Wve Labs

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Puff Count, a mobile smoking cessation application. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wve Labs?

We needed help in app development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Wve Labs added some features to our live application that was written in Swift Xcode. Those functionalities included friend invitations, Firebase database setup, a quit plan calendar, a settings tab, and more.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Ankit (CTO & Co-Founder), Dave (CEO & Co-Founder), and Anthony (Head of Business Development).

How did you come to work with Wve Labs?

I looked around for an app development agency, and I found Wve Labs through Google search. We reached out to them, and they initiated a kickoff call. We got the details set, and we started developing the app.

How much have you invested with them?

My overall investment was $24,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–October 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Prior to this project, we only had an MVP that didn’t have any features, causing our users to be upset. Since Wve Labs implemented their improvements, the app received overwhelmingly positive feedback. 

Our app had complex features, and I anticipated some bugs. Wve Labs was very responsive whenever we encountered issues. Their team was accommodating and willing to work with me to ensure everything was sorted out. 

How did Wve Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Wve Labs was good at project management. I only spoke to Ankit throughout the process, and he handled everything. We communicated using email and Slack, and we worked on designs using Figma.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their price point was very competitive compared to other agencies. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve added another person on their project management team. Ankit was running the whole show, and maybe someone could’ve helped him out. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have everything prepared ahead of time. Be very precise with what you want, and make sure you explain everything to the team to avoid any roadblocks down the line.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of business development for Switch on Your Brain. At our core, we’re a mental health research company, but we also have different off-shoots, including our online programs and mobile app. Our founder, Dr. Carolyn Leaf, also does speaking engagements, writes books, and hosts a podcast to help people deal with mental health.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wve Labs?

We’d digitized one of our popular mental health programs for the web, but the technology was outdated, and there were quite a few issues. As a result, we hired Wve Labs to create an iOS and Android version of the program to really take it to another level.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Our program is a 21-day brain detox that Dr. Leaf developed while working at her private practice. It’s a successful five-step program that leads people with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues through 15-minute daily sessions.

To develop the mobile version, we had a few initial planning meetings to go over our goals. We’d already worked with an external UX/UI designer to prepare the app’s graphics and outline, so Wve was responsible for implementing them. They created an initial build within the first month or so and have gone back and forth with us on additional changes. Currently, we’re looking to resolve bugs, develop add-ons, and make further updates.

What is the team composition? 

Jon Reicher (Project Manager, Wve Labs) is my main point of contact. He manages our Skype group chat and answers most of our questions, but Michael (Lead QA Engineer, Wve Labs) and a few of their developers in India are also connected.

How did you come to work with Wve Labs?

I found them through a personal connection who is helping us build the app. We wanted to make sure that we knew more about Wve Labs because we’d had some underwhelming experiences with past developers. After a few calls, we liked their how detail-oriented they were and their dedication to communication, so we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $100,000 after all of our add-ons, changes, and updates.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work started in February 2019 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

So far, we’ve launched the app and love the look. There have been a few issues with bugs, but I’m not sure if this is due to the code itself or if that’s to be expected. Despite the hiccups, their team has been very responsive in terms of finding solutions and guiding us throughout the process. We plan to continue working with them as we update the app.

How did Wve Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We typically have weekly or biweekly calls depending on our needs, and Jon also sends us a report at the end of the week with everything they’ve accomplished. Beyond that, we have a Skype group chat with their QA lead and developers. I appreciate how quickly they respond to any issues that we may have. The whole team jumps in on calls and looks into solutions, so I never feel like I’m left in the dark.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Wve Labs has been very helpful and employ nice people. We’re not tech-oriented, so we often ask them for advice on things that we’re not sure about. Then, they let us know when something might not work or if there’s a better solution available, but the final decision is always up to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind other than the bugs, and they’ve been very good about addressing those.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with what you want and be honest if you don’t know what’s going on. They’re happy to go over any concerns and are there to guide you through the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO and co-founder of Parq Inc.. We built a marketplace where property owners can rent out parking spaces to drivers in a cheaper, faster and more reliable way than traditional parking. The property owners can make passive income while the drivers receive the best parking experience possible.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wve Labs?

