DeviceBee Technologies

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Operations and Marketing Manager at RECO Roadside Assistance Company. We are the first and only complete 24/7 Roadside Assistance Company in the UAE with a partner network of more than 300 plus drivers and technicians across UAE.

For what projects/services did your company hire DeviceBee Technologies?

5 years ago, we had an idea to build a first of its kind Mobile App based Towing and Roadside Assistance startup as a part of Abbasi Group of Companies. So after doing analysis of all the available locally based Mobile App Developers we decided to outsource our Mobile App and Web App requirement to DeviceBee.

Since then we have approached them again for the new updates. Now RECO App has extending its service portfolio with the support of DeviceBee.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to build a simple and easy to use mobile app for providing Roadside Assistance to the people stuck on road. The developers were requested to built the App from scratch without any defined scope of work and deadline. They were able to deliver the App based on the initial briefing only. We were able to not only launch the App but also increase the download of the App after the launch. The navigation and the User interface was very simple and smooth.

How did you select DeviceBee Technologies?

We researched online and found out the top 10 Mobile App based company in UAE. We went through the websites of these companies and found out their past work and area of expertise. We narrowed down to 3 companies based on their presence in UAE and similar Mobile App experience. The focus was to partner with the App developers who have worked on On-Demand based Mobile App Services.

Describe the project in detail.

The developer came up with a mock app for the Towing and Recovery Service. Then based on the Trial App we gave our inputs to have an additional Roadside Assistance Services like:

• Tyre Service
• Battery Service
• Lockout service
• Fuel Delivery
• Mechanical help

The developers came up with another trial app with the following features. We added some more features like garages drop location, promotion section, Drivers Online offline features and so on. After some tweaking the App was ready. The App was developed in both Android and iOS platform. Both the customer and driver app was developed along with Back office.

The developers also helped us in creating App Store and Play Store Profile and Uploading of the Final App online.

What was the team composition?

Initially we had one Project Manager and Marketing Manager who we were in touch with through out the project. Later on when we needed more detailed discussion on certain features and designs we were brought in direct line of communication with the Main Developer of the project.

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

The main challenge was to get the Mobile App up and running without having a pre defined scope of work for the developers. Once the App was uploaded after all the development process the feedback from the customers and the management was very positive.

Till now we had around 20-30 thousand downloads within next 2 years. Since the scope of work was not clear from day one so we had to wait for the Final App to take shape. Once the final design and features were frozen the App was available to be uploaded within the agreed time frame.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very responsive between both the teams and the response time was also very quick and regular communication took place during the development phase both offline and online. Communication were carried on through, emails, calls, meetings and so on.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The best thing about DeviceBee that we found very impressive was that they were able to work with us even when we did not provide them with a proper scope of work or a deadline to develop the Mobile App. They were more than ready to share with us their understanding and recommendation whenever and wherever required based on their past experience and knowledge.

Their team was even ready to go a step ahead and do the research and advice us on the marketing part as well. Apart from that the support and flexibility to future changes and restructuring of App is highly appreciated.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They can be a bit more documented with their coding and development process but that was never a pre requisite from our side. I believe if we had already informed them that we will need the documentation they would have definitely provided us with the same. Apart from that we didn't have any problems with the developers. They did a great job and we still keep coming to them for updates and new Apps.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Product Marketing Leader for a leading fortune 100 company in the field of manufacturing of various technology and solutions for the regions of Middle East, Russia, Turkey & Africa

For what projects/services did your company hire DeviceBee Technologies?

We believed our high growth product range (Value Series) could benefit by having its own app for better reach and engagement with customers and partners, the platform would also help engage directly with all stakeholders

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted all the VALUE SERIES products listed on the app with various assets such as pictures and videos. App needed to modern and have an easy to use and intuitive experience. design had to be aligned to corporate brand guidelines and a master control portal to manage content.

How did you select DeviceBee Technologies?

