Akio Agency

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Rudo Group is a platform that connects beauty service providers with local clients. I’m the founder and the managing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Akio Agency?

I approached Akio Agency to develop a marketing website to showcase my upcoming beauty app. It was about showing off the look and feel of the solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Akio Agency designed and developed my website to promote the launch of my app. The goal was to get people excited about the product and build anticipation. Because I’m not a developer, I trusted them to present something that would really speak to me. Of course, I explained my vision to them, and we went from there.

Their team took an innovative approach, displaying the app’s screens based on the prototype that we had. The content helped people understand how they could use the app and would link out to the product in the app stores once it launched.

They also developed the logo, chose and organized the colors, and offered ideas based on our target market. They focused on delivering a clean design. 

What is the team composition? 

I worked with one main point of contact who communicated what I wanted to the larger team. 

How did you come to work with Akio Agency?

I knew about Akio Agency’s work prior to reaching out. A family friend and mentor had worked with them before and recommended them to me.

How much have you invested with them?

This project was on the smaller side, so the overall cost was under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Website development lasted from December 2019–February 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The impact was great! I’d initially promoted my app on social media, but it didn’t gain a lot of traction without a website to link to. Once I directed my followers to the website, the results were night and day. 

The site offered more clarity on what we were all about. Users could see the screens, check out our look, and navigate directly to app stores to download. Recently, five beauty service providers signed up with us and downloaded the app, which was enticing.

How did Akio Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, the communication was quite open. I like giving people the opportunity to surprise me with their creativity, and that’s what Akio Agency did. If I ever felt that something was missing, I would step in.

When designing the logos, they offered four options to make sure that they aligned with my vision. The process for the website was similar. They showed me a prototype with all of the colors, and then I approved it to go live.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was mainly their creativity on the website that impressed me. I didn’t expect the site to turn out the way it did, and my ideas probably wouldn’t have gotten as much of a reaction with my clients.

They also really clicked with my vision. The whole point of this platform is to tap into the informal sector so that people who might not have college degrees can make money off of their talents. They kept that in mind to build an easy-to-understand site.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything major. We could’ve improved on meeting deadlines, but that goes for both sides. I faced some delays on my end, which affected their schedule, too.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them show you their creative side and then take it from there. Sometimes, when you place certain restrictions, people get scared of thinking outside of the box. If you want a service provider to do their best, you have to give them the room to be as creative as possible and showcase their abilities.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of Mrwebi Auditors and Accountants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Akio Agency?

We needed help with online marketing, IT consulting, and web development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Using our ideas and concepts for the platform’s look, Akio Agency built our website. They also create our business cards and handle our marketing on social media platforms such as Facebook. Their team provides consulting efforts and manages our IT services.

What is the team composition?

We interacted with one person.

How did you come to work with Akio Agency?

After viewing some of their work, I was very impressed.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in November 2017, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is beautiful. We’ve gained substantial positive ratings in the market and experienced growth as a result of their managed advertising. Akio Agency played a significant role in where our company is growth-wise.

How did Akio Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve managed the project well. We gave them full access to the website, marketing department, and IT services. They’re very good at communication and they ensure our needs are attended to and challenges are met.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team’s skills and expertise are much appreciated. Akio Agency is dedicated — they attend to IT issues that arise at any time of day or night. They continuously exceed our expectations and are committed to us. IT and marketing are not our fields of expertise. We appreciate that they handle everything while keeping us informed and advising us along the way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing. I have no advice for them to improve on, only appreciation for their services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re trustworthy and skillful at managing projects given to them. Akio Agency understands their clients’ shortcomings and assists with their expertise to accomplish tasks.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an aspiring author who writes fiction books, including Pinocchio’s Secret, Park to Hatfield, and Corner West and Lenchen.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Akio Agency?

I hired Akio Agency to do the front and back cover designs for three of my books.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

I wanted to work with Akio Agency on a series of short stories. The projects depended on me getting my work out, so I wrote the books one by one and described my cover concepts to them as we went along.

I provided stock images to give them an idea of what I wanted the look to be—the colors, textures, and overall feel of the covers. Fumani (Digital Marketing Manager, Akio Agency) would then come up with a couple of ideas to refine my vision before sending me the final covers. 

For example, I conceived a plain white cover with just the title for Pinoccio’s Secret. But Fumani came back with an off-white design that would be more fitting.

What is the team composition? 

I just worked with Fumani.

How did you come to work with Akio Agency?

I knew Fumani from previous engagements, so I asked him if he knew anyone who could handle my projects. He volunteered knowing that I had a limited budget and couldn’t put down a deposit right away. Luckily, he agreed to work without it.

How much have you invested with them?

It was 250 South African Rand (approximately $17 USD) per cover, which was surprising because I thought it would’ve been closer to 5,000 Rand (approximately $330 USD). We worked out a deal where he did the work for me as a favor and then quoted me the final price after delivery.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in May 2019, and the first book was published in September 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Fumani was well-versed with the technical side of things and had a good eye for detail. That’s been pretty consistent with my experience with him. He’d actually done my business cards for another company of mine, so it’s been a long-term engagement between us.

Most people will also appreciate that Fumani can see a project through from A to Z, which is rare to find. He’s professional enough to tell me when something won’t work or when something is out of his scope, but he still always gave alternatives. 

For example, Corner West and Lenchen was a simple cover, but we couldn’t find the right stock imagery for the look. I wanted a dark cover, but the story itself was upbeat. So Fumani went off on his own agenda to produce a design that captured that contradiction.

How did Akio Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via WhatsApp. Unfortunately, I’m quite the hands-on person, so I would follow up rigorously every week for progress updates. Fumani excelled at project management but would also let me know when there were potential setbacks. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

His passion stood out the most. He’s able to harness my raw essence in a constructive way so that it’s palatable to the rest of the world. You always need a partner like that: someone logistical who can make things happen quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they could scale up further, their team could be more efficient with their time. When I was working with them, the workload seemed like it was all on 1–2 people, which could be overbearing for them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?
 
Come in with a comprehensive plan on your side. That way, it’ll cut out a lot of the work that they’d normally have to do for you. Think about the specs, the budget, and timeframes.