iteo

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an online marketplace for elective cosmetic surgery. I’m the VP of engineering.

What challenge were you trying to address with iteo?

It goes back to the introduction of an iOS mobile app. Our engagement directly with iteo has been about two years now, but they were contracted through another service that we used to develop the inception of our mobile app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The native iOS mobile app is slightly different than what we have on the website. It’s geared more towards content curation for our highly-engaged consumers. Users can hop into the app and follow different procedures and treatments on an automated feed. Users can receive updates on reviews, Q&A from doctors, and even several promotions from specific doctors. They can also go through the booking procedure and connect with different members of the community.

For the build, we used open-source technologies. It’s a mix of Objective C native implementations. We have in-house designers that worked with iteo. We also had teams on our side that coordinated with them on the backend server implementation.

What is the team composition?

When we switched to directly working with them, we only had one engineer at any given time. They solely managed the entire app development side.

How did you come to work with iteo?

We found them through the other engagement we were in. We enjoyed working with their developers, so we reached out after that previous engagement ended.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the last two years, we’ve spent about $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I believe our engagement started in September 2018. We’re still working with them to figure out what support and maintenance look like for the next iOS version.

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

When we were directly engaging with them, they’d always meet their deadlines and objectives. There was a time in 2019 where we had to switch engineers. There was no disruption in service, and their team made everything go as smoothly as possible. They’re flexible and accommodating. I have nothing but good things to say about the engagement.

How did iteo perform from a project management standpoint?

We did the project management on our side. They did a great job of being proactive and letting us know when work needed to be done. They were responsive in terms of their needs on the server side and fielding bug issues. Jira is our primary communication tool. We also have them integrated into our Atlassian suite as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness sets them apart. They had a sense of ownership over their work. If something was unplanned, their developers were very proactive instead of waiting for a challenge to arise.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have anything that I think they could improve upon.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Bring them into your services. If you’re going to integrate them, make sure that they get into your development teams and build a relationship with your own engineers. You’d get the best out of their team if they’re more embedded that way.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of BioTrendy. In the beginning, the goal of the platform was only to advertise products on behalf of other companies and make a commission from that. I realized that if I wanted to provide something better, I would need to bring true value for the customers. By that, I mean not only advertising a product, but also providing additional information about it. I wanted to not only market them, but provide true descriptions of the products. 

What challenge were you trying to address with iteo?

I wanted to develop something that would have more impact on customer experience. This was my first time working on such a project, whereas I’d only had a small WordPress website before.

What was the scope of their involvement?

iteo planned an initial three-day workshop with me during which they listened carefully to everything I had to say and put themselves in my shoes in order to understand how the product would work and look and what its main aim was. I was quite impressed with how they treated me. The managing partner was also present along with a person responsible for the UX, two IT guys, and another person responsible for UX and marketing. 

After that, we had a sum-up meeting where they brought me to speed on everything that was accomplished. They also presented an MVP and asked me if there were any changes I wanted to make. This was the first step of our collaboration and I look forward to working with them again. 

How did you come to work with iteo?

I was referred to iteo’s managing partner by a friend. I got in touch with him about my idea and he proposed coming to Warsaw for a meeting. There, I explained what I wanted to develop and he gave me an offer.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost so far has been $1,500. The cost of the whole project will be approximately $125,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The MVP was ready in June 2019. This project with iteo was actually the first step and I’m looking forward to continuing working with them but am currently in the middle of testing the MVP with customers. I’m trying to get as many opinions as possible and adjust the business plan according to the feedback. Now that I know what the cost of the whole software will be, I can proceed based on that.

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

The project was completed in a very professional manner and I and the people who tested the MVP have been impressed with their quality. Several testers expressed that it would be a useful tool for them when searching for dietary supplements and other products. I haven’t seen anything like my platform on the internet so far, so it could be very helpful. 

How did iteo perform from a project management standpoint?

They were always on schedule and even finished the job earlier. I was really happy about that. We had contact through mail, phone, and video calls. iteo 100% met our expectations. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

During the workshop, I got the feeling that they were really there to help me and hear everything I wanted to say. They didn’t just try to sell their services to me but rather offered advice. I don’t have any knowledge when it comes to customer experience. iteo really wanted to help me with this and would even tell me when some of my ideas would be unnecessary. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I know this sounds contrived but I don’t have anything bad to say about iteo. I had a good experience and was treated in a good manner. They gave me professional advice and were ready to help me not only with the further development of the project but also with finding an investor at a later stage.

