Akveo

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CSO of Skrivanek.pl

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are part of the international SKRIVANEK group, operating in 17 countries around the world, such as Germany, France, Great Britain, USA, Czech Republic, Belgium, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Estonia, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden. Skrivanek has been present in Poland since 1997, starting out with translation and interpreting. Since then, we have expanded our services to provide desktop publishing (DTP), proofreading, localisation, language teaching and many other language services. We were one of the first translation agencies in Poland to implement a Quality Management System in line with the ISO 9001 standard. In 2011, we introduced an ISO 14001 compliant Environmental Management System. Finally, in 2012, we implemented an ISO 27001 certified Information Security Management System, whose purpose is to protect information against destruction, theft and misuse. Our company is also a holder of the EN 17100 translation services certification, providing requirements for the translation process, including those necessary for ensuring quality.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Akveo to accomplish?

• To develop a SaaS platform that enables companies to create their own organisations with customised language learning bots.

SOLUTION

How did you find Akveo?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Akveo over others?

• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Akveo were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

    Project setup
Initial setup of the project environment and configuration of frameworks
Application deployment
Establishing application deployment to the client's servers and setting up a CI/CD pipeline for continuous integration.
Using platforms such as Vercel and SaaS databases will reduce the effort to approximately 8 hours.
Multitenancy
Introduction to multitenancy in the application architecture. Companies can register organizations and manage their own users.
UI Design
App basic layout and design
App desing and layout based on ready to use components library (considering some specific simple color themes from client).
Custom design
Preparation by the design team. Implementation time may vary based on complexity
Chatbot
Indroductory questionnare
A set of questions for the user to get the preffered interface (native) language, target language, level).
Onboarding and instructions
A set of simple instruction providing guidance on how to use the app.
Chat with exercises
The core functionality of the app, which involves user interaction via chat
Grammar exercise
Various grammar exercises
Vocabulary exercise
The system shows a few words with their explanations
Reading exrecise
Reading a text and answering questions related to it
Writing exercise
Suggesting the user write a text on a given topic
Conversation excersise
Simulating conversations for different situations
Listening exercise
Audio is generated with OpenAI Whisper or something similar. The user listens to the audio and answers the questions
Users
User authentication and authorization
Sign up, Login, Forgot password functionality.
Social networks signup
Sign up + Login via social networks (Facebook, Google).
User preferences
Page with user settings. This page allows users to customize their preferences, such as native/target language, language of tasks, skill level, organization (optional for further analystics).
Free trial period without registration
Anonymous users should be able to try the application. For example, they can complete several tasks. After that, the system should ask them to register.
Platform admin
Organisations list
Platform admin should see all registred organisations. Support of CRUD operation with organizations (tenants).
Organization admin
Organization settings
A page with Organization settings.
Users bulk creation
Organization user should be able to create several users in a bulk (e.g. via CSV file containing user details, preferences in language).
Organization users
List of users in the organization accessible by the organization admin. It is possible to check user activity statistics and disable users.
Payment setup
Organizations connects their Stripe account in the settings.
Add custom domain
Organizations can setup custom domain.
Add logo
Organization upload logo of ther organization with is used on the chat main page.
Custom color theme
Organizations can set the color theme of their application. This requires preparing the application's user interface for such customization.
Custom organization email
Organizations can setup their email server to send notifications to users.
Billing
Stripe integration
Setup integration with Stripe service
Pricing page
Pricing policies, subscription fees (mothly, yearly), and promo codes are set up by the client in Stripe. This functionality is embedded within the app.
Manage subscriptions
Users can manage their subscription on the page generated by Stripe. This functionality is integrated into the app.
Multitenancy payments
Update the payment integration to reflect multitenancy. Stripe Connect is used.
Pricing and billing page for organisations
Manage organizational payments.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We met with Akveo team on regular basis to check the progress and agree on next steps. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Very good communication and time management on their end, there as minor break in the workflow due to geo-political circumstances (person travelled) and could not return back from home country in time, but we overcame also this hurdle. 

