Narola Infotech Solutions LLP

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is a real-time bidding platform for buying and selling properties online. We're trying to streamline the bidding process for both buyers and sellers of properties. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

We're trying to take the stress out of the bidding process for agents and buyers, simplifying the complexities that come along with the selling process. We needed help doing this, so we got in touch with Narola. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Narola works on building our platform, where users should be able to search for properties. The platform should have a bidding page, a user registration form, and a login form. Its control panel should have features such as property management, buyer management, and property listings. 

The platform is coded in PHP, and they use MySQL for the database. They code the frontend using AngularJS, and they use Bootstrap for some of the codes. The framework used is CodeIgniter.

What is the team composition?

We work with Mohammed (Business Development Manager) and Shivlal (Assistant Team Leader). 

How did you come to work with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

Initially, we had a 60-page specification document listing what we want to be included in the bidding platform. I sent this document to Narola, and they gave me a quote for each of the features we listed. There was great communication, and their quote was laid out perfectly and clearly for me to understand. 

I looked into eight other companies, but I chose Narola because they gave me tips even before I hired them. They told us what would work better for the platform and what wouldn’t work well. Other companies just held back, whereas Narola broke down each feature and told us how much time and money each of them would cost. That was good because we didn’t have a great IT background in the company. As a result, we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000–$20,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in August 2019, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform is still in beta, but we should be releasing it soon. Looking at statistics, around 215 properties have been listed on it. There are around 1,400 bids on homes, and around 1,950 people are registered on the platform.

How did Narola Infotech Solutions LLP perform from a project management standpoint?

Narola’s project management is excellent. They’re highly responsive and transparent. If I need anything, I can just chat with them on Skype. Then, they’ll tell me exactly when they’ll do that for me. They have a great service. When hiring companies outside of the country, it’s a big concern when they speak a different language. However, Narola has brilliant communication skills. Everything is so clear with them. 

We can also tell that they have a team working in the background. They have a QA team that tests out the platform’s features even though we’re not necessarily paying for that. They’re all working together even when we’re paying only for the developers. I’ve never had any issues with them about anything. If there’s ever a bug, they fix it right away and won’t even charge me for it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attention to detail and excellent customer service distinguish them from other providers. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t. I can’t think of anything right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tell them about your idea and see the feedback that they’ll give you because they’re the experts when it comes to what they do.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Bazinga. We’re developing a modular e-commerce platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

We were looking for development help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Narola Infotech Solutions LLP developed the web and iOS versions of our platform as well as its backend. The web version has added functionalities, including detailed product overviews. The mobile version allows users to choose product categories and brands and swipe across products.

We did most of the design with another partner, but we got a lot of help from Narola when it came to fixing last-minute things.

The backend was done in CodeIgniter PHP, with a MySQL database. The iOS app was done in Swift. We’ll develop an Android version in time.

What is the team composition?

We work with two members of Narola Infotech Solutions LLP's team. One of them is in charge of billing and financials, one is in charge of the mobile app, and we have one for the web part. They’re working interconnectedly, so it’s quite easy for us.

How did you come to work with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

We found them through a contact that had used them. I spoke with the team and found that I enjoyed their previous works, and my friend told me that they delivered what they promised. Also, their price wasn’t too hefty. Narola Infotech Solutions LLP sent us a working document detailing how much time it would take, and they’ve kept their promise.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $20,000.  

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in February 2018. The mobile app took about half a year to develop, and development was delayed from our side. We had some funding problems and also needed to figure out the functionalities of the app. The collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Narola Infotech Solutions LLP produced everything we wanted, and there hasn’t been a problem yet that they couldn’t solve. They’ve never come back to us saying they couldn’t do something. They have quality programmers and low prices.

How did Narola Infotech Solutions LLP perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve kept the same team working with us, despite us pausing the project when we ran out of money. We never paid anything extra for restarting the project. We had a pause of about half a year, and it was really easy to continue the project after that.

