Wondering whether your business needs an app or not?

2017 was quite a year for apps. In fact, according to Crysberry, the number of free apps downloaded by consumers supposedly reached 254 billion, dwarfing 2012’s total of 57.33 billion. The fact of the matter is that mobile development is continuing to grow at a rapid rate, which is no surprise when the average adult spends over 60 hours a week on their smartphones.

However, with the average app costing between £10k and £18k , without including more complex features, it’s important to know whether it’ll provide you with a strong ROI.

The state of app development in 2018 Firstly, before making an executive decision on whether you need an app or not, it’s worth considering the functionality and how the future is looking for this form of mobile technology.

Cloud-driven apps like Dropbox and Google Drive are becoming more important, as they enable consumers with a small amount of capacity to still access important documents. While this may not initially feel like it impacts you, indirectly it does. You see, with 86% of mobile data usage being occupied by cloud-driven apps, it arguably gives your target customers more space on their phone to download different apps – one being yours.

It’s also worth thinking about an app if you’re in the real estate, retail, engineering or healthcare industry as well, with the stock of augmented reality and virtual reality reaching new heights.

Another thing to consider is the growing demand in the global wearable market. In 2017, the industry has grown by 17% and generated $30.5 billion in revenue. And with this set to skyrocket in the next few years, the app industry is following suit. This is great news if you’re working in the health and fitness industry as you can provide gym customers and fitness enthusiasts with on-the-go updates on their progress.

You can help consumers make up their mind about a product, service or property by giving them the ability to view it before contacting. While this might mean you’ll get fewer enquiries, it should mean you’ll not only improve the customer experience, but you’ll only receive quality leads who want what you’re offering. You won’t have to waste time on consumers who aren’t sure because by the time they come to you, they’ll be ready to hand over their money.

Promote your products whenever…Push notifications are another huge benefit in the favour of having an app, with its average click-through rate standing at 40%. To put this into context, retailers can send timely updates on flash sales at key shopping periods, estate agents can send house viewing reminders and recruitment agencies have the ability to send fresh job updates directly to the phones of potential candidates.

Apps are also a fantastic way of giving customers access to information they need with quick links to FAQs, visibility of their transactions/accounts and options to complete tasks. As a result, this can reduce the number of inbound calls, reduce the likelihood of complaints and drastically improve the customer experience. With so many things to consider in this day and age, a quick resolution at the touch or swipe of a button on a phone is extremely important. After all, there’s nothing worse than listening to the same company jingle on loop for twenty minutes while you wait for your call to be answered. Simplicity and easy access is the key.

Creating an app can help boost your brand visibility as well, by displaying it in front of millions on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Another key benefit is the opportunity to receive valuable customer feedback. While email communications are often very hit and miss with open rates rarely exceeding 22% and the excessive amounts flooding our inboxes, you can achieve higher responses with the simplicity of an app. Retailers can ask their loyal customers what kind of offers they’d like to see more of in the future. While a business in the trade industry can gain an insight into a client’s level of satisfaction following their recent job. Going forward, this gives you the necessary tools to make improvements to your services and gives customers more reasons to return again.

Other things to consider While apps have the capability to hugely benefit a business, it’s vital to remember a few harsh realities about them as well. According to Health Shift, 80% of apps are deleted by consumers after only one use, with 62% blaming it on the app freezing/malfunctioning and 47% saying it was too slow to open. This does put a little bit of pressure on getting it right on the first occasion. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. It just means you need to pick the right company to develop your app.

Ask a few questions: do they have the experience in helping similar businesses? Can they provide a clear strategy on how to implement the development from start to finish? If so, does their proposal answer all of your questions?

A lot to digest, but an exciting prospect nonetheless. The truth is, the initial investment of apps are too expensive for some businesses, but that’s something you need to consider for yourself. There’s no doubt that the opportunity to generate huge quantities of sales, develop your brand’s presence and improve the customer experience are there in an abundance. It’s just a matter of finding an agency or developer that fits your budget, creates a clear timeline and can deliver excellence.

If you get this initial decision right, you’ll be able to tap into this consumer rich market and elevate your business to new heights.

Here at Eighty3 Creative, we’ve helped dozens of businesses create quality apps. Our services are tailored to your requirements and always come with 100% satisfaction guarantee. For more information, please contact us on ideas@eighty3creative.co.uk.