West Midland Native iOS and Android App Developers
Exploding Phone has the experience and skills to deliver world-class smrt-device solutions while maintaining the size and agility to offer you a highly personal, client-centred business partnership.
Exploding Phone’s team of skilled, experienced software engineers and UX/UI designers has been developing apps since the creation of the Apple App Store in 2008. The company had delivered over 300 apps and smart device solutions to over 150 clients by the start of 2021 and its range of competencies has grown with the evolution of smartphones and the associated smart device market of wearables and smart speakers.
The team is as comfortable working with FTSE100 clients as it is with start-ups. Whatever the client the underlying company culture is focussed upon ensuring customers receive the best possible commercial experience along with a fantastic technical solution. While the company may not always offer the cheapest proposal the team continually strive to ensure that the deliverables ultimately offer the best possible value for money. This is in no small part achieved by having a UK-based team where individuals maintain a close relationship with projects from start to finish.
Company headquarters are just south of Birmingham UK, however we have the processes and communication skills that has previously enabled us to deliver projects for clients all over the UK and indeed the world.
headquarters
other locations
Focus
Portfolio
The NHS, Taylor Wimpey, The Coleman Group, Capital Fireplaces/Solution Fires, Euro Packaging UK Ltd, Ex Libris /oMbiel, GasAppUk, Healthcare Management Solutions, HOPS Labour Solutions, HowDidWeDo?, Scolmore International, SmartWater Technology, The Steeper Group, TSL, UniWellBeing, Vitec Imaging Solutions.
Patient Care Quality Improvement App
A patient presenting to hospital with acute, abdominal pain may require a surgical procedure known as an emergency laparotomy. During the patient’s journey through hospital, they will receive care from many different clinicians.
Each clinician is focussed on the patient’s care at a particular point in time, but practitioners rarely receive feedback on the eventual outcome and how their actions contributed to the case. The lack of a holistic view of the ‘care pathway’ inhibits the clinician’s ability to contextualise the effectiveness of their intervention and reduces the organisation’s ability to learn from what works well and hence further improve outcomes for future patients.
Dudley Group NHSFT, supported by the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network have worked with exploding phone to create a digitally assisted solution: QI Notify.
The National Emergency Laparotomy Audit contains coded information recording many of these key elements within the patient journey, but the data is not readily interpretable for local staff. QI Notify-EmLap transforms this data to provide NHS professionals with a narrative and pictorial ‘timeline’ allowing them to rapidly assess the provision and timeliness of these key steps, in a way that is similar to a traditional case note review. Traditional ‘case note reviews’ are resource heavy, typically consuming hours of clinical time and therefore only performed rarely. NHS professionals with responsibility for the care of patients who have required an emergency laparotomy, can be given an account which allows them to view the QI Notify generated timelines of care. They can therefore review every case, enhancing their understanding of what works well and ensuring this is replicated more often in the future. Users can also view the National or local standards of care related to each key element from within the app and provide reflection and feedback to ensure learning from best practice is shared.
Taylor Wimpey Property App
Search and Video Viewing App
Supporting and accelerating new-build property buying process
At the start of 2020 the Taylor Wimpey Executive team concluded that the company needed an app to support customers who would now largely interact remotely due to the ongoing pandemic and lockdown periods.
Users interested in buying a new build property use the app to search the Taylor Wimpey database of sites and plot availability. The ‘Smart Search’ capability was particularly well received as it provided a superior user experience over the standard web page based search engine. Having selected a site and plot the user is then able to request an appointment for a video viewing.
The original brief assumed that video viewings would be managed using an external browser-based video conference system however an Exploding Phone proposal that the video call was also delivered via the app was accepted, thus providing a streamlined experience to both the customer and sales staff. Key technical deliverables included ensuring the smooth interconnection of video between apps running on iOS and Android which was achieved using WebRTC.
The system is supported by a portal based app management system which allows Taylor Wimpey app administrators to edit some app content and links within the app. It also allows the company to manage aspects of sales people’s work-flow. App monitoring is delivered using Google Analytics with more detailed reports available on an ad hoc basis as part of the Maintenance and Support contract.
The project had an extremely high level of visibility within Taylor Wimpey, with the company’s Chief Executive taking an active role in the specification and design of the app. The company complimented Exploding Phone on the speed of our delivery and our ability to quickly grasp requirements with little ‘hand-holding’.
M&S In-Store Covid-19 App
High Street Retailer Hygiene Management App
Tracking and Reporting system for Covid-19 and general site cleanliness
Enables retail staff and management to define and track tasks
Building upon the previously developed, ‘Goods Not For Resale’ retail support app the high-street retailer Marks and Spencers asked Euro Packaging to source a web app and associated management dashboard to enable it to track adherence to store cleaning and Covid-19 protocols. We were pleased to once again be contracted by Euro Packaging in delivering this requirement.
M&S’s requirements included the ability to configure the roster of checks based on specific store configuration, provide a role based app user experience, configure audits and cleaning specifications. As such management staff are presented with a broader range of functions and abilities than general cleaning staff. The app also provides a mechanism for all staff, irrespective of role, to report incidences of Covid-19 policy non-compliance.
The App Management Dashboard is a web-based portal accessed by administrators. Dashboard users are able to perform functions including management of app users, composing and sending text and image based in-app alerts, configuring the app’s content and tailoring questions to specific stores. These configurations are then accessed by the in-store web app user who can review alerts, carry out supervisory inspections or be guided through cleaning requirements. The dashboard allows administrators to upload details of required procedures in the form of images, audio and links to YouTube videos which results in apps user having convenient access to the company’s guide to cleaning best practices. The Dashboard generates a rich set of graphics describing the cleaning standards over time along with highlighting locations where Covid-19 policy compliance needs to be improved.
