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4.9
17 reviews

At Tepia Co, we create innovative custom-tailored software solutions that are visually vibrant, user-friendly, and maximize effectiveness.

From the needs of entrepreneurs to see their idea brought to life, to small business owners and the public sector agencies needing to enhance operational processes and procedures, we work through our guiding principles to leverage technology for individualized solutions that integrate with cutting edge technologies such as wearables, drones, mobile phones and augmented reality.

 

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$25,000+
 
$150 - $199 / hr
 
2 - 9
 Founded
2012
Show all +
Costa Mesa, CA
headquarters
  • 2900 Bristol St. #E206
    Costa Mesa, CA 92626
    United States
    714.699.4760

Portfolio

Key clients: 
Small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Reviews

4.9
17 reviews
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App Development for Religious Non-Profit

"The ease of their process was spectacular."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Jan. - March 2019
Project summary: 

Tepia Co provided a faith-based organization with app development services. Working to provide a platform for the client's podcast, they integrated an RSS feed into the app that is updated on a daily basis.

The Reviewer
 
10-50 employees
 
Cropwell, Alabama
Pastor, Religious Non-profit
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Helping the client out of a crisis situation, Tepia Co quickly created a high-quality solution that received widespread praise. Their project management left a strong impression on the client as well. They conducted reviews at each project milestone and documented their development process.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a faith-based organization that operates a B2B, B2C, and donation-based business. All the entities are nonprofits, and I work as a pastor there.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We had an iOS and Android app for a podcast that airs on many stations throughout the US. The platform was developed before I joined the company and was not in good shape when I started. The original developer was going to charge us an arm and a leg to correct it, so we looked for a new partner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our main goal was to develop a functioning mobile solution quickly. Essentially, our requirements were to implement an RSS (RDF Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) feed that would include a picture, inspirational scripture, and a blog post along with the audio. The app needed to be updated on a daily basis, with new audio and text. They prioritized speed and quality in the development, managing the project management as well.

What is the team composition?

I had a main point of contact but worked with about three people. 

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

After going through a cold Google search for service providers, I found good reviews about their services on Yelp. I liked that they were local, and they were the strongest company I interviewed. They quickly understood our situation and truly approached the project with our best interests in mind. 

How much have you invested with them?

We probably spent about $20,000 on the project.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from about January–March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They pulled us out of a crisis moment very quickly, getting us a functioning app very quickly. Our customers and donors were ecstatic with the app as well, praising it through reviews. That impressed and satisfied our team.   

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

The truly excelled with project management. Our team had several other projects occurring at the time, so we needed someone on their end that would drive the development. They handled project management professionally, conducting reviews after every iteration. We appreciated that they documented the entire process, so everything that was spoken or completed could be referenced later. The project turned out great because of their project management skills. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The ease of their process was spectacular. They made it quick and easy to collaborate.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they even followed up with me to answer questions our reviewers were asking about the product. They were always proactive.

5.0
Overall Score I’ll be working with them again once we’re ready to redo the app.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web & App Dev for Destination Marketing Co

"Their customer service is second to none."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Mar. 2019 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

From scratch, Tepia Co developed a website to improve usability and cost-efficiency for a destination marketing company. They built an app, integrated content, and produced videos to support maintenance.

The Reviewer
 
2-10 Employees
 
Lancaster, California
Sandy Smith
Executive Director, Destination Lancaster
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Tepia Co delivered an intuitive website with an accessible backend that receives positive feedback from visitors and administrators. The team was flexible, executing feedback quickly and supporting an effective collaboration. They were organized and accessible, which enables repeated partnerships.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of Destination Lancaster. We’re a destination marketing organization of the Visitors Bureau for the City of Lancaster in California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We needed a more cost-effective website that also met our needs. At the time, our website was expensive to maintain and complicated to use. It was built for a larger destination marketing organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tepia Co created a website including a new backend. While their team pulled in aspects from the old website, they built the platform from the ground up. We had weekly meetings when our teams presented ideas and reviewed changes from the past week. The frontend design was a team effort too. We relied on their expertise, so the engagement was more of a partnership. Their team also built a mobile app that features different categories for visitors to load and access a quick guide on their phones. Their team also created training videos. If we need to complete a task, we can reference a video.

