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 doesn’t care. His energy is infectious, so you can’t 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.
“Challenging Projects”, he states.
“Before 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.”
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.
“In 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 doesn’t 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.” He says with a slight smile, “Though there has been a slight slump in that recently.”
So what is his process for development?
“I 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.” 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 one’s 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. ”I believe in sportsmanship as I have been into sports since my schooling days. I have represented Maharashtra in handball”, 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?
“I get angry very quickly at times, if something is not happening as per my plan. I am a bit lazy as well”, 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. “I am currently working on two projects – Shride, an electric bike rental app and an entertainment app”, Chinar informs.
On being quizzed about the future of Mobile App development, Chinar says in a matter-of fact manner, “Nowadays, 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 app”. Now this is someone who knows the pulse of the market. “Besides, considering the ever increasing number of mobile users, Apps seem unlikely to go out of fashion in near future”, Chinar signs off.
More than a million people affected, tens of thousands of people dead, thousands of companies in lockdown – The Coronavirus has completely turned the world upside down. From huge tech giants like Apple to small retail stores in the villages – 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 Asia’s 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, 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.
2020 has brought an onslaught of uncertainties where people across the globe are being advised to maintain physical distances from each other. Such unique circumstances have forced the majority of the population and businesses to transfer to an online working approach.
To ensure that work gets done smoothly, many are increasingly becoming reliant on conference calls. Having said that, studies report that working and speaking with co-workers without actually seeing them can be a cause for distraction.
This paves the way for apps like Zoom that have proven to excellent platforms for businesses to conduct their meetings.
On the lighter note, apps like Zoom are also being increasingly used to remain in touch with friends and family members, conducting online classes to ensure that communication channels are always open.
Lets see how we can create a video chat app like Zoom and its development cost
Why Has Zoom Shot To Fame In Recent Times?
Web conferencing tools are available in plenty. That said, not every platform is suited to conduct group meetings involving a large number of employees.
While most support up to 10 members, you will struggle to find applications that can include higher employee numbers than that.
There isn’t a ‘one size, fits all’ solution that will ensure that your video meetings go smoothly.
But in recent times, Zoom as a video conferencing app has shot to fame as the application has been able to meet the operational demands for both businesses and personal individuals.
By enabling HD video conferencing and supporting up to 1000 participants in a single session, Zoom capitalized on the growing needs of the market that was looking for platforms to conduct online meetings.
Start-ups and entrepreneurs, inspired by the skyrocketing demand for video conferencing platforms are viewing this as a viable opportunity for investment. Many are keen to create an app like Zoom too.
So, the question is, how to create an app like Zoom from scratch? Let’s find out.
Before you commence with the application development, you need to decide on the type of target platform that you will be using. This is essential as it helps in determining the cost outlay and the tools required in the development process.
Ask yourself this key question. Where do you want your application to run – Smartphones, Tablets, Laptops, Desktops? You can choose one or even all of these platforms to host your application.
Alternatively, you can opt to use WebRTC which does not restrict you to a particular platform only as it can support all of them. That said, you should go with an approach that is best suited to your app’s requirements, the resources available at your disposal, and the budgetary allocations.
In the current scenario, your available options are to go native or web-based.
Native Apps
If you choose to go the native route, you need to select which platform will you be deploying the application on. Officially, Android and iOS are supported by their respective programming languages, namely, Java and Swift/Objective-C.
So, you will have to create a separate application for both iOS and Android platforms.
On the other hand, you can also utilize frameworks such as React Native that permits you to develop native apps that can run on both Android and iOS devices.
Web-based Apps
A web-based application is what most developers think of first. Since WebRTC APIs come included with all major browsers, the app can be accessed on any device that has any one of these browsers installed.
Moreover, using web-based applications is advantageous as there is no need for an additional third-party tool. You can use simple HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the application. Or else, go withReactJS, Angular, or Vue that makes the app more powerful.
Developing your video conferencing app is convenient on the web-based application as many desktop platforms offer it as a default inclusion with the system.
It is said to be ideal for those apps that are looking to enter both general computers and laptop markets. But it has been said to work well on mobile devices too.
If you wish to give more power to your app as an individual entity for respective platforms, opting for the native route makes more sense. Also, if your objective is to support legacy devices, native is the way to go as it is not supported by WebRTC APIs.
Progressive Web App
Progressive Web App or PWA is a concept that has been recently gaining in popularity. This combines the best of web and native which you may wish to consider as a third strategy when creating an app like Zoom.
