Apps Maven

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an IT company that provides an iOS calendaring and scheduling application.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apps Maven?

We hired Apps Maven to develop software for our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Throughout the process, they assured me they were going to provide testing, but they didn’t. They wrote all of the code and put it into TestFlight for me to test, and every time I did, I found between  20–60 major bugs. I documented the bugs, and they worked to correct them. This process went on for about nine months.

Whenever they tried to demo the product, it had so many issues that they couldn’t make it through. In my last review, I found out that the core competency of the app was non-existing. When I asked what had happened to it, they said that I never asked for it. However, we had talked about it on the phone like 50 times, so they always knew I wanted a calendaring app, but they left out that functionality and refused to add it even though it was specified in the project requirement.

They managed to add an option to select how often the app schedules. However, it was just a button that didn’t do anything. They implemented the UI piece, but on the backend, it didn’t have functionality. They addressed this by saying that they hadn’t understood, which didn’t make any sense. As a development team, they should’ve asked us what the functionality was and not just implement something that doesn’t do anything.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a developer and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Apps Maven?

I found them on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $3,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2020, and they officially ended the contract in May 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We can’t provide too much information on this. Unfortunately, the app is not live yet because the Apps Maven team never delivered it. They took the full payment and ended the contract without delivering the app.

They promised to deliver the app in three months, but it took them over a year and never delivered. They didn’t have the skill set, and they weren’t truthful about it. Also, they kept the code and all of the money.

How did Apps Maven perform from a project management standpoint?

Initially, they were responsive, and we had ongoing calls. However, sometimes they didn’t show up to the calls, and they didn’t let me know in advance.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It‘s hard to give them positive feedback since they stole from us and disappeared.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everything. They overpromised and underdelivered.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d never hire Apps Maven again. I chose them because they offered a good price, and that was at stake — you do get what you pay for, I guess. They took the money, ended the contract, and disappeared.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on July 23, 2021.

When this client first approached us on Upwork platform, we were told that the job involves working on the UI changes of an existing project. The client also mentioned that the functionality of the app is complete and promised that the source code will be shared with us once the contract will start. However, that was not the case. 

When the contract started, the client did not share the codebase as initially promised. After multiple requests, the code we finally received was outdated and did not work. The client then requested us to fix the code and work on the development of additional features (which were not part of the contract) within the same budget that was shared with the client before starting the project. This went on for more than 6 months.

We kept on entertaining these requests as we wanted to establish a long-term relationship. But despite our best efforts to serve this client when we denied to do more additional work, she decided to raise a dispute on Upwork. Eventually, she lost the dispute as we had delivered what we promised.

As a result of lost dispute, she then went on to post negative reviews about our Company on different platforms.

This client was dishonest and unclear about project requirements from the start. 

We would request the companies and freelancers to be wary of such clients. We also strongly recommend you to identify the client's project requirements properly before the project commences to save both time and integrity.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Picture Your Travel, a travel app startup where users can discover where they want to go as well as book and plan their trips. They’re also able to post about their travels within the app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apps Maven?

We hired Apps Maven to develop the app for our startup.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Apps Maven developed both the app and website, but the site showcases our business and the app is the main product. They used MongoDB and Python as the main languages. In addition, their team worked on the UI, UX, and marketing with my guidance. All the development work was done from scratch. I had the idea for the application, and they took care of developing for iOS, Android, and Internet Explorer.

The application itself is a picture and video-based app. It allows friends to travel the globe, post their pictures, and geotag them. From that geotag, we can find the host, contact them, and then add this to their account. Users can also directly book from the app.

What is the team composition?

Their team handled all of the tech work.

How did you come to work with Apps Maven?

Before meeting them, I, unfortunately, worked with another company that did nothing and led to me losing a lot of money. I still believed in my idea. Apps Maven was recommended to me. Since they were located close to our city in India, I approached them. Their team liked my idea, and we decided to move forward with the project.

