BACKGROUND
Can you please provide a brief description of your company and the role that you play there?
I'm the owner of Next Wave Designs. We sell, publish, and design mobile apps for small businesses and organizations. That's how we started. We now do websites and social media management.
OPPORTUNITY/CHALLENGE
What was the business challenge your company was facing that incited the need for this platform?
I was in another industry and our relationship with Bizness Apps got us into this industry. From my standpoint, I didn't want to go out and be known as the website sales guy because there's about 10,000 of those in every town. You're competing with the do-it-yourselfer and the high school kid. Mobile apps put us in rarified air where we could walk through the door of local businesses and talk about how we were there to put an app together for their business.
SOLUTION
How does your company implement this platform or software?
Bizness Apps is the core of our offering. The product that they have really has made them unparalleled in the marketplace. For me, getting into the industry not knowing anything, I wanted to make sure I had an industry leader so I could sleep at night. Partnering with them means if there's some big problem, it's a big problem that 100,000 app customers have. It's a problem that's going to be remedied quickly.
Was your company considering other platforms? Why this platform?
I looked at everything that I could find. That's one of the reasons that the entire industry of small business mobile apps is such a mystery because you have to be searching for the right thing. If you're looking for a car and based on the descriptive words that you put in the search tool, what you get back is a Ferrari or a flying car from "The Jetsons." You can't afford either one of those, and then your search is over. For small businesses when they do a search and don't put the right search term in, they're not going to get Bizness Apps. They're going to get the business that made the app for Starbucks or Chase Bank or American Airlines. Those businesses spent $50,000 to $500,000 on their apps. With Bizness Apps, I did the research to try and find a reseller program and, at the time – two and a half years ago – I couldn't find anything that was even close. Bizness Apps would have been my first choice, my second, my third, and my fourth. My needs have been met. Any challenges that we've had have been dealt with in a fair and equitable way. There's no reason for me to go anywhere looking for the next big thing.
On an annual or monthly basis, how much does your company spend to utilize the platform?
We spend more than anyone else does because we're at the top of what we can do with them. When we first started, we were a traditional reseller and we were paying $300 a month, which is $3,600 a year. Then, we ascended to a position with Bizness Apps as an enterprise reseller. We now spend $1,000 a month – $12,000 a year, which is pretty much nothing to be in business.
RESULTS
Can you share any success, metrics, or overall results of your implementation of this platform?
One of the issues that we had when we got into this business was that we didn't know anybody else that was in this business. I didn't even have a smartphone. We were building a business in the fog. I remember when we hit 10 apps, we were so frustrated with our progress and our growth. Then, looked up one day here recently and realized we've sold more than 100 apps. We did so without fanfare not even realizing it had happened. The wonderful thing about Bizness Apps is they have such a library of training videos and articles on subject matter and so many different tools that they provided for us when we first got started. Bizness Apps gave us the tools so that we could digest them, then take that and use it to build a business.
FEATURES
Were there any software features or tools by which you were really impressed?
I would say that the fact that I can actually build an app from start to finish to publishing in about three hours. I think that's pretty amazing because I'm not a programmer. I'm not a designer. I'm not a developer. I'm a sales guy. If I, a sales guy, can do it, then I think that's fantastic. It's the most complete program on the market. There is no one close. They are the worldwide leader.
Looking back, are there any areas of the software upon which you feel could be added or improved?
If there's one shortcoming since the day I started, it would've been a weakness in the sales and marketing ground-level training. One of the things I explain to my customers is that in this industry what you're buying more than anything is you're buying technology and the one truth about technology is it never stands still. It continues to evolve. There's no way to stop it.
Have you had to interact with the platform's support team or reference their support resources?
The support department is available by several different means. You can call them. You can email them. When you call them, you can leave a message. Bizness Apps's support department – I can't say enough. The people are fantastic. They've got good attitudes. They are patient. I couldn't imagine being on the other end of the phone talking to idiots like me who don't know anything, and they have to tell things to three times for us to get it. But, they're there and they do it. I utilize the support network that they have. The support tools that they provide us are great. Some people are readers, so they have articles that are updated on a continual basis. Some people want to watch or listen, and they have a duplication of information in videos and webinars, so those are fantastic.
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. I don't think they're perfect. When I started I was overwhelmed with what they had, and they keep coming out with more stuff. However, the alternative is spending $50,000 and not getting everything you can get with Bizness Apps.
What would you give the software for ease of use or ease of implementation into your business?
Five.
For support, as in responsiveness of the team or helpfulness of the resources available?
Five.
For overall satisfaction with the platform?
Five.
How likely are you to recommend the software to a colleague or similar business?
Five.
