The experience of creating a company to develop mobile applications. Mobile Application Development Companies: Personal Contacts with a Team "

You will learn:

• What mobile applications will be useful to customers of your company.
• Where to order the development of a mobile application for your business.
• How to promote a mobile application for business.
• How to develop a business through internal mobile applications.

Do you need an ordinary entrepreneur who has no idea about mobile marketing, business applications? Today, a significant number of people (more than one third) in the post-Soviet space are active users of modern digital gadgets: tablets, smartphones. In the West and in Asian countries, such people are even more, and the market of mobile applications is developing in a huge pace.

All mobile applications used for business can be divided into two groups:

1. Programs that meet the internal needs of the company.
2. Applications decisive business tasks: increase sales , increase loyalty, marketing goals, branding.

Internal applications are most common, for example, to automate business (restaurant and hotel business, shopping centers) or optimization and improve the efficiency of collective activities:

• applications that allow you to have joint access to working documents;
• programs for the implementation of internal communication: messengers, trackers;
• mobile versions of corporate social networks;

The most common mobile applications for customers

1. Mobile loyalty program. Such applications are still used as replacement of regular customer cards.
2. Applications in addition to the company's online services: Mobile display cases, Internet catalogs, shops; tickets for buying tickets; online banking; Trackers of the delivery status of goods.

The usual schemes operating on sites and in traditional online stores, unfortunately, are not applicable in the mobile sphere. This is the main obstacle to the active use of applications for marketing, branding and increase sales.

It is unlikely that the client will be uploading to his phone the program with a business card of the company, when all this is easily and available in a mobile browser. It seriously makes it difficult for many enterprises wishing to develop in the IT sphere.

When it's time to think about developing a mobile application for your business

Of course, not any company necessarily need mobile applications for business. However, some program niches for smartphones will be very useful in terms of improving customer loyalty to increase sales. These are areas such as:

• tourism (search for hotels, resorts, ticket booking, interactive maps);
• medicine (online recording to the doctor, list of services and price, call a doctor at home);
• automotive business (rental, car wash, dealer networks);
• catering establishments: restaurants, cafes, etc. (stocks, menus, delivery order);
• beauty Industry (Record to Specialists, Interactive Price, Service Information);
• delivery services and shops (product catalogs, order design, price);
• services sector;
• fitness (schedule of classes, prices, online recording, reviews);
• leisure (cards, online applications for tickets, rooms, tables, etc.).

Before ordering the development of a mobile business application, you should calculate, will this benefit that you expect. After all, such a program can help how to develop your business, and do not bring any results.

If you are sure that the mobile application will contribute to improving sales, then it is necessary to carefully approach the artist's search. Answer the questions:

• What exactly do you want to develop an application?
• Will their business customers be interested in whether to use the application? For example, hardly mobile applications will work in case the main share of consumers - pensioners.
• Can you recoup the costs?

Little only to develop a mobile application application. An equally important role is played by its promotion.

In other words, you will need to actively attract customer attention . To do this, plan costs.

Not only design and functionality of your application are important. The quality of the product and the service provided should also be at the level. Pay attention to advertising, do not let customers forget about the product, Improve the application regularly.

It is no secret that many users often annoy the next updates, because they complicate work with the program. A thorough analysis should be carried out whether your product needs to develop a business application.

5 cool applications for the work of the head

Read an overview of the five cool applications for creativity, which will be useful to any leader, in the article by the General Director's E-magazine.

Development of a mobile application as a tool for business development: advantages

Increase sales

Any business is created in order to profit, and marketing tools Also serve this task.

Mobile applications for business are aimed at raising the company's sales by attracting and maintaining the target audience. Built-in functions such as loyalty program or sending push notifications help in creating motivation from customers to buy your goods or services. In addition, they may notice about discounts and promotions.

Going out of the house, the person tries not to forget about the keys, telephone and wallet. Thus, the business turns out to be within customer phones and remains in their pockets. The contact of the company with buyers occurs due to what they use the mobile application. Scale surprises. Never in the history of mankind advertising were not so affordable.

Adjusting from competitors

Many companies for advertising their business use a variety of funds: flyers, rollers in the radio, SMS mailing, Internet sites, social networks. If we look at the App Store and Goolge Play, then most likely we will find no more than ten business applications in one city or the whole region. Competition in this area is almost zero.

Suppose a resident of Voronezh wants to make delivery of pizza to the house from his phone. Google helps him find a mobile application that automatically downloads to the smartphone. Through a computer, this happens not so quickly (due to higher competition), as through the program in the phone. Yandex announced readiness to adjust advertising packages in Yandex. Direct "for mobile applications.

Business promotion using smartphone programs can occur not only at the expense of various marketing activities on the Internet.

To expand the number of their consumers, the company can give special bonuses for ensuring that the client uses the application. This tool has few people apply, and people have a very good attitude to bonuses and discounts, everyone loves them. Mobile devices today are in the overwhelming population. With the help of the application, promotions are launched that helps compete with other enterprises and increase the loyalty of the target audience.

For example, any company to attract attention gives a lifetime discount in the amount of 10% on its products or services to the one who will establish a mobile application. Another bonus can be a free cup of coffee in any cafe in exchange for a demonstration of the application loaded to the mobile device. In this case, all parties are satisfied: the buyer will most likely order something in addition to his coffee, which will bring profit. In addition, the consumer will be grateful for the gift, and the company will become on one loyal client more.

Loyalty

How to conquer the sympathy and trust of customers? The secret is simple: be useful and indispensable for your buyers. Loyalty programs can assist in the development of different bonuses and gifts - customers, as a rule, are very loved. This will contribute to sales growth and promoting re-sales. So, for example, in the cafe can be a variety of shares of the type "Each fifth cup of coffee for free", "every 10th dinner as a gift." It will make a person attend your institution again and again in order to get a cherished bonus. The program in the smartphone will record visits, and the cafe will increase the number of loyal customers.

Another advantage of a mobile application for business: no longer need to score your wallet with numerous customer cards. The program you need is on your phone, which is always with you.

Formation of customer confidence through push notifications

Pedamental development of mobile applications for business

Stage 1. Business analysis of the target market.This stage is intended to ensure that the customer can understand for himself and determine why he needs an application for business, for what purpose it will use a mobile tool to communicate with its customers. Even before creating TK for the artist program, the customer should reflect on some important issues:

• What is your main goal in developing and launching a mobile application application?
• Do you plan to sell using your business application?
• How exactly does your target audience look like? Who can replenish her ranks?
• Is there competition in that area of \u200b\u200bactivity in which you want to work with the application, and how serious is it?
• Does your consumers already use any applications? Customers of your competitors? Are there any applications that use those and others? Will customers be ready to move from their programs to analog?
• How much do you need to spend money on creating and promoting your application for business?

Stage 2. Development of a coherent solution.An important step at the initial stage is the preparation of a technical task. If the customer does not have a ready-made TK, the performer can provide him with a brief for filling and further work on this document. The next step will be prototyping and drawing up user profiles to assess the finished product. After the TK is prepared, the tasks are agreed with the designer and the rating of profitability was carried out, it is possible to proceed to the process of developing a business application itself.

Stage 3. Preliminary assessment of the cost of development.At this stage, an assessment of how long the application will go on, which experts need to be applied.

The final price will not necessarily coincide with prior calculations. Ultimately, the cost of the application may turn out to be both more and less that it was assumed. The technical task is able to help determine the amount for the development of a business application most accurately.

After all preliminary actions, the process of creating a program takes control of a responsible specialist who monitors the work of work and answers all questions.

Stage 4. Designing the prototype.To demonstrate the operation of the program, a prototype is needed, or, in a different way, the application model. It can be static or interactive: with active buttons and transition capabilities. This is the work of the analyst. His task is to consider the logic of the functioning of the program and the role of the user in it (User Story). Marketing department It will help to make adjustments to the idea in accordance with the features of the target audience and the tasks that will be solved using a mobile application.

At the end of his work, the analyst discusses the model with the customer, corrects some points and transfers the designer to the relay. The latter tasks include choosing a style and design for the application.

Stage 5. Development of the first product release.In accordance with the terms of reference, the developers produce a pilot project of a mobile application for business. If it is complicated, then it is best to create a MVP version first - the minimum viable version of the program that will allow you to understand how customers will respond to your product. Analyst will help to deal with the necessary set of features for the application. If necessary, you can create a managing server and API service to transfer data between the server and the program.

Stage 6. Testing.Testing an application for business is a necessary step in the process of creating a quality product. It can be performed on simulators and on real devices. The main goal of this stage is: make sure that the operation of the application with the hardware and software platform will correspond to the planned model.

Stage 7. Publication.The new application is published, as a rule, in the personal account of the Google Play Market and App Store service. To create an account on Google Play Market, you must make a registration fee of $ 25. In the AppStore it will cost $ 99, and will need 2 weeks to confirm registration. In addition, the collection for the App Store is an annual.

