ApproLabs Private Limited

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an educational technology (EdTech) company. We offer online music education to students, including vocal and instrumental music lessons.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ApproLabs Private Limited?

Initially, our classes were scheduled manually via Zoom, Google Meet, or Skype, which was mutually convenient for the tutor and the student. Then, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many students started to switch to the online mode, and we had a sudden surge in growth. Because of that, the manual scheduling process became difficult to manage, as did the billing and payment. 

We were looking to build an app where students could book demo classes, enroll for courses, and access materials, and where we could also keep track of payments. We initially gave the project to another vendor and lost time and money. Then, we engaged ApproLabs instead.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ApproLabs has developed a learning management system (LMS) for us that functions as an all-in-one solution to manage our business. We wanted a mobile application for users, so they’ve developed the frontend of the LMS as a mobile app for Android and iOS. For the backend admin side, they’ve built a web application. We worked on the UI design and screens in-house, and the ApproLabs team has handled the implementation. 

We also needed them to migrate our existing database into the LMS because we already had over 10,000 students. They migrated all the data into the apps in batches; we offer several courses, so the team did the migration course-wise. They gave us an Excel sheet to fill out for the migration process. Additionally, ApproLabs has uploaded our courses to the LMS. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with 7–8 teammates from ApproLabs, though I’ve mostly interacted with 2–3 people. 

How did you come to work with ApproLabs Private Limited?

We found them through reviews on LinkedIn. We were very careful in choosing our second partner because we’d had a bitter experience with our previous provider. I shortlisted 10–12 profiles for LinkedIn, then narrowed the list down to five. We explained the requirements to the candidates, and ApproLabs was very professional in their approach.

The team took the trouble to do the work and study what we wanted. They were ready to give us suggestions for improvement on the very first call, which was the kind of interaction I was looking for. While other vendors claim things that can’t be done when interacting with non-technical people, I never got that from ApproLabs.On the contrary, they were technical to the core and could answer my questions about database, framework, and scalability. I also spoke to some of their previous clients, who told me they were prompt in their delivery. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around 1.2 million–1.3 million Indian rupees (approximately $15,000–$16,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Thanks to ApproLabs’ work, our service is easier to use. Our students have praised the change; they find the app very convenient because the classes are available to them, and they get reminders to attend. Overall, we’ve received positive feedback from the automation on the app. Moreover, the migration process was hassle-free. We were nervous that students would report issues with so much data moving into the LMS. However, it was a very smooth transition for our students. 

How did ApproLabs Private Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

Their process is pretty prompt. They stick to deadlines correctly, and when support issues arise, they fix them immediately, whether it’s day or night. We had the first release thirty days after they started working; they delivered on time and as promised. Overall, the entire development process has been very professional.

They track their progress in Excel sheets and use Jira for bug-tracking. We connect over a call every week for status updates. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with ApproLabs’ thorough understanding of our requirements. They take the time to do their homework, find all kinds of loopholes, and come back with their questions. They’ve found things we might not have thought of. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could have a project management tool – that’s the only thing that’s missing. When we try to read through what was discussed, we have to shuffle through emails. Using a tool would make project management easier for both f us. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to tell them what you want so that you can get the correct output from ApproLabs. The mistake most people make is changing things as the project progresses. Do your homework and have your requirements clear before you talk to them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CTO of Arkgeniq, a product startup, headquartered at Chennai, India.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ApproLabs Private Limited, and what were your goals?

Being a startup, we always wanted a vendor who can provide us end-to-end services, for both web as well as mobile platform. The other big factor was the cost & quality of the service being delivered.

SOLUTION

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

We always wanted a local vendor & found them online. The need of the hour is to look for someone who can pick-up the work fast. Being a product startup, our biggest deciding factor was someone whom we can rely on for our production release.

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

The design is totally owned by us and when we shared the design with them, they reviewed it and asked us all queries to understand the requirements in detail. Once the requirements were understood, the team at Approlabs started working on front-end (Angular) & back-end (Node) in parallel.

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

5 resources including 1 project manager, 2 front-end developers, 1 mobile developer, and 1 backend developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Team Approlabs helped us push our first production release on time and with ZERO bugs leaking. Their commitment to quality is undoubtedly one of their greatest strength.

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

They always met deadlines & use Slack & Emails for communication.

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

The founding team's commitment to delivering the best experience is the most unique aspect about Approlabs.

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

Focussing more on pro-active communication is something they can still look to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Technology Coordinator with SpellBee International, a transnational educational organisation engaged in conducting English language training, assessing and certification.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ApproLabs Private Limited, and what were your goals?

We started out with ApproLabs for streamlining our online payments. Impressed with their problem spotting and solving skills, we went ahead with cresting a custom CRM for us both for coordinating the whole backend office work and managing the thousands of our parents via an online profile with periodic marks updation.