UniWellBeing Student Mental Health App
The UniWellBeing app is designed to make adopting health and wellbeing practices fun, stimulating and interactive. It combines social engagement activities, tools and educational content to empower users to assimilate positive habits and coping skills.
Each element of the app’s design entailed careful UX/UI consideration. Key components include a habit management tool which incorporates ‘micro-habit’ based challenges and awards making the user experience engaging and collaborative. The system also includes an array of calming and grounding components along with procrastination awareness tools. Users are guided to appropriate resources including an extensive library of UniWellBeing created podcasts. Exploding Phone engineered a Podcast framework whereby University podcasts incorporated into the app maintain a consistent look and feel.
An App Management Portal allows universities to manage the content, messages and branding facilitating rapid deployment of institution specific versions of UniWellBeing. The Portal is also used by UniWellBeing admin staff to create and manage core resources and configure a sophisticated ‘deep-linking’ mechanism which allows complex user journeys through the app to be set-up dynamically.
The Exploding Phone development team anticipated that the client would require greater levels of complexity as the solution evolved so the App Management Portal allows UniWellBeing administrators to extend the app’s core features. For example the set of emotions presented in the ‘Mood Tracking’ feature can be extended and amended. React JS was used to build the web-based App Management Portal and the componentised nature of React JS meant that once an element is created it could easily and quickly be reused.
Solution Fires
Advanced Electric Fire Control Apps
Providing consumers with maximum level of configuration
Suite of mobile apps, Alexa and Smartwatch solutions
The Solution Fires App user interface is designed to enable users to control a broad range of configuration options of up to five electric fires while still providing an intuitive, enjoyable user experience. Configuration options include the flame picture, downlight, fuel bed and scene lights. The app also allows users to remotely adjust the volume of the fire sound, control heaters and set a target temperature along with the facility to set a seven-day timer.
In developing the system it was necessary to design, build and test a complex messaging system that both ensured the various smart controllers were simple to set-up and use in a domestic wifi environment and also incorporated a sophisticated messaging package to allow the apps to control the fire’s on-board micro-controller.
In factory delivery mode the fire broadcasts a default wifi network. When first using the smartphone app the system searches for fire set-up wifi networks. The user selects the fire and the app reconfigures the fire to connect to the home-owners wifi network while also switching off the fire’s installation wifi network. The fire then connects to a cloud based server via a permanent bi-directional socket connection. This socket allows the fire to receive instructions from the server and to update the fire’s status, for example, if the fire has been physically switched off. Similarly the apps transmit instructions which are managed and forwarded by the server.
The Solution Fires app configures associated smartwatch and Alexa based devices which provide the ability to access an optimised set of fire control functions and pre-set modes via the cloud based server.
HowDidWeDo? Customer Feedback App
The How Did We Do? original design brief specified iOS and Android apps for tablets and mobile devices to enable customers and other stakeholders to post feedback about their experiences via comments, ratings and photographs. As the project evolved the client identified a wider range of use scenarios and phase two of the project added the ability to customise the app to support virtually any visit based experience, and to allow the client’s app administrators to edit questions, etc., via a web based portal.
Information gathered by the app is uploaded to multiple databases with comments, answers and ratings being stored on the client’s servers while images are stored in Amazon’s AWS cloud service. This necessitated building a system that authenticated to the AWS server without the user having to enter login details, and linking the images back to the core database with a unique key generated by the Amazon server.
Information is collated and presented via a dashboard enabling management to identify and mitigate potential customer satisfaction issues in a timely fashion. The data has also allowed senior management to directly engage with customers with highly positive outputs for each party.
The project was characterised by a high degree of flexibility, co-operation and growing trust as the client evolved its ideas and goals during the design and development process.
Construction Audit and Safety App
Smartphone Reporting and Audit solution
Two apps to replace previously paper-based tools
TSL partnered with Exploding Phone to build a pair of apps: a Reporting app enabling TSL staff and subcontractors to log safety and quality issues along with an Inspection app to enable TSL staff to conduct site audits.
The Reporting app uses the user’s smartphone location to suggest the nearest sites and the user then enters a site specific PIN code which enables them to log issues. When logging an issue the user enters a description, selects a category, and where appropriate takes a photograph. The system appends the report with the device’s location information and timestamps the report. If the user’s device is not connected to the internet the data is cached and then uploaded to a Project Dashboard once an internet connection is available. The appropriate site manager is automatically sent an email with automatic reminders issued daily and a configurable escalation process to ensure the issue is addressed.
The Inspection app replaces a paper-based site safety inspections and dramatically improves the data capture process and enables inspections reports to be submitted as soon as the users device has internet access. Inspection items are detailed in the app with the user able to add comments and photographs. Upon completion the report is forwarded via email to the manager with responsibility for resolving non-compliances. The email includes a link to the Dashboard Portal where the manager records updates and resolutions.
Both the Reporting and Inspection apps are underpinned by a sophisticated administration portal. The back-end system comprises two elements, a Project Dashboard and App Management Portal. The Project Dashboard enables Site Managers and Head Office staff to review and manage data gathered by the two apps. Users can also generate reports allowing TSL management to track performance over time and identify problematic patterns of issues.
Premier Waste Construction Environment Safety App
Premier Waste manages waste disposal arrangements on large construction sites with multiple building contractors. Waste materials, etc., that have not been properly cleared cause obstructions, hazards and inefficiency. Previously Premier Waste’s on-site agents completed a paper “obstruction notice” requiring them to clear up, that was physically handed to the contractor. This legacy approach had serious limitations, being inefficient and occasionally resulting in disputes with contractors.
