A mobile app developed for cleaners that simplifies the process of booking and billing clients has won a virtual developer hackathon run by Xero.

Developed by Custom D, a web development company with offices in Australia and New Zealand, Dirty Bach is a mobile app that syncs seamlessly with Xero and makes the task of scheduling a job and creating and sending an invoice to clients simple, fast and easy.

Custom D developer Josh Smith told INCLEAN the idea for the app evolved from observing a cleaner organising her work.

“Our managing director Julie Ryan spoke to the cleaner, who explained that she cleaned all day and was stuck doing all the paper work at night. We wanted to create a solution that would streamline the tasks associated with the paperwork to make her processes more efficient,” Smith explained.

After attending a Xero developer conference in June, Smith discovered XDHax, Xero’s virtual developer hackathon run in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The competition required developers to build an app that would benefit small businesses.

“We thought our idea to develop a mobile app for cleaners would be the perfect candidate for the competition,” he said.

While still an MVP (minimum viable product) – a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and to provide feedback for future product development – Custom D won the competition with its Dirty Bach app, winning $5000 USD and the opportunity to showcase Dirty Bach at an entry-level exhibitor space at a future Xerocon.

Head of developer platform at Xero and XDHax judge Dan Young said Dirty Bach fills a real gap in the Xero ecosystem.

“They [Custom D] should be congratulated on their ability to build not just mobile-first but mobile-only,” he said.

While Dirty Bach isn’t available on the app store just yet, Smith says Custom D is planning to release an early access version of the app in the next few weeks for cleaners to trial for free.