Squash Apps Private Limited

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of UnlikelyPlaces. We’re a digital consulting practice that focuses predominantly on digital product development and brand marketing mainly for Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 mobile brands.

What challenge were you trying to address with Squash Apps?

We needed a partner for the development of an enterprise platform to bring a sports philanthropy business model to market.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Squash Apps is engineering an MVP of the base platform. There will be web and mobile apps. It is driven by robust backend mechanics.

What is the team composition?

Depending on the sprint, the team ranges from 6–14 people, including project managers, engineers, and system architects. We’ve interacted with Srijith (Chairman) several times, as well.

How did you come to work with Squash Apps?

They were introduced to us by a former business partner of ours. We vetted several engineering firms. When we met with them, they seemed capable and compatible with us, and their team members were impressive. We started with test projects and grew from there as they performed quite well.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent roughly $600,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around February 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

Squash Apps has exceeded our expectations, working long hours, producing more than is asked of them, and working much faster than is standard in the industry. They’re on target for an 18-month deployment. We’re extremely satisfied with them and aim to have a prototype in beta by March 2021.

How did Squash Apps perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re doing a great job of finding the balance between cultural connection, minimizing risks, and meeting expectations. Communication has been great, and there's no language disconnect because they have a solid grasp of the English language. They work well ahead of deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Squash Apps is far superior to other offshore firms we’ve experienced in terms of quality and timelines. They’ve proven their skills and capabilities over and over again.

One of the things I find most impressive about them as a company is their drive to mentor and build up women in the workforce — having female-led and managed workforces. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

As a result of the politeness of their culture, they never say no. They sometimes agree to things they shouldn’t.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a test project to see how you work together. They can compete with big companies but are agile and entrepreneurial in their client interactions. They need a strong partnership stateside to help with the philosophical side of UX implementation.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Technical Lead at Crown Digital company in Singapore. Our company has about 20+ employees and we have our own solutions like Robotic barista. I oversee the end to end technical and vendor relationships.

For what projects/services did your company hire Squash Apps Private Limited?

Our company have a static website however we don't have any dynamic website and mobile app. Our current team less expertise in Mobile app development. By using Squash Apps we covered UI/UX and mobile app development.

What were your goals for this project?

To make the mobile app available in IOS and Andriod store with dynamic content controlled by the Admin panel.

How did you select this vendor?

We selected based on past project experience in technology and presentation of their strengths. They have done similar projects and budget-wise reasonable compare with other vendors.

Describe the project in detail.

After selected Squash Apps as a vendor, we had some meetings to explain our objective from there Squash Apps prepared mockup screens with the clickable prototype. Squash Apps team did a great job especially UI/UX team make our job easy.

What was the team composition?

We directly talking to the Technical manager from there he will explain to the team. After the prototype period completed directly talking to the developer to clarifying flow.

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

We see great results as outcome.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We used slack for communication and due to small team our end it is a lean process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have a team with a good attitude and an even more supportive CEO.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything went well we want to release our app and we are happy with results

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Co-Founder of an IT firm with 50+ employees. We build plenty of business applications. We implement business solutions to our clients.

For what projects/services did your company hire Squash Apps Private Limited?

We wanted to develop an application with good architecture that would support more than 1000 enterprise users. We wanted to hire a software wing who could provide us recommendations and act as a development arm for building an enterprise application on the cloud.

What were your goals for this project?

We aimed at building a platform with the OOPs concept. The application should be user friendly with great UX that would facilitate the convenience of hundreds of concurrent business users with different access rights.

How did you select this vendor?

It was by Word of mouth. We looked into their existing works and were impressed. We had multiple rounds of discussions and every time they came with interesting recommendations that would add value to our project. The cost-effective proposal was a good advantage.

Describe the project in detail.

We followed the agile approach. Business requirements were shared by us whereas User Stories, CRPs, Training, and Deployment were taken care of by them. With regard to the subject of the project - it was Logistics.

What was the team composition?

2 Full-stack developers (angular) 1 Database administrator 1 QA 1 Architect 1 Business Analyst Project management roles were taken care of from both ends.

