mTraction Enterprise (An Affle Company)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was working as a project manager with a manufacturer of fashion jewelry and lifestyle accessories in India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Affle Enterprise?

We've required an e-Commerce app for our core business and we outsourced web development to Affle Enterprise.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to get this project developed and delivered within the given timeframe. Affle did the job exceptionally well and our portal went live as planned.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We did an online search for some web & mobile app development companies and Affle enterprise had some great reviews. We also reviewed their Clutch page before hiring them.

Describe the project in detail.

Company is a multi-national electronics retailer, wholesaler, and manufacturer of fashion jewelry and lifestyle accessories. The Company was looking to develop an eCommerce portal to brand them as a market leader and increase revenue channels.

What was the team composition?

There were 4 developers, 1 designer, 1 QA and 1 project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Project started with numerous discussions on the milestones and deadlines. Eventually, 4 milestones were decided with a deadline attached to it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was very smooth and effective. Every piece of communication between their team and ours were transparent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Clear communication and zeal towards completing a project in the timeline.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, their services were very impressive. Also, we are planning to initiate another project with their team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior leader at US-based MNC.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

We needed help with different development projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They help us develop mobile and web applications. They also work on a cloud product where we are preserving data from our devices. They’ve developed the frontend to provide content to the users and respective clients. For Android mobile apps, they use React Native. On the web application, they use Angular and Mongo database tools. They also work on Java product development.  

Affle Enterprise developed a complete frontend solution for web and mobile. The product can communicate with our backend functionality. It provides brief information about what is the activity performed by devices based on user action. When our backend software operates or communicates with the devices, it’s visible from the frontend.

The product has different functionality operated by the user. That’s also being supported from the frontend with the different options. There’s also a function that maintains the database stream and shows it on the GUI with an option to export it. You can also do user management from the front end application.

We provide them with documentation before a project. Their team performs detailed analysis and share their expertise. Then we go through a development phase where they share wireframes and designs for the frontend. After we confirm this work, they start the development where they maintain an agile methodology. They also follow all the different processes we have, which is helpful. They’re currently supporting us in five projects.

What is the team composition?

The team size depends on the project. There are 10-20 people for all the different projects. They have a separate team for mobile development, web development, and the support on the backend with server deployment and the microservices. They have technical architects, project managers, and account managers.

How did you come to work with Affle Enterprise?

We shared the initial idea of what we were looking for with 3-4 solution providers. The best part about Affle Enterprise was they always do a detailed exercise. They always looked for clarity in terms of what we are looking for and what they will be able to contribute. They maintain the transparency about the capability and feasibility. They were very clear in what they could do and how they could do it.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They always provided the best possible solutions. I receive really good feedback from the customers that it’s user-friendly.

How did Affle Enterprise perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is really effective. They always provide updates and clarity on the status of the project. We use Basecamp and it’s very effective with project updates. If something is really challenging, they keep us up to date. They’re always communicating with us and maintain all timelines. Their team is always eager to help.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take ownership of the projects they work on rather than just implementing tasks. They always understand the scope of the business before doing the development.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I encourage you to use them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of IT application for a storage company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

We needed development help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us to develop a mobile app with a digital card that allows users to get store discounts. They continue to do change requests and improvements to the functionalities.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 7-10 people.

How did you come to work with Affle Enterprise?

A friend referred them and we heard they were good at mobile app development. We considered a few other companies before choosing them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017 and the engagement is ongoing,

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything is working well so far.

How did Affle Enterprise perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been very good compared to other vendors I’ve worked with. We get monthly feedback from the account manager and the development team, and they accept our feedback and make changes. They also give us ideas for improvement. We use Basecamp, email, and WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of work is good and they’re committed to delivering on time. They’re also more affordable than other companies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend them for mobile app development.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of an iOS application for the public sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

There are numerous regulations in the childcare industry to assure the safety of the children. When inspecting childcare centers, many agencies simply use pen and paper. I wanted to make it easier by automating the process. I decided to create an app, and I put together a design architecture. I needed a vendor to bring the product to life.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Affle Enterprise developed my app for iOS devices. After completing the first phase, we launched it on the App Store. I had them build the second phase as well, and we plan to launch that soon.

