App Boxer (Closed)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO/ Founder of MPLOI

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

MPLOI connects smart employers with potential employees through a smartphone app using a modern interface and intuitive format, establishing the future of recruitment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire App Boxer to accomplish?

• Design and Build an MVP

SOLUTION

How did you find App Boxer?

Referral

Why did you select App Boxer over others?

Close to my geographic location, Great culture fit, Good value for cost, Company values aligned

What was the size of App Boxer’s team?

6-10 Employees

What was your primary form of communication with App Boxer?

Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Platform Details

• AppAdmin - Non-Responsive Web
• Mploi-ie (Employee) / Mploi-er (Employer) - React Native
• Guardian (Mploi-ie's legal guardian) - Responsive Web
• Mploi-er (Employer) - Responsive Web Milestone 1 General:
• UX / UI Designing which includes Creation, Modification & Finalization of :
  • Wireframes
  • Designs
  • Branding
• Setup code for AWS server which includes setting Up
  • AWS Server
  • Load Balancer
  • Website
  • DNS for App/Website to function
  • 3 different server setup (development, staging and Production)
  • Publishing web and API's, admin panel
• Design database which includes
  • Setting Up Database Schema & Architecture
  • Design a database that meets Supplement needs and can easily accommodate change as well as scalability
  • Analyse Supplement requirements to divide that information into the appropriate tables and columns while linking those tables to each other
• Setup other aspects of App/Web development which includes Setting up
  • Github version control system which is used to maintain the project and allow multiple teammates to work in collaboration.
  • Jenkins and Fastlane are CI/CD tools that allow upload respective platform builds automatically.
  • iTunes and Playstore: Apps need to set up on respective platforms with metadata.
  • The builds for respective platforms are shared via Appstore TestFlight or Android internal testing group
• Develop Wrappers for iOS & Android
  • Developing Wrappers for iOS & Android for app to function in React Native Framework
  • Making UI and functional components for the respective platform if not available in react native or need any kind of customization
• Break up requirements in to development tasks which includes
  • Sprint 0 where scope break-up is done
  • Use cases are prepared to formulate test strategy
  • JIRA board is maintained
  • Development sprints are planned for each milestone and deliverable
  • Daily standup
  • Project communication with development team, respective Project Stakeholders and Product Owner
• Test the app/web on timely basis which includes
  • Writing functional test cases to perform manual testing
  • User Verification Testing and Feature testing throughout the Application Development Process AppAdmin
• Registration & Authentication
  • Sign in to the Admin CMS portal
  • Be able to reset my password
  • Log out of the Admin CMS Portal
• Settings
  • Be able to change my password Mploi-ie/ Mploi-er
• Onboarding & T&C
  • View the Splash Screen
  • View the onboarding tutorial
  • View the T&C and Privacy Policy of the app
• Registration & Authentication
  • Sign up for the app using my Email ID
  • Receive a welcome email for verification
  • Verify my Mobile Number
  • Sign in to the app using my Email ID
  • Be able to reset my password
  • Log out of the App Mploi-ie
• Profile Management
  • Add details to my basic profile
  • View my profile details Milestone 2 General:
• User Verification Testing
  • Test the app/web on timely basis
• Wrapper Development
  • Develop Wrappers for iOS & Android
• Break up requirements in to development tasks
  • Project communication with development team, respective Project Stakeholders and Product Owner AppAdmin
• Job Category Management
  • Create a Job Category
  • View list of Job Categories on the App
• Job sub-Category Management
  • Create a Job Sub-Category
  • bulk create Job Sub-Categories
  • View list of Job sub- Categories on the App
• Mploi-er Management ○ View list of Mploi-er on the App
  • Mark Mploi-er as Inactive
  • Reactivate an Inactive Mploi-er
  • Search for a Mploi-er
• Mploi-ie Management
• View list of Mploi-ies on the App
  • View list of all Requests from Mploi-ie for getting registered on the platform
