Semaphore Mobile

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Community Health Worker (CHW) and the Program Coordinator at a public health agency located in Paris, Texas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to develop a mobile app that highlighted and promoted locations and available activites along a local trail named Trail de Paris. We are a local health dept want to encourage health lifestyles within our community, as well as for visitors to our city. Our goal was to have a user friendly app that showed features along the trail or local sites worth visiting or exploring.

SOLUTION

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

We searched online for developers in our area. We are a small town, so I had to search the Dallas TX area which is approximately 125 miles away. We narrowed it down to two different app developers. We ended up choosing Semaphore Mobile due to their professionalism, friendliness, and previous experience with developing mobile apps.

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

We had several meetings discussing needs & wants of the project. I knew nothing about signing up thru apple and google for web development, but they sent me specific instructions on how to get this signed up and assign access to their team members. They communicated with me frequently to keep me up to date on progress as well as to notify me of what they needed from me.

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

There were about three people that worked closely with me on the project. They were all extremely helpful!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were able to finish the app in time for us to be able to share it with the community on a day celebrating 50 miles of the trail. Our local Chamber of Commerce also wants to share the Active Paris App promotion cards in 2000 new resident welcome packages that will be created at the end of July.

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

The company was very easy to communicate with and very helpful. I am not very tech savvy, however, they were always quick to help.

I developed a very bad case of COVID right after we were starting the project. I was out of the office for 5 weeks straight and I know I caused many delays in the process by not being able to get them the pictures and info they needed. They were EXTREMELY KIND AND PATIENT with me and my circumstances and even demonstrated a true concern for my health. I will not forget the kindness they showed me during this time. They were very responsive and timely throughout the project and were very effective communicators.

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

They were very professional, friendly, and helpful. They were also extremely patient with me while I battled COVID and delayed their progress. I don't know that other companies would have been so kind and understanding. They did an amazing job on the app, and we are pleased with the results. It was exactly what we envisioned and more.

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

I was extremely pleased with this company and will not hesitate to hire them again for future projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of a biometric identification software company. We make sure people are who they say they are by measuring how they draw their password

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our company needed native mobile apps for iOS and Android

SOLUTION

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

Google search and we picked them because the cost was where we wanted and the location of the company

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

We had a meeting to go over the scope and how to achieve a proof of concept. We detailed the features required. A POC was created and built on from there.

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

We worked with a team of 5 and they varied from executives and project managers to designers and developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Came in under budget and were never hard to get in contact and communicate with.

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

They adapted well to our time tables and tools we used for communications. Mostly phone and emails with some messages via Teams.

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

What is most impressive is they were impressive in every measurable way.

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

They failed to wish our CEO a happy birthday. Granted, they had no way of knowing when it was and, in fact, it was even months before we met them, but you cant let logic get in the way of a good story.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the app development director at the Angel Homes Funeral Investment Group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Semaphore Mobile?

We hired Semaphore to build our app. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Semaphore built our app from scratch for both Android and iOS devices. I didn’t provide any pre-built code, but I gave them references in the form of other apps that were similar to what we wanted.

In terms of features and functionality, we wanted the app to allow users to send text messages to multiple people at the push of a button. It also had GPS functionality. The team also designed our website and logo. 

At present, the app and website aren’t live yet, but we’ll be launching them soon.

What is the team composition?

I work with Eric (Owner) and his two sons, one of which is in sales while the other helps in coding the app.

How did you come to work with Semaphore Mobile?

I was looking for app development companies that were knowledgeable and willing to have a conversation with us without rushing into financial matters. We wanted a team that was genuinely interested in the project. That was important to me; I needed someone who was passionate and cared about what they were doing for the customer. These were the reasons we hired Semaphore. 

How much have you invested with them?

Our company has invested around $100,000 in the project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve beta tested the app, and we’ve received no complaints in terms of the functionality and design of the app. It has good quality. Of course, we’ve found bugs, but that’s the purpose of beta testing. As far as appearance and functionality go, Semaphore has delivered 100% of what we want. 

How did Semaphore Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great. The team has been thorough with their work. Their resources reach out to us and give updates on time, and they’re forward-thinking. If we have any questions or concerns, they’re always available to answer and handle everything. To communicate, we use emails, phone calls, and in-person meetings. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Semaphore has the ability to build rapport with their customers. They’re not quick to dive into our pockets. Instead, they’re genuinely interested in our ideas and concepts as they build and maintain the relationship. This quality of theirs is unmatched, and other companies can learn from them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When presenting your idea to Semaphore, it’s best to have a detailed outline of what you want. Give them as much information as possible. This will help the team’s understanding of the project and the communication flow will feel a bit smoother. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a creative agency that does branding, website development, and video production. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Semaphore Mobile?

We had a client who was looking to build a mobile app. Although we had a lot of design experience, mobile development wasn’t our expertise. We needed someone to execute our design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we discussed the project with Semaphore. From there, they took the lead in developing the app. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with Eric (Owner), Renee (Project Manager), a lead developer, and a developer. 

