The face of doing business and engaging with your customers has changed radically over the last decade. Even in the last five years, companies have had to adapt and pivot their marketing and selling processes to reach new customers and continually meet their needs. One of the most profound developments over the last few years has been the birth and rise of mobile apps.
But, just how important are apps to companies today and why are millions of companies globally starting to invest in these tools? Research has shown that of the over seven billion people in the world, around 5.2 billion have mobile phones. This means that there are over 5 billion people who you have direct access to in a split second. In 2019 alone, there were over 209 billion app downloads, with total revenue of $462 in the app industry in that year alone.
If you are weighing up your options and considering whether to introduce an app into your business, we thought we would help make the decision easier. We broke down why apps are working for companies worldwide and how you can maximize your profits with even the most simple of apps.
It Helps You Build Your Brand
The customer experience is a vital aspect of any brand’s existence. From the second your customer comes in contact with your brand, to checkout and delivery, each touchpoint needs to be optimized for your customer.
An app is one of these key customer touchpoints and can not only convey your brand’s key values of convenience, availability, transparency, and be the go-to-destination for your customers. You essentially want your customers to know that you are available to them at all times with a simple tap or swipe on the screen.
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Spend some time ensuring that every feature of the app accurately defines your brand. If you are launching a brand new app, spend some time researching how to create an app from scratch.
Every element, from your chosen images to your contact forms and CTA’s will need to be optimized to convert your customer. So spend some time understanding what works and perfecting the app.
Engaging With Customers is So Much Easier
As just mentioned, having access to your direct customer is so much easier with an app. Mobile apps can not only act as mobile customer service portals but can instantly remind your customer to make purchases.
Customers’ preferences in communication have changed radically over the last few decades. A report has shown that over five years, customers who used the live chat options increased from 38% to 58%, and this is only expected to grow in the coming years.
An app allows your customer to not only make use of live chat and chatbot options, but to be able to contact you telephonically from the app, or through email quickly and efficiently.
Should you notice an abandoned cart on the app, sending a push notification to remind your customer to check out is highly effective. A simple “Hi, we noticed that you didn’t complete your purchase” as a simple notification is usually effective enough to prompt the customer to complete the last step, or contact you if they have run into a problem.
Conversion Rates Are Higher
Although they might seem incredibly similar, mobile apps indeed convert more than their web page counterparts. And, there is a good reason for this. Take an app into consideration. Your customer has chosen to download the app for convenient and swift access to your products and services. This already means that there is a demand for it.
Secondly, personalization is a huge driver of conversions. Apps allow you to gather key information and data around your customer’s behaviors, interests, and demographics in real-time. This, in turn, allows you to use that information to tweak your app and the customer experience journey on your app to personalize their experience further
Apps also streamline the checkout process for your customer. In most cases, you will only need to fill out vital delivery details and payment information once. Every purchase thereafter can be made within a matter of seconds, bypassing the critical moments for the customer to change their mind while filling out card information or entering long forms of personal information.
Forced account creation and complicated checkout processes are the two highest reasons for abandoned carts. Eliminate this completely with the use of an app.
It Uses Mobile Features for Ease of Use
Because an app is installed directly on the device, you can make use of the features of the device. Take the camera, GPS, microphone, and contact lists into consideration when you are creating your app. You can link the app to these features to make it easier for your customer to use the app.
You can instantly use the device’s GPS to determine their location for delivery should they not know the address that they are currently at. The camera access can make it easier for them to upload their card information instead of typing out, and possibly making a mistake on credit card information.
Self-inspections and review processes can also be made easier with the use of the camera, and not only will this heighten the customer experience, but save you money and resources.
Measuring, Tracking, and Insights Are More Available
We touched on it earlier, but apps make it a lot easier for you to track essential customer information and data. You can firstly keep an eye on the number of downloads and active users on your app. This will also be able to give you the source of the installation, and dates of activation to keep track of your campaigns.
Apps also allow you to track metrics like the customer lifetime value, the retention rate, and the drop off rate. You will also be able, based on that to gain valuable insights into what is keeping your customer on the app and regularly using it.
Lastly, you can measure customer satisfaction and gain valuable insight into your users. You can track behaviors and purchases as well as monitor reviews and engagements to understand your customer and how and why they actually make purchases on the app.
Last Thoughts
Creating an app can be a vital brand-building exercise for your business. Functionality in apps, unlike the web browser counterparts, are not restricted and limited. From the use of the features of the device to key UX functionality and fluid movement means that your customer can conveniently swipe, tap, or click to use the app effectively. Not only are apps more convenient and more efficient, but they are faster, customers’ information and preferences are saved, and engagement is easier.
Apps guarantee higher conversion rates. They are proven to make navigation easier, allow for more access to information for the customer, and allow them to fulfill their needs quicker and more efficiently. If you are looking to build your brand, and scale your business, an app will certainly assist in meeting those goals.
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