Infinum

Please describe your company and your position there.

EN GARDE is a multidisciplinary design agency, mainly working on corporate solutions and applications in support of branding, marketing and educational activities of leading large and medium scale companies with a broad regional reach, based in Austria. I am Agency Lead of the Vienna branch, Project Lead in projects in cooperation with INFINUM, and Lead Consultant.

For what projects/services did your company hire Infinum?

For a large telecom partner we developed a custom made brand management platform, reaching out to the general audience, the companies' Europe wide workforce, supporting agencies and subcontractors. The main aim of the platform was to educate and explain strategy and guidelines and make various types of assets available, managing various levels of security and information distribution flows.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to bring, previously, local and widely scattered brand strategy and guidelines under a centralised virtual roof and make it available group wide, understandable and clear, with easy access to information and assets. Another mainly part was to set up and maintain digital style guides and guidelines, in a first step for marketing purposes but in a later as well for various digital productions and POS projects.

How did you select this vendor?

When the project came more and more concrete we sources for a stable and good partner to build this kind of solutions. We searched locally in Austria and in the neighbouring countries. One of the companies we sourced was INFINUM. We liked their portfolio, quality of delivery and the first contacts were very professional and informative. INFINUM came well recommended by one of our other clients, for a project outside out of Austria. From the start, we also found a good process level sync with INFINUM, working on similar tools, technical and coding set ups.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Back end and Front end development and technical consulting. Development in Wordpress, with extensive customisation of asset management part. Implementation and optimisation of designs provided by EN GARDE. Maintenance and further development of the platform, post launch. Development of additional features and ongoing quality management of the application.

What was the team composition?

Technical lead Project manager Lead developer Support developer (multiple at times) Dev ops Q/A

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

The first project we developed with INFINUM was, well executed in sometimes challenging conditions, and very well received by the client, leading to a prolonged development of the initial project and winning of other projects at the same client, partially in the same department but also throughout the organisation expanding reach in HR and CSR departments.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We used Productive.io for tasks and Slack for quick communication and email. Also regular Hangout calls when needed. The communication flow was good and all parties were very reachable, reaction times low, and information up to date.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It is clear their internal process and flows are well set up leading to qualitative and robust products. Good onboarding and documentation enabled a good services and a continuity over a longer period of time. They have a good communication style and development flexibility.

Are there any areas for improvement?

On the global level - seems to run nicely. No real improvements to suggest from my side.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Within a band, we’re the department of frontend development. Currently, we’re organized into four development teams, one of which is for addressing existing channels.

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

We have e-banking and mobile banking services for customers. We’re working with Infinum on the mobile banking part. We prepare specifications and most of the design before going to Infinum for the implementation Then, the work goes back to us for testing. With the help of Infinum, we’ve built Klikin and Klikpro. Klikin is for retail mobile banking, and Klikpro is corporate. We’re collaborating with Infinum for Android and iOS development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have a long-term collaboration with Infinum. They've helped us build out our whole mobile banking platform for retail and corporate services.

They do development from scratch. We send them detailed system specifications and screens of how solutions should look. The business analysis is done within our bank. That helps us make products need that address our needs.

How did you come to work with Infinum?

We have a procurement procedure for each initiative at the bank. That includes processes for buying a new product or starting a collaboration. We called on several vendors to prepare presentations and proposals.

Considering price and quality, our team chose them for the work. It was important to us to have a long-term vendor relationship that could help us develop the mobile banking product.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent approximately $100,000. Based on the quality we received, it’s quite a fair price.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve been the head of the department for two and a half years, but Infinum had been working with the bank for longer than that. I think the collaboration started in 2015, though.

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

We’ve been tracking their development work over the years. They invite us to see what projects they’re working on and how they’re growing. We have some information on which direction they’re going, and we know they collaborate with other banks.

