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Let’s Be Frank: Have an Awesome Idea For an App? What Does It Really Take to Develop a Mobile Application With Fusion of Ideas?

When starting something new,  it’s never a bad idea to do a little research online to get an understanding of what it is you’re getting into.  This is never more true than when you’re starting to research and brainstorm for a business app you’d like to create.  Through Entrepreneur.com and other top sites, we’ve found lists of recommended questions to ask potential developers.  To take some of the guesswork out of reading the details on our website at www.fusionofideas.com, we sat down with our Business Development Manager of Applications, Tim Hurlbut, and asked some of the top recommended questions to ask when interviewing an app development company.  

May I have a list of your current and past clients?  

Just to name drop a few, we’ve done custom applications for Hilton Grand Vacations, Warner Brothers, Lakers, Delta, Hennessy, California Pizza Kitchen, Barney’s New York, Lionsgate, LensCrafters, NuSkin, CapitalOne, Audi, New York Public Library, etc.  We’ve built all kinds of applications; whether it is a dynamic content solution for a small business or an intense client facing sales tool, our expert developers can do it all. Upon request, we would love to share some samples of our work depending on your area of interest.

Where can I find examples of mobile apps you’ve developed?

The majority of our clients utilize apps for B2B and internal purposes, so most of the apps we develop are not public. However, some of the applications we have developed can be found on the App Store & Google Play. Upon request, we would love to share some samples of our work.  

Which platforms do you develop?

We are experts in both iOS and Android app development. We also have an expert team of Web Developers who are able to work in multiple programming languages.

Do you provide documentation for the apps you develop?

Yes, documentation is provided for apps we develop. It is also provided for source code.

How do you manage quality control and testing?

Quality control and testing is always provided with each phase of the project.  We use the AGILE development mythology.  This process includes weekly reviews and updates.  

Do you develop everything yourself? Do you outsource to anyone?

Our team is all in-house, plugging away at their work in our offices in Southern California.  We do not outsource.  And better yet, you can get a hold of us at anytime with clear communication.  How many App Developer companies can boast that they do all of their work under one roof, all in the USA?  We can.   

Do you partner with an app designer or would you need us to handle that?

We have our own skilled app designers who are able to take your vision to life. We are also available to work with a clients’ own design partner or style guides.  

What are the steps you usually take prior to building an app?

Upon request, we would love to provide you with our brochure that outlines the entire app development process. Here is a sneak peak of the steps we go through to make sure we build you exactly what you want.

9 Steps For An Effective Application Development Project (from Fusion of Ideas Brochure)

Will you manage the process for uploading to the various app marketplaces? Do you have a developer account to do this?

Yes, we will handle the app submission process to App Store, Google Play, etc. We do have our own app developer account, however the majority of our projects are built using the clients developer account, which we help them secure.

Do you offer long-term app maintenance and support?

Yes, we have multiple options available to clients depending upon their requirements.  

How will we communicate during the development process?

Generally through initial phone conversations, followed by email & webinar sessions. We are available to travel if required to meet with clients.

Who will own the mobile app?

The app projects are primarily owned by our clients. We are a work-for-hire partner and do not retain ownership rights.

What are your fees and payment terms?

All of our projects are quoted as fixed price projects.  We learn the clients needs. We document those requirements in a statement of work. We quote a firm fixed price and timeline to the details quote. Determining on the clients specific needs, payment terms are usually in phases or can also be done in monthly payments.

For more information about Fusion of Ideas and our application development services, please contact us at 949-453-0740 or info@fusionofideas.com

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How Delta Defense Turned 200,000 Subscribers Into a Million Viewers

Delta Defense is the first and largest member-owned association that educates, trains, equips, and insures responsibly armed Americans.  President and CEO Tim Schmidt, embracing his new role as a protector after having his first child, was inspired to create the “Concealed Carry Magazine” in 2003 and later the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) in 2005.  With over 200,000 subscribers, the Concealed Carry Magazine is a prominent aspect of Delta Defense. But they’re not stopping there – in their attempt to reach an even greater audience, the organization continues to explore additional avenues for growth and expansion. This philosophy is what led Delta Defense to explore today’s modern platform: mobile applications.  

