Appinventiv

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a smart lock company that provides a platform for keyless entry systems for businesses and consumers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appinventiv?

We were having trouble sorting out some security issues with our platform. So, we hired Appinventiv to solve the issues we were having.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided app and IT services in relation to our PC platform and our mobile platform. They sorted out security anomalies that we needed to address from an IT level to prevent hacking. The team also changed quite a bit of our platform to make it more robust. 

The technologies they used included Java, PHP, SQL. What started off as a small project ended up being quite a large one. 

What is the team composition?

We work with about 12 teammates. 

How did you come to work with Appinventiv?

They were recommended to us by an American company that we were doing a lot of business with.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent more than $100,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Appinventiv in February 2019 and our engagement is ongoing. We completed the project we initially hired them for and we’re doing other work now.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had worked with three other firms prior to working with Appinventiv to try to get this work done. However, the expertise just wasn’t there. It’s extremely hard to find companies like Appinventiv that have expertise across a range of different platforms. They had the answers to everything. 

Additionally, their technical ability was fantastic and they really understood our problem and what we were trying to achieve. The team came up with a lot of great solutions. Because they’re proficient in multiple coding languages, the team was able to operate on all the platforms, which was helpful.

How did Appinventiv perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform extremely well. They’ve got great project management systems in place. They set up a communication platform that all of us used for group meetings. It's been a smooth process overall. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their level of technical understanding of applications, backend software, and cloud servers is phenomenal. They really understand the end-to-end of getting a product from concept to execution.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Even though they communicate very well in English, in the beginning, there was a bit of a language barrier. We weren’t always sure about what they meant. That’s just a common problem you have with any company at first. But once we knew what was happening, it all made sense.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You’re in good hands. When you first start with a new company, you tend to want to ask a lot of questions, but trust Appinventiv. They’re ethical and know what they’re doing. In addition, they use proper coding and don’t take shortcuts. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Expin. We’re a mobile app that was built in React Native.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appinventiv?

We hired Appinventiv to developer our mobile app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were supposed to build a mobile app, as well as an admin panel. The app was supposed to be in React Native, and the panel was supposed to be in React.

What is the team composition?

There were two developers, rather than the nine promised in the contract.

How did you come to work with Appinventiv?

We did a lot of research on Clutch and other review sites, and they also submitted their bid on Upwork. they offered us lots of guarantees in terms of timely deliverables. We shortlisted them, along with several other companies, based on several promises they made at the time of the negotiation of the contract.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little under $20,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from November 2018 until November 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had to break it off because it was a complete disaster. To give a little overview, we sent them an 88-page FRS when we were negotiating. It detailed every single thing. The design was finished, the FRS was written, the technical documentation was presented, and they had plenty of time to review. They said they could deliver in three months with a team of nine developers. That became four and then five months and so on. They promised to build the backend in React, but then we realized they didn’t have any in-house React resources.

Then, they persuaded us to switch the language to PHP, which wasn’t ideal but we went with it because we were pressed for time. Again, we found that that the two developers they’d given us were also working on another project. We had four project manager changes. We had to give them access to our AWS, and one of their developers deleted our website, which cost us over $15,000 to produce. They offered no remedy whatsoever. We asked for them to do something many times but they haven’t agreed. They fired the resource, but that doesn’t compensate for the damage. We had to spend another three months building a website, paying for all of it ourselves.

We didn’t start the agreement until we ensured that all the code would be put on our Git repository, and then, later during the development phase, we realized they weren’t using our Git. They held our code hostage until we made payments, contrary to our agreement. We negotiated it beforehand and they didn’t honor it. There was no code documentation from their end whatsoever, and there was no QA, so they used us and our team as their own personal QA, telling us to check this and that. it was very basic stuff that we had to do over and over.

They delivered under 40% of the project after one year when it was supposed to take only three months. We had to let them go and carry on with somebody else.

How did Appinventiv perform from a project management standpoint?

They changed the project manager four times without notice. The new manager wouldn’t read the FRs, which I think is absolutely critical. How are you going to manage a team building a complex project without reading the client’s documentation? Usually, vendors will get on a discovery call, understand our objectives, and they’ll write it for us. We incurred the cost of writing it ourselves to ensure that they understood what we wanted to accomplish in their language.

Each switch was detrimental, going from bad to worse. There were technical problems, and I’m not a technical guy. I spent hours on Google to find solutions for them, send it to them, and they would try to address it. As a non-developer, it’s hard to understand which technologies, frameworks, and libraries are compatible with one another. I shouldn’t have had to do this for them, but, even though I did, we still got nowhere.

What did you find most impressive about them?

