The mobile market is booming these days. Businesses of all scale and verticals understand the importance of integrating and taking advantage of the mobile platform. This provides room for the most important question, should your business create a dedicated application for itself?
It is interesting to note that quite a few businesses are considering this option. With the abundance of open-source frameworks and platforms up for grabs, it is not that difficult to create and maintain a business app. In fact, certain brands have even succeeded in implementing their apps, especially the ones who have a slight creative bend.
But the all important question remains that just because you can do it, is it worth the investment.
Is App investment really worth your Resources
Lets understand the basic fact, that app creation requires a certain degree of technical skills pertaining to programming and designing, which is not everyone’s cup of tea. Even if you do manage to create an app with the help of tons of resources available over the web, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you would be able to achieve your end result.
App creation requires certain objectives and development process that require dedicated investments, albeit short-term. Hence, before even commencing on such a project, you should ask yourself if the app is a beneficial add-on for your business.
It is always recommended that you have a clear set of goal and objectives before initiating an App project.
Let us consider few of the points that will help you decide whether the App creation is fruitful for your business or not.
1. 24/7 Client Integration
The first step is to understand your client/customer requirements. It is important that you realize if your business needs a 24/7 client integration or is it better off the traditional way. Many industry verticals don’t need to stay connected with their client/customer on a real-time basis. Hence, creating a dedicated business app for this purpose doesn’t make much of real sense.
However, if you have a business where your customers actively require feedback and communication from your end at various time intervals of the day, then yes, having a business app is the ideal way to go.
2. Engaging Mobile Experience
This is one of the most crucial questions that you need to be in affirmative if you are pondering over having an App. Creating and maintaining a basic app is only one step of your business integration. However, if you do not have engaging ideas for your app integration, sooner or later your app is doomed.
Should your App start to fail, and then it will also directly impact your business, in the long run. Hence, it is imperative to know your strengths in the field of app creation and marketing. There are a variety of ways through which you can create an engaging app experience for your customers.
You could try to integrate social media with your app so that your users can stay connected on the go and always stay up to date with the latest news and promotions that your business has to offer.
Creating an app is only the first step. In order to sustain and reap benefits out of it, you need to have creative entities design and keep the app updated as per the latest trends so that your customers are always on the same page and they do not have to look elsewhere.
3. USP factor of your App
There are more apps in the market than you can imagine. Users invest in internet packs to access their internet, and they only want applications and information that are worth their time and investment. Hence, before you go on an app creating spree, ask yourself this. Is your App offering something unique that the users want to learn about or use?
What is the ‘Wow factor of your app? Why would users choose your app over the others that are already trending in the market? If you have justified answers to all of these essential questions, then you surely can go ahead and create your app. But in case, you don’t have the right answers, then you should try to develop your app on certain guidelines that can help generate a USP value for your clients.
Few suggestions that I could offer regarding creating unique app ideas are:
– Creating easy-to-use UI and transaction interface that is simple and attractive.
– Customizing features of the dashboard, or entry level engagement options that would hold your audience’s interest level.
– NFC and QR code integration to give your customers a rich consumer experience.
– User Location based interactions to give a personalized feel to your customers.
4. Staff/Client Benefits
When we create apps or even websites, our prime focus always remains on the customer end. However, while incorporating an app idea for your business, it is advisable to spare a thought for your staff or your partner end as well. When you put everything into perspective, you will see a bigger picture, where even if there are not many pros for your app on the customer end, there will be certain advantages to the staff and partner end. E.g., you can have an app that is there to streamline the communication process between your staff and partners.
This not only helps in your workflow, but also generates a lot of trust and loyalty from your employee and partner end. After all everyone, likes working for a company that thinks for the betterment of their staff.
5. Cost Effectiveness
Finally, after everything has been said and done, it all boils down to the numbers. Even if you have a justifiable reason to develop an App, you still need to consider the investment that will go in the development and maintenance process of that app. Will this investment be worth it in the long-run or will it hamper your revenue.
It may come to you as a surprise, but many of the projects are often shelved in the last stages of planning simply because it doesn’t seem worth the investment in the long-term.
However, if you think it is worth the investment, then by all means you are set to roll out your app!
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