Stakk

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the head of design at Yappar. We've built an app for Apple Vision Pro that allows people to connect visually using digital personas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stakk?

We worked with Stakk to develop our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we went to Stakk, we didn't have a further understanding of the app, so I just made some basic wireframes and worked with their team to expand on that. We had just a basic concept for this app, and Stakk collaborated with us to make it work.

Their team created everything needed for this app for us and provided us with a basic layout of what the app would do. As for the technology stack, they used Swift for the UI.

The app enables users to have a VR/AR experience with other Apple users. Through this experience, users can talk to each other in real time. Their movements add different experiences to this interaction. Moreover, they can see some kind of feed similar to Instagram's feed, where they can see moments and share various spaces.

What is the team composition?

We worked with five members of Stakk's team, including a project manager, a technical lead, two iOS developers, and a backend CMS developer. Moreover, we worked with the account manager. There were two other teammates involved with who we didn't work directly: a QA engineer and a designer.

How did you come to work with Stakk?

We possibly found them through Clutch. I remember we used Google to find a partner, and Clutch.co was one of the results.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around September 2023, and the project was officially completed in May 2024. However, we're still working together in a development support and maintenance model.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is currently in its beta version, so we're not measuring performance yet. Still, we've experienced no downtime, and the bugs have been very limited. Overall, we were very happy with the outcome, so we didn't have negative feedback.

How did Stakk perform from a project management standpoint?

Stakk definitely overachieved regarding our timelines and budget. They were the most cost-effective agency out of the ones we initially contacted. We communicated via Zoom and Google Meet for video calls, as well as Slack for any quick messaging. Stakk accomplished everything we asked for. They did a lot of extra things they didn't have to and worked tirelessly for us to deliver the project on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Stakk knew their business and was very good at explaining the whys and offering the best method to do something. Something that made them stand out was their intellect. They've worked with many startups, and their specialty is iOS mobile app development. Overall, they're thought leaders in their space.

When requirements are given to Stakk, they deliver what the client wants, not what they interpret on how they would do it. They're the best developers I've ever dealt with, and they're very good at what they do. Whenever there was a specification that wasn't achievable from a technical standpoint, they delivered something extremely close to what we required.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing Stakk could have improved on. Everything, from their timelines and costs to their communication, was perfect. They did the best they could do.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Stakk is a very specific team, so the more specific you are, the better the product will be. Be as specific as possible, and if there are deadlines to meet, share them with the team. They'll definitely meet those deadlines.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director and founder of an education platform that offers affordable private tutoring by securing groups of students in virtual classrooms and getting expert tutors to deliver content to them. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stakk?

We needed their team to develop our custom platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stakk has helped create our technology platform, which is a scalable virtual classroom that has embedded payment processing and learning management system (LMS) tools, including assessments, tasks, reports, and a marketplace.

At the start of the project, I drafted a huge product requirements document that included all the user journeys, my vision for the brand, including the colors and the rest of the brand, and the desired functionalities. I gave this document to Stakk, and they’ve executed the requirements. We’ve had a discovery page to reach alignment and sprint meetings. Stakk has used MongoDB for the platform’s database and Angular and Node.js.

I'm still working with Stakk to update the classroom. We’ve used an open-source software called BigBlueButton, which constantly puts out new updates. This means we have to update our platform to match BigBlueButton’s latest updates. The platform also has customizations from third-party tools that may need to be updated.

What is the team composition?

I’ve mainly spoken to Girish (Senior Product Lead). There’s another Stakk teammate that does sales but isn’t really involved in the work. They also have 13 developers in India that I’ve spoken to occasionally, but Stakk’s model is to have client-facing teammates in the UK.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent slightly over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in January 2023, and our engagement is ongoing.

How did you come to work with Stakk?

We met at a co-working space. I overheard the person next to me speaking to a client about development features, and I liked the way he spoke, so I started talking to him.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform is absolutely fantastic; it’s a really high-quality piece of technology. I’m happy with the results. We definitely got the value for money.

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?

Stakk has been great. There’s always bound to be a little bit of scope creep in any project, but Stakk has done well in sticking to our targets. There’s never been a dramatic issue of missing a sprint deadline or anything like that. Stakk delivers on time.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I’d like to highlight Girish 100%. He’s the one with the skills to make the whole project work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The main thing is the value for money; it would be 10 times more expensive to develop the platform in the UK. 