DeviceBee was found via a google search for app developers in Dubai. after few meetings with various options DeviceBee was selected for their knowledge and experience with apps they developed across different sectors, there understanding of goals

Describe the project in detail.

once DeviceBee was selected within no time they provided a project timeline with milestones and a quotation, both aligned to what was discussed during initial feedback, they allocated dedicated resources for our project and drove a weekly catchup meeting to update us on progress and to receive feedback.

once project begun, the process was very interactive they were open to make changes beyond original scope if it meant it would enhance the app, in cases they would recommend changes themselves without adding to timeline and cost.

the project was delivered as per schedule with very swift testing before it was released on both playstore and appstore

What was the team composition?

Ilyas was leading the project and was our primary contact, backed with 2 of his development team

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

The App is being used by all internal and key external stakeholders, COVID unfortunately didn't help us promote the app at physical events and forums. however the current users and very happy with the experience, hence would deem the project a success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great synergy, every idea was embraced and issues were quickly resolved

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They specialize in apps, their guidance on different capabilities of what the app can do, the speed and flexibility they demonstrated were second to none

Are there any areas for improvement?

few of the bugs and issues could have been prevented

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT manager of applications at Nasser Bin Abdullatif Alserkal Co. LLC, an investment management corporation.

What challenge were you trying to address with DeviceBee Technologies?

We wanted to have a mobile app for our retail section with online order processing.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave them our requirements and they developed our mobile app from scratch, building it for iOS and Android. They used JSON web services and also used MySQL.

The main function of the platform is to place an order for a tire, so it included information from order to fulfillment, ranging from invoicing to delivery. They gave some good advice on the interface and how it will translate to the end-user, as well. Their team also built a back office where our team will enter details. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was the managing director.

How did you come to work with DeviceBee Technologies?

I found them in a Google search.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $15,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from June–August 2018.

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

They did a wonderful job and delivered on time. Though we were satisfied with the deliverables, we didn’t end up using them because the department in charge of marketing started doing other things and wasn’t willing to spend the money on marketing it. If it were marketed, it would have gotten good outcomes. 

How did DeviceBee Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We gave a requirement document and, based on that document, they listed out all the processes and made a functional document. That was used as our mapping document, which allowed us to track the project. They kept in line with the documentation and we didn’t use any project management tools.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were flexible and patient — the team was willing to invest time in our project. I highly recommend working with them. They were patient in correcting the requirements and delivering the solution. We’re a growing organization and aren’t established, so it was tough to have requirements sometimes and we appreciated their patience with us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a growing company, so they should offer a tool or strategy to get into the requirements and place it in the right direction.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have a good set of requirements, I recommend anybody to work with them. They’re the perfect candidate for any implementation.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of product development at Swyp Software Inc., a software startup.

What challenge were you trying to address with DeviceBee Technologies?

I needed help with market research and app development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They do our market research. They also developed new features for our app.

What is the team composition?

I had one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with DeviceBee Technologies?

We shortlisted 3-4 companies and had meetings with all of them. A friend had used DeviceBee’s services in the past and he said they were a very professional company. We were happy with the proposal they gave us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $50,000-$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in April–September 2019.

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

They’re a very professional company. They’ve helped us keep the business moving along and make sure everything is working.

How did DeviceBee Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re happy with the project management. Our contact person knew the work, was always on time, and professional. They always handled whatever issues we had.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They delivered what they promised.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m happy with their services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If anyone asks me, I’d advise them to work with them. Have a discussion with them. They have really good ideas. They knew about our market, IT, and current trends. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Split Bill Limited.

What challenge were you trying to address with DeviceBee Technologies?

I needed someone to develop an app for my company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team at DeviceBee Technologies did application development for me as well as software development of a CMS and CRM to manage our analytics.

They provided UX and UI services. For the app, they developed from scratch for iOS and Android. They also built a landing page for me. They used G Suite, JavaScript, and MySQL.

What is the team composition?

