What to avoid and what to focus on, key lessons from a first-time developer

Want to develop a mobile app? Developing the application is difficult, and getting it noticed on the app store is just as difficult.

In this post, I will be sharing my story of what I learnt from my first mobile app failure.

In my experience, most app developers are excited to launch their new mobile application which is more or less loaded with features.

My story begins a couple of years ago when I had my idea. I was pretty much convinced about the success of my idea. During the day of the app launch, I felt like Steve Jobs launching the new iPhone with everybody waiting in the queue to download my app. What a dream!

However, in reality, my application managed to receive only 5 app downloads out of which three were of my closest friends, who also managed to help me with the reviews.

Also Read: Unfazed by 3 failures, this 20-year-old is building a new startup, with some big names backing it

While my app launched on the app store, it was completely rejected by the audience.

Mistakes to avoid and lessons to remember

 

Excitement kills reality

Before you get excited about creating the app, you need to ensure that the idea is viable. It is like driving with a broken GPS. You can drive faster but can only to get to the wrong destination sooner.

So before I began racing, I decided to upgrade my GPS, which meant concocting a plan to bring it to the market successfully.

I learned that research is a crucial element. Research on the business requirement, competition in the market and above all research about numbers of apps with the same idea.

Any good product is based on the idea of resolving issues with a fresh approach. However, if your idea is already there in the market, you can always try to improvise or add more value to it.

If there is tough competition in the market then maintain focus on improving the basics or offer something unique.

Try to find problems around you, and create solutions within the app to resolve it.

Don’t be obsessed with creating a perfect product

Being a new app developer,  I worked to fit in as many features and plugins as possible, even if they were not required.

As a result, my application was not optimized and it ran sluggishly.

Another disadvantage was the increment in developing time, while I was attempting to make the perfect app, I was losing time.

So try to eliminate unwanted & unusual features and launch the app with only a few important ones. This is also known as the minimum viable product (MVP).

You can add more features in the updated version of the application. This method reduces development time and cost, also it ensures that you can execute your idea quickly.

Also Read: These 9 famous startup failures have a lesson for you

Design simply

The design of the app is crucial in making a good first impression on the user, therefore, the layout of the app should be crafted and designed carefully.

While everything on the internet is free and easily available, i.e. theme, design pattern, plugins, and so on. These free templates encourage app owners to create an application on their own.

With so many templates to choose from, how do you pick the best one?

Well, just look at some of the most popular apps on the market, for example, Uber, or Airbnb.  They all have a simple design with an easy to use UI. Try to make your design as simple as you can, remove all unusual graphics from design.

Identify the right audience

Creating a dream project without planning is like shooting in the dark. Before creating the app, first, it is essential to ask, Why?

Identifying relevant users always helps in creating features.

Usually, popular apps are always designed according to their target audience which is why they get attention from an early-stage. So try to identify whom you’re serving in future and jot down their needs.

If the application is crafted according to the users, it will gain traction and this may help you to monetise the app.

ASO (App Store Optimization) is oxygen

If your application does not perform well on the app store, App Store Optimisation (ASO) can turn your fortunes around.

ASO is similar to search engine optimisation (SEO), which helps to boost website rankings on the search engine, except this time it is for the app store.

In my personal experience, it is crucial that all newbie app owners should learn the basics of ASO and strive to implement it in the best possible way. Here are some basics of app store optimization. (trust me it works):

• Put a catchy keyword in the title.
• Add keywords in the description.
• Use attractive & appealing screenshots.
• Insert informative videos in the screenshots.
• Use the app Store analytics for audience behaviour
• Encourage positive reviews to users.
• Try to create a brand identity design (Icon, Color)

Also Read: How the world’s most successful founders approach failure

Final thoughts

By writing this post, I hope it helps every new app owner or someone who is planning to build an app and avoid making the same mistakes that I did.

One key takeaway for readers is that you should keep your eyes on core functionality or selling point of the app. Try to keep the design and functions of the app as simple as you can.

