SEVEN

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and director of a UX-specializing agency that builds websites and applications, where I play the role of UX and product design lead.

What challenge were you trying to address with SEVEN?

We needed to engage a development partner for one of our client’s projects, which is why we hired SEVEN.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our team designed the product idea and developed the feature map while SEVEN developed the technical aspect. They began by analyzing all of our requirements and user flows to determine what technology stack and methodology was best to use to develop our niche application. 

The team decided to build the web app on Laravel, with Angular on the frontend. We use a third-party service for the API, but for this particular project, a lot of it was bespoke, meaning most of the features were built from the ground up. 

The application itself has voice, video, and text chat features aimed at a broad audience, with a focus on B2C. It is a two-sided marketplace, with one side having a practitioner providing a service and another side hosting the end user. We created an administrative dashboard for both sides. It is similar to Fiverr.com, except the service comes through the video chat app.

SEVEN helped us develop the core functionality, which is an information hub where users can search for service providers and where vendors can create their professional profiles. We built a verification capability into the web app, which will be required to prove that service providers are qualified or experts. The web app is accessible via desktop and mobile devices, so we made sure that the core functionality could handle the traffic that would come through those channels. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with three project managers and a technical lead from SEVEN and also used the expertise of one of their UX designers. 

How did you come to work with SEVEN?

We found them through an online search. There were five companies that we thought could provide the service we were looking for. One got knocked out because we didn’t have the confidence that they could achieve a project of this scale. Another company made product features but couldn’t do the customizations we wanted.

We selected SEVEN because we knew that they had done video chat applications in the past for various spaces. They had built a core functionality that could be repurposed to suit our application. Their price quote was also really competitive compared to anyone else’s.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $110,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first engaged with SEVEN around August 2020, but we had been chatting back and forth for a couple of months before that. The product has been delivered just a couple of weeks ago, in March 2021.

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

I knew that this project was susceptible to scope creep since we’re working on a completely new product idea and the client has no technical background. In my experience, projects like this would usually end up costing twice the size of the budget. SEVEN, however, managed to control the budget against the scope and evaluated the feasibility of any additional feature we wanted to integrate. 

SEVEN also had a really good system that helped us stay within budget. They provided a range, and we ended up hitting the maximum budget because the technology stack involved was quite critical and we had to do a lot of testing to iron out issues.

How did SEVEN perform from a project management standpoint?

They provided transparency on their progress and kept me close throughout the entire development process. We planned and reviewed sprints together, and determined what would be delivered in each sprint. 

I’m based in Australia and they’re in Ukraine but our difference in time zones worked out okay. I was able to communicate with them throughout their mornings if we wanted to go deeper or follow up on things. We scheduled calls several days in advance and they never postponed; the team was always available. 

All the features were built by the time SEVEN had set, with delays stemming from the client’s side. The core application was actually finished six weeks early, but the subsequent testing brought us to the original deadline. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

One thing that I loved about working with SEVEN was how transparent they were. I’ve worked with lots of developers before and it’s often cloudy when the client wants to know something. For this, I was able to give our client a clear response as I was let in to know everything about the development. Their level of engagement and communication was excellent. 

The team also had a really impressive, in-depth discovery process. At first, I was a bit concerned that they were just going to turn us into something really rigid because they were going into so much detail. However, their process actually provided a lot of support especially in areas that I hadn’t considered. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I found their user reporting system a bit confusing. One could immediately tell that it was built by technically-minded people. The project manager would create her own simplified version of the reports, which was great, but the official version that they gave us access to was just difficult to use. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would encourage you to allow SEVEN to conduct their in-depth discovery. I was resistant to it at first because it was a bit exhaustive, but I let them do it because of what it provided to the project management and because it helped us stay within the budget. Also, create a relationship with the team where you’ve got really close and constant contact.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Sharpen solves the problem of people not remembering very much after they leave a lesson or meeting. In fact, most people only retain 5–10% of the information they received. Sharpen allows learners to create smart notes that help them remember more and perform better.

