Appitized - Out of Business

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Charge Point provides public mobile phone charging. We have lockable charge points in restaurants, bars, and other semi-secure public spaces. We let you charge your phone if you run out of power when you're out and about. I’m the CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with Appitized?

Well, the idea is to have an app that will show the closest charge point when you run out of power. The app should also have a proximity beacon and alerts so you can monitor battery usage and the level on the phone. Also, we wanted the app to direct users to charge points without them having to ask for it. What we have at the moment is a starting point that we can hopefully build on.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appitized took our specs and turned them into something more technical. I always think everything is easy but obviously, it's not. They developed it out and scoped it out into 3 phases. So far, we’ve done Phases 1 and 2. The third phase is for the proximity side of things, which we'll focus on when we have more charge points out because we're still a start-up. We've only been around properly for around 18 months, so it's quite new.

We had a rough app already that we'd done at very low cost, so they had a framework there. We only had an Apple app; we didn't have the Android version. We wanted to start from the ground up so we could build on it. The first app we had just wasn't scalable. We went to Appitized with the basic framework and they scoped the whole thing and took it forward from there. They've built both iOS and Android, which was one of the things we wanted consumers to have. There’s one dev for both platforms so when we make changes, things can be changed on both platforms.

How did you come to work with Appitized?

A friend at university recommended them to me. We had a chat with Appitized and 2 other companies. Because of that personal recommendation, we went with Appitized and gave them the specs.

How much have you invested with Appitized?

We have spent $10,000 to $50,000 on Appitized’s services. I think it was about $20,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

The whole dev process has been 3 to 4 months. We had a couple of location issues that we've been trying to resolve. I live in Jersey in the Channel Islands, which is not part of the United Kingdom. There were some setting issues within Google Android and Apple that you have to negotiate around. The app has to be available worldwide for it to be available in Jersey, but we only operate in the UK and Jersey. It's a bit of a quirk we've had to work through. We've been in contact this year, but the apps were mainly developed at the end of 2015. We've had a couple of tweaks here and there for the different types of venues we've added. Obviously, we still had a relationship with them and making changes. But the majority of the work happened at the tail end of last year. 

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We're focused on Jersey at the moment and the app is there, so it's hard to gauge success now. There's engagement: a lot of people in Jersey have downloaded it. Good reviews so far, but there are limited numbers. I think we're under 500 downloads for both, but well over 100. That's just from customers who've seen the advert on the site or on the actual charge point and downloaded it from there. I'd say it’s successful, based on the limited marketing we've done.

How did Appitized perform from a project management standpoint?

If you'd asked me in the middle of the project, I would have said that their project management wasn't very good. Unfortunately, they had a change of staff twice during the whole project. They had a chap come in and take over the project and he wasn't great. They obviously found that out and he moved on. We ended up with a guy who was really good, a chap called Dominic who communicated very well.

We might have used Trello or Basecamp; I can't remember, to be honest with you. Communication was good. Since the app isn't too complex, we could communicate on email. They would send the latest version, any tweaks or changes, over to me as a package to review and then send back. I don't think the app was so complex we needed to keep track of different threads; it was just one whole project, as it were.

What did you find most impressive about Appitized?

Like I said, it was a bit of a bumpy journey in the middle. But they delivered the project and I would be happy to work with them again. I haven't even met the guys because I live on this little island in the middle of nowhere. Communication has been good with them and they're very responsive. If you're happy to recommend someone, then it's obviously been good.

Like most relationships with third parties, things can be up and down. But we would use them again and we'd carry on developing with them, to put it that way. It's not that the relationship ended badly; I think there were just a few bumps along the way.

Are there any areas Appitized could improve?

I could pinpoint that they could test the product before sending it out, but they're not based here. When you're dealing with a location-based app, unless you're actually in that location it's very hard. Things like we had trouble trying to get it to appear on the Google Play store—it was appearing for them but I couldn't see it. It was more of a nuance of the Google Play store and locations. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and director of MyVoteMe, a sport and celebrity mobile gaming app.

