TechAhead

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a socio-politically oriented startup. We’re creating an opinion networking app that facilitates discussions and debates on various issues. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with techahead?

Our objective was to find a developer who could help us build our iOS and Android apps and get them launched in app stores.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Techahead is developing a mobile app that to encourage socio-political discussion between users. The solution allows users to pose generate conversation prompts that have two sides. People can then upvote or downvote the post, comment on it, save and share it, and more. To find topics that are more relevant, you can search through categories and location-specific prompts that interest you.

What is the team composition? 

We work with a project manager.

How did you come to work with techahead?

When we started looking for a vendor we went to Google and Clutch to make a shortlist of app developers that we liked — many of them were off-shore due to cost constraints. We reached out to the candidates, and the bigger names got back to us, including techahead. 

There were a couple of factors that led us to choose techahead. The main driver was that I loved their website, which was a good indicator of their potential technical engineering capabilities. They had big-name clients on their portfolio, too, which drew me in. 

I also noticed that their English was up to par for our needs. They had a simplistic way of conveying what they did and how they could help us. That boded well for us because we were making a product for the US market. Finally, they understood the full scope of our product and didn’t treat us as just another client. It felt like they saw the vision behind the platform and still do.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them since October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still working on other features, so we haven’t gone live yet. The aim is to go into a QA and beta testing phase in February 2021 before releasing the first version of the app. As for working with techahead, they’re a good team. They’re nice, extremely professional, and super talented. Not to mention, it’s fantastic to collaborate with them.

How did techahead perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager they’ve assigned is phenomenal. She understands our requirements, has a good grasp of our work ethic, and communicates with several people on our team, all of whom are working on different things. They’re also super prompt with getting back to us. If there are any delays in our timeline, they’ve been nice about it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the best things about techahead has been how accommodating they’ve been to us piling on features into the app. After the team got a good understanding of our vision, they sketched out a prototype pretty quickly, which allowed us to visualize our product and then add features incrementally. 

Even though this has pushed the initial timeline out by two (if not more) months, they’ve always been understanding. They assess our change request, quickly give us a quote, and then send an invoice.

Are there any areas they could improve?

My main feedback would be that they could improve upon their transition from the discovery phase to writing a scope of work (SOW). For one specific task, they came up with an SOW within 1–2 discovery phone calls, which I thought was really fast. It turned out that the SOW wasn’t fully complete, so we asked them to add in any missing items that we pointed out. 

Lo and behold, they were as accommodative as they could be, even on the new items that were glaringly not in the original prototype.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re trying to get something done within a limited budget and know you have a growing idea, then definitely check out techahead. I’d also suggest making sure you’re as thorough as you can be during your discovery phone calls. You need to be as clear as possible down to the very last detail. They won’t let you down once they understand the full scope of work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a booking application for physicians.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techahead?

We brought Techahead on board to develop a web and mobile app for physicians, clinicians, and administrators.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the beginning of the project, I just had a concept. Through a series of calls, I explained my idea and what I was looking for. Following that, they provided me with wireframes and UI design. Then they developed the platform and ensured that it was HIPAA compliant.

What is the team composition?

I was in contact with a project manager throughout the process, but I was able to contact all six team members directly as well.

How did you come to work with Techahead?

I chose Techahead because of their reviews on Clutch. I wanted a partner with experience building applications for the healthcare industry and could guarantee HIPAA compliance. I also wanted a smaller company that could focus on my project and offered hourly prices that could fit my budget.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in December 2019 and they delivered the final product in January 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

From what I can tell, the final product is really good. I hired a technical advisor to test the app, but I haven’t received a report yet.

How did Techahead perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through WhatsApp and email. They were always easy to reach.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was able to reach them at any time. They regularly worked overtime and responded quickly whether it was a weekday or the weekend.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could have communicated their prices better. Originally, they quoted my project just under $30,000. However, after all of my change requests, we spent about $60,000.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

New clients should have a plan to test the app once it’s complete. Once they were done with development, I had a hard time finding someone to test the app.

