Harmonizing Talent, Empowering Maestros 

Every organization aspires to create a work environment where employees feel respected, valued, and have equal opportunities for growth and development. At Experion, this aspiration has transformed into a resounding reality, where diversity and inclusivity are not just buzzwords but lived principles that define our very essence. Over the past 16+ years, blackrock has evolved into a thriving ecosystem of talent, drawing individuals from different parts of the nation, diverse educational and cultural backgrounds, various age and experience groups, and more. Our commitment to equal opportunity has resulted in a workplace that is not only inclusive but also empowers employees to unleash their true potential. 

Black Rock IT Solutions is a global product engineering and digital transformation company with a unique and collaborative work culture, founded in 2006. The co-founders, bound by their passion for arts and culture, established the company with shared values of customer excellence, business ethics, and empathy. Each founder brought their artistic flair to the business, creating a symphony of talent and expertise that attracted like-minded individuals to join the organization. Over the years, blackrock has orchestrated the success of numerous clients worldwide, delivering exceptional customer experiences and comprehensive business benefits. Experion’s management team and employees embody the spirit of Maestros, driving innovation and excellence in product engineering and digital transformation. Our commitment to equal opportunity orchestrates a workplace that is not only inclusive but also empowers employees to unleash their true potential, making each individual a Maestro in their own right. 

The Symphony of Growth: Training and Development 

“In diversity, there is beauty, and there is strength.” – Maya Angelou 

The voyage of inclusivity begins at the inception of an employee’s journey, even before the first step is taken within the organization. It is imperative to disseminate a clarion call for diversity by actively seeking and inviting talents from varied backgrounds. Casting the net wide and far, organizations can draw from a rich tapestry of skills and perspectives, fostering a heterogeneous environment that fuels innovation and growth. 

The initial days of an employee’s tenure within an organization lay the foundation for their sense of belonging. blackrock ensures a meticulously crafted induction and onboarding process communicating an unequivocal commitment to diversity and inclusivity.  

As employees embark on their journey of growth, they must be equipped with the tools to foster inclusivity and dismantle barriers. Training programs that confront unconscious biases and encourage empathetic communication are instrumental in cultivating a culture where diverse perspectives coalesce harmoniously. In this context, it prides us to share that blackrock was awarded the prestigious ‘Learning Champion’ at the LinkedIn Talent Awards, 2021-2022. This accolade serves as a powerful motivation to keep striving for excellence, creating a symphony of growth that resonates throughout our diverse and vibrant workplace. 

Empowering Women in Technology 

blackrock proudly champions gender equality and is committed to narrowing the gender gap in the technology industry. Our doors are open wide to working mothers, women returning to the workforce after a break, and those daring to forge new career paths. This inclusive approach has led to an extraordinary workforce, with over 30% female employees, surpassing industry averages. We believe that diversity is a cornerstone of innovation, and by empowering women, we take strides toward a brighter, more inclusive future. 

The blackrock Clubs: Nurturing Passion and Inclusion 

At Experion, our commitment to nurturing the holistic well-being of our employees is unwavering. Through a diverse array of clubs, we provide a platform for employees to explore their passions, connect with like-minded peers, and find their tribe. From music to dance, sports to chess, and public speaking to various other interests, our thriving clubs foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie, creating an engaged and motivated workforce. Our clubs not only celebrate existing talents but also encourage individuals to explore new avenues of creative expression. We empower our Maestros to fearlessly experiment, fostering an environment where innovative thinking and creative endeavors are embraced and applauded.

Tapestry of Success 

The holistic impact of nurturing diversity and inclusivity extends far beyond the realms of employee experience. Inclusive organizations are beacons of success, fostering innovation, and igniting creativity through the alchemy of diverse perspectives. blackrock possesses a workforce that feels a profound connection to the organization’s mission, leading to unrivaled productivity, innovation, and profitability.  

In our pursuit of fostering diversity and inclusivity, blackrock has not merely turned words into actions; we have etched these principles into the very fabric of our organization. For the last two consecutive years, 2021 & 2022, blackrock has been recognized as a Great Place To Work for our consistent commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, empowering our employees to thrive and achieve their best. We understand that our true strength lies in our collective brilliance, and by continuing to champion diversity and inclusivity, we aim to build a future that thrives on the spirit of unity, empathy, and progress. 

