âMy interview?â The surprise in the question is quickly replaced by a pragmatic shrug and out come tumbling the life and times of Shashikant with disarming honesty.
Hailing from Nanded in Marathwada, Shashikant first worked as a Telecom Engineer for a few months before switching to Mobile Application Development. For someone who loves to play strategy video games, this was only a logical outcome.
He seems to be enjoying his stint at Redbytes since last year.
âThe work culture here is far superior to any other place. The team is very supportive, they constantly push you to do better. There is a sense of healthy competition. Also, I feel a sense of ownership when I work on a project. If you know you are trusted, both ownership and initiative come naturallyâ.Â
Shashikant firmly believes that whatever happens, happens for good. So even a few ups and downs in a project wouldnât be considered setbacks, but rather as opportunities to create something better.
“Shashikant with Faceron app client and team members”
Besides, one cannot control everything in life. So, one must do oneâs best and leave the rest to fate. Could things go wrong if you have done it right? Mostly not.
Shashikant says that he though he has his set of likes and dislikes, he is not finicky about it. Makes for an easier life. He loves to spend his free time watching all sorts of fantasy/mindbender movies and series like the Harry Potter series, The Mentalist, The Witcher etc.
This brings us to an important question. How does his mind work?
What is his process like, especially when it comes to a project?
âI thoroughly study the documentation related to that project. Then each one in our team thinks individually; after which, we brainstorm together. Ideas are tossed around and weighed for their consequences before being finalized. Usually, doing a new project also means you can learn something new. Not just with a technology, but also with managing a projectâ.
Shashikant is currently working on Shride â an electric bike rental app.
When asked what advice he would like to pass on to budding developers, the maturity of his answer belied his experience of only 3 years.
âWe all need to understand and learn the fundamentals first. Strengthen your fundamentals first, then build your skills on it. Look around and prefer a technology. Then be loyal to that technology. It is difficult to excel at anything, unless one shows loyaltyâ.Â
Perhaps, this sagacity also reflects in his understanding of the future. âMobile app development is a fast-paced, ever changing field. What was incredible yesterday, is possible today.
As you can see, the Swift 5+ version which we use for iOS app development is also available on various platforms like Windows, Linux etc. And we can use Swift on the server side as well as for Machine Learning too. Since technologies can adapt and grow, we should too.â
With the advent of the perfect virus, the locks on our doors are firmly in place with the keys in the hands of Mr. Covid-19. From the time that WHO reported Corona virus as a pandemic, the extent of fear among mankind has been growing manifold.
Since January 2020, Covid-19 has made its presence felt across the globe. The positive cases are on the rise at a breakneck speed more so as a preventive cure is not yet available.
Unquestionably, governments and research organizations are working round the clock to come up with a vaccination that will ensure people are safe from this contagious virus.
That said, people are co-operative and are doing their bit by staying indoors to protect themselves and the entire nation. Initially, it is going to be fine, but you cannot lock up a global population inside their homes indefinitely.
And that can be fully encapsulated in a quote by Jenova Chen, âHumans are lazy but not stupid.â
People are going to start looking into ways that can offer them comfort with convenience. And they also will start looking at how to reach out to essential services during these times of uncertainty.
Welcome on demand apps, your one-stop destination to access everything you need when you are compelled to stay home during corona virus outbreak.
#1. Why Are On-Demand Apps the Need Of The Hour?
Covid-19 has attacked global citizens mercilessly and has crossed the 36 million mark in the total number of recorded cases and resulted in 2.5 million casualties worldwide.
Letâs see why on demand apps are the most used apps during corona virus outbreak:
People are simply afraid to venture out and on demand apps offer a way out in availing essential services.
People are avoiding contact as much as possible since Corona virus is known to spread as a result of physical contact.
People are maintaining social distancing by opting for contact less doorstep deliveries.
People are restricted in their movements as governments globally have imposed lock-downs.
People are able to order in from their favorite food joints as many on-demand apps have connected restaurants and their patrons via their platform turning them into home delivery outlets
People are unable to find all the essential items at grocery stores as panic buying as led to many shelves remaining empty for days.
Even in times like this, the business has been great for businesses that are into retail, pharma, groceries, and anything else related to essential services.
Having said that, the story has not been so great for other types of on demand apps like Uber and UrbanClap which have witnessed a severe downturn in the corona virus pandemic.
#2. Why  On-Demand Industry is Facing the Least Downfall in the Corona virus Situation?
The very essence of the idea of on demand is about delivering solutions to people at their doorstep. With the ease  of accessibility, it is what people have come to expect of service providers during the Corona virus outbreak.
Obviously, we will have to look at the overall positive impact that on demand apps have had as people are battling against Corana virus outbreak. But before that, letâs dig deeper into the reasons why so many on demand apps have seen rising success.
Lower Costs: Compared to traditional service providers, on demand apps offer lower prices which contribute to their rising popularity among new and existing customers.
Availability: On demand apps are available across devices such as smartphones, tablets, desktops which makes the platform more accessible and one-click easy to get.
Adjustment to User Preferences: Analytics and insights allow on demand apps to assess user needs and preferences in a more in-depth manner. This enables them to understand what their users want and then ensure that the service is delivered to them.
Multiple Payment Options: The majority of on demand applications will offer the consumers multiple payment processing options. These payment gateways adhere to all security norms and are highly fast and reliable.
Minimum Effort: Customers who are frequent users of on demand apps can save their information such as payment info, delivery address, and so on. This means that they do not have to input these details every time they make a purchase.
Variety: On demand apps offer customers a one-stop-shop for multiple categories of services and products. This is not possible for any brick and mortar establishment to offer from a single destination or storefront.
Many businesses are considering venturing into developing on demand apps to extend their services to a larger user base.
App Development:
Take a look at the possible methods that can be used to develop  on demand apps.
Development From Scratch: An extensive market study is required to build an on demand service app from scratch. This is because the stakes for such an undertaking is quite high. You should have an expert development team at your disposal. The time frame required to take on such a highly complex project can range anywhere between 3 to 6 months.
Approaching For Clone Apps: A number of app development agencies are replicating popular applications so that launching news apps is a faster process. In fact, the cloning segment of mobile apps is a far more booming sector in comparison to developing apps from scratch. For new start-ups, cloning apps is a wiser investment to opt for.
Choose a Technology Stack:
Developing a complex app will require the integration of a number of technologies and platforms. The recommended technology stack for an on demand app includes:
Backend:
Programming languages: PHP, Go, NodeJS
Frameworks: Symfony, Phalcon
Caching system: Memcached, Redis
Queue server: German
DBMS: MySQL
NoSQL DB: MongoDB, RethinkDB
Frontend:
Programming languages: JavaScript, TypeScript
Markup Languages: HTML5/CSS3
Frameworks: Angular, EmberJS, Vue.JS
Preprocessors: SaSS
For Android:
Kotlin programming languages, Java,
Room databases, Realm
For iOS:
Swift
Realm database
App Features:
It is best to go with an MVP model as it will allow the business to keep adding features and functionalities later on. That said, you should be working on with the list of following features:
Customer App:
Registration & profile management
Geolocation
Notifications
Payments
Feedback system
Help & support
Service Provider App:
Registration & profile management
Push notifications
Accept & reject buttons
âMy earningsâ page
Online/offline button
Administrator Dashboard:
Admin dashboard
User management
Service provider management
Change prices and fees
Analytics & reporting
#4. Cost of On Demand App Development
Here is a cost estimate of developing a customer-facing on demand app:
Features
Cost Estimate in USD
User Profile
3,000.00
Marketplace
11,000.00
Map
7,000.00
Chat
3,000.00
Cart
5,000.00
Order Details & History
6,000.00
Settings
2,000.00
The total estimate stands at roughly USD 37,000.
