SnapMobile

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a regional director for a senior living company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Snapmobile?

We were conducting annual surveys manually and needed a better method of collecting information digitally.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Snapmobile developed a website from scratch, working very closely with our team on the layout and functionality. They created a dashboard for all of our communities, combining the survey results and the Net Promoter Score (NPS) system.

What is the team composition?

We work very closely with a developer and a designer.

How did you come to work with Snapmobile?

One of our executives was working with Snapmobile on some other projects and suggested that we work with them as well. After we met with their team, we felt they were able to offer exactly what we were looking for. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2017 and we're still working with them now as we wrap up our most recent survey.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Snapmobile delivered on everything we wanted. Their web solution turned out even better than we had imagined it would. It's organized, clear, and easy to use.

How did Snapmobile perform from a project management standpoint?

They're quick to respond and update everything as needed. They were always there when we need them and we communicated mostly through email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In addition to their quick turnaround, they're great about receiving feedback and implementing it. They're truly great to work with and a great company to partner with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide their team with as much information about your goals and vision as possible. They can only do so much with what you provide if you're information is unclear or vague.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the learning and development lead for a management consulting company. We supply tools that focus on business culture optimization and employee retention.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

We wanted to create an interactive task assignment application to assist employees with their day-to-day operations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The tool essentially helps employees grow not only professionally but also lets them set personal goals. SnapMobile has been engaged in every step of the process. They started by getting to know our company to determine what drives our organization. From here, they assisted with conceptual work and built four different prototypes before we settled on a final version.

They also built out admin portals as a separate prototype so that our leadership could see how the app functions from a supervisor’s point of view. This was important for us because a large part of the application relates to performance feedback provided by management.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a team of three, including their VP, a project manager, and a creative assistant.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

The project was already in the initial phase when I took over. SnapMobile’s VP took time to develop a relationship with me and provided insight into what was done prior to my arrival. That really helped me ensure the project continued moving forward.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2017 and our relationship is ongoing. If you start a project with SnapMobile, they stay with you through every step of the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re currently undergoing an awareness campaign before handing the app to employees, but SnapMobile went the extra mile during the design process. Our company initiated a separate employee-wellness initiative in the middle of our project. Seeing the impact of that program, SnapMobile incorporated those elements into the application, even though that went beyond the initial scope. That was huge.

They also took time to ask tough questions about our company so they could help us reach the largest possible audience. I appreciated their candor.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very timely, organized, and start conversations by providing context. Unlike other companies I’ve worked with, they’re also flexible enough to work with a fast-moving company like ours, adjusting to any scheduling changes. While they executed the prototype phase free of charge, they still took time to ensure the project moved forward appropriately and provided content for upcoming meetings.

We communicate primarily through Skype, phone, and email. They also suggested meeting in person, though I was unable to because I was out of town on business.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The fact that they took time to understand what drove our culture was extremely impactful. This demonstrated that they cared about our success. While they presented a number of development options based on their previous work with other clients, they also recognized that our mission statement might require a unique approach. They remained focused on our company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them ask difficult questions about your company. This will allow them to quickly create a product that suits your needs and reaches the right audience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the vice president of experience with a social club for people 50 and older.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

We wanted to create a mobile application that would provide a space for our members to share content and connect.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We didn’t have experience in app development, so SnapMobile started from scratch, sitting down with us to explain the process and present available options. They educated us and helped us map out the entire project. From there, they functioned as full-service partners. They did all of the design work and developed the application for both iOS and Android.

Our app allows members to log on to their individual profiles and filter our original content based on their interests. We can also highlight upcoming events. Users can search for events in their area, RSVP, and see if friends plan to attend. If members meet someone at an event, our app provides a safe, non-threatening space for them to connect.

SnapMobile designed and developed a corresponding website, and also provided branding assistance for our marketing website.

What is the team composition?