What challenge were you trying to address with Appitized?

We wanted an app that would be very impressive within the gaming space. We used Appitized to build both the app and the website for our business. The app was built for both iOS and Android.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I helped oversee the project but, in all honesty, Appitized was given almost free rein. Appitized conceptually designed the app as well as the interface and the user experience of the app itself. They did everything from design to the build and coding. For the actual content, they consistently came to me with a number of different ideas. I would select which ones I'd like to move forward with, and we consistently built it out that way.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the most impressive part of the app was the user interface. It was very forward thinking, and Appitized absolutely led the way on it. They came up with a number of different ideas and ways in which the user could interact with the app itself. There were a number of games in the app that were designed very differently because they served different purposes. But, they were all under one very good UX [user experience] umbrella, which allows for everything to flow very nicely.

How did you come to work with Appitized?

I came across Appitized's head of sales, Phil Coffin. I met him at an app exhibition, I can't remember what it's called, but it's the biggest one in London every year. I met him there about two years ago [in 2014]. About two months later, I found his business card. We were still looking for a company to work alongside to build the app, so I gave him a call. Immediately after having a 30-minute conversation, we realized that Appitized was on a different level than the companies we'd been entertaining recently, so we went forward with them. Since we were a growing company, we were very keen to work with one of the United Kingdom's fastest growing app developers. If we did well, it would also reflect well on them and vice versa.

How much have you invested with Appitized?

We probably invested around $250,000 with Appitized.

What is the status of this engagement?

At this stage, we're continuing to work with them. Originally, we planned to launch the app in the summer of 2015. Currently, we're in a situation where we've actually wrapped any further build on the app. At this stage, we're just holding onto the asset with a view to licensing it out to other companies as intellectual property. After a couple years of the project running, that was the shareholders' decision. It had nothing to do with Appitized's performance. Appitized is helping us with maintenance. They are keeping it up and running for the moment whilst maintenance licenses are being issued.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Truth be told, ultimately the metrics and the general content of the app just didn't take the way that we'd wanted it to, as with many business ideas. Again, that has nothing to do with Appitized. I suppose the best feedback I could give is that Appitized has always done everything that we asked them to do. They delivered things well and were very professional in the way they dealt with it.

How did Appitized perform from a project management standpoint?

The project was always very well managed. It's not a perfect world, so things were put back slightly or things moved forward slightly. Appitized was very professional in the way they dealt with it and got things right back on track as soon as possible. Obviously, you can't expect things to be 100 percent perfect at all times because this coding is a different world. But, whenever things started moving off course – for example, if I decided a game was more important to get done now and had to change the timeline – Appitized always handled that very professionally, and the timeline was brought back on track as soon as possible.

What did you find most impressive about Appitized?

One of the selling points for Appitized is that they're very ambitious in what they're doing. They absolutely have their sights on being one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in the U.K., and they're well on their way to doing that. As somebody who had just raised a couple of hundred thousand in capital, the biggest selling point was working with a company that was just as ambitious as myself. They wanted to do it and wanted to perform very well, just to keep their momentum and growth. I've spoken previously with larger, more grounded companies that had worked with huge corporations. There's a lot less ambition with those guys. In contrast, Appitized was consistently trying to prove themselves – trying to get better and better.

Are there any areas Appitized could improve?

I don't think it's an ideal world. There are always things that will go wrong in any project. Things can always go more smoothly, be it timekeeping, or expecting a call, or expecting something delivered and it coming a week later. You've also got to understand that this is certainly not the industry to expect perfection on a project basis. There were always things that could've moved more smoothly. But, if we had decided to work with another app builder, it would have been a lot more difficult to hit timelines. Another company wouldn't have been as dedicated to impressing people and bringing the timeline back.

Please introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a National Health Service acute hospital here in the United Kingdom. My job is to make sure the best evidence is put into practice, to enable staff to make the best possible business or clinical decisions.

