CMOLDS

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a small, early-stage technology startup that offers a digital market.

What challenge were you trying to address with CMOLDS?

I was trying to create a logo and social media background.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I gave them all my requirements and design for the logo and social media design but they couldn’t deliver what I wanted. They showed my requirements very little respect. They promised me three custom logo design concepts, one dedicated designer, four revisions, 48–72 hours return time, and a number of other guarantees they’ve gone back on (satisfaction, money back, etc.).

What is the team dynamic?

They assigned me a very junior resource that didn’t listen to me, creating his own design that didn’t align with my requirements. After I brought this up to the senior designer, they provided two more revisions resulting in a result much closer to what I wanted. Unfortunately, they came back and charged me extra for those revisions, saying they expected me to buy more packages with them. They were pushing upgrades on me.

How did you come to work with CMOLDS?

I found them through Google Ads and chose them because of their pricing.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $64 CAD (approximately $50 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since December 2020. I finally accepted the logo and social media design and they stopped responding by email, phone, and chat. I’m waiting for a price for the trademark they’re making me purchase but I haven’t heard anything back.

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

When we started, I was going through a name change process (we had half the name set) and offered CMOLDS the option to wait two days until we finalized it before they began on the logo. They chose to start immediately and then complained when I told them what the final name was, as it meant they’d have to change their work. Throughout the project, they walked back their commitments.

A few days ago, I went on their website for assistance and saw that they’d used my logo design to create other things. This is a very frustrating business practice.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

I was supposed to have everything done before Christmas and it’s still dragging on.

How was project management handled?

They didn’t follow up after calls, as they promised. Specifically, I was looking for a price for the trademark and they haven’t responded. They took a long time to come back with the first design, and it didn’t follow my requirements. Comparatively, the senior designer was much better than the junior designer. His communication was better.

I’ve spoken with three different managers. I don’t know how they’re organized; they seem pretty big. It seems like they don’t understand that their junior resource didn’t get my requirements, which is why it required so many revisions. The managers only see the number of revisions — seven — not why I needed them made. It’s very frustrating.

In what specific areas can they improve?

Don’t promise what you can’t deliver or force customers into upgrades. I’ve never had this kind of experience before. I worked with another designer at the end of November and they got it right away. The difference was unbelievable.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an IT operations analyst for a B2B IT products distribution company.

What challenge were you trying to address with CMOLDS?

We wanted to develop an internal app where employees could post ideas. It would be similar to a social media platform where employees could like and comment, and they could also earn points and badges.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Based on our requirements, CMOLDS designed and developed an Android and iOS application. They also handled testing.

What is the team composition?

We first interacted with a marketing person who took our requirements and finalized the contract. CMOLDS then assigned a team of designers, developers, and QA testers.

Most of my communication was with their project manager, and their CTO got involved at times.

How did you come to work with CMOLDS?

We shortlisted a few companies, out of which CMOLDS stood out in terms of design proposal and cost. They were able to build the app for Android and iOS. We also felt a good level of trust with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with CMOLDS in March 2019, and they delivered the product in March 2020. We’re currently in maintenance mode.

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

We started on a very good note with CMOLDS, and it was continued until the end.

They were good with timelines and very professional. There were times when we needed some screens on short notice, to present them to our leadership, and CMOLDS worked late nights for us.

How did CMOLDS perform from a project management standpoint?

CMOLDS was patient and accommodating in implementing our changes and new requirements. They gave us constant updates. Everything was done through emails, WhatsApps, and calls, and we never met them face to face, but we never had any issues.

The coordination between us was very good. Throughout the journey, we never felt we made the wrong decision. We never had to follow up too much, and they delivered everything committed to it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

This was my first experience with an app development company, and everything worked well.

I’d definitely recommend them to someone else.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Testing took a lot of time to do, but that was because we went through every feature rigorously. We wanted a perfect product, so both our teams worked a lot on this. I don’t have much to say in terms of improvements for CMOLDS. They delivered what we asked for.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to have clear requirements from the beginning, in order to reduce changes and back and forth discussions.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a language company that teaches Chinese to children. I'm the founder and CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with CMOLDS?

I wanted to revamp my company website. I worked with two other agencies to custom develop an education and learning management system, but the work was full of bugs. I asked CMOLDS to help resolve the problems and build the rest of what I wanted.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed four parts of an education learning system that links to our website. That included some student learning, e-commerce, the inventory setup for textbooks, audio assets, and other teaching tools within the website and some proprietary application development. In all, they delivered four educational applications. They also helped with our promotional videos, and they improved our backend security.

What is the team composition?

Their team includes at least six people, with additional team members as needed. At its biggest, we worked with a group of twelve, but we usually worked with that stable team of six. Most of my interaction was with a project manager, but the rest of the team included engineers, developers, and other specialists.

How did you come to work with CMOLDS?

