We Create Experiences, Not Just Apps
FreshWorks Studio is an award winning, full life cycle, design and development agency with offices in Victoria, Vancouver and Seattle. Our locations makes us an ideal partner for nearshore custom software and app development.
We’ve worked with partners ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies to identify business requirements, uncover challenges, and reserach user expectations in order to deliver solutions that provide real value. Our mission is to solve problems and create value through remarkable digital experiences.
Segments we support:
- Enterprise
- Startups
- Digital Health
- Government
- Municipalities
We handle all aspects of your project - design, development, deployment, and, where necessary, maintenance. We have in-house expertise in Web (React & Angular), Mobile (iOS & Android), Backend Development (Node, Python & PHP), and Dev/Ops (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, OpenShift).
Our 80+ person team comes from around the world and bring unique perspectives from 15 different countries. The team includes:
- Solutions Architects
- Full Stack Developers
- Mobile Developers
- Product Owners (Certified)
- Scrum Masters (Certified)
- Business Analysts
- Technical Consultants
- UX/UI Designers
- QA Analysts
- Dev/Ops
We will closely collaborate with you at every step through open, clear, and consistent communication. We also value our ability to deliver premium projects at a reasonable price; we are capable of achieving this through a combination of design driven development and applying an agile/scrum development methodology. This ensures no time is wasted and projects get delivered on time and on budget.
We look forward to learning more about your project. Please contact us anytime to find out how we can help your organization succeed.

headquarters
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Portfolio
TELUS, A Place For Mom, Hootsuite, Harbour Air, Grouse Mountain, PetVibe, Intelage, IBM, CGI, PwC, Quartech, NWTRPA - Startups - SPAAH, Playbook, PetVibe, IDG Blockchain, Intelage - Partnerships - IBM, CGI, Sierra Systems, PwC, Quartech, EY - Municipalities - City of Victoria, West Vancouver, Coquitlam

Foundry BC | Virtual Health Clinic App
With a focus on user-centric design and agile development, FreshWorks helped build a set of virtual health clinic services that will change the B.C mental health landscape for years to come. Mental health issues have been on the rise in Canada, with a significant impact on youth between the ages of 12 and 24. This has been further amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural areas throughout British Columbia, as many residents have limited access to mental health resources. Foundry BC is removing barriers and increasing access to health and wellness services for young people and their caregivers across British Columbia. At Foundry, young people can easily access integrated services by connecting virtually through the new Foundry BC app, walking into a local Foundry centre, or exploring online tools and resources at foundrybc.ca. FreshWorks partnered with Foundry BC, The Ministry of Health, BC Children’s Hospital, and CGI to build a modern virtual health clinic app that empowers youth to meet with health professionals and access digital tools and support from any device, in any place. The Foundry BC app was co-created with the youth that it was made for. Available on desktop and mobile devices, the digital health platform makes it easier for youth and their caregivers to access free and confidential drop-in and scheduled counseling, peer support, groups, plus tools and other resources. To date, over 1,000 appointments have been made using this tool which has broadened Foundry BC’s ability to deliver ongoing support and recovery services to youth in British Columbia. Tech Stack: iOS: Swift, Xcode development SDK Android: Kotlin, Android Studio development SDK Frontend: HTML and React Backend: Node.js, Nest.js, Typescript Hosting: Telus' AWS Project Management: JIRA Version Control: Github We are proud to be part of an initiative that will accelerate and improve access to care for the next generation.

ICBC | Road Test Booking App
Every year, more than 3 million British Columbians visit ICBC to tap into all sorts of city auto services. One of those services is helping existing drivers upgrade their licenses and preparing new drivers for the road which requires booking a road test. The ICBC Road Test Booking Application had outgrown its structure and needed an overhaul.
ICBC wanted to create a modern platform that would make the process of booking road test appointments easy and intuitive. One that prioritized the needs of B.C.’s drivers while considering the administrative requirements for ICBC employees. In September 2019, FreshWorks partnered with ICBC and began work on a completely redesigned application. It was crucial to build a solution that delivered sustained value to both parties. After leading key stakeholders through design workshops, we were able to develop a data-driven design that worked well on both mobile and desktop devices. The ICBC Road Test Booking (RTB) Application now aligns more closely with ICBC brand and UX standards, making it easy to: -Book a Class 5, 6, 7, or 8 road test or motorcycle skills test; -View all upcoming appointment slots and testing locations; -Access road test booking records from the online portal; -Cancel, rebook or confirm an existing appointment. With transparency, open communication, and vigorous testing driving the project, we helped transform the platform into an application that is simple to use and easy to manage. The responsive front-end interface seamlessly integrates with ICBC’s backend and delivers accessible and intuitive functionality at every touchpoint. The new system went live in September 2020 and we are proud to have played a part. The new application improves the user experience for millions of B.C. motorists and automates ICBC’s user management. This saves time, money, and resources for ICBC which benefits all insured B.C. motorists and ultimately all B.C. taxpayers.

BC Registries and Online Services
BC Registries and Online Services has started a phased, multi-year modernization initiative. Their objective is to replace and improve the applications used for the Corporate, Personal Property and Manufactured Homes Registries.
Their vision is to develop a better service experience and make it easier for both citizens and businesses to complete transactions and filings with the province of BC and across other jurisdictions, manage accounts and pay for services. Over the years, the process for different entity types (corporations, cooperatives, credit unions etc.) have modernized at different rates - resulting in multiple legacy systems holding duplicated data.
FreshWorks was commissioned by the Ministry of Citizens Services to support this modernization and has recently delivered the first applications in the project roadmap. BC Registry staff also had many processes set in place that were based on the legacy system. Our team had to be aware that each improvement would require considerable change management efforts from the Ministry to adapt to the new software. Our team worked hard to modernize the system while keeping big changes to a minimum. Releases were strategically scheduled among other program releases to reduce impact to the registry staff.
The results have been immediately realized in saving time, energy, and money for everyone - the BC Government, it’s public servants, and the citizens they support. Learn more: https://freshworks.io/portfolio/bc-registry-services/
Front end: Vue.js
Backend: Python, Flask (Python) API, Postgres DB
Hosting: Red Hat Openshift
CI/CD: Jenkins
Scheduled Jobs: Kubernetes Cron
Other: NATS message queuing, Github Actions

Alberta’s Returning Traveller Outreach Program
In a little less than 30 days, FreshWorks helped the Government of Alberta build a modern web-based traveller screening system for COVID-19. All travellers are required to complete the accessible and user-friendly self-isolation questionnaire and automated processing helps agents determine which travellers have appropriate measures planned to properly self-isolate upon arrival. Traveller information is privately and securely kept in a database where different groups of government employees can access it on a need-to-know basis.
Service Alberta agents screen each plan that’s filed, and can now easily determine if that traveller will require additional self-isolation support – indicating that on the travellers case file if so. The database and portal of this new solution also helps Service Alberta know at a glance which travellers have been followed up with after they arrive. Users can see cases in a queue, assign cases to different agents efficiently, update case statuses, and keep detailed, time stamped notes for each traveller.
Alberta’s Returning Traveller Outreach Program for COVID-19 (RTOP) makes better use the information provided by travellers and automates formerly tedious processes where possible. This has made case management much more efficient, helping ensure travellers are provided assistance when needed while giving Service Alberta more confidence that each incoming traveller is followed up with according to the regulations currently in place.
Learn more: https://freshworks.io/portfolio/alberta-health/
Frontend: React, TypeScript, NestJS
Database: IBM DB2
Hosting: IBM Cloud Platform

Ministry of Citizen Services | BC Business Registries and Online Services
This multi-year initiative aims to examine species and ecosystems-related business outcomes; developing sustainable systems, processes and data that support natural resource decision-making. For this project we worked with Invasives BC to create custom software for invasive species management. The overall system includes several modern applications that are creating new capabilities for digital government in BC. The new applications allow field workers, surveyors, contractors, government administrators, and the general public to collect and share real time data in order to eradicate, prevent, and manage invasive species effectively. By consolidating all invasive species information into a unified system that is accessible, reliable, and responsive it supports more efficient and effective science based management of invasive species. While delivering these essential tools for invasive species detection, control and management, our team developed a platform that enables the sharing of species population and occurrence data with other existing systems as well. It does this by accessing and using ecological layers and providing a valuable layer of information on invasive species for others to access. The engagement included reviewing all user research that had been completed over the past 8 years, designing mockups, wireframes and prototypes, and performing user testing on the new Invasive Species Application. iOS: Swift Frontend: Angular Backend: Node.js, PostgreSQL, PostGIS, TypeORM Deployment: Docker, Jenkins, OpenShift Testing: Karma, Jasmine, Mocha, Chai. Learn More — https://freshworks.io/portfolio/invasives-bc/

First Nations Health Authority - Digital Health Mobile App
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) mobile app was developed in response to a need for the organization to share important notices with its members and users during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The iOS and Android app allows the FNHA to send the important information directly to the user's mobile device via a notification. Users can also access all content available on the website, including the FNHA podcast.
Notifications and content is scheduled and published using the web admin dashboard. Additionally, FreshWorks Studio created backend analytics from scratch. This was done without third-party plugins for security requirements.
What makes this project particularly interesting is that FreshWorks Studio was able to built the set of mobile applications as well as the web admin dashboard within the very short timeline of 6 weeks.
Technologies Used:
Languages: Swift, Xcode development SDK, Kotlin, Android Studio development SDK
Backend: Node.js
Frontend: HTML and Angular
Database: MongoDB
Hosting: Azure
Version Control: BitBucket
Read the full case study: https://freshworks.io/portfolio/first-nations-health-authority/

Mobile App Development for HealthLink BC
The BC Health Service Locator helps you find walk-in clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, immunization locations, pharmacies and laboratory services in British Columbia, Canada. The mobile application was developed for HealthLink BC, a government-funded telehealth service, which provides non-emergency health information to the residents of British Columbia, through combined telephone, internet, mobile app, and print resources.
Tech Stack:
iOS: Swift 4
Android: Kotlin

Telus Health - Mobile & Web App development
Together with the Ministry of Health, Telus Health, Foundry BC, and BC Emergency Health Services, FreshWorks designed two seperate Virtual Clinic mobile applications that provide new and existing emulated health services for Foundry BC and BCEHS.
Some of the services and functions in both applications include: chat services to connect users with clinicians/service providers, mental health articles and content access with offline "favourite" functionality, calendar systems with goal setting/tracking and much more.

