Nickelfox

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Optimal Humans, a health and wellness startup. We focus on education and health literacy to improve the health landscape in Australia. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

We needed custom software and mobile app development support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nickelfox built a custom CMS (content management system and designed and developed a mobile app for iOS. These two environments, along with our staging and production environment, all interact with one another. The initial design of the app was done by another vendor, but Nickelfox took over that responsibility as well.

We’re planning on engaging them again for design work to help us go into the corporate market and build a new dashboard for corporate wellness.

What is the team composition?

My primary point of contact was Ravi (CTO), who managed a team of 7–8 people, including designers, developers, and QA people.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

I found Nickelfox through a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent around $200,000 AUD (approximately $136,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2019–June 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Nickelfox delivered what I asked for. We’re currently testing the app with a small market, and we got 300 downloads and a five-star rating on the Apple App Store. So far, users have been blown away by the app’s outstanding UI/UX and look and feel. I really appreciated Nickelfox’ ability to take my product to market without bugs.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

Nickelfox performed well in terms of project management. They consistently delivered on time. There were a few times when we went over our deadline because of unforeseen issues, but they made sure to inform us early on so we always knew what to expect. They also took the initiative to make sure that things moved forward without me having to push things forward, which I really appreciated. Ravi made sure to explain every part of the process to me and clearly communicate my ideas with the team so nothing was lost in translation.

We mostly used Jira and Google Sheets to track our tasks. We also had weekly meetings to go over the previous week’s accomplishments and plans for the next week. Overall, it was a smooth process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Nickelfox went out of their way to be very respectful, polite, and helpful. They were also very easy to communicate with. I was particularly impressed with Ravi because he made the whole thing so much easier for me. He explained complex ideas and concepts in a way that I easily understood. Without him, I don’t think I would have been as confident spending a lot of time and money on this product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to ask as many questions as possible and to take the time to build the relationship. They would be happy to go above and beyond to help you in any way they could and to deliver on their promises.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder & Managing Director of Crystal Pillar

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Crystal Pillar is an experienced company that specializes in developing and executing successful strategic quality initiatives for automobile manufacturing industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• The primary objective of the project was to design and develop five IOT based industrial automation solutions as under: 
  1. Vision Gears Dimension Inspection Machine 
  2. Vision Model Sorting Machine 
  3. Vision Retainer Inspection Machine 
  4. Maintenance Software 
  5. Measurement Software
• These solutions would be integrated with our existing hardware (industrial machines) that could streamline the production process, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
• The software solution would include features such as real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated quality control to ensure that the manufactured parts meet the required standards.

SOLUTION

How did you find Nickelfox?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Nickelfox over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• High quality software solution

How many teammates from Nickelfox were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with Nickelfox?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The scope of the project was to work on Industrial Automation 4.0 and develop five software solution that could optimize the process of manufacturing automobile parts. The following are the project steps that were followed to achieve this objective: 

1. Requirement gathering: In this phase, the team collaborated with us to understand the business requirements, production process, and expectations from the software solution. 
2. Planning and design: Based on the requirements, the team created a detailed project plan and designed the software architecture, including the database schema, API design, and system flow. 
3. Development and testing: The development phase involved building the software solution using the latest technology stack, including real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated quality control modules. The team performed rigorous testing to ensure that the software was bug-free, and all features were functioning as expected. 
4. Deployment: After thorough testing, the software was deployed on our system, and the team provided technical support to ensure a smooth transition from the existing system to the new solution. 

