Stfalcon

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a data science platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stfalcon?

We needed to develop an Android app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stfalcon developed our Android product that displays our data predictions to users with Kotlin. Their team built the app using PHP and open-source code. Their team created features that enabled users to choose an option that links to relevant videos, texts, and quizzes. They also implemented video capabilities for users to join through hashtags.

What is the team composition?

I initially worked with Oksana (Sales Manager) but Stepan (CEO) became my main point of contact. Their team included two project managers and a designer.

How did you come to work with Stfalcon?

I found them on Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $18,000 on their services.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on this project between July 2019 – April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, we tested roughly 200 users. We conducted the first test halfway through the project. The platform had a few hundred crashes. The second test also presented issues. Finally, we achieved our metric, which was no basic crashes. We’re currently talking with Stfalcon about adding additional features.

How did Stfalcon perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated mainly through WhatsApp. We had issues with the two project managers. However, Stepan fixed the issues quickly and managed the project well. Project management wasn’t their strongest quality.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their dedication and integrity are their greatest qualities. Even though we had issues with their team’s lack of awareness at one point during the project, they finished the job once it was brought to their attention. They also have very reasonable prices.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could work on their project management. The first project manager didn’t discuss the full scope of the project with us. We had to work it out after I mentioned it. Our next project manager avoided us and didn’t want to discuss any challenges. Once I made Oksana aware of the issues, she notified Stepan who took over the project. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you understand each other. Don’t be afraid to repeat ideas. Communicate with them and be detailed about your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and COO of Food Teck, LLC, which is mobile order management software for food truck and restaurants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Stfalcon?

There’s a significant technology gap in our industry, particularly around order processing. I needed native Android and native iOS development, plus a web-based interface for Admin Panel. We get data from different APIs or sources that give clients real-time location of food trucks and place there orders, and ability for vendors to receive and fulfill processed orders, then send out that information to clients.

What were your goals for this project?

At the time we were looking to complete the initial project scope at a reasonable price while still maintaining the flexibility to evolve the project over time.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We did a search for companies that could handle the project scope. We interviewed a bunch of different teams and narrowed the selection down to two vendors. After interviewing them, we liked StFalcon the best: they had the most knowledge, experience, and we felt they’d be the best to work with. We hired StFalcon based on price and their ability to execute on the project.

Describe the project in detail.

We've built out the MVP [minimum viable product] successfully. We spent a month fine-tuning the first storyboard, after which StFalcon made a minor redesign. I am UX/UI specialists myself, but with my other job overload I did not had time to made our original design very Android and iOS complaint.

StFalcon lay out the project and then they have very measurable timetables for completion. For every milestone, they respond, get your approval and move forward. It’s very consistent with each change, which was very helpful. All of them were right on, except for one where we made some changes right at the end. We had four milestones, each with its own deadline, and they hit all those.

We started out with a fixed budget. We did add a certain feature, so that increased the cost, but there were no surprises. We worked with the fixed budget, and then any changes were discussed so we could decide if we wanted to move forward with the change or not.

What was the team composition?

We’ve had three main contact points and there’s a team of fifteen that work on it. We were also assigned an amazing project manager, who handles all the day-to-day interactions and is responsible for answering all our questions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t really have any statistics yet, but I can say that everything they’ve done works really well. StFalcon really cares about how we feel and has an incredible work ethic, which is valuable for our organization. They go above and beyond what the typical developer interaction would be.

I’ve worked with a lot of developers who did an okay job, but it was just another job to them. They didn’t seem to care much, whereas StFalcon cares a great deal about not only the process but also about the end result.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They’re really well organized. We’ve used several interfaces for project management over the years and it’s just been a joy to engage with them. Everything’s in one place; interactions are logged and approvals are maintained. While asset management can get pretty unruly, their process is excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The team is talented and continually upgrades their expertise by bringing on knowledgeable resources.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of anything. We started working together in summer 2019 and the partnership is ongoing. The team currently provides app support. StFalcon has solid testing protocols. The team ensures long-term success as well as quality development and delivery.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a company that is building a network for the agro industry. It’s similar to a professional digital network for farmers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stfalcon?