What is the team composition?

I worked with two people from Tepia Co.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

We brought Tepia Co onboard before I started at the company.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began collaborating around March 2019 and their work’s ongoing. When users have comments or ideas, we reach out to Tepia Co and their team completes the project within days.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They created a user-friendly website with a backend that’s easy to navigate. We get great feedback from people who describe how fabulous the new site is. We requested a few tweaks that Tepia Co enacted quickly. For example, we wanted a submission form in the middle of a page for people to find easily. Their team made the change immediately. As well, their team completed an integration with an RSS feed of a museum and performing arts center within days of us asking.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

We had weekly meetings via phone and after every call, their team provided a recap. There was never a delay in their work. Ideas we discussed in the calls were completed the next week. They kept on track and gave great feedback, so the engagement was easy.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service is second to none. We can reach them easily and talk to a person on the phone directly. We don’t have to leave messages or follow-up several times

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing that comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend them highly. Everything I’ve asked them to do, they’ve researched and been able to do. They’re easy to work with and cost-effective.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Applications Development for Pre-Qualification Firm

“Their artistic vision has helped get our product out there.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Tepia Co assisted in the development of a SaaS automated self-scoring system for prequalified contractors in California school districts. They helped their education-based company create the original solution.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Santa Ana, California
Ron Staley
President, PQBids
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Impressed with the final solution, the company praised the team for delivering a fully-functioning, unique product. In order to ensure a seamless, streamlined production process, they answered and followed up on client questions in a timely manner. Their experience guided the engagement.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a company that prequalifies contractors for school districts. We’re located in California. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We needed assistance in developing our SaaS product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our product is a self-scoring automated system for contractors to streamline the prequalification process for school districts. This also assists all the California school districts in getting qualifies contractors. This web app solution removed the need for an expert to assist a district in obtaining prequalified contracted assistance. They developed the solution. 

What is the team composition?

I only had to deal with one point of contact who managed the project on their end. 

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

Our team was working with another partner in northern California that ended up being a pain because of distance. We liked that they were a local business because that would eliminate some of the unnecessary back-and-forth over email. If we had a problem, I could drive over to them and discuss the issue face-to-face. At this point, he’s done a few projects for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

Our spend with them in near $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2015, and our teams always have an ongoing effort of some kind. We’re always trying to make things better.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product that he ultimately provided was excellent. Our final solution is fantastic and functions well.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

The whole process was very smooth. They answered our questions as quickly as possible to ensure that we were always making forward progress. It was nice to have a designated project manager because I only had to recieve updates from one person. When we couldn’t meet in-person, we communicated through emails and phone calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to understand and showcase my vision after starting from scratch was notable. He has great insights on how to build a successful mobile or web app. That’s helped me out tremendously.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve had a good experience with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d highly recommend working with them. They can help you visualize your goals, and they’re easy to work with. Their artistic vision has helped get our product out there.  

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Dev for Astronomy Organization

"Tepia Co certainly had a good grasp of what we might need and the extent and size of the project."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
July 2018 - Mar. 2019
Project summary: 

Tepia Co revamped a website for an astronomy education nonprofit using new technologies. They chose the tech stack, made designs, and retrieved old data that they then converted into more archivable formats.

The Reviewer
 
501-1,000 Employees
 
Costa Mesa, California
Alan Smallbone
Secretary, Orange County Astronomers
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The new site launched and has received praise from stakeholders on its responsive interface, interactive features, and overall usability. Tepia Co's deliverables exceeded expectations. The team led a smooth workflow thanks to their responsiveness, timeliness, and detailed documentation.

The client submitted this review online.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an educational non-profit organization that promotes science and astronomy. We conduct out reach events at many schools and public parks every year by bringing telescopes and educating students and the public about the night sky. We also promote science education.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Tepia Co?