Key Deliverables: 

1. A comprehensive software platform to optimize the process of manufacturing automobile parts. 
2. Real-time monitoring module to monitor the production process and identify bottlenecks. 
3. Predictive maintenance module to identify and mitigate equipment failure before it occurs. 
4. Automated quality control module to ensure that the manufactured parts meet the required standards.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Measurable Outcomes: 
  1. Reduction in production time: The software solution optimized the production process, thereby reducing the overall production time as under:
     1. Vision Gears Dimension Inspection Machine can check 700 components per hour. 
     2. Vision Model Sorting Machine can check 1000 components per hour. 
     3. Vision Retainer Inspection Machine can check 6000 components per hour. 
  2. Cost savings: By identifying and mitigating equipment failure before it occurs, the solution saved costs associated with equipment repair or replacement. 
  3. Improved product quality: The automated quality control module ensured that the manufactured parts meet the required standards, resulting in improved product quality. 
  4. Real-time monitoring: The real-time monitoring module provided a bird's eye view of the production process, which could help identify bottlenecks and optimize the process.

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

Their team adhered to the one trend of daily stand-up meetings, in which every member of the various teams came up and reported on the progress of the project on a daily basis. This process was beneficial as we could engage with the team and contribute our views to the overall development of the platform. 

They delivered the project milestones timely and had added us to their Slack channel so that we could communicate by message, and Jira was utilized to handle the project. Since Nickelfox used the agile methodology, they frequently demonstrated the features that had been created or designed. All our needs and queries were addressed promptly and the entire project development process was smooth.

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

Aside from providing quality resources with excellent communication, the Nickelfox team takes complete ownership of the product and ensures that the end goal is reached effectively. They also provide insightful recommendations on the product's scalability and foster effortless collaboration to establish a long-lasting partnership.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

Despite the possibility of limited overlapping working hours between our respective time zones, their team has proven to be a valuable and efficient collaborator.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of a sustainable energy company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are engaged in advancing the use of heat sources to repower coal, which represents the most significant opportunity for carbon abatement globally and the most feasible means of hastening the shift towards sustainable energy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Nickelfox was contracted to provide website development services using Microsoft's "Power App" product. The objective was to create a website with a minimalist design and improved user experience, allowing us to present information regarding our organization's work in repowering coal plants quickly and with reduced risk.
• Additionally, we aimed to launch the web portal during the COP 27 event in 2022, and we had a very short window to finish the project.

SOLUTION

How did you find Nickelfox?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Nickelfox over others?

• High ratings
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Nickelfox’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

Nickelfox assisted us in the development of the front end of our website by utilizing Microsoft Power Pages. We shred the Desktop and mobile designs with Nickelfox for implementation. Our technology stacks included HTML, CSS, and JS for front-end development and Figma for UI design. Tech Stacks: - Front end development :- HTML, CSS & JS Microsoft Power Pages UI design:- Figma

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Nickelfox team has created a platform that is easy to use and seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Power Pages to ensure that the website adheres to the brand guidelines and has a well-designed look. Customers, both current and potential, have been impressed with the platform's technical flexibility, which has resulted in no system bugs or downtime. Its reliability and solid performance have been consistently excellent.

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

The Nickelfox team has created a user-friendly platform that is both seamless and visually appealing, adhering to brand guidelines and designed with Microsoft Power Pages. The solution's flexibility has been positively received by both current and potential customers, with no technical issues or system downtime experienced thus far. The platform has consistently performed in a solid and reliable manner.

What was your primary form of communication with Nickelfox?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Nickelfox ensured the successful accomplishment of the project's ultimate objective by providing top-notch resources, excellent communication, and taking full responsibility for the product. Throughout the process, they offered valuable feedback on various UI designs and presented alternative and practical solutions to address the problem statements.

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

We had a fantastic experience with them and are currently collaborating with them. We are optimistic that we will have the opportunity to work together again on a substantial improvement to the product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a company providing a gifting platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

When we were launching the company, we knew that we needed technical resources to help us build our product itself.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Nickelfox helped us build our MVP. Since then, we’ve been continuously working together on developing our full product — they’ve become our development team. As for the technology stack, our platform is basically a web app and uses Next.js as the web framework, React for the administration panel, Golang for the backend, MySQL for the database, and Google Cloud as the server.

