App Boxer

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Business Partner of Forsyth Real Estate

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Real Estate

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Moonward Apps to accomplish?

• App Development
• Blueprint

SOLUTION

How did you find Moonward Apps?

• Online Search
• Referral
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Moonward Apps over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location

How many teammates from Moonward Apps were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We engaged Moonward for a “Blueprint” phase to help scope and design a new property management platform. The deliverables were to include UI/UX designs, a project scope breakdown, and most importantly, a fixed development cost estimate to assess feasibility.
We provided extensive written briefs, reference materials, and videos outlining key system features. Despite multiple meetings and even travelling from Sydney to meet the team in person, the designs delivered were not aligned with our brief and lacked practical usability. Key feedback was repeated several times without being actioned.
The most critical deliverable — the development quote — was never provided, which blocked us from progressing. After months of follow-ups, the vendor stated the quote required a final prototype “approval,” which was never mentioned in the scope.

We are now pursuing legal action to recover part of the cost due to the incomplete delivery.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfortunately, the project did not produce measurable outcomes of success. While a prototype was eventually submitted, it lacked alignment with the brief and did not enable the next step: receiving a development cost estimate. This quote was the key deliverable, and without it, the Blueprint could not serve its intended purpose. No usable progress was made toward development.

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

Project management was inconsistent. Communication often required chasing, and despite regular meetings, there was a lack of follow-through on key feedback. Items were delivered late or without context, and I frequently had to re-explain instructions already provided in writing. When I raised concerns, they were acknowledged but not acted on. The most critical deliverable — the development quote — was never provided, which significantly impacted the project outcome.

What was your primary form of communication with Moonward Apps?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The presentation and onboarding experience were polished, and the team appeared confident in their process early on. They had strong branding and a clearly defined structure, which initially gave the impression of a capable and experienced agency. Unfortunately, that did not translate into delivery in my case.

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

Moonward could improve by aligning more closely with client briefs and ensuring that feedback is properly actioned, not just acknowledged. Greater transparency around process limitations — like requiring “prototype approval” before quoting — should be communicated upfront. Most importantly, they should ensure all key deliverables are completed, especially when those deliverables are the foundation for the client’s next business decision.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of an online education business called Mantastic

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Mantastic to build an app and mobile education platform that meant that our members could learn on the move.

SOLUTION

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

I searched for app companies when I was looking to build our app and really liked the experience that I had with Moonward right from the initial meeting....and that is why I chose them to develop our app.

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

Andrew spent a lot of time with me upfront helping me get my vision into a clear functioning app. Our main thing was making sure that is app had an audible function so members could listen on the move. We also needed to make sure that the app was iOS friendly and Android friendly.

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

Andrew guided me through most of the design and setup and my communication was mostly with him

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had our app launched within 4 months and our members love it because they can listen on the move.

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

The thing that I loved most about the project management style was just how much clarity there was as to what was going on with the build. The communication was excellent and really helpful as I have had some poor experiences in the past.

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

The app itself is amazing but what I found the most impressive was as I put above...the communication throughout the journey of the build.

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

Not really - it was a pretty guided journey for me

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and founder of Olympia Body Transformation Sanctuary and Olympia Fight Club in Brisbane CBD. We are a one of a kind, commercial gym over 3 stories in Brisbane CBD. We offer unique fitness and wellness services that are significantly integrated across our business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed an app to consolidate all of our service offerings and business systems into one centralized app/software as we were previously using multiple different softwares that didn’t talk to one another.

SOLUTION

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

We decided to go with Moonward Apps because we just really clicked with the owners, who we met in person from the outset. We like that their team are all Australian/in house and that we can go and see them in person whenever we feel we need or want to.

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

We worked together over a series of in person and video meetings to bring the completed app to fruition. We had a number of revisions and adjustments to refine the app as we tested it and used it in real life settings before going live.

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

We worked with a broad range of Moonward staff who worked together cooperatively to create our amazing app. We had a key go to person who distributed the jobs where they needed to after each meeting. We also had a specific developer with us from start to finish who was also present at most meetings which was really great!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our app was launched to a member pool of about 600 people - so we thought there would be loads of teething issues when we first gave it to members to use. As with any technology issues there were minor teething issues to overcome, but the Moonward team were on hand and quick to sort anything out when we needed them to.

