Freshcode

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO/Co-founder of CR LiftEd (Formerly the lifted app)

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

CR LiftEd™ is an evidence-based, cloud software built for teachers, paraprofessionals, BCBAs, Behavior Interventionists, therapists, and Special Education administrators collaboratively working to measurably improve teaching and learning outcomes for students with Autism and IDD.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Freshcode to accomplish?

• Full-stack software development

SOLUTION

How did you find Freshcode?

Referral

Why did you select Freshcode over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Freshcode were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

On-going technical project management, technical requirements documentation, quality assurance testing, business analyst, and full-stack code development services using agile software delivery methodology. Freshcode worked with our in-house CTO to manage development of LiftEd v2 and v3 react/google firestore web applications between 2021-2022. 

After LiftEd was acquired in June 2022, Freshcode team worked in conjunction with an in-house full-time engineering team in the same capacity to support a 18 month re-platform project moving LiftEd from react / google firebase to react/typescript web app hosted on MONGO DB with a new middle tier and backend APIs

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Code development

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Fantastic, A+++

What was your primary form of communication with Freshcode?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We were impressed with their flexibility, code quality, and availability, and ability to work as an offshore arm in conjunction with our in-house full time engineering, engineering manager, scrum master, design, and product management team members. Freshcode stepped in after LiftEd went through a round of critical layoffs, where we lost our CTO and core engineering team members. They contracted with co-founders and a CTO-as a service firm to ensure there was no service loss of LiftEd to our customers and led software development efforts forward.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CTO of a small healthcare startup based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Freshcode?

We were developing the front- and backend for a survey tool.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Freshcode provided us with one developer to help us with our development project. Before engaging with them, we already had the requirements for our survey tool written down. Thus, we first worked with them to identify a developer that could implement the front- and backend together using Clojure, the framework on which this tool was built.

After we interviewed and onboarded the developer, we went through the requirements, the tickets that needed to be implemented, and our coding principles, and we got this person started. Ultimately, we developed a survey tool that allowed us to ask patients a couple of questions, take a picture of them, and also calculate a score for them.

What is the team composition?

We just worked with one developer from Freshcode.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–April 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After finishing the development, we ensured that the code was well-tested, and we got over 90% test coverage. Additionally, we wanted to ensure that the product was well designed, and the metric was to be able to switch components easily. This aspect was successful as well, and we were actually able to switch it to a CSS framework twice.

In more general terms, our goal was to have a good developer on board. Freshcode successfully met our requirements, providing us with a self-sufficient developer. We only touched base once or twice per day, but the rest of the time, this person focused on implementing the logic as described in the tickets.

How did Freshcode perform from a project management standpoint?

Freshcode’s developer performed well. Although we didn’t have a project manager from their team assigned to our project, this person worked closely with me. We used Kanban’s Shortcut for Agile project management. Additionally, we used Zoom for screen sharing and Slack for asynchronous communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Freshcode was very professional and communicative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we were very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with Freshcode.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of CRP Butler, a service that creates Certificates of Rent Paid tax forms for landlords, primarily in Minnesota.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I hired Freshcode to develop a web application, crpbutler.com, to automatically generate Certificate of Rent Paid (CRP) forms for landlords. Landlords need to create forms for each of their renters for taxes. My goal was to make CRP generation much easier for landlords and save them time, while also helping renters receive their forms (and any tax refunds) sooner.

SOLUTION

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

I searched online for independent contractors and web development businesses. I ultimately found Freshcode from Google and chose them based on their pricing and quality of other applications in their portfolio.

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

We had an initial scope of work for the 1.0 version of the application (released in Jan 2021) and a second scope of work for a 2.0 version (released Feb 2022), since my business operates during Dec-Feb each year. The first SOW consisted of collecting my requirements, mocking up a UI for my approval, developing the front end and back end, user testing, and launching a fully functional product.

The system's key features consisted of data ingestion from a user and from public databases to minimize user effort, emails for users and to their renters, a Stripe integration to process credit cards, and AWS and Google Cloud Platform integrations. Building on user experience and feedback from the 1.0 release cycle, the 2.0 application made the process more user-friendly and added features like data saving in the UI and expanded volume capacity for larger orders.