Our platform has three core features that Nickelfox has helped us develop and make our product unique. Firstly, the backend has the backbone of our recommendation engine. On it, we can attribute all the products that we bring into our catalog, take those attributes, and match them with filters based on the occasion and the relationship between the gift giver and receiver.

Secondly, our platform has an integrated data-collection feature that can be triggered by gift-givers and receivers. It helps us learn more about gifting occasions and ensure our engine is giving them the right recommendations. Thirdly, the platform has a UI with a lot of attributes, where users can choose from a lot of options to find the right products and gifts.

What is the team composition?

We work with a core team of seven people from Nickelfox, including a project manager, a designer, two frontend developers, two backend developers, and a QA engineer.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

A friend of mine had used Nickelfox to build her MVP and the product prototype for her company, so she recommended them. Although we evaluated several other providers, we liked Nickelfox the best. They understood our requirements and explain them back to us so that we were certain that they had understood what we were trying to build correctly.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2021, launched the MVP by the end of 2021 for the holidays, and launched the full product in June 2022. Our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Nickelfox has helped us develop a platform with an amazing UI and a rich set of attributes, meeting our expectations. So far, we’ve had 15,000 users using it, and we’ve driven around $650,000 in product discovery, which is a very important metric for us. Although it is not a surprise, we’ve seen those metrics accelerate in the last two weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

Nickelfox’s project management has been very good, and they’ve been great at meeting our requirements. They’re also very responsive. For example, if we deploy something and need support over the weekend, they’re always happy to help us.

Moreover, Nickelfox’s communication has been great. We have daily or every-other-day standup meetings via Microsoft teams, and we use Slack as our primary form of communication. Additionally, we use Jira for project management. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The strength we like about Nickelfox the most is their ability to understand our requirements. Additionally, their entire team is outstanding. Their frontend and backend lead developers are very strong, and they always come to the table with solutions to our requests and creative ways to solve problems. Overall, our relationship has been very good from the beginning.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. They’ve been able to come to the table with everything we needed and meet our expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very organized and transparent bout your expectations, and ensure you have a good standard operating procedure for documenting the sprints and the work being done. Additionally, have clear expectations for timelines.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a guided self-care and self-help platform and community. We aim to reduce anxiety and stress for women across the country. We also have various functions in our app that promote daily personal well-being from the comfort of home.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

We launched a physical product at a Facebook group to test whether we wanted to build our own social network. Since the Facebook group was a success, we needed a development team to create our mobile app properly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially engaged with Nickelfox for iOS development. Then, we realized that some of our customers were Android users, so we also developed an Android app. We provided Nickelfox with designs, and they developed everything from scratch. They used Swift, Node.js, and a few other technologies.

Currently, we continue to work with them in a great capacity. The team still manages our maintenance and development. Additionally, they’ve built an internal CMS that allows our customer care team and other stakeholders to manage moderation and post creation in the app.

What is the team composition?

We work with their iOS and Android engineers. At any given point, we have 5–8 team members involved. Additionally, we connect regularly with the founder and project management team to check in.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

We found them through a referral.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2020, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Nickelfox has done an excellent job. We have well above 30,000 monthly active users, and they’ve been able to scale with us. Moreover, we’re happy to share that we have 4.9 stars on the App Store and 3.6 on Google Play.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Jira for project management and mainly communicate through Slack, Zoom, email, and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their main strength is that they really embody partnership. Nickelfox’s ownership mentality is truly unparalleled. We never feel that they’re an agency; we see them as an extension of our team. We can give them constructive feedback, and they have a positive growth mindset and eagerness to learn. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could broaden their reach if they had more people working in different time zones. The only delays we’ve had haven’t been due to their work ethic; they’re because we’re in the US, and they’re in India. Otherwise, our only constructive feedback is to maintain the caliber and quality of their work and invest in their employees’ learning so they continue to grow.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have clear goals for what you want. Additionally, empower the team to feel ownership by involving them in non-technical conversations so the developers feel connected to the project. Overall, you should feel confident enough to talk to Nickelfox; they’re great at understanding and fixing problems.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