I have a friend who’s also making an MVP, but with a different company and in a different segment. I spoke to him about it and he wasn’t so happy with the service he received, so I consider myself lucky.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I can assure prospective clients that working with iteo will be a pleasure. They’re more than able to fulfill the projects they take on. I don’t know how common it is in today’s world for someone to try to put themselves 100% in the client’s shoes. It was the first time I experienced something like that. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a project manager at Sunbuk, an online booking platform for an Italian beach club.

What challenge were you trying to address with Iteo?

We reached out to Iteo to develop a website from scratch, so our members could reserve spots at our club more easily online.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Iteo built a platform from scratch using Javascript that allows users to reserve spots at our club. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked directly with the CEO.

How did you come to work with Iteo?

A friend who worked with them recommended them based on their ability to develop responsive websites and quality coding services. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between €30,000–€40,000 (about $34,000–$45,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the project from around December 2017–February 2019.

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

Iteo created our online presence from scratch, so all the business we've received from it is a direct result of their work. We had 50 partners sign up within the first few months.

How did Iteo perform from a project management standpoint?

The whole process went very well, even though their team was working from a different location. They were responsive and accessible through Slack, email, and phone. From the start, they understood our priorities and provided a lot of helpful feedback and ideas for how to improve the backend of the platform. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They developed a very responsive website. They were also very collaborative and easy to communicate with throughout the engagement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Involve them in the whole process, because they may be able to provide input or suggestions that can improve deliverables if they're brought in early enough. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of a technology-enabled property management platform. We partner agents with owners to provide them with a top property management experience.

What challenge were you trying to address with Iteo?

We’re a relatively new business, so we contracted with Iteo to design and develop our website. We also needed guidance to find the best SEO practices. Our primary goal was to craft a professional reputation through the graphics and messaging on our site.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re offering a new concept that can be difficult for people to understand, so Iteo’s first task was to coordinate our initial branding and messaging. They structured our home page so that once visitors found our site, they knew exactly what we do and what makes us different. Iteo’s team utilized Zeppelin software and the Sketch design system in their process. Once the website was completed, they determined the strongest keywords to properly optimize our website.

How did you come to work with Iteo?

We searched through a forum where designers can show their work, and we contacted several companies. Iteo was by far the best. They fit our desire to have a company that included designers and developers, so as to avoid a disconnect between different firms and teams. Iteo didn’t respond to our first attempt to contact them, but they responded to our second attempt. Our original budget was about $7,000, but Iteo said that budget wouldn’t yield much of a website. We briefly looked elsewhere for other firms that could work with that budget but soon realized that Iteo’s assessment rang true elsewhere. We re-engaged Iteo with an increased budget and started our website’s development.

How much have you invested with them?

The website itself cost about $28,000. We have since engaged them in other projects, so our total amount spent with them is near $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in February 2018 and remains ongoing.

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

Our website is optimized well and experiences promising levels of traffic. The website’s quality and the professional presence that has been created were crucial in helping us recently secure a large partnership. We believe we are now recognized as a legitimate company instead of another cute San Francisco startup.

How did perform from a project management standpoint?

Our initial quote was around $20,000, but the website price ended up being $28,000. Part of that discrepancy might have been how particular we are and the resulting back-and-forth we experienced. But as we’ve grown in our partnership, their budgeting has come to be more accurate. Other than that, their team does well in planning meetings, adhering to schedules, and following up when appropriate. We never have to worry about their ability to complete the work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of their work is high-level and eloquently done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Overall, we’ve enjoyed working with them. The website they built for us is better than I ever thought it could be.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you’re working with an offshore partner, you must be committed to the communication. Further, it’s important to trust their input because they’re the experts. Our team was quite particular in what we wanted, but we had to learn how to trust their judgement.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an IT manager in pharma company, and we deliver IT services for 3,000 users in Europe across our organization. Our landscape is very complex, consisting of about 30 countries and over 6,000 devices. We have a centralized service desk to reach our colleagues and provide IT support in local languages and in a multi-channel way via chat, email, or phone call.

What challenge were you trying to address with iteo?

As part of our service desk operations, we decided to implement an app that allows our customers to request any type of IT support with their mobile devices. Part of the marketing campaign for the app involved making a video for training our colleagues.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created our training video. We’re looking for new technologies and a new way of working, especially in IT, so one of our requirements was to learn something from iteo while they produced the video for us.