What challenge were you trying to address with Appitized?

We were having problems accessing specific policies and procedures, and the particular system we were working with wasn't doing that very well. We wanted a mobile app that would store all of the trust documents, which would allow our staff to access those without having to go to a computer, log in, get into our website and then spend ages trying to find the particular document they were after. The app would also enhance patient care, because care could be delivered right at the bedside rather than having to leave the patients while trying to navigate around the current system.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appitized had already created an app for another trust, which we had seen and liked. We wanted Appitized to create the same app for us. Actually, for both of us, it was quite a small project because they had already developed the app. They just had to make sure it was working for us and that our documents could be retrieved and displayed. The project was just to replicate something they had already done.

We contacted them around September last year. We had an initial meeting with them, talked about our requirements and what platforms we wanted to use. They gave us a cost and offered us a cross-platform deal as well.

We then had to secure funding, and it took a while for it to come through. Once we had the money, we gave the project a green light, and it was completed in about six to eight weeks. That included creating a beta version of the app, which we tested here with a number of foundation doctors. No problems were identified with the app itself or its performance.

Then, all we had to do was wait about two weeks for the app to be accepted on the Apple Store, which Appitized had no control over. It's good in a way that Apple provided a kind of quality control, which just proves the high quality of the app.

How did you come to work with Appitized?

I spoke to a colleague at the other hospital trust that had the device and asked them about the company that developed it, which was Appitized. My colleague was extremely positive, said how professional the agency was and suggested that there was no point in paying another mobile company to create an app that had already been developed. We were just getting something that had already been tailored for what's required at an NHS hospital.

In addition, Appitized is local, so that helped with regard to meetings. It was no problem for them to come to a meeting on a short notice. They dealt with everything quickly and professionally.

How much have you invested with Appitized?

We've spent a bit more than $10,000 working with Appitized.

What is the status of this engagement?

They're still maintaining the app and actually have it on their server. They have the license for it so it can be on the App Store. To be honest, at the moment, there isn't any real maintenance required. Everyone has been happy with the app the way it is, and we've had no suggestions for additional features or functions.

We've only had the app for more than a year now. We're just trying to promote it and get as many people as possible to download the app onto their devices. It is actually only on one mobile system at the moment – it's only on Apple. Obviously, we need to secure funding to get the app on Android and on Windows phones as well, and that's something we might be looking at in the future.

Could you share any results from the project?

I only have anecdotal evidence from a couple of people because we want to let people work with it a while before we start assessing it and measure its true impact. Anecdotally, the people that are using it are happy with it, and they find it less cumbersome than using a computer. One of the things they do like is the fact that all the documents are stored on the device. Our Wi-Fi connections are quite patchy on our estate, so if someone needs to access a particular document, it's not going to be hampered by a dropped Internet connection.

The other thing that we've done is rather than have the full document on the app, if it's a standard operating procedure the clinician has to follow, we just have the algorithm or flow chart so they don't have to scroll through a lot of text that is not applicable to what they need to do. They have something in graphic form that tells them what to do step by step so they're following best practice.

How did Appitized perform from a project management standpoint?

Appitized was fantastic. They came in several times. They understood what it was we needed because they'd done it before. They had learned their lessons from the previous project.

The app was designed very well. Even though we've had a support contract with Appitized, we've only used the contract once, and that was the next day after the app went live. We haven't contacted support since, which I think says a lot about the quality of their work. With other products and web-based systems we're constantly contacting support to fix this or that or add a new functionality.

What did you find most impressive about Appitized?

It's a difficult question to answer because they're the only company that I've personally dealt with regard to apps or anything like that. They have, however, been top notch. In particular, two members of their staff have been absolutely fantastic and personable. I've kept in touch with them from time to time, and they have kept me up to date about new products.

