Given the current climate, it’s a matter of urgency for some businesses to rapidly ramp up their mobile strategy. Having designed, built, and launched mobile applications for over a decade, we would like to share our experience about how mobile apps can benefit your business.
First of all, let’s start by stating the obvious – we’re sure that you’re tired by now of its constant mention – the COVID-19 outbreak has had a huge impact on mobile services. Over the past 11 months, mobile application use has boomed.
It’s somewhat unsurprising – with most of the global population being confined indoors, not only we are spending more time on our phones, but we tend to spend more online – that’s why it’s essential for some businesses to build a mobile app.
Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, mobile usage was rising, but now we are on our mobile devices more than ever before. So what can your company do to make the best of the current situation – if you’re in a specific industry, such as online retail, the next step would be getting a mobile app built.
Why does your business need a mobile app?
It provides better value for your customers
All too often, we see companies create a mobile app simply because they think they should have one, But that’s not a good enough reason. The entire purpose of a mobile app should be to deliver value to your end users- it should be something they want, need, or that makes their collaboration with your company easier. Only by building an app with this in mind will you be able to capitalize on the overwhelming figures for mobile usage. A study by AppAnnie revealed that consumers spent an average of 3 hours and 40 minutes a day on their mobile devices in 2019 – an overall growth of 35% since 2017.
It helps to keep your audience engaged
Mobile applications can offer a crucial touchpoint for customer engagement The average smartphone user in the UK has 95 apps downloaded to their smartphone, each of those apps representing a way for a brand to strengthen their relationship.
If you want your app to be used on a regular basis, it must be very user friendly and you have to make sure that you’re offering an engaging customer experience. A good app is worth its weight in gold if your customer engages with it on a daily basis.
It helps you to market directly to your consumers
If you manage to customize the user experience for each individual, then you will manage to retain your customers. Studies by Salesforce show that 52% of consumers would switch brands if they weren’t feeling that all-important personal touch.
In order to customize your app, you will have to know your audience, you can use push notifications and analytics to build up a certain familiarity. As customers are on their phones more than ever, now’s the time to gather the insight you need. After gathering and analyzing the data, you can then create and send personalized offers, or perhaps notify them of a customized product or service recommendation based on what they’ve been looking at so far.
A custom app will help you gain a competitive edge
You might think that with the number of apps already out there someone has already done what you’re planning on doing, but before you even start to think about all the details, remember: there is always room for innovation.
While building the Ad-Lister mobile app, we were thinking about how we can innovate along the way. The app allows you to manage your listings on eBay (nothing new so far), and create listings by simply scanning the product barcode using your smartphone camera. This allows users to quickly create listings, even on the go. You can also take pictures of your products directly – using the camera, and just simply list the item on the marketplace without any additional hassle. A well-thought-out app that satisfies an audience’s needs is ideal for any company.
Final thoughts
No matter the industry your company is in, an app can offer extraordinary value to your customers and drive business growth even in the most challenging circumstances. And if you’re a smaller enterprise or operate more regionally, then an app can truly help you get the jump on your competitors. It just takes careful planning.
Once the world returns to relative normality, mobile services are going to become even more vital – so get ahead of the curve and start thinking about how an app could be beneficial for your business today. If you need any assistance, or information regarding mobile app development, our experts are here to help you. Whether you’re just dipping your toe into the world of mobile for the first time or a mobile fanatic looking to up your game, we’re here to help.