Square Bits

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of SDDCAM. An Emergency Video capture & sharing app. www.sddcam.com

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Square Bits?

I identified the need for a mobile application that could be used as a silent witness in emergency situations where vehicle driver was alone in the car. An app that would capture the situation and share in real time with designated emergency contacts by phone or by email.

What were your goals for this project?

As a person of color, ultimate goal was to feel more secure behind the wheel. There have been many instances of traffic stops gone wrong and in many of those cases, it was the victim's word against that of the law enforcement officer. The officers most often times get the benefit of the doubt. There have also been fatalities during such routine stops with the victim not available to tell his own side of the story. The goal of SDDCAM was to put an end to that. I required an easy to use App, one with non-complex features and most especially one that is easily affordable.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I used upwork to shortlist candidates and do thorough reviews. I had preliminary conversations with the main contacts, asked vital questions and went with the first one that seemed to understand my concept, was reasonable affordable and agreed to my timeline. Square Bits was that company.

Describe the project in detail.

SDDCAM Features: • One touch manual activation or voice command launches selfie (front) camera focused on user and surroundings • Video and audio recording starts and uploads to cloud vault in real time (data plan required) • Stealth mode option to continue selfie recording in background • Video uploaded in 20sec clips so as to capture as much activity in the event of a malicious interruption • Clips merged and instantly delivered to emergency contact in 5min batches (if longer than 5 mins) • Emergency contact has options to view and download video evidence (SMS and email) • Video recording has embedded Date, Time stamp and GPS coordinates • Subscriber gets a copy of alerts sent to emergency contacts • Subscriber also has videos stored in phone library

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with a project manager. The senior management was very engaged and we could always reach out to them if we had questions of any kind. They had a team developers who brainstormed on sticky points, a designer, and a quality assurance (QA) person on staff.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There were times that I needed to change the requirements mid-project. I was impressed with how Square Bits managed to deal with the ambiguity and complexity of some of the tasks and were always ready to offer suggestions. They were able to adjust their timeline and was still able to meet my goals and expectations, and align with our overall objective for launch. As an example, testing with prospective customers as part of the beta testing. The app was recently published on Google Play and the App Store. Due to the pandemic situation, there isn't as much driving anywhere in the world but I am very happy with the feedback I have received from word of mouth recommendations so far. I have seen a few downloads and with proper social media marketing drive, I have no doubt it will be a successful App.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

One word describes this, FLUID

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are a really dedicated team. They have a good work ethic and are much more committed than other companies we’ve worked with. At a point, it started to feel like they were working on something they owned themselves. Communications became almost personal and even when I had questions on weekends, I would receive answers or a promise to follow up asap.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly speaking, can't think of one. I doubt there's any such thing as a perfect company but with my experience with them, I can hardly think of a suggestion that will improve them at this point.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am that Asset of value within my company, responsible to convey & get technical aspects done, smoothly. We are one of the country's (USA) largest independent consultants and independent distributors of high quality technology and telecommunications equipment. We have no affiliation or contractual obligations with major manufacturers, so we're able to locate and purchase quality products at the most competitive prices.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Square Bits?

Demand was for quality development and tech talent for an well established firm. We originally tried to do our development in house, but hiring an internal dev team is a very costly undertaking. Recruiting good talent is also quite a challenge.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a complete package sort of team, who can assist us in Development process with a good eye over sales tools, to step in and take the weight off our shoulders.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I’m not familiar with the technical end of things, so they came in and really managed the entire development process. We provided Rough Sketches, Overall ideas and business goals. Then, we worked with them to plan the product. They got to work and later helped us implement the technology.

Describe the project in detail.

The product is an E commerce marketplace that distributes Technology and Telecommunications equipment across the country. Portal too comes with an administrative web-based platform to manage the insights, data, downloads, and other functions. They provided UX design & Sales tools in addition to development, using the latest technologies.

What was the team composition?

I work very closely with Mr. Raj [CEO, Square Bits] on more high-level aspects of the project. We have dedicated Designer, Developers & Quality analysts who handle all the actual implementation. We’ve been able to maintain a very tight team and communication loop.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website was built successfully and has been functioning properly since it went live. If there is an issue, Square Bits has been responsive in a day despite being located in a very different time zone. Any needed updates or changes to the website are able to be handed off to Square Bits with brief instruction, and they fulfill the request properly in a timely manner.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our point of contact was personable and helped to develop our ongoing relationship on a personal level. Whenever I need assistance, he’s on it. When there’s something urgent that needs deeper discussion, we jump on a video call to share screens and walk through issues. Otherwise, we use Basecamp, Email, and Skype to communicate. That’s been effective, so we don’t see a need for additional tools

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The best part about the team is their open-to-feedback approach for all ideas. We were also well-connected with the top management of the team whenever it was necessary. They have been extremely helpful for mentorship and guidance for any value added services that they could provide. Mentors from their team also helped in scaling up our business which was highly appreciated. Project delivery was quick and came out to be exactly as we wanted.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don’t have anything negative to say about them. The whole project ran smoothly and they were sensitive to the fact I had a bad experience with a different development company. They explained everything clearly and made sure I felt at ease.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an independent business consultant in the US. I find small businesse that have a particularly troublesome pain point and I provide solutions that work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Square Bits?

