Interview with Founder & CEO of Extern Labs- Aniruddh Agarwal

Selected Firms in an exclusive interview with Aniruddh Agarwal, Founder & CEO of Extern Labs

 

1. Briefly describe your business and the beginning of Extern Labs' journey.

 

Hi, I am Aniruddh Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Extern Labs Inc. Extern Labs started as a software development company in 2019 with a vision to provide Advanced IT Solutions to Businesses around the globe. We started this journey with a team of two people in a small room, and now we operate from 4 locations in 3 countries with a squad of 100+ geeks. Our team operates from our offshore centers located in Jaipur and Noida (India) and from our virtual offices situated in Dubai (UAE) and Wyoming (USA).

 

To be more exact, we are pro-coders and creative beings that offer a fresh and innovative approach to web and IT solutions.   

 

In a short span of time, we have evolved a lot as a startup software company, catering to the tech needs of various brands such as CemtrexLabs, Neosoft, Innovation20, and Aspiring Minds.

 

We have evolved to meet the ever-changing technological needs of today's environment, and we are on track to transform the way businesses use technology to conduct business, communicate, and complete transactions.

 

2. How do you lead the Extern labs team as CEO, and what do you expect from your team?

 

I make sure a work regimen never becomes overly routine or a burden; it’s crucial to find ways to motivate team members every once in a while.
I make headway with complete confidence in my team. I assign them responsibilities; they have goals and deadlines, and I assume if they are here than they want to work here, so they will do good work. I provide them with space to innovate.

 

I have managed a team of interns and freshers, basically students that are particularly challenging to handle. If anyone has handled the student team, they would know how challenging it is to get them part with their time. They have lot of things going on- academics, the stress of being a student, co-curricular activities, family and friends, and other job opportunities are all part of their daily lives. If you don't intentionally engage, you will have a diminutive capacity. All of it does work somehow.

 

I don't stand back and tell them to go... I rather will be in front of them and say, "Let’s rock."
I have to back my team to insulate them from the harsh reality of business.
I provide them with big projects, make them go out of their comfort zones, motivate them, guide them, and get out of the way...  Watch them take a flight.

 

3. How many accolades and prizes have you received so far?

 

People believe that awards are benchmarks of their success and achievements, but we never see our awards like that. At Extern Labs, successful products and client satisfaction are our achievements.

 

Many magazines and institutes have recognized our work, yet we only focus on fulfilling clients' requirements and aim to provide customer satisfaction.

 

4. What method of project management does Extern Labs employ when working on mobile app projects?

 

There is not one right or proven approach to project management. It all depends on the type of project and your development team. There are various challenges that we developers face while working as a team. We have to manage everything, from ensuring optimum performance to keeping the project within budget. There are many sides that should be taken care of.

 

However, there are a few things that we at Extern Labs make sure to follow for all mobile app development projects:

• Having a detailed action plan (We segregate the entire project into smaller parts with small milestones)
• Evaluate the specific guidelines of the system like whether you will build an app for android, iOS, or both)
• Get written requirements from the clients.
• Maintain clear communication with the team (assign tasks to the team) and clients.
• Daily standups with the team to discuss impediments and progress.
• Weekly sprints so that developers can work in an isolated environment without having to worry about the next set of tasks.
• Evaluating results

 

Some of the project management tools that we actively use in Extern Labs are Trello, Jira, Asana, and ClickUp.

 

5. What distinguishes Extern Labs from the other players in the market?

 

I will say there are two primary things that make us distinctive from our competitors:

• We are an all-inclusive software development agency in which we help clients from completing the requirements to marketing the product.
• IoT development is one of the main focus areas of our company wherein we help companies in building IoT-enabled products.

 

6. What are the key factors Extern labs consider before selecting the web and app development platform?

 

For any app development, deciding the platform is crucial. We at Extern Labs always aim to develop the best solutions that can enhance the client's business, not just fulfill the client's needs.

 

Some of the factors that we take into account before selecting the web and app development platform are:

• The budget and time frame
• The target audience
• The features
• Ease of development
• Scalability

 

7. What cutting-edge technology do you anticipate fostering development and innovation in the upcoming years, and how?

 

The world is making huge progress, especially in terms of technology.

 

However, some of the futuristic technologies we invest in are:

• Combination of Software and Hardware with IoT systems.
• IoT is mainstream now as companies in different industries are adopting this technology to be more efficient, productive, and competitive.

 

• Mixed Reality
• It is going to be a big hit in the tech world. It encompasses both AR & VR and allows users to blend their real world with a digital one.

 

• Business Automation
• Automation is being embraced by businesses of all sizes. It reduces mistakes, improves communication, increases productivity, and streamlines the process.

 

• Blockchain
• Today, blockchain is the fastest-growing skill in the IT sector. Although it's complex, people have started embracing blockchain because of all the pros it offers the industry

 

8. As we see all the hype around "Metaverse", what is your take on this?

 

I would say we are quite optimistic about it, and we have started investing in and preparing ourselves for the Metaverse. It has got huge potential in the coming years, with cryptocurrencies as the icing on the cake.

 

Though there will be downsides as well, which we will be seeing in the coming years, like cybercrimes and privacy and security challenges, I also think if we were capable of building the technology, it would succeed in solving those issues as well.

 

9. What optimal factors do you consider to achieve maximum client satisfaction?

 

“Customer satisfaction” is a very vague term. Still, satisfied customers are important to the business.
I agree with everyone that improving customer satisfaction demands a smooth and efficient business strategy.

 

The goal of every business is to attract a targeted audience that has some reasonable expectations. Customers are what drive any business, so it's important to keep them t and stay true-hearted to them. Some of the points that I keep in mind to achieve maximum client satisfaction are:

• Accessibility
• Empathy
• Convenience
• Quality
• Community

 

If you are running a business, you should be accessible. You should make it effortless for clients to interact with you, ask questions, or get a problem solved.

 

If you want to keep a hold of your customers, you must keep them grinning all the time. This goes both ways. If your team is happy, they will make sure to keep the clients happy. Empathy is when you hear out your customers when they are upset, showing concern for the situation, and letting them know that you’ll fix everything in your power to make it right.

 

Not all customers will be interested to do business with you. If you make it difficult for a customer to browse, schedule, or interact with you, it will take no time for them to look for another company.

 

Your services should be top-notch, but despite this fact, if you offer a poor-quality product, your customers will not return.

 

10. What is the last piece of advise you would like to provide to all businesses out there since you have a lot of experience in this field?

 

The entrepreneurial journey comes with all kinds of highs and lows. I think to be an entrepreneur and to lead a team, you have to first believe in yourself. Because being an entrepreneur takes a lot of courage.

 

More importantly, focus on your contribution; just think how lucky you are to be able to do what you love. In the end, your contribution is the ultimate reward in life.
One more thing, do accept failure; it’s part of the process.