Simform

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a VP at an HR consulting firm. Our division is a pre-employment testing software program that organizations use to determine if their candidates have the abilities necessary for success. I handle all aspects of the division, from development to sales and marketing to support.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simform?

Our application was developed in-house, and we had an MVP that we wanted to redesign and thoughtfully craft in terms of the UX.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simform redesigned our application’s UI/UX. We started with one module, then gave them two other major modules. Then, we added the front-facing test player part of the software. They went from wireframes to mockups and worked through them using InVision. After they finished the design, we requested a quote to build the software. We shared our code with them, and they had to understand our server-side API. They also got involved in things like database design. 

The team is now coding the product using .NET Core and AngularJS. They’re developing a staging environment our team will implement on our software. Additionally, Simform uses Backbone.js on some modules. They modulize 7the coding, and they have teammates working on massaging the code into a single repository. They’ve completed one of the modules, and they’re almost done with the programming on the second one. 

We do code reviews internally because the Simform team will turn over the product for our developers to make last-minute adjustments and implement them. After the product is finished, we’ll engage Simform to add more features and functionalities down the road, working in the vein of ground-up design, UX guidance, and coding.

What is the team composition?

We have a team lead who has coordinated all UI/UX work. We’ve worked with about 20 people in total, including project managers, QC specialists, engineers, and programmers. 

How did you come to work with Simform?

A representative from Simform reached out to me via email and phone, and we got into some conversations. After interviewing them, we chose them because they were a great fit. We tried them out, and because we were so pleased with their work, we extended the design all the way through, and then we decided to hire them for the coding.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $150,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2020, and the engagement is still ongoing.

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

Simform has done an exceptional job, exceeding expectations. This project is a huge step out of our comfort zone, and we’ve been very conservative with the budget, keeping almost everything in-house. For this reason, we first tried them out piecemeal, and we’ve engaged them with the full boat because we’re so pleased with their work.

How did Simform perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed phenomenally well in terms of project management. Initially, they quoted a static project and estimated a timeline. However, as we’ve continued to develop the software, everything has been a moving target. We’ve added functions to the requirements, and Simform has graciously accepted every change. 

These additional functions require extra time and money, which we understand. We couldn’t have known where we would end up by the time we were coaching a specific part, and Simform has rolled with the punches, working with us to figure it out and execute the work. Their timelines have been right on as we’ve moved the goal post adding extra work; they estimate and end up being right on time.

We share Slack with them and have projects on GitHub. Depending on the question or concern, we also communicate via email and Microsoft Teams chat. Additionally, we have a weekly team meeting and a management meeting every two weeks to ensure everything is going smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with Simform’s flexibility. This is new for us, and we haven’t been shy about continuing to develop our software after we’ve already given them specs. While it may not be the best situation for them, it’s the best situation for us. Simform happily and graciously accepts the challenges of us growing our software while they’re recoding — that’s been phenomenal. 

Additionally, their design work is astounding, and their communication is fantastic. I know many of the people we work with, even though we’re a world apart, and I enjoy working with them. The team is readily available; they’re not hindered by distance and different time zones. We never have to wait a day to hear back from them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they need to change; they respond to us really well. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

What helped us be confident was breaking the project into pieces and auditioning Simform. That allowed us to familiarize ourselves with them, the way they work, their quality, and their timelines, allowing us to grow our relationship with them dramatically. If you want to ease into it, my advice is that you can.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and founder of PatronPay, we make a super portable Android based credit card terminal. I also do Fractional CTO work for other clients and have used SIMFORM for many of them (who often keep using SIMFORM. after my engagement is over).

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

For PatronPay and others, I have used SMFORM for mobile (Native iOS and Android, React Native, and now Flutter), back ends in Node.JS and Python Django using my own multi-tenant framework, and PWA front ends in Angular and React. I also have one large project i support in .NET Core microservices and another older one in .php. SIMFORM works on all of them. I tend to use Djang or Node.JS for new projects.

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

I selected SIMFORM after first trying them for a few small test projects over 6 years ago. I had been using a firm in Belarus for over 15 years. but found SIMFORM to be slightly more cost effective and more flexible for swapping resources. For example, I often use SOMFORM Devops for AWS, us use their UI design team for logos or quick UI's and they are fery flexible and fair about allocating these resources as needed.

