Demigos

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO for Azure Clinic and our sister company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Demigos?

We contracted Demigos for a mobile app development project. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Demigos has used the agile methodology to build our app, which is native in nature except for the third-party solutions that they’ve integrated into it. The code is Python-based, and the product’s main functionality is to provide virtual medical consultations to end users. 

Given our core service, the app also features electronic medical records (EMR), an e-prescription system, an online pharmaceutical store, and laboratory diagnostic services. These are all integrated into the product for our users and patients. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with UI/UX designers, product managers, front- and backend developers, and a dedicated project manager. There are also Python developers and QA specialists. Translators have also been involved in the project because the app is dual-language; it’s available in English and Arabic. Their project manager handles all of these members. Meanwhile, we’ve also assigned a project manager on our side to follow up on the project’s progress. 

How did you come to work with Demigos?

Initially, we used Google to search for companies. Then, we used Clutch to vet the company — using the Clutch platform provided some credibility to the vendors. Then, we shortlisted 6–8 companies that had experience in projects in the telemedicine field and healthcare. Some of them worked in East Europe, Ukraine, Poland, and Southeast Asia. One company was based in Egypt. 

We reviewed their proposals from a financial point of view and technical perspective; our team also entered into negotiations with each company. Ultimately, we chose Demigos based on their track record, proposed budget, and technical resources.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2020, and the engagement is ongoing. For context, we’ve completed the project in 2021, and we’re 90%–95% ready to launch in mid-May 2022.

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

The feedback we’ve received from our user focus groups has been awesome. We don’t have quantitative data yet, but we’re hoping to track milestones and do a full analysis of downloads, daily active users, and other similar metrics after launching. That being said, all the feedback we’ve received has been encouraging. 

How did Demigos perform from a project management standpoint?

Demigos’ communication is great and fast. We don’t want developers and overseas teams to be missing, especially given the Russian Invasion of Ukraine — we’re afraid that we’ll lose communication with the team. Demigos has shown courage and commitment to the project. They’re still working with us on a daily basis despite the current situation there. 

In terms of tools, we’ve used Jira and Slack in the initial phases of the project. Now, we’re relying on simple email communications and weekly meetings since we’re only dealing with minor bug fixes. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their strength is their coding methodology and the quality of the code. Things can get tough during the project — such as when a frustrating bug can’t be fixed — but everything can be managed. However, the main asset of Demigos is the quality of the code for the platform they’ve built

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. All aspects of the project have been great. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As the owner of the project, you’ll set most of the specifications. At the end of the day, the Demigos developers will follow your ideas, approach, and expectations. They cannot come up with ideas on their own, so they need to work hand in hand with you. 

Apart from that, you should have a clear project management approach and methodology while using proper tools that are friendly for everyone. Make sure that everything is accepted between both parties in terms of timelines, deliverables, and KPIs. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of operations at Bitcoin Bingo, a gaming site that allows users to earn bitcoins by playing games.

What challenge were you trying to address with Demigos?

We needed help in building our game. I didn’t have a technical background, and we were looking for someone reliable, knowledgeable, and excited to take this challenge with us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our game is similar to lottery and bingo. Users select seven numbers, and they would win a percentage of bitcoin depending on how many numbers are selected out of the lottery. The app required a lot of backend technical work.

Demigos designed the game based on the user and admin features we required. For one, we needed to see who the winners were and make sure that the wallet address they gave us was correct so we could provide a proper payout. 

Additionally, Demigos designed the game’s interface. We had an idea of what we wanted, and we just left the design to their team. We were open to their ideas and implementing what they thought would be a good fit. They also built the game’s mechanics.  

Demigos built the platform from scratch. We gave them some documentation to guide them on the process. We had gone to other developers, but no one understood what we wanted to do. Demigos was the first vendor that met us in the middle.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Ivan (CEO) and Nikita (CTO). We met Ivan during demonstrations, but we interacted more closely with Nikita.

How did you come to work with Demigos?

Someone had referred Demigos to us. 

