Why 245+ Businesses Build Their Apps With SDD-Technology: Q/A with CEO Hossein Fakhr

Companies in niches far from IT (like logistics firms) can’t really understand how IT can solve their issues, and all the nuances and costs involved in the process.

Therefore they struggle to find a reliable IT partner that takes matters into their own hands, and end up losing money. A lot of money.

245+ business owners have so far relied on SDD-Technology to develop over 250 mobile apps, 150 web applications, and several computer applications.

I wanted to learn how they di that, so I asked Hossein Fakhr, CEO of SDD-Technology, to discuss with me in this interview for Website Planet their approach to customer relationships, and the main reason why non-techy startuppers lose all their savings regardless of how good their idea is.

Introduce yourself and your company

I’m an Iranian who moved to Ukraine in 2007, driven by a dream to become a physicist and delve into the mysteries of cosmology and the multiverse. While studying at the Mechnikov University in Odessa and working on multidimensional models of the universe under Professor Alexander Zhuk, I also began to develop software, specifically as an Android developer. Over time, I realized my passion for interacting with people rather than just coding, which led me to gradually build my own team.

Despite having to leave Ukraine in 2015 due to visa issues and not completing my dissertation, I fulfilled one dream and discovered another: creating a team capable of delivering high-quality IT products. Thus, SDD-technology, though initially formed in 2011, truly came into its own in 2015 when I devoted myself fully to its growth.

In the same year, we had the opportunity to work with a major investor in the restaurant industry, for whom we developed over 7 products. Our subsequent challenge was creating our first logistics product, a taxi application similar to Uber. This venture led us to develop a transport management system integrated with sensors and resource management, among other products.

From 2020 to 2022, with a team of 50, we worked on a government contract in a MENA country, developing fleet management software capable of tracking over 100,000 vehicles.

Over the years, we’ve created over 250 mobile apps, 150 web applications, and several computer applications:

• Custom multi-vendor marketplaces
• Supply chain and logistics
• Restaurant business
• Mobile applications

Our primary tech stack includes PHP, JAVA, .NET, JS, Kotlin, Swift, and Flutter. However, we are now venturing into artificial intelligence and language models too.

What problems are you solving for your customers and audience?

Finding a reliable and honest IT partner is a problem for clients, if they do not fully understand the technical nuances, costs and available alternative solutions.

At SDD-technology, we don’t have clients, we have partners.

That is why we offer consultations that address their core issues, even if it doesn’t directly profit us. We pride ourselves on this unique, individualized approach to client relationships.

The team had successful communication using regular phone calls during the development. SDD Technology team went above and beyond, communicating even outside of working hours to deliver exceptional results.

Chief Digital Officer, Velopad GmbH

Another common issue our clients had in the past was with companies waiting for them to decide what to do. At SDD Technology, we take control of the situation, thoroughly understanding the client’s business and offering solutions that help them grow with minimal expense and in the shortest time possible. This approach might be why we haven’t expanded to hundreds of employees, but we are proud of our unique and individual approach in working with clients.

Typically, the companies mostly affected by the issues mentioned above are those distant from IT, such as logistics firms and various business owners. They don’t really know how IT can solve their issues, so they only have a superficial understanding of the scope and complexity of the path ahead.

What makes them eventually choose you over your competitors?

Clients often describe us as a company that is very open and works closely with its clients, ready to help and be a reliable partner. For example, one of our clients, another IT company specializing in web development, delegated their mobile development to us and eventually merged with us, with our co-founder Ilya Blokh becoming our CTO from 2017 to 2021.

Another client, TocanSoft, which later invited me to be their Director of Development, and a recent client has invited us to partner in their business due to our reputation and trustworthiness. This is a common situation in our work because, as our clients say, they see us as partners, not just contractors.

Since you started, what helped you grow and retain your audience?

Our main tactic is to be genuinely useful to people, whether through publications on LinkedIn or blogs or assisting clients in online meetings. We also maintain long-term relationships with our clients, giving gifts on birthdays and employing other individualized approaches that increase trust and demonstrate our integrity.

That’s why the most important tool for us is our CRM system, HubSpot, which allows us to manage client interactions and relationships effectively.

What perspective do you have about where your industry is headed?

Nowadays, people believe that anyone can enter with $20,000 and build a multi-million dollar business. IT is complex and expensive, but marketing is even more challenging yet cheaper if you start with marketing instead of rushing to spend money on development.

Problem is that having an idea is NOT everything, so don’t start development without full analysis and a marketing budget. This is what leads to quickly losing your savings.

Some books we recommend reading before starting your startup:

• Zero to One: Notes on Startups – Building the Future
• The Four Steps to the Epiphany – A Guide for Startup Founders
• Unleashing Greatness: Insights from Good to Great
• Navigating the Startup Journey with The Startup Owner’s Manual:
• Founders at Work – Stories of Early Startup Days
• Overcoming Challenges: Insights from The Hard Thing About Hard Things
• The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

In terms of industry trends, I believe the industry is moving towards the need for change and developing more complex products than another Facebook. With the advent of artificial intelligence, I anticipate more and more requests in this direction.

What’s in the roadmap for your future?

We aim to use our extensive experience in supply chains and artificial intelligence to transform the world of supply chain management. We are currently working with potential clients on using AI in healthcare for projects like early cancer detection and dental caries identification.