For a Service Provider Facing On-demand app, the cost is estimated to be:
Features
Cost Estimate in USD
User Profile
2,000.00
Marketplace
13,000.00
Active Order & Orders History
12,000.00
Chat
1,500.00
Settings
1,500.00
According to the given figures, the cost estimate stands at USD 30,000.
For the Web Dashboard component of an on-demand app, the expenditures are estimated to be around USD 24,000.
Summarising all of these together, you should budget for around USD 91,000 to build an on-demand application with a good mobile app development company.
#5. Strategies To Be Followed By On-Demand Delivery Apps In This Pandemonium Season
Looking to break into the space of on-demand delivery? Here are some strategies that you should keep in mind to ensure that your application functions efficiently.
Adopting âContact lessâ Delivery Options: The transmission chain of this contagious disease can be broken by preventing people from coming into contact with each other. Therefore, the focal point of your appâs strategy should be to adopt a âContact lessâ Delivery option.
Hiring Delivery Professionals: Delivery professionals will have to hire in order to meet rising consumer demand. The stalwarts of the industry have already taken to this strategy where even the likes of Amazon are contemplating employing at least 100,000 delivery executives during the outbreak.
Uniting With Local Business: There will be times when the supply chain will be affected. Hence, partnering with local businesses is the strategic move that you should consider. This will help in coping with the demands of your existing user base when restocking essential commodities may be an internal issue.
#6. Advantages of These On Demand Delivery Apps
On-demand apps come are accompanied with a number of advantages. Take a look.
Customer Satisfaction: During the Covid-19 outbreak, individuals are hesitant to go out into the streets. They are especially keen to avoid crowded marketplaces. With on demand apps, reaching out to purchase essential products have become extremely convenient. This instant gratification of availing services has added to increasing customer satisfaction.
Delivery Through Bots: Businesses are looking at different avenues of enabling services to ensure that the pandemic does not intensify further. Towards this, one step that is being considered is implementing delivery via bots. This essentially nullifies the involvement of human contact in any form whatsoever.
Increased Revenue To Business Owners: With a rise in demand for these on demand applications has translated into increasing revenues for businesses during this lock down season.
In fact, consumers are expecting more and more services to be offered from these platforms. With a rapidly growing user base is converting into generating greater revenues for these pockets of business owners.
#7. What Are The Popular On Demand Services During This Quarantine Season?
Let us look into the different on demand branches that are contributing to the fight against Corona virus.
On-Demand Food Delivery Services: On demand foods have always generated good business. But their popularity has in no way diminished during the Corona virus outbreak.
In fact, it has only increased further as individuals are confined to their homes. With limited things to keep their minds occupied with, people are inclined to ordering food of their choice with simply a few clicks.
On-Demand Grocery Apps Solutions: When going out is not an option, groceries have to be brought to your doorstep. Therefore, next in line is the on demand grocery apps that are assisting in the fight against Corona virus.
Rather than venturing out into crowded markets, getting your grocery essentials home delivered is the way a better method of adhering to social distancing.
On-Demand Laundry Apps Solutions: Laundry services via on-demand apps have also seen a rise in popularity as people are making a conscious effort to conserve water.
Online laundry services are operating on a home pick up and drop mechanism which is working out well for a number of people who do not have washing machines at home.
Doctor On-Demand Services: Since the majority of locality clinics are not operations, on demand doctor consultation services have been in high demand in the Corona virus season. Those with minor ailments are actively engaging in online consultations with medical practitioners of their preference to get their medical queries answered.
Hospitals too are proactively ensuring that OPD patients are able to consult with their long-term doctors via these on-demand medical services.
Pharmacy On-Demand Services: Just like groceries, you can get your medicines home delivered by using an on demand pharmacy apps. This ensures that there is less crowding in brick and mortar pharmacies, thus ensuring a lower transmission rate of this virus.
Video On-Demand Solutions: Sitting at home 24/7 can be boring. Even if you are a workaholic, getting your job done, you will not be working round the clock. And getting your entertainment outside is not a possibility at the moment.
Therefore, video on demand apps such as Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, etc. are a ray of hope for all those who are self-isolating.
#8. Why On-Demand app is essential for your business?
Corona virus has stopped people from going out. However, it has not stopped people from getting their supplies.
Times during this pandemic seem extremely uncertain and no one really knows when things are going to return to their normal state. The only way out for all businesses that work  in the space of essential services is to invest in developing on demand apps.
More importantly, on-demand apps can effectively be a replacement for physical storefronts where transactions are paperless. This also prevents people from making panic-driven purchases as they are assured that service providers will be frequently restocking essential items. Plus, it also adds to the overall customer experience.
To deal with corona virus outbreak effectively, you need on demand apps so that you can ease your customers in such  times and restricted movements  to the best of your abilities. It also makes certain that you do not lag behind, as other  good providers succeed in reaching  customers with similar offerings.
Other sectors that are also catching up include education, video conferencing, health and fitness, etc. as a result of this online shift caused due to the corona virus outbreak, bringing in more business opportunities for on demand apps. Whilst the future is unpredictable, a strong digital front is vital when planning to reach out to a wider audience base.
Who doesnât love binge watching? Whether it is a TV show or a movie, people love binge watching through live streaming apps. There are some very familiar independent services such as Amazon Prime and Netflix that took the online world by storm.
The services you choose are mostly based on the kind of live streaming apps they are available, movies and TV shows they provide, and the annual or monthly subscription fees.
With the high demand for unique and original content among millennials, more and more independent online live tv streaming apps are created.
The vast demand for such apps is due to the surge for independent content and also because of the popularity of YouTuberâs and bloggers.
In this post, we have listed the top 15 live tv streaming apps for 2021 based on their rating and features so that it becomes easy for you to choose the right one for yourself.
Twitch, a massively popular live tv streaming app, is from Amazon and boasts of more than 100 million monthly viewers. Primarily focused on the live streaming of video games, it also allows you to watch creative content, music, sports competitions, etc.
On theatre or full-screen mode, you can view with minimum interruption.
App Features
Live and recorded videos of top players, games, and events
Full-featured chat
Ability to keep track of favorite channels and games
Push notifications even when channels are live
Notification Center widget allows you to see top/followed channels from the lock screen
Tubi, a live tv streaming app in the US, is owned and operated by Fox Corporation and Fox Entertainment division, respectively. Launched in 2014, Tubi is a free but ad-supported on-demand video service.
App Features
No need to provide credit card information and no need to subscribe
You can choose the content you want and watch it with fewer ads compared to regular TV
Tubi adds HD movies and shows for free every week.
Using Chromecast or Airplay, you can watch content on a big screen
If you are looking for those most talked about movies and TV shows from different parts of the world, you should opt for the Netflix app. The collection on Netflix is quite large with award-winning web series, movies, documentaries, and even stand-up specials.
The American media-services provider that has its headquarters in California was founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in 1997.
