Venture Aviator

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a leading point-of-sale (POS) systems company that develops POS system software for small and large organizations. As the product director, I am responsible for development. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Venture Aviator?

We needed to develop a POS solution that could expand to a variety of retailers. Venture Aviator had a great track record for building projects in both the e-commerce and design and payments spaces, which was very valuable for this project.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal for the project was to develop an easy-to-use web and mobile solution in the POS/payment sphere that would offer the market’s best UI/UX and reliability.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After looking at several vendors, we chose Venture Aviator. They came highly recommended, their quote fit our budget, and they had a great reputation in the New York area for innovation and outstanding quality.  

Describe the project in detail.

The system needed to be fully featured, scalable, and cloud-based for multiple types of retailers. They collaborated with our development team on the customer experience and UI/UX.

What was the team composition?

We had web developers, mobile developers, web designers, one QA, one team lead, and a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Both the MVP and full-release version generated positive customer feedback and quick approvals for the full-scale rollouts. Venture Aviator delivered tangible results; with the project completed, anticipated revenues for the new product are tracking much higher than previous editions.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Working with Venture Aviator was great. They had a solid agile development process and did a great job at preventing miscommunication, focusing on features that truly mattered, and keeping us all on the same page. They worked quickly to eliminate bottlenecks on both sides and were very proactive in asking us for feedback or suggested improvements.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We had very tight release schedules and deadlines. Not only did they hit milestones very quickly and incorporate our feedback in real-time, they did so while maintaining a very high quality of work. They did not complain when brainstorming sessions resulted in an unusually high amount of change requests, and they worked with us as true partners who wanted us to succeed in every way possible. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

They did a great job. I am not sure what more I can ask for in terms of improvement. As the budget manager for our tech projects I always want the lowest rate possible but, that said, I think Venture Aviator is worth the price.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO and co-founder of Rentberry, a web platform that assists in long-term apartment rental.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Venture Aviator?

Lacking an internal IT team, we needed a third-party service provider to build the platform affordably and in a timely fashion.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were involved at every stage. They designed the architecture, with a special focus on ensuring the website could sustain a growing number of users as our business expands. They chose the technologies we would use, including PHP, Angular.js, and React, and then carefully planned each stage of development.

Our platform has a number of features to assist in every stage of the rental process. Users can search for properties, submit applications, pull credit reports, and file maintenance requests. Development of a rental auctioning function was especially complex. It allows users to bid on properties and reacts in real-time to the latest offers. Each applicant is notified of a new bid, giving them a chance to propose a counter offer.

Venture Aviator also integrated Dwolla to process payments between renters and landlords, and TeleSign for electronic signatures.

What is the team dynamic?

We had 15 people assigned to our project overall, including a project manager, designers, developers, and QA testers.

How did you come to work with Venture Aviator?

I check references extensively before hiring any third-party service provider. I spoke to a number of companies who used Venture Aviator, and they all provided very positive feedback. They were our first choice and we haven't regretted that decision.

How much have you invested with them?

Around $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in May 2015. We worked in stages and finished in April 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since launch, our platform remains secure and error-free. We’ve seen a sustainable monthly growth rate of 53% during the third quarter. Our site has also received a number of awards, including the Blockchain Best Industry Application Award and another for web design. Users love the platform and we’ve received a lot of media publicity.

How did Venture Aviator perform from a project management standpoint?

The most important thing is that we never experienced a single delay in development. Based on my previous experiences, I know it can be difficult for third-party service providers to estimate deadlines. This was not the case with Venture Aviator.

We communicated on a weekly basis, either in person at their New York office or through Skype and email. They submitted updates at each stage of development for me to approve or make change requests.

Even though the project's complete, they continue to answer any questions we have and ensure the platform runs smoothly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re not super expensive, but still produce high-quality products. Venture Aviator offers the perfect balance of affordability and quality, getting the job done on time and on budget.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we had an absolutely positive experience with them. People frequently ask me for vendor recommendations based on the quality of our website, so I proudly point them to Venture Aviator.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Call them as soon as possible and don't be shy about stressing deadlines or priorities. They’re competitively priced and offer quality services.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Toferman Associates. The company was incorporated in 2016, and I’ve since started recruiting agents for the brokerage of commercial leasing. Our focus is on investment real estate sales and brokerage, as well as commercial leasing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Venture Aviator?