Stage 8. Technical Support.Additional service can be provided at the request of the customer: the technical support of the application, the release of new versions for the updated mobile OS, marketing and advertising services. In addition, you can place applications in the App Store or Google Play on customer accounts. All this is done for a fee.

• How mobile application has accelerated the work of employees and companies

Where better to order the development of a business application

There are different options for where you can contact if you want to order the development of a business application. This can be a company specializing in such services, or a separate freelance specialist, and you can also develop a program on your own. What to choose - depends only on you. In all listed options, there are both the advantages and disadvantages.

Find a freelancer for such work is not harder than a specialist to create Landing. It is important that he will be able to program on the platform code. Working with a freelancer, you will be able to significantly save your costs (from 20 to 40%). But at the same time, the likelihood that when completing the order, there will be problems: freelancers do not always clearly comply with the timing and requirements for work.

The profile company will cope with the order perfectly, however, it will cost it a lot. The refinement of any element or making the slightest changes will also be paid. And without them, in this activity can not do. As a result, you will receive quality services for big money.

It should be relying about 10 thousand dollars (according to the most rough estimates) for the development of a full-fledged business application. The customer pays:

• the work of specialists on the terms of reference. Both parties are important to understand what the application will be created;
• appearance of the product;
• programming and creating a working model of the application;
• testing the product. Work on correcting possible errors.

The final cost of the project will be determined by the scale of the issues that must be resolved when using the program.

In addition to all named options, there is a possibility development of a business application using a designer. This method is more suitable for simple programs with a small set of functions.

1. Flipcat.net (Russian).
2. MobiMapps.com (Russian).
3. Russia.ibuildapp.com (Russian.
4. Brightmobile.ru (Russian).
5. Goodbarber.com (English).
6. APPMAKR.com (English).
7. KickAppBuilder.com (English).

All these services are paid: English - more and more expensive, Russians are easier and cheaper. On each site you can find the possibility of a free test period, so you can experimentally determine which of these resources it is for you.

What to take into account, developing applications for business

1. The cost of creating a mobile application for business is much higher than on the development of a web application or site. And pay off, as a rule, better sites than mobile programs.
2. Mobile applications for business are an investment with an eye on the future. It may seem that such programs do not play today decisive role in terms of competition. But keep in mind that the market of mobile devices develops very quickly and it is important to go to the leg with it in order not to lose leadership positions.
3. Statistics show that on average, each mobile device accounts for approximately 26 mobile applications today, 10 of which is social networks, messengers, meteo and postal services. Other places - for your programs or competitors as games and other services. As you understand, the visiting appendices remain without chance.
4. Mobile phone today is a personal user space. Just as people do not want to fill their pockets with garbage and useless materials, they do not want to download the information ballast to the memory of their phone. Therefore, you develop a high-quality and useful product in order to gain the trust of your customers.

Following these items, we can build a logical chain: customers love free apps → Free Programs will pay off at the expense of advertising → You can invest in the creation, development and promotion of useful and free branded applications for businesses that will not contain third-party advertising.

For example, the company for the supply of drinking water can be ordered a calculator to determine the water balance in the human body or fitness program. The one who is engaged in selling children's goods may think about creating a product with useful information for parents or educational games for children.

If we talk about the quality of the work of the application for business, then these are the following points:

• lack of failures;
• number of day and monthly audience;
• holding (retention).

The last item can be attributed to the most important because it shows how many customers will be ready to use the application on a regular basis. It is not easy to achieve a high level of this index. As a rule, about one-third (26%) of people are not interested in the application and remove it from their mobile device. Even if half users continue to work with the program - it will be considered a good result.

How to promote a mobile application for business

Method 1. Optimization on the requirement of the market.

Under optimization it is understood as the exclusive name of the application and the presence of keywords in its description. In addition, the amount of downloads and a place in the rating of customers are important for entering the top. Do not forget to update the application for business in a timely manner: outdated versions are deleted from both search and directories.

• integrate advertising in popular programs;
• we break the target audience of the Interest Categories by selecting the most famous and demanded applications;
• set your banners on them.

With these tasks you will help to cope Google AdWords.

Method 3. Content marketing.Tell the world about yourself. Find out what resources your customers spend the most time, and place our guest posts with information about the advantages and features of your application there. For this you need:

• upload videos
• create audio podcasts
• shoot video for special purposes
• show activity in social networks.

Try to use the content marketing thoughtfully and comprehensively, applying the various features that there are in it: guest posts, SMM, video marketing, etc.

Method 4. Working with leaders of opinions.Leaders of opinions can be great assistants in promoting your product. Any audience has several people, to the point of view and the evaluation judgments of which the majority listened. In this case, it is important for you to achieve a high marks of your application from the leaders of opinions, and then naturally, thanks to their stories and impressions, many others will know about your product.

Method 5. Promotional site.Official network representation (whether it is an independent promotional site or a separate page within the company's main resource) will be a very big help in promoting your mobile application application. Efficiency will affect the type of program: startup or information element of a large company.

Thanks to the promotional site, you will have new opportunities to promote a mobile application. For example:

• visualization of the features of the application;
• creating instructions for using mobile programs;
• contextual advertising; Targeting on social networks;
• Wow-effect.

Today there is no shortage of ways to promote mobile applications for business, it is very important to competently use them.

How to develop a business through internal mobile applications: 3 successful examples

Example 1. Retail.

Network grocery stores "Dvorville" have developed a mobile base and "1C: Enterprise" and implemented in an automated system. The pilot version of the program was created for 2.5 months, exactly the same amount went to bring the working version.

The application is used in stores in order to send reports. For example, in a situation of some problems, a trading point worker makes a photograph of breakage and sends it to the main office.

Due to the image, any explanations become excess. The program also allows you to control the quality of products, returns, write-offs, etc. With the help of a mobile application scanner installed in the consideration warehouse, the information is sent directly to the database.

The owner of the network claims that thanks to the use of this product, millions of rubles are saved per month. The program develops also managed to save due to the fact that it was created on the basis of 1C. In another specialized firm, the application would be much more expensive.

Example 2. Production.

The Atomenergomash Technology Plant established an application based on iOS and 1C: production enterprise management ", which are used by about 100 people working in the workshops. The company comes among other products components for atomic reactors. These are huge products that resemble a very large truck with their dimensions. The manufacturing process is fully automated, but for security reasons, employees cannot use computers directly in the workshops. The output has become a mobile application for business. It is capable of finding components on the barcode, scan, open access to technological maps. Using this program, employees get tasks and report on their execution.

Example 3. Wholesale.

The company for the implementation of medical equipment "SIES Medica Volga" uses in his work a mobile application based on "1C: Managing Trade 8" and "1C: Company Accounting 8". In particular, this program actively uses sales representatives of several divisions of the company. The application carries out various functions: product reservation in stock, reception and registration of orders, filling out advance reports. The introduction of a software product allowed sales representatives to carry out 20% more meetings with customers.

Another example of a successful implementation of a mobile business internal work application.

Alexey Svetishchev, Head of the Information Technology Directorate of Velobayk, Moscow

The work of our company is aimed at the fact that the stations have always been available bicycles and free places. More bicycles are more customers, more stations and free places on them are more pleased with consumers who do not need to get out of extra kilometers in the search for a station with a free place.

In order to solve their main tasks, we needed to work to improve the logistics of bicycles and identify the optimal ratio of the number of bikes and free seats at stations. We managed to cope with this with the help of forwarder drivers. They use a mobile application for business since 2016, which allows you to save a temporary resource and improves the quality of the park. I will share with you more information about our application and the features of its functioning.

Each driver consolidated a certain city sector. Its task is to drive around the wellouts within this zone, inspect and evaluate visual bicycles, put in order, wash the dirt or inscription. Those bikes that are damaged, send to repair. The driver can also move the bikes from one station to another to the other. Each of the listed operations should be reflected in the driver's report.

Before installing the application based on "1C: Enterprise 8" we used the Excel table and the accounting program. But previous reporting methods have not satisfied us primarily because they did not cope with large amounts of information. The mobile application based on Android has been established for special data collection terminals that are very similar to the smartphone on the dimensions and set of functions. The device is equipped with a scanner for reading barcodes and built-in navigator function. The cost of one such terminal is about 35,000 rubles.

Before proceeding with your duties, the driver receives the terminal from the manager, enters the application and logged in. Being at the station, he chooses the operation in the program that will be performed.

If this is a standard Operation of the type "Candle in order", then the driver simply selects it among those listed in the application. For extraordinary tasks (for example, "get a drowned bike", "Find a bike, thrown in the city", etc.) there is a special section "Outside the Station".

For example, the driver works with the "Move" operation: takes the bike from one station and transports to another. After selecting the task in the application, it scans the barcodes of those bicycles that will be moved. Already upon arrival at the desired station, he marks the operation "put" and again reflects with the help of scanning bike barcodes. Thus, in the database, information about the location of specific bicycles is preserved.