No, not at all.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should hire better resources and dedicate them to projects rather than sharing them. They had one or two good resources, and they put them on several projects, meaning they couldn’t concentrate on any one project specifically.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If your project is very, very simple, extremely simple, perhaps it will work. But, if its anything semi-serious, they are not the company to go with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Shifa International FZ LLC, a medical blockchain firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appinventiv?

I was looking for a partner who offered globally compliant patient-level data security that's end-to-end encrypted.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed an e-prescription system backed by a blockchain crypto algorithm. With it, a doctor can use a crypto key that traces back hundreds of years of prescription data. That journey was amazing when it came to the co-creating of a global network. This way, a patient from anywhere in the world can get consultations on prescriptions, second opinions, diagnosis, and choose the right case with up to four doctors globally.

I gave them a simple, two-line brief, saying that every patient must have meaningful access to a doctor of their choice when desired. Then, they worked with the idea for four weeks, coming back with all the pros and cons, opportunities, and technologies available. They were able to outline what we could achieve through this system. That was an eyeopener because other companies I've worked with are less inclined to take a project that they must co-create.

Once the project is complete, it can show which diseases are trending around the globe. That way, we can alert the pharmaceutical industry in a particular region when diseases are on the rise. Appinventiv created the AI engine that allows for these calculations to be made. It will allow us to trace an individual's epidemiology, genetics, family history of medicine, location, and the prevalence of the disease in a customer's area. The solution will help us manage global health in a really meaningful way.

What is the team composition?

I have a permanent team of 20 people, but there are 50 people at my disposal. They're experts when it comes to AI, deep machine learning, setting up databases, the cloud, servers, load testing, etc. They’re available on demand.

How did you come to work with Appinventiv?

When I was looking for a partner, it took me over seven months to find one that understands my vision for global health. I wanted to make any doctor accessible to patients in 160 different countries.

These were ambitious goals, but they seemed able to come up with a solution that allowed for accurate verification of both doctors and patients. There are no fake reviews, doctors, or prescriptions. That security was really important for us when it comes to healthcare, and they showed a similar concern. That led us to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2018, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re right on time and budget with them. I wanted to produce the best product that delivers the most value to the patient. They definitely delivered, adding additional features to benefit customers. For instance, there's a function that allows those struggling with the same diseases to meet up for support. Patients that social support to get better. That can be achieved through this beautiful product.

We started doctor acquisition campaigns six weeks ago. So far, we have 3,000 specialists registered, meaning that we can provide 60,000 medical consultations each day or 10 million medical consultations every year. We haven’t even launched the product yet, but we already received an award from the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare (IFAH).

How did Appinventiv perform from a project management standpoint?

We had one dedicated project manager that handled everything. There’s never a need for us to speak to a delivery person, the wireframe guy, the design specialist, or anyone else working on our account.

Our team can communicate with one person using Basecamp. At every meeting, we get updates on progress and plans for the next week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were the first company, within 24 hours, to provide the NDA, schedule a meeting, and try to understand our vision. They came back with the full-blown scope without any charges. Their responsiveness is key because of our fast-paced industry. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they’re underselling themselves by serving only four countries. They have the potential to have a strong presence in more than 50 countries.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If I had my way, I’d pick put their whole staff on my team tomorrow.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Windie LLC, which is a low-cost solution for reducing electric consumption in your home by using your windows and blinds efficiently. This helps users save money on in-home heating and cooling bills.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appinventiv?

I hired them to develop an iPhone app from scratch. I didn’t have any coding or IT experience, and I needed guidance on how to move forward with my idea.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting with a one-paragraph note from my phone, Appinventiv designed and developed the entirety of my app. I didn’t provide any wireframes or designs, and we put together a basic concept through brainstorming and collaboration.

They gave me direction in terms of actionable steps, and I began to send over drawings and other materials to provide them with a better sense of my idea. We talked almost every day, in the beginning, to iron out my vision. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve had somewhere between 10–15 people working on my app. There’s a chance that it’s gotten up to 20, but it’s most likely in that 10–15 range. 

How did you come to work with Appinventiv?

About three months ago, I was looking for an app development company to help me create my app. Appinventiv was on my radar, and I decided to reach out to them. I had originally found them after searching online for app development companies without really knowing what I was looking for. 

I eventually shortlisted three different companies. One was based in St. Louis, and the other was also a non-local team. I met with the St. Louis firm and Appinventiv and ended up going with the latter that same day.

I chose Appinventiv because they had an impressive resume, and all of their previous clients seemed to have had a fantastic experience working with them. They were also easy to talk to. Despite my being a small business owner, they seemed willing to give me the same level of attention that they would give to a multi-national enterprise. 