The last thing they are is assertive or pushy. I have experienced other sales people that can be a little bit pushy and don't take no for an answer, but Appitized has been absolutely fantastic. One of the members of their staff has come to our trust and spoke at one of our innovation breakfasts, and it was one of our most highly rated sessions. It generated a lot of enthusiasm – a lot of interest. He runs an innovation breakfast at Appitized, and a couple of our staff members went along to his breakfast. We've developed quite a close working relationship.

Are there any areas Appitized could improve?

No. Everything works.

[Our company offers] a smart phone/tablet app based company providing apps that link job seekers to job vacancies. I am the operations manager. Our firm is located in the U.K.

As we didn’t have the in-house capabilities, we needed an external company to build our app for us.

The scope of work was to provide an app that linked candidates to specific job roles based on search criteria. Appitized built both the app and the website and Web portal management system that sits behind the app.

We put the project up for tender and picked Appitized based on specs, price, and locality as well their experience building a similar application in the past. The total cost of the project was in the $200,000 to $500,000 range. The main project was completed in May 2014, but the application was launched on February 23, 2015. Work is still ongoing to enhance the app. 

The quality of work that Appitized provides is exceptional. We have a great working relationship with our primary contacts at Appitized. This ensures the direction of our project moves … at a pace we are comfortable with.

At first, we felt that there wasn’t enough advice being offered so we raised this issue with Appitized. Due to our strong working relationship, it's easy to discuss these things. We have had all the advice we have needed and some great suggestions on how to reach consumers with our app.

Please describe your company.

We are payroll professionals. We lead education in the payroll industry regarding people's qualifications. For instance, a professional can get a master's degree in payroll for finance. We support the education side.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I am the project coordinator. I undertake any projects that the CEO deems fit to enhance the exposure of the company. For example, the payslip that Appitized developed for us or the relocation of our head offices.

What was your goal for working with Appitized?

Our goal was to produce a payslip app so it would show the information anybody would need to understand their payslip with respect to taxes, deductions, and what it all means to them. It's broken down easily and easy to understand.

Please describe the scope of their work.

Appitized developed the main app. The consulting was done in-house. We have our own team that does work with respect to tax. Appitized produced all of the formulas for working out the tax codes to get it right.

The app was developed for all the platforms across iOS and Android. It works on the iPhone and Galaxy phone as well. Appitized worked on the apps altogether. We gave them the specifications, and they produced the Android and iOS versions at the same time. They were released at the same time, too.

What was your process for selecting Appitized with which to work?

I did a Google search on application developers. We had our own developer, but developing apps was not their strong point. I got three quotes from different companies, and Appitized came back as the best. We only looked at British firms because that was easiest from the Google results.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

It was a major project in terms of exposure. They helped us expose our company a bit further to the client base that we're after. We've been doing this since December of 2013 to get it ready, and it took five months to be ready, with all the specifications and to work with our marketing team to make sure it looks fine. The app is available in the App Store and Google Play. It's available for download for all our clients who use it. We're going to start marketing it in Payroll Magazine.

Are you satisfied with Appitized's performance?

I was very satisfied. Initially, it was tough trying to get all of the information that we needed in terms of getting the tax codes right. Although it was a basic app, it did have to incorporate the U.K. tax code. I’m satisfied with their performance, and the project manager that was assigned to me was very good. He talked me through everything that needed to be done. They were always there to support me throughout the development of the app. I was impressed with that and felt like I was supported.

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

It's just gone live, so we don’t have any statistical feedback to show just yet. The initial feedback from the marketing department has been positive. They all found it easy to use, and it's very interactive. It's something that someone can just pick up and use without any hassle. The initial feedback was quite good.

Is there anything unique about them that makes Appitized stand out, compared to other companies?

I don’t think Appitized was better than any other firms that we use. We chose them because the cost was very competitive. With respect to our specifications that we needed, they delivered exactly what we needed and their own ideas as well, which helped significantly. This was my first time developing a mobile app. I learned throughout the entire process.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

The only thing I would have done differently would be from our side, which would have been to nail down more of the process of putting all the tax codes in. Right now, we only have one tax code. There are about 2,000 minor tax codes in the U.K. that aren’t used very often, but we'd still like them to be in there. We would need to work on that on our side, in the policy department and get Appitized involved to create a better formula for bringing up the tax codes and their different combinations.