Exploding Phone developed an Obstruction Reporting app which enables Premier Waste Management’s agents to electronically document obstruction details. This information, including photographs, is then emailed directly to the contractors as a PDF file. As the nature, time and location of obstructions is centrally stored and managed the possibility of dispute is virtually eliminated. If an ‘in-breach’ contractor fails to remediate the system uses an escalation system granting Premier Waste the right to clear the obstruction, thus maintain site safety. This service is charged to the contractor generating additional revenue.
The system features a Content Management System enabling off-site staff to manage the overall situation via reports detailing notices raised and outcome. The system also automatically generates a weekly spreadsheet which is used by the accounts department to keep track of notices and raise invoices.
Scolmore International Installer App
The Scolmore Group manufactures and distributes electrical wiring accessories and lighting products. Building on a track record of delivering innovative ways to better serve its customers the company recognised that Installation Project Managers would benefit from access to electrical configuration tools and product specifications from their mobile devices.
Exploding Phone was asked to develop an app capable of surfacing product information from the company’s database, providing a platform for a range of Calculation tools and enabling users to build and share lists of requirements which could then be shared with wholesalers. Along with core app development Exploding Phone also created a process to reconfigure Sage Accounting data for presentation via the app, and delivered a Content Management System to enable Scolmore to make changes to information published via the app.
Building the app also required the implementation of a robust integration with YouTube’s API. Despite the complexity of the project the solution was delivered in less than ten weeks.
Commenting on the project Scolmore’s Design Manager stated, “[The Exploding Phone] team has delivered above and beyond our expectations, our app has received a lot of positive feedback and won ‘Electrical App of the Year’ in the Electrical Industry Awards 2016”.
HOPS Labour Solutions Recruitment and Placement Portal
HOPS Labour Solutions Ltd. is a leading UK horticultural and agricultural recruitment specialist and temporary labour provider. HOPS required a cloud-based system to maintain details about farms, applicants, workers and recruiting agents. The system needed be accessible by HOPS users, farms, agents, applicants/workers and 3rd parties to view records of workers, to provide analysis and billing data and to manage the staffing requirements of the farms.
The portal uses a responsive web design approach to provide a high quality experience on virtually any screen size and platform. The portal enables farms to make workgroup requests, for HOPS to validate the request and then allocate placements to their international agents who provide the required workforce for the farms. Workers can view placements, and upload necessary documents via the system. The system therefore needed to support multiple access levels so a robust Role Based Access Control system was implemented. The portal also needed to be highly intuitive to users with limited IT literacy and English language skills. The reporting system has been extended with advanced data filtering and searching functionalities and the system is now GDPR compliant.
WorkSafe Training Systems Portal
WorkSafe Training Systems is an independent services provider offering work place related training, co-ordination and support for instructors. This includes providing the training materials, qualification cards and certificates required to run a successful course.
WorkSafe has an online portal which instructors use to provide details of the courses they are planning to run. Once a course has concluded the instructors submit the details of the students who attended and this information is used by WorkSafe to generate and post certificates.
The portal allows students to register and leave feedback on their course, along with registering for ongoing updates and reminders. The portal also provides a repository for custom resources from which instructors and students can access and download relevant documents.
The portal provides WorkSafe’s administrators full access to information entered by instructors and students. Additionally, WorkSafe’s staff can upload and manage the resources available for download by the portal users.
Evo+ Assistive Technology Control App
The Steeper Group had previously commissioned an iOS app to enable people with mobility issues to control a range of household appliances and communication devices, however the app required a major update.
Evo+ is the control centre for a bespoke system comprising multiple diverse hardware components. As such the app is required to managing the devices’ states using bespoke communication protocols, maintaining persistent connection to multiple devices, and handle hardware errors appropriately.
Core project deliverables included recreating the original app’s functionality while ensuring that the app is compatible with the latest version of iOS; updating the system to enable it to work with additional devices; and refreshing the User Interface.
Having reviewed the original code our engineers elected to recreate the UI and functionality of the previous app using the Swift programming language, thus enabling the optimisation of all aspects of the app’s performance. The project also required a re-write of the back-end system which is now ready to support other mobile platforms, e.g., Android, if the business requirement arises, and now offers a modern User Interface.
Steeper and Exploding Phone have agreed a comprehensive support and maintenance arrangement to ensure the app remains fit for purpose for the foreseeable future.
Smart GNFR system for Retail
Euro Packaging is a large UK based enterprise delivering goods and services to the Retail, Leisure, Food Service and Hospitality markets. The company’s solutions include the supply of ‘Goods Not For Resale’(GNFR), for example, Access Cards, First Aid and Health and Safety Equipment, Catering Consumable, Janitorial Supplies, RFID Tags, Stationary and Wrapping Materials.
Euro Packaging partnered with a FTSE 100 retailer to improve the efficiency of the GNFR request process. Working closely with the project owner in the Middle East and the operational team in Birmingham, Exploding Phone developed an app that enables store staff to request and track GNFR orders from a mobile device. Where the employee does not have purchasing authority a streamlined approval process takes effect thus further reducing delivery times.
Once an order is placed the Smart GNFR app enables the user to track delivery. The user also has the ability to raise queries, for example, missing or damaged goods, and may take a photo for appending to the query. Query tickets are managed by Euro Packaging with updates and resolution data provided to the user via the app.
The system supports for multiple currencies, and of course, meets and exceeds the end-user’s rigorous security requirements.
The iOS, Android and Web versions of app were completed by late 2017. During 2018 Exploding Phone worked with Euro Packaging and the end customer to fully integrated the system with in-house and third-party systems.
