Techugo

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chairman of Twoway Energy Ventures, a social media app company. We are making a soccer app where users can get live scores for soccer games all over the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

We are a startup company and needed a prototype of the app developed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Techugo built our website and iOS and Android apps from scratch. When I talked to them, I knew they had done similar sports apps before. I sent them my brief presentation, and we discussed the different ways we could do it. They made the wireframes, logo, and designs for the first prototype, and they are now building the app that we are testing.

In the app, there are feeds where the user can post comments; the feeds are combined with live scores, so we had to integrate the API from companies that deliver sports scores.

We have discussed marketing, but we haven’t done much with that yet. We have been discussing how we can write content for the markets in India and Southeast Asia. I’m working on finding a team to work with us, but Techugo is helping as well.

What is the team dynamic?

There were seven or eight people involved in the project. I am mostly in contact with the CEO, the business development team, and the project manager.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

I found them online. I looked through different companies and found Techugo’s profile. Techugo had done sports apps that included live score APIs before, so I made contact with them to see if they could help with this project. I checked with five or six companies I knew before I made my decision. I chose Techugo because their website was nice and they had good reference projects. 

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2017, and the project is ongoing. It will last until October or November.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just have the prototype now, so the app hasn’t launched yet. The app is operating well - it is simple like we wanted, and the design is clean compared to other developers we used before. We have tested what is done so far, and everything is good. We have tried some new APIs from different companies, and we are testing them right now.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

They are easy to get in touch with on the different channels we use. We use Skype and they use other project management tools where they post everything and we can download it. I’m in touch daily with the project manager. The rest of the management team is available if there are things we need to discuss.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been doing other projects with other companies, and one impressive thing about Techugo is they are fluent in English. There haven’t been as many misunderstandings that we’ve had with other companies. Their communication is good and they understand our point of view.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s too early to say. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of AdvantEdge Partners Inc., a digital marketing company based in Atlanta, Georgia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

I needed a website and help with SEO. I had teamed up with a couple of web developers, but we couldn’t work it out.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I shared my requirements with them, and they were able to answer my questions, as well as deliver a quality product on time. We had 12 milestones, and I didn’t face any challenges from a delivery standpoint for any of them.

The site was very basic and partially developed, but Techugo improved the platform. I wanted to simplify it, so they helped me design and develop the front and backend on WordPress.The site lists everything I provide, including products and services. They also put in the virtual genie concept, which denotes that our US customers can pay on a monthly basis for virtual assistants. There’s a scrolling feature, and they also included refund policies, as well as terms and conditions.

Techugo also helped integrate the payment gateway to the website, but we had some issues with it that caused it to be taken down. They helped with SEO, and I plan to hire them for my digital marketing as well.

They're very transparent with everything I expect from them.

What is the team dynamic?

They’ve got a good, complete team. They’re not just a team of freelancers, and they really helped me gain confidence by working with them. They are an organized company.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

I knew of them previously, but I’d never worked with them because I hadn’t needed their help before. Other companies were less expensive, but their quality was not assured. I decided not to worry about the cost so that the quality wouldn’t suffer.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $7,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in July 2017, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s a new website, so I haven’t compared any stats yet. I don’t have the PPC or digital marketing done, so I don’t expect much traffic right now. We plan on working with Techugo for some of these things.

I expected a very user-friendly website, and they did a good job. They completed every phase specified by my expectations.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

Techugo is based in India, but they’re a global company. Communication was occasionally challenging due to time differences, but they were able to manage that very well.

They’ve got a really strong follow-up perspective, and the quality is very nice. It hasn’t been a situation where they delivered the product, then ended the relationship. There’s been proper guidance throughout project development.

We use Basecamp, which allows me to input specific milestones and set daily expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve dealt with many freelancers in the past, but with Techugo, I don’t have to worry as much. Their team is organized, and the quality they deliver is really good, which is what makes them stand out against other providers. Their cost was a bit high, but there was no problem since I knew I was paying for high quality. We never had an issue with communication like I’d experienced with freelancers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they could lower their prices, it would inspire me to work with them on more projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I run a startup app company where I’m the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

We needed a website that was lean, and we wanted a site that was professional looking and better than our competition. We didn’t have a website previously and I needed to attract new clients to the business.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were very professional in terms of what was best for me and my company. They tried to find a solution that was different than what I had come up with. They did the UX for us and some of the backend development. There weren’t any specific features we asked for.

The site is built on WordPress which is what they recommended. They created a platform where you can read all about the services that we have and what we deliver. They did a great layout so it’s easy to see what we do and don’t do.

What is the team dynamic? 