What was your primary form of communication with Akveo?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

1) They list and try to understand. 

2) They value clients and their own time.

3) They do not overpromise - they see things realistically 

4) They deliver 

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

n/a

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of a SaaS company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We offer integrated vertical SaaS solutions designed to streamline and optimize administrative, educational, and communication processes for K-12 schools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Akveo to accomplish?

• Hierarchical Billing & Licensing Management
• Automated Invoicing
• Integration with CRM & Accounting Solutions

SOLUTION

How did you find Akveo?

Referral

Why did you select Akveo over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Akveo were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Akveo has delivered an impressive billing solution that effectively addresses the challenges of complex hierarchical license management and automated invoicing. Their system supports multi-tiered licenses, enabling detailed tracking of usage and compliance, which is essential for organizations with intricate licensing structures.

The integration with CRM and accounting packages is seamless, facilitating efficient management of financial data and processes. Akveo's solution also excels in automating invoicing, streamlining PO workflows, and reducing manual effort. Overall, Akveo's work has significantly enhanced the operational efficiency and accuracy of financial processes, making it a valuable asset for any organization with complex billing needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project included a 30% reduction in manual billing errors due to the implementation of automated invoicing processes. This led to a significant decrease in the time spent on billing reconciliation, cutting down from an average of two weeks to just a few days. Additionally, the integration with CRM and accounting packages resulted in a 40% improvement in data accuracy and consistency across systems.

The solution's ability to handle complex hierarchical license management also enabled better compliance tracking, ensuring 100% adherence to licensing agreements and reducing the risk of penalties. Overall, these outcomes highlight the project's success in enhancing operational efficiency and accuracy.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Demonstrated strong project management skills, consistently delivering key milestones on time and maintaining clear communication throughout the process. They were highly responsive to our needs, promptly addressing any concerns and adapting to our requirements effectively.

What was your primary form of communication with Akveo?

Virtual Meeting

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

Akveo was exceptionally easy to work with, demonstrating a collaborative and flexible approach throughout the project. Their team was always approachable and responsive, making the entire process smooth and stress-free.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of The Afloat App

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Everything Gifting Platform: Vertical software empowering retailers + a curated gifting marketplace for consumers

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Akveo to accomplish?

• Retool Application Development

SOLUTION

How did you find Akveo?

Online Search

Why did you select Akveo over others?

experience, expertise, people, and culture

How many teammates from Akveo were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We decided to use Retool to build complex data visualization and management components that we could embed into our existing web an mobile applications. Retool was the right tool for the job given it's fast and low cost app building capabilities, support for complex data workflows, and the ability to embed these coponents within an eixisting site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• We interviewed a few vendiors and chose Akveo because of their expereince, expertise, and the people were professional and pleasant to work with.
• We were assigne two full time developers and aproject lead that we really enjoyed working with.
• The project was completed in June and we launched the new product offering and are generating revenue.
• We retained Akveo for ongoing support, QA, maintenance/ehancements.
• We are considering using Akveo for other projects as we evaluate our 2H'24 priorities, even if the resources/tech requirements are not the same.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Project management quality when outsourcing is always a function of how well you drive requireemtns and process with the vendor. We were happy with the project management capabilities that Akveo provided.

What was your primary form of communication with Akveo?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The people. Professional, easy to work with (and understand) people who care about and enjoy their work is the key to success.

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

A bit more structured documentation of the deliverables along the way would have been nice. But overall we are very pleased with the outcome.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the owner of L'Esperta, LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

L'Esperta is a boutique travel company that creates customized itineraries to Italy 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Akveo to accomplish?
create a tool to manage scheduling and client information

SOLUTION

How did you find Akveo?

Online Search

Why did you select Akveo over others?