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent about $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They started work with us in July 2019, and our work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app launched a few days ago, and we already have seven or eight five-star reviews. Granted, these are mostly from family and friends, but Appinventiv is helping me gain more traction on the App Store. I’m in touch with their head of marketing, and we connect via Skype every now and then to discuss tactics.

How did Appinventiv perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a project manager, Shagun (Project Coordinator, Appinventiv), who was in touch with us every single day. She was awesome to work with and would give me frequent updates about what they were doing. We typically had meetings three to five times a week to go over the direction of the app. 

I would correct the course whenever I needed to, but for the most part, they stuck to my vision. They were always willing to look over my drawings and ideas, and we’d set up a meeting if there was a major change. They sent me a recap at the end of each week with plans for the next week.

The communication was super clear and effective. Even if we had stuck to just Skype calls, it would have been perfectly suitable. The in-person meetings were just an added bonus. 

They used Basecamp for tracking progress and Skype for communication. I wasn’t super familiar with Basecamp, but it’s an easy tool for sharing files and discussing changes. We would often use Basecamp to talk about ideas and then have a Skype meeting if we needed to clarify anything. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I didn’t have that many expectations going into the engagement, and they still managed to blow me away. I’m a young guy with a dream and zero experience in app development, and they’ve made sure that my dream continues to become a reality.

Even from the beginning, I had the COO and the head of marketing reaching out to me. It felt like a ton of personal attention despite my having such a small brand.

I was also super impressed with their designer. He was phenomenal. I’m terrible at drawing and sent over the worst illustrations, and he always made them look amazing. He did screen designs and interface designs, as well.

He was also very responsive and would reach out to me personally whenever he needed more information. Working with me was probably a challenge at times, but they made it an incredibly nice experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t had any issues with them. Part of that could be because I’ve never worked with an app developer before, but I can’t think of any areas for improvement. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go in with as much information about your ideal product as possible. They’ll make exactly what you want. Their head engineer once told me that they would be able to build any of my ideas, and that nothing is impossible for them. That stuck with me.

Especially if you’re like me and don’t have any coding experience, try to use resources online to gain a better sense of what’s possible. Have a detailed plan and idea, because they’ll be able to deliver it, whatever it is.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of an IT startup in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Appinventiv?

The service Appinventiv provided us was IT consultancy for a complex mobile app development project.

What were your goals for this project?

For this project, we aimed at achieving clarity in the scope of our project. Namely, we wanted to understand exactly the skillsets needed, timeline, and costs to complete the project. It requires technology beyond our in-house team's understanding. Thus, AppInventiv, especially Business Manager Pulkit's communication between our non-tech team and their tech team greatly assisted to reach our goal.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We conducted an online search of mobile application developing companies in the same industry/area as AppInventiv.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was quite complex, however the service we needed and received was mainly IT consultancy. Due to the complexity of our project, we needed clarity before proceeding with the actual project. Business Manager Pulkit assisted us patiently, professionally, and timely to answer all of our questions and provided insights of what we should expect and what would something we did not see coming. The entire communication process has been nothing but pleasant and informative.

What was the team composition?

Business Manager, Pulkit Arora

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Every time when we added new requirements or questions, they would get back within a guaranteed shortest amount of time with detailed support. We find value in the information received.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The effectivity of our workflow was the best we have ever encountered--second to none.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Communication is top-notch, you know what and when to expect from them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is nothing that I can think of at the moment for improvement, at least from what I have been impressed with. Highly recommend.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the talent manager and marketing associate for an international film studio.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appinventiv?

We wanted to create an app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed our app for iOS and Android, meeting whatever suggestions we had for the app. We didn’t face any problems.

What is the team composition?

I was primarily in touch with one person who helped guide me through the process, and what I had to do on my end. 

How did you come to work with Appinventiv?

My boss used to work with someone who put us in touch with Appinventiv and recommended them highly.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between November 2018–February 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re very satisfied with the end product. We’ve not received the kind of traction we wanted, but it’s not the app’s fault. The app functions well and there are no lags. If there was an update that we needed to be incorporated, they always took care of it well.

How did Appinventiv perform from a project management standpoint?

They were quite accessible to us at all times. During the launch, there were a few things that needed to be worked on, but they were willing to finish on time, and they met timelines. There were no issues with them not being available or not getting completing things, and our interactions were smooth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If we do an app in the future, we’ll definitely contact them. We’re very happy with their services.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was happy with the team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend them to anyone I know.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder and CEO of Prothymos Innovations, an innovation company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appinventiv?

