Zealous System

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We have a media player app. The app provides sound files, which are produced based on science. They contain binaural beats and autonomous sensory meridian response tones. These productions combined make a healthcare product. Listeners are able to calm their nerves and focus their thinking just by listening to the audio tracks. It’s a media player app that contains in-app products which are credits, and users can buy and use those credits to buy tonics in the end. Tonics are the sound files.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous System?

We didn’t have the expertise to develop the app by ourselves.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve been helping us with our native iOS and Android app development. We also have a webpage and a backend server. We provide the content of the app, which is sound files.

We had the backbone of the app ready. The design and user interface were mostly drafted out. We provided the mock-up for them. They worked on the audio files and the media player. They tried to enhance the current app with more functionality, different designs, and better backend synchronizations. The Android SDK had major issues, which we were able to solve with them.

They embedded functionalities such as a looper which creates a seamless loop so the listener could set a sleep timer. The user can set a 40-minute play time and the sound file will loop until the time runs out. They also assisted with the draft and design of the files. We provided the designs, and they arranged them to fit into different screens and formats.

It’s an ongoing relationship with small steps and tasks as a service provider.

What is the team composition?

I had one iOS developer and one Android developer who were my main points of contact for technical questions. I worked with 2–3 other people for the project coordination, payments, and negotiating how to move on to the next step.

How did you come to work with Zealous System?

We did an online search for service providers. When we posted on Upwork, we received 20 calls in one hour. We evaluated three different developers. Zealous System made a good impression.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $2,500–$3,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have them do small steps broken down to an operational level, which they helped us achieve.

How did Zealous System perform from a project management standpoint?

We didn’t talk much about negotiations. We had a great Skype call that was insightful to get to know them better. We regularly use a Skype group that contains eight people. Most of the time, we have quick discussions and decision-making. They were always eager to help. I’m satisfied for the most part.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re satisfied with their nice tone of the communication. It’s always been great talking to them frequently. The developer has gone above and beyond for us, doing one or two more hours a day because we ask him to. It’s something I consider very valuable in a service provider. They’re exceptionally friendly, and it’s a good cost/value balance.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve run into two major problems with getting an app into the App Store and getting through the Apple review process. There’s never been a management decision to achieve some goals. It’s been mostly operational. We are getting rejected in the App Store because of a core feature that we have. Now, I’m questioning why no one has told us that this feature is objectionable. It was rejected based on the Apple guidelines for Apple review. I’m starting to wonder how involved they are in the big picture. Perhaps they’re only good operational support for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If there are specific operational tasks that need to be done, Zealous System is capable since they have allocated developers. However, a huge step in software design, constructing something that is long-lasting, is maybe not their best area.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of a consulting firm. We provide various services to our clients, including website development and project management. We operate out of Montreal, Canada, so most of our clients are in Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous System?

We were looking for a company to revamp a website based on some specific requirements.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Zealous provided us with a new design proposal, which we shared with our client. They have a fabulous design team and we loved their ideas. After approval, they completely redid the architecture and coded the entire site using the Drupal CMS. They also improved the navigation, so now people can get quick information by hovering over some content rather than clicking on the link. That minimizes the waiting times because there is no need to load a new page. In addition, there are some design elements that are not noticeable to most people, but make the website look attractive: for example, the top line of the footer is slanted.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and 1–2 developers.

How did you come to work with them?

I sent a request for proposals and they were among those who responded. Their response was very quick and professional. I could see they put a lot of effort in their response and were thorough in answering our questions. That inspired confidence in me and I decided they'd be a reliable partner.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between March–July 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're entirely satisfied with everything, and so are our clients. Zealous did an excellent job.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

We had an open line communication and they kept me up-to-date with the progress. We talked weekly via Skype and had video conferences.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stand out because of the quality of their work and their professionalism. It was a great relationship and we'll be working together again.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go ahead and get in touch with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of products at Neil Patel Digital.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous System?

They’ve built a few WordPress websites. We then wanted to migrate the previous versions to the CMS in order to have greater flexibility with the marketing frontend side.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve built four WordPress sites with the Divi theme and a variety of WordPress plug-ins. The first project was a redesign for our company’s subscriber site. They made minor enhancements with Ruby on Rails to improve agility and speed at a lower price point. Two other sites were for end-clients. Although most projects were relatively simple, the most complex site had about three pages and led into a web application. We expect that site to change in a few months as we grow the business.