We hired Stfalcon to implement one piece of the overall network.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stfalcon was brought in to develop the publisher functionality and mobile app, which is capable of showing published articles on mobile phones. The platform is comprised of an iOS and Android application and a web portal. The web portal is used to write and manage articles.

I defined the requirements and specified the technologies to be used. We used Node.js on the backend and Vue.js on the frontend. The platform on Google Cloud, and we also used MongoDB.

What is the team composition?

I was in contact with the project manager and the designer on a daily basis through direct calls.

How did you come to work with Stfalcon?

I got a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost is above $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Stfalcon in May 2019, and we have some ongoing work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re highly motivated and provide technical and business insights.

How did Stfalcon perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through phone calls, email, and Slack. They’re engaged to deliver what’s agreed upon, but the quality isn’t as expected all the time. It’s a bit confusing at times and not quite structured.

From a UX design perspective, I work with an experienced person on a regular basis. We have good communication and a very good working environment. Most of that was due to the good communication fit between us. He’s done a great job so far, and he bills his working hours very precisely.

I haven’t had that much contact with the developers. I’ve talked to a couple of them, but not in a way that would allow me to give precise feedback. I had a lot of conversations with the project management, and that was okay. It was good in some places and improvable in others, depending on what perspective I was looking from.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a very high response rate and are available early in the morning or late at night. They’re accessible and work hard, but I would say they’re more on a junior level than a senior one.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could work a bit on the structure and the reliability of quality resolve. From my perspective, they need more senior people on the team.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients need to have an experienced IT project manager on their side to challenge and review the ongoing processes. We have that in our situation, and it works well. What was expected has been delivered, but the project took much longer than we agreed upon. This was due to having a lot more iterations on very minor things compared to other projects, which could’ve been solved quicker or never have occurred in the first place. 

Stfalcon can get the work done, but they need to have structure and architecture, and an environment in which to perform. They need to be monitored closely to do what is expected of them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Master Host is a vacation rental property management company based in Vancouver, Canada. Julia B., Business Development Director

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Stfalcon?

We hired Stfalcon for the development of a complex property management system, which consists of the web system and iOS mobile application.

What were your goals for this project?

We aimed to simplify the management of a great number of Airbnb system’s listings and accounts.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found the company through recommendation.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The main challenge was to make it possible dealing with a great number of apartments and houses for rent without the necessity to switch the Airbnb accounts. With the help of multi-calendar one can manage all the bookings and realize when to change the pricing policy of residential property rent. A chat system allows to conveniently communicate with multiple owners at a time. The system also provides the possibility of a quick response in the cases when an immediate reaction to the booking request is impossible.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of: 1 backend developer, 2 front developers, 1 designer, 2 QA specialist, 1 project manager, and 1 DevOps engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The cooperation went smooth and the team was quite flexible in the process of development. Stfalcon met all our technical requirements, and, besides, we got a perfect design solution for our product with a clear and user-friendly interface.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We were fully satisfied with Stfalcon's project management. We succeeded in booking management processes automation, which simplified our account managers’ work to a great extent. Stfalcon team coped with the Airbnb API integration in a very short time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The cooperation went smooth and the team was quite flexible in the process of development. Stfalcon met all our technical requirements, and, besides, we got a perfect design solution for our product with a clear and user-friendly interface.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Whenever the complications set in during the integration process, the team found effective solutions for each problem. However, I consider that the greatest achievement was the development of a convenient and user-friendly interface design for the managers’ portal.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're one of the largest banks within our country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Stfalcon?

To develop an interface design for Credit Agricole payment kiosks.

What were your goals for this project?

We have realized that there are various kinds of kiosk consumers: experienced internet technology users as well as retired people, who are not ready to give up cash desks with managers. The task of kiosks was to substitute a cash desk and to become a quick and convenient way of implementing transactions on a client’s account or card. To be more precise, we intended to transfer all the functionality to the kiosks and to make them as easy to operate and convenient as possible based on the best principles of UX.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We contacted Stfalcon and liked the solution as well as the approach to design team work they proposed.

Describe the project in detail.