We came up with a peer to peer payment concept idea and we needed a development team to build it for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appinventiv developed an iOS app for us. After our first Skype call, their team did market research for us. They laid out a scope of work for what needed to be done and made sure to get our approval on everything throughout the process.

The Appinventiv team integrated a payment gateway platform into the app. At their recommendation, we selected Stripe because it is popular and trusted. There are regulations involved around moving money and Appinventiv was extremely key in getting this done.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with a project manager from Appinventiv, who had four team members under him that worked on our project. I was also in direct communication with the head of product. 

How did you come to work with Appinventiv?

I read an article about Appinventiv online but wanted to do some more research on them. After finding their profile on Clutch, I read some reviews of Appinventiv from clients who had positive experiences. I knew the reviews were trustworthy, which helped me make my decision.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested between $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Appinventiv began in February 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The iOS version of the app is still getting approved, but the feedback we have received has been extremely positive. People love the way the app looks. The design and colors are very attractive.

All of Appinventiv’s insight was helpful, and the final product is beautiful. I’m in awe of it, to be honest. I was just an entrepreneur who had a belief and a vision, and I was in tears when they sent me the latest build. Seeing my vision come to life was a really impactful moment.

How did Appinventiv perform from a project management standpoint?

Appinventiv performs very well. Our teams were in constant communication. There is a major time difference, but they set the tone early on and figured out what time was best for me to meet. They adjusted their schedule to fit our needs.

Their team uses Basecamp to manage projects and kept us constantly aware of what was going on in the project. There was a language gap as well, but they were really helpful and slowed things down a bit for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Appinventiv is committed to pleasing their customers. There were a few times where I didn’t care for a particular aspect of the design, and they always immediately made adjustments. Their team quickly responded to resolve the matter. That was really helpful because sometimes you don’t get that level of customer service. It was really encouraging.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always an opportunity to improve something. We did have a language barrier which was a slight issue early on. It turned into a learning opportunity for both of us. We learned to slow ourselves down so that we could understand each other better. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to give clear details so their team can understand you. Be as clear as possible when communicating with them and they’ll take the rest.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of technology for an online coaching and training company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appinventiv?

We were looking for a company that could build a video-based platform. Since we were expecting more than 100,000 users to come into our app at the same time, we needed the solution to be auto-scalable.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appinventiv conceptualized and created an educational video app that could auto-scale to accommodate large volumes of users. With the solution, users could collaborate with multiple vendors within the video cloud space as well as stream video.

Their team first conducted a study of 18–20 apps within our domain to benchmark industry best practices. The exercise was meant to help us understand common systems within our field and propose a solution that would suit our needs.

From there, they presented a system architecture that outlined the entire solution into dockers. When one docker would reach its max value, a new docker would launch automatically, allowing us to scale information based on the number of incoming requests. 

We tweaked their solution a bit before they started delivering on the different project phases. They used MongoDB as our database, developed a OneLogin Protect (OTP) component, and built the entire admin side of the app so that we could upload and update content.

What is the team composition?

They assigned around 12–15 resources, including UX designers, developers, and QA experts. I’ve been in contact with everyone involved at different points, depending on the requirements.

How did you come to work with Appinventiv?

I researched roughly 25 vendors across India and met with each in person. Out of all of them, Appinventive was able to grasp our user volume problem and gave us a scalable solution. 

They also understood that we were looking for a partner that could support us throughout the entire journey. We decided to hire them based on their cost, nimble team, and ability to deliver work on time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $200,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019. They’ve been with us since the inception and have helped us launch the app in May 2019. We still rely on them to take care of ongoing needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final app meets expectations and does a good job of representing our content. It currently has a 4.8 rating in Google Play with around 650,000 downloads. Add on 45,000 more from the App Store, and that totals around 700,000 downloads.

How did Appinventiv perform from a project management standpoint?

I’d give them high marks for project management. They came up with a development roadmap at the very beginning and have made good recommendations throughout. We use Jira and Basecamp to coordinate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The way they interact with our entire team is impressive. They solicit feedback on their inputs and then incorporate our comments to continue iterating. It’s helped us build up a good partnership and mutual understanding with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d like them to be a little more proactive in certain cases.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Involve their top stakeholders on projects so that the team takes your assignment seriously. While working with the project manager and the rest of the team, we’d also speak with the VP,  managing director, and CEO at the same time to keep everyone accountable.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is essentially a hiring platform for the retail hospitality and service industries. I’m one of the co-founders and also the CTO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AppInventiv?