Zealous System doesn’t do UX/UI because we complete those in-house and give them the designs. We provide wireframes via PSD (Adobe Photoshop) files. The team uses this information – particularly the navigation specifications – to scope out the projects.

What is the team composition?

The founder has been our main point of contact and project manager for the last few projects. I also interact with another principal, mostly on deals for the current project. The principal will then pass me on to the founder.

How did you come to work with Zealous System?

I worked for a startup in Sydney a few years ago when I met their managing director at the time. They helped that company with some fairly simple WordPress sites in a successful engagement. For Neil Patel Digital, I didn’t look for another vendor because I’ve never had an issue with Zealous System. They’ve been reasonably priced, and great with communication and execution.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $3,500–$4,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Zealous System in October 2017 and the relationship is ongoing. However, the collaboration is intermittent because we don’t have a constant workflow. We plan to send our two upcoming WordPress sites straight to them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We consider the partnership successful because the sites are functional and have only minor bug issues, which are unavoidable in software. Deliveries rarely contain errors as well. Furthermore, our marketing team has become more aware of Zealous System’s potential value for our clients. We may send more end-client business their way.

How did Zealous System perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve established a good working relationship; they’re clear and transparent. We use Redmine to track progress and InVision to share mock-ups. Additionally, we access their staging environment to review development. The teams communicate via Skype on a daily basis.

Zealous System is always responsive. They hop on projects quickly and remain communicative throughout the process. We get feedback and changes in short order. They ask the right questions to ensure products meet our expectations. Everyone speaks English well, which distinguishes them from previous vendors and benefits our current international partnerships. They’ll call whenever a misunderstanding occurs to clarify the communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is accessible, responsive, and quick with starting new tasks. Their approach works well with our preference for fast-paced work. Zealous System reacts to changes, requests, and testing in a dependable manner that’s refreshing, but also rare in our industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Scope the project completely beforehand and go into the engagement with a clear project outline. That way, the team can provide quick and effective service. But, Zealous System can also help with design and other project elements.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Barber’s Connect, an app that connects local customers with barber and tattoo shops.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous System?

We needed help developing the application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The application allows customers to find shops that fit their individual style and then schedule appointments. Their marketing team helped us go over potential names and color schemes, and they built the app for both iOS and Android.

Our first challenge was figuring out how to make money, given that similar apps already exist on the market. While I initially considered charging an extra fee for appointment scheduling, Zealous System helped develop a strategy to include a low-cost monthly subscription plan for participating shops. To distinguish our app in the marketplace, we also decided to focus on male users, eliminating the salons and spas included on rival applications.

What is the team composition?

While there was recently a change in management, I’ve consistently worked with a team of three. They’ve always provided the necessary resources.

How did you come to work with Zealous System?

I came across Zealous System through online research. I reached out to them and found my contact to be helpful and insightful. We discussed ideas, developed a rapport, and things took off from there.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April of 2017 and our relationship is ongoing. We’re preparing to release the app, though we still need to include minor updates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Zealous System helped design an application that appealed to our target demographic. We’ve received positive feedback from our participating vendors and they’re excited about the services our app will provide. We’re looking forward to seeing how they like navigation and layout.

How did Zealous System perform from a project management standpoint?

They took time to ensure everything was done properly while still meeting deadlines. We communicated a couple of times each week through email and Skype, and they were very responsive. They replied within hours if I had any questions and were quick to execute any change requests.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They met all of my expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re an excellent partner, so take full advantage of the services they provide. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of eSwipe. We’re a software development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous System?

I work for myself and found it easier and cheaper to outsource a lot of my projects in order to have a bigger team. This allows me to take on a lot more projects without having to employ full-time staff.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The biggest project was for a cricket management league company. We built a whole e-commerce platform for the players to buy kits from. It’s a custom PHP website where you can customize shirts, add in your own logos, view the front and back, add player names and numbers, etc. There’s a whole backend connected for the admin staff to manage and send orders to suppliers directly through the system via email. It’s a comprehensive system and an ongoing project.

We’ve mainly worked with PHP for the various projects, the biggest one being Laravel. We’ve used .NET, Magento, and WordPress customizations as well.