SOLUTION

How did you select ApproLabs Private Limited and what were the deciding factors?

We started out small, with just a small mobile App and a few technical troubleshooting and went ahead with further projects based on how prompt they were in addressing the issues and how affable they are regardless of the time.

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

Mobile app for English language games, online testing portals with assessment, whole office ERP, mapping of the whole organisation's work and streamlining the same.

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

Around 5 of them

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After launching the ERP, a lot of our problems with our clients regarding non reflection of payment and other sundry stuff which used to baffle us before. These people always have a solution to whatever myriad of needs we have/had,

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

We had extensive team wise meetings where they tried their best to understand how the organisation flowed and created an ultra customised software for us. Since we are a nascent company, we kept changing requirements as and when things developed. Vishnu and Sunil were at their absolute best and catered to every single need.

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

I was impressed by the fact that they were always available when needed. Gave solutions for all types of needs.

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

There were occassional bugs, but they were prompt at solving them

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Freshpiks, a food distribution company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ApproLabs Private Limited?

We needed someone to develop our Android mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ApproLabs Private Limited developed our Android mobile app for our customers, who are primarily retailers. Our end-to-end supply chain technology was completely built by them.

We have two collection centers near the farms. We built a supply chain infrastructure and we have collections in those distribution centers as well as micro-distribution centers. The movement of produce from one place to another place and procurement from farmers are completely automated now.

What is the team composition?

I work with 4-5 members of their team, including developers, project managers technical leads, and architects.

How did you come to work with ApproLabs Private Limited?

A friend had worked with ApproLabs Private Limited before so I got in contact with them. I was impressed with their work and the timeframes they presented to me.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2020 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ApproLabs Private Limited was able to build the app very quickly. It has 80,000 downloads in the Google Play store.

We have received great feedback from retailers. The UI/UX designs are really nice. Customers have said it’s very easy to use and it has all the functionalities that they need as business owners. 

How did ApproLabs Private Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

ApproLabs Private Limited works in two-week sprints and completes tasks on time. They responded quickly to every issue we raised and collaborated closely with us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technical expertise was outstanding. I don’t call them developers, I call them magicians. They get a lot out quickly and they’re a great company to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The replacement of resources could have been faster and better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d recommend them to anybody. If anyone’s thinking of working with I’d say go ahead with them. Have a clear plan on what you’re going to deliver every week or month.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Reapmor. We’re an agritech startup focusing on the improvement of small and marginal farmers of the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ApproLabs Private Limited?

There’s a knowledge gap between farmers, and we wanted to help bridge that gap. We decided to build an app that’d be dynamic enough to recognize conditions that farmers see and then generate a package of practices tailor-made for that particular farmer in their specific field. ApproLabs helped us develop this technology platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As a startup, we didn’t have an end-to-end vision of what our software would look like. It was built on the fly, and we pivot depending on feedback. We got feedback from the farmers and then implemented it in the coding. I take care of the database engineering and ApproLabs handles the frontend design and development using Angular and Node.js. The solution is a progressive web app.

What is the team composition?

We work with a project manager and developers.

How did you come to work with ApproLabs Private Limited?

I checked out a few of the options here in Chennai. I have a tech background and wanted a team that understood the exact tech stack I was looking for. I found ApproLabs to be a great fit because they had great technical capabilities. I looked at their past projects and was impressed so I decided to give them a chance.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested over $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were great at implementing our farmers’ feedback. We gave them the time limits and every time they worked on code; it was right. Again, as someone with a software background, I have contacts who are experts in the field and have vetted the code. The code is perfect and uses the best programming practices.

Additionally, ApproLabs has excellent management availability. Anytime there was a problem, they were extremely proactive about resolving it. Their team is full of experts who dig deep into research to find answers to our questions.

How did ApproLabs Private Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re awesome with project management; I’d give them a 200 out of 100 for communication. We interact almost 4–5 times a day. ApproLabs is always just a phone call away. They’re accommodating to our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sometimes we don’t know what solutions are possible, we just know what the problem is. ApproLabs is so accommodating in proactively finding the tools and knowledge to help us find those solutions as we move forward.

Another thing, I’m very impressed with their ability to work in a lean startup mode; that’s not something that’s prevalent here. I was surprised they knew it and worked in that fashion.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you know what you want to achieve at the end of the day. You need to be a functional expert and ApproLabs will be the idea experts. Don’t expect them to be your functional expert.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and product owner of Minits, Inc., a social and knowledge sharing app similar to Quora. Mainly, users can share content with like-minded people and discover content based on their interests. We connect people around their wants and interests.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Intrepid?