App Features
The streaming service provider adds movies and TV shows regularly
Depending on what you watch, Netflix recommends movies and TV shows based on your preferences
Amazon Prime is one of the leading movies and TV shows live streaming apps. Amazon Prime also launches Original shows like Mirzapur, The Family Man, Made in Heaven, and Inside Edge regularly.
Additionally, you get to enjoy a wide selection of content in regional languages. Amazon owns and operates the video-on-demand service.
App Features
It makes your daily commute to your workplace more fun
You can watch shows on-the-go or download and watch offline
Amazon Prime recommends shows depending on the shows you watch
You can add recommended titles to Watchlist for later viewing
The video streaming app offers more than 150,000 hours of content (premium) across different regional languages. The one-stop app helps you enjoy popular Movies, Web Series, TV Shows, Music Videos, etc.
Times Internet owns this Indian video on demand and OTT service providers.
App Features
Smooth video playback with gesture controls.
Download favorite videos and watch offline
Option to create a Watchlist for viewing later
You can play music in the background while going through the content
The thousands of movies offered by Plex include documentaries, musicals, and much more. You donât need any special equipment or special tech skills to use the app. You just have to sign in to start watching, no subscription required.
App Features
Free movie content from around the world
Organize personal media (photos, music, shows, movies) and stream them to other devices through a simple interface
Enjoy music from TIDAL (more than 60 million high-quality tracks and 250,000 music videos)
Get trusted and customized video news from more than 190 global publishers
Jio Cinema is exclusively for users of Jio SIM. The on-demand video streaming service comes with more than 100,000+ hours of Movies, TV Shows, Originals, Clips, Trailers, Music videos, and more.
You get to enjoy content in Hindi, English, and various regional languages in India. JioCinema is owned and operated by the Indian telecommunications giant Reliance JioInfocomm Limited.
App Features
Chromecast support
Across compatible devices, you can resume watching from the point you left
The go-to streaming service if you are looking for the best of movies, live sports, and TV shows is Disney+Hotstar. The app provides you with access to nearly 100,000 hours of movies and TV shows, and major sporting events from across the world.
Apart from free content, you can gain access to more content from around the world by subscribing to a VIP or Premium account. Novi Digital Entertainment, a Star India subsidiary, owns Disney+ Hotstar.
App Features
The updated platform comes with a Disney+ section
Navigation of content from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic made easy
Kids-safe mode enables access to age-appropriate content for kids
Hulu offers movies, shows, Hulu Originals, live news, sports, and much more. Choose a plan that works best for you â Hulu, Hulu (without ads), or Hulu + Live TV. Blackouts, regional restrictions, and additional terms may apply for Live TV content.
The American subscription video streaming service Hulu is owned by one of the business segments of The Walt Disney Company and Comcast’s NBCUniversal.
App Features
A personalized experience
Up to six personalized profiles allowed per account
My Stuff â for addingcontent for quick access later
Youtube TV is a cable-free live TV service. This app has the potential to replace Cable TV service. The app allows users to watch content on smartphones, tablets, and other devices anytime and anywhere without any TV subscription. Registration is free.
App Features
No cable box needed; it is a cable-free service
You can watch most major cable and broadcast networks
Watch across all compatible devices
Up to six accounts per household
No commitment or contracts; the account can be canceled anytime
SonyLIV, a pioneer in OTT service, ensures viewers have in real-time access to the best entertainment. It brings to you an endless opportunity to watch streaming content on the go. Live TV is also available on SonyLIV.
You can Like, Share, Add, Subscribe to favorites, or download and watch your favorite content anytime. Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt. Ltd. owns the Indian video streaming service SonyLIV.
App Features
Subscription monthly, six months, and yearly plans available
SonyLIV is a one-stop-shop for popular entertainment available on channels in Sony Entertainment Network
If you are looking for a daily entertainment blast, then you should download the MovieFlix app. You get to enjoy new movies in HD quality, short films, and web series. You can add your favorite content to the Favorites List and watch later.
Periscope brought to you by Twitter, allows you to explore the world and broadcast via live video. It is also possible to interact with people by means of likes and comments. You can find out where news is breaking, meet people and/or share interests, and visit a new place in real-time.
App Features
Periscope can be used to discover popular live streaming videos from the world over or search for broadcasts based on location or topic
If you missed out on one of the live videos, you can watch highlights replay
Share live videos instantly to Twitter and other such networks
Broadcasting privately to specific friends/followers is also possible
ZEE5 should be your destination if you are looking for exhilarating entertainment. You can do binge-watching of original shows, worldwide digital premieres of mega movies, TV shows, music videos, news, and more than 90 Live TV channels.
The Essel Group owns the Indian video streaming service ZEE5 through its subsidiary Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited.
App Features
Video content that is dubbed in multiple languages
Download and watch shows and movies for offline or on the go viewing
Smart content search option, including voice search
Personalized recommendation and seamless video playback
HBO Now, an on-demand video streaming app, is operated by the premium television network provider HBO in the US. Officially launched in April 2015, the service allows users to access content on PCs, smartphones, tablets, and digital media players.
HBO Now is a standalone service. Television subscription is not needed to use HBO Now.
App Features
Free trial available for new users
New movies are added every week; news, talk shows, comedy specials, etc., are also available
Currently, HBO Now is available in the US and some U.S. territories only
Independent online live tv streaming apps (iOS and Android) cut down the boredom while even if you are alone or travelling all alone.
Thanks to technology that lets us watch TV shows, movies, live events, etc. in our smart phones while we are on the move, as it completely eliminates the requirement of sitting in front of the screen or TV to watch our favorite shows and movies.
Ever noticed how there is always one person more boisterous than everyone else at the office outing? His throat has gone hoarse from shouting and singing all day long, but he doesnât care. His energy is infectious, so you canât help but feel encouraged to sing songs that have nothing to do with their original lyrics.
Because, this is somehow more fun.
Now, reconcile to the fact that this guy is your team lead. Stumped?? Well, Chinar Bhandari seems adept at juggling these personas with ease. As for the spectators, it just takes some getting used to.
An alumnus of AISSMS College of Engineering, Chinar has been born and brought up in a diversely well-educated family in Pune. He has a Masters in Computer Engineering and a total industry experience spanning 5.8 years, out of which he has been with Redbytes for a commendable 3.6 years.
When asked about the difference between working at Redbytes and elsewhere, Chinar is prompt with his answer.
âChallenging Projectsâ, he states.
âBefore Redbytes, when working as a fresher, I mostly worked on POC. Simplistic as it sounds, this strengthened my base and understanding of processes. My first project at Redbytes was Aquasound, an IoT based App for a Home Audio system. I had no experience in hardwired projects, but I did this well.
Then, I went on to do several projects, memorable among them being Kids Express, Mediquick, and most importantly, GoClub, my first project as Lead. GoClub was a vast and complicated project. It involved multiple platforms like iOS, Android and a website too.
We had multiple teams in different physical locations, which required extensive collaboration and co-ordination. To add to this complexity, we had a time constraint. But, we successfully delivered the project in 6 weeks.â
Of course, it helps that he shares an easy rapport with the rest of the team leads. Their comfort with each other perhaps finds its roots in their shared passion for technology.
At RedBytes, Chinar feels at home.
âIn fact, when I come to office it is like going from one home to another. I love the work culture here. It is cool and laidback. The management is great. It doesnât interfere with the developers or their process. It allows you the freedom to explore and be yourselves. And that freedom is so important when you work. Oh, and the events we hold at office. Quite enjoy those.â He says with a slight smile, âThough there has been a slight slump in that recently.â
So what is his process for development?
