DECODE

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Pinecone

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Pinecone is a software company that provides specialized digital solutions for the Hospitality and Industrial laundry industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire DECODE to accomplish?

• The goal was to digitally transform our client’s hospitality services for their hotel & resort. The guest could reserve a massage, rent a bike, plan an excursion, all from the comfort of their hotel room. We also wanted the app to be white label, so it could serve the client on any possible locations.

SOLUTION

How did you find DECODE?

Referral

Why did you select DECODE over others?

High ratings, Great culture fit, Good value for cost, Referred to me, Company values aligned, Other

What was the size of DECODE’s team?

2-5 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with DECODE?

In-Person Meeting, Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

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

We hired DECODE to develop an iOS app both for the iPhone and the iPad. We also required UX/UI design from them. The app was made on the iOS platform to serve as a counterpart to its already-existent Android version. The point of the app was to create a virtual receptionist app, in order to make the guests stay more pleasant. Features such as the information center, currency conversion, meal ordering, and trip scheduling were all implemented to achieve that goal. DECODE wrote the code in Swift, also utilizing supporting tools such as RxSwift, Realm, and SnapKit.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• UX/UI design deliverables
• iOS app for iPhone
• iOS app for iPad

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

We synergized very well with DECODE’s team. Using tools such as JIRA for project management and Slack for communication, we were always in the loop. Using regular daily and weekly meetings also strengthened our teamwork.

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

DECODE’s focus on the project was most impressive to us. Never deviating from our stated goals, they kept to their schedule and achieved everything they promised.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

DECODE exceeded our expectations and we have no suggestions for improvements.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of Vitastiq Inc, an Indiegogo-backed lifestyle product startup from Zagreb, Croatia. Vitastiq is a company behind the world's first personal gadget that helps track your vitamin and mineral trend using a smartphone. Vitastiq provides information about 26 vitamins and minerals and their natural sources.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire DECODE HQ?

A companion mobile application is a crucial part of our product that is based on the vitamin tracking device. As a consumer product startup, we didn’t have the needed software engineering capabilities in house, so we hired DECODE to build the mobile application for us.

What were your goals for this project?

As a startup, we wanted our innovative product to grow fast. A mobile app is the only way to consume the device’s readings and derive value from them, so it was of utmost importance for us to be simple, intuitive and superb in usability and UX. The mobile app development project had a major impact on our company’s overall business, right next to the device itself.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found ourselves in a position where we had to disengage from our initial app vendor on account of their inability to deliver such a demanding project. DECODE came highly recommended from our hardware platform vendor, who had done business with them before and were convinced in their capability. It was DECODE’s agility, overall technical expertise and previous experience with mobile-connected devices that made our core team decide to go with them.

Describe the project in detail.

We had the hardware figured out but we were looking for a dependable partner to develop the app that would sync with the hardware pen that scans vitamin and mineral levels. The goal of the app was to display and track the data from the vitamin checks and help their users make educated decisions about their health.

Accurate and reliable communication between the mobile phone (app) and the pen was one of the key technical requirements. In addition to implementing native mobile applications for iOS and Android, 3 different versions for each platform, DECODE also worked with our team on the backend web system. DECODE also provided consultancy on all technical aspects of the product.

What was the team composition?

DECODE’s team consisted of 1 Android, 1 iOS developer and a technical lead that managed the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first app versions were more than good enough to attract early adopters, technology enthusiast, and journalists - WIred named us “the coolest thing in their office” at the time. Based on that initial feedback and learnings, we worked with DECODE on quickly releasing subsequent versions with improvements and new features, which led to thousands of downloads in the first months.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Working with DECODE was no different than working with our own staff. The communication was very open, both ways, which enabled us all to be very efficient. Our offices are literally “across the street”, so most of our meetings and workshops were face to face. DECODE delivered on their promises, making set deadlines with no exceptions and being much more than “just” a vendor, a true partner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

While working on Vitastiq, DECODE pulled all the stops. Of course, they delivered the project, but what’s also important is the relationship with us and the way they work. Their communication was highly responsive, they were proactive and had that youthful zeal. I don’t know how they did it, but the whole time we were working together, we felt like we were their only client!

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only thing I “regret” about working with DECODE was not knowing them earlier so we could have hired them from the very beginning.