They also should focus on outlining the deliverables clearly to avoid change requests.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of a tech startup company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with techahead?

We wanted to develop a mobile application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

techahead created a native mobile platform for Android and iOS from scratch. It’s a social networking app, so it has a registration and a map feature that hasn’t been seen on any other app yet. Users can comment and like, as well as add someone. They built it using Kotlin and Swift, and the backend is in Python. 

What is the team composition?

I mainly liaised with one person who acted as the scrum master for the team. I believe the whole team included a designer, a QA specialist, a scrum master, and Android, iOS, and backend developers. It was all managed by one person.

How did you come to work with techahead?

I talked to different companies and found techahead to be very professional.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It began in early May 2020, and we launched in October 2020. They gave us a three-month guarantee to do any fixes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were brilliant. techahead was responsive to emails and any issues that arose as we went along.

How did techahead perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good at communicating and even if there was an issue, they communicated well. We communicated through email with the scrum master who would then communicate to the rest of the team. It made it very easy for us as the client to get to the right people.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their professionalism was most impressive. They followed all the processes we gave them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I can think of. They were what they sold themselves to be.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try and have a technical person on your side as well to help to make the most out of techahead.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Hollywood Trainer, Inc a Health and Wellness company operating over 28 years. Director of Operation

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire techahead, and what were your goals?

We hired Techahead to update our subscription based Healthy Living Website and to Develop an APP feeding from our current website.

SOLUTION

How did you select techahead and what were the deciding factors?

I first became aware of TechAhead via Clutch during my own search as I was not impressed with the recommendations given by Clutch. My deciding factors were:

1. They had previous experience building an application similar to what we needed.
2. Shanal and Deepak took the necessary time to review the scope of the job.
3. We took a few months before making a decision and during that time I presented Techahead with many questions and they were always happy to answer expediently.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Scope:

1. Design and development of iOS and Android mobile application
2. Bug Fixing of the currently reported issues in the Club website and its performance optimization including PHP Upgrade and Exception Handling.
3. Existing Database Redesign and Optimization for better performance and scalability
4. APIs Development for the mobile app.
5. Deployment of the application on Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS for reliability and scalability.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Techahead has assigned a team of 8 people consisting of a Project manager, Coders, Designers and more. Each team member has given us 110% of their efforts. In addition, they have taken on our project and treated us as if they are an extension of our company. We are very pleased with the team we have been assigned.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Our project is still ongoing. However, our website is immersive with lots of moving parts and we had 18 functionality issues to fix, plus bug clean up.

1. We have witnessed a 90% reduction in customer concerns in regards to the issues that have been fixed.
2. Our website has been optimized and runs much more effectively.
3. Streaming videos operate more effectively without lagging or skipping issues and we have seen a 90 % reduction in customer concerns on this issues. The very few members who report Vimeo video player issues we find the problem is associated with their internet speeds and we just need to have them adjust play back quality and all is fine.
4. We have. witnessed a 85% improvement on our billing page amongst international subscriptions.
5. We have recognized an increase in our monthly member retention which is partly due to the updates and our ongoing efforts to change our customer service style.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

We have meetings twice a week. When needed our project manager changes the style of the meeting to more of a workshop. They adjust to meet your needs when it comes to project management.

Somedays we need to work with designers more closely so the meetings change to a workshop style via Zoom Somedays we just need to review upcoming tasks. If you have any concerns about your team being overseas I can assure you that we have had no issues at all. The team meets us during our business hours.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They always show professionalism and integrity. When we have shown any concern the Techahead team has worked extremely hard to resolve any issues. I was worried about the communication mainly due to the time difference between India and United States.

That has not been an issue at all. As a matter of fact, it has been a bonus because they work on our website in the middle of the night our time so customers are not affected. We have access to our team at all times. We can contact them any time of the day or night 24 hrs.