App Deployment Platform
SmartWater Technology Ltd provides security products and services based upon the company’s traceable liquid products. SmartWater partners with agencies, for example police forces, who introduce SmartWater’s crime reduction solution to households and businesses. End users are required to register their details to enable marked stolen items to be associated to owners. Originally this was a paper-based system with data manually entered into a database, however a partner asked SmartWater to provide an app to enhance data capture.
After due diligence SmartWater commissioned Exploding Phone to design and build an Android app. However SmartWater determined that app based registration was attractive to other partners. SmartWater considered commissioning a series of apps, with similar functionality, but with minor adaptions for each partner. Exploding Phone proposed a platform approach, whereby SmartWater commissions a ‘parent’ app which can be adapted and published as a series of ‘child’ apps. Child apps are configured and branded via a sophisticated App Management System.
As new app features are added SmartWater has the ability to deploy these features to other child apps. Upgrades include access a device’s camera to scan a QR code on bottles with the system then displaying information about the bottle. The platform has also been extended with additional security checks, for example, identifying where a third-party has attempted to modify data between app submission and receipt on the server.
Further Platform advantages include efficiencies and resilience in manging a single code base, Smartwater’s opportunity to update of apps bypassing the need to refer back to Exploding Phone for updates.
The platform approach incurred a higher up-front investment but total cost versus multiple apps broke-even apps upon publication of the fourth child app resulting in a significantly lower total cost of development and ownership.
Reviews
the project
Custom Software Development for Recruitment Services Agency
"They’re very flexible and generous towards what we’re trying to achieve."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m an executive at a recruitment business that supplies resources into agriculture and horticulture areas. We’re also a technology business with a SaaS product that we market.
What challenge were you trying to address with Exploding Phone?
We needed someone to build an in-house operational management system for our workflow processing.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Exploding Phone built our custom software, which they host, maintain, support, and update. Originally, the system was made only for our internal use, but Exploding Phone was able to make it available for other people.
The software they built is a recruitment and employment management system that enables companies that use high volumes of temporary labor workers to manage their requirements and the employment of those people. In addition to that, the system tracks labor supply chains; when working with migrant labor across borders, this system can track the different levels of intermediaries within those supply chains and give them visibility and transparency. This helps us protect the workforce from bad practices and risks of bad practices — not only does it cover the individual worker, but it also covers any stakeholder within that supply chain.
In terms of technologies, they've used LAMP Stack, JavaScript, and HTML5.
We’re currently working on a big piece of work and submitting specifications for an even bigger product this summer.
What is the team composition?
I’m in contact with the project manager and a team of developers. They’re not part of our team, but they are an extremely important key strategic partner.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone?
They were referred to us by our business advisor.
How much have you invested with them?
We've spent £250,000 (approximately $325,000 USD) with them so far.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in January 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They're top marks when it comes to staying within budget — they’ve never come back to us for more money. Also, their team has never been late and delivered top-notch software quality. In addition to that, they quickly fix any bug we find in the testing phase; even when we release it into the live environment, if one of our users finds a problem, they fix it right away.
How did Exploding Phone perform from a project management standpoint?
We usually go through a specification stage when we’re adding functionalities; we meet with the business development director and have a brainstorming session, which we document. We do a lot of work with the business developer because we’re not technology people, so we need their help and guidance throughout the development, which helps the developer follow our instructions. We also use email and video conferences with the developer and project manager to run the specifications, and once that signs off, they give us a price. After that, I sign the contract, and they start building the products. We also use Trello for constant feedback once the systems go live.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The most important thing to me is that they make it simple since we’re not tech-savvy. Other agencies I’ve worked with have made it more complicated, and we’d come out of meetings more confused than when we went in. With Exploding Phone, we come out of meetings with a lot more clarity than when we went in because they make everything understandable to a non-specialist. We’re almost becoming a software company because we have a SaaS product, and they've been generous regarding their guidance and input into how we’re trying to develop this part of our business.
Overall, it’s a partnership rather than buying something off the shelf because they’re very flexible and generous towards what we’re trying to achieve. It’s not written in the contract, but they give us business advice all the time.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They’ve got a very talented group of developers, but they have to add more resources to grow and develop their business.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Go with their offer in building the specification of what you want, be brutally minute in detail for what you need, and be sure of your requirements. This way, they'll be able to develop what you want.
the project
Clinical App Dev for Nonprofit Health Organization
"They’re a responsive and adaptable partner that continuously devises innovative methods to refine our product."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a consultant at a nonprofit health organization.
What challenge were you trying to address with Exploding Phone?
We needed a digital tool to organize our clinical staff details.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Exploding Phone has developed an iOS- and Android-friendly mobile app that optimizes our patient journey through bulk data organization. They’ve launched the process by designing the wireframes, which they’ve submitted for our team’s approval. Their team has then devised technical solutions that automate the processing of coded clinical data and sorts this in spreadsheets according to date and intervention times.
What is the team composition?
We’ve worked with Exploding Phone’s sales director and four of their developers.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone?
We had a vetting process and were able to shortlist three different vendors. After careful consideration, we chose Exploding Phone because their skill set and offer fit our needs well.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent about £35,000 (approximately $40,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
Our ongoing partnership with Exploding Phone started in March 2019. We’re looking to further our agreement by engaging their team to refine our product.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’re still gauging the product’s efficacy by launching it as an MVP, so there aren’t any quantitative metrics to share at this point. From our perspective, Exploding Phone has effectively turned our vision of a scrollable and organized timeline into a reality, and we’re hoping to secure positive results in the future.
How did Exploding Phone perform from a project management standpoint?