  • Mark Mploi-ie as Verified Guardian
• ID verification
  • Receive an email for verification
  • Add my ID document Mploi-er
• Profile Management
  • Add details to my profile
  • View my profile details
  • View detailed profile of a Mploi-ie
• Registration & Authentication
  • provide consent for marktering
  • Opt for a subscription plan
• Subscription
  • Upgrade to a subscription plan Milestone 3 General:
• User Verification Testing
  • Test the app/web on timely basis
• Wrapper Development
  • Develop Wrappers for iOS & Android
• Break up requirements in to development tasks
  • Project communication with development team, respective Project Stakeholders and Product Owner Mploi-er
• Job Management
  • Create a Job on the platform
  • View the list of Jobs Posted on the Platform
• Mploi-ie Management
  • View the List of Mploi-ies Matching the Requirement for the Job Posted by me
  • View the List of Mploi-ies who have sent chat request for the Job Posted by me
• Instant Messaging - one-to-one
  • Allocate a Job to Mploi-ie Mploi-ie
• Job Management
  • View the List of Jobs Matching with my Job category in the Profile
  • View details of a selected Job Milestone 4 General:
• User Verification Testing
  • Test the app/web on timely basis
• Wrapper Development
  • Develop Wrappers for iOS & Android
• Break up requirements in to development tasks
  • Project communication with development team, respective Project Stakeholders and Product Owner AppAdmin
• Job Category Management
  • View details of Job Categories
• Job Management
  • View list of Jobs posted on the Platform
  • Filter the list of Jobs posted on the platform
  • View details of a Job
• Job sub-Category Management
  • View details of Job sub-Categories
• Mploi-er Management
  • View details of Mploi-er
• Mploi-ie Management
  • View details of Mploi-ie
  • View the list of Flagged Mploi-ie
• Notifications
  • Receive email notifications
• Onboarding & T&C
  • Manage Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy for the Users Mploi-er
• Job Management
  • View the Details of the Job Posted on the Platform
  • Mark a Job as Completed Mploi-er/ Mploi-ie
• Instant Messaging - one-to-one
  • View list of Conversations received on the platform
  • View information on chat home Screen
  • Initiate the one-to-one chat
  • Send instant messages to other user Milestone 5 General:
• User Verification Testing
  • Test the app/web on timely basis
• Wrapper Development
  • Develop Wrappers for iOS & Android
• Break up requirements in to development tasks
• Project communication with development team, respective Project Stakeholders and Product Owner AppAdmin
• Mploi-ie Management
  • Approve a Mploi-ie Rejected by me Earlier
  • Reject a Mploi-ie Approved by me Earlier
  • Mark Mploi-ie as Inactive
  • Reactivate an Inactive Mploi-ie
  • Search for a Mploi-ie Mploi-er
• Job Management
  • Search the list of Job Posted on the Platform
• Notification
  • Receive Notifications in the App
• Subscription
  • Have a system in place to automatically make payments to AppAdmin
  • View transaction History of the Payments made
  • Upgrade to a Higher Subscription Plan Mploi-er/ Mploi-ie
• Notification
  • View list of all my notifications Mploi-ie
• Notification
  • Receive Notifications in the App
• Profile Management
  • Update my profile details
  • View detailed profile of the Mploi-er (Who posted the Job) Milestone 6 General:
• User Verification Testing
  • Test the app/web on timely basis
• Wrapper Development
  • Develop Wrappers for iOS & Android
• Break up requirements in to development tasks
• Project communication with development team, respective Project Stakeholders and Product Owner AppAdmin
• Job Management
  • View list of Flagged Job in the App
• Mploi-ie Management
  • View the list of Flagged Mploi-ie Mploi-er
• Job Management
  • Update the details of the Job posted on the platform
  • Mark a Job as Cancelled
  • Mark a Cancelled Job as Active
  • Delete a Job posted on the platform
• Profile Management
  • Update my profile details
• Subscription
  • Downgrade to a Lower Subscription Plan Mploi-er
• Flagged Content
  • Flag a Mploi-ie Mploi-er/ Mploi-ie
• Registration & Authentication
  • Be able to change my password Mploi-ie
• Flagged Content
  • Flag Job
• Job Management
  • search for a Job by Mploi-er Business name
• Profile Management
  • Share the app
  • delete my profile
• Settings
  • Access the onboarding and legal information of the app via Settings
  • Contact the admin

