Custom mobile applications development
Since 2011, Touch Instinct has evolved from a startup to become a leader in the mobile app and web services development industry. Our team boasts over 80 specialists, dozens of awards, and we regularly come top in industry-specific ratings.
We work together with our clients at every stage: from the idea to the creation of the perfect product. We research, analyze, design, develop, test, support, and offer continuous updates. Our solutions mean you can focus on your business while we take care of the technical side.
Our portfolio contains over a hundred projects that we have undertaken for clients from various industries: oil and gas, banking, service, media, travel, and retail. We know exactly how to work with your idea.
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Portfolio
Riot Games, Domino's Pizza, MegaFon, Mobile TeleSystems, i-Free, Svyaznoy, Tigermilk, Wild Apricot, Innova, Redmond, Omnigon, Meduza.
Soglasie - a mobile app for the insurance company
Soglasie is one of the largest insurance companies in Russia. Over the last 27 years, it has insured 10 million cars. The company released the Soglasie app in order to create an additional sales channel and increase user loyalty. In 2019, we were tasked with updating it.
The insurance market changes rapidly with new services and solutions appearing all the time. It is our job to ensure that the Soglasie app continues to meet customer needs. In our first year working on the app, we introduced a number of useful features. We closely monitor user feedback and take their expectations into account.
Cifra - an accounting app for companies
In March 2020, VTB Bank launched its Cifra service, a mobile assistant for small and medium-sized businesses. We worked on programming apps for Android and iOS, and developed the back-end. With Cifra, users can do all their accounting on their phone: calculate tax payments, insurance premiums, check transactions, draw up declarations, and quickly generate reports for the Federal Tax Service. It is also possible to pay tax bills and contributions directly in the app. Should anything go wrong, we added an online chat consultation function.
We started work on the project in 2019 when we released the basic version. Since then, we have continued to improve its functionality.
The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development - a mobile app for the bank’s customers
The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development (UBRD) is in the top 30 largest and top 100 most reliable banks in Russia. UBRD already had an application before hiring us. The old version had limited functionality and an impractical interface meaning clients only made limited use of the bank's services and hence simply withdrew money. Our task was to launch a completely reworked app that would be tailored to standard banking transactions and also promote priority products. Alongside that, we had to develop the tech platform: to lay the groundwork for future development and help to build up the practice of mobile development in the bank.
The first version was released within six months with all the basic required features. This meant we could immediately start collecting feedback from users, which we then used to update the app. We made UBRD simple and user-friendly. All the functions that users requested can now be performed in a couple of taps: from paying bills by QR code to calculating the rate of return when opening deposits.
Movista - a travel planning and ticket purchasing service
Ideally, travel should be carefree and easy, but this can get bogged down in all the planning, the long, detailed organization of a trip, and the feeling of responsibility for your friends and family. Movista and Touch Instinct’s aim was to streamline travel planning and make it as smooth and simple as possible. We designed and developed the website and mobile app for iOS and Android.
Movista is an entirely new and unique product on the Russian market. No one has ever created a single service that offers both complex route planning (involving planes, trains, and buses) and ticket purchasing.
Privet Mir - a mobile app for the payment system’s loyalty program
Since 2015, the National Payment Card System has issued 76 million cards and its Privyet Mir! app. With the app, users can join a loyalty program, which allows them to make purchases at discounted rates, get cashback, and get updates about offers from partner companies. The first version of the Mir app was worked on by a different company, and Touch Instinct was involved in development and support. Our team established that the app could be much more user-friendly, so we proposed a redesign concept.
We started by conducting a large-scale study to determine what the ideal Mir app should look like and then created a new design that met all the functionality requirements. It was simple and straightforward with uncluttered color coding, stylized icons, and calm tones, which makes it easier to search for information and doesn’t distract from the content.
We introduced a modular structure to the app. Now, new features can be added quickly and easily without having to make changes to the app’s navigation. Therefore, users don’t have to get used to a new Mir app after each release.
MegaFon - a banking app for the mobile operator’s customers
In 2016, MegaFon, the number one telecom operator in Russia, launched its own banking service. We were tasked with developing a mobile personal account that enables users to manage their bank cards on their smartphone. The app allows users to track their family members’ balances, take out loans, and carry out payments and transfers. They can also create transaction templates for ease of use. It also contains a nice bonus: a loyalty program, and information about offers and discounts from partner chains.
LUKOIL - a mobile app for the oil company’s loyalty program
In 2018, we were tasked with relaunching the mobile app for Lukoil gas station customers. We developed a major update for 13 million mobile users — a new loyalty program, which required a complete overhaul of the architecture and design.
