Techne R&D Holdings Ltd

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Managing Director and Founder of PEISO, an innovative profitability software for the Hospitality Industry.

For what projects/services did your company hire Techne R&D Holdings Ltd, and what were your goals?

Peiso was an idea, and as a non-tech founder I needed to find a developer to bring my vision to life. I interviewed over 15 development companies for the project, and Gordon was a clear and obvious choice.

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

No software solution does what Peiso was attempting to do, and the key for me was Gordon's ability to readily understand what I wanted to achieve, and how I wanted to do so. I had developed an MVP, and Gordon quickly grasped the underlying logic behind Peiso and detailed a plan about how we would get there.

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

Peiso was an excel MVP, with multiple sophisticated algorithms. With such a complex project, this was an essential starting point, as I was able to explain and show the team what needed to be done. Peiso relies on information from 3 sources via integrations. This in itself was a complex ask for an initial product. So the scope was to create a software solution from a rudimentary MVP, including 3 integrations. Technes project steps are ideal. In collaboration with a UX designer, we created a basic version of Peiso pre code. This allowed 90% of the key elements to be understood and mapped out. We then engaged the UI, and the design and elegance was just what I wanted. We then went to coding. This process is very thorough, and ensures minimal missteps and prevents doing things two and three times.

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

I worked with Gordon as project lead, then directly with a PM, UX, and beta tester.

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

The outcomes were a working software solution, and secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the right one. As an initial version of the product, with years of development still to take place, the key not to over engineer the product, but at the same time to have something that delivered value. This was achieved in quick time and within budget.

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

We invested in scoping the project in detail, and then through the stages as described above. We used slack as a core comms tool, which is ideal. The style is collaborative but something of great value offered by Techne is how they keep things realistic. As a non-tech founder, I am not conversant on consequences of design decisions, and Gordon and the team trained me as we progressed. This alone has saved me months of work.

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

Receiving robust feedback and the quality of the process and comms. What we didn't do is as valuable as what we decided to do, and advanced the project significantly.

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

No to be honest.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a director of Naked Pools based in Varsity Lakes QLD and Melbourne VIC. Naked Pools is passionate about innovation, service and the total customer experience . We are setting a new benchmark for water quality in the swimming pool and spa industry, while delivering a product that is simple to use, has lower running costs and easy to maintain all year round.

Our state of the art hybrid system utilises nature’s natural minerals and oxidisation to provide your pool with a true eco-friendly solution. Customised to your pool with variable timer control allows the NKD1 System to cater for any pool configuration, returning huge ongoing energy savings.

With TDS (total dissolved solids) levels up to 70% less than its rivals, your NAKED water can be back washed to your garden without any dilution, and the plants will love it too. Our primary focus is the experience our customers will enjoy swimming in a fresh water pool.

As well as the water being crystal clear, with no more chemicals than your average tap water, the pool water has a much softer feel on the skin. A feeling to leave you refreshed and rejuvenated with no residue on the skin and no need to shower after swimming or bathing.

For what projects/services did your company hire Techne R&D Holdings Ltd?

We hired Techne to develop our native mobile app to provide our customers with information for everything they need to know about managing their 'Naked Pool' ongoing.

We also wanted to deliver some handy tools such as pool size and water chemistry calculators and other benefits of being able to register their new product online with an easy to use interface. It also needed to integrate with our existing Zendesk Support software so that our resources could be managed in the one place and flow through each device.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals with the App was to reduce the amount of direct customer support calls by putting everything a consumer needed to know about their pool at their fingertips. Once a builder finishes the pool we want every pool owner to then download the app to make pool management easier.

It was also an objective to offer this service direct to the pool builder so that they can utilise the information and tools while installing and setting up the pool system.

How did you select Techne R&D Holdings Ltd?

We interviewed a few mobile app developers. Some offered very cheap pricing while others were very expensive. We were introduced to Techne through a friend of the swimming pool industry and we found their pricing and willingness to develop what we required a perfect fit.

Certainly not the cheapest but definitely not crazy expensive like some developers. They were willing to help develop what we needed with virtually a money back guarantee should we not be happy with the outcome.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was to develop the app from the ground up and natively for optimum performance and the ability to continue to further develop and enhance the app moving forward. We required full integration with the Zendesk Support Suite that we use which was completed successfully.

There were also calculators developed that utilise a variety of data to inform consumers of their pool water volume, a variety of calculations for water chemistry and to natively adjust and use our software within the product.

They also provided an administrative back-end that allows us to monitor and manage people signing up to the app with the ability for us to then contact them by a variety of methods such as by state, postcode and others.

What was the team composition?