Define Your Video Chat App Features
Now that you have your target platform sorted, the next step is to make a list of features and functionalities that will be highlighted through your application.
A lot will depend on the requirements of your application and the budget allocations.
Here is a list of recommended features that can be included in your video- conferencing application.
#1. Pre-call Video Preview
Allow your app users to check the camera before joining in on a video call. Enable them to disable video, if they wish to do so.
#2. Chat
While enabling video is a must for online meeting applications like Zoom, you also need to integrate a chat feature as an add-on channel of communication that users can utilize during a call.
#3. File-Sharing
When creating a Zoom clone application, having a feature that allows users to exchange files during the online meeting offers convenience. That said, you must ensure that the app provides a secure platform to store and transport these files.
#4. Multi-party Conference
An online meeting app will only be successful with the users if it allows more than two users to join in the call. A multi-party conference feature is a tough task to accomplish but is the heart and soul of any video-conferencing application.
Enabling more than 10 users to join in the call will require adequate backend support and reinforcements to ensure that the app works smoothly.
#5. Desktop Sharing
Integrating a desktop sharing feature is a key functionality that comes in handy when users are connecting from remote work locations and wish to share the content of their screens during the online meeting.
This is especially useful in cases where technical support is needed and an expert can guide users to get a specific task accomplished.
#6. Recording
Recording during an online meeting can be advantageous for very many reasons. Having said that, if you consider offering this feature then make sure that you provide storage for these recordings too.
Although, you can allow the user to save the recording on the Cloud or locally on their device too. You should also think about security measures to ensure that access is not granted to unauthorized users.
#7. Filters or Icons
If your Zoom clone application is being used in an informal capacity, then having a feature that allows users to add funny filters and icons during a call can help to attract a larger user base.
This will encourage more private calls to be initiated even though your target market primarily caters to a business audience.
#8. Whiteboard
If your application is being used by educational purposes, then a Whiteboard feature helps the initiator, or in this case, the teacher to impart a class through a tool that adds graphics to an idea.
#9. Live Streaming
Thanks to social media live streaming as a feature has become extremely popular. It allows a specific user to live stream audio, video, or both to a particular group in real-time.
From a business context, it can be helpful in live streaming conferences and meetings to a large group of audiences or help the government to gain access to disaster zones or rescue missions.
#10. Virtual Hand-raising
During an online meeting especially when there is a large group of members, having a virtual hand-raising feature enables a user to convey their wish to speak or voice concern by signaling to the host.
This is usually through a virtual emoji that is designed in the format of raising a hand. This feature prevents multiple users from speaking at once, thus ensuring that the meeting progresses coherently and seamlessly.
#11. Polls
As the online meeting ensues, the host can create a poll that is shared with the participants. This Poll feature enables the host to collect participant responses about a specific issue or topic.
#12. Mute Participants
When the host of a meeting wants to ensure that users do not speak out of turn, he or she can make use of the ‘Mute Participants’ feature. This mutes the mic of one or more of the online meeting participants according to the desire of the host.
Know the Technology Stack
With a well-defined platform and the list of features out of the way, you need to know on how actually to create an app like Zoom.
Here is the recommended technology stack.
Native Apps
Android:
Programming Languages – Java, Kotlin
Toolkits – Android Studio
SDK – Android SDK
Video Chat – WebRTC
iOS:
Programming Languages – Swift
Toolkits – Apple Code
SDK – iOS SDK
Video Chat – WebRTC
SDK and API
WebRTC uses 3 APIs
MediaStream
RTC PeerConnection
RTC DataChannel
Third-party APIs
ContusFly
Pubnub
CometChat
Willio
The Development Process
Take a look at the steps that you cannot ignore when developing your video conferencing app.
Step 1 – Back-end Development
To create your video conferencing app like Zoom, you need to figure out how to create the server part that contributes to the proper functioning of the platform. This has to be done right at the very onset.
A ready-made BaaS solution can be used for some select apps. That said, a video conferencing application is quite complex and may require more robust technologies such as building a server from scratch.
Step 2 – UI/UX Design
The design of the app is the next step. You must design the app user interface and experience making it attractive for popular usage to the end consumer.
The navigation should be simple and convenient to understand. The user should be able to quickly grasp the functioning and performance of individual features and functionalities.
Your team should consist of the following experts:
Project Manager – 1
Tech Lead – 1
iOS Developers – 2
Android Developers – 2
Backend Developer – 1
UX/UI Engineer – 1
QA Engineer – 1
If you are building an MVP app, here is a stage-wise break-up of man-hours that you may expect to invest in the development process.