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

Across so many projects it varies. In some instances the client helps manage the SIMFORM resources using Jira or some other tool. For PatronPay I manage all the resources directly using a. combination of zoom meetings and Skype or Slack. SIMFORM will operate how ever you want. I am also doing a medical devices that I am fraction CTo on and SIMFORM is also writing the firmware on a Nordic BLE chip that communicates to mobile and the cloud.

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

Over the years probably 12 different people -- mostly covering all the specific technologies I have mentioned. In some cases I have used a team leader which also is a full time coder but coordinates efforts in india. These have been some of the best resources I have worked with anywhere (on sore, offshore, etc). SIMFORM also has a terrific CTO Hiren who I often bounce ideas off of.

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

All I can say is I am self funding PatronPay and am by nature a very cost conscious person. I don't beleive anyone could have gotten as much development as we have gotten done in the speed and cost which we have done it. I have taken SIMFORM into my client and and in some cases they have cut 750K annual spend in 1/2 including paying for me and SIMFORM. So they are very cost effective from beginning to end.

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

As I mentioned it is different depending on what the client wants. In most cases we do at least bi-weekly meetings, but in most cases I talk to them every day because I am self managing most projects. I know in some cases they manage projects themselves, I am just not familiar with this.

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

Quality of people, excellent Dev Ops team (they have taught me a few things :-)), flexibility in subbing people in and out of projects. They also have very low turnover and in 6 years and many developers, I can only think of two instances when someone was promoted and SIMFORM handled it by providing a month of overlap and no disruption to my projects.

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

I can't really think of any issues on projects that I have had where SIMFORM was the root cause.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of BingeWorthy, our app. It’s social media for rating and reviewing TV series and see what your friends are watching and rating shows.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simform?

Simform helped us build our app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simform helped us from the initiation of the app to the development. They built it for iOS and Android. Their team worked completely from scratch, helping us with the design aspects, as well. We had some ideas in mind, but they worked with us on the designs, logos, and other aspects. 

What is the team composition?

A team of around 10 people worked with us. We primarily communicated with 1–2 people from their team. We had a project manager that we were in contact with the most, and the developer also worked closely with us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $30,000–$40,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2019–March 2020. We still work with them for things here and there. 

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

We really enjoyed working with them. The quality was really good. 

How did Simform perform from a project management standpoint?

They have their system down pat. As far as communication, everything went well and everything we asked for got done. We mostly communicated through Skype, but we’d also have calls if it was needed.

As far as deadlines, it’s tough with an app because there are some things you can’t control, but they always made us aware of things that were happening. If it was possible to meet a deadline, they certainly always did. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I felt very comfortable with our relationship — they were really easy to work with. I never felt bad about asking them anything and it was easy to talk to them. The relationship with the project manager and the ease of communication was great. It was good to feel confident knowing whatever we asked for would be taken care of. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s not really anything I can think of. They are overseas, so there are time issues that can be sometimes hard to work through, but that comes with the territory and they were great. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise them that Simform is one of the best out there to work with considering what they charge for their services. Your app will look professional and their team will be easy to work with. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Elevation Apps. I work with clients to help them with their mobile app ideas.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simform?

The goal was to get a team of top-notch coders and designers. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simform provides me with a lot of resources, but the main two areas are in graphic design and development. They manage the whole process, working through the release of apps, a process that requires a large amount of work. 

At the beginning of projects for my clients, we go through the scope together, exchanging questions and conversations to get the whole specification document solid. Then, they’ll do their scope of work and bid on the project, and get to work.

Simform works on both iOS and Android, as well as React Native. While I haven’t worked with them on any AR/VR projects, I know they have that capability.

What is the team composition?

I work with three main people, the owners of Simform, at the beginning of each project, and check with them throughout. They also have a lead project manager that is focused on managing the team staffed against the projects. 

How did you come to work with Simform?

About 10 years ago, before I started Elevation Apps, I was doing some agency work. Simform was very small at the time, and they were looking for US agencies who might need developers. We got to talking, and when I moved into my own role, we decided to work together on a project. Since then, we’ve been partners.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2012.