Database updates occur every five minutes. This process takes place unmistakably, quickly and conveniently.

Absolutely every bike, station and car are equipped with barcodes. We needed to be needed for the work of previous terminals - analogues of the current ones. We used them only in a warehouse for accounting received or bicycle issued.

The impact of the application on the quality of business work was reflected in the following results.

1. Grown the decision-making rate. Information from the terminals is transmitted to the database that the dispatcher enjoys. In addition, there are two cards reflecting the amount of all bikes and location of drivers. Until recently, information was received twice a day, now all wasps

Mobile applications in the last decade began to play a big role in the life of people. Their functions often seem insignificant, but, nevertheless, they help users of smartphones and tablets solve various everyday tasks. The creation of even a simple mobile application is painstaking and hard work, which takes a large amount of time, forces and not at all guaranteeing high profits in the future. However, truly qualitative and necessary applications can "shoot" in the AppStore or GooglePlay and bring a lot of money to their developers. We offer novice entrepreneurs to pay your attention to a typical business plan for the development of mobile applications with calculations, which is presented in this material. He will, first of all, will help to navigate the financial side of the issue and understand whether the game is worth the game. "

Attachments at the start of business on the development of mobile applications will need to be made in the amount of 350 thousand rubles. This money is enough to build a stable business from scratch in this high-tech sphere. The source of initial investments can be both the personal accumulation of the novice developer and the credit funds received in the bank.

Brief description concept

Business for the creation of applications for mobile platforms, an example of the organization of which is presented in this article, you need to register as IP. The best form of taxation for such a business is USN ("Simplified") with a tax rate of 15% (revenue minus flow). Declarations in this system are filled in almost intuitive, so the company does not need the help of a professional accountant. Financial reporting is best done using online accounting services. The official registration of mobile application development business will not be able to select the appropriate OKVED codes:

• 62.0 "Development of computer software, consulting services in this area and other related services."
• 62.01 "Development of Computer Software".

How much do you need to invest in the opening

The costs that are inevitable at the initial stage of the formation of a mobile application development business are presented in the following table:

It is not surprising that the main costs of expenses will be purchased computer equipment and licensed software. The specifics of this business obliges the entrepreneur to pay special attention to the quality of equipment and software. After all, the equipment on which mobile applications is being developed is simply obliged to work stably and without failures, and the information should be well protected.

Production plan

The mobile application developer office is a compact room, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich does not exceed 40 square meters. There are no special requirements for the location of the office. It can be both in the modern business center and in a semi-basement room in the old part of the city. The main thing is that all the necessary communications and stable high-speed Internet have been subordinated to the office.

Also, the entrepreneur should take care of providing office security, as it will be expensive equipment and important development data. You can enter into a contract with a security agency or simply install durable lattices on the windows and a good metal door.

Marketing plan

As for marketing and promoting mobile applications for a smartphone and tablet, then everything is extremely simple - advertising can be ordered at the AppStore and GooglePlay on a very reasonable value. Also good effect gives advertising on the promoted youtube channels.

The cost of one download of the average mobile application is 1.5 dollars, or about 100 rubles. Good applications are quickly gaining popularity from users, and it is quite expensive that for the month they can download 5,000 times and even more. Accordingly, at such a pace, the monthly revenue of the developer can be up to half a million rubles, and the annual "dirty" income is up to 6 million "wooden".

Staff

The schedule of the company for the development of mobile applications is a standard "five-day", but with some features. As a rule, on the final stages of the development of mobile applications, the work goes non-stop - without days off and practically without interruptions. This nuance is worth considering the entrepreneur to reward loyal employees in cash equivalent. Below is the most optimal version of the work schedule:

• Monday - Friday: from 09:00 to 18:00.
• Saturday - Sunday: day off.

The list of employees of the company's development of mobile applications is given in the following table:

№	Position	Number of people	Salary, rub.	Monthly payment fund, rub.	Payment per year, rub.
1	Chief Developer	1	40 000	40 000	480 000
2	Programmer	2	60 000	60 000	720 000
3	Technical support specialist	1	25 000	25 000	300 000
4	Marketer manager	1	30 000	30 000	360 000
TOTAL				155 000	1 860 000

Calculations of income and expenses

With the list of monthly expenses of the company for the development of mobile applications, you can find this Table:

The company's yield on the development of applications for mobile platforms is provided in this table:

As our calculations show, the amount of net annual profit of the company, which develops mobile applications, after paying taxes, will be 2.8 million rubles. This is subject to high quality applications and the development of each of them for no more than three months. Accordingly, the profitability of this business will be in the area of \u200b\u200b47% - an excellent result for a young ambitious company.

Possible risks

Business Mobile Application Development is a very risky lesson. Absolutely, all underwater stones of this endeavor cannot be taken into account, and quite often the principle of "pan or disappeared" accompanies the creation of any application to the end of its development. Below is a list of the most obvious risk factors that can negatively affect the development of this business:

• Leak of information on project features and, as a result, a possible "borrowing" of their concept with other developers.
• The need to attract additional financing when starting expensive or long-term project development time.
• Increasing the timing of the development of individual applications associated with additional costs.
• Insufficient level of staff qualifications, their incompetence in highly specialized aspects of working on making mobile applications.

In conclusion, we note that the developers who "burn" their work and create really high-quality software products for mobile platforms, never remain "in the minus". World practice this perfectly proves.

Mobile-Developer is an IT specialist specializing in creating programs for tablets and smartphones on iOS and Android. Since mobile applications are created by programming, Mobile Developer is primarily a programmer working depending on the development platform with Java, Objective-C or SWIFT languages.

What are the prospects for the developer of mobile applications?

According to the Statista portal, in 2014, there were 1.57 billion active users of smartphones in 2014, and at the end of 2017 their number reached 2.32 billion, having increased by 48% during this period. Mobile user growth rates are increasing every year, at the same time the number of applications created. To cover the growing audience, there is a shortage of qualified developers in the market.

The development market for mobile devices - Golden lived for many areas of business. The trends of recent years demonstrate not only an increase in the number of downloaded products, but also the growth in sales inside applications. Thus, the gross income of mobile applications developing companies annually increases by an average of 20%, and by 2020 will exceed 100 billion dollars (App Annie).

The scale of mobile market market guarantees highly qualified developers. Employment and top positions in wage ratings.

In this article, we will consider the pros and cons of this profession, the quality and skills necessary by the specialist of this sphere IT, as well as useful tips for beginner programmers.

Features of the profession

Mobile Developer specializes in the development of software products for mobile devices.

Mobile applications are different types depending on the subjects and functions performed. There are entertainment applications (for learning languages, reading books, travel, sports), purchases (segment E-commerce) and a separate category - mobile games. Mobile programs are also classified depending on which platform they are intended (Android, iOS, Windows Phone or cross-platform utilities).

The profession of the developer is quite new, especially in Russia and the CIS, therefore, no specific requirements for this category of specialists have not been developed. According to the vacancy analysis, many IT studios, the developer needs to be able to deal both in programming, and Frontend and Backend and in the design of user interfaces and layout.

Pros and cons profession

Among the advantages of the profession of mobile application developer, I will select the following:

• Decent wage level. The market has a shortage of qualified developers, which affects the wage level. Today Mobile-Developer in Moscow and St. Petersburg earns a third more than, for example, a PHP programmer. The average salary of mobile applications developers in Moscow ranges from 60 to 250 thousand rubles, on average in Russia - from 40 to 150 thousand rubles.
• Interesting and fascinating profession. Technologies are rapidly obsolete, so to stay on top of skill, the programmer needs to be improved, be aware of the innovations of the IT industry, constantly replenish the luggage of knowledge and skills. A constant search for information on forums and specialized sites, the analysis of large information arrays is holding a brain in a tone.
• Perspectives of career growth. For a good Java developer, the program is not the ultimate goal. It can successfully develop, mastering artificial intelligence and Internet technologies (Internet-of-Things).

The disadvantages of the profession can be attributed, the demanding of customers and all the same large amounts of information and a constant search that does not allow to relax for a minute. So, if you do not like to read, read a lot and analyze read, then you should not work on developing programs at all.

Necessary skills and personal qualities

In order to develop serious products, it is necessary:

• Knowledge of OOP (Java, Objective-C, SWIFT);
• Knowledge of java script, html, scc;
• Experience with design templates (Design Patterns);
• Knowledge SQL and network protocols.

To continue to progress in the mobile development segment, you will have to deepen in Computer Science, algorithms, data structures. A professional developer should also understand the user interface philosophy and user experience (UI / UX) so as not to simply write programs, and make useful and convenient to use products.

Personal qualities

• Perseverance and perseverance;
• Curiosity;
• Stress tolerance;
• Multitasking;
• Focus on results.

How to get acquainted with the development of mobile applications?

We advise newcomer to start with the basics of object-oriented programming (OOP). The network has many educational materials and video tutorials on this topic. The OOP study is better to conduct an example of a specific language, Java or Objective-C. We recommend Java, as it is not just the Android programming language, but one of the main platforms for creating software.