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a problem on our side in the beginning, involving the prioritization of tasks. Our team had trouble given definitive feedback on our priorities for awhile. So, there were some negotiations and some waiting on the Infinum side.

We had an initiative with a strong deadline, and we asked Infinum to work together with us. They came to our premises and worked over the weekend. It was a nice approach. When we had a major problem, the Infinum team was available. They worked over the weekend, correcting errors.

In the last two and a half years, they’ve shown their value. They resolved a huge problem we had. We had a one-week delay because of a service that wasn’t working quite as it should, but we were able to develop the entire initiative in two months.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a team with a great perspective on the direction they’re taking and on where they want to focus. Their focus is purely on mobile development and design. They have great designers, which is not always common. Infinum is a young team with a clear vision, and they adapt to the client’s needs.

They’re very adaptable and inspired about their work. I see how they’re talking to each other. While our project managers fluctuated, they stayed focused on what they were providing.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Instead of just communicating over email, they should come to our office more frequently, and we should develop more personal relationships with the current head of the office. A more personal touch would go a long way.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I’d advise not starting with a formalized process. It may be good to write down what you want and allow Infinum to determine your possibilities.

They’ll come back and present their ideas. They’ve worked with other institutions like ours and can think out of the box. Clients should be more personable, develop a relationship with the vendor, and continue with the pace they want.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior digital business manager at Messe München, a trade fair company. I’m in charge of developing new digital products for trade fairs.

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

We hired Infinum to develop a trade fair app for the business.

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the start, we had a concept and rough wireframes. Their team began with developing and designing the wireframes. It is a native application for iOS and Android. The key features are focused on two areas.

First, there is a service area that includes all of the details a fair visitor would need. This consists of a hall plan, exhibitor list, events area, and other necessary information. The second component involves networking. There is a participant directory where users can see who is registered and if they can send messages to them. The app has several different communication channels, where groups can have discussions.

What is the team composition?

We work with a project manager, designer, development team, and a QA tester.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Infinum started in January 2018.

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

We’ve had a few UX tests and customer feedback.

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

While there were a few issues in the beginning, their project management is great. We plan everything two-week sprints, which is how we track development.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When we work together, their team is very motivated. We get the feeling that they want to deliver excellent code and prepare everything correctly. Infinum doesn’t make their client’s projects feel like one in a thousand. Their team wants to be included in our thoughts and concepts, freely giving and discussing their opinion. I think this has been the main difference with them compared to other providers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes it’s difficult for them to get detailed estimates when it comes to new features. We now understand that they need a lot of information for the estimates. It would be great to have rough estimates at an earlier stage.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

During the project, have two or three calls each week with the project manager. Each month, we discuss the budget to ensure no surprises. It’s also helpful to have workshops with their team. We can easily meet face to face when we’re in Zagreb or when they’re in Munich. It’s worth it to travel because it’s useful to discuss and think about new features with their team. I’d advise having at least one or two workshops at the start because it’s great to have everyone sitting at one table.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm head of digital and customer support at Porsche Slovenija, a car importer company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

We needed someone to develop a mobile app for our loyalty program.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Infinum developed a mobile app for Android and iOS from scratch. The app is for our loyalty program, which rewards customers who buy new vehicles, get service repairs, etc.

They built the first version of the app, which enables customers to login and see all the invoices from our dealers’ shops as well as bonuses and benefits that they have from our loyalty program. There’s also a search function. Users can view a map of Slovenia and determine where to get bonuses and discounts. Infinum is currently developing a functionality that allows users to share their location so that they can get roadside assistance.

What is the team composition?

There’s one person who coordinates all of the tasks. They have multiple software engineers.

How did you come to work with Infinum?

We pitched different agencies. We presented each of them with a task, and Infinum won. They offered the best price and performed the best.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2018, and the work is ongoing.

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

We are in the process of determining our downloads goal. We will start working toward that in November when we release the new version of the app. We’ll track downloads and interactions. 

