OrangeMantra

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CTO of Alyve Health, a healthcare ecosystem we’re building in India. We started the company last year, and we’re just getting into healthcare services. I’m from Delhi, and my other two co-founders are from Mumbai.

What challenge were you trying to address with OrangeMantra?

We were planning to build something that not many people have done. They’ve provided us with different types of expertise.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OrangeMantra has designed and built our iOS, Android, and web applications. When we started this company, we needed many people on the front- and backend sides, as well as other areas. First, we had to more or less develop the core solution’s architecture.

Initially, they came on board to support us with iOS, Android, and backend development, specifically for PHP, Laravel, and Python. We zeroed down on PHP and Laravel, and we went with Python for analytical use cases. 

We’ve worked with an agile methodology, so we have two-week sprints. We started with minimal documentation, which served us two purposes: agility and discussing things among the team. That has allowed us to develop and experiment with many things — there are a lot of ideas from both teams.

When we started working on it more, we realized that the solution wouldn’t be as simple as other e-commerce websites. We use their component on our Wix site. However, we’ve invested more into our B2B and consumer applications.

They’ve built the regular purchase journey for our available services, such as yoga, mental health, and so on. They’ve also integrated healthcare and fitness apps, Google, a pedometer, and other tools, which have been one of the key concepts of our healthcare ecosystem. Additionally, they’ve helped us build the engagement ecosystem and our own to-do model, which is basically a personalized calendar module. The user can come and take any healthcare services, including insurance, wellness, and mental health. We have different journeys, and OrangeMantra has developed all of them.

Another key thing is that their UI designers have also supported us. Moreover, they’ve helped us with the DevOps team to bring this ecosystem to a more scalable level. Our infrastructure is currently hosted on AWS, which they’ve entirely set up.

What is the team composition?

We initially worked with 7–8 people with different expertise. After that, we started building our own team, which now consists of 3–4 people who are always involved. OrangeMantra has supplied us with a project manager who also acts as SCRUM master. He keeps tabs on everything and has helped us with a solution design.

How did you come to work with OrangeMantra?

They were referred to me by one of my principals. They’d worked with OrangeMantra before, and I’d been engaged with them in my previous organization, where they created a Salesforce effectiveness tool. Our relationship goes back at least four years.

When we started our own company, we decided to engage with them again to build the services from scratch.

How much have you invested in them?

We’ve spent close to $60,000–$65,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them on this project in April 2020, and it’s ongoing.

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

The app has already been launched. We had a soft launch in October 2020, and since January 2021, it’s been going full throttle.

We’ve launched a program for a company, and it has been bug and error-free. Also, there hasn’t been downtime. Users are based across different time zones in and outside India, so I think the performance has been satisfactory.

We’ve been told it’s a seamless experience. It’s a consistent experience across all devices, whether on iOS, Android, or the web app. Since it was done for the first time in India, users hadn’t seen something like this before.

Overall, OrangeMantra has met our expectations. In many situations, we needed a couple of resources on short notice, and they were able to provide them. That gives me more confidence in our partnership because they can still supply quality resources if something goes wrong.

How did OrangeMantra perform from a project management standpoint?

Bugs are part of the development cycle; there are different reasons for bugs, whether it’s miscommunication between the product and development teams or changes. During the initial development cycle, there were bugs, but they put testers in place. For the last year and a half, we’ve been working totally in the time and money, since it isn’t a fixed budget project.

We have our own WhatsApp group with the management and developers. If we need any escalation, we go that route. Sometimes we’ll simply drop a message there, and they’re responsive. We use Slack with the developer and the team that works with me. In general, their team is totally integrated with our team across different modules.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their expertise and responsiveness are outstanding. Many people in the industry have the expertise, but I won’t work with them if they aren’t responsive. If someone is responsive and can put themselves in my shoes, that makes them different.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re over accommodating on many things, and I believe they need to start working more on it. Sometimes you become so over accommodating and over cooperative, you end up getting into situations or scope creep. Overall, they have a good team and are doing really well, but I believe they need to start saying no.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear with your objectives and don’t take them as another vendor. If you share your roadmap with them, they can be your long-term partners. Otherwise, it might confuse the team because they won’t know where they stand in the overall scheme of things. Give them the roadmap and what you’re trying to achieve.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the e-commerce head of technology for a retail company.

What challenge were you trying to address with OrangeMantra?

I needed someone to develop our e-commerce website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The OrangeMantra team developed our e-commerce website and implemented app integrations in our platform, but they didn’t build everything from scratch. They’re now in charge of maintaining our website. 

What is the team composition?

We’re working with business analysts, architects, administrators, developers, and testers.

How did you come to work with OrangeMantra?