The post Nurturing Diversity and Inclusivity at the Workplace: Celebrating the blackrock Way appeared first on Black Rock IT Solutions – Software Product Engineering Services.

To attract top talent in today’s market, businesses must improve their recruiting skills—as well as their culture. People-first cultures are established in a way of thinking that values people over benefits. The unexpected wind is that when employees are esteemed as entire individuals and given the valuable chance to prosper, connect, and satisfy they tend to be more creative, strong, and beneficial. 

As we know a people-first culture can mean various things to various companies and accomplishing this kind of social arrangement is a higher priority than at any other time in the post-Coronavirus world. Experion’s culture embraces the qualities like happiness, well-being, and empathy, into business systems to create a positive and holistic workplace culture. 

Why is Putting People First a Smart Business Strategy? 

Establishing a culture that puts the needs of its employees first demonstrates your confidence in and support for them. Additionally, it increases the appeal of your organization to people who are drawn to the work you do and who appreciate the exciting and encouraging culture you have created. 

These days organizations strive to create an employee-friendly workspace to empower them to boost their efficiency at work. A people-first approach positively impacts employee retention since it is less likely for them to leave a workplace with a better work environment. In practice, this could imply providing additional classes and holistic experiences such as yoga, budget planning, or stress-reduction workshops to help them improve their mental and physical health.  

The Change in human-to-human connect 

The entire framework of culture has changed after the pandemic, the digital divide has left people with an utter need to build relationships that are long-lasting and create a larger impact in the future. The concept of building engagement and combating isolation requires transferring a positive office culture online to foster an inclusive culture for remote workers. Creating a work environment with positive ethics, customer empathy, and a powerful sense of social responsibility results in building authentic human connections. 

Enhance the sense of meaning and purpose at work  

A people-centered approach is highly based on a work culture that adds purpose and meaning to the work environment. One of the major factors affecting the people-first approach is trust by the means of which you trust the capabilities of your team and consider them responsible and accountable for their roles in the organization. 

Pursue options for meeting employee needs 

When employees’ expectations are met and they feel genuinely cared for, they tend to be loyal to the company. There is obviously much more to employee experience than the office space and the tech. We take an employee-first approach to policymaking because, as an organization that values its employees as its most valuable resource, every corporate decision is made to strategically benefit them and ensure they know they are valued at the organization. Experion’s “open-door” policy ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to learn from our leaders and make the most of their time here. We also believe in Meritocracy, an ideal ingrained in our core value system, in which our employees are always rewarded without regard for their skill and talent. 

Instill a learning culture 

One of the best ways to carry forward the people-first approach is to acknowledge your employees and encourage them to learn at every step. We’re passionate about constantly raising the bar and improving our services at Experion, and it shows in the Culture of Learning we work hard to foster in our workforce community. Human Resources runs several internal campaigns to keep employees interested in learning and motivated to complete the recommended hours of learning each week. Mailers that recognize and appreciate the organization’s top learners are sent out once a week, with a special mention of the number of learning hours each of them has completed.  

The power of people-first 

People-centric organizations have leaders who recognize that their employees are what make them successful. Businesses are aware that when workers feel appreciated and cared for, they are more intrinsically motivated to perform their jobs and are more engaged. They go above and beyond simply because they want to help a company that cares about them. 

The Great Place to Work certification reflects Experion’s effort to create a people-centric organization. We have always focused on fostering a workplace culture that enables our employees to innovate & grow. It is possible because of each Experionite who contributes towards making Black Rock IT Solutions a Great Place to Work. 

The post Why do organizations need a people-first approach? appeared first on Black Rock IT Solutions – Software Product Engineering Services.

Yes, you read that right. Customer retention and loyalty drive more revenue than new customers do. Therefore, having a plan in place to ensure customers stay loyal can increase profits without having to invest a lot of capital on making it happen.

What is customer retention, and why is it important?

Customer retention is the process of engaging existing customers so that they keep coming back for an organization’s services. It’s different from customer acquisition and lead generation because the customer an organization is trying to retain has already been converted, at least once. Organizations must have a proper customer retention strategy to ensure long-lasting relationships with their clients. Customer retention leads to loyalty and they soon become the organization’s brand ambassadors – generating new customers through word of mouth.