We currently measure how responsive and timely Infinum is. We’re at an 85% success rate of delivering the solutions within the timeline. They’re sometimes late, but they’re performing quite well. 

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

We have regular meetings. We’re in close touch with them. They respond efficiently, and sometimes their deadline estimates should be more accurate, but this is quite normal for such projects. They have tools and knowledge on how to track every step of the project as well as costs. We know where we are with them every day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a young team with great energy. Sometimes, they have out-of-the-box solutions that don't always work for the corporate world. They’re responsive, and we’re pleased with their work so far.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Costs have occasionally exceeded what we planned for the new build. They could be better at providing more accurate deadline estimates.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to write down all of the functions that you want to have. Maintain a clear picture of what you want to develop in the app so that you can get a real cost. If you don’t have a clear picture, it won’t be cost-effective.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of a hybrid organization that operates as a kind of chamber of commerce and neighborhood improvement association. We’re a nonprofit that takes care of public spaces, promotes our neighborhood, and advocates on behalf of local small businesses.

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

We had an analog loyalty program with about 80 member businesses. It provided deals for neighbors but had no digital version. Users wanted a mobile app to go with the program, so we opened a competitive bid for development agencies.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed the look and logic from scratch, based on our existing analog program. We gave them a list of participants, the area, and how the program worked, and they created an interactive app with a map and added functionality that the original listing lacked. The app is for iOS only.

What is the team composition?

I regularly interact with four people, but I’m not sure how big the overall team is behind the scenes. I see their New York-based business development lead in person, and I correspond with a project manager, graphic designer, and coder in Croatia.

How did you come to work with Infinum?

We did some internet research, asked for recommendations, and sent an RFP to about 20 firms. Infinum was among the respondents to our request.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent about $16,000, and our total projected budget is around $28,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2018, and the work is ongoing.

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

We’re just about to enter the beta testing phase, so we don’t have any user feedback yet. I’ve gone through the existing screens for this production version, and it’s exactly what we want. It looks great, and I can’t wait to try it out in the field.

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent; I wish all my vendors operated as well as they do. We had regular weekly meetings, and they always followed up and stayed on top of everything. They ask questions, are always on time, and are easy to reach by email or by video chat.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their cost provides a great value. Their graphics and the attention and thought they put into their work were noticeably better than any other firm we considered. They’re responsive, and we’re pleased with their work so far.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They are great at asking questions ahead of time, and we’ve had few surprises. Some issues arose during the process regarding scope, but they were rare. Anything that happened was typical of this kind of project, and we had an excellent experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent, and think ahead about the scope and logic of your project. They will be very efficient and provide great options for functionality and design but will work much faster if you come to them with clear ideas.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner and CEO of a company that creates hardware and software for musicians. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

Our website was outdated and on an old Drupal platform, so I needed a development team to migrate the data onto a new site that they’d build from scratch.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Infinum migrated our data to a new site, using Ruby on Rails for the backend and React for the frontend. They also worked on our iOS and MacOS app, redesigning it to match the updated UX/UI of the new site. The app was already built out, so Infinum just took over development and redesigned it.

What is the team composition? 

We work with about ten people, including a project manager, two UI designers, some iOS developers, and numerous frontend and backend developers.

How did you come to work with Infinum?

I found about 30 different companies by asking for references and looking online, and our previous iOS developer recommended Infinum. We narrowed it down to about three companies, and I was most impressed by Infinum. They had a lot of experience and excellent previous work, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $450,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in September 2017, and the work is ongoing.

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

Ever since we launched the new site, our customer support tickets have significantly decreased. The site used to crash all the time, but we’ve had zero downtime since the new one went live.