Stages
MVP Hours
Full Feature Hours
Business analysis + UX
50—70
80—100
Technical Specification
20—40
50—60
UI/UX
40—60 for each platform
80—120 for each platform
iOS/Android development
400—450 for each platform
500—700 for each platform
Backend
150—200
300—400
QA
50—60 for each platform
80—100 for each platform
With a limited set of features, you are looking at a time investment of approximately 1200 to 1450 man-hours, whereas if you go with a full-blown, feature-rich version, the man-hours may range anywhere between 1750 to 2400 hours.
How Much Does It Cost To Create An App Like Zoom ?
Basis these two ranges, here is a rough cost estimate to create an app like Zoom.
Country
Average hourly rate
MVP
Full feature set
USA
$80
$96 000 – 116 000
$140 000 – 192 000
UK
$70
$ 84 000 – 101500
$ 122 500 – 168 000
Western Europe (Germany)
$60
$ 72 000 – 87 000
$ 105 000 – 144 000
Eastern Europe (Ukraine)
$30
$36 000 – 43 500
$52 500 -72 000
India
$25
$ 30 000 – 36 250
$ 43 750 – 60 000
This is only an estimate and the actual cost will depend on several factors such as the final list of app features, the constitution of your app development team, their location, total man-hours put in the process, etc.
Final Thoughts
Zoom has set itself as a benchmark in the video conferencing app space. Having said there, there are still a lot of lee-ways available for more players to make their presence felt in the domain.
The benefits and subsequent returns to create a video chat app like zoom are crystal clear. Plus, the trends promise it a long life.
So, what are you waiting for? Start working on your idea today. Get in touch with our experienced consultants if you want to create an app like Zoom.
You would’ve 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 UK’s 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 can’t access it properly. So should charity organizations consider investing in mobile apps? Let’s 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 aren’t 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 don’t 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 somebody’s 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 wouldn’t 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.
Let’s 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 – 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.
It’s 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 don’t 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 UNWO’s 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 world’s 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 – 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? Let’s 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 ‘For Sale or Free’ 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 – 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 site’s 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 neighbor’s 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 neighbor’s 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. Let’s start with:
Setting up App Development Framework
Most of the companies’ 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 – It is built for a single mobile operating system.
Cross-Platform – 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 you’ve made the decision on Native vs Cross-Platform, it’s 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 app’s 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 developer’s 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 app’s scope, complexity, features and scalability. It also includes the amount and type of resources to go into building an app. However, this doesn’t 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 doesn’t 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?
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 today’s 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 today’s market. Here the hiring process is based on hourly basis and project basis.
(2) Contingency Hiring: 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 don’t 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
BankOpen is a popular digital banking platform that is entirely online. It doesn’t have any branches, nor is it present in any specific physical location. This process is called neobanking. Neobanking facilitates online payment, receipt, lending and borrowing of money along with several other functions.
BankOpen allows businessmen to manage invoicing, payroll and automate bookkeeping, send and receive payments and control cash flows all on one platform. BankOpen is the first neobanking platform in Asia and it has become very successful.
To build a fintech app like BankOpen is a complicated process and requires a team of professionals but with the increased popularity and convenience of neo banking, it can lead to great success.
What is Fintech?
Fintech or Financial Technology describes any technology that is used in financial services. It uses the digital platform to provide financial services like online payment, managing investments, raising money for a business startup, etc. Fintech also includes the development and use of cryptocurrency.
When first introduced, fintech was used in the backend of banks and trading institutions. But as the technology developed and started becoming a major part of daily life, fintech became more consumer-oriented.
Fintech has changed the landscape of financial services. It is everywhere from transferring money to trading stocks to even making payments for groceries and is posing a threat to traditional banks and financial institutions.
Anything and everything is done on a mobile phone now, be it calling, texting, shopping or even sending money. Everything is available at your fingertips now, making tasks that were hectic and time-consuming, easier.
People find that Banking and payment apps are much more convenient as it avoids the long processes that are an integral part of traditional banking. Therefore, fintech apps have huge potential nowadays.
Steps to Create an App like BankOpen
1) Identify a niche market
The first and most important step in developing a fintech app is to identify the audience for the app. The creator of the app has to decide if the app is for individuals, institutions or businesses. Through market research, the needs of the target audience can be identified and the scope of the app can be properly planned.
2) Build an MVP model
Start with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) model. Build a prototype of the app and release it for a small sector of the target market. The prototype should only contain a limited set of the app’s features and show the basic structure of the app.
