Holdapp

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and the chief product officer of a professional coaching and mental well-being platform.

What challenge were you trying to address with Holdapp?

We had a challenge with member engagement. We had a web platform that provides access to vetted professional coaches to enterprise employees and business coaches. In order to increase engagement, we decided that we needed to develop a mobile app. We then hired Holdapp to help us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Holdapp team built a cross-platform app using Flutter. The main purpose of the app was to improve our members’ experience, and our existing web app served as a reference while the team was working on our project. We also provided the team with an open API so that they could connect the app to our web platform's backend.

In addition, Holdapp was in charge of developing the platform’s wireframes. We released the app in January, and we’ve extended our cooperation so that they could implement web design updates and provide app support.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with 6–7 people, including their project manager, QA lead, account manager, and designer.

How did you come to work with Holdapp?

I found Holdapp on Clutch after researching possible vendors to work with. Their team was also recommended by one of the vendors we interviewed.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $130,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working in May 2021, and we continue to collaborate.

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

After we published the app that Holdapp has developed, our members have given us extremely high ratings because we have a user-friendly platform.

How did Holdapp perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is collaborative. In fact, we’ve found ways to make sure deadlines are met. We use Jira for project management and Slack to communicate. In relation to that, everything has been easy and there are no communication gaps between us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We're impressed that we're working towards a common goal. As a result, we don’t feel like they’re working as a separate team. They're also very diligent in providing monthly reports.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can improve the details of their business analysis process so that we can identify important specifications before development starts. Other than that, they provide a good experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start with a design workshop and make sure everybody’s on the same page from the very beginning of the project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO at APT Collective Sp. z o.o., a paid gig app.

What challenge were you trying to address with Holdapp?

When I lived in Costa Rica, I was approached by a friend who had a lot of money. He knew me since I was a kid. He told me that he was interested in creating a system that would be user friendly for people who are eager to make additional side money. We wanted to create a system that would be able to create such opportunities for those people.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Holdapp developed our mobile app for iOS and Android. The app is a very easy place for people to meet. If a user needs help to clean their house, they push a button and the system will generate information to get the proper people who can help them. 

The team worked from my CEO’s ideas and designed and developed the apps. We stopped along the way because we ran out of money. However, we took an EU grant and continued the project. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 people. I mainly interacted with Artur (Founder/Managing Director).

How did you come to work with Holdapp?

We heard about them by word of mouth.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2016 and the work is ongoing.

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

Holdapp was a good choice. They are very reliable, never mess up, and don’t overcharge us. The app is a phenomenon. When we needed to make improvements when we didn’t have any money left, the team was very supportive and showed us some directions.

How did Holdapp perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is phenomenal. Whenever we have any issues, we go directly to Artur and he tells us not to worry about it. There have been no communication issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Everything has gone very smoothly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve. Any issues we’ve had have been on our side. We weren’t ready for them to implement the new ideas and profiles, or for all the energy they were going to bring to this project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Before you initiate the engagement, invite them to dinner. Sit down with them and become friends.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner and CEO of Meeting Application - the event app solution for event organizers.

For what projects/services did your company hire Holdapp?

We hired Holdapp for two tasks: 1) building new backend for our product; 2) continuation of iOS application development.

What were your goals for this project?

First of all we needed a new, stable backend. Also, we needed to hire some professionals to help us with continuation of iOS application development.

How did you select this vendor?

Holdapp is well known as a group of great professionals in our local community; We needed trusted company which we could rely on.

Describe the project in detail.

Meeting Application is a native, mobile tool to help our customers manage their events. System is dedicated for iOS and Android platforms. Application is very intuitive with a simple service panel.

What was the team composition?

We hired backend and iOS developers to extend our team. Project management and some parts of development were made internally. Holdapp consultants were hired to fill the gaps in our process.

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

Our new backend system was launch with success and all clients were switched to that new software.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Whole cooperation was very effective. They’re straightforward and easy to deal with. We had a strong cultural alignment with them, and they were very attuned to what we were trying to do. We were very happy with the engagement and overall professionalism.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Very impressive for us was that they had experience working with relevant technologies. They knew what they were talking about. Also I was impressed by how quickly they were able to come up to speed in understanding our business.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We’ve been very satisfied with all of the work they’ve done and their approach to it as well.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a board member in Sprzedajemy.pl. Also I’m the head of our products - essentially the product owner. Our company is a web-service, which intercede in buying/ selling transactions. Our users thanks to our platform have a space for their classified ad. 

For what projects/services did your company hire Holdapp?

We hired Holdapp to build iOS and Android mobile apps.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to make an awesome mobile apps, which will knockout the competition. Also we were focused on the budget, which was defined from the beginning. 

How did you select this vendor?

