Ionixx Technologies

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're a leading Canadian venture debt provider that focuses on the technology sector. We have offices in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. I'm the director of technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Ionixx to help us to develop and test our custom loan servicing platform.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a commercialized lending platform where we and other lenders could service their loans.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us, but we selected them based on their performance during a small test project.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Ionixx provides development and testing resources. I break down the requirements. Once the development is complete, I review the code to ensure that it meets our requirements.

What was the team composition?

They offered two developers, one project managers, and a quality assurance team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ionixx has a positive impact on our business. They're easy to work with and diligent in their work and communications.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project management is very effective. Their project manager manages the execution and communications without my involvement, which is ideal. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're organized, they've learned our existing code base quickly, and they accomodate all my requests and personal management preferences without issues. Since they're an offshore team, they have also been accommodating about the time zone difference.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I haven't come across any major deficiencies in their work. They are an offshore team, so the only thing we check is the written English that goes into the UI. That's easy to overcome.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Muster Technologies, a product company that released a location-based social dining app called Muster.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ionixx Technologies?

As a startup, our biggest challenge was the initial investment in development; doing that in the U.S. or Canada would have cost us a lot. Coming from Chennai, India and having an outsourcing background, I wanted to outsource development to reduce our cost and increase efficiency.

We worked with another company in Chennai, but we had a rough time. We needed passion, motivation, and ambition from the company. This was our only product, but, for them, it was one among many. It was tough for us to keep them focused toward a release. We struggled to find a partner that was as enthusiastic as us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ionixx is our technology partner. We guided them toward what we needed for the concept. They’ve done almost everything for us, including development, testing, project management, maintenance, and troubleshooting. We had an existing product that we enhanced with the help of their team. The app was built for Android and iOS as a native product.

The most important part of a product is how the troubleshooting is done. We tried to provide a uniform experience across our user base. We had variable results—the app was working for some but not for others—but Ionixx came on board and made sure that our user experience was the same for everyone.

Development is a nonstop process, and we’re starting a new round of funding. We’re confident in doing this because of their team. It will take a long time for us to build an internal team, so Ionixx is our long-term plan.

What is the team composition?

I’m not sure what the full size of the team was. We have one point of contact with them.

How did you come to work with Ionixx Technologies?

I go to startup events and met Swathi (Co-Founder and VP of Growth, Ionixx Technologies) at one of them. She was terrific. From the moment I met her, I understood how ambitious she was to create a platform and help our startup. She understood what we needed, maintained efficient communication, and delivered on time, which was key. I visited her website, which looked professional. Ionixx represented the perfect technology partner for us.

When I decided to change technology partners, I wanted to have an internal point of contact. My CTO was in Chennai so it was convenient for him to handle Ionixx’s development team, geographically speaking. At the same time, I wanted to have a point of contact with the internal management team; Swathi was a tailor-made fit for us in that scenario. I discussed it with my CTO, and he researched their previous products and was happy.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $20,000 CAD (approximately $15,300 USD) with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Ionixx in January 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are making our investors happy. This is dependent on how good and stable our product is. Ionixx came in and fixed our problem, stabilizing and upgrading the app. Our investors saw this, and we’ve been getting warm messages from them.

Our ratings are close to 4 on Android and iOS, and we have nearly 50,000 users. This is definitely due to the UX. We’ve also looked at our error and crash rates on the backend, which are minimal. We are on par with what Google and Apple expect in terms of quality.

How did Ionixx Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re experienced, and resources are not a problem for them given that Ionixx has a parent company. Ionixx has a great resource pool, and they’re able to keep their members efficient throughout. Their management skills are perfect.

We worry about resources leaving as it takes time for someone else to come in and learn about the project, and time is money. Ionixx’s resources have come and gone, but the transitions have been smooth.

We mostly use email for communication. For situations that demand discussions, my CTO talks to them. My team has only met Ionixx once or twice. When we went to them, the product beta was already launched. We were clear about our requirements, and their communication with us was to the point. We don’t talk a lot. It’s quite smooth.

They understand problems quickly, and we didn’t have to ask them what was happening on a daily basis. They made efficient, long-term fixes, which we really appreciated. They’ve taken the time to let us know when a problem might require a complex fix. We’ve gone back to the drawing table and had discussions about having short- or long-term fixes. Choosing the latter might be time- and budget-consuming, but it’s often worth it. The technology partner needs to be willing to do this, and Ionixx is.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They might be on the higher side in terms of fees, but, even though previous tech partners charged us less, they required more development hours. The time spent by Ionixx on development is less in comparison, so we’ve spent less money with them overall. They have a premium service, but they don’t cost as much as one would think when initially talking to them. With them, the pain is minimal, and the spend is even less. This is a top-rate package for me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’m a happy customer.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

As I mentioned, Ionixx might seem more expensive than other groups, but they also offer more. Startups shouldn’t get confused about the fee structure and go for a lesser group that will take longer to finish the work.

As clients look at the bigger picture, Ionixx will give them peace of mind in terms of development and project management.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Harmoni, a mobile application that allows refugees to work from their smartphones.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ionixx Technologies?

We didn’t have the in-house technical expertise to build a first-version app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After I briefed them on the scope, Ionixx walked me through the whole process. They tweaked our mock-ups and proceeded into development with designs that complemented our original concept. The team built the app to have two sides – one for users and the other for the administrator – to let me input different types of work for the users to do. They completed the app and tested it.

What is the team composition?

The project manager was my main point of contact. I also spoke with the developers on a consistent basis.

How did you come to work with Ionixx Technologies?

A friend of mine, whose judgment I trust, recommend Ionixx after working with them. When I spoke with them, they seemed very affordable and willing to help me with every aspect of the project. I felt Ionixx went above and beyond what other companies I spoke to offered.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between July – November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I like how they built the whole platform for me; it was everything I wanted. This is the first version and it has decks needed to build the second and third iterations. They built a clear and user-friendly admin dashboard without that much direction from me. The UX/UI design was also impressive.

How did Ionixx Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They were with me every step of the way. Although Ionixx is based in India, the project manager was in Los Angeles, which made communication. We didn’t have any problems with language barriers or time difference. We mostly communicated via email and Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They felt like they were on my team when I was working with them. Ionixx was invested in my work and how to support it. The team had great suggestions, especially when we switched back from one of my ideas that proved to be wrong.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I had a really wonderful experience with them. I may have had suggestions during a longer engagement, but I wouldn’t change anything about this project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear in every single detail of the instructions and ask their opinion. They’ll say whether an idea is feasible or not.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Founder & CEO of Voyaj, a global platform that connects people from around the globe for one-on-one meaningful exchanges to foster global understanding and peace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Ionixx was hired to build Voyaj applications both on iOS and Android. They did an incredible job.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to build an application to connect people and communities. We are satisfied with their work and will continue to work with them over the years.

SOLUTION

How did you select Ionixx Technologies?

We met the Founders through personal connections and they have been incredible to collaborate with throughout the years. We highly recommend them.

Describe the project in detail.

They built our mobile applications.

What was the team composition?

Great and effective collaboration between their team and ours.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are now using the Voyaj app to bring communities together. This wouldn't be possible without Ionixx.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very good.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were impressed with the work ethics, culture, and always being on time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Well done! I highly recommend working with them. They are fantastic!