We wanted to solve a parking problem, so we were looking to create an app that would enable property owners to offer drivers an opportunity to park in their unused parking spaces. We needed a vendor to help us turn our idea into reality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Wve Labs designed and developed an iOS app and a website for us, managing both the front- and the backend development. We designed the website, which they are integrating for us soon. They used PHP, SQL, and some other technologies for development. We also plan to build an Android version of the app.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with their project manager in India and another project manager in Los Angeles. We've also worked with their QA team. Wve is a very collaborative team where each of them add their own value and insight.

How did you come to work with Wve Labs?

We knew their CEO personally.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent less than $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It's still work in progress, but we've already shown their builds to our investors and clients. We're very excited to get the final product.

How did Wve Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very responsive and have strong communication skills. Whenever we have a question, they're quick to answer it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They don't only want our apps to succeed, but they also want our business to succeed. They allow us to do work at their office and they help us interact with our clients. They've created a very nice culture of many passionate people working together.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. They're growing rapidly and I hope they'll continue to grow.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into the project with a collaborative approach and treat them like a partner. They have a lot of experience with various technologies, so they'll help you turn your vision into reality.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an electromagnetic compatibility / electromagnetic interference testing and consulting firm that provides professional engineering services and equipment in all areas of electromagnetic compatibility and safety. I am a project manager for internal projects that target sales growth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Wve Labs?

We hired Wve Labs to build an e-commerce app designed to improve the experience and efficiency of our sales process. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to enhance our client experience and streamline our company’s entire sales process, specifically quote processing. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Wve Labs using Clutch’s “Top Los Angeles App Developers.” We submitted inquiries to the top 10 companies, but Wve Labs had the most competitive price and timeline. 

Describe the project in detail.

Essentially, I asked Wve Labs to convert our existing website to an e-commerce app. On the website, client quote requests and transactions may take days to complete; the app allows them to view prices, browse equipment and services, schedule testing times, order, pay, and review past purchases all in one place. I provided Wve Labs with our logo, desired colors, and examples of e-commerce apps I liked and they took the design from there. In addition to product listings, I requested tabs for detailed descriptions and a blog page. Developed for both Android and iOS, the app is also synched with our website, where customers can learn more about the equipment they are purchasing, track orders, access a payment portal, and build a user profile. 

What was the team composition?

I first worked with a project analyst to build out the scope. For the remainder of the project, I communicated solely with a project manager. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The app accomplished both of our goals. Because it is synched with our pre-existing website, all orders are tracked and inventory updated in real time. Though we are finishing some of the setup before going live, we anticipate our customer base to use the app for all purchases. We expect our sales to rise with the improved client experience and our internal sales and inventory teams are looking forward to the more streamlined tracking system.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was awesome—streamlined, simple, and efficient. There were actually times my project manager would remind me to prioritize requested feedback. All communication took place via Skype with direct, good quality calls, which eliminated the need for additional emails. Incredibly dedicated and supportive, the team met all expectations with communication, management, and scheduling that was swift and thorough. Although the app is a few weeks away from completion, the project moved smoothly from start to finish for four months with no delay.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with their UI/UX; I didn't make a single change to any of the designs. I understand this is probably pretty rare, but both the project analyst and project manager fully understood our company’s engineering and e-commerce needs. They had an impeccable ability to understand my vision. The app conveys complicated information in a very simple, understandable way, which is exactly what we wanted. Their price point is the most competitive in the market and their high-energy sales teams are fun and easy to work with. Our product is nearly complete, but it feels as if barely any time has passed. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

Wve Labs has a solid development formula. While I am sure there are a variety of ways things are completed in the app development space, Wve Labs could not have done anything better. I am more than satisfied with the end product.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a project manager at AccuTEST Systems. We’re experts in designing specialized valve-testing systems that utilize our industry-leading, automated lift assist device. We serve clients all around the world to ensure that their equipment is reliable, functional, and safe. I work with biomedical engineering companies as well, which is why I created this app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Wve Labs?

