Calibrate Software

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of operations at Elite Medical Staffing. We’re a medical staffing company that partners with healthcare facilities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We needed help to automate our scheduling process by developing a mobile application for workers, another mobile app for clients, and an admin web portal. We already had an existing scheduling mobile app for our workers, but it wasn’t customized enough for our business needs. We also wanted to incorporate our clients into the scheduling process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate Software has designed and developed two mobile applications and a web portal for us. The apps are compatible with Android and iOS devices, and Calibrate Software used InVision to create the apps’ designs and Figma to share them with us. Calibrate Software also shared other documents with us through Google Drive. 

Our apps’ main purpose is the automation of our scheduling process. A client or admin can make a scheduling request and book the medical staff they require on a certain date at a particular time. On the workers’ app, these requests translate as open opportunities that workers can request to fulfill. Workers can see the client’s location, and once they select to fulfill a request, the client can confirm it, and the appointment moves to their app’s calendar. 

Calibrate Software has also developed a web portal that is a backend view of the apps, it has the same functionalities, and we can see all the clients and workers. Calibrate Software will also assist us with the app’s maintenance. 

What is the team composition?

We work with around 10 teammates from Calibrate Software, although only 3–4 are present on our calls. Kevin (CEO) and Sean (Chief Experience Officer) are always present at the design meetings, and we also work with a project manager and several developers.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

We looked online for many different developers who could do the job. We sent out many Requests, and Calibrate Software quickly got back to us. What impressed us the most was that they had good communication.

We searched for development companies online and sent RFPs to several vendors. We got a message back from Calibrate Software within one day of contacting them. We didn’t see this with other companies that didn’t contact us back or would do it significantly delayed. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $500,000 with Calibrate Software so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Calibrate Software in April 2022, and the engagement is ongoing. We've launched part of the app in March 2023, and Calibrate Software is about to finish the development. We plan to enter a maintenance contract after they finish.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although we haven’t released the app with its complete functionalities yet, we plan to work with Calibrate Software again — that’s a good sign of their work’s quality. We really like Calibrate Software’s design quality because their designs look good, and we can tell Calibrate Software really cares about what they do. Calibrate Software understands what we’re trying to accomplish, and we’re happy with the project’s results. 

Moreover, Calibrate Software has helped us automate our scheduling process and put all the pieces together because the more clients we have, the more job opportunities we can offer our workers. This project has been a learning curve because we didn’t know how long a development process takes. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had transparent and honest communication since we started working together, and Calibrate Software always follows up on emails, which is really helpful. There have been times when we weren’t on the same page, but we just had a phone call to discuss things until both parties felt comfortable. We also communicate through Google Meet and text messages. 

We use Trello for project management. Calibrate Software’s budget is fair compared to other companies I talked to. Calibrate Software is clear about price, and nothing is over budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Calibrate Software’s communication. Calibrate Software is good at prioritizing between phone calls and following up with written communication. Calibrate Software is also good at receiving feedback and is nice to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our only challenge with Calibrate Software has been getting an accurate timeline for deliverables. However, I understand this since our software has a lot of variables and pieces that depend on each other. I know developing new technology is hard, and I just wished Calibrate Software would provide more accurate timelines. On the other hand, I think we wouldn’t get better scheduling with other companies. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend to set realistic timeline expectations with timeline and if there is a miscommunication issue, bring it up to Calibrate Software as soon as possible. I thought I was being proactive in communicating, but I wasn’t.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive of a nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We wanted to create a website for our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate Software created a functioning WordPress site for us; they took our existing designs and implemented them into it. The platform is now live.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two members of their team, including a developer and one of their co-owners.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

I’ve known someone from their team from a previous partnership.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent $5,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–October 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The success of their work reflects on the fact that we now have a functioning website that we can update regularly. We’ve also received great feedback from users saying that it has a lot of information compared to our previous platform.

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well in terms of project management; they were responsive when we had any questions for them. Regarding communication, we used emails and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were quick in taking our designs and implementing them into our website.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear direction on what you want from the project and your long-term goals for the website.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We have a lab in a university, and we do research in mobile health and ubiquitous computing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

Calibrate designed a website for me. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate revamped our website with a focus on design elements. They also generated templates for us to follow and eventually embed into our academic template. While they didn’t recreate our logo, the team created a unique design: certain pixels turned on and off on the web page, showing us a theme of zeros and ones. This theme was applied throughout the entire website. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Kevin (CEO) and Sean (Chief Experience Officer). 

