Closeloop Technologies LLC

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CIO of GSC Enterprises, Inc

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a wholesale grocery distributor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Closeloop Technologies to accomplish?

• Develop Proof of Delivery Android App

SOLUTION

How did you find Closeloop Technologies?

Referral

Why did you select Closeloop Technologies over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Closeloop Technologies were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The scope of work was to develop a proof of delivery Android app for our delivery drivers. Our delivery process is unique. Therefore, we needed a custom software solution. Our deliverables are the app itself along with underlying code.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The measurable outcomes from the project are delivered versions of the software.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team is very responsive. So far, they have met or exceeded all schedule commitments. They are also very responsive to our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Closeloop Technologies?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What we found most impressive was how they immersed themselves in our business to learn it's nuances. This turned out to be crucial in developing the software we needed.

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

The only thing I can think of that I think could do better is regard to communicating their estimated schedules. They are a professional software development company and use professional software development scheduling terms. Unfortunately, we were not well versed in these terms. They cleared up our confusion pretty quickly though.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the chief digital officer for Tailored Brands, Inc., which is a leading men’s wear category retailer in North America. I was in charge of e-commerce, omnichannel, and innovation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Closeloop Technologies?

We were looking to build an e-commerce mobile app with a backend platform for the clothing industry, but we didn’t have the technological resources and knowledge to build it in-house.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Closeloop Technologies helped us develop a mobile app that essentially operates as a virtual closet and it allows consumers to interact and understand how to put outfits together.

We had very frequent check-ins and the CEO would even meet with us locally on a weekly basis for business strategies and overall program management ideation. We went through multiple iterations for this app and it was delivered on time, because we were able to conduct all of the consumer testings we had set out to do.

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with the CEO.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere between $80,000–$100,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July 2017–April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We ended up not commercializing the project because the priorities of our leadership changed. However, we had metrics for the delivery of the interim product throughout the life of the project, and Closeloop Technologies was able to hit every one of those milestones.

They designed a fully-functioning app and provide thousands of our beta users with its full capabilities.

How did Closeloop Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was good. They hit all their deadlines and kept the communications simple and easy to understand. It was very seamless interacting with the team even though they had a large offshore group doing the work.

We communicated through emails, Zoom, phone calls, and also had in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed with their unique onshore and offshore model and highly-experienced CEO — we liked him so much that we offered him a separate contract to retain him as our technology adviser on our other projects. They were able to go all the way from strategy, idea, and business partnering with us at the highest level, all the way down to the execution of the project.

I also found their execution very disciplined and timely. They provided us with cost-effective solutions at a quicker pace compared to some of the larger competition — so they were very economical in that sense.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were happy with what they delivered so I can’t think of anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have a complicated and difficult problem and you’re not exactly sure how to build it, Closeloop Technologies can help shape the solution for you. They can provide you with a fast and economical approach and will work with you with the ideation and understanding of the market.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the senior VP of Tailored Brands, Inc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Closeloop Technologies?

We were looking to help people utilize their mobile devices to style their clothes or recommend the right items to wear on certain occasions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Closeloop Technologies helped us build a personal stylist via a mobile app experience. The partnership started with a whiteboard brainstorming session where we discussed customer behavior and challenge points. 

We decided on the design then talked about the key features, functionalities, and what the UI would look like. After that, they developed a prototype to help us visualize what we were developing. The app is completely custom-coded and was developed for the iOS and Android platforms. 

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with the CEO and product manager.

How did you come to work with Closeloop Technologies?

They were referred to us by our CDO at the time. We chose them because the Closeloop Technologies team has such an amazing background and deep technical expertise. They just really understand the connectivity of mobile app technology.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $60,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August 2017–June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The measurement of success was Closeloop Technologies’ ability to translate our requirements into a functioning prototype — they understood our business and designed a user-friendly mobile app. It was an amazing experience because I only shared my vision verbally, but they were able to successfully execute my ideas very well.

We presented the app to a company-wide annual event and it was welcomed with a positive response. 

How did Closeloop Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They were really responsive from a project management standpoint. We gave them really tight timelines, but they were just so great with their communication and each iterative round was significantly better than the last.

