Pocket App

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and director of Optime Group Limited, a recruitment company based in the UK. We specialize in high-volume recruitment for airports across the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Pocket App?

We needed a new way to deploy our large temporary workforce across the UK, especially coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. We wanted to offer flexible work to attract more people to airport jobs and provide a platform that would add value for both our company and our clients, allowing for more efficient deployment and management of staff.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pocket App has designed and developed a mobile app and a supporting web platform from scratch, as we had no in-house development team. The team has handled both the design and development, creating a solution for our workers and a client-focused platform that continues to evolve. The platform includes features such as flexible worker deployment, budget management, worker availability, compliance checks, and the ability to engage with multiple agencies and manage user permissions.

The discovery phase was based on the information we gave Pocket App. They've created a proposal and a timeline, but we've ended up changing everything. They didn't try to sell us something just because we wanted it. Pocket App has asked objective questions, so the discovery phase has been about getting the most out of them. Pocket App wants the product they built for me to add as much value as possible, and they want to understand what problem we were trying to solve, also from a UX perspective.

We have a mobile app, but there's a big platform that powers it. We also have a client-focused web portal. The solution provides insights into the budget and worker availability. If you're an end user at the airport, you can use that platform to engage with multiple agencies. If you have other staff providers, you can involve all of them, too. Customers can use our solution to manage staff in airports, and they can see budgets and worker availability, and add checks and training.

Pocket App has used Python and JavaScript, and has created the apps for Android and iOS.

How did you find Pocket App?

I discovered Pocket App through a cold email. It was perfect timing, as I was in the market for an app at that moment, and the email stood out as personal and relevant.

Why did you select Pocket App over others?

We contacted other companies, but Pocket App stood out because of a great initial call with their business development team. They understood exactly what I was looking for and asked all the right questions. They also had prior experience building a workforce app for another agency, which gave me confidence in their understanding of my needs. Meeting their team in person before the discovery phase further convinced me, as they brought valuable ideas and felt like they understood my industry.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership began around June 2022 and is ongoing. We continue to work with Pocket App on upgrades, new features, and enhancements, including a major version 2 update.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested over £250,000 in this partnership.

How many teammates from Pocket App were assigned to your project?

I initially worked with Bertrand. I regularly work with two main contacts from Pocket App: a design director (who also acts as a project manager) and another team member who handles issues like bugs. Occasionally, additional developers join calls for specific support or technical discussions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The platform has won several awards, including the Best Use of Technology in a Recruitment Company at the TR Awards and a silver award at the Digital Impact Awards. The technology has helped us increase our market share and differentiate ourselves from competitors, leading to greater client engagement and business success. Pocket App's work has met our expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with Pocket App?

We communicate primarily over Microsoft Teams, with weekly calls involving my main contacts. Occasionally, we meet in person at their office or mine. We use GitHub for some project management and Google Docs for logging bugs and feedback.

How did Pocket App perform from a project management standpoint?

Pocket App has consistently been upfront about costs and accurate with timelines. They've never missed a deadline, stayed on budget, and kept me well updated throughout the process. We use GitHub for some aspects of project management and Google Docs for tracking bugs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The expertise and forward-thinking approach of the main project lead, Jake, have been particularly impressive. He anticipates potential issues and always suggests the best way to implement new features, making the platform flexible and scalable. His input has consistently made the process easier and more effective for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been minor issues, such as occasional typos in pop-up messages, but these are very minor and have never let us down.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of your desired outcome before engaging. Focus on the end goal rather than just a list of features, as this will help you get the most value from Pocket App's expertise.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Managing Director of The Jobs Foundation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The CSJ Foundation is a charity that helps people overcome poverty and unemployment by connecting them with meaningful job opportunities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pocket App to accomplish?

• We hired Pocket App to design and build mobile apps that improved user experience and provided scalable solutions our team couldn’t deliver in-house.

SOLUTION

How did you find Pocket App?

Referral

Why did you select Pocket App over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pocket App were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Pocket App worked closely with us to translate our web workflows into mobile-friendly applications. The project included product discovery to define requirements, UX and interface design tailored for mobile users, development of native iOS and Android apps, testing for performance and reliability, and final deployment. Key deliverables included fully functional mobile applications integrated with our existing web platforms, optimized user experiences for our clients, and documentation to support ongoing updates and maintenance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Feedback from end-users indicated that app was not working well initially, but after more work from the their end, our team was able to integrate and maintain the apps efficiently alongside our web platforms.

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

They followed a clear and structured project management approach, keeping us informed at every stage. They delivered milestones on time, adapted quickly to changes in scope, and responded promptly to questions.

What was your primary form of communication with Pocket App?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What impressed us most was their ability to take complex web workflows and translate them into seamless mobile experiences.

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

The project went smoothly overall, though there were a few minor timeline adjustments during the discovery phase. They communicated these changes clearly and adapted quickly, so the impact on the project was minimal.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Owner of Fitness Collective

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At Fitness Collective, we specialize in helping people with injuries & limitations lose weight and get in shape

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pocket App to accomplish?

• Create a mobile app for our members from our web app.

SOLUTION

How did you find Pocket App?

Online Search

Why did you select Pocket App over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pocket App were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Pocketapp created a custom mobile app for both Play Store and the App Store. This allowed members to schedule sessions with our highly technical policies, see results, set goals, follow nutrition courses we have created, and perform workouts digitally. Our company has been building our own software for the past 13 years, and we just started working with Pocketapp in the last 6 months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They produced a highly functional, beautiful app! We have a mobile app in the hands of our members, and they love it!

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

They did an excellent job on the project. Very responsive, even from 1/2 a world away. Great communication, always seeking clarity between my desires and what the programmers were working on. I now have to have them on future projects. Pocketapp did a great job checking in with me along the way and making sure I was heard through the process. They were a great team! 

What was your primary form of communication with Pocket App?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Pocketapp is a well-oiled machine. Our company has been building our own software for the past 13 years and we just started working with Simform in the last 6 months. They have blown me away with their organization, communication, design, and programming. 

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

Not really, they did an excellent job and I would highly recommend them.