We were assigned a dedicated project manager, but I also had relationships with their team of four developers and designers.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

They were referred to us. We considered other companies, but I appreciated that SnapMobile could clearly explain complex technical concepts. They patiently answered all of my questions to make sure I fully understood what the job would entail.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $65,000–$75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The bulk of the project took place between February–August 2017, but they continue to provide maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We sat down with members to conduct user tests and they loved it. They find the layout intuitive and enjoy being able to easily connect. The app functions almost error-free, and SnapMobile addresses any minor bugs immediately, even during weekends and evenings.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

I communicated with the project manager on a daily basis through email. We had weekly phone calls and a few in-person meetings with the entire team. They also provided monthly progress updates.

Some deadlines were missed, but this was due to last-minute changes we requested. They were able to accommodate these shifts in schedule and budget, which was very impressive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a small firm, which allowed them to focus on our goals. They understood that we wanted to develop something special and actually cared about our project. Unlike other vendors, they were also very accommodating. They helped address any challenge we presented, prioritizing our needs above their own bottom line. They’re good people who were fun to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could grow by adding team members with different skillsets. Employing a copy specialist, for instance, would make them more full-service.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re not tech-oriented, it’s important to work with a patient, flexible team that’s willing to develop a process that works for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m responsible for production at a senior living company. I coordinate events and organize promotion efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

Our company designs and distributes a huge number of flyers, and it was becoming a strain on our internal graphic designers. We couldn’t find an existing tool to facilitate the process, so we searched for a company that could create a do-it-yourself design portal that was unique to our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started off with a phone call to discuss our business and the specifics around what we were looking to accomplish. Before we formally started the engagement, they walked us through a prototype that we were able to review internally. After making a few revisions, they moved forward on development and completed the platform within about six weeks. We were able to do the whole project remotely, which worked very well for us.

The platform was a web app with individual accounts that allow users to choose from a set of our templates, enter content, and send the final product in for approval. It also notifies the accounts that I set as “approvers” or administrators when there are new flyers for review. The layout is very intuitive, and training people on the product was easy.

What is the team composition?

I was in contact with a sales representative and a strategist during the planning phases. During development, I spoke primarily with a project manager and two developers. There may have been other developers working on the project, but I didn’t interact with them.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

We researched several local companies online and ended up calling two of them. We found that many companies would outsource their development to offshore firms, which doesn’t allow for much collaboration. SnapMobile doesn’t outsource and they’re based in Chicago, so we’re very close to one another. This project was a large investment for our company and they were the only group that offered a free prototype, which ensured that the platform was exactly what we were looking for. They also offered to complete the project within a shorter timeframe than others.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November of 2017, and the engagement concluded in early 2018. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to avoid hiring an additional designer, which saves us about $60,000/year plus overhead. We also scaled back the graphic design freelancer we’d been working with, as now our team can create the flyers themselves. In the future, we’re planning to add new features that will allow us to reduce other positions as well.

Qualitatively, the platform has been flawless. We haven’t had any problems thus far, and it’s largely due to the prototype phase. We were able to work out most potential issues before even starting on development. Our company uses both Macbooks and PCs, as well as a variety of different browsers, and it’s worked reliably for the whole team.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team used Basecamp for task management and had weekly calls with us. They were very accountable throughout the project, and it made a complex development process easy for us. They made it clear that they would work closely with us from the beginning of the engagement, and that was the main reason we chose to go with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The option to create a prototype before signing a contract with them was unique, and it helped us tremendously in making sure the platform met our needs. They also did a great job translating complex terminology and ideas into language that we could understand and work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not at this point, no. I have nothing but positive things to say about the project.

Advice for potential customers?

Don’t sign up with anyone that can’t show you exactly what you’re getting; there are too many variables to consider once you start development. I would also suggest reaching out to a broad variety of companies to find the best deal.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of Real People International. We have developed an app called Xentelife, which connects people to what matters.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

I had worked with a firm in India for developing the app, but it was somewhat of a nightmare. I had to make the decision to bring it back Stateside and have another partner rebuild the app. The purpose of the app is to help people really connect to the things which we usually put aside. Most people are focused on careers, and trying to make a living, but this app enables them to connect with family and friends. There is a component which addresses users’ careers, but the main idea is helping them reach holistic success, which not only includes the professional side, but every other aspect of their lives. Most people want to do the right thing, but they often need a bit of help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope included everything from an initial consultation, to design and development. Although I had gone through this process with the team in India, but I couldn’t reuse any of the work done there. SnapMobile’s developed an onboard assessment functionality which helps users see how well they’re connecting to others at a given time, as well as automatic notifications which remind them to connect with friends and significant others. The app’s engine not only assesses where the user stands, but also allows them to connect to others based on what they score on that assessment. There is a human avatar which serves as a visual representation of results. The platform is available on iOS and Android.

