Appy Pie

BACKGROUND

Can you please provide a brief description of your company?

Omnia is a marketing and public relations company located in Guyana, South America. Omnia uses two main marketing tools to reach clients which are GYDJS app, the app we built with Appy Pie, and our online radio presence which plays only Guyanese music 24/7.

What role do you play there?

I'm the managing director.

OPPORTUNITY/CHALLENGE

Was there a business challenge your company was facing or problem that you were trying to solve with this platform?

There was not a specific business challenge, but we wanted an app and something that would be affordable. Appy Pie offered both of those things.

SOLUTION

How does your company implement this platform?

The app we've built with Appy Pie works as a radio directory and business directory for Guyana. We plan to continue to expand to other countries in the future.

Was your company considering other platforms? Why Appy Pie?

Appy Pie was my first choice because of their responsive team, and I haven't considered any other companies since I've started.

On an annual or monthly basis, how much does your company spend to utilize the platform?

The company is very affordable when it comes to payments, and it costs my team from $200 to $400 per month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any success stories or overall results of your implementation of this platform?

We are pioneers in the fact that we are an online music channel that only plays Guyanese music 24/7, with the implementation of this app we are able to integrate our online music stream. It has started a movement in the country. We are the first to promote local artist worldwide and have been recognized by our Guyanese listeners.

FEATURES

Were there any software features or tools that impressed you?   

My overall experience so far has been impressive.

Are there any areas of the software that you feel could be added or improved upon?

Yes. But, as I see it, the company is still implementing new features, and so I'm happy with the continued improvements.

Have you had to interact with the platform's support team or reference their support resources?

Yes. Their support team has always been very helpful.

OVERVIEW

We have a few quick questions and, for each question, we ask you to rate the software on a scale of one to five, with five being the best. What would you give the software for functionality of the features available?

Five.

What would you give the platform for ease of use?

Five.

For support, as in responsiveness of the team or helpfulness of the resources available?

Five.

How likely, out of five, are you to recommend the platform to a colleague or similar business?

Five.

For overall satisfaction with the platform?

Five.

BACKGROUND

Can you please provide a brief description of your company and the role that you play there?

I’ve been in private practice as a chiropractor for 35 years. I am now concentrating on Slim Down Jupiter, which is a weight-loss program using ITG protocol. I am the co-founder of Slim Down Jupiter along with my wife and manager.

What is the name of your application, and what is its main purpose?

The name of my app is Pocket ITG Diet Guide. Its main purpose is to help a dieter make intelligent decisions about what to eat for a healthier lifestyle. It’s an easy reference for questions pertaining to what you can and cannot eat on our weight-loss plan.

Please describe your role in the initial app development process and your current engagement with app development or content updates?

I knew nothing about app creation when I started this. I’ve been a technophile for a long time, but that doesn’t mean I’m proficient. I’m always learning about new marketing and social media techniques.

How would you describe your app development skill level, such as beginner, some coding experience, expert, and so on?

Beginner.

OPPORTUNITY/CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge your company was facing that incited the need for a mobile application, and what was the business goal that you were hoping to accomplish?

We needed a convenient platform to help our dieters make good food choices when they were grocery shopping. I looked around for an app that gave people an easy reference for these questions, and couldn’t find anything. I decided to go about trying to create one. So, I went about trying to find some way to facilitate that and found AppyPie.

For what app platforms did you want to build an app? Did it matter to your business whether the app was a hybrid or native app?

I’m going to make them available on all platforms. I want it available everywhere. We’re close to getting the app published. I’m going to go live with the basic app, and the commerce side will come as soon as I can get my catalog together.

SOLUTION

Did you initially begin with the software’s free version or trial period? What pricing plan does your company currently utilize?  

I’m going with the platinum plan, which allows me to have a presence in all platforms.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any success, metrics, or overall results of your application since publication?

I’m thrilled with AppyPie so far. I haven’t seen it in practice so I have no metrics, but if my intuition is correct I think it will execute well. From my perspective, from the building side, it has been incredibly straightforward and easy. I’m really thrilled. I can’t believe everyone doesn’t do it. I’m amazed at how quickly I got something that looks like an app.

FEATURES

Have you found it necessary to consult any of the company’s available support resources? Was the support useful and accessible?

The support thus far has been stellar. I was assigned an account rep, who I have contact with personally if I need him, and I do at this stage. I’m a fairly quick study, but support has been great. The only barrier was a slight communication issue as their support team is located outside of the U.S.

Were there any software features or tools that you were really impressed by, of which potential buyers should be aware?

It’s been a joy. I really look forward to it, and I’m having fun with it. I think anybody with reasonable intelligence and understanding of Internet commerce can get through it fairly easily. I’m enthusiastic, and I look forward to a strong relationship with AppyPie.