âI try to thoroughly understand the requirement first, as well as the product, while making a note of all the challenges involved, the research required, the probable time frames and several other aspects. Then I divide the project into modules. And for every module, I prepare a POC. Then I take it on phase by phase. And test all phases individually.â Sounds simple, but this takes a lot of discipline. And it certainly shows in the final output.
Being a team lead also means getting all team members to be on the same page, despite the weaknesses and strengths of each one of them. This takes more than leading from the front. It involves exploring new trends in technology and constantly updating oneâs knowledge, while also teaching and training the team whenever possible or required.
Certainly, not a tall order for Chinar, who enjoys both learning and teaching equally. This is evident in his clarity of thought and process during project discussions with his team or other team leads. âI believe in sportsmanship as I have been into sports since my schooling days. I have represented Maharashtra in handballâ, Chinar reveals.
Possibly, it is this sportsmanship that helps him get through the toughest of professional situations through grit and teamwork; that and a never-give-up attitude. Robert the Bruce would have found a better teacher in Chinar than the famed spider.
And is he all Mr. Nice Guy?
âI get angry very quickly at times, if something is not happening as per my plan. I am a bit lazy as wellâ, he admits. Though there is neither a trace of anger nor laziness when its crunch time. Deadlines are followed strictly to deliver efficient and uncompromised builds. âI am currently working on two projects – Shride, an electric bike rental app and an entertainment appâ, Chinar informs.
On being quizzed about the future of Mobile App development, Chinar says in a matter-of fact manner, âNowadays, if there is an idea, it becomes an App. Whether it ever goes on to become a website or not, is another matter. But first and foremost, there will be an appâ. Now this is someone who knows the pulse of the market. âBesides, considering the ever increasing number of mobile users, Apps seem unlikely to go out of fashion in near futureâ, Chinar signs off.
More than a million people affected, tens of thousands of people dead, thousands of companies in lockdown â The Coronavirus has completely turned the world upside down. From huge tech giants like Apple to small retail stores in the villages â every business is greatly affected by this pandemic.
Social distancing and quarantining seem to be the only ways to control the superfast spread of this viral disease. This has led governments to order lockdowns and force people to stay at home and not go out.
So, people have no other option but to rely on businesses that offer home delivery services. While this deadly disease has shaken many businesses to their roots, the delivery business is on the upswing.
Let’s see how this corona pandemic impact the online delivery business.
#1. Online Food Delivery
As it is unsafe to even go outside, sitting and eating in restaurants is completely out of the question at this point of the time. Also, in many nations, the government has forbidden people from gathering outside.
So, many restaurants have started offering take-aways and home deliveries. South Korean food delivery service provider, Yogiyo saw nearly 3 to 4% increase in orders every week, starting January.
As for Asiaâs top food delivery company, Food Panda, the orders for online food delivery increased by nearly 80%. Swiggy, Zomato, Uber Eats, Doordash, and Grubhub are a few of the other food delivery service providers that saw a huge increase in online food orders.
French retailer Carrefour says that their vegetable deliveries have increased by nearly 600% in the last few months.JD.com, a Chinese online retailer saw a nearly 215% increase in online grocery orders from the end of January to the start of February.
Walmart Grocery has reported an increase of 160% of orders in the last few months. Other top retailers in the US like the Shipt and Instacart have also seen a phenomenal rise in online grocery delivery orders in February and March 2020.
Not only are these companies seeing a huge rise in online orders, but they are also seeing a large number of food delivery app downloads during the same period.
#3. Mail and Delivery Services
The mail and delivery services have been going on as usual in most countries. The government postal services are operational in most countries. UPS and FedEx continue to provide their services.
While home delivery of food and grocery is seeing an increase across the globe, e-commerce stores that traditionally offered home delivery services are seeing a huge slack in the business.
Ecommerce retailers are finding it difficult in both procurement and delivery. As governments are tightening the strings on free movement, e-commerce retailers are forced to cancel orders.
With more people working from home, there is an increase in orders of laptops, power banks, chargers, and other electronics. However, due to many constraints, Â e-commerce stores are not able to deliver the products on time.
Though there are no restrictions on the delivery of essential products such as groceries and medicines, online stores are not able to deliver products because of local transportation problems. The other problem is that of manpower.
With increased restrictions and self-quarantine, many employees are not able to come for work. As the vendors are understaffed, deliveries are often delayed. Flipkart and Amazon in India have almost come to a standstill because of the lockdown situation.
Risks Involved in the Delivery Business
The steep increase in home delivery services can be attributed to the fact that people are advised not to go outside. Also, many governments have imposed lockdowns, which have brought down shutters on the retail outlets.
So, the people now rely on home delivery service providers for food, groceries, medicines, and other essentials. Though these companies have stepped up their services in this time of need, there is a huge risk for the people at the last mile of the delivery.
Companies are insisting that they are continually sanitizing the products and place of production. Also, delivery persons are insisted to use safety precautions while going out for the delivery.
Many home delivery companies have come up with a solution to reducing the risk for both the delivery persons and the customers. This new approach is called zero contact delivery or contact-less delivery.
The delivery person will place the food or grocery package on the doorstep of the customer and inform the customer. The delivery person will then move back to a safe distance. The customer can come outside and collect the order. This method ensures that there are minimal contact and less risk of infection.
The economic condition is grim across the world because of the havoc caused by the COVID19 virus. Currently, the home delivery service providers are seeing a rise in their business when compared to all other sectors and businesses.
However, the risks involved in this service industry are also very high. So, it is important to ensure safety standards are followed at every step.
You wouldâve noticed that the charity sector has slowly started embracing mobile app technology for encouraging social welfare and donations. However, it is true that non-profit organization have been sluggish to welcome digital innovations.
One survey suggests that nearly 25% of UKâs renowned NPOs still lack responsive mobile websites. The small charities face even more trouble keeping up with the digital pace.
This is not pleasant knowing that half of mobile users abruptly leave a mobile site if they canât access it properly. So should charity organizations consider investing in mobile apps? Letâs dive into the main reasons why charity organizations need mobile apps.
1) Addresses diverse demographical requirements
Usually contemporary millennials who seldom spend on random brands often prefer to spend on brands that are sincerely committed to social charities and philanthropy.
This demographic expect brands to integrate digital technology that makes it easy for them to interact, share and pay online instead of cash.
Moneymailme survey supports this as it suggests that 72% of young people from 18 to 25 age group opt for a mobile app option for donation and charity. On the contrary, 62% of them would find it unpleasant to donate through cash or any other means.
One of the charity apps addressing this demographical appeal is SharetheMeal by United Nations. They have successfully built a mobile system of sharing meals to millions of hungry children out there. Under the World Food Program (WFP), the app enables mobile payments to combat against child hunger issue.
The idea of the app is letting users donate as little as 50 cents to someone in need just by tapping it whenever they eat their meal. This is a great, on-the-go and viable way to help feed a child with daily nutrition.
Another reason why charity app would be a considerable idea is the presence of generation gap which can be controlled by implementing additional features.
Apparently young generation readily assimilates digital payment technology, but it is not that obvious for previous generations. Some may not like to download an app for making charities and donations.
It is therefore essential for mobile charities to ensure that the option for making payments and tracking donation inquiries is made available on multiple channels.
While a mobile app can be a source of charity information for such people, website or charity collection center is where they can initiate the payment action.