After you familiarize yourself with the basics of programming on Java, take the time of practice. Try to program in a new language, creating programs of different levels of complexity. As soon as you feel that you have become with Java on you, go to the next step - to study the design features for Android or iOS mobile platforms.

Online you can find many courses on the basics of creating programs for iOS and Android. We recommend the following of them:

• Mobile Development Course of Stanford University;
• IOS development course in the SWIFT language of the University of Toronta;
• Course on the android development of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT).

About what is the process of android development, read in our article:

The sites of application designers can be a great help for beginner developers. These free and conditional free services will help you create a mobile application using a specific set of patterns. Some of these platforms open the user source code and program documentation, which allows you to study the project from the inside and make the necessary changes to the code.

Before you - a set of typical stages in creating a mobile application from scratch, which COMPONENTIX studio practices to its activities.

Business analysis of the target market

At this stage, the customer should decide why it plans to use the application, what is the final purpose of developing a mobile communications tool with an audience. Here is a list of approximate issues to which you should find answers before formulating TK and order the development of the application:

• What purposes do you plan to achieve through the creation and release of your own mobile application?
• Are sales / conversion planned for the sale of goods and services within the application?
• Who is your target audience and at the expense of whom she can replenish?
• How high the competition in the field in which you plan to work (including with the application)?
• What applications your audience and the audience of your competitors use, do they intersect each other? Are they ready to use your application instead of analog applications?
• What is the budget for the development and promotion of the application received?

Development of a coherent solution

Before starting development, you need to get a technical task (TK) from the Customer or provide him with a brief for filling and further work on this document.

After receiving the filled brif and / or TK, you can proceed to prototyping and compiling user profiles to assess the possibilities of the final product.

Based on the vision of the designer, business evaluation and the negotiation of the TP details, the development process can be launched.

Prototyping

The prototypes are designed by the designer and the mgut of both static and interactive. To do this, you can use one or more tools for prototyping, which we have told earlier.

Static prototypes and interactive layouts should be drawn up taking into account the technical and software base, which is planned to be used to create an application.

Code Writing and Technology Implementation

With the finished design, the application proceeds to developers: they have to create a mobile application in accordance with the TK, a brief and the approved prototype on the basis of the programming languages, frameworks and various technologies.

Testing

At various stages of the application of the application, the internal testing of the application is mandatory both on simulators and on real devices. The purpose of testing is to make sure that the interaction of the application with a hardware and software platform of smartphones and tablets will be as expected at the prototyping phase.

Creating a foresomy version

As a result, a series of tests and improvements of the application must be obtained a working version of the application. It is this version that is to be add to the application store: Apple App Store, Google Play, Windows Phone Application Store (depending on which platform is being developed) or any similar service for distribution of applications.

Adding an application to the store

The final stage of the studio is the addition of an application on the root into one of the above application stores (in the case of Componentix, we are talking about the App Store or Google Play).

Optional Stage: Further Technical Support and Marketing Application Promotion

Since these services are provided separately from the main service package, then they are charged separately. In addition to marketing and technical support, it is also possible to place an application in the App Store or Google Play on behalf of the Customer (WHITE LABEL service), providing server support for the application.

If you are readyorder a package of basic and / or additional services for the development of a native application - Write: We will discuss with you terms, cost, helpmake TK and fill the brief . And already after a month later you will have your ownmobile application for iPhone, iPad or Android smartphones and tablets.

* The calculations use average data in Russia

As we were looking for an investor, "from scratch" created a company to develop mobile applications in St. Petersburg and ... the mistakes that we allowed ...

I want to be most honest and openly talk about our experience launching a business in St. Petersburg to develop mobile applications "from scratch", what mistakes we made, what we continue to do (well, where without it) and about how we are trying to build something really large And "change this world" - namely, our project of the TAPKI mobile commercial aggregator (the name is funny, of course, was born as a derived from the English word "TAP"). Looking at the article, after writing it, I see that there was no little text (about 18 pages in Word), but I hope that it will be useful. Colleagues were advised to break the document on the part, but it seems to me that the whole narrative, affecting the period of a little over a year, will allow you to give a more complete picture of the company's development. In the article, the reader will find the economy (management balance), which "stretches" from the very beginning, broken down by costs. We did not add anything, and all the numbers give "as it".

I will tell about the launch of a business from the very beginning: search for rooms, investment search, the main (initial) idea of \u200b\u200bthe business and how it changed throughout the year, about good luck and failure. Since we registered legal entities in June 2013 (and more precisely on May 29), we can assume 1 year "with a tail" and some nuances are no longer remembered, but the main milestones with photos are preserved. It is important - if somewhere in the text I do for myself (and readers) conclusion or give advice (directly or indirectly) - I ask for it exclusively as my personal opinion, which with a probability of 50% can be in the root of not true. And yet - some moments I can not remember in detail, so small inaccuracies can be found in terms of explanation of certain numbers - this is not an attempt to hide information, but simply elementary forgetfulness, because I did not led the diary (unfortunately I fix it) and I write a memory.

We emphasize that this is by no means a guide from the series "10 errors of beginner businessmen" or, for example, "how to succeed in business from scratch." Success is the concept of tensile and we absolutely not have the right to write about it, because We have not reached it yet, although we try in every way, implying, for yourself, under the "success" way out of stable profits in operating activities. Despite the fact that we are an investment project, our investors (and we ourselves) put the goal not to capitalize the company (customers, contracts, payments), but a monthly dividend policy (or in other words - profits).

Immediately it is worth noting - we (for now) a permissive project. I met business in IT, which literally for 3-4 months went on payback and started returning investments (if they were) in the form of dividends. About such projects it is nice to read, feeling inside a lightweight envy to more talented guys (no irony), which were able to "jump" to the market. We could not and moreover, our original concept in terms of mobile applications, which attracted investments was not completely vital. I enjoyed reading the story of the launch of ampere on Habré, but trying on the experience of the guys to himself, I conclude that the retail trade and development of the on-root various projects and in our case we go to the operating profit for a long time and painfully, because Business transactions are very different in time (if only you do not have a very large client, under which you collect the team - but it was not our case).

Idea Business and Venture Funds as a source of investment - what to expect?

So - our story. In the fall of 2013, inside the team, which by the way is quite age - I believe that the average age is 35-37 years old, the feeling of what we can enter the market with the idea of \u200b\u200b"Mobile Application Designer for Internet Stores". Well, you know, it's when mobile applications are collected from ready-made templates on HTML (5). By the way, there are such projects on the market - myapps.com, ibuildapp.com - from those that "on hearing". Assuming that our competitive difference is to cover all mobile platforms (iOS, Android, Windows 8 and Winphone) and native developing (more precisely, we use products from Hamarin) We began to develop a business plan to search for an investor. And though, from my very beginning there were a vague sensation that our venture funds, let's say, do not quite crave us to see and focus on projects in more mature condition, the idea consisted in the newsletter on the main funds of a beautiful presentation.

Our venture funds ... The strange industry is probably due to the fact that it personally did not work personally, but the mind and on the available bites of information - it is not understood. We left for a presentation for a month. In April 2013, I compiled a list of funds operating in Russia and began to send with the accompanying letter. Looking back, I understand that the presentation was, to put it mildly, not very, because It had few beautiful graphs (exponential up!) and tables, and more text with a detailed description of the project. But we proceeded from the fact that to make a decision on investments, people, even at the first stage, should thoughtfully examine the written and later, if you like it - invite to the meeting. In total, about 15 letters on the most famous funds were sent. He answered only one - wrote that he would answer in 2 weeks. But he twisted apparently and forgotten. Therefore, if you have a business at the bottom of the zero stage, when there is a team, some workers and good (as it seems) the idea - do not expect strong attention from the funds. They can be understood because The highest risks in the zero stage of business launch, although here you can expect the highest return.

And another remark - if the fund enters your business, then most often his task is to get out of profit in 3-5 years, selling its share more expensive investment. Accordingly, business profit can move to the background, because Its all will ask for an increase in the size of the business itself - increasing capitalization. If we talk about a private investor, it is most likely to be interested in the capitalization of the company, but the profit distributed in the form of dividends.

Justice It is worth noting that now the situation with the support of early stages is changing and the pro-State Fire Fund (Internet Initiative Development Fund) has appeared. Easy to find on the Internet, and I advise you to consider it quite seriously. Looking ahead I note that we were nominated to the very first set of FRIA in 2013 (in the fall) and passed to the TOP 30 projects, among it seems, 750 applications. I will also talk about our experience with FRIA and the reasons why we eventually did not get (or we did not take - how to see) investments, but in general, the impressions of this organization are positive and I, frankly, due to my current knowledge of the venture industry, I do not see alternatives for teams at the earliest stage of development in the Russian Federation.