A Place For Mom - Modernizing Legacy Code
We redesigned and rebuilt a Canadian website for an iconic US service provider - ‘A Place for Mom’; a web resource for families searching for assisted living homes. A Place for Mom operates in all 50 states of the USA and has over 1.5 million page visits/month.
Having launched the first version, we are continuing to work with the client to further simplify the website designs and layout with the goal of continuously releasing a more and more intuitive and seamless user experience. We are utilizing modern SEO best practices to ensure that the core website is indexed appropriately by Google and easily searchable. The finished product is mobile first and fully responsive across all OS platforms, browsers and device types.
Our responsibility was to replace the core web application with one that is written in React/Redux (front end stack) and Node.js (back end stack). The goal was to recreate the application using modern technology in order to have a product that is easier to modify and achieves higher performance (which is good for SEO). Other goals for the project were: internationalization (French version of the Canadian application), localization (having a web experience specifically for Canadians), and design changes. The level of design sophistication is incredibly high, as the client has been improving on their platform for 15 years.
Front end: ReactJS, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Backend: TypeScript, NodeJS
Full case study: https://freshworks.io/aplace-for-mom

Citizen Engagement Mobile App for the City of Coquitlam
The CoquitlamConnect app lets you swipe, tap, and connect to the city of Coquitlam. Notifications will keep you in the loop about the latest news, events, job postings, facility closures and pet adoptions in the city.
The mobile application also allows its users to further explore the city through the augmented reality feature. The user can customize the homescreen to easily access the most important features when launching the app.
Tech Stack:
iOS: Swift,
Android: Kotlin
Front end: React
Backend: Parse

BCGov Directory - iOS and Android application
BCGov Directory is a mobile application that makes it easy to find contact information of BC government organizations, offices and the people working within them. By using open data provided by DataBC, the application ensures contact information is always up-to-date.
Learn more — https://freshworks.io/portfolio/bcgov-directory/

CanConnect
CanConnect is an iOS application which uses a specially designed interface and hardware on a tablet to create an easy-to-use video chat tool for those with cognitive decline or other impairments which may make alternatives difficult to navigate. The Skype-like application has two main user types: Configurators (including Clinicians and ‘Other Users’ such as family and friends of the Senior user type) and Seniors (Type A with limited cognitive decline and Type B with significant cognitive decline). Learn more — https://freshworks.io/portfolio/canconnect/

MindShift by Anxiety Canada
MindShift gives you scientifically proven solutions based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness meditation, relaxation, mood and anxiety tracking. The mobile application helps you: learn to relax; develop more effective ways of thinking; and take active steps to take charge of your anxiety.
FreshWorks Studio worked together with Anxiety Canada to revamp the already existing application and add brand new features. We've re-designed Mindshift, an app that helps manage and decrease anxiety. New features include relaxation, visualization and mindfulness strategies, check in tools and more, using the cognitive behavioural therapy approach.
Learn more about this life-changing app - https://freshworks.io/mindshift
iOS: Swift
Android: Kotlin
Backend: NodeJS, MongoDB

BCFS - iOS & Android App with Admin Web App
The BC Federation of Students is an organization that provides union services to smaller post-secondary institutions in British Columbia. BCFS provides a variety of value-adds to students that attend BCFS partner schools, including discounts at local businesses. The BCFS iOS and Android mobile applications allow students to easily browse discounts in their area, bookmark them for later, and redeem them for discounts at businesses by displaying their virtual BCFS student card. Student Union Representatives and Administrators are able to manage the business accounts and discounts from a web application. Businesses also receive value in joining as a BCFS Benefit Partner, through receiving opting-in to manage their business and discounts from the web portal, and receiving metrics on their discounts used by students through he application.
Tech Stack
iOS: Swift
Android: Kotlin
Web: React
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/deals/id1466143851
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.wearebcfs.students

BC Mines Core - Advanced Web Application
The technologies that supported mine oversight for British Columbians needed to be reimagined. We are working as part of a fantastic team for the Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Petroleum Resources on a project that will replace the legacy Mine Management System (MMS) with a scalable, open source, data driven system using modern and flexible technologies.
At the core, interactions and relationships with others systems will derive a platform for shared and accessible data across the Natural Resource Ministries. The previous Mine Management System (MMS) was largely stand-alone and had distinct limitations. It did not support integrated analysis or integrated decision making across the process of mine oversight.
The new system will support the creation of a complex data model that can connect various components of mines. Some examples include consultation information, risk management modelling, spatial data, financial tracking and collecting and physical attributes.
Through coordinated and accessible data, we are working to improve the functionality available to ministry staff, better inform the public on mine status, and improve cross ministry collaboration.
Front end: React redux, Ant design
Backend: Python/Flask, SQLAlchemy
Database: PostgreSQL, PostGIS
CI/CD: Jenkins, Docker, OpenShift, SonarQube
Testing: Jest/Enzyme, Pi test, Groovy/geb and spok

The Harbour Air pilot app
The Harbour Air LogIt application allows the world’s largest float plane airline to operate more effectively while also being alerted in case of potential compliance issues with Transport Canada regulations. This was an important challenge to overcome with the development of the iPad and web app, as most of the Canadian Aviation Regulations rely on current information with regards to flight and rest times. Case study — https://freshworks.io/portfolio/harbour-air-logit/

Hootsuite and Google My Business - Web App Integration
Hootsuite is one of the world's leading social media management platforms. It has an extensive directory of different applications that users can connect to in order to manage their online presence 24/7. Users can manage their Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and with the work FreshWorks has done for Hootsuite their users can now manage Google My Business listings as well.
Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool created as a way of giving business owners more control of what shows in the search results when someone searches a given business name, including Search and Maps. FreshWorks Studio used a modern technology stack to build the integration between the social media management platform and Google My Business. It allows users to add 3 different types of streams to their Hootsuite dashboard: reviews, questions, and posts. Google My Business users can interact with reviews and questions directly from within the stream. They are also able to schedule posts for later publishing.
The GMB integration app is available within Hootsuite's app directory and had several thousand happy users within the first week of launch.
Front end: HTML, CSS, Javascript, React.JS, JQuery
Backend: Javascript, Node.JS, Postgres DB
Learn more: www.freshworks.io/hootsuite-gmb

Ministry of Education - Microsoft Dynamics
FreshWorks partnered with ITK Consulting to modernize the K-12 NGN for the BC Ministry of Education. The K-12 Next Generation Network (K12NGN) is a large network providing connectivity and security services to over 1,600 BC public schools. Previously the team managed service requests, change orders, and incidents for all public schools through manual and disconnected processes. Now all the data is connected through Microsoft Dynamics and the system will send out generated activities and notifications, as well as provide analytics, reporting, and keep track of the history of changes.
The project was the first agile project for the Ministry of Education and provided an immense value within the 11 weeks. The work was split into three phases: Inception, proof of concept, and implementation.
During the inception phase, the team worked on creating a list of requirements and user stories that were sorted by importance.
The solution involved implementing business management processes in Microsoft Dynamics and integrating multiple school and vendor data sources into a structured and coherent data set. The project also involved the development of a mobile application and API design and development to allow each component to interact.
The K12NGN team has been working with the legacy system for many years and the replacement of it required a detailed understanding of how each user navigated the system.
Full case study here: https://freshworks.io/k12ngn

MyCogHealth - Mobile Apps and Researcher Admin Panel
MyCogHealth is a research tool to assess cognitive health over time. The native iOS and Android applications allow participants to participate in studies, and take surveys throughout their day-to-day, capturing real data in different real-world scenarios. Participants are prompted to complete surveys when they become available, they can answer a series of questions and complete brain games.
The Web admin panel is a robust tool that researchers can use to create these customizable studies. Researchers can publish multiple studies, create surveys and questions within the studies, and schedule them to occur at specific times. When participants complete the surveys, data is collected in the database and can be exported by the researcher by filtering and customizing the datasets.
With this tool, the UVic Institute of Lifelong Health and Aging will be able to easily assess individual cognitive health over a long period of time, and compare individual historical results to an individual's current results, therefore analyzing age-related cognitive decline.
iOS: Swift, Obective-C
Android: Java, Kotlin
Front end: React, Redux
Backend: NodeJS, MongoDB
Case Study: https://freshworks.io/mycoghealth

