Appello Software

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Operations of GoTutors

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

GoTutors teaches Maths, Science and English to children aged 5-18 years old to prepare them for their SATS, GCSE, 11+ and A-Level exams.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appello Software to accomplish?

• Design custom operations software
• Develop custom operations software

SOLUTION

How did you find Appello Software?

Other

Why did you select Appello Software over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Appello Software were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We requiured a custom operations software that helps us to manage the following at head office, and all of our current, and future branches:

• CRM
• Payments tracker
• Accounting
• Royalty tracker
• Automated payments
• Customer portal
• Staff sign-in/out
• Payroll
• Customer journey tracker
• Scheduling
• Lesson tracker
• Attendance & punctuality for staff and students
• HR & Compliance

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now manage all the processes mentioned above using one software, instead of using 5 separate services. As this app is custom made for us, we no longer have to use work-arounds on premade services we previously used. Staff efficiency, ease-of-use and customer satisfaction has all seen a significant improvement.

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

They delivered the project ahead of time even though we gave them a tight deadline to complete everything. The project is still on-going but phase 1 was delivered befoer the deadline.

What was your primary form of communication with Appello Software?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their ability to help us break down and simplify complicated concepts and processes, enabling us to create an app that is easy to use and intuitive. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder & CEO of Brick Brick

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Local builder floor plan visualisation for people that are looking to build. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appello Software to accomplish?

• Develop the platform

SOLUTION

How did you find Appello Software?

Online Search

Why did you select Appello Software over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Appello Software were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Developed a web based SaaS platform in the residential construction space. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Functional platform meeting the core function requirements as outlined in the project scope meeting. 

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

There were some technical challenges that did not have clearly defined timelines throughout the project. At times this could be frustrating for budgeting due to time and materials blow outs. 

What was your primary form of communication with Appello Software?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The design and product outcome felt modern with a high level of functional UI/UX, which allows our product to cut through the noise of other less polished or refined competitors. 

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

I would have been far more appreciative of the initial costings provided to me aligning closer to the total project cost. Initial costing estimates were approx $80k-100k. At present we are approaching $250k and have had 2 of the 3 core functions delivered. Whilst happy with the work this could be difficult for companies without the means to absorb this. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of InPlay Performance

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Platform providing mental health and mental performance skills to young athletes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appello Software to accomplish?

• Build Mobile App Software to house audio recordings.
• Branding and Design.

SOLUTION

How did you find Appello Software?

Online Search

Why did you select Appello Software over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Appello Software were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

• Mobile App Development.
• Front-End and Back-End Admin Platform. 
• Logo, Branding and Design.
• Regular communication regarding Design, Cost Estimates, Progress Updates, and Walkthroughs via Phone Call and Zoom. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Meeting set deadlines for stages of development. 
• Creating a functional and reliable app that does not require significant adjustment or alteration.
• Ensuring the project cost remains close to predicted costs.

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

Items were delivered on time. Continual communication was great to check in on my progress in other areas of the business, which would allow progress in the app development. 

The development team's requirements and how the information I provide could help them are clearly defined, ensuring they were given the best opportunity to complete the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Appello Software?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The collaboration of a large group of specialists in different areas to create a cohesive, reliable product on the first go. 

High level of detail and record-keeping. 

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

There should be more clarity around the function of a service deposit—where and when these funds provided are used. In the end, they were appropriately used. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Delivery Manager of a financial services company. 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We offer simple, interest free Payment Plans to patients for Health Care related treatment. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appello Software to accomplish?

• Update and refresh the UI of our existing apps
• Provide additional functionality and features
• Increase the level of security to protect sensitive data

SOLUTION

How did you find Appello Software?

Online Search

Why did you select Appello Software over others?

Relevant skillset

How many teammates from Appello Software were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Provide figma designs of the updated UI of each screen in our 3 apps and design new navigation and workflows. 
• Develop the apps on React native based on the new designs, navigation and functionality. 
• Appello were engaged to complete the front design and development and work closely with our backend team to ensure all functionality was working as expected. 
• All 3 apps were required to be developed, tested and deployed to a UAT environment where we conducted final testing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Key measureables were:

• Project completion was within budget and timeframes. Although there were some extensions throughout the project this was due to dependancies on our backend team and some changes throughout the development cycle. 
• The final product aligned with the approved UI designs and new functionality and features setout in the original requirements. 

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

The project manager communicated any updates in a timely manner and we were always informed of the project status and ETA for completion.  He arranged standups when required to keep the project moving and was always transparent about any issues or challenges they were facing. 

