A new app intended to provide a central hub linking arb industry professionals has been launched.

The Arb App was created by Dan Ashton and Matt Alway, owners of King’s Lynn-based Heritage Tree Specialists Ltd. Established in 2003, the firm provides forestry and tree management services to domestic and commercial clients.

“The idea for Arb App came about during discussions between Matt and myself regarding a specific job that I had been instructed on out of area,” Dan told essentialARB. “While the project itself was relatively straightforward – a sycamore removal in Leicester – Matt, at the time employed as my main contract climber, was busy with local contracts and the logistics of finding suitably qualified local subcontractors, a MEWP supplier and local tip sites for woodchip and timber were somewhat harder. It was at this point that an all-encompassing directory such as Arb App would have proved invaluable.”

Arb App is specific to the arboricultural industry and those associated with it, and is designed primarily as a central hub linking professionals within the industry.

Dan explained: “We knew that we wanted to design the app to provide a simple link between various industry professionals. However, to develop it was a very complex process and a computer screen is not a tree surgeon’s favourite view. Fortunately, in our experience we are, as a breed, nothing if not tenacious and with barely more than a ‘can do’ attitude and a firm belief in Arb App, the platform was built, modified and built again until we were happy with every aspect. We then signed up to the app as though we were subscribers in order to gauge its usability on the go.”

Having created the app, the next challenge is building the database. The pair said they were pleased to secure arb kit dealer Honey Brothers as a platform partner prior to launch, and that having such a big name involved adds credibility and confidence for future subscribers.

“We are now looking forward to adding regular updates and tutorials, and we envisage the database ‘snowballing’ as subscribers add content, classified advertisements, trade information and content, which we feel will add an interesting dimension to the app,” Dan said.

“We hope that the app will be seen, ultimately, as the ‘go to’ platform for busy industry professionals. The vast majority of us now favour mobile devices over laptops and PCs and, with this in mind, we have designed an app that can be used on site, or in a vehicle, or even while passing leisure time in order to browse industry-specific equipment and services, vehicles, subcontract labour, used goods, tip sites, etc. all in one place.

“The app launched on 1st July so it’s still early days. The majority of feedback has been very positive, but inevitably there were areas that required improvement. One user suggested that the app contained too much information which might overcomplicate its use on the go. It was important to us that the app be as user-friendly as possible, so this has now been rectified with investment in three further websites feeding into the app.

“It is incredibly difficult to describe the many benefits that Arb App offers to its users. Its aim, of course, is to promote trade and provide a network of contacts which we hope will make life easier for all concerned. We highly recommend that you take a look for yourselves in order to see how Arb App will work for you.”

www.arbapp.co.uk

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