We hired them to build us an internal project management app through which we could easily keep track of project progress and records.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to create a seamless and efficient organization and communication platform for our project managers and engineers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We searched online for app development companies and Wve Labs appealed to us the most for their youthful enthusiasm, timely communication, and their price. We wanted a team with a global presence as well.

Describe the project in detail.

I worked with a project analyst in describing our vision for our app; she was very articulate and conveyed our vision well to the business analysts who created the scope of work.

Their graphic designers and developers did an excellent job at creating our app, which is for both iOS and Android platforms. It's a communication and project management platform that allows biomedical engineers to interact with their clients, keep records of progress on projects, and consult/connect with experts in their field. We wanted all of this information to be kept in one place, which is what the app accomplishes.

What was the team composition?

I worked with a project analyst and was assigned a project manager as well. In addition to that, we had two developers and one graphic designer on board.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project managers that are using this app have given only positive feedback. The app is functional and well designed.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was extremely smooth and we communicated regularly through Skype. They were responsive, understanding, and helpful throughout the entire process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Wve Labs went above and beyond at every stage of the development of our app. Their understanding of our vision and knowledge of app design were very impressive. We’re already discussing working together on another project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The timelines for each milestone were often subject to change but Wve Labs truly committed and delivered per our established deadlines.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of TheNow, which is a new application designed to help its users eliminate digital distraction.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wve Labs?

I contracted them in order to build an Android mobile application from the ground up based on my concept and design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I first approached Wve Labs, I had nothing other than an idea – they have been involved from the start of the project. They had a lot of input on color scheme, logo, and overall user interface, combined with my own instructions and feedback. The basic concept of TheNow was to help its users regain focus by preventing their distraction through phone notifications. The app is designed to ingest the user’s calendar and other related “busy” data and determine when they have a commitment or event. During the time when a user is scheduled to be occupied, the app will prompt the user to enable TheNow and thereby eliminate notifications. It also provides the option to send a custom text message or email to respond automatically during that set time block.

The hope is for Wve Labs to help me develop an iOS version later, once we have completed the development and launch of the Android app. As of now, the minimum viable product has been completed and we are in a controlled testing phase. They have offered to help with sales and marketing to boost product awareness within the market, but we have not had those conversations yet because I want to limit the current user base.

What is the team composition?

My immediate team included three people: Dave Shah [CEO, Wve Labs]; Arjun Dundoo, who functioned as my account point person [Project Analyst, Wve Labs]; and Saransh Sharma, who was our lead product developer.

How did you come to work with Wve Labs?

I sent out a request for proposals, focusing on companies that were located in Los Angeles. As a result of the RFP, I spoke to about six different companies. Ultimately, I chose Wve because they gave me a very human response to my initial message, and it felt like they genuinely believed in the product that I wanted to build. Their cost quote was also much more reasonable than the other proposals I reviewed.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, I have invested roughly US$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our collaboration in March of 2017, and the work is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because the app is still at the testing stage, we do not yet have any kinds of metrics to demonstrate the impact of their work. So far, the app has been bug free and works smoothly in all tests, which indicates to me that the code is well written. From a design standpoint, I have received nothing but great feedback.

How did Wve Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication within our specific pod and developmental team was well done, executed with detail but in a straightforward way. Their project management overall was effective, and they were very accommodating with my tight schedule. The fact that I work another full-time job has meant that their flexibility was essential. We communicated predominantly using both email and Skype, since a number of their employees work offshore. They sent me updates on the app as new steps were completed, and the general feedback loop was completed with very little drag. There is always going to be last minute changes with this type of work and no project ever perfectly adheres to a predicted timeline, but they did an exceptional job of both sticking to their plans and managing expectations. My experience with Wve Labs from the beginning to the present day has been nothing short of outstanding.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took a genuine interest in my idea and they made me feel very comfortable working with them. I greatly appreciated their efficiency and honesty, particularly how clear they were about what was possible versus what was not. The overall communication from their end was excellent throughout the entire developmental process. As a company, Wve Labs is a little younger and a little less experienced, but what they lack in experience, they make up for in true hunger and passion for the projects on which they work. In the end, I think that attitude makes for a better product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As exceptional as my experience with them has been, I would recommend that for future projects, they try to delve more deeply into a product at the beginning of the work. That will allow them to provide more suggestions early on and plan ahead a little better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do not be dissuaded from working with Wve Labs simply because they have a lot of developers working overseas. Even though sometimes their work hours are not ideal, the quality certainly outweighs any inconvenience from a timing standpoint.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a fine artist, and the principal painter for my business. I am the sole proprietor, and most of my clients are on the East Coast.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wve Labs?