The idea behind the new development run was to keep the app simple, and focus on notifications. Unlike Facebook and other social media platforms, my app is more of a tool which prompts users to make a connection with their community or whatever other aspect they wish to enhance. There are media-sharing functionalities as with any social app, but it works more as a private network with a focus on improving relationships. Users can set up specific groups of people, and after that point, everything they do will only engage that group. The intention was not to make the platform into the destination, but rather to have real-life connections be the destination. SnapMobile delivered everything I wanted, without necessarily drawing me into the existing social media rat race.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

I was desperate to find a Stateside partner after my bad experience with the team in India, and I started dialing around. I somewhat stumbled upon SnapMobile while making calls to different people. They were the most responsive, got back to me in a timely manner, followed up, and set up a meeting at their office. After a discussion with the owner of SnapMobile, I became comfortable with his style and approach in handling the client. They weren’t just trying to sell me their services, but really wanted to understand what it was I was trying to accomplish. Only then did the ideation process start.

How much have you invested with SnapMobile?

The cost of their work was $30,000. SnapMobile understood that I was just an individual trying to do something for the greater good, and that it was a large sum of money for me. I believe that the project should have cost a lot more.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with SnapMobile around December 2016. The app was completed in March or April 2017. I plan to have an ongoing relationship with them, and we have an upcoming meeting during which we’ll discuss taking it to the next level. The app has been brought to a stable level, but I want to add a few more elements which will engage the users in a slightly different way.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have also written a book, and decided to slow-roll the whole process until its release. I am in the process of putting everything together in order to have an effective impact.

I also wanted to ensure that the platform would be stable, since I wasn’t going to put it out in the marketplace if it didn’t do exactly what I said it would.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

They have done exactly what was promised, within the timeline promised. If something would vary at all, SnapMobile communicated with me, explaining what was going on and why. This was completely different to my previous experience. We had weekly check-ins for updates on where the development was, and any challenges which occurred.

What did you find most impressive about SnapMobile?

SnapMobile helped me take new directions in order to engage with potential clients more. They were consultative, and put me at ease when I needed to make a new investment in the development. All the money I’d spent overseas was wasted, but SnapMobile made it easier for me to move forward with them. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and every aspect was delivered to my liking.

They confirmed that they understood what I was trying to accomplish. Once that was locked down, SnapMobile did exactly what was agreed upon.

Are there any areas SnapMobile could improve?

None at all. They performed exactly like they said they would, and I was happy with everything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am executive director of Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus, a local community-building and advocacy organization. We focus on increasing the health equity that black gay, bisexual, and transgender men experience in Chicago.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

Our mobile app is a new attempt for public health industry to meet mobile app technology and really utilize it. Our app aims to influence certain daily behaviors to increase one’s personal health. There are fitness apps out there. There are diet apps out there. There are other things out there, but ours is really about sexual health. This was very specific. We’re talking about HIV and STDs, a pretty specific part of overall health that isn’t reflected in a lot of apps out there. What we did see reflected were different research and academic institutions that were attempting to reflect existing interventions through their apps. We tried looking to them as examples of what to bounce off of, but the problem was that they were made almost in a laboratory. They had a research starting point and we’re a little less concerned with actual uptake in the wild. We wanted to start from the other perspective where we say, “How will this actually be used in someone’s hands while still talking about a subject that many times may not actually be that sexy and not as fun from out of the box?”