If we have an immediate issue they respond immediately . Techahead has treated our business as if it is an extension of their own. They truly operate in a manner that is if you succeed then so do they.

Ashutosh Bisen has been our Project Manager and he does an excellent job with deliverables. We are running behind on our APP project but many factors played a roll mostly the updates that had to be performed on our website but Ashutosh presented the delay to me two months ahead of time so our company could make changes. When it comes to response time they are amazing.

They respond swiftly within minutes to any issues we have and they apply fixes quickly we have worked with many development , website build companies and not one has come close to Techahead when it comes to fast service.

We had calendar scheduling issues that were complex problems and intertwined with different functions within our cub. Harish and Swati worked with me until they understood how the system was to perform and they found the solution and fixed the issues when other coders could not.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Not at this time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Access International School, a language school in São Paolo, Brazil.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with techahead?

They helped us develop the new version of our mobile app for students and teachers. We had an app with all of the exercises, information, and reports for the students and teachers, but we needed to upgrade it, because it was 4–5 years old. We’d been thinking about updating the app, and due to COVID, we needed to upgrade it quickly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

techahead upgraded our mobile app’s design and added new features, such as an integration with Zoom. They made it possible for teachers to upload videos so that students can watch them. They added a chat feature that the whole class can use.

The techahead team used the most updated technology available. The app is for iOS and Android.

What is the team composition?

I worked with 6–7 people, including a project manager who led the team. He was wonderful. There were a lot of people working on IT and design.

How did you come to work with techahead?

I’d been looking for a company to create the new version of the app for about a year or so. I was talking with 3–4 companies, and techahead always replied quickly. They gave me all of the details that I needed. From our very first meetings, I could tell that they would work on this project like a part of our team. That was the main difference.

How much have you invested with them?

It was around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The collaboration started in June 2020, and it ended in late-September–early-October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’d give them 5-star feedback. They really exceeded all of my expectations, and my team had the same impression.

The app works perfectly on Apple and Android cellphones. Students are really pleased because all of the features work really well.

How did techahead perform from a project management standpoint?

They were really quick at responding to all of our emails. We had Zoom meetings 3–4 times a week. We ended up having to extend the deadline, but they met it.

We used Google Drive and Excel.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I felt that they really understood what we needed. techahead asked follow-up questions so that they could fully understand what we needed for the project, so that was quite impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve used a different tool, such as Monday.com, to keep track of tasks and communication. That’s the only thing I can think of.

Any advice for potential customers?

It’s really important to have the entire team take part in the first meetings so that you can get the whole picture of the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Order Now, Corp., a food and essentials delivery app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

We needed help with app design and development, along with other business processes.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechAhead helped us a lot in planning and approaching various aspects of the business. First, they took their time to create wireframes. We then came up with ideas of what we wanted to develop, and they helped us think through how we were going to make it happen. 

We were able to tell them if we wanted to make changes or if we wanted something done differently. After the wireframes, they did the design and we kept on making changes and additions. TechAhead then did the coding and development for the iOS and Android products. We also created a logo with them.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of developers. 

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

TechAhead gave us the best proposal. We saw their professionalism and good structure. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from March–September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to launch successfully. We’ve been operating for three weeks, and we’ve already had over 2,000 downloads and people creating accounts. It’s going well. 

The customers like it because we’re in an area where there’s no other delivery app, and they like the design and ease of use. Up to now, I’ve had no complaints in regards to the app. 

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

The team went the extra mile to meet our needs. When we began, we had a timeline that wasn’t possible, especially because we always wanted to make changes. After that, they met every timeline, and every time I had an issue, I was able to call them at any time.

Someone would always answer the phone no matter what and help me with any situation. There were a lot of ideas that came into our head before launching, and TechAhead worked nonstop to meet the timeframe.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were happy with the whole process, but the best thing about them was their service. From my perspective, if I get good service, it doesn’t matter if there are bumps in the road. 