What challenge were you trying to address with SEVEN?

I engaged SEVEN for the development of my web product. I was actually with another agency at the time, but I’d been frustrated with their inability to problem-solve.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had the concept and initial wireframes for Sharpen. We held an onboarding session, where they scoped out the build and fleshed out the wireframes into a more robust project plan.

We then held another meeting to clarify the project scope and budget. The initial budgeting — which consisted of minimum, maximum, and forecasted costs — was significantly helpful in managing my expectations.

After that, they launched into web development. They first built a clickable prototype, and after we signed these off, they began with the product backend. It was initially meant to be an integrated widget, but it evolved to become a standalone, 360-degree product.

We’re currently finalizing the sign-on process for the beta version of the web application. They utilized JavaScript and PHP frameworks for the build.

What is the team composition?

I have direct contact with 5 teammates. While I primarily communicate with the project manager, I imagine that there are even more teammates behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with SEVEN?

I was looking for a new partner and interviewed around 15 different agencies. SEVEN was recommended to me by a friend and client of mine, who was building their own platform with them.

I saw the reliability of their work and the meticulousness of their documentation, so I went and talked to their CTO. He demonstrated a keen sensitivity to his client’s longer-term business goals. It was more of a discussion around how we build something long-term, as opposed to simply building a solution. That was what made me decide to work with SEVEN.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent north of $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began the project in March 2020, and it’s an ongoing relationship.

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

Their work has been extremely solid. They’ve developed something that’s unique, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing. It’s functional and user-friendly, so there’s not much more that I could ask for.

I had a beta-test call with an ed-tech industry leader, and he expressed that it was the most impressive beta-mode product that he’d ever seen. Despite only being an early-stage build, the current solution is quite advanced in both look and functionality.

How did SEVEN perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent on this front, particularly because they excel at managing expectations. They reign me in and stop me from disappearing down unnecessary rabbit holes (especially because I’m always trying to explore different ideas.)

They’ve been very good at telling me no, which I appreciate. They facilitate the exploration of my whims, but only when it’s feasible or sensible. They ensure the timely execution of our set deadlines.

We used Skype to communicate. I used Asana to oversee my own project, but I believe they used some internal project management software to track project progress. Their paper trail is excellent; every time I request a scope change, I get an incredibly thorough budget explanation back from them. Thanks to their stellar communication and expectation management, we’re always on the same page.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness is phenomenal. They usually respond within a couple of minutes. Even though I’m not their only client, it sometimes feels like I am, given the amount of attention I get.

They also address my questions and concerns very seriously. They look at every question carefully and will conduct research if they can’t give me an answer right away. This provides a sense of risk mitigation, which makes me feel safe while navigating the development cycle.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve had a couple of roadblocks due to a lack of communication. The issue isn’t specific to them but is likely to occur when working with any agency.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Call me. I’ll be working with them for the foreseeable future.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Help Me Fix My Plumbing, a repair service app.

What challenge were you trying to address with SEVEN?

SEVEN helped us develop our app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our app connects qualified tradespeople with members of the public via video, so they can solve some of their housing issues on their own. It’s a pay-per-minute service, primarily designed for businesses like housing associations, landlords, and so forth, to offer their tenants. 

SEVEN built the app from the ground up, providing the UI as well as all of the development. At the moment, the app is compatible with iOS and we’re currently working on the Android version.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with between 8–10 people.

How did you come to work with SEVEN?

I wanted to find a company that could provide a video chat software. I came across SEVEN’s website, and they’d previously had experience creating that kind of service. I reached out to them, and they responded with a fantastic in-depth estimate for me, and we went forward from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $40,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since July 2019.

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

They’re extremely professional, and they pay great attention to me as a customer. I get comments from users that our app is higher quality and easier to use than those of my competitors.

How did SEVEN perform from a project management standpoint?