How much have you invested in them?

I’ve invested around $120,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Apps Maven in January 2017, and it is an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As it took me six months to get out the entire business model, things were a bit delayed initially on my end. We’ve been tracking the success through Google Ads and Fabric. Previously, we were getting two or three downloads a day, and now we’re getting between 15 to 20 a day. Downloads are increasing by 30%–40% over a month. I’ve spoken to both users and potential hosts for the app, and they all love it.

How did Apps Maven perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management style is excellent. While they manage all the tech work, the marketing side is being handled by me with the help of their team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The personal touch Apps Maven provides distinguishes them from other providers. They’ve helped me gain more knowledge into what I was doing. From my perspective, they’ve created the best UX/UI for the app. When it came to user experience, their team thought of things I never would’ve.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the beginning, their marketing knowledge could’ve improved. Over the last six months, it has grown. They’ve contributed a lot to that side of the work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent with what you want to do. Let Apps Maven work on it. They took my app to a higher level than I imagined. Using my idea and giving it another 50% of legroom for scaling up, their team made it look much better to the user.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We make a point-of-sale system native to the Salesforce platform. I'm a technical director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apps Maven?

Most of our business is native to Salesforce, but to build the solution we needed, we needed to implement capabilities on another platform. We hired Apps Maven to help us develop those capabilities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We've worked with them for at least a year to develop, enhance, and support our mobile application. It's a complex, native iOS app that provides integration to hardware such as cash drawers, printers, and terminals.

What is the team composition?

We work with four or five people, including the owners and two or three developers.

How did you come to work with Apps Maven?

We found them through Upwork. We chose them based on their skillset and their price, and used them first for a couple of small projects to test their capabilities.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $25,000 over the course of our collaboration.

What is the status of this engagement?

The relationship started in July 2016 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don't record metrics, but the speed cycle has increased. In the beginning, we had a six-week release schedule. Now, we release every week.

How did Apps Maven perform from a project management standpoint?

We manage the project ourselves, but they look after all the technical design and issue resolutions. We share Google Docs and Sheets, and they resolve all our bugs. We have a good process between us, and they manage their requirements well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're really dedicated, and they put in extra hours. They have a good work culture and are much more committed than other companies we’ve worked with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We've changed developers once or twice, which caused some delays. Ideally, we would have liked the same developer over the whole relationship, but we realize that's not always practical.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Define your process and methodology with them, especially if you have time zone differences.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of MyFam Group. We own an app that encourages families to spend time together through weekly group activities. I serve as a liaison between our company and external technology partners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apps Maven?

We hired Apps Maven to develop our app.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We came up with a design and feature set for the app, and Apps Maven implemented our ideas. They built the application for Android and iOS devices and launched it in July 2018. They’ve continued to add features since we released the initial version.

In addition to building the app, Apps Maven updated the security of our website. They linked everything to a secure admin panel and made sure that all of our certificates were up to date.

What is the team composition?

There’s a project manager who oversees the rest of their development team, and I reach out to him whenever I have questions.  

How did you come to work with Apps Maven?

We discovered them on a freelancer site after posting our project and taking several bids. We interviewed quite a few different people before choosing Apps Maven. Our team felt that they understood our needs and had a solid grasp of the product we wanted to build.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2018, and Apps Maven is still providing updates and maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their speed in delivering features has helped us to quickly grow the impact of our product. Since releasing the app, Apps Maven has added almost as much as what we had in the initial version.

How did Apps Maven perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re speedy in delivering builds and address feedback quickly. We use a test server to evaluate each of their deliverables, and their team responds to me whenever I have questions.

Apps Maven is also excellent about making sure that they understand my expectations before they start building. I typically send them detailed descriptions of what I need, and they reach out whenever they need clarification. I appreciate their inclination to solve problems early on rather than wasting time developing features that will need to be corrected.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication with their team has been exceptional since we first contacted them. I’ve been amazed by their ability to parse out and interpret my explanations, even when I’m not that great at articulating my ideas. They have a solid grasp of our project needs, and they’re much more supportive than other vendors I’ve worked with in the past.