We typically communicated through emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were very impressed with how they were able to translate the ideas and vision from someone’s head and bring it to life. We were also impressed with the quality of their work and how they were able to deliver in really tight timelines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I usually have constructive feedback, but the Closeloop Technologies team was world-class, professional, and responsive throughout. Working with them is one of the most impressive experiences I’ve ever had.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think sometimes a lot of people are very constrained on how things should work and what the requirements might be, so my advice for them is to dream big. Closeloop Technologies will figure out the hows because they’re visionaries that understand how everything works.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a software company that does real-time video processing. We’ve been recently acquired.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Closeloop Technologies?

We created some pretty innovative video technology that needed a full-scope app to go around it. The app needed to include user profiles, data processes, a billing system, and a whole backend admin panel.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Closeloop Technologies developed a robust, three-dimensional application for us. It had a backend data system that aggregated consumer user data and allowed businesses to have control and manage marketing campaigns. They built all those services and the billing system around them.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Assim (CEO & Founder). He acted as our CTO for the application, and we had a project manager working with us. They were our direct points of contact. Additionally, we sat on many calls with the dev team, but it wasn’t necessary.

How did you come to work with Closeloop Technologies?

It was through a referral. We had a small team, so we couldn’t take on the bandwidth beyond what we were doing. In the past, we’d worked with many software development companies that turned out to be pretty bad, so we did a lot of research.

After I got the referral, I talked to Assim and liked the idea that he’d take the role of CTO. He assured me he’d get it done. Also, his prices were very competitive.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2016–July 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product worked really well. It accomplished all of our goals and was nice-looking and easy to follow. Basically, it allowed us to present our core technologies.

Moreover, they were the first software company that delivered the product they promised. We had some tight deadlines because our first goal was to be ready for a conference, and we thought there was no way they’d make it happen, but they did. We met the deadline and showed off the product at the conference, where we got some great prospective contacts and investors just by showing the working app.

How did Closeloop Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

It was fantastic. We had daily status meetings and ongoing updates. Assim let me fit into all of the dev team meetings. They kept every deadline, met the sprints, and ensured that everything was completed when we needed it. Also, they let us make changes to the scope if we had to.

Whenever there was a bug, they responded quickly and fixed it. We never had to beg them to do anything, and they spent a lot of time whiteboarding and going over ideas. We were able to meet them in person, which was great since they were offshore developers.

Overall, Closeloop Technologies was an excellent asset, and they added to what we were looking for. It was a great experience.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to meet deadlines was their best trait. It’s a huge challenge in the industry, and it’s really important in a lot of cases, especially if you have a tight budget. Closeloop Technologies was able to come in within that.

Also, they had deep technical knowledge. Assim came from really great companies, and he always had his finger on the pulse of what was going on in the tech world and Silicon Valley.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had a great experience that ended up with an acquisition, so we were happy overall. The only thing that would be nice is if they were in a different time zone, but using offshore developers keeps costs down, especially if you’re a startup.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Choose them. Many software companies overpromise and under-deliver, and Closeloop Technologies doesn’t do that.

On the other hand, have an honest conversation about your goals and budget. Also, don’t scope creep because if you keep adding features, you’ll never be done.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a music company, and we have a platform for discovering international music. Basically, people audition their music, and they license it through our platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Closeloop Technologies?

We engaged Closeloop Technologies to handle our web and app development projects. They said they had an outsourced facility that could do the app rather easily.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Closeloop Technologies only worked on our site’s backend. Since we had a content database, they worked on the backend to make sure that the search functionality of our website was working well. The backend was intricate and custom-made, but I wasn’t sure what it was built on. On the frontend, we had an internal designer and she changed a few pages, which were implemented by the team’s technology group.

They then began building our iOS and Android app, which we used to show how our website works. Once they completed that, they provided us with maintenance services and they resolved all of our technical issues. The team continues to implement updates on both the site and app — nothing’s ever complete and we just continue to enhance what we have.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people, but we mainly worked with their project manager. They also had a team of developers based in India.

How did you come to work with Closeloop Technologies?