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

The client went completely digital. Paper works reduced tremendously. The communication between their teams was done online which saved lot of time and money. They had 39% revenue growth in a year after the first phase went live.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had a good document sharing methodology. We used a project management tool to track the progress of the tasks. Regular weekly Friday meetings were conducted to ensure both the teams were transparent on the proceedings. The stakeholders from their team used to regularly connect with us for status calls.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

1. Technically they are very strong and technical challenges were quickly addressed. 2. Very good UX and UI recommendations. 3. The application was fast - they focussed on it a lot. 4. The server management support post-deployment was an added value.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They have a good team and they place the right team based on the requirements.

Please describe your company and your position there.

A3N Digital is a software/IT consultancy company in Zambia and my position is CEO.

For what projects/services did your company hire Squash Apps Private Limited?

We wanted to build a video conferencing app for one of our clients and hired Squash Apps

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to provide a comprehensible video conferencing app that our clients could use internally in their organization

How did you select this vendor?

We found Squash Apps through search engine and vetted them along with several other companies. I was impressed by their pitch and selected them as we thought we were the best out of the lot.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They did the UX, software architecture and development of the video conferencing project. We are still developing the product on a sprint basis. We follow agile methodology of development with Squash.

What was the team composition?

Our team had 2 PMs, 2 QAs and 10 software engineers. 2 dev leads and each managed the front and back end teams respectively

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

We were successfully able to convince the client to give us the project based on the pitch made by Squash. The delivery was flawless and the team was very communicative. They made sure we knew of any issues upfront and managed the development cycle well

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project Management was done very well. We had regular meetings (but not very long) and made sure that the dev team's questions were answered. We had a sprint planning meeting where the team showed us what they accomplished and we could test it on our end as well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We talk to the PMs and the team directly. The founder was always available on call and is easy to communicate. I felt as if they were our own team though they worked out of a different continent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't think so. Keep up the good work!

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a tech firm.

What challenge were you trying to address with Squash Apps Private Limited?

One of our clients needed development help.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Squash Apps Private Limited managed all tech aspects of the project. They developed the frontend using React and the backend using Node.js. The team also integrated an AWS infrastructure. My team delivered the designs and content, which Squash Apps Private Limited provided feedback on. The product recently launched, and we are currently working on several app projects.

What is the team composition?

We engage with about ten team members from Square Apps Private Limited.

How did you come to work with Squash Apps Private Limited?

Our client wanted to outsource the work to an offshore vendor due to budget and resource restrictions. My team found Squash Apps Private Limited on Upwork. They were the only vendor that passed our code development test.

How much have you invested with them?

Costs incurred are around $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2017, and the work is ongoing.

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

The product is live and growing our client’s user base. Our client has been pleased with the team Squash Apps Private Limited. We have continued to engage them based on the success of this initial project.

How did Squash Apps Private Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

Both of our teams ensured that communication was adequate, the quality of the product met requirements, and that we met deadlines. We had daily and weekly scrum meetings, during which we discussed the project’s progress. We communicate via Slack and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is responsive to problems. When we provide designs and content, they give us helpful feedback. Despite being geographically distant, they are attentive, involved, and timely. The founder of the company is approachable, responsive, and honest, which is why we have re-engaged them for more projects.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t believe they could have done anything differently. All partnerships require a period of exploration and growth. Their team has doubled in size and they have clients around the world, which indicates they are doing well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Maintain a strong project management pipeline. Keep communication consistent and routine.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO and founder of Safe & The City Ltd., a navigation platform that uses different data sets to generate safer walking routes for users. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Squash Apps Private Limited?

We're still in the early startup stage, and we needed development support to keep up with our rate of product development. More specifically, we needed Squash Apps to redesign the frontend of the app to improve the overall look and feel of it.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Squash Apps redesigned the frontend of our app on React Native for both iOS and Android, based on designs that had already been created by another agency. They updated the menu bar, helped create turn-by-turn directions within the navigation feature, and made other tweaks to the functionality and performance. They also helped redesign the way users can report worrisome behavior or street harassment, including details about the event and the ability to geotag where it happened. 