UseSafer - iOS and Android mobile app
The Fraser Health Authority is one of five regional health authorities in B.C. working together with the Ministry of Health. They provide high quality, appropriate and timely health services to more than 1.8 million people living in communities stretching from Burnaby to White Rock to Hope.
Together with the Fraser Health Authority, FreshWorks developed UseSafer, an application that assists in the fight against the drug overdose crisis. It acts as a tool to help alert emergency services when a user has potentially overdosed and aims to decrease the emergency services response time significantly.
Tech Stack:
iOS: Swift 4
Android: Kotlin
Backend: NodeJS
Call & Messaging Framework : Twillio
Read more here: https://freshworks.io/use-safer

Hootsuite - Yext Software Integration
Hootsuite is one of the leading social media management platforms and allows users to monitor, post, and analyze their different connected social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can keep your social presence active 24/7 by automatically scheduling hundreds of social media posts at once, across your social accounts. Yext is a data management tool that is designed to keep track of a business’ location-related information on multiple directories. The tool automatically audits business directory listings, updating and replacing inaccurate information as needed. The software also identifies listing opportunities that can enable you to fill a void where no information previously existed. The Hootsuite - Yext integration allows users to manage all of their business listing reviews in one convenient place alongside their social activity in Hootsuite. Users can reply to reviews as well as view a comprehensive set of review response metrics that enable their team to easily build and strengthen relationships with customers. Key features include: - View your business reviews all in one place on the Hootsuite dashboard. - Have a better understanding of reviews by using the analytics stream tools (content analysis, average rating, time to response, etc.) - Share your favourite reviews directly to your social channels through the Hootsuite dashboard. - Respond to reviews directly from a stream in your Hootsuite dashboard. Tech Stack: Back end: PostgreSQL database, TypeScript with TypeORM Front end: React/Redux Learn more: https://freshworks.io/hootsuite-yext

Social Media Platform Design & Web Development
Fifty One Percent Club is a social media platform designed for professional women to connect with other professional women over shared interests. Targeted at traveling business women, the social media platform allows its members to arrange meet ups and gatherings.
Techstack:
Frontend: Wordpress
Backend: Wordpress, AWS

Harbour Air - iOS and Android Native Apps
Harbour Air Group is the largest float-plane operation in North America and they offer scheduled flights, as well as scenic tour packages in different regions across BC.
The client hired FreshWorks to develop a mobile app that would allow their customers to see flight schedules easily along with the ability to book flights and vacations packages. The result was 2 new mobile apps (iOS + Android) and a modern website that allows users to book flight reservations, view upcoming and past flights, and access 360-degree videos of some of their scenic flight tours. We incorporated frequent flight options, which adapts to user preferences over time, as well as additional customer help sections.
We incorporated extensive UX research including focus groups and heatmapping in order to come up with an intuitive UI created from observations of user behaviour. Harbour Air has received a lot of great feedback in regards to the new modern and clean UI and overall booking flow within the application.
Tech Stack
iOS: Swift
Android: Kotlin
Backend: (existing)
Case Study: https://freshworks.io/harbour-air

The AI chatbot for the Online Divorce Assistant
The Justice Chatbot was created in response to call for solutions that could leverage articifical inteleginece (AI) to improve the user experience of the Online Divorce Assitant. The Online Divorce Assitant is an existing application that helps users complete the required forms in order to file for divorce in BC. The request was to create a solution that would work with minimal changes to the existing application.
The Justice Chabot uses Watson's Assistant, speech-to-text, and text-to-speech services to create an interactive chatbot that can walk a user through a complex form. Users interact with the chabot in their preferred language, answering questions that are easy to undestand. In turn, the chatbot will valiadate, format, and translate the answers before placing them into the form's inputs. The chatbot can also answer any questions the user might have whily progressing though the form, and if it does not know the answer, can point them to resources that may help. All interactions on the page flow through the chatbot. Using the natural language processing of Watson Assistant, users are able to converse with the chatbot by speaking in a natural way. Text-to-speech allow the user to listen to the responses and speech-to-text enables them to respond using thier voice. Learn more - https://freshworks.io/portfolio/ai-chatbot/

Prenuvo - iOS and Android Apps for Medtech Company
We built this application for individuals that have recieved an MRI scan from the private organization, Prenuvo. With this application, scans completed by Prenuvo can be shared and viewed via the Android and iOS applications, which contain a set of images that can be viewed, reports written by the clinician, and links to additinal resources. Scans can also be downloaded onto the device for easy offline viewing, and the entire application is heavily secured with two-factor authentication and biometric login, to ensure the security of individual's personal health information. Learn more -http://freshworks.io/prenuvo

Grouse Mountain - iOS and Android Native Apps
FreshWorks redesigned the Grouse Mountain mobile applications, improving the UX and adding cutting edge augmented reality map elements. The brand new application features a summer-winter toggle, a ticket purchasing portal, web cam feeds, event lists, snow reports, dining locations, grouse grind tracking, and 'what’s open' reports for lifts, runs and terrain.
Grouse Mountain previously had 2 apps: one called "Grouse Mt," which gave users updates on the status of lifts, runs, etc. at the park, as well as basic information about the various activities available; and a second called "Grouse Grind," which allowed users to record their times when hiking the Grind (a 2.9-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain, commonly referred to as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster”) and compare their results with their friends. These were replaced with a single unified app built from scratch with new features added like ticket and pass purchasing, an augmented reality map, and multi-language support.
Tech Stack:
iOS: Swift
Android: Kotlin
Backend: (existing)
Case Study: https://freshworks.io/grouse-mountain

MyRangeBC - Web and iPad App
MyRangeBC is a responsive web and mobile (iOS) application that FreshWorks has designed and developed as a result of our continuous application services contract with the BC Natural Resource Transformation Sector (NRTS). The B.C. government’s Range Program allocates and administers hay cutting and grazing agreements on Crown rangeland. Each agreement requires an approved and current range use plan - which was previously submitted on paper. The new and modern application allows agreement holders to use web and mobile (iOS) system to easily create, update and manage their range use plans.
The goal of MyRangeBC was to create a user experience that would allow just about anyone to use the application with minimal instruction. The experience using the application on web and iOS was designed to feel like a cohesive consumer grade product. This focus aimed to ensure that agreement holders with varying levels of technical comfort would be able to engage with the application. The application provides a clear sense of purpose for its users– outlining what steps they need to perform to move the range use plan approval process forward.
Read the full case study: https://freshworks.io/myrangebc

PlayBook Hub - iOS and Android Native Apps
Playbook Hub is an all-in-one platform for the arts and entertainment industries. The technology provides global reach, exposure and growth opportunities for talent through a single platform, as well as an unparalleled feature-set for agents or managers to book and connect with artists.
With Playbook you can truly act both locally and globally from the convenience of your laptop, tablet or mobile device. The industry-leading technology has been built into custom apps to allow the simplest and most efficient management of talent and talent bookings.
We designed all the UI/UX for the iOS and Android app. We developed the native iOS & Android apps by following agile methodology while coordinating with Playbook Hub’s backend team to integrate with their API for payment, searching, profiles and other features available in their web application.
iOS: Swift
Android: Java
Backend: PHP Laravel

Sailing Plan - Web & Mobile App
Sailing Plan was developed by FreshWorks Studio for Limnology Research Core (LRC) to improve boaters’ safety through modernizing the way small vessel boaters can submit their sailings plan to Marine Communication Traffic Services (MCTS). Previously, a sailing plan was submitted by filling out a downloadable PDF form that then needed to be faxed. The submitted sailing plans were kept in a paper copy in a folder, making it very unefficient to find plans when needed and also near impossible to keep track of which sailing plans should be escalated.
The user-friendly Sailing Plan mobile and web app allows boaters to fill out their sailing plan on their mobile device or online and submit it directly. The user is also able to store and reuse data, such as captain, vessel, and passenger info, for future plans. Additionally, boaters can store their emergency contacts in the app who will be notified in case of plan escalation.
The FreshWorks-built web/admin dashboard allows the responsible government agency to access and review sailing plans to check on plan status.
Read the full case study here: https://freshworks.io/sailing-plan

Used.ca - iOS and Android Native Apps
Used.ca was launched in 2005 with the sole purpose of reducing landfill waste in Vancouver, BC by selling used items through an online platform. Since then, the website has recorded over 55 million page views per month.
To continue the rapid growth of Used.ca users and to streamline the buying and selling process, we partnered up with the guys behind the operation to transform the Used experience into a mobile app that connects with the online classifieds.
Developed with passion and a whole lot of love, the Used.ca app makes buying and selling goods a breeze - with a built in chat, personalized notifications, location-based searching, and buying and selling features that can all be accessed from your mobile devic. We couldn't be more excited to have been a part of making Used more, well, useable!
iOS: Swift
Android: Kotlin
Backend: (existing)
Case Study: https://freshworks.io/usedvictoria