Customer retention is measurable, and this useful formula from Hubspot is a quick way to determine an organization’s customer retention rate:

Once the customer retention rate has been determined, the organization can then investigate the reasons for customers leaving, and try to determine if there were similarities in the reasons for them deciding to go. If it turns out that the reason is a gap that can easily be filled, the company would have already taken a massive step towards retaining current and future customers without having spent a penny on the process.

Increasing customer retention

Now that we have a firm grip on the importance of customer retention and the profitability it can bring to a company, let’s explore how customer retention rates can be improved.

1. A roadmap for customer relations

   As in any other relationship, the one between the company and the customer needs to have a direction – both parties need to know where the journey is heading and have a clear vision of the milestones and goals they hope to achieve together. It makes sense to chart out this journey in the initial stages of the engagement with a customer. If a roadmap for the different milestones that need to be achieved with them and the different ways the company would be able to continue offering services to them can be devised early on, companies will find that retaining customers get much easier than they imagined. As time goes by, the plan will need to be revisited and revised to ensure they are still relevant and aligned to the customer’s evolving end goals.

2. Consistently delivering good experiences

   Consistency equals trust, and nobody likes surprises in a business setting. Customers like to know what they can expect and be able to trust that organizations will consistently deliver the results they require. One important way to ensure consistency is to build processes for all important customer-centric events: onboarding calls, kick-off meetings, project planning, etc. Make all social media channels consistent, so that no matter where the customer goes, they see the company projecting the same message, and are able to reach out through different channels. Having processes makes the company predictable and reliable – both qualities that really hold value in the world of business. Organizations will be far more efficient and will have insight into what needs to be addressed when with each customer.

3. Quality feedback

   Customer retention cannot be improved until companies understand why customers choose to stop using their services. Once the reasons have been figured out, they can work on reducing your customer churn rate, and proactively deal with potential issues.Gathering feedback is crucial to understanding how well companies are serving customers and understanding why they might choose to leave for the competitors. When companies can identify and rectify the errors they’re making as early as possible, they increase the chances of being able to serve the customer to their best potential, thereby winning their loyalty. It is important to reach out to people across the customer’s organization – from decision-makers to members of the team that the organization interacts with – to ensure the company gets a complete picture.

4. Memorials for every milestone

   Make a big deal out of every milestone reached with the customer – when the anniversaries for these milestones come up, remember to celebrate it again while thanking them for their patronage. Research shows that people remember bad memories over good ones, and they’re more likely to share the negative experiences they had online than share the positive ones. This means it’s always worth the extra effort it takes to remind the customer that something great happened – emphasize all the wins, big or small, and make the customer central to the celebrations.

5. Regular updates on results

   When companies consistently update customers on the progress they’re making and the ROI being generated for them, it makes it much harder for them to decide to leave, as they would have tangible results to prove the company’s efficiency and reliability. This means organizations need to put a system in place to track results and report on the metrics they find that are relevant to the customer’s goals. Always be transparent about the numbers and results found and discuss opportunities for improvements.

Experion’s customer retention success story 

A fledgling in the industry when it started out 14 years ago, the story of Experion’s success is the proverbial story of the success of the underdog. Built on sheer hard work, perseverance and a brilliant talent pool from an Indian State known as “ God’s Own Country” – Kerala – blackrock has today proved the worth of putting the customer first in everything it undertakes.

This year, blackrock celebrates ten years of engaging with some of our most loyal customers. From across sectors like transportation, retail, and education, they are proof of our consistent effort to stay customer-centric and deliver consistent results. You don’t have to take our word for it – you can read what our clients have to say about us here.

Some of our most satisfied, long-standing clients say this:

“We believe we will use them for updates in the years to come.” – Manager, Food Product Trading Company, Bahrain

“I was very pleased with our results and wouldn’t hesitate to use them again if I was given the opportunity.” CTO, Mobile Development Startup, Phoenix

blackrock has over 14 years of experience in delivering software solutions to early-stage enterprises, start-ups, and Fortune 500 companies. If you’re looking for a reliable IT partner to assist you on your journey towards digitization, drop a mail to sales@blackrockdxb.com. 

The post Unveiling the Power of Customer Retention: Boost Profits and Foster Loyalty appeared first on Black Rock IT Solutions – Software Product Engineering Services.