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• 6 Milestones of the project meet and delivered
• 6 Milestones of the project meet and delivered

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team at App Boxer always managed expectations. Of course I always "encouraged" the team to push the build quicker but they always delivered each milestone on time.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Whenever I wanted the MPV to have a particular function there was always a can do attitude from the team. I never hear from them. This can't be done or we can't do that. I was just scoped up and delivered.

Are there any areas for improvement or something {provider_name} could have done differently?

Maybe as each function of the build within each milestone was completed and tested maybe a sms or email notification could be sent out. Would be good as the client to know when it is getting closer to the end of each milestone. But I have been happy and expectations have been met and over delivered

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO, director, and founder of Pie Rewards, a loyalty program that rewards customers for their spending with investments. Whenever customers spend at our affiliated stores, they earn a percentage of their spending back in cash, and we invest that cash for them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Boxer?

During the ideation stage, I had no experience building a tangible product from a concept. Even though I knew what I wanted, I didn’t know how to build it, what it would look like, or what it would require on the backend, such as third-party integrations. I needed someone to hold my hand through the process to explore and figure out my idea.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Boxer started with the kickoff and design phase. A solution architect and UI/UX designers from their team workshopped the idea with us through Zoom calls. From there, they delivered two pillars: branding and marketing and user stories. 

For the branding and marketing pillar, they provided a branding package, including different logos, branding material, and a pitch deck for us to take to investors. App Boxer also delivered a marketing playbook that explored the market and the most efficient way to attack it from our product’s perspective. 

App Boxer also created a document of user stories. This deliverable was an Excel spreadsheet that detailed every element we wanted and its solution. For example, if we wanted users to sign into the app using their mobile number, the document showed the action the user would take. The solution included the third parties we’d need to integrate with or services we needed to pay for to enable that action. 

This document took our conceptual vision and made it more tangible because each action within the product was labeled and listed what would be required on the backend. Additionally, App Boxer listed the hours they estimated it would take them to build that feature. At the bottom, they totaled the hours, which gave us an indication of the costs and timelines. 

From that document, App Boxer also derived a design prototype. They’ve delivered 15–30 high-resolution wireframes on Figma. Currently, they’re in charge of the app’s UI/IUX design, development, and setting up of the cloud service. The app will be available for iOS and Android. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve had direct communication with 4–5 App Boxer teammates at any given point. A project manager is our main point of contact, and the team has included a frontend designer, a solution architect, a product manager, and a backend coder. There’s a full team of 10–15 teammates working on our project in the background.

How did you come to work with App Boxer?

I used Clutch to research developers and agencies. From there, I pulled up a list of 10 providers and arranged a call with them. I pitched the idea to each candidate and asked what they could offer, the cost, and the timeframe. 

App Boxer won me over because of the value they offered; no one could compete with what they would provide for the price. I also appreciated how they structured the project to provide the design prototype and the backend blueprint, which I could take to another developer if I wanted to. This was a deciding factor because I wasn’t locked in the whole way through; no one else provided a structure like that. 

Additionally, App Boxer’s level of honesty and modesty was also outstanding. I asked all the candidates why I should go with them. While everyone else tried to sell themselves, App Boxer assured us that any of our options could do a good job and advised us to go with whoever felt like the right fit. However, they would love to work on our project because they loved our idea. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $100,000–$200,000 AUD (approximately $70,000–$139,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

App Boxer's deliverables have been so impressive that we've decided to build the app with them. I've employed an executive to manage the build process for us. Our new executive has tech experience and has managed product builds at enterprise-level companies. She's been astounded by App Boxer's level of deliverables, especially considering the price we're paying. Moreover, App Boxer's designs are 10 times better than what's in the market.

My initial vision was very high-level and conceptual, and App Boxer has been really helpful in challenging my vision and figuring out the pain points a user would experience. They've helped me flush out the flow of information so that my vision can become a reality. They have a good understanding of what we're trying to develop.

Additionally, App Boxer has provided full transparency, which is very reassuring. I appreciate that they didn't lock us in before delivering the document of user stories; we were free to use the document or wireframes as a blueprint to get quotes from other agencies. The wireframes also show potential investors what we're trying to build and what will be required to do so, which is very valuable to us. We haven't launched the app yet, so we don't have metrics.

How did App Boxer perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been fantastic at project management and meeting deadlines. When App Boxer says they'll do something, they deliver. The only delay has been from our end. 

Moreover, having one point of contact about the overall project is comforting. If I need to discuss design, technology, or strategy, I also have contacts in those topics. Overall, App Boxer has allocated a decent amount of resources to our project. 

As for communication, they're responsive and accommodating of how frequently we want to communicate. We use emails for standard questions. As the build has started to ramp up, we've set up weekly stand-up meetings through Zoom that last about an hour. Any time we need more communication, App Boxer is willing to set up an additional Zoom call. I also have the phone numbers of everyone on the team and call them at least once a day. They've been open to setting up other communication channels if we require them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed with the value they provide for the money. Other providers quoted us around $250,000 AUD (approximately $173,000 USD) and didn't offer the same amount of resources App Boxer has dedicated to us. I don't doubt that there are other good designers and developers out there, but they couldn't provide the quality of work for the money that App Boxer delivers. 