What was your primary form of communication with Appello Software?

Email or Messaging App

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

I was impressed by their vast array of skill sets in design, development, and apps.

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

Provide regular project cost analysis throughout projects to ensure projects are on track from a cost perspective. This way the client is up to date and prepared for any increase rather than at the end. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Consultant of Headways Migration Australia

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Migration and Recruitment

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appello Software to accomplish?

• Develop a recruitment platform where recruiters in Australia can conveniently engage skilled professionals of high calibre with much ease and at relatively low costs by using state-of-the-art recruitment software

SOLUTION

How did you find Appello Software?

Online Search

Why did you select Appello Software over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Appello Software were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Development of a Digital Recruitment Platform with an employer and candidate interface. The intention was to be able to come up with a platform that has modern features which could be easily embraced by candidates who showcase their skills and have visibility of their profile strength. On the other hand, the platform was to give employers an appealing and efficient alternative to traditional recruitment methods. Time and cost was very critical in the delivery of this project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Appello team was so helpful in giving guidance on improvements and overall functionality of the recruitment platform. The Project Manager, Developers, Engineers and staff working on this project were fantastic in meeting deadlines and reducing costs by giving timely feedback and updates.

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

The Appello team (and Project Manager) had time to listen and respond to every query. They also delivered the project on time

What was your primary form of communication with Appello Software?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They were quite knowledgeable and professional and they can work with businesses of any size.

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

Nothing significant that is worth a mention

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of FurBaby Social Pty Ltd

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

FurBaby Social is an all-in-one social networking app and marketplace, designed to connect pet owners and their pets with like-minded animal lovers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appello Software to accomplish?

• Design & Build of Mobile App

SOLUTION

How did you find Appello Software?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Appello Software over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Appello Software were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Design, build and implementation of a social media application that would be accessible on both iOS and Android devices.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Appello delivered a robust, secure, modern app in a timely manner that will continue to grow over the years to come.

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

Lucy, my amazing Project/Product Manager kept me well informed every step of the way, nothing was too difficult to achieve, she was always willing to assist in any way possible and made me feel at ease knowing my project was in good hands. She also drove her team to ensure the desired outcome was met in a timely manner without compromising on the features and functionality of my Application. 

Furthermore, the development team did an outstanding job, and their workmanship is second none - they delivered a robust, secure, modern app that will continue to grow over the years to come.

What was your primary form of communication with Appello Software?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

It’s not often these days that you come across an organisation that is truly a market leader in their industry and delivers on their promises!! Appello’s guidance, support, flexibility, and professionalism throughout the design and engagement process, including delivery of the project has been invaluable.

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

The team at Appello Software went above and beyond and exceeded all expectations from start to finish. I couldn’t speak more highly of them!! They have proven to be dedicated, passionate, highly skilled and very knowledgeable so my experience to date has been nothing short of fantastic!

A special thanks to Cameron (Chief Executive Officer), Lucy (Project/Product Manager) and the design/development team (Maria, Victor, & Andrey) for making my project a great success!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of the Hey All app, an event planning tool.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appello Software?

I needed a company that could help me develop my app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appello Software helped me throughout the whole development process. They’ve handled the app’s design, front- and backend development, and project management.

The app is an event planning tool for iOS and Android. It connects a person planning an event with all of their event suppliers. It’s two apps in one — there will be one app for the planner and another for the event suppliers.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is a project manager from Appello Software.

How did you come to work with Appello Software?

I chose to work with Appello Software because of their competitive price. When I got the app’s prototype finalized, I inquired with another company, who quoted me almost triple what Appello Software did.

Appello Software gave me an actual price as well as a worst-case scenario price for the project. Once I got a few investors on board, I signed a contract with Appello Software.

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?

We’ve just deployed the app to the App Store and the Google Play Store, so I don’t have any quantitative metrics just yet.

How did Appello Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Appello Software has performed well in terms of project management. Their communication has been excellent, and they've made everything simple — they've pretty much done the whole thing for me. If there are any issues, I just let my project manager know, and he gives me advice on what they think we should do, and then we do it.

We primarily communicate through Slack and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really like how supportive Appello Software has been of my ideas since day one. Not only that, but they also provide me with valuable feedback and advice to further improve the app. For instance, if there’s a feature that I want to add, we would talk about the best and most cost-effective way we could do it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to plan out what features you want in your app. Once you have everything planned out, stick to your plans and make sure everything is perfect before expanding the scope of your project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a small startup. We’ve created a contactless ordering web application for sporting venues in Australia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appello Software?