Returning to the issue of investment. Our partner had access to investors in St. Petersburg, which we believed in us and became interested in the ideas itself, and after a number of meetings with them it was decided to open investment to us. At the same time, the investor received a share of 51% in the new business. We went to this process a little more than a month (3-4 meetings, usually in one of the cafes) and the first numbers of May 2013 we could celebrate the day of victory in the Second World War and the birth of our company. I will note that we asked investments under the original business plan, which in addition to the description of the business process, also contained financial calculations of expected incomes - expenses. Naturally, as the work began, it turned out that the laid ideas and, accordingly, expenses had nothing to do with reality and, in connection with this I advise you to make a reasonable stock, unless your life and management experience will allow you to give a detailed forecast. With regard to us, we have laid the amount of 10,000,000 rubles, but the excess of this amount, according to our careful forecasts, will be about 6-7,000,000 rubles.

As far as I know, it is extremely rare venture funds asking a share of 51% in business, but I assume that this is more often applicable to the situation when there is some incoming financial flow, an interesting and confirmed business idea and a cohesive team. We completely definitely did not fall under this definition, because There was an idea, some developers from developers from old jobs and business plan. Everything. It seems to me that this is a completely normal "price" for the high risk of investments from the zero level, because Otherwise (the smaller share size in the authorized capital of the investor), can offer parity investment.

From my experience, let me advise some more points in dealing with investors. No need to confine success, as it does not have paradoxically sounds. Investors people are serious and, of course, waiting for the return of investments repeatedly, understand that the market conditions are not a greenhouse for growing cucumbers with fertilizers, and not very friendly for beginners. Therefore, assessing your chances. Try to be extremely honest to yourself and to people, ready to invest. Doubts are quite normal, I suppose that irrepressible optimism can simply harm.

Further, register the terms of the dividend policy. At least make them in words. It is clear that we all want to "change the world", but the purpose of the business is ultimately income and to hear the investor's position about his vision of the division of future dividends. Ask a question about the future co-investor and whether your investor will be ready to scatter your share. For example, we are now conducting a number of negotiations about co-investment, because As already mentioned, our expectations did not coincide with reality, and the new co-investor can further allow the business to develop, while it is possible to return the invested funds of your first investor to the purchase of part of its share (partially or completely).

What does it look in practice? In our case, the investor is ready (theoretically) to sell 25% of its 51% in the authorized capital, provided that it is not just a repurchase, but also the opening of additional investment in the specified parties. And, by the way, such a model is quite convenient, because the co-investor is already coming to a working business showing some financial indicators having a working client base, etc. It is worth noting here, from the experience of communicating with venture capital funds, it is very rare just an ransom of the share of founders (only if it is not a profitable, fast-growing business), and getting a share in exchange for future investments. For example, recently conducted a dialogue with a German foundation, which identified his position - 25% of the shares for the opening of the investment horizon of 40-50,000,000 rubles. For 3 years (it is the opening of financing in exchange for shares).

Of course, the investor first wants to return the invested, stay with a kind of stake (preferably blocking), not to invest and expect dividends further. At the same time, a new co-investor, considering the company with a negative operating balance, can respond to the redemption of the share and here you can offer a scheme at which the share of the share does not happen, the new co-investor continues to invest in the company, but when entering the self-sufficiency and receiving first profits The first investor receives dividends on the basis of its original share until the investment returns.

Separately, I note that we are extremely lucky with investors, because We are free to take any managerial solutions that, of course, are directed to income growth. Some may argue with this statement, reasonably indicating that an investor who participates in strategic management can somewhere "open the bleached eyes" into a number of important issues. But there is a thin line between delicate participation and the situation where the investor actually interferes with operational management, creating simply nervous situation in the team.

Organizational issues of launching a company - as it was

Returning to the launch of our business. All May 2013, we went to the organizational issues - the registration of legal entities, opening an account in the bank (we chose a rather conservative bank Nordea - Scandinavian roots, because there were familiar leaders, and the "pedigree" bank inspired confidence) and search premises. I do not think that it is worth stopping on it, because The processes are quite simple and repeatedly described including in Habré. From the nuances - categorically I do not advise you to share the legal address with the actual, because This is now pretty strictly followed by our fiscal bodies and ... well, why do you need these problems on launch? On registration, you can use the services of an intermediary or make yourself.

We decided to call the company by the name of the domain name. And started searching for the latter, holding a domain in the mind in the area of.com, because We did the constructor, which means we should be subject to the whole world! Not all of us happened, except for the purchase of a domain - notissimus.com; The word notissimus with Latin can be translated as "well-known", "recognizable". The main thing is that the domain was free and the search for trademarks in the United States also did not give coincidences (I was looking for a website www.uspto.gov/trademarks), although the logic suggests that when registering a trademark, we usually register a domain name). It is pronounced like Notissimus with a dedicated stress, sometimes it is ridiculous. When opening an account in a bank (legal entity, we have the same name with a domain - Netissimus LLC) turned out to be a funny story. The bank's employee asked the name of JUR. Litsa, and then asked: "What does it mean?", Hearing the translation from Latin: That this is Mol "This is a well-known", apologized and said that he didn't know, although it seems to be a matter of everyone widely known :) .

We were lucky to find the room in the center of the city, next to St. Isaac's Cathedral with a more reasonable rate of 1,100 p. per m2. How did you search? We used all the available free resources (no agents), plus personally drove in the center of the city and was looking for an intriguing inscription "Rent" - this is a fairly effective method. For us and the investor it was important to find the office in the center, next to the subway (it is convenient both to employees and customers who call for guests, and a little adds the importance of a young company when you say that the office is next to St. Isaac's Cathedral). We are now working in this room, gradually expanding at the expense of related rooms - the class "C" class business center, which in the plans should turn into a class "A" (with all the ensuing consequences, including "drocking" by us). In the room (45 m2) made cosmetic repairs to make it nice to the eye, spending about 45 000 r. Together with the materials (guests from the southern republics worked). Allowed themselves to rent two parking spaces, because In the center of Peter near Isaacia chances to find parking there were no and understood that it would be permanently annoying a factor at the beginning of the working day (5 000 r. For one place - looking back, clearly understand that it was worth it definitely).

In our business plan, we have found funds for a single purchase of fixed assets (OS) to launch a company. What comes here? Computer equipment, peripherals, tables, chairs, etc. All purchases were made on the website Ulmart.Ru, passing not yet few bonus points on the account - convenient, because For sure, you will forget some of the little things, the cable there is what or extender. Everything was bought reasonably - simple - necessary (sometimes very simple, then I had to improve the PC - to buy memory, so I advise you not to immediately reduce the equipment for daily work). Below will result in a fragment of our management P / L (incomes - expenses) for May 2013. No one received a salary from the team, only rental costs (partially, I will not remember why such an amount), the purchase of fixed assets, opening an account, registration of legal entities etc. No income, only costs in the amount of 517 000 r. (contribution of the founder to the company's account as an investment loan).

Fragment of Management Reporting for May 2013 - operating activities are not yet

Financial results of work a few months after launch

Management Balance May-September 2013 and we gradually spend money investors

If you look at P / L until September 2013, you can see the cost increase in the wage and purchase of fixed assets (administrative expenses - repair, notarized expenses, office supplies, some OS are not belonging to IT, buns in office, water, etc.) . But the portfolio appeared on our site (modest of course). Legal expenses - we are openly attracted a third-party organization to verify our Treaty for the development of applications. The main emphasis was made on the exclusive rights to the result of the work. Our work model does not imply the transmission of exclusive rights to the source code. There are several reasons for this, and the most important - we have a central server part, which is common to all projects, plus - we are very "generously" by reprofing the operation of one client for others. Transferring exceptional rights, we expose themselves to too high risk of possible disputes with customers. Therefore, we convey non-exclusive rights, and the client may, according to the Agreement, to do with the applications everything is pleased. For all of our work, there were no special disputes with the legal departments of customers, because We position the solution as a platform to which you can connect. The contract provides for the item according to which, if our company cannot fulfill obligations (bankrupt), then we undertake to convey all the source codes and conduct training of customer specialists. It is noted that the most non-receipt of exceptional rights are afraid of small online stores, while large companies belong to this very calmly. There were requests for the transmission of source code, and we came to an intermediate solution that you can rely on the experience of 1C-Bitrix: source codes are sold. But for the year of work, no one has never bought it, which allows us to conclude - most companies only in words need source codes and exceptional rights to develop, and in fact they need a work decision quickly and inexpensively. In fairness it is worth noting that for a number of major projects with well-known brands, we, for some parts of the development, we prescribe exceptional rights to the result. For the year of work, we have formed a fairly loyal treaty, which is actually a contract for maintaining basic functional. To it, there is an additional decision on refinement, which are made up for bookmarks. This approach is quite convenient and understandable to customers.

