SINAPTIA

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of @FreeTheFreela, an online marketplace for freelance services focused on Latin American talents. We have developed a business model that offers social benefits to the freelancers in our community in order to promote a fair labor market while helping businesses to grow.

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

We collaborated with SINAPTIA to help mature the product structure and develop our MVP. Our goal was to have a solid product to enter the market and receive quick feedback from our target, to optimize and scale as fast as possible.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

When we first started looking for a tech partner, we considered SINAPTIA along with 7 other teams. When you are evaluating high-level professionals, the decision comes to the details. So we choose SINAPTIA because they were the most prepared to build a project from scratch using dynamic and agile systems and also connected with our purpose and idea, making a huge effort to meet our needs and challenges and helping us mature the product. For us, it was fundamental to have a partner with a collaborative mindset that understood our vision and had the know-how to guide us throughout the development process, and SINAPTIA's team sure meet the criteria.

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

They designed and developed our online marketplace for freelance services using Ruby On Rails and React technologies. We first started with a discovery workshop based on our first scope of the web app. After mature and optimize the core functions of the product they gave us the mock-ups to be approved. Then we started developing the features and testing the product in 2-week sprints (Later on, it became a 1-week sprint).

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

There were 4 people in the core team, including a project manager, 2 developers, and a UX designer. Other resources would come and go as needed.

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

The project is still ongoing, but we have been able to mature and optimize the product based on the collaborative view of the team. So far, the work has been cohesive and effective.

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

The project management is great. The team is synchronized and very accessible. Communication is open and fast. We talk through Slack, e-mail, and Google Meet and use Jira to track the product development.

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

The most impressive thing about this team is their collaborative spirit. Everyone is open to discussion and does 110% to guarantee that our product is in its best version. They have proved that we can trust anyone involved to make the best decision for our business in a way that's scalable.

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

As a suggestion, I believe we could have started to use Jira earlier in the development process. The tool really helped us to keep on track and optimize the work.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of Dunu506, on online e-commerce platform for the advertisement of used vehicles. Users can either Buy or Sell their vehicles within the platform. Commercial sellers can promote their businesses within the platform as well as having the ability to create their own website through us.

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

SINAPTIA was hired to develop an e-commerce platform from scratch. I was looking for a company with strengths and experience in web development, UI/UX design and e-commerce. My goals were to look for a company that could deliver a high-end product in a short period of time (3-6 months) and within my budget range.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched within Clutch for a company that: a) accepts working with start-ups and small business b) was within my budget range c) had expertise in web development, UI/UX design and e-commerce. d) had a small team (maximum 50 employees). We shortlisted 5 for interviews, feel for customer care, quotes and estimate of delivery. We chose SINAPTIA because (based on our internal evaluations) they scored the highest on all criteria.

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

After kick-off meetings where we agreed on the business concepts, recommended technology to use for the project, features for MVP and other details we started (as per my choosing) the project using AGILE method. We held meetings everyday to check on timeline, upcoming steps, progress and deliverables.

We started with wireframes and general design of the platform and then transitioned to development and testing over time. We needed a platform that could be mobile friendly as a priority. The technology used was Ruby on Rails. The entirety of the project (MVP) was developed in 4 months time, start to finish.

Some of the features included: Login (standard, FB and Google), setup of notifications, user dashboards to manage their ads, powerful search engine with different criteria for the 6 different vehicle types we created, upsales for ads and tiered subscriptions for Custom Shops, whatsapp integration for contacting sellers, Custom Shops for Commercial Sellers (ie. our internal "make your own website" offering), Payment via PayPal for both one-time payments and subscriptions, back-end for management (approval, rejection, request changes) of ads posted by users.

A significant undertaking for the development time agreed upon.

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

I worked with a Project Manager, Lead Developer who was my main point of contact thru the entire development process, Senior Developer and a UI/UX designer.

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

This review is specifically about the development of the platform. Overall, I could not be happier with the outcome. The final deliverable was a high-end, polished e-commerce platform which we will soon launch to market and have big plans for. The end result was above my expectations in many ways and I'm positive SINAPTIA was the right pick for this project. I would hire them for other similar projects without hesitation.

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

We used AGILE and SCRUM methodologies. Daily Stand-ups (as per my choosing) with core development team via Google Meets. Slack for on-demand messaging with any of the members who usually responded same day despite time-zone differences of 3-4 hours. JIRA for project tracking, suggestions, troubleshooting, etc.

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

My background is business management and finance. I would usually have many questions regarding technology and developer terminology that I was unfamiliar with. The team would always answer my questions in a calm and friendly manner. Their customer service/treatment was 5/5.

Additionally, I was looking for a Team that felt like an extension of ours and not necessarily a "Company to just develop my need". SINAPTIA was the Team I was hoping for. During our daily Stand-ups we collaborated, shared ideas and suggestions with each other and it truly felt like they were an extension of my team. Incredible experience.