Our original website was completely outdated and becoming unusable with current technologies. It was written in a programming language no longer supported, we hired Tepia to redesign and implement our website and bring it up to be compatibility with current technologies while maintaining an ease for future additions and improvements.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to make a completely redesigned website that was easy to use, compatible with current technologies. An important feature was did not want to lose any of the old data which provided a lot of background and history of the club. We had archives of user images and articles that were no longer able to be replaced. So we needed to get old data retrieved and placed into a current formats that also made it easy to be archived and presented and still allow new data to be uploaded. We wanted something that was open source and maintainable, and with the capacity to be updated easily as technologies change.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After checking many reviews, a field of possible vendors was determined, each was to submit a proposal and pricing. We tried to provide as much detail as possible as to our needs. We considered originally 8 vendors, after the interviews and contacts with them the proposals were received. The field was narrowed down to 3 vendors and more contacts and interviews were made before a decision was made. Our complete Board of Directors was involved in the final choice, a summary of the evaluations and a copy of the proposals was made a available to the Board and there was a unanimous decision. We selected Tepia, as they seemed to have the best grasp of the goals and understood the old technologies and realized that this was not a small or trivial project.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project started with the original specification notes that were provided for the proposal process. We had described the functionality of what was desired and they made the choices for the software and utilities used to implement the project. We had a dedicated point person to make the day to day decisions and be the contact point for the implementation team. They came through with a design and starting point and progress was monitored closely with emails and weekly conferences to discuss any issues or questions that had been discovered. It was a difficult task to retrieve the old data because of broken database links but it was accomplished with great success.

What was the team composition?

On our side, it consisted of a single point of contact, which was the Secretary of the club and the person responsible for the original contact and throughout the proposal and decision phase. Status and updates were delivered to the Board as necessary. On the Tepia Co. side, original contact and important decisions were made by their team, which consisted of Dustin, the project manager and programmers and designers. That was the main point of contact was with the project manager. Dustin was easy to work with and provided constant updates and answered questions promptly and the weekly meetings were very productive.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were not in a hurry with this project and we had realized before we sent out requests for proposals that this was going to be a long project that was very complex and require a lot of work. We limped along with our old site as best we could before changing to the new site after it was completed. We have a had a large impact, the site is more interactive and easier to use and the feedback as been very positive. There are features now that were never available and site is very user friendly and mobile device friendly. Tepia Co. met all of our expectations and exceeded them.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The Tepia team was very responsive to any questions and concerns. Weekly meetings were done with Google Hangouts and documents were generated with Google Docs with question and answers as needed. The site was developed in a staging site and progress was as expected. There was never any concern of problems and responses not completing in a timely fashion. Response was beyond expectation.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Tepia Co certainly had a good grasp of what we might need and the extent and size of the project. Their team was responsive and very detailed. There were no delays, at no time did it seem they had moved on to another project. Their response was rapid and informative. Customer service is excellent. The provided excellent documentation as well as informative videos on how to use the system and train users and other content providers in the organization on how to use the site.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had absolutely no issues with Tepia, they provided excellent service and a quality product. They are continuing to answer questions and assist while we are transitioned to our new environment.

5.0
Overall Score Top quality work.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Scheduling was done on times best for us, absolutely no complaints.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They were not the cheapest but they provided a quality product that was worth the investment.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Excellent work, fast service, great communications. Project was managed extremely well and support has excelled.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Highly recommend them.

Web Development for Surgical Corporation

“It was a wonderful experience and they exceeded all of my expectations.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
2017 - 2018
Project summary: 

Tepia Co built a website that served as a medical resource for current and prospective patients. The site featured a user portal that allowed patients to check available times and schedule appointments.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
Los Angeles, California
Rojeh Melikian
Spine Surgeon, Surgical Corporation
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The online scheduling feature enabled internal staff to prioritize other tasks, saving time and improving bandwidth. Tepia Co consistently outpaced timelines and made site adjustments quickly. In the end, their responsiveness and exceptional customer service ensured a successful engagement.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a spine surgeon and run my own practice.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We needed resources to create a website with a customer portal that linked to our internal electronic medical records (EMR) software.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did the project in stages. Initially, they designed an attractive website, providing front- and backend development. The site enabled new patients to read about me, find common medical information and tests, and learn more about our services. They also added online medical forms as well as after-surgery care instructions for existing patients.