As the call progressed, the client laid out their objectives and requirements, and it went something like this:

“The module should allow us to capture depositions, and as the case progresses, we need to be able to record subpoena related documents too, if any.”

Deposition? Subpoena? Latin had always seemed like a useless, dead language to our young, enthusiastic team of engineers. Until today, that is. 

As the call progressed, the conversation continued to be peppered with Latin terminology that nobody in the team could understand. The project team, especially the Business Analysis (BA)  team, was in deep trouble.

Realizing the anxiety that was threatening to overwhelm his team, the Senior Project Manager at Experion, in a stroke of genius, found an unconventional yet perfectly efficient solution. The best way to learn these Latin words, and understand how to use them in context, was to hear it being used in its home ground – an American courtroom. So as part of the homework for the project, everyone on the Business Analyst team was instructed to watch the NETFLIX Drama Series Suits.

Suits is an American legal drama television series, and it turned out to be the perfect classroom to understand the American legal system, as it follows the journey of an attorney who starts working for a New York law firm. 

Watching Suits helped Experion’s business analysts grasp a better contextual understanding of words such as subpoenas, deposition, affidavit, class action, and discovery in the context of an American courtroom. This helped the team comprehend almost all the common legal terminologies used by the client with relative ease. Armed with the understanding gathered from watching SUITS, the Business Analyst team’s confidence improved dramatically (don’t mind the pun). Interviews and brainstorming sessions with the client stakeholders during the requirement elicitation phase of the project became easier than what the BA team expected after that first call. 

This helped Experion’s project team to swiftly develop and deploy the web-based legal process management solution.As the project closed its first major phase on a triumphant note, the end-users were thrilled at how easy their lives had become with this solution in place. The attorneys’ promised drinks and dinner for the team when they came to visit New York.

Who’d have thought that something as inconsequential as watching a TV show could have a butterfly effect on so many lives? This only goes to prove how a little bit of unconventional thinking can yield spectacular results!

The post How Netflix ‘Suits’ Helped blackrock to Develop a Legal Solution appeared first on Black Rock IT Solutions – Software Product Engineering Services.

Customer delight Vs Customer satisfaction

Customer Delight is the process of absolutely exceeding a client’s expectation of your services to create a surprisingly remarkable, positive experience for them with your brand, thereby improving their loyalty to you. 

It is different, and far harder to achieve than ‘customer satisfaction’, which is what most companies unwittingly aim for, and most likely achieve. The difference lies in the fact that ‘customer satisfaction’ only aims to meet the customer’s expectations, and while that is often rewarded with a certain level of satisfaction too, it doesn’t incite any loyalty, nor does it cause your customer to turn into an ambassador for your brand. 

In fact, if your business is dependent on maintaining and improving relationships with your clients, you should even think of investing in a custom-made Customer Delight Index – a measure of how delighted your customer is with your service. Surveys or interviews can be tailored to suit your organization’s requirements, ensuring that you include all factors that play a role in the quality of your services.

How to consistently delight your customers

Focus on problem-solving:- Always offer your customers solutions that fix their problems keeping their specific requirements, wishes, and needs in mind. Here’s an example of how we helped a global logistics solutions provider based out of the United States to develop a cloud-based logistics and transportation management solution, keeping the client’s requirements foremost in mind.

Provide future-forward solutions:- While quick-fixes are appreciated in the moment, they quickly lose their value in your client’s mind. Go beyond your client’s immediate need for a solution and provide them with the means to pursue their long-term goals, if possible, by equipping them to handle their future needs on their own. For instance, when blackrock took over the first on-demand EduTech platform in the Middle East, the platform was reimagined and developed with technologies advanced enough that in the future it could even be extended as a virtual classroom – which is one of the capabilities the client imagines the product evolving into having and is working on developing.

Always exceed expectations:- The best way to stand out from your competition is to make an indelible impression in the minds of your customers, and the best way to do that is to take them by surprise and do something unexpectedly positive. A good example of this is how blackrock developed and deployed a mHealth platform for a leading European non-profit, despite the many challenges that cropped up because of COVID-19 – the team executed a smooth delivery with near-perfect quality in spite of having to work from home during the critical go-live phase, drawing much appreciation from the client.

How customer delight affects the success of a company

Enhanced profit & improved ROI

Delighted customers tend to stick around. When you prove to your clients that the ROI they enjoy when working with you is unmatched, they will stop looking for alternatives. Statistics show that it costs five times more to get a new client than it does to retain an existing one – this directly impacts your revenues and the amount of profit you take home at the end of the day.