I interfaced with four people and was mostly in contact with three people from their team. They assigned the graphic designer before assigning iOS and Android developers.

How did you come to work with DeviceBee Technologies?

I found them online. At the time, I was located close to their office, and that was a very important metric for my decision. I felt that they would give me the support that I needed.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in November 2018, and the bulk of development was finished in January 2020.

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

DeviceBee Technologies did a very good job with the technology. The work was done on time. We have continued working with them because we have extra support for a year. They’ve also developed more work for us.

How did DeviceBee Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management point of view, they assigned me a dedicated person who followed everything and gave me bullet points after our meetings, which I was pleased about.

It wasn’t easy to do it from scratch, and I needed a lot of support. From the point of view of project management, they offered reasonable assistance, but sometimes due to the different timing when I moved to Dubai, it was harder to get in touch. We communicated through Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their involved team is very warm. They were part of the team, and I was lucky because I met them in Dubai where they have good feedback.

DeviceBee Technologies was also great with the API integration, which was difficult. We did three APIs, and with the APIS, there’s another party that needs to be involved, not only developers. That takes a lot of patience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they could provide something a bit more competitive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Development with DeviceBee Technologies is great, but when it comes to graphics, it depends on the market you’re looking for.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Novio LLC, a salon and spa platform that allows customers to book appointments. They can get loyalty points as well to use for future bookings.

What challenge were you trying to address with DeviceBee Technologies?

We needed a company to develop our mobile app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I presented my idea to them and they put everything into document format. They presented everything in a wireframe. Based on this, they started building the platform. They did the design, backend, integrations, payment integration, booking slots, modules, and testing.

There was a backend admin panel, a portal for salons to register themselves, and manage their bookings and invoicing. They also created a landing page. The branding colors and logo were provided from my side. After completion, they made some changes for us. They also provided me one year of free support due to the COVID-19 situation.

What is the team composition?

The project manager was my main point of contact. I was also briefly in contact with a designer.

How did you come to work with DeviceBee Technologies?

I did a Google search. I had a meeting with a few companies and chose DeviceBee Technologies because their focus is mobile app development.

How much have you invested with them?

I invested about $37,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2019–February 2020.

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

We’ve gotten traffic. They delivered very good work. They continue to support me and provide updates and bug fixes for the applications.

How did DeviceBee Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is very good with planning, timelines, and design phase modules. In the middle, it was slightly slow and maybe it’s because we added some new things on our side. We had a weekly meeting. Before COVID-19, we had a weekly face-to-face meeting. We now communicate via email, WhatsApp, and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did the whole structure of the platform very well. It’s very user friendly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should improve their design skills to elevate the look and feel of the applications.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with them. They have very capable engineers. They specialize in mobile apps, especially on-demand applications like a booking platform. Their project manager works very closely with you. They will guide and consult in so many things you haven’t thought about. They’re really competitive. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-owner and co-founder of SoreApp LLC. We are a very small professional training start-up in the UAE.

What challenge were you trying to address with DeviceBee Technologies?

We founded the company a year ago. Our ambition is to provide professional training and treatment classes locally to our users through an application. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired DeviceBee to design and develop our application. We wanted an application that would work on both iOS and Android. It’s a bit complex — there is a user application, and there is also a training application. Our personal trainers would have a separate application on their device. 

There is also the backend which is basically a web portal for our gym partners and also for the administrator. The team developed this whole technology stack for us.

What is the team composition?

In the beginning, we engaged with the owner and went through the contract, negotiation, and proposal stage with him. After that, he appointed a project manager who was our main point of contact. 

Behind the project manager, there was a lead engineer in charge of a team of three: an iOS developer, Android developer, as well as a backend developer.  

How did you come to work with DeviceBee Technologies?

We had three offers from three different development companies, but we went with DeviceBee.

Among the three companies that we contacted, only two had a representative in Dubai or UAE. We wanted to have interaction and the possibility to see them face to face. We started talking to them and the price was aligned. They also had a couple of bigger companies in their portfolio that we know well.

