TERRAFORM

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior IT sales manager for an IT architecture company. We work with businesses around the world. We are predominantly working from India and the US.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

We didn’t have a physical office in Canada or enough people working there. We needed help with AI and mobile app development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TERRAFORM has been working with us very closely in the Canada region on web and mobile applications. They work with our clients to find solutions for their needs.

They mostly helped with mobile app projects initially. Lately, we started working with them on web projects. They also do AI projects. 

Recently, we assigned a project within the Canadian government. It’s mostly an intelligence project that involves heavy AI engines on the backend. TERRAFORM came up with a client/vendor solution, planning the entire AI solution. 

It’s an intelligence platform that monitors the activities in a streak. This is a platform that works with an Android app. If users see anything anonymous, risky, or anything that they think is related to crime, they can post their information on this app. 

The app collects information, and it also has an intelligent engine on the backend where it compares all this information and creates algorithms to understand what’s fake, what’s close to fake, what’s true, and what’s close to true. Based on the backend metrics, it comes up with a list of items on a particular street or area. 

What is the team composition?

There are 10 people. I mostly converse with their lead project manager.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

We were looking for a partner in Canada. We wanted somebody who could work with our clients. We found TERRAFORM through a reference. We started off with a small engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $700,000-$1,000,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2016 and the work is ongoing.

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

TERRAFORM is an exceptional team when it comes to custom mobile app development. We’re on the third phase of the project, and it’s going very well. They meet our expectations. They do a great job in web and mobile applications.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is an important aspect and the sweet point of the engagement. They manage the client and the project very well. 

We use Jira. We have an internal tool use for project management. The communication happens mostly through email, meetings, and IMs through Hangouts or Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

TERRAFORM is very good with mobile application development.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They are doing everything well. The quality control is something they could improve a bit but it’s not bad.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I always refer them to our clients. I’m confident in recommending TERRAFORM to anybody.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m developing a mobile app called Bitcoin Platinum. It’s an all-in-one app for finances and cryptocurrency.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

I went to them to develop the app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TERRAFORM is building my app for Android and iOS. They’re also helping me get this app launched, including finding angel investors and putting together my business proposal.

What is the team composition?

I’m working with the project lead.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

I looked them up online and found that they have an office in Las Vegas, where I’m located. Their team knew a lot about blockchain technology, and they gave me a lot of insights on what I needed for the app.

I dealt with some other companies before reaching out to TERRAFORM didn’t have the enthusiasm and knowledge necessary. I felt comfortable with them and that I could trust them. TERRAFORM was on the up and up.

One thing about them is the transparency that they exhibit. They told me upfront how much everything was going to cost.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent $500 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with TERRAFORM in May 2020, and I plan on launching the app in February 2021. I’m still trying to get the funding together.

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

I never thought I’d come this far, this fast. The project started five months ago, and it’s already transforming into something big.

TERRAFORM gave me a six-month timeline because they wanted to do everything right, and that spoke volumes to me.

After I receive the funding, I plan to have TERRAFORM work on my digital marketing.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m in contact with one person, and he’s good in terms of communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team shows that they care about the project. I looked at platforms like the one I’m building, and I have a knack for finding flaws in those.

I explained to TERRAFORM what I wanted to do differently with me, and they understood that and laid it all out in the proposal. They have great professionalism when it comes to doing certain things. I wanted to rush that proposal out and show it to investors, but they insisted on taking more time and doing it properly.

They don’t just throw things together, and they treat my business like their own.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t see anything that would need to be done differently. I just want TERRAFORM to keep doing what they’re doing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If the client is transparent about what they want to do, TERRAFORM will go the extra mile.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a massage clinic. We help people eliminate pain through massage.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

We were developing a gig economy app for massages. We developed an initial version using a company from India, but some features weren’t working so we called TERRAFORM for help.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TERRAFORM is developing our app for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Adrian (General Manager), Klaus (Marketing Coordinator), and a developer.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

I searched online and chose them because they were a local company in Canada.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve paid them $1,500 CAD (approximately $1,100 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with TERRAFORM in June 2020, and the work is ongoing.

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

They’re quick and they respond to my issues right away. I haven’t received the app yet, but I know that their developer is working hard to get it done.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

I work all day, so I can only respond to their emails at night after I get home. This is probably why the project is taking a bit longer.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stick to what they promise, and they’re reliable. TERRAFORM is a company I can really trust, and I’d recommend them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything is perfect.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I’d recommend TERRAFORM to anyone looking to build an app. They’re fast and know what they’re doing.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own an online pharmacy.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

We hired them to design a website for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TERRAFORM designed our website from scratch. We went through the wireframing process. I believe they used React Native.

What is the team composition?