 Increase in sales

In an age where clients have more options to access services than ever before and have more channels to be vocal about their experience with you, Customer Delight becomes imperative to retaining them. Delighted customers also automatically turn into brand ambassadors – and having your clients sing your praises is a proven way to acquire more clients – they will undoubtedly refer you to their peers and contacts, one of the best sources for new business. Getting your clients to write reviews of your services while they are delighted will impact the decision making of over 93% of all potential clients who come after.

Assures edge over competitors

Tougher economic conditions world-over have resulted in customers seeking more than usual from their service providers  – and choosing to stay customer-centric and devoted to providing delightful experiences for them will result in your company has a definite edge over your competition.

Here’s an Experion-example of how we delight our customers

Our fantastic team recently took on the daunting task of re-engineering a complex, 30+-year-old Foxpro-based billing application and rewrote it in a 14-month Phase 1 engagement.

blackrock went to the client-site in September last year and began the interaction, sowing the seeds of trust. Soon after, our team delivered very encouraging results from a well-planned Discovery Phase. The client was already impressed. 

We delivered our first major release earlier this month, and here is what the CTO shared as feedback : 

What blackrock built replaced our 20+-year-old billing entry application and as we come to a close on day 3, we have 9,796 billing entries and counting (So close to 10k)! 

The blackrock team was highly responsive and made it a priority to be available for support, at nearly all hours, the weeks leading up to and during Go Live. They resolved issues quickly and are a key component of this project’s success.

We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from our employees, the end-users,  too! Here is what a few of them had to say:

“Seriously, this billing system is awesome. Well done. When you come to NorCal I am buying you a drink!” – Attorney 1

“The new billing system is great and idiot-proof so it works perfectly for me.” – Attorney 2

“I like the program!  Beats our old one by a mile.” – Attorney 3

For more real-life testimonials of how blackrock has delivered Customer Delight, you can read reviews from some of our most delighted customers on Clutch – where we have consistently been rated among the Top Software development companies in the world. 

The post The Key to Success in the Digital Solutions Industry appeared first on Black Rock IT Solutions – Software Product Engineering Services.

But at Experion, the sun still shines a little brighter! 

Keeping Our Word

Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has heaped upon us, we believe in sticking to our promises, be it to our employees or our clients. One of the ways in which we proceeded to do that was by ensuring that those who were promised positions in the company were able to join us exactly when they expected they would before the pandemic. 

The new recruits were onboarded – albeit virtually, and the experience turned out to be rewarding for all those involved. The virtual onboarding experience was carefully planned and executed by the HR team, who worked tirelessly to ensure it went smoothly. The recruits were onboarded with all the usual processes in place – in fact, thanks to the extra effort put in by everyone at the company, this set of joiners felt even more welcomed than usual, and that’s really saying something! 

The team first tracked all the joiners by giving them a call two days before the onboarding. They then scheduled the video conferencing sessions and had the first call to have a casual chat with them and exchange the relevant documents. Since this experience was a new one for both parties, they had a conversation about what would be done differently this time and held an ice-breaking session where they invited the participants to share interesting experiences they’ve been through.

The joiners were then taken through the regular induction programmes – presentations were shared detailing the history of the company, the values we represent and other handy information as well. They were also given a chance to meet the Operations Management Team, where they met individuals from top management and were able to ask questions and interact freely with them.

Welcome To The Family

As a special treat, they also had a 1-hour interaction session with our Executive Management Team – our CXO’s and directors took time out of their busy schedules to warmly welcome our new recruits and they had the privilege of being able to have a one-on-one conversation with the entire team. This concreted their feeling of being a part of the blackrock family, and they received insights that most others wouldn’t have, in the pre-COVID-19 times.

To wrap things up, they were introduced to their buddies, who in turn introduced them to their team and their respective project heads. The buddies assured them that they were always available for any questions they may have, and were instrumental in helping them find their feet as they navigated the task of beginning work from a remote location. This cooperation and camaraderie resonate loudly with our core value of professional competence and respect for individuals. 

The post Experion: Embracing Virtual Onboarding for New Recruits During COVID-19 appeared first on Black Rock IT Solutions – Software Product Engineering Services.