Softwareistic

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the SEO analyst of RankGenie, a keyword ranking platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softwareistic?

We needed someone to provide us with custom software development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softwareistic built and developed our software analysis and ranking software. We started the project with a discussion about our requirements, which they were able to adhere to and provide the best options for the development process.

Some of the functionalities of the platform include metadata management and testing, web analytics reporting, and SEO.

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with a business consultant and project head. 

How did you come to work with Softwareistic?

We were researching companies with an economical price range and found Softwareistic. We decided to hire them based on their cost-effective solutions.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested somewhere between $70,000–$90,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2020–July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The success rate of our partnership was high as they were able to accomplish, deliver, and improve our requirements.

How did Softwareistic perform from a project management standpoint?

The development wasn’t a small project so they were quite good at managing the entire process. They met all their deadlines, delivered on their promises, and achieved every milestone that was given.

The project was managed through Asana, and we typically communicated through Zoom, email, and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed with their reliability as a development partner. They were able to adhere to our time frames and provide us with cost-effective solutions. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to keep open communication so you can be aware of the progress of the project at any time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing head of Ranking Factor Analysis, a company that provides comprehensive B2B and B2C SEO solutions. Through our understanding of the matrix, we help our customers rank highly and organically on Google. We advise them on what content to create on their website based on what their targets are.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softwareistic?

We turned to Softwareistic to help us with our outdated website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softwareistic revamped our entire website. They incorporated a lot of new features according to our requests. We completed the project and are now in the beta testing phase. At the moment, we are also planning to develop a mobile application in the coming year.  

What is the team composition?

I was in contact with around four people from Softwareistic. This included the project manager, a person overseeing the server, and a lead developer. I was informed that there were 10–15 other people who were working in the background. 

How did you come to work with Softwareistic?

We were looking for an agency that could provide a one-stop-shop solution for our business, which is why we searched for application developers in the first place. Our first requirement was that they had to be based in New Jersey. A friend of mine had actually worked with Softwareistic in the past and referred them to us, so we assessed their knowledge and adeptness in development and decided to hire them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We paid around $35,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was initiated around February 2021 and ended last July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I would rate the quality of Softwareistic’s work very highly. They really worked in-depth and had a proper system within their company. I liked how the team did not rush to provide a solution; they took the time to analyze our situation, capture our requirements, and make sure that they were on the same page as us. Other providers usually do the opposite and would need to go back to correct their mistakes, but I never saw that happen with Softwareistic. It saved us a lot of time to not have to go back and forth with them. 

How did Softwareistic perform from a project management standpoint?

They did pretty good in terms of project management. The project manager assigned to us called us three times a week to provide updates and emailed regularly to communicate certain details of the project. I can’t fault them for going past the deadline, though, since there were many things that had to be done at the last minute. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The best thing about Softwareistic is their communication and their ability to understand exactly what needs to be done. We could always contact them when we had questions or concerns. Despite minor issues with the timeline, I think they had a good ploy overall.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could work on responding more quickly. Given the challenges we had, however, I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Marketing Director of a chain of supermarkets. We're a discounter brand that sells a wide range of consumer products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have two direct competitors who often undercut our prices, especially in fast-moving consumer goods. One of our competitors has a loyalty program based around a loyalty card that customers can earn by spending a certain amount in the store. Although their loyalty program hadn't worked very well for them, we found that consumers had little to no preference for us over either of our competitors.

We wanted to launch a loyalty program that's easy to get into and encourages consumers to regularly choose our supermarkets, especially for their monthly FMCG shopping. We decided a mobile app would be an ideal approach. We wanted Softwareistic to make a stable app for us that keeps a record of past purchases and gives discounts to returning customers who use the app.

SOLUTION

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

1. Customer Service. 2. Recommendations from Others.

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

We had no experience in mobile application development. They worked closely with us to design user experiences suited to our customer base. They also implemented strategies to incentivize buyers to shop at our supermarkets. For instance, they included a push notification feature in the app that lets users know when products they may be interested in are on special discounts.

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

I mostly communicated with the project manager, who translated my suggestions into a more technical language for the developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our app has already been downloaded more than 20,000 times on iOS and Android. Our loyalty program has proved far more effective than our competitor's even though we didn't invest nearly as much as them.

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

They completed the project on time, and we're yet to find any flaws in the app. I'd say they did a solid job.

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

The team has a good grasp on how marketing works, or at least that's what I picked up on as a marketing specialist myself. They didn't just build an app according to my instructions but added a whole lot of features I had no clue existed.