I also appreciate their hybrid model that allows me to work with developers as well as Stakk teammates who aren’t only technical. I’ve worked with agencies based in India in the past, and there have been communication gaps. I’ve also worked with agencies that don’t use common sense and only build exactly what they’re told. I want a team that is going to be actively involved and suggest improvements. Girish isn’t fully technical; he’s a designer who understands concepts and MVPs. He’s creative and thinks outside the box.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Girish needs to find more people like him to work at Stakk to make sure all their clients are happy. Stakk’s other project managers in India are good but nowhere near Girish. He deals with all the clients, so I don’t always have access to him when I need him.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Make sure you do your homework and are crystal clear about your requirements so there is no room for doubt. Map out what you want with the utmost detail, and Stakk will make your project work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Strategy Director of Browser London

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a UX agency and product consultancy, working with clients in the health, fitness and lifestyle sector

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Stakk to accomplish?

• Build out a defined product backlog
• Prepare a large application for launch
• Continuously deliver improvements and enhancements to the product

SOLUTION

How did you find Stakk?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Stakk over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Stakk were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We hired Stakk to provide development and project management services to a large web and mobile app project for one of our clients. The mobile app was the core focus for Stakk initially as we are not staffed to deliver mobile projects in house. However, Stakk turned out to be incredibly flexible and well resourced and moved on to delivering against the entire application's product backlog. 

Working up to launch, we engaged Stakk in a well-structured QA and UAT process, and they were on hand throughout the launch period. We then retained Stakk to build out and improve both web and mobile post launch.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Stakk were able to complete their sprint objectives consistently, and the app encounter exceptionally low number of issues during QA and launch.On an ongoing basis, Stakk were on hand to deliver against our support SLA and they never missed a beat.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Stakk provided a dedicated PM which was a huge benefit to the project and the relationship with our client. They were always on hand on the Slack channel and were able to provide detailed reporting of time on task and budget burndown.

What was your primary form of communication with Stakk?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to communicate was exceptional. On a project level they were extremely impressive in their level of skill and ability to scale rapidly. They also have excellent client services that made the relationship easy to manage.

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

I can't imagine how they could have been better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Lynk, a website that allows local contractors, service providers, and trade providers to post profiles, get star ratings, and get customer reviews to promote their services here in Bermuda.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stakk?

I just started the business and needed help building the platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stakk is building our platform for contractors, tradespeople, and specialists. If someone has a skill locally, such as landscapers, hairdressers, massage therapists, or babysitters, they can post their profile and get local costs. I initially gave Stakk the framework of the website’s functionality and look, and they’ve built everything.

What is the team composition?

We work with Jack (Relationship Director) and Girish (Project Director). Girish is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Stakk?

I did interviews to figure out which web developer I wanted. I researched and went to some bigger, more expensive options. However, I found that for Stakk’s size and budget, they operated just as well as the big companies.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2023, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website isn’t finished yet, but Stakk has done an excellent job. They’re very talented at what they do; I’ve seen it clearly from their work.

How did Stakk perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is excellent. They’re very organized with their online tools; Stakk’s team shares calendars and has met all the deadlines so far. Moreover, they’ve been transparent with what they’re doing and interactive with me to ensure they meet all my needs.

They use Trello for project management, and we use emails and Google Meet to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like their dependability. The project isn’t extensive or complex, but Stakk has met my expectations at every point so far. They have the skills and experience to do what I ask of them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Stakk is an excellent partner for starting a small business or working with a smaller budget.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director at an interactive market research company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stakk?

Initially, I went to a third-party developer with a concept for a mobile app. We developed the concept to a certain stage, but they couldn’t meet the requirements; the app was full of bugs, and functionality was missing. Ultimately, I decided to move from that third-party company to Stakk.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stakk provided us with mobile app development; they took the failed delivery from the previous provider and turned it around to make it work until they couldn’t go any further. We had a set of requirement documents and the app documentation the previous company had worked on, and we transferred that over to Stakk. The team found no backend documentation for the AWS server capability, so they produced the documentation to support that. 

They received the codebase from the initial developer and found the libraries weren’t managed correctly. The team reworked the codebase to get it to a  point where it would work. They would deliver new builds when there was a sizable chunk of change. Then, we would go through a testing stage together and raise more observations. 

