Konstant Infosolutions

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Music Pad LLC is a location-based even finding service. I am the chief executive officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Konstant Infosolutions?

Our strategy was to bring all users who have our device the best local events in an area.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed and designed a mobile application for iOS.

How did you come to work with Konstant Infosolutions?

I reviewed some client reviews online about past experiences with Konstant. I spoke with them several times and met with the owner in New York. We talked about the process. I was comparing different apps to what I would have liked the project to end up being.

How much have you invested with Konstant Infosolutions?

It was about $30,000 to $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We were working together for about a year and 3 months. We have recently stopped the engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not really. We put everything together and I told them what the performance and outcome of the app should be if I were to be putting forth a good amount of my money and allocating my budget. I am bootstrapping this. The end-result, as far as speed and performance, as well as technical skills for getting everything together were good. Their staff is good, but the performance of the app is kind of sub-par. There wasn't any room for growth.

Do you feel that the project was successful?

iOS has moved from Swift 1; now they're working on Swift 3. I was under the impression that we would be moving along with the Swift series, having optimization and having the app rendering properly. We went with coding in Objective-C. As far as the performance of the app went, it was sluggish. The technical aspects were on-point as far as the movements through the app, but as far as performing with any other company, it wasn't satisfactory on my behalf.

How did Konstant Infosolutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Their staff was good. They had some good people working over there. The experience didn't meet my expectations, though. We discussed different ways to increase the speed of the mobile application. They were given 2 weeks to do so, and they really didn't. We came up, and it was still the same speed. No resolution was found, so in the midst of switching companies, I wanted to leave an honest review for them.

Are there any areas Konstant Infosolutions could improve?

Listening to the consumer and living up to their promised expectations and contracts within. Communication was on point, they just have to get their development up to what they're promising. If they would've provided me with what I wanted, I would have still been with them.

There was a distinctive fail to recognize the importance of startups. Rather than focusing on helping the Fortune 500 companies that you work with, to grow a company from an idea into something is way more reputable for companies nowadays. A lot of mobile apps are taking that direction.

In the end, Konstant's CEO kept my source code and $30,000. I would like to warn startup clients away from Konstant.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Konstant Infosolutions?

Take a look at their current projects, don't go off their word, and compare it to what you would like to see, instead of grabbing somebody else's project and trying to tell them that's what you want.

People are in this business to compete and give customers the greatest experience. If that's not upheld, you're going to lose $30,000 like I did, and end up having someone rebuild your project from the start. There was a lot of wasted time (a year and a half), so it's not fun, especially for someone who is a dreamer, like me. I work a 9 to 5 schedule; I'm a firefighter running into burning buildings, so to pass my money up and not get what I expected is a little bit deterring.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Sweeedy.com is Ghana's first online dating website, helping single people find partners. Our startup company was launched in October 2016. I am the sole owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Konstant Infosolutions?

When I made the decision to invest in an online dating platform, I was challenged with finding the right company, specifically in Holland.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Konstant Infosolutions has developed my CakePHP website, and we're currently working on Android and iOS apps for the platform.

How did you come to work with Konstant Infosolutions?

I made some Google searches and found Konstant, along with a number of other companies. Their reviews were impressive, and I also looked at Konstant's portfolio. We had a good conversation about their approach to the project. Konstant had much better documentation, compared to other companies I approached, so we picked it up from there.

How much have you invested with Konstant Infosolutions?

The cost of Konstant's work was around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The site was completed in October 2016, after a 4-month development period.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site is a new concept for the Ghana market, but we've already gained 3,000 members.

How did Konstant Infosolutions perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication with Konstant's team has been clear, and they've always had timely deliveries.

What did you find most impressive about Konstant Infosolutions?

Konstant has been great at implementing any update suggestions I gave them, and also provided their own ideas.

Are there any areas Konstant Infosolutions could improve?

I haven't seen anything so far.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a premier IT industry that helps the Indian government develop IT policy. We have multiple relationships with IT companies throughout India. We have around 2,000 members. Our communication with each member is pretty limited, however, and that’s why we reached out to Konstant.

I am the deputy manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Konstant?

We used Konstant to build a platform that would better connect the members of our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Konstant built the app that is available on Android and iOS platforms. They came up with the design and improved its functionality. It’s up and running on Google, but not on Apple.

How did you come to work with Konstant?