How did you come to work with Semaphore Mobile?

Semaphore Mobile was referred to me. The first conversation I had with Eric was really positive — he answered all my questions, and he was very kind. His team had shown a genuine interest in working with us, so hiring them for this project was a no-brainer. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–December 2021.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Semaphore did everything I asked them to do and exceeded all our expectations. They took the design we created and brought it to life, overcoming the challenges along the way. The end product was outstanding — our end client was pleased with their work.

How did Semaphore Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Semaphore’s communication was top-notch. I never had to question where we were as they were always on top of the project. 

We experienced a lot of delays from the end customer, but Sempaphore worked efficiently. They had excellent communication skills, and they checked in with us almost daily. They streamlined the project and helped us get across the finish line. 

Semaphore’s team was kind and understanding whenever we had delays. Overall, they were great at project management. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Semaphore did a good job communicating and ensuring the project’s progress. In addition, their team is very personable — they seem to care both about the project and me as a person. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get your ducks in a row — once Semaphore gets the job, they’re ready to hit the ground running. Ensure your project is ready and things are organized so that you can make some quick movement. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for East Texas Salt Water Disposal. We handle wastewater from the oil production extraction process, and the company is based in Kilgore, Texas. I’m a GIS data analyst; I handle the maps and process water leaks data or anything related.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Semaphore Mobile?

We had a complicated website that matched up with a mobile application. We were working with another company, but we were having a hard time getting responses from them. They also charged ridiculously high rates, so we just wanted to find someone else to work with.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Semaphore migrated the Android mobile application that our operators use to record data. We provided the data and existing React codebase from the previous provider, and they handled the rest on their own. They didn’t remake the app, so they researched a bit to figure out what the other company had done.

Since the app and the website communicate back and forth in a complicated setup, we had our IT company as a web developer, and Semaphore worked with them for the mobile app development. They handled a couple of design aspects, but they fixed bugs for the most part.

Now, we’re keeping them on retainer to provide security updates and timely support if the app goes down.

What is the team composition?

We only had to deal with one person. We occasionally talked to the president, but we mostly worked with the senior developer. They also had a couple of people in India, and they delegated the work to them and coordinated from there.

How did you come to work with Semaphore Mobile?

We tried to look for local companies first. There were 1–2 candidates, but they had $10,000 minimums or wanted to remake the entire app. We searched on Google and picked Semaphore because they were within driving distance. If everything caught on fire, we could be at their office within a day.

Also, their president reached out to me personally at the beginning of the project, during, and after it was finished.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $7,000, and they’ve agreed to charge us $75 an hour for any maintenance moving forward.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2021, and it was a month and a half to get what we needed. Now, we have an ongoing maintenance contract.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When there were problems during development, they immediately responded. They worked with a company that they’d never dealt with before, and they immediately started integrating the mobile app with them. Additionally, their turnaround was short. It was all outstanding.

Overall, we were glad we found them. It was easy to get things off the ground and get moving with Semaphore.

How did Semaphore Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a fantastic job. Their president would reach out to us once a week to check and see how things were going, and the lead developer talked to us once every couple of days.

When something minor went wrong, we’d email them and get a response in about 30 minutes. Otherwise, we had Zoom calls for serious matters, and sometimes the president would call to my cellphone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was their flexibility. They took what they were given and billed us hourly no matter what it was for.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t say what they could’ve done differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good idea of what you want the application to do, who is meant to use it, and how.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of a social networking platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I had an offshore dev company work on my app for about a year, but they weren't able to do many of the things I was asking. The quality of the app suffered. We got worried and needed a higher quality dev team to save the project

SOLUTION

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

We started development with an offshore company, but the quality just was not there. So, I decided to transfer the project to a team in the USA. I still had several months left with the offshore company but I decided to go ahead and review numerous American businesses to see what they could do. Out of all of the companies I spoke to, I found Sempahore to be the most personable, intelligent and straightfoward.

Semaphore was the only company over the course of that several months I had left with the offshore devs to occasionally check in to see how the project was going and to offer up advice on working with offshore companies. Many of the things they predicted would happen with the offshore company came true, and much of the advice they provided helped during the remaining months with the offshore devs.

Other dev companies told me they would have to start from scratch but Sempahore was able to pick it up and run with it. On some of the initial calls I was impressed by how knowledgeable Eric and Jeff were. They both gave me great ideas and technical advice.

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

We set out to create a robust social media platform that can keep up with some of the big names out there. The app is on par and better is some ways. It includes a commenting system, a point system, profile pages, a ranking/leaderboard page, animations, mini games and much more.

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

I mainly worked with 1 project manager who oversaw the devs and communicated other issues back to the team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The devs work pretty fast. I'm impressed.

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

The communication is pretty casual. They typically only communicate through basecamp and email.

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

It's great to be able to trust who you work with. I cannot say enough about the quality of the dev work. The app looks very polished so far and can compete with the big dogs. I definitely plan to keep them on after I launch as I don't really trust another company to do this good of a job

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

If I had to pull something, it would be an all hands on deck approach. Weeky/bi-weekly meetings to go over things and discuss scope/ideas etc. It's a smaller team so I understand this may not be possible. Opinions/Feedback for a consultative feel would be very helpful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president of AT Systems, LLC. We’re an aviation training company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Semaphore Mobile?