Waveband Pro - iOS Mobile Apps
FreshWorks Studio designed and developed the Waveband Pro app ecosystem which lets people with a wide range of disabilities express themselves musically through movement. We developed this app for CanAssist - an organization of the University of Victoria that is dedicated to helping people with disabilities improve their quality of life and to increasing awareness of disability issues.
Users convert motion into the sound of their choice of musical instrument. Users can roll, pitch or turn their mobile device to play a piano scale, shake the device to play a tambourine, and so on. Waveband is completely customizable to ensure that each user's ability to move can be fully taken advantage of. When used in conjunction with a strap to secure the device to the body, the app can be especially useful to people who have disabilities that prevent them from playing traditional musical instruments.
For example, a person who has some control over their arms could have an iPod Touch attached with a runner's strap. When he moves his arm sideways, the device plays a pre-selected scale across several octaves, sounding just like a banjo. Someone with extremely limited control over her movements could even have a device attached to her power chair so that the movement of the chair activates the sound of a piano.
iOS: Swift 4 and Objective - C
Android: Kotlin
Backend: Apple on Demand Services used to fetch assets
https://freshworks.io/waveband-pro

PetVibe
PetVibe is like Facebook for pets. It was created for pet lovers as a place to expand the pet community in a safe and fun online environment. PetVibe allows users to learn, connect and share with other pet owners, and help them have the best possible pet ownership experience. The app offers a number of useful features like social media posts, blogs, news articles, private messaging, events, pet sharing and fostering, business services etc.
As with every application we develop, PetVibe project began with just a high-level idea from our client. From the idea comes the discovery process, where our business analysts, project managers, and stakeholders work together to reign visions into concrete requirements. These often come in the form of user stories, application flows, and designs. Our talented software developers then coded the website as per the requirements, followed by through Quality Assurance and then public launch. Currently, the website has over 20,000 monthly active users.
iOS: Swift
Android: Kotlin
Backend: PHP
Case Study: https://freshworks.io/petvibe/

BCHighways - Mobile Apps Using Open511
The BC Highways application was one of most successful and recognized projects spearheaded by the FreshWorks team using the open-source 511 API from the DataBC Catalogue. Various open source libraries were integrated for data analytics and mapping visualizations to provide citizens of BC with concentrated and accessible data and information regarding highways across British Columbia.
FreshWorks developed a machine learning module in Python to access realtime traffic conditions by analyzing the image feed from traffic cameras. The app has since added new features including Border Delays, an event feed based on a user’s specific location including construction and accidents, as well as coloured map icons which indicate areas where traffic is most severe. Additionally, users can access real-time data from a wide variety of BC Highways cameras whenever they please, to examine road conditions, dangers, and traffic.
Minister of Transportation Todd Stone personally recognized FreshWorks for their excellent work on the BC Highways application. The open source project is being further extended for other Canadian provinces including Ontario and Alberta. The BC Highways app now has over 110k downloads & 50k monthly active users.
iOS: Objective-C
Android: RxJava
Data: Open 511 APIs
Other: JSON, OpenData, Objective-C, RxJava, Realm MapKit, CoreLocation, Google Maps
https://freshworks.io/bc-highways

Harbour Air - UX Research and Website UI Redesign
FreshWorks redesigned and rebuilt a responsive website to exist alongside with the Harbour Air mobile application for iOS and Android which were developed as part of separate project.
The Harbour Air Group is the largest float plane operators in North America - offering scheduled service flights as well as scenic flights and tour packages. Our work includes ticket booking features, along with an interactive calendar, scheduling, flight tours and other corporate content/pages.
During all phases of the project, our team ensured that the website’s look and feel (user experience) matches that of the mobile applications. All aspects of design and branding were discussed with the client and driven by research from focus groups, google analytics, and heat mapping. Marketing guidelines were also taken into consideration before implementation of the redesigned website. The result is a modern, user-friendly website with significantly improved functionality for all users (internal and external), allowing travel to be booked seamlessly.
Learn more about our work with Harbour Air - https://freshworks.io/harbour-air

EAO - Inspection App Ecosystem
Since early 2016, FreshWorks has been involved with the BC Environmental Assessment Office in the role of application development and IT operation support. Our team developed a modern field application for Enforcement Officers and by incorporating GPS, an offline first approach, and media attachments, they can now submit inspections from their mobile devices, completely eliminating manual data entry.
FreshWorks implemented REST API architecture to communicate with the backed server hosted on OpenShift environment and worked with Siteminder to authenticate field inspectors. A modern web portal allows EAO office staff to manage field officers, inspection schedules, reports and other related artifacts. Our team conducted several field studies with actual inspectors to garner accurate and sufficient application requirements outside of the contracted work.
Both the web portal and mobile app come packed with a variety of features to both augment and synergize the entire inspection process, allowing future inspectors to focus on the important stuff - looking after our beautiful province.
iOS: Swift 3.0, MapKit, offline synchronization, custom ERP integration
Android: Kotlin
Backend: Node.JS, Parse
Frontend: Angular2, Express.js
Database: Mongo DB
Deployment: OpenShift
Testing: Jasmine
https://freshworks.io/eao

VanWineFest - iOS and Android Mobile Apps
Since 2016, FreshWorks has been bringing a mobile experience to the Vancouver International Wine Festival. These custom mobile apps allow Wine Festival participants to follow a schedule of conference events, make notes, post to social feed, and contact winery representatives.
You can see which wines have been getting great reviews from others, and leave notes for yourself as you go to see which wines you liked so you can follow up to find that wine either in stores or direct from the winery after the festival.
iOS: Swift
Android: Kotlin
Backend: Parse

SPAAH - Mobile Apps, Admin Panel, & Analytics
SPAAH is an app ecosystem designed to connect users with Health & Beauty Service Practitioners outside of the traditional Spa visit model. It serves as a platform for prospective clients to both search for services and post specific jobs, and for practitioners to bid on work, for services that take place in the office, home or otherwise on the go.
Clients and practitioners are validated, able to discuss jobs through direct messaging, review each other, schedule jobs with integration to common calendars, and make payment directly within the platform.
The software platform showcases advanced scheduling/booking systems for jobs, native calendar integration and payment processing features were also built from scratch. We used modern JS framework such as React/Redux for front end, while PHP was used for backend, PostGreSQL was the database language, RESTful web services were developed and Docker was used extensively in the project. We created not just great mobile apps, but an admin panel and an analytics dashboard for the client to closely monitor how the app was being used.
iOS: Swift
Android: Kotlin
Front end: React/Redux
Backend: PHP, PostGreSQL, Docker

Independent Investigations Office of BC - Custom Wordpress
FreshWorks Studio fully redesigned the Indepent Investigation's Office of BC's (IIO) website to improve overall design and usability. IIO was already collecting user feedback on the old Wordpress website by the time we kicked things off. Throughout the discovery phase we used that feedback and additional research to solidify the new features in a set of user stories.
The custom WordPress site allows users to easily access relevant information on current and past cases through advanced custom search funtionality. Website visitors can sort cases by area, incident classification, agencies involved, and incident year. Security for this website required particular consideration. The site needed to be hosted on government servers and all code needed to be reviewed by their cyber security specialists to ensure that there was no security issues.
Read the full case study: https://freshworks.io/independent-investigations-office

Victoria Votes
Victoria Votes was created for the 2018 municipal election in Victoria. This app allows voters in Victoria, BC to find out all they need to know about an upcoming municipal election. Find polling stations near you, see what ID you need to bring, read Mayor and Councillor candidate profiles, see if you are registered to vote and more.
iOS: Swift
Android: Java
Backend: Back4App

Livecare Connect - Telehealth Apps for Doctors and Patients
Livecare approached FreshWorks with a mission to solve the disparate physician services shortfall in rural communities. The solution was a telehealth web and mobile application which utilizes video conferencing and real time secure instant messaging to provide healthcare from remote locations. Livecare Connect™ Telehealth Platform can improve a clinic’s practice efficiency, patient satisfaction & schedule flexibility. Connect provides a high-quality, easy to use video conferencing platform that can integrate smoothly into any healthcare practice.
The app (web, iOS, Android) is simple and intuitive interface that allows users to schedule a visit and uses Oscar EMR plugin for integrated scheduling and visit documentation. A medical grade, high definition video provides the clearest images. It fulfills national healthcare security standards (PIPA & FIPAA Compliant). FreshWorks gained experience in the complex policies, processes and security requirements involved in end-to-end development of a telehealth application and can bring this experience into future projects with Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA). Livecare was launched in September 2018.

BC Services Card - Mobile Apps for MTICS
Our company was commissioned by the BC OCIO and Ministry Citizen Services to develop a user centric application that helps BC Residents identify themselves across various government websites. The core idea was to develop a secure authentication app, which would store BC Service card details and then help the users authenticate and login to other websites through one click on their pre-configured Mobile Apps.
Security was a paramount consideration in this project, as the application dealt with the sensitive personal data of over 13 million BC residents. Thus we implemented advanced data encryption and secure transmission practices to ensure ministry development and delivery standards. We used JWT (java web tokens) binding and 256 bit SSL encryption to enhance data security.
The app implemented silent push notification, biometrics scanning, background location tracking etc. to provide superior user experience over both mobile and web applications, the latter of which was built and maintained as a RESTful web service. The project started in March 2017, the first version of the app was launched in November 2017 and our team is currently working towards adding more features to the app.
iOS: Swift 3.0
Android: Java
Backend: (existing)
Other: Siteminder, TLS, JWT, Swift 3.0, Java, Mobile Device Management (MDM), IOS KeyChain, Android KeyStore, RSA & AES encryption
Case Study: https://freshworks.io/bc-services-card

Connect West Van - Native iOS and Android Mobile Apps
Connect West Van allows residents to engage with their city like never before. Search for jobs with the municipality, fire, or police departments and get the latest news or events directly from the District of West Van. Users can find contact information for different offices and team members or submit a service request through their mobile device.
The service request function will allow residents to report potholes, street light outages and other issues right from the app. Residents can take a picture of the issue, pinpoint it on a map, and submit directly to staff from their phone. The app will send you emergency alerts and provide you with quick access to the districts online services such as recreation schedules, the West Vancouver Memorial Library, or the Garden Side Cafe menu.
This native application is making life simpler for residents of West Vancouver and is available on both iOS and Android.