Positive initial discovery meeting

How many teammates from Akveo were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

A software program (tool) for a solo independent travel agent that captures data related to client/travelers, contracted services, and vendor contacts. The tool will need to have the ability to progress planning activities and develop various reports related to client/ traveler data, contracted services, and the progress of planning activities. 

• Establish the process to enable the capture of data associated with travel itineraries in a central location.
• Establish a planning and tracking tool which utilizes the centralized data associated with a travel itinerary and uses the centralized data to provide tracking and status reports.
• Automate/semi-automate development of reports and dashboards to track and status actions of itinerary development and deployment.
• The scope of this effort is to develop a tool that can perform the following tasks:
• Collect trip destination, dates, and cost.
• Collect personal data for each participant such as but not limited to name, birthdate, address, email, phone number, passport, and other necessary data related to the individual.
• Identify the vendor, dates, location, and cost associated with each identified service such as but not limited to flights, lodging, transportation, tickets, tours and any other provided service during the trip.
• Provide ability to identify key dates when actions must be taken and to provide a status of those actions.
• Provide a vendor resource database that contains but not limited to contact information, services, and other data associated with individual vendors that can be used to automatically populate services identified for each trip. The vendor resource database should be editable by L’Esperta LLC.
• Provide a centralized data collection that can be used to provide demographics of trip participants for future marketing.
• Provide a centralized data collection that can be used to analyze current and past trips.
• Present key business data using dashboards.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Akveo produced a tool that addressed all of the requests we outlined in our initial project document and delivered the project on time and on budget.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Every step was clearly explained. Any issues were addressed during our weekly meetings and were rectified quickly, usually in the same day.  The regular communication via Slack and Google Meet made us feel like we were involved in the project throughout the process.  

What was your primary form of communication with Akveo?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I was impressed by the exceptional organization of the project, from the introduction of the process to the execution of the work, the explanation and weekly review of what tasks had been completed and the prompt response to our questions and concerns.  In addition to doing what we asked, Dmitry was insightful and thoughtful when looking for how the tool could best serve our company. He asked questions and proposed features that we had not even considered to make the tool even better than we could have imagined.   Dmitry and Dmitry were truly a pleasure to work with and made a stressful process much easier than I thought it would be. 

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

Nothing - the project was completed effectively and on time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of DataAutomation, a software company. We build software that connects various systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Akveo?

We were looking for an agency that could provide no-code or low-code development to help us fulfill a project for one of our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Akveo built a web app for one of our clients. They used Bubble for the backend development and Angular for the frontend. The platform helped automate e-commerce processes in a warehouse.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four teammates: a project manager, two developers, and a designer.

How did you come to work with Akveo?

A friend recommended them to me.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from October 2020–April 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app enabled our client to eliminate hours of manual labor. In turn, that allowed the client to process more shipments, increasing the overall profitability of their business. Overall, we were satisfied with Akveo’s work, and we appreciated how quickly they fixed any bugs we found.

How did Akveo perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a bit bumpy at first, but we eventually figured it out. They were very responsive, and we communicated through Slack, phone calls, and so on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Akveo was reliable and handled urgent situations well. They jumped on things very quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could have understood our requirements better, but we eventually figured out a process that worked for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Create mock-ups at the beginning of the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CIO of a Medical Bill Review Services Company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to jump-start the development of a medical bill review system that we are building. Our goal was to deploy dedicated resources to have this one-time development done quickly.

SOLUTION

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

We performed a world-wide search to find recommended UI / UX vendors. We found that many firms / projects were using Akveo's NGX-Admin tools, so we thought it would be wise to contract with the developer of that tool.

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

Akveo's work consisted of the development of Angular interface components, to interface with internally developed back-end components.

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

At the height of the project, there were 8 staff: a project manager, a BA, a designer, two full stack developers and three front-end developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The rapid deployment of a large team meant that we were able to get started much faster than we could have by trying to hire our own staff. The project has taken a little longer than anticipated, but only because they have made excellent suggestions for improvement to the project design that improved the outcome.