Once they finished the site, they created a patient portal and integrated it with our EMR software. Rather than calling the office to schedule an appointment, patients could use the portal to see the available times and set up the appointment themselves.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Abe (Co-founder and President, Tepia Co) and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

I found them online and considered them with a few other providers. I described the project, and they gave me estimates on costs and timelines. I also met with Abe and felt comfortable working with him.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we spent about $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work lasted from 2017–2018. They completed the website fairly quickly and added the portal later on.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our site traffic has steadily increased over time, and patients are using the online scheduling function. As a result, we’re receiving fewer phone calls, which allows my staff to focus on other tasks. Tepia Co helped push us in the right direction, and we’re happy with the outcomes.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

They were wonderfully responsive and took the effort to accommodate my schedule. As a surgeon, I often couldn’t get to my phone or computer during the day, so I’d have to ask all of my questions after hours. Despite that, they were always willing to work around my schedule, whether it be meeting with me in person or answering my emails and calls.

In terms of sticking to estimates, they never missed a deadline. We went through several iterations before launching the site because I would ask for little tweaks. Whenever I asked them for an end date, they would give me a time frame and meet it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I first met Abe, I was impressed by his demeanor. He’s a personable, hardworking guy. Anytime I asked him to make a change, he would do it quickly. I also appreciated his responsiveness; he replied to all emails and never missed a thing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. It was a wonderful experience, and they exceeded all of my expectations.

5.0
Overall Score It was a smooth process, and they were great to work with.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They gave realistic estimates and usually delivered before the deadline.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Unlike other vendors, they delivered an appealing, functional site for a reasonable price.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They were flexible with communication and responded to my inquiries even after hours.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I'd recommend them to anyone looking to build a website.

Mobile App Development for Semiconductor System Engineer

“Tepia stood out because they were willing to undertake a small project like mine and performed well on it.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
2015 - 2017
Project summary: 

Tepia Co helped a systems engineer produce two apps for a personal project. The first is exclusively for iOS and the other is cross-platform.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
California
Hua Sun
System Engineer, My Gear
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Their strong communication and project management skills resulted in repeated collaboration. Tepia Co’s team met deadlines effectively and their end results met all original project requirements.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a system engineer for a semiconductor company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

I wanted to make a mobile app for a personal project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped me develop two mobile apps. The first one was exclusively for iOS and the second one was cross-platform. Before we began the project, I met with them to workshop my ideas and outline my requirements. They came back to me with a summary of project expectations and notes on all the features they anticipated I would need. Once I approved everything, they broke each project into phases and assigned a team to work on it.

What is the team composition?

I worked with their CEO and with a project manager, who also interfaced with the developer.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

I found them through Yelp. I had contacted about half a dozen potential providers and interviewed them over the phone, and Tepia stood out as the best choice.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost for both projects was between $50,000–$55,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in 2015 and we finished up in 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They successfully met my original requirements and delivered the final apps in a reasonable timeframe.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

I met with our project manager at least once a week to discuss our progress. His communication through email and instant message was also efficient. He would also advise me on the feasibility of ideas or offer additional feature suggestions, which was helpful and made the experience very collaborative.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I was choosing a partner for this project, I considered past work, cost, and motivation to engage in the work. Tepia stood out because they were willing to undertake a small project like mine and performed well on it, which is what motivated me to hire them to build my second app.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would help if the developers were in the US.  I recognize that they might hire developers elsewhere to reduce their costs, but there were some communication delays because of the time differences.

5.0
Overall Score If I have the chance to work on another project, I’d consider them first.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They defined the progression of the projects very well and met their deadlines.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    I found the cost reasonable.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Everything met my requirements and was completed efficiently.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I’d recommend them to anyone with similar project needs.