The main aim of releasing a prototype is to get feedback on it. Users will give feedback on the errors of the app and also ways to improve it. Depending on the feedback, changes can be made to the app so that it becomes very user-friendly to fully release to the public.
3) Get cloud services
A start-up may not be able to invest in IT infrastructure in the beginning. Instead they can get cloud services to provide storage, infrastructure, operating system, etc. to begin their development process.
PaaS (Platform as a Service) or MBaaS (Mobile backend as a service) platforms provide cloud services. Software Development Kits (SDK) and Application Programming Interface (API) can be used for app development.
4) Hire a professional team for app development
An experienced and professional team has to be hired for the development of a good quality app. An ideal team consists of a visionary, requirement analyst, project manager, designers, mobile app developer, iOS developers, android developers, QA (Quality Assurance) specialists and sales and marketing specialists.
5) Be compliant with the local regulations
Banks and other financial institutions have many regulations binding them. Many laws are established to try and protect this sector from fraudulent activities. Therefore, it is difficult to break into the financial service industry. Fintech apps developed should be able to verify government provided IDs.
6) Set-up IDEs
For the development of apps, certain development tools are required which are provided by IDEs (Integrated Development Environment). The best IDEs for android app development are Android Studio, IntelliJ IDEA and NetBeans IDE. The best IDEs for iOS app development include Xcode, Appcode and Atom.
7) Develop the app
Once the development tools and teams are ready, the next step is to develop the application. The developers have to make sure that while the fintech app has all the features that they have already planned, it is also visually pleasing.
The user interface must be simple and easy to navigate. Aesthetics play an important role in the popularity of an app. An app with the right theme and colour palette will give an enjoyable experience to the user. Also, make the app icon unique so that it will be easier to market it later on.
8) Test the app
Once the app is developed, it has to be tested on several devices before it is released. Since it is a fintech app, users have to be sure about the security of their data on the app. Therefore, before releasing the app, measures have to be taken to ensure the safety of information on the app.
The best places for release of apps are Google Play Store, AppStore and Microsoft Store. Once they are released, the users can give feedback on the app and accordingly, the weak and strong aspects of the app can be identified and necessary improvements are made.
Essential Features of Fintech
1) Simplicity
The most essential feature that makes any fintech app successful is its simplicity. Apps should be easy to use and reliable. The simplicity of these apps enables users to manage their finances and save their earnings.
Good fintech apps provide users with advanced services that allow them to keep track of their finances, thus feeling empowered. These apps aim to become simple analytical tools that collect and organise financial data, display transactions and allows users to create financial programmes.
Payments, borrowing money and management of finances are much easier through fintech apps rather than conventional banking procedures. This makes it very attractive to consumers.
2) Personalisation
Fintech apps are consumer-oriented. App developers must strive to understand their clients and make each client’s app experience unique.
With the help of artificial intelligence, a user can be provided with personalised services that are not usually available in banking and other financial institutions.
When the financial services provided is personalised, users will be more satisfied with the app, thus creating a greater reputation for it.
3) Security
Fintech apps must ensure users about the security of their personal data. Since the focus of fintech apps is money, users have to be assured about the security of their data.
Apps must also always be vigilant about any cyber security threats. Some good ways to ensure security are two-factor authentication and lockdown of the account after multiple failed login attempts.
4) Integration
One of the essential features that an app must be successful is its ability to integrate with other apps like those for bill payment and financial resource management. An individual or a company requires several services.
Unless the app is built to provide all those services, it must be able to integrate with other apps. Developers will have a hard time to develop and maintain a coding that enables integration of the app with others.
People do business to make profits. In the same way, apps are also developed with the aim of generating profits. Giving free service all the time will be a huge loss for the app developer and so services have to be monetized. The most common methods through which fintech apps make money are:
1) Subscription
First time users of the app are given a free trial period that can last from a week to 30 days. If the users like the app, they will pay a subscription fee for further use of the app.
Users can also be given premium service where basic features of the app are given to the users for free but certain advanced features like trading advice can be offered as a premium service for which the users makes a small payment.
2) Advertising
Fintech apps advertise third party companies on their platforms for money. When users click on these advertisements, the app gets money from those third parties. Different users will get different ads based on their personal preferences.
3) Peer to Peer Lending
Fintech apps can be a platform for individuals to lend money to each other. They can earn interest on the money they lend and in turn, the fintech platform will charge a small fee as brokerage.
