Asahi Technologies

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Trust Event Solutions. We’re a developer of event registration and management software solutions. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Asahi Technologies?

We had a large and complex solution on the market. Meanwhile, we outgrew our previous developers since our business grew truly fast. As a result, we needed a new development partner. I’d known Asahi for a while, and we decided the timing was right for us to engage with them. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our company already has a working solution, so there’s little documentation needed to jumpstart our engagement with Asahi. They’re helping us build this solution as a partner. We have a full build and maintenance relationship with Asahi; they’re building new functions for us while maintaining the product — they’re optimizing what’s already built and creating new functions as well. 

It’s important for us that the software is accurate. Our clients are event planners; they run events and use the admin side of our product. Through it, they can send email blasts and publish public URLs where registrants can sign up for their events. As a result, the public registration flow is as important as the backend management flow.

What is the team composition?

I work with their CEO, lead systems architect, and several developers. In total, we collaborate with 6–8 people. 

How did you come to work with Asahi Technologies?

I found Asahi through Upwork. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $125,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Asahi in April 2022, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure success by seeing how happy our clients are. Asahi has done a great job; they’ve taken on a new solution with plenty of core issues and stabilized an unstable piece of software. Now, we’re building on top of it. 

How did Asahi Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything has been fantastic in terms of deadlines, budgets, and communication. For project management, we use Jira.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication skills are good. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with Asahi. They’re a professional company, so make sure you’re organized as well. They’re not one of those fly-by-night companies that some people meet online or on Upwork. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a business consulting and product management firm. We operate across the United States, and have helped many startup founders from vision stage to product launch. I am the principal at the firm and provide help with strategy, consulting, product positioning.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Though I was very good at strategy and consulting, I had to ultimately depend on software services firms for implementation. I was working with a couple of U.S based software development firms at that time, and I was having a tough time keeping projects on schedule, primarily because of a lack of commitment from them.

SOLUTION

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

We engaged them on a small $50K project first. Because that project went well, we started moving all new projects as well as support and maintenance of old projects to them. We worked closely with them between 2015 and 2020.

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

Our projects with Asahi Technologies ranged between $50K to $150K, and we've worked on 6 projects with them until 2020. That's roughly $500K in total project costs. Due to internal rebranding and business repositioning, we've put the project implementation part of our business on hold.

Our last project implementation with Asahi Technologies ended in 2020. We intend to re-engage them once our brand repositioning is complete, in another 3 months.

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

The team size and composition varied depending on the needs of my project. I worked with a technical project manager, solution architect, software engineers (2-5 depending on project size), software test engineers (1-3 depending on project size).

Additionally, there were UI/UX Designers and hybrid mobile app developers as needed. We worked on 5 projects together. The total number of users using this application is well in excess of a million, close to 1.2 million to be more precise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We worked on 5 projects together. The total number of users using this application is well in excess of a million, close to 1.2 million to be more precise. Every one of the clients we delivered these projects to were very happy with the outcome. They have multi year maintenance and support contracts with us because they were truly delighted with the initial product launch. Asahi Tech was a great technology partner from the start.

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

Their team is excellent at communication, they are extremely responsive, and they have the right tools and technologies in place to ensure that the entire project goes smoothly, right from Github for source code management to JIRA for project management.

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

I'd say the most fundamental difference between Asahi Technologies and other companies I've worked with, is the level of investment that they have in the success of your projects. I usually prepare product requirements for projects after several intense discussions with clients.

They understood our business needs and requirements and suggested new features and enhancements that I didn't even think of in the first place.

They are really adept at problem solving. Regardless of the complexity of the task that I throw at them, they come up with a way to address it either through custom development or with third party integrations.

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

Nothing at all. Please take the time upfront on strategy and discovery sessions with Asahi Tech's senior team before initiating development. They are very knowledgeable and like I mentioned earlier, highly vested in the success of your project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and principal of Silva Consulting Solutions and its subsidiary company called HealthOps. We work in the healthcare industry as a consultant and help companies with compliance and regulatory issues. HealthOps is our operations company where we run programs to fix our clients’ problems and create a sustainable plan for them, which we then maintain if needed. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Asahi Technologies?