We needed an interface design developed for two kiosk users types: the clients of the bank and the users, who are not Credit Agricole clients. For the first group, we wanted to provide the possibility to authorize through the telephone and the extended list of services. The second group had to have quick and hassle-free access without authorization to the most popular services like topping up, cash deposits and some others. Besides, we needed separate screens for the services intended for independent entrepreneurs, screens which allow cash operations of various kinds and the screens for all the possible system errors and notifications.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of 2 designers, 1 manager, 1 QA, and 1 frontend developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got kiosk design mockups, which, in their turn, are implemented on our side.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We are quite satisfied with the project management, the most valuable thing for us in cooperation was the flexibility in work and the ability to propose solutions.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We especially liked the way Stfalcon designers work. A great scope of work was dedicated to design research and it resulted in an ideally crafted clear and user-friendly interface. However, the design team did not stop at that point but suggested a custdev to us. The design variants developed were tested on a focus user group. All the drawbacks and benefits revealed as a result of the tested user experience were transferred to the final design variant.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are grateful to Stfalcon team for the valuable work and their ability to build a partnership.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We’re a financial company that helps people get online credits to their bank cards anytime and in any place.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Stfalcon?

Our product has been in the market for more than five years, but it needed a few improvements. We hired Stfalcon to optimize and modify our service.

What were your goals for this project?

A significant aspect of our service is applying for loans. Most leads get lost at this stage, so our primary goal in service optimization is to create a convenient and comfortable process for our users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Several IT companies were recommended to us. After studying their experience and having personal communication with their team, we went with Stfalcon.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Stfalcon reworked the business logic for loan completion and personal account improvement. They also optimized various site requests.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, a frontend developer, and backend developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We received high-quality work in a comparatively short time. It’s too early to speak about the results, but we’re sure it will be quite beneficial and positive.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

During the process, we were able to set up a mutual understanding quickly. We’re pleased with the project manager’s performance. All requirements were met.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated the helpful and cooperative process we had working together. Stfalcon exceeded expectations, delivering a quality service.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We’re quite pleased with the cooperation, and we're planning future work with Stfalcon.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the co-founder and sales manager for Developers Shore, a Swedish IT agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Stfalcon?

We engaged Stfalcon on behalf of a third-party client to develop an app.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a successful partnership that would deliver a high-quality product to our client.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them through a recommendation.

Describe the project in detail.

We first acquired our client’s requirements and mockups for the app they wanted us to build. After several meetings between Stfalcon and our client, we started work on the app. Key features include video integration and chat functionality.

What was the team composition?

We worked with Android and iOS mobile developers as QA testers and a project management team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have now successfully launched the mobile app and have received positive feedback from our client.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager understood every requirement and offered valuable insights. They communicated effectively from start to finish. We could reach out to them at any time to discuss additional features.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They delivered high-quality products rapidly and supported us throughout the entire project. We never had any problems with documentation.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their English-speaking skills were mostly solid, but sometimes a language barrier got in the way of our collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the head of digital product development for Nova Poshta. We are a delivery and shipping company based in Ukraine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Stfalcon?

We engaged Stfalcon to revamp our e-commerce site called Nova Poshta Shopping. We also needed to improve the UX of our Personal Dashboard tool.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to remake a platform that allows users to purchase products online from abroad and have them delivered to Ukraine. We also wanted to expand and improve the user-friendliness of our online services.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found a few software development companies that fit our requirements. Stfalcon stood out from the competition by offering clear solutions and a large stack of technologies that matched our project needs.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

For the Personal Dashboard tool, Stfalcon redesigned the interface, built the new web application, and integrated the frontend with Nova Poshta’s API. For Nova Poshta Shopping, Stfalcon developed individual storefronts for each company, complete with functionality, shipping addresses, and specified currencies.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a team of UI/UX designers, back- and frontend developers, and project managers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Nova Poshta Shopping won an award as the best forwarding service for international online shopping.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Stfalcon’s project manager helped oversee each stage and ensure that their team met every requirement. They also served as the point of contact between our two organizations. The project overall ran smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their skilled team found the most efficient design possible for our web service without limiting its functionality. They demonstrated professionalism from start to finish, and we are highly satisfied with their top-notch results.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They could expand their services in data analysis and machine learning, but overall, we’re pleased with their performance.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an online veterinary service. We provide an app that allows users to book and meet veterinarians though video calls.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stfalcon?

