Kroon

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Head of eCommerce in Air SERBIA, national airline of Republic of Serbia. We are one of the oldest airlines in the world, currently flying to 63 destinations.

For what projects/services did your company hire Kroon?

We hired Kroon to help us improve user experience and to create fresh digital visual identiy of our mobile app.

How did you select this vendor?

We had a tendering process where we have invited several local, regional and global agencies. We have shared the scope of the project with all participating agencies, and ask them to solve 2 specific tasks. Kroon stood out with their proposal that was result of their internal one week design sprint, and we were convinced they have good design process that is necessary for complex projects.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We wanted to redesign current version of the app (profiles and chek in flow), and to design new upcoming features such as booking flow, destination pages, shares and referrals, notification center, complaints.

We have shared all relevant reaserch, customer feedback and analytics about our customers with Kroon. Kroon have synthesized this huge amount of info into easy to understand customer journeys and personas. 

We had several workhops with Kroon design team and Air Serbia product team, with goal to onboard Kroon as quickly as possible to our industry and organization and to define main Jobs our customers are trying to get done. Air Serbia product team conducted additional workshops with relevant stakeholders to discover additional passenger pain points and business requirements.

From there, we have split project in phases covering different user flows, keeping in mind roadmap, development requiriments and technical dependencies. Because of industry and organizational complexity we worked in longer sprints (4 weeks). At the end of 3rd week we tested clickable prototypes with real users, followed by iteration week where we implement design improvements before hand off to development team.

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

Lead designer, senior designer, project manager full time dedicated to this project and few other contibutors as needed.

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

Feedback from user testing was positive, as well from buisness stakeholders who tested the app. We will gradually release features that we have designed, starting with booking flow, and montior improvements in conversion rate and other KPI's.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have worked in remote mode because of COVID-19 and our development team is also remote. Communication was good and timely, we used online collaboration tools to stay updated and on track.

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

Deign process and flexibility to quickly adapt their way of working to our organization.

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

We have underestimated the complexity of the project in the beginning, but quickly adapted and completed it on time.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a telco company working with VIP Mobile within A1 Telekom Austria Group. It is a Serbian branch and a sister telecommunication company. We are a mobile provider and telco industry company and corporation. I am a product manager and product owner for digital services such as our website, the webshop, mobile applications, and other digital services within the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Kroon?

We have several digital touchpoints, and they didn’t seem to have the same look and feel, nor the same customer experience.

As a design and frontend development studio, Kroon was brought on to help us out with a complete redesign of our digital touchpoints like our design, UX, and frontend development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started working in an agile form where we did several touchpoints at a time, through to sprints where we had workshops with them to define the scope. Then, we went to creating mock-ups and then went into the detail and design portion. After that was approved, we then sent it to the developers.

We tried to create a lot of components that can be reused in different resolutions and to have responsive behavior on any digital touchpoint. We went from the workshops to the complete delivery of the frontend code. Backend development was done by another company, but Kroon’s responsibility was the complete design and frontend development.

We provided them with complete user stories. Also, as we are a very public company, we have all of our digital touchpoints available, so they could base their work and discovery phases. Also, we discussed our user stories in detail, as we provided them what we wanted to achieve as well as pain points we wanted to address.

What is the team composition?

There were five in total. We had two UI and UX designers. We had two senior frontend developers, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Kroon?

As we are a corporation, we also had public bidding. We invited several regional agencies for this process, and Kroon won this. They needed to introduce themselves by doing a task and also providing some of their work specifically done for us with a task that we provided to them. Kroon was the only agency who came up with fresh ideas, the approach to the customer and also to our products.

They did a very thorough research of the pain points. We met during the discovery phase as well, and they also provided us with a fresh view of our products as well. They are also very professional in their attitude and also very friendly and easy to work with. The communication was great during the interviews— as well as during the engagement. They were also in a very sensible price range for the scope of the work.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent less than $100,000 Euros (approximately $120,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2019, and the project ended in July 2020. They are also our on-call agency now.

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

It was a very big refresh from a design perspective in terms of our look, feel, and touchpoints. We attacked one of the biggest issues in regard to online. Kroon also sped up the work for us, so they’ve been a time saver and cost saver for us.

