Over the last decade, smartphones and mobile device purchases have dramatically increased. The reason behind this is the ability of smartphones to provide a directory of applications available at our fingertips. Whether you want to edit pictures, video chat with a friend, compile videos, or listen to a podcast, there’s an app for everything.
Believe it or not, but mobile apps are gradually taking over every aspect of our life and the business realm. Entrepreneurs today are incredibly tech-savvy and forward-thinking, which means they keep track of all technology shifts, so they’re always one step ahead of their competitors. Utilizing mobile apps to optimize businesses is just one example.
The increasing popularity of mobile apps led entrepreneurs to consider the usability of these apps to increase business efficiency. Now, apps are not just for people to engage with online content, but they are also instrumental in how enterprises interconnect, delegate tasks, and optimize business operations.
In this article, we will take a look at how mobile applications are helping business owners optimize their operations.
Companies Are Investing in Apps for Employees
Market research reports show that as of 2015, 66% of businesses have increased their marketing spending on mobile applications. The growing interest in enterprise app development is fueled by data that shows that these apps can help improve internal operations and bolster productivity.
Having mobile apps specific to their company can allow employees and business officials to communicate and connect from any location, as long as they have the app installed on their mobile device. As a result, employees who work in the field can connect with their teams and don’t need to open their laptops every time they’re required to look at a document or email.
Such apps can empower staff and enable them to work faster, which saves time. Moreover, these apps are easy to use, which makes them ideal or employees of any skill level. For instance, at Carpet Cleaning Kent, a cleaning service in Great Britain, employees use a company app to communicate with each other, log in their attendance, mark projects complete, and select the next project. A representative reported that employees save a lot of time through this app; it is very easy to use as well.
Mobile Apps for Customer Convenience in the Banking Industry
The banking industry is a prime example of how mobile apps have helped businesses. Most banks across the globe have leveraged app technology to provide better customer experience for clients.
A notable feature that these apps carry is mobile banking, which allows clients to conduct simple banking tasks such as bill payments, money transfer, checking balance, and online shopping from their mobile devices. In doing so, the traffic at banks has considerably reduced and customers are satisfied with performing these tasks on their own.
Here’s How Mobile Apps Can Help Grow Your Business
1. Create a Direct Marketing Channel
People don’t give this advantage the credit it deserves, but mobile apps can double up as a marketing tool. Your brand’s mobile app can offer customers all kinds of info about your products and services from anywhere they want. Customers can access your mobile app anytime they want and perform basic functions like check product listings, verify prices, place orders, and track their delivery.
Additionally, people can activate push notifications, so they are instantly notified about new launches, upcoming promotions, discounted deals, and special events. Your most loyal customers can even share your app link on their social media profiles as a way to spread the good word about your brand.
2. Build Brand Recognition
When it comes to building brand awareness, your mobile app is an excellent way to stand out from other competitors in the market and get a head start. Once the app is installed, the user is bound to come across the brand’s logo and slogan; therefore, augmenting its visibility. The more frequently a prospect interacts with the app, the more likely they are to purchase products from that brand.
Keep in mind that your app’s user interface and design should correlate with your brand’s logo, so it’s easier for users to remember and relate your products with your brand without seeing the name. On top of that, make sure your app offers all the necessary features that your target customers are looking for and keeps them interested. If your app is accessible, responsive, interactive, and visually appealing, then you’re guaranteed to garner positive impressions and have users returning regularly.
3. Collecting Data About Consumers
No marketing strategy is considered effective until you’ve measured the performance of your efforts. One major insight marketers and business owners prioritize customer behavior. If users are satisfied with your app, then it’s apparent they’ll share some info that you can use to improve your services.
Everything from their engagement levels and browsing habits to their favorite pages, location, and product preferences can be monitored and evaluated. These valuable insights can help companies understand their customers base on a deeper level and focus their marketing efforts on providing them a better in-app experience with their brand. As a result, customers are likely to trust your brand and recommend it to people in their social circle.
For instance, the Starbucks mobile app makes great use of this opportunity to track and analyze the in-app behavior of users. The brand was able to make many strategic upgrades to its app and customer experience, and it further empowered its users to avail of their services. It was reported that in April 2019, Starbucks had approximately 17 million active program members through their app.
4. Increase Sales Ratio
Mobile applications are known to elevate the customer experience by offering a streamlined and simple buying procedure, so there’s zero room for confusion. Having a branded mobile app means you can stand out from the crowd and focus on providing helpful content to customers to increase app retention. It doesn’t essentially have to offer purchase options, but it can also improve sales by delivering additional services and producing loyalty programs for regulars. Many brands have deployed mobile apps to drive conversions and induce brand loyalty in their customer base, granted they have a solid UX strategy and deliver a delightful experience.
Wrapping Up
Currently, the business world is still learning about the benefits of mobile applications. But eventually, it all comes down to how useful and relevant you make your app in delivering a solution to the end-user, whether an employee or a customer. If you successfully implement a strategy that manages to snatch a share of your customer’s mobile attention, then you’re on the right track. Don’t limit your business, but concluding that this trend is only for major enterprises. To thrive and succeed in today’s competitive market, you should be willing to adopt cutting-edge solutions to optimize your business and move forward.