AppMakers USA

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

iPermit offers a start-to-finish solution for contractors that includes: permit expediting, Title 24 verifications (HERS), and Energy Upgrade California rebate processing. I’m a customer success manager at iPermit and manage the permit department.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have been using our old portal that was built more than a decade ago and was not stable anymore. The goal was to create a user friendly portal that can be used by our clients.

SOLUTION

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

We showed App Makers Austin our old portal and gave them our requirements. They were amazing with putting our vision into specs doc and then a design. They were really good with simplify things we explained to them and bring it to reality with the design. We loved the communication with them and knew we are in good hands to continue moving forward.

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

From the first meeting we explained to them our requirements and showed then our new portal, they created a specs docs with all the details and then they moved to the design phase. During the design phase we were giving them feedback and they made the changes immediately and offered their perspective. They shared the figma file with us so we could see online the changes they are making and be part of it. After the design phase they started building our portal. We had access to the portal staging environment and we collaborated with them during the testing phase.

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

We’re working with:

• 1 project manager
• 3 engineers
• 2 QA
• 1 UI/UX designer

And we also interact with their CEO occasionally.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got an amazing feedback from our clients! They love the modern design and how easy it is now for them to follow up and create new orders on our portal.

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

We have a weekly meeting with them, on these meetings they give us updates on where are we standing with the timeline. In addition to the weekly meetings, they initiated a demo to show us new features that are ready so we can give our feedback and test it. We have an "open line" with them and they are available for us anytime we call or email them.

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

We never worked with this professional team before! They are communicative, always straightforward with us, and give us updates regularly.. The entire process was easy and they took care of everything we needed.

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

No, I wish we found them earlier :)

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an outdoor gear online store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

We were using third-party apps to do some work processes, but it became saturated because many companies use the same technique, so we needed help developing our own custom software that could do that work for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Makers LA created our own proprietary software that could help us find what products to launch on our site. The app searches through online platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Target and finds products that are in high demand.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Daniel (Principal), but three engineers and a QA person were also involved.

How did you come to work with App Makers LA?

We found them through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $200,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May–October 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After utilizing their services, we finally became profitable, which was a huge step in the right direction for us. Also, we found all of the products we currently offer through their proprietary. Overall, the most impressive metric for me is that we did over $2 million in revenue thanks to their work, so their involvement already paid for itself.

How did App Makers LA perform from a project management standpoint?

They stuck to schedules and deadlines and went under the established budget for the project. Their team was also communicative along the way and handled a fun and straightforward process. In terms of tools, we used Monday.com, Slack, texts, and phone calls. In addition to that, they were proactive in addressing the bugs that arose throughout the project.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They acted like a premium firm that gets the job done — they were a talented team that listened to our vision and collaborated with us to develop it. Also, the most exciting part for me about their work is that the product they created is scalable, so we can add more coding without any issues.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on. 

Any advice for potential customers?

You should work with App Makers LA if you’re serious about building tech; It’s not the cheapest option on the market, but you’ll get what you pay for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there? 

I’m a customer success manager for iPermit, a permit and home energy rating system (HERS) rating company. We provide two major services to contractors and our clients; pulling permits and making sure their projects are ready for inspection.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

We needed a new portal created because the one we had was out of date and we couldn’t add features to it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We showed App Makers LA our old portal and gave them our requirements. They’re now building our new portal, one for our clients and one for internal use. They’re also creating a CRM system. The system will help us contact our clients more efficiently as well as update them on our job status. In addition, the platform has update notifications where we can pull reports and see analytics and metrics such as jobs completed.

Furthermore, we asked them to develop an internal communication functionality. The workflow is automated, and the two portals and CRM are all integrated with each other. They completed our new portal’s first version, and they continue to update and add features to our portal.

What is the team composition? 

We’re working with three engineers, two QA leads, a UI/UX designer, and a project manager. We also interact with their CEO occasionally.

How did you come to work with App Makers LA?

We found them online and felt they were a good fit when we met them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with App Makers LA around December 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

App Makers LA has created a portal we can build on and grow with. Thanks to them, we have a user-friendly platform that has increased our workflow efficiency in the office. Moreover, they’ve helped us focus and prioritize which features we should integrate into the first version and which could be updated later on. We look forward to adding more features and expanding the portal to more departments as the company grows.

How did App Makers LA perform from a project management perspective?

They’re organized and timely, and they’ve done a great job at keeping the project moving along. On top of that, their communication skills are excellent, and they’re extremely responsive. We keep in touch primarily via text. We also use a tool to review tasks and progress and have regular meetings via Google Meet and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They’re professional, and they hold our hands throughout each step of the project. We aren’t tech-savvy, so we appreciate their patience and the help they’ve provided.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they have no areas to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Use their skills to figure out the essential requirements and the ones that can wait because they’re very good at that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of ClassCalc and we produce a suite of mass education products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

We needed someone to provide us with web and mobile app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Makers LA helped us develop a web app using Mongo and React, while they used Swift and Android SDK for the iOS and Android versions.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a product manager, designer, and several engineers.