The new version has five levels: the higher a user’s level, the more points they earn from purchases. Users progress to the next level by buying fuel and other goods at Lukoil gas stations. Achievements are clearly displayed on progress bars. To ensure that users enjoyed a smooth transition to the new app, we added a rules section, introduced a hints and tips system, and gamified the new program. We oversaw the work on both the client-side of the application as well as the server-side: we worked with databases, improved the admin panel for company employees, and conducted user behavior analytics.
Bank Saint Petersburg - a banking app for corporate clients
In 2018, Bank Saint Petersburg tasked us with creating a mobile banking app for business. We worked together for two years: collecting regular user feedback, fixing problems, and adding new features. To help the bank become fully digital, we transferred our processes and solutions to the client and helped them hire and train new developers. Now Bank Saint Petersburg has a high-quality app and a team of its own.
The app contains the most in-demand online banking functions. Users can view their account balance, reserved amounts, bank details, and generate statements.
It is gratifying when your work is appreciated by the client and users, but even more so when it is highly rated by industry experts. Under our management, the app won several prestigious awards in industry competitions.
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza is an international fast food restaurant chain. The company was found in 1960 in the USA and today it has locations in 70 countries. Domino's Pizza delivers over 1 000 000 pizzas daily. Domino’s already had an app, but users had difficulties navigating it and placing orders. Moreover, the app crashed occasionally which was also not encouraging. We were entrusted to make users happier and design and develop user-friendly apps for iOS and Android.
Release was scheduled 3 months after the project kick-off. During that time we had to finalize and approve navigational scheme and design and develop apps for two platforms.We were doing our best to meet deadlines and client’s demands.
After sleepless nights with bags under the eyes but pleased with ourselves we met the deadline.
Partia edi
Food party is a service that delivers recipes and ingredients straight to your doorstep.You get a box with fresh ingredients and step-by-step photo recipes. More than half of the clients are subscribed to the service and get meal boxes on a weekly basis.
The company has a nice and user-friendly website where you can check a menu for several weeks in advance, subscribe for meals delivery, manage your orders and rate recipes and couriers.
Since 65% of the clients use their mobile devices to access the service, it was decided to develop mobile apps for iOS and Android. The main goal was to make the service more convenient in use. We were entrusted to design an interface and develop an app.
Boom
Now you have all music from the network on your iPhone. All music in the app is licensed and posted with permission of the copyright holders. The client company has created the app design. We have made it work correctly and fast even on the slow and older devices.
The developers team has spent a lot of time reconciling length, frequency and see-through capability of visual effects. They were constantly checking up on the details and peculiarities and thinking over diferrent animation schemes. The app visual effects are not annoying and create a good impression of the product. Touch Instinct team has created page turning animation for switching between screens and wavy animation for parking pages.
You can listen to music both in online and offline modes. The track you are listening to and the next track in the playlist are automatically cached.
Tutu.ru
Tutu.ru decided to develop an app that would make buying air tickets easier. We were entrusted with creating design and developing iOS and Android app versions.
We considered it important to put ticket tariff options on the search screen. Now you can see straight away if a ticket is refundable in case of no-show cancellation or if you have to pay for extra baggage. Users no longer have to waste their time looking for this information.
Specify desired departure/arrival time, airport or airlines. The last option is useful if you are participating in frequent-flyer programs and collecting miles. The app will find the best options for you.
Flight details are always at your fingertips.You can check whether or not a flight is direct and see flight transfer time. If it’s a night flight or a fuel stop is planned, the app will inform you. Just click on “Orders” tab for quick access to your tickets.
Guilds League of Legends
League of Legends is one of the most popular multiplayer online games. It combines role-playing and real-time strategy elements. LoL currently has 67 million monthly active subscribers. It’s grown ten times larger than World of Warcraft.
We’ve produced iPhone and Android applications and a web-site. Students use apps to unite in guilds within their universities. They monitor guilds' progress, compete and receive rewards. This project is intended to raise students’ interest in collaboration.
A student logs in to Vkontakte website through the application. He can join one of the university guilds from the list. He can also create his own guild and invite his friends to join it.
Guild members communicate in chat rooms. Here they can discuss tactical plans and other game aspects. It helps to build a winning team spirit. Players can monitor changes in team members list, users’ statuses and battle outcomes.
Squawk Aha
The client wanted to create a platform to make market research easier. We’ve helped to develop and launch Squawk Aha. It’s a professional mobile application made for market research companies and online panels. The app users are the people who participate in different surveys. Respondents get financial and non-financial rewards for their participation. Rewards motivate them to take all the surveys seriously and provide market research companies with information they need.
