A mobile application is an expensive product to develop, maintain and promote. However, companies that took care of this tool in advance won the lion’s share of the market, while others were disappointed because they couldn’t be among the first. For example, ordering a taxi in the app is easier than calling an operator. In recent years, this business has been almost entirely online.
Mobile users are the most active. They call immediately, write to email and social media, place orders. Therefore, many companies have already launched their applications or will do so in the near future. If you are still unsure whether it is worth hiring a mobile application development company – this article will help you decide.
What can a mobile app do for your business?
If you have a smartphone or tablet, then you understand how various functional apps or games work. What can a mobile app do for your business?
1) Reduce business costs and office workload
This is not true for all businesses. But when certain actions are performed by the customer, the company does not spend money on it. For example, when you can order a bank card in the app, ask questions in the chat, and quickly get a response from the bot, you reduce the load on operators and reduce the number of employees in the office. The more small tasks you can optimize, the lower the costs of staff salaries, office maintenance and telephony. At the same time, the workload of the team developing and maintaining the application increases.
2) Increase the number of applications and average control
According to Criteo, users shop on their mobile devices on the go and actively search for deals wherever they are: at work, in transit or at home. Most people shop on the Internet in the first half of the day, while in a mobile app – after 6:00 p.m. After 8:00 p.m., mobile sales are higher than desktop sales all day. According to Ali Baba platform, about 60% of users buy through mobile applications. You cannot lose these customers, and a user-friendly app is just the tool that will help you increase your income.
It’s crucial to understand that getting customers to download an app is also a challenge. The application is more convenient than the classic site, but it is also more difficult to attract people to it. A solution is an integrated approach. Single-page and scalable web applications (SPA and PWA) are replacing traditional web technologies. They greatly simplify communication with the browser and increase sales.
4) Increase customer loyalty through ease of communication
It is easy for the customer to get the result: he opens the app, registers and orders a service. All this in one click. The application itself does not guarantee communication with the customer. While developing, you need to understand exactly how the app interface works for you and the buyer. For example, it simplifies the process of buying and comparing products. If you can’t imagine how the application should differ from the site, it is better to invest in a good responsive layout: redesign the site so that it adapts quickly and easily to work on a smartphone.
5) Gather information about the audience
People rarely part with their smartphones, which means that by using the app you can collect a lot of useful information:
- where the customer is,
- how often he buys goods,
- which shopping center he prefers,
- how old is he,
- what sex is he,
- what brand of phone he uses,
- which bank he trusts, and so on.
With this information, you can create an accurate portrait of the audience and use that data in sales – to develop promotional codes and personalized contests. To buy through the app, you need to log in. This helps businesses make personalized offers to customers based on past purchases or registration details. For example, Kate from Dallas orders two large Margarita pizzas each time. When the company offers discounts on this pizza, Kate will receive a push notification and make a quick purchase.
What business doesn’t need a mobile app?
Sometimes clients prefer a personal consultation with a specialist. This happens if the product or service is very complex and you need to clarify its features or consult in addition. For example, when you need to choose a complete set of a car. A micro-enterprise in a small village that provides regional services can also easily do without a mobile app.
Interesting related article: “How mobile application development is reshaping the manufacturing industry”