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

We have brief daily video chat meetings to review the progress of each team member, and to work through issues. Also, at the end of each sprint, we review the work from the sprint in total, and plan the next sprint with the team. Everything is clearly communicated and documented, including costs and timelines. All of the work product is shared in our development environment as it is released, so there are no issues with code control, quality, or management.

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

Akevo is willing to continuously communicate about and evaluate the quality and delivery of their own team members, working with us to ensure that everyone is delivering to our satisfaction. They will work with us to replace team members as needed, and work with our team members on the UI side as well, effectively integrating them into their team.

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

Early in the project, we had some issues fully understanding the scope of the project. However, once we had the right BA in place, everything has gone extremely well. Having a lot of documentation and communication at the foundation of the project is the most critical thing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a Consultancy Company that supports many companies in New Zealand. We have been engaged with this client for 15 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had commenced development with another party and engaged Akveo to do a review / audit as we were unhappy with certain aspects of the project. Akveo did a full review of the current project at this stage and made some recommendations. We reviewed these and ultimately decided to engage Akveo to be the primary developers going forward.

SOLUTION

How did you select *Akveo and what were the deciding factors?

We got acquainted with the ngx-admin dashboard that we had found on Github as an open-source product. When we faced several issues using the template, we asked Akveo to customize the dashboard and make a code review of the existing web app. Later on, we expanded their engagement.

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

Web application development, code review, and architecture consulting.

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

Most of the time, I interacted with the account manager. The development team included one front-end and one back-end developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

First and foremost, we delivered the solution on time. And what's even more important, we received good feedback from our customer.

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

The team of Akveo handled both the front-end and back-end parts. Weekly meetings allowed us to stay on the same page regarding the overall progress, and daily syncs helped us resolve issues faster. We used Slack to communicate, Jira to manage the workflow, and Bitbucket as a code repository, which runs on our side. We could quickly review what Akveo was doing so we could react promptly and push new releases.

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

Our team was impressed by their knowledge and expertise. For instance, when I gave them a task for investigating, they came up with an optimal solution in terms of cost and quality efficiency.

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

Well, it's hard to tell on the spot. Akveo is really good at Angular and .Net. Their developers are well-acquainted with up-to-date technologies and UI components Leaflet, full calendar, nebular, smart table, and others. I would recommend them as a reliable technological partner. Besides, they deliver good designs as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are producing motorized and towable RV`s in Europe. I’m responsible for product digitalization and my team brings intelligent functionality to our caravans and motorhomes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with *Akveo?

I was looking for a mobile app developer that could help us in the field of IoT.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our partner helped us with the whole development cycle. 

With the mobile app, customers can control everything inside of an RV: lighting, air conditioning, fuel status, temperature, and so on. We've developed a framework application with Akveo, which can be easily adjusted for other brands. 

Akveo adjusted the Figma designs according to our product owners' requirements. The app was developed in React Native, so most of the code was reused on Android and iOS.

What is the team composition?

At the peak time, the team included an architect, three mobile developers, a business analyst, a UI/UX designer, and a Quality Assurance engineer.

How did you come to work with *Akveo?

It`s already my second engagement of Akveo. The first contact was based on the reuse of AKVEO customizable admin dashboard template (Angular). They are experts in AngularJS and React and have attractive prices.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost are around $250,000. Soon we will be entering a maintenance contract with Akveo to host us as well.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in the autumn of 2019, and we are releasing the app at the beginning of 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Feedback from the field (survey) was good and product owners are happy with the application.

How did *Akveo perform from a project management standpoint?

We set up two-week sprints. Their business analyst set up the project to be managed internally by their project manager. Plus, they participated in our weekly architectural boards. We’ve integrated the AKVEO team into our development process with a good velocity.

What did you find most impressive about them?