OVERVIEW

We have a few quick questions, and for each question we ask you to rate the software on a scale of one to five, with five being the best. What you give the software for ease of use in the development process?

Five.

What would you give the software for quality of features available?

Four and a half.

For support, as in responsiveness, communication, and resources available?

Four and a half.

For cost, as in value for your money and the time dedicated to development?  

Five.

For overall usability and satisfaction with the software?

Five.

How likely are you to recommend the software to a colleague?

Five.

BACKGROUND

Can you please provide a brief description of your company and the role that you play there?

The app is for my cosmetics company called HS Cosmetics, and I’m the CEO.

What is the name of your application and what is its main purpose?

The app is also named HS Cosmetics, and the purpose of the app is to help display important information about my company. The second main purpose is to complete purchases and checkout. We’ve been able to integrate options to help our users process payments directly from the app.

Please describe your role in the initial app development process and your current engagement with app development or content updates?

I founded HS Cosmetics, and I knew exactly what kind of app I wanted to develop. I was looking for software that could help me to implement my ideas easily with drag-and-drop functionality. I served more of an app architect role and utilized Appy Pie’s programmers when needed. I was involved in the whole development process from head to toe.

How would you describe your app development skill level, such as beginner, some coding experience, expert, …?

I have coding experience, but for this particular app I took more of an architect role and utilized Appy Pie’s programmers for any detailed development I needed for my app. 

OPPORTUNITY/CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge your company was facing that incited the need for a mobile application, and what was the business goal that you were hoping to accomplish?

Today, everything is about mobile, more specifically about mobile apps and mobile commerce. I wanted my app to display information about my cosmetics, but also needed to process payments. People can now order products and pay for them directly through the app. Our last goal was to access all of the social media platforms through our app. We have been able to integrate features to reach Facebook and Twitter.

What app platforms did you want to build an app for? Did it matter to your business whether the app was a hybrid or native app? 

I had a very clear vision with this app. My goal was to have the app available for every smartphone in the U.S. market, and Appy Pie delivered that. For each platform, we were able to develop a hybrid app that adhered to each platform’s guidelines and specific coding requirements. 

SOLUTION

Did your company have a formal selection process for deciding on a mobile app development software? Was your company considering other software or possibly a mobile app development service provider?

I did thorough research and looked through a list of top app development software. I had a clear goal of what I wanted accomplished, so it was easier for me to go through the selection process. I compared their strengths and weaknesses. I thought Appy Pie’s software was best tailored to what I needed.

Did you initially begin with the software’s free version or trial period? What pricing plan does your company currently utilize? Are there any plans to change?

I tried the free version but never launched the app that I built there. I utilized the free version to see what features Appy Pie had available. I played around with the software, and I liked it. The free version allows access to the database and the features they provide for their customers. I called to ask questions of the support team, and I was happy with the answers. Through the combination of the free trial and answers from the support team, I decided to go with the premium version. I’m a very technically savvy person, so I felt confident about my decision to go with Appy Pie.

When was the application published? Is the app still available in app stores?

The app has been published to Google Play and Amazon. It is currently under review by Apple. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any success, metrics, or results of your application since publication?

We just launched not too long ago so I really can’t give you numbers. I am going to be working with a company who publishes app reviews, to get more exposure. I haven’t done that yet because the iPhone version isn’t ready yet.

Overall, how satisfied are you with the usability of the app development software. Is there any general user feedback that you can share?

The responses I’m getting back from the people that have used it is that they really like the app and the idea.

Can you speak to the available development tools, such as templates and drag and drop? Were they intuitive and easy to use?

Yes. They were great. The drag-and-drop tool is great. You don’t need any coding experience or instructions. It explains itself.

Does your app utilize any of the location-based services? Are you satisfied with their functionality?

Yes. It has GPS functionality, I’ve tested it on Android and iPad, but I don’t want it to collect too much personal information as per our privacy policy. For people that like to use GPS functionality, it’s great.

Can you please speak to the content management system, how do you upload new data or make changes? Have you found the process simple and accessible?

Yes. It is very accessible.

Are you satisfied with the social media, push notifications, and gamification integration options available?

Yes. The social media part is great. I didn’t use any gamification integration options, so I can’t speak to that functionality.

Does your app utilize any monetization features? Are you satisfied with the options available?

Yes. Very much. Appy Pie helped me to develop a secure method for our mobile shopping cart. Users are able to process payments whether they have a strong or weak signal.

Were there any specific features related to your industry vertical that were a necessity to your finished mobile application?

For this app there were three key things that I wanted for my app. First is the shopping cart, second a coupon code, and the third thing is having access to all of the social media platforms. They gave me exactly what I was looking for.

