DEV Community: Karl Parkar

Important Questions That Clients May Ask Dedicated Mobile App Developers

Karl Parkar — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 11:38:26 +0000

Savvy businesses are aware that having a web presence of their business is not enough to remain competitive in the market. If you are not leveraging on mobile app, then you will be leaving a lot of money and opportunity on the table. According to statistics, 80% of the internet users own a smartphone and more than 25% consumers use a branded app for mobile research. They prefer to access the internet through their mobile devices. So, for all the business owners out there, it is time to create an app for your business so that your consumers can easily get connected over their hand devices and reach out to you for the services or products.

But what does this mean for the mobile app developers? More work and more projects in iOS, Android and mobile web? But there are few other things that you should also be prepared for. Today, business owners are moving to mobile. So, be ready to answer their questions during the interview with the hiring manager.

Here are some questions that they might put up before you before they hire you to develop your app.

Can you show some examples of mobile apps that you have created?
While facing clients looking for mobile app development partnership, mobile developers should come prepared to show their past work as well as some ongoing projects because this will indicate what you can contribute to the clients in case they hire you. The customers will always try to get an idea of what you have developed in the past and try to determine the technologies that you have worked on. Your work will also help them judge your skill set and experience and help them take a decision whether you are the best or not.
A thorough study of the portfolio will act as the best guide for understanding the quality of work that you provide. Repeat clients, result based facts and figures also reveal the real picture that will help to gain trust.

What are your core services?
Dedicated mobile app developers are the ones who are responsible for creating the app from the scratch and deliver it to the customers. The client company might ask you about your core services just to know whether you offer a full package to complete all processes from offering business analysis to developing modern and high quality app. You should be prepared to answer them and show your expertise in delivering customized projects that require working with modern app development frameworks and tools.

What is your app development process?
It is important to know about how the service providers will operate in the most crucial time. It is important for you to remain prepared about your development process and the strategies that you will adopt in case some unexpected problems arise. Be prepared to explain the methodologies that you would follow while building the application. This will help to gain reliability and also respond to any challenges that can be produced during the development process. Business owners usually prefer to choose agile development as it is a better approach and helps to make essential changes even during the development process.

What is your checklist for testing an app before launch?

Mobile app developers are responsible for creating the app from the scratch and delivering it to the customers. Your client may ask you about your app testing approach before the final release. Are you responsible only for creating an app or would you perform a comprehensive testing to confirm any errors or bugs in it? Anticipate these questions and prepare your answers as a test will require large beta groups, app updates, bug fixes and also the submission process to get the app into the store. Showing complete awareness of the entire process will help to impress your client as a dedicated mobile app developer.

Do you have any rewards, recognition or client references?
Any reliable mobile company will be able to show some awards and recognitions by top ranking organizations, magazines or media. Look out if your developers and designers have been credited anywhere on the internet and also ask your clients to share their views and recommendations on social media or YouTube. You can use the client's testimonials to prove your credibility and also give their references so that your clients can directly take a feedback from them.
What is your preferred communication means during the app development process?
Since app development requires good collaboration between the client and the team, your client may want to know the means of communication with the developers and project managers throughout the development process. Be prepared and be very clear about your work style and communication means and how you will update your client about the work proceedings. If you prefer video conferencing meetings or emails, make sure to convey the preferences to your client so that they can be well prepared to work with you.

How do you calculate the app pricing?
Since making a business mobile app is a big investment and you cannot usually overlook the expenses, it is important to plan your budget beforehand. Your customer may ask you about the time and money that they will have to spend on the mobile app. So, make them understand the billing procedure and any other extra claims that you might charge while creating the app. Don't overprice and be alert of all the expenses and maintain a proper invoice for each assignment.

The desire to start working with new clients on their app is understandable, but keep in mind that developing an app is a lengthy process and it is very important to gain the trust of your client regarding reputation, reliability and credibility. It is only then that you will be able to capture a wider market and enjoy growth in your business.

