Dedicated Developers

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the creator and owner of Know Longer Single. We are in the business of coaching people through the single and dating phases of their lives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dedicated Developers?

We hired Dedicated Developers to create a mobile app for our business.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to create a platform that would bring singles together while equipping them to date each other.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I started my search online and called a few app developers based on the reviews they received online. I chose Dedicated Developers due to how comfortable they made me feel during the initiation process. This was my first time dealing with a developer and their process made each step very clear to me unlike the other developers I had spoken with.

Describe the project in detail.

We initially met and discussed the concept of what we wanted the app to do. Dedicated Developers then provided detailed framework of how the app would look and function. They gave deadlines to which each deliverable would be completed.

What was the team composition?

There was a project manager as well as contracted developers. I was in contact with the project manager most of the time but was able to communicate with the developer whenever I needed to.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Due to funding, we are building the app in phases. The first phase does not have all the features that the completed version will have, but Dedicated Developers exceeded our expectations with the original version of the app and completed all deliverables on time.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was smooth and easy. The database used was simple to use and I could easily view the progress of the app. I was also able to upload any documents or ask any questions I had through the database. I always received a timely response.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Dedicated Developers intake process is by far it's greatest feature. Especially for anyone that is not familiar with the app development process.

Are there any areas for improvement?

While the project manager is based in the same city as I am, the actual developers were overseas. Sometimes there was a delay on work being done due to the time difference.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Stanford graduate and a serial entrepreneur based in Southeast Asia. My past ventures have all been in the digital/e-commerce space. My newest venture aims to build an integrated commerce and content platform for young mothers in Southeast Asia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dedicated Developers?

I hired Dedicated Developers to help me transform my idea onto paper in the form of a working prototype, and to help me understand the technological feasibility of my idea, so that I could approach development in concrete modules.

What were your goals for this project?

My goal for the project was to develop an app blueprint, detailed prototype, and a realistic project plan for development so that I had as much information upfront about development cost, resource requirements, timelines, above all clearly outlining the best technological roadmap to build the final product.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was recommended to Dedicated Developers through one of their former clients, who spoke very highly of their work. I considered 3 companies after talking to several developers around the world (Ukraine, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines). Dedicated Developers was the only partner I felt that understood my requirements and actually shared my approach of getting into the details, thinking about the end product and working backward, and the need for a working prototype (that I can test in the market first) before heading into development.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Most other developers I spoke to were in a hurry to get to the development stage without really taking the time to understand the specifics of the platform. Dedicated Developer’s CEO, Vishal, personally took the time to first understand the business context of my idea. He asked excellent questions that helped me fine-tune my own ideas. The requirements gathering then transitioned into developing a project blueprint, where user stories/journeys were captured in detail.

From there, Dedicated Developers prepared a working prototype for me that came very close to the end state I was looking to build. Finally, they created a detailed project plan allowing me to understand their approach to development, resource costs, and development timelines. It was a very comprehensive engagement and one that we wrapped up within a month of our first contact with each other.

What was the team composition?

The CEO, COO, Technical Architect and Business Analyst.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As a result of a detailed output delivered by Dedicated Developers in the pre-development stage of my app, I find that development has been very straightforward for me. I have a clear vision of what I’m building, a thorough plan to get me there, and minimal change requests as a result. Their approach has put me at ease and Dedicated Developers team did a fantastic job in showcasing their strong technical background and provided various excellent inputs to improve upon my initial idea.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

As soon as we got started, I was given access to their project management system. I received frequent updates from the technical team and all the notes and discussions were captured in the project management system. I always felt comfortable that all the feedback and discussion points are being captured at one place; I greatly valued their scientific approach to interact using project management systems compared to email exchanges that are prone to missing important details.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were partners and not vendors to me. I am so impressed that the CEO personally handled our initial conversations. They made a sincere effort to understand not just the technical vision of my app, but the business reasons for it.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Can’t think of anything! It was the most pleasant experience I’ve had to date with a developer partner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an Independent Entrepreneur/Investor working with several organizations to generate business value through technology solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dedicated Developers?

I needed a detailed technical feasibility analysis of our project that required strong understanding of the underlying hardware and existing software code. This was needed to find out if it was the right time to move forward with our project.

What were your goals for this project?

