Peppernode

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Director of Strategic Growth

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

A trusted digital product partner to world-renowned enterprises and fast-growing businesses globally. We empower forward-thinking leaders to bring impactful ideas to digital reality through partnership, creativity, and innovation. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• To develop a service ordering platform to improve our company's operations

SOLUTION

How did you find Peppernode?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Peppernode over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Peppernode were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The goal was to develop a web application from the ground up, also integrating a checkout system. We chose the following tech stack: React.js for the frontend, Python and Django for the backend, and PostgreSQL for the database. AWS was used for the infrastructure, with GitHub Actions handling CI/CD.

The core features of this project included:

• A service ordering interface for clients, featuring instant project cost calculation with custom inputs, order placement, file uploading, project tracking, file downloading, and purchase management.
• A project management interface for our project managers, which included project status monitoring, assignments, report creation, and document/contract management.
• A secure checkout payment system with Stripe integration.
• Development tools and Slack and Jira integrations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were more than delighted with the outcome of our collaboration. The product was delivered in five months, which fully met our expectations. We appreciated their transparent, straightforward, and honest style of collaboration. This project has significantly enhanced our client satisfaction and the overall quality of project delivery, allowing us to save on operational costs and improve visibility over the projects in progress. 

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

Our primary communication channels with Peppernode included Slack, Jira, and video calls for status updates, progress tracking, and feedback. Overall, communication was smooth and efficient.

What was your primary form of communication with Peppernode?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

First of all, they are not afraid to provide honest feedback and suggestions, which have a truly valuable impact on the final state of the project. Thanks to their previous experience, they alert us to potential pitfalls that are not immediately obvious, helping us avoid repeating mistakes. 

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

Nothing crucial. Since we are from similar domains, we understood all the risks and were prepared to both answer questions and ask them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Reexia Limited

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company creates specialised solutions to help professionals in specific areas of their business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Create a bespoke B2B emailing platform

SOLUTION

How did you find Peppernode?

Online Search

Why did you select Peppernode over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Peppernode were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The goal was to create a bespoke emailing platform to help sales organisations automate their clod outreach, follow ups, and ultimately, uncover sales opportunities.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Weekly meetings with their project manager
• review of goals, timeline and budget

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

As for every development project, variations are to be espected. Our needs evolved and so did the timelines. 

The peppernode Team were absolutely brilliant:

• they stuck to their budget, even thought the project was more difficult than originally anticipated from their end. They did not charge extra
• they went above and beyond to debug sticking situations (sometimes working during the night)
• they were (are) very good at communicating progress through emails and weekly meetings

What was your primary form of communication with Peppernode?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their dedication and professionalism. I was originally sceptical about working with an external company for our system, worried I would get charged beyond the estimated budget but Peppernode was absolyely brilliant. There was no surprise other than positive ones.

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

Honnestly, none, I was very pleased with their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Head of Direct marketing channel of a software company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

A software product company that creates no-code business automation solutions, from document workflows and contracts to eSignatures and payments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• We sought Peppernode's expertise to develop a robust solution for managing, storing, and creating HTML email templates efficiently. Our primary objectives were to streamline our email marketing process, enhance template customization capabilities, and improve overall campaign effectiveness.

SOLUTION

How did you find Peppernode?

Referral

Why did you select Peppernode over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Other

How many teammates from Peppernode were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The scope of work included: 

• Comprehensive analysis of our existing email template management process. 
• Development of a scalable, user-friendly platform for email template management and customization.
• Integration of the new system with our existing email marketing tools and databases. 
• Implementation of a template versioning system to track changes and updates.
• Training for our marketing team on using the new system. 

Key deliverables were the completed software solution, documentation, and training materials for our team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Post-implementation, we observed a 30% reduction in time spent managing and customizing email templates. Our email campaign setup process became 50% faster, and our engagement rates improved by 20%, indicating a successful project outcome.

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

Peppernode's project management was exemplary. They maintained a clear and consistent communication line throughout the project, adhering to the agreed timeline and budget. Their responsiveness to our needs and flexibility in adjusting to our feedback were remarkable. They delivered all project milestones on time, often exceeding our expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with Peppernode?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Peppernode was an invaluable partner in enhancing our email marketing capabilities. Their solution has not only met but exceeded our expectations, significantly improving our operational efficiency and campaign effectiveness.

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

Area for improvement could be the initial onboarding process. A more detailed initial workshop to align all team members on both sides with the project's technical aspects and objectives could have streamlined the early stages of the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of Upplabs

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At UppLabs, we can build your dream software from scratch or strengthen your existing product with our expertise paired with modern technologies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• To add two ReactJS frontend developers to our software development team
• Speed up the development of our platform's UI
• Improve the overall UX of our platform

SOLUTION

How did you find Peppernode?

Uppwork

Why did you select Peppernode over others?

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

How many teammates from Peppernode were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The scope of work included: 

• Collaborating with our in-house team to develop and improve the frontend of our software platform. 
• Implementing new features and enhancements based on our design specifications. 
• Ensuring the platform's responsiveness and compatibility across different devices and browsers. 
• Conducting thorough testing and quality assurance to identify and fix any issues. 