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

I asked one of my colleagues at the university about their web designer since their website had beautiful designs. He connected me with Sean, who then connected me with Calibrate. That was the start of our engagement. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $1,000–$1,500. 

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from June–September 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measured success by checking whether the team accomplished their tasks and went above and beyond what we wanted. We also gauged whether they were enjoyable to work with and professional. Overall, Calibrate was highly professional, and working with them was enjoyable. We had a nice experience with them. 

With this feedback, we want to work with them again in the future to do our logo and a few other projects. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

We appreciated Calibrate’s attention to detail and creativity when it came to designing the website while thinking about the goals of our laboratory. On top of that, their ability to stick to our schedule and budget was of high quality. They even waited on content from us, so it never felt like they were behind schedule in any way; they were always ahead of the curve. If the project took longer than expected, it wasn’t their fault. 

Moreover, the tools they used allowed us to comment on the website, and it was phenomenal. We could easily select parts of the site and leave comments about what we wanted to change or add. To communicate, we mainly used emails. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Calibrate’s persistence stood out to me, and they were focused on customer satisfaction. They also consistently reminded me to be responsive. This way, they showed that they truly cared about their customers; they weren’t simply trying to get things done. On top of that, we could see that they enjoyed their work, and they had integrity. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. They did a good job. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Enjoy working with Calibrate. They have good management skills, so don’t worry about the tasks — they’re going to be accomplished. As long as your project and objectives are well-defined, the team will follow through. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO of a sports tech company that has an app dedicated to coaches, parents, and athletes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We hired Calibrate Software to help us with our UI/UX design needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team worked on implementing a UI facelift on our existing iOS app as well as some UX within a certain area of our platform. They worked using InVision.

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with two people, including Kevin (CEO), but there were more people working behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

Calibrate Software’s colleague referred them so we ended up meeting Kevin a few times to let him know what we were doing. During that time, he also introduced his company. At the same time, we were talking to other companies to see who else would be interested to take on our project.

In the end, Kevin’s personality stood out. We saw that he could fit well with our team and that he had a very strong vision and understanding of our product. Overall, it was a pretty decision for us to engage with Calibrate Software.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–October 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They produced exceptional design work. Calibrate Software was able to give us a pretty overhaul on our system, and it was clear that we never had a good UI/UX expert until they came along. Internally, we’d still develop our app, but we expect to launch it at the end of November 2021. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

They finished our project ahead of schedule, and they were able to hit our target budget. They did a good job of setting expectations for the project, too. As a result, we had a very good experience with Calibrate Software because they were very easy to work with.

Furthermore, throughout the process, Kevin was on top of everything. Whether it was about emails, notes from meetings, details about discussions, and project proposals — Kevin was always organized. We had weekly meetings, and there were also times we met twice a week to discuss the project’s progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There were two impressive things about Calibrate Software. Firstly, they knew how to engage with us, and they had really good and realistic ideas. Secondly, we were impressed with their design skills. In the end, what really mattered most was if they were able to create good product designs — and they were able to do that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they had no areas to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with your ideas as well as some examples to give Calibrate Software a place to start with. After that, they’ll run with your ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a social networking application for student athletes. Our goal is to provide a platform where these athletes can get exposure in the hopes of receiving college scholarship offers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We needed assistance from someone to take over our platform’s development lifecycle.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate developed a mobile-responsive web application for us. First, we started with the design phase, and we then moved right into the development phase. They didn’t have to create wireframes because the project was already well-planned when they joined. After the development phase, we engaged in a testing phase until completion.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a total of three people from Calibrate, including Kevin (CEO) and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

Calibrate was referred to me by someone whom I approached in the hopes of getting this app developed. They referred them to me because they were both local and former college athletes, so they understood my vision.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere between $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2020, and Calibrate finished their work in September 2021. We’re now planning and preparing for its release on October 1st, 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Calibrate ultimately produced a product that we’re happy with, and we’re really excited about its upcoming release. Our app wasn’t easy to develop, but they were very hardworking and helped us get it across the line.

Overall, they did a great job taking my idea and making it a reality. Being former athletes, they understood what I was trying to do.

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Calibrate was diligent in their work, and they provided us with weekly updates via email. Our lines of communication were always open, and they communicated properly.

Kevin did a great job keeping me updated along the way about any issues, and the project manager communicated with me weekly to let me know the status of the project. Additionally, we always jumped on a call whenever necessary.

