Kindgeek

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Owner of Jaja Finance

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Fintech with headquarters in London on a mission to redefine and simplify the credit card experience, giving people more time to do the things they love.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Digital acceleration
• Enhance customer experience
• Develop high quality products
• Scalability and Flexibility
• Continuous Improvement

SOLUTION

How did you find Kindgeek?

Online Search

Why did you select Kindgeek over others?

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

How many teammates from Kindgeek were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Kind Geek have continuously assisted Jaja through the full software development cycle, for all products and services. Kind Geek have supported a multifaceted process beginning with project discovery and planning. This involves meticulous requirement analysis, collaborative goal-setting and comprehensive feasibility studies to assess potential risks. 

Following this, Kind Geek delve into design and architecture, crafting system frameworks and designing user experiences and interfaces that are in use today. Kind Geek have been a key component in the development stage encompassing the actual coding, programming, and integration of third-party elements, ensuring our products always meet high quality standards. The release planning, coordination, and the actual deployment of the products in a live environment has also been meticulous. 

Throughout this process, Kind Geek have always maintained exemplary communication standards, involving regular updates, feedback sessions, and issue resolution. This partnership with Kind Geek has ensured the delivery of high-quality products that not only meet immediate needs but also lay the groundwork for future enhancements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The key components for Jaja are the Trust Pilot reviews and the app ratings across both iOS and Android. The Trust Pilot reviews from customers often indicate how easy to use the app is, which is a testament to the work Kind Geek have delivered. Jaja's mission is to redefine and simplify the credit card experience, giving people more time to do the things they love and this feedback. 

With the support of Kind Geek, we are adhering to this. Recent Trust Pilot review from a customer: "Easy to apply for, easy to use. All information given all the time. Reminders are a good option. The app is easy to navigate. I highly recommend it."

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

Kind Geek's project management approach is characterised by meticulous planning, clear communication, and proactive problem-solving. Deliverables are consistently met on time, reflecting Kind Geek's commitment to meeting deadlines and ensuring project milestones are achieved according to the established schedule. In response to our needs, the team exhibits a high level of responsiveness and adaptability. 

They are attentive to our requirements, actively sought feedback, and demonstrate a flexible approach to accommodate changes or unexpected challenges. Communication channels are always open, facilitating quick responses to queries or concerns. Their ability to swiftly address issues and make adjustments when necessary contribute significantly to the overall success and efficiency of the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Kindgeek?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Throughout our relationship with Kind Geek it has never felt like a client partner relationship. The colleagues on the project have integrated so well, often the Jaja new joiners are unaware that the Kind Geek colleagues are not internal Jaja. Kind Geek are a great cultural fit and a pleasure to work with.

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

No areas for improvement. It has been a great relationship and we look forward to this continuing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of payabl.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are payabl., a paytech expert empowering merchants to take, make and manage payments globally. Our full solution stack includes card acquiring, alternative payment methods, payment accounts and prepaid cards. Welcome to payabl., where we take care of the payments, so you can take care of business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Build Banking Project

SOLUTION

How did you find Kindgeek?

Referral

Why did you select Kindgeek over others?

• High ratings
• Company values aligned

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

The scope of work for this project encompasses a comprehensive range of tasks and objectives, including the design, development, testing, and implementation of a robust banking system. This involves creating user-friendly interfaces, integrating secure payment gateways, implementing rigorous security protocols, and ensuring seamless compatibility across various devices and platforms.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We successfully met all project milestones and delivered the system within budget, demonstrating effective project management.

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

Their project management was highly effective throughout the development process. They consistently delivered items on time, adhering to the project timeline and ensuring that critical milestones were met without delays. Their responsiveness to our needs was commendable; they maintained open lines of communication, promptly addressed any concerns or change requests, and demonstrated flexibility in accommodating our evolving requirements. 

