Techmate Tech LLC

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of Relevic, an online platform where users can customize their website and create multiple versions to have live at the same time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techmate Tech LLC?

We were looking for a tech partner to help us quickly develop our idea into an MVP and later into a commercially viable product that we could sell to our initial customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Techmate Tech is developing our web application using the MERN stack and Vanilla JS. First, we explained the concept to them, including the key features and the customer experience we were aiming for. We went through a back and forth where we would pitch requirements, and they would present their ideas. 

Additionally, we gave them a sketch of what we wanted, and the Techmate Tech team worked with us to design the app. They’ve created the first screens and developed the first code so we could get a hands-on feel of the product.

What is the team composition?

First, we had conversations with Muhammad (CTO & President), and he set us up with the team. We work with a project manager and a full-time developer. At times, we’ve also had another full-time developer, and the QA specialist helps us in cycles. 

How did you come to work with Techmate Tech LLC?

I heard of them through a friend who had outsourced with them, so I had a good starting point. In our initial calls, I realized Techmate Tech’s co-founders would also act as account managers. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re quite happy with Techmate Tech, which is why we’ve continued to develop the product with them. The original plan was for them to build the proof of concept (POC) and then hire people on our payroll to continue. However, we found their work so good that we decided to continue with them.

The team has been able to deliver the quality we were looking for. I also appreciate that they’re quite open to feedback loops. Whenever they present work, and we ask for changes, they’re receptive. Overall, we work very effectively with Techmate Tech.

How did Techmate Tech LLC  perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been gradually improving. We had some challenges initially because there were no communication strategies, and we were getting used to working with an offshore team. 

What helped was putting good tooling in place and switching to a digital-first mindset. They suggested using Jira and Confluence for the documentation and Scrum boards. We also switched from WhatsApp to Slack, which has also helped. Our project manager liaisons with us and provides updates and ongoing feedback. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I most appreciate Techmate Tech’s flexibility. They’re quite open to feedback and requirement changes, which has helped us. We’re a startup in a scale-up environment, meaning we’re discovering new things, and change is part of how we work. We wanted a partner that could be flexible and evolve with us, and Techmate Tech has turned out to be that for us. 

Their response to our requests is almost always a yes, and then we have conversations about how we can make things happen. We also understand that changes are not free, and they have constructive conversations around that, too. I also appreciate their cost; they provide good value for money. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could have improved proactivity and detail in their communication at first; updating us on timelines and how close they were to delivery would have been good. However, we’ve given them this feedback, and they’ve been quite responsive. Since we moved to Slack, we haven’t had any problems, and now we get daily or twice-daily updates from them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to bring as much clarity as you can upfront and give Techmate Tech the time to look through what they can provide. Also, challenge them on the estimates and work breakdown. Once you’ve done that back and forth, you can rely on them to deliver on what they promise.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a software development and marketing company. We develop software and market the solutions that we build for our clients. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techmate Tech LLC?

We hired Techmate to develop software solutions for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our company essentially outsources our development tasks to Techmate. We usually submit a project scope to them. Our product management team works directly with the developers to walk them through the entire development phases we have. 

All of the apps we develop are built on the Ionic framework. From there, Techmate typically also develops custom APIs that feed into the apps based on requirements, functionality requests, and similar things. We do integrations like Stripe, but we have no other third-party integrations. 

Their resources also offer frontend design services; they have a specific developer that handles all of the app frontend design tasks. We give him specific requirements and visual concepts, and then he works from there. 

What is the team composition?

We work directly with their CEO and COO. Their COO is my counterpart, and he’s also a highly advanced developer. He also has the ability to interface with the client when needed. He sometimes lends his technical expertise from a project management standpoint. 

How did you come to work with Techmate Tech LLC?

Our company had been working with them even before I joined the organization; they found Techmate through a mutual connection. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $200,000–$1 million. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2018, and the partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure success through deliverable timelines. Techmate delivers work on schedule around 80% of the time. We’ve experienced late deliverables, but we can interface directly with their CEO when that happens since we have a strategic partnership.  

Outside of that, stability and ongoing work never seem to be an issue for them. The apps they develop are rarely ever down. If they're down, the team responds around the clock. Techmate advertises themselves as “always available,” and I can give them credit there — they respond to our inquiries and messages at all hours. They’re always on top of things when we have emergencies. 

How did Techmate Tech LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

I’d rate them fairly high for project management. They’re always responsive, but not all of their project managers are as readily available as others, so ongoing communication can be a struggle. To be fair, their project-manager-slash-developers always keep communication channels open. 

In terms of tools, we use Monday to manage projects. We’ve also recently transitioned from Slack to Google Chat. A couple of their development team members also participate in daily stand-ups with us via video chats. They never miss these standups — the team is always ready to meet; they’re always punctual and ready to go. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with other developers and development companies before, and I’ve had frustrations with them. By contrast, Techmate’s resources — especially their high-caliber developers — are willing to be flexible. 

They’re responsive when we face issues, and they can work directly with my clients, which is already above and beyond my expectations. They help me build trust with my customers. I don’t necessarily have extraordinary technical expertise, and I can’t always intelligently talk about how we’ll resolve issues or deliver a solution. Fortunately, Techmate does a great job in this aspect. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re trying to build a relationship of trust with them, so they shouldn’t hesitate to give us more realistic timelines. If the originally proposed deadline presents challenges, they should let us know when they have to shift priorities or change timelines. That will allow us to adjust expectations with the end client. 

They have a lot of developers, but I’m not sure how good they are from a project management standpoint. Ideally, they should have someone who can strategically look at multiple clients and projects and know their workflows and pipelines. If Techmate sorts this out, they’ll be excellent.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to keep communication lines open with the developers or project manager. Some developers don’t talk to their clients; they simply do their work. Techmate’s company culture isn’t like that — they’re willing to interface and collaborate with their customers, so leverage that. They like to take a consultative approach to the engagement. You’re not going to find that in many other development companies.