I wanted a virtual space where people could view my finished work, view pricing, auctions, and other options for purchase, and to commission new works. I wanted the site to grow my client base without making them travel to a physical gallery.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I am not very technologically savvy, but they did an incredible job explaining the development process. They built me a scope of work and have stayed within my budget. We’ve just finished the UI/UX design and integration.

They’re developing native mobile apps for both Android and iOS. I work in a very specific niche market, so I do my own self-marketing, but their marketing package is really awesome. I’m thinking about whether to use that offering.

What is the team composition?

After my initial inquiry, I was assigned Steven Gerry [Senior Associate, Wve Labs] who operated as my project analyst. The whole team is about eight people.

How did you come to work with Wve Labs?

I Googled app development companies, and theirs offered the lowest hourly rate. That was my initial reason for contacting them.

How much have you invested with them?

My budget is around $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2017. We’ve finished about 50% of the development, and work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As an artist, I’m blown away by the quality of their designs and their color choices. They’ve completely surpassed my expectations. Being in touch with the developers, analysts, and project managers has shown me their strong community and culture of customer satisfaction. When I wasn’t crazy about the colors for one of the screens they showed me, they listened to my feedback and quickly turned around with a new design.

How did Wve Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They were awesome. They’ve met every milestone on time, if not early. We communicate mostly through Skype. Any time I have a concern or need an update, I can post in our shared group, and usually get a response within 10–15 minutes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m completely overwhelmed by the design. They’re so quick to communicate, and I know they’re always there for me. They supported me, and they treated my project as their own. They are completely committed, which feels amazing as a client.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, no. I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would 100%, recommend them to anyone.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Explore Dubai is a hospitality and tourism industry company. We have been functioning for 5 years in Dubai, UAE. We provide hotel booking services to tourists and visitors. We pick them up and drop them off, get them a prepackaged, planned stay over here, and help them plan all kinds of end-to-end activities whether they’re here with their family, individually, or for business purposes. We started off in Dubai initially and expanded to the rest of the Emirates. I’m one of the co-founders and the CEO. I make all the financial and operational decisions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wve?

We went online a couple of years ago and the response was great. We decided to have an application developed to further our reach.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The app, Explore Dubai, is an aggregation of all the activities and all the verticals we have in our business. It starts from hotel booking. Right now, we have done the hotel booking only in Dubai.

We are currently doing the beta testing; it will be live on the stores very soon. The user can register and they can book activities around Dubai, like going to the malls or doing the safari in the desert. There are hundreds of activities that they can choose from. There’s also a planner, so they have control of everything. They can choose all the dates that they’re there. They can choose what activities. They’ll be given the approximate amount of time that it takes to do a certain activity and how it can fit into their schedule when they’re here.

The app can also preplan everything for them according to their likes and dislikes; we fetch that from Facebook and various other channels if they choose to do that. It would create a preplanned schedule and then they can edit all any of it. Once they are happy with the plan on the app, they can press a button and everything will be booked for them straightaway through us. We’ll be giving them confirmation emails for each of the activities that they’re choosing on the app.

It's also a social network. They can take pictures for whatever activities they are doing or places they’re visiting and post it, automatically sharing to their Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, or Twitter. That’s the first version of our app, which has already been developed. They’ll be coming up with more upgrades soon.

The app is iOS and Android. We have a KPM [Klarnas payment methods] API integration. We used some third-party APIs for calendars and hotel booking. One of the APIs we integrated is booking.com—that’s how we get to know all the hotels and the details.