We didn’t put any limits to the technologies that iteo could use to develop our video. We just followed what they were doing and asked them to show us the tools, especially the ones they used for project management. We’re currently looking into other areas where we can work with them again.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact, in the beginning, was their head of U.S. operations. Then, their head of product design stepped in to act as the delivery lead along with a project manager.

How did you come to work with iteo?

I met a couple of their representatives last year. We started discussing what we were doing and if there were any areas we could collaborate in. We found that they had the right skills to create our video.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May until June 2018.

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

We reached the goal we had of promoting our service desk app. We launched it internally and posted the video on our YouTube account. I received a lot of questions from my colleagues across Europe asking who helped us with the video and requesting to have something similar. Now, our colleagues are looking at us with different eyes since they know we’re able to deliver different types of content rather than boring IT stuff.

How did iteo perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was probably the best part of this project. We used Basecamp to track progress and view drafts of the videos and had weekly or bi-weekly calls to plan the next steps. I was impressed by their methodology; it was very agile, straight to the point, and driven by priorities.

We did have some communication issues at the beginning because our company’s policy didn’t allow Google calls. Our main tool is Skype for Business and it wasn’t working properly on their side. Regardless of that, we gained a lot of knowledge about agile and Scrum methodologies. Overall, iteo is easy to do business with. Everything went smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re always skeptical about adopting new approaches and methodologies, but we decided to trust them and were impressed. They brought a lot of inspiration to the way we work. Beyond delivering an outstanding video, we learned how to do things in different ways that boost efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Additionally, they’re a customer-oriented and proactive team that delivers great work at a good price. They know their business, they listen to you and will deliver according to plan.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hiring them is a very good choice. They have creativity embedded in their DNA, which can really help you see things from a different perspective. Plus, they complete what they commit to.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of Integer.pl SA, a B2C logistics company that delivers packages to homes and parcel lockers in Poland, the UK, and Italy. We're the largest global network of fully automated parcel terminal solutions.

What challenge were you trying to address with Iteo?

Iteo works as our supplier for most of our ongoing projects. Each of their tasks strictly relates to the software that facilitates our daily door-to-door and locker deliveries. With over 6,000 machines installed worldwide, we need to constantly update and adjust this service to meet growing consumer needs.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Iteo handles our automated returns process that gives users highly convenient 24/7 access to the locker machines. Developers use geocoding, a challenging and rare technological skill, to produce geowidgets. This critical feature lets users select or redirect their parcel delivery to a specific automated locker.

The programmers also work with our consumer-facing frontend system. This key program facilitates several logistics services. Users can generate, rename, or modify package labels online from the comfort of their homes. They also have the option to change their mode of delivery for specific orders.

What is the team composition?

We scale the team from 3-10 resources as needed on a monthly basis. Since I’m not involved in daily tasks, I exclusively interface with their CEO. We have a direct business relationship. Our in-house CIO facilitates project management details.

How did you come to work with Iteo?

I first learned about Iteo while attending a logistics conferences. Their CEO gave a presentation that showcased his market knowledge. He has a great perspective on mobile app development, which is another core part of their business. I met with him to discuss working together after listening to his talk. After conducting the proper procurement process, we outsourced specific tasks to their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent $150,000- $200,000 on their work so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working collaboratively for about a year now. We plan to hire Iteo shortly to design a new mobile app for our end consumers. They’re very skilled, so I hope they win this contract as well.

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

Iteo fulfilled our critical Service Level Agreement (SLA) Key Performance Indicator (KPI). Features they fully developed by themselves, like the returns panel, haven't crashed once since the product release.

A consistently reliable partner, Iteo is a strong company who delivers skillful products. We haven't experienced a single problem from their side with the timeline or scope. Their quick reaction time has been a critical strength we've highly valued. Iteo is a consistently reliable partner.

How did Iteo perform from a project management standpoint?

I asked our internal project manager, my CIO, if there were any issues with the day-to-day workflow. He has experienced absolutely no problems so far. From his standpoint, Iteo makes the whole process runs smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate Iteo’s flexibility. Rather than focusing on one single area, they provide a variety of different services like mobile apps, programming, and geocoding, which is a challenging and rare technological skill. They're a talented and multifaceted company, which offers us a great value and ROI.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Iteo is not the cheapest team. They have a fairly expensive hourly rate, but the quality of their work is really good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I suggest checking their credentials and portfolio of projects they've delivered previously. Ask their past clients for their opinions on Iteo’s project management style and the quality of their deliverables.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of software development at tiramizoo. We’re a delivery company specializing in logistics and supply chains.