Stakk worked with iOS handsets, and they got that code sorted. Going into Android, they discovered they would need to do a fundamental rewrite of the library since Android’s version 32 wouldn’t allow us to implement the existing library. Since we couldn’t fund this rewrite, we stopped the project. 

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with three teammates from Stakk: an account manager, Vikas (Technical Director), and Girish (Project Director), who was our project manager. 

How did you come to work with Stakk?

We found them through a recommendation from the app’s original developer because they were changing their approach. The company had done the research and due diligence and had already sent other clients to Stakk. We had an initial meeting with the team, and the vibe was really good, so we decided to transfer development to them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from June 2021–October 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Stakk did a fantastic job addressing the app’s issues and making the functionality operate as it should. The team’s engagement was also great; the people I dealt with in the UK and the technical team in India both had an excellent working ethos, and I can’t emphasize enough how good they were. They did a very professional job, in contrast to the previous developers. 

Unfortunately, the previous company coded the app in such a way that we came across an issue we couldn’t fix because the fundamental rewrite needed cost too much. As a result, we had to take the app down from the stores because it was unsupportable going forward. This outcome was disappointing because Stakk was a great team to work with. Although I’m not working with them for now, they’ll be my first call if I have another app concept in the future. 

How did Stakk perform from a project management standpoint?

They tracked issues and provided good feedback on their progress; I could see they worked hard to address the app’s problems. The team’s engagement and communication were also excellent. 

We had a weekly meeting with Vikas and Girish, and sometimes the account manager would attend. During these meetings, they would give us progress updates. The team issued new builds every month and recorded all our observations correctly. They used a pipeline to manage their tasks, from creating a task to working on it and passing the deliverable to me — they were very methodical. 

All our issue management went through Trello and our communication through Slack, and Stakk recorded everything very professionally.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by Stakk’s communication and by Girish, who was really engaging. The backend team was particularly good; I interfaced with them through Vikas, who could articulate problems really well. His professional approach and standards were outstanding. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their work was suitable for the scope of work I had with them. I never thought anything was lacking; Stakk did everything great. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Everyone should do their due diligence before hiring a third party. However, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Stakk; their engagement is excellent. Their pricing is very reasonable. The expertise I received for the amount I was paying was really good. Therefore, I advise reaching out to Stakk and engaging with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Arc Education, an online math education organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stakk?

We already had an iOS app for iPad, and we needed to build it in React Native to deploy it on Android.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stakk built our mobile app using React Native. First, we sent them a features document. They coded the app from scratch using the design already in place. The app is connected to AWS and integrates with the admin side. The team also helped us integrate handwriting recognition through a third-party supplier.

The app asks users 12 questions, and they submit their answers. Then, they get feedback on their answers and a chance to practice them. An algorithm in the background determines what questions users need based on how they've answered previous questions.

What is the team composition?

Girish (Project Director) was our main contact and the project manager. Additionally, I worked a bit with the developers.

How did you come to work with Stakk?

We found them through a recommendation from my previous developers.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the engagement in September 2021 and launched the product in March 2022. Stakk is still involved with support and maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to Stakk’s work, we have more customers. Previously, our app was only available on iPads; now, it’s available for any touchscreen divide. As a result, we have a full offering for our customers. 

How did Stakk perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered items on time, were responsive, and stayed on budget. Our communication was mostly through Zoom and Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What we liked most about Stakk was that they stayed fairly on track with the timeline, keeping a budget. Moreover, they were responsive and really delightful to deal with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing they needed to improve; I was totally satisfied.

Any advice for potential customers?

You’ll want to get past the sales team and talk to the project manager, Girish. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an operations manager at an internet publishing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stakk?

We needed to develop a mobile application for our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stakk designed and developed our iOS and Android mobile app. The platform allows users to post jobs and employers to communicate with them. Currently, they're updating and maintaining the platform.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with around six members of their team.

How did you come to work with Stakk?

They were referred to us, and we decided to go with them after researching their work online.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Stakk has done everything we wanted them to do. We’ve been delighted with their work, and they've exceeded our expectations.

