Alhena Technologies

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’ m the Director of commercial Excellence in a scientific instrumentation, reagents & consumables and software services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?

Our current website focuses on the industries we serve and features our different collections and products. We were having a problem with our brand identity and website workflow

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Came recommended by a contact in another company and ai checked reviews on Clutch

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We did a brainstorming session, then hired them to do UI/UX, so they helped us understand how we could redevelop our website, understand the platform and grow our business by utilizing the site.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A small team of a project manager and two developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are still working with them, however, our satisfaction is 9 out of 10 so far.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They work in an agile methodology, with weekly and daily meetings to let the team plan out its work for the day and identify any obstacles that could impact it.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The process and methodology they use have been very helpful for us. they offer full transparency and the technology they use to enable that makes us feel like we are part of the team.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Any issues that came up were dealt with quickly because of their process. I cańt think of anything they could improve upon.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of a business unit that does IoT services in the construction industry. We deploy equipment on concrete trucks, using our equipment to control the concrete properties while the truck is in transit. Our customer base is throughout the US, the UK, Asia, and Australia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Alhena Technologies?

We had staffing needs in our software group. We needed to onboard resources quickly and competently to address our shortcomings.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Alhena Technologies has expeditiously provided human resources for sophisticated technologies such as JavaScript, Kafka, RabbitMQ, AWS, and SQL. They’ve helped us develop the documentation and ensure we have the proper SDLC processes in place. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 5–6 people, including software developers and reliability engineers.

How did you come to work with Alhena Technologies?

They were a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since October 2021, and our engagement continues to grow.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The general feedback has been resoundingly positive, and the quality of the work has been outstanding. Moreover, it’s been impressive how quickly they’ve been able to onboard, especially considering they work remotely.

How did Alhena Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet the deadlines and stay on budget. We use Jira for project management and Slack and Teams for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve looked at other outsourced partners, and Alhena Technologies has been able to bring resources quickly at a good price point. Nobody else we’ve worked with has been able to do that. Additionally, they haven’t had turnover as we’d generally seen with other outsourcing vendors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been good at everything they do — that’s why we keep expanding our relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Check in and have a lot of transparency and direction. Have candid conversations about the project scope and pricing; those discussions have proved to work out well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm part of an organization where we sell consumer products and we had a lot of challenges while connecting different capabilities around using old technologies

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?

We hired the company to provide some guidance and implement best practices around the business to ensure a performing environment between the different systems and connecting different devices/machinery that could interact with each other without unnecessary manual intervention.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

The vendor came up with two approaches based on our discussion and their understanding with the business, stating clearly what were the main pros and cons of each approach with full transparency

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We started out with some engagement meetings to understand the scope of what was needed After reviewing the challenges and needs, we made sure to list all the gaps we have and how those could be addressed Selected the best option and got the resources needed The best of this was the way how the vendor was always thinking about us and not just simply selling resources for his benefits We came out with a plan of what tools were needed and implemented the project with no significant delays

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We had one architect and three developers with different time allocation during the project

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within the last few months we were able to improve productivity around 200% by decreasing the amount of hours we spent on doing manual tasks multiple times and gained a lot of performance on each of the areas we worked on

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

At the begging was challenging as we never had this type of service but thanks to the help we made a lot of progress and after a week of training and workshops we were able to get a great relationship

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The problem solving capacity and the way they were always thinking about improving our success. I loved the ways of working in general and how things were prioritized in an agile way

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

None.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner with Alira Solutions LLC. We’re a business services company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, they assessed our code and helped us strategize what we would need based on our business goals. Our one requirement was that our solution work with a specific payment processor. They also created documentation for creating a multi-use token that we can leverage for our monthly subscriptions.

What is the team composition?

We worked with the same team throughout the engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–July 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

They went through multiple meetings with our payment processor and spent two months going over the documentation. Even though our third-party provider was able to offer advice, their GitHub code repository, and even their own technical team, Alhena seemed to be dragging their feet. Meanwhile, the costs were going up. We have a web application and mobile application, and we thought whatever was being developed on the web was also going to mobile.

At this point, we decided to terminate the relationship and wanted them to send whatever they had to the App Store and the Play Store. Alhena dragged this process out and basically held our code hostage until we signed a $25,000 line of credit agreement, which expires in 90 days, and which I don’t have because they made me pay for a single-use token that doesn’t work. Now, every time our subscribers try to log in, they’re asked for another subscription fee and are otherwise locked out of their account.