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Image Credit: Maulik Sutariya

 

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Naluri offers therapeutics care combining behaviour science, data science, and digital design to provide structured health coaching and psychological support

Naluri, a Malaysia-based healthtech startup, has closed US$1.5 million in an oversubscribed pre-Series A round of funding, led by Global Founders Capital, a Berlin-based VC firm run by Rocket Internet Co-founder Oliver Samwer.

Stanford-StartX Fund, TH Capital, and private investors, including doctors as well as the startup’s existing investors, also participated, DealStreetAsia reported.

The money will help the firm plan its growth for the next 12 months. It will focus on expanding its user base, hiring senior staff, starting overseas teams, and to form partnerships with leading insurers, corporate employers, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies.

Naluri was co-founded in 2017 by Azran Osman-Rani (CEO), who was the former chief of iflix Malaysia and AirAsia X Bhd, with medical doctors Jeremy Ting and Dr. Hariyati Shahrima.

The startup offers evidence-based health therapeutics digital care that combines behaviour science, data science, and digital design to intervene with patients or those at risk of diseases. With its software programs, it provides structured health coaching and psychological support for users to prevent, manage or treat a medical disorder or disease.

“We have seen about 60 per cent of our users achieve at least one clinically-significant health improvement that reduces the risks of diabetes or heart diseases by 30-50 per cent. Considering how our core clients decided to extend their partnership with us into phase 2 roll-outs, we have started work to extend our service to larger markets across Southeast Asia,” Co-founder Ting said.

Also Read: Malaysian healthtech startup Naluri raises US$250K seed funding from 500 Startups, BioMark

“Outside the clinic or hospital, current healthcare services and wellness programs do not provide enough ongoing support. Most are only focussed on transactional, one-off consultation sessions, ignoring the tracking of clinically-significant health outcomes such as weight reduction, blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol reduction, or quantifiable improvements in levels of depression, anxiety, and stress,” said Osman-Rani.

Previously, Naluri has raised US$242,800) seed funding from Singapore-based healthcare analytics company BioMark and 500 Startups’ Southeast Asia-focussed fund 500 Durians. 

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Halodoc operates a mobile platform for patients to access doctors any time of the day and pharmacy delivery across 50 cities, as well as home lab services

Halodoc, an online healthcare platform in Indonesia, has secured an undisclosed amount in Series B-plus funding from strategic investors, including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Prudential Life Insurance, and Allianz X, the investment unit of the leading insurance and asset management firm Allianz Group.

This comes less than five months after the company secured US$65 million in Series B led by UOB Venture Management in March 2019. Singtel Innov8, Korea Investment Partners and WuXi AppTec, in addition to existing Investors such as Go-Ventures, BliBli, Openspace Ventures and Investidea, had also participated in that round.

The fresh vestment brings Halodoc’s total funding raised so far to US$100 million.

Halodoc operates a mobile platform for patients to access doctors any time of the day and pharmacy delivery across 50 cities, as well as home lab services. Halodoc claims on an average it serves around 7 million patients per month throughout Indonesia with 80 per cent of patients residing outside the main cities of Jakarta and Surabaya.

Also Read: How HaloDoc aims to open greater access to healthcare for all Indonesians

“As an online healthcare application with a mission to simplify healthcare, these strategic partnerships will help improve the quality and number of healthcare options available to Indonesians living outside major cities — particularly outside of Java where healthcare infrastructure is less established,” said Jonathan Sudharta, CEO Halodoc

“Halodoc is successfully driving the digital transformation of the Indonesian healthcare industry through its holistic approach to the patient journey and strong strategic partners like Allianz and GO-Jek,” added Carsten Middendorf, Investment Director at Allianz X.

Todd Swihart, Managing Director Allianz Health & Corporate Solutions, Allianz Life Indonesia, said: “Through this strategic partnership with Halodoc, we will strengthen our 24×7 Digital Healthcare services and expand our Health Ecosystem that complements our range of health services and healthcare provider network.  By providing our customers access to healthcare, anytime and anywhere, we will be able to expand insurance protection for more Indonesians.”

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Be it a playground or your office, vibes play an invisible role

Undoubtedly business is your brainchild but it is the flawless implementation and unbiased efforts which make it flourish and stand amidst global giants of your industry. According to a report, a little over 50% of startups fail in the first four years of their commencement.

