Empat

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a news media portal working in Ukraine for Ukrainian and English-speaking audiences. We write about the military and get around 10,000 visitors to our portal daily.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empat?

We wanted to raise money for the Ukrainian army and build a website where people could enter orders and donate money.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empat developed our fundraising website and integrated a payment system. We gave them our idea, and they developed everything else, including the strategy, design, internal logic, and functionality. They built the front- and backend and services such as mail capabilities. 

The team designed and developed a site map and an internal CRM system where we can manage orders. They contacted a payment system and implemented it on our website. Users can make orders on our site. Empat used Figma for the designs, PHP and Laravel for development, and an existing CRM framework. They launched the site’s MVP. Additionally, Empat did some SEO work on the site. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with the founder and a project manager he recommended. The project manager also acted as a product manager and served as our connection with the developers. 

How did you come to work with Empat?

The founder is my friend, and we’ve worked with them for the past eight years. We chose Empat for this project because we knew they worked well. We were sure they would do their best and deliver a good product. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $12,000–$13,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from May–June 2022. However, we’ve been working with Empat since 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to Empat’s work, our site’s conversion rate increased. They used Google Analytics and another tool to track our conversions. The team knew how to launch a product fast and was very responsible. 

How did Empat perform from a project management standpoint?

I was satisfied with their project management. We appreciated that they weren’t just responsible for the project; they also handled product management. 

We used Slack, where Empat invited me into their workspace. As for project management, we used Jira, where I connected with the developers and designers and could see the tasks and their status. We used Confluence for the documentation, Google Calendar for scheduling, and Google Meet for meetings. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated that I could trust Empat; I only needed to give them my ideas, and they were responsible for everything else. They covered everything needed to make the project great, from project management to design to development, so I didn’t need to spend much time on it. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their statistics tracking. Since they launched the project in only two-and-a-half weeks, they hadn’t tracked enough statistics. However, they improved it, and now we’re equipped to make business decisions with the data.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Product & Digital Marketing Manager of a SaaS Data & AI Product. We are developing a Data Science & Machine Learning platform to accelerate Data & ML projects into production.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Empat, and what were your goals?

Our previous website was created on PHP, so we were looking for a solution that would allow our marketing team to manage the website themselves

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We shortlisted 5 vendors. Our main criterias were the time of delivery and technical expertise.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

After a kick-off meeting, we defined tools and technologies stack (WordPress & Gutenberg) for website development. The website design was delivered only one week later, so Empat's team immediately started a dev phase. For this project, we had four key dates: design, development of the first and second website phases, deployment of the website

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A project manager was our primary contact throughout the process

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

As it is an ongoing project, we are waiting for the first results in January

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had weekly syncs with our project manager and everyday communication to clarify the ongoing process.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their reactivity and the quality of the services are impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

More detailed project planning sometime may be crucial for EU-based companies.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m CEO and Founder of Konteyner. A craft beer delivery&app for pubs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Empat, and what were your goals?

I came up with an idea to create an application, with the main functionality of finding pub & brewery near your location, ordering your favorite craft beer, implementation of a loyalty system and community as well as possibility to track the order.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We’ve been working with Empat before, so we were sure in their work style and knowledge in app development.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Empat assigned us a project manager and a team for this project. They started with research and a wireframe to prototype. After our approval on design and flow, the development stage was started. They give us test builds to check the flow every week during the development stage. Every build that was sent was tested by their QA team, and they always deliver bug-free solutions. Key deliverables for this projects were Android and iOS apps, that was developed using Java/Kotlin for Android and Swift for iOS.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked with the dedicated manager. My project team consisted of the following positions:

• UI/UX Designer
• Business development manager
• Backend development
• iOS development
• Android development
• Frontend development
• DevOps
• QA/QC

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We're still waiting for the outcome because it was just released. But so far, we are very satisfied with the deliverables.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Empat did an excellent job managing the project. They were always available and quick to resolve any issues I had. The project was well defined from the start, and everything was well communicated. We kept track of all their tasks, which ensured that the project's progress was transparent. We mostly communicated via Slack and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Project completed on the given deadline and with a given budget. We are very satisfied with the quality of the delivered solution so far.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No, not in this case. I am very happy with everything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m CEO of a service that helps people take care of their teeth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Empat, and what were your goals?