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

The management was straight forward, positive and easy going, but in saying that we could feel professionalism, intensity and focus within each meeting and email. It was a really nice balance!

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

I love that the team are in house and that we could meet up in person whenever we needed or wanted to. With most of the app companies we interviewed using predominantly off shore developers, this was a huge point of difference for us and our experience. We were really grateful for their non-defensive attitudes and how quickly they adapted to working with us.

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

Honestly, we gave the team pretty candid feedback as we went along with the project and they did a great job of adapting and redirecting things as we raised any issues. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder and CEO of Suggesterfy. Suggesterfy is a mobile app for sharing suggestions and recommendations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We employed Moonward Apps to help design and develop our mobile app. Our goals were to create an app that would not only look great but would be easy to navigate for the user.

SOLUTION

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

We spoke to a few other app development companies but we wanted to have an Australian development team who were also using software engineers that were based in Australia. Many other Australian app companies use software engineers in other countries but it was important to us to have the team all in one place. The deciding factor was that the team at Moonward were just the friendliest and most personable bunch to work with, and we are so happy we chose them!

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

Moonward and Suggesterfy worked together to create a platform that focuses on community and sharing of genuine information. Moonward has provided an end-to-end App Development service for Suggesterfy. Starting from the design of a refreshed ‘appified’ brand and high fidelity UX/UI prototype to database infrastructure and full stack development. Including TypeScript, Node.js & AWS Services.

Moonward has also designed and developed a comprehensive React.js Admin Panel where Suggesterfy can manage its users. Suggesterfy is currently in beta testing with Moonward and is looking to launch on iOS and Android in early November 2022.

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

We worked with a team of 9. Andrew and Pia are the Ceo's but were always involved with the creation of Suggesterfy. Rebecca is our incredible product Manager. Lachy and Liv are our UI/UX Product Designer. Anthony is our Tech Lead. Rhett is our Frontend Engineer. Vihar is our Backend Engineer. Bobby is ourJunior Engineer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All i can say is that we absolutely loved working with Moonward! We looked forward to every meeting, we have built true friendships with the whole team and they really are apart of the Suggesterfy family. The results they delivered is an app that not only fits our design vision brief but works exactly as we had wanted it to!

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

Moonward provides us with direct access to a dedicated product owner. We also have weekly client meetings that offer open communication and clear project updates. The full design, development and project management team are available in these weekly meetings. It's very much an Agile development experience that is nimble to our business stage and goals. They also have an online project management tool which is great for keeping all communication in a single place.

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

That the team, really are a true team. You can tell the whole company get along really well and work together in unison. Each and every member of the Moonward Apps Team was as invested in our project as we were, and nothing was ever an issue.

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

We only wish they lived in Melbourne so we could spend more time with them all in person!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of an audio social media platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Moonward Apps?

We needed help with app development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Moonward Apps built the application from scratch on React Native. Another agency designed the prototype, and they were tasked to make some changes to it. Once we got the prototype, they started building the actual application.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with the designer and someone else.

How did you come to work with Moonward Apps?

Another agency recommended them.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent $104,000 AUD (approximately $66,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from September 2021–July 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

We paid to get the work done, but they didn’t fix it. Then, they came back to charge us more money to fix more problems, but they hadn’t fixed them in the beginning. In the end, they agreed to fix a couple of issues, but we weren’t happy. We moved on once we saw they wouldn’t do anything more.

How did Moonward Apps address the challenges that arose?

We signed a mutual cancellation agreement to release each other from the contract. They wanted an additional $40,000 to fix a small number of problems. The agency we ended up with fixed all those problems for less than that.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

We were just so unhappy with their work. They kept giving us the latest builds, but they didn’t work correctly. The team built up the excitement to get to the latest version of our app, and it was just disappointing. They took forever; we paid top dollar for slow work and poor quality. In summary, there was no way the app would’ve been successful with Moonward Apps.

How was project management handled?

There were always delays; they disappointed us every time. We had weekly meetings, but we didn’t get to speak to the coders. With the company we work with now, we can talk directly to the coders, which is much better.

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

No, we honestly felt depressed working with Moonward Apps. They gave us the impression that they’d deliver, but they didn’t. We gave them more time, and they tried to pass on false beliefs. The best word to describe the company was “disappointment”.