In 2017, I found a need to improve my processes and overall business. I needed assistance in the IT area to ensure my agents were on-track with their goals and objectives, and that my clients were satisfied with the products we’re providing.

One of the goals was to acquire a good, transactional website. I also wanted to put some internal processes in place for pulling information from the right sources, properly communicating to clients about what we’re doing, and completing briefings on time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Venture Aviator built the frontend and backend of my website. The most important aspect on the backend was emulating what other firms were doing, but also making it more current, flexible, and easier for agents to understand and follow.

There was some artificial intelligence involved, as well as loops which Venture put in place for cases where agents were doing something wrong and it was reflecting on the client.

I’m unsure of the exact coding language they used. HostGator hosts the website and domain, and we are using Amazon Web Services for supporting some of the transactions. Other than that, there are API connectivities with other websites which regulate our industry, particularly CAR [California Association of Realtors].

What is the team dynamic?

We had a project manager and 2 programmers assigned to our work. I met with the project manager in person, and also spoke to her over the phone many times during conference calls. The developers were based outside of California. Initially, I also engaged with Venture Aviator’s business developer to make sure everything would be within budget.

How did you come to work with Venture Aviator?

I sent an email to my business school in Los Angeles asking for recommendations on consulting developers or companies which could deliver what I needed. I received 3–4 local referrals from San Francisco and L.A. I met with all 3, looked at their projects, who they were, and what their pricing was, and chose Venture Aviator based on those factors.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in March 2017. We completed the first phases in early-October, but we continue to engage with one another. I plan on having conversations with their team to build on the existing platform, but no earlier than 6–9 months from now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It took some time to build, but we currently have a good product, and are continuing to improve and correct it. Venture Aviator understood what I needed and created it. There is room for improvement in my business processes, but I’m on the right path.

When I first started the company in 2016, it was difficult for me to track results from agents, but especially to make sure they were working on generated leads. We generated around $180,000 in fees, which were distributed amongst the agents and myself, but it took the first 3 months of 2016 to understand how the fees were allocated.

We’re 4 months into having a good understanding of how the results will show, and, just in this period, we’ve generated over $200,000. I’m hoping that the ratio will continue for the rest of the year, and hopefully, this investment will pay off in 1–2 years.

How did Venture Aviator perform from a project management standpoint?

They set up timelines, and I made sure my agents and I provided the necessary information to them. We were 1 day off on deliverables at times, but Venture Aviator’s team was always on time. We received feedback, and products were delivered even on weekends in order to finish as soon as possible.  

We used Slack for communication. I was given a 2-hour training by their team, so learning how to use the platform was easy. The project manager was responsive, and I have no complaints about their service.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The technology they use is their most impressive asset. The solutions they proposed surprised me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The connectivity with some of the developers in Europe or Asia was not ideal at times. There were some delays when trying to get everyone on a conference call, but they were always responsive to my requests.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If the client doesn’t understand contracts, they should hire an attorney or bring in someone they trust in order to assess risks and understand what they are entitled to receive. I had no issues with Venture Aviator, but I did have some comments about the contract.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a boutique investment bank that is very focused on M&A [merger and acquisition] advisory services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Venture Aviator?

We had an idea to develop an internal system for dealer and buyer matching. We wanted someone to develop this system because we have a lot of dealers, buyers, and activities. We don’t want to miss any deals sourced in the U.S or European market and, now, we can match those deals to our buyers quickly and precisely.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They took some time to develop exactly what we wanted. They came in our office once or twice a month to discuss the project and what we wanted from them. They made a lot of improvements and updates based on the work we had before to meet our expectations. We asked them to add analytical features so we can track whether we are going in the right direction. For example, you may see a lot of transactions in the healthcare sector, or in media, telecommunications, and technology.