The project is a combination of custom hardware and custom software development. I wanted understand the details of the physical hardware, software and the project requirements.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was able to meet with Dedicated Developers technical architects and immediately felt comfortable that they were the right team to work on our project. I engaged Dedicated Developers for an in-depth technical feasibility, and project strategy.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

I engaged Dedicated Developers for an in-depth technical feasibility, and project strategy. I worked through a project management system along with frequent phone calls and in-office visits.

They asked great questions that reflected their deep technological background and provided solutions for any challenges that we faced during our engagement.

What was the team composition?

The team was comprised of Scrum Masters, Technical Architects, Software Developers and Subject Matter Experts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am extremely pleased with the outcome and their approach. We worked through a project management systems along with frequent phone calls and in-office visits.

They asked great questions that reflected their deep technological background and provided solutions for any challenges that we faced during our engagement. I'm excited to find a development partner that has a high level of technical expertise and is professional and friendly in all their dealings.

I was able to determine the feasibility, cost and risks of pursuing and industry impacting solution.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project team from Dedicated Developers used a state of the art project approach and functional tools to provide a supportive team environment.

I felt confident I could ramp up or ramp down resources in a manner to optimize the project performance. Communication channels were well defined minimizing project churn and delays.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team at Dedicated Developers brought a team of experts who provided a predictable path to success. They were professional and responsive to my needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Met all of my expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of marketing at Demand Products Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia. We sell construction hand tools that are used in the eaves and siding business to put in stucco finishes on buildings. In addition, we sell large machines that are used to cut polyurethane foam.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dedicated Developers?

Our website was woefully inadequate and outdated. We were getting fewer visits and were looking to increase our traffic, so we decided it was time to revamp the site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Dedicated Developers completely redesigned our website. They began with a complete interface analysis and found what the shortcomings of our site were as far as attracting and retaining visitors. After providing us with that information, they generated wireframes and mockups to show us their proposed approach. Their team also built in shipping modules to allow us to calculate shipping costs for customers.

What is the team composition?

We worked with six members of the Dedicated Developers team. I had two primary points of contact, a user analysis specialist, and three developers. 

How did you come to work with Dedicated Developers?

We found Dedicated Developers on Clutch. Using their reviews on the site, we decided to bring them in for an interview. We interviewed four vendors but chose Dedicated Developers because they were not intimidated by anything we proposed. It helped that their offices were local, so we could sit down face to face with their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $17,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Dedicated Developers was from April–June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have not gone live with the site yet because we have some back-end work to complete, but it’s a light-years advancement for us. The previous site was hard to look at, but the new one is very current with today’s technology and is easily navigable. 

How did Dedicated Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

They Dedicated Developers team has exceptional project management skills. They are always available via phone or email and have a great response time. We also used Webex during conference calls so they could walk us through their exact designs. That led to very thorough discussions. Their team also uses a virtual employee site where documents could be uploaded that facilitated quicker exchanges.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed by their scope of knowledge. Their team is very informed and educated. Dedicated Developers is never intimidated by new suggestions. Instead, they’re always open to feedback. They provide solutions rather than hurdles.

Their team went the extra mile to make us feel comfortable. They’re very easy to get along with and never miss a beat. Dedicated Developers are understanding and don’t take offense at anything.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were amazing across the board. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to have a good idea of the project you are looking to have at the end of the day and explain it thoroughly. That way, Dedicated Developers can meet your needs as best as possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We have an online Leadership Coaching membership program.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dedicated Developers?

We wanted to spend less time on the technical aspect of our business to focus on our clients and growth.

What were your goals for this project?

Dedicated Developers took over our website development, our membership system and our email marketing.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Over the years they have added a lot of features to our system, that improved the services we could offer our clients.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Regularly updated our Wordpress plugins and helped keep our membership site up and running.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a Project Manager/Infusionsoft specialist and a web developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to maintain a membership program, as well as build our speaking/advising business.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We regularly met via teleconference with our project manager. At the minimum, every three weeks, during bigger projects, we met weekly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have an excellent response time.There were critical times we had issues with our sites, and both times Dedicated Developers were RIGHT there to help us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an investor in and consultant for a startup in the meditation services industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dedicated Developers?

We hired Dedicated Developers to create a B2C platform for people everywhere to engage in meditation. The platform had to have an intuitive and beautiful design so people could easily meditate, using the app as their instrument.

What were your goals for this project?