As we were winding down the contract, they advised me to change my password, but when I went in to do that, it didn’t work; my admin panel isn’t speaking to one of the databases, and I have no money or support. Meanwhile, I’ve been marketing to get users, which will help me win investors. Since signing the line of credit, I’ve also received an invoice for $34,000. We agreed to four deliverables and a specific estimate, but they didn’t stick to that estimate.

How did Alhena Technologies address the challenges that arose?

After I received an invoice that was 30% more than their estimate, I removed their access from our code repository, as I knew I was going to file a complaint and didn’t want Alhena to sabotage it. I also removed them from our AWS, iOS, and Android development environments.

I asked for a full refund, and they responded by accusing me of not setting priorities, which I did in my daily meetings with them, showing them numerous examples of what I wanted. They always ignored me, however. At that point, I asked for even just half a refund, but they have not reached back out to me. Rather than attempt to fix the issues, they simply dismissed me by saying I didn’t understand how development worked.  

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

I had to cancel a meeting with an investor because the platform didn’t work while we were testing it. I couldn’t in good conscience try to sell the platform. Right now, I’m in the process of trying to find other help because I can’t sell the solution without it. I’ve also filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

I was very excited during the planning period, as they asked great questions and seemed very technically sound. They also have a great salesman, a great project manager, and a great quality assurance person, but their development isn’t good.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Alhena is not the right vendor for someone who is not technical. If you’re more of a CTO and you understand code, they might be the right partner for you. Alhena played on our fears and concerns. We suggested working with one backend resource for a sprint or two, and then we could bring in the mobile team to implement those changes in the app, but they convinced us that we were going to miss the mobile team’s availability and so we started with them earlier than we wanted to.  

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on June 1, 2022. 

Partner, Alira Solutions LLC

Business Services

1-10 Employees

Miami Beach, Florida, United States (24345)

$50,000 to $199,999

Mar 2022 - Ongoing

Project Summary: 

Alhena Technologies has taken over from another vendor to develop a child care startup’s web and mobile app. They’ve first evaluated the existing code before creating a project plan. 

Feedback Summary: 

Alhena Technologies has successfully built a functional app, receiving positive feedback from the client. They’ve displayed effective project management through the use of Jira and Microsoft Teams and a responsive and professional approach. Their trustworthiness and reliability are impressive.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a startup company servicing the child care industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies, and what were your goals?

Our web and mobile applications were created by a company that did not understand our business needs. We have partnered with Alhena Technologies and are confident that we will present a product to our client base that is secure and robust - and on time.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

The initial discussions describing the sprint process and the staff member/hours allocation worked within our budget and working patterns.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We worked through the code handoff process and evaluation. From there we created a strategic plan that will meet our business market goals while addressing key scalability and reliability concerns.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Our team ranges based on our needs but we have about 7 people with varying expertise from iOS to PHP.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

General feedback is that the experience of working with Alhena is exactly as was described. The team is responsive, knowledgeable, timely with a keen eye to our budget constraints. Based on their professionalism, we expect to meet our deadlines and stay with them and build a lasting relationship.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We work with a project coordinator who handles all scheduling. Effective use of Jira and Teams to manage all the developers' tasks, priorities and sprints.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

When choosing a new company to work with, we all enter into the relationship with a certain amount of trust and hope. Alhena has met every single one of their promises which is beyond impressive in this development environment.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

In the daily scrum meetings, a little more time could be spent reviewing the previous day's goals and how they are affecting the current day's tasks. Also, some basic documentation on using Teams or Jira could be sent to the client initially to answer basic user questions so time is not spent on that learning curve.

Star Ratings: 

Overall rating: 5

Quality: 5

Cost: 5

Schedule: 5

Willing to refer: 5

Company Responses

The service provider responded on August 26, 2022.

Hey Alira, at the beginning of our engagement and after our assessment we recommended 10 sprints to transform your demo into a productive version. We were only able to do 6 sprints due to circumstances beyond our control. But we understand that your solution is still up and running. We are happy to continue working once our last invoice is paid.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a Leader member of a Non Profit organization that supports charity organizations with IoT development to automate and enhance their operations. We wanted to check the feasibility of an IoT Proof of Concept.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?