We went through a months-long process of interviewing Demigos about their project management and communication styles and if they had done any cryptocurrency-related engagements before. We also wanted to know if they were familiar with gaming mechanics since that would be our biggest challenge. 

Demigos checked off every box for us, so we decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $32,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from October 2020–February 2021. 

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

Demigos successfully delivered the game, and it functions as intended and met our expectations. We saved roughly $30,000 by working with them instead of other developers. 

How did Demigos perform from a project management standpoint?

Demigos was reliable and prompt; they completed the project 30 days ahead of schedule. 

They used Airtable to give us a bird’s eye view of their tasks and allocated resources at any given time. We received weekly emails from Nikita updating us about their progress. We also had weekly meetings to go over a demo or any bumps on the road. 

Everything was done promptly. If there was any confusion that came up, Demigos was good at verifying issues with us.

Demigos was very thorough in drafting a project requirement guide for us. After having a few calls with them, they made sure they understood all the accessibility and development requirements. 

Demigos was very communicative — we knew beforehand if they had holidays or time offs. Communication and project management were our biggest problems with other developers, but Demigos was wonderful in those two. 

If I had concerns, additions, or changes to be made, I got a response within 24 hours. If a change was approved, they usually finished within the following week. Nothing lingered too long, and there were no delays, which was miraculous for projects like this. 

Overall, I had a great experience working with Demigos.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication, promptness, and reliability were impressive. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. They did a great job communicating with us; we were happy after every milestone. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to be as specific as possible about what you want. They will work with you every step of the way. They’re the kind of people who can figure it out for you.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the billing manager for a fully licensed and bonded CPA. We have a parent company that does sales in the payroll deduction insurance market. Our company processes single-source billing.

What challenge were you trying to address with Demigos?

We created a website in 2008, and we needed to automate different parts of the manual process because they were becoming laborsome.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Demigos came on board and took over the project when the original team of programmers had to put it off due to COVID-19. A project manager at another company brought in this secondary team to continue the development. Much of the website was built, but it still wasn’t functioning the way we needed it to.

What is the team composition?

We had two primary points of contact at Demigos, and they had a five-person team. There was a person that partnered with us on the invoicing. We also constantly interacted with someone who I believe was the project manager, but he also worked on the coding.

How did you come to work with  Demigos?

A web-based company that acts as a contractor directed us to Demigos’s team.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of the project was $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They picked up the project in May 2020, and we launched the new site in July and were able to issue invoices. We were ecstatic because the programming was something that was hanging over our heads to do.

By October 2020, we wrapped up all of the programmings. However, the initial launch was within eight weeks, which was extremely impressive.

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

Demigos’s quality of work was excellent. We were working with about 180 clients, and 90% went in the first launch. 

They were able to accomplish some things that we didn’t anticipate. Demigos offered solutions to problems that we hadn’t thought of before.

How did  Demigos perform from a project management standpoint?

They were perfect at scheduling and meeting deadlines. We corresponded through email and Zoom calls. We also used Airtable and Jira to track two different parts of the project. The team was extremely responsive, and if we found bugs, we normally got a response and a fix within an hour.

As I said, the first programming team didn’t work out, which I think can be a typical circumstance when you’re using independent contract programming. However, my feeling with Demigos is that they’re extremely reliable. At no point did they go dark or stop responding, which I’ve experienced with programmers in the past. If anything, we got the exact opposite with Demigos — they were constantly in touch, despite a 10-hour time difference. I woke up to messages and updates from them.

Our business with Demigos routinely started at 1:00 p.m. here, but we had to adjust in June because my being able to communicate with them during their business hours was helpful. 