Early autumn 2013 clearly crystallized the concept of our business. We take into work only projects for the retail segment companies selling through the Internet and or having an assortment that is available for ordering to pick up (this is, of course, it is too clearly drawing a portrait of the customer, there are different customers, but at the heart - an assortment around which already built Further logic - loyalty, payment, push, etc.). We have developed applications for free, including design (naturally, trying to rely as much as possible to our developments) and basically offered 3 platforms: Apple iPhone, Apple iPad, Google Android. Quite unusual, but even considering the free development of Windows 8 and Windows Phone, customers were extremely rarely asked to make them and these applications. Support was 15 000 r. per month (without VAT, because we are on simplified) for all platforms.

Gradually, we even stopped actively offering these two platforms (Windows 8 and Windows Phone), because At that time, for us it would be a completely coordinated load for the developers, because there are deadlines prescribed in the contract (40 working days, it is naturally with a margin). By the way, running forward, I will say that at the time of writing these lines we adhere to the same approach to the development, only made small changes, because Portfolio and working already allow you to improve conditions for us: now support is 18 000 r. per month for all platforms, development is still free, and the design, if we do - 18 000 r. For each platform is openly. At the same time, customers do not really want to make design themselves, although it would seem to save. The conclusion is quite simple - the price of the question is not so critical that the company distracts internal resources to this work. I will say honestly, the above figures are not the result of some thoughtful mathematics and market analysis, but an empirical assessment of comfort for the customer. But this approach works only if you are engaged in a narrow segment of the market and have an operation in both the program code and in the overall understanding of the customer's processes.

It is worth a little saying that there is such a "basic functionality", which we offer for free. In fact, this is all you need to run the first version of the application for the retail company with delivery or pickup. Moreover, we gradually expand the functional basic capabilities by adding, for example, the conclusion of related goods, reviews, product ratings, banners management, PUSH - notifications (with personal account), etc. Naturally, no functionality will close all customer needs and most often we ask a one-time payment for integration with Back Office (Registration, authorization, personal account and other "charms"). How much do you ask? Here simply, relying on the experience of the figure is within 70 - 90 000 r. If something familiar (1C-Bitrix, for example) is cheaper. In the near future, we will add interesting things to the basic functionality, for example: geofencing - sending push notifications when entering the specified radius from the outlet, payment by cards immediately from the application (bypassing the Apple Store with their commission), etc.

Pros and cons of the business path chosen by us

I want to reveal our business model, show her pros and cons. First about minuses. There are two sources of monetization: refinement from existing customers and payment of technical support (18 000 r. Per month). Therefore, we need to constantly expand the client base, while trying to convince the client to make applications progressively using our developments, not "bullshinking" immediately into some complex, multifunctional projects. It is mainly obtained, but there are exceptions. Any exception is inhibits our work, and we risks go to the plane of purely custom development. Customer work will allow you to get a big one-time payment, but it will strongly distract developers, which means the remaining projects "will be saved." But! Surprisingly, progressive work for the client is a big plus too! Risks are reduced, the deadlines for the release of applications in sufficient basic functionality are reduced, the client base is started, feedback is taking place, etc. Minus, natural, still in what we need to do work, often without receiving any money that requires investment to feed business. Therefore, I do not recommend such a work model for the team that develops into its own funds.

Pros? Concentration on one business segment (retail sales) allows himself to feel quite confident in negotiations, because During the work, you get real competence as applications can help (or may not if the business is lazy to promote them). Free development within the framework of the basic functional is a certain plus and quite weighty. Often the client, not knowing the value of applications, is ready to try, it is easier for him to lay 18,000 p. per month of marketing means than "knock out" from the leadership of a one-time payment hundreds of thousands of rubles, realizing that if it does not work with us - refuses. We are no obstacles for this and the contract we have more than loyal. And, I suppose the most important plus - the company's companies have similar processes and any refinement (and they are regular) can be part of the basic functional in the future, and in the present - are offered for small money to other clients (adaptation in essence). For example, one company asked to make the functionality Geofencing. What is the essence? We, through your personal account on our website, let's make it possible to customize PUSH - notification to different platforms if a person entered the specified radius from the selected stores (say 500 m.). What to send Push'em? For example, a reminder of the action or a mobile coupon ... Yes, it is not enough to come up with a business. The company paid for the finalization of the order of 45,000 rubles, which is not so much, because We understood the value of the functional for other customers. And yes, indeed, many liked it and people ask to introduce (we call it adaptation). I can not say that the improvements for one company are always applicable to others, but roughly speaking in half of the events it works.

It is worth noting one feature of mobile applications, which, confident, Habra readers familiar - applications need to be promoted. If we talk about retail companies, then they, as a rule, are not bad with the channels of promotion. Usually there is a visited site, where you can place various kinds of banner with calls to install applications, and most importantly, there is a retail network with visitors. Even simple stickers with QR code and brief information located at the box office can give good returns in the installations. Paradoxically, but often faced with the fact that the company, having received mobile applications, simply is waisted to engage in active (and free for her) promotion, then we will then write to us for a small number of orders (although we write instructions with advice what and how to do). In general, the analytics of the behavior of retail customers in mobile applications is the topic of a separate and large post, now I will note that orders go to different categories of goods (the best of the HoReCa segment, then Fashion and at the end of the BTIE), and their amount varies from 20,000 rubles per day (Fashion, small average check, but high marginality) up to 600 000 r. And above for business delivery (sushi, pizza) to the house. Now through all our released mobile applications we see the turnover of over 30 000 000 rubles per month, which is not so much for a good, strong online store, but not bad for the young, in general, the industry called "Mobile Applications of Retail Companies".

The most important thing is to search for customers, believe me - it's just archiving!

How are we looking for customers? A strange development for 0 rubles allows us to work well on cold calls. The first 6 months of the business of the business did I (I worked hard, because I do not know how to feel free to), now we have a wonderful Julia, which is working on attracting customers by phone, and I go to meetings (Peter, Moscow). I heard how she lay out the last trump card - "So we have a development of 0 rubles, and there are customers from your business area that did and can give recommendations." The degree of interest of the client immediately rises slightly. Naturally, even such a model does not always lead to a conclusion of the contract, and the case is not in distrust of us (portfolio and recommendations we offer), and in the non-counterness of the company to applications. Naturally, there are advanced companies, clearly aware of the value of applications for themselves, but more often have to hold an explanatory work. Now we have an average of 1-2 contracts per month, customers are mainly from Peter and Moscow, although interested in the regions began to appear. The average time from the first call to the conclusion of a contract is about 1.5 months, and about 2 months to develop applications. Not surprisingly, the sales scheme works well at which we refer to the experience (Case) of a similar business, and ideally a competitor. Without the opportunity to disclose all the data, we simply give some general analytics, often an impersonal.

I want to give advice that I myself would like to get at the very beginning of our business - you need to immediately have in the staff of an employee who will systematically deal with cold sales, if your business is similar to our. It is impossible to do it from time to time, distracted by other diverse tasks - wrote to the blog, talked to customers, talked to developers, hurried with payment, went to the meeting and began to call again. We now have a little less than 1000 companies in the CRM database, with whom one cold contact was. And it is impossible to say that there is a queue of those who want to make us earn money. Call, letter, letter, call, etc. Work on a cycle with gradual increasing customer bases and a separate employee should be engaged. In the office. I am very sorry that we have not reached it immediately and only after 5-6 months of work realized the need to hire, making the emphasis at the production (developers, designer), and not on sales. I understand that this dispute is eternal, which is primary - a chicken or an egg, but personally made a conclusion - in the B2B segment primary sales, and already develop (production). Even if you have a certain "failure" in production facilities, keep in mind that the cycle of the organization's organization is not instant (in our case, naturally) and it is more important to have a client and a contract with laid provisions in time than strong production without Permanent client flow. For CRM, we use the free version of Bitrix24 (up to 12 employees it is free) and this is enough with interest. If you look at the statistics, Julia makes about 50-60 calls on a working day on average (these are both new and repeated appeals). In addition to the call, you need to apply in CRM.

I admit that we do not know how to sell our services by phone, but you can estimate the conversion of cold calls in the concluded contracts. Something around 0.5-0.8% in a very good case. Keep in the mind and seasonal factor - in the summer there is a certain period of the clutch, people who make decisions go on vacation or simply do not really want to deal with serious discussion of new projects. In general, as not strange, if you think about, then in Russia there is not much time when business activity is high, people in the places and are ready for new breakthroughs :). In addition, we observe that recently the rotation of the staff. Often I hear how Julia is trying to understand who now in the marketing department can talk, because The previous person quit. And everyone has to start again.

All this is certainly great, but is there any benefit from mobile applications?

A little bit from mobile application for business, or rather, retail. Almost every client requests an assessment of the expected result, even given the minimum investments. It is worth dividing different segments of the trading business, because Compare the sale through appliances of consumer electronics and ready-made foods is simply inexpedient. Relying on our experience can be given the following averaged figures. Fashion segment - completely really receive orders for up to 1,500,000 p. a month after 4-6 months of application operation. If you have a business selling business, pizza, hollows with delivery to the house, then with due diligence in advance, you can collect orders up to 300,000 rubles per day (our customers fluctuate from 100,000 to 300,000 per day). Household appliances and electronics - up to 1,000 000 r. per month, exactly as the category "Children's Goods". The above figures are valid for companies with an online store (may be a retail network). I emphasize that of course there are results much better and much worse. There is a completely clear dependence of the number of orders from the number of applications, which, in turn, depend on the desire to tell them.

