Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a leadership development company specializing in simulation-based learning.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd., and what were your goals?

The simulations we develop are typically designed for in-classroom use. With COVID19, we adapted spreadsheets and activities to be managed online.

However, managing multiple documents across various locations and dealing with security and access issues has impacted the effectiveness of the learning. Our project with Roars Technology was to explore creating native, online simulations with user interfaces for different roles. We wanted to create an impactful learning experience that would not require the client to have to store and access multiple interactive documents.

SOLUTION

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

In an effort to take advantage of the cost-savings and expertise with Indian IT companies, I identified several companies I felt would be able to do the needed work. I then sent a Request for Proposal out to them. Roars Technologies provided a quality proposal that would meet my needs and budget. It showed they had depth of experience and expertise.

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

I was grateful for the effort Roars Technologies took to understand the scope of the project before submitting the contract. It helped me clarify the requirements and helped them provide what I needed within budget. After a kickoff meeting I was able to walk through the experience that the audience needed to have with the end product. We discussed schedule, milestones, and expectations. Roars Technology provided a project management portal where project documents were kept.

The site also allowed me the ability to provide comments on deliverables and to approve documentation. While this project was only about design, I was particularly pleased with the Wireframe deliverable. Roars Technologies uses industry-leading rapid prototyping tools, so I was able to walk through a mostly functional website showing wireframes of layout, controls, data, and navigation.

It helped to clarify overall functionality. Each milestone also included an online meeting where the project lead would walk through the deliverable, explaining what they did. They were very open to feedback, clarifications, and changes.

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

My initial contact was with Suzanne with their global sales group. The majority of my interactions, though, were with the CEO, Riinkesh.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was pleased with the deliverables. Since this project was design-only, I was able to see and understand the efforts that will be required in scaling the solution in development.

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

Project management was primarily done through a portal. I had a unique site where documents were kept and could see the timeline and milestones. Documents could be reviewed with comments and then approve final solutions.

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

The company was very flexible with the unique requirements for this project. I appreciated the online meetings to walk through the deliverables and clarify needs.

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

While the company was accommodating for updates and clarifications, not all of the stated changes were reflected in the follow-on deliverables. I did find it important to ensure changes were documented.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of The Revolver Life, a personal AI assistance app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd. ?

I’m not a coder, so I needed a technology partner to flesh out and execute my idea. My app targets digital nomads and connects customers with service providers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redesigned the code for my web and Android app using Javascript, JSON, and Python language. They made the app sleeker, more user-friendly, and more modern.

What is the team composition?

I worked with one technology partner and also had contact with a business manager.

How did you come to work with Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd.?

One of my reputable clients used their services and I liked the outcome a lot. After some online research, I found their company and reached out to their business manager.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project began in August 2018, and it is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, I was satisfied with the investment and their technology partner’s dedication to my app idea.

How did Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

Roars was very communicative and was available to chat over WhatsApp outside of normal business hours. My technology partner walked me through the entire process, including exploring potential business obstacles. He used an agile management approach and broke down each milestone according to our timeline. Additionally, he gave me frequent updates and sought my approval before moving forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team was patient, friendly, and went above and beyond the call of duty for my project. My technology partner was very good with fleshing out ideas and clarifying my goals. I was very impressed when he flew out to Singapore to meet my team in person. They were even flexible with how I paid for their services.

Are there any areas they could improve?

For my technology partner specifically, I would suggest speaking slower. I understood he had a lot of great ideas in his head but the delivery of that material could have been better paced.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would suggest going to Roars with an open mind and being available to new ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an investment company that supports and helps develop technology projects. We’ve done work for clients in both Asia and Europe as well as East African countries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Roars Technologies?

Before reaching out to Roars Technologies in early 2006, we had troubles with quickly gathering a team that could develop some of our custom technical solutions. We needed resources that could create an e-commerce site with social networking features, soft sales, and video reviews. Initially, we worked with two other vendors over a six-month period but were disappointed with the results. As such, we engaged Roars Technologies to meet our development needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since contacting them over a decade ago, we’ve completed numerous projects with them. Generally, we collaborate with them to develop concepts, draw them out, and implement them. We produce a technical roadmap, which they then break down into a set of modules and estimates, outlining the time frame, resources, and costs. They also identify any potential risks early on and inform us prior to the engagement. Once we agree on the project scope, we move forward with development.

We’ve done three major projects with them so far. The first project was in 2006. It involved creating a custom-made e-commerce site with social networking capabilities for a cosmetics client. Roars Technologies wrote the code using PHP, which was a relatively new language at the time. The site allowed users to upload an image of themselves into our system. Our software would then analyze the image and tell the user their face type, detailing which cosmetics would work best for them.

For the second project in 2010, they developed a mobile payment system, which posed a lot of challenges. They used our team’s specialized algorithm to build the software. The system included all of the backend administration, which enabled us to overcome credit card fraud across both landlines and online transactions. Essentially, we needed to send a signal across a traditional landline, revert it back to a digital signal, and then back again to analog to go through our servers, all in under two seconds. The mobile device would then produce an acoustic signature, which could be decoded.

Roars Technologies’ team faced several technical difficulties along the way. For example, because we designed this product for emerging markets, we wouldn’t always have 3G coverage. Therefore, we had to rely partially on general packet radio services (GPRS), which had delay issues. Roars Technologies solved the problem by building the system alongside peer-to-peer retail telephone- and internet-based transactions. By building upon that same underlying technology, they were able to develop a working solution.