The platform allows inspectors to identify and document safety concerns, staff credentials, transportation processes, and nutritional information at childcare centers to help them fill out an accurate inspection report.

What is the team composition?

I worked with an assigned project manager, who was helpful and prompt. I spoke with the technical lead to give a clear explanation of my design. In total, the team was about five people.

How did you come to work with Affle Enterprise?

I searched online for vendors in India. I requested quotes from several agencies, including Affle Enterprise. After reviewing their work on their website, I approached their team. They quickly replied to all of my questions, and they offered a competitive price.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in mid-2016. We completed and launched the first phase in December 2016. The second phase was completed in mid-2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered a product that aligned with my specifications. It’s a high-quality app, and users are very happy with it. Overall, I’m satisfied with their work.

How did Affle Enterprise perform from a project management standpoint?

We managed the project using Basecamp. I have no complaints about their team; they were prompt, responsible, and responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Everyone is very friendly, from sales reps to project managers. They went out of their way to keep us happy, promptly addressing any issues we brought to their attention.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they met all of my expectations.

Any advice for potential customers?

Clients should be upfront about their expectations. Provide Affle Enterprise with a prototype as an explanation of the project and be clear about timelines.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I led the product development and marketing for a startup working on a digital platform for farmers in India in the form of an application and website. It enables them to interact with each other, while also providing agricultural knowledge.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

After the platform was live for 6–7 months, a lot of users dropped off. The challenge was the UX; we needed to make the app more interactive to increase the time users spent benefitting from it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope was to come up with a next version of the app and completely revamp the UI/UX. We initially started only with the app, but we included the website in the scope as well. Affle Enterprise came up with a new UX to ensure good performance for the app in terms of speed and crash rate, as well as making it scalable to accommodate more users. We had around 300,000 users on the app when we approached them, and we expected to go as high as one million.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager assigned to us who coordinated with the development team. I didn’t interact with the developers directly, but I worked with two UX designers. We also had an account manager assigned to us from the start who provided support with invoicing, negotiations, or issues.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Affle in September or October 2017, and they finished a couple of months ago. The bulk of the work was completed in approximately one year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our user adoption and engagement went up significantly as a result of their work, which we could see in our metrics. Roughly speaking, we saw 1,000 likes per month with the old version, which went up to 10,000–12,000 post-launch. The app’s usability improved greatly, and, most importantly, our crashes went down.

How did Affle Enterprise perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re well organized. I’ve worked with 3–4 development partners, and Affle is the most organized and responds to questions the fastest. IT discussions between business and IT teams can become complex and iterative, but they removed any ambiguities. The project management and interactions were great.

Also, they are extremely committed. They usually stuck to timelines, and they were proactive in telling us when it wasn’t possible to do so. We had to alter the timelines from our end a few times, and they collaborated with us to revise them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They interact with us and present their findings and intermediate results in a professional, organized, and timely manner. They understand the business perspective, and they incorporate it into their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no major issues, but the UI design could be approached more scientifically. While they do a good job of it, they could put more research behind their reasoning for why a particular design would work and what impact the change would have on user behaviors.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

In-person meetings are conducive to more fruitful discussions. Clients should set up monthly or biweekly meetings with the development team or project leads. This helped us push the project forward faster and smoother.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an application support manager of an online retail supermarket based in Singapore.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

Our staff discount card was previously a manual, physical card, and we were looking to have a new electronic card which would allow staff to use it with their smartphones.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a simple, mobile application for both iOS and Android. We have approximately 8,000–9,000 employees who can now utilize their cards electronically in any of our 240 stores through their smartphones. The team member downloads the app that displays a barcode, which can then be scanned at the POS [point of sale], allowing them to receive their discount.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Charles [Chief Architect, Affle Enterprise], Anuj [Founder, Affle Enterprise], a project manager, and 2 other individuals. There is also someone helping me set up the cloud, database, etc.