The way they structure the entire process means a client isn't locked into anything, which is reassuring. App Boxer is confident that clients will come back if they get other quotes. Moreover, they accommodate anything we need. We can refer to the user story document if we request quotes for new features. App Boxer is willing to discuss quotes and bring build hours down if we notice they had originally planned for a similar feature with fewer hours.

Overall, I can't recommend App Boxer enough. I've already referred a friend to them because I've had nothing but good experiences with the team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything they need to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend that you have as much communication as you can with App Boxer; they're extremely willing to build exactly what you want. Set up weekly meetings because if you leave communication too long apart, your vision can get lost if they misinterpret something. 

Initially, we let the team run with our ideas for an extended period, and then we found gaps in understanding. Therefore, constant communication and assessment are important. App Boxer is always willing to work with you and discuss things as often as you want. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Optimize Mind Performance. We have a mental skills app for athletes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Boxer?

We had had an in-house tech lead for a while, but then he moved on. At that point, we decided to take the app in a different direction, so we engaged App Boxer for mobile app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Boxer has developed our mobile app. We started with a short discovery because we’d already done some work on the app. They’ve built the app for iOS and Android, and they’ve also developed a website to accompany the app. Athletes can use the app to acquire mental skills and access content. Currently, we’re doing pilot tests. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a fair bit of App Boxer’s team, from the developers to the project manager and the CEO. 

How did you come to work with App Boxer?

I got referred to them a while ago by a friend who had done some work with App Boxer. We kept them on a shortlist and called them when the time came. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’re due to spend about $160,000 AUD (approximately $111,000 USD) on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

App Boxer is good to work with. They’ve been really helpful throughout the process and are good at offering up their internal process so we can give them feedback. They’ve also provided advice outside the app building, which has been good. Since the app isn’t live yet, we don’t have metrics. 

They’ve done well with bugs. We have a comprehensive QA process, so we send them bugs they haven’t found, and they fix them pretty quickly. We also get access to the bugs they find to compare our results, which has been good. 

How did App Boxer perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re good at communicating, meeting deadlines, and staying within budget. We mostly communicate through email and a fortnightly catchup meeting via Zoom. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with App Boxer’s thoroughness and quick response time. They’re detailed and fast to act on our feedback regarding bugs or issues. They also provide information on what has happened and how they’ve fixed it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their resourcing. They’ve struggled to find resources, so they’re short on talent availability. However, I spoke o them last week, and they’re addressing the issue as we speak. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep communication lines open and check on them regularly. Although App Boxer has done this with us, we’re also checking in and ensuring they deliver. Ask for as much communication and feedback from them as possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Hypest is a free health and fitness platform that allows content creators in the industry to sell their routines to the global community of users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer, and what were your goals?

Hypest contracted App Boxer to design and develop the entire app from start to finish. The goal was to reach a global health and fitness platform on a industry leading standard.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I initially came across App Boxer as they arrived in my top search results as one of the leading reviewed national performers in app development and had won several awards doing so. Upon engagement with the team I was immediately presented with a sense of structure, professionalism and enthusiasm I had not previously experienced from other developers.

App Boxer did not only present me with an extremely beautifully designed product but have managed to create an app which will easily stand toe to toe with any of its kind.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The project initiated with a meeting with one of the onboarding managers, they did an excellent job of both understanding and interpreting my needs as a client as well as setting realistic expectations moving forward. This then led into the kick off phase which as the tittle eludes to involves all of the crucial beginner elements to a successful project. I must admit as the consumer this part impressed me a lot as the professional structure App Boxer took to this approach was excellent.

Once development began the team started building and implementing a platform that can scale on a global level with payment systems integration. So far the team has done an excellent job of delivering these requirements as we have just crossed the final milestone.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

To know the exact number of all developers involved would be hard for me as the customer to guess, however I personally know of at least 8 individuals. Positions ranged from project managers, UX designers, programmers, customer consultants etc

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The app is not live yet, so realistically there are no measurable outcomes at the moment other than a very successful project. I personally as the founder and owner have been taken back by the very outspoken need from the health and fitness industry for a product like this so things are looking up.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

App Boxer were very accommodating in their management style and focussed on client needs. As the project ramped up and there needed to be a more constant flow of communication they very happily agreed to my request for a move of communications to a platform like Monday.com which would allow for a more constant flow of communications. We still used traditional methods such as emails, phone calls, video calls etc where applicable.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