We found 4–5 companies on Google, and we hired OrangeMantra because they offered cost-effective services. On top of that, they had excellent turnaround times and solutions.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than 40 million Indian Rupees (approximately $530,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017, and it’s ongoing.

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

Our business has grown since we partnered with OrangeMantra.

How did OrangeMantra perform from a project management standpoint?

Their process is good, and we use ActiveCollab as our project management tool. Then, we use WhatsApp and email to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

OrangeMantra is supportive and proactive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have limited resources so they need to expand.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend working with them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a peer-to-peer crime reporting platform.

What challenge were you trying to address with OrangeMantra?

We hired them to build a chatbot system for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

OrangeMantra built an automated response system that would connect our various apps. They implemented different chatbots, all sourced from a single system. They also established the system’s singular backend.

The chatbot system relies on different technologies, like Google Maps APIs that indicate where the chatbot is responding. The team also leveraged natural language processing, WebSockets, and backend AWS APIs.

How did you come to work with OrangeMantra?

I found them online. I held interviews with different companies and felt most comfortable moving forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $20,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2020 and are just finishing up the project.

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

I’ve enjoyed the process of working with them, from a personality standpoint. They’re great at what they do. There were some project snags along the way, but they allowed us to quickly recover from these pitfalls. They proved to be an affordable option in building a prototype.

They also had great communication skills; we could articulate the problem that we were trying to solve, and they’d come up with appropriate solutions.

How did OrangeMantra perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great at maintaining a fast pace to keep us moving at the rate we wanted. There might’ve been a little mismatch between what we required and what was actually delivered. That being said, expectation management is a difficult aspect of executing a project prototype, in general.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take a problem-solving approach to their work, on a deeper level. They try to really understand the problem that’s being addressed, more so than other groups. They took the time to understand where we wanted to head with the project before launching into development. I saw that reflected in the project proposal and their communication along the way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their design capabilities. We spent a lot of time preparing detailed documentation for our design specs, and the final solution did not look as good as we’d proposed. The project is still underway, though, so we’re looking forward to seeing improvements as we move closer to product completion.

I’d encourage them to do a little more research on the project requirements to make sure that they’re attainable. They should ensure the fulfillment of all project requirements before the finalization of payment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you provide a lot of detail. While they’re fairly good at filling in the gaps, I’d encourage you to have a very clear picture of what you’re trying to do. Otherwise, you might come up short in terms of the final result.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Parrot Innovations, a tech company that provides solutions for the educational sector. Some of our services include attendance tracking, school visitor management, and report analysis.

What challenge were you trying to address with OrangeMantra?

OrangeMantra has been working with us to develop our software for attendance automation.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re creating a platform where a child’s school attendance is automatically registered on the backend; their presence or absence would trigger an app notification to be sent to the school or parents. Their team has developed everything from the front- to backend and is now assisting us with testing and deployment into the Google and iOS stores.

What is the team composition?

There are more than 10 people from their team currently working for us.

How did you come to work with OrangeMantra?

I found them through an online search and met with them a couple of times. They understood our brief quickly and were happy with the timeline, so I decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in December 2019, and the work is still ongoing. We plan on hiring them for other projects as well.

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

While development is still underway, the quality of their software and code has been very good. They’ve been completing tasks in a timely manner, which has kept us on schedule. Their deployment has been effective as they ensure that everything is done perfectly. 

How did OrangeMantra perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive. They have an effective system where there’s an automated response updating us about their project progress. They utilize an internal portal for project management. When we’re not using Skype, we go to their office and have in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a very friendly bunch who have established an excellent environment. While we might not be their most expensive clients, they still treat us like our business is very important to them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s hard to say because the product hasn’t been fully launched yet. I can only provide solid feedback upon deployment, but I don’t have any complaints so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d definitely recommend them. Everything has been pretty decent, and they come at a good value.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a Vegan food snack band by the name of Ojas Vegan and we are based out of Vancouver, Canada. We provide certified Vegan, Gluten Free, Kosher and Non GMO verified options of snacking that a healthy alternative for food cravings.

For what projects/services did your company hire OrangeMantra?

Orange Mantra was hired to increase the Social Media content for the brand at the same time develop, design and maintain the SEO’s for the brand website. With a long term goal set towards providing the brand with maximum coverage on the internet.

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

Orange Mantra has always been my go to place for all our companies new projects. Have been working with them for over a decade now. The consistency of work and professionalism is the key factor that keeps us bringing back to them.

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

Project was to design the ideal website for the brand with a potential to grow the website into a innovative e commerce platform.

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

At a given time we had a team of 4-5 individuals working for the brands. The team was divided into the Social media team head by Abhishek and sumit. Then we have the SEO optimisation team led by Sneha and entire project supervision and reporting done by Prateek.

