About Cashtag

Cashtag GmbH is a young software company based in Ingelheim, Germany. Founded in 2021 by Niclas Kupka and Erik Reifer, Cashtag has quickly become a leader in the local marketing space. The company's flagship product, the Cashtag app, allows businesses to increase customer retention by utilizing digital consumer touchpoints for local customers.

The Cashtag app is a digital platform allowing small shops and restaurants to create and manage customer loyalty programs. Local business owners can use the app to offer their customers exclusive deals, a centralized communication channel, and rewards for their loyalty. On top of that, it’s possible to see the menu of a shop and even order items, which will be sent to the shop owners in real time. The app also includes a customer feedback feature, which allows businesses to collect feedback from their customers and use it to improve their products and services. Since its launch, the Cashtag app has been downloaded by over 10,000 users and has helped businesses increase customer retention rates and the degree of digitalization. It is on track to become one of Germany's leading local marketing platforms.

Goals 

We were committed to creating an app that was both functional and user-friendly. These were our clear and specific goals:

●      Develop an intuitive app that is easy to use for end customers and shop owners

●      Create an app that is easy to maintain and update

●      Make the app cost-effective to develop and maintain

●      Ensure that the app can scale to handle a large number of users

Challenges‍

We faced a number of both technical and project challenges in building the Cashtag app.

Building an entirely new app from scratch: The Cashtag app, including the backend and front end, was built from scratch. This required a deep understanding of the business requirements and a lot of planning and coordination.

Scalability: An app is scalable and can be used by many users. We achieved this using a scalable cloud platform and programming language.

Data security: It is secure and protects user data. We achieved this using secure data storage and encryption methods.

Compatibility with App Store iOS & Android: This app is compatible with iOS and Android devices. This was achieved through extensive testing and debugging.

Integrating several native features: The Cashtag app integrates several native features, such as NFC Tag Support, QR code scanning, Face ID, and location-based services push notifications. It was a challenge because it required working with different native platforms.

Integrating a major Flutter upgrade: It was updated to the latest version of Flutter. The app's compatibility with the older version of Flutter was a critical requirement.

Integrating Google and Apple SSO: The Cashtag app integrates Google and Apple SSO. It required working with different authentication protocols.

Keeping high performance while having many screens and features: It has many screens and features, but it still performs well. We achieved this using a variety of performance optimization techniques.

Building up the entire Backend: It has a scalable and reliable cloud backend. We used a scalable cloud platform and a variety of automation tools.

Build tracking with Google Analytics: The Cashtag app uses Google Analytics to track its usage and performance. Google Analytics enables to monitor the app's performance and improve as needed.

Fully automated workflows to build the backend and front end: The Cashtag app uses fully automated workflows to build its backend and front end. Our automated deployment pipeline allows us to quickly and easily get the app into the hands of testers.

Process

Create a roadmap and product plan: We created a roadmap and product plan for the Cashtag app, defining its features, functionality, and timeline.‍

Create stories and technical requirements based on understanding the business use cases: We created stories and technical requirements based on our understanding of the business use cases, which required a lot of communication and collaboration with the business stakeholders.‍

Consult and advice on how to approach the project and how to overcome issues and solve requirements: Consulting with the business stakeholders on how to approach the project and address issues while meeting requirements involved a lot of knowledge-sharing and collaborative problem-solving.‍

Building an app with a low-price tag, fulfilling high demands within a tight deadline: We built an app with a low price tag while still fulfilling the increased needs of the business stakeholders.‍

State-of-the-art, compelling experience: The Cashtag app provides a state-of-the-art user experience. We achieved this using the latest technologies and design trends.‍

International Team: The Cashtag app was developed by an international team, which involved a lot of communication and coordination.

“With PRODYNA as a partner, we maintain a personal relationship and draw on a high level of expertise in app development and IT architecture. PRODYNA's flexible and quickly adaptable way of working is exactly what we were looking for.”

-  Erik Reifer, CEO at Cashtag GmbH

Solution

To address the complex challenges faced in developing the Cashtag app, we collaborated closely with the Cashtag team to devise a comprehensive solution encompassing technical and project-related aspects. Here are the solutions we developed.‍

Cloud Strategy and Scalable Infrastructure: A detailed project roadmap was jointly established to formulate a cloud strategy focused on constructing a highly scalable infrastructure. Leveraging cloud services, particularly Azure, laid the foundation for the Cashtag app's growth and expansion.‍

Automated Build Chains: PRODYNA implemented automated build chains to streamline and expedite the development process of the mobile app. This automation accelerated the development lifecycle and ensured consistent and efficient app releases.‍

Flutter for Swift Development: The mobile app was exclusively built using Flutter, a versatile and efficient framework. This choice facilitated rapid development and seamless maintenance and ensured consistent user experience across iOS and Android platforms.‍

Data Security and Compatibility: Stringent data security measures were integrated into the app's architecture, protecting sensitive user information. Additionally, rigorous compatibility testing was carried out to ensure a seamless presence on both the App Store for iOS and Android platforms.‍

Integration of Native Features: PRODYNA successfully integrated various native features, such as NFC Tag reading, QR code scanning, Face ID, location-based services, and push notifications. This integration enhanced the app's functionality and user engagement.‍

Continuous Performance Optimization: Despite the app's numerous screens and features, PRODYNA employed various performance optimization techniques to maintain high responsiveness and smooth user interaction.‍

Backend Development and Automation: A robust and scalable backend infrastructure was built to support the app's functionality. Automation workflows were established for both backend and frontend processes, ensuring efficient development and deployment.

‍"During this time, we have developed 26 different features, more than 80% of which provide direct customer value."

-      Robin Elger, Service Manager at PRODYNA

Feature-rich, secure, and user-friendly mobile platform

The collaborative efforts between Cashtag and PRODYNA resulted in a successful development journey that culminated in the creation the Cashtag app – a feature-rich, secure, and user-friendly mobile loyalty platform with the potential to revolutionize local marketing and customer engagement. The app is available on Android and iOS and adapts to different screen sizes. Additionally, the app supports multiple stages and versions installable simultaneously, which allows for a more agile development process. Finally, the app uses synchronous and asynchronous communication, ensuring users have a smooth and seamless experience.