Alakmalak Technologies Pvt Ltd.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of East West Limousine Service, a company with less than five employees that provides limousine services for events like graduation, weddings, school dances, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak?

We wanted to get more bookings and get our name out there, so we decided to hire someone who could help us with our online presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Alakmalak mainly does SEO work, but they also helped with our site. We had one, but some of the features weren’t responsive or mobile friendly, so they improved it before starting the SEO. They work with things like Google AdWords, blogs, getting reviews, and putting videos on the site. They come up with a lot of ideas, and sometimes we’ll do them and sometimes we have budget constraints.

What is the team dynamic?

I normally talk to three or four people.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak?

I searched Google for a good company that was still affordable, and I saw Alakmalak had positive reviews, so I contacted and eventually hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $6,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We hired them in June 2013, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When we started in 2012, most of our business was friends and word of mouth, but that didn’t last forever. Ever since we hired Alakmalak, we have at least six bookings a month when we used to rarely have one. It’s a drastic improvement.

How did Alakmalak perform from a project management standpoint?

They're on top of everything. They’re efficient, responsive, and have already sent me a strategy for the Christmas season. We normally communicate via email or phone, and they’re always available when I need them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For the amount of money we’ve spent, we’ve gotten an impressive ROI. The ideas they come up with work well and are really successful. They’re quite creative and the blogs they write keep the reader engaged.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing that I can think of. It's been great.

BACKGROUND

I am the CEO of Elevate Style Corporation, and we sell wigs, hair extensions, lace front wigs, and fashion accessories. We are very trendy and stay ahead of the curve.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

How did you come to work with Alakmalak Technologies?

At first, I was skeptical about using offshore developers. I did a Google search for what I needed and looked for a service within my budget. I found Alakmalak Technologies, and when I called their CEO he was very accommodating and kept an even tone.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak Technologies?

When we started in 2010, we didn’t have an online presence because of price issues. I came across a premade website built on PrestaShop, which seemed cheap [$80-$100], but after using it I found out it was costing more than it was worth because something went wrong every single day. I was spending $100 an hour on developers to fix the problems in these premade template websites.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Alakmalak began by helping me solve any website and server related issues, as well as helping me create a Youtube integrated video slider on my homepage. They counseled me on any issue I had, including spacing, and resolved it the same day or the next at a very reasonable price. They’re very communicative. We started with a template website, then they built a layer of coding on top, including Photoshop CSS cuts, and other customizable features.

Our website is nothing like it was when we started, and they’ve also helped with SEO and other side projects. They’re able to do whatever I can imagine.  

What is the team dynamic?

I’m very close with the CEO, and he actually came from India to New Jersey to have a hands on approach with the project. Even when he was having a child, he took one of my calls when my server was down and took time to fix it. He knows everything server related, including MySQL and THP. He stays up to date because he’s going to conventions constantly, so you definitely want him in your corner.

How much have you invested with them?

Probably $200,000. I used to pay about $900 a month for SEO, and would have certain side projects with them. Generally, I’ve been paying $2600 a month since 2011.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them January 2011, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re probably in the top four in our space because of Alakmalak’s support. We have 300,000 unique visitors come to our site every month. I’m always appreciative of having worked with them because they’re a diligent team.

How did Alakmalak Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Rushik [CEO, Alakmalak Technologies] is available by email and phone. I have a coordinator who handles all of my requirements and passes those on to developers. We communicate through Basecamp, and supplement that with Skype and QChat.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re honest, efficient, and reasonably priced.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Some kind of progress tracker similar to Upwork’s would be nice. Just being able to see summaries of what was done and when it happened would help overall.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there? 

I’m the owner of a real estate consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak Technologies?

We needed to create a web app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We described our ideas to Alakmalak Technologies Pvt Ltd, and they presented the scope of work, discussing each section in-depth and making changes along the way. After that, they began creating wireframes before building our web-based app. They were also in charge of developing the app’s UI/UX design.

The app allows property owners to create an account and manage their properties. They can assign others to manage properties through their account and have access to things such as tenants’ rent, paperwork, and more. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with 5–7 people, including a project manager, coordinator, business analyst, developers, and designers.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak Technologies?

They were recommended based on a post I made on WhatsApp. When we discussed the project, I felt they were the right team to work with us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together with Alakmalak Technologies Pvt Ltd. from January 2021–January 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were a pleasure to work with, and we were quite satisfied with their work. Their knowledge and experience enabled them to ask questions that provoked me to think of things I hadn’t yet considered. Our product is now in the testing phase, with expectations to go to market in a month.

How did Alakmalak Technologies perform from a project management perspective?

They did a good job. We used Basecamp as our project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

We were impressed by their expertise in implementing best practices to ensure that we had an extremely user-friendly interface.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could give clients an option for faster services at increased rates. I asked for this, and they denied the request.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clearly express what you want, and they’ll deliver.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an assistant at a dance school.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alakmalak Technologies?

We needed IT services.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted them to solve our company’s technical issues.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them on Google and then discussed the project over Skype.

Describe the project in detail.

They performed IT services and are creating a new, attractive webpage for us.

What was the team composition?

I work with a task manager and a team of developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Once completed, the new webpage will be good for our company. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

There were a few issues in communicating and explaining the details to us.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Though they could solve issues faster, they have a solid IT skill set.

Are there any areas for improvement?

More feedback from them throughout the project would be helpful. Additionally, they could increase their speed and internal communication to be more efficient. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of Pharmaceutical Technology Index, we organize exhibitions for the Pharmaceutical Industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alakmalak Technologies?

We asked Alakmakal to promote our exhibition via an online platform.

What were your goals for this project?

We want to increase the number of exhibitions and visitors to our event.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We've known Alakmalak Technologies since 2008; we were referred to them by other satisfied clients.

Describe the project in detail.

PharmaTech Expo & LabTech Expo is an International Exhibition on everything from pharmaceutical machinery and lab equipment to analytical formulas, nutraceutical and packaging equipment. The exhibitions give suppliers, manufacturers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, buyers, and consultants the opportunity to assemble at a common platform.

What was the team composition?

They’re quick to respond and have good customer service.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

We are very impressed. This partnership is low cost and has resulted in a friendly relationship with the in-house development team. The return to investment ratio we’ve seen is very good.

How did the Alakmalak Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email, phone, and use Basecamp for any queries. When we post a question, we get a reply by the end of the day.

What impresses you about the Alakmalak Technologies?

Their quality of work is great.  They're always looking to update our site and approach with new technology.