Tack Mobile

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

R1: The adoption of the product has continued to increase. We’ve seen the adoption rate grow from 15% after our first version to more than 20% now. The app exists strictly as an add-on for our window treatment orders, but it cannot be found in app stores. We’re seeing a fair amount of Android users, and, as a result, we see a lot of adoption with Google Assistant, which is also helping drive sales.

R2: In conjunction with the significant updates we’ve done, our reviews have increased by at least a star on average, which we attribute to Tack Mobile’s UI/UX input. The feedback we’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive. The constructive feedback we’ve received is thoughtful and has helped us drive development forward. Tack Mobile has been receptive to all feedback, and they’re willing to work with us to create the best solution.

How did Tack Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

R1: In the last year, Tack Mobile added a QA engineer and added more automation to their processes. We’ve established a valuable rapport with their engagement manager. We have regular meetings and planning sessions. There is a productive workflow that has enabled us to make one major revision around this time last year and seven updates since then.

What did you find most impressive about them?

R1: Their consistency has been impressive. We’ve tasked them with a lot, but they’ve been thoroughly engaged, and they’re producing. We greatly appreciate their ability to adapt to all of our internal changes.

R2: I’ll add that their efforts to collaborate and be transparent have been valuable. My role didn’t exist in an official capacity until last year, but as it’s become more defined, my involvement grew significantly. Tack Mobile exhibited a great willingness to include me and my team while continuing to deliver strong work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

R1: We’ve addressed this with them to a certain extent already, but we’re working to keep the workflow consistent and ensure that we don’t introduce regressions into our processes.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

R1: Adding a UX manager helped us refine our ideas and present them to Tack Mobile in a more concrete way. It enabled us to have more back-and-forth on the UX and visual design. Further, prospective clients should have their own project management, design, and QA arms to help them onboard and deploy the work that Tack Mobile develops.

R2: It’s critical to have an understanding of your product, your strategy, and the goals of your users.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Tack Mobile understands well the platforms which we're working on, and they've been able to suggest solutions. I want to emphasize the team nature of the collaboration. When working with someone like Tack Mobile, I can rely on not only the individuals on my team but also on the other resources in their company, to whom they can pass questions. This has paid off and was the selling point for me.

How did Tack Mobile perform from a project management standpoint?

We've blown through a couple of deadlines because of the amount of changes which occurred. Tack Mobile performed well overall. There were some instances of team members becoming sick. I can't fault them for that, and it's simply something we needed to work around. At one point, I've had to pull one developer back from a lower priority task. They wanted it to be done, and I find the desire to improve something to be great, but it wasn't a priority at the moment. Tack Mobile offers management, but their developers are also able to think for themselves.

What did you find most impressive about Tack Mobile?

I went to Tack Mobile for their expertise and understanding of mobile and front-end development. We're not using their UI [user interface] resources and capabilities, but I know that Tack Mobile wants to build apps which users care about. They have a certain UX sensibility.

Are there any areas Tack Mobile could improve?

Tack Mobile is not extremely well set up for sitting at the client's side on a long-term basis, doing whatever they're told. Tack Mobile is more of a turnkey developer. We've pushed them beyond this for the current project, and Tack Mobile has been happy to work with us even though this approach is not how they're set up for success. This isn't necessarily something that Tack Mobile needs to improve, but it is something to consider on their end when deciding which business to take on.

Tack Mobile wants its developers happy to be working for the company. When a customer like us asked Tack Mobile's team to work from our office full-time, putting them in a position of almost being our employee, it was different than what they'd signed up for.