Linkup ST

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of a financial technology startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire this vendor?

We needed design and development services for our platform.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to execute the initial release for the platform.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The six-month project requires the team to leverage various design and development skill sets. We hired them via recommendations and a thorough interview process.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

We are collaborating with LinkUp Studio to create mockups and a more advanced UX/UI.

What was the team composition?

We work with resources for design, frontend development, backend development, QA, and DevOps.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

LinkUp Studio has met all deliverables and timelines. They’ve enabled us to expedite our product to market. The team also adapts to last-minute features and proactively suggests solutions.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it? Did you use any specific project management tools?

The team is always responsive. We communicate daily via Slack and hold weekly video meetings.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are professional and solve problems in a proactive manner. The team regularly thinks “outside the box.”

Are there any areas where they could improve?

Most team members have strong English skills, but there’s a slight language barrier with others. As a result, we’ve had to make tedious content corrections.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the COO of a startup-focused organization. We partner with and build new companies and applications for a variety of sectors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LinkUp Studio?

We needed a mobile development partner with experience building applications that would run on both Android and iOS platforms.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re working together to build a social networking application in the sports space. They offered a few different options to build the app, as well as design services to realize our vision. The bulk of their involvement is in the development of both the web version and the mobile versions for iOS and Android, including work with UI/UX. They helped with our testing phase and the review process as we launch new updates to the app.

What is the team composition?

I meet with the mobile and web developer daily, the owner and lead of the company weekly, and the design lead a couple of times a week.

How did you come to work with LinkUp Studio?

A friend of mine worked with them in the past and recommended them. We instantly hit it off and decided to work together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere near $30,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started talking with them in February or March 2018. The build began in June, and we launched in August 2018. They still work with us to add new features.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still in very early stages, so we don’t have any concrete statistics to underline the success of the application yet. That said, we wouldn’t have a mobile platform without their help, and their impact on our business is huge.

How did LinkUp Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They are very professional and communicative, and the engineers and other team members are all high-quality. Much of our interaction is by phone and email, though we use project management tools as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their hearts are invested in the project. The partnership feels much stronger than it would with other subcontractors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No; I have nothing I would ask them to differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with any vendor, be specific and pay attention to your project. They have a good set of resources, so as long as you have a clear vision of your application and communicate your ideas, they will serve you well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO at an advertising company. We develop a variety of on- and offline software for mobile devices and desktop computers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LinkUp Studio?

We needed to build a solution for a new client. We were looking for assistance with developing the software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LinkUp Studio is developing two apps using React Native. The first app is a cryptocurrency cloud mining portal for both mobile and web-based devices. The second app is a cryptocurrency investments portal. They’re working on a mobile version and a browser-based web application. So far, they’ve completed one of the projects and handed it over to my team for finalizations. They’re currently finishing up the second project.

What is the team composition?

We speak directly with their programmers and developers. On occasion, I interact with the CEO.

How did you come to work with LinkUp Studio?

I searched Upwork for agencies that specialized in React technology. Initially, I chose a different vendor, but that didn’t end well. I revisited the Upwork list and found LinkUp Studio. They had good rankings and offered an acceptable price.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018, and it’s an ongoing partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We plan to launch both products by November 2018. LinkUp Studio’s coding was good. They’re very collaborative and responsive. Their future clients will be happy with the quality of their work. Overall, they’re capable of delivering on their promises.

How did LinkUp Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Rather than working with an assigned project manager, we collaborated to coordinate tasks. Their team is built on a horizontal structure, which allows us to interact directly with the developers.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The LinkUp Studio team was prompt, knowledgeable, and reasonably priced. They’re highly communicative, making for a smooth collaboration. Also, they’re not very arrogant, which is appreciated. We ran into a few conflicts, but we sorted them out quickly and professionally.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they assigned a project manager, they’d be able to secure more clients; it’s an important position to fill. With that said, LinkUp Studio is clear about this from the beginning. If any clients are unhappy because of the team structure, then that's their responsibility, not LinkUp Studio's.

Any advice for potential customers?

I’ve had a good experience with their team. As long as clients know exactly what they want, there won’t be any problems. If a client is unsure, there could be delays to account for the additional decision making. They do have a good UX designer who can help conceptualize the customer-facing side of software projects. Additionally, potential clients should know that they offer a good price for the quality that they deliver.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of 2nd Plate, a food planning and delivery company. Through our website, we enable users to select meals from restaurants ranging in demographics, which we then deliver.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LinkUp Studio?

I needed help building a functional platform for my website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I approached them while the product was still in the idea phase. With my direction, they developed a visual representation of the website and its functionalities. From that point, I provided general feedback on necessary modifications, design changes, or updated functions as they designed and created the site.

What is the team composition?