There were five resources on their team. I communicated with the project manager.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

I found them through online research where I talked to ten different firms. I contacted Techugo on Skype to share my objectives with them, and they walked me through different solutions and price levels. I chose them because of the speed of their replies. I found their website to be really professional.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $6,000 and $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in May 2017, and the work is ongoing. The website is completed, but we are continuing to work with them on other projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had an increase in clients of 10–20%, and we’ve gotten great feedback from people. They say the website is professional and clean. People who visit the site want to see more, which was one of our main objectives.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

They did really well. I really enjoyed the fact that I had one point of contact because he could pass on what I wanted to whoever needed to know. We communicated through Skype or WhatsApp. They were precise with the deadlines and budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing was how responsive they were. That’s a rare quality when you have contact with someone.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the commercial manager of an agrochemical company. We manufacture, sell, and export agro-chemicals including fungicides, herbicides, and specialty chemicals which are used in leathers, plastics, and coatings. I manage relationships with the business sales heads of different regions in the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

The sales people wanted live information on their handheld devices in the form of a mobile app, because they wanted to be able to see their business plan and what they had achieved. We have an incentives team for the sales people, and if they sell certain products, they get an incentive which is included in the total sale. The sales people can see on the app what they have earned as an incentive and how much they have sold.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Techugo asked for our requirements, including what we wanted in the app and who the target market was. We started designing the screens, and then we went to Delhi to explain to them how our business works. Then, we designed more screens to make the app user friendly. Currently, the work is 95% finished, but we need to continue working on the look and feel. The data displays are completed, and Techugo is developing the app for both iOS and Android, and they’re using an SQL database.

What is the team dynamic?

I’m aware there are people working in the background, but I haven’t interacted with all of them. There is a project manager who I interact with 3-4 times daily, and a developer who I communicate with every other day. I have increased communication with more of their team if I’m in the office.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

The owner of the company I work for has another company that used Techugo, and they referred them to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent 7.5 lakh Rupees [$11,706] with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2017, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We will be rolling the app out in the next couple of days. Our company IT head saw the app and gave positive feedback. We are currently working on another mobile app, and based on how the current one pans out, we may hire Techugo to build that one as well. The next project will be much more difficult, and we’re still in the planning phases.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

Before the start of the project, they had given us an outline of the milestones. They met all of the deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t worked with any other service provider, so I’m unable to compare them. I report to the sales head and his demands change sometimes, but Techugo has really had patience with him. They make all the requested changes, and never complain that they can’t do something or that we’re asking too much of them. They’re always ready to take on extra work and deliver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a business with a mobile application for sports that specializes in football. The idea for the app is unique. It allows users to follow their favorite matches around the world and cheer for their teams. The cheers are how people communicate in our app — they’re kind of like tweets — and there are seven kinds of cheers: thoughts, celebrations, objections, shouts, news, tactics, and ratings.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

We approached Techugo with the idea for the app, and they built our mobile app and website from scratch. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Techugo built the app for Android and iOS, the backends of both, and the website. The idea for the app was difficult to communicate because it’s not a simple idea. It’s not like any other mobile app or social network, and there are a lot of technical components inside the app. In 2015, my partner and I did a small, basic demo of the app to help explain it, so Techugo had to do everything else from scratch for us. They designed everything for the application, from the first version to the main screens to programming. The website and app designs are different because the size of the app is limited; the website is more creative and beautiful. They offered us a marketing strategy, but right now we have our own team in marketing, so we aren’t using Techugo for that.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

Before we settled on Techugo, we met with a lot of companies, which was good. We received a lot of proposals. After that, our IT manager picked Techugo and thought they were the right choice.

How much have you invested with Techugo?

We’ve invested approximately $35,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Techugo in September or October 2015, and we’re still working with them. They continue to provide maintenance. We’ve actually started working with Techugo on three or four other projects. We have big plans, so I don't know if we will continue to work with Techugo or find another provider. So far they are good, and we plan to continue at least through 2017, but our board wants to finish working with them, so in the future, I don't know.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We went live in two months, and we’ve made two major updates to the app. We had 4,000 users in the first month. After the second update, we had approximately 5,000 users per month. The third update is coming in about two weeks and will include more pictures, plus the marketing. You can see our user reviews for the Fanzir platform in the Android and Apple Stores.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve visited Techugo in person. We met with the CEO and four or more developers — there was one for iOS, one for Android, one for the website and backend, and one for the server. To be honest, I can't compare Techugo with other companies. I'm an expert, so I know how to manage teams and how things are done in business. So far, considering Techugo’s quality of work and cost, they are very good. We don't use any project management systems; we just communicate through Skype and email.

There were a lot of challenges with this project. We are in the Gulf, between Dubai and Saudi Arabia, and they are in India, so communication was a challenge. We only met them once face-to-face. As with any application development, we had problems with bugs in our first month, but they were great and helped us through them. Things have gone well since then.