We originally intended to grow our clients by scheduling all our events and uploading partial meditation sessions for free on the mobile app. As our idea has grown, we've started aiming for a higher number of monthly downloads and targeting individuals outside our current client base. We’ve also started offering full meditation sessions for premium accounts. With a well-planned marketing campaign, we aim to hit at least 10,000 downloads during the first 30 days after the launch, with 15% conversion for paid subscriptions.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We came across them on Clutch. After contacting a few of the top-ranked companies in New York, we got in touch with them. A couple emails, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings helped us see they would be an engaged partner. Their cost fit perfectly with our financial requirements as well.

Describe the project in detail.

They’ve developed our platforms for both web and mobile. Most importantly, they created a library for our audio and visual content that’s manageable via a web application. This application was built in such a way that we can create, edit and/or delete sessions and customize them depending on the user's account (premium or not). After the app goes live, Dedicated Developers is going to provide support.

What was the team composition?

I’ve been in contact with the co-founders, a project manager, two programmers, and a designer. We've met face to face and online through a Teamwork project management system.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project hasn’t gone live yet but we’re very satisfied with how the app is coming. We’re close to the MVP delivery date, and aside from minor issues, it’s looking great. Results from beta testing will come in soon.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Dedicated Developers introduced us to a digital platform (Teamwork) where we can manage and follow up on deliverable progress. We love working on it because it’s easy for us to add comments and insights on specific stages of the project. The communication with both their development team and co-founders has been very easy, too. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their full commitment and engagement since day one have really captivated us. We know they may have different ongoing projects, but resources have never been a problem. Communication with the co-founders is still continuing when needed.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Initially, we thought their pricing was a bit higher than what we had in mind. But, fortunately, it hasn’t been an issue. They’ve been very transparent with their pricing from the beginning and have met all the deadlines. There hasn’t been any need for extra resources or hours.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the project manager and Scrum master at Social Connection Apps. We build cross-platform social media apps that connect people from different cities with visitors. I lead project management and act as the Scrum master for this product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dedicated Developers?

We hired Dedicated Developers to create a mobile app for iOS and Android.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to develop a social media app that was regionally focused and differentiated from other platforms. Its users help visitors in their own city and receive advice in cities they visit.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Dedicated Developers on Google and met at their office. They were extremely professional from the outset of our conversations, and were clearly the right fit for our project.

Describe the project in detail.

They are building an app for iOS and Android that connects people from different cities. It collects location and inquiry data from each user and properly connects them.

What was the team composition?

The team includes an Android developer, an iOS developer, a graphic designer, a backend developer, and a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're extremely happy and satisfied with their work. We are now in the second phase of development, and there will definitely be more. We would like to continue with Dedicated Developers. We're extremely pleased with their communication and deliverables.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They use a highly intuitive, state-of-the-art cloud-based project management system. We track every deliverable, goal, benchmark, and time log. It's easy to keep the project moving and stay up-to-date on their progress.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciate our regular communication with the developers, along with their ability to take directions and execute the details of our app. On a few occasions, they have taken the lead and showed our team the best course of action. They knew how to build a great UX.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They're spot on. I don’t have any complaints.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of Paddle Partner, a navigation app for canoe and kayak enthusiasts.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dedicated Developers?

I needed help in developing our iOS app.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to launch the app into the world of paddling enthusiasts.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After finding them online, I set up a business at their office. They presented a roadmap for the development, and we discussed the project. I was impressed by their technical knowledge and ability to understand what I wanted from the app.

Describe the project in detail.

They developed the user-interface with UX/UI functionalities, and the app allows users to create geo-location maps. Their team implemented features to show details of rivers and other routes. They’ve continued to upgrade the app by adding new functionalities and improving older elements based on customer feedback.

What was the team composition?

They’ve assigned a project manager, two iOS developers, two PHP developers, and one designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to Dedicated Developers, we now have increased visibility and authority in our industry. The app was well-received—we’ve received multiple five-star ratings in the app store, and the number of downloads is steadily increasing.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They primarily use Teamwork for project planning and communicating. We are easily able to contact the developers and track progress in the same system, so we’re regularly in contact.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Dedicated Developers brought their own ideas and expertise to the table, resulting in a robust final product. They are pleasant to work with and continuously keep me involved in their progress; I’m satisfied to be working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of a branding, marketing strategy, and web and mobile app design company. We not only build beautiful and functional products for our clients but also create web experiences tailored to their audience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Dedicated Developers?

We had several ongoing projects we needed help with. I needed a solid team that can handle both Android and iOS app development as well as backend development.

What were your goals for this project?