We have known Konstant for some time. The person we interacted with was very sincere, and whenever we asked for changes, they did it. They were very easy to work with.

How much have you invested with Konstant?

The project ranged from $8,000 to $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Without even promoting the app, it has already been downloaded. We have recently launched it. Since then, ten people have offered ratings, each being between four and five stars.

What did you find most impressive about Konstant?

Konstant is ethical and good with follow-ups. They accommodated the requests and explained how much time the development process would take.

Are there any areas Konstant could improve?

I found them to be very good.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My primary company is Ideal Entertainment. The company associated with the app is Dish Out App Inc., which is a food sharing social media application that links like-minded foodies to where they’re eating.

I am the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Konstant?

This app is a concept I came up with. Throughout my process of trying to find a company who could facilitate the development, I was also looking for a company that could help me along and give me guidance for areas that I was completely unfamiliar with.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The initial version is on iOS and we’re contemplating the Android version now. I had the storyboards and the early development of the app. What I learned is that there’s a lot more in the gaps when it comes to development. It’s not easy to go from screen to screen because there are a lot of things in between that I was not familiar with. They were good at helping me understand the action steps to make it a really good app.

How did you come to work with Konstant?

I did a lot of research online. I read customer reviews and price was a factor too. I really feel like I made a good decision. They were a good partner and will continue to be. I feel like I’m going to be working with Konstant for the long term.

How much have you invested with Konstant?

It cost between $50,000 and $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It’s an ongoing engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app just launched, so I don’t have any metrics. I can only speak to my experience in getting to this point.

How did Konstant perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager is fantastic. Everything filters through her. They have been great on design work and suggesting additional functions and features for the app. It’s been a great collaborative effort.

What did you find most impressive about Konstant?

When I was selecting the company, I was concerned about having someone from India in the sense that it would be complicated in regards to work schedules, but it’s been very smooth. We do daily Skype calls. I feel like working with them has been pretty seamless.

Are there any areas Konstant could improve?

In some instances, I think some things could have been facilitated quicker, but I do understand that when you’re making changes, it’s not like flipping the switch when it comes to coding. In my overall opinion I’m glad we got it right. I don’t have anything to compare to, but that would be my only criticism.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

It’s a small startup. It’s an app that allows roommates to find other roommates, and to find other rooms. It’s what we think of as a mixture of Tinder and Real Estate. I was originally a cofounder, and I’m the Chief Executive Officer of the startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Konstant Infosolutions?

I was looking for a few engagements. I was looking for a company that could give me a good fixed price since there’s not a lot of money in being a startup. The intention was to have a team I could go back to and build up a relationship with after the initial minimum viable product. If the app does well, then I’ll have a partner that I can continue along with.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We just submitted the app to the Apple store. It’s cross platform, so it’s on Apple and Android. The intention is that we start with the Apple Store because they’re going to have more restrictions around what they expect. If it’s OK with them, then we’ll mirror that onto Android.

How did you come to work with Konstant Infosolutions?

In March last year I had a look through some agencies. I’m in Sydney, so I was going through agencies that I knew through friends or other startups. Then I looked for app developers around Asia. I’d worked with some from Asia before. Then, I looked for any agencies that had good reviews on Google or other search engines.

Initially, I worked with a database developer in-house. We brought it down to three or four different companies. Konstant was one of them. I found a few different websites that said they were reasonably good. I looked up companies they’d worked with on LinkedIn. I looked at how those companies were going, and that’s how I found them.

How much have you invested with Konstant Infosolutions?

Between $80,000 and $90,000. In March last year [2015], Konstant was at the top of the list. Then we were able to get some internal developers to do the work instead because they took too long. I was struggling because a lot of the guys were part time, working full time in their own jobs but part time to me. Around September, I decided that I had to get it back out to outsourced developers again. It went back to Konstant and another one. By that time it came down to $50,000 to $55,000 instead. It was a reasonable amount for a small app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s not released yet. I’m going to the presses now. I think it will come in August. Apple requested a few additional amendments. Those don’t have to do with Konstant - just design elements. I’ve worked with one of the companies I used to work for before I went to this startup. It was a company called Fairfax. It’s the big media company in Australia. We have a lot of apps through them. They own a lot of the popular apps from the media perspective - things like dating sites and home away. A lot of my colleagues and user testers are from there because I wanted to find people who actually understood apps. I did user testing with my mom and her friends and things like that. They couldn’t imagine that the app came from an overseas company who we’ve only worked with through phone conference and video conferences. The feedback is very positive.