How did Kroon perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent in that regard. They were also very involved in the complete time schedule and milestone checkpoints. They were able to deliver by the timeline and they were very reasonable in the cases when some things had to be done in a more thorough way or when we went back and forth.

They were very eager to try and overcome each and every obstacle. They very specifically and very clearly gave us an overview of the impact on the timeline for the project, in case we continued with some more detailed work on things that were time-wasters.

They were very on point and they never pressured us into decision making, some of which actually took some time as corporations do not move as quickly as some smaller agency or company. They were very patient with us, and they always tried to respect our time and our schedule but they were very much aware of the timeline and tried to fulfill everything that was in the scope of the project and the timeline. We used Jira for project management, but that is something we use internally.

We used everything for communication. We had Google Meet meetings, Microsoft Teams meetings, and we were online through Slack all the time. We also had phone calls, we would text, and they are very responsive in that case. They were always available and were very quick to give us information and provide a solution that we requested and tried to do ad hoc.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was the first time that we had done this scope of work with one agency. We are very pleased with their work, their approach and flexibility, and the way they think. We had an instant click with them, and we knew that they would be very good for us. They do provide high engagement as well as knowledge. They were there as a partner and as guides through the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There isn’t much to say about that because they were really on point in everything that we asked them to do. From the code they delivered which was very clean, to the project management process and their project manager who was very professional and very friendly, we loved working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They are very passionate about the product and they are very passionate about understanding your needs. They want to deep dive into data and things that they help you with as a result of all the information that you can provide. When you are working with them, you need to be prepared to go deep into things and for them to try to make sense of everything. They are easy to work with, they are very easy to meet the common ground with, but in order to not waste any time or energy of any type, they do require you to be very prepared for all the workshops and to provide them with things to work with.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO at a tech platform that serves delivery workers and rideshare drivers. We help them make the most that they can from the data that they create when they work. Our company provides them with analytics.

What challenge were you trying to address with Kroon?

We had an MVP mobile application that we had used to demonstrate that we collect the type of data that we needed for our business model. It worked well, but our next level of effort required redesigning the mobile app to make it more friendly and suitable for its users.

We contacted Kroon to see if they could help us with a UX redesign and other design elements that would decrease the friction of the app for the users. We also wanted to make the app more relevant to the user’s experience.

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the beginning of the process, there was a little bit of discovery involved. We sent them materials and knowledge that we already had regarding the user journey and what value propositions we were addressing with our users.

Kroon took that information, and then they did some research and discovery work on their own with rideshare drivers that they had immediate access to. They interviewed a few of them before recruiting them to partake in usability testing.

The team created a new design palette and wireframes for the new UX experience. Once we adjusted and approved it, they created a prototype and delivered a copy to me. Their team made sure that I understood how to use it and then prepped an interview guide for me. I was able to meet with some of our most dedicated users and took them through an interview process where they’re using the new prototype. They gave me feedback.

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with three people. My point person was Jelena (Project Manager).

How did you come to work with Kroon?

They came through as a personal referral. Someone knew Oggy (Co-Founder & CEO) and knew that they were focused on the lean startup methodology. That was appealing to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–May 2020.

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

The final deliverable was a stable app publishable in the app stores. All the users that I interviewed were familiar with our previous version. Every single person said this was much better. It was easier to use. Nobody felt that it was headed in the wrong direction or would introduce new problems.

How did Kroon perform from a project management standpoint?

I didn’t expect them to bring so much value to me in terms of project management. Kroon really excelled. Jelena was a fantastic project manager. She was responsive, always asking questions that needed to be asked.

If I needed to be presented with a situation where there would be a tradeoff involved in my decision, she always got the answers that I needed really quickly. She also scheduled very well. I was able to have a good grasp of the work in the weeks ahead and how we were doing against our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Besides their excellent project management, they’re quick learners. Their team learned what our users were facing and what our business model was. They quickly grasped what the best solutions would be from a UX perspective. They thought of things I didn’t think of. It was outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they got to the point where they could augment their services with digital marketing work, they might be able to offer larger scopes of work to customers like me.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

See if you could find someone like Jelena to be your project manager.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a marketing agency. I'm the CEO and founder.