We’ve developed Squawk Aha app platform for conducting market surveys and sales promotions. The app allows to:
1. push respondents personal notifications and links to web surveys;
2. track time spent in different shops;
3. aggregate data on respondents’ activity and motion — the app can spot respondents’ location and wi-fi access points they use;
4. unload respondents’ profiles for further analysis.
Matryoshka Radio London
For the app's first version we have developed four types of entertainment blocks: photo-tasks, audio-hellos, quizzes and votings. Radio DJs look through the blocks content and then it goes on the air.
Our client asked us to develop an online interactive radio app. During the very first meeting Touch Instinct together with the client refined the app concept. We proposed that broadcasting should go with interactive panels. People can use them to interact with the radio station editors. These panels should be standard (in order to cut the cost of future developments) and not annoying. They are to go with the main app feature - online audio player.
For the app first version we have developed four types of enterntainment blocks: photo-tasks, audio-hellos, quizzes and votings. Radio DJs look through the blocks content and then it goes on the air. You don’t have to participate in these entertainment activities, you can just listen to music.
Every music track goes with an album cover on the background. We’ve designed a simple and clear interface with no information noise. The app screen displays only essential information - the name of the artist and the title of the song.
Coin Keeper
The customer came to us with a specific goal: to create a visual fun and easy application for finance tracking. Together we thought through and developed Coin Keeper.
Application looks like a big coin holder. Incomes, wallets and user's spendings are represented as a piles of coins. Simple drag-and-drop is needed to write down, for example, salary income or gas purchase.
Finance tracking is made for statistics. We prepared three types of reports: daily bills, monthly incomes and expenses, detailed report of expenses by categories.
Chaos-control
haos Control is a task manager made by Tarasov Mobile. It is available across all major mobile platforms. We’ve designed applications for the Apple Watch and Samsung Gear 2. These apps connect to devices with major iOS and Android versions.
With Chaos Control, once you sync your Apple Watch to a smartphone, you can check planned tasks on the wrist-worn device. Just keep the phone in a pocket.
Trava.ru
iOS, Android applications for listening to licensed music on a smart phone. Trava.ru is a musical portal of MegaLabs, Megafon’s subsidiary company.
Purpose: develop iPhone and Android applications for online and offline music playback.
New and popular tracks on the main screen helps users to choose the right track from millions of songs in Trava’s library.
The User Interface of the iPhone app corresponds to the iOs Human Interface Guidelines and the UI of the Android app corresponds to Android Design. So navigation and design are comfortable for users of both platforms.
A user can download music to a smartphone and listen to it when he has no access to the internet or a bad connection.
Music is organized by tracks and albums. Users can make playlists from tracks. Users can download one song, a whole album or a playlist to a smartphone in one tap.
Stream
iOS, Android, Windows Phone applications for viewing licensed films in HD quality of on-line cinema Stream.ru on smart phones and tablets.
We have been constantly developing Stream apps since 2011. We released first iPad app version in two weeks from a scratch. It broadcasted only free movies. We were constantly increasing app functionality, exploring the movie selling business and embracing new platforms. In 2013 we launched final app versions.
MegaFon-Bank
In 2016 Megafon launched its own banking service. We were entrusted with creating online mobile application which would enable users to manage their finances using smartphones. We’ve developed iOs, Android and Windows app versions and a desktop site.
The app features 2-step identity confirmation. Firstly, you log in to the mobile bank via TouchID or your passcode. Secondly, you verify your identity via SMS. All personal data is encrypted and will be processed in a secure way.
The app provides detailed statistics of all user’s transactions. It will graphically demostrate how your money was spent.
With the help of the app you can check balances of your loved ones and make payments and transfers. For your convenience, the app provides opportunity of creating transfer and payment templates. For example, you can automatically pay your monthly utility or mobile bills. And as a nice bonus, there is also a loyalty program for users. You will be informed about all promotions and discounts of Megafon partner companies.
We’ve also developed support chat room. You can attach to you messages any images including screenshots of your transactions. Now there is no need in painfully long explanations of your problem, just sent an image.
MacroCRM
Implementing CallKit technology with elegance and taste.
The client practices investments and real estate sales. We’ve designed and developed an iOS mobile app which helps automating employees work.
You can get bored to death when adding new contacts to your phone. A client database includes contact data for 50 000 clients and employees. It’s almost impossible to write down or remember all this information - a better decision is to use CallKit technology. In few seconds the system identifies the caller by their telephone number.