What is the team composition? 

We work we three people on their team primarily, including Srijith (Chairman and Founder, Squash Apps Private Limited).

How did you come to work with Squash Apps Private Limited?

A close friend in London recommended them and they were by far the best candidate we interviewed. They've also contributed some funds to our project during the crowdfunding phase and have been patient in waiting for us to raise the capital in order to get started on development. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've probably invested around $15,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since December 2018, and don't have plans to work with another vendor. 

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

The work they've done for our app has been fundamental in getting it to where it needs to be. One of our technical founders has been checking the quality of their code and has been very impressed. 

How did Squash Apps Private Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

We've been following an agile methodology, using Trello to track milestones and sprints. We also hold weekly planning sessions and daily standup meetings. Srijith provides a lot of valuable input and is very involved in long-term planning and strategies. They've also been good about setting boundaries and expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We have a great business relationship with Srijith in particular. They've been very helpful in promoting our app during International Women's Day and within important global networks. Their efforts are also helping us promote more gender inclusion and diversity within the tech space. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It can be hard to schedule their time, so I think it would help if they had more administrative support to alleviate Srijith's workload. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of Neighborli, which is currently an early-stage startup. I'm also a college instructor, and I want this company to be a means for my students to connect more with their community.

What challenge were you trying to address with Squash Apps?

I don't have much technical experience, so I hired Squash Apps to develop my website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

With my very limited abilities, I made a rudimentary website on my own using a MERN (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js) stack website. I gave that product to the Squash Apps team as a basis for their work. They provided frontend and backend development as they built a new website from scratch. We held stand-ups in the evenings so that I could test the site and provide feedback. Squash Apps implemented the changes I recommended and returned to the next stand-up with a new version for me to examine. Once they completed the development, Squash Apps helped me launch the site and arrange the hosting servers.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with the founder and 1–2 developers.  

How did you come to work with Squash Apps?

I believe I found them on Upwork. We had a very productive initial conversation during which they explained their processes in a way that I could understand them.  

How much have you invested with them?

I spent about $5,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–October 2018.

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

Right now, the website is quite bare because our project is on hiatus so that I can focus on my teaching responsibilities. I’ve tested it with small groups of students, but unfortunately, I don’t have any metrics because the site is not connecting to the database. We will resume development in the coming months when I can dedicate more time to the project.

How did Squash Apps perform from a project management standpoint?

We have communicated well, and they are quick to address my concerns and questions. Overall, their customer service is fantastic, and they have been able to adapt to my needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can trust them to make appropriate technical decisions to guide someone new to the IT industry. They’ve also been mindful of my goals and my budget throughout our engagement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been very flexible and accommodating.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with any service provider, clients should enter into the relationship with a clear idea of what they want to achieve.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the regional sales manager and head of marketing for SizeAndSelect. We’re an online SaaS product that helps engineers connect with manufacturers.

What challenge were you trying to address with Squash Apps Private Limited? 

We needed an external resource to help us develop our web product—which is essentially our service.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Squash Apps Private Limited provides specific web development architecture in making our SaaS-based system function as needed. I gave them the initial requirements with no technical input, and they developed and helped solve the problem. They use JavaScript and React, all embedded into AWS.

The product is an online platform that allows engineers to create accounts and projects. Those projects have engineered devices that are developed by the engineer through unique calculations that help derive the needed solution. They can then select the valves or engineered products to help them create a data sheet. That data sheet is then available for the engineer to send to vendors. They can send to multiple vendors at once and receive back quotes through the platform, thus eliminating emails. 

What is the team composition? 

I work with five people including the owner, a project manager, and several junior developers. 

How did you come to work with Squash Apps Private Limited? 

I found them online. I liked that they have 30 engineers working full-time within one office. It's not just one engineer working by themselves from home. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working together in May 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

The platform isn’t live yet, but everyone's been blown away so far by the beta version. As a new product, it's hard for people to imagine what it does. It really sheds light on what it can do when they can actually see it. That's purely because of what Squash Apps Private Limited can do in bringing the idea to life.