I searched for companies online. They looked reputable, so I gave them a small test project. I was happy with the result, and I decided to give them more challenging work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $100,000-$250,000 for their services so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2017, and they delivered the overall architecture, the backend panel, and all the apps. They still maintain all our updates, and we're currently discussing second-stage development work.

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

We've had great feedback, and we're very happy with everything they delivered. They helped distinguish us, and they ensured the final product met our specifications. The price was very reasonable, especially compared to other agencies I've worked with. The quality of their work is also very good.

How did CMOLDS perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager kept us informed, and he shared feedback to help us decide on features and stay within our budget. They used Teamwork as a project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were dedicated to even the tiniest details, and their code was very clean. They went above and beyond to improve the aesthetics, and the overall user experience is so much better. They were a one-stop-shop for all of our needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They're very capable, and there's nothing I can think of they should improve. They offer a variety of services, and I appreciate having one vendor who can do so much for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of what you want. That will save you time and money, and it will make the process a lot smoother.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an app that allows users to locate motorsports event across the US.

For what projects/services did your company hire CMOLDS?

Hired to build the app from the ground up

What were your goals for this project?

To build an easy-to-use app that users will download and race promoters will want to advertise their events on

How did you select this vendor?

Put an ad out online looking for an app development company. They were one of many to reach out to me, but I liked their communication, samples, and website the best

Describe the project in detail.

We signed an NDA, I gave them the details inside my head, they went over their process, and we signed the contract. After I made my initial payment, they came up with a design, and I approved it and made the next payment. They then began the beta build and admin panel. I approved and made payment, and then they began the final Alpha build. We went back and forth fine-tuning it, making changes and fixing bugs until I was satisfied. They then helped me through the process of submitting the app to the App Stores and have gone on to help with marketing.

What was the team composition?

First, we spoke with Mark, the sales guy. Then, we had a phone meeting with Neal to go over the project, and he assigned Furqan to be the project manager. He had an emergency and could no longer continue, so Naveed stepped in in the middle of the project and it was a very smooth transition. I made a lot of change requests and, even got angry with Naveed at time, but he stayed calm and understood and fixed or changed everything I requested.

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

We launch this week, so I’m excited to see the user reaction, but everyone that has seen a preview has loved it. Lots of interest in advertising on the app, but we won't pull the trigger on any until it’s the market.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was key. No matter what time zone Naveed was in, he always accommodated the meetings to make it work for me. We spoke through email, text message, phone calls, and even Teamwork's messaging system. The only complaint I have, and it’s not even a complaint, just a request for future projects, I wish I could have spoken to more team members from CMolds. For example the designers. Sometimes I feel it would have been more effective to speak directly to the people working on the app instead of playing “telephone." 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

No matter what I threw at them, they eventually fixed it or brought it to life. I can’t wait to keep building with the team.

Are there any areas for improvement?

More communication. More regular updates on the app while in building process, so if there’s something that needs to be changed I could have mentioned it right away, instead of the team spending weeks building something and then going back to have to remove or redo features.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of an angel-backed startup. We are developing a cardiovascular health-monitoring app.

For what projects/services did your company hire CMOLDS?

We needed a fully developed iOS app.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the app to collect health data in various forms.

How did you select this vendor?

We found CMOLDS though an online search. We had a few initial conference calls with them, and they offered the most competitive pricing and appeared to be proactive in starting the project.

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

We created a guideline that detailed the app’s requirements, including desired features, functionalities, and aesthetics. They adhered to this outline and developed the app with data collection, calculation, and storage capabilities.

What was the team composition?

They provided a project manager, their CTO, and several engineers.

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

We’re pleased with the app; it meets our requirements and functions perfectly.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicated through TeamWork, and it was generally effective. Most of the time, we were able to contact their team and have issues resolved quickly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The design and development were beyond our expectations, and CMOLDS implemented all features.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

It would be helpful if they communicated more transparently; there were periods of time where we needed to ask for updates that should have been offered voluntarily.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder of Stogaheim LLC, a mobile app company located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We are designing an app that discourages smartphone use and regains the attention of students/employees through the use of gamification model.

For what projects/services did your company hire CMOLDS?

As veteran teachers with over 30 years of education experience, we noticed a trend of declining student performance due to constant smartphone use. We realized there wasn’t an app to help with this problem and wanted to create one.

We had the idea for an app but not the necessary coding or design skills. We needed a firm to take our vision/sketches and develop an app from scratch for iOS and Android. We also required a server-side database to handle all the information.

What were your goals for this project?

The original goal of the app was to discourage students' smartphone use, but we realized that it had a wide market and could be used in other workspaces. We wanted this project to have a major impact by encouraging people to be present in their workspaces.

Our ultimate goal was to have an easy-to-use app that any person use could set up and run in less than a minute. We wanted to integrate an easy group functionality and needed the app to work seamlessly in the background so users could focus on the task at hand.