Trend Of On-Demand Apps: It’s Booming And Is Here To Stay

Karl Parkar — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 06:52:22 +0000

Mobile applications development companies are well responding to to the call of on-demand economy and sweating it out to build mobile apps that will get services to the doorsteps of consumers. When in need of a vehicle to journey away or a maid to take care of their homes, people today can just go through their mobile screens, open an app and hire the identical. While the on-demand economy will thrive because it is making daily lives of people more resourceful by providing them great convenience, there are multiple enterprise regions that are leveraging the idea of on-demand mobile apps.

Let's talk about some of the prominent enterprise areas where on-demand services app is playing its part well and generating new revenue streams for the entrepreneurs.

1 Local services
The tale of on-demand services started out when some local shops or food stores started delivering their products on the doorsteps of consumers staying with a proximate range. Mobile app development company has been the medium for customers to view their products and place orders.
Following the trend, many big and small food-centres, grocery stores, clothing and retail outlets started out with their own on-demand deliveries. Major triggers for the customers to use their mobile apps are the comfort of shopping from home, bit cheaper prices, can search over a range of products, and can even shop from the stores which are not at a convenient location.

2 Personal Utility services
Use of on-demand apps also shore up tremendously in the realm of personal utility and healthcare services. Apps in these segment include services of stylists, fitness trainers, therapists, body spa, tailoring and so forth. While to avail any of these, people earlier have to either walk into the services centres or call beforehand to get appointments, with apps they are now getting all personal and healthcare treatment at their homes.
With easy-to-use apps, people can now view the types of services offered, hire an executive and get themselves served. Even payments are going cashless with such apps, as customers have the option to make in-app payments using credit/debit cards.

3 Transportation
There's no stopping to the evolution of on-demand services in travel and transportation. Perhaps the fastest growing type of apps enterprise, 'private cars on hire' is the recent buzz of all metropolitan towns and cities. Also available with facilities of pool or shuttle, on-demand cab services are gradually overshadowing the conventional taxis, available less and from the stands. Contrary to this, people can now hire a cab right from their present location. They get to see the cabs available in their proximity via the mobile app and tap on 'hire' to get themselves picked up.

4 Homecare Services
There's more of the on-demand apps! Apart from personal care, they are now available for different household services including laundry, home cleaners, cooks, electricians, plumbers, babysitters, pet sitters, etc. So, instead of searching for services providers from different sources and approaching them personally, they can use apps. They are performing the role of a middle-man between the homemakers and the services centers. Furthermore, with such an app, service providers can now tap profits from the distant markets apart from the locals.
To cut it short, on-demand mobile application development is booming fast. Even before companies can realise what an on-demand app can do to their enterprise, consumers are getting crazy over the trend. And, why not? Those apps are like mini-guide in their pockets, helping them get what they want in minutes. Soon a time may come when people won't venture out of their homes to look for a service or product.

Mobile App Development : Five Leading Factors to Keep in Mind

Karl Parkar — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 06:43:26 +0000

Mobile app industry is huge and that the reason many serial entrepreneurs are talking to a mobile app development company to get their app build. To maintain this client with ongoing work of new performance development for forthcoming versions, the mobile app development company or mobile developer must ensure that they offer the best services to this client. Of course, professional approach and competitive rates will help you to get the client, but to maintain the customers you must keep five major things in mind which are explained in this post.

1.Use the recent tools and technologies for mobile app development
The mobile application development is in enterprise for many years. Thus , there are many revolutionary changes in this enterprise. There are so many tools, technologies, libraries, etc. in the market and you must use in-trend platform for your customer. The mobile development platforms plays a major role in developing a superior quality and scalable mobile application, so benefit your client with the modern trends.

2.Guide your customer by giving him the benefit of your experience
If you are a mobile app development company or a developer, you must have developed many applications in Android and iOS. You must benefit your customer with your own industry knowledge and expertise. Guide him during different stages such as what features should be included in the first version. There can be many recommendations that would benefit your clients and as we all know a cheerful client would stay longer with you and would also provide you with some referral enterprise.

3.Develop a light-weight app
We all know the memory and processor of a Smartphone is restricted. Despite the fact of memory expansion opportunities, today’s everyone is dealing with memory shortage. In case of not enough memory, the first candidates of getting deleted are the apps that are occupying highest space. Thus, make sure your developed app is light-weight.