Connect Victoria - iOS and Android Native Apps
ConnectVictoria allows residents to search for jobs, news, media releases, events, contact information and submit a service request through their mobile device. The service request function will allow residents to report potholes, street light outages and other issues right from the app. Residents can take a picture of the issue, pinpoint it on a map, and submit directly to staff from their phone.
The City of Victoria is a smart city, and it needed an app to match. A place where citizens and tourists could not only access city information and services, but where locals could also rediscover the wonders of their own home. Connect Victoria allows citizens and government employees alike to interact with their city like never before by taking online connection points on the City’s website and providing them in an easily accessible mobile app.
Read the full case study: https://freshworks.io/connectvictoria
iOS: Swift
Android: Java
Front end: Angular.JS
Backend: Node.JS, ESRI Maps, HTML parsing

Hop Creek Farms - Custom Shopify for Local Farm
Hop Creek Farms is located in the beautiful Squamish Valley in British Columbia. This 33-acre farm sustainably and ethically raises beef, pork, lamb, and chicken which they sell locally. For this local farm it was important to allow customers to connect and purchase or preorder farm products conveniently. To make this possible they needed a site that was easy to navigate, easy to update, and made the ordering process simple for the team at Hop Creek and their customers.
The brand new website is built on Shopify's CMS, and has allowed the Wright Family to extend their reach beyond Squamish. The site enables users to directly purchase and pre-order cuts of meat directly from the farm that will be delivered upon availability while payment processing is completed quickly, easily, and securely for everyone. The orders are conveniently created and sent to Hop Creek directly for fulfillment reducing their admin time significantly and allowing them to spend more time building a thriving business.
CMS: Shopify

Ziggie - E Commerce platform
Ziggie provides a curated marketplace for customers, suppliers and social impact partners. One can open a "Changemaker Account" which means every purchase generates 5 – 20% of the retail price to their personal account called “My Changemaker Account”.
By opening a "Changemaker Account", one can direct these funds to any number of worthwhile causes offered by the social impact partners to improve lives.
http://www.ziggie.net/

Telus Health | Espri
FreshWorks partnered with TELUS Health to create Espri, a multi-tenanted digital health app that enables organizations to support their frontline workers with targeted mental health resources. Frontline workers have reported increased anxiety, depression, insomnia, and distress during the pandemic. This is often caused by job-related stressors, such as the risk of exposure to infection, compassion fatigue, overworking, and the psychological impact of isolation and interpersonal distancing. Despite the magnitude of mental health problems among front-line workers, their psychological health is often overlooked. Without access to timely support, mental health issues can often go untreated, leading to burnout or worsening of symptoms. To help support the mental health and wellbeing of Canada’s frontline workers, the Espri project began. FreshWorks conducted a rapid but in-depth user research phase and developed the applications with the guidance of occupation-focused clinicians. As a result, Espri provides frontline workers with a unique combination of tools that are easily accessible – including clinically-informed content, resilience tools, group counseling sessions, and peer and crisis support. There is both a mobile app and a web component in the system, and the framework is multi-tenanted which enables white-labeling and customization of the mobile app for other industries. Espri can be tailored to the unique mental health and wellness priorities of any industry, such as law enforcement, healthcare, and emergency services. We are proud to work with Telus Health on an initiative that will modernize and transform access to care for thousands of frontline workers across the country. Read the full case study here -> https://freshworks.io/portfolio/espri-multi-tenanted-digital-health-app/

Alberta Health | Critical Workers Benefit
Alberta Health sets policy and direction to achieve a sustainable health system to promote the health of Albertans. Critical workers have played an integral role in keeping the economy running and citizens safe during the pandemic. The Government of Alberta recognized this challenge and set out to build a solution that would show support and give back to the people who needed it most. In just 2 weeks, FreshWorks partnered with Alberta Health to build a powerful online system for Alberta’s critical workers to apply for COVID-19 benefit funding and Alberta Health staff to process applications. The application contains a user portal, known as the Operator Portal used by applicants, and an agent portal, known as the Assessor Portal. The Operator COVID-19 support funding provides a payment to eligible healthcare organizations in Alberta that have been impacted by COVID-19. This ranges from challenges such as reduced bed capacity or increased organizational costs. The funding scales based on the impact and size of the organization. Through the benefit, the Government of Alberta aims to distribute up to $465 million in funding to eligible workers across social services, healthcare, education, and private sectors. The payment management system is set to handle more than 30,000 healthcare employees receiving benefit funding with 1,000+ processed so far. Features include account creation and authentication using IBM’s App ID system, secure organization data storage, organization look-up and task follow-up, approving, denying, and reviewing applications, and payment processing using Government of Alberta’s 1GX (One Government eXperience) payment system. We hope this project serves as a blueprint for future government payment distribution initiatives, paving the way for accessible services for all citizens. Read the full case study here -> https://freshworks.io/portfolio/critical-worker-benefits/

Capital Asset Management System | Min of Education
The BC Ministry of Education’s Capital Management Branch manages and allocates $2.4B in capital funding to the K-12 system every three years for the province’s 60 School Districts’ priority capital projects. Projects include, but are not limited to, school expansions and replacements, seismic upgrades, and new playground equipment. Two legacy OpenVMS systems, developed in the early 1990s, were unable to accommodate new education and funding models and required modernization. A flexible system that could easily adapt to new legislation, processes, and emerging models was required. FreshWorks and ITK developed the new cloud solution replacement for the Ministry’s Capital Asset Planning System (CAPS) on Microsoft’s Power Platform. The new modern CAPS system consists of two Power Apps applications. The first application is used by Ministry Staff to orchestrate and manage calls for submission, review, and approve plan submissions. The second application is used by school districts to develop their capital plan submissions and to collaborate with their Ministry planning officers to explore the best use of capital.
This custom Power Apps-based solution met the above goals of modernizing the system and enabling a data-driven approach to defining funding models. The new CAPS system completely automates the call for submission process and provides workflows to efficiently manage the review and approval process allowing more time for Capital planning officers and School district staff to collaborate and explore innovative ways to best use available resources to meet the needs of BC’s public schools.

MVRB | Online Review System
FreshWorks helped build the Mackenzie Valley Online Review System, which provides an opportunity for citizens and regulatory boards to participate in the Boards’ public review process. The Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board's mission is to conduct fair and timely environmental impact assessments in the Mackenzie Valley that protect the environment, including the social, economic and cultural well-being of its residents. The Online Review System provides all citizens and regulatory boards with an opportunity to participate in the Boards’ public review process which is meant to protect the land, water and resources in the Mackenzie Valley. Anyone can provide input to an ongoing review and the system allows an individual to view reviewer comments and proponent responses in real time. The systematic and transparent method for submitting comments to the Board ensures all parties are kept informed with respect to resource management issues and decisions. The system requires individuals to include both a comment and a recommendation so that it’s clear what is being asked for and if the recommendation is to the Board or the company.

Skip the Ditches
This intuitive designated driver application, available on both mobile and web, ensures impaired drivers and their vehicles return home safely. Users can find drivers by location, book rides, and view details such as driver ratings, location from pickup, and estimated time to arrival. Payment is securely processed through the app after the user and their vehicle are safely brought home. The application was built using AngularJS for frontend, and NodeJS, MongoDB, and FireStore for the Backend. The Android application wwas developed using Kotlin, and the iOS app was developed with Swift 4.4.
Frontend: AngularJS
Backend: NodeJS, MongoDB, FireStore
Android: Kotlin
iOS: Swift 4.4