We also wanted to create a leaderboard so users could compare their performance to others. We wanted our event administrator to receive a detailed report of the number of coins earned by users, and how many minutes their devices were being locked and unlocked.

How did you select this vendor?

We started with a Google search and found countless hits. It was difficult to know who was legitimate so we looked to Facebook for recommendations. This resulted in several possible candidates and we interviewed them via email/phone. In the end, we chose CMOLDS because they already had apps in the App Store, were responsive via phone and email, and proposed a competitive offer within our budget.

Describe the project in detail.

CMOLDS first asked us to complete several pieces of paperwork including a Statement of Work. Through these documents, we highlighted exactly how we wanted to the app to function. While we already had an app name, slogan, rudimentary icon, and screens drawings, their team elevated our branding to next level by giving it a professional appearance. They used our company name "BeePresent" and developed a bee themed logo, related color scheme, and incorporated throughout the app. We even decided to use it as our company logo.

After the design phase, they developed an alpha build. Using our feedback, they built a beta version. We went through multiple betas to further refine the concept and squashed any bugs. Finally, the app was developed for iOS and Android using Swift, Java, PHP, and Node JS. They also developed our backend database using MySQL, SQLite, and custom DB.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a project manager who was my main point of contact throughout the project. There was also a development team working in the background.

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

We were excited and pleased with the finished product. It functioned exactly as we hoped. Our logo was unbelievably well polished and professional. Our app's UI was intuitive and easy to navigate. The app's features were easy to use and even teachers figured it out without an explanation.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our project manager was easy to communicate with. He was often available outside of business hours, and I could communicate with him via email, voice, and text. There was also a team message board he used to communicate with his entire team. He relayed questions the team had for me to continue their work.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As I said before, I was impressed by their artistic design and smooth UX/UI work. Overall, we have a beautiful-looking product.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything could've been done faster, but we were very satisfied with their work. In the end, they made my vision into a reality and quality was more important than speed.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of Whos My Mutter, which is an app that lets people determine the dominant breed of their dog using a facial recognition feature.

What challenge were you trying to address with CMOLDS?

I had an idea for an app, but I didn't know where to start, so I was looking for a company to build the app for me.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had an initial conversation with their salesman and we discussed my ideas. After that, they began building the app, managing both the design and the development. It's a unique app that is compatible with both iOS and Android. In addition to the facial recognition feature, the app allows users to search for rescue shelters within a 50-mile radius anywhere in the world. CMOLDS continues to provide ongoing support and marketing services.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with the salesman and my project manager, who was also the developer. I'm now working with their marketing specialist as well.

How did you come to work with them?

I put a post on Facebook and someone referred me to CMOLDS. I researched their name and then flew to New Jersey to meet with them.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $56,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in February 2017 and the app launched in December 2017.

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

I'm just starting to get feedback on the app, which is usually coming from people who are not using the app correctly. We have a tutorial, which tells users how they need to take photos. If they don't follow directions, they don't get the right results. Typically, I respond to them and explain the correct way to use the app.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They executed everything on time and even worked overnights when they were out of the country. We usually used email and phone to stay in touch.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They went above and beyond to meet my needs. I didn't communicate all of my needs clearly at the beginning of our engagement, so we were expanding their scope of work as we were moving along. They were very accommodating the entire time and went out of their way to develop an app they can be proud of.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing is that sometimes it took them a little longer to get back to me than I would have wished.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be honest with them and clearly communicate what you want to build. Make sure everyone is on the same page from the very beginning. I didn't ask enough questions and didn't understand the scope of work like I should have, but they made it right.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a fitness coach and the owner of the app

For what projects/services did your company hire CMOLDS?

App development

What were your goals for this project?

Reach as many people as possible to get them fit and healthy

How did you select this vendor?

I spoke to a couple of other developers but they didn’t understand my idea and tried to convince me to change it so I went online and found CMOLD they understood me from the first call

Describe the project in detail.

A platform of gyms that allows clients to pick any gym of their choice every day

What was the team composition?

I was in contact with the project manager the whole time but all the emails were cc’d with the rest of the team

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

I still didn’t start working with the app but I’m very optimistic

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Steven was very helpful, fast response all the time and understanding

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're fast, responsive, effective, and trustworthy.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t see any honestly

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and founder of Wedding Grid. We connect wedding vendors and engaged couples through a matching algorithm.

For what projects/services did your company hire CMOLDS?

We wanted CMOLDS to develop an application.

What were your goals for this project?

The app needed to match my vision for the product.

How did you select this vendor?

I did an online search for app developers. We appreciated CMOLDS’ easy development process and flexible payment schedule.

Describe the project in detail.

CMOLDS built the app based on my initial plans for the solution.

What was the team composition?

I’ve worked with several project managers. One manager has stayed on my account since the start of the engagement.

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

We recently launched the app and already have a few vendors registered.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team is always available and competently handles each task.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their quick turnarounds are seamless.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. CMOLDS has strong communication skills.