The reason why I said all of that is, if there were existing apps that lived in that landscape for us, we would have something to start from. But many times, it felt like we were starting from scratch. We don’t really have a lot of examples. From what I understand, that’s good and bad. It’s bad because we’re a little blind in some areas, but it’s good because we’re filling a need that isn’t being addressed right now. All of that would necessitate a developer who is ready for that challenge. We wanted someone who isn’t merely going to take marching orders or just give us this basic app that looks like a lot of different apps. There’s such a landscape out there that it’s really hard to figure out where to start. I knew nothing about the industry. I knew that my funders were very interested in new media, as a lot of people are right now. So the challenge in front of us was: “How do we translate our sexual and reproductive health expertise into that type of platform in a way that our users would be interested in?”

We had another mobile app developer and they were working with our mobile app. Unfortunately, I knew that this was not their forte so I had to go further than my expertise was. I’m not saying this very well, but that’s not my industry; that’s not my training. It’s not possible for me to know what industry standards are, know what best practices are when it comes to development, particularly the layout and architecture of the app. I didn’t know what any of these things meant a couple years ago when I started working with that first company. It turned out that they were not able to fulfill multiple deadlines that I would have for this year. I was in a queue behind a lot of their other clients so they weren’t going to be able to meet these deadlines anytime soon. I hate to say it this way, so hopefully you’re not taking me verbatim, but it ended up being the final straw. It finally motivated me to go after a company that had this as their expertise so that I wouldn’t be expected to go beyond what was mine.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project had different phases and SnapMobile stepped into a moving train. We already had a product that was almost where we needed it to be, but in other ways not at all what we needed it to be. They very honest with me and said, “Okay, for it to exist the way that you’d like it to, we need to rebuild this. We can emulate what is already there, but we need to rebuild it. Along the way, we’ll notice some things and we’ll give you some feedback.” That process took a couple of weeks. It was very fast compared to what I was used to. We’re using Basecamp and I have it on my phone. They would talk to me and I could respond immediately. All of that made it very quick.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

Before I was promoted, I was put in touch with SnapMobile through a former supervisor. He had a connection with them and knew them. You understand this, that is probably why Clutch exists. When I was trying to prospect for developers, it was hard for me because I had learned about the industry but I was drowning in dozens of options. I don’t remember exactly where I saw SnapMobile, but I remember seeing a listing that said they were fast. That caught my eye. But I know from past experience sometimes fast is not always best and that you get what you pay for, also.

How much have you invested with SnapMobile?

At this point, we’ve paid between $10,000 and $50,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in August 2016. The project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because of the last developer I had, I was still in this mode of “I know what my goals are, let me tell you what I think we can do to fulfill that.” It’s been liberating for me to be able to pull back from that. I have these goals and I have some sense of what my community is interested in because they would be the main target audience. I can ask SnapMobile, “Do you have any ideas of how we could represent this, what functionality attends to it, what timeline we have, and what cost we have?” All of that was a really seamless process.

During our initial meeting, I was very impressed by the speed at which it seemed like they would be able to deliver. They just seemed like they had a really tight ship. They had a lot of things I was looking for in-house and they seemed to be speaking the same language. There wasn’t any kind of shaming for me not knowing the terminology. They were able to translate things for me. They weren’t afraid of pushback. Because I’m a one-person staff, that is very exciting. I need to be able to put out an idea and have an honest response about whether or not it’s going to fly. For example, when I originally was laying out the structure, I had tons of notifications in there. This was really funny because an app that would trigger off all these multiple notifications is not something that I would personally use. They were able to be very friendly, firm, and very honest about the best practice that would help me achieve my goals.

Also, I needed a certain level of this project to be completed by the end of the year, around November. I needed to have user response and community response data to look at before the year is out. The actual product needs to be out as soon as possible. I thought it would take a month and then they give it to me in 2 or 3 weeks. What SnapMobile has been able to give me logistically was that they fit into my timeline very well. They’ll end up waiting on me, which is a great way to feel. It feels like I’m in control.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

suSnapMobile is really good and very clear with expectations. They’re very nitpicky on details, which is awesome. I’ll get these messages and they’re like, “This might be a random question.” I’m like, “No, this is an awesome question. I love this.” I’ve been on Basecamp for other projects before, but I’ve never really taken it that seriously. I’m like, “Oh yeah, there was a message somewhere.” This time, I’m looking at their messages all the time.