We wanted to automate our auditing process, so we needed someone to create a system to conduct our audits.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Asahi Technologies developed custom software for us. First, we had a discovery meeting with Vinod (Founder & CEO) and discussed the functionalities we needed for the app. Then, we met with the development group to give them our requirements, and the team reiterated it back in code language. 

After establishing the project timeline, they began developing the program. The process was divided into two-week sprints where they finished parts of the code one by one. Finally, Asahi Technologies delivered the product. Its main functionalities are to conduct audits for us and collect data in real time. The team already rolled the software out, but they continue to refine it.

What is the team composition?

We had one primary point of contact, but a team of 6–7 people joined our weekly calls.

How did you come to work with Asahi Technologies?

I put out an RFP and ended up interviewing eight vendors. Asahi Technologies felt like the best fit, so we decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

It cost between $100,000–$250,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from August 2020–July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Asahi Technologies’ efforts allowed us to access real-time data, which we used to conduct forecasts and predictive analysis. It saved us a week’s worth of work. The clients who used it gave the product glowing reviews, and the amount of positive feedback proved how great of a tool it was. Moving forward, we hope to offer the program to more clients and put our name on the map within our industry.

How did Asahi Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Initially, they gave us a document that detailed what they’d be working on and what they needed from me in each sprint. The team was pretty spot-on when it came to following that timeline, and sometimes, we were the ones holding up the project. 

Their customer service was also exceptional — Asahi Technologies really wanted to make sure they got everything right and just how we envisioned it. We hopped on a call with the project manager whenever we had any questions, so we were in contact with them pretty frequently. We also had weekly meetings just to ensure that we were all on the same page. This ensured that we didn’t have to worry about revisiting issues because we already solved them along the way. The excellent communication allowed us to get exactly what we wanted. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Asahi Technologies team was full of exceptional communicators, and we were always on the same page every step of the way. We built a solid relationship because they genuinely understood what we were trying to accomplish. Furthermore, being able to jump on a call with them within a day’s notice was very valuable to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were some growing pains at first, but we began moving seamlessly as our partnership grew stronger. Overall, there wasn’t anything they could’ve done better — together, we grew as companies and built a mutually beneficial relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask clarifying questions and ensure that the team understands what you’re expecting. Be very detailed on your requirements, and they’ll put everything together for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the software development manager at a payment processing company focused on the college industry. We do payment plans for tuition repayment, disbursements for excesses, financial aids, and closed-loop systems for college campuses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Asahi Technologies?

We needed a website for our admin interface, so we hired Asahi Technologies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Asahi Technologies helps us with web-based development projects. We initially discussed the first project with them, which was enhancing the administrative side of our site. After we went through our needs, they came back with the recommendation of an individual from their team that could work on our project.

We’ve been working with this person, and we’ve deployed several versions of this site which are now live. Additionally, our engagement also grew to include some additional work for a customer portal. However, we’re very close to wrapping up the project as a whole.

What is the team composition?

The person who Asahi Technologies assigned to us is working as a full-time contractor. I also talk to the CEO as needed.

How did you come to work with Asahi Technologies?

When looking for a vendor, we usually put bids out on multiple sites. Thus, after scoping the project, we put out bids on multiple development job sites. We reviewed different bids, and one of those was from Asahi Technologies.

Their reputation online was great, and some of the reviews that I saw were very good. I reached out to them, and after several discussions, I felt comfortable about using their services.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Asahi Technologies has been a great partner to work with, and we’re very happy with the talented resource they provide us with. This person needs minimal guidance and comes back with great results.

I can just share some thoughts with them and get multiple designs. We also can iterate on them. Overall, I’m getting high-quality work, and I've had a very good experience.

We had started this project on our own, and when they came in, they helped us bring it up to standards; they took it where it needed to be.

