Kinemeric

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We provide a Platform as a Service [PaaS] for special collections, universities, and archives that allows them to create a website. The backend stores all the data bibliographically. It’s made with library scientists in mind.

I’m the co-founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cemtrex Labs?

This was a partnership with Boo-Hooray, a company that deals with post-WWII archives. There are many special collections that are donated to universities that don’t get much exposure. If you go to the university, you need a reference number to get the book and you have to be very careful with the collections. We wanted to create an online, searchable public-facing archive for all of these materials.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had the archival know-how but I needed them to implement the entire project. They used PHP for the backend, but I’m not sure what the front-end is.

How did you come to work with Cemtrex Labs?

I was introduced to them by a mutual friend and had worked with them on previous projects.

How much have you invested with Cemtrex Labs?

The project cost $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them 4 years ago. The archival project started in January 2015. We continue to work with Cemtrex Labs on other projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Everything they’ve done has been aesthetically and functionally awesome.

How did Cemtrex Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very available and great at communication.

What did you find most impressive about Cemtrex Labs?

They were able to adhere very closely to the original vision of the project despite all the iterations in between. They’ve been great at translating our desires into something tangible.

Are there any areas Cemtrex Labs could improve?

I feel they use too many formalities and acronyms in order to note change orders. Also, when you have a large project, there are going to be things that you don’t anticipate. Maybe it would be wise for them to spend more time on the initial mapping out of the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The app is a hotel management system that integrates POS, reservation systems, and contact management software. We want to grow the app into a white label software that we can bring to the market to create solutions for bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, and hostels throughout the world.

I am the co-founder of Maderas Village.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cemtrex Labs?

We needed someone to build a version of the app so that we had something to test before we built the final version.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave Cemtrex Labs our ideas and wireframes, and they ran with it. They were able to interpret what we wanted into a system that works. They put us in touch with a good UI [user interface] team to bring to the project. They were great producers from start to finish.

How did you come to work with Cemtrex Labs?

I was referred to them by some friends who had done business with them. We sat down with Cemtrex Labs, and because of the quote they gave us and the general confidence we felt working with them, it seemed like the right decision.

How much have you invested with Cemtrex Labs?

This is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together 2 years ago and they finished the project a year ago. We’ve been testing the product at the hotel for a year and we’ve been gathering feedback. Now, we’re rebuilding it with in-house developers and launching the company in a new direction.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We haven’t launched it commercially. They were committed to staying on the project through all the iterations. They sent a team to be with us for 10 days to make sure everything was working right. When issues came up, they were there to see for themselves and were able to send those problems back to India. By the next morning, everything would be fixed and ready to test again.

How did Cemtrex Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

With app building, there are a lot of challenges that come up, but anytime we had a challenge, they were committed to completing the project. They were working late hours to stay on target with the schedule. I trust them and would have them help on projects in the future.

What did you find most impressive about Cemtrex Labs?

Everything they said they would do, they did, and they did it for a price we couldn’t find in other places. I was very happy working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Nex.tt accepts applications from all over the world, specifically ideas for businesses. Our value proposition is that we help you test a business idea before you decide to leave your job or try to raise money. When we test them, we design and launch experiments that are like prototypes. These could mean very simple mobile applications, very simple web applications, and so on.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cemtrex Labs?

We were looking for someone to do all our development, including our site and our pre-accelerator for ideas. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Cemtrex Labs built all of our own technology and our website. Together, we’ve built a couple follow-on products that are a directory of ideas. Now, we have a platform similar to crowdfunding that allows people to turn their idea into an experiment and then open it up to a community. People contribute to that and then they bring their own communities that want to help them with their project and who want to fund them. Aside from developing our website, Cemtrex Labs helped us with numerous projects that we’ve accepted into the accelerator. They built some of our prototypes; it’s not white labeled at all. They’re our agency and residents for that purpose. We pay Cemtrex Labs and they’re part of the value proposition that we bring to the projects that we work on.  

The first thing I built with them was an app for my wedding. Instead of having table seating cards, we built an app where people could ask for their place at the reception. They could text their name to a phone number and that phone number would return their table number in a nice message. We used Trello API and built a basic SMS app with them that way.