4.Develop an app with minimum load time
Today’s consumers are impatient. They wouldn’t prefer to see your app is loading the screen or feature. There are hundreds of other options for the same features according to them. Thus, if you develop a slow app, the users are more likely to stop using it.

5.Deliver a bug free mobile app
Everyone knows the delivered app has to be of high-quality and bug free still I am stating this point because it is very necessary. You must use the best software testing service of an enterprise or your in-house QA testing experts to perform the app testing. Don’t rely on the developers to test the app as they may skip some functional and nonfunctional flaws which can create a bad user experience. A high quality app will delight your customer and your customer’s customers.

Summary
Mobile app development might be easy for you being the best mobile app development company or a professional, but to assure you provide the best mobile app development services you have to keep these 5 points in mind. It will not only delight your customer, but it will also assure to maintain him for a long time and benefit you with repeat and referral enterprise.

Ref-->https://medium.com/@swapnil.hokuapps/mobile-app-development-five-leading-factors-to-keep-in-mind-8dca4fad26ad

The Ideal Tools For Designing A Mobile App

Karl Parkar — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 05:01:45 +0000

Mobile applications are usually a long-term investment in today’s business landscape. Opting for the right development platform is therefore imperative to ensure that the app meets the expectation. Here are 5 of the best solutions for making apps with industry-grade features in a shorter span.

The significance of mobile applications in the present business scenario need not be highlighted. Whether you run a family business from your own residence or have a multinational organization, apps are essential not only for visibility but also for operational efficiency and business productivity.

Designing a Mobile App
A mediocre app is as good as no app, but you cannot wait for ages to launch on either. So, how you get an application built is crucial. There are a number of mobile app design platform to assist. Leveraging the right solution, you can develop highly customized applications within a fraction of time and cost. Following are some of the best options:

Appy Pie

Appy Pie is an impressively intuitive mobile app designing platform with a streamlined interface. Let not its ‘drag and drop’ functionalities make you undermine its capability. You can even build custom applications using the platform.

Appy Pie offers 384 different templates, all of which are arranged in 12 different categories to make selection convenient for you. The platform integrates seamlessly with leading CMS platforms, including Joomla and WordPress. Another impressive capability of Appy Pie is that it can import content directly from your current website if you want your mobile application design to be consistent with your website.

Appy Pie offers 3 subscription plans — Basic, Gold, and Platinum.

Axure

Axure is the one-stop solution for fully interactive mobile app designing. Its no-code environment allows you to develop both mobile applications and wireframing websites even without coding knowledge, although it supports coding too. It is a fairly sophisticated platform and comes in Standard and Pro editions. Built for advanced prototyping requirement, the platform provides pre-built components for easy development. You can add some impressive features, such as interactions and master pages, to your application with the help of Axure mobile app development tool. However, the no-code environment doesn’t suit businesses with complex workflows.

HokuApps

HokuApps is the ‘platform of choice’ for mobile app designing for enterprises across industries. Its low-code and intuitive development environment enable even operations personnel to build enterprise applications. The platform features built-in connectors to facilitate seamless integration of your new application with your legacy systems. Besides, applications developed with HokuApps can work in synchronization with more than 500 third-party applications.

Industry-grade application security, comprehensive reporting, scalability and unified communication are but a few of its key features. Based on rapid development model, HokuApps facilitates up to 10 times faster application production. Its wide range of advanced-yet-flexible features supports custom app creation for enterprises of all sizes. HokuApps MADP platforms supports Android, iOS, and Windows as well, ensuring widest reach for your mobile application.

iBuildApp

iBuildApp offers certain features that none of its competitors do. To name one, iBuildApp’s ‘Company’ subscription plan allows you to create more than 10 applications and provides extended support such as admin-level user management, automatic backup and restore additional content security and application setup services. There is also a Professional plan, which allows 500 downloads of your application, and a Business plan, which allows unlimited downloads. iBuildApp’s platform is loaded with high-end features but designing mobile apps is not as typically expected from a modern platform. It is more suitable for developing internal enterprise applications with fairly complex functionality.