HopBike is an affordable mobility solution that runs an electric bike-sharing network. It is an IoT- enabled GPS-based On-demand solution that allows users to identify available bikes around their location to rent and ride. The app is an alternative to public transit services that allows smooth mobility services by providing hop on – hop off rental services. As a founder, my key roles involve overall strategy conceptualization and getting the same implemented.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I was looking for a credible agency with relevant experiences and found that Nickelfox had a great understanding of the concept and has already worked on GPS and on-demand capabilities so it was a great match. Additionally, Nickelfox had a solid understanding and experience with 3rd party integrations so the primary goals were achieved quite successfully.

SOLUTION

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

Nickelfox was shortlisted based on their proven expertise in enabling UX. We visited their portfolio over clutch and dribble and found them quite impressive. The primary factor in shortlisting them was their expertise and adaptation to User Experience which was very essential for a consumer-facing product. We Also considered their relevant historical experiences in dealing with such concepts and their capability to maintain accuracy and consume third-party services and integrations.

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

The scope of work was to create an ecosystem that has native mobile apps and a couple of web-based dashboards that could cover the operation and the admin side of the business.

Deliverables:

• Native Android app
• Python Backend
• Web Admin and Operations dashboards

Steps followed:

• Project planning
• Iterative Development sprints
• Automation QA & Reviews
• DevOps (CI/CD)
• Deployment, Knowledge transfer, and Support

Technology used:

• AWS
• Node.JS
• Kotlin Native

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

The Nickelfox team included the following members:

• 1 Project manager: Overall project management and deliverables, along with team coordination
• 1 Senior Android developer
• 1 Mid-senior Android developer
• 1 Senior Backend developer
• 1 Frontend Developer
• 1 DevOps Engineer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Project is successfully running in multiple cities and the code base is quite satisfactory as we have received minimal complaints on the performance side. A credible outcome is that we are taking this even one step further and by using the available technology and we are spreading our mission of lowering carbon emissions. The technology has already helped to solve the ‘first mile, last mile problem.

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

The Nickelfox team follows Agile methodology and has followed standard practices like scrum/stand-ups/Reporting and Retrospectives. The team used JIRA as the project management tool which enabled a fully transparent system for all the stakeholders. The Project management was done by certified project managers so the resources deputed were quite aware of their concept and impressed everyone with their abilities.

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

Following are a few unique points about the engagement:

• Adherence to coding Standards
• Good balance between price and Quality
• Use of automation tools for deployment and testing
• The team was up-to-date and in sync with the latest technologies and trends
• Great attention to UX/CX aspects

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

I would recommend the team to start offering Digital marketing services so that they could become a one-stop shop and everything could be covered by this incredible partner.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a software company that provides software development services to companies in India and the US. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

Nickelfox provides us with staff to augment our projects. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nickelfox has worked with us on more than seven projects, working on designing and developing software for several tools. Their team does end-to-end development. We utilize resources that work in React.js, Node.js, React Native, and Python. Their designers use Flutter for web and mobile app design. Their team also provides us with teammates who handle QA. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with developers, designers, and QA teammates. 

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

A mutual acquaintance connected us. We were looking for a vendor that could onboard resources with varied software expertise. 

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested more than $200,000 and will probably end up investing upwards of $900,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership began in September 2020. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve fostered a long-term partnership with Nickelfox; our partnership is a win-win. They have the flexibility to provide teammates to ramp our projects up or down. Their team is very efficient, which allows us to quickly deliver projects for our customers. 