What challenge were you trying to address with Iteo?

We built a supplier platform to optimize the logistic chain between suppliers and retailers. However, we lacked the in-house resources to build a UX/UI for our web app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed the UX/UI for our app. Whenever we have a new project to launch, we build the platform from scratch. After gathering the technical requirements from our team, they prepare the interactive mockups and layout to show us how the web pages will look. This involves designing the schematic colors, and images, to improve the user experience.

What is the team composition?

Currently, we have 2–3 resources working with us full-time, but we also have access to all of their resources. The project manager ensures project delivery. We also work closely with the CEO, who is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Iteo?

We met them through our software development network and digital agencies. I received a referral and contacted Iteo.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about €160,000 ($197,166 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began in March 2017 and is ongoing.

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

They made official posters that show the interface for internal use, we don’t have external feedback.

In terms of ease of engagement, we’ve enjoyed working with Iteo. Excellent communicators, they’ve always informed us about our current state and what our next steps should be. They’ve maintained transparency throughout and manage their costs well.

We constantly need UX/UI experts, so we’re considering them for future projects, including front-end web development, mobile app development, and cross-platform apps.

How did Iteo perform from a project management standpoint?

We follow an agile methodology, conducting short, mid, and long-term planning to define the project timeline. Their project manager ensures that we have adequate resources to fulfill our expectations. They used Basecamp and Slack to communicate. Occasionally, we meet in-person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We value their willingness to face challenges. Although we plan thoroughly, sometimes there are unforeseen issues. Iteo adapts well to this environment. They are smart people who are willing to help their clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

None at the moment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Transparency and exception communication skills determine the project’s success. Misunderstandings and a lack of information lead to failure.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a consulting company that services data centers and backend systems for U.S. Fortune 200 companies.
 
I had an idea for an app, which I wanted to develop as a separate engagement. The app would help connect local communities to complete tasks. Many people need help, and many others want to make some extra money. The platform could connect them. While many “gig economy” apps offer similar services, I wanted something unique.

What challenges were you trying to address with iteo?

I had to come up with a business plan for the app. The main challenges I had to overcome revolved around its design and development.

What was the scope of their involvement?
I had a few conversations with iteo, and we designed something that was similar to other applications but also had a unique flow. In essence, we created a new market strategy for handling all those unique features.
 
I put together a document describing the app’s flow and connectivity, and iteo took care of design, development, and project management. They offered feedback about functionalities that could take too long to develop or weren’t detailed enough. We discussed the scope and, once we had everything on paper, they started the development.
 
I initially wanted to bring an MVP to the market to see how the idea worked. We were going to only build an iOS version, but after a few conversations with the development teams, we decided to develop an Android version as well.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the same project manager throughout the collaboration. The developers varied depending on the project stage—frontend, backend, Android and iOS development. There were multiple engineers I worked with, but dealing with a single project manager made the process easier.

How did you come to work with iteo?
I am originally from Poland, so I researched a few companies from the country online. I contacted three of them, explaining my idea and the project. Based on the initial conversations, I chose iteo to turn my app idea into a reality.
 
How much have you invested with them?
The total cost has been almost $100,000.
 
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with iteo in January 2017. I will be traveling to Poland soon in order to finalize the app.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We have tested a beta version among friends. Everyone has loved the design, including the icons, theme, and colors. I did create some ideas, but iteo brought them to life, so I can’t take credit.
 
Bringing an app from one platform to another is not a seamless process, but iteo helped me close the gap. I didn’t see any major differences in the development process for each version. Everything was straightforward, and the app works identically on Android and iOS.
 
How did iteo perform from a project management standpoint?
My project manager was responsive, and I could always reach her.
The final cost of implementing an idea will always be more than expected. This was not iteo’s fault; it had to do with the challenges I faced because I had never developed an app before. I made constant changes to early versions, but my project manager stayed on top of things and helped me organize the process. I didn’t receive any unexpected bills. Next to design, project management was one of the strongest skills they brought to the table.

What did you find most impressive about them?
Once we engaged with them, iteo made us feel like a part of the team. Many of our marketing and design discussions were like conversations between a group of people in the same room. We agreed and disagreed, and got the best ideas from it. Working with their team has been a great experience, and it’s what made the app work. Collectively, I have nothing bad to say about iteo.
 