We’re also impressed with their in-depth knowledge of development standards and regulations. At the beginning of the project, we asked Apps Maven to implement a complicated subscription and payment system that was flagged by Apple’s certification team. Although Apple initially rejected the app, the team did a fantastic job of explaining our product’s functionality and eventually convinced Apple to reconsider.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any complaints, they’ve been wonderful. We didn’t use them for design work, but I think they could’ve helped us in that area.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to have a clear idea of what you want before reaching out to Apps Maven. Also, if you have someone on your team who is experienced with development, they would probably be the best person to have as a liaison with their team.

In terms of managing the project, try to be flexible with their time zone limitations. If you’re based in the US, you’ll need to occasionally jump on the phone at night to keep the project moving. Otherwise, there will be times when the team has questions and can’t move forward, and the development process will slow down considerably.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO of a software development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apps Maven?

We don't have a development team in-house, so we were looking for a vendor to fill our development needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have an ongoing partnership, but the most recent project Apps Maven helped us with was the development of a mobile application for one of our clients in the golfing industry.

First, we discussed our idea and they prepared the screens. After we got an approval from our client, Apps Maven started the build. They managed the whole development process, including a web component and back office administration. It's a cross-platform app for iOS and Android devices, and they used Java and PHP for its development. The app has a loyalty component, a booking module, and a messenger. It also allows users to search for golf courses and earn rewards.

What is the team composition?

They assign resources to match the size of the project.

How did you come to work with Apps Maven?

I came across their website when I was looking for a vendor online.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $100,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They stand behind their development and make sure their client is happy with each product they deliver. For this specific project, they’ve helped us test the app, and we can always go back to them if we want to change any features or if there are any bugs.

How did Apps Maven perform from a project management standpoint?

It can be difficult to work with offshore development teams, but Apps Maven has met all their deadlines. They're very responsible and we enjoy working with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a very good understanding of all the facets of platform development. They've delivered everything they've promised.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. We haven't had any issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have regular communication to overcome potential language barriers. Make sure you understand them well and they understand the vision for the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the COO of CellPoint Corp, a technology engineering services company that supports the cell phone industry. We mostly sell used or refurbished phones. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apps Maven?

We hired Apps Maven to design and build an app that would allow us to sell our products to users.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Apps Maven designed and developed a mobile app from scratch, including an iOS and Android version and administrative portal. We provided some basic wireframes and worked very closely with their team on the design and technical specifications for the scope. They provided UI/UX design, as well as a lot of feedback on other features and technologies to create the product. 

What is the team composition? 

We've worked with as many as 12 people at a time, including UI designers, developers, QA leads, and a project manager. 

How did you come to work with Apps Maven?

I found them on Upwork after posting our project on the site.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since April 2018, and they continue to provide support for the app as needed. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Apps Maven has delivered a robust, well-functioning app overall with an uptime of 99 percent over the last year. 

How did Apps Maven perform from a project management standpoint?

We track project milestones through Jira, working through design sprints and providing status updates regularly. They're very responsive and quick to fix any bugs or issues as they come up. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very flexible and also able to provide full services, from UI/UX design to development to project management. They're able to get involved in every aspect of the work to make the app a success. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't really think of anything. However, there are occasional challenges in dealing with the different timezones between our offices, so it would help if they could provide some support outside of their normal business hours. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide a clear scope of work upfront and detailed wireframes if possible, but also be willing to listen to and incorporate some of their feedback. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the principal of an electronics solutions retailer, servicing clients in across various industries. In my current role, I’m in charge of project management, client acquisition, and customer service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Apps Maven?

We tasked Apps Maven with developing a mobile app for a riddle guessing game.

What were your goals for this project? 