They’re currently working on a third project, building an MVP for a second screen application. The software would allow any advert to be played on a second screen for clearances. We need to fulfill about two million transactions every two seconds, which is no easy task. However, they continue to support our development. They’re also collaborating with us on another project involving blockchain AI.

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with their founder, but the team includes between 25–40 people.

How did you come to work with Roars Technologies?

As I’ve mentioned, we’d previously worked with two other vendors but weren’t happy with the discrepancy between the expectations and outcomes. When found Roar Technologies, we conducted a series of Skype calls and did an unscheduled onsite visit to interview the team. We gave them a few simple challenges to assess their abilities and felt comfortable with the results.

The team was proficient across several formats, from database design and infrastructure to web development and NODE.js. They also knew a wide range of languages, including C++ and Python. They had a strong understanding of how architectures and environments could be managed and demonstrated the right mindset to approach our technical problems.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $350,000–$500,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work began in May 2006 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We enjoy working with Roars Technologies because they don’t think like traditional technology companies. Other agencies tend to approach the project from a business analyst approach, taking far too long to develop a business proposal. Furthermore, they try to upsell solutions that may not fit the actual end audience. In contrast, Roars Technologies focuses on the commercial challenges and requirements, tailoring the technical solution to suit our needs.

Their team has a good grasp of commercial concepts and offers crucial insights into the development. At the start of the project, they invest a lot of time in the discovery phase to go over concepts and explore how the application could work. These detailed, high-level discussions about our commercial aspirations help define our applications. As a result, we consider them more of a technology enabling partner than an outsourced company. Their efforts have proven invaluable in speeding up our implementation in the market.

How did Roars Technologies perform from a project management standpoint?

Although agile has only recently become ubiquitous, Roars Technologies has been using an agile methodology since the beginning of our collaboration. This has allowed them to work quickly and flexibly. By breaking the development into manageable parts, they’re able to build module after module in a scalable way.

They appoint different managers based upon the project needs and team, which lets junior developers gain more practical experience. They then divide the project into phases and deliver the product based on established time lines. We provide them with an overview of the next 18 months to accommodate shifts in the market. We’ve never had problems with deadlines, and if there were delays, it was often caused by third-party factors.

In terms of communication, we talk to them via Skype, Slack, and phone. We’re also able to call them regardless of time differences. We can reach out to out to their coders directly, and they’re responsive to our inquiries, often replying in real time. Beyond a weekly meeting with the wider team, we also hold a general meeting with the founder to keep all parties updated. Though I’m not a particularly technical person, they’ve always been quick to explain concepts and explore specific options for our clients.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Roars Technologies is responsive, timely, and forward-thinking, and we’ve built a strong relationship with them. I’ve found that having trusted partners and networks is pivotal to scaling any business. I also appreciate that they’re not just looking for a financial reward. Rather, they care about their work. They’re passionate about building concepts and creating projects that generate social change. They work quickly, transforming commercial needs into programs. Even if we’ve only had a discussion, they’re able to create wireframes for the next meeting and approach us with ideas. This has been really helpful because it speeds up the entire process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

While they’ve delivered great outcomes, I would like it if they took on more work. We generally approach them to see if they can do a project for us, or, at the very least, handle an aspect of it. So far, they’ve been selective about the types of projects that they do because they’re focusing on being more of an innovation-technology partner. As such, it’s below their skill level to just do small, basic campaigns. Plenty of companies can do simple three-month projects, but only a few can develop a project from concept to delivery. We trust their thinking abilities and would like them to increase their involvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to be open with them about your commercial aspirations because they will never disclose your ideas. Being straightforward early on allows for frank discussions, which helps expedite the process. Additionally, don’t hesitate to ask tough questions about why one technology solution is better suited than another. They’re happy to offer insights into their reasoning.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a delivery service for food items. We also have a courier service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd.?

We wanted to develop an app that was sound, cost-effective, and acceptable to our target audience. Unfortunately, we’d lost money while working with other Indian companies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, the founder of Roars met with our tech team and stakeholders to exchange ideas. Once we sorted out the wireframing and decided what the product would look like, Roars developed our minimum viable product (MVP). After fine-tuning the MVP, they launched it in the market.

What is the team composition?

I engaged with Rinkesh (Founder, Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd.) on a daily basis.

How did you come to work with Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd.?

Clutch helped us identify potential suppliers. I was looking for a company that was within our price range and had the highest ratings and the most number of views. After receiving quotations from three companies, we chose Roars based on what other people testified about them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from October 2017 until May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had a lot of downloads for the iOS and Android apps. However, we still need to make some changes and resolve bugs. We will then launch and market the apps on a larger scale.

How did Roars Technologies Pvt. Ltd. perform from a project management standpoint?

We conversed via email, telephone, Skype, and WhatsApp. Our communication was strong, so there were no surprises. They kept us informed about how long the project was going to take and how much it would cost.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were nimble and talented.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Due to the language barrier, we had to work on the language and the tone of the scripts. We had to make sure we were delivering the right message to our target audience. Roars could also do better with graphics.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend Roars for app development. They’re a one-stop shop. Aside from the technology part, they can also provide SEO, social media optimization, and web development. They even have a call center if you need help with marketing your product. If you want to grow your company, go with them. I’d also advise people to consider the value to cost proposition and what they want to achieve.