What is the team composition?

I work with the business analyst who is my point of contact and also in charge of the project. There’s also a team lead who works under him and is in charge of their developers. I sometimes work with the developers as well. I have access to all of their different team members.

How did you come to work with Zealous System?

I was working with a couple of people from Bangladesh already and looking to work with a company that had more developers available. I found Zealous through an Internet search. I saw their website, got a quote from them, and then they did a test project. I was very happy with that, so I continued the relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2012 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients are pleased with the work.

How did Zealous System perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good and I’m very happy. They all keep me informed about specific goals and points we need to make. We always use Skype to touch base and talk about what’s happening next. We use Trello for complicated projects.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Other people I’ve worked with have been difficult to communicate with. It always ended up as a massive issue whenever there was a misunderstanding. I find it very easy to communicate with Zealous. They’re always very gracious and helpful whenever there’s a misunderstanding about a feature request or expectation. They’d rather work on the relationship instead of just making money.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m very happy.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s about finding the right business manager who you can communicate easily and develop a mutual understanding with. Grow the relationship together and don’t just focus on profit.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Synrgise is an education technology organization that develops applications that assist organizations and universities with management and deployment. I had worked with Zealous for our previous company, a full-stack web development agency called Jetweb. We focused on website development, e-commerce engines, and ERP/business management systems. At the beginning of 2017, we started Synrgise and continued to work with Zealous System.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous System?

We initially needed a lot of low-level development. Capacity issues meant that our development team had overflow work. We had developed a university assessment system for a client. It had been written in Adobe Flex at a time when Flash was going to be the next big thing. 

Then the iPad came along and completely changed the scene by not supporting Flash. That technology started to regress in terms of market penetration, but our enterprise application was difficult to redevelop in another language and many Flash elements couldn’t be built elsewhere at that time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Zealous helped us build small pieces of code for our existing applications. They assembled a team of Flex developers to assist us, and have since made the project their own. They gained a deep understanding of our business processes and the content behind the system. We engage with our university clients and relay requested changes and improvements to Zealous without going through a deep business analysis.

Around four months ago, we made the decision to convert everything to HTML5 and JavaScript. The upfront investment was a bitter pill to swallow, so we looked for an organization that could give us the motivation to do it. We signed up for a project with one of the largest educational organizations in South Africa, which owns hundreds of schools and universities. That client told us that they wouldn’t support Flash, which motivated us to make the conversion. We put Zealous under the wire, giving them four months to deliver a project that should have taken a year. We’ve spent several years working with their team on this one big project.

Our second project also revolved around assessments, but it was a high-level, web-based, data-driven app that allowed students to take online tests and submit evidence. It also allowed testers to log in and mark that evidence, and helped training companies manage the process. We began that project through initial scoping with Zealous.

Up until that point, we had asked their developers to jump into existing software applications and learn as a part of our team. For this project, we put together a scope and process map for them. They took it from there, identifying the right tech stack and developing the platform.

What is the team composition?

Zealous is an extension of our team, and they easily account for 30% of our resource workforce. If we need to scale, they can provide even more than that. This relates to our ability to operate at the moment. 

Depending on the environment, we engage with two or three select individuals from their team. Now we’re working with a project manager who engages directly with our development and non-development teams. He’s open to speaking directly with the product owners, who don’t understand the technical aspect but but can tell him what they want.

I also have a direct line to their managing director. When there a task is under pressure, and our project manager is unsure about their ability to deliver in time, I highlight the importance of the work to the director. Having the ability to speak to the company owner has always been helpful.

How did you come to work with Zealous System?

We did a bit of research in terms of resources per hour. We ran another project several years ago within a specific open-source platform called Vtiger. Because it had been built in India, we specifically targeted agencies there, and were lucky enough to find some of the platform’s original developers. We brought them to South Africa, where they ended up working for our organization full-time. There is some great talent in India, but we also found some bad apples when initially engaging with software companies and trying to find those resources.

From Zealous’ perspective, it was a two-sided win. They were one of several companies that approached us after we placed an advertisement on a resource platform similar to PeoplePerHour. Because we had learned a lot while dealing with offshore companies, they immediately understood what we wanted. We gave Zealous a small piece of work, and continued to cultivate the relationship. They delivered time and time again.