An example of the amount of daily applications of the company FASHION segment

An example of the amount of daily installation of the company's applications of the BTIE segment

Client loss ... yes yes, it happens too

Separately I want to stay on companies that refuse further cooperation. At first, for us it was an unpleasant surprise - there are installations, go orders and ... how to refuse? After some time, an understanding of the main motives came. Our model of monetization (minimum initial fee) has another significant minus - companies that actually do not really want applications, just try. No investment, well, why not try? Waiting for a fantastic return immediately, faced with a reality to spend your time on what would somehow promote the ones done on their resources. It comes to absolute absurd, which, probably, partially characterizes the thinking of some managers. The chain of stores, made applications - all satisfied. 4-5 months write, they say we want to refuse, because Do not feel the return. Well, this is the right of the client, but we try to keep and send analytics - guys, you have installations, the screens are growing, go orders! Yes, there may be orders not so much so that you will consider mobile applications as a stable sales channel, but forgive - the process is still in infancy! You need to wait, accumulate the audience. We present examples of similar businesses. It does not work, set up decisively. Well, we suggest - let's leave the application - let them work, we do not support them, but they will work. Everything is free. We are pleased, left, but after a while they write again - we remove the applications at all, because Orders began to come on the goods again from the application, but the unloading (XML) they forget to update (!!! The robot turned off visible), so customers order goods with the wrong price. I am surprised at the mighty deputy managers, but we delete the applications. Sigh and forget about the client, but he does not forget about us. Writes - customers who managed to install applications earlier, continue (here, Gada) order products at the old price. Do anything, we are not happy about such orders and customers, but I do not want to update XML, because We do a mobile site and there are no time for you. Um ... strange - but how to make those who set to remove applications? The client, worrying and rejoicing that I found a way to finish done, offers - and let's send Push to customers that everything we will not work with you! Yes, the idea of \u200b\u200bhello, but the support of PUSH - notifications has not yet been done, so we, laughing at the full voice, send a proposal to the client - let's pay for the introduction of PUSH support - notifications, we will do it, customers who installed it - update applications, and then I will send that we do not want to work with you. In general, this whole story was over.

Unfortunately, only about 10% of all incoming appeals belong to the retail segment. I sometimes do not understand what people who ask to make a chat with the exchange of photos, clone Yandex.Taxi or others, is doubtful that in the future, successful applications. We give such projects to various companies, but for all the time of our work (year) I have not yet heard that the project even began, and the prices begin from 700,000 rubles. for development. On average, we are now obtaining about 3-4 "incoming" appeals from the site per month (more often they write than call) with the available attendance of our site. Each time, giving a project to implement (even without "exhaust"), I am evidently insulting, but really assessing the situation - to fulfill complex projects outside the sphere of B2C / B2B Currently, we are simply not possible at the current load. In order to cut off simply curious, began to ask the question - "Are you ready to consider the project if the price is within 300,000 p. For one platform or not? ".

On the market there is an informal remuneration of 10% from each transmitted client (if the project starts, of course), but we did not receive anything, and I don't get I think. But analyzing the situation, you are completely clear to understand why mobile applications for each platform cost their money when customized development and the fact that specialization only on a certain field of activity allows you to withstand a high development pace. Not once, inside the team, discussing the next appeal for, for example, an insurance company or carrier, I neatly raised the question of the mol "can somehow try to fill in a barrel ...?" But always the guys responsible for production, reasonably paid attention to the current tasks, and I sent an application of a third-party studio. For it is said that the "flying arrow does not see the tail" :) And although it sounds beautiful in the situation of constant feeding in investment money ...

FRIA and other sources of financing

Returning to our history, as already mentioned, in the fall of 2013, we filed our request to the Accelerator of FRIA and, wonderfully, first in the top 100 projects, and then already already already a list of those who were invited to acceleration to Moscow. The Ferra Foundation then had two types of participation - online acceleration (full-time) and offline (correspondence). We were offered for a full-time program and for her, the foundation asked 7% of the business and gave money (something about 1,000,000 r., And part is right for learning). Interestingly, that we generally chose us somewhere, because In fact, we were not very different from the usual studio, unless they developed their platform and concentrated on retail. I think that the reason is that the Fund categorically lacked more or less "distinct" projects showing at least some results. I will immediately say, I do not make a critical foundation, even on the contrary, I think that they make a great deal in Russia, because In the earliest stages of a young company, there are not so many options where to go. And Frying is a good alternative. Moreover, their first set, in fact, was also a startup with all the ensuing consequences. Now they seem to have a fourth or fifth set, but I still have no feeling that the problem is not with the presence of money, but in strong teams with good ideas that can actually monetize.

In general, if you think about, the requirements put forward by Dfonds look like a trap. Judge for yourself - the project should be scaled, intend to monetize, there must be a command (preferably 2-3 founders). It is not very easy to imagine that 3 adults who need to feed themselves and family are going and for some time they make a prototype to then have a small chance of getting an investment. And what do they eat in the intervals? Moreover, if you look at the same FRIA, then the units of teams from all sets generally received more or less serious investments.

We abandoned the full-time scheme, because We could not just throw a business and 3 months to study in Moscow and then communicated with the mentor in absentia (video conferencing on Skype once a week). Naturally, all materials in Al are available. The form with full-time program, but frankly speaking personally for myself did not see their values. As a result, we were invited to Demo Day - the day of the presentation of investors, or rather at the rehearsal of this day. Considering that this is too luxurious, so that for the sake of 10 minutes of rehearsal to go to Moscow, asked to immediately come to Demo Day and ... We were no longer called anywhere :). This is exactly exactly our fault, because From the very beginning I did not feel, at that time, some kind of extreme need for add. Investments and were generally surprised that we were selected at Short List participants. In any case, I wish the guys of good luck, they were often criticized in the media, commemorating supported companies, but the industry is still not accumulated by the industry, and they are somewhere pioneers.

But there are programs in Russia, in which we would like to get, but do not take us. This is a technological grant Microsoft, a competition for receiving which is carried out twice a year. Here I will make a slight retreat. We use all Microsoft products in our work, and in particular Azure cloud services. The client part is developed using Xamarin (former Mono) (received recent status of a partner of this company) on C #. In May 2013, we used to participate in the Microsoft Bizpark program and I really want to say sincerely "thank you" Microsoft for the ability to completely legally use all the software we need, including paid cloud resources Azure (there is a limit, but we still did not come to it - Maximum optimize server calculations).

In early 2014, we received the status of Microsoft Startup Accelerator, giving more technological support and significantly expanding paid Microsoft cloud resources ($ 60,000 per year). We have a curator and must admit - work very comfortable. Given our focus on Microsoft products, we were very expected to receive a grant. I will not delve into the grant itself, everything can be read on the site ms-start.ru. I just say that we were served twice in 2013 and both times refused to us. The reasons for the failure are not prescribed, but in fact they are on the surface - we have a kind of hybrid of business models: and not custom-made work and not the application constructor. Semiautomatic. This model is not scalable, it has significant disadvantages and just our disadvantages forced us to try new projects.

In May 2014, we again filed a grant, but already to support our TAPKI project, which is much more scalable business. What happened in the end - I will tell in part 2, which is already preparing for publication in Habré.

What do we have today?

Returning to the narration - what do we have now in the asset, for a little more than a year of work? A team of 15 people (most of the developers), ~ 32 concluded contracts (on the part there are still developing and no payments) and few fewer customers at the stage of imprisonment (think). It would seem - super (except profits), and all of the stated about the pros of our business is certainly great, but we are linear. Trying to work in the "triangle": the quality of the applications, the price, time limits - the neat mobile applications are obtained, but there is another dimension - resources! The more customers we have, the more developers we need, the farther the break-even point is moved. This is another minus, which actually made us in parallel to do a new project - Tapki (again increasing the costs, watched in advance the support of investors for the project). Justice for the sake of note that there is no absolutely clear linear dependence of the number of people in business to the number of customers. Some clients "freeze" for a month, without requiring refinement (and, accordingly, attention) and we switch to new projects. This fact allows us to estimate the break-evenness point and predict profit. I would even say that we have a small, but "positive mat-wait" in our business.