Are there any areas they could improve?
As a U.S. client, not having to deal with time changes would be an improvement. Having to be up at six o’clock in the morning was the hardest part of the project. I told iteo that they need a U.S. presence, but I have no other negative things to say about them.
 
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
I know that online engagements are commonplace, but it’s important to travel to the developer’s location and meet them face-to-face.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of LUDMO. We’re a sports startup focused on evaluating the movement of soccer players on the field.

What challenges were you trying to address with iteo?

We had technical issues with our existing mobile application, so we needed developers to build a professional and improved version. We wanted to complete the project in a timely manner and expand our service to Apple users.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The existing app created by our in-house developers lacked stability. We provided iteo with our requirements, the functionalities we expected, and they wrote new code from scratch. They used a cross-platform tool to create Android and iOS versions.

They assisted with the design elements, improving user experience, and they also created an improved logo for our company.

What is the team composition?

I worked with four people directly, including a project manager, two developers, and one designer. I also know the owner personally.

How did you come to work with iteo?

We are both part of a local startup community. As both local companies, we were able to meet in person to discuss the project and I determined that their technical skills were sufficient for our needs. They were the right vendor for the job, so we didn’t need to consider any other options.

How much have you invested with them?

Around €15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2017 and the project is ongoing. We are in the final stages and would have finished sooner had we not made changes to the initial scope.

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

Working with iteo saved us a lot of time in development. We are happy with the results and hope to begin testing with our customers in the upcoming days.

How did iteo perform from a project management standpoint?

My background is in logistics, so I know that every project faces issues of some kind. That said, working with iteo has been one of the best experiences of my career. We had only minor miscommunication issues, often caused by a failure to clearly articulate goals on our end. They addressed any concerns immediately.

If we needed any small updates, they accomplished these within 24 hours. They are productive and reliable, making them an excellent company to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve seen their past work, so I know that they’ve provided me with a unique solution. I'm happy overall and plan to work with them in the future as our company grows.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As a small vendor, they have plenty of room for growth. Possessing more resources would allow them to take on more work, but they’re well-positioned to reach their full potential. They’re highly organized and employ a capable team, so I see them expanding in a positive direction.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You can trust their team to accomplish any task. They don’t rush through a job, and while this may cause small delays, it ensures a quality end result. As a customer, I continually pushed for results and they were consistently able to adjust and meet my expectations.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Kia Motors Poland is a subsidiary of Kia, selling cars on the Polish market. I am a CRM specialist dealing with systems from the business side.

What challenge were you trying to address with iteo?

We wanted to create an iPad application that would serve as a car configurator so that sales advisors could show different models, and, at the end of the configuration, prepare ad hoc estimates for customers in the showroom. The app would generate a PDF and send it to the customer.

What was the scope of their involvement?

iteo was responsible for developing the app from start to finish. They also set up our accounts in the App Store. The app couldn’t be accessible for a wide audience, so we left it in test mode. We invited accounts to take part via TestFlight. That way, we could distribute the app to the showrooms. The app was only made for iOS since we distributed iPads to the showrooms.

They made a back office where our product team set up vehicles. After the configuration was done in the background, the dealer staff would choose vehicles, engines, models, specifications, and options, giving full specs with all the options chosen by the customer along with the sales advisor.

iteo was responsible for design, but, because the company is Korean, the way vehicles are configured in our systems is different from what the Western customer is accustomed to. Looking at vehicles like BMW or Volkswagen, customers have wide opportunities for options. For Kia, there are four or five preset options. The customer chooses from trim levels and has some options to add to those. This basically means that we had to set the options beforehand.

What is the team dynamic?

I’m not sure how many people worked on their side. We didn’t have an agreement on a resource basis, but rather on a deadline and cost. We communicated with a main contact. I don’t know if he was a project manager or someone in IT. In Kia, there is a Request For Approval (RFA) for everything.

How did you come to work with iteo?

I believe my boss received a referral.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with iteo in September 2013. The official handover date was November 15^th.

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

We have a central application for the purpose developed by our European headquarters, so we are no longer using the tool created by iteo. We started introducing iPads to the showrooms in order to give customers a more modern feel around the sales process. It impacted us greatly, and we started using other applications developed centrally, but this was the first app we’d used.

How did iteo perform from a project management standpoint?

I don’t have any negative memories about the process. As far as I recall, the project management was satisfactory.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I liked dealing with iteo more than with our in-house IT developers. They were flexible, allowing us multiple opportunities to make the product suitable for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m not sure. It was a standard process, and everything we agreed upon was delivered.