IntellectSoft

IntellectSoft’s intuitive no-code mobile app development platform packs in an array of advanced features such as marketing tools and comprehensive analytics. Using IntellectSoft’s platform, you can develop custom enterprise applications of all types, including CRM, cloud, fintech, blockchain, real-time billing, and more. The platform facilitates up to 3 times faster application development and delivers up to 60% increase in budget efficiency. The features and capabilities of IntellectSoft, however, make it more suitable for large enterprises rather than startups and borderline SMBs.

Last Thoughts

These are amongst the finest mobile app development platforms in the market presently. You need to first specify your requirement exhaustively to choose the most suitable one.

Future of Mobile App Development for the IoT

Karl Parkar — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 11:11:04 +0000

The future of mobile app development isn’t simply relating to our mobiles and tablets anymore. We’re going straight into a period of cloud computing running Smart-Everything then one in which our smart devices do not simply reside in isolation. Mobile app development for the Internet of Things is going to be even bigger soon, even though current work aren’t paying off however.

With the increasing reputation of Android Put on and the classy 2015 entry of the Apple Watch into the smartwatch market, we’re viewing a move away from phones and tablets. We’ve barely started to take into dangerous consideration the true potential of wearables. However, wearables are but one of the product categories in which IoT houses.

We’ve observed samples of other IoT products such as the self-driving car by Google, the Nest thermostat, the Ring that handles everything, the fridge that reads your tweets or anything else. As devices start to get even more interrelated , the opportunity for software to add value to these smart devices evolves into previously greater. Hopefully, the competition between these types of devices will be mainly based on which has the finest quality software. This is where the future of mobile app development gets a mine of opportunity.

This research by Vision Mobile posted in earlier this year on the state of mobile app development platforms shows that about 53% of mobile developers are working on IoT projects, with most of them doing so as an activity or side project. Mobile developers looking to catch an early journey on this upcoming wave into the future of mobile app development should certainly explore IoT projects.

For more information on mobile app development for the IoT, write to us at sales.sg@hokuapps.com or call us on +65 8813 8839.

Positive Impacts on Business Brought with Android App Development Benefits

Karl Parkar — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 06:42:50 +0000

The time spent on mobile apps is on the rise. An average adult spent more than two hours a day on mobile apps in 2017, according to estimates published by eMarketer. This is not surprising with the expanding capabilities of smartphones and mobility solutions. What is surprising though, is that the number of apps installed and used regularly by an average adult is declining. Users have become increasingly discerning and have little patience with apps that have even the slightest flaws.

Mobile apps are where the users are. So, if your business hasn’t already considered Android app development, it’s time to do so. With more than 2 billion active devices and a market share of over 80%, Android is the most widely used operating system. So, it makes sense to begin the digital journey of your business with Android mobile app development.

Here are the top benefits of Android application development:
Open Source
Customizable UI
High ROI
Greater Flexibility

Choose an Android app development company that offers a powerful mobile app development platforms, with pre-configured modules. This will lower cost and time to market.

The average smartphone user is increasingly relying on mobile apps for a range of tasks, from waking up in the morning to getting around, coordinating with colleagues, checking the weather, responding to emails, shopping, entertainment and much, much more. With technological advancements in cloud storage, machine learning, AI and augmented reality, the capability of mobile devices and apps has expanded significantly. No wonder then that the average adult spent close to two-and-a-half hours per day on mobile apps in 2017, according to estimates presented by eMarketer.

The rise in time spent on apps doesn’t come as a surprise. What is surprising, however, is the decline in the total number of apps installed and regularly used by an average adult. This trend highlights how selective and demanding users have become. They would not give an app a second chance if it seems to have even the slightest flaw. Due to this reason, it’s critical for businesses to identify the top Android app development company to work with as well as to be aware of technological advancements like MADPs to gain a competitive advantage.

Why Android App Development?
Given rapid digitalization, mobility has become core to the marketing strategy of a range of businesses, across industries and from small startups to Fortune 500 companies.

Mobile apps play a key role in brand building, reaching out to a larger customer base, improving your market position, boosting revenues and expanding the market share.

If you’re thinking your business doesn’t need a mobile app to connect with and sell to loyal customers, think again. Customer retention is as important and can be done as effectively with mobile apps.