Amidst numerous reasons that directly and indirectly impact the fall and rise of a business, work culture and the environment inside your office premises plays one of the most crucial roles in deciding the future of your business.

Boost your company culture

The journey of an entrepreneur is filled with new challenges, however, what makes a successful entrepreneur is a skill to surpass the challenges. In one of his recent interviews,

Rahul Agarwal founder of Designhill said, “Not only for an entrepreneur but it is crucial that entire staff works in enhancing their interpersonal skills. Having the same successfully accomplished eventually leads the brand towards success it deserves”.

1. Failure is part of the walk

No idea or execution comes with an acuity of success. The market is the most unexpected arena and when you are dealing with customers (B2B or B2C) the behavior is highly unprecedented.

Having said this, if you or the team at some point fails or could not bring out the expected results, there isn’t any need to play the blame game or feel defeated. The need instead is to together find the reasons behind and ensure to implement changes with more dedication.

2. Not knowing everything is OK

Be it any business, it starts with an idea. However, to take it further and reach your goals, you need to focus on different aspects. Which includes everything from attaining to retaining your target audience.

To accomplish the same, there are different departments and a defined hierarchy. The team we are talking about. The reason behind having a dedicated team with experienced people is that they are good at their respective jobs.

The perfection is in understanding the same and letting the right person do the right job.

3. Taking responsibilities

This one here is partially linked with our previous point. The task you are assigned is your responsibility and so are the results ascertained. It becomes your primary responsibility to understand your roles and dedicatedly fulfill them.

Every team member has to closely understand and accomplish their roles, taking responsibility. Industry experts believe that if every team member will start taking responsibilities of their task, over half of the hurdles could be easily crossed.

4. Professional acceptance

Someone rightly said, ‘Work while you work, play while you play’. There’s a professional culture which needs to be followed with dedication.

When we say professional acceptance, you need to get yourself completely into the work mode and understand that the people around and the place has some professional ethics. It is your prime responsibility to accept and grasp this professional environment and adhere to it.

Also read: 4 reasons why company culture is so important with startups

5. Valuing customers is valuing business

Though last in our list but of high importance. Every team member needs to understand that the business will have no existence in the absence of customers. Not only this, statistics show that companies have to spend more money on client retention in comparison to attaining them.

Having said this, it becomes very important for you to ensure customer satisfaction and value your customers. In absence of the same or any loophole may impact the growth of your business adversely.

Conclusion

Be it a playground or your office, vibes play an invisible role. Besides having a wonderful idea and flawless execution, the environment in your office also plays a vital role in determining the growth of your business.

Studies have revealed that companies with a healthy work culture and positive motivation plays a crucial role in building a better work culture. These were a few important elements that can ensure that your business keeps moving.

However, it is the dedication of the entire team and combined use of expertise which helps you reach the set targets and stand amidst the industry giants.

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This article was first published on e27 on June 31, 2018.

e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

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How Sunday Insurance scaled to become one of the region’s pioneering InsurTech leaders

Insurance isn’t an industry that is necessarily closely connected with innovation — after all, an industry with a 300 year legacy is hard to shake up!

Deloitte suggests that though 2017 saw a decline in new insurtech startup activity (only 88 were launched that year – half the number of fresh companies from the years before), insurtech players are still doing brisk business; the first half of 2018 saw as much as US$869 million pouring into the industry, and is on track to equal the US$1.82 billion raised in 2017.

Though much of that growth is still focused in the West, Asia Pacific, which holds 14 percent of the market, is set to be the fastest growing region for the foreseeable future.

Insurtech broke out into the mainstream market in much the same way fintech did: by unbundling the retail space through digital platforms, therefore offering customers more choice, and providing convenient ways to make transactions and interact with their brand and business. However, a subtle shift has been occurring, as the technologies that support the wider fintech world become increasingly sophisticated.

Today, we are increasingly seeing the emergence of insurtech companies that are working on bringing innovative insurance into the industry’s commercial segment. While some of those companies are still working on unbundling financial services, many more mature startups are focused on solving the big problems inherent to the insurance industry.