There are several aspects of App Boxer that stood out to me in a positive light, as mentioned earlier the professionalism, dedication and creativity were some of those elements. What I found extra unique was their ability to put themselves in the founders' and clients' shoes and think with an element of empathy and vision which really came across as sincere genuine. The business world lacks a lot of this and it was refreshing to experience it with App Boxer.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

As the founder and financier of this project I am more than happy with App Boxers performance during this entire project. I hope that all my future experiences in business will be this courteous and will definitely be coming back to them for future app upgrades.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of HEROE - a socially positive dating app that allows couples to book their date directly through the app, supporting local businesses and charities and benefiting the wider community in the process.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer, and what were your goals?

I engaged App Boxer to ultimately provide everything required to take the idea I had in my head and bring it to market.

From creating a brand identity during the kick-off phase that aligned to the vision then all the way through to developing and implementing a mobile app for the B2C market plus the web development of the business portal (and linking to the app) for the B2B market.

The goal itself was to create a dating app that allows individuals to match with each other and then view, shortlist and book their date directly through the app. Conversely, it was also the goal to provide businesses with a sign-up process that allowed them to easily create a venue profile that can be promoted on the mobile app directly to couples.

Further to this, I also wanted to provide businesses with relevant data analytics such as the number of impressions, shortlisting’s bookings and attendees at each venue to demonstrate the ROI on any business subscription plan.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

To start, I googled “Best App Developers Sydney” and saw that App Boxer had the highest number of 5* rating Google Reviews in the list of app developers.

I therefore shortlisted App Boxer straight away but, to ensure I carried out my due diligence, I called the top three ranking app developers based off their Google Review rating to introduce myself and my idea / vision. I then applied the same logic to App Developers in London and St Petersburg.

One of my biggest concerns was that I had zero to little tech development experience and therefore wanted to engage an organisation that I could trust and not take advantage of my inexperience. With each interaction, I found App Boxer to be the most professional, knowledgeable and understanding organisation.

They took the time to understand my vision, understand the risks and how to mitigate those risks in the development process which ultimately led me to develop a level of trust in App Boxer that I did not feel with other App Developers.

Lastly, as I needed to create the idea / vision from nothing, I gravitated towards App Boxer as their Kick-Off Phase allowed for the creation of the brand identity.

Other app developers provided this too however, I did not feel they took the time to understand the vision well enough to create a suitable brand identity that aligned to that vision.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

I engaged App Boxer to develop a Mobile Application and Business Portal (including website design) and integration of that into the App. The entire scope of work can be broadly broken down into two phases – the Kick-Off Phase and the Architecture Phase.

I also engaged App Boxer’s sister company The X/Over to develop and implement the marketing strategy post-development. The Kick-Off Phase consisted of Discovery Workshops, Wireframe Development, Branding with mood boards, UI and UX design, the creation of a High-Fidelity Prototype, creation of a Landing Page, creation of a Pitch Deck and the development of the User Stories.

For me, the Kick-Off Phase was a key differentiator between App Boxer and other app developers.

Considering the relatively low cost of this, I was impressed with the number of deliverables and outcomes for this phase and I feel App Boxer went above and beyond a number of times to ensure the brand aligned with the vision and the Wireframes, User Stories and High-Fidelity Prototype accurately reflected the Mobile Application I wanted to create.

The Architecture Stage consisted of the Mobile Application Development and Website Design. This was broken down into 5 key Milestones with different deliverables in each to ultimately create the Mobile Application, Business Owner Dashboard and the App Admin Panel.

The technology stack that was required to create HEROE and bring it to market includes ReactNative (Mobile Application), ReactJS (Responsive Web), Python (Backend) and Django (Admin Panel).

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Over the last 2 years I have worked with a number of different members of the App Boxer team depending on the phase I was in. The Discovery Workshop was led by Zyran Erasmus (CEO) who outlined how the Mobile Application would be built and what the technical requirements were based off my idea and vision.

I believe this was a critical first step as did not have the budget to make any significant structural changes once it was developed so getting this right from the start was crucial.

Following the workshop, throughout the rest of the Kick Off Phase and Architecture Phase I have worked with Joshua (Product Designer), Yogesh (Lead Business Analyst and Project Manager), Bharat (QA Engineer) and Tom (Delivery Manager) who have all done a tremendous job in developing the mobile application and business portal.

In parallel to this at the start, I worked with the very talented Eze (Head of Design) who did an amazing job creating the brand identity. He set up a moodboard on Pinterest and we went through a number of iterations to arrive at the final brand theme and design.

I was constantly impressed with Eze’s design outputs and I truly believe he has created the strongest brand identity possible for HEROE.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

I have only recently launched so don’t have any significant numbers to report as yet however, I have had 150 downloads in the first 2 weeks and received a lot of positive feedback on the brand identity, UI and UX.

I feel confident that what has been developed looks professional, operates effectively and is something I can take to investors in the near future.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

I believe App Boxer’s project management style is a blend of expert, technical and supportive project management. Over the course of 2 years they have been incredibly diligent in keeping the project running.

The communication has been clear and articulated in a manner that I can understand and digest which is appreciated as I don’t have a strong technical development understanding.

App Boxer also took the lead (and supported where required) on the setting up of the AWS Account, the Stripe Account and getting the app launched on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Now that HEROE has been launched I am having fewer meetings however, at the height of development I was having at least one weekly meeting with Tom Hall (Delivery Manager) and Bharat Dangwal (QA Engineer) to review progress and deliverables which Tom or Bharat organised.

I found Tom and Bharat to be very focussed, succinctly outlining what development had taken place and what was upcoming. The purpose of this was also to flag any issues that required my feedback (flow, layout, functionality) etc).

Where issues did arise, I found Tom and Bharat were either able to resolve it themselves and provide me with the most suitable outcome or, provide me with enough information to make an informed decision myself which was greatly appreciated.

There was a minor issue about the interpretation of a User Story that had been developed which resulted in the development of the mobile application in a manner that I had not anticipated.

Luckily (and deliberately), the key meetings with the tech lead are recorded which allowed the meeting to be reviewed, development confirmed and the mobile application updated to reflect accordingly.

This approach and App Boxers resolution of this minor issue was greatly appreciated and just reinforced their professionalism.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Most impressive for me was how relatively young the team was but also incredibly dynamic, passionate and professional they all were. Also, on a number of occasions, App Boxer was able to provide innovative solutions to issues that arose that I wouldn’t have been able to think of myself.

A good example of this was when I was seeking to partner with specific charities that businesses could affiliate themselves with through HEROE.

It quickly became obvious after I reached out to a number of charities that I wasn’t going to be able to partner with them and businesses weren’t going to be able to affiliate with them through HEROE– App Boxer suggested that instead of partnering with specific charities, HEROE allows businesses to “champion” a cause instead – something I hadn’t thought of at all.

This reinforced the socially positive aspect to HEROE and provided a greater degree of latitude in how to benefit the wider community. This type of thinking has been greatly welcomed over the course of the project.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I utilized my experience as a carer for my daughter with a disability to found Living Easier with Disability. Our organization offers a mobile app and an all-inclusive website specifically built for the disability community in Australia, but can be used worldwide. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Boxer?

I am a pharmacist and don’t have any background in app development and all I had at the beginning of the project was an idea for the app. However, since the app is targeted towards individuals with disabilities and their carers, I needed a company that would build a very basic, easy-to-use app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Boxer developed my organization’s mobile app and website. However, the project kicked off with their team developing our logo and branding. 

After the branding materials were finalized, App Boxer sat down with my partner and me to discuss the wireframing. I provided them with my requirements, the App Boxer designers walked me through how the app would work, and they developed the app from there.

Our app serves as a communication tool between a disabled individual’s carer and their external supports, including respite and day program workers. The app allows both parties to share videos of the individual’s progress and completed exercises, which has become especially important during the COVID-19 lockdown. The app also has features to show the likes and dislikes of the disabled individual and a brief medical history. 

The app is linked to the website App Boxer is designing and developing, which acts as a directory for disability-related services around the country. The website brings together everyone involved in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and connects them to carers. 

App Boxer also handles our marketing through their sister company and runs our social media accounts, including Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. We have standing marketing strategy meetings where they guide us on how to best build our brand. 

What is the team composition?

App Boxer has a wide variety of expert staff; we’ve worked with Rowan (Chief Strategy Officer), two app designers, a logo designer, and a delivery teammate. The same team has worked on our project from the beginning and there haven’t been any staff changes.

How did you come to work with App Boxer?

After my business partner and I first put together our initial idea for the app, we had no idea how to develop it and put out a job posting on an online platform. Rowan then contacted me, and when we met up, they presented us with research on our market. I could tell that their team understood our niche market and, for them, the job was about more than just the money. 

It was also essential that any company we worked with were based in Australia and had a local office — App Boxer was very professional, and we could meet them in person. 

None of the other developers we contacted had the same knowledge or checked off our boxes like App Boxer, so they stood out to us. App Boxer put together a proposal to build the app, and we were more than happy to sign with them immediately. 

How much have you invested in them?

At the moment, we’ve invested about $130,000 AUD (approximately $93,000 USD), which includes the website development. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership began around June 2019 and it is ongoing. The next phase of our project will be upgrading and adding new features to the app. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from users about how concise, bright, and easy to use the app and website are. App Boxer completely nailed the project; nothing is too clinical or corporate — there isn’t one thing I would change. 

App Boxer has facilitated my vision to create an app that our community can use as a communication and information tool. Not only that, but they’ve provided suggestions on how we can improve our platforms. 

How did App Boxer perform from a project management standpoint?

I approve all aspects of a project, but App Boxer handles almost 100% of the project management. They meet deadlines and fully understand our business goals — almost everything they bring us perfectly meets our needs.  

Internally, I believe they use Monday.com, but we generally communicate via email and Zoom. Their documentation is excellent, everything is itemized, and they share information with us through Google Docs. If I ever need documents from them, there are no problems retrieving that information — they are very organized. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am impressed by App Boxer’s professionalism and how they’re able to express their technical work in layman’s terms. Rowan is very passionate about his job, going above and beyond to make suggestions on how to improve our business. My business partner says that we couldn’t have picked a better team to work with. 

App Boxer also offers a lot of after-service and is easy to contact; they’re very friendly. They are very innovative and I am very thankful that they are working with us. Anytime someone is looking for an app developer, I have no hesitation in recommending App Boxer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think they could do anything different — they were always on top of their game. If anything, I could’ve been more knowledgeable about the app at the beginning of the process. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers need to be upfront and honest about what they want from their engagement with App Boxer. Telling the App Boxer team exactly what is required makes their job easier; they’ll be able to guide customers through the development process and bring new ideas to the table to improve the final product.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the executive marketing manager for Momento Hospitality. We own and operate an ever growing portfolio of hospitality venues.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a digital membership platform that provided our guests with exclusive specials, discounts and offers. We wanted the application to be effortless to sign up whilst capturing key details about the customer that we could use to provide them with tailored rewards.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched online for many months before engaging App Boxer to complete this project. The main deciding factor was there history with working complicated API's which this project demanded. We also favored their design work on a few previous projects they completed.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a series of discovery meetings to flesh out the problem and what we were trying to achieve. The meetings were actually fun for a change! Seeing our ideas come to life was amazing. Once we had settled on the design we begin delving deeper into the unlimited potential of the app and how we could leverage this. From here it was a sprint to get the app developed and tested which occurred within a 3 month period.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

App Boxer allocated several key team members who all specialized in their own departments. From a dedicated project manager to the back-end developer, the team worked effortlessly together to make the project fly along. Their communication both internally and externally is flawless.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We launched the application as soon as possible to our communities and within 6 months we had received over 40,000 sign ups. We even made it into the top 20 food and beverage apps on the app store!

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Our project manager was great, they would check in on a weekly basis to provide updates and any issues/discussion points that we needed to address. It made the experience very enjoyable and fulfilling to be honest.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

This project had been a work in progress in our to do list for quite some time however we were quite concerned around the integrations and complexity of work. App Boxer handled our specific preferences like true professional mobile app developers.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Introducing an online project system for clients to check the progress and flow of the project would be beneficial but not crucial. Currently a lot of this is done through G-Suite. This is just a matter of personal preference however.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO of PremiAir. We have two divisions: PremiAir Fuels and PremiAir Hire.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Boxer?

Our PremiAir Fuels division was trying to address a new market. Specifically, we wanted to target smaller customers and allow them to order fuel and pay online, similar to popular food delivery apps.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Boxer developed a mobile app for us. We didn’t know how to create a plan, so we just presented the team with our idea. They then established a detailed project timeline.

Eventually, they finished the deliverable, which was available on iOS and Android. It allowed users to sign up, add their credit card details, and then have diesel delivered to their desired address.

What is the team composition?

We worked with six people, including the CEO, two project managers, a marketing manager, and a product designer.

How did you come to work with App Boxer?

I googled for local app developers and cold-called the top five agencies that showed up. Eventually, I chose App Boxer because they seemed confident that they could guide us through the process.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $110,000 AUD (approximately $80,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from December 2020–July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

They delivered and fulfilled our needs on time.

How did App Boxer perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of meeting deadlines, App Boxer did a great job of fulfilling their promise. Their communication skills were also good. We used email to interact, and they were very responsive. 

Additionally, the team gave me access to their project management tool so I could check on their progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They accommodated the modifications we asked for.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing they could have done differently. Overall, we were happy with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to plan the project with the team, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if anything isn’t clear to you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the managing director of Star Compliance, an intuitive mobile compliance management and training platform with a focus on the hospitality sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer, and what were your goals?

Whilst the hospitality industry have been quick to embrace technology to support their daily operations, compliance related management has not shared the same adoption and continues to be a major deficiency. For an industry that is highly regulated with legislation, employee training requirements and inherent safety risks, a digital solution was clearly needed. Our goals were to build a simple to use platform that combined all of the necessary elements that make up compliance management.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We had searched online and conducted a lot of research into other development agencies to no avail before coming across App Boxer. In two cases before App Boxer, developers disappeared and did not finish the project leaving us at a significant loss of time and financial resources. We came across App Boxer via referral comment on a local startup facebook page. After our intial meeting with App Boxer it was clear we had found the right agency for our project. Their previous work portfolio was well presented and stood out in comparison to the previous agencies we had worked with. Their quality of work and process driven approach were key to providing us with the confidence to partner with them.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a series of meetings originally to see if we were able to salvage the current work our previous developers had left incomplete. App Boxer were willing to take on the project and rebuild the platform from scratch - looking back we are extremely glad we entrusted them with this decision. App Boxer produced an MVP within 4 months which allowed us to verify our idea and continue on to V2.0. The platform needed to be easily accessible across all devices and we wanted to be able to scale and continue to build the project in stages as new ideas surfaced. We decided to build IOS and Android native apps along with a responsive webpage.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

App Boxer has great depth across their team. We worked with Rayan during the design stages who than passed us onto Tom, our product delivery manager. The handover was seamless and both were across everything. Zyran - CEO, regularly checked in to ensure we were happy and satisfied with how the project and his team were looking after us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Within 4 months App Boxer had rebuilt our previous incomplete versions and we had a working stable MVP. 6 months later we had our first paying clients. From here we re-invested into the project and continued to add features based on customer feedback. We are now in the process of growing our team and have numerous funding offers on the table.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

One of App Boxer's strengths is their project management style. Having a dedicated project manager between yourself and the development team helps streamline communication and ensures the developers truly understand what you are trying to achieve as well as feedback. I'm not sure if these guys quite ever sleep! There is always someone online ready to reply and jump on your request.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their design is second to none. The team just know how to design beautiful elegant applications that work. I have also seen their business grow, moving offices whilst working with us - it's great to see them being successful because they really do deserve it.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

It is very hard to fault their work, the only comment I could make is that I personally always forget my Gmail account password to access the documents they send me!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Founder and MD of Blaser Pty Ltd, which designs technology for remote monitoring of location and operation of high value devices, such as Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a mobile app to enable individuals with responsibility for their organisation’s AEDs to be able to receive remote notifactions about the location and operation of the AEDs, and reminders about maintenance. Critical to the success of the app would be the ease of the on boarding process, the clarity of the messaging and ease of interaction .

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched online for app developers, and worked with several who wanted us to fit their methodology rather than work with us. App Boxer was recommended to us by a trusted colleague for whom the team had done some excellent web development work. We hired Zyran and the team because they focused on understanding and meeting our needs in the proposal process.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

This was a 4 stage process from discovery through an iterative process of wire-framing and code writing tested against identified UI/UX issues. The App Boxer team is timely and responsive to changes in direction and requirements.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Rayan was our main point of contact throughout the project, and was professional, personable and responsive throughout. The MD was always available if broader issues arose and was similarly outstanding.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We’re finalizing a number of platform and hardware issues, ahead of a pre-market trial, so no downloads yet, but the response of industry colleagues has been uniformly positive.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Rayan was App Boxer’s PM and key contact throughout, using vidcons, telephone, email and our company’s PM software to communicate, always in a timely, responsive fashion.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Key to App Boxer’s success on our behalf was the team’s willingness to engage and seek understanding of our needs, rather than impose a templated framework. This was complemented by the patience they showed as we came to grips with a whole new UI/UX language.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

App Boxer is the most reliable of the service providers we have engaged on this project.