Interview with Arun Goyal, Managing Director - Octal IT Solution

Arun Goyal  

Managing Director, Octal IT Solution

Give us a quick overview on Octal IT Solution. When and how did you begin this journey and what were your motives to be successful in app development?

Octal IT Solution is a leading IT industry that caters best, innovative and reliable mobile app solutions across the globe. With our skilled and proficient technical expertise we aim to explore novel opportunities for delivering utilitarian web services encompassing the latest and updated technologies. 

We aspire to develop enriched and polished mobile applications for Android, iOS, Windows, etc that contributes to today’s dynamic and distributed digital environment.

With our proven track record, we passionately embrace all the latest and updated technologies for delivering excelled web solutions. We strongly adhere to standardized novel design guidelines for engineering sophisticated custom software and cross-platform applications. Our tech empowered ideology inspires us to outline the guiding parameters for developing large software-driven and E-commerce solutions for enhancing the enterprises with vast and expandable peripherals.

The setup was started over a decade before. Just like every youngster, I had a dream of being an entrepreneur. I started working early when I was doing my bachelor’s degree in computer science which helped me gain more knowledge and taught me a lot before time.

The system and the process of IT companies of those days did not fascinate me much and hence I decided to create my own. I started a small setup in a room, with a good team which has been accompanying me in my journey till this day so as to conquer the future.

Mobile technology being the demand of the time and a perfect platform for innovation, I always wanted to do something which can get recognized and unique among the crowd. This yearning motivated me to be the best in Mobile App Development.

What is your role in the management and development of Octal IT Solution? 

Being a CEO, I dedicate myself for taking care of all the managerial and business requirements. Covering all the activities related to Management operations, planning business workflows, employee welfare; I make it a priority to make our organizational atmosphere more motivational and empowered.

While dealing with the business relations, I take part in all the development and deliveries associated concerns. Since, the client satisfaction plays a must role in determining the success growth of any business; altogether, we make necessary approaches for meeting the project timelines while adhering to all the technological and quality parameters.

Tell us about your biggest achievement in the industry

Whatever we have achieved so far is great, as that is what every IT company wants in the journey. But today, when we look back, we found that we have not yet achieved our goals and there are a lot more to capture. If I still have to mention about my biggest achievement, I would say it is my team of employees; they are my assets and they are with me over years. Retaining a big yet experienced team for years is really a big achievement for me. Being ranked as no:1 in mobile app development in the state, I would call this another big achievement as an entrepreneur. 

It’s a long journey and there are miles to go to achieve what I have aimed at. 

How do you schedule the development phases of the apps to promise the timeline to your clients? 

The development phases of mobile apps are selected according to its nature of complexity and the timeline schedules that it carries. We follow majorly two development models so as to deliver the app on time and with a perfect approach.

• Agile/ Scrum Model

It's a prominent framework that is helpful in reducing the project complexity and focus on developing products to attain the precise needs of businesses. It is used for successful team collaboration when it comes to complex projects. 

Here in this framework, iterations of fixed length known as sprints are formed by the team so as to deliver software module on the basis of regular intervals. It follows a set of tasks, meetings along with responsibilities that can't be amended. 

The four major ceremonies of Scrum that offer structure to all sprints (project steps) comprise of sprint planning, daily standup, sprint demo, and presentation. During the period of each of the sprint, the team utilizes visual object to demonstrate progress and gather gradual feedback. 

• Waterfall Methodology 

Also known as a linear-sequential life cycle model, the waterfall model is very easy to understand and use. Here, you just need to complete each phase fully before proceeding to the next one.

The projects which are small in size and have precise requirements and thus best suit this software development model. After completion of each phase, they are reviewed so to ensure that everything is perfect and there is no need to abandon or not to continue further.

The most crucial aspect is that there are no uncertain requirements, stable product definition and known technology. When the project is small and sufficient resources are available with required proficiency, it reaps great outcomes.

• Hybrid Model (Combination of Agile and Waterfall model)

As the name suggest, it is the combination of the aforementioned models. It is used when the requirements of the clients are uncertain.

Communication forms a major role here, as the any extra features could be added or deleted as and when required. Deliveries schedules are not fixed in this model. Hence, the related activities are not pre-planned, and are executed, once the prior stages are cleared.

The models are decided as per the client requirements and the deliveries required. May be it is Beta version, or some milestone achieved, the development phases are planned according to the time frameworks scheduled by the client.

How do you help your clients in choosing the right yet profitable platform for app development?

Mobile App Development is undeniably a brainstorming activity that involves varied processes and phases. Based on my recent research, I have found out some of the factors for choosing the right platform. Minimized installation time with the optimized memory structure and a universal platform that may be compatible for all the devices are some of the major characteristics of a good and responsive platform. Hence, it should be selected after a complete analysis on all the business requirements.

Which would you suggest for a successful and profitable business progression, Native or hybrid apps? How do you define the factors that influenced you to make this choice? 

While the technological advancements are in hype, there is a thriving demand for native and hybrid app development in the mobile app industry.  

Looking at the current scenario, we develop Mobile application that is completely dedicated to our client requirement. We appreciate their interest for choosing any of the platforms, whether Native or Hybrid. As our major concern is to deliver the reliable and seamless mobile applications we fervently adopt both the platforms. Both Native and Hybrid platforms are being inculcated with certain pros and cons. While the native app development offers allured display and enhanced functionality the latter offers approach ample resources and capital saving.  

As a reliable solution provider, we prosper native mobile app development, as it comes up with more exploratory features for app development.

