Here are three reasons to develop that killer mobile app for your business, from businessnewsdaily.com's Sammi Caramela.
1. Increase sales. Fifty-five percent of Clutch's survey respondents said their app was designed to boost sales. Marohnic noted that a good mobile app can facilitate quick checkout for a purchase, which ultimately leads to a sales increase. Apps can offer a more convenient way to browse and shop, allowing customers to make purchases from anywhere, he said. Companies can even choose to alert their customers for new deals, products, events, etc.
2. Improve the customer experience. An app can give your business a constant presence on customers' phones, offering easily accessible information right at their fingertips. Zach Cusimano, chief operating officer of Bizness Apps app maker, said this constant presence can improve the customer experience.
"A mobile-friendly website and a mobile app are both very valuable tools, but they have different purposes," Cusimano said. "Mobile apps are … best suited for user retention and engaging with clients. They're not aimed at random people finding a company's website, but are more about rewarding loyal customers."
3. Compete in a specific market. If small businesses wish to compete with others in their market, they must adapt to these changes and uphold a strong presence on mobile devices. Praveen Seshadri, CEO of app platform AppSheet, said small business owners understand how mobile technology can help them run their business better, and he foresees more businesses implementing internal apps to make operations run more smoothly.
The Clutch survey also found that the following elements are the most valuable to include in small business apps:
- Customer loyalty features, to provide rewards to customers who are devoted to the business.
- Social networking, to direct customers to other platforms associated with the company.
- Push notifications, to allow businesses to keep close contact with news, updates, deals, etc.
- Personalization, so businesses can personalize interactions and engage customers through push notifications, location alerts, loyalty rewards and easy-to-access payment systems.
It's important to remember that a mobile app is not the same as a mobile-friendly website, and many unique features within your app can be better developed and more engaging than web elements. Creating an app now will help small businesses evolve with their increasingly mobile-centric customers.
Source: http://www.businessnewsdaily.c...