Sindbad
Since 1995 people have been using Sindbad for searching and booking flights of leading Russian and international airlines. We have re-designed Sindbad apps for iPad and iPhone.
FotMob
The App with a VoiceOver feature opens new horizons for those who like football.
FotMob is the application developed by Norwegian company NorApps. Football news, expert commentary and televised games are presented in real time. The interface is translated into English, German, Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish languages for 5 million people.
We have updated the iOS version: rewritten programming language in Swift, it became 50% lighter. Also added the VoiceOver feature, Calendar and Twitter-Feed.
HealBe
Healbe GoBe™ is the first digital device in the world that can track your calorie intake and hydration level. Also, Healbe tracks your physical activity and sends the statistics to your smartphone. The client company has created the app design, and we’ve helped with iOS app development.
The bracelet tracks your physical activity and automatically counts calorie intake and expenditure. The device also notifies you when it’s time to drink water. One of the most useful features is a smart alarm clock. Healbe wakes you up during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. It helps you feel better in the morning and stay active throughout the day.
The GoBe device is based on the Healbe FLOW™ Technology. It measures calorie intake and hydration level through your skin. Let’s see how it works. The GoBe device tracks pressure of the body tissues to measure fluid-flow rate between cells and pericellular spaces. Based on a glucose curve, it counts calorie intake.
Meduza
Meduza is an independent news media. It covers events within and outside Russia. Meduza now has more than 1.3 million monthly readers. We have developed Meduza app for Apple Watch and app for Windows 10. It can save your time and keep you informed about the latest news.
We’ve been involved in the development of the app for Windows devices. This is our second project for this online newspaper. In 2015 we optimized Meduza app for Apple Watch.
S-Presso
S-presso is a mobile social magazine for iPhone. It aggregates content from Vkontakte and Facebook public community pages.
The application was featured in App Store Best New Applications list.
S-Presso specified 30 different topics based on popular community pages news feed. Users can create their personal news feed and check for updates through the app. There is no need to open apps of social networks.
You can integrate the application with your network accounts. It allows you to check for news updates, give “likes” and comment articles from both networks in one location. There are three types of a news feed. You can switch between S-Presso content, your own subscriptions or mixed news feed by swiping.
You can add posts you liked to “Favourites” and get back to them to them later.
WAYD
Micro messenger for iPhone. At one click the user sends a request to a friend and receives a reply with a photo and a point on the map.
A user aplplies an SMS verification code and launches the app. Now he can add friends to his contact list and send them wayds.
One tap on a friend icon sends him a wayd. One tap on the logo at the top sends wayds to all friends from a user’s contact list. A user has 10 minutes to send a response to the wayd he received.
In response to a wayd user gets a photo with a description and friend’s location on the map.
There are call and chat buttons on each photo. Users can call each other or use iMessage to chat.
It’s the first app release. Our team is currently working on the project. We are constantly asking users for a feedback, improving the interface and adding new features. The app upgrades are coming!
Bon Appetit
Bon Appetit is a mobile recipe book. Whether you are a Jamie Oliver, or new to the kitchen entirely, this app will become your right hand in kitchen. The app editorial team posts lots of different recipes from easy-to-prepare to challenging and sophisticated.
All recipes go with step-by-step pictures and descriptions. Internal timer helps to track cooking time.
Do you want to spend less time on cooking? Are you looking for low-calorie recipe? No problem. With the smart filter you can search for recipes by cooking time, caloric value and even products at hand.
Before you start cooking, check the ingredient list. If you lack some ingredients, you can create a shopping list for a certain number of servings by one tap.
You can access your favorite recipe at any time - just add it to your “Favorites”. When you try a new recipe, you can add it to “Cooked” collection.
Wild Apricot
iOS, Android applications for management of organization members and events from a smart phone. The application for a Canadian software company Wild Apricot.
Mobile devices didn’t provide means for effective use of this product. We’ve solved this problem by producing an iPhone app. Now organization administrators can manage membership through their smartphones.
A manager can add new organization members to the contact list. He specifies membership levels and fees. All contacts are arranged into groups according to membership levels.
You can access unified contact database both through the website and the app.
An event administrator adds event members and confirms registrants. He specifies their registration types and keeps track of payment balance.
Event administrators can add some information about event members in their profiles. Administrators can specify members’ meal choice, clothing size or number of member’s guests.
Reviews
the project
Mobile App Dev for a Retailer
"We chose Touch Instinct because we liked their approach and expertise, the team worked professionally."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I'm the head of IT projects at MaxiPRO - this is one of Leroy Merlin's projects.
