|
|
Project Overview
Invoice2go provides a super simple way for any small business to send professional invoices, and track expenses from a computer, tablet or smartphone - all in a single app.
Rated as a top app for small business, it allows you to:
Generate custom invoices, estimates and purchase orders
Keep track of on-the-job expenses
Review charts at a glance to see how business is tracking.
Created by a small business owner, Invoice2go helps small business owners stay mobile, organised and connected to maximise cash flow.
Organisation
Team
Chris Strode
Project Brief
Small businesses worldwide are united by one common problem: they are so busy running their business, critical tasks like invoicing get left until the weekend.
Invoice2go is a mobile app that allows you to invoice on the job from any device. The Invoice2go app shot to global success as small businesses across industries, from electricians and accountants to dog walkers, and creative freelancers, realised the power of handling critical tasks like invoicing in real time.
Invoicing is the first step to getting paid, and by sending an invoice as soon as the job is done, businesses can take control of their cash flow. Businesses using Invoice2go report getting paid 7 days faster on average.
Keeping business organised, estimates, purchase orders and more are saved in the app and synced across all devices. Simple charts enable you to easily identify outstanding invoices and better manage cash flow, anywhere, anytime.
The recent launch of the Invoice2go for Apple Watch app revolutionises business operations all over again. The Watch app means people on the go can track time on the job more accurately. Using geo-fencing technology, the app detects when you enter and exit a job site, prompting you to check-in and out. The data pre-fills an invoice for you to modify, and send with one tap. Notifications tell you when customers pay, to help you keep a track of cash-flow, at a glance.
Project Innovation/Need
Invoice2go was created by Chris Strode, a small business owner who was frustrated with the lack of simple, affordable options for sending invoices. He looked at what was available to him as a contractor, and found all the solutions to be far more complicated than what he needed. He knew there had to be a better way, so he began developing Invoice2go on his daily train commute from work.
The launch of the mobile app meant that for the first time, contractors, tradespeople and other business owners could create simple and professional invoices on the go, revolutionising their business.
One of the app’s greatest innovations is its emphasis on simplicity. It distills into a mobile app all the critical functions a small business owner needs to stay cash-flow positive, without the complexity and overhead of accounting software.
Invoice2go is laser-focused on making it incredibly easy to create and send invoices, estimates and other necessary documents. And it’s not just about providing ease-of-use for its own sake - it’s about removing barriers for small business owners to get invoices sent out to customers as quickly as possible, because it directly affects cash flow.
That Invoice2go is consistently a top-grossing business app on the App Store is a testament to its focus on an experience users appreciate.
User Experience
Invoice2go was designed by a small business owner with the goal of making it incredibly easy to create and send invoices, estimates and other important documents.
Saving time is a big deal for small business owners, and every element of the Invoice2go user experience centres on that insight.
Minimising friction between discovering the product and using it, the setup is designed to be extremely light compared to other accounting programs. An invoice requires a certain level of information that can be tedious to input, so the app only asks for information that’s critical to the setup.
Customising an invoice is similarly lightweight. An intuitive wheel of styles and colours makes it easy to customise. The user gets instant feedback as they design; a visual reference that is powerful in showing people what they are creating.
There’s an important balance between asking for the user’s time, and showing them the benefit in terms of a professional, customised, and ready-to-send invoice that’s been created in under 3 minutes.
Flexibility is critical for the user experience. Every business is different and has it’s own way of doing things. Designed to be flexible rather than prescriptive, the app allows the business owner to run their business how they want. The design team is very conscious of this when assessing new features. Prioritising flexibility and versatility in the design means Invoice2go can meet the needs of any business, in any industry.
Project Marketing
Word spread fast about the ease and convenience of Invoice2go, and in 2011 it reached top 10 in the Apple App Store. This word of mouth and consistently high App Store ratings drove the app’s initial success, and continues to be a key driver of subscriptions.
The Marketing strategy involves creating compelling content to engage a wide range of small businesses, public relations for authority building and driving awareness, search engine marketing, email marketing, radio advertising, and optimising App Store reviews. Each approach leverages customer insights gained from user testing, surveys, data points, and other methods.
Invoice2go has more than 200,000 customers worldwide, a community of small business owners who are passionate about their business and the app’s impact on their operations. We engage with this community through channels including social media, user panels, and email. We recently launched a Facebook contest inviting customers to tell us how they would use the Apple Watch and the Invoice2go app for Apple Watch to help run their business. The contest garnered a great deal of user engagement, with more than 1,300 comments posted to the page.
Offering a low barrier to entry, users can trial the Invoice2go app for free before subscribing. A variety of pricing plans means Invoice2go meets the needs of every small business of every size.
Project Privacy
Invoice2go cares about the security of user information, and uses commercially reasonable physical, administrative, and technological safeguards to preserve the integrity and security of all information collected.
Invoice2go collects credit card information using a security-enabled, transparent pass-through to a payment gateway provider and does not store full credit card numbers or any CVV2 data itself. Any credit card information provided is stored by third party payment processors, who comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS).
Business Platforms
Business Platforms have succeeded in helping businesses in changing their focus to the achievement of outcomes. Compelling, flexible and scalable platforms that provide greater business agility and productivity will stand out here.
More Details