We wanted to test how IoT would generate savings to reduce human intervention in scenarios where coolers have to be re-stocked of food donations considering cooler space and temperatures needed to maintain certain food items.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Their experience on de IoT space

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We hired them to turn into reality an idea, they developed the POC based on our requirements

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The full team was four people, 3 Devs and 1 BA/Team Lead

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Alhena was able to finish the project on time and in scope

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They are very flexible and work with agile methodology

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They provided a superior experience compared to companies we’ve worked with in the past. The project was delivered on time, and everything worked well

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We are very satisfied

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a startup company servicing the child care industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies, and what were your goals?

Our web and mobile applications were created by a company that did not understand our business needs. We have partnered with Alhena Technologies and are confident that we will present a product to our client base that is secure and robust - and on time.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

The initial discussions describing the sprint process and the staff member/hours allocation worked within our budget and working patterns.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We worked through the code handoff process and evaluation. From there we created a strategic plan that will meet our business market goals while addressing key scalability and reliability concerns.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Our team ranges based on our needs but we have about 7 people with varying expertise from iOS to PHP.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

General feedback is that the experience of working with Alhena is exactly as was described. The team is responsive, knowledgeable, timely with a keen eye to our budget constraints. Based on their professionalism, we expect to meet our deadlines and stay with them and build a lasting relationship.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We work with a project coordinator who handles all scheduling. Effective use of Jira and Teams to manage all the developers' tasks, priorities and sprints.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

When choosing a new company to work with, we all enter into the relationship with a certain amount of trust and hope. Alhena has met every single one of their promises which is beyond impressive in this development environment.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

In the daily scrum meetings, a little more time could be spent reviewing the previous day's goals and how they are affecting the current day's tasks. Also, some basic documentation on using Teams or Jira could be sent to the client initially to answer basic user questions so time is not spent on that learning curve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the President of the Latin BU and we are looking for a solution to optimize our trucks routes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?

Since no GPS information is available, it is not possible to know the actual route and number of miles travelled by each truck. It is also impossible to detect unexpected stops or the actual time of the route and its sections.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched on Clutch for different vendors and chose them based on their past projects and total cost of the solution.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We had a clear idea of what we want, they helped us to prioritize and divide in stages/sprints. Select the devices, develop the software, collect, process and show the data.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The scrum master who talked with our Product Owner and three developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Have real-time telemetries for the position of each truck to reduce costs and travel times.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We work under agile methodology; we have weekly meetings and biweekly sprints.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their creativity, problem-solving skills, and team quality were impeccable.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We had some challenges with the hardware compatibility so they would test better during the pilot.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As a Director of R&D we have several projects, and in some cases we have to contract external resources with very specific skills to be able to achieve successful outcomes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?

Our challenge was the lack of talented resources. Alhena provided us with the IoT talent we were missing.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We looked for and researched different vendors and chose Alhena based on their capabilities and cost.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Alhena provided the resources and we managed them as they became an integral part or our teams.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We had three Senior .Net developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We finished the project on time and covering the agreed upon scope for it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They adapted to our agile work methodology.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was impressed with their skill sets and their competitive pricing.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We are very satisfied with the service received.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Im the founder, the CEO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?

Development of a website for a client. It was a project that we had started with our internal team and we hired Alhena 2 developers

SOLUTION

How did you select this agency and what were the deciding factors?

They were a company with experience and were quick to quote based on our budget.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We needed a solution that could give us data on certain store operations and that would be presented in a meaningful way that allows us to make changes to marketing actions.

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

They sent us the developers' resume for our IT team to select. Then they had some technical tests and personal talks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It is a client's website and for confidentiality reasons we cannot say it, but our client is very satisfied and everything works ok

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The external team easily adapted to our internal team working as if they were from the same company and with the expertise of having worked on different projects.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The ease that its developers joined our team, the quality of the work

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Everything worked fine

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Vicepresident of a B2B line of business

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?

Smart Building pilot

SOLUTION

How did you select Alhena Technologies and what were the deciding factors?

we selected via RFS, came recommended by another company doing similar work with them in the IOT space

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We used Alhena resources to move the project from a pilot stage into a production/commercialize project. Alhena resources were introduce as staff augmentation

Describe the recruitment process in detail.

We went through current state of our process and future scope. Alhena presented proposal and potential team structure

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Alhena was able to easily blend into current team structure and deliver towards common goals already established

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Alhena Technologies is flexible and easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The uniqueness of their roles, skills, and offshore but in timezone model, cost effective

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

nothing comes to mind