I generally worked with Andrew (Full Stack Developer, LinkUp Studio) and we would talk once or twice a week to stay up to date on the project’s progress. He introduced me to the rest of the team, but he was who I interacted with the most.

How did you come to work with LinkUp Studio?

I was doing online research into a variety of development companies. I went through a selection process that included a Skype interview and review of relevant work history. Through that process, I decided that LinkUp Studio would be a good fit. I sent them a one-page description of my idea, and they responded with a solid package and business plan for the project. That was what helped me solidify my decision.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $24,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from approximately December 2016–July 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They took my ideas from the conceptual phase and created a versatile platform. We developed such a good working relationship that I still reach out to them with questions or for suggestions on other projects. I enjoyed working with them and plan to use them again in the future.

How did LinkUp Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive and organized. I always knew how the project was progressing and was never left in the dark regarding technical issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have exceptional problem-solving abilities. Whenever I had a complex idea, or we encountered a complicated issue, they found and implemented simple solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be more accurate with timing and cost estimates. We initially agreed on both of those. However, I know that this project was a unique situation because when I approached them, I hadn’t established the full scope of work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have your ideas, business plan, goals, and timelines solidified before approaching them. They will improve on whatever you have, but we would have saved time and money if we hadn’t been creating those as the project progressed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the author of an educational online project for preschool children called "Study-smile.” The purpose of my project was to give children early knowledge in an interesting, accessible way. The project consists of nine online programs in two languages, a large number of printed assignments, and guidelines for parents.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LinkUp Studio?

I hired LinkUp Studio to create a website and program animated online lessons that worked on the browsers of PCs, laptops, and tablets. LinkUp Studio also carried out site analytics, gave instructions on writing texts, set up a payment system, and performed optimization to promote the site on the Internet. We are diligently working now to develop the site and create new products.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of the project is to create a good, high-quality product that will please and benefit both parents and children.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I opted for LinkUp Studio based on the recommendation of one of my site designers. Before that, I scheduled a few talks with freelancers and had one unsuccessful experience with them.

LinkUp Studio also conducted some explanatory conversations and showed me some of their similar work to assure me that they could perform the assigned task. It was important to me that participants displayed initiative, flexibility, and a spirit for success during the work process. That's what I got. I made the decision myself.

Describe the project in detail.

"Study-smile" was completely my idea. My life project is to make children's education fascinating. The basis of this project is to create online assignments that children can independently move by clicking the necessary elements, entering letters, and translating.

We discussed every task with the programmers at LinkUp Studio and created technical tasks for each module. The programmers performed the assigned tasks. I checked them and they made corrections. I can also send questions to the developers and ask them anything about the site at any time of the day, and I get the fastest possible responses. 

I am also the site administrator. The guys taught me how to simplify the use of the site for customers. The programmers at LinkUp Studio provide full technical support of the site, which is important.

What was the team composition?

Initially, several programmers worked with me. Then I was assigned to one developer, who understood and implemented my requests the best.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

The goal of the project was to create a high-quality product that would please and benefit both parents and children. And we succeeded! This site is actively used, and I get a lot of positive feedback every day.

The biggest indicator of the project’s quality is the approval of customers and the subsequent purchase of our products. People do not make one-time purchases. They continue to buy, become regular customers, and lead friends to our site.

Since LinkUp Studio has more computer experience, they give me advice from time to time about features that we could add to the site to increase user loyalty.

How effective was the project management?

At the initial stages of cooperation with LinkUp Studio, we had some misunderstandings. It seemed to me that everything was taking too long, although they assured me that the project was progressing relatively quickly.

The cost of the main work turned out to be more than we originally agreed upon, but the LinkUp Studio employees assured me that this was only a small part of what they can do.

Soon, we found a common language. Now our cooperation is truly coherent and reliable. The time difference does not affect the performance and quality of their execution. Often their programmers respond even it is a day off or a late night, and they do everything possible to help when the issue is urgent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What most impressed me about the LinkUp Studio team was their humanity. I felt that they were truly listening to me, empathizing with me, and trying to understand my needs and position themselves to address them. This was true of all their team members. The second quality was their professionalism and progressiveness. Another was their desire to work and refusal to make excuses. It suits me very much.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

After four years of work on the project, I concluded that it is necessary to discuss the full range of work before giving assignments to specialists and agreeing to implementation. This helps avoid any surprises at the final price and terms of work.

Unfortunately, we had realized that programmers do not fully appreciate the whole amount of work: we agreed at a certain price, but once the work turned out to be more extensive, the price rose. Now I try to formulate tasks more clearly and eliminate questions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the Co-Founder of Nestler, an online rating and review platform for the property rental industry in Australia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LinkUp Studio?

We didn't have any technical experience. We needed a team that could take our ideas and put them into a working product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built our entire custom platform from scratch. They helped us take a wireframe design and build that out into a workable product. The platform is technically multiple websites built on Ruby on Rails. It has a search function, messaging system, and a payment gateway that they created. It’s not quite up and running but it’s close.