How much have you invested in them?

It was around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started talking to them in November 2018. They began development in January, and it took 10 months. The work was completed in October 2019.

We changed our business model a few times along the way and they adjusted accordingly.

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

The application was beta tested at the beginning of this year and it worked very well. The only thing is user adaptation, but that has nothing to do with DeviceBee, it is that we were not aware of the user base. Different users have different knowledge when using an application. Some people here in UAE aren’t used to paying online so even though DeviceBee set up all the payment gateways, still, some users were reluctant to use their credit card through an app. It’s not a reflection of their performance.

When we did the testing, we did the first launch at the beginning of the year and it was promising. Then we ran into the COVID-19 situation, and as we work in the fitness business, everything closed. We are gradually restarting but we have been struggling the last few months due to those circumstances.

There are some bugs here and there and some little things that have to be corrected and they take care of them. We were at the prototype phase, but because of everything that happened, we didn’t have enough testers.

How did DeviceBee Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They are in Dubai and the engineering department is based in Pakistan. We were in touch with the project manager through WhatsApp, email, and phone. I could call him at any time and he would answer. The only thing is that sometimes the team in Pakistan had other clients and sometimes the project manager had to fight for us to gain priority.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In the beginning, they designed the UI and graphics very quickly. They made something that we liked and there were only minor improvements to be made. The core was minimalistic and very well designed.

DeviceBee knew how to translate what we had in mind into code format. For example, if someone books a trainer for an hour and he is in one part of the city. If another user who is on the other side of the city books the same trainer, he cannot book it straight away because there is time allotted for commuting. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It is a small company and they have multiple clients and sometimes can overbook themselves. Their clients have to sometimes fight on priority, and you can see the team is busy because they are sorting out someone else’s problem, but who shouts the most wins. 

It is typical for small-sized companies, but if they want to grow, I think they need to put a system in place where they can manage the workload and not overbook themselves.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Potential clients of DeviceBee should have a clear idea of what they want from the beginning. By doing that, they can set clear milestones and make them commit to each milestone. It’s good to do the work upfront to set those clear milestones and try to change things as little as possible, otherwise, delays and problems might come up.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Livhe, a new advertising platform and marketplace through which users interact with brands in a mobile augmented reality (AR) game.

What challenge were you trying to address with DeviceBee Technologies?

We hired DeviceBee Technologies to build our mobile app.   

What was the scope of their involvement?

DeviceBee Technologies built our mobile app from scratch. They developed the app’s UI, functionalities, and features, including a map with augmented reality (AR) elements. The team also built the backend, which controls prizes and generates reports.

What is the team composition?

We work with a project manager.

How did you come to work with DeviceBee Technologies?

A friend referred me to DeviceBee Technologies.  I met with them and explained our needs. After they completed a mockup-building test, I felt comfortable working with them.  

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost is almost $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with DeviceBee Technologies four years ago, but the platform development began in November 2017. I’ve worked with them on other projects.

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

Although the app just launched, we’ve received good customer review, and we had 700 app downloads in just two days. DeviceBee Technologies did a great job on the UI and functionalities.

How did DeviceBee Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

During the platform development process, my team met with our project manager 2–3 times each week. He is very attentive; we can call him at any time or request additional meetings, and he responds immediately. We communicate via phone, email, and WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

DeviceBee Technologies provides quick response times, which are especially important in our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their backend development capabilities.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should be clear about what they’re looking for. Misinterpretation wastes time. Have a meeting, either in-person or over Skype, and convey your requirements.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the operations manager at Cargo Cab Services Company.

What challenge were you trying to address with DeviceBee Technologies?

We needed a service provider to develop our mobile app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

DeviceBee Technologies developed our iOS and Android apps according to our requirements. One app is for customers, and the other is for the drivers. They continue to work on extensions and updates, but the project is complete at this time.