Web Dev & Design for FDA Regulatory Publishing Company

“They’re very committed to making sure that we’re happy.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Dec. 2017 - Feb. 2018
Project summary: 

Tepia Co worked on the design and development of a company website, conducting back- and frontend development. They converted the WordPress site to HTTPS, and built in search features and password protection.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Los Angeles, California
Jonathan Pierce
Director of Corporate Branding, Omnicia Inc.
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The redeveloped site received praise from its users, who find it to be easier to use, informative, and modern in is look and feel. They were an excellent team, clearly planning their deliverables, and ensuring that the work went well throughout.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of corporate branding and marketing for Omnicia. We are an FDA regulatory submissions and publishing company. We do all the regulatory paperwork for new drugs around getting submissions approved by the FDA and introduced to the market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

I was brought into the company to refresh the website, the designs, and how they were talking about it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a lot of backend work. We had them build search features and a password protected area. We also had them convert the entire site to HTTPS. They did the front- and the backend for us. It’s all in of a WordPress template that they customized for us.

What is the team composition?

I met with Abe [President, Tepia Co] and told him what we were trying to do. He listened to everything I was saying and we came up with a temporary plan of action. He put me in touch with their project manager, Dustin [Project Manager, Tepia Co]. Dustin was the middleman between me and their team of developers.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

A friend of mine, who we hired as our designer, recommended them. He met them at a networking event and chatted with them about what they’re doing and their philosophy around how to do it. I chose them because they had a portfolio that I really liked of modern web design. They were very eager to talk and willing to listen when I had requests.

How much have you invested with them?

$14,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2017 until February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a hard deadline three months after we started development for a live version of the site because of an industry event we wanted to be ready for. They were really quick and worked really hard to get it ready for this event and di so successfully. It was very impressive.

It’s extremely readable and looks very modern. A lot of people commented that it fits the feel of the company a lot more than our last site. They went out of their way to make sure they were listening to me when I was asking them to represent us, instead of just making a bland website.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

They built full spreadsheet schedules. They had goal points and deliverables, and a really well thought out schedule. They were extremely responsive to all my questions and any of our concerns, and were communicative and professional. They also had a tiered pricing scheme, which was very flexible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very committed to making sure that we’re happy. If I had concerns or if they weren’t sure they were doing exactly what I wanted, they would stop, check, and listen until I was happy. They always made it work.

5.0
Overall Score They’re a very pleasant company to work with, very professional and very skilled.
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They were always really good on deadlines. They slightly overpromised, but not as much as other companies do.
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    The cost was pretty much exactly what I was expecting it to be.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    If something wasn’t exactly what I wanted, they made sure it was by the time they turned in a deliverable.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    They listened when we had feedback, responded, and were very communicative. There’s no reason I wouldn’t recommend them.

Web-based App Development for Software Development Company

"Tepia Co's quality was excellent for what we paid for."

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Sept. 2016 - Jan. 2017
Project summary: 

Using existing plug-ins and frameworks, Tepia Co delivered full stack frontend and backend development for a web-based app, all at a relatively reasonable price.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Orange County, California
Armen Ghazarian
COO, Software Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Since working with clients with a lower level of technical knowledge, Tepia Co does well with providing clear and easy to understand explanations about the development work they deliver.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization is a software development company, developing software for college students. I’m the COO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

I don’t have a technical background, but I had to manage this project. We wanted to have a low-cost development team that could explain things in a context understandable to someone who is not a developer. I also needed to be able to manage that development project myself.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It’s a web-based app. We had it mostly on smartphones, but it was also possible to access through desktop on a web browser. Their work was a full stack of both frontend and backend. Tepia Co used a web-based system that worked across platforms, not a native app for iOS or Android. They used a lot of existing plug-ins and frameworks. We used PubNub for the messaging part of our app and used existing pieces from plug-ins rather than mostly raw code. I assume they used a mix of different languages. This way, we could bring the cost down. Their team was made up of one project manager and two engineers, with one being on-site.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

One of my friends recommended Tepia Co to us. At the time, we were looking for a local developer, and they were in Orange County, which is where we are too, so that was great. We went to their office and sat down with Abe, the founder of Tepia Co. He gave us a very thorough road map to how this could be done, and he seemed the most competent and professional out of all the options that we had. The fact that he was nearby and he had an office was great. Their website was also very well done. I also feel like they positioned themselves best image-wise. Many engineers don’t care about how their website looks or aren’t trying to advertise as much, but Tepia’s image was very good. That’s why we thought they’d be a good partner for us.