In total, we’ve worked with five people.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

Someone referred us to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with TERRAFORM started in 2018. We work with them still with changes and updates.

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

TERRAFORM delivers a reliable service. The site is functional, but we’re continuing to change things. They’re pretty good with their design expertise. We test quite frequently, but everything works properly. If there’s an issue, we can get them to look at it.

The process was very detailed. During the wireframing phase, they brought me in several times to confirm the offerings and asked what else I wanted to see. They work well with their customers.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is pretty thorough. There are very few gaps. I believe they outsource some of their design programming, which can cause some delays.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re pretty straightforward. Their pricing is a little bit on the higher side, but their team gets the job done. I don’t get charged extra and there are no hidden fees.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes the timelines for fixing small issues take longer than I would like. Since it’s outsourced, it takes a little longer for fixes. It’s also a little harder to find the same person to make the change. As I mentioned, their pricing is also on the higher side.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have enough in your budget. Their processes are pretty good.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president and CEO of Goat Generation Food Limited.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

We were looking for a partner that had the technical expertise to develop a mobile application that we didn’t have in-house.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the development process of our mobile application with a team in Mexico. It didn’t go well, and I think when around 30% of the programming of the app was done, we stopped with them and began to look for a local company. TERRAFORM came in and they were able to take over where the other team left off.

Their team helped us to build a model application that helps businesses reduce food waste by offering a platform where they can offer their surplus food at a discounted price to buyers.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with a total of four people. We had a project manager who was my direct contact. We also had a developer, there was someone from quality control who would change, and it wasn’t always the same person. We also worked with the owner of the company who was involved at the beginning, but then the other team members managed the project.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

I searched online for app development companies and did an assessment of the companies that are based in Calgary and met with them. I looked at the reviews that they had. I really liked TERRAFORM’s approach and the team there which is why we decided to go with them.

How much have you invested in them?

The total cost was between $100,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I think the contract began around November 2018, and we just finished a few weeks ago in June 2020. The project was phased, and we had been doing add-ons to the app and just finalized the last phase.

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

The team that I worked with was very hands-on and very responsible. They were very committed to getting the work done. I think like in any app development, you run into hurdles and things that don't work as we want them to work or we thought they were going to work, but we always found a common ground on where to land. I really appreciated that about them. They took over a project that was one third developed in a language they didn’t use, but they were still able to deliver.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

I think it was pretty good. They have a whole process of documentation and approvals that we went through at each step of the way. From the project management side, they were very organized, hands-on, and made sure that we got things done.

My only comment would be about the deadlines. Sometimes we struggled with the deadline. I think sometimes they planned things based on their previous experience but didn’t always consider hurdles or things that may not work so our deadlines sometimes slipped. Other than that, everything else such as the quality, documentation, and development was pretty good.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The commitment from their end to make sure that the app was successful impressed us. They always went beyond to promote us and help spread the word about the app. It wasn’t only a relationship about the development, it became a little bit more. They were always giving us advice and tips, as well as connections to other things related to our business. I truly believe that TERRAFORM became a partner for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think like anything in the tech world, there are always issues when you are developing something new, but I think they were always hands-on, ready to help, and proposed solutions to things that we experienced throughout the process which was good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

In our case, we didn’t have the technical expertise in-house so we had to rely a lot on their advice. My only advice for anyone developing an app is if you are starting with any development team that is going to be developing an app for you, make sure that you have someone in-house, on your team, that also has the expertise to oversee the development side of things and that speaks the same technical language so it is easier to navigate the process.

They are very technical and they do make an effort to simplify things for us so we can understand, but sometimes it can still be a little bit of a struggle when you don’t have a technical background in application development

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of Powered by Zomongo, a mobile advertising, discount, and deal app.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

We needed to develop an interactive app that allowed merchants to post deals, discounts, and PSAs — both health and governmental. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

TERRAFORM started with some existing code and built a new platform for our app. It runs on Android and iOS. Our VP of IT worked with their architect to design the wireframes.

In addition to showing discounts and PSAS, the app lets us pin sporting events so that our promotions and marketing division can show up with vehicles and brand ambassadors. It has a heavy communications component as well.

What is the team composition?

Adrian (General Manager) is my main point of contact. I’ve also worked with Kyle (Technical Product Lead) and other team members. The group has changed as their organization has grown. 

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

We worked with another offshore company, and we were looking for a local app with some components we wanted to incorporate. They suggested we talk to TERRAFORM.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $1–2 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in the summer of 2016 and is ongoing.

