Antonia Maiwald

Building from scratch, KindGeek developed a web platform in React integrating calendar and payment features.

Feedback summary

Early user feedback is positive on both design and functionality. Excellent project management was characterized by consistent follow-up and on-time delivery. KindGeek’s commitment, reliability, and precision contribute to high client satisfaction.

Challenge

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a startup with a digital peer-to-peer marketplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KindGeek?

We needed a production partner to develop the software for our project.

Solution

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KindGeek developed our web platform from scratch in React, building the frontend and the creating the backend logic. The platform that allows users to create profiles for clients to book personal shopping trips with them. There’s a calendar function to view availability and Stripe is integrated for automatic payments.

They started with the discovery phase, listening to our needs and coming up with suggestions for how to shape our idea into a compelling product. Following that initial phase, we started analyzing features. We went live in October. We’re still fixing bugs, continuously improving features, and updating, but the platform is up and running.

What is the team composition?

Our main contract at the beginning was the CEO. Then we worked with a full-time business analyst. We had a time-and-materials contract so our teams were composed on-demand when we needed specific resources rather than having a dedicated team. At peak times we worked with two frontend developers, two backend developers, a Q&A person, and a lead architect.

How did you come to work with KindGeek?

We were looking for a partner in Ukraine since we’d heard that there were competent options there with attractive pricing. We did some internet research and found KindGeek. We set up a call with the CEO and browsed the sites of their clients. We spotted a Swiss startup they had worked with and asked them for a reference. We only heard positive feedback so decided to give them a try. We used the discovery phase as a test and they convinced us.

We had looked at a handful of other companies. We initially spent a couple of months working with an Indian company, which didn’t work out. We also compared some Swiss development partners that were closer in proximity to us. However, in terms of the quality and the price, KindGeek outperformed all of those.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March to October 2018.

Results & Feedback

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I primarily have qualitative feedback on the UI and UX of our website. We hear positive feedback from early users that the design is appealing and they find the platform intuitive and straightforward. We’re extremely satisfied.

How did KindGeek perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via Slack and have calls through Google Hangouts. We use Jira as well as Sketch for design.

Our deadline had been set from the beginning as we had an important pitch event here in Switzerland for which we promised to have our product ready. They managed to meet that. They follow up on tasks and complete them with precision.

Our business analyst was outstanding in terms of communications and punctuality. Without her, I'm not sure we would be where we are today. Project management was really the best part of our experience. This was thanks primarily to our business analyst but my experience when I visited them confirmed their commitment and reliability to me.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The overall atmosphere when I visited was very welcoming. I could be sure that the people I met were the ones working on our project. That gave me a good feeling in the sense that I knew what was happening and what I was spending my money on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had a very limited budget and, in the beginning, it was hard to agree on the cost estimate with them for the exact scope that we could squeeze into that budget. Since then, they’ve managed well and we’ve stayed on track with the budget. It took us a while to define what was in and what was out in terms of features, but the final cost estimate was precise and we haven’t overspent or underspent.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

One of the most important things for me was spending a week at their office. I like to know the people that I work with. Our level of collaboration was heightened afterward because we talked to each other, we knew each other and we understood each other. I highly recommend making a visit.