Flying Bisons

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of Gymsteer, a gym mobile app platform. It’s an app for gyms and fitness clubs to maintain their business. The software allows us to sell classes or passes to those places. Users don’t have to buy a pass to one place but can go anywhere they want. It’s like pay-per-view. Users only pay when they go.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flying Bisons?

We needed a business solution in an app to help us boost our conversion rate.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started out with a discovery phase so they could get to know our business and what we do. They asked a lot of questions. We had some workshops to brainstorm and create personas with potential users. We mapped out the customer journey, the flow, and how the app should look and work. They then started designing and developing the app.

What is the team composition?

We worked with UI designers, UX designers, developers, project managers, and owners.

How did you come to work with Flying Bisons?

A friend recommended them. They’re one of the best companies in Warsaw and I found that I liked them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $25,000-$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March—June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did a really great job. We’re now testing the mobile app and we’re launching soon. All the people that have seen it are very impressed.

How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager is very communicative. We used Figma and Jira to make sure the screens were okay. They met deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I would definitely recommend them to someone.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the COO of Veriori S.A. We’re a research and software development company that supports business process management using blockchain, AI, and cryptographic and steganographic security mechanisms. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Flying Bisons?

We needed to develop our app’s UX/UI and design our company’s brand and brand book.  

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to give our app users and customers the best possible UX, ensure proper design quality, and use professional analysis as a basis for the design.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We’d worked with Flying Bisons on a previous project and were amazed by the quality of their designs and creative. Due to our previous cooperation, we didn’t consider any other service providers. Once you start working with Flying Bisons, you won’t think about switching. 

Describe the project in detail.

We've intentionally left the whole process to Flying Bisons because of our previous experience with them. They delivered a complete GUI and UX process for our web and mobile application, as well as a brand design.

What was the team composition?

We worked with two UX/GUI designers, a subject-matter expert (SME), a project manager (PM), and a graphic designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Stakeholders’ feedback has been very positive, focusing on the extraordinary quality of Flying Bisons’ design. Constant communication with Flying Bisons’ UX designers and subject matter expert allowed us to tailor the interface to our users’ needs. Our corporate clients always mention design as a strong feature of our solutions. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Flying Bisons' project manager handled communication and scheduling according to an agile methodology. Thanks to their top managers’ and SME’s involvement, we were able to work through any needs that came up throughout the process. Our PM kept us well-informed regarding the time and effort spent on our designs, our budget, and our timeline. As a project management professional myself, I place great value in their operational management efforts.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They add value beyond what’s expected. If you’re looking for special dedication and a constant desire to add value for the customer, you'll be amazed by Flying Bisons’ commitment. They’re constantly proposing new, creative solutions and ideas.

Are there any areas for improvement?

When we first started working with Flying Bisons, we had some minor comments about project and operational management. Due to a high level of professionalism and flexibility, however, they were able to reshape their project management model within a month. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the e-commerce manager for Amocarat SA. We manufacture and sell lingerie.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Flying Bisons?

We engaged Flying Bisons to lead an audit of our current e-commerce website’s UI/UX.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking to revamp our site and improve its user experience and conversion rates. We wanted Flying Bisons to identify our weak points, discover how users found the site, and set a list of priorities for us to improve the UI/UX.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We knew a member of Flying Bisons’ team beforehand. We considered them and two other companies for this project; Flying Bisons’ concrete approach convinced us to go with their team.

Describe the project in detail.

We first held multiple meetings and teleconferences. We conveyed our company’s background and goals to Flying Bisons. They then helped us prepare a roadmap of the project. They developed user personas, user journey maps, led user testing, and provided expert analysis. Once they delivered the audit results and recommendation, we met to discuss what further steps we should take.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a dedicated operations manager who led a larger team behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re now implementing Flying Bisons’ recommendations on our site. It’s too early to determine its success, but the team satisfied our requirements.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our communication was smooth from start to finish. We met twice in-person and had many teleconferences throughout the project. Flying Bisons provided weekly updates on progress, so we always knew where the project stood at any given time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Flying Bisons provided a talented and personable team with in-depth knowledge and experience. We appreciated their enthusiasm and high level of customer support.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and e-commerce director for NN Investment Partners. We provide investment solutions and manage assets for individual and corporate clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flying Bisons?

We’re working with them on investment solutions targeting individual clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flying Bisons has helped us across multiple projects, utilizing original research to create information architectures and UX/UI designs. Initially, they worked on our corporate website and then moved to specific projects involving UX/UI design. Currently, they’re developing a proposal for a new business we’re starting. While we have our own CMS and partner with another vendor to develop web modules, Flying Bisons implements those solutions into our interface. They’ve also worked on landing pages.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with two people, Michal (Senior Product Designer and Partner, Flying Bisons) and Lukasz (Co-Founder and Senior UX Consultant, Flying Bisons), who's responsible for UX and research. I believe my colleagues are working with two more people from Flying Bisons as well. 