One such company is Sunday, Thailand’s first and only insuretch startup. It bills itself as a “full-stack insurance business” that serves its customers throughout the purchasing and claims process. Sunday exploded onto the marketplace with its innovative products that are built atop machine learning and artificial intelligence frameworks, bolstered by big data analytics.

Customised, down to the individual

Sunday was started with the mission of solving insurance’s pricing issue. Their bold claim: AI and machine learning can fix these problems. According to Dhanadham Pokthitiyuk, Sunday’s Head of Marketing, the company started when they noticed an unfulfilled need in the Thai market for insurance that worked for the customer, not just the insurance company.

“There are various pain points from the users that never have been resolved,” Pokthitiyuk said. “We did a lot of market research on and came out with ideas on how to make people’s lives easier and more fuss free. This is one of the reasons why we name ourselves ‘Sunday’, because we want everyone feel easy like Sunday morning, 365 days a year.”

The core idea of Sunday’s business model is their clever use of AI and ML in the creation of their insurance products. By leveraging on their ML algorithms, Sunday is able to provide customers with a wider range of insurance policies that are highly customised in terms of cost and coverage, in order to provide the best value.

Sunday’s business model is predicated on a creative premise that the company could accurately assess a customer’s individual risk rating. This means that each user will receive a product pricing that is based on their individual risk and not market or population aggregated risk.

They do this by taking into account previous variables not usually considered by traditional insurance players, at various “touch points ranging from product design, dynamic pricing, [up to the] claims process”, explained Pokthitiyuk. “I think the possibilities are endless. We need to be creative in the way we use data and tech and that is the key.”

A focus on the unserved

“We believe that we are building a company that is adaptive…to the risks that we are trying to cover and serve our customers what they need,” Cindy Kua, Sunday’s CEO and co-founder, said in an interview with Amazon Web Services. “We want to use data and technology to completely redefine the entire insurance value chain.”

She further explained that Sunday’s model is able to fully automate the claims assessment model from beginning to end. “It is flexible to price and provide any type of products for any type of customer in real time,” Kua said.

Sunday has tapped into two major issues within the insurance industry: cost and accessibility. Most insurance firms are not incentivised to provide products to lower-income communities because it is costly to operations.

However, there is a huge business case for insurtech companies working to introduce more affordable and relevant products to lower-income populations: there are as many as 3.8 billion uninsured individuals in emerging markets, and 84 percent of catastrophic economic losses in Asia (or US$26 billion) went uninsured in 2017.

This massively unserved market could prove hugely lucrative.

Sunday’s success in the market had a lot to do with the key decisions it made regarding product expansion. According to Pokthitiyuk, the company started its expansion in the area of motor insurance, especially for taxi drivers who fork out exorbitant fees for public use cars. “We started gathering data about how these drivers drive and their risk and design the bite-sized motor insurance product that fit with their needs,” he said.

Their groundbreaking motor insurance product led to a tie-up with Grab, where Sunday would offer “Grab Driver’s Health”, a policy that would enhance drivers’ livelihood and work conditions in busy, congested Bangkok. Sunday said that the partnership would help alleviate some of the issues created by the gig economy, where uncertainty is the name of the game.

These “bite-sized” policies have become a staple of Sunday’s business model, as they work with the needs and resources of Thailand’s generally low-income population. Another bite-sized insurance scheme that Sunday offers is its affordable travel insurance micro-policies that include flight delay compensation.

Sunday is also exploring an expansion into the B2B group health insurance segment, in order to sidestep problems posed by traditional, pre-made health insurance packages that usually prove inaccessible for SMEs and businesses with limited financial resources.

Pokthitiyuk said the company has plans to expand beyond the immediate Bangkok area, where they are headquartered, and eventually other countries in Southeast Asia.

Embedded deep in Sunday’s philosophy is a commitment to serving its customers where they are by providing the most optimised option. Pokthitiyuk advised startups that want to scale up their business and find similar success to focus on the user’s perspective before their own.

“Start with the needs of the users; many start-ups fail because they mainly think about the products but forget how to scale them. Thinking from users perspective is also important,” he said. “The products need to solve customers’ pain points and serve their needs.”

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