Once you’ve decided to create a mobility solution, the next decision to make is the operating system, to begin with. Many businesses begin their digital transformation with Android app development. This makes sense, as Android has more than 85% share of the OS market, according to figures published by Statista. And, there are more than 2 billion active Android devices worldwide, says this tweet by Google.

Benefits of Android Application Development for Your Business
Android is an open-source platform built on Linux. It offers the complete range of solutions for mobile devices from OS and middleware to mobile applications. Apart from performance, scalability, and speed, there are several other benefits of Android mobile app development. The most important of these are:

Open Source: Your business can benefit from the Android Software development kit without having to pay licensing costs or other fees. What’s more, the vibrant community of Android app developers provides suggestions and guidance for more attractive solutions.

Customizable User Interface: Android offers a highly customizable user interface, allowing you to create the best experience for your target audience.

Multiple Sales Channels: Unlike other mobile platforms that have a tight control on distribution channels, Android apps can be deployed in several ways. Apart from using Google Play, you can distribute your app via third-party channels.

High ROI: Android has a lower entry barrier than other operating systems. The SDK of Android is available for free, which reduces the overall costs of Android application development.

A business can increase its ROI by creating the mobility solution on a MADP. A powerful MADP allows businesses to leverage a rich set of pre-developed modules. Meaning, for any functionality that you require for your app, a pre-written code set is readily available. All you have to do is to drag and drop the chosen modules, design the layouts and UI, and deploy the app in a matter of weeks. An experienced Android app development company and a robust MADP would allow you to launch a highly customized and superior quality app at a fraction of the cost of traditional Android application development and the time-to-market is 10 times faster.

Leverage Android App Development for Business Growth
With Android app development, businesses can:

Provide greater value to customers
Build brand identity and expand brand awareness
Establish stronger connections and build long-term relationships with customers, employees, and vendors
Gain a competitive advantage
Reach out to a wider demography and expand your customer base
Keep customers updated on new products, services, and offers
Stay in touch with a distributed workforce
Provide customers with a sales channel that is always within their reach
Increase customer loyalty
Build your brand and boost profits

If you’ve chosen an experienced team of Android app developers and the right MADP, you can innovate ahead of the competition and add to the goodwill associated with your company.

The one challenge business face with Android is the wide variety of versions and device specifications simultaneously in use. This can mean a choice between narrowing the target audience and incurring an additional cost of ensuring compatibility with a larger number of device types and OS versions. This dilemma can also be addressed by using the right MADP.

Hidden Benefits of Custom Mobile App Development

Karl Parkar — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 08:53:09 +0000

Mobile apps have now become a key requirement of business offerings, rather than a frill, both for the customer and the organization. This has much to do with the exponential growth in mobility in general and the rising popularity of mobile apps. Mobile apps provide a major boost to a business’s productivity, efficiency, mobility, and security. This is why Custom Mobile App Development is such a boon to the organization.

A study conducted by Statista recently has shown that 22 percent of digital transactions were carried out through mobile devices in the USA. Google’s report corroborates this increase in this phenomenon that is generally known as “mobility”. Google found that 58 percent of all mobile users check prices and offers on their mobiles, and 66 percent of these make at least one purchase through their mobile every week. It is easy to see, therefore; just how influential the role of custom mobile app development has been in promoting mobility from the facts and figures given here.

Custom mobile app development can be used to create both customer-facing apps for which the demand is high in the market, as well as B2B applications and for the development of SaaS solutions for internal purposes of the business.

What is We Offering?

Custom mobile app development is the creation of software for use on mobile devices, which is tailored according to the requirements and specifications of the app developers of a company after careful consideration of customer's’ choices and preferences. The app developing team keeps the following in mind during the process: business goals, problems, and requirements. Custom mobile app development is distinctly different from COTS products, which are commercial, off-the-shelf products or services that can be bought or hired from a vendor or third party for use.

Custom mobile app development utilizes the rapid app development processes using a Low Code platform to build a mobile application that is customized to fit specific business needs. It is thus, beneficial to go the custom mobile app development way.

The Benefits of Custom Mobile Application Development

High Degree of Efficiency:

Custom mobile app development enhances the efficiency of the overall app development process. The rapid app development platform gives you the flexibility that only a non-linear, non-waterfall approach can. Various stages of the process can be worked upon in tandem, and ideas and inputs from collaborators with varied skill sets can be incorporated at different times.