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

Our biggest success is that we’re still in business and have customers. Our primary goal at a large event is to get large amounts of downloads and footprints for our app.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very structured and thorough. They sometimes take longer than what we’d like, but that’s because we’re high-octane. We communicate over email, texts, Telegram, and some face-to-face meetings. We do a lot of pre-planning, and TERRAFORM is good at that. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have good people on their team. Everyone I’ve met from TERRAFORM is knowledgeable and proficient with a skill set that speaks to our goals. They’re also good at documentation, architecture, and walking us through their work. When we go back and make tweaks, they have a couple of individuals on the project to fix features or code on the fly if needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. For the size of their company, they’re pretty effective and efficient.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an anonymous safety reporting platform.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

We have two development teams, one of them is TERRAFORM. They’re focused more on the UI/UX and mobile app development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before we even started development, there was an interview process where we came in with wireframes and the vision and the functionality list. Then, they translated that into a document that outlined the front- and backend, updated design, and wireframes. It basically broke it down into a series of steps. once that was approved, we proceeded to the quoting phase, and then we jumped into things.

Finally, during that process, they were very focused on making sure that we didn’t overdevelop. They helped us keep within the scope that we needed for the MPV and didn’t go too far beyond that. They also go regular updates through the technical guy they have assigned to us.

The mobile app is cross-platform, for iOS and Android. Our application needed anonymity. One of the challenges for our project was to integrate a blockchain technology into a Google Map API reporting platform. Even though we had a separate development team create the smart contracts and blockchain side of things, they were good at being able to integrate it because they had experience building in that space. They were able to develop both the Android and Apple mobile platforms simultaneously using React.

What I noticed, as we moved along, was that they were pretty good at making sure their internal testing was able to catch UX issues, and they even fixed some without asking, which was really good as well. We came to them with a lot of the designs, and we had a separate team working on all of the designs, but TERRAFORM implemented everything according to the specifications.

What is the team composition?

In the beginning, during the planning phase, I was working with two individuals. Once we had the final scope of work, I was only working with Kyle. He was our quarterback in terms of communicating and changes or updates or dealing with concerns. On the accounting side, they had an individual who, I believe, was their bookkeeper that was keeping in touch with us. Overall, Klaus (Marketing Coordinator, TERRAFORM) was in charge of gauging issues, high-level stuff.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

We went through a number of phases, including considering hiring someone internally to build it from scratch. Because we knew we had to put together a few different technologies, we needed a team that had experience in exactly what we were trying to do. We’d actually seen a similar app they’d built, so it wasn’t a far shift.

The intake process was big. It gave us the confidence that we had timelines and wouldn’t be a never-ending development fest of little feature changes here and there. The quotes we’d gotten from alternative companies were random throw out. TERRAFORM broke it down to us in detail. While it cost money to get that plan, it was totally worth it. They were really good on the flexibility part. We’re a startup, and there’s not unlimited cash, but they were flexible in terms of feature changes. It helped us strip away what was unnecessary at the time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $120,000 CAD ($85,000 USD) with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since April 2019. We’ve completed about 98% of the first contract and we’re moving into our second contract with them.

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

We’re pre-launch, so it’s hard to say exactly how what they’ve built will play out, but I will say that in the initial testing in phase 1, what they built work and was able to communicate to the end-users what we’re doing. That was a successful run in the first hand, but it also allowed us to rapidly iterate on what we need to change.

We need to make sure that what they built can exist in over 10,000 phones at the same time without breaking. One of the main focuses in the beginning phases was that we wanted to build a business, rather than just a piece of software. They’ve been very good at combining the conversation from a technical perspective with the business uses.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

In the beginning, communication was really good. Things got a little tight on their end with their staff and just falling behind, so things got a little thin in terms of regular updates. I understood that that was part of their growing pains in terms, which was fine. But, overall, they’ve been very good at communicating and providing updates.

They’re very responsive to the changes that we need to make and have a good process on a different app so we can report issues and bugs that they can resolve. Right now, we’re using Pivotal Tracker and back and forth emails. Our testers take screenshots of the issues and upload them to Pivotal.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Number one is their attention to planning. The technical documents they provide before doing any planning are the best I’ve seen so far. It’s been a huge, huge help in getting started and communicating to our investors what we’re doing.

Number two is that they have broad experience in mobile app development and were able to put together multiple pieces: blockchain, natural language processing. They have a broad skillset.