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

I have a weekly meeting with the project manager, and they use an intuitive software management tool to track progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with lots of developers who failed to deliver, but Infinum always does what they promise. They’ve accomplished some highly complicated tasks. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be better at providing more accurate deadline estimates.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Have a standing meeting with them every single week. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief customer experience officer at GO plc, a telecommunications company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

We hired them to assist us in creating service apps for our company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed our apps for iOS and Android, but we’re still in the MVP stage. They include basic features such as the ability to view and pay bills, activate bundles, etc. In the future, we’ll hopefully be able to view and manage appointments for different tasks, such as fixing an internet connection, installations, etc.

Their team helped a lot with the design aspect as well, as we had zero experience there. While we do have people in charge of marketing and strategy, Infinum aided and co-created some elements of it.

Currently, we’re adding functions to the apps and are going to spend 2019 refining them so that we can reach a world-class level.

How did you come to work with Infinum?

I reached out to several companies in the app business, however, I knew about Infinum beforehand since they had done work for other telecommunication companies. The apps they’ve produced have high ratings and their offer was the best.

We clearly specified to them that we’re a small company that can’t benefit from the economy of scale. We didn’t want a solution that was designed for another market, which they could simply tweak, recycle, and then sell to us. We wanted something that was truly customized for us, and Infinum was able to accommodate all our needs. It was a very straightforward process.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May and ended the collaboration in November 2018.

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

They adjusted to our challenges and helped us bring the app to market in only six months, which is remarkable.

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m extremely satisfied with their project manager. He’s a younger guy, but also quite agile. He was flexible with his working hours and was always helping us. Furthermore, he never hesitated to provide recommendations whenever he saw a different direction that we should consider. He held our hand throughout the project, especially given that this was our first experience with app development.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility was quite extraordinary. Other providers will only sell a product without first asking their client what they want in order to accommodate their needs. On the other hand, Infinum is a young company with a lot of potential and a wonderful corporate culture. They don’t have a fixed mindset with which they approach problems. Instead, they review it with their customer in order to find a decent solution. The level of support we received was amazing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Archtop Studios, a technology consulting company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

I had a client who needed a full-stack mobile app and web backend solution that would provide their product to fraternities and sororities across the country. I required designers, developers, and project management resources to help accomplish this project.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Infinum team provided all the wireframes, created a comprehensive layout, and developed all assets for the design elements. The app had to allow users to check into events, pay dues, report volunteer hours, etc.

They designed the app to allow for the many interactive features for the users. Their team created a landing page for the app and developed an API-driven, web-based administrative platform on the backend. The native app is iOS and Android compatible.

What is the team composition?

Their team consisted of a project manager, a few backend developers, and four Android and iOS developers. They also provided a QA resource and a project overview personnel. I served as the product owner and worked directly with the project manager they provided. 

How did you come to work with Infinum?

A colleague of mine had worked with them in the past, and they had done multiple projects for us. I vetted them personally and reached out to them with an outline of our plan. After some discussions, we created a proposal together to send to my client for approval. Once the plan was agreed on, we moved forward with Infinum.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April 2017 - August 2018.

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

We now have a functional MVP that launched in app stores and online. The end client is happy with the outcome of the app; there haven’t been many issues, and they delivered everything according to plan. The code quality is stable. I’m now reselling their work to another client, so it's high quality.

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

They used their in-house tool, Productive, that provided access to the product backlog, financials, time reports, and invoices. It was my primary interface with the project data on their side. They ran a standard scrum, agile process for development. I connected with my project manager through Slack and email; they were always available for questions and assistance.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Infinum’s willingness to push the boundaries of technology and flexibility throughout the process was excellent. They did their best to be on my schedule, despite the time difference. The work they produced is solid, well-designed, and impressive. Infinum is a partner and I have nothing but great things to say about them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It could have been beneficial to everyone if they had more control over changes in scope throughout the project. If they managed to do that, it would have allowed me to be more transparent about finances when my client received billing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd have no hesitation in choosing them as a partner when looking for a design and development resource; you will see their strong project management and development resources.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of ProxyPics, a new startup mobile app that provides real-time multimedia images of anything you can drop onto maps.

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

We needed help building our mobile iOS and Android app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Infinum built native Android and iOS mobile apps. I gave them an idea of what I wanted and they took it from the idea stage, developed the wireframe, and built it out. Every week, we would go over project progress and details, I would give them input, and they would continue to develop while implementing my feedback.

The final product enables users to sign in and request real-time images from people near a location. That requires communication between devices, notifications, location settings, and camera access.

What is the team composition?

The majority of the time, I worked with our project manager. The team also included the owner and a backend developer.

How did you come to work with Infinum?

A friend of mine that owns a tech company recommended them to me. We looked at a few other companies, but Infinum seemed to really have everything together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent a little over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in October 2017, and while the app is active and live, we are continuing to make updates.

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

The app is easy to navigate and user-friendly, which was one of our main focuses in building the app. Most of the responses we’ve gotten from users are that—from the first time they open the app—it’s self-explanatory and easy to follow.

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

They always met the established due dates. We would have weekly calls with the project manager, and daily communication over Slack or email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were always on time, which has never seemed to happen in app development projects for colleagues or myself. They were accommodating whenever we needed to make last minute changes. They were always willing to work with us.

They also work very quickly, which I think was in part because we worked through a project manager. We had tried to work directly with a developer before, but with a project manager, Infinum was able to easily translate our needs into developer terms.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This was our first time building an app, so to my knowledge they did everything the way they should have. I have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you don’t have much technical skill or knowledge, I definitely suggest working through a project manager because there can be a language disconnect when working directly with a programmer or developer. That was one of the biggest benefits of working with Infinum and it made a world of difference.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital customer experience manager for the second largest telecom operator in our region. We provide internet and mobile services and digitalize of customer-facing touch points.

What challenge were you trying to address with Infinum?

We launched a mobile self-care app five years ago. It needed to be redefined and repositioned to align with current trends.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Infinum designed and developed a beta version, UX/IX, and final app implementation. It’s mainly a native app for both iOS and Android. We used to make a version for Windows Phones but discontinued that investment. Hybrid elements include a redirect to our company website. Features include touch authentication, auto-login via mobile networks, promotional elements, troubleshooting, and point-of-sale locations. Users can access detailed invoices via an interactive menu.

A designer directed our one-month research phase. She interviewed users about the current iteration, read reviews in the app store, and organized workshops with our stakeholders. The team created wireframes based on this feedback and tested the new flow with real customers. After the user interface and graphic elements design stages, we started development. They also provide reliable QA testing.

What is the team composition?

The respective iOS and Android teams included a project manager, two developers, a lead and junior designer, and a QA manager.

How did you come to work with Infinum?

Their founders first contacted us when they were selling an interactive map.

How much have you invested with them?

The last redesign project cost €100,000 ($120,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

They’ve been our mobile development partner since 2009 or 2010. We started our latest project in June 2017. They delivered the frontend by the end of the year. We’re currently working on app stabilization. Our roll-out strategy plans to launch the app in May 2018.

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

Infinum’s sharp team of industry experts is a market leader in Croatia. I’m satisfied with the quality of their work. The app’s first version has been in production for five years. It has a 4.5-star average rating and 150,000 active monthly users. It’s been well-received so far. Beta testing yielded positive feedback.

How did Infinum perform from a project management standpoint?

Since we work remotely, we exchange information over digital channels like Slack and a task management tool. They developed the frontend app in two-week Agile development cycles. Our dedicated team works together in one room, which allows for open communication. We hold workshops in-house as needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Infinum is a young team with a sharp digital mindset. They approach our engagement of over five years as a partnership. The team always suggests improvements and proactively makes changes at no extra charge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although I appreciate their youthful mindset, I come from a corporate environment. Sometimes, I’d prefer a slightly formal approach. It would be beneficial to assemble teams specifically tailored to different clients.