How did you come to work with App Makers LA?

I found their Clutch profile while researching on Google. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July 2017–March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

 App Makers LA helped us gain over 100,000 customers and achieve about 2–3 million sessions per month on our app. They were also very transparent in mitigating risks and coming up with solutions to fix bugs — their coding was so strong, that the process to bring the outsourced project in-house became a very smooth transition.

How did App Makers LA perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management, communication skills, and budget tracking were always on point. They had this efficient system of monitoring the original features of the app and expanded on them based on our needs.

We mainly used Airtable to manage the project and communicated through email, phone calls, and text messages.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were really impressed with how they were able to communicate, set expectations, and exceed them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve on, but I will say is that they were always open to learning from our feedback.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you have a budget and you’re looking for the right company to get your project right the first time, then I would highly recommend going with App Makers LA.

They specialize in making things lean and breaking the project down into its most important parts, so I would also advise you to take advantage of their expertise.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the social media manager for LA Sitters, a babysitting company that connects parents with sitters. I update profiles, run background checks, and make sure everything looks professional.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

One of my jobs is to connect parents with sitters that met their requirements. That was taking up a lot of my time, so we decided to create an app that would automatically partner the parents with available, qualified sitters. We needed a company to develop the app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We told App Makers LA what we wanted our app to do and let them guide us through the design and dev process. They’re building the app for both iOS and Android and also helping with marketing. They’ve suggested we sponsor the app on social media platforms.

Parents can go into the app, answer a few questions about their sitter requirements, and be instantly matched with a qualified sitter. They can then review the profile and decide if they want to hire them. It then sends the sitter a notification with enough time to let them get ready and go over. The sitter and parent can also communicate through the app.

What is the team composition?

We work with three people, and one of them is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with App Makers LA?

A friend referred them. We researched a variety of companies online and saw that App Makers LA had great reviews, so we met with and then hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had friends, family, and colleagues review the app, and they all love it. They think it’s a great idea and looks clean. We’re excited for the finished product, but it’s already functional and reliable.

How did App Makers LA perform from a project management standpoint?

They have wonderful project management skills. They’re easy to communicate with and cause no stress. We communicate via phone, text, and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve had a great experience working together. They’re educated, smart, and creative. They take the ideas you have and make them great. Instead of just doing their work, they take the time to help you understand the process or why their idea will work better. But they always let you make the final decision. They never pressure you to do anything you don’t want.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Be open and listen to their suggestions. You may have a certain idea when you start but listen to what they say. Their experience gives them great insights.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I manage an outpatient mental health clinic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

We wanted to build an app that provides live, professional counseling for our clients. Existing clients would be able to attend sessions from the comfort of their homes, and patients who reside far away from our physical location would have access to our services. We’re a small private company, so we needed an affordable app developer to help us build the telehealth network and grow our consumer base.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

During Phase 1 of the project, we gave them a detailed description of the app’s intended purpose. There are similar apps on the market, so our challenge was incorporating groundbreaking features and design elements to make our product stand out. Fortunately, their team came up with brilliant ideas that surpassed our original expectations.

Once the core features and design were mapped out, they moved on to developing the HIPAA compliant app for both Android and iOS systems. One amazing privacy feature that they are working on is the in-app telephone system that allows our patients and health professionals to connect without revealing their personal contact information.

What is the team composition?

We have three project managers who oversee a group of 15 designers and 15 developers.

How did you come to work with App Makers LA?

They were recommended to us by one of their former clients who received positive feedback for their app. Their client’s enthusiasm was a good indicator that App Makers LA would be a great fit for our project.

How much have you invested with them?

Developing the app has cost us approximately $65,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We commissioned the project in November 2017, and we plan to conclude in June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although they are still working on the app, we are impressed by what they’ve built so far. There are no bugs, the features are operative, and the UI met our expectations. We plan to conduct beta testing soon to get a more accurate assessment of their work.

How did App Makers LA perform from a project management standpoint?

They constantly provide status updates via phone, text, email, and occasional meetings in our office. We’ve never had an issue with late or unsatisfactory deliverables. Their easy-going team encourages a fun working environment without sacrificing professionalism.

What did you find most impressive about them?

App Makers LA is one of the most reliable partners that we’ve had the pleasure to work with. Their frequent and transparent communication gives our team a well-defined preview of the end-product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We haven’t experienced any issues working with them so far. Their project management and app development skills are flawless.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t let their affordability deter you from working with them. Their talented team produces with ease.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Doctors at Reach. We’re a nonprofit organization that provides health education services to socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

As we continued to host events, we realized the need to provide information to people on a larger scale. We searched for a development firm to build us a mobile app where people could access relevant information and learn how to get involved with our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Makers LA is currently building our mobile app for iOS. We also plan to develop an Android version in the future. They described the app development process and continue to guide us through each stage. We collaborated to design the app’s wireframes and they work diligently to implement the best UI/UX possible.

Our nonprofit works with several universities, so the app is an excellent tool for students and community members to connect with our outreach events. For example, we started opening our events with information regarding the benefits of proper dieting and exercising. We make that information accessible through the app and also post new data from research publications to bring users accurate content.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with three project managers. They lead a team of 10–15 developers and designers.

