UX strategy / Visual design / Design system / Prototyping / Technical discovery / Development / Product management
Figma / React / Next.js / Python / Django / PostgreSQL / AWS / Stripe / Twilio
Web / Android / iOS
People have always desired the best provider for their needs. Ideally, the search process is swift and yields the most suitable solution.
Search engines are capable of listing the most relevant web pages for a given search term, but it is the user’s responsibility to sift through the plethora of results. Not only that, users often encounter web pages that have been paid for or optimized to rank higher, increasing the complexity of the search process.
Online review platforms have failed to deliver on their promise of providing trustworthy feedback, as the prevalence of fake reviews and the diversity of individual expectations make it difficult for users to rely on this information.
For some, Martin Lieberherr – widely known as “Tschaina” – has become a valuable alternative for recommendations thanks to his vast personal network across Switzerland. In many cases, Tschaina provides not only a recommendation, but also exclusive access.
The increasing number of such requests, some inventiveness, and his entrepreneurial streak led Tschaina to a unique business idea. He envisioned the digitization of his existing network to scale the number of requests he could handle and further grow his personal network.
Tschaina approached Voa Labs with his idea of a platform with a two-sided market. “twigr” would connect two user groups: individuals who sign up to become twigr members, and a curated group of companies to be known as twigr Partners. These users form a community with exclusive benefits.
To begin with, we assisted twigr in refining its business model and developing a basic product roadmap. We prioritized the feature ideas by mapping them in a Value-Complexity Matrix and then creating the roadmap.
Our first objective was to rapidly launch a functional prototype to gather user feedback, generate first sales, and find product-market fit.
Our team created a functional prototype in 2 x two-week sprints. The result was a functional web-based application that allowed twigr to validate its business model and make its first sales within six weeks of project initiation. During the initial sales phase, we constantly adapted the prototype according to customer feedback. Keeping the technology stack simple and our team deliberately small at this stage allowed for fast, agile adjustments.
Early user tests revealed that users also wanted to use twigr on the go through a mobile app. Additionally, twigr wanted to offer a digital member card feature so users could identify themselves as twigr members, further reinforcing the need for a mobile app.
Positive user feedback and first sales showed that the business model had potential. At this point, we grew our team to accelerate and enhance the implementation process, expand the platform to include mobile applications, and craft a user experience that delights.
In collaboration with Branders, we designed a bold and colorful visual identity for the platform. The resulting design emphasizes twigr's connection to the local community and its mission to help businesses and individuals establish long-term connections.
We built a design system that establishes standards for managing design at scale via a reusable design, code components, and patterns. This system ensures visual consistency across the entire twigr platform, accelerates development efficiency, and reduces time-to-market.
Based on the design system, we created the UX design and visual design for the multi-device platform. We used state-of-the-art technologies for platform implementation. The front end is built with Next.js, a React framework. The backend is built with the Python framework Django. To create a native iOS and Android app, we used React Native. The platform runs on AWS, which provides unlimited scaling, high performance, a reliable and secure global computing infrastructure, and high cost-effectiveness.
twigr is a unique recommendation platform allowing users to explore and connect with their local community. The platform serves both B2C and B2B clients.
B2B clients – twigr Partners – provide exclusive benefits to the community. They also have access to specialized features tailored to their business needs, such as the capability to effortlessly connect with decision-makers of other twigr Business Partners.
For B2C clients – twigr Members – we have implemented a freemium model. Users can sign up for free and upgrade to a paid plan for full access. To securely handle the subscription payments, we’ve integrated Stripe.
With the twigr mobile application, users can check in at the locations of all twigr Partners by scanning a twigr QR code. A successful check-in allows users access to exclusive benefits at the twigr Partner’s location. The check-in functionality also ensures that both the location and user are authentic, active members of the twigr community.
The twigr Partner Portal empowers business partners to effortlessly manage their profiles and access real-time analytics to gain valuable insights, including visitor data from physical stores. The Partner Portal also allows twigr Partners to invite their employees to join twigr.
twigr's employees are equipped with a robust admin tool that enables efficient management of the wide-ranging twigr platform. This tool streamlines customer and content management. The integrated permission system enables the assignment of roles to individual users and groups. Further, the tool generates reports and documents as part of its automated business processes, including QR codes in PDF format and monthly affiliate payout reports as xlsx files.
Numerous signups of businesses, including well-known brands such as Hertz Car Rental, Scotch & Soda, and Sony Music, show demand for the product. And, according to feedback from early-stage users, the overall experience is already exceeding expectations. We may be biased, but it’s clear that twigr has enormous potential. The platform we’ve built is ready to scale, and we can’t wait to see the further growth of twigr.
for a revenue generating functional prototype
onboarded B2B clients
“Voa Labs was instrumental in building our startup from the ground up. We first partnered with them to build a prototype – they delivered it within four weeks. Subsequently, they guided us on the product strategy and built our entire platform end-to-end.”
“twigr is not just a tool, it's a solution. It empowers companies to optimize their business development and opens new distribution opportunities. We are thrilled to be at the forefront of shaping the future of marketing technology with twigr.”
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