How did you come to work with Flying Bisons?

We were looking for an agency that could help us redesign our corporate website. After organizing a tender and meeting with several agencies to review their ideas, we chose Flying Bisons.

How much have you invested with them?

Our initial spend with them was $25,000–$50,000, which I consider to be a low cost. We’ve started three other projects with them, and we plan on spending more time and money with Flying Bisons.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Flying Bisons is making our website easier to use and more logical and convenient. Customers have a simpler time accessing the information they need. Internally, they’ve refocused our UX to be more sales-oriented. This is critical. Although we do some e-commerce, we also work with banks, insurance companies, and brokerage houses. We’ve seen good growth in investment product sales.

It’s difficult to pinpoint specific metrics, given how many factors influence our performance such as market conditions and political events. Generally, however, Flying Bisons contributed to a successful 2017 and softened the blow of a difficult 2018, which affected our entire market. We’re satisfied with their performance.

How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is agile and flexible, and we’ve developed a nice chemistry. We communicate through phone, SMS, email, Jira, and Skype. They’ve been a pleasure to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They truly care about the work. They’re engaged during meetings, and they look for solutions that would work best for us. They may sound critical at times, but their suggestions make sense and pay off in the end. Even though we’re currently working on a large project, one that will require more time, people, and money, we’re not worried about small things slipping through the cracks. Flying Bisons addresses all those things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d like them to hire more people. We’re looking at more and more projects, and there’s a possibility their team won’t have the capacity we need. Because Flying Bison’s is so skilled, there’s also a chance their responsiveness will drop as they get more clients. It’s great right now, however.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If your business allows you to experiment and try new options, Flying Bisons is a great partner. They’ve got knowledge and expertise and they’re open to new ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Hoard, a platform connecting the blockchain community with game developers and players. Using blockchain technology, we can monetize secondary markets, give ownership to the players, and implement some security measures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flying Bisons?

We needed a professional team to workshop with us in order to determine our approach to the MVP stage, and how we would market that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They organized several extensive workshops with our team. We went through a discovery phase on what we wanted to do, consisting of discussions, notes, and presentations. We identified personas and the most important factors to present to the outside world on our web page. They also introduced us to external parties that were potentially relevant to our project. We’re mainly a technical team, and we didn’t have a clear idea of what to do in terms of the product itself. They helped us plan our deliverables—how we could box our work into a product.

What is the team composition?

We were in direct contact with three people, including Kamil (CEO and Senior UX Consultant, Flying Bisons) and a project manager. I believe they had additional people working on the prototype of our web page.

How did you come to work with Flying Bisons?

We identified 10-12 candidates after extensive research. They impressed us with their experience with other companies in ICO (initial coin offering) and they showed us their interest in the industry. Their approach was professional from the start, and that made us choose them.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was above €10,000 (about $11,300 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2018 and the engagement concluded in January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They helped us ensure that all of our teammates were on the same page, despite some slight differences. We weren’t just a bunch of people working on the same task, which was refreshing. They also directed our focus for marketing, as we identified our target customers and how to communicate with them. We learned what should and shouldn’t be featured on our web page.

How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?

It was refreshing to work with a partner that was so proactive. I don’t remember having any delays.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They care about our project and our product. Their team was responsive and available across multiple communication channels. Also, they explained things to us in simple language whenever we needed them to.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re completely satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the content marketing manager at a corporate clothing company. We have stitching and textile printing production sites all over the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flying Bisons?

We wanted to digitize the whole corporate wear market and wanted to build digital solutions to make purchasing corporate wear easier for our customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They relaunched our website and transferred it from Magento to Shopify. We planned out user stories, and they proposed a third-party designer to redo our branding. As of now, we’re developing an app that lets users create their own designs. There wasn’t anything in on the market that suited our needs, so they’re creating a bespoke app for us. Next year, we plan to optimize our website’s UI/UX and start an analytics process. They’ve proposed some big projects for 2019, and we’re very happy with their suggestions.

What is the team composition?

At the beginning, we worked with a UI/UX team and a few different project managers for the design team and the development team. In the future, we’ll add an analytics team as well.

How did you come to work with Flying Bisons?

The textile industry has a strong foothold in Poland, so we regularly work with Polish companies. I don’t remember how we made the connection with Flying Bisons, but they may have come to us through one of the other production partners in the area.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $20,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2018 and the work is ongoing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The relaunch had some bigger issues and didn’t go as planned. We hoped to launch in September, but discovered that the product design function and the Shopify app as a whole didn’t fit our needs. We had to reevaluate the whole task. Ultimately, we decided to create an entirely new app, but are still facing some issues with that process. The new launch date should be in December or January.

