Alakmalak Technologies Pvt Ltd.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Nectave, an agave syrup importer that ships products from Mexico to the United States and Canada.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak Technologies?

We wanted to modernize our WordPress website because it looked outdated after about nine years after going live.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a customized layout that preserved our brand’s colors and image. Alakmalak Technologies added new features and links to product pages and wholesalers. They revised design aspects according to our feedback in an iterative process. The team also provided SEO services.

What is the team composition?

The sales manager was our main point of contact. The team included two designers that led content, design, and page layout.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak Technologies?

We used them for a previous redesign project. It was simpler to keep the same vendor because they had done excellent work.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between February–April 2018.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a chlorine dioxide manufacturer called GO2 International. We produce a two-component powder kit that, when mixed with the appropriate amount of water, produces a really effective sanitizer and disinfectant product. We mostly serve the livestock and dairy industry.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak Technologies?

We had a previous developer who created our original site. However, he later left the business, and our website eventually became outdated. Although we had a premium product, our website didn’t look that premium. As a result, we needed a new outsourced web development agency to create our site.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, they provided us with a questionnaire regarding our current color themes, our central message, the industries we served, and any new markets we were targeting. They also requested photos and examples of related companies within our industry to get a visual sense of what we wanted.

From there, they developed a series of fully customized design layouts for WordPress in addition to nine HTML pages. We had the option of adding additional pages as needed. Throughout the process, they would develop a mock draft of our home page and revise it based on our feedback until we approved. Using that template, they built the rest of the site.

Beyond web development, they also offered SEO services to target keywords in Google searches and wrote content for our blog. They continue to provide ongoing SEO services, and they’re Google AdWords certified, which has been beneficial to us.

What is the team composition?

We worked with the sales manager, who served as our main point of contact, and three developers.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak Technologies?

Initially, I wanted to outsource the project to domestic companies, but I never received a full proposal with a detailed scope of work. The prices also seemed too inflated for the scope given, so I didn’t feel comfortable moving forward.

I eventually found Alakmalak Technologies online, and they provided a substantially detailed quote. The proposal listed exactly what they would do, and their salesman provided the costs upfront. They were proactive in keeping me up to date, answering my inquiries and making sure that I felt comfortable with the engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $8,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work lasted from December 2017–February 2018.

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

The completed templates looked fresh and helped distinguish us from our competitors. They did such a great job that we utilized their services for two of our other companies as well. In terms of SEO, we saw a general increase in both keyword and search rankings. They managed to get us on the first page within a few months, which yielded higher site traffic and new clients.

How did Alakmalak Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

I was in contact with the salesman and developers throughout the whole process. They used Basecamp and created a Google spreadsheet to track the project. I could go into Basecamp to check their work, see who was working on what, and look at the current tasks. Their team provided a daily update on their progress, and I would approve any images or documents.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Besides their design capabilities, I appreciated the daily communication and how accessible they were. I’m not the most tech-savvy person, so there were some things that I didn’t fully understand. They explained them to me in a digestible way and kept me in the loop throughout the engagement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Because they’re based in India, there can be some small grammatical issues with some of the content that they write for our blog. However, I generally prefer to review the posts before they’re published, so I do any final edits.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of JobnDeal.com.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak Technologies?

We needed to build a website for our business.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The website was built from scratch. We gave them the idea of what we needed, and they went ahead and developed the website. They used MySQL for the backend and PHP for the frontend.

Currently, the first phase is complete, and we're considering a second phase.

What is the team dynamic?

We had a developer, a QA tester who was on and off, and a coordinator. When we scoped out the project in the beginning, we were also in touch with a person from their sales team.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak Technologies?

We were looking for a web development company. We liked them because they showed us their prior work, how long the projects took, and the budget. They were negotiable with cost. Based on that, we selected them for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in June of last year, and the work is ongoing.

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

We've had positive feedback from our team, who likes working with them. They've occasionally had issues that have caused delays, and we went back and forth on the requirements, which was a drawback.

How did Alakmalak Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management was good, and we will definitely work with them again. There were a few scenarios in which we didn’t receive the deliverables in the time we requested. Other than that, they were helpful.