What is the team composition?

Our main interface is the CEO.

How did you come to work with LinkUp Studio?

We found them via Upwork, the freelancing website. We interviewed them and a bunch of others. They weren’t the cheapest but they were the ones who most seemed to know what they were doing. We decided that would be the best bet and I’m pretty happy with that so far.

How much have you invested with them?

So far about 30,000 AUD ($23,600 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in August 2017 and it's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The work they've done has been really good. They’ve delivered on milestones and fixed any bugs. We haven’t been able to test the full set of features yet but what we have tested worked almost exactly as we wanted it to work based on a sometimes quite shaky brief from us. They’re very good at taking a semi-ambiguous instruction and turning it into something that works properly.

How did LinkUp Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been good at setting timelines and milestones. We had been meeting once a week. Now we've upped that to twice a week to make sure we're on track with everything and to keep up to date as much as possible as we get closer to the end of the project. We have those meetings as Skype calls but we also chat frequently via Slack. If there are any problems, especially important questions, they’ll ask us about them so we can address them before the regular calls.

The team's good to work with, especially the CEO. He's the one who has the best communication skills but the rest of the team is also pretty good to deal with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They seem quite happy and willing to work towards completion of the project. They’re not just hitting milestones. They want to build to the point where it works.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not off the top of my head.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Definitely work out the milestones and functionality before employing them. I think that's how it goes with any development team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My name is Lisa Tsjin. I am the founder of Travechat, a worldwide travel message board where users can ask any questions they want and get answers from locals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LinkUp?

We found that there was no custom platform for travelers outside of WeChat and WhatsApp, which only connect users to the contacts in their phones.

We saw that there were a lot of travel groups, and many people willing to answer questions, but that no one knew the people inside a group. Our aim was to create a more systematic tool which, after we gathered enough data, would allow you to store and search through questions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Based on my paper wireframes, LinkUp developed our website and our Android and iOS apps. We went through a lot of changes between the idea and the finished product.

The platform allows users to send their questions directly to locals from the places they’re interested in. Anyone with an account on our app can become friends with another user and answer questions from around the world. If someone is traveling to Malaysia for the first time, they can ask a question about the country, and the Malaysians on the platform will be notified to reply instantly.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Andriy Sambir, the CEO of the company, as well as two developers: one for the website and one for the app.

How did you come to work with LinkUp?

They stood out from the other providers we approached. On our first call, they brought their whole team together for a teleconference. I knew that, rather than having a single person build my apps, I would have access to a dedicated team. This was a crucial reason for choosing them. I looked at other freelancers and groups on Upwork, and many of them promised to do the job, but none set up a call like LinkUp.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested around $10,000 in their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with LinkUp in June 2017 and have been working on the project for six months. We launched the MVP version in January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

LinkUp’s designs were a 90% match to my vision. They delivered what I wanted.

Launching the MVP version has been a challenge because of cost, but the result is okay. We’ve organically onboarded 300 users, mostly friends, family, and people attracted from Facebook travel groups. The user count is small, so people don’t expect instant replies, but they’re still using the platform because they support the concept. I’m quite satisfied with this result.

After the MVP gains a presence, it will be easier for us to find investors. They will be able to see that we’ve built a minimal version ourselves, so they will believe in us and help us advertise in the future. We’ve been happy to work with LinkUp so far.

How did LinkUp perform from a project management standpoint?

The timezone difference was a challenge. When we discovered bugs or needed a change, we had to wait 4-5 hours for their team. This made us consider hiring an in-house programmer rather than continuing to outsource them.

We can only communicate in English and don’t come from a tech background, so Slack conversations have been difficult at times. If a client isn’t handling the development themselves, there can be differences between the idea and the finished product.

In one case, the developers made a change to the website without my permission. I could see the effort that they put in, so we were okay with paying another $200 without advance knowledge. They put a lot of effort into the website and wanted it to come out perfectly. After this, we realized that any features they create should be confirmed with us.

Coming to an understanding between parties takes time, especially when outsourcing the work. We devised a solution by writing details in Google Docs spreadsheets, confirming them, and only then starting the job.

We’ve had a lot of discussions and made some changes, which extended the development time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Because we don’t come from a tech background, finding the right development team was crucial. LinkUp Studio gave us the confidence we needed to grow. We work as a single team. I appreciate being treated like a member, rather than a customer.

They understand the difficulties faced by startups and haven’t pushed for the development of more and more features to get our money. We were lucky to choose LinkUp as our first developer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their response times could be improved. They work on weekends, but we sometimes don’t get a reply during those times. Being more responsive would bring us better results.