In this case, the app serves certain additional and complementary features related to easy donation methods, tracking and transparency.
3) Going beyond the basics
Mobile apps for charities arenât typically meant to facilitate ease of payment for donors. In fact, the purpose of developing charity apps transcends the obvious basics and incorporates more benefits.
For instance, while building one, you may think about leaving a memorable brand experience for users as well as increasing their awareness about the cause.
The app could be a great way to engage users with interesting, rich content for education and amusement.
Features like quiz, general awareness trivia or other educational bits can not only capture their attention but also instill positive picture of brand in their mind.
On the other hand, you can also attain business-to-business goals while creating charities. For example, apart from focusing on helping needy people, it can provide values to those who turn to charity apps to seek ways on fundraising solutions.
Others might be users struggling to get substantial help for their personal life crisis.
4) Displays a picture of credibility and value
People often have trouble giving quick donations to charity trusts since they are cynical as to whether or not money is going to the right place.
Winning the trust of donators is therefore a great challenge, a significant barrier for app owners. Also, it is important to make them feel assured that they donât need to give out regular payments or make such stringent commitments.
To make charities credible and instill positivity in donators, it is good to emphasize value and boost their confidence. Users need to be certain that their money is going to make difference in somebodyâs life.
The key to effective marketing for charity apps is promoting value and making people feel good about what they contribute by showing how their contributions impact many.
5) Being specific fulfills the purpose
Before developing the structure of charity apps, it is important to determine what it is that the app is going to majorly target. Figuring out the most urgent, primary and auxiliary needs helps achieve the desired outcome.
Being specific about what response or objective you expect is key to successful charities. For example, if it is going to be a safety and awareness theme with rich media content and information material, building straightforward features that meet the goal is important.
The app of this kind strictly aims to educate and provides practical guides to remain alert and informed in critical situations.
6) Long-term fundraising initiatives
Adding the element of news and events along with social engagement can go a long way for charity apps. Charity supporters who wouldnât otherwise show interest in long-term fundraising initiatives will be inspired to do more than just one-time donation.
For example, you can build an app that allows app users to boost their fundraising activities by sharing posts and updates on their page.
This kind of charity builds a strong network among both donors and fundraisers with user receiving more as they share fresh updates on events such as marathon or welfare dinners.
To make it last, incentives come handy especially when expecting more downloads. NSPCC is an excellent example of social collaboration and helping people discover other friends and charities via the app.
The app seems to focus on London marathon runners and also provides chat with other runners while giving you enough advice and ideas on online and offline fundraising activities.
Mobile apps have already entered our lives at a pace we never imagined. Now due to great acceptance and resonance among modern users, mobile apps for charity have become a great way to engage, share and raise funds.
However, for charities to be successful, it is wise to build them around user needs instead of just donations.
Mobile apps for charity needs to be easy to use and simple with great storytelling power. The app should feed most relevant tips and help on fundraising ideas and advices.
Additionally, features like chat and incentives make way for success. Above all, build an app that encourages ongoing journey and not one-time donation followed by indifference.
The Corona virus is creating ripples of fear and uncertainty across the globe, irrespective of whether a nation is developed or developing. The entire world is now battling an invisible enemy, which has even brought down the strongest of nations.
The disastrous effects of this deadly virus are more than the death of thousands and in capacitation of millions of people across the globe. It is also badly affecting the global economy. Thousands of people are being treated for this disease and millions of people are quarantined inside their homes.
Social distancing has been enforced in most countries that are affected or could be affected by the COVID19. IT professionals have been asked to work from home while schools, colleges, malls, and non-essential stores have been closed.
So, now millions of people are stuck inside their homes with only televisions, streaming apps and mobile apps for entertainment and information.
Letâs explore the impact of the corona virus on app installs and marketing in this blog.
Impact of Corona Virus on App Installs
When you look at the performance of individual apps, downloads of news apps like Newsbreak and SmartNews were very high in the first week of the self-isolation.
A lot of people are already on social media and this month, there was a marginal increase in the downloads of social media apps. A large chunk of the downloads was for the Houseparty app that allows people to stay in touch with their families and friends.
The download of education apps saw an increase of nearly 17%. This increase can be attributed to the fact that students are now at home and parents are looking for ways to keep children busy and not miss their studies.
Most of the food delivery apps took a huge hit this month. Postmates, UberEATS, and Grubhub had a steep decline in the downloads. However, Doordash and Instacart continue to do well. In fact, the downloads of Instacart were  more than that of the other food delivery apps.
Even though travel has been prohibited in many places, a lot of people did download apps of airlines. However, downloads of Yelp and Lyft saw a decline over the month.
In the shopping apps category, Amazon continues to hold the top position. Target did see a 40% increase in downloads over the month. As many people are housebound, they need to use online shopping apps to buy groceries and other essentials.
Downloads of ride-hailing apps also saw a sharp decline through the month of March as most people preferred to stay indoors and safe. The most hit apps are Chinese-based apps â Didi, Dida, and Hello.
With the Corona pandemic locking people up in their homes, customer behavior and user experiences have drastically changed. GWI conducted a global survey of nearly 13,000 customers between 16th to 20th of March 2020.
The survey found that nearly 95% of people are spending more time watching television and videos and movies online. There has also been a marked increase in the number of people watching the news. The survey also reported that
45% of people spend most of their time on messaging apps
50% of people spend most of their time on streaming apps
45% of people spend most of their time on social media
10% of people spend time on creating and uploading videos
The entertainment media has changed over the last few months because of lockdown and self-isolation imposed due to the corona pandemic. So, to keep pace with  changing customer behavior, businesses are also looking for more digital marketing methods.
Traditional modes of marketing and advertisement like billboards, pamphlets, events, and more are now being placed on the back burner and digital media is being used for marketing.
The survey also found that 35% of firms are planning device-targeted marketing campaigns while 38% of organizations are working on audience targeting campaigns.
Itâs not just the mode of marketing and advertising that has changed. Businesses are also looking at ways to integrate the current pandemic situation into the theme of their marketing campaigns to create a connection with the customer.
In fact, 63% of the businesses are planning to change the message and the tone of the message so it stays relevant to the current situation.
As for the theme of the marketing campaigns, 42% of businesses are planning to use mission-based marketing campaigns while 41% of organizations are moving towards cause-based marketing.
Many of the businesses are also using purpose-driven marketing campaigns to create a connection between their brand and the customer, in the current situation.
Necessity is the mother of invention. As the world is battling a microbe, app developers and marketers are looking for innovative ways to stay in the competition.
With most people across the globe practicing social distancing, digital media is the only possible solution for communication, education, entertainment, and economic development.
It is important to stay positive in these turbulent times and find the best way to keep the hope up. At this stage, we can say that corona has a huge impact on mobile app installs and marketing.
The current situation and the global crisis have spurred developers and marketers to come up with innovative and relevant solutions.
Giving charity is now a very easy task. Unlike a few years ago, you donât need to fill in cheques or visit banks anymore. You can simply download an app from playstore/appstore for the purpose. But how do you know which are the best and authentic ones? Well, here are 10 of the best charity apps for nonprofit organizations.
1. Charity Monk
This is a new way to donate to your favorite charity. Everytime you shop, make a donation to the charity at no extra cost.