How much have you invested with Tepia Co?

We have invested $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Tepia Co in September 2016 and had a few stages during our engagement. By January 2017 we had the app on our phones.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From our standpoint, the managers of this project delivered very quickly. Once we gave them the design, they gave us a raw app quickly. We ended up doing all the designs ourselves. We built the UIs [user interface] and mock-ups, and then they worked off of that. It was a collaborative effort. That’s how we were able to save costs.

Feedback-wise, their work was solid. We gave Tepia Co a breakdown of edits, and they would return with all the completed edits the next day. That was very good. Once the app was up and running, we got feedback from our customers that the app was slow at first because of bugs, but Tepia Co fixed those very quickly. It’s running great now.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

Tepia Co was well above par. They did very well. They worked very quickly in their turnaround time. Tepia Co worked overnight because one of their engineers is in a different time zone, so it worked out very well. Their project managers are able to enroll very well, which is good.

What did you find most impressive about Tepia Co?

I found that Tepia Co's ability to explain complex technical issues to non-engineers was notable. They’re very good at that. Their project managers have a good understanding of the technology and can translate that into basic English, which is great. They’re very responsive. Our project manager would respond within two hours all the time, which was great too.

4.5
Overall Score It was a great experience. I would have liked a little more flexibility, but then again, we had a budget, and they met that budget.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Tepia Co was never late on anything. Meetings were always scheduled. When we wanted a meeting, we always got a meeting within a day or so.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Tepia Co worked with our very low budget of $15,000 for our app. No one else came close to that, and that’s because it all comes back to the ready-made tools. They are very good at utilizing what’s available.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Tepia Co's quality was excellent for what we paid for. But then again, they were using a lot of ready-made tools which weren’t as flexible as if we were building something from the ground up.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I will very likely recommend Tepia Co, especially because they are in Orange County and a lot of the people in my circle are too. I believe they’re the best option in this area regarding their development, deliverables, and professionality.

App Development for Social Health Platform

"They are on point about what needs to get done, which I really appreciated."

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4.5

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
4.5
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Feb. - Oct. 2016
Project summary: 

Given an iOS app with many technical flaws, Tepia Co worked to redevelop the frontend and backend of a social health platform using Python, MySQL, and Objective-C.

The Reviewer
 
Startup
 
Los Angeles, California
CEO, Social Health Platform
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Tepia Co is unique within the app development industry because of the overall honesty of their team. If there were any setbacks or delays in development, they communicated directly with the client to get the project back on track.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My organization is a social health platform that allows you to read and write reviews on food products. I’m the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

We needed the development of the actual application. I contacted Tepia to develop an iOS app for me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tepia did all the backend and frontend—from mock-ups to actual development. They were actually a second go-round for what had been previously developed. There were flaws in what I had given them, but they worked well to minimize the flaws. Tepia used MySQL, Objective-C, Python, and another language to develop the app. Tepia devoted one person to report to me, but I’m assuming they had a few developers and designers on board.

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

I have worked with development agencies before, but I found Tepia through AngelList. I looked them up on Yelp as well after I found them. I read a lot of what people had written about them, I went and spoke to them once or twice, and then did a little due diligence speaking to past clients. From there, I decided to move forward with Tepia.

How much have you invested with Tepia?

Our investment was $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Tepia in February 2016 and completed the project in October 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There is nothing I could share because we decided not to launch what Tepia gave us. It wasn’t Tepia’s fault. My prior developer had developed a poor app. When Tepia came in and tried to repair what had already been damaged, the mistake was in determining it was repairable. I decided against launching it due to the poor user interface, but I’m still looking around to see alternative options for development because I’m trying to minimize costs at this moment.