We communicate via email, Zoom, and Exploding Phone’s own project management tool. They’re a responsive and adaptable partner that continuously devises innovative methods to refine our product.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We’re most impressed with Exploding Phone’s capacity to understand our needs and deliver a product that addresses those.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We’ve encountered minor delays because of the pandemic, but I can’t fault anyone for that.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Visualize and comprehend the project size early on and communicate that clearly to Exploding Phone.
the project
Automated SaaS Development for Manufacturing Company
"All timelines were kept — in a lot of cases, developments were carried out before the deadlines."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Group IT Director, Established in 1974, Euro Packaging are a privately owned UK based manufacturer, consolidator and innovator to Retail, Leisure, Food Service & Hospitality market sectors, with over 40 years of experience and supply into to a range of major UK and European retailers. We provide a service and solution with significant added value, including:
- Market leading I.T. systems which deliver advance management information and data reporting in a format specific to each customers' wants and needs
- Dedicated award-winning product development and innovation team
- Global sourcing expertise throughout Europe and Far East
- Proactive Account Management
- Group owned manufacturing facilities including paper, plastic and aluminium foil products
- Multiple storage facilities, which include fully automated bulk storage, case pick and single item pick & pack
- Group owned vehicle fleet
- French sales and distribution
For what projects/services did your company hire Exploding Phone, and what were your goals?
We required a development project for a bespoke auditing app which allowed the cleaning management team to carry out audits using mobile technology pumping information to a centralised dashboard for management review.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
We used Exploding phone for our previous projects and based upon the successes of those projects we engaged with them yet again.
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.
We first started with a discovery workshop to go over the challenges of the app especially around the management interface so we could easily setup audits. We work-flowed the solution for EXP to then come up with a blueprint and mockup to approve before starting production. We completed the project within 4 months from start to finish with a few iterations towards the end.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
There were 3 people, Andrew from a commercial aspect, Chris the main developer and Greg for the user experience aspect.
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
The project as delivered on time and within scope. The system has enabled us to save time and provide a fully automated scoring system for any audits to take place, not just for cleaning.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.
All timelines were kept — in a lot of cases, developments were carried out before the deadlines. The team were always readily available to speak to about new angles and ideas at the offset to produce exactly what was required
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Direct access to the team and no fuss communications. EXP has a very flexible methodology and we can literally throw any ideas at them at any time to seek their thoughts and feedback on our challenges.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
Not really, we could have obtained more exact requirements we required from the app which would have helped but actually the app created a few thought processes which then required some step changes from the original process which of course was from our side.
the project
Mobile App Dev for Imaging Firm
"They’re very good at adapting to the way we want to work with them."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We’re a UK-based imaging firm, and I manage the communications for a brand we handle.
What challenge were you trying to address with Exploding Phone?
We wanted a provider that would give us a dedicated service in terms of supply in an app. We also wanted a supplier that specializes in other things, with app development being one of their subsidiary services.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Initially, we went to them with a concept for an app that we needed, and they’re able to confidently build the app we wanted for a reasonable price. They’re developing this app for both iOS and Android, and it integrates with our own policy information management system, and current IT system.
What is the team composition?
We probably work with around five people. We're in contact with a salesperson/customer account manager, an iOS developer, an Android developer, a graphic designer, and even the director of the company.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone?
We found them through Clutch. The reason we chose them is that they’re dedicated app developers, who are able to do other things as well.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve probably invested somewhere between $15,000–$20,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The partnership started in July 2018, and we continue to develop the app to this day.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The partnership has been really successful, and they’re able to do what we ask them to do. They accurately meet our requirements for the app, and they’re continuing to deliver what we ask for — I consider that a great success.
As a smaller company, I think they’re very good at adapting to the way we want to work with them. Sometimes we work quite loosely, and then sometimes we get into a project and do a lot of interference.
How did Exploding Phone perform from a project management standpoint?
They always come across as professionals, they’re really knowledgeable, and they seem very close to the team. I don’t really have any problems working with them. We only use standard tools like Excel to keep track of the tasks.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We’re impressed with how they’re able to give honest feedback. If we ask them to do something they felt would be wrong, they would tell us instead of just doing it. They maintain their integrity throughout the duration of the project.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I’ve got nothing specific, because they’re exactly what we need for this project — they’ve been absolutely fine.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
My advice would be to have a clear objective in terms of what they want. Work with Exploding Phone and listen to their suggestions at the same time.
the project
Mobile App & Web Dev for Gas Engineering Resource
"They're a fantastic partner."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the managing director for Gas App Uk, an online resource for heating engineers in the UK. We have over 64,000 users.
What challenge were you trying to address with Exploding Phone?
We needed Exploding Phone to provide a significant update to an app they previously made for us.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Exploding Phone installed a module to the app, which they created in 2015. This major update utilizes geolocation to offer our users the best deals in the area. They continue to support the platform.
What is the team composition?
I’ve worked with Chris and Simon (Developers), with the latter taking the lead role. Meanwhile, Greg (UI/UX Designer) created all the graphics, and Andrew (Managing Director) oversaw the whole process.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone?
We got in touch with them when we tapped them to create the app back in 2015. Exploding Phone stood out because they were willing to sit down and have in-depth discussions. They really took the time to understand the project.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent £30,000 (approximately $42,000 USD) on this update.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in September 2015, and it’s an ongoing partnership.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We have a CMS where we can see the impressions ever since they updated the app. The deals have been served to our users several millions of times, so we know their efforts are working exceptionally well.
How did Exploding Phone perform from a project management standpoint?
Exploding Phone has been fantastic at meeting deadlines. In addition, they’re very responsive when it comes to implementing updates and modifications.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I’m impressed by how quickly they react to things while maintaining the high quality of their work. They're a fantastic partner.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t fault them for anything — I’m more than happy with their work.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be clear and concise about your goals for the project. If you've got a clear vision of what you want to do, Exploding Phone’s developers can easily bring it to life for you.
This review was published on October 15, 2018.