While we were able to get veterinary physicians to sign up with us, the success of our business depends on the technological stability of our platform. Therefore, we needed an experienced development firm to create our website, build the mobile app, and integrate relevant third-party applications.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stfalcon developed our native mobile apps for both iOS and Android. That process involved building a backend infrastructure to support a complex calendar feature. They also implemented an administrative system to facilitate a quick login process for vets. Then, they integrated the platform with third-party software to enable payment and video call functionality. Finally, they built our website using WordPress and included SEO-focused content.

What is the team composition?

They assigned 10–14 people to our account. That team included a project manager, iOS developers, Android developers, QA resources, SEO specialists, and frontend designers.

How did you come to work with Stfalcon?

We found Stfalcon through a third-party company that connects startups with development firms.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent nearly €200,000 (approximately $227,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Stfalcon’s work took place from April–September 2018. The platform has launched, and we’re continuing to refine the service.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform has a 4.9 rating on both The App Store and Google Play. However, most users have given it a perfect score. We almost have 10,000 downloads, so I’d say that Stfalcon did a great job. The product has been well received according to the metrics we track.

How did Stfalcon perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had some difficulties with the language barrier at times, but were able to clarify things by writing them out. However, that usually occurs when working with the developers as opposed to the project manager. We mostly communicate via Slack and video calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Stfalcon is a great company to hire when launching the first version of a platform. They built a stable product at a fair price. We look forward to using the current build to attract new investors. We’re happy with how they performed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I recommend that they pay more attention to documentation. They’re a proactive team, but proper preparation can save a lot of time as a project progresses.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-owner and CEO of NIC.UA LLC, one of the largest domain name registrar and hosting providers in Ukraine.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Stfalcon?

We have hired the Stfalcon team to help us create a brand-new frontend from scratch. They are making the HTML-only design and our in-house designer produced work compatibly with our backend API integration.

What were your goals for this project?

As our number of users increases exponentially, the service should become more flexible and simpler to scale. We specified that it be based on modern technologies so it could handle a huge number of our users. Lastly, we needed to integrate intellectual search into the website to make it easier and faster to find domain names.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Stfalcon on the internet after considering numerous other teams. They offered a great technology stack and sufficiently experienced developers. We proposed the idea of using a time and materials contract so we could see the results first. Most importantly, our discussions with the sales manager and interview with the team indicated that we have a common vision for the project.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Standard admin dashboards have a limited number of functions, so Stfalcon developed a custom version that suits all our needs. We created modules to display in certain parts of the screen and landing pages for discount offers. The flexible dashboard lets our site administrator restructure each page without touching its code.  

To create a smart search option, Stfalcon implemented smart caching for requests and added features common to major search engines like transliteration, synonyms search, and translation. Whether a user searches a domain in Russian or English, it generates examples of domain names that best suit their request in both languages. 

Stfalcon’s developers used WebSockets to quickly aggregate and display domain data.  It conveniently shows users the first results while conducting the rest of the search in the background. The team made it compatible with our API for authentication and orders.

What was the team composition?

Six talented people from Stfalcon worked on our website redesign. Their team included a project manager, three backend developers, a frontend developer, and a QA specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Our number of visitors drastically increased right after we launched the redesigned site. The smart search feature has helped us attract many new leads and sell a high number of domains.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Stfalcon's project manager clearly grasped everything we needed to implement on the new version of our website. They gave us useful advice and communicated at a high level. We could contact them at any time to discuss additions. Stfalcon has a very flexible management approach. It was never an issue to make changes or add functionality during development. Their flexibility was very convenient.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Stfalcon is a professional, goal-oriented team.  Their manager works hard to delve deep into your project. They understand what not only you but also your customers need, which is excellent.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

Talk to the team you plan to hire. Even if you don’t have a technical background, ask if they understand your project and have them describe their vision for its realization. 

In our case, all the team members from Stfalcon were interested in our project. They have all demonstrated a desire to perform well and deliver great results.