Narola Infotech Solutions LLP is fast, they respond within an hour when I write them within working hours.They always meet deadlines. It hasn’t been a problem. We delayed the project because we had to find the funding.

We communicate through Skype, and we share documents through email and Google Drive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Narola Infotech Solutions LLP is easygoing and understanding. We told them that we didn’t have that much funding and asked for a better rate, and they accommodated us without turning us over to junior programmers. Also, they’re really quick to respond, which has been very helpful when we’ve come across problems.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their payment systems could be improved. They don’t accept Bitcoin in India, so we have to do it through Freelancer, which comes with additional feels.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an app that connects perks available through different programs within specific countries, centralizing those into one platform.

It allows users to find their unique perks, depending on the programs they select.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

We went to them for the development of the entire technology, end to end.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Narola Infotech Solutions LLP developed an app for iOS and Android, along with a CMS connected with different backend services. Hosting was done on AWS, there is an SQL database, and backend coding was done in PHP.

The apps were developed natively, with Swift for iOS and Java for Android. Geolocation is the fundamental functionality of the platform, used to connect people with nearby businesses. We have an API integration with Google Places.

There’s a feature for adding favorites and managing profiles. Users can register and log in with Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google. There’s a push notifications feature for new offers and ones that are soon to expire.

Users can submit reports, which are directed to the administrators over email. There are all kinds of analytics collected on user interactions to identify what the most commonly-used pages are and what the overall navigation experience is.

There’s a map view and list view. The Android version is connected to Google Maps, and the iOS one is connected to Apple Maps.

What is the team composition?

The engagement manager was my primary point of contact for identifying the scope and going through the requirements. We had a lead for all backend development (including the CMS backend) with two developers under him.

There was a lead for application development which was my one point of contact for that part. I believe that he had three people under him, managing different development aspects.

How did you come to work with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

I created a listing on Upwork, specifying the basic features I was looking to build. I received several applicants, and I interviewed 7–8 of them, together with the technical lead on my team.

We did our due diligence, explaining what we were after and asking for proposals and feedback. We evaluated their speed of response and understanding of the technical elements.

Our requirements were a bit high-level in the beginning, and we needed to detail them out. We weren’t sure which database to use, for example, and we were asking those questions.

Their team not only understood what we were looking for, but they recommend easier options for making our technology go live and scaling it. They were the only company that made us feel in safe hands.

We started with the iOS app and the basic backend. They were new to us, and we didn’t want to sign off on the whole scope.

Narola Infotech Solutions LLP exceeded our expectations there. We signed up on phases two and three with them, and we’ve added a number of features after that.

How much have you invested with them?

The total spend so far is in the ballpark of $15,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September or October 2017, and the first beta was delivered to us in December of that year. We’ve had a number of iterations subsequent to that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app received a rating of 4.8 on the Apple Store with over 100 reviews. We got just under a perfect 5 on the Android side.

The results of our testing suggested that the items that needed to be reworked amounted to around 5% of the overall requirements, so they were 95% accurate in meeting our requirements.

How did Narola Infotech Solutions LLP perform from a project management standpoint?

The team gave us daily updates on the completed, ongoing, and pending tasks with links to the beta versions to be tested. We received detailed requirements, which their team updated as we went on.

The project management was absolutely phenomenal. They were exceptionally good at meeting deadlines, and we were notified ahead of time if there was a feature deviation that could impact the deadlines. They were very good at estimating the hours needed for specific tasks and complexities.

I’m a project manager myself, and I’ve used Microsoft Project 2013 to manage the timelines. They had a long list of milestones on which they gave me regular updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team at Narola Infotech Solutions LLP is knowledgeable, transparent, and reachable. I always felt that my work was genuinely important to them.

They saw the bigger picture and realized that my success was their success. The more I succeeded, the more they would continue to be my sole development team.

Their team took ownership of the project, giving me an amazing customer experience. When they lacked the technical know-how, they were transparent. The features were thoroughly estimated, specifying the downstream impact of each one, if I was to go down that route.