I can reach out to SEVEN whenever I need to. They offer a great structure, and we’ve found Adrian (Founder & CEO) to be the common thread throughout the success of our project. He oversees everything, and we’ve developed a very strong relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

SEVEN under-promises and over-delivers. That applies especially on budget delivery — they always come in at or below where they predict they will. It’s a massive strength for them. Overall, their communication is fantastic. They’re able to understand and interpret my ideas very well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of. I’ve been very pleased.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best thing to do is keep all of your documentation written and concise, so they can refer back to it throughout the process. You’ll get things done a lot quicker.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founded in 1984, LED Group ROBUS is headquartered in Dublin and now has branch offices in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Guangzhou in China.

We embrace emerging lighting technologies and the benefits they bring to the market, creating enduring products with low energy, low maintenance, outstanding performance and return on investment. I am a Digital Design/Project Lead and I am responsible for all company's digital projects.

For what projects/services did your company hire SEVEN?

We hired Seven to build a step-by-step calculator for the new ROBUS range of LED strips. The Calculator calculates, based on the strip type and length, which parts are necessary to build an optimal electrical circuit.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of the project was to create an easy-to-use web application that would offer users accurate shopping lists for their VEGAS LED flexi-strip lighting projects. The calculator was to be implemented on the company website and to operate as a stand-alone browser app, as a Chrome extension.

How did you select this vendor?

I sent the project documentation to about ten companies capable of meeting our requirements. Each companies' quote was rated based on factors such as presentation, reputation, costs etc.

Seven got to our narrow choice with another company because their project breakdown was the most detailed one and their portfolio showed they had the experience in building apps similar to ours.

In the first meeting, I got the impression that we're dealing with true professionals and that they understand our needs.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Seven received a detailed project brief and in the kick-off meeting they proposed Angular framework and one three week sprint and two two wee sprints to project completion.

I signed off on the mock-ups and this agile approach worked well for us. In the agreed timeframe we had the completed, functional app.

I decided to continue my cooperation with Seven, as the Vegas range evolved, expanded and more complex calculations were required. And they followed us successfully in every step of the way.

What was the team composition?

The basic team consisted of Project Manager, QA/QC Specialist and Full Stack Software Engineer. Other team members ould come and go as needed.

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

This project resulted in a powerful tool used by electrical contractors accross the UK and Irish markets. It was so well received that we decided to create a version for the Australian and New Zealand markets as well.

Our Internal Sales finds it much easier and faster to respond to customer orders since more and more Vegas orders are coming through the app now, rather than the phone. A huge improvement in our customer service.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I found it easy to work with Seven. As Vegas range evolved so did our needs. They would carefully listen to our needs and come back with proposals and time frames within a day or two.

Deadlines were never breached and all work was done within the agreed budgets. I was informed in time of any potential events that could affect the project plan, such as their local national holidays, staff annual leaves etc., so I could plan my deliveries and convey my decisions to them in time.

Their Project Manager was very helpful when it came to finding solutions that would suit our budgets and deadlines. If I needed to speak to him, he would always have time for a quick chat and would warn me of any oversights I or my engineers made in the briefs we sent them.

This addressing the issues ahead of time resulted in a very smooth workflow and less back-and-forth communication. Their Project Manager and I communicated directly via email. I was impressed with how quickly he became an expert in our Vegas range and the logic behind it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive thing about this company is how they deliver a project with ease. At least from client's point of view. They would do their best to help us reach our goals. And I felt they truly understand and own the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

From my experience of working with dev companies, I can confirm Seven is one of the very few top companies I ever worked with. I had one complaint to them, once, about a minor QC process issue, and they rectified it immediately and for good. I think Seven is an excellent example of what a company and what customer service should be.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder/CEO and lead engineer at a company that develops environmental monitoring and control solutions.

For what projects/services did your company hire SEVEN?

For this project, we needed a data visualization dashboard that would allow our customers to view data from many devices in a centralized and user-friendly web application. It was also important that the web app was responsive and easy to use on a mobile device. The application also had to be able to send commands to devices deployed with our customers.

What were your goals for this project?