What challenge were you trying to address with Kroon Studio?

We wanted to build a few apps that we hoped to go to market with. We hired Kroon for our internal app development and for development projects for clients.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The apps they developed are database-driven, responsive web applications that are mobile- and desktop-friendly. Each app involves a lot of APIs, backend logic, and integration with HubSpot. Kroon led the way in agile scrum methodology. We were very happy with that approach, and consequently transitioned to agile scrums as a business.

What is the team composition?

We work with about seven people from Kroon.

How did you come to work with Kroon Studio?

We found them through LinkedIn. Cost was a factor in our decision to hire them, but the examples they provided were more important. They easily understood our business model and the challenges we faced. Initially, we needed a team that could provide UX design. As we grew, we expanded into development.

How much have you invested with them?

To date, our total cost is a little over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2017 and still work together on projects.

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

We've taken each of these apps to market and are currently generating revenue from them. We hit all our goals for new user adoption in the app, and customer satisfaction is very good. They met all our criteria.

How did Kroon Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management meets all our standards. They set and reset expectations, and they hit their deadlines. If there is ever a change in the timeline, they let us know and give us reasons. I'm confident in their ability to deliver on all our requirements. We communicate through Slack and weekly Zoom meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication is very strong. There is never a language barrier, and we never really feel the time zone difference. If something urgent comes up, they'll work late. It is easy to get ahold of them, and our interactions are always clear and consistent. That's a key part of a strong partnership and successful project, and a major reason we continue to work with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything they should improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have really clear requirements and goals, and bring as many key stakeholders as possible into the project early on. Solidify your definitions of success and your needs defined before working with a partner, and anticipate the possibility that the project will change over time.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the chief product officer at Lykke, a Swiss financial technology company building a global blockchain-powered marketplace for the free exchange of financial assets.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to use our marketing website as a funnel for new customers. We would increase usability to drive new registrations and adoption.

Regarding our new mobile and web apps, we needed to address our product’s restructuring, improve the UX, and re-thinking the choice of technology our system was running on.

How did you select this vendor?

I knew Kroon Studio from previous collaborations, and they were the obvious choice for me.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They did a full redesign of the website and established a funnel, taking complete responsibility for the design and development of the newly structured website. They also performed usability UX/UI improvements on the existing app, leading the development and implementation process. 

Kroon Studio also created a new concept for a target group and developed a prototype that included both web and mobile versions of the product. The team designed new branding materials, including visuals and language that geared toward the target group.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of a lead designer, two senior designers, a project manager, two developers  (React and React Native), and one product owner.

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

We’ve launched a fully redesigned website. Based on the vendor’s suggestions, we’ve seen a significant increase in registered users, and users are proceeding further into the funnel than what we had before. There’s also been an increase in quality leads. 

The existing app’s usability has been enhanced due to a number of improvements, and it’s received positive feedback from users. They grasped the problem perfectly!

The new app designed to target different users is still in development, but so far, we are really happy with the progress. The new branding materials (e.g. visuals and language) are also still a work in progress, but some of it has already been used on the new website. The new language on the site addresses customers emotionally rather than technologically, and user feedback has been great. 

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Lykke and Kroon Studio collaborated together to manage the project. A Kroon Studio project manager supported the Scrum setup, and Jira was used as a project management tool. App improvements were developed in sprints and released quickly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Besides the quality of their work, we’ve also been impressed by their commitment and passion. They were an available resource that did all the tasks we asked for. But, they were also passionate team members that cared about the project and the company. They go the last mile, and they always supported us wherever they could.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were very happy with their work. I have to think hard about where they could actually improve. Sometimes, the hiring of new employees took a while, but on the other hand, the quality of work was really high.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a SaaS solution for the fitness industry. We offer a mobile and web app that personal trainers and fitness professionals use to engage with their clients.

What challenge were you trying to address with Kroon Studio?