I was given very good information to make decisions right on the sport. I was able to ask for meetings if something was unclear. If they didn’t have the answer on the spot, I’d get it by the end of the day.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm Ibrahim an IT and EPC Core Manager working in a big mobile data operator providing internet and added value services to the subscribers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Narola Infotech Solutions LLP, and what were your goals?

We have a web-based portal for our subscribers to use for account, plan, quota, ticket management but this is one phase of our needs. We wanted to compliment this service with a mobile app to facilitate access, customer reachable and support as well as provide other services like notifications, ads and many other services.

We are now planning to work on a more complex project with Narola which has to do with eSIM integration.

SOLUTION

How did you select Narola Infotech Solutions LLP and what were the deciding factors?

Well, many aspects were part of filtering process for us to pick Narola. First, they were among the first interested companies in our project. The response time and professionality in providing the solution and proposal were impressive. Needless to say, pricing is very lucrative in comparison with others.

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

We had a kick meeting discussing the scope of work, and initial app design and required functions, platforms we would like to publish our app on. After few days we made couple of meetings discussing further requirements, modifications, designs until we settled on the final requirements and started phase one of the project which is delivering the basic functionality of the app which was delivered within the next 3-4 weeks.

Phase II of the app was delivered in a couple of weeks until we finalized project phase III within a 3-4 months totally. Further development, ideas and improvement were happening ever couple of months since then.

The final delivered products were iOS and Android App featuring many functions like ticketing system, notification, quota monitoring, balance and recharging actions, multi-profile management and many others.

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

Four people from Narola team worked with us directly in this project and other app testers were also involved behind the scenes. Mr. Urvesh the business manager, Harjeet as a developers supervisor and iOS developers, Vasu as a POC and developer, and Suleman as a developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have reduced calls to our customer care drastically in no time as we planned in the first place and Narola team is part of this success definitely.

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

The PM style was so flexible and well controlled with fruitful outcomes after each meeting. We use Freelancers and other chat apps to discussing daily work progress and fast queries.

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

Flexibility and pricing

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

No. We are planning to submit other future requirements and we are sure the team is capable of implementing it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a business called Gofer Delivery. We do delivery service for shopping, groceries, food, and any other daily errands or tasks that customers require. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

They built the app for our service. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I gave them my requirements, which included a database, the ability to accept requests from customers, and an algorithm that can distribute requests based on requirements. They provided front- and backend development, design services, a database that stores all pertinent information, and API integrations to connect our app to the server. They created two native applications, one for iOS and the other for Android.    

What is the team composition?

I had a business project manager, a technical lead, an iOS developer, an Android developer, and a specialist for the backend database.

How did you come to work with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

I posted an ad looking for freelance development help in the creation of the app for our company. After going through some of the people who applied, I found an ad from their team. The ad seemed very professional, so I reached out to them to learn more about their services and to communicate my needs more clearly. They followed us professionally with a business proposal with enough detail to convince me that they knew what they were talking about. That was the main reason I chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $70,000 AUD (approximately $53,600 USD) to date.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I always wait for confirmation from them that the task is complete before testing. When I test a project component, it’s very rare for me to find any issues. I haven’t ever asked them to completely redo anything. I only ever have to recommend minimal changes.  

How did Narola Infotech Solutions LLP perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always engaged with me, so I never need to wait very long to receive a response. We’re connected and communicating on Trello and Freelancer, the platform where I discovered them. On Trello, we can track their progress and express new tasks we need from them. Sometimes, I need to share videos and voice notes with their team through Skype as well. They let me know ahead of time if they would be on holiday. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was able to build trust with them over the course of the project and never had a problem with integrity or anything of that nature. They’re doing the job that needs to be done rather than just trying to make a profit. We never felt that they were charging us more than needed. While I don’t have much experience working with outsourced groups, they’re a legitimate, hardworking team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything serious. We had a small misunderstanding at the start of the project, but we quickly rectified it through a meeting with their team. The business manager was in all of our meetings and very responsive to our problems.   

