Softvoya

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of Quarry Springs Outfitters, a watersport retail and rental company located in Iowa, USA. We have 3 locations in Iowa selling and renting kayaks and kayaking accessories.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Softvoya?

We wanted to develop an App that would create a real-time outdoor community based platform for kayaking, hiking, and biking information and safety sharing. That is what we contracted Softvoya to complete.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a turnkey App that was easy to use and created value for users, vendors and advertisers. The App needed to be intuitive and functional to several types of users and vendors. The App needed to be interactive with the ability to provide safety or advantageous information to the users.

SOLUTION

How did you select Softvoya?

Softvoya was chosen because of their abilities to understand our needs and the capability to adapt to our requests and demands while providing valuable feedback to stay on task and schedule.

Describe the project in detail.

Softvoya was responsible for complete development from our framework concept to final product. Softvoya took our concept and developed the App for iOS with page flow, artwork, graphic interaction and function.

What was the team composition?

The Softvoya team consisted of 2-3 project managers that met with us weekly at a minimum to discuss the progress of the App. Their was also a team of developers that worked on our project at different times throughout the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Softvoya provide a clear and manageable schedule with the various sprints that would address the progress and phases of the project. From initial design, to page layout and flow, to the special features we required. They stayed on schedule and reacted positively when we asked for changes or modifications.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had a stable and helpful project leader who met with us regularly and was efficient at understanding our needs and keeping her team on task. Communication was at times an issue due to being from two different countries, mostly just how some things were worded, but we worked through everything and understood each other well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Softvoya is very reactive and helpful. They listen to your needs and always want to make sure you are receiving what you want and expect. The team is friendly and professional at all times.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, the only issue we had was how things were worded. It was always a simple change of a word here or there and Softvoya always made the changes quickly and effectively. It really wasn't that much of an issue. Softvoya did great work for us. we are already planning the next phase of the App and are excited to work with them again.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We prototype and pilot digital products in Kazakhstan. Among our products are Big Data, IoT, mobile and web apps, chat bots, productivity and monitoring tools. I am Product Manager and Developer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Appservice?

Our team envisioned an e-sharing platform and was ready to start works on it, just as we were taking on a different new project. The lack of resources on our end meant we would need to hire external help. The AppService portfolio managed to captivate us, since they have already build a similar product locally.

What were your goals for this project?

The obvious main goal of the project was to build the platform and see how the local market reacts. Technology-wise, we needed an architecture that allowed our team to take over completely, as soon as possible. Therefore we settled on Angular as front-end framework and Django as the back-end.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

AppService already had a similar project in their portfolio. Being intimate with an e-sharing platform's business logic, we hoped they would be able to quickly prototype a working version. Among the competition were other freelancers and agencies, but none of which had the experience necessary to undergo such an endeavor.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Having approved the Technical Specifications of the project, work began on UI designs and mockups for the web application.

Having completed and approved the design, the actual development began with 2-week sprints for the different milestones we agreed upon during the project initiation phase.

The architecture relied on microservices which greatly simplified the final stage, where we migrated the whole stack to AWS.

What was the team composition?

The team comprised of approximately 6 people, as at different stages different skills were employed as needed. A single project manager was provided, and a direct line to the company's executive via instant messaging or video conferencing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still at the early stages of the product, and as such, it is hard to judge the final result. Works are ongoing with a marketing team, that AppService also provides. In hindsight, a marketing strategy could have been more effective at the earliest stages of the product development.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management was as good as it could be for the price range and complexity of the project. Any turnover events were opaque, and since we did not directly communicate with the task executors, no delays were felt due to it.

We communicated using instant messaging apps, Google Meet for teleconferencing, and the occasional email for invoices.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

AppService delivered a solid website that has become a sharing platform with complex architecture. They managed the project seamlessly by communicating well.

We were pleased to have the design of the platform, particularly a high-quality UI, custom made from the ground up without any templates. The team worked quickly and efficiently to get the website up and running.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I believe improvement in project management is a two-way street. Though communication from AppService was always crystal clear, I myself would fail to communicate my ideas correctly. This would result in unexpected delays.

As for AppService, our team felt they lacked in rigorous testing procedures of the product prior to closing milestones, as occasionally we would see bugs that were never there before, as soon as we start testing ourselves.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO and owner of a media company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appservice?

I reached out to Appservice to provide custom website design and development services for both my website and some other client projects. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appservice provides full-service web design and development, including project management and wireframe development. They've built a custom website for me, as well as for other clients of mine, using PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. 

What is the team composition? 

I work with about 3–4 people, including a project manager and a couple of developers. We typically touch base at least once a week. 

How did you come to work with Appservice?

I'd worked with someone on their team a while ago when she was at a different company, so she introduced me to other great people at Appservice. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've probably invested around $15,000, which includes multiple projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

I've been working with Appservice since January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Appservice's design and UX skills are phenomenal. They've given my website the edge it needed to stand out in the local market. Our site is a lot more responsive, which helps us better serve our clients. 

How did Appservice perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been great to work with overall. Their project management skills are second to none, and they've also been flexible in using my own process within Asana. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to think outside the box creatively and their attention to detail set them apart. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

At this time, there's nothing I'd suggest they improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don't have advice—just enjoy the process. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Atalian, a cleaning and maintenance company in Belarus.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appservice?

We were looking for a company to help us with SEO and marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have one site geared towards corporations and one for the general public. They did some restructuring of these sites, proposing SEO, content management, and promotion.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four or five people from their team, but I communicated directly with the SEO and product manager.

How did you come to work with Appservice?

We decided to change the company that was responsible for our SEO, so my assistant found several companies. I contacted them and we decided to start a contract with Appservice.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent €3,000–€5,000 Euro (approximately $3,400–$5,700 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in April 2019, and it is an ongoing engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen an increase in the number of clients we have and are getting additional phone calls. It seems better, compared to our previous provider.

How did Appservice perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager is very good and quite professional. In the beginning, we spoke more often, and are now in contact once every two to three weeks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They know what to do and I haven’t had a lot of trouble with them, compared to my previous contractor.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always room for improvement and it would be nice to see results sooner. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Speak with the CEO initially and then connect with his team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work as an account manager in the studio E-produce.ru

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Appservice?

Appservice developed the frontend site of the Russian venture company. On React. The guys showed themselves to be responsible performers.

What were your goals for this project?

Make tasks in accordance with the customer requirements.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

On the recommendation of a colleague who previously worked with this contractor.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The site of the Russian venture company.

What was the team composition?

The company provided 2 specialists: a project manager, a developer on react.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This contractor has strengthened our reputation in the eyes of the client.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Management was of high quality.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The guys are responsible. Understand the details. Proactive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

In this project, no. Everything was done on time and efficiently.