Antony Provan
Managing Director, Gas App Uk
Business services
1-10 Employees
Birmingham, United Kingdom
$50,000 to $199,999
Sep 2015 - Jan 2016
Project summary:
Exploding Phone Limited developed a website and an accompanying cross-platform application. The finished version features video tutorials, equipment manuals, and a social portal for community interaction.
Feedback summary:
Exploding Phone Limited delivered an award-winning platform with an intuitive UI/UX. The mobile app runs smoothly and provides users with valuable resources. Their team communicates efficiently and keeps each engagement organized. They’re innovative and willing to pursue unique ideas.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the managing director of Gas App Uk. We’re an online resource for gas engineers.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Exploding Phone Limited?
We wanted to create a web and mobile platform that could provide gas engineers with all the information they need to approach each job safely.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Exploding Phone Limited was involved with us from the start and helped deliver nearly every aspect of our platform. They developed our website along with a cross-platform app for both iOS and Android. Their team brainstormed new features and transformed various ideas into a functional product that benefits our users. Instead of working solely from my point of view as an engineer, they suggested UX elements that I didn’t know were possible. Those implementations produced a more interactive website. They’ve supported the platform up to its current version.
Gas App Uk features thousands of manuals for heating engineers to access as needed. Additional resources include gas lighting calculators and video tutorials. There’s also a social element that allows engineers to communicate and discuss topics relevant to their industry. Several community competitions have been run through the platform as a result of this functionality. An interactive newsroom feature hosts industry-specific news along with a job recruitment section.
What is the team composition?
We interact with three resources including a lead developer, an Android developer, and a frontend designer.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone Limited?
I found them via online research and decided to reach out. I sat down with them and believed they were the right partner for us.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent over £50,000 (approximately $66,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
The development portion of the project took place from September 2015–January 2016. They regularly support and update the platform.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The platform functions exactly as we intended. It’s fully comprehensive, easy-to-use, and aesthetically pleasing. The finished product has even received an award.
How did Exploding Phone Limited perform from a project management standpoint?
Exploding Phone Limited kept us up-to-date regarding the platform’s progression during the development cycle. Their whole team adhered to our development schedule, met deadlines, and delivered what they promised. In addition to face-to-face meetings, we frequently communicate via phone and email. Overall, their project management skills are top-notch.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We appreciate their attentiveness and creativity. Exploding Phone Limited encourages us to push boundaries and look at new opportunities. That separates them from large companies that often forget to check in with their clients. Our engagement with them has worked out tremendously well. They’re a good group of people.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No. I’m 100% satisfied with their work.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Start the project with an open mind and let their team do what they do best. They’ve helped my business expand into something more than I thought it could be.
Star Ratings
Overall rating: 5 - They’re an excellent company.
Quality: 5
Cost: 5
Schedule: 5
Willing to refer: 5
the project
Mobile App Development for Risk Management Company
"They endeavour to go above and beyond to accommodate our requirements."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the Database Development Manager at SmartWater Technology. Our company provides a range of risk management solutions. We have a supply of uniquely coded chemical solution that makes property traceable. It is invisible to the naked eye without UV lighting. A chemical analysis process shows if something is stolen to help prove the legitimate owner. We have many other technologies to track, trace, mark, and surveil for a comprehensive risk protection strategy.
For what projects/services did your company hire Exploding Phone?
We launched a new membership offering around our SmartTag® handheld forensic spray product. In addition to the physical product and accessories, SmartTag® members have access to a variety of digital content including security news, covert operations, training videos, security alerts and Incident Reporting. These digital features were available to members via the SmartTag® website and we wanted a companion app for members to be able to access these benefits from their mobile devices for IOS and Android platforms.
What were your goals for this project?
We wanted an app whose content would update easily and dynamically inline with the existing SmartTag® website and where notifications could be pushed to applicable users again from updates made to content on the existing website. We wanted to take advantage of native app functionality to enhance the user experience when reporting Incidents by utilising the ability to record GPS data and scan barcodes using the devices camera.
How did you select Exploding Phone?
We approached several App Development companies with our detailed specification. After reviewing all responses received Exploding Phone came out on top, we were confident in their proposed approach for delivering the solution and they were good on price. We have also worked with Exploding Phone before in the creation of registration apps and a supporting CMS and we have been very pleased with their work in the past and our positive working relationship.
Describe the project in detail.
We provided a detailed specification and had an initial call with Exploding Phone who were confident they would be able to deliver the app on both IOS and Android platforms to spec and handle the additional complexity of integrating the app with our existing website. We followed Exploding Phones clear Development Process. We were guided through the initial design process with sets of wireframes provided by their designer building on the conceptual designs we had provided in the specification.
Once design was agreed we went through the build phase. Our main contact was with Exploding Phones Developer/Head of Production who was extremely knowledgeable. The contact and communication with the Developer/Head of Production throughout the build and testing phase was exceptional. We had weekly catch-up meetings via video call and agreed an efficient method of reporting feedback from the testing process with any fixes/changes implemented quickly.
Once the testing phase was complete, we were ready to launch the app into the App Store and Google Play store. We had some difficulty with the review stage for the IOS version, but Exploding Phone were quick to suggest resolutions and we were eventually successful in publishing the app into the App Store and Google Play Store with their knowledge and support.
What was the team composition?
Our main contact was with the Managing Director, Business Development Director, Developer/Head of Production and Designer.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The app has only recently been completed and launched to users and we are going through the feedback stage at the moment. We are very pleased with the end product; it meets the specification and delivers all the functionality required and we are confident it will prove to be an effective companion mobile app solution for our SmartTag® members.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Our communication is very good. We have a very positive working relationship with Exploding Phone, they understand our company, objectives, and expectations very well. We always feel very supported by Exploding Phone and they endeavour to go above and beyond to accommodate our requirements.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
Their ability to provide solutions that meet our often complex requirements. Their flexibility to adjust to our changing needs and their excellent communication.