Key deliverables included updated user interface components, improved user experience, and the successful integration of new features into the platform.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Throughout the project, we observed significant progress in terms of frontend development speed and quality. Key outcomes included: 

• Reduced development time for new features and enhancements. 
• Improved user satisfaction and engagement as a result of the enhanced user interface. 
• Fewer frontend-related bug reports from users.

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

Peppernode demonstrated excellent project management skills. They consistently delivered items on time and were highly responsive to our needs. Their communication was clear and proactive, ensuring that we were always up-to-date on project status and any potential issues.

What was your primary form of communication with Peppernode?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What impressed us the most about Peppernode was their dedication to understanding our business needs and the seamless integration of their developers into our existing team. They quickly adapted to our workflows and were proactive in suggesting improvements. Their commitment to delivering high-quality code and their ability to meet deadlines consistently were also highly commendable.

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

Not really. Maybe more speed or capacity but it's hard to judge what is fast with such complex work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-founder of a startup focused on dine-in mobile ordering and payments SaaS for restaurants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had wireframes and front-end only components of the web app we wanted to build. We hired Peppernode to build out the full stack application.

SOLUTION

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

We sent out an RFP on UpWork, receiving almost 30 responses. We interviewed 7 developers, ultimately selecting Peppernode. Not only had Peppernode worked on a similar project before, but they had solid prior work for us to evaluate and were extremely direct and clear about their understanding of our requirements and what they were capable of.

Their price also struck us as the best value for money. They also emphasized speed which was a key consideration for us.

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

They built out a Django-based web application essentially from scratch. We had prebuilt front-end components, but they re-wrote a lot of it, making the final result much smoother. Front end components were in Next and React. Hosting via AWS. Features and tasks included:

• backend built from scratch
• connect front end to backend
• Mobile-optimized ordering and payments web app
• desktop/tablet-optimized restaurant dashboard web app
• QR code generator and table manager
• live order summary with detailed order tickets
• menu builder with image support, multi-level hierarchy, drag-and-drop support, real-time publishing to customer mobile web app
• settings control panel with multiple conditional switches
• account creation and access control
• sound notifications
• Stripe Connect integration

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

3. Two people to interface with us, plus one full time engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The full product was delivered quickly, operated smoothly, and had limited bugs. Peppernode responded to feedback quickly and communicated with us effectively.

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

Communication via slack, notion, and video chat. Direct and efficient management style. Clear about what can and cannot be done within a given time frame.

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

We liked their balance of speed and quality, as they provided good value for our money. Direct communication style.

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

Project was slightly over time and budget, but within the world of software development, this was acceptable and the quality of the final product was high. The timing and budget overrun was minimal.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and an executive of a company that provides consumer tech software to customers with their own businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with peppernode?

We needed help building our software from ground zero, which was not easy because we needed an interface that would be easy to use for our customers. 

Our previous software only allowed us, the admin, to create customize the solution for the customer. We needed this new system to be intuitive and easy to use for people who aren’t technologically savvy.

The second challenge was to have enough flexibility for our product to be scalable for many different customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

peppernode helps us with everything on the software side, providing a range of services. They developed our website and our web application from scratch. In the beginning, we gave them a scoping document describing exactly how our platform would work and shared our Figma file. 

From there, they developed the backend and then built the interface that allows users to customize our software for their business. They added features that enable our customers to log in and edit their accounts. The peppernode team used Python and JavaScript for development. 

They also participated in the UI/UX side of things, helping us and giving us feedback. We made some critical changes to the UI/UX with their support. 

For our website, the team set our landing page. They’ve also helped us add features to our web app, such as an analytics dashboard. Currently, they’re still providing support for our web application.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with two frontend developers and one backend developer.

How did you come to work with peppernode?

Before I joined, they were already my company’s development partner; we most likely found them on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of peppernode’s work has been incredible. Their high-quality solutions are why we’ve continued to work and invest with them. The team has put in the effort and the hours, and we’re very happy with their performance. 

Moreover, they work quickly. We need to show our customers a constantly improving product, and whenever we need to add features out of the blue, the peppernode team helps us. Overall, they’ve done excellent work.

We do sensitive work; our customers want the system to be up at all times, even when we’re updating the software, and peppernode has ensured that uptime for us. Feedback from our customers has been positive. Some users have been so pleased that they’ve posted about the software on their social media.

How did peppernode perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a really good job with project management. We had very tight deadlines, and they always met them. 

The team has also helped us figure out how long things take to have better project management. We’re always up to par — we promise the customers something, and peppernode delivers on time.

We mostly talk on Slack, and we use Figma and Notion to collaborate. The team responds quickly at any time of the day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The peppernode team goes above and beyond. I’ve worked with developers in the past, and no one has had as much oomph as peppernode. The team suggests things themselves, trying to fill the gaps when necessary. 

peppernode always rises to the challenge. There are often delays when working with other developers, whereas peppernode delivers ahead of time while helping us course-correct if necessary.