Techne had a local manager to our Melbourne office although we were easily able to communicate remotely. They gave us a variety of human resources via the SLACK application to fully handle the project where we communicated with the relevant resource depending on what was required at the time.

They built a full UX and and UI for us to see and test functionality before main development saving on time and costs.

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

We launched the App only a couple of months ago and only starting to now push through our builder network as well as new packaging, brochures and operating manuals encouraging users to scan our QR code to download the app.

When a customer calls for support we now encourage them to download the App so they can self help and this has been enormously successful already. The feedback from customers is always positive, noting the amount of work that has gone into it and how helpful it is.

We expect that once fully launched and take up is grown, we should reduce our support calls and time for servicing by over 50%.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very good, whether via phone, email or utilising the SLACK application. We always received updated communication and if we had any specific questions to any of the Techne team they were answered within the day.

The SLACK application used let us communicate whether we were in the office or on the road so all communication was fast and effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Techne gave us a very slick app which is both user friendly and fast with a professional look and feel. Rather than using 3rd party software and trying to join them together they were able to build the app in its native format which works seamlessly on either Android or IOS.

I found most things about the company impressive rather than just one stand out.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There may have been a couple of instances where we had picked up a small thing that may have been missed and had to go back to them to include but this was typically a very small thing and always dealt with quickly but this is why they have the right processes and technology in place which is to check the prototypes before having t spend time on full development.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Cascade Languages.

What challenge were you trying to address with Techne R&D Holdings Ltd?

After graduating from university two years ago, I had trouble finding a job and decided to create a language learning app.

The goal was to create a mobile application on which I can upload and sell Spanish educational audio content.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed an Android and iOS app that comes with language lessons and content. The user receives lessons in Spanish, and they can also access a whole collection of Spanish stories to help them continue with learning.

Initially, I went to them with a simple idea. I wanted an app with screens, but after talking to them, they told me that they would take it up a notch. After deciding on multiple screens, I gave them the aesthetics of what I wanted, and they took that to develop the app.

We started off with drawings, and then they created images on the computer. Following that, we made wireframes. After that, they showed me a video of the app and then provided me with a test version to install on my phone.

What was the team composition?

My first interactions were with the project manager, then later I was introduced to the developers and the rest of the team.

How did you come to work with Techne R&D Holdings Ltd?

I looked online for a bunch of companies. I sent out emails to various vendors. Techne was very prompt in replying. We had a chat on the phone where we discussed the project, then we later met in person to go through more of the details of the project and the cost and time it would take.

I chose Techne because of their promptness, their availability, affordable price and overall professionalism.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $10,000 AUD (approximately $6,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with them in February, and the app will launch soon.

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

The team expanded on my app and made it easier to use and adapt. It's complete, and we submitted it to the App Store and Play Store. Even though the app is finished, we’re still going through testing phases with their team.

I’ve shown it to a handful of friends. The feedback I’ve received is that the app is simple and practical, but delivers what it aims to do. I think I got far beyond what I expected and paid for. I wanted a language lessons app, and they provided a user-friendly backend that allows me to add stories and content immediately.

How did Techne R&D Holdings Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

The entire process is organized. As far as communication, my main point of contact would respond within an hour. He also works weekends. I can call or send an email whenever I want to talk to him. We communicated via Slack. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I went to them with my simple idea, they said that they would raise the standards. It mattered to them that whatever went out with their name distinguished them. I liked that their team pushed me towards something better.

Are there any areas they could improve?

One of their teams is based in Hong Kong. There is sometimes a language barrier, but that’s minor. When it comes to technical matters, the developers could do a better job of conveying what they are trying to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good idea of what you want, and know what you’re strict and flexible about before going to their team.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the co-founder of Woniu App.

What challenge were you trying to address with Techne R&D Holdings Ltd?

In the past, we did all of our bookings through social media like Instagram and Facebook. While that was appropriate, I wanted a centralized system that allowed me to organize registrations and tickets in a single space. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially started off with a blank canvas. I didn’t have an exact idea of how the UI would work. After sitting down with their team, they explained that the UI is something that needs to be clear and crisp.

It’s important that information doesn’t appear to be clustered. The idea is that it would be clear and concise. They prioritized a smooth user journey in their work, but also indicate that they could make changes based on user feedback. Our goal is to make the app an evolving platform, so we’re still making necessary amendments to it. 

How did you come to work with Techne R&D Holdings Ltd?

Many potential service providers were confident that this would be too difficult of a project for them to handle. I was referred to them initially, so we set up a meeting.