For developing simple and specific mobile applications that encapsulate catalogue making etc, it is always a hybrid app development that forms the favorable approach.

Well, as both platforms are well established, a complete and detailed analysis should be done before any of the environment related to mobile app development.  

How do you scheme your pricing model? How do you fix your budget?

With our certain standardized paradigms we outline the most efficient cost structure for our mobile and web application. We generalize the cost frame depending on the complexity of ideologies to be inculcated in the projects and its nature parameters. Pertaining to the selection criteria and its utilitarian features, cost for an application is specified. For instance, if client goes for developing an ecommerce mobile application with specified set of customized features will frame a different cost while a client requiring a social app with lots of functional features and beautiful display may have an enhanced cost structure.

Depending on the intricacy of an application the relevant cost structure is defined. 

How helpful are the mobile apps developed by Octal IT Solutions for your clients in enhancing their business?

Well, throughout the journey of our mobile app development, we succeeded to develop ample of Mobile Applications on various platforms which were user-driven and engaging. We attained an impressive reputation for the development of most enriching applications that were incredibly justified with quality and design parameters. 

Our few empowered mobile applications are listed here 

Wolero - Wolero is iPhone based app that redefines innovation. It is a mobile app for travel industries and envelops latest technologies such as Nodejs and have an extremely functional interface that is prescribed by clone of the UBER (A very famous cab service in India) thus the data is being updated at real time .This mobile application is a renowned solution for hiring the deluxe cars on rent in Singapore. To conclude, it is a luxurious app for luxurious cars that is meant for serving the luxurious users. 

Bari App - This novel medical and fitness application works excellently on iPhone and Android platforms. The App is developed with IDEs X-Code and Android Studio 3.0 respectively used for iPhone and Android. It calculates the miles covered, pulse rate and body temperature on your wrist and mobile. As a Fitness Band it offers an incredible solution to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

What according to you are the best practices to attain client satisfaction?

Understanding the note, that client satisfaction is directly proportional to the company’s growth, I endeavor to achieve it through all the possible approaches

The very first thing that plays a great role for achieving client satisfaction is:

1) Communication: Clients need to be heard. Note down all their priorities, concerns and the associated ideas for making them feel engaged.

There are certain points at which I myself undertake the client call for making them aware when the milestone for a particular project is achieved or when a Beta version of some product is being developed. It is very important to include the technology that they want for a particular product and making them realize all the “ifs and buts” related to the same.

2) Establishing Kick-Off sessions: These sessions are described as the meetings between the project team and the client.

The main purpose of the meeting is to make the team members understand the project requirements, the work that has to be done and the technology to be used. The processes are carried further, when all the team members and the clients agree to go with the choices laid down.  

Such meeting helps to be quite significant in understating the clients and is the best way to assure them, that they will be delivered with the project in the same way that they have desired for. 

3) Transparent cost structure: Well, no client denies paying a little extra, in case their words are given utmost importance and priority. Hidden costs may create bad impression, and hence making all the payment terms transparent and clarified, can help you attain client satisfaction level.  

4) Sign an NDA: Assure them, that their app idea is secure with you and it will be not be shared with anyone at any cost. It helps the clients to a great extent, and further motivates them, to share other related ideas, as they feel that their ideas are being protected.

These are some of the key points that according to me play a major role in attaining client satisfaction. At Octal IT solution, we implement all the above strategies also we carry a vision for making our clientele the happiest. We indulge ourselves in delivering them the “just perfect” mobile apps or web solutions that are tailored to their business requirements and success prospects.

How do you update your business system to be in pace with the technological advancement?

They say “It is easy to learn any technology, but putting them in the right way for crafting out the beautiful products is where the actual concern lies”

Nowadays, new technologies are introduced in the market frequently and it is quite important to be in pace with them so as to deliver the right product.

For making the learning and the implementation of a technology easier, we at Octal IT Solution take every initiative so as to remain updated and empowered.

We make it a practice to train our people on any technology introduced, followed by the detailed sessions to discuss about its applications on the evolving business domains.

Basic questions such as, Is it the substitute of which technology? Why we should use it? In what form it must be used? What are its advantages and disadvantages? Why should we use this technology over the existing one? We’ll make our teams answer these questions during the technical seminars conducted under the supervision of our technical specialists. 

We establish open discussions which are headed by our project managers and team leaders so as to understand their beliefs about the corresponding technologies individually, making the learning more interesting and productive.  

What are your thoughts about AR, VR and Internet of Things (IoT)?  

AR, VR and IoT are taking the mobile app development ecosystem to the automated level. These technologies are surely redefining the way users execute their personal and professional activities. They had opened up the loads of amicable opportunities and making innovation as the key, businesses are using it to derive growth.

Mobile App Companies are ready to take on with these technologies. And since Apple launched iOS 11 with ARKit, it has become easier for the developer community to create AR apps.

The bottom line is, VR and Internet of Things (IoT) are the justified technologies for the mobile app developments that will use the maximum of your app and device so as to execute the things, in a way the users require.

What do you think will be the future of Mobile technology?

The future of mobile technology is flourishing with the every passing day. Businesses are switching over the ideation of having a mobile app for serving their clientele in a more versatile manner. Looking at the current industrial scenario, the mobile app market is expected to grow at a very faster pace. According to a report the mobile app market was predicted with a growth rate of $77 billion in 2017, and the figures are already increasing.

Hence there are huge opportunities ahead for mobile app market, and if they are build with all the right technical potentiality, the day will not be far when the desktop apps will be replaced with the mobile apps, as they are capable of doing all the things right in the manner your business requires it.