There have been a couple of points where there was one detail that I’m expecting a response on, but they don’t actually tell me. I don’t end up being upset about that because they figured it out on their end. I’m used to being looped in and I don’t think I actually need to be looped in sometimes. I’m still learning how to make this, so they’re helping me understand how this process should work. It actually feels much more comfortable than it was with my past developer.

Somehow, they’ve kept me very engaged and very informed. If I have a question, they will come back to it very quickly. As an aside, I think they apologize too much because they have not given me any issues. Even the thing I was talking about before with not letting me know stuff, that’s based on my expectations that actually I was taught by somebody else. In some ways, they’re undoing that, which is actually good. I don’t need to be involved with all the nitty gritty.

What did you find most impressive about SnapMobile?

I’ll tell you a couple of things. First, I really appreciated that all the people I was interacting with at SnapMobile were women, from the project manager to the engineers to the project assistants. It’s felt really awesome in that way. We’re social justice oriented. For me to see women in that type of industry who are running the show, who are very capable and know what they’re doing, is a signal to me about the values of that organization. That seems very exciting. I don’t mean that in a glib way. I’m working in a gay organization, so it’s something that’s on my mind. As a community service organization, I have to think about how will I be received. When we talk about sexual health, we’re talking about very intimate things, some would say graphic even. We have to go with people’s actual lives. We know that untreated HIV down the road has these really dire consequences on someone’s health and on their livelihood. So we need to get in there and be honest about what’s happening up front. They have never been weird with me. They have always met me exactly with what I’m talking about. The conversations have been very comfortable.

The second thing is that the atmosphere that they have is not intimidating. Because this is not my industry, I have a certain trepidation about talking too much and sounding stupid or not actually being able to communicate what I’m looking for. We’ve never had those issues. I’ve never felt talked down to. It’s like the fear of talking to the computer engineer when your computer is broken. That’s always the deal whenever it’s the hardware. It’s always assumed that you did something wrong and they’ll always make you feel stupid. You didn’t do something right. That’s a lingering fear, and it could not be further from the truth when working with them.

Are there any areas SnapMobile could improve?

None that I can think of. I would have to think for a while to think of anything I’d want to change.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder of ByeLine. It’s a tech service that allows you to buy a ticket to skip a line at a bar.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

We are a startup company, so we were looking for someone who was affordable. We wanted to build a close relationship and then maintain that after the app is built. It wasn’t just a one-time deal.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SnapMobile created an iPhone and Android app. It integrates with Facebook. Users would purchase a ticket on the app. Upon arrival at a venue, they could scan the barcode there and that would redeem the ticket. Each venue has its own individual barcode. A ticket could only be used once and it would be individualized per customer. We also have a back-end database that could input how many tickets were available, price, and such for each venue. We use Braintree to handle all of the processing and purchasing. When we find bugs, we quickly discuss those with SnapMobile and they fix it. We work together to see how to best improve the app.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

I was looking on your website and seeing all the different reviews. Theirs looked really great. They looked new, so they were aligned with our values that we were new. SnapMobile was willing to work with us. We gave them a call and they were very interested in discussing and planning things out with us.

How much have you invested with SnapMobile?

We’ve paid $10,000 to $50,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in June 2016. It’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app currently has over 900 users and we have processed almost $40,000. We’ve received positive feedback from all of our users.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

SnapMobile are great to work with and straightforward. They are very easy to reach. They work through a platform called Basecamp. It’s very cooperative and team dynamic-oriented. They are great.

What did you find most impressive about SnapMobile?

I thought they were very personable. We’re comfortable going to them and discussing any issues that we have. They give us options as well. The SnapMobile team comes up with new ideas and seems very invested in the project themselves.

Are there any areas SnapMobile could improve?