That took some time for them to figure out how to source the information externally and precisely, and how to match our expectation in terms of whether the information is useful for us. Finally, we got it and it’s helpful. They developed a web app where we can upload information, and then there’s a back-office platform matching this information. Whenever we source a new deal, it shows what buyers we have a connection with from China to be a good buyer for this deal automatically. It also works well the other way, when our team in China inputs any information regarding our buyers. They can see the deals we have that might be a good fit for the buyers.

What is the team dynamic?

When the team comes here, the CEO brings 2 technicians with him. I would estimate that 7 or 8 people are working on the project. We have a manager and my VPs are managing the relationship with them. They communicate with each other and sometimes I’m copied on the emails.

How did you come to work with Venture Aviator?

My senior associate recommended them. We had some other options because another manager of our team picked some companies online. They came to our office and gave us presentations. From those interactions and because of price, we chose Venture Aviator. They have good ethics and have done good work.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project September 2016 and started using the system in June 2017. They helped us update it after we started using it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We started using the system this summer. The feedback we’ve gotten from our associates is that they feel the deal and buyer management system is very helpful. Before they had everything manually through Excel, but now it’s much more straightforward with the semi-automatic system. Without this, our team is working across time zones from Europe to China to the U.S. If the work is all done manually, it’s much slower.

Since we are using the system, because we match the deals faster, we have 2 or 3 conference calls. It saves us a lot of time, so our managers have more time to talk to the sales members and firms. We source more deals this way and get them to the buyers faster.

How did Venture Aviator perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very easy to work with and are very responsive. If we send them something on Friday, they return it on Saturday. We are working 6 or 7 days a week. Whenever we have questions, they are available anytime. We have people from Europe and China who need help so they email and we expect the team we work with to be responsive. Venture Aviator is very supportive and responsive. We feel very comfortable to work with them. We communicate via phone calls, email, and they’ve come to our office once or twice.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very fast and responsive. They have a great attitude which is very impressive. They work 7 days a week around the clock. Although they're providing services, sometimes we have to talk to consultants which are not as responsive. Venture is made up of young people and they’re active and responsive. They know what they’re doing, and they gave us a good product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a calling application called Lokalise, which is a spinoff of Roamer. I’m also in charge of business development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Venture Aviator?

It’s very important that a calling app function without delays or crashes, and also that is has strong backend support. I reached out to Roy [President, Venture Aviator] of Venture Aviator for development with these specifications in mind.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with the UI/UX, then went further into development regarding cloud functionality. The native iOS calling app has 3 functionalities, including VoIP [voice over IP], interconnections between Skype and outbound calling, as well as the ability to instantly call via Skype.

Users can register their SIM cards, forward incoming calls to our service, then receive calls on their phones through Wi-FI, 3G, or 4G service. The app is targeted towards travelers who wish to save money on calls. Our app allows users to make international or roaming calls for free, and also permits constant availability through their phone numbers.

What is the team dynamic?

They had a team of 5 people working for us. The project manager we worked with was based in the U.S., but the developers were located elsewhere.

How did you come to work with Venture Aviator?

Venture Aviator was recommended to us several times for full-stack iOS development.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $35,000 per month for 6 months.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from November 2015–April 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback from our clients has been very strong. Venture Aviator’s code was well written, so we had very few issues with bugs.

How did Venture Aviator perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via phone calls and Skype several times a week. We also used JIRA for tasks and bugs, among other things. It was a good experience for us. We’ve reached 500,000 downloads, and in terms of the app’s quality, everything was perfect.

Their receptivity and concision were fantastic. In most cases, they provided instantaneous resolutions and clear expectations. They also consistently met milestones.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team really took the time to thoroughly learn and understand our goals, as well as those of our customers. They were very innovative with their approach to product development, and their code quality was superb.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I lead client experience at an analytics software company. Headquartered in New York City, we number about 25 people and have clients all over the globe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what reason(s) did your company hire Venture Aviator?