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

I could not run this business without Simform, nor could I have grown it without them. They’ve provided me with the resources, support, and encouragement to be able to do so. They’ve become an absolutely integral part of it.

Recently, we’ve been getting toward the end of a project. They’re in India, and with COVID, they’ve seen a lot of power outages, Wi-Fi outages, and even illnesses. The team was a little frazzled and missed a deadline, which wasn’t a big deal, but one of the owners stepped in to assure me it wouldn’t happen again and that they would fix it.

It was a really great back and forth, and demonstrated that they care about me as a client. I thought that honesty and forthcomingness was fantastic. 

How did Simform perform from a project management standpoint?

Our level of communication depends on the project. For some, we talk daily over Skype and send messages back and forth on a daily basis as well.

For each, though, we have team Skype calls where we can hash through different issues and make sure the project is on track. 

We just missed a deadline, which is a rarity for us. Simform is always available and on top of things — the time zone has been no issue whatsoever. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their expertise sets them about. I find it hard to believe there’s another organization with as many talented, hardworking people as Simform. Also, they’re not just there to code for an hourly basis. They really care about the projects we work on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of. Even when we have issues, Simform fixes them right away.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If someone was planning to work with Simform, I would tell them they would not regret it. This is one of the best business decisions you can make. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the digital product manager of the governing body of one of the international sports federation. It is responsible for governing the sports and organising international events.

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

We hired Simform to Improve the online web experience for the International Federation. Our goal was to launch a new website to improve the web presence before the World Cup 2018 gets started.

How did you select Simform and what were the deciding factors?

We had an RFP out and SImform was selected as the outcome of that process.

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

The real challenge for both Simform and our team was to launch the website in 3 months. We started working on user research with Simform because we wanted increased user engagement, usability, and discoverability.

On the front-end, the goal was to create a platform that supports different content types, widgets/components, dynamic page creation with the ability to iteratively adapt changing requirements without breaking the architecture. Based on all these requirements, Simform used ReactJs and CSS in the frontend and Laravel in the backend.

For better scalability, they hosted the website on AWS. Simform kept the architecture of the website scalable and flexible while following GDPR guidelines. For the faster delivery of the features, they followed the DevOps model with CI/CD pipeline. Also, after this project, we gave 2 more websites to develop for other tournaments.

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

The team comprised of 2 frontend developers, 2 designers, 2 react.js developers, and 1 backend developer. Many times, this team worked round the clock to meet the deadline.

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

After the successful launch of the website before the World Cup, the site gained huge traffic with over 3 million page views. The site is performant to handle over a thousand visitors at a time. Also, our site has garnered some rave reviews.

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

Simform used the agile methodology for our project. We used to do daily stand up meetings with our team at Simform. We communicated via slack and used Zoho for project management. Their project management was great that helped us to launch the website before the deadline.

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

They showed an impressive commitment to our project. They are fast, responsive, and talented. They are good at making excellent technical choices to deliver high-quality products. To have achieved the goal in such a condensed amount of time, with so many moving parts is remarkable.

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

Not many things. Similar to working with any software company, you as a client need to offer the domain expertise and that can take some efforts from your side. But Simform although did not have domain knowledge about Sports managed to overcome with their learning speed.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and operator of Service Industry Solutions Inc.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simform?

I needed an app developed.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Simform built my app for me, which is compatible with both iOS and Android. The app is a communication platform, which connects every business within the pool industry in order to buy, sell, and trade swimming pool accounts.

What is the team composition?

I mainly had contact with two people, but in total, I was in communication with four people. I worked with an iOS specialist, an Android specialist, a project manager, and a budget manager.

How did you come to work with Simform?

Simform was referred to me by a friend. I contacted them and they got back to me right away, and then we started the project.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, it was about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from November 2019–February 2020.

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

The quality of their services was top-notch, as was their communication. I can’t say enough good about Simform.

How did Simform perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Slack, email, and WhatsApp to stay in touch. We also used Google Meets when we had our video conferences and chats.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team was very project-oriented. No matter what, they always made sure we had a list itemized in stages of highest priority to lowest, which kept me on track. It was clear Simform didn’t want to miss anything and wanted to make sure they delivered what I wanted. 