Are there any areas for improvement?
No, it has been a pleasure working with Exploding Phone.
the project
Health & Safety Apps for Technical Construction Company
"Exploding Phone is very thorough in investigating any arising issues."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the professional development manager for a technical construction company. We deliver turnkey capital projects for clients in the food, pharmaceuticals, logistics, and hi-tech manufacturing industry.
What challenge were you trying to address with Exploding Phone?
We were adapting our pre-existing internal induction procedures and adapting to suit the world of COVID-19; adapting to the times really to update our procedures.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We asked Exploding Phone to convert our induction procedures into an electronic format so that they could be completed remotely and accommodate multiple people on an induction. In the previous iteration of our induction process with the COVID-19 situation, the numbers were limited. It was just trying to operate the same standard of business in a COVID-19 secure environment.
There is both a mobile app and web browser dashboard. It was catered to those who have smartphones and those who don’t, who would access it via a desktop computer or a laptop. The mobile app is available for iOS and Android. It was developed from scratch, and the work was based on proposals and designs that we put across to them. From there, they built the framework and developed it as we went to suit the requirements.
What is the team composition?
We are in contact with the business development director and production director.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone?
We always get a minimum of three different quotes when we are sourcing outsourcing work. Exploding Phone had the most competitive price, and they could accommodate the timeframes we were after. We were pleased with how they presented their case for this, and the price and time schedule were on point as well. They ticked both boxes in that respect, so we went with them.
How much have you invested in them?
We have invested around $40,000 across multiple apps that we have developed with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
We have an ongoing maintenance package with them originating in May 2019, so they provide support for the apps and provide updates as and when we need them. We are potentially looking to proceed with them on future projects as well.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Overall, it has been a very positive experience. Our engagement is very contractual. After an update, we have an amended contract to suit those minor and lighter updates. They are happy to take on sizable updates as well.
At the end of the day, the proposal was built in-house. It is designed purely to suit our requirements, and we feel that we have met that. Exploding Phone facilitates those requirements and the feedback we have had is overall quite positive really. There were the expected bugs and hiccups in the system, which will occur from time to time, but there can be various reasons for that.
How did Exploding Phone perform from a project management standpoint?
We communicate via phone and email. Obviously, COVID-19 has restricted us from meeting in person, which I would have liked to do from time to time.
What did you find most impressive about them?
If an issue was to crop up, we send them as much detail as we have on the issue. Exploding Phone is very thorough in investigating any arising issues.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Without working as a professional app developer and web developer myself, I don’t know the intricate details of the development process, but there were a couple of times where I feel like they might have worked themselves into a corner and made a piece of software that wasn’t really open to modification.
This meant they had to go back in and redevelop and republish it. Without being a professional in that field, I feel like a more modular approach would be better for client retention. If we were developing multiple apps, it would make their life easier surely if it was all interconnected. That is just my understanding without being a professional in that field.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Make sure that you fully scope out your proposal with every detail you think you would need. If the development process starts, and you have changes going forward, there will understandably be costs associated with them with some costs bigger than others. I know that is more of an internal process as opposed to Exploding Phones, but just make sure your proposals are fully worked on before sharing them. I would say that goes for most businesses and that is probably a lesson learned for us to be honest.
the project
Mobile App Dev. for Fireplace Wholesaler
"They were responsive, and the project ran smoothly."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the technical director and shareholder of a wholesale distributor.
What challenges were you trying to address with Exploding Phone?
We were developing a new range of electric fireplaces controlled using a mobile app, Alexa, and smartwatches. Exploding Phone helped us create these solutions.
What was the scope of their involvement?
I provided a list of specifications and wireframes for the app and IoT solutions. They took my brief and developed from there. The mobile app is for iOS and Android. It’s also available for iOS and Android watches and Alexa.
What is the team composition?
I worked with the business development director initially, and then I began working with the project lead and two developers – one for iOS and one for Android. There was also a designer.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone?
I did a desk study and identified ten candidates. I contacted each potential candidate, and from there, I narrowed it down to three vendors. I interviewed each service provider and received a tender from them. Exploding Phone demonstrated that they were collaborative and affordable.
How much have you invested in them?
We spent about £35,000 (approximately $48,078 USD) on the initial development.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in July 2019, and the project went live in July 2020.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We wanted an app that was intuitive and easy to use, and they delivered. We’ve gotten good feedback from our customers. We have a few sub-distributors that sell our products, and one of them told us how easy it is to set up these new fireplaces.
How did Exploding Phone perform from a project management standpoint?
They communicated well and identified any issues that needed my input. We used a spreadsheet to track the project. They were responsive, and the project ran smoothly.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their communication impressed me the most, as did their technical ability.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I’m happy with how the process went.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Meet with them before you make any decisions. They’re approachable and talk in plain terms. It’s easy to understand them, even if you don’t have a technical background.
the project
Mobile App Development for Property Development Company
"Exploding Phone explained everything to us very clearly."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
Taylor Wimpey is a housing developer in the UK and we build properties across the country, from Scotland, down to England and Wales. I’m the head of digital and my focus is customer interaction from a technological point of view like website, email marketing, and social media.
What challenge were you trying to address with Exploding Phone?
I’m sure we’re all aware of the challenges that businesses around the world are facing this year. But this challenge is actually from our CEO: he asked us back in May what could we do if people can’t go about and about this year. What could we do to offer a better digital experience beyond what our website is already offering?