With Gordon (Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Techne R&D Holdings Ltd), however, we sat down for a 45-minute meeting and laid out the requirements. He got back to me quickly, requested a one-time fee, and took care of the rest. That process was quick and organized. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a one-time fee of $6,000 with them for licensing. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2019, and the collaboration is ongoing.

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

We’ve received nothing but positive feedback from them. The app is simple to use and well-organizes, so people are happy with it. The platform hasn’t crashed to date. 

How did Techne R&D Holdings Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

The team works quickly and informs me about their processes. I have direct access to their team, so I’m never waiting in a pipeline to be heard. Once I give feedback, I can count on it being changed. They have an evolved form of iterating, always providing me with new work that I like. Their team makes changes right away according to feedback. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of the product and overall team organization has provided us with unique customer experience. Their timeliness and efficiency are unmatched. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m a happy customer. The satisfaction that came out of the project was great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep your mind open to suggestions. You can’t be narrow-minded because others will interpret your product differently than you will. There’s a solid chance that changes would benefit the end results of the project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the co-founders of nomnom App Pty Ltd, a startup that provides a smart menu and table ordering at cafes and restaurants in order to eliminate the hassle of waiting to order and waiting to pay at the beginning and end of a meal.

What challenge were you trying to address with Techne R&D Holdings Ltd?

We worked with Techne to build both the mobile app and the web-based platform for our company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Techne R&D Holdings Ltd worked with us from the ground up to build both a web platform where vendors could set up menus and prices and select what option they wanted to offer through us, as well as a web and mobile frontend for our customers.

A big part of the project involved integrating the QR code and NFC chip capabilities into the application so that customers can use their phones to make payments. They also built functionality to print orders to facilitate kitchen and bar operations through the app as well, which has played a big role in the reception we’ve seen among the foodservice industry.

What is the team composition?

We have one main point of contact, and there are a few other members of their team involved in the project who we deal with from time to time.

How did you come to work with Techne R&D Holdings Ltd?

My co-founder and I worked with a different company at another startup we had created, and they did a great job over the two years that we worked with them. They introduced us to Techne R&D Holdings Ltd on that job, so when we decided to kick off this project we knew that we would be able to rely on them for the work we needed to do.

How much have you invested with them?

The first stage of our project has cost about $50,000 AUD (approximately $33,400 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in October 2019 and is still ongoing. We just getting ready to launch the MVP.

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

Their ability to produce something so high quality while taking advantage of offshore development work has been a huge benefit to our operation. The fact that I’ve chosen to work with them twice speaks to how satisfied we’ve been with the quality of their work. The app has a few minor bugs and kinks at the moment, but based on the progress made so far we are more than confident that it will be ready to launch on schedule.

How did Techne R&D Holdings Ltd perform from a project management standpoint?

We typically communicate over Slack, and it has been incredibly easy to convey changes and improvements through that forum because their project managers and developers are all good communicators as well. There has been no difficulty staying on track towards our project milestones, and we always feel like we’re part of the process, which is a great sign in projects like this.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Two things immediately come to mind. The first is just their ability to deliver an incredibly well designed final product, but on top of that, they deliver high-quality work for a much better price than most other companies doing similar work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There honestly aren’t any significant issues that we have. They’re great to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you’re working with most developers in general, you have to find the right balance between coming to them with an exact layout for everything you want and how you want it, and a vague idea for an app with no way of actually implementing it.

Techne R&D Holdings Ltd does a really good job of taking an idea and some suggestions and then running with it and expanding upon your vision, so it’s important to give them something to start from but also the room to get creative as well.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an online grocery store.

What challenge were you trying to address with Techne R&D Holdings Limited?

We hired them to develop an e-commerce app for our shoppers, drivers, and suppliers.  

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the beginning of the project, we sat down to discuss what we wanted. Based on that conversation, they provided the wireframes. Once that was agreed upon, they quickly began development on a mobile app with a web app backend. Building the apps from scratch, they used AWS, Java, JavaScript, and Stripe for payment processing. With an API, they connected the backend of the driver and shopper apps. They also submitted the backend for the store supplier.

Now they’re working on a marketing campaign and making adjustments. When users report problems, the team responds to them over Facebook Messenger. Accessing the accounts, they’re able fix whatever is going on.

What is the team composition?

Gordon (Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Techne R&D Holdings Limited) is our main point of contact, but they have ten employees based in Hong Kong.

How did you come to work with Techne R&D Holdings Limited?

I reached out to another vendor, but their owner recommended Techne R&D Holdings Limited because they could finish the project faster and still have a great experience.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $200,000 AUD (approximately $137,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2019 and the project is ongoing.