I met their owner at an event I went to.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent $50,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2018, and we continue to collaborate. We currently have a retainer agreement with Closeloop Technologies.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Internally, we like what they’ve done to our site and app. However, we don’t have feedback from customers since we’re a B2B company. We also made a lot of money because of their work because we’ve been able to use it for demonstration purposes. Overall, they're great because they always do what they’re supposed to do.

How did Closeloop Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a great project management process. We communicate through phone calls, texts, and emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve been impressed with their communication skills.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was a time when they had a personnel change and that made things very difficult. However, I know that it could happen to anybody.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just be very clear about what you want from them, and they’ll accomplish it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product manager of Piktonik, and we’re an online photography platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Closeloop Technologies?

Before we worked with Closeloop, we had a platform that was completely nonfunctional, so we needed someone to redevelop it and get it up and running again.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Closeloop Technologies came in and provided us with a seamless transfer of our outdated platform into a more high-quality one. We initially discussed our problems with them and they implemented exactly what we needed in terms of features. They used Node.js and React.js to implement some essential photography functions such as image processing and image display. 

We’re currently working on enhancements, new requirements, and product support with the team.

What is the team composition?

We work with around 10 people from their team, including a project manager, tech lead, and the rest are made up of the engineering team.

How did you come to work with Closeloop Technologies?

We came across Closeloop from one of our investors, and we chose them because the onshore and offshore model has been such a unique and cost-effective model for us. Apart from that, the expertise of their CEO and CTO has been really helpful.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested around $180,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The ongoing partnership started in January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since launching the product, we’ve gained around 150,000 users and a revenue of around $1.2 million per year. Additionally, we actually compared Closeloop’s estimated time of delivery to their development counterparts, and Closeloop delivered the software much quicker than they would have.

How did Closeloop Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We typically use Skype, Zoom, and Google Hangouts to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their timely delivery, and the fact that they’re completely engaged with us at a business level. They understand our problems, listen to our ideas, and provide us with the best solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The way they provide us with solutions can sometimes take longer than it should, but the end product is always robust and doesn’t impact our costs.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be upfront with Closeloop Technologies about your thoughts and ideas. Never think that you’re going to overshare information, because they’re very good at handling and understanding complex scenarios — the more information you give them, the better they can provide you with a complete solution.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Project Manager of Emids

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Emids is a healthcare's digital transformation leader, delivering business and tech solutions that help payers, providers and tech-enablers maximize technology to deliver care better.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Closeloop Technologies to accomplish?

We wanted to make our company software more productive, efficient, and error-free. So we hired Closeloop to create a custom software solution that automates some of our key processes and tasks. This way, we can save time, improve quality, and satisfy our customers.

SOLUTION

How did you find Closeloop Technologies?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Closeloop Technologies over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Outstanding communication

How many teammates from Closeloop Technologies were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

EMIDS needed a web-based application that allows us to manage our projects, tasks, deadlines, and resources in a centralized and collaborative way. Also, a code generation tool that automatically creates high-quality and standardized code for various platforms and languages based on our specifications and requirements, with a testing and debugging tool that automatically detects and fixes errors, bugs, and vulnerabilities in our code and ensures its functionality and performance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Closeloop services boosted our productivity and efficiency by 20% above the industry average, increased our customer satisfaction and retention by 10%, and raised our revenue and profit by 8%.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Closeloop's project management was outstanding. They delivered all the items on time and within budget. They followed a scrum methodology that allowed us to review and provide feedback on each sprint of the software solution. They communicated frequently and clearly with us through email, phone, and video calls. They responded to our needs and requests quickly and professionally. They also provided training and support for the software solution after the launch.

What was your primary form of communication with Closeloop Technologies?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We found Closeloop's team to be very impressive and unique. They had a high level of expertise and experience in custom software development, especially in the software development sector. They were very creative and innovative in designing and developing the software solution. They were also very passionate and enthusiastic about the project and our vision. They went above and beyond our expectations and delivered a software solution that exceeded our goals and objectives.

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

No major complaints or suggestions for improvement. Clooseloop Technologies did a fantastic job, and we are very happy with the results. We would highly recommend them to anyone who needs a custom software solution for their software development company.