The whole process was a pleasure. Simform was really efficient and on the ball.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, no. I was very impressed with the project. The only hurdle was the time difference, but that wasn’t their fault.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have the details of your project and the direction written down. It’ll make communication even faster. Of course, Simform is really easy to talk to, but they’re very efficient and don’t like to waste unnecessary time.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of a social benefit health startup. We create digital communication tools that help families of premature infants understand their child’s medical journey while they’re in the intensive care unit.

What challenge were you trying to address with Simform?

We wanted to create digital tools based on the patient-centered empathic models that we have developed as a company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our organization has done a lot of research both on the medical side and on the social science side and wanted a firm that could understand the nuances of that research and then help us apply and create tools based on it. They have built two apps for us, creating the backend and admin panels completely from scratch.

What was the team composition?

There are about 3–4 members of their team working on our project, including a tech lead.

How did you come to work with Simform?

We interviewed about 10 different firms and found them to be the most professional and the quickest to understand and move on the project, so we decided to go with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started around January 2020 and we are continuing to work with them.

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

On the whole, Simform is just an incredibly professional and effective team. They consistently deliver a really high level of coding and are able to finish their projects with very few bugs. All of their team members are really engaged, and you get to know them well throughout the work, so you know they are delivering their best work to you every time.

How did Simform perform from a project management standpoint?

They have done a great job in working with us to manage the project so far. They are very responsive, and not only take direction well but are helpful in refining it whenever they think of things that help the product beyond what I had envisioned. In general, they are also highly organized and efficient at all times.

Their team is incredibly flexible in the ways in which they work with their clients. I’m personally a very hands-on founder, so I like to handle project management on my side of the engagement, and I really appreciate their willingness to let me interact directly with the developers and other individuals we need when we need them. They have been extremely adaptable to our workflow throughout the project so far.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really enjoy working with their whole team. On top of that, they are consistent about giving you the same people to work with so that they know your project already and you aren’t constantly having to worry about onboarding a new developer. That extra care goes a long way in contributing to the overall success of our collaboration.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I can think of that might be helpful is if there was a way to directly call specific people rather than scheduling it in advance, but I think that’s more a product of the project management software we use than their company in particular.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have the time, ask their developers what their thoughts on the project are, because oftentimes they may be able to come up with better ideas than you think they do. It can take a little bit longer to listen, but you definitely shouldn’t let that deter you from hearing and valuing what they have to say.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Faiz ul Mawaid ul Burhaniyah (FMB) is a community Kitchen that provides a fresh one time meal called “FMB services” to Mumineen and Jamaat of Dawoodi Bohra all over the world. I am the Project Manager.

For what projects/services did your company hire Simform?

We hired Simform to build a web application and iOS & Android applications to streamline the various aspects of the running of the Faizul Mawaidul Burhaniyah.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to streamline the various aspects of meal service like communication between Zone coordinators and Volunteers, menu management, Calendar, etc. On the other hand, our end users should be able to book a meal using the mobile app.

How did you select this vendor?

We have used this Vendor in the past for other projects and they had done a very good job in a timely manner.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Simform built a web application for Community managers and Mobile apps(both iOS and Android) for our end users. The project is a mobile application that allows our users to book a meal, cancel and see the menu on a day-to-day basis. The web application can only be used by Kitchen managers to manage menu, calendar, and meal deliveries. Simform designed and built our iOS and Android apps from scratch. They provided every service from mapping out the interface to development to QA and testing. The project involved creating a front end for the users and a back end for administrators to create and edit the content on the live application.

What was the team composition?

The team was made up of three developers, two designers and one project manager.

