What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We just finished Android at the end of April. In June we did some user testing, and there are some tweaks that we need to make. So, we just started talking to people about the app. We haven’t actually launched into market yet.
How did Yalantis perform from a project management standpoint?
They’ve been excellent. Their project management and the communications from the project manager were top-notch. We communicated mostly through Slack and video chats as well.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re professional and willing to learn. They’re willing to acknowledge if they’ve made a mistake and own it. If there’s miscommunication in the process or if delays happen, they manage that well. I couldn’t have asked for a better response or better professionalism.
One thing I want to note is that Yalantis is not just an outsource company that’s writing code for you. They truly take on the role of a partner and understand what your motivations are, what your obstacles are, and what you’re trying to achieve. They take the time to understand that. That’s why we worked so well together. The things that I cared about became the things that the team cared about—things like timelines and shuffling priorities so that we could share progress with advisors and folks that are interested or investing. So they really took that to heart.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We had great conversations around understanding the process, but maybe just early on, they might be able to improve on asking more questions. I’d hate to even say that’s something that they should improve on, though. There’s a huge difference between real estate in the United States and real estate all over the world. There was a bit of a learning curve to understand what that process looks like in the U.S.
They did a great job asking the questions. With some of these things, you just had to dive in and really start building the tools to really understand what the nuances are. They did all the right things, which is why we stuck with them and gave them the Android version as well. There wasn’t too much that I would say they need to improve on because the communication, which is key when you’re managing an offshore, was top-notch. There was never a time when I felt like communication wasn’t flowing.
What advice would you have for people who are considering outsourcing?
If you’ve never outsourced, it can be difficult. I recommend that you find somebody that you trust who has experience with doing outsourcing and bring them along with you. Secondly, ask a ton of questions. Yalantis had done some work in the real estate space before, but it was kind of different. Ask smart questions and then, the key indicator is if the folks that you’re interviewing are asking smart questions as well, because the communication is going to be what makes or breaks your project when it comes to offshore.
The project is in progress but, so far, Yalantis has succeeded in creating a user-friendly app. They exceeded expectations in the thoughtful detail they included in the backend. They were collaborative in making helpful suggestions and illuminating possible difficulties during development.