Acumen Digital

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of VVMGroup, a payment solution based in Africa. We’re one of the first digital-only banking apps in Nigeria.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Acumen Digital?

We hired Acumen Digital to help us build a mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Acumen Digital developed our mobile digital banking app. Their team built the platform for iOS and Android, and they’re currently on retainer for maintenance.  

What is the team composition?

One project manager, two designers, and two developers supported us during the development phase. 

How did you come to work with Acumen Digital?

We looked online and found a few options, but Acumen Digital was listed as a top development firm in Nigeria on Clutch and other sites. We read a few reviews and decided to hire them for the project after feeling that they resonated with us better than the other companies. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $40,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was completed from May–November 2019, but they’re still on a retainer with us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The deployment of the digital bank was successful and we didn’t experience any downtime. For example, when we launched last month, we got 200 signups in one day. Our users are happy with the app, too— the UI design is amazing. We’re looking to reinvest in our marketing efforts this year, so we’re looking forward to seeing what implementing that strategy will do. 

How did Acumen Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly use Slack for communication. There was a time at the beginning of the project that they didn’t meet our deadline. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is one of the best at understanding our needs and walking us through their approach. They understood our brief and gave us a great advantage by explaining what we should include. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The communication between our teams could be improved. Sometimes their project managers appear to be overwhelmed by the project, but that’s normal. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of a FinTech company. We offer a financial services platform that allows people to buy securities in Africa.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Acumen Digital?

We hired Acumen Digital to develop an application and provide UI/UX redesign services for our company’s platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We identified issues with our user journeys and the user experience on the older platform we had created for both mobile and web. Customers were not interacting with the product the way we wanted them to. We wanted to enhance our platform so that it served our customers better. We relied on Acumen Digital to make those updates using Sigma and Node.js.

What is the team composition?

We have worked with three people: one person works with the web platform while two others work on the application.

How did you come to work with Acumen Digital?

I learned of Acumen Digital through a referral from a previous client of theirs, and they were also recommended to us a second time, which prompted us to work with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project began in May 2019 and remains ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first phase of the redesign is complete. We have some other projects in the pipeline, as well, and we’ve chosen Acumen Digital to lead those projects regarding UI/UX.

Acumen Digital has helped shape some of the thinking behind the design of our products. We had our own ideas, but they helped guide us, which translated to better results in terms of how users react. User feedback, so far, has been quite positive. Acumen Digital did great work, which is why we’re willing to work with them again on entirely new projects.

How did Acumen Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They are forthcoming people. If there is any reason they can’t meet a deadline, they make sure to communicate that beforehand. They also will work overtime to make sure targets are met and products are released on time. They stick to what they say, and I haven’t had any poor experiences with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is creative and thinks outside of the box. We gave them an initial breakdown of what we envisioned, and we were pleasantly surprised when they presented a first draft that tweaked our ideas. They also added unique features that we hadn’t considered. They go out of their way to make sure that we didn’t miss out on worthwhile elements for our products. There is only so much I can tell them as a project manager, so Acumen Digital’s creativity plays a significant role in our engagement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, our project was a medium-sized initiative, and they delivered well. I don’t have anything negative to say about them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a startup in Nigeria.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Acumen Digital?

We needed help with web development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and developed our website for a startup mentorship and training platform. We’ve worked on three different projects with them and continue working with them.

What is the team composition?

There were about five people on their team.

How did you come to work with Acumen Digital?

They came recommended to us and they had the expertise we were looking for.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2018 and the project is ongoing

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I love the work that they’ve done. Everyone likes it. We now look like a global company, which is what we’re aiming for. Acumen Digital has really helped us.

How did Acumen Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They always deliver on time. They are available even on weekends if needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understand what we want and deliver it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I’d suggest they do differently.