Our objective was to have them tackle our development needs for our various clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was introduced to Dedicated Developers via a mutual friend. After that, I met their owners at various industry events and eventually at their office in New York. We had numerous productive discussions about my business and how I could leverage their team’s skills. I became convinced that they were exactly the type of team I was looking for.

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

They’ve supported my client’s projects with Android and iOS app development across many different applications. They’ve also handled backend development to make everything work without issues.

We recently launched an app for an online retailer, which was successful. They took care of all of the minute details and built the app with a scalable architecture, allowing my client to have flexibility as they continue to add more features and products to their app. The app was quickly approved in both iOS and Android stores, and our client was pleased with the end results.

What was the team composition?

I usually have a project manager across various projects. Currently, there’s a team of two developers assigned who handle Android, iOS, PHP and frontend development. The project manager is my main point of contact; I talk to individual developers only when necessary.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The services I can provide to my clients are beyond what I would've been able to do without them. My schedule is more balanced from a personal standpoint. I'm also enjoying doing the part of my business that is my strength and leaving technology development to Dedicated Developers, who perfectly understand my vision.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We use Teamwork for project management, which allows us to communicate all tasks and feedback.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their proactive communication and flexibility are great. They send timely reports that I then pass on to my clients. This helps boost my clients' confidence in me. Furthermore, one of the developers they assigned was more adept and insightful than I expected, which was a very nice surprise.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

No, I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CTO of a series of Association Montessori International (AMI) certified Montessori school. Our schools are located throughout multiple states.

My job is to provide the latest technology to the schools and I'm also responsible for building state of the art websites for the schools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Dedicated Developers?

We've been in business for quite some time and needed better UI/UX for our websites.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team designed the UI/UX and developed sites with HTML, CSS, and WordPress. Their blueprinting process started with ideation and guiding us through documentation which outlined the website’s look. Dedicated Developers then put together wireframes and action plans with several accompanying suggestions.

For example, they brought in the idea that when a new prospective client is looking for a school, there should be an automatic booking process for appointments. They also came back with a couple of great ideas for how to maintain the school calendar and integrate events directly. They brought these things into the technology stack.

What is the team composition?

They gave us a decent sized team. We have a UI/UX designer, a developer, and a QA person that does all the testing and bug fixing. We also have a project manager.

How did you come to work with Dedicated Developers?

We had a lot of hits and misses with other companies before we found Dedicated Developers. Those vendors had built sites with cookie-cutter templates and didn’t put their heart into the work. We wanted a company that really got it.

However, at that time, we weren’t looking for a provider as we were content with our current web design company. However, I met one of Dedicated Developer’s clients at a networking event and they spoke very highly about them and the team’s experience. That conversation intrigued me, so I visited their office and met their development team. We had a couple of meetings prior to our first engagement. The team’s thorough and scientific approach impressed us.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent close to $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They've already delivered quite a few websites for multiple schools. The partnership is ongoing because we're growing the company and have a constant need to keep the websites updated as new schools come up.

The sites reflect the team’s phenomenal ideas. They’ve boosted our appeal and a lot of parents love that they can take care of all their needs through the site, as well as get daily updates. The app works on a range of mobile devices while the well-designed website speaks to our commitment to quality education. As a result, we can sell the school much more easily. And now that we’re streamlined internally, the business is saving money in staffing and our operations are much lighter.

How did Dedicated Developers perform from a project management standpoint?

They use Teamwork, which makes our life much easier. We can see with complete visibility how the team tracks work and invests time into each activity. We send direct messages via the dashboard to the design team or development team, which eliminates lengthy email changes. The project manager has a progress calls on either a weekly or biweekly basis.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Although they don't specialize in website content, we needed some help with content development because we could only write so much. Out of the blue, they offered to have their experienced in-house content writer help us, even though that isn’t something they offer to clients. Having everything done under one roof makes our life so much easier because we're so busy.

The team’s blueprints enabled us to see their commitment while investing a minimal level of time. They went to great depths to create the blueprint and that deliverable was a game-changer for us. Overall, it's been a pleasant experience from communication, project management, design, and development perspectives. Our previous vendor didn’t handle project management as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be good if they offered more services such as content marketing and social media marketing. I know they do those on an as-needed basis because it isn’t their main area.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Prospective clients should request a blueprint because it shows how thorough the UI/UX designs are. The team is great at putting ideas to paper and documenting the process. The documentation gave us a sense of who they are. What’s more, they ask a lot of questions and give advice about which technologies to use. The company’s executive managers are also developers and they leverage that expertise in their suggestions.