The solution had to be intuitive and provide a positive user experience. It was important that the software had a high-level of reuse and provide a good foundation for additional functionality and features. We also had a tight budget and schedule for the work.

How did you select this vendor?

I interviewed over a dozen different agencies prior to selecting Seven. Not only was the team at Seven very qualified for the job, they also seemed great to work with and highly organized. Prior to even starting, Seven focused on understanding the needs of the project so that a systems engineering approach could be implemented. This was a deal-maker for me.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Seven provided UI/UX design, front-end + back-end development, and testing services. Throughout the process, I was in contact with a project manager from Seven that understands the project very well and made my involvement easy.

What was the team composition?

My primary contact for the scope of the project was a project manager who effectively conveyed requirements and information to the development team. Early in the project, I also interfaced with a UI/UX designer and engineer.

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

The work product met and exceeded our expectations. Multiple customers and sales/prospects have complimented the look, feel, and function of the software. We are looking forward to building out the platform further with Seven.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management for the work was awesome. I met regularly with the project manager who quickly learned the intricacies and requirements for the job. I give her a lot of credit here because we work in a very niche market! Also, throughout the project, requirements changed and features were added/removed. Even with this, the project concluded on schedule with less than 1% budget over run which impressed me very much.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The organization, documentation, and project tracking system used by SEVEN is great. Also, very effective and honest communication.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't think so. I plan to continue using Seven as we grow our product! If something comes to mind, I will let them know.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

MyMed is an online medical consultation and prescription delivery service. We provide users access to medical practitioners for consultation. I’m the CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with SEVEN?

I had almost no product at all when I first approached SEVEN. The challenge was to create a minimum viable product (MVP), something we could test with beta users. We needed it to reliably send chat messages between a test doctor and patient, and collect information when a user signed up. We also needed it to link to the partners in the business for filling prescriptions.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did a planning phase with them before we had our own CTO on board, so I went in as a non-technical person. I explained to them exactly what I was after. It was essentially a chat platform, a front website that links into that, and then the backend functionality. I wanted to have a non-technical way of adjusting the service on an admin page, so that was a key part of what SEVEN ended up building for us.

The other technical aspect was linking to a pharmacy partner. The built the API to link to a prescribing system that our doctors could use to prescribe medications and send the information securely to our pharmacy partner.

How did you come to work with SEVEN?

I found them online and looked at their previous work. They had some impressive work, so I asked for more detail around how they worked.

How much have you invested with SEVEN?

It was in the range of $10,000 to $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in July or August of 2016, and we are still engaged with them. We had four or five months of ongoing work, but we had to pause the work on our end. We’re now in the process of re-engaging them to finish off that piece of work.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We have very limited metrics. We used the MVP in controlled internal testing to ensure that we have all the regulation processes complete before we do a public launch. I don’t think there were any issues that are worth highlighting. It was very well executed, and it worked as requested.

How did SEVEN perform from a project management standpoint?

At the beginning, we had a group Skype introduction. They had the whole team in one room, and they introduced me to each team member who would be working on the project. I had one key contact person and a couple of engineers who were also accessible. The team on our end was growing, so I was able to put the right person in touch with a counterpart at SEVEN. We used Redmine, which showed us everything that was being done at different points and where the hours and money were going.

I was worried at the start about the time difference, as they’re located in Ukraine. However, our project manager was always accessible. He could often contact the team outside their working hours, or he would get back to us the following day before we even started our workday.

What did you find most impressive about SEVEN?

I had a low budget for this project. The alternatives in the market for my budget were much lower quality in terms of what they’d produced before. I think SEVEN offers a very good value for money. They’re at the top end of the lower-budget services.

The project management is a great strength for them. I could go to them at any point, and they were always responsive and available to help us.

Are there any areas SEVEN could improve?

We couldn’t hook up the most commonly used analytics tools to the MVP easily due to the technologies that we used, so I think they could tailor the technologies to future scaling requirements.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Activation Products has been in business for six years. We manufacture high-end and premium food products and nutritional supplements. We sell to businesses, but our focus is selling directly to the consumer online. I am one of the owners.