How did Asahi Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Asahi Technologies performs very well. They’re very timely and easy to communicate with. We’re in charge of the project management internally, so we handle the stories and deadlines. However, their resource is good at meeting them.

I meet with the resource that they provide us with daily, and I meet with the CEO on a quarterly basis, but we also meet more often if we need to discuss the project’s status.

They’re also very responsive. For example, if I need a meeting with them, they usually set it up for the next day. Additionally, they offer a very smooth building process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Asahi Technologies’ communication is great — I’m very impressed with it. They’re also very open about their resources’ skill sets, and they perform completely as advertised. I’m very happy with the resource’s skill set and talent level. He is not on a senior level, but his skills are higher than the skills of a mid-level developer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No — working with them has been a great experience. We’re so satisfied with their work that we now want to start a much larger project with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of technology for Home Snappers. It’s a real estate media company based in Dallas-Fort Worth.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Asahi Technologies?

We were looking to have a platform built from scratch to help with booking appointments and customer management. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They are still developing the platform. They’re using Express, Node.js, and MongoDB for the backend. For the frontend, they’re using React, with some add-ons, such as AWS for media storage, etc. Some of our internal resources are doing some of the programming, as well. 

What is the team composition?

We have one developer assigned to us, and if needed, we can add to the team. There is also an account manager. 

How did you come to work with Asahi Technologies?

We interviewed them over Zoom to become familiar with their background and experience and determine if they were a fit for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in April 2020, and it is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The developer is very responsive, works hard, and sticks to deadlines. He’s also proactive and communicates if there is a problem with any deadline. We are happy with the work and deliverables, so far. 

How did Asahi Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

I am acting as a project manager. However, their account manager reaches out occasionally to ensure our satisfaction with their team and the work. We communicate directly with the developers, as part of our team, which is a workflow I like. We use Basecamp and Google Hangouts for project management and communication. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have the skillset we need and are willing to do the work it takes to get things done well. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I would say is that they could be more understanding of the fluid nature of development project timelines. They have asked a few times how much longer we think we will need their developers. They haven’t been pushy about it, though. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be patient with the onboarding process. Take time to ensure you’re on the same page, and be clear about the direction you want the project to take. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a mobile business directory located in Texas. Our platform services the west Texas region of the state.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The crux of the services we provide to the community are centered around a mobile application that the public can utilize. We do not have an in-house development team, so we needed to find a technology partner that would be vital in our company's mission.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to provide a modern solution and resource to a market that was devoid of this current technology. Our goal was to build something scalable and user friendly, while being diverse and detailed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our team conducted extensive interviews with 4 app developers over the period of 6 weeks. We vetted each one and examined how they would align with our project's objectives. We selected this vendor based on their expertise, compatibility, and responsiveness to constantly changing protocols.

Describe the project in detail.

The timeline of our project from beginning to end spanned 8 months. This vendor provided interactive discovery meetings from the very beginning of our project. There were about 10 developers assigned to our project, and we interacted through video calls several times each week.

This process spanned plotting objectives, creative design, wire-framing, mock-ups, beta testing, staging, and production environments. Our objectives during the course of this project changed several times, and this vendor was terrific at adjusting and aligning towards our new goals each time.

What was the team composition?

Our team was composed of a project manager, solution architect, lead QA engineer, senior software engineer, QA engineer, software engineer, UI/UX designer, UI developer, and 2 backend engineers. The team was great and our project manager was terrific to work with throughout the process. This made a huge difference for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within the first 6 months of launch, we had over 2,200 downloads on our app. We have maintained a 4.5 rating or higher on both the App Store and Play store. Our internal tracking system this developer built into our portal has been a huge asset for us in examining our current strengths and weaknesses. We have even made several small updates to our mobile platform post-launch that have been met with high praise from users.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our project manager was a blessing. He was available at all times of the day and was very responsive to all our feedback. Even though he oversaw other projects, we always felt that he made ours the top priority. He was a great intermediary between our team and the rest of his development team, and did a great job getting everyone aligned at all times.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This vendor separated themselves from the others we were interviewing in the beginning by virtually bringing us into the boardroom with their entire tech team from our earliest conversations. The other developers we considered consisted of one individual representing their company on a phone call.