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They always kept me posted and attended all of my requested meetings eager to understand relevant problems. I’m very well-connected with their team. It’s definitely hard to lose a client with that level of attentiveness.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a money-saving application. The application shows offers from supermarkets, clothing stores, restaurants, as well as for electrical equipment and things related to the home. The app presents those offers to our users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

I had done all the business cases and was searching for a company that could help me with the development of my app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Narola Infotech Solutions LLP developed our app for Android and iOS. They also did the web part as well. We started with the web interface to feed the information. There were three streams with the first being the web interface. The second one was Android and the third one was iOS.

The app was built from scratch. Narola Infotech Solutions LLP set up the server from the beginning and decided on the type of server and operating system. It was the same for iOS and Android. We discussed the platform we’d build the iOS and Android platforms on and what development tools they’d be using. We also agreed on an NDA so that nothing is disclosed and during these two and a half years, they ask my permission to disclose anything.

Whichever stream we were moving in, whether it was the web, Android, or iOS, they gave me daily updates and I could see if it was being built according to the requirements. The application needs a lot of enhancements. I put it out into the market and saw how the users were interacting so I discovered features that needed to be added. The work has been continuous with them, adding and removing features.

What is the team composition?

I work with a project manager and developer. For the mobile application, there was a project manager who took the requirements and distributed them internally to the iOS and Android developers.

How did you come to work with Narola Infotech Solutions LLP?

I searched on different platforms like Upwork and Freelance.com. I shortlisted about five companies out of about 150 companies. I liked that Narola Infotech Solutions LLP has videos of their team. When I met them, I found that they were the closest to what I had in mind. I had an idea of what operating tools to use and we spoke the same language in regard to what platforms to use.

How much have you invested in them?

I’ve spent about $16,000 and expect to put in an additional $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in May 2018, and I’m still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Initially, when I started with them, there were fixed and clear requirements for the app and the web solution. After that, I needed enhancements so we started agile development. It’s a very professional way of working. We have an interface between us where I’ve put all the change requests for the application and they do the work.

They come back and let me know when the resource will be completed with the task. Their team gives me daily updates. Whenever I’m happy, I’ll close the task but they’ll make changes until I’m satisfied. In the last three months, I’ve done about 50 changes and to follow those changes we need a system which we have.

How did Narola Infotech Solutions LLP perform from a project management standpoint?

They are excellent with project management. They give me daily updates on what is happening.

I deal directly with the project manager for the web interface and the experience is more than excellent. I gave them the requirements and they gave me recommendations and best practices which have helped a lot.

With their team, I don’t have the headache of someone leaving, and if someone does leave, I know they can hire someone else as a replacement. I haven’t felt any disruptions. They’re a big company and have done hundreds of projects and some that are similar to mine.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m in contact with the project manager and another team member for sales or any other issues. For any technical enhancements or development, I speak to the project manager and behind them is a team behind the scenes. There’s a continuity in their work, and I don’t have to worry about a team member or the project manager leaving. They can replace them in no time and the replacements have been professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re excellent and professional. Everything I’ve asked them to do, they’ve done resourcefully. Sometimes if a task isn’t doable, they’ll let me know.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My experience with them has been great. I have advised all of my friends to go to a big company like theirs because there is continuity. I only have to think about the task I’m giving them; I don’t have to worry about who is doing it. They’ve taken away the headache of development from me. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

A Faithful Dad is an IRS 501C3 non-profit Christian ministry. We’re based in Hershey, PA. We’ve been in existence for 7 years. Our mission is to equip fathers to become faithful dads. I’m the cofounder and pastor of the organization and the only full-time employee.