For what projects/services did your company hire Touch Instinct?
Touch Instinct was responsible for designing a mobile application through which customers could order the company's products.
What were your goals for this project?
Professional expertise in the field of UX design, building a complete screen map, describing all the methods that are needed to work an application with a backend. In fact, it was a technical task for development.
How did you select Touch Instinct?
We considered about 10 companies, analyzed the rating of Russian mobile developers from Clutch and Tagline, as a result, collected commercial proposals, and held an internal tender. We chose Touch Instinct because we liked their approach and expertise, the team worked professionally, thoughtfully approached the tender.
Describe the project in detail.
We first received the tender documentation, discussed the stages of work, on our side, the product owner interacted with the Touch Instinct team. We developed CJM, then there was a castede stage - we interviewed professional builders, identified their “pains” and needs. After that we started working on the screens and designing the API.
What was the team composition?
On our side was the project manager, product owner, art director and creative director. On the Touch Instinct side, there are two designers, a project manager and an account manager.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
We got the designed mobile application, as we wanted. But this is a project, not a development.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
There were no communication problems, I knew what was happening on the project. At first, of course, there were difficult situations, but in the course of cooperation we eliminated them.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
The quality of the designers' work.
Are there any areas for improvement?
I was satisfied with the result of cooperation.
the project
Mobile App Development for Bank
"I appreciated their ability to negotiate, meet us as the customer, understand us."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I work as the director of the transactional business at the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development. In total, the bank employs 4,500 people. My team has 20 employees, and we are responsible for the development of the transactional activity of users.
What challenge were you trying to address with the vendor?
We started working with Touch Instinct two years ago. Then I held the position of Product Owner. We entered into an agreement with the company to create a banking mobile application for iOS and Android.
It was necessary to bring the updated mobile bank to the market within 8-9 months with a certain set of features. The Touch Instinct team did not have KPI metrics, so there was a scope project and terms of implementation.
But our team had a task for 9 months after launching the application to achieve a threefold increase in investment. We managed to achieve this even earlier than the stated dates.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Touch Instinct was responsible for the complete update of the application: starting from the architecture and design, ending with functionality.
It was important for us to bring to the market an updated application, which can continue without problems to develop. Moreover, it must meet all modern development requirements, design and user expectations.
We spent several days at the Touch Instinct office, studying important information about user behavior, user experience in the old application, technical
features of our bank, other mobile banks. We didn't want to just copy everything that has already been done before us, but also to bring something new and unusual, while maximizing convenient for our clients.
What is the team composition?
The initial stage of work was associated with the development of the design concept. Then from our side there was myself (product owner), development team leader, several developers and ux-designer.
On the Touch Instinct side, there was a creative director, designer and analyst.
We started with such a composition, and as we worked on the project, the team gradually expanded. The developers of Touch Instinct started to get involved, the project grew a lot.
How did you come to work with the vendor?
Initially, we chose between five companies. Focused on several industry
ratings of application developers. We selected the companies that were in the first positions.
After talking with them, we studied the commercial offer for our scope. Touch instinct were chosen because we were satisfied with the declared cost of services and a high place in all ratings.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We can say that the result coincided with the expected goals. Touch Instinct has developed an excellent product that meets the requirements of a modern banking application. They created a solution that makes it easy to further develop the application, quickly adding any features. Users are also happy with the new mobile app.
How did the vendor perform from a project management standpoint?
The company coped well with the tasks. True, at first it was not always for us it is clear who does what work. Synchronized through constant personal meetings and
active correspondence. Then they started connecting various tools, for example, Jira and Trello.
If there were problems, we called up, found a solution and fixed the bug. In general, right away worked, and did not look to blame.
What did you find most impressive about them?
First of all, I appreciated their ability to negotiate, meet us as the customer, understand us. The general director was always interested in the progress of the project, and very competent people worked with us managers who did everything to ensure that the project developed quickly and efficiently. And it is impossible not to note the adequate cost of the work.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I would like even more synchronization of the two teams, full penetration into the tasks of each friend. But we are working on it now.
the project
Mobile App Development for Payment System
"The quality of their work is great."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the B2C product owner for a state company. We offer a payment system.
What challenge were you trying to address with Touch Instinct?
We had a desktop website, and we wanted to develop a mobile app with the same functionalities, since that’s where 75% of our traffic was coming from.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We gave Touch Instinct a backlog of tasks with different priorities, which they divided into sprints. They handle development, testing, and deployment to the app store.
What is the team composition?
