Alekh Verma on Business Success - An Interview with CEO, eSearch Logix

1. Hi Alekh, you are the founder of eSearch Logix Technologies. What motivated you to start a company in the first place and what inspired the agency name?

In 2014, we started our journey by keeping Digital Marketing and Development as our core services. The brand is something that reflects what we do, and this is where we wanted to have a name for our agency that relates to both of our core services. And finally, we landed with two words: eSearch for Digital and Logix (Logic) for Development/programming. Having something unique and that also defines our area of work and scope through our brand name has given us a unique proposition in this industry.

2. Please introduce your company and give a brief about your role within the company?

As I have mentioned above, we are a complete digital transformation service provider, rendering full support for anything online that a client requires. From website development to digital marketing, PPC, mobile app development, and everything else related to these, inclusive and beyond, we have been serving our clients for the past 7 years.

I am the founder and CEO of eSearch Logix Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Though usually, you would have seen a company or agency is founded and run by multiple partners, I laid our company’s foundation myself. Being the sole founder of a company is never an easy thing, especially with the continuous expansion that we have been going through since our inception. But this role is something that I have enjoyed taking responsibility for.

3. What industries do you generally cater to? Are your customers repetitive? If yes, what ratio of clients has been repetitive to you?

We serve clients across all types of industries and fields. While most of our client base has been in the USA, we also have been serving clients from across the world, including Europe, Australia, Middle-East, Asia, and more. Whether a business is transforming towards the online medium, or looking for a modification or upgrade to their existing virtual presence of a business, we are here to help and guide them towards digital success.

Some of the more common categories that we serve include -

• Ecommerce
• Healthcare
• Professional Services
• Education
• Gaming
• Entertainment
• IoT

If we talk about repetitive clients, then retention is our main priority. And thankfully we have a retention rate of 70%. And, this is something we are very proud of and grateful to have such team members with us that cater to the client requirements as well.

4. As a company specialized in web and app development, what tips would you like to offer your clients looking to get a better return on investment?

As far as I have learned through the last decade of working in this industry, being on an online platform is not enough. And just having able to reach the target of sale or close the sale is also not enough. To build a stable position, improve your growth and to expand and enhance, you must be able to make your customers fall in love with your business.

While it is generally said, the word ‘USP’ (Unique Selling Point), plays a big role. You have to put your business’s or brand’s unique proposition in front of your target audience. Also, with an app or website – there are two elements – the technical end of your product, as well as customer interaction, and you should be equally focused on both. Even if one element lacks down, it will hurt your online platform’s overall position and performance.

5. With over 7+ years of experience in the IT industry, eSearch has successfully delivered 1000+ projects. What do you think about the numbers in the future?

While numbers do play a role in revenue generation and overall Return on Investment (ROI), it shouldn’t be the sole criteria if we are looking for steady growth in the future. Our main motive has always been to bring complete satisfaction to our clients, and also client retention, which, fortunately, and with a dedicated team, we have been able to do regularly. I believe that when we can meet our clients' needs and match their demands, providing them with complete satisfaction, the project numbers are only going to increase.

6. You have been nominated to get featured as “Fastest Growing App Development Company” with MobileAppDaily. Could you share the tips for business success?

When it comes to business success, it isn’t a shortcut or something that you can achieve overnight. Creating a sustaining and successful platform takes years of hard work, struggle, dedication, focus, learning, and all the more a cohesive team structure. In short, I will define these basic factors as most important to follow:

• Strategic Focus - This includes your people and resource management, planning process, and leadership role.
• People - How skilled they are, what learning and growing process they are going through, how thorough they are in planning execution. 
• Operations - What workflow structure you have in place, what process you are implementing
• Customer/ Client Satisfaction - All your efforts have to be aimed at giving 100% to your clients and making them fully satisfied and content.
• Approach - You cannot expect to gain wide success and acclaim if you are logging through with set standards only. You have to adapt, create an agile workflow, and bring innovation and inventiveness into your process all through.