We recently published a book entitled A Faithful Dad’s Guide to Legacy. I designed it so that it would be easy to read. The main point of the book is, “What legacy do I want to leave for my family?” The 12 challenges comprise what we call a faithful dad’s legacy challenge. These challenges are meant to be accomplished on an individual basis or you can perform them in a men’s small group. That is men coming together—maybe 2 or 3, 8 or 9 men who go through the book together. They would talk about the questions at the end, and one of the questions is this challenge, “Today, I’m going to forgive my father.” That’s a big step for a lot of us men. We have that in the book.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Narola Infotech?

We sought out Narola because we wanted an iOS and Android app for the 12 challenges in the book. We wanted the men reading the book in a small group to weave a legacy together. The app should be very simple.

Also, we are a ministry that’s running on a shoestring. I don’t make a lot of money a year so the price was definitely a priority. I’m hesitant to say that because I’ve been in sales for 15 years and I know price should never be the first thing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I described what I wanted, essentially only 2 screens, and they ran with it. But to get to that simplicity, it takes a lot of talking and figuring things out. It looks very easy to do but we didn’t realize at the outset how it was going to play itself out. We took the text out of the book and placed it in the app. That allowed the men to see the 12 challenges in front of them. As they accomplish each challenge, they would press a checkmark to say that they’ve done it. Also, one of the requirements of the project was to provide Google analytics.

How did you come to work with Narola Infotech?

I looked for a vendor on Upwork. I got a lot of bids domestically. I’m not a stranger to the IT market space or Internet startups. My wife came up with an application about 9 years ago and we spent our 401K on it. We had all kinds of investors looking at it and they put a half a million dollars into it. For 3 years, we were an active company. We were working with many developers domestically. We actually ended up beating Biz Stone to market, one of the co-founders of Twitter. He was also in the technology that we were developing. He didn’t know about it but we were on the market a year before he got there, so we take a lot of pride in that. It ultimately did not work because people do not like to keep New Year’s resolutions. That was what the app was about.

The point is, after spending 9 years in that space, I knew what that process involved. What I learned was to keep it simple. So, when I was looking at Narola, I knew what I was looking for. Narola caught my eye. They stayed in contact with me. Several of the other contractors were following up, but then they kind of fell off. We were on vacation—we were on a Scout hike. He was persistent but he wasn’t pesky.

Based on their questions, I got the sense that the other vendors did not understand what we were trying to accomplish. When I presented the application, they were willing to listen and figure it out. They helped me understand what they could do for me. They helped me realize some of the things I wanted to do that I didn’t even know I wanted to do. 

How much have you invested with Narola Infotech?

We paid $1,000 for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

I wanted to accomplish the project in a month’s time. That’s essentially what we did. It was launched last September 7. I think it took more than a month, but it wasn’t because they slipped. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re seeing people log into the app. The people I give it to pick it up and know how to use it. The app is simple, which is the reason for our success. Users look at it and know what they’re doing. People love the way it looks and the way it interacts. I’ve shown the app to my board and customers. They all love it. It accomplished our goal of being a companion to the book and it gives men something to do.

They were willing to do whatever the customer wanted, but had a very deft touch. If they said that we shouldn’t, I didn’t do it.

It was such a tremendous experience. I couldn’t be happier with the process and Narola Infotech, specifically with those 2 men. They’ve blown me away. I haven’t seen it work that good. It’s amazing and the value proposition is through the roof. The majority of our success is thanks to them. He went back and forth and checked everything he was supposed to. I was delighted and I loved doing the app. At the end, we came in a little under budget and they over delivered on our expectations. It’s a beautiful application. For what we were trying to accomplish, they nailed it.

How did Narola Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

I wasn’t expecting it but their project management was wonderful. The people from Narola had fantastic English. They are very focused, very polite. Narola understood the nuances of the business and what I was trying to achieve.

The time difference was not a big deal because we figured out what our rhythm was. They’d shoot me notes, I’d shoot them notes and it was cool. I thoroughly enjoyed it 100%. I would get a daily review of our milestones and what was happening. It was very predictable in a good way. There were no surprises. Generally, surprises are bad in business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a mobile application that crowdsources data about the local bar and restaurant industry and utilizes it for a user within native iPhone and Android application. We've been live in the Baltimore market for just over a year now. I'm the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Loople.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Narola Infotech?