I’m in communication with 5–6 people from Touch Instinct on a daily basis, and there are 3–4 people in touch with them from our side. I’m in charge of taking feature requests from the people in my organization and putting them into the task log.
I’m working with two project managers, one designer, one developer, and one tester from their side.
How did you come to work with Touch Instinct?
They were selected before I joined the company. I know that there was a competition between several companies. From working with them, I can say that Touch Instinct’s cost to quality ratio is perfect.
How much have you invested with them?
The cost so far is around $290,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with Touch Instinct in June or July 2019, and we have no plans to stop. We intend to rework the application in the near future.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our company didn’t set any goals for the application; they simply wanted to have a more user-friendly option for our clients. We’ve gotten better user retention.
The quality of their work is great. We’ve done regression and smoke testing, and we’ve only found a couple of bugs so far.
How did Touch Instinct perform from a project management standpoint?
We communicate daily on Telegram, where there are a lot of people from both our sides present. I can get in touch with their project manager even at night. She’s always online and able to answer my questions. They’ve always met deadlines.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their managers are always online, and they can answer any question. I’m a new member in my organization, and there are oftentimes questions I don’t know how to answer. Touch Instinct always has an answer for me.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Everything’s been okay.
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
I’d definitely recommend Touch Instinct for clients starting new projects.
the project
Web Design & Dev for Transportation Company
"They have been a great team to work with."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I work as the chief product officer of the company, the company is engaged in multimodal transportation, construction and sale of routes for trips on different modes of transport. The company was located in Moscow, state - 50 people.
For what projects/services did your company hire Touch Instinct?
Touch Instinct was responsible for the design and development of the web version of the service and mobile application. Initially, it was necessary to quickly assemble the first version of the product, but we liked the result of the work, so we entrusted Touch Instinct to develop the project further.
What were your goals for this project?
The project is based on building routes for different types of transport and buying tickets. For these purposes, we needed to make the first MVP version for a quick start of the project (literally in 3 months). We also had our own internal task, which depended on the quality of development - the conversion from the product should correspond to the set KPI (metric is related to the number of tickets ordered through the service).
How did you select this vendor?
We looked at about 10 companies. We had a tender, from the participants we expected expertise in E-travel, experience in developing web versions of services and mobile applications. The choice of the company also depended on the testing results of our focus groups, on their preferences. The focus group included product users.
Describe the project in detail.
I was responsible for all the products of the group of companies, for the formation of the concept, the study of the audience, for the release of the product on the market and the achievement of goals - the satisfaction of user needs. Touch Instinct team was provided with a rather detailed technical task, a prototype of the desired product. They outlined all the technical limitations that exist in this market (terms for planning a trip, landing, and the like). They talked about the brand identity, color positioning and the message that we wanted to convey to the audience. Touch Instinct was responsible for front-end development, design, and to a lesser extent for the backend.
What was the team composition?
From Touch Instinct we were allocated 13 people, including a project manager, chief designer, a separate designer for our project and developers. The composition of the team did not change during the project.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The result of the work fully coincides with the originally stated goals. We completed all the tasks, including conversion, so we went for long-term cooperation and were satisfied.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Communication was built quite well: all tasks were set in Jira, messengers were used for fast communication. And we periodically came to St. Petersburg for personal meetings. I have always been aware of all the work processes.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
The quality of detail. All offers of the company were always based on a serious study of the topic, research, everything was justified.
Are there any areas for improvement?
Everything was great.
the project
App Dev for Food Delivery Service
“It was refreshing to work with such a helpful and friendly team.”
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the marketing director at Pariya edi. We are an ingredient-and-recipe meal kit service based in Russia.
For what projects/services did your company hire Touch Instinct?
We needed to develop a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices.
What were your goals for this project?
We wanted the apps to be efficient and user-friendly.
How did you select this vendor?
We received recommendations from numerous colleagues and reviewed their past work in the development field.
Describe the project in detail.
Touch Instinct developed an app that allowed clients to place orders, manage their subscriptions, and rate recipes and company couriers.
What was the team composition?
We worked with a project manager, a team lead, an iOS developer, an Android developer, and an app tester.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Half of our clients switched from our existing website to the Touch Instinct’s app within the first three months after its launch.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
They effectively managed the workflow. Any issues were handled promptly and quickly, no matter the time of day.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
The Touch Instinct team leveraged their extensive past experience in designing and developing our app. It was refreshing to work with such a helpful and friendly team.
Are there any areas for improvement?
They could improve their testing process.
the project
App Development for Ordering Groceries
“Their superior technological abilities are evident in the results.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CTO at Farmy, a food delivery service in Switzerland.