Please describe your company.

We're a homebuilder and build new homes in the northwest of England. We in the sales and marketing department are responsible for selling those homes. We have an online presence, and we invest in local property press. We thought it would be a good idea to have an outlet for customers to look at all the property that we have available. That's how we ended up with an application.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I'm a marketing assistant.

What was your goal for working with Appitized?

We wanted to generate sales.

Please describe the scope of their work.

We met with Appitized and talked about the framework of the app, and how we wanted it to work. We already had development elements such as logos and photography that we wanted to be used in the app. Appitized was responsible for designing the app as well as how it looked and worked. We gave them the elements that we needed to use from a corporate brand point of view.

We met with them several times to discuss the scope of work and the framework. Once the content management element of the app had been developed, they trained us to be able to upload new photography and so on. The app was developed for iPhone and Android at the same time.

What was your process for selecting Appitized to work with?

We worked with a number of agencies from a design point of view, and they put some cost proposals together. Because Appitized is local to us, we used them as a check to see what price we were being quoted. It became apparent that our design agencies had gone out to third parties because they didn’t have the skills in-house to build an app. We went directly to that third party by working with Appitized. We were able to have discussions about the app with our design agencies and then talk directly to Appitized.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

It was in the region of £10,000 to £15,000, including some work with external Web providers needed to generate an API feed to be able to put the information into the app.

When was the latest milestone completed for that work?

It was completed in September of 2013.

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

Not really. We used AppAnnie to see how many people had downloaded it, and we got to about 200 people. We're not tracking that right now. We were pleased with the way it went and how it was executed. The app has done everything that we needed it to do from a technical point of view. If we wanted to market the app more aggressively, we would probably get more people downloading it. Our marketing has focused on other areas this year.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

Appitized was local to us. Stephen Strong was the project manager and our contact. If we couldn't talk to him immediately, he would call us back right away. We could have face-to-face meetings, and he would explain exactly what was going on. He dealt with us on a level that we understood, rather than talking in technical terms, which we wouldn’t have had a clue about. In terms of the API feed, he dealt with the other web companies that were doing that work, and they were able to sort the problems out. We just received the milestones and the headline news, rather than getting us involved in all the technical knowledge that we don’t have the skills to deal with.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

No. It was a good project. We were a bit slow to start with it. Once we got to the stage to where the design and the documents detailing what we wanted it to be, there was a brief delay between us agreeing on the quote and them starting work. We needed to get the sign off on it.

Please describe your organization.

It's an NHS [National Health Service] hospital. It's a teaching hospital to train doctors to work in the U.K.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I'm the library manager, based in the education center at the hospital. We do IT, databases, literature searches, and my manager asked me to get involved in the app project with one of the consultants in the emergency department. I work as a project manager.

What was your goal for working with Appitized?

The goal was to ensure that doctors had access to the latest evidence and guidelines to treat emergency patients. They would have the information at hand as a mobile device. They would have access to all the latest trust policies, literally at the patient's bedside. The app is easy to search, and it's set up into various subject areas. If there’s a child presenting with fever, you can quickly go to that section, and see what the correct procedure would be.

Please describe the scope of their work.

They asked what our requirements were, and we completed a questionnaire. They drew up the template after that. The emergency medicine handbook was originally printed and put onto our intranet as a PDF, so all the information was there at hand. Appitized had to drill down by chapter and heading within each chapter. They devised the template for the app, and they put every category into various subsections to enable you to search the app effectively by using keywords. You can browse by chapter heading as well.

The app was for iPhone initially, and we’ve asked for quotes for Android devices as well as HTML5. Many of our staff members have Android devices. We wanted to see how well it worked before we expanded platforms. We have the quotes, and I think we probably will expand to Android based on the numbers we've seen so far for downloads via App Annie.