We initially communicated daily, and over time, as we approached the middle of the project, we communicated less.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their overall work is exceptional, and we weren’t expecting the way they did the work and communicated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

After speaking to them regarding going back and forth numerous times, they improved, and we are good for now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you are on top of your project and requirements so they don’t derail or delay.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a company that provides gas monitoring products and other safety equipment for clinical, research, environmental, and hazardous applications.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak?

We needed to build an e-commerce site that included links to our social media pages and blog posts. We also wanted to improve our SEO, and enable our customers to learn about our services online.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Alakmalak handled all aspects of development, including design and functionality, using Zen Cart. They built in PayPal as our payment processing system, and added links to all social media pages and blogs. A large part of the project also included SEO optimization and recommendations for our paid advertising page on Google.

What is the team dynamic?

I worked with a single project manager, but there were about 12 developers on the team throughout the course of the engagement.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak?

We initially found them through an online search. The look and feel of their site aligned with what we were looking for, and after going through their portfolio of past work, as well as several certifications, we decided they would be the best fit for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

About $5,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in 2009, and is ongoing.

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

Since optimizing our SEO, our solutions reliably appear on the first page of search results, and some are in the top three.

How did Alakmalak perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been very responsive throughout the course of the project, and have reliable delivered on time. They mostly communicated via email, and we never had any issues reaching them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their years of experience combined with a Google certification makes them a great partner for web development and SEO projects.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Most of their employees write in the Queen’s English, rather than American English, which can sometimes cause issues for our blog.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an educational company that offers self-study courses, books, seminars and other products/services that help people reach their goals.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak?

We initially worked with them to design and develop an e-commerce site for our products, and were very happy with the outcome. The engagement has extended into an ongoing partnership that’s lasted over ten years, during which they’ve taken on a broad variety of projects for us. Past projects have included web design, iOS/Android app development, e-books, SQL databases for courses, and various programming needs.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Alakmalak has taken a lead on multiple projects for us throughout our 10+ year engagement. The first project we did with them, our e-commerce site, was originally done in C++. They later managed a shift on all sites to C#, which was a great move for us. They’ve done sites for us in WordPress, Zen Cart, and custom sites in HTML, all while assisting us with the planning and design elements as well. We have them on a payment schedule, and reach out to them whenever we need anything done.

What is the team dynamic?

We have one team manager, and she delegates projects out to the different development teams based on the size and scope.

How did you come to work with AlakMalak?

A friend of ours had used them for web design before, and recommended them to us.

How much have you invested with them?

Between all the various projects we do with them, it ends up at about $10,000-$20,000 per year.

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

The return to investment ratio we’ve seen has been outrageous. Without Alakmalak's assistance, we would’ve been unable to follow through with our e-commerce projects, which together account for well over $1,000,000 in revenue.

How did Alakmalak perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always on it. At times, we’ve had up to six projects going simultaneously. They use Basecamp to track progress and keep record of communication, and an invoice accounting system that shows how many hours have been devoted to each project. They operate on their own time zone, and as long as your effectively account for that, they are extremely reliable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of work that they provide is the highest I’ve seen in their price range.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The way that they mark changes within the code sometimes makes it difficult for other programmers to pick up where they left off.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Smooth Photo Scanning Services and we provide services to preserve people's captured memories, in the form of the conversion of analog media to digital. People have old photo albums, slides, negatives, video tapes, and old movies film; we convert it to a digital format so that it's preserved and can be shared.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak Technologies.

We needed someone to create and design an e-commerce store for customers to place online orders.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They had to create a custom store for our website, as our business is a little different than simply adding a product to a cart and then paying for it. Customers have to send in their items for us to process, and we have a lot of different options. They have to enter their estimated quantities, and based on that number we have discounts. Alakmalak made it so that when customers are putting in their quantities, if they reach a certain number that has a break, the discount automatically is applied. They integrated UPS with the website, allowing shipping labels to be created automatically for customers to send their stuff to us. They also designed the entire e-commerce portion of the site. They used OpenCart as their e-commerce solution. Now, they make changes to the website when I need them.

What is the team dynamic?

There were several developers involved, but I had a single project manager who would delegate the work to each of the developers.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak Technologies?

I found them through a Google search; however I don't remember if it was an organic link or an ad. At the time, I had received proposals from several other companies, but I liked their proposal and portfolio best.

How much have you invested with them?