Trends and Statistics
Recent research reports show that almost 88% of well-established financial institutions fear that they will lose their revenue to fintech companies in areas such as money payment and lending.
About 46% of today’s consumers exclusively use digital platforms for their financial needs
In 2018, fintech firms acquired more than $111.8 billion in investments
More than 82% of traditional financial institutions are planning to increase their collaborations with fintech companies.
By the year 2022, mobile payments are estimated to grow by 121%. This composes 88% of all banking transactions.
How Much Does It Cost to build Fintech App like BankOpen
Fintech apps can be developed within 40–50 days at the cost of $10,000 or more. But development of the app is not a one-time process. According to the frequency with which the government changes its regulations, the coding of the app has to be revised.
iOS apps are much easier to build and cost less than android apps. iOS users are also more likely to pay for their apps. But there are more Android users than Apple, especially in Asia. The cost per download for Android is lesser than iOS and Android apps need not be updated as frequently as iOS reducing its maintenance cost.
The cost to build a fintech app like BankOpen is $4800 in India when compared to $48,000 in the US. Most developers, therefore, outsource their development projects to India as they will get more talent and expertise at a lesser cost.
Similar Apps
Fintech is a very competitive field now and more and more players are entering the field. Some fintech apps similar to BankOpen are:
YONO by SBI – YONO is a digital banking platform offered State Bank of India. It offers various financial payments like bill payment and is available both on Android and iOS.
Robinhood – Robinhood is a US based stock trading app. It allows users to invest in public companies and shares listed in the US stock exchange. The app does not charge commission on investments of the users.
Chime – Chime is a US based banking app. It doesn’t charge any transaction fees. It allows users to manage their savings and expenses.
Mint – Mint is a successful budgeting app that allows users to keep track of their income and expenditure. The app also reminds users to pay their bills and offer them advice based on their spending patterns.
Google Pay – Google Pay is a digital wallet that is linked with the users’ bank accounts. This app can be used to make payments, purchases and even book tickets
Financial Technology is taking over the financial service industry. Now is a great time to build fintech app like BankOpen with the increased number of smartphone users.
More and more people are getting to know about the convenience of such apps and according to recent studies, users of such apps are expected to grow by 120%.
Entering at an early stage into the market will give you a competitive edge over new players. To build a fintech app like BankOpen is a profitable but complicated process.
Redbytes has a team of professional and experienced developers who can provide the best services in the industry. With previous experience in such projects, they will be able to help build successful fintech app like BankOpen.
Engagement and productivity are two biggest drivers of growth for any company and what could be the more effective way than employee recognition and scheduling management. While timely recognition and appreciation for work boosts workforce morale and productivity, employee shift scheduling management solutions on the other hand helps keep the maximum employee productivity
When employees know that they are working with the employer that has best interest for their team, it directly impacts their self-esteem and makes them feel special and driven.
Rewards and recognition is also marked as a best opportunity to engage and connect with contributors on a deeper, personal level. Mobile app for shift swapping and scheduling gives you a power to enable staff productivity management solution.
Not only can you show care and empathy for working millennials through frequent kudos and feedback, but you also gain the advantage of creating a productive environment with high performance and less turnover rate as Deloitte report suggests.
We have narrated ways to leverage shift swapping and scheduling app along with its features and benefits to keep your working squad dynamic, encouraged and informed all the time.
The Basics of Shift Swapping app
Usually, shift swapping app is built keeping the managerial activities and employee engagement in mind. Project managers and leaders can leverage the technology regularly for the following team-oriented goals:
Workforce Management/Optimization – expect the best returns on the investment for workforce management as you minimize employee absenteeism.
Employee Engagement – engage employees and create dynamic work drive with a neat and user-friendly mobile app
Activity Monitoring – centralize the entire internal employee collaboration and engagements done via app in a secure, personalized dashboard
Appreciation Posts – Ability to show appreciation and value (positive comments, kudos, claps etc.) through dedicated posts
Frequent Feedback System – managers share feedback and responses in front of teams to let employees know how good they are at their job
Special Inspirational Video Content – Keep the motivation up and high by sharing inspiring videos with success stories, quotes or messages on company’s channel
Social Sharing Capabilities – allow employees to share their achievements on story boards as they hit some milestones or knock out goals
The Sophisticated System of Recognition, Appreciation and Rewards
The best way to engage employees within an organizational structure is with frequent rewards and recognition for even the smallest of milestones. Through incredible Shift swapping app, it is possible for you to celebrate small achievements by employees – the key factor to encourage them to contribute more to the company’s growth.