How did Squash Apps Private Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is outstanding. There's a lot of support and internal help. For example, if a junior developer doesn't have the answer, they get assistance from the project manager or even from ownership if necessary. They respond quickly to any issues. 

They use products like Hubstaff to show screenshots of what the engineers are doing by the minute so we can see precisely where projects are. We communicate all the time through Slack and Trello updates. It’s really solid project management and feedback. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

It's sometimes tough to communicate and understand ideas expressed when working with a company from another country. Squash Apps Private Limited’s English skills are excellent. Most impressive is their ability to capture our thoughts and bringing them to life. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

It’s more of an industry problem, but I’d like to see improvement in being able to estimate the amount of time needed for a task. It is challenging for anyone to capture how long a given job is going to take. If someone in that industry could figure that out, it would really help the process.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the managing partner at a small startup focused on making athletes perform better through IoT solutions.

For what projects/services did your company hire Squash Apps Private Limited?

We had the backend and a data calculation functionality in place but didn’t have a frontend for our users, which basically meant that we had no product. We hired Squash Apps to build a Vue.js-based frontend with Google Maps integration and Chart.js.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main objective was to obtain a new frontend with our exact specifications, aiming for high usability and fluidity.

How did you select this vendor?

We hired them based on a bid and through a conversation with their founder, who proved to be very knowledgeable and technical, and also very open, transparent, and easy to work with.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Squash Apps built and tested the frontend, and also provided great project management of the project. They set clear expectations and followed through, meeting their commitments and working till every bug had been fixed.

What was the team composition?

We primarily worked with their founder, a lead architect, and the main developer.

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

With this new frontend we can finally finish our version 1.0. It's too early to tell whether it will be successful, however, Squash Apps has done their part to make it so!

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was good. We clearly understood what would happen in each milestone and reviewed the deliverables on a weekly basis. We communicated through Slack, Hangouts, and GitLab.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This company is super easy to work with, clear, transparent, responsive, easy going, and delivers quality work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is always room for improvement. Squash Apps, however, is ahead of the competition due to their dedication to transparency and quality.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of StayLocal. We are a location-based platform that lets local businesses share events, specials, and products with people in their area.

What challenge were you trying to address with Squash Apps?

Our previous development partner created nearly three-quarters of our platform, but the work was sloppy and below our company standards. We brought in Squash Apps to complete the project, correct any mistakes, and fine-tune some design elements.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Squash Apps provided developmental assistance in three key areas. First, they implemented our UI design into a self-service portal for our users to access their customer base, send emails, and analyze engagement metrics. Second, they programmed our Atmosfi page to redirect people to a specific ad network using geolocation. Third, they integrated SendGrid, Google Analytics, Braintree, and MongoDB to enhance the platform’s scope and functionality. They continue to advise and perform minor fixes as the platform gains traction.

What is the team composition?

We consistently worked with two or three developers depending on the urgency of the task.

How did you come to work with Squash Apps?

We searched for development firms via Upwork. Squash App’s communication and drive to improve stood out among the others included in our initial project trail.

How much have you invested with them?

Confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We hired them in January 2016 and they continue to provide support.

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

There have been thousands of posts generated on our platform and our click metrics are over 2%, which is significantly high for industry standards. Our businesses also reported increased engagement from their own customers. Users find the platform’s fluid and intuitive design very friendly and accessible.

How did Squash Apps perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is extremely proactive in finding alternatives or solutions to obstacles. They easily joined our company communication flow in Trello and Slack. Squash Apps understood our direction and asked for clarification when needed. The team provided daily progress updates and alerts for product testing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication skills were impeccable. They asked for critical feedback and quickly resolved any discrepancies. Issues with scheduling or timeline setbacks were promptly announced. Our platform made quick progress with their involved approach to collaboration.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve on their ability to implement an existing UI design. We experienced a few difficulties translating our plan onto the platform.