Are Mobile Apps Really That Important For Your Business?
The desire to have a mobile app for your business can be compelling to say the least. With thousands of businesses employing apps to engage more and more customers, you may think that a mobile application is a necessity for your business to stay above the curve.
Mobile apps do bring great value for most businesses but not all of them. Before you decide to spend big dollars on mobile application development, wildly chasing the market trends, trying to become the next Uber — you have to ask yourself, ‘does your business really need a mobile application?’
But how do you do this? How do you determine if a mobile app is what will propel your business into space? Here are some key questions that can you help you decide.
Will a Mobile App Improve Customer Experience?
Examine your need for a mobile app by asking yourself, will it be able to bring value to your customers’ experience? Some people might argue that they have a responsive mobile friendly website, so there is no need for a mobile app. And that is often true!
Mobile apps go hand-in-hand with a website by giving enhanced functionality and access in order to improve customer experience.
The nature of your business decides if a mobile application can improve customer experience or not. For example, if you are operating a retail store, mobile apps can be convenient as they will enable customers to look for the products you offer and compare prices on-the-go. You can also use push notifications for special discount offers to increase customer engagement.
On the other hand, if you are running a fine dining restaurant, a mobile app may not be required, as many people prefer visiting a restaurant rather than downloading the app to place an order.
If you are unable to determine if a mobile app can improve customer experience for your business, you can always avail strategy consulting services for professional advice. We can help you make that decision!
Do the Pros Outweigh the Cons?
A mobile app can bring significant value to a business — that is unequivocally true. However, they can also prove to be worthless in many cases. You must examine if the heavy investment in a mobile app can give you an edge over competitors.
Some advantages and disadvantage of mobile apps are given below which can help you make the right choice.
Advantages
- Can help you reach more people and target the newer tech-savvy generation
- Offers your customers better functionality and convenient access to you
- Push notifications can increase customer engagement
- Improves brand image due to being on top of the latest trends
Disadvantages
- Expensive to develop
- Regular updates and development is often required
- Customers may download your app and it might fail
If you think that for your business, the benefits of having a mobile app outweigh the possible cons, go ahead with mobile application development as you may just hit the jackpot with the right app at the right time.
There is no doubt that a mobile app can add significant value to your business and give it the boost it needs to catch the eye of customers. But this largely depends on the nature of your business, the nature of your target customers, the way your customers respond, and the possible pros and cons of the app.
If you’re at a crossroads and can’t decide which road to take, it’s best to take advice from a strategy consulting firm to help you map out a winning strategy. This is where we at Buoy Ventures come in. Not only do we consider ourselves masters of the mobile app industry, but we know how your business can get the best out of them.
