Driving Business Process Digitization During COVID-19

Andrew Volchek, CEO and Co-founder of Arateg tells us about custom software development.

First of all, how are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times? 

Andrew Volchek: Fortunately, everyone is in good health. I was infected by coronavirus a month ago but there were no severe symptoms and now I feel great. We all take care of wellness, keep social distance, and work from home. 

Tell us about you, your career, and how you founded Arateg.

Andrew Volchek: Together with a team of talented software engineers, we set up a company in 2014. Sergey Glebko who was among the founders is a CTO at Arateg now. A year later, we established a programming school on the base of a software development center. Our primary objective was to help startups and SMEs achieve success and generate revenues using technologies. With accumulated experience in design and development, we deliver quality software solutions tailored to the industry-specific needs of our customers.

How does Arateg innovate?

Andrew Volchek: Our team employs cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence to help organizations succeed in the market. With innovative solutions, startups and SMEs can automate workflows, ensure visibility in business processes, and protect sensitive data. Delivering AI and blockchain software to customers that operate in sectors like FinTech, InsurTech, retail, healthcare, and real estate, we assist them in gaining a competitive advantage and boosting efficiency.

How the coronavirus pandemic affects your business and how are you coping? 

Andrew Volchek: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our team completely switched to remote work since the beginning of March 2020. We canceled all business trips and postponed participation in meetups and conferences. However, this did not affect the quality of our services thanks to thoughtful task planning, daily reporting, audio, and video meetings. 

As coronavirus had an adverse effect on most industries, businesses recognized the need in digitizing their services and operations. Aiming to stay competitive in an uncertain market environment, some of these companies came to Arateg to build custom software. 

Did you have to make difficult choices and what are the lessons learned?

Andrew Volchek: I’ve learned that it is possible to maintain the same level of team efficiency or even increase it during remote collaboration. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of agility for business success. When the market environment is changing—for instance, now we are witnessing the rise of e-commerce, mobile banking, and e-learning—organizations need to quickly react and meet customer preferences. To help startups and SMEs overcome the crisis, our experts have prepared a guide to set up a remote workflow and boost productivity.

I believe that digital transformation is our future. Those companies that leverage the power of technological solutions go in advance of all others and pursue opportunities. Market players that operate only offline have fewer chances to survive during an economic recession.

What specific tools, software, and management skills are you using to navigate this crisis? 

Andrew Volchek: We use video and audio conferencing software such as Zoom and Google Meet to hold meetings and interviews with job candidates. To manage projects, track time, plan tasks, and monitor due dates, our specialists employ Jira. Cloud solutions of Google Suite allow our team to store and share files, as well as collaborate on various documents.

With the view of ensuring transparency of operations, our company created AraIS—the name is made up of “Arateg” and “information system”—a software platform for reporting, preparing project roadmaps, and keeping track of working activities. We provide our customers with access to AraIS, so that they can easily control the software development process, from app prototyping to deployment. 

In order to ensure proper data security during remote work, Arateg employs applications that use data encryption. In addition, we leverage virtual private network connections and multi-factor authentication.

Who are your competitors? And how do you plan to stay in the game?

Andrew Volchek: Our competitors are companies that develop software for the same audience. However, software solutions are in high demand. I would like to emphasize that at Arateg, our main purpose is not to fight off competition but to deliver the best solutions to our customers’ problems. During this intense and uncertain time, our software engineering company focused on assisting startups and SMEs in building solutions that drive digitization. We take care of product quality and compliance with software project requirements. 

Employing up-to-date programming languages, libraries, and frameworks, our firm creates scalable applications that can handle high loads. To provide maximum efficiency, we hire only experienced specialists who have the necessary skills and knowledge. Finally, Arateg provides team training, so that everyone is aware of recent trends and developments.

Your final thoughts?

Andrew Volchek: The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, forcing organizations to automate processes, improve customer service, and boost online presence. Today, it is crucial to quickly adjust to new market conditions and ensure business continuity. Equipped with bespoke software solutions, companies will be able to dominate the market even during disruptions such as COVID-19. Feel free to contact me personally via LinkedIn or email a.volchek@arateg.com to discuss how you can address industrial challenges and overcome an economic recession.

Your website?

https://arateg.com/