Just Applications Limited

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the MD at a digital marketing agency in Birmingham, UK. We focus on web design and promoting these websites via various marketing channels.

For what projects/services did your company hire Just Applications Limited?

We are not app developers so we contracted Just Applications, a local company, to build a marketplace app for one of our clients. This included the UI design of the app.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase the number of created listings as well as engagement with those listings. Speed was one of the top priorities.

How did you select Just Applications Limited?

We gathered quotes from a few local app development companies and chose Just Applications based on their suggestions. The other two agencies wanted to build the app in different code frameworks based on their limited experience. Just Applications said they could build the app in the same manner but suggested alternative frameworks they felt were more appropriate to the project.

Describe the project in detail.

A rebuild of an existing online marketplace in the pet industry. The client had previously enjoyed a lot of activity but this had been in decline year on year. It was decided this was down to outdated technology and practices. The old marketplace was slow, not very easy to navigate, and was missing a lot of features that had started trending. We needed - a rebuild of the marketplace that loaded in less than 3 seconds on a 4G connection. - an improved UI ideal for all screen sizes - an improved User Experience to improve engagement metrics - an improved design - a new rating system - a new messaging system

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a project manager, Christian. There were a team of developers working on the project that we had no direct contact with.

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

Analytics show a 28% improvement in pages per session and a 30 second longer average session duration. Listings have shown a moderate increase but it is still too early to evaluate that. Qualitative feedback from users is very good regarding the new features and usability and all stakeholders agree it is a remarkable improvement.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was excellent with the exception of a brief period in December when the lead developer contracted COVID. Just Applications were very good rotating in a new lead developer and we knew we had made the right choice going with a much larger agency. All communication was via email with occasional web conferences.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their expertise. No matter the feature or requirement we asked for it was doable for them. They were also quite flexible in terms of the scope of the project. I have to deal with scope creep myself so seeing how flexible and understanding they were is what left the biggest impression.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would have been nice for the project to have been wrapped up in three months but then with the scope creep, I doubt that was possible.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a greeting card, party, and gift wholesaler. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Just Applications Limited?

Balloon decorators often asked us how much they should charge for their services when they built such displays. With Just Applications, I came up with a formula that helped them better understand their costs and profit margins. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, I got in touch with Just Applications. During the discovery process, they looked at various apps in the market that were similar to what we were looking for. However, we didn’t find one. As a result, we came up with an app that had various formulas. We tweaked those formulas to make sure they worked correctly, and we bounced ideas off of each other until we came to an endpoint. 

What is the team composition?

I work with Darren (Company Director). A few developers have worked on the app, too.

How did you come to work with Just Applications Limited?

They were recommended to me by a really good friend. I had a chat with them, and they seemed to know what they were talking about. Overall, it was an easy decision to hire them. 

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve invested £7,000 (approximately $10,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2020, and the partnership is ongoing. We’ve completed the app, but we’ll make some tweaks. We’re looking into developing more apps, and we’ll develop a website as well. 

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

After the app launched, about 2,000 people downloaded it, which was brilliant; I’m really happy with that. The app seems to be working really well, and it’s pretty impressive since it’s a brand new tool in the market. We don’t actually sell anything on it, and it’s just a tool for people to use, so I can’t measure success in terms of sales. 

How did Just Applications Limited perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is brilliant. Just Applications responds quickly to any questions, tweaks, or amendments we want to make. They’re very patient, and we appreciate them in that respect. The communication between us has been very good. We talk about things through email, and if we want to discuss something more serious, we make phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If I’m comparing Just Applications with my current web developers, I’d say they’re easier to talk to and more efficient in getting back to me with better ideas. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend them. They’re very efficient and easy to communicate with, and their development steps have been very straightforward. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and owner of Hobby Island, a mosaic tile company.

For what projects/services did your company hire Just Applications Limited?

We engaged with Just Applications to design and build our e-commerce websites.

What were your goals for this project?

To deliver a top notch e-commerce website for retail and wholesale customers.

How did you select this vendor?

Very engaging sales staff who got the bottom of all our issues and found solutions to them before we had even committed to their services.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

I discussed my goals with Grant and he helped map out the scope and requirements in order to achieve a system that is right for my company. He answered all of my questions in a calm and easy to understand manner.

Just Applications provided me with multiple drafts to ensure I got the design I wanted and provided an enormous amount of knowledge in the field.

What was the team composition?

Sales, Designer, Developer

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

The sites were completed on time and have been supported since.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Most of the interaction was via telephone, email, and screenshare. We've also had a face to face meeting.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their attentiveness, knowledge and expertise were very impressive. and ability to delivery the project at a fraction of going rate.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would be happy for more face to face meetings.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Director of Green Gorilla Apps, a software development company

For what projects/services did your company hire Just Applications Limited?

We engaged with Just Applications to assist with the design of a new mobile application prototype for a client

What were your goals for this project?

To deliver mockups, a visual prototype and demo video of a proposed app UI

How did you select this vendor?

Experience in the field and personal relationship with the team

Describe the project in detail.

We have a series of online meetings to discuss the timescale, required deliverables and answer any areas of uncertainty. Just Applications worked to our brief and supplied an initial concept, 2 x revisions through to full design and a video demonstrating the prototype to your client for investors.

What was the team composition?

Designer

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

Delivered on time and to the happiness of the client

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

My team used Teamwork, phone call and online meetings to communicate freely during the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The expertise, calmness, abilities and overall ease of delivery of the project were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Greater insight from our client