In this business, there are always delays. We missed a few deadlines, but Calibrate always gave me notice when a deadline needed to be extended.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Calibrate leadership’s communication was impressive. Kevin didn’t just introduce me to his team and disappear; he was intimately involved in the entire process. I could always pick up the phone or email him and have a conversation with him.

Another characteristic that really stood out to me was their responsiveness. Calibrate seemed to work 24/7, and they always responded to our emails. They never had an email sitting in their inbox for longer than an hour.

Are there any areas they could improve?

My only criticism is that they need to improve their deadline management. I come from a space where, if I get promised a deadline, I expect it to be met. We missed a few deadlines, and they sometimes rushed to deliver something that wasn’t final, so we had to do some tweaking and bug fixing afterward.

I don’t have a background in technology, but I now understand it better. I know that these situations are fairly common in this space.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have someone internally who speaks the same language as them and understands design, UX, and development. This person will help you communicate your needs and wants effectively.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a pastor of Saint Benedict the African Parish, a Catholic Church in Chicago. We service about 300 families, a school community, and the people living in the 60621 ZIP code.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We were trying to increase our understanding and footprint in the technology world to appeal to the part of our population that uses technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate first introduced us to app development, and they guided us through the steps of signing on with them as our developer company. Then, they organized everything and led us through all the processes required to develop our app.

Once Calibrate had our concept and knew what we wanted, they provided us with different ideas and honed in our thoughts about the app. Given our lack of technological expertise, they offered a consistent way of communicating, and they learned who we were and what we were trying to do to make excellent suggestions.

Then, we moved into the development and testing stages, where they've provided us with great assistance and kept us in line so that we can move forward efficiently. The app hasn’t been rolled out yet, but I know that there will be a launch stage as well.

What is the team composition?

We’ve constantly had two people from Calibrate involved in the project, one of which has been our guide. This person keeps both of our teams in constant communication so that there aren’t any gaps. At times, their team would increase, and we would work with 3–4 people simultaneously.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

One of our members recommended Calibrate to us. This person had developed an app with them prior to us conceiving the development of one.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2020, and we’re looking at the tail end of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Calibrate has been transparent and very organized; we’ve always understood at which stage we are. They’ve also provided us with options to chose from.

The greatest feedback that I can provide is that we’re now considering Calibrate for additional projects, and they’re a favored partner for us. We’re very close to launching the app, but we want to reserve some resources for marketing.

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Calibrate provides excellent communication and organizational skills. Given their high-level expertise, they’ve also been very patient with us. They’ve accommodated our needs at times where we need the project to move slower. Additionally, everything has been smooth and timely.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Calibrate’s development expertise is impressive. I didn’t even know what questions to ask, but they were very helpful in educating me about the development space.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know if part of Calibrate’s plan is to accommodate the gap between them and people with very little technical knowledge. They did a flawless job teaching me everything. However, I’m sure that there are more people like me, so I recommend them always to be prepared to teach the language and explain development.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Engage them with enthusiasm, be sure to assess your own ability to understand technology and development details, and acknowledge that your skill sets can be vastly different than theirs. This will help you keep the communication clear and continuous.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is called Renfi Capital. We give out home renovation loans to people, and we’ve come up with a platform that allows customers to submit an application in under three minutes and get approval within 15 minutes. Then, we find them within 72 hours.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

They did two things. First, they designed the website, and then they created the underwriting module. In summary, they built both of the softwares to underwrite loans.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate has created the UX/UI designs and everything else for the landing page to capture the customer’s interest enough to click on an application. They’ve also physically designed the application, which consists of nine questions. We did it to get the smallest amount of information we need to go ahead and underwrite loans in less than 15 minutes.

In the backend, they’ve built us an underwriting platform. It’s a queue that provides us certain data, and they’ve connected it to three different providers to underwrite our loans. Then, it also allows us to approve or decline customers directly from the platform and send them an email with an immediate response.

For development, we had phases. Initially, we had a bunch of meetings with them so they’d understand what we were looking for. Then, we started designing for approval. The last phase was creating the actual software, connecting it to the third-party vendors, and ensuring it all worked with all the calculations and things we needed. We gave them the third-party software they had to integrate, and they used WordPress from their side.

What is the team composition?

We work with six people in total. The chief of design is the one who physically designed the look, feel, and operation of the website. The project manager coordinates him and the developers, and the chief of development runs the development team and all the tests.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

My brother lives in Chicago, and he worked in a family office for investments. He knew Kevin (CEO) through an investment.