What did you find most impressive about Techugo?

Basically, they made our mobile app, and we are happy with them. Where we are, in the Middle East, is not the place for mobile app development. It’s a new business here. Many friends and family members have ideas they want to turn into apps so I have recommended Techugo to several of my contacts.

Are there any areas Techugo could improve?

Maybe they should show more time commitment; sometimes they didn't meet deadlines. They also could be more creative; we had to give them exact ideas. Sometimes they did things wrong and wasted time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am an outreach manager for an Indian NGO. Our organization focuses on visual learning for deaf people.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

We are a 12-year-old NGO, so we already had a website. I was hired in 2016 with the task of helping the organization in terms of outreach and communications. I was looking for a technical partner which could help in terms of content, brand building, and website design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped with website development and content. They redeveloped our entire WordPress website. Techugo is also providing content writers. We create infographics which are available to anyone going to our site. As time goes by, we will start focusing more on videos. There is a lot of content on our page, and it should be in written form for corporations, and in visual form for deaf-community members. Instead of presenting all the content in one place, we will create multiple infographics as a learning aid.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

We had a website in place, which had been created by another company pro bono. We wanted to completely redo it. I was referred to them through word-of-mouth, while looking for an IT partner. Techugo had done some work for a friend. I met with Techugo’s CEO, explained what we needed.

How much have you invested with Techugo?

The cost of their work has been around $5,000, including development and content creation.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the discussion with Techugo in February or March 2017, but the work was started in May. The site took 1 ½ months to complete. As an NGO, we don’t need weekly or even monthly updates, but we do need ongoing work, so we will continue to use Techugo for 1-2 more years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our users are members of the deaf community in India, as well as donor corporations domestically, and from the US. We have some big names attached to the company, and donors are volunteering all the time. We are implementing Google Analytics and SEO to the site to measure specifics.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was very good. I received multiple ideas from their team for content creation. We had multiple conversations face-to-face, since their office is close to ours, and the work was tracked through email.

What did you find most impressive about Techugo?

They have helped us a lot by giving us ideas. Our users are visual learners, so the website needed to be easy to use, and provide external connections to Facebook and other platforms.

Are there any areas Techugo could improve?

I was expecting to have a payment gateway in place for individual donors, but we are stilling trying to incorporate it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a coordinator at an international school. We are based in Gurgaon, India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

We had been thinking about developing an app for our students so that they could learn better and in a more entertaining way.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Techugo developed our app for iOS and Android. It has quizzes which adapt to the student’s learning level, and they can access it through a login system. For kindergarteners, the tests are in image form, while a 10th grader’s questions will be more technical. The app is available only to our own students.

There was one project manager assigned to our work, and four developers—two for Android and two for iOS. I was also constantly in touch with their accounts team and with the CTO of the company, in order to receive support when we experienced glitches.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

They were referred to us by one of our friends who had used them to develop an app. I had also seen their work in the past, which reassured me of my decision. Techugo’s sales team not only suggested some good features for our product which we hadn’t thought of, but they were also very collaborative. We negotiated a quote based on the features we requested.

How much have you invested with Techugo?

We had a smaller budget for the initial stage, but we ultimately extended it to $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Techugo in August 2016. The work has been completed and we’re currently using the app. We are in discussions with Techugo about a second phase. It’s in the process, and we’re hoping for the best. The new app will be on a bigger scale, and it will target all schools in India.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This was our first product, and we were scared about the results, but we’re very happy with what we received.

We have received good feedback from parents. They’re usually worried about their kids not studying enough, but with this app, we’ve not only increased academic results but also have given kids a more pleasant way to study.

We haven’t had many bugs, but there were some small issues to resolve during the initial three-month support period. Techugo fixed everything in good time.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered everything on time and with very good quality. We were kept posted about everything through Basecamp, which is a very good tool. I could see what the quality assurance specialists and developers were working on. It was a nice experience overall.

What did you find most impressive about Techugo?

They are a young team and have a lot of enthusiasm. Techugo understood us easily, even when it was hard for us to explain what we were looking for. This helped us achieve what we have right now.

Are there any areas Techugo could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of marketing for EdKOS. Our company provides training for engineering students, as well as post-training jobs at various IT companies. We have been doing this for the last 15 years. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

We wanted to create an application through which our students could access courses with a username and password. We have been working in this industry for a long time and wanted to really differentiate our company from others in the domain. The second objective was to track student presence for our courses.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Techugo has developed our iOS and Android application, as well as a website for the company. We provided a business processes document and explained the idea we had. Techugo created the wireframes and scope for the apps. Once they had an approval, we moved on to the development part.