I also worked with them on a LinkedIn 2.0 web app that was mobile-optimized and desktop-optimized. The app, called Haiku, would help people celebrate their successes at work. It had a lot of CSS on the front-end, Rev. We used Symphony to build it in a quick timeframe, as I always try to build MVPs. That one took a little bit longer, about 3 months, to get up and running. We did another 2 months of iterations on it. They also used PHP and Symphony with a MySQL database. There was also a ton of JavaScript.

Next, we built an iOS app with them that helps people thank others like coworkers or friends. If someone helps you with a project you’re working on, if they inspire you, if they do something nice, it’s a standard way to thank them. We used a Giphy API there, so it’s short message, plus the GIFs they could publicly share. We tapped into Twitter and Facebook APIs.

How did you come to work with Cemtrex Labs?

We have a lot of friends in common and Cemtrex Labs came highly recommended. We grew up in the same area.

How much have you invested with Cemtrex Labs?

We have paid $100,000 to $125,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in 2013 but started working a lot from 2015 on. We’re still working with them now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We’ve always got amazing design feedback on anything we’ve built with Cemtrex Labs. The best metric for us is that 3 months is the longest time that it’s taken to get something launched and public with Cemtrex Labs. That’s the amount of time, from start to finish, that it takes them to produce an MVP that’s launchable. They’ve been able to do that 5 times while producing high-quality products. Plus, Cemtrex Labs gets great reviews and public validation.

For example, the first project they did was that simple wedding texting app. They completed it in 12 hours and knocked it out of the park. From them on, they’ve been the only agency I’ve ever worked with. For one website, Cemtrex Labs had to deal with a lot of animation. They did a lot of custom SVGs for the animated components on the site as well as a lot of JavaScript. It was really top-notch design and we’ve gotten some shout-outs on design sites about it. That is available on Nex.tt. Another product they helped build was literally an idea on the back of a napkin. Less than 8 weeks later, it was getting funding for $750,000 and was accepted by 500 Startups. It’s maturing from a venture capital perspective.

How did Cemtrex Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re in close contact with project managers, executives, and the core development teams that we work with. We work with project managers but Cemtrex Labs has been really good about letting us speak with developers directly just because I have a lot of background building software. They use company workflow, Slack, email, and Trello. They’ve been great.

What did you find most impressive about Cemtrex Labs?

I think they’ve taken really great technical talent in India and made it viable for clients all over the world. A lot of times, you have really technically talented people but they are located remotely or are not native English speakers. While that usually worked for a small client profile, Cemtrex Labs made it work for almost anyone. You get the benefit of great customer service, great technical expertise, bandwidth, and chops for an affordable rate. You can get quality products built in a timely fashion for a price that doesn’t presume that it’s going to be the most successful product in the world. You can afford to be wrong with your idea because their execution is going to be sharp. They’re not going to waste time and money and it’ll be really high quality. At the same time, you can afford to change your idea and not be perfectly right, right off the bat. I think that’s required for any software.

Are there any areas Cemtrex Labs could improve?

I don’t think so. I feel like I’ve always had really great experiences with Cemtrex Labs so I don’t personally see anything to improve myself.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an industrial manufacturing solutions company. We’re a diversified industrial technology firm. We provide heavy industrial products and services as well as electronic manufacturing services for medical device manufacturers and automotive companies. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cemtrex Labs?

We needed different types of software written for our website. We also needed help with mobile application development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

We worked with Cemtrex Labs on iOS, Android, and web-based solutions. One of the mobile applications they designed was for one of our clients. It was an iOS/Android application for booking services at various venues—restaurants and nightlife establishments. It was unrelated to our business but it was an important project for our customer. The scope of that project was to build a comprehensive mobile application and backend portal content management system. Cemtrex Labs managed the front-end and back-end of these native apps. We used Amazon Web Services on the project. They did a lot of iterative development based on evolving requirements. Cemtrex Labs did a good job of adjusting to our needs and changing the product. Plus, they were able to produce the data to justify certain changes within the application.

How did you come to work with Cemtrex Labs?