What did you find most impressive about Konstant Infosolutions?

There’s always a fear in working with any company, whether it’s domestic or overseas. Konstant has been marvelous. They’ve been proactive, but they’ve been pacing themselves around how quickly I and my team can work. They have been extremely engaged but not so much where they’ve only said yes to everything. They’ve also given positive criticism and been good at directing me. I don’t have a lot of skills in some of the areas. I did a lot of the design and front end stuff, but I have no idea on the back end part. So they did a lot of things without cost to look after me. They were also very flexible. 

We’re going through the review phase with Apple, and some things have come up that are part of the design, which Apple isn’t sure about. Konstant says that they’ll fix it for me. It’s been great.

Are there any areas Konstant Infosolutions could improve?

No. I’ve worked with projects before so I’m used to have a lean, agile project where you hope the other team is able to work with you. My cofounder has never worked on a project with a company where you have everything signed off. It’s within the realm that hopefully they can do some things that we don’t know that we need. They’ve jumped on board and they’ve been so positive and proactive. They’re willing to move as fast as you want, but it’s up to you. The quicker you are the better they will be.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I have done three or four startups in the last few years. Most of these companies are technology companies or technology enabled business markets.

What is your position?

I’m the founder of each startup, the most recent is a technology platform for the hospitality industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Konstant?

We wanted to provide a good experience to the end customer. We were looking for a platform where the end customer of a hotel or restaurant could be in touch with the top management through things like text messaging or Facebook messenger.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

There is a back portal that my team had designed in conjunction with their team. We built mobile apps and web apps.

How did you come to work with Konstant?

I have worked with Konstant three times in the past. Before I initially started with them, we did a deep analysis of multiple software providing companies. I remember that in 2010 we started a project which we gave out to multiple companies. So we not only interviewed them but we also had them start on phase one. They did the work very rapidly compared to the other two. Since then, we have developed a long term relationship.

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

It’s cost between $50,000 and $60,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

This latest project has gone along at full speed. There were no major hiccups. If there are any changes on the fly, we are able to work with Konstant and get them fixed. Based on experience with other companies, this is as good as it gets.

What distinguishes Konstant from other providers?

I think Konstant's most important distinguishing factor is flexibility. A lot of companies say “send the requirements and we’ll deliver”. In real life, that’s not how it works. You have to keep on fine-tuning every week.

Is there anything Konstant could have improved or done differently?

I’ve had two ongoing challenges with them that I have discussed with their management. Both had to do with location. My timing never really dovetailed with their timing. For their communication skills on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it 6—that is their ability to speak English. I had to be the intermediary between my team and theirs. I’m not only the translator, but I’m also a translator who understands technology inside out and can translate things in the tech language too. I wouldn’t say they’re worse than others. I’ve experienced a lot of companies, and I wouldn’t say they’re better than others. I would say they’re middle ground.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We just developed an Apple app that helps users find events, and also helps artists and entertainers broadcast or promote events to users that are looking for their specific genre.

What is your position?

I’m the lead on our marketing team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Konstant?

We were looking for individuals who could put together an app that could compete as far as speed and user interface are concerned.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Konstant provided an iOS app so far. We’re working on Android now. We’re working with integrating other companies within our app.

How did you come to work with Konstant?

We wanted our app to have an event-based location map feature, and I wanted to look at what other developers created to get something that’s close enough to what I’m trying to accomplish. I was looking for an expert in location based programming. I was looking for quality and speed. All that plays a role in customer satisfaction. Konstant had previous similar apps.

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

It cost between $50,000 and $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We just completed the project last week [June, 2016].

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Overall, Konstant has the vision. It might not turn out the way you thought it would be, but I can say 99.9% that everything that I thought of the app as far as setting up our minimum viable product, turned out the way I envisioned.

What distinguishes Konstant from other providers?

Konstant never tells you no. They’ll figure out a way. They’re always on call and the staff is friendly. There are no language barriers and they are very efficient. They also have a fair price and great turnaround time. It was a good experience—one of my best experiences.

Is there anything Konstant could have improved or done differently?

Nothing I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're a software company.

What is your position?

I'm the managing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Konstant Infosolutions?

