Appiskey

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of business development at a mobile advertising company. We do branding, media buys, and monetization for clients’ apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appiskey?

We never had our own app and wanted a vendor to develop a test product, which was necessary to assess potential monetization and ads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided a template for us to select colors, themes, screenshots for the app’s overall look and feel. We then went back and forth on those ideas before Appiskey started development. The team built a test Android app with no in-app sales. The app is now live in the Google Play store.

What is the team composition?

I worked with three people including one developer. The original project manager changed roles and another resource eventually replaced him.

How did you come to work with Appiskey?

We searched for companies and contact about three that came up via Google AdWords. Appiskey’s rates fit our budget.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between April–December 2017. They then made a few post-launch tweaks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client gets what they pay for. I never expected the app to make money because we only wanted to make it live and then explore monetization, ad space, and ad zones. Although this approach was the simplest method for a low-budget project, Appiskey still took longer to complete the product than expected, even with the despite several changes that arose during development. In addition, several bugs affected the Android application package (APK) files. They had to fix and redploy them before delivering the app as expected.

Regarding downloads, the retention rate is very poor because it’s a wallpaper app with a static design. The picture quality for downloads is granular and not high-definition. However, these results were fine because I didn’t want to spend 80 hours per week working on this thing. The app also doesn’t have many ads because we didn’t want to overwhelm the user and create a poor experience with excessive advertising.

How did Appiskey perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication between teams was very good. The project managers understood our requirements and effectively relayed them to developers. We used Basecamp and they were responsive overall. However, not everything was perfect and some things annoyed me.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re organized and keep everyone updated in a flexible process with fair pricing. They didn’t try to charge us unnecessarily at the end. In addition, the app performs better than a separate one a freelancer built for us; that app had lots of bugs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I got quite a few error messages when I tried to upload the APK files they gave me. Either it didn’t work or the permissions were faulty. The product was there, but the team still needed to refine it a couple of times. Appiskey should do more compatibility testing.

Any advice for potential customers?

Clients should have a game plan and know exactly what the end-goal is. Appiskey will give customers advice and guide them through the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Ex-Orient Express. After retiring and becoming intimately involved in studying Chinese written script, I developed a unique system that teaches people how to learn and retain Chinese written language.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appiskey?

Since my target audience is young adults interested in learning Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or Vietnamese, a colleague recommended I explore building apps to reach this audience. I didn't know much about that, so I needed help converting my large, complex system, which had previously only been available through hard-copy books, into a user-friendly, multi-platform one.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appiskey is in the final stages of developing and designing the iOS and Android applications for multiple platforms. The system takes thousands of characters and breaks them down into 214 key parts, focusing on these “word radicals” as fundamentals and ultimately creating 100-plus pages of application content, complete with a teleprompter that guides users. Appiskey is also capable of taking orders for hard copies of my original hardcover books, printing and mailing them to users.

What is the team composition?

I work primarily with account managers—all of whom have been very easy to get along with as well as very very accommodating.

How did you come to work with Appiskey?

I live in Florida and was looking for a different app development companies based in the area. I found Appiskey, located in Orlando, and met some of the team in person.  They seemed very competent, welcoming, and hospitable, and I chose to work with them after our meeting.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, I have spent around $25,000 for all of their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2017 and are wrapping up right now (i.e., May 2018).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I cannot use smartphones and tablets very easily, but what I see is very beautiful, crisp, and clear. I can easily jump around and add bookmarks throughout. I love it.

How did Appiskey perform from a project management standpoint?

My preference is to communicate on the telephone, and despite the account managers being in a completely different time zone, they have been extremely responsive and have kept detailed notes of our conversations. Whatever I wanted, the account managers would tell me it’ll take the team 10 to 14 days to do it and, lo and behold, it would come in between 10 to 14 days. Many of the problems that I thought I was having have been cleared up without delay. Time-wise, I’m very satisfied. Their estimates have been really spot on.  I have had to expend more money than the initial contract stipulated, but I was shown all of the facts and figures and understand why. Their prices are very reasonable, and I couldn’t ask for more cooperation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve never been involved with this kind of thing before, but I couldn’t ask for a more congenial relationship with anyone. I’m retired, and they are very deferential when they talk with me. I just felt a certain level of respect from all of them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I felt I wanted that I didn’t get, and I think the price has been very reasonable.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Anyone who plans to work with them should be very forthcoming and honest about what they’re doing, what they want, and how much they want to spend. The team at Appiskey works well in an environment of open and clear communication.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of an application startup company. We provide a private tutoring app that connects students with educators of their desired expertise.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appiskey?