Because this web development project was completely stalled for around five months, we were frantically trying to get it moving and we had to adjust our time accordingly. That said, the team was available even if it was a late time for them, especially when there were reports that we needed to be produced.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness and troubleshooting stood out to us. They were very committed to the project in the way that I was — there wasn’t anybody else on my end. They expressed they were going to make it happen, and they did. Overall, we were really impressed with Demigos.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really have any criticism of Demigos. There were some problems with the base design, but that wasn’t on them; the prior team set it up, and it was obvious that they didn’t understand the necessary output.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would depend on the project. What we found is that you’ve got to stay in front of the project. The time difference can impact progression.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company owns a tech platform designed to provide better access to care for patients. It allows medical facilities to connect with independent contractors and employees at the touch of a button. We’re licensing the product.

What challenge were you trying to address with Demigos?

They were instrumental in developing the MVP and a completed version of the app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started out by requesting that they build designs and an MVP for our company. Our teams quickly realized that the MVP itself wouldn’t be enough to satisfy the market at that time. We continued our development partnership with them, and they’re now at version 1.75 of the platform at this point. 

The vast majority of money in the American healthcare system is related to human resources such as nurses and doctors. There’s a huge shortage of nurses and turnover throughout the country. That keeps facilities in constant training and recruiting mode. The platform allows nurses to choose assignments they’re interested in and take some recruiting stress off of healthcare companies. Health companies can, in turn, require specific skills that nurses can preview. Their development work ensures that the right people are matched to the right jobs for them, which is important in the highly-specialized fields of healthcare.  

What is the team composition?

They have a larger team, but I work directly with two people. The team is made up of a technical lead and business process engineer. 

How did you come to work with Demigos?

We sent out an RFP and quickly narrowed down our search to three companies. Their communication was immediately strong. I was also happy to be dealing directly with their company. Some of our other vendor options outsource their work elsewhere, which we didn’t want. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $135,000. That’s more than I was planning on spending, but we’ve hugely developed the scope of their work from the start of our engagement to the present. We opted to absorb costs internally to bring the full product to the market. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2019.

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

We’re satisfied with their work to the extent that we’ve agreed on greatly extending their services. Our team learned about how to best collaborate on the requirements process and feature building. While we ran into some bumps in the early stages, they were always generous in working through issues. 

Our business is slowly growing. The technology has been less buggy than anticipated, and they’re very responsive in addressing any bugs that are found. Customers are already enjoying the platform and spreading the word on their services.  

We had independent consultants run a code audit on their program after the development was complete. They found the code to be cutting-edge. The team is building toward a serverless environment that is the future of computing. They developed in an advanced, agile way that’s able to be adjusted and adapted to our needs. 

How did Demigos perform from a project management standpoint?

They always respond to our concerns and questions within about 12 hours, no matter the time of day. We had a tiered approach to communication, which included email, Zoom, and Trello to report errors. Our teams also used Google Sheets for project management planning to log anticipated changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were able to think through our problems and bring unique solutions to the table. Typically, contracted teams simply create a platform based on requirements. However, they were a truly collaborative partner in this effort. In our industry, things change with the wind. Their responsiveness was hugely important in keeping everyone on the same page. 

The team is very forward-thinking, providing us with a program that’s representative of where the future of computing is moving. It was important for us to be modern in the market. The code audit proved their skill and forward-thinking mentality. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always room to improve. When it came to communicating pricing, there was a little bit of disconnect initially. They communicated in hours when I only wanted to know the cost that correlated with those hours. We worked through that early on as we learned how to best work together. They were very accommodating.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Call their past customers for honest feedback. That makes a huge difference in how you enter a relationship. Additionally, everyone has different needs. They’re flexible, so have a good idea of how you want the relationship to work entering the engagement.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a mid-sized motor coach business based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Our other brand is an airport shuttle service that runs from Vancouver Airport to Whistler. I am the Chief Commercial Officer.

For what projects/services did your company hire Demigos ?

We hired Demigos to build a new website for us.

What were your goals for this project?

The aim was to clean up the website, make it easier to navigate and increase the sales conversion rate.

How did you select this vendor?

They built the original website (before I joined the business) and came highly recommended.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They reviewed our proposals as well as did research on other websites in the transport market to ensure they were creating a website that met customer expectations in this sector. They then provided detailed wireframes and a spec so we could see what we were getting. They then built the new website, sharing each iteration for comments as they did so.

