The App Master

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of a company that produces medical devices for people with disabilities.

What challenge were you trying to address with The App Master?

We wanted to make changes to our mobile and web applications. Additionally, we were looking for an ongoing development partner. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

The App Master is implementing significant improvements to our app.

What is the team composition?

We are working with a product manager, an iOS developer, a web developer, an Android developer, and a designer.

How did you come to work with The App Master?

The App Master was recommended to us. We interviewed various vendors before deciding to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $70,000–$80,000 so far.   

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

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

Our users are very excited about the app’s new features. 

How did The App Master perform from a project management standpoint?

The App Master is fantastic at project management. They’re easy to work with, extremely nice, and very competent. They quickly understand tasks, and they’re able to work swiftly even with little guidance. 

We do bi-weekly stand-ups with the project manager. For more technical and in-depth conversations, we meet with the team through Google Meet or Zoom. We also keep a Slack channel open for immediate communication. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The App Master’s organizational skills are impressive. The project runs smoothly because they communicate well and have excellent project management systems in place. They efficiently handle backlogs, bugs, and questions. Overall, they’re very pleasant to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re too early in our relationship, but so far, everything is going really well.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Black Sand Software, a software company. We do turnkey projects, consultations, project segmentation, and more.

What challenge were you trying to address with The App Master?

We didn’t have the right team to go through a client project, so we reached out and did the entire discovery phase with them.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The App Master handled the discovery phase for a new project and its UI/UX. They helped us scope out and define the project, its design and architecture, and all the different integrations required.

They also helped us build a combination between a social media and e-commerce platform. It had many different moving parts, including influencers and various topics and brands as part of the ecosystem. Each of those roles had a different scope of what they could do within the application, so defining the project was an interesting process. In that sense, The App Master brought many ideas to the table on how to implement everything.

What is the team composition?

We had 5–6 people involved in the project and worked with an architect and different analysts. We also had meetings with many more people, including their CTO and another person with a high-level position.

How did you come to work with The App Master?

We’re in different groups in Argentina, Mexico, and the US. They’re consulting groups with different CEOs from different companies and industries. We ask for referrals all the time, and someone recommended The App Master.

They were in the same city as us, so it was really easy for us to communicate. We met with them, and they explained their processes and background. It was a right fit for us, and they provided an excellent service. We were really satisfied with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $20,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It all started around March 2021, and the discovery process ended by the beginning of May 2021. We spent about one month on negotiation.

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

Unfortunately, the product didn’t go through. When we tried to go through the development phase, we didn’t have the backing at the time. We had the first mockups and deliverables, but we never got to create the whole platform.

However, we went through the project in a very nice way, which isn’t common with software companies. They completed the deliverables as promised, even surpassing our expectations. At the beginning of the process, we had four lines, but we had a complete document with the specs, an architecture proposal, and cost estimates at the end of the discovery phase.

Overall, we were really satisfied with the outcome, and they look forward to revisiting the project once our client has the funds.

How did The App Master perform from a project management standpoint?

They outperformed. In just one month, they did all of the discovery for the app, including different features and integrations. The App Master even proposed a payment gateway for the US and Mexico, as well as the delivery logistics available in other cities.

We shared the same platform to track and deliver any documents and mockups. It was all very organized, and we kept a tight schedule for our one-month sprint. We had weekly meetings with all the results and retrospectives, as well as daily meetings to see any issues that we needed to solve. Overall, we worked well together and had dynamic, back-and-forth communication.

We used the tools in the Atlassian suite, including Trello and Jira. We had meetings through Zoom and shared documents through email and Google Drive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication with The App Master was impressive. We don’t see that in every provider, and they stood out for that.

Also, they didn’t just stop with the scope of the project. They went above and beyond with the integrations in Mexico, which weren’t part of the project. We delivered more information than the client asked for, which will save months for the implementation process when the time comes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t find anything that they should improve. It was a great project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear as you can, engage with them, and challenge them with questions. Also, having an open mind helps a lot because they can bring much more to the table than just their development skills.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of research for a consulting firm. We focus on company culture by doing survey research about leadership and general employees of companies.

What challenge were you trying to address with The App Master?

We needed help with reporting back to our clients based on the survey research we do for them.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The App Masters helped us automate most of the reports that we make. They also created a client management portal for us to use, along with a dashboard where we can upload our PDFs and see the key metrics for those reports.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Matias (CEO) and Sebastian (Developer). We worked with mainly just them, but two others were brought in to help with the project. 

How did you come to work with The App Master?

They were highly recommended by one of our partners and several clients who have worked with The App Master before. We were told that they did good work, had good communication, and had affordable prices since they’re based in Argentina.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $37,500 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project split into two parts, but the overall engagement lasted from January 2020–April 2021.

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

The amount of time that takes to create a report is now about 20% less than what it used to be, so now we’re saving 80%–90% of company time. Also, the quality is higher and the QC improved. Instead of having a whole team working in that area, there's one area for reports. Overall, we have a higher quality product to present to our clients. Instead of emailing them, now we have a website where they download reports and the metrics.

How did The App Master perform from a project management standpoint?

They were good at meeting deadlines and there were no problems with communication; we were worried about the language barrier, but their English was good. Even the time zones worked for us, and we worked comfortably during our normal work hours. The App Master also came up with their own input and ideas, so we felt like they understood the project. They made sure to take the time to understand what we wanted — they were nice to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The App Master’s team has a flexible and communicative attitude. Every time we had a problem, we could easily work with them to solve any issues.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s something that they could improve. 

Any advice for potential customers?