Cemtrex Labs was referred to us. We had shopped around for firms and they seemed the most intelligent. They had the most direct planning process—the potential requirements from our side, from their side, timelines, all of that. I thought they were the most comprehensive and displayed the most competency out of the gate.

How much have you invested with Cemtrex Labs?

We invested more than $250,000 into the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them on and off over the last several years. Some of the projects started in 2010 and we don’t have any active projects with them. For this particular project, we were able to work iteratively over 2 ½ years to develop and improve the app. We would certainly reach out to them again if the need ever arose.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Our client is very happy with the application itself and the timely delivery. We’ve worked with other web developers who weren’t able to build a robust application from an iOS point of view or a website standpoint. They’ve been consistent with our other projects, which I think is really important. They’re extremely competitive from a price point of view. It’s a huge differentiator for us that they are able to deliver high quality at an affordable rate. Quality was more important for us than price. When you’re able to get both, that makes a big difference. That’s why we’ve consistently chosen them.

How did Cemtrex Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management was like an approval process. We worked with a project manager. I forget the name of the software we used, but every week they would have us review certain materials. We would log into the system to check everything. We had to make sure that everything was accepted or not accepted, and then add why. During our weekly calls, we would go over and review progress. It was full service and we had a lot of communication. That is important, especially in a development project. Every week, we knew milestones are getting done and that rolls up to a larger deadline internally for us. We had to get the iOS app ready by this date. Each set of deliverables is being done and we have an idea of where we are in the timeline and if we’re meeting the deadline. They maintained lines of communication and provided the documentation necessary to make decisions. We didn’t feel like we were waiting for them to get us information. They were timely in saying, “This is what we expect.” If they said they were going to have things ready by Tuesday, they were ready by Tuesday. Then it was on us to meet our own timelines so we could move forward to the next step.

What did you find most impressive about Cemtrex Labs?

I was impressed by how Cemtrex Labs listened to customers. Plus, they did not over-promise and under-deliver. They brought realistic expectations to the table about what is possible within a certain timeframe. That’s important because a lot of developers will say, “That’s possible.” And then 6 weeks into the project you have cost overruns and the development work isn’t nearly as far along as it should be. There’s a lot of confusion and poor communication because you’re dealing with developers. They have the right organizational structure with the artistic and development talent along with people good at project management. They have a lot of creative talent. We asked for 2 or 3 artistic designs and they really put their heart into that. They were also willing to hear our feedback and ultimately deliver on our vision. That’s unique. Some developers are just good at coding but they have this artistic element to their studio which sets them apart.

Are there any areas Cemtrex Labs could improve?

Not really. So far, we’ve been really satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is a video platform where people can watch videos and chat in real-time. There is a mobile version as well, but it’s not exactly the same. I’m the chief executive officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cemtrex Labs?

They helped me take my product from an MVP [minimum viable product] to a beta.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a framework that was usable for demos and to raise money, and we were in the phase where we needed to take that to a more scalable solution where we could actually have a ton of people on the site, and just mature from being a demo and open it to the public. We did a lot of database stuff and put ourselves on AWS [Amazon Web Services]. I actually don’t even remember the specifics anymore; it was mostly everything that we needed to do to move into a public product. We wanted to use ReactJS, which is a JavaScript framework. They were able to accommodate us.

How did you come to work with Cemtrex Labs?

They were a referral from a friend of mine. One of the biggest things was that their rates were a lot lower than many of the other people that I looked at, and I just thought that they seemed to really want to work with us. It wasn’t an official client type of a relationship. It was more like a friendship, which was really nice.

How much have you invested with Cemtrex Labs?

I would say we have invested in the $10,000 and $50,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in November 2015 till March 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Not really, to be completely honest.

How did Cemtrex Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

I thought that they had a really strong project management team and a lot of good structure. I think we moved from weekly calls to daily calls, and everyone was always there. Everybody used Trello, I believe, to help manage the process. Overall, it was a good experience. I was working with a project manager and the developers on our daily calls. Everyone was present for calls, but most of the communication was happening through the project manager.

What did you find most impressive about Cemtrex Labs?