What challenge were you trying to address with Touch Instinct?
We wanted to launch a new multi-platform mobile app. We developed a basic version of the app with in-house resources but we couldn't reach our desired quality level. We had to hire external help.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Touch Instinct built us native e-commerce apps for both iOS and Android. We designed the project together. They collaborated with our in-house team but they completed 85%–90% of the work themselves.
What is the team composition?
We had a project manager and also communicated with their CEO.
How did you come to work with Touch Instinct?
I knew the owners of Touch Instinct from a previous project we had worked on five years earlier. I went back to them. We did a brief search for other firms but they put forward the best offer. I believed in their good reputation and knew them to be credible and hardworking.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started in November 2017. We had a working version in March but then had a delay because we added new features that weren’t included in the initial version.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our ratings in the App Store and Google Play are very good. Our previous Android app had an average rating of two stars. The new one has 4.5 stars.
How did Touch Instinct perform from a project management standpoint?
They worked in Jira, interacting with our in-house developers. They worked in their own Jira but duplicated everything in ours per our request. We also communicated over Slack with weekly group voice calls with the project manager, the project CTO, and their managing director.
We had some small budget issues but I was confident in their work throughout the process. They generally delivered on time, despite our somewhat chaotic way of planning. They did a great job, for example, of adjusting to changes in our weekly plans. When we changed the designs on the fly, they worked hard to adjust. They helped us produce a well-balanced app rather than just building to plan. We avoided a scenario in which we’re in the middle of the project with a low-quality product but continue on because that’s the plan.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their superior technological abilities are evident in the results. They didn’t simply follow technical requirements for the mobile app architecture, they complied 100%.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don't know (of anything.)
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Listen to their advice. They’re straightforward about how things can be done at different cost levels. They’re not just in it for the money. They enjoy the entire process itself. They have a great attitude.
the project
App Dev for Booking Flights
“They’re doing a job great.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the project manager for a company that helps with booking airplane flights.
What challenge were you trying to address with Touch Instinct?
We needed someone to build our idea to create an exchange for brokers and operators of business jet flights.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Touch Instinct is developing the pilot applications in iOS and Android for two projects. One app is for brokers and operators that can buy and sell flights. The other is for clients to find the flights they need. The apps are still in development.
What is the team composition?
We work closely with two colleagues including a project manager.
How did you come to work with Touch Instinct?
I heard about them from my business partners who recommended them as a good team to work with.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them around April 2017. The work is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our app isn’t in production yet so we don’t have any evidence from users. My team and I are happy with the quality of their work and their professionalism. We don’t have any complaints about their work.
How did Touch Instinct perform from a project management standpoint?
We communicate via email and use a project management tool. We have meetings almost every day. They complete all tasks on time. We don't have any problems with them meeting deadlines.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They deliver on time. That’s the most important thing for me.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don’t have any suggestions. They’re doing a job great.
the project
App Development for Food Ordering App
“They follow through on their commitments and prioritize the details in every project.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the digital manager of a restaurant chain.
What challenge were you trying to address with Touch Instinct?
We were developing a new mobile app. The performance of the old version was very poor, and we wanted an updated version with improved functionality.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Touch Instinct developed a new version of our app for iOS and Android. We had an existing RESTful API structure, but they built the frontend from scratch. We provided limited documentation for the RESTful API.
We shared our business values and objectives with them at the start of the project and worked closely with them for design, prototyping, and development. They had a very successful approach to planning the project.
What is the team composition?
We mainly communicated with two project managers. They assigned five developers and two designers to our project, but we didn’t interact with them directly.
How did you come to work with Touch Instinct?
We found them on a popular Russian ratings portal for mobile development companies. We then requested a commercial proposal and had two personal meetings. Touch Instinct isn’t located particularly close to us, but they made the effort to visit our office twice. They provided different examples of mobile apps they had built in the past. After a comparison to other potential options, we chose to work with Touch Instinct.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our project started at the end of July 2017, and we published the app in November 2017. They continue to support our mobile apps, and we’re gradually adding new functions.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our previous mobile app saw approximately 10% of our online sales, while the current version is responsible for 45%–50%. Touch Instinct’s impact on the app’s growth has been considerable. We were very satisfied with their work.
How did Touch Instinct perform from a project management standpoint?
Their project management was outstanding. The app had a very complex structure, but they were able to complete the apps within a limited timeframe. They initially gave us a 6-month estimate, but we only had 2–3 months available. After an in-depth planning phase, they were able to publish the apps on our schedule.