How did you come to work with App Makers LA?

I asked colleagues for references but had trouble finding a suitable vendor. I found App Makers LA on Skype and compared their customer reviews across multiple platforms. I got the opportunity to speak with them and everything seemed to align. It sounded like they could do a thorough job, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’re paced to spend roughly $60,000 for the total project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2017 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We appreciate the work App Makers LA has done so far. I've shared the beta version with friends, family, and acquaintances to gauge how intuitively everything functions and consider feedback regarding the app’s color scheme. Now’s the time to make changes if necessary, so we were open to that. However, everyone who used the app enjoyed it. They appreciated the user-friendly interface and attractive design.

How did App Makers LA perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been extremely on top of the project since day one. Communication’s never been an issue; they respond quickly to messages and reliably meet deadlines. We interact with the project managers through email, phone, and in-person meetings. They help us discover ideas to improve the UX and make it more enjoyable. I’m not familiar with the technology being used for this project, but they’ve gone out of their way to suggest new integrations to advance the app.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've been creative with everything from design to brainstorming ideas on how to make the app more appealing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’ve been flexible in creating an app both parties are happy with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to share your ideas. Be open and honest, and they’ll be receptive to your thoughts. Do this, and you’ll receive a product you really enjoy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a dating app that focuses on the Middle Eastern community.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

I needed someone to design and develop my dating app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

App Makers built the app for both iOS and Android. They were also involved in a lot of marketing conversation about how to make money off of the app.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about 20-30 developers and designers.

How did you come to work with App Makers LA?

I was referred by a friend who had had a large amount of success with them. They seemed really interested on the phone and I felt like they were invested in the company and our success as well. We met in person about a week after that call.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000 total, with $30,000 for iOS and $20,000 for Android.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2016 until June 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a couple thousand users globally. The app is in a good position and completely functional. I’ve also gotten feedback that the interface is simple and very straightforward.

How did App Makers LA perform from a project management standpoint?

We were in constant communication and I could text them any time of day, even late at night. My project manager was extremely friendly and really held my hand through everything. They continue to follow-up with me, even though we launched back in 2016.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The main thing was that they were highly professional and were driven to help me create the most amazing application. They treated my project as if it were truly one of theirs. They assisted me was everything and were able to tell me what was right and what wasn’t.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really can’t think of anything. They were just amazing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They should definitely keep communications open and be open with suggestions on how to make the app better. That’s where App Makers really came in – helping me with how to make money off the app.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a recently-started clothing company. I do everything, from design to manufacturing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

When I first started, I used Wix for my website. They had a mobile dev tool, but I wanted an app, so I began looking for a firm that could build one.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I told App Makers LA to base the app off the existing mobile site. I then pointed out a few specific changes and features I wanted for the iOS and Android apps. I wanted all the functionalities, like pop up promotions, that were on the site to be on the app.

App Makers LA built in a notifications feature so that users will get push notifications instead of emails when a new sale starts or similar things like that. The app also has a chat feature that sends me an email that I can respond to directly.

What is the team composition?

I work mainly with two project managers. They each have a team of 10–15 designers and 10-15 developers.

How did you come to work with App Makers LA?

A few friends recommended App Makers LA, and I also saw they had some of the better reviews on Yelp. I talked to them over the phone and liked the way they approached my project, so I decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent about $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2018. I plan to launch the app in July.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app is still in progress, but I have shown it to a couple of close friends. Compared to what we had before, they enjoy the app a lot more.

How did App Makers LA perform from a project management standpoint?

App Makers LA is incredibly accommodating. Anytime I need help, they reach out right away. When you spend so much money with someone, that kind of service is important.

We mainly communicate via email and phone. We met in person to finalize the project details and get started.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They do quality work, and their customer service is excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t had any problems. I'm very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Know what you want. As long as you have a clear set of instructions, they’ll be able to do whatever you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a social media specialist at a home improvement company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Makers LA?

We had difficulty reaching all of our customers since our lines were busy all day and we couldn’t always get in touch with our technicians. We wanted to develop a mobile application that would help us decrease the number of people who call us on the phone, so that we could focus on getting more customers to join our company. We were looking for a vendor to help us develop this application.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They took our idea and got down to work, handling both the design and the development. We're building an iOS app that will allow us to check where our technicians are at a particular time, so that we can estimate how close they're to our customers and make an appointment in that area.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with two project managers, but there are about 15 designers and 10 developers who also work on our project.

How did you come to work with them?

We were referred to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2017 and the relationship is ongoing. We plan to complete the project by May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal team is impressed with the product they're building. We had a small idea and they helped us develop it into something much bigger.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They're patient, understanding, nice, and easy to work with. They're available 24/7, so if I have a question at 10pm, they're ready to answer it. They're very helpful. We mostly communicate via email and text, but I've also met them in-person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very accommodating, knowledgeable, and talented.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They've been amazing throughout the whole process. Reach out to them and they'll become part of your team.