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

The appearance of the brand name at a higher position on Google search was the key factor of the generation of SEO’s with the right foundation and planning.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had two meetings set once a week to discuss the progress and issues.

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

They are honest and easy to do business with

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

Innovation towards social Media projects could use a spark.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Senior Information Officer at Eurofish Internation Organisation, a non-profit organisation for the development of fisheries and aquaculture in Europe.

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

We had a task of merging two websites into a single larger site and were in touch with several companies to do the job.

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

Orange Mantra (OM) gave us a competitive quote and were thorough and knowlegdable in explaining different solutions and made us feel safe throughout the process.

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

We had two Joomla websites that we wanted merged into one and ended up building the new site in Wordpress and OM did a good job in extracting, harmonising, and migrating our data. Communication regarding the development process was excellent and our weekly meetings meant that task went smoothly.

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

A project manager was our main point of contact and there were at least two developers working behind the scenes.

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

It's too early to evaluate the metrics of the website but we have received positive feedback on the design from our customers.

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

Very communicative with quick replies. Basecamp was used to manage deliverables.

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

Their communication was excellent and they always resolved issues immediately.

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

The only negative comment I can write is that the total price was increased due to additional hours spent on the project. This wasn't made clear and could have been communicated better, but we found a solution and will continue to use OM in the future.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Ecom Express is providing end-to-end technology-enabled logistics solutions to small and large e-commerce players. As a Senior Manager, I am leading the product team in the firm and manage the execution of the Product roadmap.

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

We were looking to improve and automate the onboarding process of the Customers by complete end to end digitalization process. In addition, we also want to improve the Customer facing interface and Website. Since this was a time bound objective, we took services from OM team based on their expertise for the development and delivery.

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

We found the vendor via referral and considered them along with couple of other vendors. Since it was a time bound project, we selected the vendor on basis of their expertise and support offered for the project.

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

We initiated the work with Project kickstart meeting followed by workshops to explain the requirements and gain common understanding on the scope. UI was developed and agreed upon. We followed the Scrum framework with 2 weeks sprint for the development. The deliverable were verified and feedback was collated for subsequent processing and planning. Post release, in the first quarter we have witnessed around 35% increase in the customer base.

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

Project Manager: 1 BA: 2 Front- End Developer: 2 Backend Developer: 3 QA: 3

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

We were able to launch the project early by 1 month. Within the first quarter post release, we were able to witness 40% increase in new customers count and it has certainly helped the internal Sales team along with the experience provided to Customers.

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

Basecamp Email Google Meet Microsoft Teams

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

I am impressed with their agility and quick turnaround time on the feedback shared.

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

There was a scope of the improvement in the Communication process.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm currently a freelance developer.

For what projects/services did your company hire Orange Mantra?

The goal was to develop a social media app for people where they could take pictures, text, live stream videos, translate content and transfer it online, use emojis, participate in group video chats, and insert memes into texts.

How did you select this vendor?

A friend recommended them to me. We got in touch over Skype and within a few hours of exchanging project requirements and estimations, I was convinced that they could deliver the results I needed.

What was the team composition?

I was initially contacted by the marketers and then as the project progressed, the technical staff was kind enough to clear all my questions.

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

The project was delivered right on time without any added costs. Though we had a lot of changes done to the original idea, the staff was kind enough to implement those in the predefined time period.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication was very effective and I was informed of all updates on a daily basis. They were extremely transparent with me and kept me in the loop along the way.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive thing has to be how much they value a customer and how far they're willing to go to ensure the client's satisfaction.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not really. If they maintain the same culture as they scale up and grow, it'll be perfect.

Please describe your company and your position there.

MELCOM is a retail brand based in Ghana.

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

We hired OrangeMantra for supporting our Online store.

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

Due to recommendation from friends

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

Orange Mantra takes care of all programing and server related issues for our online store

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

We've worked with six people so far. Positions: Project managers, developers, lead developers

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

Website is being stable since we started working with them and 100% of our customer complaints are being resolved

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

The project management style is OK. A project manager is assigned to us and we communicate with him for any query we have

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

We're impressed by their flexibility and ability to meet tight deadlines.

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

No

Please describe your company and your position there.

Automotive 2 Wheeler

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

Relationship with Orange Mantra is for e-commerce, Enterprise applications and digitization

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

Due to earlier relationship and good work delivered

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

Service Learning Portal, development of Special Service Tool listing with functionality to add view edit pdf and videos. .php

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

Amit & Rupali along with 10-15 people

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

It was a necessary development at our end and our requirements were met as per BRD provided by us with necessary upgrades etc

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

It was a good experience. Our requirements were taken up in timely manner. Regular updates were provided.

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

flexibility to incorporate changes and ready response

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

No