Probably $4,000–5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2016, and the engagement is finished. The initial e-commerce product was out that same year.

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

The store went live in August, so it’s only been about three or four months. There have been no problems so far, but I don’t think I have enough data to really say.

How did Alakmalak Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication was frequent with our project manager. Sometimes it was multiple times a day or sometimes a couple times a week – but it pretty regular. There were slight language and communication barriers. However, they were usually available even talk on the phone until about 11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, which is pretty late over there. That was ok. In regards to the language, it’s always going to be expected to have some miscommunication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The pricing is good in comparison to their competitors. They’re quick to respond and have good customer service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think that the biggest problem would be miscommunication, and they could definitely improve upon interpreting the English language.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the partners of Fluid Air Filter Systems. We manufacture industrial filter elements. It’s air-oil separators, which are more used in power plants. It’s basically filters and filter elements.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak?

We had a lot of companies coming to us for promoting the website as well as making the website. The challenge we had was that we initially made a website from someone else, which did not look good or fit our expectations. It also wasn’t helping us generate leads. So we needed someone to create a new website for us that is up to our standards.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redesigned our website. They put a “contact us” form on every page that helped us get a lot of leads. They also added the facts that said how long we have been in business and the products that we focus on. We wanted images to be shown on the pages and they included a small introduction to how old the company is.

They help us in managing our pay-per-click Google AdWords campaign and they also work with us to optimize our SEO [search engine optimization] strategy.

What is the team dynamic?

I was working with Chirag [Online Marketing/SEO Head, Alakmalak Technologies], who was the manager of the SEO department. There were a few project coordinators that we worked with whenever we had to redesign the site. We’ve been given the order to redesign it every 3 years.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak?

Alakmalak was referred to us. Their prices were pretty competitive, and when we checked their portfolio, we saw that they had worked with a variety of clients from all over the world on a variety of impressive projects. They mostly work with customers from the U.S., Europe, and Australia and they know what the latest trends are in the industry. That helps us, from a design perspective, to have a good look and feel of the website that extends across international boundaries, both physically and culturally.

We looked at a couple of other companies that were close to our office, but we ultimately decided they would be the best fit. There was another nearby company that quoted us double the amount that Alakmalak charged, so we went with the value for money approach. However, the distance wasn’t an issue; we could communicate over the phone to get things done.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent about $50,000-$55,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around 2006 or 2007 and the work is ongoing as new projects come up.

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

After they redesigned our website, we started getting twice the leads we were getting from the previous website. One of their managers explained to us that they take off certain small things on the site to optimize it. Let’s say there are 100 people coming to the site. Before, maybe one or two people would give us a lead, but after they redesigned it, there were at least four or five people who would give us leads. We’re extremely happy with their work.

How did Alakmalak perform from a project management standpoint?

If we call them, they call back. We never had any issues communicating with them. We communicate mostly over the phone and via email. If there are issues where a few pages may not display some information correctly or maybe my computer doesn’t look good, they do some TeamViewer sessions and we can do a screen sharing session.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their standard redesign process is awesome. They give importance to my needs and they make sure that my needs are satisfied. If I tell them that I need certain things on this page, they make sure that they implement it while designing it up front.

Are there any areas they could improve?

With previous companies, they didn’t understand what we wanted to do. Alakmalak understands what we want.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re good at redesigning websites for us and SEO. Engage them if you want to increase your business. That’s what we experienced. 30% of the business today is because of our website.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My organization's name is Urban Kitli. We are a chain of tea cafes based here in India, providing tea and snacks to the corporate offices.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak Technologies?

We hired them for our IT needs. We started with developing a mobile-friendly website and a POS system for our outlets, but we wanted a distributed version so we could control multiple outlets from one point.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The website was the first thing, but the main part was the POS system for our outlets, which we had integrated with our kitchen from where we can see the order lineup. We also made a reminder for the outlets that they have to use to place an order for the bakery. At the end of the day, I can see the transactions from the POS system for each outlet, I get a report as an email, then I get another one on what the outlets have ordered for the next day.

They also helped us set up the system for the reminder. I’m not around the outlets all the time, so the POS system has helped me look over the business from the outside.

When we started out, we didn’t have any brand value in the market, but once the website was put into place, we did PR in the newspapers, which helped people check out our site. Alakmalak helped create a brand value with the backbone of the IT and POS system. The website was built in PHP and the POS system was in .NET.