What is the team composition? 

There were 8–10 people on the team including designers, developers, and two project managers.

How did you come to work with DeviceBee Technologies?

Our general manager and owner selected DeviceBee Technologies. I could tell from our first conversation that they were the perfect team according to our requirements.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2017. Our engagement ended in March 2018.

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

DeviceBee quickly provided everything we requested.  Our products are available for purchase on the market. By now, we’ve extended the app for sale in other countries. The team fulfilled all of our requirements. DeviceBee Technologies was helpful every step of the way, from start to finish.

How did DeviceBee Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We set up email and a WhatsApp group to correspond. DeviceBee Technologies provided us with the direct numbers of their project managers and the developers. Both of those teammates were helpful and quick to reply.

What did you find most impressive about them?

DeviceBee Technologies is a knowledgeable team. For whatever task we gave them, they brainstormed useful ideas and implemented them very quickly. They’re incredibly skillful at their work and aware of what their customer needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there are not.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep in touch with DeviceBee Technologies consistently. They will provide.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of a professional services company. I founded this business in 2017 in the UAE.

What challenge were you trying to address with DeviceBee Technologies?

I contacted DeviceBee Technologies because I was having serious problems finding local providers who offered quality services at a competitive price. I wanted to create an application to give users more options for home repair and other services. They were my development partner throughout this project.

What was the scope of their involvement?

DeviceBee Technologies contributed website development services and built our mobile apps for iOS and Android.

The app has two major components: a user side and a service provider side. The user side is for customers who need professional services like home repair. Through the app, users can take a picture and write a description of whatever they need to be fixed in their house or office. Once they submit a request, all the relevant service providers registered in our system receive a message. 

On the service provider side, available service providers can respond to users with a quote, giving the user several options. It also shows a star rating from past jobs. The user then hires a provider, validates that they completed the work properly, and closes the work order when finished. Afterward, the app gives users the option to provide a rating. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with two app developers and one project manager. 

How did you come to work with DeviceBee Technologies?

DeviceBee Technologies was the first team I contacted. When I interviewed them, I felt comfortable with the owner. He made sure he understood our needs and had good references for other services like video production. Since this project ended, I've decided to have DeviceBee Technologies take over everything. 

How much have you invested with them?

I spent between $40,000–$60,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in the first quarter of 2016. Our app initially launched in April 2017. It took about a year to build.

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

DeviceBee Technologies built the entire application correctly. They were there to support us the whole time. I didn't have any problems working with their team. There were some issues with the app when it first went live, but they fixed them immediately. We've also redesigned my entire website and are getting ready to release it. 

My business plan was slightly flawed. I started to pursue an initial coin offering (ICO) with cryptocurrency, which didn't work out. That delayed us about nine months, but we're getting ready to relaunch later this month. A different vendor handled that endeavor.

How did DeviceBee Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated every week. Whenever I called to request fixes, they took care of them quickly. There were some delays due to other demands on their plate, but everything worked properly by the time I wanted to release the app. 

The project manager did a very good job. She stayed in contact with me throughout the entire long-term project. The cash flow on my end delayed the timeline. At this point, I feel confident enough with DeviceBee Technologies that I'm having them take over an app project I tasked another developer with completing. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated the owner's personal assistance and involvement in our project. Whenever we sat down together, he walked me through everything and shared his opinions about what I should do. He definitely blocked out time for me. After our discussions, he would let me make the final decision before executing on it. The owner’s close level of assistance drives me back to DeviceBee Technologies. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe they could do more on the web development side, but I think they're catching on to that fact. DeviceBee Technologies is very strong in the app development. Since we started, they’ve been picking up web development quickly. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have clear requirements prepared. Ours were vague at the beginning, but DeviceBee Technologies guided me through the entire project. Based on my experience with past developers, I recommend writing everything up in a contract. This team was more lenient about the words we had down on paper. They worked closely with us all the way through to ensure they were developing what we wanted.