Charity monk is an all-in-one shopping app with 400+ stores and can raise free funds for the charity of your choice. You can get exclusive coupons and discounts which can be used for shopping and that amount goes to the charity through the Charity Monk app.
eCharity connects you with various international and local charity opportunities, which enables you to calculate your early zakath, set your donation target and invite your friends/relatives to join your cause. You can donate directly towards UNWOâs project and also sponsor destitute, orphans, etc.
Probably the most illustrious one for ending world hunger, ShareTheMeal works on a simple idea, which is to feed a hungry child for one day. To do that, you have to tap the screen which lets you donate $0.50.
The app has certain engaging and fun features like joining a team, participating in fundraising challenges and Table. It helps you learn more about those needy families and help them. You can also spread the word with its Camera Giving feature that lets you take a snapshot of your meal where you can use its #ShareTheMeal filter.
Thus, the app effectively helps resolve one of worldâs biggest concern at the moment.
The Roundup App, as the name goes, allows charity contributors to round up the change of purchases made every month with a credit card. They can give this roundup away to a charity of choice.
You can register your nonprofit at no cost and start getting donation of as much as $20 for app cause supporters. This is a smooth and fun way of making donations.
Be My Eyes is one of the wonderful international charity apps available in 150 countries and more than 180 languages. This innovative app is designed as an initiative to help visually impaired people with their everyday tasks and uses your smartphone camera to do so.
It makes smartphone usage truly meaningful. When someone needs help, the app notifies you and you will connect with them through video. You can assist them in checking an expiration date or suggest good outfit choices.
This app helps to participate in the social drive to solve the hunger problems of the community, one at a time. It enables you to connect with a donor to save the life of your loved ones and donate blood to the one who need.
Coin up is another fascinating app working on the straightforward concept of collecting change from credit card transactions. As it rounds up the transactions to the next dollar, the additional money as change is donated to the charity organization you select. This is as seamless as it should be.
Just like you have the swell of coins in your wallet, you can think of them going in a digital form to someone who needs it most. This transparent way of giving also lets you set a monthly donation limit and also comes with tax deduction benefits.
Donate A Photo incorporates your most beloved modern habit: taking snapshots of your daily moments.It is a spontaneous act to take pictures with your smartphone and capture the special moments. The app adds to it and lets you share your most cherished memories with the world and give back.
For every picture you upload to the app, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 to a charity you follow. Your photos will also encourage others to share their best moments with the world without any cost.
Charity Miles can also be regarded as an innovative charity approach for raising funds. It addresses your fitness goals and motivates you to get into action, whether running, walking, cycling or other athletic feats.
Every bit of your fitness activity is turned into some rewards. The amount is donated directly a charity of your choice. Bikers donate 10 cents/mile while walkers and runners give 25 cents/mile.
While it may not sound much at times, other participants doing their bit will further motivate you to push more. So, amp up your fitness regimen and increase the chance of donating more with Charity Miles.
Walk for a Dog is a creative idea of giving back for dog lovers and dog walkers.
It takes the simple act of dog walking and gives it an exciting form. Here you can enter all the basic information about your dog and start tracking your daily walking activities. It lets you create fitness goals and share the daily progress on social media.
To activate the app, you will have to choose local animal organization. Spreading the word helps you get more givers on the app to add more donation. In a way, Walk for a Dog is a fantastic way to spend time with your dog.
We hope this list of 10 best charity apps for nonprofit organization helps you get an overall idea about charity apps. Each of them offer value and variety in terms of social initiatives and campaigns. Some of these are truly unique, seamless and simple to use. All of these charity apps are designed to be straightforward and transparent to promote the act of donation.
The popularity of community apps such as Nextdoor, GoNeighbor, and Hoodi is rising. Even Google has tried its hand to create a community app like Nextdoor with Neighbourly. All for good reason â people are increasingly aware of the distance created among them and want to reconnect with people in a media platform.
When Nextdoor was introduced, the founders realized that according to Pew Research Center, 29% of Americans knew very few about their neighbors where as 28% did not even knew their names. But now Nextdoor consists of more than 180,000 neighborhoods who share the media platform for services, newsfeeds, conversations, etc.
If you are someone interested in providing value to society while also building a start-up, then community app is a great choice for you to explore. The success of the Nextdoor app stands as a testimony to this fact. But, how do you create an app like Nextdoor? Letâs take a look about its development process and app cost.
About Nextdoor Community App
Launched in 2011, Nextdoor emerged as a private social networking app solution among users who like to interact and engage with their local community.
This app has features such as local news feed, community events, important notifications and recommendations for local service providers, merchandizes, stores and more.
By providing users the ability to know all about their neighborhood community and happenings, the app became a reliable resort for many.
This app lets the users know all the local news happening on your neighborhood. You will get recommendations for the best local jack of all jobs. Users can use this app to sell or buy items by posting on the âFor Sale or Freeâ page of the app.
2) Events
You will get notifications on the local events and community activities at your nearby location. It also helps to find garage sales, yard sales, and estate sales and also to host and organize parties and events.
3) Home services and deals
Helps to find a baby sitter or recommend a nanny. It also allows you to search for pet sitter or catering company through the classified ads in the app.
4) Crime alerts and safety tips
Nextdoor app shares information during a natural calamity or disaster and also organizes a neighborhood watch to get a word on crime and safety. They keep a crime report and maps to help your neighborhood stay safe.
5) Recommendations
With the app users can find review of nearby businesses like restaurants to find whether it is worth.
6) Help Maps and Groups
The very latest features introduced by Nextdoor are Help Maps and Groups to provide better support during Corona Virus outbreak. The help maps offer a way to coordinate help between those in need and those who are willing to offer help by dropping supplies, running errands, etc.
Groups allow smaller groups to network outside of the main feed. The new features are visible after updating Nextdoor to the new version.
Important Factors to know
(1) Infrastructure
Nextdoor uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to support its platform. AWS gives a strong positive experience in configuring machines and spinning up new capacity. They use Amazon EC2 to distribute the site traffic across the EC2 instances.
AWS Cloud Formation templates are used for the flexibility and elasticity in deploying servers. The app uses Amazon VPC for creating secure private network which includes user-facing services development environment and several IT functions.
(2) Investment
In 2019, Nextdoor announced it has secured a funding of $170 million round. The $123 million rose from new investor Riverwood Capital along with Benchmark, Tiger Global and Kleiner Perkins helped them achieve this. The other funds were from Bond.
Now the value of Nextdoor is more than $2.1 billion which generates revenue from sponsored ads, posts and real estate.
As the company continues to expand globally and enhance local businesses, there will be new investors and will gradually cements Nextdoor as the essential local platform for neighbors around the world.
(3) Revenue
Nextdoor received funds from Venture Capital investors until 2016. After following the advertising products, Nextdoor started generating revenue.
(a) Advertisement Sponsorships
The app displays sponsored content from different businesses that have valuable products and services to share with Nextdoor.
(b) Neighborhood Sponsorships
Nextdoor enables purchasing a Neighborhood sponsorship for local home services and real estate agents who wish to promote their listing and advertise their expertise in their zip codes.
(c) Local deals
Neighborhood businesses can purchase local deals which allow advertising offers to the Nextdoor community in their area.
(d) Discussions and Recommendations
As recommendations are the most popular topic, Nextdoor has introduced a new recommendations product that already has over 17 million recommendation popup across the country.
This app is also a digital space for informal discussion like what is happening nearby and even shares local news to the community. In future, Nextdoor may be the app for social marketing beyond Facebook, instagram and twitter.