This proactive and client-centric approach to project management played a pivotal role in the successful delivery of the banking system, and we greatly appreciate their commitment to ensuring our satisfaction throughout the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Kindgeek?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out most about this company was their exceptional attention to detail and their unwavering commitment to delivering a tailored solution that precisely aligned with our specific needs. Their ability to translate our requirements into a sophisticated banking system, coupled with their dedication to quality assurance, resulted in a product that not only met but exceeded our expectations. 

Furthermore, their team's expertise and industry knowledge were truly impressive, and they consistently demonstrated innovative thinking to solve complex challenges. It's this combination of meticulous craftsmanship and creative problem-solving that set them apart and made our collaboration both productive and rewarding.

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

Nothing

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the scientific advisor of University of Basel

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a Higher Education Institution

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• New Software for Research Information Management
• business development for new software

SOLUTION

How did you find Kindgeek?

previous work on software

Why did you select Kindgeek over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Kindgeek were assigned to this project?

10-20

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

The goals was to develop a comprehensive research information management system with many interfaces to surrounding systems like SAP, Scopus, ORCID, Student Lifecycle Management Systems and other custom made solutions hostet at the University. A specific focuswas set on simplified metadata import, handling and workflows related to open access document workflows.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With our new application we could integrate two thousand users in one platform eliminating time consuming data exchange between several faculties and over different systems andapplications.

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

The team members were very responsive and well prepared for every meeting or upcoming task. Even though the project was a very complex one with very specific tasks in a very specific setting (university environment) they adapted quickly to new requirments.

What was your primary form of communication with Kindgeek?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I was impressed by their professionalism and focus in meetings. Also, I very much appreciated the accountability that was created and their clear communication and reviews.

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

No big improvements needed since specific requests were always considered when needed

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Manager (Core Banking) of a payment service provider.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Secure Online Payment Services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Kick-start our Product Development for Banking
• Create the whole infrastructure of Banking in the Cloud

SOLUTION

How did you find Kindgeek?

Referral

Why did you select Kindgeek over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Kindgeek were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

KindGeek was entrusted with the mission to initiate our cutting-edge Banking Product. Their responsibilities encompassed everything from crafting innovative designs and robust architectural solutions to handling both front-end and back-end development, as well as expertly managing DevOps operations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We employed a structured approach to gauge progress and success, utilizing sprint reviews and milestone achievements aligned with our project's specific requirements.

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

The team consistently demonstrated commendable punctuality in delivering items, often meeting or exceeding deadlines. Their commitment to maintaining high performance was evident, as they consistently employed a focused approach to ensure the timely completion of tasks. 

Additionally, they displayed a strong responsiveness to our needs, actively engaging with our feedback and adapting their strategies to align with our objectives. Their proactive and adaptable attitude significantly contributed to our projects' smooth progression and success.

What was your primary form of communication with Kindgeek?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What truly sets this company apart is their agile and dynamic approach to change. They are not only quick to adapt to evolving market trends and client needs, but they also proactively anticipate and prepare for potential shifts in the business landscape. This agility enables them to stay ahead of the curve, offering innovative solutions that are both timely and effective. 

Their ability to seamlessly integrate change into their business strategy without compromising on quality or efficiency is both impressive and unique. It's this forward-thinking and flexible mindset that makes them stand out in their industry.

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

One notable area where Kindgeek could improve is in managing the high turnover rate within certain areas of expertise. This frequent rotation of personnel sometimes disrupted the continuity and consistency of our project delivery. It occasionally led to challenges in maintaining a steady pace and ensuring that each team member was fully up-to-date with the project's nuances and history. 

To address this, Kindgeek could consider implementing more robust knowledge transfer processes and continuity strategies. This might include more detailed documentation of ongoing projects, enhanced training for new team members, and perhaps a more gradual transition plan when personnel changes are necessary. Such measures could help mitigate the impacts of staff turnover and maintain a more consistent pace of delivery.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Sales Manager of Coffee King, we are an independent Coffee bean and coffee machine supplier based in the United Kingdom and Spain. We also have multiple coffee outlets through out the UK

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to develop a mobile app where people could order food/drink at their nearest location with ease. We wanted them to be able to connect with other users through the app with chat and invite features.