They do super well with extra quality and reliability; they always deliver something dependable. Additionally, they have a nice speed to work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of that they need to change; we’ve been pretty happy so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to communicate what you want clearly so that the team knows, which we’ve prioritized a lot in our partnership with peppernode. You have to tell them your vision for your product and communicate it effectively.

Also, listen to peppernode’s feedback. When your developer tells you that something wouldn’t work and why, listen and take their viewpoints into account, and you’ll end up with a better product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a software development company, and I’m a manager here.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with peppernode?

We needed an automated QA testing setup for both stress and reversion testing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They automated around a dozen of our workflows through custom software. They’re also part of the consulting process where we analyze the data we get from using the platform.

What is the team composition?

I’ve been working with both co-founders — it’s a small operation.

How did you come to work with peppernode?

I found them at Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $30,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2021, and the engagement is ongoing — we have them on retainer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have loved working with them so far; their quality of work and attention to detail are excellent. peppernode also helped us with some of the project’s scope and didn’t even charge extra for it — they’re a cool company. We’ve sped up our processes, and the amount of time we’re saving is large.

How did peppernode perform from a project management standpoint?

peppernode adapted to our ecosystem and use our project management tools. They’re also great at solving complex problems if they do arise. I expect to work with them for many years — I’m glad I chose them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re professional and great at running with the project without needing to micromanage them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

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

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder and CEO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have a relatively complex, pre-release, React Native app and we need an experienced QA Automation Engineer who can design and implement a set of automated front end tests. Initial contract is for the creation of these tests but we may need some ongoing work. Your choice of tools. We suggest Appium and BrowserStack but are quite flexible if you have more experience with another tool. Strong experience with test automation frameworks for mobile apps is essential. Experience with device farms is desirable. An NDA will be required as the app is a brand new B2C product in the restaurants & cafes market.

SOLUTION

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

Found them online via a freelancer platform. They responded to our job request - we looked at many (10's) of proposals and they had the best match of skillset at an affordable cost

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

Deliver automated end-to-end testing of a complex IOS and Andriod app into our Dev Ops CI pipeline. Analyse the app, setup BrowserStack and Appium with web driver IO. Create full regressions scripts to test the app on multiple devices, including web views.

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

We worked with Illia, their top test automation expert.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered several automated test packs which fit in to our dev ops piplines

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

Very easy to communicate with - we used Slack. We paid for their time, so work descriptions and goals were managed on the fly. It was like their top test automation expert became a member of our own team.

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

Illia - great guys, super smart, easy to deal with - very helpful.

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

Not really. Maybe more speed or capacity but it's hard to judge what is fast with such complex work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Deputy Director of a construction company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company specializes in the construction and implementation of complex residential and commercial real estate projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Peppernode to accomplish?
develop a custom property management system

SOLUTION

How did you find Peppernode?

offline conference

Why did you select Peppernode over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Peppernode were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

The goal was to develop a comprehensive web application to streamline property management, gain effortlessly data-driven insights, and ensure the scalability of the solution alongside the company's ongoing growth. The selected tech stack included React.js, Python with FastAPI, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB hosted on AWS infrastructure. 
Given the complex purposes of the software, we faced challenges such as integrating the new solution with our current finance management software and CRM. We worked according to a plan we crafted together from the project's outset. The first stage involved scoping, wireframing, and UI/UX design, and then we proceeded to iterative software development. After the development phase concluded, we conducted another round of UAT and currently maintain a support model as we educate our team and assess further needs.
By the end of the development, we had created a system that included a comprehensive database with detailed property descriptions, images, videos, and virtual tours, with advanced search and filtering options. We also implemented custom integration with our CRM and features for managing potential and existing customer interactions, tracking payments and deposits, and generating general reports.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This software has enabled us to begin transitioning away from market solutions, resulting in significant savings on operational costs. The initial impression has been very positive, although we acknowledge that the challenging period of adapting to new software still lies ahead. Regarding Peppernode’s impact, we are very satisfied with their work.

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

We maintained constant communication with the team, who dedicated significant time and effort to ensure we felt supported and at ease. The communication was always timely, and we established from the outset how and how often it should occur. We used Google Meet, Slack, and Jira for communication and efficient project management.

What was your primary form of communication with Peppernode?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We appreciated their client-centric approach, their attention to detail, and their fast reaction.

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

Nothing is popping up. We’re satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive of the company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Procurement and vendor management software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Prototype the product
• Add new features

SOLUTION

How did you find Peppernode?

• Online Search
• Other

Why did you select Peppernode over others?

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

How many teammates from Peppernode were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The Peppernode team started with a redesign and redevelopment of our existing platform, and successfully completed it while updating the architecture and adding new features. Later due to evolving business needs, they did a complete rewrite of the platform and made it much faster and scalable.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Timely delivery Platform performance Error rate

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

Yes, the team was always on time with the various milestones of the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Peppernode?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They delivered a high quality and bug free product. They are very responsive to feedback, they take ownership of their work, communicate well and are overall a pleasure to work with.

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

No, they fully met our expectations.