We wanted to create an iPhone app. We're a software company, but we don't specialize in iOS, so we wanted to have that portion of the development outsourced.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Konstant helped us to build a productivity app on iOS. It helps users manage their time. We developed a desktop application, and the app is a companion app that syncs with the desktop application. 

How did you come to work with Konstant Infosolutions?

I did research on Google. I came up with a list of vendors, and I contacted all of them and set up meetings with them. The reason I chose Konstant was that they understood my requirements better than their competitors. After talking to the other vendors, I felt they didn't really understand what I was trying to accomplish. When I talked to Konstant, I was happy with their comments and questions. The questions they were asking indicated that they understood the scope of the project.

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

All in all, the project was between $10,000 and $50,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The users of my app are very happy. We are still in beta. We haven't launched it fully yet, but the users testing it are very happy. It's very stable and doesn't crash, I've also had compliments on user interface design.

What distinguishes Konstant Infosolutions from other providers?

I would say that Konstant is very reliable. I've never had trouble reaching them. Every time I have a request for a change or a fix to a bug, I get feedback immediately. They have a great project management tool. I log things online, and then I get feedback immediately.

Is there anything Konstant Infosolutions could have improved or done differently?

I think in terms of Konstant's estimates for their effort and time needed to complete the project, they can do a better job providing an accurate quote.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I am a startup working to use mobile applications to create loyalty programs for marketing purposes.

What is your position?

I'm the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Konstant Infosolutions?

I'm not in the coding business and don't have a background in coding, so I needed a partner that could provide that for me. I live in Qatar, and it is difficult to find companies who can develop such products here.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Konstant helped to deliver a product on the Android platform plus a website and back-end content management system.

How did you come to work with Konstant Infosolutions?

Actually, I used your website [Clutch]. I've never been to India, the United States, or the United Kingdom, but I researched companies in each country. I found many companies, but I chose India because they offered the most affordable services. Within India, I looked at maybe four or five companies.

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

The app Konstant built cost around $43,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What distinguishes Konstant Infosolutions from other providers?

Konstant is outstanding. One thing that helped me was that the time difference was not too extreme. It is only around two and a half hours. It is easy for me to find that I can speak with them. Their communication is perfect. I like them a lot.

Is there anything Konstant Infosolutions could have improved or done differently?

I don't think so.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We developed a website with Konstant. The objective of the website application was to allow businesses to promote their specialty activities. There's not a good way to find businesses promotional activities in a searchable way. It allows business to promote their activities and categorize the information in a searchable manner.

What is your position?

I'm the sole proprietor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Konstant Infosolutions?

It was my first endeavor into this space. I needed someone to help me build the site.

SOLUTION

How did you come to work with Konstant Infosolutions?

I had done some initial investigation into WordPress, but didn't think I could build the website on my own. I got in touch with a few different providers, and I used Clutch to help. Konstant was the most responsive, so that's why I engaged with them.

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

This project was less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Initially, Konstant proposed the project would be completed in three months, so starting in July [2015] and launching in October. It actually didn't go live until January, and we're still working out bugs. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We're still in the support period with Konstant and don't have any metrics to share. I haven't started pushing or advertising the website yet because we are still fixing a few production bugs.

What distinguishes Konstant Infosolutions from other providers?

The initial salesperson was able to get her head around what I was trying to achieve. I provided Konstant detailed specifications, screen shots, and wireframes they were able to turn those into a detailed proposal quickly. Once the proposal was handed to the project manager, it stagnated a bit. It took quite a long time to get to that same level of understanding of what we were trying to achieve. To get from A to B ended up taking quite a bit longer, and it took plenty of back and forth. Konstant was always willing to help, but it was a very long testing process that required quite a bit of effort on my end. I kept sending the same issue back to them on numerous occasions. In the end, they were always able to resolve the problem.

Is there anything Konstant Infosolutions could have improved or done differently?

I would say that Konstant needs a better scoping and definition stage. We jumped from the initial scoping with the sales team into a very high-level spec and scope document. There was not any wireframing during the process or discussion on what mobile capabilities the website would have. We went from concept straight to design. The website itself it was quite simple, but the design phase seemed to be overly high level. We only designed for desktop, and I was hoping for mobile, but we never went into those design phases even though it was in the initial quote. In the build process, there were quite a few issues with the responsive aspect of the website. It just really wasn't responsive.