(4) Key Performance Indicators
KPI for Nextdoor app is categorized into four.
(a) Recommendations
As the number of recommendations increases, you will have more social proof.
(b) Neighborhoods
This is your contact in terms of communities and neighborhoods. As the number of contact increases, the networks to your business also increase.
(c) Neighbors
Neighbors are the Nextdoor users who can see the page. The higher the number of Neighbors, the more you can connect.
(d) Comments
These are made by people who actively engage with your neighborhood community by leaving comments, providing feedbacks, addressing concerns, etc.
With these 4 KPIs, you will be able to track and optimize your presence on Nextdoor app.
The importance of knowing your community is that you can be an educated resource to your prospect. Also joining local clubs and groups lets you know more about the community interest and also associate your business with the neighborhood.
(2) Provide relevant information and services to the community
The benefit of Nextdoor is that it is hyper local â so make sure that the content shared is relevant and applicable to the local community.
(3) Quick response
Prompt responses and follow up builds client trust as well as reputation. Try to reach out the client within 2 hrs. Also give a follow up call Enquire if they still need help.
(4) Be honest and transparent
The members in the community depend on Nextdoor to know important news and want the application to give value to their queries. Always be transparent with the update you provide.
(5) Be persistent and up-to-date
To build your reputation, be persistent. Add new members or neighbors by sending them free invitation letters and participate in conversations on regular basis.
App Workflow
Challenges
Strong system performance as lots of members is engaging on the community activities.
Solid and fast platform to share messages during the crisis.
Nextdoor needed its developers to focus their time enhancing the siteâs online communication other than supporting the underlying technologies.
Another major focus was the security as they required isolation between the applications.
Analysis of data usage must be improvised as Nextdoor aimed to personalize the service they provided.
As cities involved in the promotion of Nextdoor by highlighting it on community newsletters and linking it on city website, some residents believed that Nextdoor is a city- endorsed and managed platform.
Because the police department used Nextdoor as part of their neighborhood policing strategy and to remain connected with communities, people started reporting issues directly to the Nextdoor which resulted in posting issues minor issues like noisy dogs, couches left out, etc directly to the city account.
Steps to Create an App like Nextdoor
The steps to create to create a community app like Nextdoor for Neighbors are as follow
We have a detailed guide that will help you in creating an exceptional mobile app like nextdoor.
How Much Does it Cost to Create an App Like Nextdoor ?
The most appropriate amount of cost to create an app like nextdoor are as follows:
Website : $11K to $16K
Mobile App : $16K to $22K
App Marketing
(1) Finding exact Audience
Nextdoor is a social network platform that gives membership by address so that you can make sure that the targeted people live close to each other and they will be having same thoughts and interests.
Hence it eases the category of news and recommendations posted on the newsfeed. This is considered to be a technical way of marketing the app among the exact audience organically without any guesswork.
(2) Word-of- Mouth
The best app marketing strategy is word-of-mouth. Before the introduction of internet, people used to buy things through the neighborâs recommendation or experience because even if we use a catalog, information from the trusted source is much worthier.
The social networks migrate that process online allowing the neighbors to provide and respond to suggestions between the members of the same community thus by encouraging the users to share any product or service through the app.
Hence the recommended way is much more efficient when they are share within a small and tuned-in group.
(3) Campaigns
Nextdoor provides campaign and press club meetings with its facts and features explained by the Board members which automatically let the users know more about the application and influence them to use the app.
(4) Surveys
Nextdoor conducts various surveys with different topics which attracts people to the app and is considered as the best marketing strategy.
(5) Features
Certain features like alerts during disaster, crime and theft alerts, etc. influences more people to the app and new partnerships with other companies helps them market the app within neighborhood or society.
(6) Partnerships
For Promotion, Nextdoor collaborated with the entertainment channel, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to celebrate the special day, Kindness Day. On this day the members are allowed to share the story of their neighborâs kindness they have seen or experienced.
Nextdoor along with Mayor Bloomberg announced their partnership with New York City which helps neighbors to be in touch about important city and safety updates through the websites and mobile application.
Members of New York City can make use of Nextdoor to share information about safety issues, events, businesses, pets, etc.
Nextdoor app is a social networking platform for communities, neighborhood and businesses. Nextdoor narrows or simplifies your network to small group for any recommendations or suggestions rather than connect you to any users across the world.
It is a network that compiles more than 180,000 neighborhoods across the globe. Here, the users can do everything from gossiping about neighbors to commenting on local businesses.
To end up with, building a brand among neighbors is not an easy task unless there are transparent and symbiotic relationships between the users or members.
Before you initiate the process to create a community app like Nextdoor, you must ponder over the cost, timeframe and methods involved down the road.
To achieve greatest success like Nextdoor, you should also invest a good part of the overall cost in pre-launch and post-launch marketing efforts. For everything to work out well, you need an excellent mobile app development company with exceptional talent and innovative resources.
We, Redbytes can help you in this situation. Please Contact us at +91 8113 869 000 or mail us at: info@redbytes.in
In 2020, having a mobile app is as obvious as breathing or eating to a business. Every local business has started having their own customer-friendly app to interact with and engage their traffic. However, the idea to hire the best mobile app developer can disturb an entrepreneur if they are not informed of the process involved.
Building an app is unfamiliar territory for most people as it requires specialized knowledge and professional resources. So if you are business owner with an app development concept, you might be concerned about where to find and hire app developer. The decision of choosing a freelancer, offshore development partner or local app maker may confuse you.
That is where this blog aims to help you. We will walk you through general practices and clever considerations you should know when you hire an app developer for your app project. Letâs start with:
Setting up App Development Framework
Most of the companiesâ management and recruiters are unaware of the complications in mobile app development. If they need to recruit an excellent developer, they should know the basics of app development or consult an expert.
Platform of app development is the primary criteria that you should decide when you are hiring a developer.
There are basically 2 types of framework:
Native â It is built for a single mobile operating system.
Cross-Platform â It works across multiple types of platforms or operating systems.
Your app can be created in any of these platforms. You should weigh the advantages and consider your budget before confirming whether you should create an app for iOS or Android or for both. This is crucial because, an iOS developer will not be an expert Android developer and vice versa under most instances.
Once youâve made the decision on Native vs Cross-Platform, itâs time to think about hiring a Freelancer or Development Company for app development.
Hiring a Freelancer vs App development company
Freelance Developer Selection Process
After you have found a list of options, you must filter them all through the qualifying process to scoop up the most suitable, deserving and promising candidate for your app project. You can go through the following points of considerations to make the selection easier:
(1) Know the cost logic: You need to learn a few things about available platforms, frameworks and languages used for making an app. Find out the usual cost of building a simple app by partnering with an app developer and your target users.
(2) Relevant experience: Fresh graduates are not the best resource for making an app with great usability and unique features. Hire a developer (or a team of developers) who knows all about technologies used for an app and has a sample portfolio to prove their past mobile app success.
(3) Reviews and clients: The developer you are about to hire must show the list of his clients who have worked with them and left remarks on their website. Check their recently built apps for its UI/UX as it speaks most of the appâs success.
(4) Rapport and communication: since you are going to work for a long time on an app, you should seek an app developer who shows true interest in your business and get along instantly. Building a warm rapport makes the interactions easy and seamless. Also discuss the tools for business communication so that any barrier can be eliminated in time.