They're currently helping us integrate online ordering for our outlets, so people can order snacks and tea online on their scheduled time. They're also planning to integrate our current ordering system with an online one.

What is the team dynamic?

We communicated primarily with the project coordinator and had 2 or 3 developers working for us.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak Technologies?

We found them by reference. A friend of mine had already worked with Alakmalak for their project in the food industry.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested $38,000 USD.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2014, and the work is ongoing.

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

After getting the POS system, they customized an Opensource POS system that helped us manage the inventory of the restaurant daily. We can add inventory, and according to orders at the end of the day, we get a report so we can cross check it with the current inventory in the kitchen. That helps us find out where food wastage is, which helps us with our profits.

The marketing part of website's design, the look and feel of it, creates a brand image for us. We're currently testing the ordering system. We've had regular clients try it out, who've said that the ordering online platform is user-friendly, and they can quickly order through it.

How did Alakmalak Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

I would rate them 5 out of 5. We communicate through email, phone, and use Basecamp for any queries. We post on there and get a reply by the end of the day. They are very quick with that. Any emergency needs, I call them up or drop them an email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very helpful and provide many creative ideas. Starting out, I didn’t know anything about the POS system, besides knowing I needed one. They explained to me how it went and its benefits.

They’re pretty budget-oriented. They ask what your budget is and plan accordingly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I'm fine with how they work right now, so I don’t see any areas of improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t worry about the budget. Whatever you have, they’ll find a way to help you out. Keep in mind that the budget is not a concern for anything you want to do. It can be done differently and development can be useful.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

HBPG stands for Healthy Business Performance Group. We run proactive health injury prevention programs on work sites all across Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. We directly engage with companies and individuals on those sites to improve their health and well-being. I’m a director of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak?

We’d already invested a lot of money within Australia to start developing a web-based system to primarily capture the data we were gathering from people. That included individual health data and metrics like blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as data from other health initiatives that were doing.

We wanted to be able to create a web space and eventually a mobile app that would help further engage people with tools and resources to better their own health outcomes.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our platform is primarily built on PHP, and we use a number of other specific add-ons including Java, Python and Celery. A lot of their work was efficiently managing complex algorithms for our calculated metrics tables. These filter an individual’s personal site experience based on their health, their profile, and other factors. They also generate comprehensive executive reports that are extremely tailored and personalized.

They automated that process so we could receive a detailed analysis without a person having to go in manually each time. The site does everything, including fully automated email communications based on our users’ specific health concerns.

Over the last 12 to 18 months, we redesigned our whole web system to make it more front-facing for consumers and developed apps for both Android and iOS. Through the app, we have 5 or 6 user permissions, including our managers, admins, users, executive users, and interactive challenges.

We wanted a centralized way to manage the app without having to constantly update it. They’ve created a mobile manager where we can tailor and filter everything for the users in a particular work situation or location. It’s all done through the same central platform as our website.

What is the team dynamic?

We have one main contact person. We also have an Apple developer, an Android developer, a lead manager/developer, and one PHP developer.

The team size has ramped up over time. Early on, I just had 2, but the last 12 months we’ve had either 3 or 4. They charge on a monthly basis so I have the flexibility to drop down a developer if needed.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak?

We started locally, but our ideas and where we wanted to go with them coupled with our stage of business growth made that quite prohibitive price-wise. We looked for other opportunities and I checked out quite a few other agencies locally and internationally.

I’d seen some of Alakmalak’s work and noticed on their website that they’d worked with another company. I called that company, and they said they’d had a good experience. I also flew over to India, met the team and got an idea of their work culture. I was especially impressed with Rushik [CEO, Alakmalak Technologies].

How much have you invested with them?

I spend an average of $12,000 per month. The total would be between $200,000 and $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since October 2015.

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

A key objective of ours was to demonstrate to companies that we were tangibly making a difference in people’s health. With the work from the local developers, we had trouble generating executive reports that broke down our impact for clients. As soon as we started to get over 500 users, with the data growing under each user’s profile, the system would time out and crash.