None of my team has an IT background, so we needed a company to develop a high-quality app for a competitive price.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appiskey developed our app for iOS and Android, performing both front- and backend work. They included a chat feature that’s capable of sharing multiple media files.

What is the team composition?

We interact with one account manager who delegates between their development team and us.

How did you come to work with Appiskey?

We found them online while considering different companies. Their experience with the Arabic language and creating apps in our region made us interested in working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We still have a couple of post-project services to wrap up, but so far we’ve spent $14,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project took place November 2016–January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched the app and haven’t started marketing yet, so I don’t have the proper metrics available. I will say that the app works smoothly and the graphics are very well done. The chat feature never lags and file sharing within the app is intuitive.

How did Appiskey perform from a project management standpoint?

Anyone can run a project that’s going smoothly, but Appiskey helped us overcome any challenges we faced. They’re available almost all the time. We used Basecamp, text, or WhatsApp to correspond on minor things, but usually talked over the phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Communication is the word that comes to mind. They're very responsive and learn quickly. If there’s a misunderstanding, they respond quickly and professionally.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We didn't have a lot of direct communication with the development team because it's easier to have a single point of contact. However, a designated technical lead would be useful in quickly solving issues on that end.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a small gaming company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appiskey?

I needed help with development in areas of code that we lacked expertise in.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a simple game application for iOS and Android. They created it from scratch. It’s a game where a user pops these icons and it’s going at a very fast pace. The goal is to get a high score. They used Unity to develop the app. We obtained the source code for it to be able to upload it.

What is the team dynamic?

I interacted with Sam [Appiskey] whenever we had questions or changes. They’re very responsive to phone calls.

How did you come to work with Appiskey?

My team and I were searching for companies that develop these types of apps. Appiskey had the best price.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $4,000. Other companies were charging $6,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2017 and our engagement ended in September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They completed the work as assigned and paid for. They created the functionality perfectly, but their design team needs a little work. For functionality, they created it exactly how we asked them to. When it comes to design, it’s not something you can physically see what the person is trying to explain to you. It’s kind of difficult.

The app launched for Android and took several weeks for the Apple version to launch. We didn’t go with marketing because we’re using the app to understand AdMob and the application world; to view the avenue of why certain marketing tools aren't working for these types of applications. That’s a way to increased marketing for smaller applications as well, from the perspective of not necessarily using the Google AdSense, but marketing alternatives like social media. This was just a test application of a small number of users to explore and understand the market.

How did Appiskey perform from a project management standpoint?

They wanted us to give them updates through Basecamp. It was a little bit of a hindrance to our situation when trying to explain the effects of certain things. They’re very responsive to the things that we ask them to complete. It’s the form of communication that really hindered the timeframe it took to complete the application.

It would have helped if we were to have sat down and look at one picture versus having a quick phone call or uploading it to Basecamp and not speaking about our ideas in person. We would have been completed as soon as July had we communicated differently. The management is very responsive, but their communication needed some work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a very large team. They’re the most affordable in the Florida market right now. There are not many application development companies in Florida that can beat their pricing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only downfall is that I feel like our process would have been faster if there was a time to physically meet up and get the job done. There would have been fewer errors had we communicated differently.

What advice would you give to potential future clients of Appiskey?

Before you assign them a project, have them try a project outline and see if they understand your ideas, because a lack of communication will hinder timeframes. If you’re looking into something that you have a lot of time to create, go with them. If you need it done quickly and the way you want it, you might have to look around.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder of Giibox, which is a digital sharing service. We help people to get and share gifts digitally.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appiskey?

We were looking for someone to build our app within our time constraints, budget, and a couple of other parameters.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appiskey provided us with end-to-end development of the application for both Android and iOS. We gave them the scope of work and agreed on the architecture, which had already been drawn out but they made some adjustments.

What is the team dynamic?

We had about 12 people from their team working on our project.

How did you come to work with Appiskey?

When we did our basic online search, we made calls in order to make sure we would be able to have more than one form of communication and not just email. Whether we had to send physical mail or call, we had to have more than one channel of communication.