We’ve received a lot of inquiry forms, so the market interest is definitely there. We have eliminated some old pages on our site that were no longer useful or lacked conversion potential. That cut the number of sessions each day by several hundred, but that wasn’t Flying Bisons’ fault.

How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?

They were always available. We went to their office once for a kickoff meeting and use appear.in for video calls or screensharing. We also use email and have calls every other day. Sometimes, I have to wait a while to hear back from them via email, which isn’t ideal, especially when we’re working on something with a short timeline. In spite of that, they always deliver on time and invite us to view scheduling breakdowns in Outlook. We receive weekly reports, and are planning to change our management software from ActiveCollab to Jira.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Flying Bisons stands out from other companies we’ve worked with. They give us the display and designs we want, and we’re perfectly happy with every wireframe they deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their response times to emails could be quicker.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a digital manager for the main KFC franchisor, not only in Poland but also in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in some countries in Western Europe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flying Bisons?

We wanted to speed up our e-commerce presence. We also wanted to merge KFC.pl and KFCdelivery.pl under one umbrella, as well as roll out a click-and-collect functionality on the web. We already had this in app form, but the options for home delivery were only on the web.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flying Bisons was contracted for design work. They created a proposal, and when we approved it, we tested the work on actual users. Part of the traffic to the site was directed to the beta KFC.pl website. After the tests were successful, we decided to roll the design across all markets.

What is the team composition?

I was the project leader on the client side. Their operations manager acted as the project manager in the beginning and was responsible for putting together a project and development plan. After that, I collaborated with their senior UX consultant on a daily basis, who was my main contact during the project.

How did you come to work with Flying Bisons?

Their response to our brief was the best out of the other companies that participated in the tender. They proposed an e-commerce redesign and did some research on the current KFC websites at the time. Basically, their background and knowledge of the e-commerce space were the best.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Flying Bisons around January 2018. We rolled out the new desktop and mobile designs to the Czech Republic and Hungarian markets in July.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s too early to judge the project, though we’ve seen progress. All key performance indicators have increased, but it’s only been one month, so we need to continue optimizing the website. Overall, the first stage of the project has been completed successfully. We’re now doing different tests on different versions, looking at colors and flows and optimizing the site based on those. We’ve gathered detailed knowledge from Google Analytics, and we’ve improved the website based on it.

How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed really well. We used Trello, InVision, Skype, and other communication tools.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have ample experience when it comes to e-commerce design, and they had passion and interest in the project. It wasn’t about completing the project and finishing tasks, but about doing it in the best possible way. Even if we approved something, they continued to look for better solutions.

Additionally, Flying Bisons has a positive attitude, which isn’t found all that often in design companies when it comes to UI/UX. Their focus was truly on creating a personalized and mindful experience. We’ve come to see Flying Bisons as an expert in the field. We trust them and give them a lot of creative freedom, which I think they appreciate. This is one of the reasons why they took ownership of the project.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It’s important to trust the companies we collaborate with and to acknowledge their expertise. We offer tasty food, but we’re not experts in design, so we hired a world-class company—which Flying Bisons is, in my opinion—and I trust that they’ll do their best work. If they have freedom in the engagement, then it’s even better. Of course, there are mechanisms for control, but I would advise giving the company freedom and trusting them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital marketing director for a transit company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flying Bisons?

Our website interfaces were outdated. We wanted an agile agency because we work at a fast pace. We needed someone with familiarity with the proper testing methodology, creativity, and cost-efficiency.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were responsible for the design and delivery of a totally new skin, graphic design, UX, and UI for the new websites for our Polish and the Finnish businesses. We needed help to address our basic products and generate non-transaction revenue. The project is complete, but it isn’t live yet.

What is the team composition?

We were in communication with the project manager and the key accountant. We also had close cooperation with the two designers.

How did you come to work with Flying Bisons?

I knew about them because they’ve worked in the Polish market for a long time. We had a proper tender process, and they met our criteria and came up as the best partner from the shortlist.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–October 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Users say the new site is more seamless. It’s much easier to navigate. We expect a serious increase in conversion rates.

How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked in narrow groups without project management tools. We had day-to-day communication. We had no problems with their internal communication. It was smooth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have flawless communication. Also, we were surprised at how quickly they deliver changes that we asked for. When we asked for a change, it was done by the next day. Additionally, their cost was significantly lower than bigger agencies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could keep in contact with the customer after the delivery of the project. They disappeared from my radar at the moment. They also could pay a little more attention to what they’re designing versus what’s already there. They should have a bigger interest in KPIs.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re quite new in the market. Verify their experience in the type of project you’re looking to do. Our project wasn’t a huge exercise.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of the UX team for e-point, a Polish software house.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flying Bisons?