Scalability:

The returns on the company’s investment remain scalable and proportional throughout the lifespan of the mobile app. Custom mobile app development services can be obtained that give you great support in the form of guidance and even intervention. An effective strategy will help you scale your app according to how your business expands.

Acquiring Client Data:

Custom mobile app development does not limit you to a fixed set of fields to fill on the database in the way that COTS products do. You can acquire the exact data you need from customers to suit your business requirements. Apart from this being a discreet method of data collection, it saves users and app developers from the hassle of handling cumbersome files and attachments.

Tweet Your App as Required:

Using custom mobile app development allows you to tweak your mobile app based on changing market trends and meet consumer demands. This lets your business thrive amidst fierce competition. You can upgrade the app as required, and even test out the different functionalities in course of time.

Improved Customer Care:

With the help of custom mobile app development, you will be able to provide strong and consistent support to your clients. This is because a good rapid app development platform provider will consider the needs of your particular app development team. You will be able to give each of your customers a unique client journey through the length of their association with your custom mobile application.

Get More Information about Custom Mobile App Development @ https://www.hokuapps.com/custom-apps/custom-mobile-app/

Growing Businesses Need Enterprise Mobile App Development

Karl Parkar — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 05:19:11 +0000

The Ericsson mobility report, states that the smartphone subscription throughout the world is expected to reach 6.1 billion by 2020. It also estimates that by the end of the same year, almost 80% of all the internet traffic will come from mobile phones. This is how fast people are shifting to mobile.

As business owners, apart from mobile marketing and creating an app for the customers, there are many other ways to take advantage of this mobile revolution. One trend that is quickly getting popular globally is enterprise mobile app development. An increasing number of businesses are now on the lookout for an experienced mobile application development company that can build internal and external, client-facing mobile apps.

If done correctly, the app can offer a host of important benefits to help businesses grow.

If you still do not have an enterprise app for your business, here are 5 reasons why you should have one as soon as possible -

Powerful Tools for Employees
With the help of enterprise mobile apps, the employees can work better and faster to help improve the overall productivity of the company.

When businesses hire a mobile application development company to build an enterprise app, the app can be designed to do whatever a business requires. For instance, if there are things that can be improved or lagging for the employees, a mobile app is a great way to fix it.

Improved Efficiency
With employees using mobile apps for their day-to-day job, their tasks can be streamlined; and this can significantly boost their efficiency.

When they have a mobile app to help them through the tasks, they can work more and work better. Over time, this turns in better productivity and improved bottom line for the company.

Collect Customer Data
A major benefit of having enterprise mobile app is that they are a great source of user data. Android with a market share of more than 85% is the most popular mobile operating system with iOS at the 2nd spot. When a business uses a platform like Android or iOS for their app development, it functions as a goldmine of data from the customers, which can be used for improving marketing efforts.

To target users on both platforms and multiple devices, the use of a mobile app development platforms (MADP) is emerging as a popular way to develop apps with responsive design elements.

When people start downloading and using the app, it offers great insights into customer behavior, services or products they are interested in, general demographics, and much more than can help businesses customize their marketing efforts.

Instant Availability of Employee Information
Managing the information of the employees is a vital task for human resource management. While hiring more HR executives is an option when the company starts to grow, this can prove expensive and will not really solve data management problems.

Fortunately, there are now enterprise apps for human resource management too. These apps can be used by the HR department to automate their mundane tasks and focus more on other important tasks.

Reduced Security Risks
When you hire a mobile application development company to build a custom app for your business, it significantly reduces the security risks as compared to buying apps already available in the market.

A lot of these apps do not encrypt the data that they send and receive, making it highly prone to interceptions and misuse. When employees will use such apps for exchanging and storing sensitive company data, they would actually be compromising the security policies of the company. Custom-built enterprise apps can be the right solution to eliminate such risks.

Enterprise mobile apps are quickly becoming a vital part of businesses globally. Several businesses are already making great use of these apps and experience a wide range of benefits. It is time for you as well to be a part of this growing trend and let it offer you a host of business benefits like the ones discussed above.