What is the team dynamic?

The best part is they have this entire team in L.A. and they give us a dedicated project coordinator. Zach [Regional Manager, Wve] was one of our project coordinators. He was the first contact when we approached them. He produced the scope, we negotiated with him, and he was prompt in responding. We were already comfortable talking with him.

Once the project was started, we handed the entire thing over to a project manager, who did a good job. In one exceptional case, when we were not able to explain to them one of the designs, they put us in direct contact with their lead designer and we were able to explain to them exactly what we wanted. Apart from that instance, we had one project manager talking to us all the time.

How did you come to work with Wve?

I reached out to Clutch. Wve was 1 of the 4 companies I reached out to.

How much have you invested with them?

$45,000

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first version of our project has been successfully uploaded and is live in the app stores. I’m associated with a lot of hotels and hotel groups, and there are a lot of guests coming around this time of the year. Whenever there’s a family staying at a hotel, they are offered the beta test version as a part of their check-in process. We currently have around 200 people who have already done the planning and the activity booking through the app. It has been wonderful. People are really appreciating it because it is easing the entire process by scheduling everything automatically. Then they just have to drag and adjust everything according to their time in the area. It has been amazing. A couple of big brand hotels have been really interested in partnering with us because the guests are giving exceptional feedback about the app.

The entire point of beta testing was to figure out some UI and UX bugs, which have definitely popped up. We’ve already sent it to the Wve team to rectify them. And, we’ve already made around $6,000 worth of bookings just through the beta testing. This is highly subsidized because we are giving out a lot of promotional discounts and we also have to give commissions to the hotel partners. It has been a good response so far.

How did Wve perform from a project management standpoint?

One of the main issues with Dubai is that communication can be a bit tricky, because Skype doesn’t always work properly due to government restrictions, so we only use that occasionally. We use Slack for discussions. For calling, we use Team Buildr because that works well.

Communication has been good. There were times we weren’t aware of what was going on, and it would’ve been better if we were told about what’s happening on the project at least every couple of days. There were no other issues there, but that’s what I would’ve preferred. The timing was right; they did everything on schedule. The communication just wasn’t as frequent as I wanted.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their UI is most impressive. They are a young and enthusiastic team. I like that because the technologies we’re using requires that kind of attention and interest, which comes with a younger crowd.

Their UI and their designs were the first impression they made on our team. The design is really great, and they give really proper attention to how the end user would like to use the app. That perspective really makes sense to me. I couldn’t find a single flaw in the designs they provided. The politeness and eagerness they showed in completing this project was amazing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can improve their portfolio. They have a lot of experience and have done a lot of apps, and they showed me a lot of their work, but before I got in touch with them, I didn’t know if they had any past projects in our industry. Once I got in touch with them, however, everything was smooth.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is Desinus. We do print and apparel and can do the actual designs if the clients need them to be created. We have wholesale deals with companies like Vineyard Designs, Nike, Under Armour, Comfort Colors, Next Level, etc. We also work with big organizations, like Greek Societies around the US, that submit large orders for banners and such, all at pretty low-cost rates. We then send their orders to our printers around California.

I’m the co-founder and president of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wve Labs?

We wanted an easier, internal way to deal with vendors in terms of completing orders and tracking where our products were. We also wanted to manage our printing process in terms of loading AI [Adobe Illustrator] files directly to them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Wve Labs built an internal e-commerce iOS mobile app which allows us to message with vendors, track how much product is coming in, and what orders we have going out and through which ambassador. We’re now able to see if we’ll run out of t-shirts before the orders go out. The app also helps us know what is going to what printer, and how close the order is to completion. There are also profile features for our internal employees.

What is the team dynamic?

There was a development team along with a project manager. My primary contact was the project manager and the CEO. There was also a project analyst.

How did you come to work with Wve Labs?