We chose them were because they’d done work in the educational space before and understood how colleges and universities worked. Before this, we struggled to engage with other development companies in other countries. We feel that we’ve hit the jackpot with Zealous. They get the work done, and they get it done well.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Zealous System in March 2014. We’ve invested a lot of money into development of the application, and it’s now going into its second tier. When we moved out of Jetweb and started Synrgise, we took the application with us and continued the relationship with Zealous. We have delivered two pilots and began a beta test at the end of November 2017. We met the target successfully, made some minor changes, and we went live on January 1, 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The launch was a major achievement for us. Our client saw us as miracle workers. I know that Zealous put in extra hours and resources to make sure that this happened. Our second testing platform has also become very successful in the South African marketplace.

If we land a big project and are required to scale up or change one of our applications, we can rely on their team to understand the work and speak our language. I can go to Zealous’ team with requirements, ask them to organize resources, and get the work going. They’re happy to oblige.

They’ve been instrumental to the maintenance and support of our system, which has processed over one million exams. Support from their side helped us achieve this staggering number. We have attended conferences to speak about how we automated university exam systems.

How did Zealous System perform from a project management standpoint?

Setups with suppliers are always challenging, and when an individual on their end leaves the relationship has to be reformulated. We’ve been working with Zealous for a few years, and there is only one individual with whom we are no longer engaged. Everyone else we’ve worked with has stayed with the company. They have a great culture.

We predominantly manage communication through Skype. We’ve always relied on an Agile methodology, and share small user stories with their team, for development requirements.

For the project Zealous has taken from conception to implementation, they manage projects on their after we give them the brief. We held them accountable for the milestone dates they set at the beginning of the project, and they’ve stuck to those dates. We can rely on their timeframes confidently.

Certain projects weren’t developed as we wanted them to be, but we have always addressed this by finding the right resources or changing what we needed. They’re committed to sorting issues out, which has helped us build a strong relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have atypical skills like Adobe Flex, which is hard to come by. Even though Zealous is based abroad, we meet regularly in South Africa. They’ve spent time with our team here, engaging face-to-face. This set them apart from many other companies, which did everything over Skype or the phone.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Bringing on a part-time developer was a challenge because he was driven by the project mindset and was doubling up as the team leader of another project. He understood development, but still had a team below him. This didn’t work for us. If they want to offer full-time developers as resources, they need to manage them better. We’ve raised this issue with them. They agreed to not use this approach going forward, but rather to run the work on a project basis. This suits our business needs best.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Skill is the most important factor for any offshore or outsourced development agency, followed by budget. Another important factor that many people overlook is working culture. Understanding between teams is key for any organization. We can easily identify this skill during a small project, we can easily identify this skill, but organizations need to observe working cultures to determine whether one team can work well with another.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of the Instant School app. We’re a software-as-a-service-based model company providing communication services to schools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous?

Being from South Africa, the newest technologies were not being implemented. I needed someone to build software for me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the iOS and Android app from scratch. I needed a company who could hold my hand through the whole process, and they assisted me wonderfully.

This was a necessary platform for parents and schools, so the app had to be user-friendly. Safety was also a main concern. They developed the app so each parent only had access to their own children. We additionally needed two-way communication between the parents and the school that was always fast and available. Zealous assisted me with the servers required to speed it up.

What is the team composition?

I worked mostly with Maulik [Business Development Executive, Zealous System], my account manager, and a project manager. They delegated different duties to other departments.

How did you come to work with Zealous?

I did research and contacted many companies. Zealous impressed me the most. I gave them the business to develop the software for me.

How much have you invested with them?

$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017 and the work is ongoing, as I've started a new project with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They addressed the safety concern to full satisfaction. The app was rolled out about four months ago. We did a bit of research and development and marketing, and about 14 schools have taken on the software. Their response is very positive, and the downloads are good from the app stores. We have no complaints.

How did Zealous perform from a project management standpoint?