In what specific areas can they improve?

They need to please their clients instead of doing things how they want to do them. They work for the client, not for themselves.

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

Stay away from Moonward Apps; you’ll be disappointed. If you want to use them, try them for a couple of months so you can have a timeline and decide if you want to keep going or move on from them.

Company Responses

The service provider responded on October 19, 2022. 

Thank you for the review. Here at Moonward we were shocked and confused to read this review, especially because this is not reflective of the experience that we delivered. When you left us 6 months ago you sent us a gift thanking us for our service and said you’d be happy for us to create a case study to use on our website, and we haven’t heard from you since then besides receiving this review.

During your time with us we maintained weekly meetings with you where you met with our product owner and developers to discuss the progress of your product, we delivered your app to the scope and on the timeframe, we were quick to action any feedback you provided and were transparent with any items that required additional scope work from us, to which you agreed and paid for.

We just wanted to highlight what we delivered during your time with us:

• Deep dive with Moonward
• In-House Design review and rework on your app prototype that came from another company
• Weekly meetings that Moonward maintained from the start to the end of your time with us
• Access to our in-house product owner and full stack developers who worked on your product for 6 months
• An in-house project management system where you could provide feedback
• Weekly live app updates to show you the progress of your product
• Transparent development rate
• Friendly product handover to your new offshore development team

As you know, there is still 40% outstanding on your Moonward contract, and we will be sending you a separate email to settle this matter.

Although we’re not sure what experience you had with our company or others on this platform, I can assure you any business prefers to initially receive feedback and communication directly rather than the first time being through a review on a social platform.

As mentioned above you’ll receive an email from us in the coming days and as always we’re open and available for a chat in regard to any other feedback you may have.

Kind regards
Pia & Andrew

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and owner of a distribution and cleaning service for a circular food container network for hospitality venues

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Austep hired Moonward Apps to develop a mobile app, web app and website. I supplied Moonward with features and a basic overview of how I would like each page to be presented. Moonward designed and developed each item. Mobile App:

• Designed for the general public to access our service and track their products
• Our app needed to be user friendly and convenient Web App
• Designed for hospitality venues to distribute containers and keep track of stock levels Website
• An information hub for both the general public and participating venues with key contact information.

SOLUTION

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

We had discussed the app development with a number of companies that we had found through various searches and through an independent market comparison company. We shortlisted our search down to 4 companies based on locality, previous experience, value for money, customer service and their understanding of our business needs. Moonward's approach was very professional. Andrew understood Austep's scope immediately. He is approachable and easy to communicate with.

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

Our initial contact began with a meet and greet followed by a business proposal outlining each task, time frames and a break down of the costs involved. After accepting the proposal each task was broken down outlining the team members involved with development I supplied Moodward with a general outline of how I would like the app to present and operate. Moonward provided full plans and delivered mock up versions of the app via adobe. We used a number of online resources to share information, progress and new ideas.

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

A project manager was assigned to Austep at all times of development. I have worked with a number of employees from Moonward from various positions including Full stack, Front end, Back end, Design, IX/UX and more

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although our app is yet to be release to the general public it has been presented to a number of seminars and conferences with positive feedback

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

Moonward were fantastic to work with our project manager Pia, was, and continues to be a delight to work with she is quick to respond, knowledgeable and a great team leader. Moonward and Austep shared progress, files and information through online tools such as Monday, Basecamp and GoogleDocs. In addition we held weekly meetings via video chat to discuss the work and future plans

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

Moonward Apps has a fantastic team of professionals who are willing to take on any challenge.

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

Better communication between team members when passing over their job roll. There was some confusion around the intended operation of some features towards the end of the development. This was resolved and they responded well to feedback.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're a prehospital care, ambulance, paramedic union

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Konnect Applications PTY LTD?

An App to help communicate and educate our members

What were your goals for this project?

Improve engagement with our members

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Excellent reputation and great customer service and competitive pricing.

Describe the project in detail.

Discussed what objectives we required and Konnect did the rest.

What was the team composition?

Project manager assigned to communicate and liase with the Konnect team.within

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within a month we had over 80% of our members utilising the App.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Konnect trained one of our members to be fully conversant in operating the App for day to day use.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Excellent knowledge, great customer service and competitive pricing.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were satisfied with everything aspect of our dealings with Konnect.