It would be great if they could give a more detailed timeline. I know that’s something they are working on right now. It would be nice to know exactly from day 1 what we have to do and when we have to do it. That would let us help them best. Sometimes, things were a bit slow because our company did not know or realize that we had to do certain things. That would be the only thing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Dan Dan the Woodman. It is a firewood delivery company I set up about 8 years ago. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

Over the last couple of years, I've been trying to introduce a little bit of technology to my business. I had a website, which is rare for most companies in the industry. However, it wasn't driving anybody to place orders or giving them payment options. We were doing everything the old-school way: a lot of phone calls, processing checks, cash, a lot of handouts, and a lot of bad information. I didn't have an organized database. I was just living off my cell phone contacts. I also did a lot of advertising, if you will, on Craigslist and simple things like that in order to get the word out about my business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the database, I gave SnapMobile a sales spreadsheet and they worked their own magic on it to create a mobile app for it.

We also have an app now. It's available for Apple and Android devices. I think the biggest challenge is getting the app on people's devices without a huge marketing budget, at least initially. I hope ultimately they'll have it out there. We've only been doing this for a couple of weeks now because I'm a seasonal business. We worked out a couple of kinks with the functionality. Surprisingly, there were very few of those, more or less user errors. Everything else seems to be in order. SnapMobile is using the Braintree payment system, which is working fine. The fees are reasonable and so far, things have been easily processed.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

My brother is a good friend of Andy Mack, the owner of SnapMobile. We had a face to face meeting and he said, “We can make your life a lot better. These people, once they find you, could place an order and pay you. You'll have their address and everything you need.” And he was right.

How much have you invested with SnapMobile?

I’ve paid around $10,000 for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started it in the spring. We didn't have a whole lot of urgency because there was nothing to do back then. They said they would normally charge a monthly fee but they weren’t going to do that until we had some traction and users. That obviously hasn't happened yet. I think the next 30 to 60 days will be really interesting.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had about 25 users over the last 7 to 10 days. It's going to be very hard to judge impact until around Thanksgiving. We usually don't do a lot of business in firewood sales at this time of year and Halloween. The people who’ve used the app were a hell of a lot easier than my old-school way of doing business. I'm ecstatic about our first big week. I followed up with everybody through the messaging portion of the app and with texts. I got rave reviews about how easy it was and how simple it was. It's also nice that I know that they've already paid so that I don't have to chase people for money. I don't have to chase my delivery drivers. It's giving me exactly the data that I need.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

Tip-top, 10 out of 10. I've worked with 4 of 5 different people at SnapMobile through different portions of the whole process. They've all been fantastic. When I went to close off the app and saw the presentation from the whole Snap team, it was done professionally.

What did you find most impressive about SnapMobile?

I have nothing but good things to say about SnapMobile and the whole team; they've been very fair. They said, “We're not going to get carried away and bankrupt you for the next 6 months when you're not in business.” I was, to be honest, a little nervous about it. This thing is going to cost me 3 grand and I'm not even going to touch it. Now that I'm involved and engaged in it, I think we have great sunny skies ahead.

I appreciate SnapMobile's response time and their generosity. They're happy people, a real pleasure to work with. I'm ecstatic that my brother introduced me to Andy. I've worked with Angela and Sophia and a couple of other people and it was absolutely fantastic.

Are there any areas SnapMobile could improve?

I haven't seen anything that leads me to think that. I don't have a whole lot of other things to compare them to in this space. If I uncover something later, I’ll let you know. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're a mobile car wash. We developed an app that allows users to register and schedule a car wash anytime and anywhere.

We are also working with local retailers and local businesses to have a presence in their parking lots so people ca have their cars washed no matter where they are. 

What is your position?

I am the founder and CEO of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

We needed someone to develop an app with e-commerce capabilities. It would store information – all their personal information, such as their name, address, phone, type of vehicle, location, and credit card information – because they would get charged automatically when they receive their service. That's the whole point. The ease of using our app is you don't even have to be there. You don't have to worry about payments.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

I passed on our designs and SnapMobile designed the iOS and Android apps from there. They were able to make the app look pretty and consistent with our website.