SOLUTION

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

Our director and managing director were searching for an app developer after falling upon KindGeek and knowing that they wanted to use them.

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

We had a number of discovery meetings to discuss the project. We provided the team with what we wanted and then received the design scope. The very is very complex with a lot of features. We have weekly meetings with our project manager to discuss new features and any modifications needed.

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

A project manager, a couple of designers and a team of developer, programmers and coders.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a live app, we are constantly adding more to it week by week to get the finished result we want.

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

Our project manager has been more than helpful. Very easy to communicate. She not only takes on boards our wants/needs, she provides her own suggestions with the ways to do things. We communicate via slack/email which are very easy tools. Our timeline has been fine, we obviously have had many difficulties such as covid-19 and the current issues that are ongoing in Ukraine, but the team there have still prioritised our work load and done everything they can to keep going.

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

The communication from our project manager has been second to none, making the process incredibly easy. Their design and development skills are incredible.

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

More detailed status reports on workload to skip any confusions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of OnePet, a pet business. We range from media to e-commerce and software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KindGeek?

We wanted to launch a new software product for our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KindGeek did custom software development from scratch using Flutter and React; the product is a mobile app for iOS and Android. They also did web design and backend development.

I started by giving them the general idea of what I wanted, and they did all the UX design and other concepts — it’s a full service.

Regarding functionalities, the app is an online portal that connects pet owners to licensed veterinarians in real-time via text or video chat.

What is the team composition?

We’ve been working with around six members of their team, including front- and backend developers, a designer, a project manager, a business analyst, and a system architect.

How did you come to work with KindGeek?

They were referred by another entrepreneur that knew about their work.

How much money have you invested in this partnership?

We’ve spent $130,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The products they created work well. We haven’t had any issues with functionalities, and our clients have been using the platform to buy products from us. Overall, they have a great team, and working with them is very enjoyable — I feel like they’re part of our company.

How did KindGeek perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re extremely organized, communicative, and easy to work with. Regarding tools, we use Jira, Google Meet, and Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like their very talented and cross-functional team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could spend more time on prototyping and user-testing before going into the development phase because that could reduce engineering costs in the future.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure that you’re going into the process of having a macro story to look at the key deliverables for the project. Having a good detail of a long-term strategy will help you capture the priorities over time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'am CEO/CTO for IT company developing SaaS platform/offering for Financial Service providers willing to serve SMEs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired KindGeek to provide development resources to create SaaS Platform for Financial Services Offering consisting of Web Self Service environment, iOS and Android mobile applications, back-end involving multiple integration to different 3rd parties. Besides development services KindGeek will provide 1st and 2nd line support services for developed SaaS platform.

SOLUTION

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

We had previous experience working with this vendor on other projects. Resources pool availability, flexibility as well as delivery quality and commitment and interest in work done were deciding factors to engage with KindGeek.

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

Scope of work: Designs for web and mobile applications, development of SaaS platform ensuring business analysis, development, testing and DevOps resources.

Key deliverables: White-labelled SaaS platform consisting of web application, native mobile applications and back-end ensuring front-end work and integrations to multiple 3rd parties.

Technologies used: Angular for web self-service, Swift for iOS mobile application, Kotlin for Android mobile application, Java for back-end micro-services, MySQL database, cloud vendor agnostic infrastructure initially deployed to AWS and following 3rd party open source projects: KeyCloak, HashiCorp Vault, ElasticSearch.

