FocustApps

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of the project management office in the IT department at OnPoint Group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with FocustApps?

We hired FocustApps for their custom app and software development services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we engaged FocustApps, we initially identified our requirements. They then put together a proposal and package for us based on their experience. We reviewed their proposals, and they executed everything from there. 

At present, they help us develop mobile and web apps. We use various technologies, such as AWS, Azure, and Salesforce. The apps are mainly for the field service, such as the collection of quotes from suppliers. One of the apps helps us improve not only our communication but also the way we conduct business. 

FocustApps has also built another app that helps us collect asset information to provide customers with a health report of their warehouses and equipment. Moreover, the team has also developed an app that collects data and puts them into an interface where we manage costs. We have a fixed-price agreement with our customers, and the data that this app captures helps us ensure profitability on such arrangements. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 15–20 team members from FocustApps on either a full-time or ad hoc basis. The full-time resources dedicated to us are around 7–10. Our main point of contact is Chris (Co-Founder), although we only pull him in now when we need additional technical inputs. I also work regularly with Rebecca (Director of Project Management).

How did you come to work with FocustApps?

Our chief administrative officer knew them from another organization, so he already knew the quality of their work even before we engaged them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $3 million–$3.5 million. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2019, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure success in two ways. The first one is by the adoption of the app that we’ve built, especially the third-party-facing ones. The other way is by the delivery of the requirements we’ve given them, along with the timelines associated with such requirements. Overall, FocustApps has been a great partner in the success of our apps and their functionality. 

Moreover, our teams deal with bugs well. We have a highly collaborative and investigative approach to issues. FocustApps' resources work with our technical people to determine what’s going on; our business stakeholders also get involved to help them understand issues. 

How did FocustApps perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is good. They’re great at providing initial assessments and proposals. In general, we know where things stand. To communicate, we use Slack, Teams, Zoom, emails, text, and phone calls. We’ve also recently met them in person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

FocustApps’ strong point is their expertise in building apps that go to third parties, suppliers, and customers. They also have great knowledge in technologies; they have top-notch people. 

On top of that, they truly care about the customer. They’re one of the few companies that don’t look at something from only a technology perspective; they also put their business hats on. They look at the issue or problem through the lens of the business. They also continue to ask questions and collaborate with us on ways to move forward. Most organizations don’t do that. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can improve their overall communication. Sometimes, I need to ask them for information. They should be more transparent in terms of the hours consumed and the forecast of the remaining time to complete the project. There have been incidents where better communication would have prevented issues, but they’re manageable. To be fair, we’re already working on this.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an independent fleet management company, and we primarily sell and manage forklifts. I was the project manager when we developed a new app for some of our customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with FocustApps?

We hired FocustApps to build and improve the app that we developed. We wanted them to update our app and make it user-friendly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had calls with FocustApps where we showed them how the app worked. We also walked them through some of the problems of our users while using the app. After that, they helped us brainstorm and come up with a couple of solutions.

They implemented the solution we picked and they updated the app before putting it into a test environment. We were able to test the app internally, and we had customers who tested their work, too. Once we were satisfied with the changes they made, we went live with our updated app.

Some of the features they integrated include an auto email notification that was sent to our users if they didn't complete certain checklist items that were required for their applications. Then, all of the information from that feature was communicated into a database that we managed in-house.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people, including their project manager.

How did you come to work with FocustApps?

Our IT department picked FocustApps, and I wasn’t part of the selection process.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $5,000–$10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May–June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After we made the changes, we received positive feedback from three different customers that did the beta test. On top of that, our app worked perfectly. However, we don’t have metrics available yet because the app is still something that we’re rolling out.

How did FocustApps perform from a project management standpoint?

They were easy to work with, and they completed their work in a timely fashion. We mostly communicated through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They presented us with various options to solve our problems, and they also assisted us in identifying the pros and cons of each option so that we could make an informed decision. Overall, they really did a good job on this project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tell them about all of your problems and issues so that you can get the most out of your partnership.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a commercial facility maintenance service provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with FocustApps?

We needed someone to develop a mobile app to help us track our technicians' documentation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

FocustApps has developed a mobile app for our technicians. They worked remotely to produce the deliverable, which they continue to maintain and add functionality to.

The app allows over 100,000 of our technicians to track when they arrive and leave each facility. They can also upload photos as proof of their work. It’s available on both the App Store and Google Play Store.

Additionally, the app has a dashboard that we can access to see who’s using the app and where they are to help us stay on track.

What is the team composition?

We primarily interact with the leadership team, including the director of operations and the director of IT development.

How did you come to work with FocustApps?

Our CIO previously worked with FocustApps in another project and recommended them to our team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in September 2020, and it’s ongoing. The first version of the app went live in December 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We initially set a goal to have the first version released by December 2020 and FocustApps delivered on time. Furthermore, the app has allowed us to finish jobs and bill our customers 33% faster than before, which is ultimately our primary success metric.

How did FocustApps perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed very well in terms of project management. We have weekly meetings, so we’ve had a lot of discussions. They’re incredibly responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Whenever we give them our expectations, they respond quickly. FocustApps listens to our feedback and works closely with us until we’re satisfied.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At some point, they presented some reports that overwhelmed us with all the data. However, I don’t want to exaggerate this point because it was a minor issue.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear with your expectations and have your internal team be involved in the process. Additionally, have regular discussions with them and frequently review their work. I would recommend them to anyone.