ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC

Please describe your company and your position there.

Al Mawashi is a global leader in the livestock & meat industry. Four branches in UAE , Kuwait , South Africa & Australia. I am the Technology Development Officer for the UAE branch.

For what projects/services did your company hire ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC, and what were your goals?

We had an outdated E-commerce solution & we wanted to take it to the next level in terms of the service , customer experience & marketplace availability. ITFAQ team helped us with the design , Technical infustructure & features that can be implemented in the solution. The Project was successful & we were able to cope with the pandemic & in the same time increase our online sales.

How did you select ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC and what were the deciding factors?

We had several solution providers in the UAE shortlisted. We picked ITFAQ team of the shortlist because of the capability of their team , creativity & support. that we found that is better than the other candidates. Thus far we were right for our selection & we hope we continue this partnership with them to years to come.

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

- Native mobile App (Android) - Native mobile App (IOS) - Native mobile App (Huawei) - Customized E-commerce management platform - Webstore - Marketplace (that allows other vendor to join Al Mawashi) - Vendor orders & item portal - Customized Corporate order module for internal use

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

3 - Sales - project manager - Sales

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

We were able to launch the project on time. As i mentioned it was successful.

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

- Timeline & organizing the tasks was great - there were several way to communicate through

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

They took ownership of the project and that made them impressive.

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

Of course there is a space to improve such as new technologies.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager for the property bridge division that comprises alcoholic beverages that we distribute and can sell within the region. Our company is a wholesaler, exporter, and redistributor that’s based in the Middle East. We have various retail shops that we distribute who can sell those brands that we import. One of those retail shops is Barracuda, which is the largest local retailer in the UAE.

What challenge were you trying to address with ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC?

We wanted to differentiate ourselves from the other retailers in the market. We believe that the key way to do that is to build a loyalty-based program and we wanted to do that through a loyalty-based app. Nobody has something like that in the market, so it was going to make us stand out. 

We found out that we weren’t really retaining existing customers. They tend to visit on a monthly basis and stock-up. We thought that we weren’t really recruiting new customers. So we wanted to give something back to our existing customers, as well as give the new customers reasons to come down to us. 

We already worked with a previous company way back in 2018 for the app creation, but we weren’t getting as much innovation. We weren’t getting out what we actually anticipated in terms of recruiting new customers and maintaining our existing customers in terms of building our database.

So that’s when we found ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC. We hired them to rebuild our application from scratch and provide ongoing support.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to rebuild our application from scratch because our white label had been with the previous company. So we didn’t have much after our contract was terminated. ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC was able to assist us and develop the application. We gave them one month to rebuild the app and they managed to achieve that.

Apart from the loyalty points system, the application also features an integration that would help customers order our products online and come down to the shop to physically pick them up. We also have a gifting feature where you can gift the points you earned to your friend and a wish-list functionality. The app is also our platform for product launches and we included an ad campaign section for news. 

What is the team composition?

I work with about 10 people or more, everyone from the top-level people to the sales team, developers, and designers.

How did you come to work with ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC?

They were actually a referral from a friend and colleague. He got a quote from them on their service and when I was looking for an alternative vendor, he recommended them and that’s how we got to know them.

How much have you invested with them?

We started working with them last May 2019 and we continue to work with them to this day.

What is the status of this engagement?

It is between $30,000-$50,000 over the period of the engagement.

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

The increase in lead generation is a big measure of success for us. We also had a big spike in lead generation over a more recent period. We’ve got around 43,000 active users on our app today. The average basket value has also increased by 33%. 

Our staff has also given positive feedback about the benefits of the app and how it helped them on a staff level. Customers have also noted their satisfaction with using the app.

How did ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

ITFAQ Systems & Softwares Trading LLC  is very good at communication and keeping us in the loop. They are quick to respond with regards to any quotes and challenges that I’m facing or updates from one thing or any bug fixed. They are always happy to assists us.

I believe that they were very good at the turnaround time, quality, and the cost of the project. The team always goes above and beyond.

These times are challenging, we don’t have the ability to meet up and discuss things face-to-face and have a briefing. However, they have been accommodating. I think we managed to get through and try to work within the constraints that we are facing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There are multiple things that I mentioned like keeping the communication lines open and responding quickly. I think with most agencies, you can wait for two weeks before your project or your problem can be dealt with. The quality of work that comes out of the team is really impressive as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t say anything because they’re very good at actually working the crisis and adapting to fit within my budget. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The key thing is just briefing the team properly so you, as a client, will know exactly what you want. I believe that a strong point to sit down, go thoroughly with the brief, and make sure that it is properly understood from the very beginning, and go back and forth a few times. It is a bit tiresome, but I believe that at the end of the day, it’s beneficial for both parties.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Fruitcase.ae. It’s an online cake shop.  

What challenge were you trying to address with ITFAQ?

We needed an e-commerce site developed.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I provided guidelines and my vision for the customer experience. They created a customized e-commerce website from scratch. They also integrated my delivery management application, as well as a payment gateway.

With the platform, customers can log in to their account. Their orders are saved, they get reminders of cakes they’ve purchased and alerts for birthdays.

What is the team composition?

I interact with four developers, but there are another 2–3 people working behind the scenes. 

How did you come to work with ITFAQ?

My IT developer recommended them to me for a previous project. I liked the outcome and wanted to work with them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $3,400.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2018–September 2020.

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

They delivered what I asked for, and were accommodating when I made changes in the requirements. The website is user friendly, creating an easy experience for customers to place orders, etc. We are still making some changes, so it hasn’t gone live yet. I’m very satisfied with the work they’ve done.

How did ITFAQ perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very professional. They provided a clear timeline, and we had weekly, or bi-weekly, meetings for progress updates. We communicated via WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They prioritized customer satisfaction and made helpful suggestions. They asked clarifying questions and always answered my questions. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re professionals who know what they’re doing. They will do an amazing job for you.