This app helps acknowledge and appreciate the progress your sales team has made, leads the marketing team has secured or when someone walks an extra mile to help his colleagues.
As Managers leverage the mobile app to offer gestures of applause for the outstanding efforts in a personalized fashion, employees tend to feel massively appreciated and valued and stay longer with the company. It creates positive environment for employees, making them proud and motivated.
Workplace becomes Dream Workspace
When a team achieves a target or hits the milestone, it shows an opportunity for managers to appreciate their success. Having in-app applause or shout-outs could fuel the team’s positive energy and motivation, adding massive value to their teamwork and corporate culture.
Shift swapping mobile app can also spark a team-focused platform where it is easy to announce employee of the month – which takes the shape of significant virtual R&R event.
The story about Employee of the month along with their special contribution and tenure can be sensationally broadcast in a way that cheers up the winner and motivates others. All of this recognition can be executed using a single shift swapping app.
In the same way, respective team managers can also announce promotions to congratulate and encourage team members. They can share information about the new roles, responsibilities and their overall journey.
This sort of in-premise activities enhances the team’s morale and self-esteem while boosting their career path and creating a viable connection with a company.
Most Vital Features and Goals of Staff Scheduling App
Usually classified as a communication and staff management app, corporate-specific scheduling app comes equipped with tools to communicate and engage with the team and resolve daily workflow challenges. The typical staff scheduling app targets the following aspects:
Harnessing potential
Work gap management
Organizing and assigning tasks
Staff level maintenance
Employee-to-employee and employee-to-company connection
Time-off and Time-on monitoring
100% customer attendance
Based on the company’s specific and high-priority essentials, you can enjoy features like:
Manage/edit users
Assign tasks
Schedule shifts
Manage shift swapping
Control different employee access levels
Flexible shifts
Change/modify last-minute schedules
Count hours
Monitor Overtime
Direct messages
Push notifications
Eventually the shift scheduling app becomes the host of smart features for employees to manage and control the way shifts are scheduled.
Employees are also able to receive timely reminders for schedule and reschedule on their personal devices via push notifications. Additionally, combined with engagement approach, the app can enhance team communication and create community vibes among employees.
Tailored Industry-specific Apps
The scope of usability for Shift swapping and scheduling apps infuses multiple industries. Apart from smartphone device, these apps can also be accessed on desktop or mobile browsers with great convenience.
For instance, hospital staff members put on hourly shifts will be able to manage and access all the features related to their shift duties, schedules, time on and time off on their side of mobile app.
From retail to hospitality, here are a few industries that can use the shift swap/schedule mobile app tailored to meet their specific needs:
Retail – Keep the sales floor fully staffed to provide uninterrupted customer service
Inventory and Supply chain – adjust staffing level in real time to meet changing business needs
Food Service – Keep wait time minimum, serve and retain more customers with consistent staffing
Hospitality – Maintain the best hygiene and service standard for privilege customers by keeping the attending staff impeccably organized
Grocery – Ensure all departments are perfectly staffed to best serve customers
Aviation staff – Hassle-free allotment of staff members and service teams in tightest conditions without any inconsistency or muddle
Manufacturing plants – Ensure all the plant operations stay functional and productive by keeping the staff on the foot
Hospital – Ensure all patients receive the best care by keeping nursing department available round the clock
The Most Preferable Approach for Developing a Shift swapping and scheduling app
If your corporate structure demands for the management of both engagement and productivity at the same time, it is great to consider building an app that targets scheduling and appreciation simultaneously.
For this to materialize, you can ask a capable mobile app development firm to leverage emerging technologies and latest innovations coupled with modern mindset.
The result should essentially be the app that helps employee establish seamless collaboration while strengthening their connection with the company as they feel great satisfaction from mutual appreciation, recognition and motivation.
Since your company’s team members rely on diverse set of personal devices, it is inevitable to shift focus on creating apps for both iOS and Android platforms at times. For estimated cost, development process, methods other factors, you should consult directly with a qualified development team.
Driving performance and productivity while engaging employees is a challenge best met with a mobile app. Companies leveraging shift swapping and staff scheduling mobile app has a lot to gain.
While managers waste no time in quickly showing praise and recognition for the excellence and employee dedication, they can also monitor and effortlessly manage shifts schedules for everyday job. Consequently, they satisfy the purpose of both engagement and productivity simultaneously.
If you wish to create a corporate culture with maximum employee satisfaction and work harmony, go ahead and consult with our expert mobile app development team today. We make sure you will be getting the best output with exceptional returns.