By the recommendation of another trusted company. 

Describe the project in detail.

Over a year- long great cooperation we’ve successfully created two awesome mobile apps, which make a way to our clients to be a part of our platform using a mobile phones. 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sprzedajemy-pl/id1433907916?l=pl&ls=1&mt=8

 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.sprzedajemy

What was the team composition?

The team included: project manager (Holdapp), iOS developer (Holdapp), Android developer (Holdapp), QA (Holdapp), backend developers team (Sprzedajemy.pl), UX/ UI designer (Sprzedajemy.pl), Product Owner (Sprzedajemy.pl).

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

Not yet; our apps has been just released few days ago. But we are expecting the huge benefit coming in to our business as an effect of that new products.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their team understanding of its importance stood out to us. The workflow was convenient and accommodating; but what is the most important: it was working. Team was always willing to adjust their approach to ours, but they also suggested improvements they found effective in the past. We had a great support from the team. Holdapp team met daily for a short status of work and to share with other their plan for the day; whole team working on the project (ux, ui designers, qa, developers, project manager, backend developers) met every 2 weeks with a review, planning and retrospective meetings. We also had irregular as-needed meetings.  

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We admire Holdapp’s team ability to understand the project and work together as a partner rather than a vendor. Also their transparency helped us to be incredibly confident that they were doing their best work for us at all times. The team’s extensive knowledge of their field was also noteworthy.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really. They’ve our exceeded expectations and continue to do so. They’re a great partner, one we truly appreciate.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of software development area for our web and mobile application. ANSWEAR is a Polish multi-brand online store with clothes, shoes, and accessories from the world’s biggest fashion brands presented in seven countries.

What challenge were you trying to address with Holdapp?

We need stable native applications to take part of mobile web users and reach out to new clients who are looking for a simple shopping app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built native iOS and Android apps from scratch. Holdapp is still working on other improvements, keeping apps stable and open for other markets.

What is the team composition?

We had one Android, one iOS developer, one QA, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Holdapp?

We received a recommendation from a friend.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work started in April 2017 and it's ongoing.

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

We have more orders from the app, which is great because we can increase monetization.

How did Holdapp perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management is great. It’s communicative and organized.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They can adjust. If we want to change something, we can.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not very much.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you know what you want.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of the board for the Tax Guard Group. We offer services in the areas of accounting, HR, IT, real estate projects, and developing buildings. We create a block of flats and sell them.

What challenge were you trying to address with Holdapp?

We needed someone to develop software for our company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Holdapp created software that European Amazon sellers can use to register to VAT. The team added functionality that allows the software to calculate tax returns from the sales when Amazon sellers use the software. 

Additionally, the software calculates taxes for every European country. The team built the software such that users can log onto it online via mobile devices, tablets, and every type of computer. 

What is the team composition?

The number of people depends on the phase of the project. Sometimes we work with 2–3 teammates, and other times, more. When we need to speed up the process, Holdapp sends more teammates to work on the project. 

How did you come to work with Holdapp?

They were recommended to us by someone in our group who said they were really good with software. After calling the owner, we had a few meetings, and then we decided to work together.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent about $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work began in about September 2019, and the first part of the product was completed in January 2020. We began selling the product, but we are still working with Holdapp.

We are making amendments to the software, which depends on the VAT laws in every European country. So, if those VAT laws change at all, we need to make changes to the software.

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

The software is very useful and flexible.

How did Holdapp perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Jira, which allows us to send them requests, ask questions, and check the progress of the project in relation to the deadlines. Additionally, we have weekly conference calls where they always summarize what has happened the previous week and we discuss our expectations for the upcoming week.

The project has gone quite smoothly thus far. Sometimes, deadlines were pushed back but this was mostly because we changed our expectations. During the development, we learned how it works in Amazon and how VAT works in every European country, which is why the deadlines were sometimes pushed back.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really enjoy working with Holdapp, especially with the owner of the company because he is incredibly involved in our project. Amazon code and source are quite difficult, and the owner spends a lot of time helping us connect our product to Amazon. I am very grateful for this.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They are on the other side of Poland and we mostly meet via Skype or WhatsApp. The most difficult part has been not being able to meet face to face, but that would’ve been really costly.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm one of the owners of a foreign language publisher.

What challenge were you trying to address with Holdapp?

We needed help with mobile app development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided programming services, from designing the first and second apps, to developing them. We provided the content and ideas. It's available on iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager, but we also worked with several other developers.

How did you come to work with Holdapp?

We found them through an internet search. They were selected after a series of video interviews.

How much have you invested with them?    

We've invested $75,000.        

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2016, and our engagement is ongoing with maintenance.

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

Their quality is very good. It's great they have an in-house testing team because customers are quick to send an app back if there's a bug.