After some unsuccessful partnerships with other app developers, Delta Defense was in need of a trustworthy app development company.  They needed a developer who could take their vision and translate it into a functional mobile app.  FUSION was able to address all of their concerns by aligning specific designs and functionality for their mobile application with the necessary tools to make their vision come to life.  The app (free to download in the Apple App Store and Android Play) incorporates key features such as a news feed, articles, podcasts, issues of the Concealed Carry Magazine, upcoming events, gun legislation, a Reciprocity Map, and a detailed map of local gun ranges. Fusion also created an easy-to-use backend for managing all of the information and pushing updates to the app.

Since the release of their mobile application, Delta Defense is now reaching and educating over one million people.  FUSION’s commitment to open communication and true collaboration allowed Delta Defense to oversee all aspects of the development process from initial conception to completion.  Now, more than ever, the mobile app is helping Delta Defense reach a larger, broader audience, resulting in more informed and responsible armed Americans.

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Creating An Unparalleled Welcoming Experience For New Homeowners

For over 30 years, Consultatio Real Estate has successfully developed innovative high category real estate projects in prime locations.

Passionate about transforming ordinary into extraordinary, Consultatio Real Estate wanted the most high-end, absolute best for their tenants. They wanted to create an unparalleled welcoming experience for new homeowners of both the Oceana Key Biscayne and Bal Harbour properties that reflected the union of art, real estate and technology.

In 2014, Consultatio needed a solution for their welcoming process with their Oceana Key Biscayne project.  They wanted a very unique gift experience for the tenants of Consultatio Real Estate that would capture the attention of future homeowners and provide a suitable resource for displaying the many amenities the property had to offer. As an unprecedented solution to enhance Consultatio’s welcoming process, FUSION created fully equipped and branded iPads, including a custom sleeve, branded Smart Cover, and preloaded with custom iOS content, providing each tenant with a little piece of art for their new home. The tenants loved the gift so much that Consultatio knew it needed to be part of their next project.

This year, when the Bal Harbour property neared completion, Consultatio Real Estate connected with FUSION again to discuss the next rollout of customized iPads. It was quickly discovered that among the many exquisite works of art on the Bal Harbour property, one in particular stood out above the rest. Created by iconic Americana artist Jeff Koons, the mirror-polished, stainless steel sculpture “Pluto and Proserpina” stands over 10 feet tall and serves as a centerpiece of the property. Using this masterpiece as an inspiration, FUSION presented a new complete iPad package with a design that surpassed expectations. Consultatio loved the new packaging and exquisite custom gift boxes built specifically for their custom project with high-end materials fit to be displayed on a coffee table. The iPads were customized with pre-loaded content about the property and its amenities. A custom printed Smart Cover paired nicely with the full-color printed iPad. A custom sleeve was also fitted around the iPad box before it was inserted into the gift box. The result was a stunning, one-of-a-kind gift for each tenant to feel welcomed and cherished.

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The New River Electrical Story: A Big Power Move to Reduce Paper Trails and Improve Efficiency with Field Data Collection

New River Electrical (NRE) is a large electrical contractor doing business at multiple job sites on the East Coast. They have 700 plus employees that spend nearly 100% of their time at the job sites. The company’s challenge has always been twofold: first, collecting payroll information and getting payroll checks cut weekly for their workers; and secondly, collecting job site data for various purposes such as safety and regulatory compliance issues.

Their manual system was time consuming for the foremen who had to physically write on paper time sheets and then fax them to the corporate accounting team, who in turn had to calculate the hours from the printed handwritten sheets and upload them into a system for payment. There were also many safety and regulatory documents that constantly needed to be signed, collected, accounted for, and then stored at corporate as well.

The application that Fusion developed for NRE addressed the client’s major concerns, plus some.  Here’s what Fusion was able to accomplish for NRE with their application.  

Fusion designed a custom iPad solution for the client that allowed the foremen the ability to capture payroll information electronically. The corporate office had secure access to all the data captured and payroll processing time was slashed by 70%.

“With the app, we see a time savings of significant magnitude, especially where we are able to review the time entries, the equipment entries, and the safety reporting that the foreman is actually keeping themselves,” said Carolena Trammell, Controller at New River Electrical.

Additional modules also allowed the company to electronically capture and store data for safety forms, incident reports, and a multitude of compliance reports. Foremen could now review and sign forms on their iPads.  A file system for job-specific information was also created. The client has accrued huge benefits from their new ability to review and analyze field data. All past reports and forms were paper based and not easily accessible.  

On the administration side, an easy-to-use portal was created for corporate accounting users to view, edit, and approve all payroll data. Project managers were able to add, edit or delete all job specific forms and reports, and the system was integrated with NRE’s ViewPoint accounting system to allow ease of use.  