Have you found it necessary to consult any of the company’s available support resources? If so, which ones? Was the support useful and accessible?

If I had any questions I could use the Appy Pie website to chat with their customer service team. If they couldn’t answer my question directly, they would send me to the developers who were more technically savvy and would easily answer my question.

Looking back on the development process, were there any software features and tools that you were really impressed by that potential buyers should be aware of?   

One of the things that really matters, and that separates Appy Pie apart from the rest of the technology companies, is its customer service. It shows in their attitude and effort. Appy Pie works very hard to make sure there are no technical errors present in the final product. Appy Pie helped me accomplish my goal. Their customer service and technical support are phenomenal.

Were there any areas of the software that you felt were not intuitive or that you feel could be improved upon?  

I would suggest Appy Pie develop another version with a larger focus on mobile commerce. The resolution for product images could be better and the design overall should be more editable.

We have a few quick questions and, for each question, we ask you to rate the software on a scale of one to five, with five being the best. What would you give the software for ease of use in the development process?

Five.

What would you give the software for quality of features available?

Five.

For support, as in responsiveness, communication, and resources available?

Five.

For cost, as in value for your money and the time dedicated to development?  

Five.

For overall usability and satisfaction with the software?

Five.

How likely are you to recommend the software to a colleague?

Five. Highly recommended.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are one of the largest health centers in Toronto, Canada.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I am the learning resources educator. I bring e-learning and technological resources into the hospital.

OPPORTUNITY/CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Appy Pie?

Appy Pie’s mission was to develop a way-finding app for our student center here at the hospital.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

Appy Pie helped develop the app and provided training. I had quite a few questions with respect to compatibility across different platforms. There were some differences between iOS, Android, Windows, and BlackBerry. They were extremely helpful in making sure that everything was consistent. We developed the app for all four of those platforms. We launched the Android platform first, but that was just a timing piece. Google was more open to publishing the app in the App Store more quickly than a couple of the other platforms. The intention was to release all of them as soon as possible.

What was your process for selecting Appy Pie with which to work?

I did an Internet search for a few months regarding app resources. I also looked for a few of the hosted options that will allow content updates in real time, rather than having to submit changes through the App Store and wait for it to be republished. I demoed about four different platforms, and this one seemed to fit our needs the best.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

I made three or four lengthy requests that had multiple parts to them. They took between 24 hours to a week, depending on the upload time with the different App Stores. Part of the work was changes to the app versions. They made some upgrades to the app-building platform. Some of them were changes to the App Store policies.

As far as the content management of the app, that has been ongoing on my part, but not theirs. The Android app was first in the App Store in December of 2013. The other platforms were uploaded in January or February of 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

We don’t have the metrics available yet. We are currently engaging our end users in the process. We have about 25 people that have engaged with it, and we are recruiting other departments that are looking to host content within the app. We are waiting for that to do the full analysis of the metrics.

How did Appy Pie perform?

Appy Pie was hands down fantastic. I don’t have a bad thing to say. Everything that I requested was answered within a matter of hours. It was not necessarily fixed because the request may have taken longer. Any of the questions that I had were replied to, at the very least, within an hour or two. The results came to us anywhere from 24 hours to a week, depending on whether the app needed to a full re-upload to the App Store. For the most part, everything was resolved within 24 hours.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

The side-by-side interface while developing was nice, because you could see a live preview of the HTML5 version of the app while building. With some of the other platforms that I worked with, you had to load a live preview separate from the building process. This was more seamless in that you could add something and see the results right away.

Also, the publishing of new content within the app, without having to re-upload to the App Store was a bit more seamless. Some of the other ones I demoed took a little more time for the content to appear, whereas with Appy Pie, it was almost instantaneous. I would hit Submit and then refresh on my phone, and it was there.

As far as features, the customizability was not as great as some of the other platforms that I demoed. The choice of layouts or the customizability of the look was not as extensive, but the actual backend functionality is all there. When you’re entering content, it's very intuitive. It's also very logical in the way that it's layout. Despite the layout limitations, I think it functions better as a whole because of it.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

My only suggestion would be to notify existing clients of some of the updates that are coming out. I haven’t seen a newsletter highlighting some of the new features that have been uploaded. I submitted a question the other day about linking directly to a page within the HTML5 app. They said it was a planned feature for the future, so I would suggest getting that information out to the clients.

We ask you to rate Appy Pie on a scale of one to five, with five being the top score. What would you give them out of five for the quality of their work?

Five.

For schedule, as in being on time and meeting deadlines?

Five.

For cost, as in value for your money and sticking with the original estimates?

Five. Definitely. There were no additional costs, which was amazing.

For the overall score?

Five.

How likely are you to recommend Appy Pie to a colleague, out of five?

I have already done so. Five.