I really think that they are really patient. That was good because I am non-technical. They were just patient with me as a person who’s non-technical, and they were able to actually accommodate my incompetence in that area, definitely.

Are there any areas Cemtrex Labs could improve?

I think sometimes they would potentially over-promise and under deliver on timelines. We missed a couple of deadlines and there were a couple of holes that we needed to plug and work that we needed to go back and do. I think it wasn’t intentional. I think they were just optimistic about how fast they could do some of the work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The name of the company is BOTY App. We’re a mobile application that connects people at the bar. I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cemtrex Labs?

We had a concept and we needed Cemtrex Labs to pretty much help us bring the concept to life. That included creative direction and app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Currently, we’re just on iOS. They provided the front-end design and app development. We’ll likely start the Android development using Cemtrex Labs next year.

How did you come to work with Cemtrex Labs?

We were at a Next Web conference - me and my business partner. We owned a business for ten years together and we were trying to figure out and get introductions for tech. So we went to the Next Web conference in New York. One of the Cemtrex Labs representatives was working with a booth with one of their clients. We had a conversation and that’s how it started out.

How much have you invested with Cemtrex Labs?

Probably about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in January of 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We were definitely satisfied with the final product and we’re still working through a couple of kinks here and there. The project passed our expectations, and what we like about them is that, with us being new to this space, they were the leaders in terms of making suggestions and providing us with insight on things that we knew we needed to know. In some instances, they even provided insights about things of which we weren’t aware. We moved forward with them being the developer of the concept but they also turned out to be a little bit more in terms of providing insight on things that we were not aware of.

I don’t have a lot to go on, but if it was a different relationship, it may have been an additional charge and they just did it.

How did Cemtrex Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Trello starting out. That was keeping us up to date from the initial phase to the actual development. We used the Trello board for the majority of communications. They use a different system now, which I’m not too familiar with. They provided us with initial research of what we were trying to do. It was going great. We had a project manager that kept us in the loop. We’d do weekly calls to keep us abreast of what was being done. If we needed information changes, they were very timely in getting us change orders. The communication has been really effective. Looking forward, we use Google Hangouts so we can chat about any issues that we face, so the communication’s been pretty good.

What did you find most impressive about Cemtrex Labs?

They’re good people. They’re honest. You feel their integrity in terms of how they communicate and how they do things. They’re very resourceful in terms of contact with others to help you get going with other experts.

Are there any areas Cemtrex Labs could improve?

I would say it’s more about things our internal team could have done differently. There are certain things that we didn’t know starting out that maybe we could’ve learned a little bit about first, being non-technical founders. From their perspective, no. I would say there’s certain individuals that communicate a lot more effectively than others, but I don’t think there’s anything they could do differently. I don’t have too many complaints.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Blackbrick is a fund that invests in struggling startups. We’re an activist fund like a foundry almost. We give money and then take an active role in fixing companies and try to turn them around and help them raise money for higher valuations, and then we cash out. So, we’re essentially an investment fund - a startup accelerator. I am Founder, and I’m in charge of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cemtrex Labs?

Cemtrex Labs was tasked with setting up all our branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us come up with a name. They helped us come up with a logo after many iterations. They put together our investment deck, including copy, that we would pitch to investors to put money into the fund. They assembled our logo, our branding, storytelling, the pitch deck – essentially they built our identity from the ground up. They’re still working on it, but the initial stages are completed. Eventually, they’re going to do our website and everything else as well.

How did you come to work with Cemtrex Labs?

Their reputation preceded them. They are well-known in the startup space. They were introduced to me through a mutual business associate. They also are connected to a project called Fueled which we’ve worked with in the past. Lucky [Gobindram, CEO] and I met. We chatted. We talked about a lot of different things, and then about six months later I realized I needed this work and who better to work with than Lucky. Their reputation was good, but their proposal was extremely good. It was broken down into a lot of detail. It was very transparent. It explained exactly what I was paying for, where, and how. It was reasonably priced, too. I liked their work. I liked the way they spoke. I liked the way they thought about things. They thought through problems, but they also had a very good proposal system that was very clear and I could understand. We spoke to them about many different things, and they contributed with a lot of ideas. It was more of a thought exercise than anything else.