How did you come to work with Affle Enterprise?

One of my colleagues in Singapore introduced them to me.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent approximately S$20,000 SGD [U.S. $14,789] so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in mid-February/March of 2017, and the app went live in June 2017. They are currently working on another app for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had the app for approximately 6 months. Whenever there are releases, they complete the proper testing and UAT [user acceptance testing]. If any issues come up, they fix them within 1–2 days and then release it in the App Store. They follow the processes, and I’ve been happy with everything.

How did Affle Enterprise perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m happy with their work, and they stick to schedules. We have short deadlines, and they’re able to meet those deadlines by working late in order to complete the job. The only time there’s been a delay was when it was time to submit to the App Store. Everything else was accurately timed, and I haven’t had any problems with them.

They use Basecamp to provide all updates. The only challenge has been the slight time delay between us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They deliver on time and are accepting of any changes we ask them for. I’m also impressed with their communication because they provide feedback as well as updates on a daily basis. Everything in our process is tracked.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t had any issues. Everything has been delivered on time, and they provide us with support as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important for the client to be clear with requirements so they can work on functional specs with accuracy.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We provide management consulting services to individuals and businesses through a diverse portfolio of businesses.

What is your role at the company?

I am head of product development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge you were trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

We needed to update and enhance our live video streaming platform.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

The project involved improving the performance of our iPhone application’s live streaming services and the complete development of a complimentary iPad application. The iPad application needed to remotely control an external camera and include live communication, database queries, location services, and other advanced functionalities.

How did you come to work with Affle Enterprise?

We found them online and were impressed with the number of positive reviews they had. After several interviews, we felt confident they could do the job.

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

We have spent something in excess of $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took a total of about twelve weeks, from start to finish.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The results have been positive. Both apps that Affle worked on have performed very well, and we have had no technical problems that were not handled immediately by their team. One business result from this project is that it played a major role in helping us secure a seed investment.

What distinguishes Affle Enterprise from other providers?

Affle was very professional and provided clear communication.

Is there anything Affle Enterprise could have improved or done differently?

The time difference between us was the only aspect that made the project challenging.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our company buys and sells a range of commodities including metals, cement, pharmaceuticals, and other products in the Asian market. We're based in Singapore.

What is your position?

I'm the managing director of the firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

We were looking for a product-matching tool that would allow our customers to find what they were looking for easily and place a bid.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We needed them to build a mobile app that would act as a marketplace for our company's products. We were very focused on the design of the app. Affle was responsible for coming up with a very user-friendly app that also functioned well.

How did you come to work with Affle Enterprise?

They were referred to us by a friend of mine.

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

By the time it's complete, the project will cost between $50,000 and $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project is beginning to wrap up. They've been working on it for the past two or three months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What have been the results of the project?

There have been no results as the project has not yet launched; however, things seem to be progressing favorably.

Is there anything that has really impressed you in your experience with Affle Enterprise?

The dedication of Affle team has been very impressive. They are highly responsive, and always answer my questions within hours or minutes. This gives me peace of mind that the project is progressing favorably.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

I would say they should bring on a few more experienced developers. Some of the developers we worked with were great, but there were a couple who must have been new and didn't deliver the quality of work that the others did.

BACKGROUND

Please provide us with a brief description of your company.

Our company creates mobile apps as a secondary source of income for my business partner and me.

What is your role at the company?

I am the managing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

We specialize mainly in branding, app graphics, 3-D animations and ad-hoc illustrations. We've worked with Affle on a couple of projects to assist us with the actual coding and development of our apps.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

The first app we worked on together is called My Sports Diary, which helps athletes track their performance in one handy format. My team did the initial work integrating all of the sports APIs [application programming interfaces] into a large database, as well as the wireframes and graphics. Affle picked up the following: HTML/CSS [cascading style sheets] creation to fit any device resolution; APIs from the database to drive the app; all app logic and local device DB creation; testing and QA [quality assurance]; and project management.