What was your process for selecting Appitized to work with?

We did a Google search looking for app companies because our IT department didn’t have the capacity to develop apps. We had the budget and wanted a company close to home. That way, we could visit their offices. We chose Appitized because they are based in Warrington. When the sales rep visited and heard we were involved in producing 10,000 apps worldwide, they showed us some examples of different sectors they were involved in. That is what swayed us. We had quotes from two other companies, but we preferred Appitized based on their experience and price. They were very competitive with the other two companies.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

About £6,000 for the iPhone app. The other quotes were £8,500 to £9,000, so it was quite competitive.

When was the latest milestone completed for that work?

The project was completed in the beginning of December of 2013. Appitized said it would take 12 weeks from start to finish, although it didn’t. It took at least 12 months in total, but that was because of various holdups, mostly on our side. We had to get ratification from our risk management department that we could actually have our trust policies uploaded onto an app. We had to go through processes in dealing with other departments within the trust, such as whether our patient information leaflets could go on the app and be available worldwide. To put it onto the App Store, it had to get their approval. It was initially rejected because of some missing content.

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

It's a bit early for that. It's only been functioning for four to five weeks, including Christmas. I’d give it at least six months before analyzing figures and deciding what the app's impact has been.

Can you assess their performance?

I think Appitized performed very well and very efficiently. I would recommend them. We visited the offices a couple of times to see how the content management system worked. They were only 10 miles down the road. We manage our own content now, so if anything changes or is added to the emergency handbook, we just upload it ourselves without the need to contact Appitized again. It's all done in-house now. They help with troubleshooting or push notifications. They’re happy to help with that for no extra charge.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

Not really.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

They could have completed the job more quickly if they were dealing with sensitive material from NHS hospitals.

Can you give a brief description on what your company does?

It is a salon with a focus on hairdressing. We’re fairly new, actually. We’ve been in operation for approximately eight months. We cover all aspects of hairdressing for our customers.

What was your main goal or objective for working with Appitized?

We wanted to diminish the number of correspondence regarding styling and scheduling details. It was just a basic app that allows them to forward those questions in a single email, which increases overall efficiency and really improves the customer experience. It’s working still and it’s a far cry from the process we had in place beforehand.

People were able to schedule their appointment and say what they want?

Yes, they can book a time. The app offers customers a series of available timeslots from which they can choose. I crosscheck their preferences with our master list and I confirm their appointment.

How did you discover and choose Appitized to work with?

We were at a trade show and they had a representative present. We just approached them for a preliminary price estimate. Their quoted price seemed more than reasonable for the services offered.

How long ago was the project completed?

It was completed about a month ago.

Can you provide a very general cost estimate?

I think it was about £1250 (approximately $18,850) all in all. It’s not bad considering the quality of work provided.

What operating systems was it developed for?

That price is only for the iPhone and iPad. We didn’t go for the Android because it would have incurred additional costs.

How happy are you with the results?

I’m quite pleased with their performance and the product they developed for us. There were a few intermittent problems that we discussed with them from time to time. However, there were no game-changing issues. In the end, they were more than willing to make minor adjustments and modifications for us. They performed the requested alterations completely free of charge, which was extraordinary. It should have cost money to make post hoc modifications, but they decided against it. They’ve been really good.

Is there anything that you noticed to be unique or special about Appitized compared to other vendors you’ve worked with?

It’s the only company we have worked with really. Overall, I feel very happy with their whole service. They kept me updated via email all the time. They keep in touch with me regardless of the situation. It wasn’t as if we paid them, and that was it. They maintained excellent communication throughout the duration of the project. They were concerned with more than billable hours and were clearly invested in the quality of their work.

Is there anything that you’d do differently a second time around, or that you think Appitized could improve upon?

The only thing they could improve, I think, from the start, now that I’ve got it, which I can do, is probably add more pages to it. In actuality, that’s my fault. Obviously, if we wanted to do that, we can – I don’t want to pay extra for that. I’m very happy with it, to be honest.