We had about 3 or 4 choices of app developers and parameters we had to look at in terms of cost and benefits. At the end of that review, Appiskey came out on top and we decided to go with them.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent somewhere in the range of $25,000 – $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our engagement with them in October 2016 and we’re still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It has been pretty successful. We are still onboarding users but we’re happy with the position we’re in. There are 1 or 2 features that really demonstrated their competence in terms of writing code.

How did Appiskey perform from a project management standpoint?

There were a few changes here and there, but they did pretty well, considering that mid-way into the project Apple reviewed the iOS platform and required all developers to upgrade to ensure that it was able to operate with the new platform that they brought out. This caused a delay but they were able to overcome it, and I give them props for that.

We mostly communicated through Basecamp, in which we could dump and review files and collaborate. We also talked on the phone and had more than one medium of communication, whether online or offline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very cost effective. Also, their scope of work is priced fairly, which makes them stand out compared to other developers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes, their response time might be slow and they definitely could improve their customer service.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the developer of an app called AutoSleuths and I am the sole person in the organization. It’s designed to help car owners and car buyers connect with qualified auto technicians to receive auto repair maintenance services. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appiskey?

I needed help developing my app. I had no experience working with any other development firms. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The app is built for iOS and Android. They developed both simultaneously. They helped me to design the features that I wanted in the app. I gave them a basic explanation of what I wanted, which was an app that connected car owners and buyers with technicians. They helped me to flush it out. 

They introduced a communication feature that we included. Within the app, the customer can communicate with the technician via text. Another feature was the in-app payment, which they also introduced. We used a third-party for that service. There were other features like credits: When a technician signs up, in order to place a bid, they would need to buy credits.

What is the team dynamic? 

I primarily worked with a lead project manager. There were some other individuals who also helped, and a salesperson too. 

How did you come to work with Appiskey?

I searched online for app developers. I narrowed the list down to Appiskey and two other developers based on price and their advertised services.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2016 until May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The app was just completed and I’m in the process of marketing it and acquiring users. I’m satisfied with the app.

How did Appiskey perform from a project management standpoint?

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give them a solid 8. They did it fairly well, especially initially laying out what the deliverables were and what the milestones were, for which we used Basecamp. They communicated well — I sent them messages and got responses. 

However, they did not factor in well enough that it would take as much time as it did. The initial time given was 3 to 6 months, which in hindsight was too ambitious. It took over a year to complete it. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Based on the research I did, their willingness to negotiate a fair price was impressive. I didn’t get that with other companies. 

They communicated fairly well. Technically they seemed quite competent. I can’t compare to another company since they're the only ones I’ve worked with for developing an app, but they did a good job.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their attention to detail could be improved. They were quite good when it came to the big picture and completing the major tasks. For minor errors and glitches, they could have done a better job in being more attentive and following up to make sure they were taken care of. At times I pointed that out. 

I don’t think English is their first language. There were a few issues with things not being grammatically correct or not having the correct punctuation. It was a bit annoying when I had to correct things like that. In the grand scheme of things, however, it’s minor.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of our company. I build mobile apps and find ways of creating new technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appiskey?

I hired Appiskey to code some apps for me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Appiskey helped me write code. They also came up with a marketing plan that involves social media.

How did you come to work with Appiskey?

I found Appiskey through Google. I selected them because they’re easily accessible, as their office is located nearby.

How much have you invested with Appiskey?

I’ve invested about $30,000 with Appiskey.

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with them in August or September of 2015. Our work with them is ongoing. We’re going to start 2 more projects with them once we finish the first one. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We can’t share any metrics at this point because we’re just getting the first app completed for iOS. We should have data in about 60 days.

How did Appiskey perform from a project management standpoint?

I’d give Appiskey an 8 out of 10 for project management. We use Basecamp to keep everybody updated and on the same page. Their turnaround time is great.

What did you find most impressive about Appiskey?

Appiskey is quite impressive overall. They’re good at communicating, producing content, and coming up with ideas.

Are there any areas Appiskey could improve?

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company’s name is ‎Equi-Stem Biotechnologies, LLC, and we started in February 2015. Our company is very different; it’s very pioneering. What we do is we collect the umbilical cord of foals, young baby horses. We ship the umbilical cords to our lab for processing and storage.

My role is the business development specialist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Appiskey?