They're wonderful. I never have to wait for any answers. If I'm not asking the right questions, they put me back on track. For communication, we use Skype 99% of the time. Other times, we email. They set timeframe points and always deliver on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their care, assistance, and patience. I rely on their knowledge and capability to understand my lingo and language. They're persistent and helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m very happy with them. They deliver timely and the product is as expected. They treat me very well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Working with Zealous is a pleasure. The time they spent to do research to get with me was above and beyond. Communicate effectively. Their company policy is assisting customers as much as they can. They really go the extra mile.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of JMB Environmental Consulting, a multidisciplinary environmental consultancy that focuses on indoor air and water quality. This includes asbestos and other hazardous materials management as well as occupational hygiene.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous System?

We wanted to move away from typical paper-based systems because it takes a lot longer in-office and on-site, and there’s also is a big factor of human error. The industry doesn’t currently utilize this method on a large scale, and we wanted to be ahead of our competition.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a cloud-based reporting system whereby we can capture data on site to Android or iOS apps and then transfer it onto a server. Data is captured on a MySQL-based web portal that also generates reports for us, which eliminates the need for us to perform data entry along with a lot of other administrative tasks.

It also gives us the opportunity to give our clients a password to our portal so they can see all of their files in one secure place. They are able to download, upload, or extract data in different formats (e.g., PDF or Excel) in a much more user-friendly way.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with two people from their team who are both client representatives for us. One person is more involved with accounting, while the other works more on the technical side. We have had a couple of developers and software programmers as well.

They try to keep a small team for our engagement, which has been amazing for communication. They are always aware of what is happening and I never have to explain things twice to someone else.

We started off doing a lot of mail-merge tasks from Excel spreadsheets, but now that we have all the information, we are trying to migrate it into a variety of different apps. They are going to assign a new app programmer to us very soon, which will be excellent.

How did you come to work with Zealous System?

I put the project on Upwork and received around 100 responses, which we then narrowed down to about five. I had them do a paid trial which involved a rudimentary app build. They did an excellent job, and their communication was the best. They outperformed everyone else and did it all without asking how much they would get paid.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent between 25,000–30,000 AUD ($20,179–$24,215 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in March 2016, and the engagement is ongoing

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of the projects they initially started was for a huge New South Wales government project that involved writing hundreds of very similar reports. We built a mail merge web portal software that integrates into the government system and allows them to download reports. We don’t have any report writing because this is all done on site.

We’ve done most of the work out of the 24 contractors on that panel. There were about 90,000 buildings to do, and we handle 15,000 of them because we’re able to deliver things much faster. The government doesn’t have to mess around with getting reports from emails because they can just log onto our system and download them.

Additionally, we’ve also been able to sell on that particular program to another large consultancy on the same panel. The program has helped us generate around $85,000 worth of business so far.

How did Zealous System perform from a project management standpoint?

We found that Google Sheets works really well for us because it’s a collaborative platform. I have very rudimentary Google Sheets documents with different tabs that I can access at any time to see their progress on the app, requirements, what we’re building next, and changes. We’re trying to move away from email and the back-and-forth process. We also have Skype calls once a week, and I go see them every now and again to work in their office. I now consider them to be good friends. We’ve worked together for a couple of years.  

We have big plans now, and I had wondered whether it was time to bring it closer to home and get someone involved in Australia. I searched around a bit but didn’t get a good feeling from anybody. None of the competitors were as cost effective, either. I’ve never had any issues with Zealous, so I decided to maintain the relationship and push forward with them instead.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our communication is excellent and has never caused us any problems. When there is a new addition to a Google Sheet, one of their team members always schedules a Skype call to go through the issues and challenges. These calls are rarely to ask me questions, but more for their own understanding.

Communication is at the forefront of everything they do. For a company like us, they feel so far away but close at the same time because of their understanding. I’ve never been frustrated with any of the processes. Had communication been absent or if things weren’t getting done on time, I wouldn’t be working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have no suggestions so far. There are a couple of things we need to push forward on, and I’m going to ask if they can put more resources on what we do in order to achieve that. The changes and builds have not been happening very quickly, but I can’t blame them because I haven’t been giving them deadlines or setting expectations. They do seem adequately resourced when I’ve been to their office. They are all lovely people. They need to realize and maintain how good they are at communicating with people.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Maintain an equal level of communication. Talk with them on Skype if they request it and let them share their screen if they want to. They want to clarify their ideas and what the tasks are before getting the designers involved, which is understandable.