This developer provided visual feedback from the beginning and helped us to connect with them early. The best part about working with them was their responsiveness to our ever-changing requests.

Are there any areas for improvement?

A language barrier can always cause some mis-alignment, but this is where our project manager was so vital. Anytime we got off track, our PM was able to decipher and re-align our unified direction.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and owner of a company focused on nutrition and health. This includes creating customized meal plans based on client’s information. I got my certification to be a nutrition coach and founded this company a couple of months ago.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Asahi Technologies?

I’ve been working in the financial industry for 10 years. As I transition from the corporate financial environment to my own business, I need help building tools that will allow me to achieve my goals with my clients.

Last summer, I started building customized meal plans by hand using Excel and VBA. A lot of people started asking for meal plans, and using Excel was an overly manual process. I hired Asahi to build custom software for creating client plans.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Asahi Technologies developed my software. First, I provided the step-by-step process that I used on Excel. I created a document explaining my thought process. We set up a meeting to discuss the process. 

They were able to quickly break down my approach and figure out how to build the software. The UX/UI designer created a template; the final deliverable for my client is a PDF, so I needed some graphic design for that. With the software, I can input client information and create customized nutrition plans.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with a project manager, two developers, a UX/UI designer, and a test engineer. The team works well together, so it’s easy to work with them.

How did you come to work with Asahi Technologies?

A friend of mine that had worked with them introduced me. I trusted my friend and decided to give them a shot. After a couple of meetings, I knew they were the right team, so I moved ahead with them.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent $25,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in April 2020, and this first phase of the project has been completed. However, our relationship is ongoing.

At the kickoff meeting, we discussed doing phase two. During phase one, they made me the only administrator of the tool. However, during phase two, I want to implement that into a website so that the client can log in and implement the parameters themselves.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product has been really well received by my first clients. The automation of the software is very smooth. I also like that it’s online, because I don’t have to install anything; I can just log in. It’s very modern and easy to work with.

Whenever I had any issues, they fixed them quickly. I look forward to the next phase of the project with them.

How did Asahi Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

The kickoff meeting was smooth and straightforward, so I was confident right away that they were the right people to work with.

The project manager is very easy to work with. I’ve been impressed by the ease of communication and availability, due to them working offshore and in a different time zone. They are responsive and flexible. We communicate via Zoom and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their commitment to my success sets them apart. I’m not easy to work with as a client; I’m picky, and I change my mind a lot. They have been flexible in adjusting to my schedule and requirements. Their commitment has been great since day one. They give me the confidence to be at ease with my project and business. 

I also love that they are able to brainstorm with me and provide solutions when I get stuck. They have high problem-solving capabilities. I can also be picky and change my mind a lot. They are familiar with industry standards.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think I could ask for anything better. The work they’ve done has been great. I was skeptical about the time zone difference, but that wasn’t an issue. Meetings always went well via Zoom, and the feedback was quick. I hope they will continue to grow; they deserve it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear and straightforward about your expectations. They do quality work. You don’t need to have any doubts; they’re committed and will brainstorm with you. They did all of the brainstorming behind switching from the Excel environment. For someone such as myself with no development or coding experience, they were able to speak a language that was easy for me to understand.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Apparent is a peer to peer lending and rental platform for apparel. I am the Founder/CEO of this startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We are in the process of developing an app and we decided to hire Asahi for the UX/UI design of the prototype.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to develop the design of the prototype to pitch to early stage funders and investors. We have received considerable traction and want to scale up by developing the app.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We came across Asahi on Upwork. We received many proposals from companies but chose Asahi because they had a cohesive approach, were willing to explain the process in detail and were extremely responsive and fair in their estimates from the get go.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we formalised our collaboration, we had 3 very cohesive discovery meetings. Asahi were very clear in communicating their expectations from Day 1 and stuck to the project timelines.

What was the team composition?