We were looking for a long-term partner that could work closely with our team on the UI/UX of our app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

After they had the opportunity to understand our needs, we started assigning projects to their team. Most of these tasks were related to the UX of our mobile and web apps. They’ve designed a variety of features, including tools that let users create workout schedules and meal plans.

Their team provides marketing services in addition to their design work. They created a teaser video for the launch of one of our new products. They also write marketing language for several product pages on our site. The app is available for download on iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

There are four people from Kroon Studio that work with our team. Jovana (Lead UX Designer, Kroon Studio) guides the design of our application. Petar (UI/UX Designer, Kroon Studio) works with our e-commerce team, and Vlada (UI/UX Designer, Kroon Studio) provides additional UX design work. Dusan (UI/UX Designer, Kroon Studio) collaborates with our marketing team.

How did you come to work with Kroon Studio?

We’d done some projects with Oggy (CEO, Kroon Studio) in the past and knew that he used a fluid and customer-centric project management style. We decided to bring in his team for a more expansive collaboration.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $500,000–$600,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve had people from Kroon Studio working on our teams since 2015.

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

We use a management tool called Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge how customers are responding to our offering. Because we’re a product-driven company, the quality of our app’s UX corresponds to that number, which has been continuously rising since we started working with Kroon Studio. Right now, our NPS is about 50, whereas three years ago, it was in the low-to-mid 30s. This increase is a result of the design enhancements that Kroon Studio has made to our product.

In addition to seeing this score go up, we’ve also received indirect positive feedback through social media. Many users have shared that the app is easy to use.  

How did Kroon Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re organized and committed to keeping their work under budget. Every time the project has been at risk of becoming too costly, they’ve been quick to reach out and explain the situation. Their team is also excellent at understanding and delivering our requirements. In terms of communication and project management tools, we use Slack, ClickUp, and Trello.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Kroon Studio is a core part of our team. They’re invested in our mission, and our people feel that they’re more than just an outsourced arm of our company. That’s the beauty of working with an agency like Kroon Studio. They’ve put in the effort to connect beyond project tasks.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Right now, I can’t think of anything. We believe in rapid feedback, and everything we’ve addressed with them, they’ve improved upon immediately.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time during the discovery phase to explain your internal organizational structure. In our case, we have a strong UX leader and engineering leader in-house. If you don’t have that, be open with Kroon Studio so that they can adapt and deliver what you need in terms of design leadership.

Please describe your company and your position there.

As General Manager of Strategy and Planning, my role includes planning and oversight of new technology development for our real estate asset management portfolio spanning three countries and over 50,000 residential and commercial units.

For what projects/services did your company hire Kroon?

We hired Kroon to do the UX/UI design for our customer engagement app, which included a desktop interface for internal use.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a sleek, user friendly app that would increase the engagement of our customers (community residents), leading them to visit much more frequently than paying bills every 6 months.

How did you select Kroon?

After doing some initial research online, we reached out to a number of agencies and found Kroon to be instantly responsive. After an initial online meeting, we realized they get the project and the team is one we would like to work with.

Describe the project in detail.

We had a series of meetings to explain the complex requirements of this project to the Kroon team. Once that was done we prioritized the desktop version development which had to go through several iterations before proceeding to the mobile app design.

For the mobile app, we spent a month nailing down the overall structure and key UX elements, after which the application of the UX and UI to additional screens happened quickly and we caught up with the project timeline.

What was the team composition?

Our key contact was Jelena who led the project from Kroon's side. Under her we interacted with a lead designer who coordinated with both UX and UI resources.

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

As the app will be launching imminently, we have no statistics to report yet.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Overall the workflow between the Kroon team and us was good. Outputs and communication was managed through online applications for design reviews. The project was done 100% remotely due to being on separate continents, and during COVID meaning that everyone was working from home. Weekly video calls made sure the project is progressing as planned.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team's ability to easily comprehend our complex business requirements and work out a very sensible UX design that is intuitive, simple and scalable. Apart from that, the general friendly nature of the team made getting through this project very pleasant.

Are there any areas for improvement?

One area where I would say more time should be invested is understanding of desktop design, specifically admin interfaces such as CRM systems. Another would be be regular reporting on the resources consumed so that the client is aware of hours left.