many features are focused on research — for example, they allow answering survey questions and interacting with other research participants or patients. Its main purpose is to help us develop some research around digital tools.

Initially, we had a design sprint with Blue Label Labs to organize our ideas and thoughts around the project and discuss our needs. We desired to build something patient-facing but also solid with research. As we iterated on some things, we decided to focus on the research side since that would be the bulk of the effort. We’d transition slowly into the patient focus as we felt more ready.

Blue Label Labs has visual aids to help us visualize the design, and the mobile app will be for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

We typically work with a core team of 3–4 people, and other people are brought in as needed.

How did you come to work with Blue Label Labs?

A colleague knew about them; he’d done some work with Blue Label Labs, so he recommended them. Then, we did the design sprint — we liked the way they handled it and thought they did an excellent job helping us organize our thoughts and develop ideas collaboratively. In the end, we thought we’d like to work more with their group, but we needed to get the funding in place for the research side. Once we got it, we reached back out to them and moved forward.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $100,000–$150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve done an excellent job organizing our thoughts and helping us see the big picture. Even though we don’t have the app right now, they’ve been able to show us what it’ll look like, and the team is currently building it.

Overall, we’ve gotten positive feedback from other people within our department and the institution at large. Everyone likes the project's direction, and we feel great about our working relationship. In general, we feel confident about what they can bring to the table and are excited to see what they develop.

How did Blue Label Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is really well organized, and they’ve kept us up to date. Blue Label Labs allows us to be as involved as we want to. We mainly communicate through email, and they use a Miro board. We can go in and look at how things are progressing, although we don’t take much advantage of those tools. However, it’s nice to know they’re there if we want to peek.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re really customer-friendly. The team has been pleasant, and we’ve enjoyed working with them. Moreover, they’re patient with us. Since we’re just a section of a large company, there are nuances to the billing and payment structures, so they have to go through the bureaucracy of an extensive program to get everything done. In that sense, Blue Label Labs has been patient and willing to work with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re in the middle of the project, so I guess we wish it’d move faster. However, the pacing has also been our challenge; it’s not necessarily on their side. Overall, most of the engagement has been excellent.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Look at it as a collaborative experience. Come into it with ideas of what you’d like, but understand that they’re experts. The team has done this before, and they’re here to collaborate with you, help you fulfill your ideas, and develop something unique. If you’re open to the process, you’ll come out with something better than what you initially thought you’d get.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of EverlyJames, an online lifestyle platform focused on empowering young women starting in their careers to be their best selves.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Label Labs?

We were planning to develop a mobile app mock-up. We needed a company that could provide us with mobile app development consulting services to improve our chances of getting funding for the app’s development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our engagement with Blue Label Labs began with a meeting with their account representative, who walked me through their process and fine-tuned what I wanted to get out of the engagement. He then introduced me to two people, an engineer and a design developer, who guided me through a very concise and effective process of discussing the core features of the product that I needed.

What is the team composition?

I worked with an account representative and one other person from Blue Label Labs.

How did you come to work with Blue Label Labs?

Blue Label Labs was recommended to me by one of my previous employers.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $25,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working on this in November 2021, and the project ended after two weeks.
 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Blue Label Labs met my expectations for this project. We clearly had a common understanding of where we wanted to go, and every day, there were different steps taken to get us in the right direction.

How did Blue Label Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Blue Label Labs performed very well in terms of project management. They were excellent at managing our expectations and keeping us on track toward the outcome that we wanted. They regularly checked in with us to make sure that we were always on the same page.

They utilized a project management tool that visualized our communication and made day-long engagements a breeze.

We primarily communicated through Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Blue Label was flexible, easy to communicate with, and exceptionally friendly. I appreciated how they demonstrated that they were on our team and wanted the best for our company. 

I was most impressed with their ability to connect with us on a more personal level. They really took the time to get to know our company, what we do, and what our vision was.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything that Blue Label Labs could improve — they definitely met my expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to maintain open communication. They're very friendly — don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you can and ensure that you’re always on the same page.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a wellness and education platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Label Labs?

We hired them to help us with the design and development of our application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve gone through a design sprint, during which they've helped us with developing functionalities and features for the app.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three people — their head of innovations, a project manager, and someone from their business development team.

How did you come to work with Blue Label Labs?

We researched online for different app developers.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2021, and our engagement is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re still building the app, but we’ve been pleased with the progress and results so far.

How did Blue Label Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been getting everything done in a timely fashion.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What distinguishes them from other developers is their level of creativity and strong communication skills. In particular, their head of innovations has been exceptional in coming up with highly-delineative features for the app.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

I can’t think of anything that they need to improve on — we’re happy with the results.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear with what your needs are and always communicate with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a business networking platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Label Labs?

I needed to develop my mobile app and website, so I hired Blue Label Labs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blue Label Labs oversaw the development of the website and the app. The team was also in charge of building the backend for both.

How did you come to work with Blue Label Labs?

Both Zachary (Partner & VP) and Danny (VP of Product) had entrepreneurial backgrounds. Besides their competitive pricing, we liked that they understood the journey and process of founding a startup, so we hired the team. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March 2019–March 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We never got to show the app to the world because the final product went live 7–8 weeks before COVID-19 hit. However, we were still nominated for a Webby Award, which is something that we’re very proud of. Our investors, members, and partners were very complimentary and excited about the app. It was well received.

How did Blue Label Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management sometimes ran over a bit more than what we expected, but we allowed them to do so. There were also challenges with the structure of their team. I recognize that having offshore developers presented its advantages, especially in keeping the costs down, but it prolonged communication between us. Feedback took a while to reach the right people.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Danny stood out during the project. He was very talented, passionate, and hardworking. He had a great eye for design and was very patient.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We didn’t immediately realize that things were a bit fragmented across their team. When we went to meet them in person we thought that everyone worked in the same office, but we quickly found out that most of them were working remotely. Though there was communication between them, it would’ve been helpful to have everyone in one place. 

We found that aspect quite frustrating since we were led to believe that it’d be a smoother, more seamless process. We instead experienced a 48-hour turnaround for each round of feedback.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The New York team was a bit more rigorous about sticking to our roadmap and timeline. However, as we communicated more with the developers from India during development, things were no longer happening at the pace that we had agreed to. My advice is to have a clear agreement with Blue Label Labson in terms of the roadmap, timeline, and expectations.