Workplace Mental Health Hub
In partnership with Canadian Mental Health Association BC (CMHA BC), FreshWorks helped build a digital resource hub that provides access to vital mental health resources. Workplace Mental Health Hub serves employers and employees throughout BC who work in tourism, hospitality, and community social service sectors.
The hub offers a comprehensive range of tools and resources that address common workplace issues, including harassment, bullying, and COVID-19 exposure. The hub also provides accessible tools for workers at all levels to improve their overall mental health, and support to connect to other mental health services, including counselling and peer support.
The hub augments existing mental health support for workers in the long-term care and continuing-care sector, including the Care for Caregivers website and Care to Speak peer support service. Both services received major uptake from healthcare workers throughout the province. The hub builds on this success and provides more workplace sectors with the mental health support they need.
You can access the hub here: www.workmentalhealthbc.ca
Web - Strapi & Angular.js
Reviews
the project
Accessible Web Developments for Mental Health Organization
"It’s their compassionate, thoughtful, and ingenious work that sets them apart."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association — BC Division in British Colombia (BC). We provide education and training around mental health as well as direct service. We have a range of programs that promotes mental health and early interventions and prevents mental health problems. Additionally, we participate in a number of public policy and advocacy activities focused on mental health and substance use in BC.
What challenge were you trying to address with FreshWorks Studio?
We’ve engaged them in a number of ways this past year. Most recently, we had to build a responsive online presence in light of some investments being provided to us to respond to COVID-19 and its mental health implications. We had a tight timeline to set up two brand new online presences to help the public understand the service we were starting to provide. The sites had to have clean, helpful, warm, and welcoming UIs.
What was the scope of their involvement?
One of the challenges was grappling with our existing web infrastructure, which was a bit dated. They were able to jerry-rig something very professionally. One of the features we needed in both those spaces was accessibility. End-users coming to the webspace may or may not be in distress or overwhelmed. Another key piece we wanted in both sites was for them to be as dynamic as possible to drive a high retention rate. If people came back after viewing content the first time they’d see shift and change. FreshWorks Studio was able to build those features into the sites.
What is the team composition?
We had a team of 5–6, I believe. I deal directly with Sam (CEO), who’s brilliant. On occasion, I deal with Shaun (VP of Operations), but for this particular engagement I didn’t. One of their senior sales development team members worked on this project as well, in addition to some of their backend development coding staff.
How did you come to work with FreshWorks Studio?
I’d known about FreshWorks through a number of roles. First, I came across their work through another mental health partner. Since then, we’ve built a steady relationship based on the impressive work in their overarching portfolio. One standout feature of their approach is their ethics as a company in supporting corporate and nonprofit clients. As a nonprofit, we don’t have boundless amounts of money to spend on technological investments like websites or apps and they’ve very, very sensitive and responsive to that. I also appreciate that they’re a locally grown company with real reputational capital here and beyond, in their work in the greater province. They really care about the customers they’re serving and the end-users.
What is the status of this engagement?
We’ve been working together since May 2019. Currently, we’re exploring some other opportunities around mobile-enabled connectivity supporting virtual counseling but we’re not off the ground on that yet.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our team is very happy. A number of stakeholders have signaled how beautiful the site is. One website is for caregivers, and we’ve had about 10,000 visitors to that space in the first week. Partners and funders have indicated that the sites are warm and evoke emotion, that it feels like a safe harbor — one of the goals we try to achieve in our organization.
How did FreshWorks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
We had weekly Zoom interactions on the senior level, as well as email and phone calls between our teams. They managed the project well through Google.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I have to adhere to a lot of procurement protocols but I have the utmost trust in Sam as the CEO of FreshWorks and in his team because of the good communication, transparency, and accountability in the business requirements, scoping, and billing. My sense of excellence and perfection flows through the blood of the firm.
Even when timelines are tight, there’s real commitment. For this last project, we had a government announcement coming and had 72 hours to create a credible website. They built the midnight oil and stopped at nothing to deliver on time. Lots of eyes were going to be on the website and they produced a great front-facing page that looked fantastic.
The cherry on top is how much they care. It’s clear from their work that they care fundamentally about the user experience, especially given our focus on mental health and substance use. Their portfolio is full of projects that help people with disabilities or difficult situations like divorce. Not every web or app firm has those end-users in mind as they do.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I think they’re doing great. They’re becoming a bigger player, so as they sit within complex systems like HealthTech I would advise them to hang on to their roots, the qualities and attributes you developed as a smaller firm. I’m not worried about this happening to them, but companies can lose their organic foundation as they bid for rapid expansion. It’s their compassionate, thoughtful, and ingenious work that sets them apart.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be really clear about what you need. We got excellent work within a very tight timeframe. The more lead time you have the more beautiful the work because you’ll be able to extract all the juice from their team. We’ve just had to fly by the seat of our pants.
the project
Mobile App Dev for Aviation Tool Company
"They have the right expertise to execute a project even in an industry they’re unfamiliar with."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the COO of an electronic manufacturing company that serves the aviation and aerospace industry.
What challenge were you trying to address with Freshworks Studio?
We’ve introduced Bluetooth to our tools, and that requires a mobile app for our customers.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We offer a tool used to manufacture aircraft, which requires a technician to be in awkward locations. Bluetooth allows a technician to get results onto some sort of device, like a small tablet. The app listens to our instruments and records the results of measurements taken. It has other functions as well, such as saving, exporting, viewing a history of results, and some degree of communication with instrument.
The app is built specifically for Android. None of our customers use iOS in their facilities, but one customer asked for a windows version, which we’re considering down the road.
The app isn’t entirely complete because we were going to a trade show and wanted a version of the app that could run on a giant screen. Freshworks Studio made modifications for the show while halting the final version.
What is the team composition?
I mostly dealt with a project manager at a high level. My technical guy met with their technical guy to show them hardware and work out those details. Our office then handled testing.
How did you come to work with Freshworks Studio?
I went through reviews of local app developers and reached out to a couple depending on their budgets and how I felt about them.
How much have you invested with them?
We set a budget of $30,000 and came in several thousand under.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project ran for four weeks from January to February 2020.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
This industry doesn’t do things rapidly; they believe in slow change and proven products. So, at the show, our customers were impressed by the app’s ability to use numbers so we could show off its accuracy. It also opened up a conversation about what else can be done do with the product. Customers are already figuring out ways to integrate it into network on their own.
Not only will the app speed up the manufacturing process and improve its QA, but the design is also clear, simple, and well-thought-out. It shows all the information that a user needs to know and is customizable to each user’s needs.
The project is on hold for 8–10 weeks because we’re each doing additional work right now. We plan to finish up with Freshworks Studio. They’ve gotten the barebones done; what’s left is aesthetic work and technical work on our side.
How did Freshworks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
It was almost entirely remote; we did conference calling and never met with in-person. However, some degree of hands-on work was needed. Freshworks Studio would upload the app, and then I’d load it on tablet and run it from there.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Freshworks Studio was very straightforward and upfront, making them easy to talk to. They have the right expertise to execute a project even in an industry they’re unfamiliar with. In fact, they took what we talked about in the first meeting and came back with a clear vision and perfect initial mockup before we even filled in the technical side.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of anything, it went really well. It was a great experience and it gave us a good deal of confidence. We’ll definitely continue with Freshworks Studio.
Any advice for potential customers?
Have some degree of purpose and vision before you start the project. Figure our what you’re looking for in the final product. We didn’t know a lot about Bluetooth, but we knew what we wanted the app to do and look like.
the project
Development Support for Women's Friendship Platform
“The whole Freshworks Studio team was completely dedicated to helping us succeed."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder of a women’s friendship platform.
What challenge were you trying to address with Freshworks Studio?
We contracted with their team to build a web application for our platform.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Freshworks Studio built a web application for us. We came to them with wireframes, and they were able to take those and build all of the features we wanted. We soft-launched in October 2019, and will soon be looking to start work with them on a mobile version of our product.
The app allows women to be intentional and proactive about forming new platonic friendships. It allows members to create profiles, see and send invitations to other people, and organize group or one-on-one get-togethers all through the platform.
What is the team composition?
We work with a couple members of their team, including one person who is running our marketing operations, and another who is both a developer and the main project manager for the engagement.
How did you come to work with Freshworks Studio?
We actually found them through Clutch. We put the project out to bid at a number of companies, and really liked the Freshworks Studio approach to our project.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent about $80,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The development of the web application ran from September 2018–September 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
All through the engagement, from start to finish, we’ve felt that they were as invested in our success as we were. We launched pretty recently, and they have been alongside us every step of the way. When the app first went up, there were some aspects of the user experience that didn’t work as well as we had expected, and they were able to work on a small change order and turn those around quickly.
They’ve also been proactive in reaching out and wanting to help with our marketing and publicity efforts. They will put our story in their newsletter and on Instagram, for example, and will assist in putting me in contact with some of their press contacts on the West Coast. I’m very happy with the effort they’ve put into the project.
How did Freshworks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
The project manager and I had a standing Zoom call every week and also communicated over email and Slack very regularly. He demonstrated an investment in getting things right that was far more genuine than I’ve experienced with a third-party vendor before. The whole Freshworks Studio team was completely dedicated to helping us succeed.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their level of engagement is truly on point. They’ve been true partners. Communicative and consultative - it’s not just taking instructions and executing them; it’s coming up with ideas and providing feedback. Their team is in the trenches with us and because of it, we have been very successful in getting things right the first time, with minimal surprises.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I almost wish I had some recommendations for them, but I don’t. They do a great job.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
The more work you put into keeping constant communication flowing between your teams, the better your project will flow. It’s definitely in your best interest to have that channel wide open.
the project
CRM Implementation for Public Sector Educational Org
"They were very accommodating, flexible, and adaptable."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the director of the Next Generation Network with the BC Ministry of Education.