We needed help with developing an analytics platform. Our management decided that it would be most effective to hire outside help for the project in lieu of expanding our engineering team.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking to roll out a new, innovative platform to complement our existing product offering and help us grow our sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our IT specialists were tasked with advertising the project on a variety of websites. They then sorted through all of the responses and selected the top 5 companies. The management team then interviewed all companies and compared their proposals. Venture Aviator was the most cost-effective, professional, and courteous vendor.

Describe the project in detail.

After the contract was signed, Venture Aviator came in for a series of meetings during which we outlined feature requirements for the platform. There were additional sessions to review wireframes and page designs. We set milestones together, and after each was met, we grouped to review and provide any comments.

What was the team composition?

There was a project manager that was our main contact and I spoke mostly with him. Occasionally, we connected with the designers or engineers to request specific art or technical changes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients were very happy with the new e-commerce analytics platform they developed, which helped me convert new clients and keep existing ones that were already using our product.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Venture Aviator was very responsive and had great follow-up with much attention to detail. We used mostly e-mail to submit comments and had routine phone calls to review milestones.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We always felt that Venture Aviator was very professional, attentive, and courteous. The work was delivered accurately to specifications and we felt that we received great value at a competitive price.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of—we’re very happy with the process and end result.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a Fortune 500 wireless telecom company that provides nationwide services in the U.S. I’m a regional executive with the responsibility of overseeing a large segment of the Northeast and working on innovative tech projects to support our internal staff and distribution partners. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Venture Aviator?

We wanted to change our CRM [customer relationship management] and business intelligence [BI] system. We needed custom solutions with a degree of flexibility that off-the-shelf systems could not provide. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I can’t discuss their work in much detail because I’m on a nondisclosure agreement. Venture Aviator used their CRM and BI expertise to develop a system. They’re really great with everything and incredibly professional. I have no issues with them.

What is the team dynamic?

Venture Aviator managed the entire project end-to-end, with about six developers working on the project, two QA folks, and a project manager. 

How did you come to work with Venture Aviator?

Venture Aviator was introduced to us by a business connection. I had a conference call with one of their founders and walked him through what I needed. He showed me their portfolio of CRM and BI projects. They really stood apart from other companies that bid on the project because of their high understanding of our space and innovative approach to our problem. Their strong BI capabilities and backend team gave us reason to believe that they would excel at the data component of the project.  

How much have you invested with them?

I first hired them for a project at $300,000. Recently, I took them on for another project that’s $600,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted for just over a year. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered a great CRM and BI system on time and within our budget. Through our flexible custom reporting and analytics, our employees are able to analyze our customer base better than before. We noticed major improvements in customer behavior tracking and deal management.

How did Venture Aviator perform from a project management standpoint?

They gave prompt answers to any problems or questions I had. They also gave me a phone number of someone I could call even at night. I usually don’t like leaving reviews, but they really met and exceeded my expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Venture Aviator has very creative and capable developers. The quality of the work is close to excellent. I’m really surprised. I’ve worked with other companies before, but Venture’s turnaround time and responses are so quick. I’m happy I found them and look forward to using them for a while.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a couple of things they needed to improve, which they did really quickly. Everything they did has met my standards.

Do you have any advice for potential clients?

Thoroughly research the company and ask for references. I asked my due diligence questions before making my final decision. I’m very iffy about using new companies, but I needed a specific project done, and the companies I was using couldn’t do what I needed. I’m so happy I was able to find Venture Aviator. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our company provides audience-polling services for meetings and mock trials held for research purposes. We offer both web-based and keypad audience polls.

What is your position?

I am the treasurer of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Venture Aviator?

We needed help in developing an app for smartphone polling.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Venture Aviator developed our app for iOS and Android. Both were developed in parallel. Our team consisted of between three and five people. We interacted with two of their managers.

How did you come to work with Venture Aviator?

We've known their principal for a long time. We approached two other companies for quotes, but our personal contact within Venture Aviator, combined with their pricing, determined us to choose them.