The next app we worked on was Verifus. The purpose of this app was to show all film-related conventions and festivals worldwide. Affle was responsible for HTML/CSS creation to fit any device resolution; enterprise architects to deliver a solution on AWS [Amazon Web Services] that's fit for purpose for future growth of this app; APIs from DB to drive the app; all app logic and local device DB creation; testing and QA; project management; and ad-hoc DB administration.

How did you come to work with Affle Enterprise?

I have worked with a number of companies in Russia and India, and the quality I received was always very poor. After speaking with Affle, I decided that their approach to work was similar to my own, and they made me feel very confident they could deliver as soon as we had the first meeting.

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

In total, I've spent around $30,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

My Sports Diary is the most mature app and is proving very successful. Both apps have a 4.5-star rating in the App Store and have daily downloads.

What distinguishes Affle Enterprise from other providers?

Affle is very honest and transparent which makes working with them very easy. I see the people I work with as members of my team, and I'm rarely stressed working with them. Ultimately, what makes them stand out is their ability to turn out builds daily, and to keep me updated on the progress of their work constantly.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

I actually struggle to find anything negative to say about them. I suppose sometimes it's hard explaining something that's in my head to developers but as we bond these things are getting easier.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The company is Zippler, a geo-location based application and social network. It's like a mix of Twitter and Foursquare. That would be the easiest way to describe it. 

What is your position?

I am the founder and president of the company. We have three partners, in addition to a number of contractors that are working with us for the branding, design, development, and user experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Affle Enterprise?

The purpose of the app is to let people know what's trending and what's happening around you based on your location. Affle has been our primary technology partner in creating the app.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Speaking to the services they've provided, it started with the analysis phase, where they tried to understand and scope exactly what the idea was. Afterward was the UX, which we did with a prototype that they use to help their clients go through the process, and confirm exactly what they want.

Then it was the development part. We had a project manager assigned with a team of lead developers that were also there. We had the work split into 10 different milestones, with the relevant features that were related to that. It worked really well. Most of the back-end work and initial architecture was done and defined by our CTO, who is based in San Francisco.

The app is using Neo4j as a graph database, to get information quickly about nodes of what's happening around you. The actual content of those nodes, of those hotspots and conversations, is from our document database, and we're using CouchDB for this one. The front end is a native app. Apart from maybe two of the things that Affle had already developed internally, there's was no other specific technology used, apart from the normal iOS and Android stuff.

How did you come to work with Affle Enterprise?

First, we interviewed five different firms before we awarded the development contract to Affle. Three of them were just not up to it. We were afraid if they could really deliver, or if they were just saying yes to everything. If that happens, you end up having something that only somewhat works. Three of those five companies gave us that feeling, and one of them was so low in terms of pricing and timing, that we had the feeling they didn't understand our project at all. At the end, there were only two left and, at that point, we had to decide on the price, and Affle was more competitive.

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

It will be around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work that Affle is responsible for is not done yet. I have a feeling it will be between six and nine months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The quality of their work is great. They understood the project and the features quickly, and they asked the right questions. In terms of analysis and UX, I would say it's between good and great. In terms of interaction and having a project manager assigned, communication through Skype through the account director and everything, it was close to perfect.

What distinguished Affle Enterprise from other providers?

Affle had a real drive about them. They really wanted to make the project a success. We could see that, and it really took the project to the next level.

Is there anything Affle Enterprise could have improved or done differently?

Regarding the actual development, I would say it was good, but not great for two reasons. First, we are using mostly new technologies that are not used as much in other places, especially our database, which is a NoSQL. This is something that we were told they knew, but they were not that understanding of the technology. They didn't know enough about it.

We were a little less happy with that part, but that doesn't mean we didn't want to work with them anymore. It just means that we have to shuttle some work from them to our CTO in San Francisco. I've been in information technology project management for 10 years now, and stuff like that always happens, it's minor. You just have to find the resources somewhere else and find someone who knows how to do it. That was not a big problem.