We needed to create a very easy, user-friendly system for our customers when they’re foaling out these babies. When they’re ready to ship the umbilical cords to our lab, in the barn at 3:00 AM, they can just get on their smartphones or Android devices and put in the information that we need, and ship the cord to us without much hassle.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’m not a tech person; I run every aspect of the company, but I’m not a person that can develop an app nor a website per se. I needed a company to handle all that for me, and that is what Appiskey did for us. I gave them the history of what we needed for the app and the screens, and they developed everything for us, of course with constant input and feedback.

How did you come to work with Appiskey?

I simply did an internet search and looked at all different types of app developers. Surprisingly, from my research found, there weren't a lot of options. I believe I reached out to three companies that I could find. Appiskey is based out of Florida, which I like. I wanted a company that is in the United States. They are very economical for a startup company. After speaking to three different companies, we decided that Appiskey were for us. Their follow-up was really good, and their pricing for a startup company was fantastic.

How much have you invested with Appiskey?

We spent around $3,000 to $4,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project duration went from April to November 2016. The app is now live for both Android and iOS phones.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfortunately, it’s too soon. It just went live, and our customers will not start really using our app until the foaling season starts. Within our company, we are going to start playing with the app program; however, we really won’t get a very good understanding until January when our customers start utilizing the app.

How did Appiskey perform from a project management standpoint?

Excellent. We used Basecamp for communication. I don’t believe the gentleman that was developing our app is an equine person, but for not being a horse person, he was able to grasp it better than I thought he could and really made it a simple development process for us. There are a few people in our organization right now because we are a startup. I was sometimes slow to get back to them about changes, but they were very accommodating.

Are there any areas Appiskey could improve?

We both fell into a small hurdle with going live with Apple. Apple made a new rule change that neither they nor I was aware of, so we both learned about it together. That was something that they could not have prevented, but we both learned from it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of GeT Apps

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

we were a company that managed our own apps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appiskey to accomplish?

• to help people to find task they could do, in their city, and profit it as extra income
• to help people to identify unknow object

SOLUTION

How did you find Appiskey?

Online Search

Why did you select Appiskey over others?

Pricing and they told us they understood the work and could do it

How many teammates from Appiskey were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

the apps never worked.
Appiskey did such a horrible work that the apps never went to public due to the lack of functionality. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

they hardly demostrated any measurable outcomes.  They just provided images and promises that the work would be good. 

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

never on time.  they were supposed to finish the work in months and lasted more than 2 years to do something that never worked.

What was your primary form of communication with Appiskey?

Virtual Meeting

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

at the beggining they showed commitment in a freindly maner, plus the showed they were capable to do so.

something very bizzard about appiskey is that they were duplicating my apps with another name, when they signed a confidentiality agreement.

they are a totally unethical company, they are thieves.

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

they could do everything better, since if any of my projects i worked with them had some success they would be benefited from it too.  they are stupid, ignorant team 

they could had ethic, commitment, moral, competent and honest workers.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice President of Glownar

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

First-responders Emergency Solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Appiskey to accomplish?

• Software Development
• Hardware Agnostics

SOLUTION

How did you find Appiskey?

Referral

Why did you select Appiskey over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Other

What was the size of Appiskey’s team?

6-10 Employees

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

We are building a software application that will provide quick and reliable emergency solutions. The application is being designed to be easy and efficient for all consumers. The hardware device is also being developed and will work cohesively with the software application. The software application has been broken into 3 parts from start to finish. The hardware device is expected to be completed alongside the application. The Appiskey team has met all deliverables and exceeded all expectations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• scope of work and application development
• lofi and high fidelity wireframes
• hardware completion

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

The project management team exceeded all expectations and made us feel as though our project was the only one they were working on. The team works really well together; they are in constant communication with us and have daily meetings with us to go over everything.

We all have ideas and thoughts and one of the best things about this team is the ability to discuss everything thoroughly so that we can all come up with a solution that works. The amount of detail they put into the project is truly amazing. We love working with them.

What was your primary form of communication with Appiskey?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The team really took on our project as though it was theirs. They were just as invested in it and it's success as we are as owners. The They are extremely thorough and came up with solutions for all possible contingencies. Their ability to understand our needs and what we are trying to accomplish was impressive.

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

The team is phenomenal and there isn't anything that needed improvement or should have been done differently. They are truly incredible.