Below is our management balance since May 2013 (business launch) in March 2014. It can be seen that there is an increase in income, but, to the vast our regret, and the growth of expenses. The reason for the growth of the cost is that we have gained a more or less significant customer database by this time, but in addition to simply concluding the contract, you need to make applications. And here we fell into a new trap - the lack of resources. Those. We had enough resources to support the created applications, but not enough in order to create new ones. If we spoke about the constructors of mobile applications, it is not planned to be improved under customers. And we have started. It can be seen from the table that 50% is the service, 50% refinement, and this ratio is preserved plus-minus to this day. The growth of personnel led to the fact that it took us to expand the square - the leased payment has grown. What I want to pay attention is the uneven flow of money. Our income make up of payments for support and improvements. If support can still be attributed to a guaranteed income on a foreseeable period of time, then refinement is exclusively chaotic. Naturally, we apply efforts to stimulate the development of applications, but once at times you do not have to go. Naturally, as the client base is developed, there is a general increase in revolutions, but there is a month when there are no improvements at all, and we "fall" in financial planning. It is worth the same to note that a tangible increase in costs from December 13 to March 14 is due to the fact that we began to strengthen the team to keep a new project, but the costs here have not yet been divided. As already noted, do not observe a completely linear relationship between the number of clients and programmers. The fact is that the load is very uneven both for initial development and improvements. We have a client (Fashion large network), the work on which began slightly less than a year ago, and this is not our wines - because The company is very large, the coordination processes occupy time.

Management Balance May 2013 - March 2014 - Increase customers, employees and ... losses

The company works on a simplified tax system (USN) and in 99.9% of cases, we did not encounter problems of the absence of VAT by customers. We have chosen a 10% scheme for yourself from the difference between income and expenses, but because We have a negative outcome balance, according to the result of the year we pay 1% of the income state (this is seen in March 14 years - 7 460 rubles - the tax for 2013). In early 2014, we increased the size of the occupied areas (the cost increase in this article is visible), because Already simply not placed (adjacent room, the hole in the wall - everything is very simple). We have a small arrival at El.Dengi and, accordingly, there are expenses (pay the vacancy on hh.ru, for example), but this is an exception to the rules, because We work under the contract.

Since April 2014, we began to share management balances - part of the team continued to develop mobile applications, part - Tapki. Our investors supported the idea itself (about her a little later) and the fact that we start to silence one project from the other. In July 2014, we have come to what you need not just to divide internal accounting - the division must be made at the level of accounting too (individual legal entities). More precisely, we just advised it to make the guys from FRIA, explaining that this is the only way to attract investment money into a new project. It is worth a recognition that in the world of mobile application development, only clean designers belong to investors to the lackless scalable projects, which makes sense to invest. And we, even the name platform, continue (this is a fact) to engage in custom projects. At the same time, Tapki is just a scalable project and if we want to attract investment in it, it needs to be as much as possible from the maternal company.

We subscribed to the registration of the new legal entity of LLC "Tapkov" (in general, I advise, if possible, to call legal entities as well as the brand - somehow it turns out more carefully) and at the end of August, the part of the team responsible for the new project was fully transferred In this jur. I understand that the side project, which we did not allocate from the parent company made certain distortions into numbers, but the understanding that it is necessary to share, it didn't come immediately, because Any new project takes a number of stages and only starting from some stage you evaluate how much reality it distracts.

Management Balance of the company until July 2014

If you take the basis of July 2014, you can make the following conclusion - for our business with the current load, "purified" monthly costs will be about 900,000 rubles (this amount includes incl. And one-time costs, for example - bought Air conditioning this summer, or an additional monitor programmer ... Although such payments are needed, in good way, to dilute). In July 2014, we had more incoming payments for finalizing than support, but, as seen from the table, it is not always fair. But I absolutely can noted that the more customers, the more you will have incoming queries on a different kind of improvement.

Below are (in one chart) income, expenses and final results (from May 2013 to July 2014 inclusive). It can be seen that the Notissimus project, as noted, still investment, but there is hope that by the winter of 2014 we will go to zero and begin to return funds invested by the investor. It is worth noting that because We exceeded the initial requests for the allocation of investments, then we will return 100% profit (when it is) to the investor, and not according to shares in the authorized capital. When we return the amount of exceeding the initially requested attachments, then already (I hope) will begin to discuss how to share profits. Globally speaking, investors give money as a loan, otherwise, all shareholders would have to make money in the project, according to participation in business. At the same time, when the company gets profit, it begins to return this loan, in the amount of how to agree.

Red line - the final result of activity, numbers in brackets, because They are negative. From April 14, the numbers starting from April 14 years can be considered basic for the studio, which is engaged only by developing mobile applications, without side projects. Is it possible to use Habra readers to analyze the launch of your business? I think yes, because We worked in the absence from the lack of large anchorage clients from the start of large anchor clients (Russian Post, Tender 19,000,000 r. On Mob. Applications), although it is certain, you need to make a significant amendment for two factors: we have an investor and we have chosen a rather strange model of monetization and Very niche work.

The schedule of managerial results of the company's work for the year with a little

I myself did, besides all the others, an important conclusion - it is not necessary to argue to ask for money for quality work, even if the company is very young, and necessarily (!) In addition to the advance payment, if the work is a little more than a small one. Do not believe how many times we regretted at the start stage of the next project, which did not receive at least some funds to the account. It is not about the fact that customers are cheating, just this is not a grocery store - you received the goods in the hands (for example, loaf of bread) and gave the seller money. It does not work here (I do not speak about government tenders with bank guarantees). Development is not the finished notorious loaf of bread, but a constant dialogue with the client who changes the opinion, forgets, angry, nourishes hope and all this together, multiplied by the acceleration of the introductory from the manual, etc. And if the work is carried out in advance, then all risks shifted on the studio. And in those projects where there were advance payments - the situation rather quickly passed into the structural plane. Moreover, now, for complex tasks, we insist on 100% prepayment, trying to explain to the customer why so.

What is Tapki? Creating mobile applications for retail, willy-unilles think about bringing together their experience and customers into something aggregating, scalable. In March 2014, these ideas that hovering in the air have found something more or less intelligible and we decided for ourselves unambiguously, you need to allocate part of the internal resources to this project. This is an aggregator of goods (in the future can services) from retail companies in different segments working on all platforms, with a focus on commercial stocks and sales. It sounds a bit trite, but frankly, we still have no "stunned" project business model that would receive confirmation of vitality in practice. Although it is already clear that to do a competitor Yandex.Market is just stupid, so we see non-standard and interesting solutions in terms of online approximation to offline using IBeacon technology.

The name itself happened by chance, at some day in the morning began to discuss the names of the name, made a list, and then, during lunch, someone from the guys proposed this name and caught. Not everyone immediately liked it, but gradually, and the most ardent opponents of the name were drawn. Domains Tapki.ru and Tapki.com turned out to be busy (and not surprising) and I, not expecting any answer, wrote to the owners of Tapki.com reasoning that, with other things being equal to the domain in the area.com more interesting and promising. The answer came the next day with a price of $ 1875. No bargaining. It was proposed to buy a domain through the Escrow.com's intermediary service, which asked for its services on top of $ 100 and, without having experience with foreign squatters, decided to overpay. Scheme is simple - money deposit intermediary and lists the seller from the moment of changing the WHOIS data (they paid for the credit card). The entire purchase procedure went about the week and about 77 000 r. Not cheap, but it seems to me, for a long-term project is a reasonable investment. It is curious that when he told his friends on Facebook about buying a domain Tapki.com, I was advised to register Fapki.com, because People can be mistaken when set. It was in the morning, about 11.00, I looked and surprised that the Fapki.com domain was free, and when it was still decided to register, after dinner, the domain was busy - squotters do not dreamed, shorter. It would be great at the same time buy domain Tapki.ru - but it is not clear to whom to write, because No contacts in WHOIS.

All finally the end of the first part ...

Uff ... It turned out no little text for the first part, I hope that someone mastered and the story seemed interestingly useful. We will continue the publication, talking further about our successes and failures in terms of the development of mobile applications and how the first "screams" in our life is our Tapki. Already, connecting the first major and not very online stores to the project, we are faced with a lot of questions and hope it may be interesting readers. In addition, we have a huge task of promoting Tapki in app stores and here, probably, our "rake" can be useful and other developers. And considering that we began to look for an investor again, but this time the TAPKI project will be what to tell in this context. Our technical director has already started writing an article containing technical details of the platform (Microsoft Azure + Xamarin) and this will be a separate publication, because We decided to mix "technique" and "business" in one article will not be correct.

Behind our life can be followed in more "live" mode via Twitter or through my Facebook account.

Frankly, I plan to keep a diary to record the most interesting moments from the company's life daily, because Remember how it turned out quite hard. I apologize if some moments were illuminated not completely or there were messengers. Yes, and forgot - if among readers there are owners or managers online stores, we will be very glad to see you all in our project Tapki just write a letter to my address [Email Protected] And I will tell you what to do (if short, you need a logo, link to the yandex.market XML file and store addresses in the table).

P.S. We will also be happy to help in part of the development of mobile applications and invite the owners of online stores try to work according to the scheme "Development in% of orders", because The existing volume of developments already allows us to offer a holistic decision, but there is no longer a built cooperation model.

Maxim Kulgin

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