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

We used following resources:

• UI/UX Designers
• QA Manual
• QA Automation
• Project Managers
• Back-end developers
• iOs developer
• Android developer 
• DevOps
• Angular Developers

All resources were divided into 2 cross-functional Agile development teams.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

High quality delivery. Maybe sometimes required little bit more time than initially estimated but usually as a result of good business analysis and dedication/interest into developed/delivered functionality discovering uncovered functionality aspects or proposing alternatives/enhancements for delivered functionality.

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

We had daily stand-ups within each team where KindGeek's PM and Delivery Manager communicated with rest of the team. On top of that we had weekly Delivery calls where PM, Delivery Manager and business analysts participated along with our side. On daily basis business analysts, designers and other team members communicated with product owner, CTO using Slack, Jira.

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

Team attitude and interest to understand delivered solution in details to be able to bring another perspective and suggestions to problem solving.

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

Sometime delivery timelines slipped which of course could be improved ...but those were not big slips and team worked on improving operations when deficiency was discovered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief financial engineer for The Interface Financial Group, a 50-year old company that provides supply chain finance solutions around the world and early payment programs for Fortune 1000 companies. I’m responsible for the API that connects our platforms and data science teams. In this role, I also handle our IT vendor management system. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KindGeek?

We hired KindGeek to help us find good talents that could quickly adapt to the technological changes in the fintech industry. On top of that, we wanted to find such skilled people in a cost-effective manner; the cost of acquiring and maintaining such talent should be reasonable.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

One of the projects we’ve done with KindGeek resources involves a digital supply chain portal that allows suppliers to see their scheduled payments and paid invoices. The team has worked on connectivity features and API accesses within the portal. Everything has been done using the React Native tech stack, and it’s all cloud-based; we’re using Amazon for hardware infrastructure. Moreover, around 98% of this project is done by KindGeek developers; we simply provide the management and blueprint. 

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with Anton (CEO) and Yurii (Junior Software Engineer). Our team then collaborates with a senior frontend developer and QA engineers. 

How did you come to work with KindGeek?

We talked to 25–30 companies from different parts of the world. In the end, I listened to my gut instinct when I hired KindGeek. Their approach, flexibility, and the way their organization was structured appealed to us — they were the equivalent of Google when it came to finding the best talents in the region. As a result, we decided to work closely with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $1 million–$10 million. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2019, and the partnership is ongoing

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure success based on our communication levels. KindGeek has the ability to move quickly while working with our technology team, which includes our CTO and VP of product. In other words, they work well with everyone in our team in a timely fashion, and they contribute to the project. Overall, we’ve seen results from their work. 

I highly recommend working with KindGeek — not only with the ones who are working with us but also with the whole company itself. They’re a great firm to work with, and they have great expertise in the space they’ve chosen. 

How did KindGeek perform from a project management standpoint?

We handle project management. Yet, it’s remarkable how KindGeek brings developers onboard and cultivates them in a culture that’s acceptable to a western company. To clarify, many other companies are body shops: they merely bring someone in, put them on an outsourced project, and then wash their hands. By contrast, KindGeek truly contributes to us. They have a training process where the resources can get accustomed to our work ethics and culture. 

In terms of communications and deadlines, they’re great. Our teams have weekly sprints via Jira so that KindGeek understands our requirements. They’re on top of our weekly meetings, and all conversations are open and clean. Everything is well-coordinated between our teams, especially around the vacation time they have internally. Moreover, we have a matrix-based relationship, where our product developer works directly with their developers. Overall, their communication is one of their pillar strengths. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

KindGeek’s flexibility and knowledge are the most impressive things about working with them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re always looking for more resources. It’s difficult, but this is a challenge anywhere in the tech sector. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need a plan. When you hire KindGeek for your company or team, you have to nurture the relationship. You must communicate, too. The KindGeek team has great communication skills and is open to ideas and feedback, but that should go both ways. You must make it a priority to reach out to their team. In other words, you shouldn’t hire a company and then wash your hands; that’s not the way to achieve results. You must integrate them into your team and professional lifestyle. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of infrastructure and DevOps of a mobile-first credit card company based in London.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KindGeek?