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

Their impact has been astronomical. They completed the driver app in just three months, and we’re set to launch the shopper app this week. Functionality has been great and the apps haven’t crashed. We’re continually improving the platform because we don’t know what features our customers are going to want. They really go above and beyond and make our team look professional. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without them.

How did Techne R&D Holdings Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve added us to slack, WeChat, and teamgantt. Turnaround time is so fast because we can reach them quickly. When we’re getting feedback from drivers about features they’d like, we just message the development team and they’re on it. For example, we needed to change the driver’s license feature from specifically Australian to international, and they were able to make that happen open almost immediately.

teamgantt is also a really helpful tool too because we can plan around the UI development team’s schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their speed is impressive. They’re able to develop features as I’m getting information and feedback.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s this saying in development: you can only have two things between quality, speed, and cost. We chose quality and speed. They could be cheaper, but we’re happy with our partnership.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure your investor knows that it’s going to be expensive and have a set budget.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the co-founders of an app for ride share drivers. It keeps tracks of expenses and covers Australian tax regulations for drivers.

What challenge were you trying to address with Techne R&D Holdings Limited?

Rideshare drivers have to log their work and create a business activity statement to comply with Australian tax laws. Of course, few can do that on their own and using a traditional accountant can be very costly. We hired Techne R&D Holdings Limited to create an app that would solve this problem in a convenient way.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They used Java to build an iOS and Android app from scratch. We went through the features and designed the app together. There an API that connects the platform to the Australian Business registry and tax office, meeting all tax obligations. They also implemented security features.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with a project manager and they had ten people working on their team.

How did you come to work with Techne R&D Holdings Limited?

We knew them on a personal level and trusted them, so went ahead on the project with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in March 2019 and it is ongoing.

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

We have over 4,800 users and downloads and have had excellent user feedback. We haven’t had any bugs and the platform is scalable. Techne R&D Holding Limited solved the problem and did a really good job. The platform is simple and easy for drivers to access.

How did Techne R&D Holdings Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager was excellent. They always delivered on time and within budget. It was amazing how quickly they were able to produce it. We had a tight deadline, but the end result is still amazing. We had a lot of face-to-face meetings but also contacted them via phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The end product. Everything was high-quality and they didn’t cut corners.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No—as I said, they were professional and great to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to their advice because I was impressed. Their UE specialist wasn’t familiar with Australian taxation laws, but he spent several days researching so he could give us solid advice. On top of that, they’re up to date on the latest technology.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder of SLIDE, a nightlife app that allows customers to browse events, signup to guestlists, purchase tickets and book bottle service and VIP packages at nightclubs and bars.

For what projects/services did your company hire Techne R&D Holdings Limited?

We hired Techne to complete the development of our mobile application and venue portal. We had spent the past 18 months designing and prototyping our app and eventually secured funding to hire Techne to build out the first version of the mobile app.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal for this project was to build an app that brings more people and provides them with access to the night they want. We needed to build a product that was versatile that could adapt to how the venue operates.

The goal was to ensure this app had enough features for everyone so that it could be a sound first version of the app that would be relatively easy for the market to adopt.

How did you select this vendor?

We were introduced to Techne by the team who helped us design the product. They had worked with Techne on a previous project and spoke very highly of their ability to produce quality apps within a reasonable time frame at an affordable price.

Describe the project in detail.

We first met with the Founder (Gordon) to discuss our vision for the product. His energy was fantastic and he took the time to understand what we wanted to achieve with our business. Gordon was thorough in our first meeting and genuinely wants to help others succeed.

This was very important to us, as there is a high level of trust required in choosing a developer for your business vision. We were then able to get a quote and plan a timeline for the project which will be delivered on time.

SLIDE involves a mobile application that is connected to a web app that the venue is able to log into to list their events and offers. There is also our own admin that gives us overarching access and control of the platform.

What was the team composition?

Along with Gordon we also communicate with 3 other staff members at Techne including the product manager, UX designer, and project manager.

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

Our app is scheduled to launch on-time and bug free. There have been next to no hassles with dealing with Gordon and the team. Their standard of work is beyond what we could have imagined.

We were forced to make changes to the app early on in the development process and Techne were extremely flexible with these changes. They even provided their own advice and suggestions to help us solve our problems

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow has been really simple. We have several slack channels with appropriate team members that makes it easy to communicate. Techne are also very flexible with timezones and will work to suit your needs.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their founder Gordon and the way he runs his business stands out the most. The team is an extremely hard working group of people and will go above and beyond to deliver a high standard of product and service.

Their time frame is very reasonable and cost effective considering the high quality of work. Their a personal touch to Gordon and the team that I have not seen in other vendors, and you know your business is in great hands.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.