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

The core team consisted of 4-5 people, including a business development lead, product manager, designer, and developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This application has allowed me to significantly grow my business across all my KPIs. In the season prior to working with Freshcode, I generated 100 CRPs, then 300 last season, and over 4,000 this season. After launching the 1.0 application, my revenue was 15.7x higher, with 17x as many paying customers. I would not have been able to do that without the application Freshcode developed.

Now that the 2.0 application is live, I feel confident in marketing and am looking forward to even more growth next season.

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

Freshcode kept me up to date with email, Confluence, and Jira. I was happy with their level of communication and responsiveness. The PM even worked on the weekend to help resolve pressing issues as our customer traffic dramatically increased.

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

Freshcode works hard and seems to be a great value compared to competitors on the market. I was impressed at how they can adapt and refine a product into a best-case scenario when situations change. For instance, our initial SOW included API development with other parties, but when that became undoable, they found another solution to make the data ingestion process easier for my users.

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

While I appreciated all the aspects of Freshcode's work, I have had different visual aspirations from their design team. They have been very accommodating to work with my vision, though, and I like the aesthetic direction of the 2.0 version even better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I had a concept and plan for a project, and I was seeking developers that would offer a clear process and budget to implement the project. When I approached Freshcode, I had a solid start to the design of our project. They quickly adapted and provided a comprehensive estimate for the next steps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The project I hired Freshcode for was a custom web app project. We had detailed UX plans and specifications, and their team offered suggestions to improve what we provided, After the design was finalized, their team was efficient, clear and friendly.

SOLUTION

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

Freshcode provided a clear and comprehensive estimate for the project. The estimate was lower than many other service providers quoted. Their actual work closely matched the estimate, and the quality was acceptable. When problems were identified, their team quickly accepted and resolved the issue. Some minor issues required reminders, but major issues were resolved quickly.

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

The scope of work was a web application (optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile) that allowed extensive user input and integration with CRM/payment platforms. The web app was written in React JS, and it met/exceeded technological expectations.

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

We worked with a project manager, developer, QA engineer and business development manager. Their entire team was responsive and professional.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project's final cost was near the initial estimates (slightly over, but reasonably matched the initial estimate).

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

Freshcode used Confluence and extensive emails to remain in close contact.

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

Freshcode matched my price and product expectations. Most importantly, my smaller scope of work (relative to larger enterprise projects) was not a detriment – rather, their team was considerate, helpful and friendly to work with at every stage. They respectfully interacted throughout.

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

Some QA steps required triple checking, and the results required action to resolve. But in the big picture, these instances were rare.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder and CEO of a HealthTech company providing a SaaS application for autism clinicians globally. I have a very strong technical background with over 20 years of experience of building tech startups and 30 years of programming experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We are a startup and initially had a prototype. We needed a very flexible solution for building that prototype into a final product and the ability to scale the team as we scale the business.

SOLUTION

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

Freshcode was recommended by one of my acquittances. I had a few meetings with them to establish an understanding of communication commitment, financials and flexibility. They succeeded on all factors.

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

We started working with Freshcode on a very limited basis. One of their developers did weekly code-reviews of the work our in-house team finished. As our traction grew we started to scale the team and worked out a Kanban oriented style of collaboration where Freshcode would specify tasks in collaboration with our in-house team, we would prioritize it and then Freshcode would implement, test and send it to acceptance testing with us.

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

We have worked with 3 developers, a CTO, one QA manager and a project manager. Furthermore, we have had close contact with their business development team for organizing changes during the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have seen 20% monthly growth in our customer-base since the first deliverables from Freshcode. We are now the only platform in our category able to deliver a HIPAA compliant TeleHealth solution.

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

Very agile using Github and Trello. We have been running daily stand-ups as well. We never felt like anything was out of control and always had a sense of how far we were from the finish line.

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

Very easy to communicate with. Flexible to work together with our in-house team and do things in a way that suits our needs perfectly whereas other external developers sometimes tend to insist on doing things "their way"

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

I am very particular on User experience. I think this is this only place I have needed people outside Freshcode to chip in.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of Montage, the first social media platform designed for the fitness community to share productive content in a collaborative and engaging way.

Create, share & save full workouts, both in list and video form, using a beautiful exercise template that makes it simple to implement each other’s workouts in real life.

Our full-screen video sharing platform enhances the consumption and engagement of fitness content. I am in charge of everything from market research and design, to development, customer acquisition, marketing and finance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire FRESHCODE?