Have a collaborative project management tool as well, even if it’s something rudimentary like Google Sheets. Move away from email as a communication tool for projects like this. We started with email and the trails were lost very quickly. I was unable to keep track of things this way.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an application that motorcycle riders can use as they travel. It’s like Facebook for motorcycles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous?

We needed help to build our custom app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped design an Android and iOS app which works with geolocation activity. It picks up each individual user and places them on a map. They helped us develop a way of recording riders heading down the highway along with specific details, like speed and duration.

We’ve added some sharing links that map to other people through social media, including Facebook, Skype, and email. Users can basically go on a ride from one point to another, save it on their app, and then share it via other platforms. They then take those users that don’t have the app back to the Play Store where they can download it. That map will then appear on their map for the first time.

We’ve got a newsfeed and assist setting where users can upload their profile data and motorcycle type within the app. We can also channel that back into businesses which look after that specific brand.

What is the team composition?

I interacted with one main developer who would intermittently bring in another developer.

How did you come to work with Zealous?

I’d gone through one of the freelance platforms to find some developers to assist in building this app. I worked with one individual who didn’t offer continuity in what he was delivering, so I went back to the job board. Zealous approached me and was able to go forward with the idea.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2015 to January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything is fully launched on Android, but the iOS isn’t finished at the moment. We wanted to focus on one platform.

I use downloads and the Google Developers Console to provide insight into who is using the app. There are a few reports that I can run, but they’re not 100% accurate. I pretty much rely on the dev console to see how many downloads and uninstalls I get. The app’s latest build has been polished really well, and offers several helpful features for riders. I’ve spent a lot of time with Zealous on that. Hopefully, after we market this latest build, we’ll see some improvements in downloads.

How did Zealous perform from a project management standpoint?

Their deadline scheduling is not as accurate as one would prefer. If we set a deadline, there’s a chance that they may not make that. Working with Zealous requires a good bit of patience, but their price also needs to be taken into account.

We communicated through Skype almost constantly. Whenever I would get the latest update or build, I would contact them, and they responded almost immediately. They are really good with communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re patient and strive to perform for their clients. They’re customer focused and show that they want to do the work correctly.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

They need to be able to meet deadlines.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Their requirements need to be very detailed. If clients don’t do that, they’ll find that Zealous comes up with a different interpretation. Be specific.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re TeamFabric, an event agency based in Garmisch, Germany. Our main client is Audi, and we help them organize their golf tournament series in 50 countries, as well as the Audi Quattro Cup World Final.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zealous System?

We wanted to create an event app for the World Final.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The app included flyover videos of the golf course, a social wall that aggregated all Twitter posts with #AudiQuattroCup, and a Birdie book with graphics of the various sponsors. It also featured itineraries, rules and regulations, and event contact information. Because attendees came from all over the world, we were cognizant of the fact that not everyone would have mobile Internet access on the golf course, so we wanted the app’s content to be available offline.

The app was available for both iOS and Android. After our success with the 2016 Final, we hired Zealous System to build a new version for 2017.

What is the team composition?

I spoke with Maulik [Dhanesha, Business Development Executive, Zealous System] in the beginning. Hardik [Panchal, Business Development, Zealous System] served as our project manager, and he worked with three or four developers.

How did you come to work with Zealous System?

We shopped around for domestic vendors, but found their quotes far too expensive for a relatively simple app. After I posted our requirements on a development jobs board, Zealous System responded within 15 minutes and gave an estimate roughly six times lower than their German-based competitors.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2016 and the first app was ready in time for the Final in October 2016. They started development on the second app in June 2017, with the Final taking place at the beginning of December.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In 2016, the number of downloads nearly matched the total number of attendees. We spoke to several importers from around the world who expressed an interest in using the app for their own national golf tournaments, and one of Audi’s departments even asked for Zealous System’s contact information when planning their international soccer tournament.

How did Zealous System perform from a project management standpoint?

They provided accurate timelines and were highly responsive, making any changes we requested. While the language barrier is an understandable concern for companies working with offshore developers, we had no issues. We communicated regularly through Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was able to reach them at almost any time of day, which is quite remarkable. It was delightful to work with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They're quite competent in all aspects.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t know their other project managers, but I would definitely recommend working with Hardik. I imagine a lot of European companies are hesitant about outsourcing work, but the timeline and payment schedules he laid out were very efficient.