We hired Empat to develop and code a custom website for our business.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We've worked with Empat for several years and on several projects. We worked with them on medium-size and large-size projects. They are always my go to solution for web and app development.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Empat provided us with a high-quality development in a flexible arrangement. They built a WordPress website for our company. A lot of their work for us is PHP-based, but they also use JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There were approximately 10 different people who worked with me on this project, with one key project manager who oversighted the project and kept us on track.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

With Empat I know we are going to finish projects on time because their development schedule is quite rapid and on-time. The clients loves this website and we received lots of positive feedback.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had a kick-off meeting to discuss the work requirements. Empat then came back with their plan for implementation and timelines. We agreed on this. Once the project commenced we had regular meetings and Empat kept us fully up to date with progress through a shared project management software. Regular meetings were also held via GoogleMeets. I always communicated with a dedicated project manager assigned to me. In this case, he was very helpful, attentive and supportive from start to finish.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The communication was fantastic — it was timely, clear, and detailed. They worked hard to understand my requirements, to check-in, to provide examples, and to ensure we understood the stage the project was at at all times.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

For the purposes which we are working together, I cannot think of any areas where improvements need to be made.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Martin, a fuel and energy company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empat?

We needed someone to create our CRM system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empat has created our CRM system using Laravel, PHP, JavaScript, React, and Vue.js. They’ve done both the design and development work. Initially, we came to them with an idea and some examples. They’ve built everything from scratch. The platform allows us to make invoices and agreements specific to our business. Also, they’ve created a custom document creation feature that our legal department can approve.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with a project manager, a designer, and a sales manager.

How did you come to work with Empat?

We read some reviews, including on Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $100,000. Now, we pay $5,000 per month for support and new feature implementation.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2021, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve developed a good product; our customers are really satisfied.

How did Empat perform from a project management standpoint?

We got weekly updates from the project manager. We’re always fully informed, and they stay within budget. We’ve had some delays, but they haven’t been an issue. Quality is more important to us. 

We use Trello as a management tool. For communication, we use email, Excel, and weekly calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re happy with the results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there isn’t anything that I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s best to work on a fixed price model.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m CEO of DZcorporate, a consulting firm which helps the clients to grow their business, both in internal make and expanding it internationally, increasing the global value of the firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Empat, and what were your goals?

We hired Empat for creating a website: Empat built a very robust site for us. Essentially, we wanted a professional looking website to show that we’re experts in our field. We also wanted it to be really easy to navigate.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

A good friend of mine advised me to contact Empat for development services.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We worked closely with the Empat team to develop a custom WordPress website from scratch. With their designer, we decided on an entirely new visual layout. They also helped us through the wireframing process, so we were able to flesh out those concepts together.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The discovery process had two parts, so the UX/UI audit was conducted primarily by one person. He engaged with multiple team members and created an entire report on how the website would look like. In the design process, that person continued working with us, as well as 1–2 designers; one took the lead and the other one was secondary. At that time, we also had the web developer sitting on those design discussions, and then we moved it into the web development phase. For that part, we primarily worked with one person. Thus, we worked with 3–4 people overall.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We don’t have any metrics to track that, but since we launched the site externally, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback from staff, founders, and board members.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They performed pretty well. They were super organised and generally kept track of everything really well. We used Slack to do real time, comments and feedback, and we had weekly calls during the entire project. Then, in the design process, we used Figma and Slack.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They listened really well to our needs and what we wanted. They were generally very easy to work with and accommodating to our large team. Overall, they were very professional and on time.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

There were no areas of improvement. We were very satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product manager of a startup gaming app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empat?

We needed someone to develop our mobile app, a catalog of small games for users to play in their spare time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empat has developed our mobile app from scratch for iOS and Android. They started with a discovery phase that included research, user interviews, wireframing, and designs. The team has handled development and launch. The app has many small games, allowing users to browse and find the one they want to play.

What is the team composition?

We have two points of contact: a project manager and a business analyst. Aside from that, the team includes an Android developer, an iOS developer, a backend developer, a DevOps engineer, a QA person, and a designer.

How did you come to work with Empat?

A friend recommended them to me.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $100,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of Empat’s work is high, and they’re really proactive. We’re launching the app now, so we’ll have metrics in a couple of months. 

How did Empat perform from a project management standpoint?

Our communication is through Slack and email. We use Jira for project management and Confluence for documentation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with Empat’s proactiveness. They provide a lot of advice and propose many new features. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust Empat and be open with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a company aiming to help people go through COVID-19 easier. We provide users with an app that helps them understand what’s going on, how they can protect themselves, how to use medications, and what actions they should take. This app basically helps COVID-19 patients decrease the outcomes of the disease.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empat?

We hired Empat to help us prototype the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empat helped us create the prototype for our app. First, we went through a discovery phase to understand the users and build the customer journey. During this phase, they also did customer interviews to scope out the project and gathered the technical requirements for the design. Then, they designed the wireframes and the UI from scratch, after which they provided us with a brand book related to those designs. Finally, they designed and built the app’s prototype on Figma.