Our goal was to have our code delivered on time and to get the app up and running with minimal bugs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We approached a few vendors on Upwork to find the most innovative solutions and considered at least six agencies. Out of all of the candidates, Apps Maven's solution sold itself, and we picked them to develop our application. 

Describe the project in detail. 

Apps Maven initially assigned a project manager who worked with me to scope out the details. Within a week, their lead graphic designer came up with all of the views and wireframes, and then their developers built out the mobile app along with a web version and accompanying APIs. They've since shifted into more of a support role.

What was the team composition?

Their team consisted of a project manager, two web developers, and an Android developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Apps Maven was adamant on making sure our app ran smoothly. After the project concluded, they regularly checked back to see if there were any issues and helped resolve them. They also met deadlines in a timely manner with no delays on their part. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs? 

Prior to this project, I had no personal experience in software development, but Apps Maven made the process smooth for me. The project manager spoke fluent English, and the development team also had adequate communications skills. Everyone was responsive and attentive to small details, which can be hard to find when looking for a developer.

What did you find most impressive about this company? 

They demonstrated extensive knowledge of all facets of app development. On top of that, I was impressed with their timeliness and sense of responsibility. 

Are there any areas for improvement? 

No, I was very happy with their overall performance and cohesiveness as a team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of an on-demand moving company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Apps Maven?

A different company developed our app, but we didn’t like the quality or price of their service, so we needed a new partner for ongoing maintenance and future development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Apps Maven provides IT support for our iOS app as well as our WordPress website. I communicate the bugs or feature enhancements to them, and they do the work, providing cost estimates and regular progress reports. They familiarized themselves with the custom features that the previous firm had built, allowing them to identify the most effective solutions. They test every change or update before putting it on the live platform.

What is the team composition? 

We work with a project manager.

How did you come to work with Apps Maven?

I found them on Upwork. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $15,000–$20,000 CAD (approximately $11,400 –$15,100 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in November 2018, and the work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provide good services and are reliable, acting more like a business partner than just a contractor.

How did Apps Maven perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager keeps track of our progress, which we can follow on the project management tool. They’re organized and quick to respond to our requests.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re flexible and willing to work with the specific needs of our business. They do good-quality work and communicate well, unlike the previous team that required much more oversight.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be better at communicating project progress on a daily basis and proactively providing suggestions on how to improve our products.
 
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Thoroughly outline expectations and make sure they’re transparent about the timeline and cost.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of Danté Meda, a mobile app publishing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Apps Maven, and what were your goals?

The rewrite of an aging app using SWIFT.

SOLUTION

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

Evaluated their skillset and ratings on Upwork.com

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

The rewrite of a complex app with integration of cloud services. And, the migration of existing users and their data to the new platform.

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

A project manager, and two developers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With the newly integrated features, we've been able to attract more users and generate more revenue.

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

The project manager Abhinav was a good communicator and provided regular updates.

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

Stayed within budget and delivered a good product

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

Deliverables took longer than expected

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an online retail organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Apps Maven, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a mobile application for users to create their own custom Pokemon Cards. We wanted it to be user-friendly, have plenty of card templates, and provide downloadable cards.

SOLUTION

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

We interviewed multiple vendors and AppMaven presented themselves in the best of light. They created a very detailed business proposal, and were extremely flexible with the requirements as we progressed through the development cycle. In addition, their cost estimate was very reasonable.

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

We had a series of meetings to discuss the project requirements and regularly met on an as-needed basis to discuss development progress. We used a series of technologies such as AWS, Google, ADMOB, and so forth.

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

A project manager was assigned and was my only point of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I shifted my focus from the mobile application to my online retail business. However, we organically saw 100s of downloads. I'm expecting to put more effort into the application's marketing in the future.

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

Overall great communication despite the time difference. There was an occasional misunderstanding of the requirements, but that was quickly rectified when they were brought to attention.

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

I've been impressed with their timeliness and flexibility.

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

Nothing that I can think of in particular.