TECHNOLOGY: These days there seems to be an app for everything. Every product or service has been turned into an app and the world can’t seem to function without them. A mere five to 10 years ago we didn’t have apps, we went to a website if we needed anything, or physically went to a shop and spoke to someone or possibly phoned a helpline. It is worth examining why apps are so popular and an intrinsic part of our world.
An app is not just a ‘nice to have for a business, it has major benefits. A mobile app can help users get content faster as information loads faster, give you insights into customer behavior, and allow for direct engagement with customers. In addition, a mobile app can improve customer service and keep up with the latest trends. They can facilitate more sales and lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction. By developing a deep understanding of your customer base, an app can craft targeted messaging that will grab their attention and keep them coming back for more. On a more basic level, if we look at Namibia, more people have access to the Internet through a smartphone than through an actual computer. This means, that accessing products or services through an app becomes almost the only way of accessing goods and services.
Almost everyone that has a mobile phone has it with them 24/7, it has become an extension of the person. This is, even more, the case with smartphones and there’s a reason for that, the apps. Simply put, WhatsApp is an app, as are Telegram and Twitter, and Instagram, but there are many other apps that bring lots of benefits with them.
Mobile apps load fast: Mobile apps load faster than websites, so your customers can get the information they need right away, saving precious airtime. Users are able to load and receive information quickly on their mobile devices, getting the instant feedback, gratification, or result we need and crave in today’s world.
However, from an organization’s side, there is a multitude of benefits as well. The valuable data that can be gleaned from your users and how they use the app can improve product and service delivery. From tracking how customers use your app and for how long, what features they engage with, and what pages they visit most often. You can directly engage with customers, and offer live chat, FAQs, and appointment scheduling. All this valuable data can help fine-tune the marketing strategy and improve the overall user experience. This information can help make decisions about future app development and improve the business and make it future-proof.
In the end, all businesses need to make a profit and by developing a mobile app a business can tap into a whole new market or expand market share and realize more conversions and larger order values. Access to a product or service via mobile phone as a customer is almost instant, the convenience factor is what sells it. People are always on the go and don’t have time to wait around for a desktop computer to load up, or frankly as in Namibia, often don’t have access to a desktop. The app helps to build a relationship with them and keeps them coming back for more.
Mobile apps offer many benefits that can help boost business and it’s still in their infancy. Deciding to develop and create an app for your organization is the sensible thing to do and can transform the smallest business into a powerhouse that is not constrained by location or region or physical presence. It really can take your organization to the next level.