Part of our role is focused on technology. One service we provide is ensuring connectivity services to all of our school districts in the province. This means providing services such as the internet, security firewalls, and connectivity to just over 1,600 public schools.
We do this through contact management and vendor management so that they can provide the services. This way, every student and educator has equitable access to the network and digital resources needed to fulfill the mandate of education.
What challenge were you trying to address with FreshWorks Studio?
It became difficult for our small team to manage such a large network. (We work with our vendor partners, contracts, and the school districts to be able to deliver the connectivity services.)
We lacked the tools needed to effectively manage many of the business processes. These include service requests, service orders as well as the case, vendor, financial, and contact management.
We were doing all of the key functions, but they were done in an inefficient manner. There were a lot of spreadsheets, and things were prone to errors. We wanted to reintroduce a CRM to our group.
What was the scope of their involvement?
FreshWorks helped us implement a Microsoft Dynamics CRM. FreshWorks had the contract with the government. But, a subcontractor worked with them to deliver the service.
Our documents, spreadsheets, and data were all in different areas, and they did a bulk import of that information into the CRM.
When FreshWorks first started, the first couple of weeks were spent going through the project initiation, pre-established use cases, and some of the business requirements. We also established the desired outcomes.
It was an agile project where they would do a chunk of code for us in sprints. At the end of each sprint, they would physically show us what they’d accomplished. There was a lot of iteration where they would go back to do some tweaks For each of the sprints, there were use cases where we were trying to deliver certain capabilities for our business process.
What is the team composition?
They had a team of four to five people. We had one scrum master, two developers, an architect, and a UX designer.
From the ministry, we provided one resource who became the product owner and the main liaison with FreshWorks.
How did you come to work with FreshWorks Studio?
It was strictly through our government procurement process. We had some respondents, and FreshWorks was one of them. We went through an interview, and they ended up winning the contract.
How much have you invested in them?
We spent between $250,000 to $500,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We had two separate engagements with FreshWorks, and each engagement lasted 8 to 10 weeks. We worked with them from January of 2019 to April of 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve been able to start using the tool and incorporating it into our business process. There have been several wins. We’ve been able to implement business processes more effectively.
For example, we’ve consolidated a lot of our data into a single platform, and FreshWorks helped us by developing workflows. They also built dashboards and some basic reporting tools that allow us to get information more quickly and deliver services more proficiently.
There’ve been some roadblocks due to government policy as it relates to information security. A task about automating the creation of accounts created an issue with our government security organization.
However, FlashWorks did find a way around it. So, we can still use the tool in our process, just maybe not to the level of efficiency that we would like. But, it’s something we can improve down the road when we can break some of those security barriers.
How did FreshWorks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
We had a fairly positive experience with the agile process as it was relatively new for our group. When it comes to the quality of the product as well as the delivery of the product, it worked out really, really well.
They worked very closely with our team, holding daily stand-ups. They clearly communicated their plans, and unless there was a setback because of the environment, they delivered what they said they would.
We learned that when we engage in this type of project, we need to be prepared to lose a staff member who is dedicated as a product owner. This puts a little bit of pressure on other areas of our operation.
By the end of the first engagement with them, they had a pretty solid understanding of our business. They were able to map out our business process, create the workflows, and implement those workflows into the CRM.
They were using our jargon and lexicon. They really quickly understood our business dynamic, almost to the point where I could have hired any of them to run some of our process.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They were very accommodating, flexible, and adaptable. There was a lot of remote work because we had limited space, but they traveled to our site at the end of sprints and for presentations. When a change was needed at the end of a sprint, they would make those small adjustments right away.
They provided training long after the contract was terminated. They didn’t just walk away from the product. They were more than willing to answer questions and make changes even after the contract was completed.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There are things that could have been improved, but I’m not sure if FreshWorks could have one anything better. They were dealing with a government project, so they were subjected to the government’s rules, procedures, and policies. There isn’t much that they could have done when it came to that.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Try to be prepared from a work environment perspective. In the government, it took some time to create a cloud environment for the CRM.
Although that part took some time, FreshWorks wasn’t going to hold off. They have their own Microsoft Dynamics environment in their own space, and they started development without any data. As we were trying to get things resolved, they were still already working on a solution for us.
For anyone taking on a project, make sure that you are ready for the contractor to show up. Make sure they have the proper access and space to work. That way, they can really hit the ground running and there is no waste of time.
the project
Agile Dev of Web App and Backend for Natural Resource Org
“They set the precedent for quality code, and our user-friendly design largely comes from their input.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We are a government ministry that works in the natural resource sector. We manage information, particularly related to mining. I'm a product portfolio manager and director of digital services.
What challenge were you trying to address with FreshWorks Studio?
We wanted to consolidate disparate information into an accessible solution that allowed us to make meaningful oversight decisions.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They did a lot of work on a front-facing web platform with a significant Python backend. The project had a robust data analytics piece and was heavily focused on automated testing. We used open-source software, and all the pieces are available on GitHub. Using those existing pieces allows us to collaborate with other teams. Nothing was proprietary, but they had access to our whole code set, which is predominantly Python and Angular.
What is the team composition?
From their side, we worked with four developers, an architect, and a QA specialist. They were embedded in our team and worked with other vendors and our internal members.
How did you come to work with FreshWorks Studio?
We went through an online procurement model to find them. FreshWorks worked through that model and we ultimately chose them.
How much have you invested with them?
The total investment for their services was about $1.2 million.
What is the status of this engagement?
They worked with us from July 2018-September 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They played a huge role in automated testing and quality assurance. They set the precedent for quality code, and our user-friendly design largely comes from FreshWorks' input. Their development capabilities are strong.
How did FreshWorks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
We used a scaled, agile approach. The project was complex, but they worked well within our culture and environment. They never let team boundaries get in the way, and they completely engaged in the system and the process. Our product owner was on-site every day, and I stitched everything together. We used Jira for project management, and we worked together through two-week scrums and reviews.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They're partner-focused, and they build strong relationships. We never worked within this kind of partnership model, so their communication was very valuable. They were always connected and transparent, and we always knew what was going on.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They improved over the course of a 14-month project. The team started out fairly junior, but they were very valuable to us by the end.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Lay everything out and be clear about your expectations, especially in an iterative project. As long as you keep the relationship open, you'll be well in hand.
the project
App Development and Social Media Platform Integration
“They have a very skilled team that was dedicated to our success.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm a partner manager on the Ecosystem team at Hootsuite. Hootsuite is a social media management platform that allows users to manage all of their social media networks from one central dashboard. My role involves fostering Hootsuite's open ecosystem through apps and integrations to scale our business faster than we could on our own; ultimately helping customers large and small grow their brand, business and customer relationships with social.
What challenge were you trying to address with FreshWorks Studio?
Needed a solution that enabled Hootsuite users to manage their search (and social) presence, promoting company updates through posts and customer engagement to their Google business profiles all from the same platform. We successfully partnered with FreshWorks building an integration between Google My Business and Hootsuite to achieve just that.
What was the scope of their involvement?
FreshWorks Studio helped us integrate our platform with Google My Business leveraging both Hootsuite and Google My Business public API for, with a lot of the work being done in JavaScript.
Customers Google My Business data is displayed in the Hootsuite dashboard. We brought together a lot of the technology that we have in-house and FreshWorks Studio's expertise in designing and building web applications.
The integration enables users to manage both their search and social presence in the same platform. It also enables local business managers to manage & promote their company business profiles online visible in Google Search & Maps results.
What is the team composition?
Team structure included a project manager, UI designers, one frontend developer, one backend developer, and one tester.
How did you come to work with FreshWorks Studio?
I found FreshWorks Studio on Clutch. I liked their company profile, what they were about and their approach to solving problems.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with FreshWorks Studio between March–June 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They have a very skilled team that was dedicated to our success. The integration that they put together was adopted by many users within the last four months. There were very few bugs or issues, and FreshWorks Studio was always highly responsive and resolved them as soon as possible. They delivered a high-quality product, and we'd work with them again on future projects.
How did FreshWorks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
They stayed within the budget and executed everything according to the plan, with minimal deviation from what we agreed on.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They're very proactive and do good work.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Not really. They're a growing company, so I hope they don't let the expansion impact the quality of their work.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
They're very collaborative, so stay engaged throughout the process and work closely with their team. They've definitely proven their worth and their quality.
the project
Secure Mobile App for Medical Technology Company
"FreshWorks Studio took full ownership of making the project a success."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the VP of technology and innovation for Prenuvo. We do preventive MRI imaging. Our high-level pitch is we want to be the dentist for the rest of your body.
What challenge were you trying to address with FreshWorks Studio?
Traditional radiology suffers from legacy IT infrastructure and old ways of doing things. Patients want to have access to their medical information and be able to freely share it as needed. FreshWorks Studio helped us develop a mobile app that enables patients to get their health information and distribute it to whomever they choose.
What was the scope of their involvement?
FreshWorks Studio developed and designed the frontend of our app. We worked closely on the project together as our in-house team led the backend development. They developed native mobile apps for both iOS and Android. The backend provides the APIs that they use to get the data and display it to the user.
One of the key features of the app is a secure login. We're dealing with health information so security is obviously a top priority. The app uses multi-factor identification and authentication methods, such as fingerprint authentication or a secure passcode. The app also presents medical information in a way that's easy for patients to visualize, understand, and contextualize. The medical industry it's full of jargon. We made sure that the app is educational and the information is organized in such a way that it's very easy to understand. Not only do we show for what's wrong with that person, but we also use color-coding to emphasize what's working well.