We hired them as a partner for a client project, which was the redesign of an online banking system for mobile users. It was a light version of the main internet banking system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Flying Bisons team was responsible for UX and UI design for the banking system. They worked with our team and took part in the whole design process starting with the discovery and planning phase. This involved identifying customer requirements and user needs.

They were responsible for the conceptual design of the system and for the creation of its finalized version. The final delivery from their team was a prototype of the whole system, including multiple screens that showcased the real behavior of the target system. Flying Bisons designed around 350 screens during the process.

We’ve worked on additional mini projects that were connected with the expansion of this software. Flying Bisons continues to work with us. We are designing new functionalities, improving some areas, and more.

What is the team composition?

We used our own project manager. Flying Bisons’ team consisted of two UX designers—one senior and one junior—and a senior UI designer.

How did you come to work with Flying Bisons?

I was looking for a partner that could help us manage our design projects. We met Flying Bisons and decided to make a deal.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost was 100,000–150,000 Polish Zloty.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Flying Bisons in June 2016. We finished the main phase of the project in December 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The system is currently in production. It consists of two parts: one for desktop browser users and one in the form of a native app available on Google Play and the App Store.

They’ve delivered two prototypes of the whole functionality, which were used for the user testing phase with real and potential customers of the app. The client was satisfied with the design done by Flying Bisons.

How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Google Docs spreadsheets for tracking the project. We have a list of system areas and a list of screens that should be designed where we set the status of particular elements of the overall project. We used InVision to present designs to our customer. We also used Sketch to design the UI.

We haven’t had any problems with them. Flying Bisons delivered the project on time. Our customer was satisfied and so were we.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated their team’s high creativity in terms of UI. They delivered interesting solutions for our UI problems, including animations and user flows. They are quite good in terms of UI design. Their flows are not typical; they are adjusted to modern trends and best practices.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should be more responsive. Some artifacts should have been delivered more quickly to us, but most of the deadlines were met.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a large consulting company in the U.K. and Poland, managing certain digital projects for our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flying Bisons?

Our challenge was around creating a demo pitch for a proposal in short time. We needed to make it visually-attractive and get it in front of the client as a working solution. We didn’t have the internal resources for designing the UI.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed the UI of our product and made a video presenting how it would work in the future. It was an online booking solution for an exam session, doing everything from selecting exam dates and times to processing online payments. Bookings were reflected in our backend CRM. We were missing the client-facing frontend piece, which was the area they helped us with. They helped us visualize that and created a microsite that we used for pitches, instead of using a standard PowerPoint presentation.

They took our mockups and turned them into a much more understandable flow, from a UI/UX perspective. That pitch presentation helped us win the work. We then took that material and turned it into a working prototype solution.

They had contact with the client for the second part of the engagement, during meetings in London. They were directly working with them to understand the process, to understand the requirements, and to design the best workflows for the end-users.

What is the team composition?

We mainly collaborated with Michal (Senior UX Consultant and Partner, Flying Bisons) and Lukasz (Co-Founder and Senior UX Consultant, Flying Bisons). Lukasz was more focused on the business process, helping to manage the process with the client in the requirements-gathering phase. Michal worked on turning those specs into UI mockups and screens, and on translating those into requirements.

How did you come to work with Flying Bisons?

I'd previously worked with Michal, a few companies back. He was a very talented UX designer, far superior to others in terms of his understanding of UIs. He contacted me a few months before the engagement, saying that he had joined Flying Bisons. I knew that they were the right ones to contact when the opportunity arose.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of their work was over £20,000, plus expenses.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May or June 2017. The second phase of the project started in October of that year. Their part of the work was completed in April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The implementation work behind the UI hasn’t finished yet, so I cannot mention any results at this point.

The application is meant for internal users of the client. Overall, our client was happy with the work, especially the design of the mobile application, which was completed recently. It was well-received by the end-users who had an early glimpse at the work.

How did Flying Bisons perform from a project management standpoint?

They shared their deliverables through file sharers, after which we attached them to Jira or Visual Studio, depending on the phase of the project. They conformed to our requirements and delivered in a timely manner. We could always rely on them for agile and creative work.

They’re the only partner we’ve had that is able to turn around things in 24 hours, on short notice. We engage them for time-critical work that requires creativity.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're able to think about the business context of the client and they don’t just look at the work from a UI/UX point of view. They stand out due to their flexibility and quick turnaround time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Given the nature of their business, they'll have challenges with scaling up the team and the company. This is something that all boutique businesses face. It’s all about scaling up using the right people.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should maintain open communication from the beginning, brief the team on their expectations, and engage them early, in order to give themselves more time. They're flexible, but it’s always better to not pick them at the last moment, given the nature of the work.