PerDiemCALC

[kdwntwn]

I sometimes think some of the best (and worst) ideas happen when you are cruising over the Pacific. Maybe its because those missions are a rare occurrence these days. Who knows. Hopefully this idea ends up in that "best" category. A couple of us worked with an awesome developer to make an iPhone app. It lists all of the PerDiem location/rates and can actually estimate your total per Diem for multi-day and multiple locations. Then you can e-mail your results to your buds using the app.

It's called PerDiemCalc. You can find it by typing PerDiemCalc in the itunes search bar. Interested in what you think about it. Maybe we'll do another app if people like it.

[zach braff]

Sounds super cool. I'm TDY out of country right now but I'll definitely DL it when I get back next week. Is it free?

Just need to keep this from the wives, they'll know exactly how much to spend while we're away. :)

zb

[schokie]

Is it free?

App store shows $2.99. I didn't download it. Sounds like a good idea, but I don't have crazy AMC style TDY's that require a spreadsheet. For 3 bucks I can just calc it myself.

[kdwntwn]

App store shows $2.99. I didn't download it. Sounds like a good idea, but I don't have crazy AMC style TDY's that require a spreadsheet. For 3 bucks I can just calc it myself.

Yep, we are charging $2.99 for it. It's taken alot of time and programming to get it to emulate the calculations of DTS without being annoying and complicated. But we're definitely open to suggestions on the right price point. Right now, there are two other programs that try to do what we are doing with the app. One app is charging $2 just for a very basic per-diem table that you search and another guy is charging $5 for an app that doesn't update or calculate multiple locations. Ours is a full calculator that can handle multiple dates. It also has an option just to look up an individual location. It sends updates of the latest numbers on a monthly basis. So I guess its just an experiment in pricing point and value. We're hoping that its a price that makes it worth our time to keep making the app better but cheap enough that alot of people buy it and like to use it.

Thanks for checking it out!

Edited September 19, 2009 by kdwntwn

[schokie]

I'm sure it's worthwhile to folks who are often TDY to multiple locations in one trip. However, since I'm almost always simply TDY to one location and back, defensetravel.dod.mil provides all the gouge I need, and for the right price!

I'm just not your target audience, sorry.

It does look promising though. I appreciate folks that are turning out apps specific for the military crowd.

[Champ Kind]

Calculator, schmalculator.

Just treat every night on TDY like it's your last. Spend all that you can, party like a rock-star, then figure out what you were supposed to get later.

[ellsworb]

Does it have monthly updates for when the Worldwide PerDiem reg is updated?

[kdwntwn]

Does it have monthly updates for when the Worldwide PerDiem reg is updated?

Yep! We are already planning the FY '10 update. The app includes updates through FY'10 with purchase.

[Jughead]

But we're definitely open to suggestions on the right price point.

Charge $.99 instead, sell 10x the copies. Same concept as movies on VHS (now DVD). Don't think about what it's "worth" in terms of your investment; think about what will get the most money back to you--units sold x price per unit. The movies studios thought that the home video market would be a niche market--and it was, when they were charging $80 per title. Then some bright boy discovered that $20--rather, $19.99--was the magic price point at which the videos flew off the shelves. The iPhone app pricing model reflects that--most titles that I've seen are in the $1 - $3 range--but, it also creates a situation where the $3 titles are "expensive." On the other hand, many more may try a $.99 title, "Eh, it's only a buck."

My opinion only. I do NOT have an iPhone, no immediate plans to get one, so I'm not in your target market. Good luck.

[amcflyboy]

I sometimes think some of the best (and worst) ideas happen when you are cruising over the Pacific.

Oh man that's an understatement, especially when returning from Antarctica!

[BigFreddie]

It needs to have the ability to calculate on and off base per diem.

BF

[kdwntwn]

It needs to have the ability to calculate on and off base per diem.

BF

It actually does have the ability to calculate full, partial or incidentals only. You select it right below where you input your departure date from a TDY location. The menu appears on a tap.

[Hansel]

Charge $.99 instead, sell 10x the copies. Same concept as movies on VHS (now DVD). Don't think about what it's "worth" in terms of your investment; think about what will get the most money back to you--units sold x price per unit. The movies studios thought that the home video market would be a niche market--and it was, when they were charging $80 per title. Then some bright boy discovered that $20--rather, $19.99--was the magic price point at which the videos flew off the shelves. The iPhone app pricing model reflects that--most titles that I've seen are in the $1 - $3 range--but, it also creates a situation where the $3 titles are "expensive." On the other hand, many more may try a $.99 title, "Eh, it's only a buck."