Our app is now available for Android and iOS. When a user has COVID-19, they can use the app to answer a set amount of questions regarding their symptoms and their latest actions. Then, the app provides them with a prescriptive solution to help them feel better and overcome the illness faster. Additionally, users can set up a meeting with a doctor to have a teleconsultation session.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people from Empat, including a lead project manager, a lead UI/UX designer, the CCO, and another project manager who conducted the user interviews.

How did you come to work with Empat?

When we contacted them, they were very friendly, and they quickly understood what we needed. They also did a lot of preliminary work that we really enjoyed.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2021–February 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We really liked Empat’s designs from the first delivery, making only small changes. Ultimately, the app has proven to be really useful. Out of the 100% of feedback interviews we conducted, 70% of users reported that their journey through COVID-19 was a lot better when they followed the instructions provided by the app. So far, our app has helped people deal with COVID-19 better, and part of this result is thanks to Empat’s UI/UX designs.

How did Empat perform from a project management standpoint?

Empat’s project management was very clear and structured. They used Jira to manage the project and Confluence to keep everything documented, allowing us visibility into the tasks. We also had regular meetings with our project manager on Google Meet, where they updated us on the project's status and answered our questions. Additionally, we communicated regularly through Slack.

As for their performance, Empat met all the deadlines, and their work was fast and organized. We never felt that we missed something or didn’t understand what was happening. Their structured approach helped us plan the process and move easier into the development stage.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Empat’s strength is their high involvement in projects. They really strived to deeply understand what we wanted and didn’t limit themselves to doing what we asked them for. The project manager was not afraid of asking questions, and he offered us excellent solutions to ultimately make the product better. Their high level of involvement and ability to think from the client’s perspective really impressed us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, it all went pretty well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come well prepared for the first meeting because Empat asks very precise questions about the product you need. If you come well prepared and understand what you want, the rest of the process will be very easy because they will do the rest themselves and keep you involved.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a cloud-based workforce monitoring and wearable technology solution for workplace activities.  We provide social distancing reminders and interpersonal contact tracers in the workspace to control the spread of COVID-19.

As the project manager, I’m responsible for the workflows and deliverables inside the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empat?

We hired them to create a website that would represent our services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Because the site had a complicated structure, we took one week to discuss the content and concept before moving on to the design. After approvals, we moved into development, which is where they required the least involvement from us. The website was built with React.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager from their side who was in charge of the workflow. I worked with him directly, as well as with around five developers and a designer.

How did you come to work with Empat?

We were looking for developers in our general area, so we contacted ten companies that met our internal criteria. After consultation with Empat, it was clear that they were highly professional and communicative.

We were very surprised with their structure and organization. They were highly effective and asked great questions. The time they took to understand our product stood out to us. Moreover, they weren’t afraid to offer ideas that came from their different perspective.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February 2020–November 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure success based on the retention rate of our website and the purchases that come through it. So far, phone-based sales have increased by 40%, as has our retention rate.

How did Empat perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management system was very effective. We had regular scrum meetings, plus 1-on-1 meetings with their team separately where we discussed our questions and concerns. When we raised concerns, they solved them very quickly. Their style was highly effective.

Jira supported our task management efforts, and we used Confluence for communication and Qase for QA. Google Meet also helped us collaborate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were proactive in everything they did. It was a pleasure to work with them. Rather than simply doing the work, they tried to offer solutions, thinking about the product as if it was their own.

Their technical proficiency was great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were no areas of improvement. Everything was great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

From the first call, they’ll come armed with ideas, solutions, and timelines for the solution development. Make sure to talk about everything you want in that initial call so they can determine how best to deliver those items.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a project manager at Cloud 9 Pure, a healthcare startup company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Empat?

We needed help with web development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Empat developed our website from scratch using React and Vue.js. They handled UX/UI design, QA, DevOps, and project management. The website allowed our users to order our products. It included a description of the product and how to use it, a form for orders, contact details, a description of our partners, prices, and so on.

What is the team composition?

We had six people on the team: two frontend developers, a QA manager, a DevOps engineer, a UX/UI designer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Empat?

Our colleagues previously collaborated with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2020–March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We receive many people who want to buy our products through the form on the site. Around 60% of all purchases are now through our website, which is an excellent metric.

How did Empat perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was excellent. They set up the project management independently, which was very structured. They did the estimates for timelines, and the deliverables were very clear.

Empat set up all calls using a SCRUM system. We had a weekly meeting with their technical team. Usually, we used Slack or Google Meet to communicate. Also, we used Bitbucket for storage, Jira for management, Confluence for documentation, and Figma for the designs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had great technical knowledge. Empat delivered what we wanted in a short time with high quality and without bugs. We also received important feedback from all their team members.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we didn’t have complaints. We were very satisfied with the collaboration and appreciated the great job they did for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just tell them what you want the final outcome to be. During the first kickoff meeting, you’ll understand what they can provide, and te team will make everything structured from the first call.