Having someone who always answers and tries to meet your needs is the best thing. I never had to worry about being stranded. I always knew that they were going to help. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve improved their testing. The team could’ve made sure to test everything before sharing it with us. Sometimes they would share things and we would find errors. It wasn’t a big issue because I would tell them, and they would fix it within minutes. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Investigate before jumping into the project. Get to know the third-parties and try to decide which one will be the best for you. I had to do this as we went along because I had no idea of this, and TechAhead helped me with the whole process.

The team will help you through the process, but it will be even better if you investigate beforehand and to know what you want.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Fivespot is a full-service digital marketing agency service small to medium-sized businesses throughout Los Angeles and Ventura County.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TechAhead?

We have used TechAhead Corp for multiple app development projects throughout the past year and a half. That includes UX/UI design, iOS development, Android, and web applications.

What were your goals for this project?

Various objectives with each project since every project is different. The primary objectives being time, quality and budget. We needed a reliable team who can deliver on time and on budget, without compromising the quality.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met in a local networking group in 2018 in Agoura Hills, California. We reviewed their past work and portfolio. They had an impressive clientele!

Describe the project in detail.

We have a project manager and a team of developers and designers who work with us on a time and material basis on the different projects we hired them for. Also we have a local contact person here who acts as our Account Manager. We have projects ranging from mobile applications to web applications.

What was the team composition?

One project manager, 3-4 developers, and 2 designers, 1 tester/QA.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The clarity and understanding of the project from the client's needs' perspective, and delivery is what primarily stands out with TechAhead Corp.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager assigned to each project was extremely easy to communicate with and provided us with real-time updates. We communicate through our Slack channel and through Zoom video meetings. I am always impressed by the communication and flexibility for them to go the extra mile.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their attention to detail, immediate communications, and overall management and focus of each project impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing at all. We have had the pleasure of working with TechAhead Corp and their team, and will continue to do so for future client projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a sports organization wishing to develop a new product to engage new participants in a non traditional way

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire TechAhead?

We hired Techahead to develop the software having been through a Human Centred Design process to develop a technical specification

What were your goals for this project?

We aimed to engage million s of new customers through the launch of a product designed to engage

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We went through a detailed procurement process, starting with an Expression of Interest followed by a RFQ

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Techahead were given a detailed product specification and asked to turn it into a product (mobile app, website and admin panel). This was done across a number of milestones, each one building on the previous one.

What was the team composition?

Techahead engaged a large workforce on this project that changed over the period of the contract. However broadly it involved a Project Manager, Technical lead and design lead

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product is yet to launch. This was our decision and not a reflection of the work undertaken. We need to do more work to understand audience, commercials and launch strategy.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Techahead had a large team involved and our project team was not technical in nature. Techahead had a project manager who helped our team understand the issues, challenges and progress very well and connected to the relevant stakeholders on their side.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive element about Techahead was their flexibility. We changed our minds on a few elements and they were always able to flex to suit our needs and in particular some challenging timelines that were provided for them

Are there any areas for improvement?

At times, with a non technical team on our side, they could have explained some things in slightly simpler language

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of PicklePlay, a mobile pickleball app. We are dedicated to connecting players, courts, events, clubs, and all things pickleball on one platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

There was no easy way for players to use their phones to find places to play pickleball and connect with other players. We knew that there was nothing quite like this in the industry, and TechAhead helped us create the entire mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had this idea for an app, and TechAhead completely built the app for us. They developed native apps for iOS and Android. The app has a ton of features, including a map as well as the ability to chat with other users. There’s an activity feed where users can like, post, and comment on things, so that they can create events and awareness in their community.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a lot of people. Shanal (VP, Business Development) was the initial contact. He was in charge of getting us a quote and the sales end of things. Saurabh (Associate Project Manager) and Yukti (Project Coordinator) were the main project managers we were in contact with. I believe Saurabh oversaw the whole thing, and then Yukti was also in a management role.