Both myself and my co-founder were not technical co-founders. We needed some extra help in that space to be able to build out our product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Originally, they were only doing the native iPhone development and filling the backend of our early application. They did a great job doing that. We released a beta for iOS. It went well, so we decided to quickly do an Android version of the application. We got that up to speed and got them both released by June 2015 in the app store. Since then, it was constant iterations. We've updated 30 times in the app stores between the builds over the course of the past 13 or 14 months now.

How did you come to work with Narola Infotech?

Originally, we searched trying to find an equity team member to build it, but it just wasn't working well. Our networks weren't built for that. We ended up deciding to outsource the development for our application just to get an MVP [minimum viable product] built. We ended up using Upwork, which was then oDesk. We put up the job and interviewed about 30 companies. We ended up with Narola for both the price and quality of work that we believed we would receive. We've stayed with them since then.

How much have you invested with Narola Infotech?

To get the beta and MVP ready it was under $10,000, to get fully operational with iOS and Android it was under $50,000, and to continue managing that for the past year was another $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in June 2014 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I've had a great experience with Narola. I find that a lot of companies absolutely get taken when it comes to development. I actually love this concept for Clutch. I'd never heard of you guys before until you reached out, but I think it's genius. We're doing consulting work for a company right now that just got taken. We're not technical co-founders. We've learned to manage, and we've been really good at project managing, especially an outsourced development team.

I've seen some of these firms just taking companies for crazy amounts of money and not doing it correctly. They're advising them to build things the incorrect way. They definitely don't have a long-term interest or the best interest of the company. I've never had that issue. I've always found that Narola has been excellent to work with. They've always shared the vision. I've also been able to work through communication barriers.

The first six months we had lots of communication barriers. It was a nuisance in the early stages to learn how each other manages and how we need to build a process that works for everyone. Since then, it's been absolutely great, especially for the price we're paying for a development firm. We're probably a tenth of the cost that we could be. We've been quoted many times to work domestically, which for a small firm like us means that we can exist for two years, whereas we would have spent all of our money in two months.

How did Narola Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

They're good. I will say it's on the entrepreneur or the company that's hiring them to be on top of them. I think they do great work, but this is consistent with all development teams. If you're not on top of them, the communication error becomes much higher, and they might build something that's not what you were originally managing because they thought this is what you were thinking. I would say they're just as good as I've experienced with any other development team I've worked with.

What did you find most impressive about Narola Infotech?

I've found that I've built a relationship with them. I feel like Narola cares about our product. They're not just there building it. They want us to be successful. I find that most development firms we've seen think they'll be hired for two months, and that's it. No application nowadays is going to be stable for a long period of time. They do two months of work and just stop all of a sudden.

Are there any areas Narola Infotech could improve?

No, I think they do a good job of putting everything together. Some of the communication was my fault, just being a first-time entrepreneur and learning how I should be managing them, the basics of writing test scripts and how to project management with any development firm, especially one that is abroad. We've actually referred multiple companies to them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of a mass texting service called One Team Text.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Narola Infotech?

I'd been working with a developer to create a website and database to run a mass text communication system, and they were encountering quite a few problems. I went through several developers, and ended up finding Narola, which has turned into a great business relationship.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I first started with Narola, I was using a MySQL database platform on a Linux server. When I switched over to Narola, we switched to a .NET platform on a Windows-based server, which made the system more stable. They did a great job migrating to .NET.

How did you come to work with Narola Infotech?

I found them on Elance (now Upwork).

How much have you invested with Narola Infotech?