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

The total development cost for both apps was around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2012. The development process took six months to complete. Our apps are currently live. Venture Aviator has since provided ongoing support and maintenance for the apps.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The feedback we've received is very good. The apps have been successful, and we continue to use them. They work well, and there haven't been any negative comments for them. We've received few bug reports for them.

How did Venture Aviator perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good at maintaining deadlines. They never went over their schedule and were very responsive. We communicated through email and phone.

What distinguishes Venture Aviator from other providers?

They're very responsive, and their work is excellent. Venture Aviator are effective at troubleshooting any issues. Our experience has been overall excellent.

Is there anything Venture Aviator could have improved or done differently?

No, there isn't. I was thoroughly impressed with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our company is specialized in real estate hospitality development.

What is your position?

I am the founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Venture Aviator?

We needed website work for some of our hotel properties, including widgets for reservations and general design work.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

They built our sites using a mixture of custom work and templates. We communicated exclusively with their project manager.

How did you come to work with Venture Aviator?

They were recommended by mutual acquaintances. We did consider different companies, but chose Venture Aviator because we were comfortable with their team and found them to be attentive to details and to our needs.

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

The total development cost so far has been around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing. The average duration for each project has been a month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The user interface for the all the sites is great and we never had any significant issues with a website.

How did Venture Aviator perform from a project management standpoint?

They were always able to deliver their assigned work on time and within budget. We communicated through email and phone. Documents were shared through Dropbox.

What distinguishes Venture Aviator from other providers?

There was a lot of attention to detail and a lot of handholding on our behalf throughout the process. Their customer service is great.

Is there anything Venture Aviator could have improved or done differently?

One could always improve, but everything was smooth from our point of view.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're a small manufacturer of precision cutting machines. We specialize in tools with thin cutting disks coated with industrial diamond. They are used for cutting very tough, brittle materials like the BGA (ball grid array) packages used for cell phones and other electronics. Other applications include cutting advanced ceramics, optics, composites, and glass, for geology and other applications.

What is your position?

I am a co-owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Venture Aviator?

Because we're a small company, it's expensive for us to develop custom software. We were using a number of applications which would have been difficult to switch because of the usage habits that formed around them.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Venture Aviator helped us tie together the different types of software that we were using, into one platform that combines all of our data and sends it to our various systems. In this way, we can continue using some of our old applications, but we can also benefit from a unified system.

They studied our work methods and built the framework based on these observations. A proposal was created and they delivered our product from it. There were a few glitches within the work, but they were fixed quickly. We're very happy overall.

They also worked on our e-commerce solution. We had something in place, but there were many problems with it, which Venture Aviator fixed. The team that worked on our project was composed of 5-6 people. Our platform was developed using C++ and Visual Basic.

How did you come to work with Venture Aviator?

One of my friends went to business school with one of the founders of their company. I first contacted him for general business advice on the approach we should take. He suggested a more uniform software solution for my company, in order to ease its use for our whole team. He recommended his company's services, but I got price comparisons from other vendors as well. Ultimately, they seemed to offer a competitive price and were knowledgeable in their field. They were willing to invest the necessary time to determine what our needs were.

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

The total development cost so far has been $8,500. The original price was supposed to be $5,000, but we added additional features.

What is the status of this engagement?

Venture Aviator continues to offer us support for any problems that come up with the platform.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

In the beginning, there were a few bugs in the platform, but they were fixed quickly, usually within a day. It has worked well so far.

We haven't received any complaints from our staff, and it has saved us large amounts of time. Previously, data had to be entered in two or three different systems. These have been synced, which is excellent.

How did Venture Aviator perform from a project management standpoint?

The budget was larger than initially planned, but that was due to us requesting more functionality along the way. We're happy with the results, for the most part.

We used Google Drive and Google Apps for managing the project and communicated via email, Skype, and phone. Some of their programmers are based in Ukraine. We kept in touch with them through Skype. 

What distinguishes Venture Aviator from other providers?

I appreciated the fact that they sent a person to observe our operations for a couple of days, without charging us. Their overall price was very good, compared to other companies.