An app would allow us to do a little bit more than what we can do. It wasn’t supposed to be a long-term plan or strategic action to build it up, so the challenge from our CEO was to build an app in six weeks.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Exploding Phone delivered an app for iOS and Android devices. The app is integrated with a number of our systems, taking data from our websites and backend ERP solutions to get data on the properties that we’re selling. This allows customers or potential customers to see properties across the UK. The app also features better functionalities than what we’ve been able to do with a mobile website.
There’s this one feature called product availability, which allows users to customize their notifications every time a property comes up that meets their requirements. Another feature that was quite interesting was video calling. They built an appointment system where a customer could go find a local housing area and book an appointment with a local sales team to do a video call and talk about the requirements and so on.
One final point which we didn’t have on our website was to allow people based on their location to find show homes that were available for viewing.
What is the team composition?
I directly met 2–3 of them from the project management, design, and development teams, and there were about 25 people working in the background.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone?
Our director knows the owner of Exploding Phones from their previous job, and, over the years, we’ve worked with them on much smaller pieces of work. This is actually our first real approach in the world of customer-facing mobile apps, so, knowing that they’d always done good work for us in the past, it made sense to approach them. Particularly because we set a very tight deadline and we didn’t have time to do a full RFP or pitch to the entire industry.
How much have you invested with them?
We invested about £30,000 (approximately $39,000 USD) for the initial version.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project started in May 2020 and the app went live by the first of July 2020.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We have a combination of metrics that we look at like the number of users that we’ve got in there. It doesn’t have the same level of users that our website has because we push the marketing towards the website. But we've had about 3000 users, largely based on our email marketing.
One of the most impressive metrics is the average engagement time of users on our app, which is just under 17 minutes, as compared to our website which is about three minutes. The users who have downloaded our app are spending more time looking through the properties and engaging with us. That hopefully signals a higher intensity of people purchasing a property in the future.
We love seeing the company doing more innovative things and it’s also a big boost for our sales teams because they’re getting supported.
How did Exploding Phone perform from a project management standpoint?
I work with a number of digital agencies and so far, this is probably the simplest project management process I’ve had to work with. Managing calls is absolutely fine and they did what they said they were going to do which is what you want out of an agency.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We were impressed by how simple they made the app. In the past, we’ve spoken to another agency to build our apps and it sounded like it was going to be a fairly complicated process. Exploding Phone explained everything to us very clearly and told us how they were going to design it, how it’s going to get developed, and how it’s going to get delivered to the app stores, and they supported us all the way through.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of anything on this question actually.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
My advice would be to let Exploding Phone lead from where internal departments think they know best. Exploit their knowledge and trust them. They certainly did what they said they were going to do. And we didn’t really have to chase them on things. We didn’t have to go backward and forward testing what they delivered so trust that they’re going to get it right.
the project
App Development for Automotive Technology Company
"Those adaptations helped us perfect the app."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the group managing director. We design and develop clever sensors for sensing temperatures and pressures around wheels and tires. That data is then transmitted either to the driver or via the cloud by a telematic system.
What challenge were you trying to address with Exploding Phone?
We wanted to be able to read the sensors and position them. When the sensors are placed at a certain axel or tire, the position needs to be read. Each sensor has its own ID so that each sensor can have its own location.
What was the scope of their involvement?
I put together a dry run of the screens I wanted and roughly how to use it. Exploding Phone took those concepts and made sure they could read the Bluetooth from our accessory. They took the Bluetooth and put it all together neatly. Most people put ID codes on every sensor, then handwrite it down, and then go in and punch it into the computer system.
One of the apps is for Android and iOS. The other app is just for Android at this stage.
What is the team composition?
In total, there were three. I worked with someone for iOS and someone different for the Android. David (Business Development Director) set up the business and coordinated a lot of the work.
How did you come to work with Exploding Phone?
We found them on Google. We searched three or four companies of interest. After making a few phone calls, we gave them all brief descriptions and got quotations. Exploding Phone came out on top in pretty much every category.
They were cost-effective and appeared to be value for money. They were also close to where I work, so they were accessible. I went to visit the team, and they came across as really helpful.
How much have you invested with them?
In total, we spent £19,000 (approximately $24,000 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from April–September 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Exploding Phone has made the process very simple and quick. I’ve never been involved in an app project before. Their team was incredibly supportive and did everything they said they’d do.
For one of the apps, we’re working with a big tire manufacturer, and because of COVID-19, there have been delays. The other app is something we’re going to use in low volume within the B2B space.
All feedback has been positive. They delivered a great visual experience. If there was anything that we felt a bit awkward about during implementation, they were flexible with changes and making it work better. Those adaptations helped us perfect the app.
How did Exploding Phone perform from a project management standpoint?
Exploding Phone understood our business. They were very easy to communicate with. It was really easy to coordinate the needs of the app.
They provided timely downloads, which we reviewed. After they went back and made changes, we would discuss it again. Most of it was done offline, but we did have a few face-to-face meetings. For project management, everything was pretty spot-on.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Since this was my first experience doing apps, I found it incredibly reassuring. They were easy to work with. When there were educational issues from my standpoint, they were quite understanding and made the process enjoyable. That’s quite rare with something so daunting.
Their team was very easy to communicate with, and they picked up straight away what we wanted. They built my confidence up, and I’ll always go back to them.
Are there any areas they could improve?
An iOS designer left towards the end of one of the projects. It did have a little bit of an effect, but they picked it right up. They smoothed that over pretty well.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be more specific at the start. If you’re specific, the quicker, easier, and less costly, it will be. In the end, I started doing detailed explanations, which made it go even quicker.
The client is delighted with Exploding Phone's quality work and top-notch budget and timeline management. They lead an organized and communicative approach to ensure solid project management throughout their staff. The team also praises how they make everything understandable to overcome their non-technical background.