What was the team composition?

The team was primarily led by Nikita and Ivan who worked with their graphic designers and developers to build the site.

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

We, unfortunately, had some issues with our Google Analytics following the website launch and so haven’t yet got a reliable data set to see if our conversion goals were achieved. The website is clean, clear and easy to navigate.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I led the project from our side and we had weekly calls with Demigos to review progress.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The speed of their answers was impressive, even if it was 10 pm at night, they still responded to emails!

Are there any areas for improvement?

We should have worked together more closely after go-live and then we may have spotted the GA issue sooner.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of an online education company.

For what projects/services did your company hire Demigos?

We hired them to create an online form builder that can be used by our students and teachers to collaborate and exchange information.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to get a basic working prototype as quickly as possible so that we could beta test the concept. We also had a limited budget.

How did you select this vendor?

Demigos sent us examples of their work for previous clients. Based on what I saw, I believed that their past success would be transferable to our project.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They created a dynamic web application that allows teachers to create online forms and worksheets. Students can easily input and save their answers on these forms.

What was the team composition?

We worked with an account manager and a project manager who did some of the work and delegated the design aspect.

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

The web application has transformed the way we educate and collaborate online.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The Demigos team was communicative and met every request we had. They delivered everything on time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Even though we were in another country, their professionalism and responsiveness were exceptional. They even visited us in the US.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I don’t think so.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I worked with Innerview International and was the Director of Membership Services. I supported small business owners through a variety of services, such as business strategy and software launching.

For what projects/services did your company hire Demigos?

We hired Demigos to help create a new design for our workbook software—at the time, it was a WordPress plugin—and launch it onto its own platform. We created the specifications, and Demigos took our vision and made it much, much better.

What were your goals for this project?

The original WordPress plugin design had several faults that needed to be cleaned up to improve the UX. We wanted someone to take the original concept, fix the identified issues, and then create a homesite inspired by a third-party marketing dashboard.

We wanted a platform that would allow any user to sign on and view or create their workbooks. We also wanted support in transferring data from the WordPress plug-in to ensure that no user data was lost in the transition.

How did you select this vendor?

We posted our need on a freelancer site and interviewed Demigos via live video. We provided Demigos with a sample mock-up of our vision and asked them to give us their feedback on its feasibility.

The interview went well and inspired confidence that we would have a positive experience working with them. We felt that our vision was going to be held in the right hands.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Demigos created the frontend and backend of our app based on our original vision. They created software for us that allows users to create workbooks. The platform also allows other users to answers the questions in those workbooks.

In addition to building the product, Demigos transitioned all of our data. The team also provided post-launch support.

What was the team composition?

We worked primarily with two team leads. I believe that their team comprised of 2–4 other developers as well.

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

We were thoroughly impressed with the results. The software is fully operational and houses all of our former users' workbooks, including new users who had just recently come on board. Also, the previous issues found with the WordPress plugin are no more.

We've received plenty of positive feedback about the workbooks that are created by the software from clients across the board. They made the design much better than what we originally envisioned.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They provided regular email updates and hosted weekly video calls. The emails were clear and part of singular email chains, and the video calls were efficient and productive. Overall, the structure of the project was great.

The team was very generous with their time, especially in helping to take care of bugs after the product launched.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We’re impressed by what they were able to accomplish given our vision and our own resource limitations. They provided a fantastic combination of skill and know-how with a pleasant working environment. I believe that, if they were given more flexibility, the product would be even better than it currently is.

We were very appreciative of Demigos’s approach. They were well-versed in the material—we had no concerns there—but it was also a pleasure to work with them. They were flexible, generous, knowledgeable, and comfortable sharing their expertise openly. I cannot emphasize enough how impressed and at-ease we were with our experience working with them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of. I want to see them get their name out there to provide their great service to others!

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder and CEO of Mobilism, a community of like-minded users that share apps and books, post reviews, participate in contests, play various games, and are involved in lots of other activities. The website was founded in 2006 and receives over 100,000 unique visitors per day.