What is the team composition?
The core team was four people. We had a project manager, an Android developer, an iOS developer, and a QA lead.
How did you come to work with FreshWorks Studio?
We found them through a Google search. As a young company that’s moving quickly, it was important to us that the people we're working with are in the same time zone. While we’re not in the same city, we liked that FreshWorks Studio is in Victoria. There was also a question of which technologies to use. We didn’t know if React Native could handle the technical load of so many images. They had a lot of experience in native mobile app development. They were quite motivated and willing to take on the challenge, which convinced us that they were the right choice.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project took place from August 2018–March 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We're not sharing the mobile yet with every customer. We're only showing it to VIPs and select people that we ask to try it out.
How did FreshWorks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
FreshWorks Studio performed quite well. Their communication was amazing. They integrated directly into our Slack. We were in frequent communication throughout the collaboration. Our backend developers worked closely with their frontend developers. We had to weigh in and stay engaged, so that meant daily—or sometimes hourly—updates. They were very responsive.
The communication aspect was so important because we move so fast. We can't afford any delay between making a request and actually getting a response back. Even small delays can add up as the impact is multiplied. We had a really good experience working with FreshWorks Studio. They provided updates at the sprints and whenever there was a major release. There were also in-between updates. They did a lot of QA testing. Every task was assigned to a person and they got back to us quickly.
What did you find most impressive about them?
FreshWorks Studio took full ownership of making the project a success. They were willing to work with me after hours to ensure we were confident before a demo. That's actually really important because it's hard to test for when selecting a company.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Their invoicing could have been better. For example, we were quoted one additional hour of developer time. By the time they put in the overhead, we were billed 2–3 times the quoted amount. They weren't trying to hide the costs, but it wasn't communicated effectively.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
When we were still deciding whether or not to hire FreshWorks Studio, their CEO hosted a video call and showed me a tour of their office. It might sound silly but it had a significant impact on determining if we should work with an offshore team or pay more for a local developer. It helped me see them as a legitimate company with real people diligently working in an office.
the project
UX/UI Research & Design for Startup App
“It was so nice because there was always someone that I could talk to about anything, at all times.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m starting up a tourism-based booking app for extreme sports called ROVE. It’s a one-man show at the moment.
What challenge were you trying to address with Freshworks Studios?
I needed help in creating the design and function of my app and establishing its user stories.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Starting from the base, Freshworks Studio and I discussed the goal of the app, as well as the designs and features that I envisioned for it. This took place over a handful of meetings in their local office, and was a process that took up a large fraction of the timespan. After we hashed out the details of what we wanted, Freshworks Studio began creating the design for the app with the remainder of my budget.
What is the team composition?
I first met with Sam (CEO, Freshworks Studio.) I then worked with one main designer, a project manager, and a couple of others who helped with the storytelling aspect of the app. They have a lot of team members but they’re very closely-knit.
How did you come to work with Freshworks Studios?
I found Freshworks Studios through searching online and asking friends who are in the app development industry. After doing some research on different companies and looking at their past projects, I decided to go with Freshworks Studios because I really liked their designs.
How much have you invested with them?
I spent close to $30,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project went from November 2018–May 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They did great work. They did a really good job laying the design foundations for the app. I went over the budget a little bit because I didn't realize how expensive the work would be, and I was still figuring out exactly where I wanted to go with the app. But it was the proper work that needed to be done.
How did Freshworks Studios perform from a project management standpoint?
It was always really good communication. Even though there are a lot of team members, they all know what’s going on. It was so nice because there was always someone that I could talk to about anything, at all times.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I thought it was a really good crew of people. They’re such friendly people to work with, and their design work is also extremely diverse. Freshworks Studio’s ability to cater to different demands really makes them stand out from other companies. I think that’s what’s delightful about them.
Are there any areas they could improve?
It’s hard to say since I’m just a one-person company, and I was totally new to app development. I think it would've really helped if they had been explained exactly how the process would look from start to finish (e.g., timeframe, budget). Likewise, if I were able to communicate exactly what was needed, then they probably could have made it work.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be really clear about what you want, and then they’ll be very helpful.
the project
Onsite SEO & Web Dev for Senior Living Advisory Firm
"Disciplined and organized, the team brought the project in on time and within budget."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the director of quality assurance for A Place for Mom. We provide a free service that helps families find tailored care situations for loved ones.
What challenge were you trying to address with FreshWorks Studio?
We were looking to revamp our website in Canada. We lacked the resources and bandwidth to manage our current site, and we wanted to upgrade it to a new stack and template that we’d then use for the rest of our site.
What was the scope of their involvement?
FreshWorks Studio updated the site and migrated it to our updated tech stack using React and Node.js. We had created a new continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) pipeline, and their team was the first to use this stack. They created a new viewer with multiple views to showcase images of our partner communities. There is also a destination page that lists communities within designated areas specified by users through search criteria. Lastly, FreshWorks Studio implemented SEO and search engine marketing (SEM).
What is the team composition?
We worked with Rachit (Web Development and Project Management, FreshWorks Studio) who served as our TPM. We also had a scrum master, a few quality assurance engineers, and four software developers. The team consisted of a few senior people and other members as well.
How did you come to work with FreshWorks Studio?
I wasn’t involved in the decision to hire them. Our senior director of engineer and our CTO was looking for a team for this project, and they found FreshWorks Studio through Clutch.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together on the initial project from August 2018–April 2019. FreshWorks Studio still provides ongoing work in other areas.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve held off on fully launching and publicizing the site because we decided to include more features. We can’t fully judge the impact yet until we start moving traffic to the site, but we’re thrilled with FreshWorks Studio. The team helped us through scrum processes—which are still new to our organization—and picking tools and procedures to use. They were open to what we wanted to do; we never received pushback on our requests. I’ve worked with several remote teams, and FreshWorks Studio is one of the easiest to work with.
How did FreshWorks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
We sometimes visited FreshWorks Studio for face-to-face visits, but we primarily communicated using Slack or video-conference calls. Their TPM consistently shared progress updates with us and raised any issues that came up. Since their team was the first to use our new CI/CD pipeline, we had to work out many obstacles, and they were very patient with us.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Disciplined and organized, the team brought the project in on time and within budget. They delivered high-quality web development work and built the template we plan to use on other sites. Our executive is very happy with their work, which has led to our continued partnership.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Nothing comes to mind. FreshWorks Studio was effortless to work with compared to past experiences with other remote teams. Their communication and planning were excellent, and the project ultimately came in on time and within budget—a hard feat for an internal team to achieve, let alone an external organization.
Any advice for potential customers?
As with any contractor, have solid requirements and a firm idea of what you want them to build. FreshWorks Studio is highly innovative; they can help think of new ideas and suggest different ways to do things. However, it’s much easier to build a schedule and set of expectations around a fully-formed concept rather than a vague outline.
the project
Mobile, Web and Backend App Dev Crown Land Livestock Grazing
"The team never turned down a request—they always looked for a way to make it work."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a product owner for a government agency.
What challenge were you trying to address with FreshWorks Studio?
We were working on developing a digital solution to improve collaboration between our agency and agreement holders on planning activities.
What was the scope of their involvement?
FreshWorks Studio built an iPad application and a web application used by both government staff and agreement holders. They created a series of online forms and workflows for both parties to enter data according to legal requirements. Staff submit the initial data in the iOS app. The information then syncs with our database and the web application, where agreement holders can access it and input any additional data. A single sign-on process linked to existing IDs makes authentication as easy as possible.
The FreshWorks Studio team delivered an iOS app, a web app built with React, and a backend built using NodeJS deployed on openshift. We thought that the project would mainly involve the web app and iOS interface; however, the database took up a larger chunk of work than expected. The team adapted well to learning new things and working outside their primary skillset.
What is the team composition?
I worked directly with three members of the team: a UI/UX person, an iOS and iPad person, and a full-stack developer who built the database and web application.
How did you come to work with FreshWorks Studio?
We tried to get the project off the ground through the traditional government channels, but we weren’t making much progress. An internal technology-focused lab connected us to FreshWorks Studio as an approved vendor.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from February 2018–April 2019. We still keep in touch. FreshWorks Studio makes sure that we have the information we need to proceed to the next steps of the project.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We did a gradual release at the end of February 2019, and we now have a fair number of both staff and agreement holders using the app. The app and content have been generally well-received by users. People are excited about having a digital option to simplify this back-and-forth process. We couldn’t integrate some components right away because of delays and resource constraints on our end, but FreshWorks Studio accommodated us.
How did FreshWorks Studio perform from a project management standpoint?
This was the first time our agency had worked on an agile project. I had to work remotely with the team. However, FreshWorks Studio worked around my needs and was open to trying different communication tools—including Skype and Google Hangouts—throughout the project.
We used Trello with add-ons to counteract story points and track our work and Miro (formerly called RealtimeBoard) to record progress. I kept the Trello board up-to-date while our scrum master maintained Miro and led sprint reviews. I appreciated FreshWorks Studio’s flexibility and patience throughout our time together.
What did you find most impressive about them?
FreshWorks Studio’s willingness to adapt stood out most to me. They accommodated me working remotely and the way that the scope of work evolved. The team never turned down a request—they always looked for a way to make it work.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We underestimated how long the final scope would take for us to complete. As a result, we ran out of time to run full testing before we launched in order to meet our hard deadline.
Any advice for potential customers?
I found FreshWorks Studio very accommodating when communication was frequent and complete. Every time we communicated, they were eager and responsive to our needs. The team patiently worked around our dependencies that slowed us down. It was challenging not having the time we needed to test before the solution went live.
Keeping an eye on end-users and their potential states of mind, FreshWorks studio delivered bespoke solutions on-demand. Their commitment to ethics and supporting at-risk populations is evident in their portfolio and dedicated, high-quality work. Customers can expect a compassionate partner.