NRE’s corporate strategy took the inefficiencies of their manual processes and streamlined them and improved them through the use of mobile technology.  Since the initial application development, NRE has been working with Fusion for over 3 years. Recent project enhancements have included the ability to track expenses and manage the company’s uniform inventory.

When asked about why companies like NRE choose to switch over to mobile applications, Tim Hurlbut, Business Development Manager of Applications at Fusion of Ideas says, “Where do you want to see your company in the next few years? Do you want to be a company that is still using old presentation tools,  faxing in reports, and emailing spreadsheets? Or do you want to be excelling in the tablet and mobile device world? Apps are not just trendy, they are completely functional and can change the ease of how you do business.”  

Applications are making a huge difference for small and large companies across the globe.

“Building an application helps you empower your employees with more efficiency to get the job done,” says Tyler Harmor, Chief Technology Officer at Fusion of Ideas. “Through app development, you are given the keys to create a completely new experience. The sky really is the limit on what you can accomplish with an application for your company. At Fusion of Ideas, we focus on the end user and the demand from business to create applications that simplify and change the way people do business.”  

If you are interested in discussing mobile application solutions that can help advance and modernize the way your company does business, please contact Fusion of Ideas directly at info@fusionofideas.com or 949-453-0740 ext. 250.

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Fusion of Ideas Core Products and Services

Okay, okay, so before we get our blog going, we have one more item of business that we would love to share, and that’s more information about our core products and services, which you can always find more information about on our website at www.fusionofideas.com.

Mobility is more than a necessity in business. It’s an art form. It requires the proper use of technology surrounded by brand experiences that are seamless and simple.

We’re masters of our craft.

We’ve partnered with hundreds of brands to transform their business processes and elevate their brand equity (check out some of our work here). From planning to deployment, we’ve revolutionized end-to-end mobility. We push the creative boundaries to streamline your operations and deliver an innovative customer journey that elevates your brand experience. Ultimately, our proprietary services and expertise contribute to one goal: advancing the Art of Mobility.

In today’s digital era, the smartest corporate leaders have mobilized their enterprise. Mobile adaption is defining the way your business will grow. Research shows that there’s an obsessive customer need for more mobile integration, but only 25 percent of companies will incorporate mobile strategies into their customer’s experiences.

FUSION can transform your brand experience through:

App Development – (IOS ⬢ Android ⬢ Windows ⬢ Web ⬢ Web Apps) With insight into the entire mobile integration process, FUSION works with clients to develop custom mobile software solutions. Streamline your user’s experience through FUSION’s custom mobile apps tailored to your needs and securely integrated into your IT system’s backend. All of FUSION’s design and development is done in-house in America, and FUSION takes the time to understand the entirety of your project and business needs upfront. FUSION wants to partner with you to enhance your business. You are poised for success partnering with FUSION by creating the mobile software solution you desire.

 Branding Experiences – ( Customization ⬢ Digital Content ⬢ Custom Packaging ⬢ Custom Accessories ⬢ StealthArmor) FUSION has spent over a decade innovating mobile device customization, and continues to evolve services for clients. This process starts with the customization and branding of devices and accessories, then extends to preloading digital content onto devices and concludes with placing mobile devices in custom packaging. All of these services are uniquely crafted around a branded experience that is delivered directly to the end user.

 Integration Logistics – (Consulting ⬢ Ordering Portals ⬢ MDM ⬢ Sourcing ⬢ Kitting ⬢ Shipping) FUSION manages mobile integration logistics from initial concept to finished execution. FUSION enables clients to accomplish flawless worldwide deployment without ever having to touch a single device. And FUSION takes away the hassle of a mobility project by handling all aspects of receiving, branding, uploading, kitting and shipping your devices. FUSION’s custom ordering portals enable you to manage all of the details and reports of your project. FUSION can place and manage client devices under proprietary Mobile Device Management (MDM) and administer all of your MDM needs. Devices are kitted, prepared and packaged from FUSION’s 26,000-square-foot warehouse in Southern California. FUSION ships devices to one or multiple locations around the world for delivery. On-site setup and training workshops can be performed by FUSION, as well as concierge services such as HelpDesk, Device Depot and Break Fix. The most significant component: you never have to touch a single device to get them deployed, since FUSION has done it for you.

If you ever have any questions about Fusion or our products and services, we’d love to hear from you. You can connect with us on our website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, via email at info@fusionofideas.com or via phone at 949-453-0740.