I needed backend development expertise, as well as help with some complex frontend development in order to bring the app to market. FRESHCODE IT was able to bring a wide array of sophisticated solutions to my app in order to get the MVP up and running.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to get a reliable MVP for both Android and iOS that I could bring to market to begin testing my app and gathering feedback for future iterations, improvements and features.

SOLUTION

How did you select FRESHCODE?

I was contacted by a FRESHCODE employee, Kirill Stepaniuk, via LinkedIn, who introduced me to their services.

At the time, I was looking for a technical cofounder, but eventually, I opened up to the idea of contracting out the technical development, as I learned enough to be able to contribute and facilitate.

I researched FRESHCODE and saw great reviews. Then, I met with Kirill, who presented me with an excellent project proposal, and I was sold.

Describe the project in detail.

The goal was to bring sophisticated functionality to my frontend developed app. I had done most of the visual development, and added simple functionality. FRESHCODE IT was able to bring the app to life with backend development and front end solutions.

We worked with React Native, using Expo, as well as Google cloud services, to develop both an iOS and Android app.

What was the team composition?

My source of communication was limited to Kirill, for project management, and Ivan for development. I was aware that there were more employees working on the project, but Kirill and Ivan were there to solve all of my problems and needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The MVP was successfully created and now I am going to market to begin testing and user acquisition.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

FRESHCODE provided an excellent team with great communication and organization. I was able to schedule meetings any time with them, and they provided quick and thorough feedback to any questions or concerns I had.

I was able to choose the tools for management and communication, ClickUp and Slack, which made project management easy on my end.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was very happy with the level of knowledge FRESHCODE had for developing my app. They were able to solve every issue and implement every feature in a timely fashion. They were also very reasonable with pricing estimation and payment schedules.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only time communication was an issue was when our schedules didn't match up due to our very different time zones. But this was never a big issue, and it seemed they could've made any adjustments if needed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a startup in the public safety field. Our goal is to help connect, form, and unite our communities for a safer nation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with FRESHCODE?

Our organization was looking to create a platform to begin assisting public safety reform. The plan was to add more features as the app evolves and grows.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They code the iOS, Android, and web app, which helps users stay informed on announcements from their public safety departments. Their team also built out a directory of tips and resources users can turn to for help in categories such as crimes, mental health, or a basic need. There are articles and resources about those topics.

While I provided them with the UI/UX designs, they completely coded the app and provided some additional assistance with the web-based app’s UI/UX. Along with coding, they were responsible for creating the backend database. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a frontend developer, a backend developer, a web developer, and a project manager. On occasion, they brought in a designer to help with the web app. At the beginning of the engagement, I worked with a sales representative to start the project.  

How did you come to work with FRESHCODE?

I found them through Upwork and was interested in them based on their similar work for another company. Their reviews were strong, and the price was competitive. Additionally, they onboarded me via a video conference with everyone that would be working on the project. That made me feel comfortable from the start.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $35,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since August 2020. The project is almost wrapped up, we’re just looking to add a Facebook integration and other features first.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is live, available for download, and works well. 

How did FRESHCODE perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great at communicating, providing clarity every day on progress. We used Confluence and email to communicate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication skills keep the project on track and help iron out any issues. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything they could improve upon that they haven’t addressed. They did a great job. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a video onboarding call. That made me feel very comfortable. Keep the time difference in mind as well— be prepared for early-morning emails.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We specialise in software for the healthcare industry; with a focus on security and interoperability. I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had the need to quickly scale up our development team with high-quality developers experienced in our stack of NodeJS, VueJS and related technologies. This added developer resource would work alongside our in-house team to progress tasks in our backlog.

SOLUTION

How did you select FRESHCODE and what were the deciding factors?

We found Freshcode after lots of searching through platforms such as Upwork. We have a lot of experiencing outsourcing in this way; and have hired individual developers as well as agencies in the past. One of the issues we've faced in the past when hiring freelance developers is that they can be unreliable.

Freshcode provide us with a fantastic account manager with great communication skills, whom we can communicate with about our needs and he finds developers amongst Freshcode's team which suit our needs. This removes the burden of sifting through profiles, general HR tasks, and staff turnover. This was one of the key deciding factors in our selection of Freshcode.