For what projects/services did your company hire Demigos?

We hired them to develop an app for using Mobilism on Android devices along with an API for that app to work well and handle a high volume of users.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to have an app that can seamlessly display a complex forum with many features on a small screen. It had to have capabilities for viewing, posting, checking/sending private messages, downloading, etc.

How did you select this vendor?

A common friend made the recommendation and arranged an introduction with Demigos.

Describe the project in detail.

Demigos designed the GUI of the app and then developed its backend using REST API.  followed by the app itself.

What was the team composition?

As far as I know, they assigned a UI designer, a backend engineer, a coder to work on the frontend, and a QA tester. Demigos’ CEO managed all of them.

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

The project took longer than expected because its complexity wasn’t immediately apparent. Some mistakes were made regarding the design and the way the backend functioned. A lot of this can be blamed on the complexity of the forum software we use and the fact that some features that weren’t initially discussed had to be added.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was excellent. They worked perfectly with our server technician the couple of times it was required.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Demigos’ insistence on a better UI than the one I had in mind was correct, and it paid off. The work in the early stages proceeded at an incredibly fast pace.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their suggestion of using REST API rather than more of the forum software's existing code led to a lot of extra work.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Wendy’s Team, Inc., which is a service and tech startup that uses a peer-to-peer model. We connect independent contractors who can deliver home care to seniors.

For what projects/services did your company hire Demigos ?

We hired Demigos to create the MVP of our iOS app as well as our integrated cloud-based web platform. 

What were your goals for this project?

The platform should be SEO-friendly and feature customer, team member, and admin accounts.

How did you select this vendor?

I found them on Upwork, a marketplace for finding consultants and contractors for software development.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Demigos created the MVPs for our iOS mobile app and our website. The app allows clients to create an account, book and track visits, and make payments. 

As for the website, they custom designed the platform with various integrations, including a cloud-based portal for clients, team members, admins, and developers. There’s also a Stripe integration for payments.

What was the team composition?

I mostly worked with Ivan (CEO & Founder, Demigos) for product and project management. On occasion, I worked with Nikita (Senior Project Manager, Demigos), Bogdan (UX designer, Demigos); and Val (SEO Specialist, Demigos) for marketing.

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

The tech platform has enabled our company to be more efficient, streamlined, and, most importantly, scalable for growth. There is only one person who manages all operations.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They followed an agile methodology with two-week sprints.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with their responsiveness, pragmatism, and ability to make a highly customized software.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, there is little that I would improve.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the commercial manager of a fixed route bus service that transports thousands of customers to a popular tourist area.

For what projects/services did your company hire Demigos?

We hired Demigos to create a brand new website with a management portal for editing content. We also wanted the team to implement various features such as the integration of a booking engine platform.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to launch the website within a month and then enhance site content over time. The team would provide ongoing support as issues arise, including the improvement of our SEO.

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us by another vendor. We considered several companies and decided to pick Demigos based on their quality of work as well as several characteristics (e.g. price, speed, and flexibility).

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They developed a website according to our specifications. Over time, they added various features (e.g. blogs, multimedia, FAQs, Google Maps, Live Chat, reviews, and a scheduling functionality).

What was the team composition?

We worked with Ivan (Founder, Demigos) and Nikita (CTO, Demigos).

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

We see strong sale conversions on our website as well as a continuous increase in site visitors.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicated with the team through Google platforms such as Hangouts and spreadsheets. They tried their best to understand our goals, and there were hardly any language barriers. We were pleased that the team stuck to the schedule, launching the website within a month.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Nikita and Ivan were both excellent to work with and very responsive, especially when dealing with our issues late at night in Ukraine. The team easily adapted to our latest ideas.

They offered great value, providing a lot of support for free. Even though we are based on the other side of the world, there were no issues with the time zones. The resulting product is high quality.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Even though several technical features were challenging to implement, Demigos worked very hard to collaborate with stakeholders and achieve our goals.