We contracted with Square Bits to design and custom mobile app for iOS and Android that used an API

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to produce a mobile app that served as a member directory for an 1,1000 member leadership organization. The app would search and display member profiles by category industry, segment number and name.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After an extensive scope of work and several interviews of 5 different vendors Squarebits was chosen to build the app.

Describe the project in detail.

We needed to build a mobile App and pulled data live from a CRM. The CRM company provided an API to integrate with their platform. We designed an APP that pulls data directly from the CRM and displays that data in the form of profiles in the mobile app. In order to get images for the profiles which was functionality not supported in the API, Square Bits built a great webpanel to cover anything not supported by the API

What was the team composition?

I designed and scoped the project. Square bits provide a team of developer and a point of contact

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The outcome was a wonderful app that works beyond my expectations. The mobile app provides value to the membership base.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very good. Timely and the communication was good. Squarebits effectively communicated progress and unexpected development issue. We worked together to proactively solve problems. We set benchmarks and Squarebits exceeded all 6 benchmarks.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The skill set of the team members are very good. They are agile and can respond to issues quickly and effectively. The communication with the point of contact was outstanding. Always accessible and very friendly.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can think of

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Founder of Multitech Systems, which published ‘SecureField VPN’.​ The SecureField VPN provides a Virtual Private Networking (VPN) service and other Internet privacy features.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Square Bits?

We had to develop application which is providing high quality services about Internet privacy features. We didn't know necessary coding programs and also we don't have enough knowledge about development of this app.

We worked with Square Bits to develop this project and they provide programming services very well.They provided us with a resource that met our requirements as Square Bits developed a Native iOS and Android app from scratch.

What were your goals for this project?

When we established our company, we lacked the employees needed to build the product. We completed part of the research and mock phase with local companies, so we already had much of the overall structure in mind.

We needed a team to help us program the app with appealing features as:

•  Reach the web with the most safe and reliable way!
• Simple, single-tap connection—Connect to all websites just with one tap
• Automatic Configuration—A VPN specifies the best possible server for optimized performance.
• Online Security—Online security is the biggest challenge in today’s interconnected world

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We did market research into software houses that could support us in the early and later stages. We considered cost, quality, and innovation during our search. We knew the concept of the app was new and some vendors may have challenges building it according to our vision.

Square Bits amazing portfolio and user reviews over Upwork, stood out from the other vendors we considered.

Describe the project in detail.

We had plan and program all features and time management with Mr.Sohan. We had discuss technical needs and discuss about designs; how we would make it better for our clients.

Once we started on project, we had a good communication they give daily reports; also they provide us some builds in order to make application impeccable.

What was the team composition?

Our project manager was Mr. Sohan (Technical Lead​). We’ve also engaged with Square Bits CEO, CTO & other Team members.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve gotten excellent feedback for our App. Their contributions are really valuable to the company, and they deliver quality work on time and within budget.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I was really impressed with their communication and transparency. If there were problems, we’d hop on Skype and discuss the issue over video conference. They communicated to me as if I were a part of the team. Everyone was articulate in expressing the status of the project. Because of their expertise, the app is working well, and we’re satisfied with the output.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Square Bits provides great suggestions for improving our platform by thinking from the user’s point of view. They make my job easier by maintaining the app and fixing any issues.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could be cheaper :) ... But the quality they devote well justify their prices.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Founder at ‘Viewer Plus’ and I had a business plan, but lacked the expertise to execute it. We needed an affordable vendor to supplement resources to transform our plan to well coded IOS/Android App..

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Square Bits?

We opted Square Bits for our Native Mobile App Design/Development (IOS-Swift & Android- Kotlin), Web based page (PHP), Admin panel to accommodate App back-end & manage User Database, Cloud Work, Graphics Design, Quality analysis & for App maintenance purpose.... Mean whole-n-sole a team that delivered on every aspect from Beginning to completion....

What were your goals for this project?