When we started working with SEVEN, I was COO, but I’m now part of the board of advisors. 

What challenge were you trying to address with SEVEN?

We have a need to see data at many levels of the company but particularly in marketing, which is where I was spending most of my time. We tracked quite a few metrics, including how much we were spending on marketing and comparing that to the results of those campaigns. We wanted to know how much revenue they were generating both immediately and over time, and we had to do that by product and by campaign. We also tracked overall finances like P&L [profit and loss statements]. We wanted to track our purchases, production, inventory level, raw material, etc. so that we could be more efficient with everything we do and increase our profitability.

The reason I chose to develop a platform instead of using one that’s already available is because we have a lot of unique information that we need to track and know. We tried to use existing platforms, but we had a lot of problems getting them to do exactly what we wanted. As a result, I felt that it was prudent to make something custom for us. Even though it would cost more up front, we knew we would have a better result. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

The product that SEVEN built is a mobile web-based app. It’s a dashboard that’s organized by department in the company. On the left of the dashboard, there’s navigation for marketing, operations, human resources, finance, etc. Each of these categories drills down into deeper levels of the report that are specific to that department. When everything is complete, data from one department will affect a report in another department. Within each report, there are multiple sections that are relevant to that report.

One major feature I asked for was granular permissions so that when we give somebody a user account, we can give very specific permissions for them on what they can view or edit. They can have access to a whole department, specific reports within that department, or specific sections within a certain report. Based on our experience with employees and contractors, we learned that this is very important as a security feature as well as for information control. Not everyone in the company needs to have access to everything because that can be detrimental. Having this control helps employees stay focused on what they need to do and what they need to know.

We had 12–15 resources working on our project, which included a project manager, lead designer, several business analysts, and a number of developers. At this point, we haven’t launched phase one because our needs from the dashboard are quite deep. There are many different types of reports that we’re developing, and SEVEN followed directions very well. The product they developed is visually appealing and well-organized.

How did you come to work with SEVEN?

I posted a job on Upwork about creating a dashboard for the metrics we needed. SEVEN was one of the first firms to apply for the job. I chose them because they were very professional in the way they answered my questions and in the work samples they showed me. I traveled to Ukraine to meet with them in person to discuss the needs of the project and to brainstorm with them. It adds a lot of cost to the project because of travel and time, but I ended up getting a lot of work done while I was there. SEVEN demonstrated that they have a large infrastructure. They have a lot of people on their team who are professional and know their jobs very well.

How much have you invested with SEVEN?

We have spent between $40,000 and $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with SEVEN in September 2016, and the work is ongoing. 

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Technically, SEVEN is very capable. I felt the project went slower than it could’ve, and that was partly because our team was slow to get SEVEN the answers they needed. It was also delayed due to misunderstandings related to the language barrier, which was not as severe when I was with them in Ukraine. Despite the language barrier, I thought they did a good job. Clients need to take the time to ensure that the team understands the work that is needed.

How did SEVEN perform from a project management standpoint?

We had no issues with scheduling. We were assigned a dedicated project manager, and he communicated with us every day. The methods and tools they used to make the documents available were sometimes difficult to use. We used Skype to communicate and Redmine for project management that was more specific to the developers. We also used Red Pen for design collaboration. They were using Microsoft’s version of Google Drive, which I don’t like at all.

What did you find most impressive about SEVEN?

One of the reasons I chose them was because of their price. Getting similar work done from North American-based agencies would be more expensive. We’ve heard other companies have had success with cheaper firms in India or Russia, but when we tried them, they didn’t work out. For working with a foreign agency, I think SEVEN worked quite well for us.

Are there any areas SEVEN could improve?

I think they could improve their understanding of English and the culture of their clients. That would help things go faster and limit misunderstandings. From what I understand, English speakers are a good part of their client base, so it would add value to their company if they were fluent in English.