I started working on this platform in the past 4–5 months, and Intrepid has been working with me for quite a while now, supporting me in front- and backend development activities for the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Intrepid is developing a hybrid app using Ionic. This involves AngularJS on the frontend and Node.js on the backend, with MongoDB as the database.

I started our relationship by explaining my idea, which involved them signing an NDA. We had a small storyboarding session on how they’d go about doing things and how we could develop different aspects and functions of the application. I had shared my thoughts and some bits of information and did some whiteboarding myself. They came back with their input on that and created more professional designs, which brought my idea to life to a large extent. I had a round of discussions with their team after that about how we could go about the implementation and which platform would be best for building the app.

We spent around two weeks in the primary discussions phase, focusing on how we could keep pace with the latest technologies used by platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. That helped me a lot since I’m from a manufacturing background, not a technical one. My product filled a gap in the social arena, and I needed someone I could work with for the foreseeable future. Intrepid gave me that confidence.

They’ve been open and vocal about their ideas, giving their input on how to do various features. It’s been more or less like a partnership. Both of us have brainstormed on it.

What is the team composition?

I’m working with one frontend developer and two backend developers from their team, along with the CEO and the CTO of Intrepid.

How did you come to work with Intrepid?

They have good SEO for the Chennai region, where I’m from. I’m based in UAE, but I keep going back there because it’s a short distance away. I was searching for good companies there that had a very competitive rate. The initial thought process was to go with an Upwork freelancer, but working with a single developer rather than liaising with an entire team would have been difficult. With Intrepid being from Chennai, I thought it would be easy for me to meet them and sit down to discuss whatever needed to be done upfront.

I approached a few other companies, but Intrepid gave me a lot more confidence than the others did. Their team is close-knit, and I got to sit with the CEO and CTO. They were very vocal in the initial discussions about how they wanted the app to be. Rather than just taking ideas from my end, they gave their input as well.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve paid them 5 lakh Indian rupees ($7,068 USD) upfront, and I’ll be making another payment of 3 lakh ($4,240 USD later. Other than that, I’ve invested quite a lot in the app in that I bought the domain and paid for AWS.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Intrepid in August 2019, and it’s ongoing. Progress was a bit slow in the beginning, but it’s picked up pace since then. The main problem with bringing any idea to reality is that there are a lot of iterations. We had to undergo a lot of iterations to make the app more appealing regarding UI, as well as decide what platform to use.

The MVP version is done, and I’ll be pushing for beta in a week or two. I’m hoping that I’ll have it up and running in production by this month’s end or the beginning of next month. I’m planning to release it on both iOS and Android.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve only been circulating the app among friends for now, but people who’ve used the product have all given me good opinions about it. The only issue, as with any startup social platform, is that we need content, and we need users to post that content. Solving that is a bit of a challenge, and I’m still working on it. Hopefully, once the beta is out and circulated amongst more people, I’ll have better clarity and get more content. I plan to release it into production and have more users who enjoy the content of the app, rather than just coming to post something.

How did Intrepid perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve completed their work on time. There was a bit of a lag in the initial phase because of the number of iterations, but that was because of the changes I requested. Overall, Intrepid supported me in getting up and running. Now, I’m a bit ahead of schedule, and the app is more or less in the review-ready state. Once the beta is out in circulation, I’ll have something solid on my hands.

I communicate with Intrepid on a daily basis with updates on their progress. They also send me debugged SDK builds every 2–3 days. If work is more extensive, those can take around a week, but I’m well-informed about it beforehand. With them, I’m able to plan and tell them which features are a priority and which aren’t. They complete those features, and we go through a testing phase after that. Once I approve the work, we move on to the next one.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I worked on another product using freelancers and a different team, and they put most of the work on me. When I gave them an idea, they’d ask me for a drawing and do whatever I said. I was the product manager, and I do agree that it was all supposed to come from me, but, given their experience, I expected them to give input from their end on how users would interact with the app. Quite a lot of other freelancers and teams I’ve worked with didn’t give me any input for my product.

Intrepid, on the other hand, comes back and tells me if a particular functionality won’t work well and asks me to reconsider. I’ve discussed their ideas with other people, and it turns out they were right, and that those functions wouldn’t have been used much. Their input has helped the app evolve into what it is today.

I had a sit-down with their team recently to discuss where the product should go down the line. They submitted a questionnaire to their friends and colleagues and got feedback about how people perceived the app. That was a great insight for me. They didn’t need to do it, but they did anyway.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a lot of delays initially because of iterations that had to be done. The communication was a bit laggy then, but that was because I was traveling abroad. The daily updates I mentioned weren’t there in the initial stages, and I had to push them to do it. Initially, they’d give me a big update every 4–5 days, and I checked everything, which was a huge load. The updates are now much more regular. I think they should give other customers the same kind of updates they’re giving me.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should explain their ideas clearly to them and wait for Intrepid’s input. They brainstorm among themselves on how to go about it and then come back with their thoughts about the product. They’re professionals in terms of UX design and they do their research on other products on the market.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We provide a mobile app for cricket data aggregation. I’m the managing director of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Intrepid IT Services?