However, I could give feedback on Dustin, the project manager I worked with directly. He was very proactive and communicative with what they were doing. I appreciated Tepia in giving me a learning experience because, from the way they worked, they taught me the ins and outs of development which I hadn’t known before working with them.

How did Tepia perform from a project management standpoint?

Tepia performed very well in project management. They reported what was going on, and I felt informed throughout the whole process.

What did you find most impressive about Tepia?

Tepia's team is honest. You don’t deal with honesty everywhere you go. They are on point about what needs to get done, which I really appreciated.

Are there any areas Tepia could improve?

I will suggest Tepia not to guide the client as much and open to taking other routes. Had they informed me of alternative routes, I may have made other decisions, but I don’t blame them for that.

4.5
Overall Score There were setbacks and miscommunications here and there, but overall Tepia Co was really prompt in speaking with me and getting the final deliverable to me.
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    There are many unforeseen factors in development, but Tepia Co was very certain with the deliverables. Had they given me a little more leeway and understanding of the schedule, I would give them a perfect score.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Tepia Co was a little overpriced for what they delivered, but they were proactive in what they delivered to me.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    Tepia Co was very serviceable and on time with deliverables. When there was a setback, they were very communicative in what that setback was and what needed to get done to meet a new deadline.
  • 4.5 NPS
    Willing to refer
    It depends on what a friend or colleague is looking for. But if you have a business operation that is nontechnical and you need a developer to bring in a technical aspect to your business, then I’d highly recommend Tepia Co.

Web Development for Wine Nonprofit

"I felt that they understood exactly what I was looking for … They always answered my questions within a day."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Oct. 2015 - Apr. 2016
Project summary: 

Tepia Co provided frontend design for a Wordpress site with complex PayPal integration and scheduling modifications. Following a successful launch, they took on additional projects.

The Reviewer
 
1001-5000 Employees
 
Orange County, California
Stacey Taylor
Director, Orange County Wine Society
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Tepia Co offered attentive service even when the project got complicated. End users have been pleased with the new streamlined payment system and the modern look and feel of the site.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are the Orange County Wine Society, a 1,000-member nonprofit organization with the stated purpose of the education and promotion of making wine, growing grapes, and wine appreciation—pretty much anything to do with the production to the enjoyment of wine. I’m currently one of nine directors of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tepia Co?

The organization started with a very simple website 17 years ago, so you can imagine the state of websites at that point in time. A volunteer created that site 17 years ago and maintained it, but it really started to show its age both from a visual and navigational aspect. It was externally hard to maintain because it required a PHP programmer to make any changes. We posted monthly changes of events every month when a winemaker would come in and talk to the group about their company’s wine. It was always a changing website and our volunteer wanted to retire from it, so we had to find a PHP programmer to replace her. There were other issues because of its age, but the main purpose was the cost of maintaining it. The maintenance updates were extremely expensive and time-consuming.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tepia Co did design work for us. I’ve been doing job enterprise and programming for many years so I’m pretty adept and knowledgeable in at least some of the backend processes of Java Enterprise but I am not experienced in website frontend. I knew what I wanted: a Joomla or WordPress site that wouldn’t require a technical expert to run. When we found Tepia, one of our goals was to create something that wouldn’t require a technical expert to run. We wanted it so that somebody who had a little bit of technical knowledge could come in and maintain the site so we wouldn't have to pay the big bucks. Instead, we could find somebody who was inside the organization to do it on a volunteer basis. When we went to them, we showed them the old site and its problems and we told them to take it away. The website was ultimately developed on WordPress.         

How did you come to work with Tepia Co?

Since we’re California-based, we only deal in California wines. That’s our platform. Therefore, I wanted somebody who was located in California, preferably Southern California. I did an online search and came up with 10-12 possible firms, but I ran into some problems with many of the website development companies because they were more into search engine optimization and analytics. Even though there were loads of companies down here in the Orange County area, I found that they were very few people percentage-wise that were going to do just a website. We also required some customization which filtered out a lot of other companies; there were a lot of pop-up WordPress developers but very few of them knew how to make modifications that we might have needed. We whittled it down to five groups that met all of our requirements.