(5) Stay clear about the budget: Discuss upfront all about the developerâs charges and ask if there is any hidden cost or additional fees. This does not mean choosing the cheap options, but it is about being clear about the prices from the first place.
(6) Online Reputation: Now that the world is going online, one of the ways to trust the credentials of a freelance app developer is to keep an eye on their online activities. Ask if they have blog posts, or positive Tweeter image, or if they use specific libraries and components to build apps.
For App development companies
Hiring an app development company is altogether a different deal. With app development companies, you can expect more efficiency, mature resources and skilled talent. Whether you need a team of iOS app developers or Android app developers, you can take advantage of their immense exposure in creating unique mobile apps.
Here is the checklist to hire an established mobile app development company:
(1) Strong Portfolio: This is the most significant factor to check before settling for a right choice from the list of companies. Explore their online presence and find out about their success stories, past projects, outstanding capabilities, and products relevant to your project.
In case you are still not satisfied with their public portfolio, you may also ask them to show you some more examples or develop a small feature or plug-in to ensure they have what you are looking for.
(2) Talent Pool and Team Effort: Many app development companies display their team members and leaders on their online pages. If you want to build an app for both iOS and Android, you must check how many iOS experts and Android masters they have, including UX/UI designers, project managers and tech partners.
(3) Technical Resources: What is software without technology? This is another crucial point that helps qualify the best app development company. Make a list of technologies they have mastered. PHP, code igniter, Java, C#, HTML5? Compare between these technologies and evaluate its suitability for your project.
(4) All-round Services: This may look optional, but sometimes it relives you from lots of burden that comes after deploying an app. Building an app is more than just coding. Hence, you can expect those highly experienced companies to help you grow your business, too.
Some of the additional non-technical services app development companies can provide are marketing strategy, successful app publishing, ASO, reputation building, monetization features, etc.
(5) Reviews and Feedback: Reviews and positive comments also give you much idea of what company to trust more than others. App development companies have pages filled with details on their years of experience, happy customers, video credentials, recommendations, and working developers. You can even check their universal reviews on Google, Yelp, and other online directories of top app building companies.
(6) Pricing and Contract: Usually, the price of an entire mobile app development project is subject to appâs scope, complexity, features and scalability. It also includes the amount and type of resources to go into building an app. However, this doesnât mean you should hire the one that offers low-price commitments.
Also when you sign a contract or agreement with an app development company, you should see if it is inclusive of provisions, payment structure, NDA terms, promise of protection, etc.
The document of contract should offer simplicity to understand all the conditions and compliance terms. You can think of more queries depending on the type of project, target market and business strategy.
Where to Find an App developer?
Millions of people come up with an app idea and search the online market for the top qualified app developers who can fulfill their dream. Google can present you with lots of options including local as well as offshore developers.
The popular online directories and forums where you can find refined list of independent app developers are:
TheyMakeApps
Clutch.co
Mobyaffiliates
iPhoneDevSDK
AndroidPit
Android Forums
Appdevelopermagazine
Online web services like LinkedIn, Indeed, Reddit, Quora, Upwork, Guru, Fiverr, ProFinder are also some of the famous online platforms for finding world class app development resources in a freelance model.
You can also check Google maps and identify app development companies near you if you prefer a hands on approach.
How to identify a good App Developer ?
Identifying a good app developer can seem like a difficult task to deal with. As we know, there are lot of developers available but it doesnât mean they are all quality qualified ones who understands your business needs.
What platform are you most comfortable working on?
Are you able to work on latest Android versions and APIs?
Do you know the process of getting an app published?
Can you help market and promote the app?
Can you think of features that can generate significant revenues?
What kind of tests you do for quality assurance?
How do you charge for developing a mobile app for both iOS and Android?
These are just a few of the most preferable questions you can toss at candidates. Definitely, you can think of more queries depending on the type of project, target market and business strategy.
What are the different Hiring & Engagement Models?Â
It is really important to have knowledge in different hiring model if you need to hire the right employee. There are various types of models available in todayâs job market. Below mentioned are some of the popular recruitment models used in the job market today.
(1) On Demand Hiring: This is the popularity gaining model in todayâs market. Here the hiring process is based on hourly basis and project basis.
(2) Contingency Hiring: Â This is the most widely used model. This model is based on some Terms & Conditions with clients and employees as per the requirement.
(3) Retained Research: In this model, a retained recruiter works based on a contractual relationship with the clients/employees for assignment search. Here the employer must pay an upfront fee for the consultant to search for the right candidate.
(4) Exclusive Requirement: In this model, there is an agreement of exclusive requirements between recruiter and client. Here the recruiter is supposed to assure the employer to fill the position within the period of requirement or particular date.
(5) Recruitment Process Outsourcing: Here an external service provider works for the internal recruitment process for the company. RPO recruiter is completely responsible for everything including sourcing, schedule interview process, joining process and the closure of requirements.
Engagement Models
(1) Part-Time Model: Here the recruited person works for 4 hours in a day and 20 days in a month.
(2) Full-Time Model: The employees are supposed to work for 8 hours in a day and 20 days in a week.
(3) Hybrid Model: In this model, there is time and material based on resources that are required by you to complete the process.
Which Model to Choose ?
We would prefer you to choose contingency hiring. Depending upon specific hiring needs, the contingency recruiter set different test to find the appropriate employee.
They also keep a database of prospective candidates in order to get enough support while selecting a candidate for their client. They focus on IT network which is an added feature for suggestion.
Design your App
The design of an app values the user experience which is an important factor for the success of an app. To design an app, you need a designer who conceptualize your idea on your app. Later this design is made to reality (functionality & usability) by a developer/ programmer.
Cost of developer varies with country and the platform they work.
Cost based on the types of application
Support from Freelancers/ App Development companies
Support is an important task which you need to face after the deployment process. We would prefer you to select an app development company rather than freelancers on developing an app because a freelancer may change his/her profession and move to another industry/place and becomes inaccessible to provide support to your app.
On the other hand, if you hire an app development company, they can provide you better support than freelancers. As time passes, your app may require updates, functionality improvements, and so on.
Hence it is really critical to have a good relationship with a mobile app development company. This quality relationship cannot be expected from independent developers.
Hire App Developer Checklist
Durability & Delivery
It is really hard to find a freelancer who can perform all the roles like managing the product, design the UI, write the code, testing, etc. But if you hire a company, there will be a well-flourished team that can carry the project from start to end.
These companies have a project manager who ensures that the project is being taken care and save you from any worries or inconvenience caused. This helps to strictly meet the deadlines and deliver an extraordinary project on time.
Before you set eyes on the app developer or an app development company that suits your needs, do your in-depth research. Have a candid conversation with your candidates about their app success and portfolio that supports their claims.
Your app is the representative of your business and helps you engage with your prospects. So you donât want to risk giving the project to just anybody. Above all, your app developer must understand your vision and discuss app features, functionality and UX that align with your business requirements.
Redbytes is an IT firm who appifies your business requirements. We are here on the field since 2009 with various projects in different platforms like android, iOS, windows etc.
We, the team Redbytes can help you to hire the best available developers in the market.
We have worldwide customer experience with different apps in various industries. Some of the advantages of choosing us are
Better for Startups and big projects: We analyze the client’s requirements and accordingly guide them about the service they have to offer.
Budget friendly
Availability of Technical Experts and resources
Reliable workflow
24/7 support regarding the progress of development