We hired Appello to develop our web application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appello developed our entire web app, which included UI/UX design and front- and backend development. We initially provided them with some UI/UX designs as a guide, which they detailed further. We also provided them with our brand guidelines and the requirements for the front and back ends.

Throughout the process, we’ve given them feedback, and they’ve also had different ideas to figure out where we wanted to go together. Overall, it has been a very collaborative process.

Appello used Python to develop the app and Figma to create the UI designs. Among the core features requested was allowing multiple sports venues to use the web app, assigning a unique QR code, URL, and menu for each one. We also required it to allow the food courts to upload and modify their menu items.

Additionally, they implemented a payment processing system and a system that allows users to receive an individual message when their order is ready. Thus, this app has required a lot of different integrations with third-party providers such as Toolio, Mailchimp, and Stripe.

Appello also offered us 12 months of free maintenance service, and they’re hosting the app on Amazon at cost; we just pay the Amazon fee.

What is the team composition?

We initially spoke to Appello’s CEO, and he introduced us to the company. From there, we’ve spoken almost exclusively with the project manager, although we’ve also talked with a lead designer. Working with them, there’s a team of front- and backend developers. I don’t know how many individuals are they, but I imagine they’re less than five.

How did you come to work with Appello Software?

We had consultations with a lot of different developers in Australia, and we looked at their reviews. We saw Appello’s reviews on Clutch, but from their interview process and the quote that they gave us, we felt that they were the best fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app operates flawlessly from the back end to the front end, and it has no errors. It generates QR codes, has menus online, places orders, and receives text messages.

How did Appello Software perform from a project management standpoint?

Appello’s project management is terrific, and the project has stayed on budget and on time. We have a shared Slack channel, and we use Google Meet to have monthly or fortnightly meetings.

Their project manager is in constant contact with us and always asks the right questions to ensure the understanding of our needs. Whenever he hasn’t understood something, he has also communicated that clearly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Appello really commits to their client’s projects. They’ve given us the impression that they want our app to succeed by doing additional work. For example, they actively try to find solutions to problems instead of only executing instructions, and they do competitor research.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Overall, we’re very satisfied with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The more prepared you are, the better the process will be. Appello is also very good at talking through issues, so don’t be afraid to ask any questions; they’re very forthcoming. The more you communicate with them, the more they’re going to help you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director of Digital Development at Eyetelligence. We are a MedTech company offering software to support clinical decision making for optometrists. The Eyetelligence software uses the latest AI technology to analyse retinal images for features of glaucoma, referrable diabetic retinopathy, and neovascular AMD.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Appello Software, and what were your goals?

We engaged Appello to develop a new website for us based on UI/UX designs provided. The project included dynamic user flows, custom integrations, translations, and full Saas e-commerce capabilities.

SOLUTION

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

I have had experience in the past with marketing-based agencies who have over-promised in the development department, and more often than not under-delivered. Appello was clearly a dev-first agency with a deep talent pool and capability to deliver on a complex build.

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

We had an initial kick-off meeting to discuss what our high-level goals were. We were initially planning to have Appello complete all design and dev work work but we later decided to have the wireframes completed by another agency that we were working with anyway so that Appello could focus on the complex dev work.

The project was complex because with needed to integrate the subscription system with our existing custom software. Appello is capable of producing high-quality design work but we are glad we split the workload as we needed the project completed in 3-4 months. Appello advised us on the best tech stack for our particular needs which ended up being Django backend, WordPress frontend and Stripe for subscription management.

Appello also translated the website into 3 separate languages and picked the perfect tools for achieving that. Our needs were very unique and they picked out of the box solutions where they could, and built the rest custom. No compromises.

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

The e-commerce team was comprised of myself, the Commercial Project Manager, and the Director of Marketing. We also had an in-house web dev who helped with the software integrations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform has only been live for a month or so but the feedback from the internal and external stakeholders has been very positive. The system works well and looks great.

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

Appello provided us with a dedicated project manager and managed tasks using Asana. They gave us access to see how things were progressing. They used Time Doctor to log hours and shared the logs along with the invoices which provided a great level of transparency. Communication was done mostly via Slack and email. We arranged calls when needed. Overall the communication and project management was very high level. We knew what was going on and always had a point of contact.

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

I was very impressed with their development capabilities. They have a very skilled team and nothing was too hard or unachievable. This was refreshing as often agencies will convince you to compromise on certain features if they are not capable of building it. Not Appello - they welcomed the challenge.

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

Overall Appello has done a great job. On some occasions, we found the odd bug here or there but the team was always very quick to fix them up.