How much have you invested with Cemtrex Labs?

They charged us based on deliverables. I think it’s less than five figures. It’s like between $3,000 and $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started three or four months ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Not really. A lot of people have given us a lot of compliments on what we have so far. I can’t directly attribute it and say, “They made us a new logo and that logo brought us new business.” I can’t say that for sure, but I can say that everybody loves it and we get a lot of compliments on it.

How did Cemtrex Labs perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a presentation tool for the deck itself. We mostly emailed. They were very quick with responses. There was a quick delivery turnaround. If I gave them criticism or asked them to change things, they’d come back within 24 to 48 hours with something new.

What did you find most impressive about Cemtrex Labs?

I think it’s the personal touch. The founders themselves get involved in the projects often. I also think it’s their flexibility. Other agencies might limit you - you get one or two revisions. Cemtrex doesn’t care. They also put a lot of personal thought into everything they do. They don’t just take marching orders. They present you with a lot of ideas. That’s rare with agencies. Some are better than others in that realm where an agency will say, “Just tell me what you want, and I’ll design it.” They’re more like, “Have you considered doing it this way?” Cemtrex Labs does stuff like that which is great.

Are there any areas Cemtrex Labs could improve?

Maybe they could have better tools to present their work rather than just email. The work we did was so simple that I don’t have complaints but if it had been a [larger] project, maybe I would.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Ecommerce Manager of Paras Designs Inc

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We manufacture men's and ladies workwear apparel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire CXR Agency to accomplish?

• To redesign our ecommerce website

SOLUTION

How did you find CXR Agency?

Referral

Why did you select CXR Agency over others?

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

What was the size of CXR Agency’s team?

6-10 Employees

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

Shopify Website Redux:

• Shopify Website Architecture Iterations
• Homepage
• Header and Footer
• Navigation
• Sticky Header
• Search Filter
• History, Contact, Privacy Policy Pages

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Well-designed UI/UX website
• Integration with in-house ERP system

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

CXR's project management was top-tier. From the beginning to the end, the project was well-organized and all goals were met and delivered on a timely basis. When it came time to test, they responded exceptionally well to my need. CXR went above and beyond for us.

What was your primary form of communication with CXR Agency?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What impressed me the most about CXR Agency was how they treated us as a partner instead of a simply a client. It was an absolute pleasure working with them and we greatly look forward to continuing our partnership.

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

The biggest challenge of the project was the time-zone difference. Although the team delivered on every goal, I would suggest having the overseas team available to work with clients during EST business hours.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

It's an interconnected ecosystem called onXRP. Web 3.0 on the XRPL where we have an NFT Marketplace, DEX, content hub and P2E platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We managed to get to MVP and we needed Cemtrex to go to V2.0

SOLUTION

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

The leadership team was full with passion about technology. Therefore we wanted to work with them

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

There is a frontend and backend + integration on the XRPL. So it was not an easy task.

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

I think about 25 in total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Very happy for what they have build so far and excited what they will build.

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

We used there platform for scrum and have weekly calls twice.

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

The passion that the leadership team brought to the table.

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

Maybe a bit more hands-on communication, but overall we are very happy with Cemtrex.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I run an elite plastic surgery practice in Beverly Hills, California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire CemtrexLabs?

AR/VR platform. Has to be private for my patients and prospective patients to visualize themselves prior to having a surgical procedure

What were your goals for this project?

Give patients more awareness of the kind of outcomes they can have. Provide them a valuable tool to give them the confidence to choose to proceed or not to proceed.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Have always heard great things about Cemtrex and the team. Was put in touch with my old friend Luck, who was able to help us customize this platform to our specific needs in our industry.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Helped build out and design the visual AR/VR construct for patients to view themselves preoperatively.

What was the team composition?

Lucky oversaw the development strategy for the Cemtrex team to help guide me to my goals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This has positively boosted patient confidence in booking surgery and wanting procedures.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Fabulously effective and all well-orchestrated by Lucky and his team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The people are the most caring and understanding of business needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Continue growing!