We currently have six weekly calls to develop a better understanding. We didn’t always do this.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a company offering landscaping and maintenance for burial grounds that, due to various circumstances, would otherwise be left without supervision. Our yearly activities involve cleaning, decorating, and landscaping tombs; cleaning, handling, and maintaining monuments; tending flower gardens; and painting fences. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LinkUp Studio?

I needed a website and a mobile application to support our company. LinkUp Studio provided frontend and backend development and design.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create apps that worked well, met all of our technical requirements, and allowed the possibility of future updates. LinkUp Studio met our objectives perfectly. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A colleague recommended that we contact LinkUp Studio.

Describe the project in detail.

I wanted to create a website and mobile application in a specific area—caring for the graves of foreign relatives in Ukraine. Few people understood the essence of my idea. I needed a provider with a great imagination to create a new solution using my design template, and LinkUp Studio succeeded.

What was the team composition?

We work with three developers and a quality assurance (QA) engineer. The developers are always online to discuss aspects of the project, and the QA engineer produces accurate deliverables. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

We collaborated on every stage of development. LinkUp Studio quickly implemented every new idea I shared. I had some design templates already, but their designer sometimes offered even better solutions. The results of the project were completed professionally and met our original terms and budget.

How effective was the project management?

LinkUp Studio does not provide designated project managers, but I was still able to communicate with the whole team through their project-management system and on weekly calls.

I appreciated not having to pay for an unproductive “yes-man.” By directly communicating with the development team, we minimized potential misunderstandings and had a clear understanding of what we’d accomplished and what challenges we’d be facing in the future.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The LinkUp Studio team is made up of true professionals who are eager to pursue new opportunities. They also think in technical as well as in business terms.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

If you want to make your idea into a reality, I definitely recommend working with LinkUp Studio. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder of ScaleAbout, a company that works with social media influencers who have distribution, outreach, or monetization problems. We have tools that solve these problems by taking their content from social media and spreading it outside the social media and SmartLane. We also are building a marketplace for the fans to connect with their influencers and pay them for services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LinkUp?

We needed frontend and backend development work and we had a deadline. We were looking to outsource a company since we're a startup and lack big resources.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I work with my product manager and my UX/UI designer. I provide specs and screens and then I create small tasks. I go over the task with the developers and schedule a timeline that works for both of us. Once they finish their task, they pass the ticket back to me and I review it. When I have questions, I send it back.

Since I have a technological background it's very easy to work with them. I don't need a project manager from their side.

What is the team composition? 

I work with 3 developers. Usually, I interface with two of them, and one is in the background. 

How did you come to work with them?

I found three good companies and I sent them all the same interview questions. Then I compared their product and pricing and decided that LinkUp is a food fit. I took my chance with them and they were great.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in January 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They met the deadlines and everything went according to my expectations.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

I communicate with them on a daily basis to discuss the progress and the next steps. They're very responsive and great communicators.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated their transparency and their professionalism.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I assume they could have more developers that specialize in more fields. The last developer I used wasn't from them because they didn't have anyone who specializes in what I needed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It's all about communication and expectations. As long as you communicate properly and everything is transparent there shouldn't be any issues. Know what you're looking for and they will develop it for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a GPS-enabled mobile app tour business. We work with a number of cities, hotels, and tour operators to launch iOS and Android apps that feature city guides.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LinkUp Studios?

We had an existing Android app, but they helped create a GPS-enabled version from the ground up.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After we provided the architecture, they ran tests and suggested new features to take advantage of Android’s unique capabilities. They built the app to our specifications, ensuring it matched the corresponding iOS version.

While we launched the app on our own, they assisted with any problems that arose during the submission process.

We do marketing through our WordPress site, and LinkUp helps with that on occasion.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked directly with Andriy Sambir [CEO, LinkUp Studio] in the beginning, and he organized his internal team. Oleks Pochinsky [Developer, LinkUp Studio] serves as our primary developer and we communicate with him weekly.

How did you come to work with LinkUp Studios?

They were referred to us two years ago. We were told they were hardworking, so we decided to give them a try.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We starting working with them in January 2016 and our relationship is ongoing. While our initial project is complete, we hire LinkUp whenever we need an Android app built.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Having an Android app to complement our iOS version has helped our business tremendously, doubling our revenue in the last year. Our investment has already paid off.

How did LinkUp Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

Andriy really focuses on building business relationships, working to ensure the client is happy. We use GitHub for project management and G Suite apps to share documents.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We've worked with developers in the past that have simply walked away from a project. Andriy and his team, however, are committed. They manage our high expectations and have given us a sense of stability we’ve never experienced before.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve worked through a few minor prioritization issues over the course of our long-term partnership. This would be true for most developers, of course, and it's important to communicate through an effective project manager when working with a remote vendor.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with any developer, it helps to have a clear idea of the technologies you want to incorporate. Set clear milestones and objectives. This is how LinkUp prefers to operate, which is why we worked so well together.