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

It has allowed the Community Kitchen to become much more efficient and cost-effective. We also allow our customers to be fully in control of their service needs and be informed in a very timely and immediate way.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicated through Zoho, Slack, Skype, and email. All project management was handled through the project manager they assigned, who’s knowledgeable and has communicated project progress regularly, making sure that we understand where we are in the process. He’s also effective at getting us to provide information to the team to keep the project moving forward without delay. They accomplished each task in an orderly manner until delivering the end result.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were able to bring in and out the resources needed to complete the project with the knowledge and skills that would be required. Since they have all the skills under one organization it allows you to know that the project will get completed on time and on budget. Simform leverages their resources across multiple projects which allows for economies of scale. Simform has many years of working with worldwide businesses to deliver successful IT projects. They have a strong knowledge base and leverage any other skills quickly with a high level of confidence.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It’s not a big issue, but if there’s a change in the scope, they should give better flexibility between the proposal and the wireframes and design.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Fitcom Inc. We provide affordable custom app solutions for health, wellness, & fitness industries. In addition, our Fitcom Perks platform offers all types of organizations with free mobile technology to empower their employees, families, & customers to improve their fitness, health, and well-being.

For what projects/services did your company hire Simform?

We engaged Simform to add more features to our existing SaaS platform and improve UX/UI. One of the major technical challenges was to build customizable packages, maintaining different instances for hosting of different whitelabled apps

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to build a platform which can be leveraged by different health & fitness entities to develop their custom iOS and Android native apps.

How did you select this vendor?

A representative reached out to me on LinkedIn.

Describe the project in detail.

Simform built a SaaS platform which allows gyms, physical therapy centers, and dietitians craft a custom iOS and Android native apps for their clients. They can add their logo, brand color and curate workout and nutrition plans for their customers.

One of the critical success factors for our business is to provide a high 24/7 availability when the platform and user base grows. Simform used Microsoft Azure Virtual Machine to cater to the hosting needs and deployed app packages on different instances each time the client built a new app using our platform.

What was the team composition?

Simform knew from experience exactly what resources we needed to achieve our goals. They assembled a flexible team with complementary skills, including a project manager, a UX/UI specialist, two frontend developers, and two backend developers.

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

After launching our platform, many partners have joined us to help local organizations empower their employees, families, & customers to improve their fitness, health, and well-being.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They’ve been great partners. We communicated daily during the project’s development and continue to have biweekly meetings that coincide with their sprint schedules. We used Slack, JIRA, Email, and GoToMeeting to communicate.

I’d attend daily standups with the project manager and developers. It was a lot more involvement on my part, but the communication led to better utilization of the developer. I’d request difficult tasks and could rely on them to present several actionable solutions. From that standpoint, they did a great job managing the project and me as a client.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team was able to complete the task and therefore they had the necessary skill set that was required. They focus on their customer and produce high-quality work. Their technical knowledge and willingness to go above and beyond for the client are their greatest strengths.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had a positive experience. There were a few mistakes, but those are inevitable in any project. We viewed the engagement as paying for their expertise and timeliness, as well as the time needed to make corrections.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the deputy head of the regional office for a Swiss-based nonprofit organization that advocates for child protection in 40 countries around the world.

For what projects/services did your company hire Simform?

We contracted with Simform to develop a mobile app game for children aged 13–18 with the purpose of teaching them about their rights in judicial proceedings.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal of the project was to raise children’s awareness about judicial procedures where they may be witnesses, victims, or perpetrators.

How did you select this vendor?

We opened an international open tender for the development of the game. Our internal committee evaluated all responses based on the company's references, expertise, price estimates, and proposed solutions.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We worked with a legal expert to create stories for the game. Based on these stories, we worked with a design company to craft animations, and we relied on Simform to develop the app itself. They built the front- and backend and inserted the animations into the gameplay. They developed the game for iOS and Android, as well as a web application using Angular.

What was the team composition?

We worked with one project manager, two mobile app developers, one backend developer, two frontend web developers, one quality assurance technician, and one UI/UX expert.

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

We see the completed application as an innovation, something that very few nonprofits use. Our target audience offered positive feedback of the game, citing its educational qualities. The game has been used by individuals and in classrooms, which has allowed our organization to evaluate the use of mobile apps to reach out to young people even further.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Simform’s customer service is excellent, and we were completely satisfied with how they managed the project. They were mindful of our requests, and they were flexible with a development schedule. They have remained helpful in answering our questions even though the engagement has ended.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by their client orientation and their speed in developing a functional product.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, everything regarding the engagement ran smoothly.