App Development
App Development. Apps Built Around How the Business Grows.
App Development at Madvert Labs designs and builds mobile and web applications, from customer-facing apps to client portals, with the backend, integrations and analytics they need.
App Development is part of Tech and Product Development, where Madvert Labs builds software when a growth problem needs a tool rather than another campaign. Every app starts with the business case: who will use it, what it replaces and how its success will be measured.
Who this is for
Who app development is for
A good fit
- Businesses whose customers repeatedly message the team for updates, bookings or documents that an app or portal could provide.
- Service businesses that want customers to book, reorder or track progress without a phone call.
- Teams running core processes in spreadsheets and chat groups that they have outgrown.
- Founders with a product idea that needs a first version built properly and connected to marketing from the start.
Probably not the right fit
- Problems an existing off-the-shelf tool already solves well. Madvert Labs will say so rather than build it.
- Ideas with no clear user or business outcome yet. A Tech Opportunity Audit is the better first step.
The problem
When the business has outgrown messages and spreadsheets
Some growth problems are not marketing problems. When customers chase the team for updates, staff copy data between tools and the important numbers live in separate spreadsheets, more advertising only adds pressure to a process that cannot scale.
Off-the-shelf software solves many of these problems and should be used when it fits. When it forces the business to change how it works, a custom app can fit the process instead. Technology should fit the business, not force the business to fit the technology.
The main risk is building the wrong thing. App Development at Madvert Labs reduces that risk by starting with the opportunity and building in stages.
How it works
How an app is scoped and built
Step 1: Opportunity audit
Map the bottleneck, the users, the data and the existing tools, then decide whether the answer is marketing, automation, an existing product or custom code.
Step 2: Scope the first version
Define the smallest version that solves the core problem for real users, with the features that can wait listed separately.
Step 3: UX and interface design
Design screens and flows around the tasks users actually perform, and review them before development starts.
Step 4: Build in stages
Develop the app, backend and admin tools in stages, with working releases reviewed along the way rather than one reveal at the end.
Step 5: Integrate
Connect the app to the CRM, payments, booking, analytics or other systems it needs, so data does not have to be copied by hand.
Step 6: Launch and support
Release to users, monitor usage and errors, and improve the app based on what people actually do.
Comparison
Mobile app or web app?
Both are valid. The right choice depends on how people will use the product.
| Consideration | Web app | Mobile app |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Any modern browser, no install | Installed from the App Store or Google Play |
| Updates | Live as soon as they are released | Usually distributed through app store releases |
| Device features | Some, depending on the browser | Full access, such as push notifications and offline use |
| Best for | Portals, dashboards and tools used on desktop and mobile | Products customers open often on their phone |
Scope
What is included in app development
Included
- Opportunity audit and build versus buy recommendation
- Product scoping and feature prioritisation
- UX and UI design
- Mobile app and web app development
- Backend, database and admin panel development
- Integrations with CRM, booking, payment and other tools
- Analytics and usage tracking
- Launch support and ongoing improvements
Not included
- Building software when an existing tool already fits. Madvert Labs recommends the existing tool instead.
- Promised app store rankings or download numbers.
- Apps with no agreed user, purpose or measure of success.
Examples
Examples of apps and portals
A client portal
A secure area where customers see project status, documents and invoices, so they do not need to message the team for every update.
A booking and reorder app
A mobile app that lets repeat customers book or reorder in a few taps, connected to the business's calendar and CRM.
An internal operations app
A tool that replaces a spreadsheet and a chat group with one shared view of jobs, owners and deadlines.
A growth dashboard
One view of marketing, sales and operational numbers, pulled from the tools the business already uses.
Common questions
App development: common questions
Should we build a mobile app or a web app?
It depends on how customers will use it. A web app works in any browser and is usually faster to launch and update. A mobile app makes sense when the product needs to live on the phone, with notifications, offline use, device features or frequent repeat use. Madvert Labs recommends one after the opportunity audit.
How much does it cost to build an app?
The cost depends on the features, the number of platforms, the integrations and the design work involved. Madvert Labs does not publish fixed prices; a first version is scoped after the audit so the estimate reflects the real work.
Why would a marketing company build apps?
Because some growth problems are not marketing problems. When a tool is the answer, Madvert Labs designs and builds the tool and connects it to the marketing, CRM and analytics around it.
How do app projects start?
With a tech opportunity audit. Madvert Labs maps the bottleneck, the data and the existing tools, then recommends whether the problem needs marketing, automation or code.
Can the app work with our existing systems?
Yes, integrations are a core part of the work, from CRMs and booking tools to payment providers and internal databases, using their APIs or webhooks where they are available.
Related resources
Free resources from the Madvert Vault
Show Us the Bottleneck. We Will Tell You Whether It Needs an App.
Keep exploring
More on technology, AI systems and development
Next Step
Partner Up with MADVERT Labs.
- No generic pitch.
- No pressure.
- Just a serious conversation about growth.