How did Holdapp perform from a project management standpoint?

They've always done well. We always talk through a project manager for updates. We're quite satisfied.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their testing and quality assurance are great. It makes the apps very reliable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only downside is that they're not very flexible if we need something updated quickly. They just might not be available. If it's a bigger project, things usually go to plan.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need to know what you want and do all of the planning before contacting them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an account manager for an app developer.

What challenge were you trying to address with Holdapp?

We sometimes need staff to augment our team when we don’t have enough developers in-house. In this case, we needed iOS developers.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided iOS development for us. They started the app, which is a 3D sound system, from scratch. Phones can connect to it via Bluetooth.

We sent them all the requirements, the designs, and wireframes. They worked closely with our team. We had created an Android app internally, so all the developers worked together on the iOS project.

What is the team composition?

We collaborated with two members of their team, working in scrum with direct communication with our developers.

How did you come to work with Holdapp?

We’d worked with them before, and I believe our CEO knows someone from their company. We did consider a couple of other companies, but we checked the code they had all created, and Holdapp’s was what we were looking for.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them on this project from March–June 2018.

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

We did code reviews on our side and we were really happy with them. The quality of their code was really good, and the client was also very happy with the iOS app. The development went quicker than with the Android app, which was great.

How did Holdapp perform from a project management standpoint?

Both developers had experience with the scrum methodology, so it went very smoothly. From our perspective, it was a huge bonus.

The communication was consistent both in our office and over Slack when they worked remotely. They logged their time transparently, and we could trust them to complete their work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They told us when they didn't like something or through we could find a better approach. We didn’t feel like we were just a client—it felt like a real partnership, and we learned a lot from them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. Everything really went well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent with them. Previously, we’ve not given all the required information to developers and they’ve been misguided due to that. Holdapp has a team of professionals, and they can help you from both an IT and a business perspective. They’ve created a lot of apps and can suggest cool ideas.

We manufacture lighting sets, such as street and park lights, of various types and sizes, employing about 250 people, and located in Poland.

I'm an IT [information technology] consultant, responsible for managing a project's financing, and taking part in the designing, production and implementation stages.

We are trying to increase growth along with decreasing costs. If we can reliably present our products in the correct markets, we can accomplish both goals.

Mobile devices are the perfect medium of implementation of our marketing strategy. If we want to reach new customers, satisfy the current customers and create a modern image of the company, we can't ignore mobile.

It's always difficult to imagine how lighting sets, composed of many different parts, would look like in real life. [The mobile application] simulates the way of mounting all the elements into one, complete lighting set.

The set can be saved and read from mobile devices whenever it's necessary, it can be rotated and seen from below and above, and can be painted or anodized into many different colors.

It's possible to obtain a bill of materials or pricing list, place the lighting set on your street or park image and to decide whether it fits to the landscape or not. Finally you can print it out, mail to investors or send the order to the manufacturer.

To design the application, it was necessary to mathematically describe all the components, produce 3-D models, and choose the appropriate rendering engine. A lot of data from ERP [enterprise resource planning] systems had to be moved to the mobile device to make the system function. The results were strong.

The result is better than anyone could expect. All the required functionalities were met, even the really sophisticated features. The application works smoothly, even on iPads of previous generations.

On the other hand, it uses many of the features of mobile devices, such as rendering 3-D models with zooming, rotating, and changing colors – just with a couple of finger taps. The app uses the camera, image resources, mailing possibilities, and so on. Our app could be one of the best examples of how to use mobile devices in your professional life.

Feedback from our clients, sales representatives, and our own sales force is great. This application enables you to see the product before it's going to be manufactured and placed into reality.

I suggest everyone try working with Holdapp.

[Our company] is a leading media group in the Nordic countries with activities in 30 countries and 6,300 employees. [We are part of a group that is] a leading magazine publisher in the Nordic countries and commands leading positions in a number of other markets. [Our company] produces more than 700 weekly and monthly magazines as well as children's books, including licensed brands. [My] department is a department under [the main company] designing mobile apps for kids. I'm a lead UX [user experience] designer and product owner [for my department].

[Our goal was to] increase revenue and retention in our kids apps in the Nordics, primarily aiming at preschool kids and their parents. 

[We have] been working with Holdapp on a number of projects since 2011. Holdapp provides iOS and Android app development, preparation implementation of assets like graphics, sound, and animations, and takes care of testing and final submission. Holdapp is an agile company and works with extensive scrum practices.

We are generally very satisfied with Holdapp's performance regarding service, support, and quality. We believe that the company possesses the right competencies and will to fulfill the project scope.

Holdapp goes beyond the contract to meet special needs and new ideas. It is our experience that they feel committed to our brands and projects.