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Ask HN: What did you do after launching app...

4 points by ajm_5338 13y ago

Just launched our app, DormChat. Getting good traction. Now what? That's the oversimplified thought process. What I'm curious to hear though is personal experiences on what you did for the days, weeks, month, after launch.

anderspetersson 13y ago
Listen to your customers.
- ajm_5338 12y ago
  Agreed. Now it's about managing time/resources. Can't give everyone everything.
- iSloth 12y ago
  However be careful, catering for every customer feature request, change etc... can be a vicious cycle that does more damage than good.
User8712 13y ago
I spent a year or two building out the app, growing the user base, and adding new features. After that, my focus redirected to improving server performance with the growing traffic, handling support for users, refactoring code, managing advertising campaigns, A/B testing affiliate offers, and trying to develop a long term plan to stay relevant. In short, my time went from building an app, to building a business.
- ajm_5338 12y ago
  How large of a team?
  - User8712 12y ago
    One. I have enough work for 4 or 5 people, but I prefer to keep going solo. It slows growth a bit, but I don't have the headaches of managing employees, and it allows for more freedom in my daily schedule.
    - ajm_5338 12y ago
      Ever bring in anyone in a consultant type role? i.e. just to advise on a certain aspect (UX, UI) or to help with increases in workflow.
      - User8712 12y ago
        Nope, I'm fairly confident in my ability to direct the site in the right direction, and to handle the development side of things. 1. I do have volunteers that assist with support. The app brings in roughly 50,000 support tickets a year, so their help is important. 2. I try to automate everything. Anything that goes to support needs to be handled with the click of a button. Otherwise the smallest task becomes overwhelming when you multiply it by countless users. If I can't automate the task, I try to find a way for the community to get involved in helping. 3. All important changes are reviewed by the community. I consult with the users regarding any design or interface changes. However, users are against the idea of change, and they don't typically know what's best for them. My job is to sort through their feedback, and to make the final decision.
        ajm_5338 12y ago
        All great info. Thank you.
ajm_5338 12y ago
I guess to elaborate, I'm more or less a one man team. (outsourced some development) User8712's outline is great. Still would love to hear more stories but also curious about the people aspect. When did your company bring in additional co-founders/employees/support? Did you outsource any of this to minimize cost? What thresholds of users did it take? etc.

4 points by ajm_5338 13y ago

anderspetersson 13y ago

Listen to your customers.

ajm_5338 12y ago
Agreed. Now it's about managing time/resources. Can't give everyone everything.
iSloth 12y ago
However be careful, catering for every customer feature request, change etc... can be a vicious cycle that does more damage than good.

User8712 13y ago

I spent a year or two building out the app, growing the user base, and adding new features. After that, my focus redirected to improving server performance with the growing traffic, handling support for users, refactoring code, managing advertising campaigns, A/B testing affiliate offers, and trying to develop a long term plan to stay relevant. In short, my time went from building an app, to building a business.

ajm_5338 12y ago
How large of a team?
- User8712 12y ago
  One. I have enough work for 4 or 5 people, but I prefer to keep going solo. It slows growth a bit, but I don't have the headaches of managing employees, and it allows for more freedom in my daily schedule.
  - ajm_5338 12y ago
    Ever bring in anyone in a consultant type role? i.e. just to advise on a certain aspect (UX, UI) or to help with increases in workflow.
    - User8712 12y ago
      Nope, I'm fairly confident in my ability to direct the site in the right direction, and to handle the development side of things. 1. I do have volunteers that assist with support. The app brings in roughly 50,000 support tickets a year, so their help is important. 2. I try to automate everything. Anything that goes to support needs to be handled with the click of a button. Otherwise the smallest task becomes overwhelming when you multiply it by countless users. If I can't automate the task, I try to find a way for the community to get involved in helping. 3. All important changes are reviewed by the community. I consult with the users regarding any design or interface changes. However, users are against the idea of change, and they don't typically know what's best for them. My job is to sort through their feedback, and to make the final decision.
      - ajm_5338 12y ago
        All great info. Thank you.

ajm_5338 12y ago

I guess to elaborate, I'm more or less a one man team. (outsourced some development) User8712's outline is great. Still would love to hear more stories but also curious about the people aspect. When did your company bring in additional co-founders/employees/support? Did you outsource any of this to minimize cost? What thresholds of users did it take? etc.