Building an app for a business without their permission?

I was thinking about building an app for a medium-large company that needs one but has not put a foot forward to get one made. They already have some other technology in place and their customers are very vocal, so I think once I show the customers, they'd take some interest.

They have a very large budget and a recurring high-ticket customer base of thousands of people.
I have enough connections with the customers to be able to get many customers using it and supporting it. Then the pressure and gossip about the app between customers would hopefully sell it to the company or I could even monetize it through other means. I could finish say 30% of the features and list some other ideas and say "Coming Soon" in the app so the customers would start to ask the business about when that feature is coming.

I hate proposing stuff that doesn't exist when I know I can put a few dozen hours of creative programming into an iOS app for a business that will spark interest and potentially sell for $xx,xxx, it's very intriguing. I'm sure many of us have done this for websites and other B2B products: after you build something, apply it to the business, and show them exactly how it can be used to benefit, the client takes significantly more interest in what you're selling.

So basically, is there a way I could structure the app for the company and get away with it? It would not be harmful to them, but beneficial so I have a hard time thinking they'd have a problem with it. I'd like to use their name as the name of the app so people can find it via search. So really, I can argue both sides.

Would love to hear a bit from the experienced folks on here.

Could get messy and possibly lose your developers account if you use their name as the app and represent them without their permission.... If you are so sure why not tell them you build an app for them and if it doesn't do xxxx for them it's free. Companies want to increase their bottom line and if you can guarantee that they will go with you....

whynotmakeit said:

Could get messy and possibly lose your developers account if you use their name as the app and represent them without their permission.... If you are so sure why not tell them you build an app for them and if it doesn't do xxxx for them it's free. Companies want to increase their bottom line and if you can guarantee that they will go with you....

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I don't think the company will jump on it unless they see it. They're too big of a company to listen to all these proposals from sellers. I know I can impress the customers and they will bring it to the attention of the company.

This isn't really meant to increase anything financially (directly) but rather the customer happiness and satisfaction. It's not there to grow their business as it is full/exclusive and they are not taking new customers.

macdonjo3 said:

I don't think the company will jump on it unless they see it. They're too big of a company to listen to all these proposals from sellers. I know I can impress the customers and they will bring it to the attention of the company.

This isn't really meant to increase anything financially (directly) but rather the customer happiness and satisfaction. It's not there to grow their business as it is full/exclusive and they are not taking new customers.

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Was just a suggestion. Your call of course, but as an ex bus owner I would have been pretty pissed if someone built an app without my permission and passed it off as mine....even tho his intentions may have been honorable...again my suggestion would be then to guarantee improved customer satisfaction, retention or whatever.....and whatever you say it has to (ultimately) increase their bottom line or they will not be interested imho.

it looks like you put a barrier at front door of a hotel and ask clients go via that ...1,2 clients ...the company. no reaction but 10k ...war beginning ...

Does the app help them make more money or lose money, if it helps and you have statistics you should be sitting pretty.

whynotmakeit said:

Was just a suggestion. Your call of course, but as an ex bus owner I would have been pretty pissed if someone built an app without my permission and passed it off as mine....even tho his intentions may have been honorable...again my suggestion would be then to guarantee improved customer satisfaction, retention or whatever.....and whatever you say it has to (ultimately) increase their bottom line or they will not be interested imho.

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Yah not sure. It's owned by some sort of holding group, not family owned.

Maybe the better approach is not putting it on the app store but putting it on my phone only and walking into their office and saying here, I spent XYZ hours building this for you, check it out on my iPhone or iPad. Then maybe pitch with, "I'll put it live for 30 days on the app store and do a market test for $2500 to start. After the 30 days, you'll have a better sense and be in the position to decide if you want to buy or not." Then by day 31, I'd hope enough customers got hooked on it that the business won't be able to back out without upsetting customers and be pressured to keep it for my high price.

Thanks for the input so far everyone! Looks like I'll have to demo it without the app store first for them and talk them into allowing me.