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

Nickelfox’s team is very responsive, following our underlying communication protocols. We usually use email and some internal communication channels. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Nickelfox consistently focuses on improving their skills — they’re able to implement any requirements and requests assigned to them. Their team is flexible, making coordinating with their remote team very effective. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our engagement would be more effective if Nickelfox came on-site. However, we’re in a pandemic, and their team is working well remotely. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t have any specific advice, but I can say Nickelfox is good at executing any project a customer provides. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

BainBridge Navigation is primarily engaged in offering customized and efficient fleet solutions to clients across the spectrum by providing cost-effective and safe transportation of commodities to various destinations around the world. We have a network of dedicated service providers and partners, a fleet of stellar ships, and a robust system to assure quality service. My role is to plan and direct all aspects of the organization’s policies, objectives and initiatives in South East Asia Region

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking for an internal fleet management solution that helps in keeping track of the entire lifecycle of a container ship with us. From onboarding a new ship, managing clearance, billing and tracking of carriers in transit. We had deliverables, consisting of designs and development of a web-based tool for our internal team. The main goal of the project was to develop a fleet management system which can be easily integrated with our existing warehouse management and contract management system.

SOLUTION

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

Nickelfox was recommended to us by a common contact, they did go through our evaluation criteria in terms of experience, technical expertise, and reference check. Nickelfox offered a dedicated and committed team at a fair price so their bid was finalized and we are happy that the work went well beyond our expectations.

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

Scope was to develop the web platform for onboarding a new ship when procured, managing all required clearances, billing and tracking of carriers in transit. With a web dashboard for internal team and support staff. Real time fleet tracking on various parameters, to be monitored dedicated staff. All port level clearance are also managed on the platform. Technicians can monitor key areas of concern as per the set paraments and in case of any issue, they can log via the dashboard with detailed remarks and the system notifies all key parties. This tool had to be integrated with our existing warehouse tool and contract/accounting system. Features:

• Web admin platform
• Cloud, server and security
• Access management
• Project documentation
• Integration with internal systems
• Report generation

Process followed:

• Discovery sprint & Project planning
• Wireframing, prototyping & design
• Iterative Development sprints
• Iterative QA & Reviews
• Deployment, Knowledge transfer, and Support

Technology used:

• Python
• Django
• React JS
• AWS Could
• SQL Database

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

Nearly 10 team members were deployed.

• 1 Sr Project manager responsible for overall project management and deliverables
• 1 Business Analyst
• 2 UI/UX Designers
• 1 Technical Architect
• 3 Front end
• 2 Sr Backend Developers
• 1 QA
• 1 Devops Engineer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform which has been designed and developed by the Nickelfox team was seamlessly integrated with our existing systems, which was one of main concerns. The user-friendly dashboards were helpful for our team members to use the new system. Thier training and learning curve on the new system was smooth. We have considerably reduced the time required for various clearance and internal contract approvals.

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

Their team followed the one trend of daily stand-up meetings where every member from the different team comes up and tells the status of the project on a daily basis. It helps us to get involved in every task and to put our thoughts into the process as well. To communicate via message they have added us to their MS Teams channel and for project management Jira tool was used. Their team followed the agile methodology and frequent demos were organized. Due to their style of work we had clarity on the progress and we could also timely adjust our expectations and business roadmap.

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

Their thorough discovery sprint helped us find potential areas of concern and plug-in resolutions in the user flow. The project managers at Nickelfox is very cooperative, always ready to listen to our concerns and we were always informed about the updates of the project.

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

Nothing much. It would be better if they had better estimates for the QA, deployment and handover timelines.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Trainman is an all-in-one train ticket booking platform that provides a one-stop solution for Booking Train Tickets online, for checking PNR status and predicting 94% accuracy of Ticket confirmation status before booking on waitlisted tickets.

As the CEO, my role is to plan and direct all aspects of the organization’s policies, objectives and initiatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Nickelfox?

We were looking for a pool of resources to work with us remotely as a virtual extension to our existing team. Nickelfox provided us with the appropriate development team to help scale our product.

The main goal of the engagement was to scale up our iOS App development and backend capabilities to delivers cost-effective services and streamline online train ticket booking process.

SOLUTION

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

We received a recommendation for Nickelfox via a mutual acquaintance. They met all of our requirements for experience, technical proficiency, and reference checks. Because of their team's commitment, quality of resources and competitive rates, Nickelfox's bid was accepted, and we are pleased that the work far exceeded our expectations.

