Collaborating with a Leading Singapore-based BFSI Firm to Drive Digital Transformation through Mobile App Development
In this dynamic and extremely regulated era of Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI), technology acts as a critical aspect. They require apps to make their processes easier and for this they seek mobile application development services.
Be it managing complicated lending processes, securing digital transactions, or streamlining compliance-driven workloads, such firms heavily rely on tech partners who not only understand the code but also the complexity of their business.
At Bloom Consulting Services, we triumph as such partners. With a decade-long experience, we have helped 20+ clients of the BFSI sector in 15+ countries achieve their business goals with innovation, agility, and the latest technology. We have developed custom mobile apps for these businesses.
About Bloom Consulting Services
Bloom is an India- and Singapore-based IT company that specializes in robust web and mobile application development services. Our strength lies in crafting custom solutions using Microsoft Technology Stack, backed by a team of experts, designers, and tech advisors.
Our BFSI Expertise
Our experience in the BFSI sector spans across various segments. Be it banking, policy administration, or lending platform, we have covered it all. Given below is the transformative work we have done for one of our clients.
About Our Client
- The client is one of the leading firms in Singapore in the banking and finance sector. The company was established in 1995, and currently, they have about 700 experts working for them.
- In order to continue supporting their rapidly growing business and the mobile nature of their workforce, the client needed to systematize their internal financial processes.
- After thorough research and much contemplation, they chose Bloom as their strategic technology partner for robust and agile mobile application development services.
- They were impressed with our deep understanding of business requirements as well as our flexible engagement models.
Project Objective
The main objective of our client was to develop a robust and intuitive mobile app for tracking and reporting their corporate expenses. The solution required three main objectives:
1. A Centralized Expense Tracking
Their current process heavily relied on manual spreadsheets, email trails, and siloed tools, resulting in inefficiencies, delays, and errors. The client needed a unified platform where employees could log expenses easily, attach proof of payments, and then submit them for approval. With our mobile application development services, we ensured they could get just that.
2. Support for Travelling Employees
Many of their employees traveled regularly for business. The client wanted to ensure that the app we were creating could support real-time expense reporting while travelling and should also include offline functionality for areas with limited internet access.
3. Scalability and White Label Potential
The solution was expected to be more than just an internal tool. The client requested that the architecture in our mobile application development services should be modular as well as scalable so they could later customize and offer it to the partner companies as a white-labeled product.
Challenges and Their Solutions
While we had a clear vision, the road came with its own set of hurdles. Given below are the challenges that we faced during the process, which needed careful planning and collaboration:
| Category | Challenge | Solution |
| Balancing Functionality with Simplicity | Combining functionality for personal and business usage without overloading the user was the toughest challenge. The software had to stay clear, easy to use, and free of bugs. | We followed a modular role-based interface approach where the users only saw the features that were relevant to their needs. We kept the UI simple and easy to navigate. Furthermore, our extensive user testing helped us fine-tune the balance between usability and utility. |
| UI/UX Iteration Cycles | Before deciding on the UI/UX, we ran several rounds of design modifications. The client focused especially on user experience since the app was intended for staff members with different degrees of digital competence. This called for adjusting navigation patterns, graphic components, and processes. | Our mobile application development services optimized rapid prototyping tools and presented interactive mockups during the weekly demos. Continuous feedback assisted in optimizing screen layouts, visual hierarchy, and interactive flows to make sure there is an ease of use among users. |
| Enhancing OCR Capabilities | The app was required to support scanning receipts and invoices for an easier attachment and expense report. Our mobile application development services then modified and enhanced the Xamarin.Tesseract OCR library. | We extended and customized the Xamarin.Tesseract OCR library, and added image preprocessing (contrast, alignment correct, etc) to enhance accuracy. We further trained the system with real receipts shared by the client to boost recognition in real-life scenarios. |
| Managing Offline Functionality | Offline support was one of the vital factors for employees travelling to areas with limited internet accessibility. They needed smooth local data storage with SQLite and syncing it without data conflicts. | We optimized a local SQLite database to store expenses offline temporarily. We developed a background sync model to securely transmit data to the server once the connectivity was restored, thus preventing duplication and ensuring data integrity. Our mobile application development services successfully helped them tackle this challenge. |
| Integration with Client API | The application used several APIs provided by the customer. Sometimes these APIs had uneven structures and undocumented behaviors, which required further testing and the development of tailored error-handling policies. | We developed a middleware layer to validate and normalize incoming API data. Custom error-handling routines allowed us to debug issues and build resilience into the system quickly. |
Our Engagement Model
The engagement model of our mobile app development services was designed to maximize agility, sustain communication, and enable rapid adaptation to the client’s needs. Our flexible yet structured model fostered strong alignment between Bloom and the client throughout the project journey.
End-to-end Execution at Bloom
Our mobile application development services managed the entire development lifecycle in-house which included requirement gathering, UI/UX design, architecture planning, mobile development, QA testing, and deployment. This ensured quality consistency, faster turnaround time, and smoother coordination across all stages.
Dedicated Team Structure
There was a dedicated team assembled specifically for this project, ensuring complete accountability and minimal context switching.
- 2 Mobile App Developers (Xamarin) – They were responsible for developing cross-platform apps and integrating APIs.