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

I felt they took too long on testing and QA. I can't complain as they completed the project on time, but at least that's my opinion.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of an apparel company. We design outdoor clothes for trekking and other activities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Softwareistic?

Our customers made us notice that we didn’t have a digital presence; we didn’t have a website or a mobile application. Therefore, we decided to launch a mobile e-commerce app to digitalize our buying journey and see how our clients responded.

The mobile app’s design was really important to us; we were looking for an outdoor theme that matched our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Softwareistic is developing our mobile app. First, they elaborated a contract where they specified timelines, costs, and the features the mobile app would have, as well as a short description of each feature. Regarding the design, they showed us the roadmap they had planned and their design proposals. Then, we had meetings where we gave them feedback, and they made the necessary changes to come up with the design we have now. 

Softwareistic is using React Native to develop the iOS and Android mobile app, which is now in its alpha phase. The design is complete, but it's still missing the functionality that will be added in the beta phase they're currently working on.

The mobile app's main features are the showcase and purchase of our apparel catalog. Our clients will sign in using their social media accounts, which is something we've asked for since it's trending these days. Clients will also pay and schedule the delivery of their products through the mobile app.

Additionally, Softwareistic will bring in more developers to add other features to the app, one of them being the display of our stores' locations since we have stores across various states. The app will show customers which store is closest to them based on their location through Google Maps.

Softwareistic has made a proposal for managing marketing, and we're most likely going to move forward with their proposal once they finish developing the app.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact with Softwareistic is their project manager. Initially, we talked to a sales representative, followed by a manager.

How did you come to work with Softwareistic?

We searched for app development companies on Google. We checked out 5–6 companies before coming across Softwareistic. Initially, we contacted them through their website, and within 15 minutes, they reached us back.

We had an initial meeting and an icebreaking session where we discussed our original idea. Softwareistic's sales representative understood our project fast, which didn't happen with other companies we talked to. They also thought of features we hadn't even considered. The budget was an important part of the project, and the other prospects were expensive. Softwareistic's prices and timeline seemed reasonable to us, so we chose them.

Initially, Softwareistic sent us a questionnaire that functioned as our initial brief; these were questions to explain our vision of our mobile app better. After those initial meetings, we signed an NDA and a contract.

How much have you invested with them?

The total budget for this project is $86,000, and they broke it up into five milestones. Every milestone represents a project phase and gets assigned a specific cost out of the total budget. As of right now, we've spent around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Softwareistic in September 2022, and our engagement is ongoing. The original end date was at the end of January 2023. However, we will extend our partnership until February 2023 since we requested to add extra features to the mobile app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The mobile app is in the alpha phase now, so it doesn’t have all its functionalities yet. So far, we’re happy with the design Softwareistic has created because we didn’t have to ask for many changes. They’ve understood our feedback and are working faster than we expected. Overall, Softwareistic is definitely meeting our expectations.

How did Softwareistic perform from a project management standpoint?

Softwareistic sets timelines that are always met. We have weekly Zoom meetings where they give us updates about their work and the next steps. We use phone calls, text messages, and email for additional communication. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

What has impressed me the most about Softwareistic is their attention to detail — they always catch every detail. Their response has been excellent, and I have no complaints about their work. They’re living up to my expectations, and I hope it continues this way throughout our partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing Softwareistic can improve is extending their working hours and maybe adding more resources because it’s difficult to catch them after working hours, which is when I usually have time to check the details of our project. If they could find a way to extend their business hours, that would be superb.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend you thoroughly navigate your idea and define all the details before you look for a company to develop it. Regarding budget, it will most likely increase once you engage with a company; I recommend you share your entire idea with the vendor and set a price for that project. Additionally, I advise formalizing that commitment with a contract.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the President of an Healthcare App Development Company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We developed a mobile app to monitor our patients' medication. Softwareistic was with us from start to finish, providing expertise and guidance in getting the project completed with budget and undertime

SOLUTION

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

I checked their background utilizing web searches and word-of-mouth

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

We had many meetings and conferences, after providing their Team with designs and frameworks. They implemented our protocols and had the App in Beta, tested it, and launched under our estimated time

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

A Project Manager and Assistant were assigned to me throughout, and I had access to their Development Team as needed

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In Beta Testing we received excellent feedback, and we are launching the App today

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

He was easy to communicate with and a great teacher. The entire Team was very helpful and communicative and made suggestions that saved us a lot of time

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

The depth of their experience, and their integrity is impressive.

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

Softwareistic did everything perfectly, if I could rate them as a 10-star, I would since they covered and executed their task beyond expectation