7. What are the common challenges faced by mobile developers today?

There are several challenges that mobile developers face in today’s times -

• Is The App Worth?: The first and foremost is what a developer creates must be something that users want and like to use. It should be usable for them, solve their problems and provide a feasible finish.
• Different Screen Sizes :We are no longer in an age, where the screen size is limited. Nowadays there are different screen sizes in mobile phones, and tablets, and desktops. Your application should cater to all the device sizes.
• How Interactive the App is?: Is your app interactive on all accounts? Is it weighed down by the use of high-level sensors? The design stage is where interactions have to integrate and sometimes it can be a tedious and challenging task to handle.
• App Content Management: Content management is what proves to be a big thing for websites, and now this has also emerged as a big factor for mobile applications. Having rich content and that is refreshed and updated regularly is a challenge the designers and developers must prepare the app for.
• Development Approach: For what industry the app is being required? What sort of target audience is for the app? What is the development timeline? Should the app be a native one or a hybrid one? These all are things that you have to be clear about and prepare from the beginning.
• Attention-Grabbing: The app must be unique in use, interface, and functionality and should win the attention of the potential users to be able to be used for the long term and generate revenue.
• Software Fragmentation: There is much software that users would be using alongside your app on their devices, and this software reads the app in their own way. Sometimes it can lead to major issues, for which the developers have to prepare.

8. Any particular technology or industry you would be targeting? How do you plan to prepare your workforce for the upcoming technology upgrade?

While there is a specific industry or technology we target, we want to explore our options, get ready for whatever comes our way, and create a wider work scope, some of the industries that we target more in present times include - eCommerce, education, healthcare, and professional services, as these are high in rising and demand.

Preparing my workforce for the future is something that I didn't have to worry about that much. I am privileged that I have got such a good team at my disposal. They know what is required of them, how they should be ready for future challenges. Our process and work culture are where we incorporate learning enthusiastically, and being in the tech domain, we understand that we should keep ourselves updated on the latest across the verticals. 

9. How would you describe your agency’s culture?

I would say that we have a Connected Company Culture, where everyone feels respected, appreciated, accepted, and valued, having a sense of belonging. They work cohesively, are always up for cooperation, adapt and learn from others, support each other, share ideas, and also take part in fun events together and rejoice. We are a family that shares common goals.

10. If you had to choose between any one operating system, would you choose Android or iOS and why?

While both are good, I prefer iOS more, based on its high-end functionality and performance for which Apple has created a unique niche in all the segments. Each one of these operating systems has their own aspects and perform to the task well enough. Still, I believe that what iOS has created for itself in the industry and amongst users is a kind of benchmark that delivers on a higher scale.

11. What trends, innovations, headlines are you following closely in your world right now? Why?

As we are fully engaged in this sector, we keep an all-encompassing update process. Most importantly our focus is on what newer trends are emerging in the field, how we are able to handle the requirements, what challenges are being estimated to arise in the future. Our focus is on keeping ourselves a step ahead, following the app use inclination, augmentation of technologies that are used, and specifically different domain additions that will be key in the coming months and years.

12. What are some of the best mobile apps you've developed?

Some of the apps that we have developed include ESL Meet, Picture Match, FF Delivery. While there are many more, but due to our agreement terms with our clients, we can’t reveal their names.

13. How do you separate yourself from your competitors?

A successful business isn’t built on the thought that they have to copy others, but on a belief that they have to bridge the gap and find solutions pertaining to the users. We believe in healthy competition, as this helps to create a benchmark, allowing for fair delivery to the customers. We are separate from our competitors, because we are ‘us’, have our philosophies, follow our process that we feel is right and better for our employees as well as for the clients. We believe in creating our own identity, and not being influenced by what competitors are doing.

14. Could you please share your feedback on how MobileAppDaily has been doing so far in improving your visibility among potential clients?

With such a revered presence in the industry, I believe your platform allows businesses like us to get deep and thoughtful insights, keep up-to-date with the latest in the industry. Being engaged on your platform, and gaining a presence on your published features has certainly been very helpful for eSearch Logix. It has not only given us a broader user base to reach but also helps build a brand presence that is valued.

15. We have heard that you have a very joyful work culture, so can you share with us some of the fun pictures of your workplace?

Takeaways!

• With an app or website – there are two elements – the technical end of your product, as well as customer interaction can be the biggest USP for any product or service.
• According to Alekh, the connected company culture, where everyone feels respected, appreciated, accepted, and valued, having a sense of belonging.
• He prefers iOS over Android, based on its high-end functionality and performance for which Apple has created a unique niche in all the segments.
• “Our focus is on keeping ourselves a step ahead, following the app use inclination, augmentation of technologies that are used, and specifically different domain additions that will be key in the coming months and years”, as stated by Alekh.