Our main point of contact was a project manager who understood our needs and answered all our queries perfectly. We also came into contact with 2 other designers who were working with us and were there every step of the way.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback we received from our customers on the design was extremely positive. It has been very promising for funders too to see such a clear MVP in the making.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager connected with us over a call every alternative day of the week. We were updated on the progress we were making and he was extremely professional and communicative all the way. Since our team is quite lean at the moment, the project manager provided necessary information about the technology development process on a whole.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their level of openness, collaboration, patience, and speed is commendable. They understood our requirements perfectly, established an effective and smooth feedback cycle, addressed all our concerns and delivered excellent results.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We are very pleased with our collaboration and our product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the quality engineering manager for a pharmaceutical solutions company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Asahi Technologies?

We needed resources to help us scale our software development team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Asahi Technologies provides technical resources who serve as an extension of our team. They work with us remotely, taking on mostly Java-based e-commerce projects.

What is the team composition?

We work with the whole team, which consists of 10–15 developers, but they’ve also assigned a lead.

How did you come to work with Asahi Technologies?

They reached out to us through LinkedIn, and we liked what they had to offer. I felt that their CEO made a great commitment to us, and it was really easy to work with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work started in 2017 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With their support, we’ve been able to scale up our team quickly and efficiently. It can be challenging to recruit 10–15 local developers in such a short timeframe, so we appreciate their service. In terms of deliverables, their work has been pretty reliable so far.

How did Asahi Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

We handle the project management, using an agile methodology, and they provide the development resources. The team meets our deadlines, and they're effective communicators. Because they work remotely, we coordinate through email, phone, and video conferencing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As I’ve mentioned, I’m impressed with their ability to staff us with quality resources in such a short timeframe.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always room for improvement, but I can’t think of anything that would be applicable.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront with your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our company is in the business of digitally distributing video games.

What is your position?

I am the founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Asahi Technologies?

Asahi Technologies was working with us to create our background software and to help build our website and all its functionalities.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Asahi Technologies was responsible for the entire web design, both the back and front ends, and the overall functionality of the website.

How did you come to work with Asahi Technologies?

I had gone online and looked up several web design companies and gave a number of them a call. My partner and I narrowed the possibilities to around five. The thing we liked about Asahi Technologies was that they seemed genuinely interested in helping make sure we could control our costs and that our website would be of high quality. So when we were explaining our ideas for what we wanted, they immediately began making suggestions for what we might want to do and options we might want to explore. They were much more involved than the other companies we were talking to; right up front they were being very helpful, and they seemed to really care about the end product. That was what sold us on them.

I also liked how they could provide a lot of continuing support if and when we needed that, like helping us market on Google and get higher in their rankings. Because of their front end and back end support we chose to go with them.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We’ve spent around $28,000 working with Asahi Technologies.

What is the status of this engagement?

I believe we started working with them in the spring of 2014, and we’re just finishing up. They have delivered the website to us, and I am right now in the process of going over their work to make sure everything is finished.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did Asahi Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

The project took longer than I had expected, but I would rather it be done right than done quickly, so I was okay with that. Every step of the way, they updated me on what was going on. They broke everything down step by step and made sure that I was updated. Any time I had a question, they wouldn’t move on until they made sure they had talked to me. I was very pleased with that.

I am very happy with how the website turned out and the work Asahi Technologies produced. Everything I discussed with them happened—from our first meeting through all the changes. I believe they have done a good job with the project. I can definitely work with the site, and right now it doesn’t seem to need any significant changes.

What distinguishes Asahi Technologies from other providers?

I think its how they keep in contact with their clients; how they made sure they always received feedback before they moved ahead. They didn’t make changes on their own and then charge us for that work. Instead, they were very careful about that. Even though the work took longer than they had expected, they did not charge us for that additional time. They just wanted to be sure they got everything right.

Is there anything Asahi Technologies could have improved or done differently?

The only thing is it took longer than I expected, but I believe it was because a few things came up that originally were not accounted for. As those issues came up, they made sure to talk to me to see which direction I wanted to go.