Lastly, it’s their execution. They’re doing a good job executing the actual plans that we have and sticking to it. They don’t go too far outside it and, again, they stay focused on the business purpose behind it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Without being too critical, they could provide more communication in terms of where they’re at with development. Some sort of timeline that updates along the way as things get done. it would be nice to see the progress happening in real-time. Trello might help with that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It really comes down to your preparation. There isn’t a development team on earth that can guess what’s in your head so you have to come prepared. You have to come with at least some legwork done on your end, even if you’ve just patched together some design. Also, be prepared to spend money on planning. It will help you develop something worth spending money on.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a platform that allows people to build their own vigils. I'm the president.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

We wanted to build an app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They're building our app on iOS. We gave them a basic concept, and they did the wireframe and the technical things. The app allows you to log in, register as a user, and create a profile at different levels.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Klaus (Marketing Coordinator) , and we work with 3-4 of their members of their team.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

We found TERRAFORM in the handful of local companies available to us. They seemed really susceptible to the idea, and offered options that other teams weren’t.

How much have you invested with them?  

We've invested $79,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in September 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

Right off the bat, they seemed welcoming and understanding. They took a realistic look at our idea, and instead of firing a quote back at us like a lot of other development shops did. Their suggestions possibly doubled the income of the app. They really breathed life into our idea.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

They're really good. I can expect on a weekday that Klaus will get back to me within 15 minutes, tops. We communicate via email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We're not very tech savvy people, but they make things easy to understand and the options they give all seem like good ones. They always wait for our feedback and their willingness to listen and come up with ideas is always great to see.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don't think so. The only hurdle we faced was having our main point of contact changed 2-3 months into the project because that person found a new job. That's when we started communicating with Klaus, which proved not to be a hurdle after all.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to present your idea to them and expect them to do their best in understanding it. Expect a friendly environment.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a private contractor that works in oilfields as a pipeline inspector for oil companies.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

It’s just an app I wanted to build because I thought there was a need for one like it. I work in oilfields, and it helps people find locations of wells or a new lease or an integrity dig. It can be hard to find these places when it’s snowing or foggy outside.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I told them what I needed, and they built it. First, we built it for Android because that’s what I use. We also made it accessible on iPhone, but that was later. The app works by typing in a lease number and it produces directions. We’re always trying to add new features as well.

What is the team composition?

I talked to 2–3 people.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

I knew Adrian (General Manager, TERRAFORM) prior.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent around $100,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together throughout 2015.

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

Now, over 30,000 people are using the app. It’s become very useful. I run into a lot of people in the oilfield who are using it. It’s just spread as people have learned about it.

How did TERRAFORM perform from a project management standpoint?

They got the app up and running and keep it running now. They were very useful. We got together in-person a few times to start with to figure out how the app would work. We communicated by email and phone calls after that.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They got the app together. There are a lot of projects that get started and are never completed, but they finished it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand what your endpoint is and go in and deal with it. Listen more than you talk.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a global platform for iOS and Android that allows customers to find and hire qualified service providers. The platform manages the interaction between the client and service provider.

What challenge were you trying to address with TERRAFORM?

We needed a firm to develop our application.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TERRAFORM was supposed to manage our entire project, from wireframe to development. However, we ended up doing most of the work. We had a clearly defined scope and were told their team worked in-house in Calgary, but their developers were all abroad.

The original project manager did decent work, but once he was fired, the code stopped meeting our specifications. Even though we’d already paid for the final code, they didn’t give it to us until we signed off saying that we’d accept whatever they gave us, which wasn’t functional.

We also paid them to do graphic design work, but their designs were subpar. We eventually ended up making our own, and then TERRAFORM said they’d charge us extra to implement them in the app.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with the project managers. Adrian (Owner, TERRAFORM) fired the first one and then became our project manager.

How did you come to work with TERRAFORM?

We found them online and saw they had a few good reviews. We met with Adrian in person, who told us everything was done in-house in Calgary. That was an important factor because we wanted someone local who we could easily communicate with and who would understand the market.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $90,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with TERRAFORM from 2016–2018.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

The final code they deliverable wasn’t operational. The app isn’t in the App Store or Google Play, and the admin panel isn’t secure at all. Anyone could access the database and request or change information. It was also extremely buggy and lacked numerous features that were in the project scope.

We’ve missed around eight months of business activities because we haven’t launched yet, and we ended up having to hire a different firm and pay them an extra $60,000 to build our app. TERRAFORM’s code was so bad that our new partner had to overhaul everything.

How was project management handled?

Our original project manager did good work, but things became terrible when Adrian took over. Communicating with him was incredibly difficult, with months of dead time where no work was done until we agreed to whatever contract he gave us. Our money was stuck with them, and they created a toxic and stressful environment for our team.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

Nothing about our partnership was good. They never delivered on time, didn’t double check their work, and failed to create a good working relationship. We paid them for services that they never completed.

In what specific areas can they improve?

Even though Adrian said the developers were local, we found out he was hiring them from overseas. The new firm we’re working with said the code TERRAFORM created was patched up and low quality.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

They don’t develop the code in-house, and the quality is extremely poor. Don’t work with them; other firms can probably do a much better job.