We have nothing but wonderful things to say about them. We consider them friends now; we’ve talked so much, and they’ve gotten us excellent service. It’s definitely been a very difficult project, and we’ve had a lot of communication back and forth. They’ve been awesome.

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

We found them on Google. We interviewed a lot of different companies, and Shanal’s service, communication, and professionalism were great. We had a lot of questions, and he got back to us and responded to all of our questions over a period of months. We’re really thankful we decided to choose them.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent $110,000–$115,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started moving forward in October 2019, but we were in communication with them many months prior. The app is live in the App Store, but we’re not advertising yet because they’re just finishing up a final update. In the next day or two, we should get that and close this project completely. However, as with any technology, I’m sure we’ll need to make tweaks and changes to continue developing the app and making it even better. We’ll probably have monthly or bi-monthly updates. We intend to have a long-term relationship with TechAhead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They are extremely hardworking. This project was very difficult and probably more difficult than even they thought it was going to be, so I know they’ve gone above and beyond to get this done on our timeframe.

The app is really beautiful, extremely smooth, easy to use, and well put together. We have around 180 users so far – again, we haven’t advertised yet, so these are just people who have found the app on their own – and we’ve already received a lot of feedback on the quality of the app, as well as its look and feel.

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is wonderful; I have communication with them day or night, and they’ve gotten back to me and showed us that they’re working very hard on it. They’re responsive to any issues that come up.

We’ve mostly communicated through phone, email, and a Slack Channel. We also used WhatsApp toward the end when we needed to respond quickly, and that worked well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their work ethic and kindness set them apart. Even when we were stressed out about making decisions and trying to run a business, they were calm and kind.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m new to building an app, so this might not apply to people with more experience, but it could’ve been helpful to have more direction around the developer login account. This wasn’t a major issue, though.

Any advice for potential customers?

Ask for Saurabh and Yukti.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Fly Bodies LLC, a health and wellness company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with TechAhead?

We wanted to develop an app that allowed our clients to document their health journeys in a more sustainable way. We noticed that it was a lot of trouble for people to write down all of their calories and write down everything that they wanted to do from a workout standpoint.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

TechAhead built an iOS and Android mobile app. The team added functionality that allows users to document everything and not worry about writing long descriptions. The product also allows us to see people’s full day with pictures instead of having to just look at calories. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 7–9 teammates, but my direct contact is a product manager. 

How did you come to work with TechAhead?

I was originally working with another company, but their pricing was extremely expensive and I didn’t have the capital to pay for it. So, I researched companies that were cheaper but still provided the quality, and TechAhead came up.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent a little over $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in December 2019, and the app just launched in June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

TechAhead was very responsive in terms of making new builds. They did a great job. I was a little skeptical to be working with an offshore company because I didn’t know how well it would work given our time difference. I was very impressed with the performance they were able to achieve despite the time difference. 

How did TechAhead perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m in contact with the product manager daily who was very responsive to any questions. They communicated well through email. TechAhead stuck to their deadlines, and I appreciated their driving me to stay on top of the deadlines as well.

I have another job right now, so it was very helpful for me to have them staying on top of things and making sure that I was getting the work done. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

TechAhead did a great job of walking me through the product after they had completed each development aspect. They walked me through each feature and how it worked. The team helped me understand what features were implementable and how difficult it would be to implement certain features. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The team had a good checklist of things that needed to be done in a Google Sheet. However, they could’ve mapped out that process to make it easier for people to understand exactly what needed to be done.

If there had been a checklist of what I needed to do and when, it would’ve made it easier for me to know what to do first. There are a lot of steps in the process and they can be done out of order and at different times, but having that checklist laid out a little more would’ve been helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure your communication is as clear and as quick as possible. In order to make the process effective without being able to see them in-person, the communication has to be upfront and questions have to be answered in recurring meetings. 

Try to be as clear as you can about what you want in your product and then help TechAhead understand that.