How did Stakk perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been brilliant with project management. In terms of communication, we use emails and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Stakk's strength is their ability to communicate with candidates to help them meet our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could include all of the things we request in the project brief, but it”s a minor thing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers

Be clear with your requirements, and they’ll do the rest.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of MyCoach School, a fitness training and coaching company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stakk?

We hired Stakk to help us with web development work, which involved redeveloping and optimizing our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stakk rebuilt our website. They developed the new website on top of our existing site and fixed it. We were also building an app at the time, and we requested that the website’s new design reflect the app’s design. They also redesigned the UX using the features from our app. 

The project was split into five phases. Phase one was a custom rebuild of where our existing data was, deleting some of the existing structure and creating a new one. 

For phase two, the Stakk team restructured our site’s categories and post types. They exported old data and restructured categories, pages, and favorite posts. They also revamped our MemberPress page, which we use for subscriptions on our website.

Phase three was a calendar rebuild; they removed old code and refactored our current database. They also revamped the functionality and display of our website’s look.

In phase four, Stakk addressed the tracking feature of the website, renewing how the data is stored and redesigning the UX to be similar to our app’s tracking functionality.

Number five was the final phase of development, where they helped us with website performance optimization. Their team enabled lazy loading, decreased rendering time, and enabled cache. They also fixed bugs and installed updates and plugins.

They’re currently on a monthly retainer with us to fix bugs and update our website.

What is the team composition?

We have two designated teammates from Stakk on our project, though more of their development team worked on our website at some point.

How did you come to work with Stakk?

Our app development provider recommended Stakk because they work quite closely with them; that’s why I went with Stakk.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent around £65,000 (approximately $88,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since Stakk optimized our website, its performance grading has improved from F to B+. Traffic to the website has also increased. Although we can also attribute the uptick in traffic to the fact that we’ve just launched our app and had an onboarding campaign, the improved speed of our website has also helped.

How did Stakk perform from a project management standpoint?

Stakk is very efficient with workload completion; they hit every deadline and sometimes even deliver early. We use Trello for project management, and we’re using Google Sheets for a quick Sprint project we’re doing.

We typically communicate through email and phone calls, and we also have a weekly meeting to discuss updates on their side. We’ve recently moved into Freshdesk for communication because our app development team is there. Now that Stakk is also in that communication thread, our ticket process is easier; we submit a ticket, and our providers can delegate who the issue falls on, either our app provider or Stakk. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate the amount and depth of communication we get from Stakk. We had a previous web provider that wasn’t very good at keeping us in the loop. Stakk is always transparent about the tasks being completed.

Additionally, we always know exactly what we’re paying for with Stakk. When the team was working on development, they would go through their work during our meetings, showing us our site’s updates and changes. As a customer, their transparency inspires trust.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there isn’t anything they need to do differently. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re engaging with Stakk, be as open and honest with them as possible. Also, ask questions because their team is very good at communicating whatever you need. The more questions you ask, the more informed you’ll be, and the more you’ll get to know your website. Then, you can use that knowledge in future projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an ethical fashion brand and I am the managing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were in need of a new e-commerce website that needed to be built from scratch as our old site was built by someone who wasn’t able to deliver on our needs and so we had to scrap it altogether. Our goal with hiring Stakk was to build a sleek, user friendly e-commerce store that streamlined the purchase process for our customers and could compete with our longer standing rivals.

SOLUTION

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

Stakk came highly recommended by someone in my professional network and after seeing the quality of the work they delivered, we were happy to go with them.

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

We asked the team to help us conceptualise our e-commerce site from a customer journey perspective, build all the pages, integrate moving images for products, create a customer account environment, provide UX/UI design and integrate everything into our existing shop in Shopify.

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

We had contact regular with a project manager who oversaw everything. We also had 2 stack developers and a designer working on the project for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The proposed design solutions were great the design implementation has been seamless, the communication between us has been easy. The team was attentive to detail and quality.

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

The PM has made himself available via WhatsApp pretty much at all hours, otherwise we have had regular calls via Google Meet weekly to discuss progress and updates and have been sharing information via Gmail.

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

Their level of experience showed, as when we came to them with ambiguity they were able to quickly create a clear and spot on vision. I was pleasantly surprised that they have kept to timelines as most we have worked with before have gone over expected timelines.

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

There really hasn’t been anything I can fault them on during this process.