The application allows us to track students’ locations and attendance in our classrooms. We can also track teachers and provide them with the exact curriculums they need to follow. IT companies provide us with requests for development resources, and we can send notifications through the mobile app, letting students know about the positions.

They have also helped us with the marketing and branding of our application and provided very good ideas in this area. We will start the full marketing process after the website is launched.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

We interviewed around 15 companies and were very careful in choosing which one we’d go with. We googled India-based companies, but we also heard about Techugo from one of our connections.

How much have you invested with Techugo?

The initial contract was only for iOS and Android apps and had a price of $42,500. The website was built on an hourly basis using three developers from Techugo.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Techugo around November of 2016. We are continuing to develop the website. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have been using the application for the last three or four months and have seen very good feedback from colleges. Students have tended to feel tracked by the application, but many of them have also given nice feedback at the end of the day. The ones who find it to be a nuisance are typically turning off their location services so that we cannot track them.

The app has been downloaded between 1,500 and 1,800 times by our students. We haven’t done any proper marketing for it since we provide everyone who enrolls in our courses with a link to the application.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

We have worked on a couple of projects with other IT companies in the past. With each one, the problem was that we needed to tell them specifically what to work on. With Techugo, we’ve seen suggestions and feedback from the team. I found the initiative on their part to be good, and I believe we will continue to use them. We have a cordial relationship with almost every team member from Techugo.

What did you find most impressive about Techugo?

Beyond their technological know-how, their honesty is something which sets Techugo apart from their competitors.

Are there any areas Techugo could improve?

No, we got more than we bargained for. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We provide fire protection and detection systems in the Indian market. We have 65 employees.

What is your position?

I am a founder and a managing partner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

We needed to develop a website showcasing our company's portfolio.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Techugo developed our website, as well as our iOS and Android applications. The apps allow Indian citizens to call for urgent help and be routed to the nearest police and fire stations.

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

The cost of our project with Techugo has been between $15,000 and $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Techugo in September, 2016. Our website project ended in mid-December. We are in the process of developing our mobile apps.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We forecast that the app will receive a great number of downloads from the start, so Techugo has worked on ensuring our servers will handle the load. I was happy with the results on the website part. Techugo's team was dedicated to my project, delivering far better results than I was hoping for. I would recommend Techugo to others.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

Techugo had an interactive approach in assigning any changes or updates to our project. The team communicated with us via Skype and email. Whenever I needed to make a change in terms of graphics, I was given multiple options. This helped me come to a good outcome for the company.

The decided-upon timeline was respected. There are few Indian companies able to deliver projects on-time and without technical issues. I was very happy with Techugo's performance; they've had good resource allocations.

What distinguishes Techugo from other providers?

I have worked with other tech companies which were unable to deliver my scope properly. I've appreciated the time allocation and quality of work from Techugo.

Is there anything Techugo could have improved or done differently?

If Techugo is able to maintain the same level of quality, they will be successful. There was nothing to improve upon within my scope.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The client is a healthcare startup company with the objective of connecting doctors with patients on the telephone line instead of on VoIP service. I’m the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Techugo?

We capture a large part of the Indian doctor’s market which is very unorganized. Patients typically call doctors and ask for advice over the phone. The doctor is startled and can’t relate to the patient because they don’t remember them. We needed help to develop a mobile app where the doctor can upload the patient’s history and can then help the patient better over the phone.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We approached Techugo with the idea of the app and they provided end to end services to develop both an iOS and Android app. We sat down for two days to discuss the project so that everyone knew the expectations on both sides. They did everything from designing screens to the last step which is the prescription reaching our patient in the application. There is a payment feature and SMS gateway which is normal but they also integrated an IVR. In India if I were to make a VoIP call, the internet services are good in some areas and not good in other areas. We are using the services of a third-party IVR provider on the platform which has flawless voice quality. I’m not aware of any application in India which provides IVR services between a doctor and a patient.

How did you come to work with Techugo?

I talked to a few potential partners and asked if anyone knows of a good developer. A friend of mine referred Techugo and I called them up.

How much have you invested with Techugo?

I am not comfortable discussing the cost of the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2016, and they completed the project in 60 days.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There are only five or six doctors that are testing the app with their patients now. When the testing phase is over, we will launch the project this month.

How did Techugo perform from a project management standpoint?

They are very professional. They gave me a detailed report twice a week on the status of the project. We gave our feedback as the project progressed. I believe the creative team and the development team were completely in sync. They gave us an estimate that the project would be completed in 60 days and they delivered it in 60 days.

What did you find most impressive about Techugo?

I really appreciated was the value that they brought to me. I had never developed an application in my life. I had an idea that I brought to them and they gave their suggestions and feedback. The value they gave to the project helps me to sell the app now.

Are there any areas Techugo could improve?

I think they were wonderful. I can’t think of anything they could improve.