- 1 QA Engineer: Performed regression, functional, and device-specific testing throughout Android and iOS.
- 1 Account Manager (Project Coordinator) – He worked as a single point of contact and managed timelines while facilitating all communication between the tech team and the client.
Daily Standups and Weekly Demos
We conducted:
- Everyday stand-ups with the client’s IT team to update on the progress, highlight blockers, and sync on action items.
- Weekly sprint demos to show the features we built during the sprint, implement necessary changes, and collect feedback before the next cycle.
Collaborative Feedback Loops
We ensured we had open communication channels for real-time feedback. Client teams had access to our internal project management board (JIRA). Therefore, allowing complete visibility in task progress, QA status, and timeline.
Post Deployment Support
After going live, we delivered a dedicated support window for UAR and suggested minor enhancements based on user feedback as a part of our mobile application development services. We further conducted a knowledge transfer session for their internal team to manage minor configurations while moving forward.
Our Technology Highlights
We carefully chose a technology stack to align with the client’s goals. Below is the list of what we selected:
1. Xamarin for Cross-Platform Development
Using around 75% of the codebase, Xamarin lets us create apps for Android and iOS platforms. This assured uniformity in design and functionality and lowered development effort.
2. SQLite for Offline Support
The application included local SQLite data storage to let field workers operate in low-connectivity settings. Once internet access returns, users may log spending offline and automatically sync to the server. In our mobile application development services, we provide the best possible technologies to our client.
3. Xamarin.Tesseract for OCR Integration
We implemented and polished Xamarin. Tesseract so users can grab and compile information from invoices and receipts. This enhanced data accuracy and streamlined expenditure-entering procedures.
4. End-to-End Encrypted APIs
The customer supplied the backend APIs. Using authentication tokens, every correspondence between the app and the server guaranteed that private financial data stayed protected.
Business Value Delivered
The customer now manages corporate and personal expenses throughout its Singaporean offices much better because of the solution delivered. As a leading mobile app development service provider, we delivered the following benefits to the client:
1. Streamlined Workflow
Using a single application, staff members can now log expenses, track receipts, and send for approvals, therefore saving the need for several apps or hand-written spreadsheets. This has reduced turnaround times and reduced errors.
2. Offline Accessibility
Employees who have offline capability are free to operate even in far-off areas, therefore guaranteeing business continuity and accurate reporting. We made sure our client could completely leverage from our mobile application development services and get the best value.
3. Improved Data Security
By means of end-to-end encryption, the software eliminates the concerns related to keeping private financial information on external servers or email sharing.
4. Scalability and Future Readiness
Scalability was considered throughout the application architecture. The client now has the freedom to present this solution to its affiliated companies, therefore creating fresh B2B prospects.
5. High Adoption and Feedback
A few weeks into the rollout, the client reported great staff acceptance rates. Good user comments resulted from the simple interface and convenience of mobile access.
6. Operational Efficiency
The administrative and financial departments no longer have to handle incorrect receipts or hunt staff members for approvals. Instant reports are accessible, and the centralized dashboard provides a clear perspective of expenditure trends, supporting improved planning and forecasting.
Post Deployment and Ongoing Enhancements
After the go-live went well, a two-month UAT (User Acceptance Testing) session was conducted, during which staff members from different departments used the app in its real-world settings. The comments led us to make little improvements meant to maximize usability and performance.
Client sign-off and conversations on the possibility of next modules like this came to mark this phase.
- Mileage tracking for official travel utilized in personal automobiles
- Real-time alerts and budgetary limits
- Alerts on policy compliance-related expenses
Conclusion
By working with Bloom, the client was able to successfully move from a manual process to a smart mobile app for tracking company expenses. Our mobile application development services allowed them to have a strong, flexible app that not only helps their own team but can also be shared with partner companies in the future.
This B2B Expense Tracking & Reporting App shows how good planning, teamwork, and the right use of technology can make a big difference.
If your company is also struggling with expense tracking, handling approvals, or managing a team that’s always on the move, Bloom can help you build a simple, secure, and scalable solution that fits your business perfectly. If you are looking for mobile application development services, looking forward to booking a consultation or to getting a demo, you can visit us here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What are the benefits of mobile app development for BFSI companies?
Mobile apps help BFSI firms streamline operations, improve customer and employee experiences, ensure secure data handling, and support real-time reporting. In our case, the client replaced manual processes with a secure, scalable app that reduced delays and improved expense tracking efficiency.
Q2. How can I build a custom expense tracking app for my finance company?
To build a custom expense tracking app, you need to define business requirements, choose the right technology stack (like Xamarin and SQLite), ensure offline functionality, and work with an experienced app development partner like Bloom. We offer full-cycle mobile application development services for BFSI firms.
Q3. Why do BFSI companies prefer Xamarin for mobile app development?
Xamarin allows for cross-platform development using a single codebase, reducing cost and time while maintaining native performance. Our BFSI client used Xamarin to deploy a secure, feature-rich app for both Android and iOS, with offline support and OCR capabilities.
Q4. What challenges do financial firms face in mobile app development?
Common challenges include ensuring data security, offline functionality, regulatory compliance, seamless API integration, and user-friendly UI for non-tech-savvy users. Our development team at Bloom tackled all these by using a modular design, encrypted APIs, OCR integration, and a role-based UI.
