If you haven’t already figured it out, mobile apps are an increasingly necessary component of any business strategy. If you don’t have one and your competitors do, you’re going to be at a serious disadvantage. But with so many apps out there in the world, it can be difficult to know which features to focus on, particularly if you’re unfamiliar with mobile app development company in general. Here are nine reasons why your mobile app should definitely be on your list of must-haves as you build your business plan, no matter what industry you’re in!
1) Enable Better Customer Service
When a customer service agent can get information about their client’s account or find out about an order, it makes for happier customers. A mobile app puts all of that info right at their fingertips and allows them to respond quickly. They’re more likely to win over customers who might otherwise be disappointed in a delayed response. If they do need more details, they can contact you directly through your app instead of calling or emailing multiple times with questions that may already be answered on your website or other channels.
A mobile app also gives your customers access to their own information and account history. That means they can check on their orders and review what they’ve purchased when they want, not when it’s convenient for you. In addition, a mobile app will save them time as they do things like update their address or track a package by letting them do it right from your site.
2) Make Customers Happier and More Likely to Stay
Give customers more tools to customize their experience. Offer an online rewards program, where users can accumulate points based on what they buy and redeem them for something special (like a free meal or spa treatment). If you have brick-and-mortar locations, then give customers access to an app that lets them order and pay ahead of time.
Provide tools to make customer service easier. If a customer has a question or needs help with something, they can instantly contact you through your app. Make customer support faster and easier than over email or by phone, so that users don’t get frustrated when they need help. (For more information on how you can improve your business’ customer service, click here .)
3) Increase Brand Awareness
With a mobile app, you can increase brand awareness and make people think of your company before they even know what it is. Additionally, an app opens you up to new revenue streams because it’s constantly on and ready to connect with new customers. The key is getting people to download your app and use it frequently so they see you every time they pull out their phone.
4) Boost Employee Productivity
These days, many companies operate like a well-oiled machine. It’s rare that an office moves at a snails pace—businesses thrive on productivity and fast turnarounds. But are these employees working at maximum efficiency? Or are they simply using up valuable time with mobile distractions? Many companies have opted to block social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram in order to boost employee productivity.
After all, it’s one thing to use your mobile device for business purposes—it’s quite another to let it interrupt your workflow. After all, when employees spend more time checking Twitter than getting work done, productivity can suffer. And if you think that your social media sites are a valuable tool for keeping employees connected, you might want to reconsider. Many companies have seen first-hand how productivity goes up once social media access is curbed.
5) Enhance your marketing strategy
The key to developing a successful mobile app is knowing how to market it effectively. Since users spend so much time on their phones, an effective app can bring a lot of attention and traffic to your business—if you know how to approach it.
First, think about your audience. Are you trying to reach consumers or business owners? Do you want to introduce a new product or service, and need people to download it for updates? Or are you just looking for ongoing engagement with customers and clients? Each of these situations calls for a different approach.
6) Drive More Sales Through Personalization
Personalizing your app can give it that extra edge over your competitors. For example, if you’re a retailer, you can display items based on what your customer has purchased in the past or in other stores. If you’re a restaurant chain, display specials tailored to your customers’ tastes. It will be like they’re walking into their favorite spot. That kind of personal touch is essential to any successful business app.
People have come to expect personalized experiences on their smartphones. They don’t want generic greetings and cookie-cutter interactions—they want something that feels tailored to them. Personalizing your app with information about your customer can help build loyalty.
7) Connect with Customers on the Go
Today’s savvy consumers are busy and don’t want to be slowed down by technology. They use their mobile devices to stay on top of business news, and you should follow suit by developing a mobile app for your business. This will help you connect with customers on their terms, which is essential if you want to establish relationships that last long after initial contact.
8) Offer a Next Level Experience
It’s not enough to simply offer a service or product, you must make it as easy as possible for your customers to experience. The user experience matters more than ever in business today, so why not give them exactly what they want? If an app is easier to use than searching through a website, then why wouldn’t you have one? And if all these other companies are doing it, why aren’t you too? What makes your company any different?
9) Reduce Fraud Risk
When you give your customers a simple and secure way to access your business, you’re also giving them a way to minimize their risk and liability. If a customer does something that causes fraud damage with his or her mobile app development services, for example, it will be much easier for your customer to prove that he or she didn’t intend it—and prove that it wasn’t his or her fault.