They follow through on their commitments and prioritize the details in every project. They provided so many relevant recommendations about the development process and adjusted our plan when necessary. They were responsible for some very logical features that we had overlooked.
We used Basecamp as a task tracker and Telegram/Skype for communication.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We’ve seen very few bugs since launch. The contractor responsible for our site has often committed components to production before checking for bugs, which led to emergency situations and stress on our side. With Touch Instinct, we haven’t had any situations like this.
They have very strong testing procedures. They asked us for our main user scenarios and tested all of them to ensure that errors didn’t make it to the App Store/Google Play store. Users haven’t been affected by bad user experiences, which we value tremendously.
Are there any areas they could improve?
The project manager responsible for app development left the company during the engagement. The process of finding a replacement took one month, which led to a somewhat unstable situation for us. However, Touch Instinct coped with the situation well and continued to provide high-level service.
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
All the details should be addressed at the beginning of the project. There can be misunderstandings between the mobile developers and the app owners. All the work should be broken into details in order to avoid conflicts around the scope of work, the timeline, and the resources necessary.
the project
Web and App Development for a Bank
“Their level of professionalism is impressive.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a product manager of one of the top five brands in my location.
What challenge were you trying to address with Touch Instinct?
We needed to outsource iOS development and design work.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Touch Instinct provides additional resources for our product team. We use our own developer for Android work. Their designer uses Photoshop to provide us with illustrations as well as Sony Vegas for animations.
What is the team composition?
They’ve provided one designer for 20–30 hours per week, one Swift developer, and one tester for our Scrum team. I manage the team.
How did you come to work with Touch Instinct?
I knew their co-founder and some other members of the company. We contacted other developers as well, but Touch Instinct proved to be the best choice.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them six or seven months ago and the collaboration is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They’ve adhered to our key performance indicators (KPIs) for our work.
How did Touch Instinct perform from a project management standpoint?
We’ve maintained good communication with their team on a daily basis. We use email, Telegram Messenger, Zoom, and phone for communication. We also have daily stand-up meetings.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their level of professionalism is impressive.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They have been late to our meetings on occasion, but this is a minor issue.
the project
App Dev For Movie Streaming Service
"I would choose Touch Instinct as a mobile partner in the future."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I was the product manager and ultimately the product director for a Netflix-style online cinema provider. We offered films through a website and Android and iOS apps. We bought movies from Disney, Paramount, Sony Pictures, and others and sold them online in Russia using set-top boxes and web and mobile devices.
What challenge were you trying to address with Touch Instinct?
We needed to find a good partner that could develop an application for us at a reasonable cost. We had no experience in this area.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Touch Instinct developed our apps using the Xamarin framework (previously called MonoTouch on iOS). This allowed us to use the same code for both platforms, which was better from a cost perspective.
We made the design in-house, but, since we had no experience on the mobile end, Touch Instinct provided consultation on how to improve the UX. We changed some elements in collaboration with them in order to create a better UX.
The apps each have a main screen on which we can post new movies and recommendations for users. They also feature a catalog with sorting and filtering capabilities. Users can navigate to actor pages and then to the movies they’re listed in. Movies have embedded trailers, and the content has Google Widevine DRM [digital rights management] protection.
How did you come to work with Touch Instinct?
We found them during a mobile conference featuring multiple developers. Touch Instinct was using Xamarin technology, which could deliver applications sooner than using Objective-C and Java.
How much have you invested with Touch Instinct?
After they’d delivered the first version, we continued to make iterations, so I can’t say exactly what the cost was. The price was good, relative to the market. We discussed the project with multiple companies.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with them for 1–2 years. The company has ended this project.
Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?
The first version of the application was launched for iOS and was featured among the top-3 apps on the App Store for several weeks, for the Russian segment.
How did Touch Instinct perform from a project management standpoint?
They used bug and task trackers. We always knew what they were doing and what the costs were.
What did you find most impressive about Touch Instinct?
They helped us promote our apps on mobile stores and collaboratively wrote good descriptions and created screenshots. This is partly why the apps were a success.
Touch Instinct also has great expertise in mobile UX, and they helped us adapt our designs to a more native look. At the time, we only knew how to create websites, which aren’t the same as apps from a design standpoint.
Are there any areas Touch Instinct could improve?
I can’t think of anything. I would choose Touch Instinct as a mobile partner in the future. They always made each task clear and helped us with mobile analytics and data mining.
Thanks to Touch Instincts's effort, the app was launched successfully. The team was great at communicating. Their expertise and the quality of their designs allow Touch Instinct to stand out.