When I talked to my brother, I mentioned I was looking for somebody, and he highly recommended Kevin.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $50,000 CAD (approximately $40,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in the summer and signed in December 2020. We have different environments, and they’re still managing those, so we’re still working with Calibrate.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What was the scope of their involvement?

Calibrate has created the UX/UI designs and everything else for the landing page to capture the customer’s interest enough to click on an application. They’ve also physically designed the application, which consists of nine questions. We did it to get the smallest amount of information we need to go ahead and underwrite loans in less than 15 minutes.

In the backend, they’ve built us an underwriting platform. It’s a queue that provides us certain data, and they’ve connected it to three different providers to underwrite our loans. Then, it also allows us to approve or decline customers directly from the platform and send them an email with an immediate response.

For development, we had phases. Initially, we had a bunch of meetings with them so they’d understand what we were looking for. Then, we started designing for approval. The last phase was creating the actual software, connecting it to the third-party vendors, and ensuring it all worked with all the calculations and things we needed. We gave them the third-party software they had to integrate, and they used WordPress from their side.

What is the team composition?

We work with six people in total. The chief of design is the one who physically designed the look, feel, and operation of the website. The project manager coordinates him and the developers, and the chief of development runs the development team and all the tests.

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

My brother lives in Chicago, and he worked in a family office for investments. He knew Kevin (CEO) through an investment.

When I talked to my brother, I mentioned I was looking for somebody, and he highly recommended Kevin.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $50,000 CAD (approximately $40,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in the summer and signed in December 2020. We have different environments, and they’re still managing those, so we’re still working with Calibrate.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a hospice and palliative care provider. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?

We hired them for website development services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the time, we had a very outdated website. Calibrate Software developed a new website for us from scratch. This included web design and content strategy. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with two people, but Kevin (Principal) was my main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software?

Kevin’s mother is a business acquaintance of mine because she also works in healthcare. She mentioned that her son did web development, so I decided to contact them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000–$25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the beginning of 2020, and our work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a lot of people visiting the site. They guided us in order to maximize our engagement. 

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is exceptional. They’re very proficient in what our company does because they took the time to do some background research. They met every deadline. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very innovative and keep up with the latest trends and technologies. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of any area that needs improvement. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared to engage with them. You’re not going to get the quality you want if you don’t work collaboratively with them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

We’re a residential design build firm. Mostly, our work is done in the North Shore-area of Chicago. I’m the founder and president.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Calibrate Software?  

We needed to create a new website that was more responsive than our existing website.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

They provided both development and design work, as well as new features. One such feature was video integration onto the home screen and in other areas. This will help with our findability and SEO. They also developed a more intuitive way for the users to access our online portfolio.  

What is the team composition? 

I worked with two people: Kevin (Co-Founder & CEO) and Sean. Sean handled the hands-on website design and coding, and Kevin managed the business development side.  

How did you come to work with Calibrate Software? 

I’ve known Kevin from other businesses. He’s a very professional and conscientious person and had always spoken highly of Sean and their abilities. It seemed like a good fit.  

How much have you invested with them? 

We spent between $7,000–$10,000 with them.  

What is the status of this engagement? 

We worked with them from November 2019 until April 2020.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have metrics yet, as the site hasn’t launched but that’s not their fault. In terms of working with them, we probably ran them around a little bit. We’re in a visual business, and they were very good at taking the vision we communicated and finding a way to make it work. They’re very creative and resourceful in that way.  

How did Calibrate Software perform from a project management standpoint? 

They did a good job with this. The management was very professional, with them providing status reports after meetings or at key dates that revolved around decision making. Kevin kept everyone on track.  

For communication, we used a combination of emails and in-person meetings; this was pre-COVID. They would also send a link to a test site so we’d be able to see things at the very end.  

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Their knowledge of different platforms they can work on stands out. There’s a lot of add-ins and sub-programs–different ways to create effects within a website—and their knowledge of those was very strong. The ability to allow our website to be unique to what we wanted was great. They didn’t give us a template to fill in.  

Are there any areas they could improve? 

Like in the building industry, sometimes things take two months when you thought they were going to take one month. It’s difficult to manage expectations, as they don’t know what I’m going to ask for, but if there’s an area to improve in, it’s communication and managing expectations of delivery dates. That’s the same for any company.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Have as clear of an idea as you can, at the beginning, of what your goals are and what you want. For web design projects, you can lower the costs and shorten the experience by having as much of your homework done before you launch. Otherwise, make sure they’re asking the right questions to draw out those things they need to move efficiently.