It looks great. Right now, it's in the process of being approved by Apple. They were involved in the testing, and they did their own beta testing. They were very thorough, and I would highly recommend them to anyone else that's looking to do something like this.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

We needed someone to develop the app. After talking to three or four companies, we liked SnapMobile. Not only do they provide the same service for a significantly lower cost, but they are extremely responsive and very attentive to our needs. We wanted to develop an app for both iOS and Android, and they were willing to do that at the same time, where many of these other companies won't. They will only develop one first, and then they would charge you the same amount of money to develop the second one, even though they're very similar.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

It cost around $20,000 for both the iOS and Android apps. Then, with an ongoing fee of $850 a month for maintenance and minor edits.

What is the status of this engagement?

It's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

It's very early, but our testers thought it was phenomenal. It's very easy to use and effective.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

SnapMobile was great. We're all on Basecamp, so they updated us constantly. They met all the deadlines. If they knew there was going to be a slight delay for whatever reason, we were informed well ahead of time. It would never get where we were hunting them down, trying to see what progress has been made, or what the status is. They were always on top of it. I can't complain at all. Overall, they were very responsive.

If we had questions, I would get a response back within an hour. I know that they have other clients as well. What I liked about them is that they don't bite off more than they can chew. They made that clear. They have the time for us they are setting aside. They gave us an estimated timeline for what we wanted to created, and they told us they are dedicated to us during that time. They were extremely responsive to our needs.

What distinguishes SnapMobile from other providers?

SnapMobile are very humble and honest. The main difference between them and everyone else I talked to is the cost. They say it like it is. I like their common sense approach to things.

Is there anything SnapMobile could have improved or done differently?

I wish we could pivot more quickly whenever we changed our mind about how we wanted something to be. We've changed directions a few times and, sometimes, they were accommodating but, sometimes, they were not. We would have to wait until the next round, and we'll have to wait until about four to six weeks after we launch. They've definitely delivered on what they told us they would.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

My company is BoardHero. It's a mobile application platform that allows users, specifically entrepreneurs to locate, incentivize, and recruit experts from their local specific industry or community. It allows them to do that through the app and create a personal board of advisors. They have an intimate and close connection with a group of people who can answer questions, ask questions regarding their specific business, and recruit leaders from different backgrounds, finance marketing, and technology to collaborate in a digital form, which is all done through the app.

What is your position?

I am a founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with SnapMobile?

As a founder, I was trying to build the app without raising a significant round of investment early on. Getting a product off the ground without a CTO partner was difficult to do, but SnapMobile provided the solution for me to get a working prototype quickly. They act as my CTO.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They played an integral role in the development of the iOS and Android apps. I provided most of the logos, designs, and themes. They certainly provided some guidance there as well. They provided good strategic-level advisory work with regard to the product and product management side of it as well as to the actual build of the application.

How did you come to work with SnapMobile?

I've known their founder and CEO, Andy Mack, for a long time. SnapMobile is one of the best in Chicago in terms of high-quality application development work at a price point that's reasonable for start-up founders.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

At this point, it's between $10,000 and $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I'm still working with them. The bulk of their work has been done already. They'll provide some support function post-launch, and the application is still running on their back-end systems.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

It's a little early, but we've had a group of beta testers on it. We've gotten good feedback from users, and the app is working really well.

How did SnapMobile perform from a project management standpoint?

SnapMobile's project management is very good. They are highly attentive and very responsive. They keep me updated, and they understood my concept well and translated it into an actual working prototype. They are a very strong team.

What distinguishes SnapMobile from other providers?

They have a general vested interest in the success of each business. You can tell that they believe in it and get excited about it as well. Having that in a tech partner is important, and they've been able to do a great job there.

Is there anything SnapMobile could have improved or done differently?

I think they've already improved drastically throughout the process. Granted, I was one of their first clients in terms of joining them pretty soon after they launched. They continue to get better in terms of the capabilities that they offer. I learned a little bit about what they could do and what they couldn't do along the way and understanding that more up front would have been helpful. But, they've done a tremendous job, and that was more of a function of me looking up at them at the very early inception of the business.