I’d recommend not being shy and communicating with them. This was our first time working with software development, and we realized how important all the upfront meetings and details are. The second phase of our project went smoother thanks to this.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Xellar.app.

What challenge were you trying to address with The App Master?

I was looking for a partner to do the development of an app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team developed the IT solution and mobile app from scratch. I shared my ideas, and then they started developing the app for iOS and Android. They also built a backend in .NET.

The app is Omnichannel and helps people with their e-commerce. They can communicate one-on-one with customers. The goal is to enhance their bulk of conversion rate, average ticket, and customer loyalty. They completed an MVP.

Currently, they’re working on the full version, including the changes and corrections we request.

What is the team composition?

We work with 5–6 people, including an operations manager, project manager, developers, and a QA tester.

How did you come to work with The App Master?

They’re experienced, down to earth, and adaptable.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $40,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in October 2019. They delivered the MVP in the spring of 2020.

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

This isn’t something that will bring mass downloads because it’s intended to be sold to retailers. They can share login information with their customers.

The deliverables of each sprint were done well and delivered on time. They proposed good development ideas and IT solutions. The team exceeded our expectations with the end product.

How did The App Master perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team does a great job. We work with Agile Scrum and use tools for tracking progress. They’re always available and responsive, doing well at answering questions and explaining processes. We communicate through WhatsApp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is professional and flexible. The cost-benefit ratio is quite good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wouldn’t say they need to improve anything. The delays we experienced were due to the pandemic, not the fault of anyone.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clearly communicate your ideas to them. They’ll understand and develop the solution in a professional, timely manner.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a mobile development company. I'm the director of sales and customer experience. I attract new business into the company, then I act as an account manager for existing clients.

What challenge were you trying to address with The App Master?

Our company pivoted to a distributed model and our employees started working from home. We needed native Android developers that were experienced and close to our time zone. We decided to hire an offshore development team.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We've worked on several projects together over the course of the last year. The first project was an Android port for an existing iOS app that we built for a client. That was a dating and fitness networking app. They did an amazing job, and we had complete feature parity fairly quickly, and the Android version looks even better than the original.

They also built the Android and iOS versions of an app for a living community. That app allows tenants to schedule maintenance requests, pay rent, view messages, find community events, and give feedback. It had to interface with a third-party API, and they managed the whole project very well. Other projects we've collaborated on include a full turnkey native Android app, and QA services on another app.

What is the team composition?

We interface directly with their CEO. I know that he has at least one developer per platform, plus a QA team. I'm not sure how they manage their projects on their side. Everyone we interact with speaks English, and our main point of contact has a business background and can relay specific, detailed development information back to his team.

How did you come to work with The App Master?

I was introduced through a mutual colleague, and we had an email introduction. After a few meetings, we asked them to send estimates for projects. Ultimately, we felt confident in their abilities and decided to hire them. We've had a great experience throughout our interactions with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

The first project was about $50,000, but our overall investment is closer to $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around April 2018. We're in the midst of two other projects.

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

Three of the applications they've built are live, and The App Master is great to work with. The experience was seamless, and we never felt like we were working with an off-shore team. Even though they’re two hours ahead of us, they accommodated us and put in extra time. Whenever we were close to a release, they worked weekends and long hours without our asking. They're very fairly priced, and we never have any language barrier issues.

How did The App Master perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is fantastic. They manage all their own developers, and they handle any issues within their own team. We used email, Slack, and video conferencing to communicate. Since our staff works from home, they're just like another member of our team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a lot of integrity. I've worked with other offshore agencies, but The App Master is so respectful. Their business ethics go a long way, and we have an immense amount of trust in them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything they should do differently. They're a dream to work with, and I rate them very highly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be deferential to their expertise. They were very early adopters in the mobile space, and they know what they're talking about. They've always been flexible, but they're almost always right. Trust them.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I´m the CEO of a ticketing company focused in theater shows.

For what projects/services did your company hire The App Master, and what were your goals?

We hired The App Master to develop a new platform that allow us to manage the all events, venues, promotions, etc. all through the different sales channels.

How did you select The App Master and what were the deciding factors?

I met one of their partners in a digital business course and invited them to make a business proposal.

From the 3 final applicants we selected "TAM" because of their knowledge, experience and commitment showed in the several personal meetings we held.

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

It was a very broad scope project, which included definitions of infrastructure, database, programming languages, UX design, information security, etc.

The development was held in modules, with several deliverables for each one. The final assembly and necessary adjustments was the final step of the whole project.

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

They were 5 people in their team: 1 project manager, 1 senior developer, 2 developers, 1 designer.

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

The final product is much more efficient and flexible than the previous one. It requires less maintenance and performs better. Is much more reliable and scalable. We got what we wanted.

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

They are super pro but at the same time they can adapt to the client´s culture and timing needs. The estimated project timeline, all through the 20 months, was 99% accurate.

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

The energy, commitment and hands on attitude. They deliver what they promise.

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

The only thing to improve would be the fine tuning testing before any deliverable.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the IT Director of ASSIST CARD. Travel assistance company.

For what projects/services did your company hire The App Master?

Manpower services related to .net, mobile and java skills

What were your goals for this project?

Maintenance and development of solutions four our systems. Improvements.

How did you select this vendor?

They competed with other vendors.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

As I mentioned, manpower for the develpment of new solutions and functionalities in our systems.

What was the team composition?

3 people (Developers)

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Excellent results, very good attitude of the developers and TAM owners in order to fullfill the objectives.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Very effective, as I mentioned. I want to remark the commitment of this firm and high work quality.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their commitment and agile mindset stand out to us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No so far.