We needed help with developing a mobile app that would allow users to see who’s playing near their location and join cricket playouts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Intrepid IT Services developed our app for Android and iOS. They’ve worked with me from the very early stages. We’re currently working on a scoring module and an auction one.

What is the team composition?

Currently, there are 4–5 people from Intrepid IT Services working on my project, including a backend developer, a UI designer, and a team leader.

How did you come to work with Intrepid IT Services?

I found them through a reference from a digital marketing company. We started with a small project. I was happy with their work, so I decided to continue our collaboration.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent 1,000,000 Indian rupees (approximately $14,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Intrepid IT Services one year ago. We’re currently working on the third update.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After a lot of testing, we launched the Android app to the Play Store four months ago. Currently, it’s the biggest cricket app in our city with close to 30,000 downloads.

How did Intrepid IT Services perform from a project management standpoint?

Intrepid IT Services is almost always on schedule. I’m in constant touch with their team through email, WhatsApp, and calls. We’re both based in Chennai, so we meet face to face once a week. They’ve been okay with hiring additional professionals to help us out with this project. I look forward to having more projects with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Intrepid IT Services has a talented and young team that delivers projects on time, which is hard to find. They always stuck to the agreed cost, even when there was extra work needed on a feature. I had a bad experience with another developer who asked for more money for every small change I requested.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would’ve been a bit happier if they were on point with the delivery schedule. I don’t have other complaints so far.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients can trust them with whatever’s on their mind.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Do it Zero Inc

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are building a library of tools to help organisations run sustainable campaigns for their employees and customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire ApproLabs Private Limited to accomplish?

• Tech Development

SOLUTION

How did you find ApproLabs Private Limited?

Referral

Why did you select ApproLabs Private Limited over others?

• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from ApproLabs Private Limited were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We took help of the Approlabs to develop our product which is tech tool for organisations to run sustainability related campaigns. In summary, we asked Approlabs to do : 

1. Development of the product according to the designs provided. 
2. Testing the product developed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Completion of the product within the timeframe decided, stability of the product after the development, also, to mention prompt response in addressing the issues.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They delivered the project on time. The project management was good with a dedicated project manager.

What was your primary form of communication with ApproLabs Private Limited?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They complete the project on time during different phases of the product, issues were promptly resolved as well.

Are there any areas for improvement or something ApproLabs Private Limited could have done differently?

Nothing in particular.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Sr. Product Manager of an it services company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

One stop solution for Remotely Managed Digital Screens for offline marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire ApproLabs Private Limited to accomplish?

• Mobile App

SOLUTION

How did you find ApproLabs Private Limited?

Referral

Why did you select ApproLabs Private Limited over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from ApproLabs Private Limited were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Starting from the Wireframe to host our App @ Stores, Approlabs extended their complete support

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Ease of use, Faster downloads

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They follow the Agile methodology and as a result, they could able to complete the modules as per the timeline. Responded through Chat / direct calls. When needed, we had one-one conversations too

What was your primary form of communication with ApproLabs Private Limited?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their turnaround times on the UI designs and fixing observations were impressively quick.

Are there any areas for improvement or something ApproLabs Private Limited could have done differently?

Dont find anything as such

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Medall Health care P Ltd. is the south India's one of the Biggest Organisation doing diagnostic services. I am working here as consultant Manager IT.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Intrepid IT Services?

We need to recruit the freelance phlebotomy Based on the requirement while we conducting the camp. objective of the project is starts from the recruitment, Screening, notification of the work and the their acceptance and the payment settlement

What were your goals for this project?

Servicing the customer better and sourcing the phlebotomy on demand. with cost effective is built in.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We sourced through the web. after screening 4 or 5 Vendor we chose this vendor

Describe the project in detail.

We need to recruit the freelance phlebotomy Based on the requirement while we conducting the camp. objective of the project is starts from the recruitment, Screening, notification of the work and the their acceptance and the payment settlement - We need to develop this on the web as well as in Mobile app.

What was the team composition?

I was speaking with Sunil initially latter Coordinating with Vishnu.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This is developed internally for the organisation purpose. Still it not launched for the recruitment since covid-19 Lock down.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was nice smooth transition

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Delivery on time, If there is any change from our in the work flow accepting with lessor commercial and delivering it on time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

no commets