AKVEO is a small, agile, and straightforward company. They’re open for discussion, have innovative solutions, and they understand how to use and leverage them on the market and investing a lot in great open source products.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Well, I don't see anything serious, except for the issues associated with growing businesses. However, that's understandable. Besides, they're slowly increasing their team, and I've never had the feeling that they're growing without checking the people they bring in.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go on with Akveo. You won't regret it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an Italian IT&C company specialized in Banking & Finance sector, providing banking and high-end enterprise solutions, services for Payment Service Providers (PSPs), all strongly focused on SEPA and pan-European solutions in the payments world, in particular on Online Banking ePayments (OBeP) model and mobile channels. I am a Business Development Consultant, managing the relationship with both existing and possible future clients, for the area outside Italy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire *Akveo?

Our project consisted of a web portal for an Italian bank - to provide for their clients access to their invoices, payments and analytics. We hired Akveo for the Angular front-end development of the bank's client portal web application.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to get the front-end of the application developed in quite tight timelines specified by our end-client.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Because they were creators of the Angular front-end UI kit we chose for this application.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Akveo developed the Angular application based on the mock-ups our team provided within the timeline we specified.

What was the team composition?

1 part-time project manager, 1 full-time software engineer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We were able to deliver the project for our end-client within the agreed timelines. This allowed our end-client to provide the product for their customers as planned.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had weekly calls with Akveo where we discussed open topics and nearest plans. They suggested to use spreadsheets to keep track of all open and closed issues which was quite useful as the project and the team were not really large.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We really appreciate their level of detail and the accountability they have demonstrated on the project. As well as their efficient customer service, their willingness to accommodate our need for occasional requests and the way they conducted the business as a whole.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would guess they are already continuously improving themselves since our collaboration went really smooth.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a veterinary appointment scheduling company. We offer a modern way to schedule veterinary services for pets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Akveo?

We needed a company to develop our iOS and Android apps. We were looking around for the right tech stack and what framework to use. We quickly decided that native was perfect for us. After that, we looked for a frontend framework: something like a bootstrap for React Native.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Akveo developed our iOS and Android app from scratch. We had some InVision prototypes and mockups. They provided us with design and UX support as well as development support. We discussed at the beginning that the person who knows the framework should handle the design as well. That speeds up the project and cuts cost—Akveo knew how to apply the designs instead of changing it too much.

The main functionality is that people can view past and upcoming appointments as well as the history of all results from each appointment. There’s a section with health tips for your pet and a chat program to contact our veterinarians to get medical guidance. The standard features are there as well, such as changing the users’ data for themselves or their animals and looking up their subscription data. 

The whole project took six weeks. We’re still in the phase where we still need to set up some things on our end. We will continue working with them.

What is the team composition?

I worked with one developer and a part-time person for UX design at the beginning.

How did you come to work with Akveo?

We liked the Kitten framework and how it looked and what it offered. Akveo had developed the framework, and that’s why we approached them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August until October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were satisfied with the quality and the speed that Akveo achieved in the timeframe. We’ve been impressed with everyone we worked with from their team. The quality of work and the mentality in which they tackle things was outstanding. Our success metric is that we were successful in launching the initial product on time.

How did Akveo perform from a project management standpoint?

We had some issues with the UX design. Everything worked out, but the time commitment given wasn’t appropriate for what we needed in the beginning. That caused a few small delays in the development. 

They were overall minor issues—the rest of the project management was really good. The product manager on our end loved working with Akveo.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re really active in the open-source community. Especially now, with our experience with React Native, they have their own design framework in place that they've made public. It not only attracts good developers but also speeds up the app development process. 

This is something that you can rarely find with other agencies. When most agencies use frameworks, it’s not their framework; so, if something in the framework is missing, you can’t do anything about it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were small things about planning, UX design, and making a little more effort in the beginning, but it was minor. Overall, we’re satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Talk to them about the best operating mode for you. Then take them on as your partner. They know what they’re doing, and if you trust them, you’re going to be in an excellent position. The level of quality for the price we paid Akveo was outstanding.