We were presented with an opportunity to do a migration of a large portfolio onto our system. To do so, we needed to rapidly increase our resources.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KindGeek provides software development and DevOps resources. We’re mobile-first, so our goal is to develop the services and applications in that realm. There’s a high degree of security required since we also issue physical credit cards and maintain other financial credit cards.

What is the team composition?

At the peak, we worked with 30–35 people from their team. We work with a project manager, scrum masters, a case manager, and tech leads to manage the project.

How did you come to work with KindGeek?

They were recommended to us by a different vendor. Initially, they were brought on to do the frontend. Their ability to ramp up and deliver stood out; they were very quick to hit deliverables and get up to speed. Once we realized what they were capable of, we gave them backend and testing work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent £2 million (approximately $2.8 million USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2019, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our ability to hit our migration deadline is a direct result of KindGeek’s work. The quality of their work is at a high standard. We have 80% test coverage and their deliverables are A or A-plus.

How did KindGeek perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project management team is superb. They’re invaluable and help absorb a lot of knowledge from our architect and disseminate it to the team.

KindGeek makes sure their employees speak English to a very high standard. We keep in touch via email and have standups via Slack. A large portion of their development team is integrated into our team as though they are permanent staff members.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very open from the start. It’s not like other development houses where you give them a task and you get a deliverable two weeks later. It’s a very hands-on process where you’re able to deal with developers on the team and coach as you go.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The team tends to bite off more than they can chew to a degree. In the earlier parts of the project, we started seeing deadlines getting pushed because the scope had changed. It’s a hard thing to manage and we brought on scope managers later in the engagement. It all worked out.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to keep in mind that you’re integrating a team. They’re not a “fire and forget” development house. You have to want to be involved in the process. Personally, I see that as a strength. I can understand how it could be daunting to integrate a team into your own if you aren't used to it. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of a digital health company. We’re working to develop a mobile app as well as some different admin panels to allow people to store their vaccination records and provide personalized recommendations for traveling to different locations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KindGeek?

We were looking for a primary software development team to build our entire product suite.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re not technically-minded at all, so they helped us through the whole process. They handled front- and backend development, UI/UX design, and project management. We had a color scheme and rough branding model picked out before we started working with them, but they were instrumental in putting together the actual layout and design of the app. The final product is available for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with the same project manager throughout our engagement, but they’ve given us different UI/UX designers and front- and backend developers on the different projects we’ve partnered on. We’ve always had between 5 to 10 of their team members working with us.

How did you come to work with KindGeek?

We had a recommendation from someone to look into KindGeek, but the recommendation came from someone who hadn’t worked directly with them so we still spent a long time looking at different developers. During this process, we got along really well with their team. They were able to share our vision for our products from the first time we spoke with them. We were confident we’d be able to work well together for a long period of time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $30,000–$60,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since June 2020

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Both our iOS and Android apps have attracted a few hundred users and neither has had any crashes. Our internal testing and user feedback have all yielded positive results. The user experience and flow of the app are exactly what we wanted. We collaborated on specific elements of the solution that we felt were necessary. They were able to incorporate these elements without any issues. We’re really happy with the final product and are excited to keep working with them.

How did KindGeek perform from a project management standpoint?

Kate (Project Manager) has been great at managing the project. She’ll explain the technical details to us in an easily digestible way and then will effectively relay our ideas to their developers. She’s held the team together and has been the driving force behind us achieving our goals for the project. We have weekly standup meetings over video calls. Outside of these meetings, we communicate via Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a competent team that has integrated well into our company. Their price point is very competitive and they’ve never gone over budget. They stick to deadlines but stay realistic about the deadlines they set. We feel like they’re invested in our goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. The experience has been completely seamless, with the only project delays stemming from Apple-related issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Definitely make the most of all your communication channels. Having the Slack channel in conjunction with our weekly meetings has helped us keep everything on track.