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

I honestly wish I had constructive criticism for them, but I don't at this time. Very happy working with them and will continue to do so as we develop more features over time and gather user feedback on the platform.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a technology company that helps small e-commerce businesses with their marketing.

What challenge were you trying to address with SINAPTIA?

We needed to develop and launch an MVP without investing too many resources into it.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did the front- and backend coding for the MVP. We have a lot of APIs that needed to be connected to third-parties. They did a lot of work with Facebook, Google, and Shopify. We wanted to provide a super intuitive and easy-to-use platform, so we focused on creating a smooth UX.

Since they completed the MVP, SINAPTIA has helped with maintenance. We plan to continue working with them to add new features based on user feedback.

What is the team composition?

There’s one senior developer and one junior developer.

How did you come to work with SINAPTIA?

We reached out to several companies with the same requirements. We chose SINAPTIA because they shared our vision of what an MVP should be about. They’re also only about 3–4 hours away.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000­–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2020 and the work is ongoing.

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

We’ve been onboarding users for the past 10 days and it has gone smoothly so far. They check in daily to see if everything is going well. They didn’t just deliver a product — they’ve ensured that everything will smoothly for users as well.

How did SINAPTIA perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve managed the project and we've worked together as a team. We use Jira to organize week-long sprints, which has also ensured great communication. On Mondays, we plan the week, and on Fridays, we hold a sprint retrospective. We always do a demo to check that all the features were developed well. Then, over the weekend, we do more testing and share our results with them.

There has been a lot of back and forth to make sure our vision was properly delivered. We also used Slack, which was very efficient.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re super transparent. We own everything, which is great because we know we can resolve any issues if they come up.  They’ve also shared their expertise with us so there’s no gap between the technical and business marketing side of the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Now that we’re getting into a new phase, it’s a new way of organizing our collaboration and new challenges. Maybe I’ll have more feedback on this new phase but for the MVP it really matched what we had in mind.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director at a manufacturer of a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand.

What challenge were you trying to address with SINAPTIA?

I started at the company about a year ago, and SINAPTIA was already here. My understanding is that they came on because they knew our CMS which manages our website and e-commerce platform.

We were working with a version that was more legacy than current iterations that were out there. On the CMS side, it was very customized when it was originally built out, so SINAPTIA was hired to take over the development duties.

What was the scope of their involvement?

SINAPTIA didn’t develop the CMS or the e-commerce platform; they only took over the web development. 

What is the team composition?

I work primarily with one of the heads of the company, and I’ve also interacted with another teammate.

How much have you invested with them?

Depending on the need, we spend anywhere between $2,000–$10,000 per calendar year. 

What is the status of this engagement?

They started before I began at the company, so I don’t know the exact date. We’re still working with them.

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

They inherited a system that had a lot of flaws in it, and they’ve done a good, consistent job of making sure that things run, despite how high-maintenance those efforts can be. I have no complaints about them.

How did SINAPTIA perform from a project management standpoint?

SINAPTIA is very responsive despite the time difference. We use Slack as our primary communication channel.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s impressive that the team is able to manage our archaic system while keeping our backend moving forward. That has been a huge benefit to us as we get ourselves ready to evolve in that sphere.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an eyewear company that sells prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses direct to our consumers online. I’m the CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with SINAPTIA?

We initially hired SINAPTIA for the ongoing maintenance of our site.

What was the scope of their involvement?

While our engagement started with maintenance support and upgrades, their role shifted to feature development on our Ruby on Rails platform. They currently handle all of our digital web development, including new features and maintenance. We have a few other services, including AWS, integrated within our site, and they help to maintain those as well.

What is the team composition?

Regularly, we’ve worked with three members of their team. Sometimes, there have been around four or five that help out.

How much have you invested with them?

We have an agreement with them for ongoing services with an hourly rate. Overall, we’ve invested between $50,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with SINAPTIA started in January 2018.

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

Although we have projects that began and end with them, we’re consistently collaborating. Their team is frequently developing and deploying features for our website. Since they provide continuous development and maintenance support, they’ve become part of our team.

How did SINAPTIA perform from a project management standpoint?

We track our progress using Trello or Pivotal Tracker, depending on the project. The team at SINAPTIA is excellent at meeting deadlines, relying on the communication amongst our teams for the specific goal. If a deadline isn’t met, it’s because of the tools not being used properly or the project not being well-defined.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is very reactive, even with our four-hour time difference. If an issue pops up during off-hours, they still make sure to jump on it. They work as if they’re in the same room as us. That responsiveness has built trust between us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only area I could think of would be their knowledge of UX and design. While that may not be their core business, I would take advantage of that service if they offered it.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of a hospitality development company. We started off as a generic development agency, but over the last five years, we’ve been focusing on hospitality and travel development.

What challenge were you trying to address with SINAPTIA?