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

The scope of work provided by Freshcode has been variable and their team have worked alongside our in-house team to complete tasks on various projects. We assign tasks via our project management system (Jira), and Freshcode's team deliver on them. For more complex tasks, or whilst familiarising with the codebase for a particular project, Freshcode's devs will join meetings and communicate with us via Slack.

We build all projects on a common stack; NodeJS, VueJS, Vuetify Framework, GraphQL, Firebase, and mostly use Google Cloud infrastructure.

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

We have worked with 3 developers from Freshcode. They have all been full-stack Javascript developers working at a middle level.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Freshcode's developers have helped us to scale up resources to complete projects on time and on-budget. They have also helped to provide technical support for the products we provide to our customers; resolving issues in a timely manner without requiring project management oversight from our side.

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

We have regular communication with our account manager; and developers working with us join our team directly via Slack. We utilise Jira for task management; and Git for source control. Freshcode's team 'slots in' with ours seamlessly.

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

They provide fantastic communication via their account manager, and have been able to provide devs with the specific skillset we need within a matter of days. They are hard working and seem to be online 24/7!

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

When we first worked together, we were provided with a developer who didn't grasp our complex requirements immediately. However, this was very quickly resolved and the developer was replaced with one who 'got it' immediately.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Product Manager

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed an experienced .Net engineer that could integrate with our team and join two existing projects with a minimal learning curve. We engaged Freshcode on two projects. Most recently, we wanted to develop an internal tool - cloud cost management solution that would offer governance and optimization tools to better manage AWS expenditures.

SOLUTION

How did you select FRESHCODE and what were the deciding factors?

LinkedIn. We decided they’d be a great partner for the projects based on their experience and budget alignment.

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

We partnered with the Freshcode development team on two key projects. 1st project: SaaS solution for transaction and documentation for title and closing companies.

The solution enables title and closing companies to upload and share documents by creating a customized workflow, track the progress of the transaction in real time and share this progress with all stakeholders, store and manage documents related to concluded transactions and more.

2nd project: Cloud cost management solution that offers governance and optimization tools to better manage AWS expenditures. Along with continuous monitoring, the tool is providing detailed resolution steps to rectify cost inefficiencies.

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

.NET developer and Business Development Manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I think they are doing a fantastic job. The engineer took the time to understand the workflows and the domain. We launched MVP a few months ago and have received good feedback from stakeholders. Internally, everyone liked the functionality as well as the look. We've already had releases, but we are still working on other important features before we go live.

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

We have stand up calls about the project every morning. The engineer has great commination skills and always delivers exactly what is asked while meeting deadlines.

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

High-quality work and flexibility. They deliver work that fully meets our needs. The team is very accommodating to additional requirements and changes we might have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an educational company that provides services for universities and schools. We develop software solutions and offer support to our clients. I’m the product owner in the company, in charge of the features we develop and deliver.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with FRESHCODE?

It was hard to find internal developers, and we had time pressures to deliver functionalities. We’ve leveraged FRESHCODE’s services when we needed something delivered fast, and they’ve also provided technical experts that could consult us on certain product aspects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

FRESHCODE has mainly provided full-stack developers, along with frontend and backend ones.

What is the team composition?

Depending on the situation, we’ve used 5–10 people from FRESHCODE. We haven’t used any project managers from their side.

How did you come to work with FRESHCODE?

Before I started working with the company, they were chosen. We were simply looking for a company that could provide the services we were looking for without a lot of headaches. FRESHCODE was able to answer all of our questions.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve paid them $200,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working for them in the autumn of 2019, and FRESHCODE followed that spring. The collaboration is ongoing, and we’re hiring more people from them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

FRESHCODE provided developers to us, so the impact has been the growth of our source codebase. They’ve also taken part in some architectural decisions. Their team keeps us moving.

How did FRESHCODE perform from a project management standpoint?

From my perspective, they’ve performed quite well. The work with them is predictable, and they deliver when required. We communicate through Slack and similar applications.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t had any negative experiences with them. They deliver what we need on time. We ask them to do a task, and they do it without any questions. That’s the best feature of FRESHCODE, and it’s why we’re continuing to work with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t provide any feedback from a development perspective. We’ve looked at each developer’s expertise before hiring them. I haven’t had the occasion to work with other resources like a project manager or analyst.

FRESHCODE simply does their job, and I don’t have any issues.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

My advice could be that, if someone’s looking for a team that gets the job done without any issues, FRESHCODE is that team.