Being an Entrepreneur, I always believed Insights/Stats of every Campaign helps Business grow better on Social sites (For Social Marketing Purpose). To accommodate this idea, I thought of making a mobile Application which will help Businesses to learn & compose their Campaign for Ideal prospects, wisely. I was eyeing insights/statistics from well known sites like Instagram; Who Followed/Unfollowd Users, Number of View to story, Liked/Disliked their stories, Maximum number of comments received per story/content, Who Blocked whom, What matters most to whom etc.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We looked for iOS and Android developers with experience in UX/UI design. Additionally, we wanted a project manager to coordinate their team and serve as our single point of contact. We considered both local and international firms before requesting competitive bids . Then i came to know from one of my Entrepreneur friend that he too recently launched for similar niche but for different clientele and referred “Square Bits” to me. I then decided to go with “Square Bits”.

Describe the project in detail.

First, we had a kickoff video call and signed an NDA. We then collaborated on skeleton designs before settling on the final design and flow. Square Bits developed the beta over an eight-month period in sessions to accommodate the time difference. We did test builds each day after their nightly development work. After a series of test builds with QA and QC processes, the team launched the first beta on native iOS and Android platforms. Since the release, we’ve gone through four other functionality additions as well as revisions to the original data.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with the Project manager Mr. Sohan. The rest of the team devoted to our project was a senior developer, a junior developer, one QA specialist, and one QC specialist. Originally, they provided a communications manager, but the project manager took over that role.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within 1-2 months after our application was launched , we saw over 30,000 downloads and over 4.5 star rating and known to be the most popular application in our niche. The designs that make users attract more. We continue to hear positive feedback on the usability, flow, and the look of the app from our potential customers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our teams have worked well together, and we’ve been able to complete everything on time. Mr. Sohan was our contact person, is very knowledgeable. We always communicate with Square Bits over Skype & Basecamp which is their Communication tool and sometimes we discussed over Video Chat for Meetings.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They always have a smart solution, which I’m really amazed by. There’ve been things that I didn’t know, and they sometimes had to do research as well. The answers they give are always sufficient and reliable. I feel that they really know what they are doing and have fun with their job, which is an important aspect. They have other projects going on as well, but for me, it feels like the customer is king and that they’re really taking the time for me. It has been a very good experience.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There's always room for improvement, but I can't think of anything in particular.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

OmegaLabs Digital is a leading mobile app production company, committed to developing innovative products with our talented team. We focus on creating highly-rated mobile apps including Vault+, SocialView and Profile+, which are inspiring thousands of users around the world. OmegaLabs Digital aims to shape the future of mobile apps and how it intersects with the everyday lives of users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Square Bits?

Square Bits handled the design and development of the project. We initially worked on the architecture and UX components along with mockups. Once those were approved, we moved to the development stage, for which we followed Agile practices, with two-week sprints. We identified the scope of each sprint together, deployed weekly, and signed the work off. The technology stack included Swift, Kotlin on the frontend & Php on the backend.

What were your goals for this project?

I’m a Business cum Thought-preneur, with an eye of common Man towards this ever changing Tech world... As an hard-core Mobile User, ‘Privacy’ was always my reason to bother. Like me, I believe thousands around who uses Mobile to perform their day-to-day tasks. Tasks includes but not limited to; Banking transactions, Business Data/Chats, Secure Contacts & Browsing, etc. Just to sum-up, few points which I was keen to address through an Easy to operate & best in Industry App. - Hide private photos and videos with a passcode - Touch-ID Authentication. - Write and store private notes - Import and view top-secret files - Store contacts you don't want in your regular address book - Save all your passwords in one place - Browse the internet without leaving any traces - Make secret website bookmarks

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them online a few years back. I had a business partner at that time. We had hired a different companies, but I felt Square Bits had what it takes. The interactions I had with them and Raj were very positive. They always listened to me and made time for me. They understood that technology isn’t my forte. Coming from a sales background, they were able to help me navigate my way through telling them what I wanted. They were really easy to work with.

Describe the project in detail.

- Hide private photos and videos with a passcode - Touch-ID Authentication. - Write and store private notes - Import and view top-secret files - Store contacts you don't want in your regular address book - Save all your passwords in one place - Browse the internet without leaving any traces - Make secret website bookmarks

What was the team composition?

I have interacted with their CTO, senior brand and digital product designer, product manager, and sales representatives.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

During our journey with Square Bits, our revenue and users have grown. Square Bits is open and easy to communicate with. Their team genuinely cares about delivering the work their clients want. If customers take the time to talk to them, then Square Bits will take the time to make sure they’re happy.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They did very well, particularly in light of experiences we’ve had with freelance Engineers of past. They started and finished on time, produced work reliably, and made the whole process seamless. We interacted with our contacts via email or Skype whenever we needed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are quite organized. I was impressed that they were able to identify errors and bugs in the logic before we did. I think they were constantly thinking about it. This showed that they cared about the project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really. They're a growing firm, so I hope they don't let the expansion impact the quality of their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of a mobile app to select your favorite typical Bavarian sound, record yourself with the sound & share the final dub with your friends.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Square Bits?