We were looking to quickly develop a prototype because we thought we had a product-market fit, and we wanted to make sure we could get into the market and see if what we thought and what people wanted ware actually aligned.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first stage involved design mockups, wireframes, and stories. Now we’ve passed the prototype stage and have had a fully launched product since March 2019, so now they’re helping us build out that product into everything we want it to be.

What is the team composition?

They provided several project managers and iOS and Android developers, as well as web people and QA. Overall, we work with 10–15 people from their team.

How did you come to work with AppInventiv?

We came across AppInventiv on Clutch. We read through feedback from customers and found that they were very professional and have done similar projects in the past. We decided that in terms of value, speed, and time, they just made the most sense.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $220,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in February 2018 and are continuing to work together with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

On the App Store, we have all five-star reviews and 4.7 overall on Android. We were able to acquire around 800 employers as well as 7,000–8,000 candidates. Beyond the numbers, we’re very pleased with their work so far and have gotten great reception in terms of our application of the technology and its aesthetics.

How did AppInventiv perform from a project management standpoint?

I actually communicate with their team on a daily basis. We have standups and go back and forth via text and a variety of project management tools depending on the part of the project. We use Jira, Asana, Basecamp, Trello, and sometimes just Google Sheets.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a really impressive commitment to our business. They really care about what we’re doing, and I really treat them as part of our dev team. I’ve visited them in India and spent a week working with them in person to develop that relationship, and they feel very comfortable giving us feedback and suggestions outside of the direct scope of what we ask them to do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing stands out to me. We can always work to better understand each other’s operating style and improve how we work together, but there haven’t been any problems.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They will be a very engaged team, but you need to be ready to be engaged as well. When a relationship works, both sides have to be contributing work and ideas. They are extremely willing to go back and forth to produce the best product, but you can’t just hand them a spec and then sit back and expect them to execute exactly what you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a company that creates software for religious organizations. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with AppInventive?

We needed resources to create a cross-platform iOS/Android app. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

AppInventive was tasked with creating our cross-platform app using React Native. They were supposed to deliver a build at the end of each month, but we didn’t receive anything for the first three and a half months. 

By the fourth month, we still saw delays. They eventually provided us with builds, but they were mostly just UX pieces. Very little was functional, and, when something did work, it wasn’t how we’d wanted it.

In the end, we terminated the project and had another vendor take over. They audited the code and discovered that AppInventive had only programmed one API to connect the app and load over 400 different sections. The coding was so poorly architected that we had to start over entirely. 

What is the team dynamic?

We worked with about 12 people, including 2–3 project managers, 1–2 designers, and then several programmers. 

It felt like they had resources who were dedicated to responding to us because it would always be the same three people. Then there would be others that I’d never met in the group chat.

How did you come to work with AppInventive?

I found them through Clutch, and they had good reviews. But I didn’t realize that they were a sponsored vendor. The more I worked with them and the more research I did, the more I realized that they prioritized their clients based on project size. If you’re not spending at least $500,000 with them, you won’t have a good relationship because they’ll limit their scope of work. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from May–November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

Aside from the initial lack of delivery and updates, we started noticing that something was off when every demo was only for the UX. Then they kept asking for more time, which is normal in development projects, but they asked for far beyond what any of our other developers had ever asked.

That’s when I hired another team to go over their code, which was a mess. Our worst fears ended up coming true—we had to start from scratch because all of their code was useless. That’s when we switched over to another provider.

How did AppInventive address the challenges that arose?

They never updated the app while they were working on it and wouldn’t go out of the way to fix anything if it wasn’t explicit in the scope. If we reported something while they were in the middle of a task, they would ask us for an additional 3–4 weeks. By then, another issue would come up.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

Overall, we didn’t have a good experience with AppInventive. Before we terminated the engagement, we tried to get them to fix everything, but they told us that it would take another 4–6 months (paid) to make sure things ran smoothly. We decided not to go that route.

The design they gave us wasn’t bad, but the app didn’t work at all. Even though the app was supposed to be cross-platform, they couldn’t get the iOS version to work. I’m not even sure where they were having issues there.

How was project management handled?

We were supposed to coordinate on Basecamp, but they never used it. When I asked to use it, they said that it would just end up taking more time.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

Their responses were always quick, but they never actually met their promises. That’s how they got us to work with them for so long. When I’d ask one of the project managers a question, they would always tell us they’d have to consult the other first.

In what specific areas can they improve?

Besides meeting deadlines, the coding definitely needed improvement. We had to scrap the whole thing because it was so poorly written.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Take the time to do a little bit more research before choosing AppInventive. If you decide that you want to work with them, give their team a try. But don’t continue the relationship if they miss your first deadline.