Disrupting the Dating Landscape
Blyynd is at the forefront of redefining virtual dating, offering a pioneering platform that prioritizes respect and security in intimate online interactions. Designed to facilitate the exploration of sexual fantasies in a safe, anonymous environment, Blyynd allows users to create profiles and use badges to express their desires. This approach helps users find suitable partners who share their interests, allowing them to express themselves in a scam free and safe environment.
By focusing on the user's comfort and safety, Blyynd has carved out a niche in the digital dating world, enabling people to connect on a deeper, more meaningful level.
Failing in-house chat leads to a build vs. buy conundrum
Blyynd initially built their own in-house chat system, but it soon became clear that this decision came with significant challenges. The system suffered from issues like data loss and user frustration, which created a less-than-ideal user experience. Tanguy Fallard, co-founder of Blyynd, shared, "We had a lot of encrypted content, and yet, there was a significant loss of messages and content between users. It created a lot of frustration."
Maintaining and constantly fixing the in-house solution quickly drained resources that were needed for growth. With a small team, this became unsustainable. Realizing the need for a more reliable and scalable solution, Blyynd decided to explore third-party chat solutions like CometChat. The main reasons were to:
Accelerate development
Partnering with a third-party provider would allow Blyynd to implement robust chat functionalities more quickly.
Enhance features
Blyynd wanted to offer advanced features such as video chat and translation, which would be complex and resource-intensive to build from scratch.
Tanguy Fallard, emphasizes the importance of this "build vs buy" decision: "Sometimes you have to think about the way to achieve the main goal. You have to be quicker and to be sure that you have good third-party partners that can help you reach this goal quicker than building your own."
His advice resonates with startups across industries: by strategically leveraging reliable third-party solutions like CometChat, founders can streamline development, optimize resource allocation, and ultimately achieve their core business objectives faster.
Here’s a framework we suggest companies to use when deciding between building and buying chat on their platform.
By opting for a third-party solution, Blyynd aimed to overcome their technical challenges and focus on delivering a seamless user experience.
Why Blyynd Chose CometChat Over Sendbird
After deciding to move away from building their own chat system, Blyynd conducted a thorough evaluation of various chat solution providers. Through this process, they narrowed down their options to two leading platforms: Sendbird and CometChat. Now faced with the critical decision of choosing the best fit for their needs, Blyynd carefully evaluated each option before deciding on CometChat.
Blyynd considered several factors in their decision-making process:
Price advantage
As a growing startup, cost was a major consideration for Blyynd. CometChat's pricing structure proved to be more budget-friendly compared to Sendbird, allowing them to invest in other crucial areas.
Customer service excellence
The exceptional customer service provided by CometChat was another decisive factor. "The sales and support team at CometChat were exceptionally responsive and helpful," Tanguy recalled. This proactive support was instrumental in addressing their queries and ensuring a smooth implementation process.
Ease of integration and flexibility
Blyynd already utilized an AI service called Sight Engine. The flexibility of CometChat's Flutter UIKits allowed for a smooth integration, ensuring their existing technology could work in harmony with the new chat solution.
How Blyynd uses CometChat
Blyynd's user journey prioritizes privacy and personalization. Users create anonymous profiles with badges reflecting their desires, then explore a feed of other users' posts. While liking posts fosters initial interest, deeper connections are facilitated through Blyynd's chat functionality powered by CometChat. Here's how CometChat empowers their vision:
Seamless communication
After signing up and exploring profiles, users can send personalized messages to spark connections. For an added layer of privacy, Blyynd uses a pay-per-message model for initial interactions. Once mutual interest is established, a private chat room is created within CometChat, allowing users to engage in unrestricted conversation.
Rich media sharing
Blyynd understands the power of visual and auditory communication. Through CometChat's features, users can share images, videos, and voice notes, enriching their interactions and fostering a deeper sense of connection.
Enhanced user experience
Real-time features like typing indicators and read receipts provide valuable insights into communication flow, keeping users engaged and informed.
By implementing CometChat's robust chat solution, Blyynd has achieved a stable and secure chat experience for its 1,000-1,500 daily active users, who exchange millions of messages. This frees up their development team to focus on core functionalities that further enhance the user experience on their dating platform.
Tanguy, reflects on their decision:
