App Boxer (Closed)

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a non-executive director for a company called Jangler, a mobile gifting platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Boxer?

We were bringing the Jangler product to market. We engaged App Boxer to help us bring our whiteboard drawing to reality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Boxer was contracted to help build the prototype for the MVP. That entailed both the design work, so the UI, as well as the actual development of the mobile app itself. They also developed the administration portal to manage the content within the app. They used AWS and did integrations with several third-party providers, such as an integration into a gift card provider’s platform and an integration into a billing platform.

What is the team composition?

There were two key developers — front- and backend developers — and I’m sure there were people they were working with that we didn’t meet. We also worked with a UX/UI designer and two people from leadership that helped with strategy and workshopping decisions. In total, we worked with five people that I’m aware of.

How did you come to work with App Boxer?

We worked with another party to help with the brand, marketing, positioning, and whatnot, and that company put my business partner in touch with App Boxer as a great development company to work with startups. They never missed a beat from day one.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we’ve invested about $150,000 AUD (approximately $105,800 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our conversation started in December 2018, and then developed started in late-2018–early-2019. It took about six months to build the MVP. We went live in November 2019. We’ve continued to work with App Boxer since then.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There are two key success metrics that we use. One is downloads of the app, which indicate that people can move from just the download of the app to becoming accustomed to it. Then, the second is transactions, so whether people are using the app and transacting. We measured success by one transaction, and we’re now increasing that.

How did App Boxer perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. We can call Zyran (CEO) and Rowan (Chief Strategy Officer) anytime, and they pick up straightaway. We always have a point of escalation if we ever feel like something needs to be happening faster, better, or quicker.

The developers themselves are fantastic. They took the time to set our expectations. They would squirrel away for a couple of days or half a week, but then they'd come back and let us know that we’d receive a user acceptance testing (UAT) on a certain date. On that day, we'd receive an email saying that it was ready for testing. Otherwise, they let us know in advance that there would be delays and explain the reasons for those delays. There has never been a point when we were waiting for the app to be tested; the expectations have always been set clearly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciate that they had input. When we request to change or enhance something with the developers now, we have a conversation about whether that’s a good thing to do. I feel like they’ve bought into the product and aren’t just doing their jobs.

This is the first time my business partner and I have had a startup; we’ve never done this before. I have some IT experience, but we’re figuring it out as we go along. It feels like the whole team at App Boxer has bought into the success of the product. They have ideas and suggestions, and they validate stuff that we think is good. They also provide ways to make it better. I feel like it’s a real team, not just a bunch of guys we pay to do the dev work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I feel like they’re young and hungry. They did everything that they could’ve done well. I can’t really think of anything they could’ve done better; they’ve done a stellar job.

Any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to challenge them. If they come up with an idea, an architecture, or a way of developing something, I always try and understand why they’re trying to do that. They perform really well when they’re challenged in their thinking. They’re a lot more experienced than they make out. 

For one of the enhancements we’re doing at the moment, I’ve challenged them to go with a 100% serverless architecture. They’re comfortable with it and are adopting it, and now it’s being baked it into the rest of their thinking. I think they really flourish when they’re challenged in what they’re designing and developing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of PRKA. We’re developing an application that provides parking solutions. It’s a marketplace where private citizens can offer their parking spaces to others.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Boxer?

I’m not a developer, so I needed someone to build the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Boxer developed the app and did some UI/UX design. I described to them what I had in my head, and they were able to bring that to real life.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with four people from App Boxer, including Zyran (CEO) and a product designer or manager.  

How did you come to work with App Boxer?

There isn’t a huge startup culture in Sydney, so finding an app developer was pretty difficult. I looked online for developers, and App Boxer was located close to where I am. Being able to talk to them in person was a big advantage. They quoted me a price I was comfortable with, and they had good reviews.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost so far is around $100,000 AUD (approximately $72,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

I first met them in September 2019. The project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve been great quality-wise. I can’t judge them on speed given the pandemic. With the lockdown we experienced in Sydney, I don’t think the app would’ve been that successful even if I had rolled it out earlier. 

Taking that into account, App Boxer has been pretty good. They were quick in going from initial discussions to development, and they gave me a clear timetable showing when everything would be ready. They were flexible with payments during the pandemic.  

How did App Boxer perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been hands-on, and they’ve had no hesitations in reaching out when they had a question or wanted my feedback. The development team in India also had no issues reaching out to me. They treated me like a part of the team and kept me in the loop.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They care about what they create. This wasn’t just another project to them. Even though they have a small team, they dedicated enough time to each project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was some miscommunication around the maintenance contract. I thought I was buying an overall number of hours, but it was a number of hours per month. App Boxer was happy to adapt when I brought up the issue.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If the client has an idea, they shouldn’t be afraid to execute it. App Boxer will provide the best people to speak to about it. They have a lot of experience and a hands-on approach.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We have a company called SHOCT, which stands for suspension health optimization and characteristics tracker.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Boxer?

We’re designing a system that monitors motorcycles' suspensions and then sends the data to a mobile phone application. We wanted a prototype application so that we could show the data and get funding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Boxer works to develop our platform for us. They had to enable the app to read three different Bluetooth devices and import data from them and then translate the data into readings. Their team also had to incorporate GPS and acceleration data because we needed to know the speed of the suspension.  

They completed the prototype version, which means that we have a working system. Their team also created a pitch deck and a landing page that enables people to sign up for our product.  We’ll continue to work with them until we have a final sellable product.

What is the team composition?

We have four people from their team working on our project.

How much have you invested with them?

To date, we’ve spent about $60,000 on their services. The complete package will cost about $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the partnership in February 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re professional. We’ve been impressed by their services. They’ve made a professional and attractive app. Their team also put us in contact with potential investors. It’s been quite a package of services.

How did App Boxer perform from a project management standpoint?

We meet every two weeks using Zoom. If we need to communicate, we meet straight away. Their communication is good. They also set and meet deadlines. It’s a smaller operation, so we’re continuously working together.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team offers more than we initially expected. The quality of their work and their actual services are beyond our expectations. We’re quite happy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They had a little trouble with the Bluetooth integration. The process took a couple of weeks longer than anticipated, but it was resolved. There will always be technical issues in these types of projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of innovation at Cellarmasters, a direct-to-consumer wine retailer that’s operated in Australia for the last 37 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Boxer?

We needed to create a way to scale our lead generation. We looked into an opportunity within the market to go after the “bring-your-own” (BYO) restaurants where you can bring your own wine. They’re common in Australia, but it’s not well-publicized what restaurants are BYOs and which aren’t. We wanted to create an app that identifies nearby BYO restaurants and when they’re open. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had scoping sessions with App Boxer early on. We wanted the BYO finder capability but with some additional functionality. For example, we had a feature that guides users through food and wine pairings. If users were looking to pair a type of food with a wine they already set their eyes on, they could go through a series of questions and work that out. The app then links back into the BYO finder, where it helps users find great restaurants around them. It also works the other way; if you felt like having a specific cuisine, you’d go through a series of questions for it to match the right wine.

App Boxer built the app natively for iOS and Android. They did the design work and development. After a couple of workshops scoping it all out, they came back with the initial designs which we then worked through and adjusted.

What is the team composition?

There were an account manager and two developers. I communicated mostly with the account manager. As we got closer to launch, we worked more closely with the developers in conjunction with the account manager.

How did you come to work with App Boxer?

We met with 5–6 different app developers. We selected App Boxer because their knowledge base and experience were solid. We liked their approach to addressing problems. They’re also based in Sydney and had a local team and local support we could get a hold of. Lastly, they had a pretty good track record and came within the budget that we were operating within.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $70,000 AUD (approximately $47,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2018 until July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within five days after launching, we were among the top 20 food and drink category apps on the Apple Store. For Google Play, we hit number seven on the list of top trending food and drink apps. 

In the first week, we had 11,000 BYO restaurants viewed and over 1,000 pieces of content read. Since then, we’ve had over 2,000 organic downloads. The initial feedback was positive as well. Users could discover new restaurants that they didn’t know were BYO restaurants.

How did App Boxer perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was solid. App Boxer worked diligently, took a lot of feedback, and made the workflow easy for us. There were times we were dealing with overseas developers, and they had methods in place to ensure it was a seamless process. App Boxer went through all the steps we expected for scoping, creating the initial designs, and building the initial fields and test apps. We used a project management tool similar to Trello.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to take a problem and come back with solutions in a really timely manner was impressive. App Boxer didn’t drag things out. They also demonstrated genuine excitement and interest in the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

App Boxer could have developed a deeper understanding of the subject matter that they were operating with. We did a bit of back and forth because they didn’t understand the wine space overly well. If they had more of an appetite to understand that area and how those customers operate, it would have been advantageous.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open and transparent with App Boxer. Talk to them. Meet with them. Really give them the opportunity to wrap their minds around your problem so that they can better address it. We went to App Boxer with an idea, and they fleshed out that idea with designs and wireframes. We didn't have to be overly prescriptive.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and co-founder of Jangler, a financial technology startup focused on gifting and personalized social spending. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer?

We hired App Boxer as a partner to help execute our idea and shape our business identity. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal is to offer consumers a unique alternative to gift cards. We wanted to deliver an MVP that made giving someone something special quick, easy, and fun.  

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We knew we had a unique product and perspective for our intended market, but we also knew we needed more than just an app developer; we needed technical co-founders. We spoke to and reviewed the work of three vendors, using a previous vendor as our benchmark. The deciding factor for us was App Boxer’s initial advice, partnership approach, strategic direction, and enthusiasm for the project. 

Describe the project in detail.

We are developing a peer-to-peer gifting platform. 

What was the team composition?

The team consists of a Microsoft representative and myself as well as both the founder and partner from App Boxer. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We are still in the pre-launch stages.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow has been very effective and efficient. If anything, the development has progressed more quickly than the decision process. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

App Boxer is experienced in strategy, business acumen, quality marketing, and development and network access, making them more than just a developer; they are an integral part of our team. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are none.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of Snewpit, an online platform making news more available, more relevant and more immediate for everyone. Users form a worldwide community of citizen journalists, using Snewpit to report and discover the news that is happening around them, as it happens.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer?

We hired them to redevelop our mobile app as well as our website. We had an existing hybrid mobile app and web platform which we wanted to improve on after extensive user testing.

What were your goals for this project?

We had an existing hybrid mobile app and web platform which we wanted to improve on after extensive user testing.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were highly recommended based on online research. Once I met them, I could see why.

Describe the project in detail.

They built out user stories and the functionality of both the existing app as well as the functionality we wanted to add or change after user testing. We sat with their team to discuss the design and functionality changes and put together a project brief.

What was the team composition?

Four of our team members worked with four people from their side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

From the user testing we have done on the pre-launched versions, our users understand the application and functionality much better than they did before.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They explained and engaged with us well, which made the whole process pleasant. It felt like they were an extension of our internal team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability and willingness to think outside the box impressed me the most. Most developers I have previously engaged with would ask a question and act on my answer, but App Boxer was more willing to understand my goals and recommend the best solution from a technical and UX perspective.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Abz Apps. We offer an app that helps solve the expensive childcare costs you see in Australia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer?

I needed someone to help me build the app and find investors.

What were your goals for this project

I wanted to determine if there was another service in the market like mine and if my idea had any legs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I spoke to a number of possible app developers—three agencies and two friends in the industry—who felt like salespeople. No one had any critiques of my idea, which made me uncomfortable as I knew nothing about app development and needed a lot of help.

The owner and team at App Boxer were the only ones who broke my idea into parts and brainstormed solutions for possible scenarios before I signed a contract. I took the proposal from App Boxer to my friends in the industry, who felt comfortable with the strategy and technology they proposed.

Describe the project in detail.

After I brought the idea, App Boxer took the project from there, defining the scope, building the wireframes, writing the documentation, and doing user research to see if our assumptions were correct. They designed the UX and UI, developed the project in native iOS and Android, and used Python for the backend. They outsourced my branding and legal needs but did help secure funding.

What was the team composition?

I deal directly with their owner, who has a technical background and acts as a project manager. While he’s been with me for the whole project, other people have come and gone depending on what phase we’re in including a UX designer and marketing/strategy guy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We’ve successfully beta tested the app in a small market with great results. The app faced bugs resulting from normal use, which were fixed quickly. Functionally, the app works great, but we’re aware that it’s confusing for some people.

I’m extremely pleased with the results and progress to this point. App Boxer took my simple idea and drove it to a point where it's become an asset that can either be sold or run as a business. They helped us secure $200,000 in funding, so we’re now focusing on making it is profitable with a certain number of active users.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It isn’t hard to manage communication with their team. We have regular face to face meetings to discuss progress, issues, and next steps, and I didn’t use any tools, though, I was invited to use a project management tool to view the development sprints. I never felt the need to be connected at that level.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to support the full process of a startup is remarkable. They say that making an app is easy but that it’s hard to build a business around it with a great marketing strategy. They nailed the app, as it runs better than I originally expected, but their main contribution, which blew me away, is their capability to do other things like marketing, fundraising, and locating business partners.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t pinpoint anything from App Boxer’s perspective since all the issues during development came from me either changing my mind about certain features or being too busy to communicate and provide feedback.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the business development manager at a digital agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer?

We hired them to develop a paperless solution which links directly to a healthcare CRM called Cliniko. The solution runs as a native app on both iOS and Android, with an in-depth management portal for the business owners.

What were your goals for this project?

To build a simple system that can be used by the healthcare industry and easily link with their existing infrastructure.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We asked in our business networks for recommendations of companies people had worked with in the past. App Boxer was recommended by several friends, as well as a large number of people in a local startup Facebook group.

Describe the project in detail.

We had only our idea at the beginning. They started by guiding us through a kick-off phase, which involved a brainstorming workshop. They then built the whole scope. The only requirement we had was for the system to be easy to use and integrate with Cliniko. They filled in the gaps with a number of features and took care of everything including the design, development, publishing, branding, marketing strategy, and maintenance.

What was the team composition?

We dealt directly with a project manager and the CEO/founder. The bulk of the work was done by outsourced resources, to whom their project manager delegated. The original project manager left the project in the fourth month, but their CEO stepped into the role to ensure there was no loss of communication.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The app was completed in the middle of last year and is now used in four medical practices. Since then, a number of issues were found and App Boxer fixed them at no additional cost as the work was covered under their 12-month warranty. The project has been on delay since completion mainly due to our lack of time to push the system to our clients. We have roughly 20 more practices who are interested, we just need to sign them up.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Once the scope was defined and approved by us, they took on everything. We had weekly meetings in the early stages to keep updated, but that dropped to every two weeks as the work was underway. No tools were used from our end to manage the workflow, only a weekly report provided by App Boxer, as well as the in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their CEO is a young wizard who grew up on technology. He's a self-taught programmer who turned his hobby into a 20-person company. He is at every meeting and takes responsibility for anything that happens with the projects. He's a very honest person who is confident enough to tell you if your ideas aren't good. This was very reassuring as with the other companies we spoke to, it felt like they were trying to sell something we didn't want or need.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The only complaint from us is that we feel some of the problems in the app should have been found during the development cycle, rather than when we sat down for our meetings. However, I do note that they're growing very fast and are struggling with some growing pains.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated on August 30th, 2018 by the client. The original star ratings were: Overall - 4, Quality - 4, Schedule - 4, Cost - 5, NPS - 5 before the new content is below:

App Boxer took some time to work with me based on the feedback I gave in order to improve their process and find out why I gave those scores.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and director of Lets Live. We are an Australian startup that provides informational, educational, and entertainment content about the action sports scene.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Boxer?

We wanted to create an interactive app that acted as a complete information source for those interested in action sports. Users could find important news updates, shop locations, and upcoming events on a singular platform.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to test our company’s concept and service by releasing a fully functional and well-presented app on the market.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A close friend highly recommended their services.

Describe the project in detail.

App Boxer developed a functioning platform for iOS, Android, and web-based users with different gamification elements to encourage user interaction and engagement. Their team also integrated back-office CRM tools to track our progress.

What was the team composition?

I work closely with the project manager a few other App Boxer representatives.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have received positive feedback from our target market regarding the UX/UI design and additional features. The results have been better than I expected.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We moved through the workflow with transparency and efficiency. App Boxer’s strong communication skills allowed for easy planning and time management.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They show constant interest in our project. The team is actively suggesting new ideas and solutions to optimize our app. Their level of engagement throughout the process demonstrates their investment in our vision.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their team goes above and beyond our expectations. I do not see any room for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the General Manager of a hospitality & leisure company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Hospitality

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• An Employee app to manage Incident Reporting in Hospitality Industry
• An Consumer app to manage Rewards Management in Hospitality Industry

SOLUTION

How did you find App Boxer?

Online Search

Why did you select App Boxer over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location

How many teammates from App Boxer were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

I workd with Zyrn for 2 apps. One for Internal Employees and another for our Consumers. Internal app to report incidents in our Hotel Chain and other was for our customers to get rewards for visitng our venues.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Increased consumer interaction
• better User Experience

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

They need to learn project management and team management. Lack fo scope clarity, Change request for the mistakes done by them, shared resources across 5+ projects (despite of comitting that I will have dedicated resources).

What was your primary form of communication with App Boxer?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Let's start with the code quality, shall we? Oh, it was nothing short of a masterpiece! I mean, who doesn't enjoy a little suspense in their lives, right? The constant bugs and crashes truly kept me on my toes, wondering what surprise would pop up next. I must say, I've never had the privilege of playing a game of app roulette quite like this before.

And the icing on the cake was the outsourced operations! Dealing with an outsourced team that barely spoke my language was an absolute joy. It was like solving a cryptic puzzle every time we tried to communicate. Who needs clarity and smooth communication anyway? It's all about that challenge, right? But let's not forget the true gem of the experience: the coding!

It was so obscure and convoluted that it made me feel like I was deciphering ancient hieroglyphs. Ah, the thrill of trying to make sense of spaghetti code – it was simply exhilarating. And let's not even talk about the lack of documentation; it was like playing a guessing game with every single line of code. Fun times, indeed! 

Oh, and I must give credit where credit is due. The long wait times and communication barriers throughout the development process were a masterclass in testing one's patience. The rollercoaster ride of emotions was a truly unforgettable part of this "wonderful" adventure. In conclusion, I must say that my experience was anything but ordinary.

If you're looking for an adrenaline-filled, nerve-wracking, and downright perplexing app development journey, then this is the company for you. But if you prefer a more straightforward and hassle-free process, well, you might want to look elsewhere. Happy app developing (or should I say, app adventuring)!

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

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