It cost between $8,000 and $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

One Team Text has been an ongoing project. The entire system is currently up and running, but we are still making changes to the system.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don't have any specific metrics, but I can definitely tell you that the migration aspect of the project was implemented in a short period. They made sure to keep a continuous backup of the system, which I really appreciate. The website response time is amazingly fast, and I enjoyed working with Narola’s creative team that helped create the One Team Text website. They have some great ideas and suggestions, and together we were able to come up with a website that has a good feel, and a system that flows well. It just makes sense.

How did Narola Infotech perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a pleasure working with Narola. Everything was done above board using the Upwork system. They use a work diary, so you can see regular screenshots of what they were working on at any given time. They have good communications skills which is really important when dealing with a vendor. We used a combination of Skype and email, depending on the situation. The only issue was the time difference with them being in India, but they recently mentioned they would be offering to have somebody available during my work time (EST) at an additional cost. I haven’t taken them up on the offer yet, but it’s nice to know that is an option I can take advantage of.

What did you find most impressive about Narola Infotech?

It was clear from the beginning that Narola was wanting to do everything that they possibly could to make the project successful. One thing that stood out was them taking time out from a recent business trip to New York City to meet with me. Even though there was no reason for us to meet, they took time out of their schedule for us to connect. We met at a Starbucks, and we ended up staying there for two hours discussing different strategies and ideas for the future.

Are there any areas Narola Infotech could improve?

No, I don't think there was anything that I would change. One Team Text has definitely been a successful project, and a large part of that is due to Narola. Everything that I asked them to do, they did, and did well. There was never a moment where I had to call them and say, “You’re not getting it done”. It was just a matter of ensuring I was clear in defining the scope of the project, and confirming their understanding of it. I would recommend Narola to anyone that has a web development project like One Team Text.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your firm. What is your role and responsibilities?

I am the founder of Fitbook, a fitness startup that helps users create healthy habits and lose weight. We reach and engage our users through mobile apps. We allow users to establish health goals and monitor progress. The key to our network is that we allow users to help others and spark friendly competition.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for the work with Narola Infotech?

I needed to develop a consumer-facing app on iOS and Android. I have done multiple versions with Narola to update the apps and other features. They have now completed three of my apps, and a fourth is nearly complete.

The third version of my iPhone app will launch soon, and they created an effective Android app before. The main goal was to find an offshore team that could code complicated elements on the backend for an affordable price. European and American developers obviously cost more.

SOLUTION

Can you please describe the scope of their work in more detail?

They were mostly just my coding team. I didn't give them much design work because that is not one of their strengths. They can handle simple design elements, but it's best to work with a separate design team, which we did.

They are great at coding complicated apps with databases attached. They didn't provide training or support. There were multiple small projects, and then the major app builds. They also helped us launch the apps and update them periodically.

What was your process for selecting Narola Infotech?

We found them after a lot of Internet research. We talked to their team and were satisfied they could handle the job. We started small by just giving them simple tasks. The work grew as we began to trust them after successful app launches.

Can you give us a sense of the size of the initiative with a general cost range?

The projects varied in size, there really wasn't a typical project cost range. It varied from less than $1,000 to $8,000. It was affordable.

When was the last project completed?

The last app was launched in 2013, and the iOS app update will launch soon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project?

The results have been great. They produced a great app that functions well. The quality of the code is fantastic. There were some bugs, but that is typical. I sent the changes back, and they fixed everything quickly. I cannot give statistics about the users for the app. We have been pleased with the apps.

How has Narola Infotech performed so far?

They have been good, I highly recommend them. They do the work well and take pride in it. They always show up on time for work and answer me immediately when I have questions on Skype.

When working with them, is anything else unique or special about them compared to other developers?

They even make up time when there are Indian holidays or sick employees. They often worked on Saturdays to make up lost hours. I really appreciated this effort. I should give them a lot of praise, they are hard working and can code anything that you need.

Looking back on the projects, is there anything that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently looking back?

Their only important weakness involves design capability. They can handle simple designs and schemes with normal colors. However, it is best to hire an outside design team if you want a more complicated look and feel. However, they can follow other designers' plans.