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

We worked with Nickelfox on an open-ended scope through a monthly retainer model under staff augmentation for the backend and development of iOS app for our product.

Deliverables:

• iOS app

Python Backend Steps followed:

• Project planning
• Iterative Development sprints
• Iterative QA & Reviews
• Deployment, Knowledge transfer

Support Technology used:

• AWS
• Python - Django
• Node JS
• iOS- Swift

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

We shared JD for both the profiles with the Nickelfox team. They recommended a pool of 6-7 candidates. Our technical and HR team then conducted 3-4 round of interviews before finalizing the team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The iOS App that the Nickelfox team created is fluid and bug free that aided in quick onboarding of our users and support staff. Their backend developer, project manager and Devops Engineer worked together to help quickly delivery key modules and micro services.

These efforts resulted in a backend infrastructure making the ticket booking process faster, which was our primary objective for the engagement. The turnaround time for reported issues has been significantly shortened.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their team followed the Agile methodology and adhered to the one trend of daily stand-up meetings, in which every member of the various teams came up and reported on the progress of the project. They had added us to their Slack channel so that we could communicate by message, and Jira was utilized to handle the project.

Their team's project management style is pragmatic and structured which was beneficial to us as we could engage with the team and contribute our views to the overall development of the platform.

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

Nickelfox’s coding standards were at power and helped to improve our internal processes. In addition to having good communication skills, the team was able to produce quality work while adhering to deadlines. They made good use of the project management tools and communicated openly to ensure transparency.

By effectively assimilating with internal resources, they enable seamless collaboration and support a lasting partnership. Overall, they were incredibly professional.

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

Although the team could be more available to work from our offices, they’ve been an understanding and effective partner.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of WD Creative Collective. My wife and I started the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Nickelfox?

During the pandemic, couples needed to find a way to get married remotely and have their guests participate in the wedding. Couples didn’t want to get married on Zoom because it felt cold. We wanted to create an app that allowed couples to share their big day in a personalized way with many features that made it feel like a wedding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Nickelfox provided mobile app development services. Zoom is for business meetings, but our iOS app was customized for weddings. One component was live streaming so couples could share their big day with their friends and family around the world. Before the livestream, there was an exclusive content feature where guests could learn about the couple and see their favorite photos and videos. Also, there were a lot of design details. Nickelfox worked closely with our creative director to bring a wedding card to life, online invitations that look like invitations, and a preview feature like a photo trailer before the livestream.

Additionally, the guests could upload photos to say congratulations. We wanted people to have a way of sharing the videos, and the videos would play during the reception so couples could see their loved ones. It was like a guestbook for life, a small detail that made it personal. Nickelfox also built a registry function. Overall, the application emulated the idea of a hybrid wedding where remote people didn’t feel left out, not only during the day but beforehand.

What is the team composition?

We worked with the two founders, a project manager, a developer, and a designer.

How did you come to work with Nickelfox?

Our creative director found them on Dribbble. We met with the company’s founders and enjoyed meeting them. We interviewed three vendors, and they were the best ones. They were professional, technical, and cost-effective.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the app together from May 2020–May 2021. Now, we work with them on other projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They brought our app to life in a beautiful way. Nickelfox did a good job taking our vision and making a warm and personalized app, unlike what was out in the market. Many couples got married using the app, and the guests were happy to be part of a wedding that otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to attend. People responded positively to the app.

On the other hand, every software has bugs, but they dealt with them efficiently, professionally, and quickly. Moreover, most of the bugs were solved before we went live.

How did Nickelfox perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was excellent. We used Google Meet and emails to communicate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their project management was outstanding.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need to define the look and feel of the app before engaging with them. Meet the team and have them work on a small project to get comfortable with their work style. Since they’re overseas, you must get to a natural rhythm with the team before ramping up to take on bigger projects.