When we got into the details—I wrote up a 20-page specification of what I wanted and what it had to do—two out of the five dropped out immediately, saying it was too big for them. With the other three, it basically came down to cost, can you work with them, and are they knowledgeable people. Not only was Tepia local, but our feeling with them was that they were the only group able to regurgitate what I wanted. I felt that they understood exactly what I was looking for, and it wasn’t just them nodding their heads saying “Yes, we can do this.” They were able to restate the goals in their own terms, which made me feel a lot better about them knowing what we wanted.

How much have you invested with Tepia Co?

The contract was issued for $10,000, and that’s what it came in at. We also spent $200-$300 more on WordPress plug-ins because there was a need to buy them as we were going through the project. It was my own conscious choice that we would buy those plug-ins because I wanted them licensed in our organization’s name and not under Tepia’s name. We also spent a little bit more over the past year because we wanted a different way of getting the data out of custom reports in our accounting system. We’re also using a plug-in from WooCommerce for memberships and needed two to three different reports pulled out of there for mailing addresses for the renewal of memberships. We went back over the last year asking for updates and changes where some were either given to us gratis or were paid for. This would all be an extra $3,000 on top of the initial $10,000 that we knew we were going to incur as we used the system and realized the additional things we needed. It wasn’t a cost overrun. It was just additional money that we spent to get to where we wanted it.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2015, and it finished in April 2016. We were so happy with what they did to our website that we actually did three other smaller sites with them in the last year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of the things is acceptance of the website. We’re a group of people from 40 to 70 years old, and some of these people don’t like change at all, especially when you’ve been dealing with the same website for 17 years and you’ve got something new and modern all of a sudden. We had very little blowback on the site, less than I ever expected. I expected people to say, “It’s not like the old one. Why did you do that?” Out of the 1,000 members, I only had one or two people who asked me why we changed it.

Another thing I have noticed now that everybody has had a year with the new website is that now everyone is into it and understands it. Now that everybody has gotten used to the normal way that a website should work, we’re finding that we’re selling out every event, where before we would have one out of five sell out. That is a good indicator that the process of buying tickets to our events is much easier and less stressful. The old way was really archaic because you had to do two things: buy it on the old site and then call into the office to pay for it. However, it was really chaotic before because we didn’t have tickets. It was manually entered into a spreadsheet. There were instances where someone would show up and not be on the list or would be on the list and never paid. The new site eliminated all that confusion. All the accounting now balances out. We were only PayPal oriented before; we now do PayPal and credit cards.

How did Tepia Co perform from a project management standpoint?

Their #1 strength was the project management because it worked so smoothly and they understood exactly what it was. I dealt with both Dave and Jared from Tepia. Jared was the assigned project manager, and he’s the one that sold us during the presale cycle. Jared and I went back and forth for him to understand what we wanted and needed to run the implementation. I mandated that we had a weekly meeting every Friday. The fact that Jared and I met every week helped us to not get sidetracked if anything came up. We kept the project on schedule. Jared was the middleman to the developers. I could have talked to the developers, but I didn’t really want to.

What did you most impressive about Tepia Co?

What impressed me is what they’ve done from a support standpoint. Being in the programming business myself, there’s some point of time where you’ve got to start charging for support or when clients start taking up too much of your time. I’m a technical person so I don’t abuse that kind of stuff. But anytime I called them about questions of why does this plug-in work this way or is there any way of getting around this kind of procedure, I never had any blowback on that. They always answered my questions within a day.

Are there any areas Tepia Co could improve?

I can’t think of anything right now. If I did, it would be minor nitpicky stuff. I’ve been really happy with them.

5.0
Overall Score I couldn’t have found a better vendor for this project.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    The end product was delivered on time. They were always there in our prescheduled weekly meetings. We always finish the task that we were hoping to achieve in those meetings.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Compared to other proposals that we got for this project, it was a 10! Even when the cost estimate came out to be higher than we initially expected, they never asked us to up our payment.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    The project functioned exactly as we had specced it out to be.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Absolutely.