We had two challenges; the first being we needed to expand the capability and the second being we needed to expand our geographical support. We were struggling to provide application support from one location across the globe.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, they used Ruby on Rails with AngularJS in the frontend. Now, they’re using Ruby on Rails with React in the frontend and provide development support. They provide base applications and level three support. They work with our clients through our email and communication methods.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–6 people, including a QA person and developers.

How did you come to work with SINAPTIA?

One of our developers is the brother-in-law of one of their founders.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent just shy of $1 million so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in March 2016 and the relationship is currently ongoing.

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

They’ve really become an extension of our development force.

How did SINAPTIA perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ll help us work to have good quality stories and help us define them, but they need us to be very clear with what our requests are. It's better to spend the time upfront. We have daily stand-ups and we communicate through Slack and Google Hangouts.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They won’t just drop tools and disappear. If there’s a problem with a customer or anything, they’ll stand in the trenches with us until it’s done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Documentation could be improved, but I think we could all improve on that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go see them in person. They’re individuals who truly respond to being a part of your team and being a part of the project and understanding it, so the investment for me to send out my teammates paid off.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner and -founder of a technology company. We provide data capture for infrastructure using unmanned UAVs.

What challenge were you trying to address with SINAPTIA?

We needed to create a web app for our clients to deliver our data.

What was the scope of their involvement?

SINAPTIA built our data delivery platform. It’s a secure site with password entry that’s only for our clients; it’s. It uses a lot of Ruby on Rails and is based on Microsoft Azure. SINAPTIA built the user interface and the backend.

The bulk of the development is done. Now we’re fulfilling more specific requests. Going forward, we’re going to change a lot of things; we’re bringing in more data and data processing features. 

What is the team composition?

I had direct contact with at least three people. I only work with Patricio (Co-Founder) now, who’s been my main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with SINAPTIA?

After scanning a bunch of developers all over the world, I rejected India as a location because of the time difference. I found SINAPTIA on a popular freelance application and saw that they were in Argentina. (I’m Argentine myself.) They had a good reputation, the time zone difference was much slimmer, and we shared two common languages — English and Spanish. I also traveled often to Argentina and could meet with their team in person as needed. Communicating the details in person is very helpful for me.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $10,000–$20,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The relationship started in 2015 and is ongoing.

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

We’re extremely satisfied. Any limitations in the app are limitations by design. We decided to limit functionalities until users expressly ask for them. That way, we can go by stages and don’t make a mistake assuming what the clients want. 

How did SINAPTIA perform from a project management standpoint?

I met with them personally for the kick-off meeting. Everything else after that happens by email or WhatsApp. We sometimes met by chance, but 90% of our communication has been online. 

The team is quick on its feet and always there when we need them. When we change our mind mid-development, having that responsiveness is vital. Also, before starting anything, they were very clear in establish what we were going to do based on our earlier conversations. Once they had that framework, they’ve had no problems adapting to changes from there. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their prices are very competitive. They’re much more competitive compared to local options. We get a lot of bang for the buck, basically. I’d recommend them because I’m still using them. When I’m not happy, I’m not loyal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m a novice in the programming world. If there’s a way to explain certain technical decisions to the client — such as why we’re using Ruby on Rails as opposed to another programming language — I’d appreciate it.

Any advice for potential customers?

Partner with them. Be straightforward, frank, and direct, and you’ll get good results. They’re an easy group to work with.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of OmniAlly Digital Solutions. We provide digital signage software, hardware, and service support.

What challenge were you trying to address with SINAPTIA?

We’d just started our organization and quickly needed help with developing our software platform.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Using Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and even a little bit of Python, they developed our MVP platform within a two-month timeframe. I believe they used Apache.

The platform has two ends—a dashboard system as well as a media player that communicates back to it, and they continue to develop both. They now also perform some odd jobs for us, because we receive custom work requests from our clients.

What is the team composition?

We have a core team of two as well as a designated project manager. At any given time, we have between 2–6 teammates.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere around $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February of 2014, and we’ve continued to rely on them.

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

We’ve truly valued our partnership with SINAPTIA. Their work has been great; soon after its completion, the finished platform enabled us to close a major deal with one of our bigger clients that we still have today.

SINAPTIA’s strong suit is their ability to roll with the punches in an agile process. I don’t have to hesitate when I reach out to programmers with a change in scope. It makes development much more navigable, especially in a competitive landscape.

How did SINAPTIA perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re adaptive and organized. We have scrum and sprint meetings every week, respectively, and we use JIRA for project management. They use the platform for code repositories as well. They keep good track of roadmaps and new features that we’re going to be rolling out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. They evolve very well in accordance with what our needs are. We’ve been very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try not to get too caught up in what the tech stack needs to be, or how to get to the solution early. Leave it to their hands to come up with the appropriate solutions; they’ll know of the quickest path to deployment.