The Alakmalak guys have created a more sophisticated system that’s able to generate reports quickly and efficiently. Reports are viewable in a pretty visual form or as a very detailed spreadsheet, which some of our clients like. Those sorts of things were proving problematic elsewhere. They’ve found ways to not only make them work, but they’ve also fundamentally helped us demonstrate the good work we’re doing on the ground with proper statistical representation.

Our app capability, particularly on the Android side of things, has grown enormously. The centralized app management and automation of email, reports, etc., make things convenient for those of us who are less code-savvy. It means we have a solid system we can use to our hearts’ content without needing the expertise to update the coding. The mobile manager is really useful.

How did Alakmalak perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve improved a lot. The first 12 months was OK, but they’ve changed personnel in that amount of time. When we found someone that we could work with very well, we specifically requested him as our project manager. That made all the difference. After a few years, he thoroughly knows our system, and that’s been helpful.

For 12 months I employed a senior Australian coder to support them, ensure coding best practices, and make sure we were scalable. They worked on spending a bit more time on things to do them the right way the first time. He said they were doing everything very well, which was reassuring for me.

We used to use Basecamp, but we changed to JIRA. Now we can more easily narrow it down to the micro jobs we’re working on. Basecamp was becoming long strings of conversations for particular jobs. JIRA is much more detailed. We can set up Agile boards and charts to manage the time factor there.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their willingness to work out a solution for nearly any problem impresses me. They find a way. I’m not saying it’s always the absolute best way, but I think it’s part of their culture. They have a can-do attitude.

I’m often throwing out ideas that aren’t very technical and that I’m not 100% sure are even doable. Within a matter of days they’ve worked out a way to do it.

Sometimes development is a journey where you go around in circles a few times. There have been occasional miscommunications about logic, etc., but part of that is my explanations of things. Overall, working with Alakmalak has been a good experience. I’m a big fan of them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When someone like me who lacks their technical knowledge briefs them on concepts, they need to spend the necessary time determining the best practices for implementing them. With their can-do attitude, they don’t just say no. But that means they need to choose the best approach from the start.

The thoroughness of their dev testing is the only other thing I’d like to see continually improved. I’ve received countless notifications that something’s been fixed, but when I check, it isn’t. It’s important to thoroughly test bugs, not just the exact place the bug occurred, but also how it’s affecting other areas of the site.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Creative Sarees, which focuses on ethnic fashion. We are growing our portfolio and trying to reach the export market so that people outside India can enjoy the unique fabrics our people weave from home.

What challenge were you trying to address with Alakmalak Technologies?

I needed to find a partner for building my e-commerce website. Previously, I worked with another developer from Kenya on an informational website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a website that runs on an OpenCart system. I wanted to have a basic retail section listing predefined products from the inventory, as well as a platform through which consumers could design their own sarees. It consisted of a 2-dimensional model where they could place beads and patterns. We would then make the saree and sell it directly to the client. The team also worked on my marketing and SEO [search engine optimization].

What is the team dynamic?

I communicate directly with the team lead, so I don’t know how many developers are involved. I have a separate contact for the marketing work.

How did you come to work with Alakmalak Technologies?

I looked at a few tech companies online and went through a lot of proposals. Alakmalak had a good team and communicated well with me during our Skype call. They understood all of my objectives, and everything turned out well.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost to date has been around $8,000. Their pricing is not the cheapest, but it is quite reasonable for the amount of work we are doing.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2016. The project is ongoing, but I have been slow when it comes to getting the manufacturing going.

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

After their work on the website, I’ve seen a growth of at least 100–200 new visits on a weekly basis. They have also been proactive in terms of SEO, telling me exactly what can be done to increase the amount of traffic we’re getting.

How did Alakmalak Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything is tracked through Basecamp. They communicate well, and everyone involved in the project responds to me immediately. Although there have been a few delays, they get the job done.

Their billing is quite flexible, which is great since managing finances can be difficult when running a startup. Their pricing structure is very nice, and I haven’t been overcharged for development hours. I’ve been given payment options rather than having 1 variant imposed on me.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been straightforward. The overall communication is simple and efficient, and they haven’t said no to any of my requests. If something seems difficult, they will look at it from a different angle and tell me how we can do it. They’re very determined to achieve the goal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They need to work on graphic design. While the SEO has been great, I would like more content suitable for social media posts. The material they’ve given me is good for blogs, but not attractive enough for Facebook.