I had gone to local app development companies, but couldn’t find the right value. I needed an affordable vendor because I didn’t want to find capital to seed the project.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to launch a brand new app as quickly and possible.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I Found Square Bits over the Internet & I then reached them through their website & met the team over the phone. To accommodate the geographical distance, Square Bits methodically mapped everything out. That planning was a factor in my decision to go with them.

Describe the project in detail.

To start, I discussed my vision for the application. I shared our app mock-ups, design, detailed functions and built the MVP over IOS/Android, admin Panel and an introductory web page.

What was the team composition?

Worked with 4 different resources (iOS, Android, Web & Graphics) including one lead (Project Manager).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team has done a tremendous job executing my idea. They understood the need for a secure solution and built the app accordingly. What’s more, they made quick changes when I requested them. The app is now functional and efficient; it’s received many positive user feedback. I plan to keep working with Square Bits because I’m pleased with what they’ve created to fulfill my vision and want to grow the idea. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicate daily via Asana/Skype. They stay on top of communication. The timeline slightly exceeded the original 90-day schedule only because I changed a few bits, however overall experience was awesome. The execution was right on money cause of their Agile approach. They always tend to fix & freeze things module wise rather waiting for completion & then go for too & fro for bugs. Appreciate it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The time zone difference concerned me at first, but it proved to be a non-issue. Although I tried to be respectful about calling after the team’s business hours, I did have to call them late on one occasion. They answered the phone immediately and took care of the urgent issue. The team has always had a responsive and professional approach to their customer service.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They are sound in Mobility, Project Management, Testing, etc, however, they need some improvement over Advance Cloud computing. Since they were not having in house experts for cloud computing, I then have to approach another team to execute it. But it's ok with me as their core expertise in app development. Could improve in Cloud to handle their Enterprise clientele with Large user base & Traffic management. SEO could be another space for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Co-Founder of a dedicated company that can help individuals in their daily life. Our top rated apps: iSecure, Social View, iColor, Fast VPN, BitMarket App all available on Itunes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Square Bits?

Well, there was a Buzz around with; Vendors was in race to introduce New Social networking Apps & Users on other end busy in getting their presence on the same. Social networking started getting bored, as one could only see a few tweaks applied here and there from competitors. This is where we come up with an Idea to go beyond set scripts & feed our Users with ‘Valuable insights’ which they always Desired but Couldn’t find anywhere. ‘Social View,’ was the solution we thought with great Insights & Stats like; Who Followed you on Instagram, Followed your Profile, Stories, Liked/Disliked your Post, Commented on Posts, Re-Shared them further, Who Commented most, Who LIked you & your Post the most, Tagged you, Access for Users to see to Whom they Blocked & Blocked by whom, etc. Idea was appealing, but the Challenge was to meet the team who share the Passion like us & help us transform that idea into reality. This is where Square Bits comes into the frame & lead from the front, with a Top notch App ‘Social View’. Journey never ended their as we worked on several Apps within different industries, thereafter.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to build an app which millions of active people would be using and affecting their daily life in a positive manner.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We post an online job for one of our Social Networking App ‘Social View’ over Upwork (Online job portal). Then considered 4–5 vendors including Square Bits. We got impressed by Square Bits with their past work in Social niche backed with good repo over Upwork. We further discussed over scope feasibility & then chose Square Bits, because they had a nimble and innovative approach to conceptualizing our vision. I appreciate my decision of choosing Square Bits, as we have worked for around 4+ years on number of Apps. All Apps doing great with many happy users.

Describe the project in detail.

SocialView is an Instagram analytics app where you can find many data summarizing your instagram account usage. As there are many obstacles using the Instagram API therefore we needed a solid team that could handle this hard work.

What was the team composition?

I’ve been working directly with Mr. Raj (Tech Lead) and then his team for the projects. They’ve got all areas covered under a single Roof i.e Graphics/UI Designers, Application Engineers & QA Testers to ensure quick & precise turn around.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One can search ​our company name over Itunes. Apps showcased their been mostly Designed & Developed by Square Bits, that demonstrates our bonding. We worked over many apps using different tech stack & features.. I’m willing to prove/share work we had together when or wherever needed.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Together we spent a few days brainstorming what would resonate with a younger mobile-first audience. Square Bits then applied those ideas to a prototype/wireframes, building a mock experience that we subsequently put in front of users, designed user flows, built out the experience, collaborated on user testing & then did overall mobile app development for iOS and Android (Apps we build together: Social View, iSecure iColor Fast VPN App BitMarketApp, etc).

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We enjoyed being around the team because they never complained. Square Bits was always on call and remained willing to exceed expectations.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The price is a bit steep, but that’s because I didn’t have the funding that many startup entrepreneurs might have. Other than that, I can’t think of anything. They were organized and readily available to address my needs. Their team was also very clear about how certain decisions might impact my budget.