We needed help developing our mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Semaphore Mobile developed and designed our iOS mobile app. Our team provided them with basic flows and their team built the actual app. They continue to provide improvements and enhancements to the system.

The app controls our training system as relates to visibility and applying safety systems. Our target users are pilots and training pilots. Users are able to input predetermined safety data and the app provides them with feedback that lets them know what the training pilot is experienced.

What is the team composition?

We work with 3–4 members of their team as well as a handful of contractors. Our main point of contact is Eric (Owner)

How did you come to work with Semaphore Mobile?

We found Semaphore Mobile online. We chose them because they were able to provide us with a complete package for both software engineering and electrical engineering on our circuit board. It made for a much cleaner and more seamless buildout than having separate vendors for each. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement began in May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Semaphore Mobile was able to take a complex piece of software and make it usable. We were focused on how the end-state performs. Because we’re moving in real-time in an aircraft, we need to be able to process information and provide an output to the training pilot quickly so they can take action. Their team is helping make that a reality.

How did Semaphore Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Semaphore Mobile has excellent project management skills. As the project progressed, it didn’t require too much interaction, they handled everything. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our system isn’t like anything on the market, and they were able to turn that complex idea into an excellent product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we are really happy working with them. If there we any ever challenges, they kept us up to date.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate your needs, wants, and desires to them. That’s critical in finding success.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company provides white glove technology professional services to companies large and small. My role is Engineering and Operations Director. I am responsible for finding and delivering solutions to whatever challenges our customers send our way.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Semaphore Mobile?

Estimate a mobile app and backend development project for a large travel and transportation company.

What were your goals for this project?

To provide a clear, professional plan for a C-level audience to demonstrate the approach, effort involved, next steps, and budget required to work alongside the client's in house marketing department to deliver the backend system and app.

SOLUTION

How did you select Semaphore Mobile?

I had worked with Semaphore Mobile in the past. Originally I found them via Google search and, after interviewing several providers, selected Semaphore Mobile. Then and now they did an excellent job for us.

Describe the project in detail.

Our client asked us to scope and estimate a mobile app development project for their marketing refresh / facelift efforts. They are planning a major overhaul to their website and mobile app. This will involve backend design and implementation to be shared with the website and the app, UI/UX design, etc.

What was the team composition?

Semaphore's team consisted of a team lead, project manager, UI/UX designer, and developer. The members of the team remained consistent throughout the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Semaphore Mobile delivered on time and on budget. The client was happy with the result. We expect to hire Semaphore Mobile for the next phase of the project once the client approves it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was fine. At the end of the day we got the job done.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Semaphore Mobile was exceptional in patiently communicating with the existing team and to understand the personalities involved and nuances therein. Many providers can write write code.

Requirements gathering, definition, scheduling and estimating is an art form in the world of software development, and Semaphore Mobile handled this masterfully. Our client is very happy with their work product.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No really. They did a great job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and owner of Avvee, LLC. I own the app Wrapt, a gift-giving app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Semaphore Mobile?

I needed a development team that could build the mobile app I wanted.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had no experience with building an app, and Semaphore was able to break down and walk me through the process from start to finish. The team provided me with direction as far as timelines and other necessary information. 

One of the key features is the categorization of each element, like different holidays. The main feature is that users can send anyone a photo, and to reveal the photo, the recipient rubs off the overlay we installed. The app is built for iOS.

What is the team composition?

I work with three people in total. Eric (CEO) kept in great contact with me, helping communicate progress along the way. Renee (Project Manager) provided timelines and updates on day-to-day progress. Jeff (Director of Software Development) is more on the technical side of things — if I have questions about features or functionalities, I go to him.

How did you come to work with Semaphore Mobile?

I spoke to a few vendors, but Eric was really genuine as far as his concern, feedback, and how he spoke to me. He was very sincere and humble, and an overall great professional. Any information I requested, he provided promptly. It was clear Semaphore was the company that I wanted to work with. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $23,000–$24,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since June 2019. We went live in December, but we’re still working together to make changes and updates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The success of the project is very high. Semaphore developed everything I asked for, and they worked with me throughout the entire project. On a scale of one to 10, I would give Semaphore a 10. 

The quality of their work is outstanding. They’re professional and the results are great overall.

How did Semaphore Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Semaphore did very well. Communication was great, and they kept me apprised of any changes. Their timelines were always met, and there was never a lapse if adjustments would have to be made. We used a project management app to keep track of tasks. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication was one of the best aspects of working with them. I was also impressed with Semaphore’s overall knowledge of the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think they could’ve done anything differently. If I ever had issues, it wasn’t because of a lack of service on their part. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire Semaphore — they really care about the product and the process. Even after you have your app developed, they’ll continue to work with you and make updates. I would highly recommend them, especially for people like me who don’t have a lot of experience.