We Googled the best developers in Los Angeles. Their office was close to us, so it made sense for us to choose them and be able to easily go there to catch up on things. The project worked fluidly in person versus other developers we considered that seemed stale.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $45,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2017, and the app was completed in May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our product isn’t super intense or design heavy, but it does everything we need it to. There’s nothing to complain about. The app made our lives easier and we stopped backlogging orders. It’s easier for ambassadors to file their orders directly to me and upload their Adobe designs right to the printer. It has helped speed up our transactions.

I was able to measure their success by talking to the project manager, and seeing whether or not he could give me what was done that day. They pretty much always matched the scope we had. If they were behind, things were caught up the next week. In the end, the timeline lined up how we wanted it to.

How did Wve Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication was clear and they met deadlines. I have friends that have complained about not having good communication with developers. It seemed pretty easy for us. We communicated via Skype and there was always someone available from the group 24/7. They were able to keep us updated on the progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I went to their office, their culture was awesome. They get things done quickly. They didn’t make it a boring process or make me feel that I wouldn’t be able to call them to find out what was going on. I could be real with them. If I thought something was not done well, they would fix it. They were great to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a couple times where a feature was behind in development, but it was usually caught up the next week. They did what we wanted and made it easy for us.

Do you have any advice for potential clients?

When we first looked at them, their portfolio didn’t seem that heavy. We were relying on a couple of things they had done, how they ran things, and how knowledgeable they were. I would tell other companies that are looking at their portfolio to trust that the work will get done correctly. It was a seamless transition. I would recommend using the Skype group. If you wait two weeks to check in with the project manager and you don’t like it, then you’re going to be upset. They’re available almost 24/7. Let them do the screen sharing on Skype so you can see what things look like. Most companies won’t let you do that twice a week like they do.

Be fast on your side as well. We gave them anything they needed right away, which sped up the process. Things get backlogged if the client isn’t giving them what they need. Make it easier for Wve Labs and you’ll be happy with your product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an educational consulting firm preparing students for foreign education coaching and offering career counseling. Due to some issues with premier U.S.-based universities, our goal is to streamline the educational process using technology.

My role involves managing projects and searching for new possibilities to bring about necessary educational reform. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wve Labs?

Student processing, especially foreign student intake, is a largely ignored part of the education industry in terms of applying technologies for student benefit.

Individual universities have their own technologies in place, but those still don’t address the difficulties that students face when applying to multiple universities (which is often the case).

We wanted to streamline this process through a single informational platform that would help our students and internal members to stay in touch with information and notifications through an app. I can’t share more details since this internal app is exclusive to our students. We are potentially the first firm in our region to offer such a product, and we would like it to stay that way for a long time. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our scope included UI/UX design and complete development of Android and iPhone apps with associated web services. They explained the technology behind each task, strategized our app flow, and handled the development. They also incorporated weekly feedback from us. Their free support period spanned 2 months, and this process is still going smoothly.

How did you come to work with Wve Labs?

We found Wve Labs through Clutch and approached them via email. They were quick to respond, and we really liked their no-nonsense process. In addition to being cost-effective, they are also UI-oriented and offer impressive designs. They understood our target market—students—and tailored their entire development cycle around it. That’s exactly what we were looking for.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was going to last 4 months, but we’ve extended it by a couple months due to new feature discussions and Wve Labs' suggestions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

More than 1,500 of our registered students are already using the apps, and they are happy with the product. They’ve already started suggesting new features, which we are looking to adopt in the second phase of planning.

How did Wve Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

Wve Labs definitely covered everything in our original scope and went the extra mile to suggest some necessary features that we hadn’t explored. Since we wanted good quality, the timing wasn’t as important to us. They delivered most things according to the schedule, but we prefer quality over haste.

What did you find most impressive about Wve Labs?

Wve Labs constantly offers consultation, which is the best part of working with them. They continuously challenged our ideas and suggested improvements. They’re exactly what a service provider should be.

Are there any areas Wve Labs could improve?

They could fix their website, which really doesn’t showcase their abilities. I think they’re prioritizing meeting clients’ needs over keeping up with their in-house work. I assume they already know that, but I think they should take their site to the next level, and many of my colleagues agree.