My opinion only. I do NOT have an iPhone, no immediate plans to get one, so I'm not in your target market. Good luck.

I agree, I am much more likely to download something in the $.99 - $1.99 range than $2 and up. Logically it doesn't make much sense, but that is the magic price point that clicks in my (and many others on itunes) head. I think you will sell more than 3 times the $.99 apps then you will at $2.99, thus getting more money in the long run. Another thing to consider is to start off selling it at $.99 for a month or so and once it becomes popular with the crew dogs increase the price for the rest of the people that are jumping on the bandwagon. I will definitely buy it for $.99, not sure about $2.99.

[Murph]

2.99? Eh, I'll calculate it myself which gives me a good excuse to ignore an annoying crew member.

[ClearedHot]

2.99? Eh, I'll calculate it myself which gives me a good excuse to ignore an annoying crew member.

How do you ignore yourself?

[BigFreddie]

It actually does have the ability to calculate full, partial or incidentals only. You select it right below where you input your departure date from a TDY location. The menu appears on a tap.

I see that now! Looks good.

[Murph]

How do you ignore yourself?

It's not as simple as one might think.

[kdwntwn]

Based on popular demand, we put the app on sale for $.99. We'll try it out and see how it works.

Thanks for your feedback. Who says companies don't listen to their customers?!?

[kdwntwn]

Based on popular demand, we put the app on sale for $.99. We'll try it out and see how it works.

Thanks for your feedback. Who says companies don't listen to their customers?!?

Thanks for your support and helping our app to grow! We got our first set of sales results. You guys were right about the .99 price point. Great advice, thanks. Our sales soared. They went up over 70% after we changed the price.

[Jughead]

kdwntwn:

I think I saw a sticker for your product! I'm on an unplanned layover at Ramstein, found myself on the base shuttle (billeting has us way far away from the central building, and their shuttle driver didn't show up for work this morning until 11... ). Was checking the various tags on the bus, and a great slogan caught my eye: "Aviate, Navigate, Calculate!" Sure enough, it was a plug for an iPhone app.

Is that you guys? How's it going overall?

[Techsan]

kdwntwn:

I think I saw a sticker for your product! I'm on an unplanned layover at Ramstein, found myself on the base shuttle (billeting has us way far away from the central building, and their shuttle driver didn't show up for work this morning until 11... ). Was checking the various tags on the bus, and a great slogan caught my eye: "Aviate, Navigate, Calculate!" Sure enough, it was a plug for an iPhone app.

Is that you guys? How's it going overall?

Yep, thats them. Good dudes. Buy the app...do it, do it.

[kdwntwn]

Yeeeoop! Haha... It's doing pretty awesome. We have an update with the latest numbers into Apple. It's just they are so slow with getting updates approved. But have no fear. It should be up soon. Thanks for your support.

[Guest Dingo]

Yeeeoop! Haha... It's doing pretty awesome. We have an update with the latest numbers into Apple. It's just they are so slow with getting updates approved. But have no fear. It should be up soon. Thanks for your support.

Wanted to let anyone reading this forum know that we have released a few more updates to PerDiemCalc since the last post. All data is good for FY2011 and many of the small 'bugs' that users have found over the past year have been fixed. We also released the following new Apps:

MilPay - has all the data for basic pay, incentive pays, and BAH rates. Will calculate your pay, so you can check out future pay raises, etc.

C17DutyDayCalc - duty day calculator for C-17 community. Simple App that helps avoid public math.

RetirePay - Free App that provides a quick estimate of possible retirement pay scenarios

We're looking for ideas for new Apps and improvements to our current products. Please let us know if you have any feedback. Thanks!

[DFRESH]

Android....

[ChkHandleDn]

Who'd you guys go through for the development of the apps? I have no programming skills, but I think a Giant Report TRT calculator for the C-17 bubbas would be a great idea. I use an excel spreadsheet if I don't have time to get them from G2, but having something created for the iPhone would be faster and easier IMO. Thoughts from other -17 guys? Maybe I'm just too lazy.