A well-structured and visually appealing website is every company’s first step to engage the Internet audience. When a platform is up and running and traffic is growing thanks to efficient SEO, there is more any firm should do to retain these new visitors and foster their loyalty. 

Mobile applications are digital instruments that push businesses forward enhancing productivity and boosting the bottom line. The benefits of professional enterprise applications development are multiple. Take any popular brand today and this company will probably be using an array of software tools. 

Why a Website Is Not Enough

Today, in the age of ubiquitous digitization, humans are used to getting services or goods via portable devices. We do shopping, pay our bills and even study online, via smartphones and tablets. Even though websites may be efficiently optimized for mobile devices, they still look cumbersome in comparison with lightweight apps. 

While a mobile-friendly website is a must for any modern organization, apps are essential for companies that want customers to pay attention to their services frequently. Due to their specific features, apps are faster and more engaging than sites, which helps expand the consumer base. 

Unless the audience uses your services once a year, they are likely to appreciate the enhanced accessibility of mobile technology. Installing an app means users are reminded of your brand every time they glance at their smartphone menu icons.

For Customers or Staff?

Mobile apps may bring benefits to clients, employees, or both. Those designed for staff facilitate operations within the company, such as communication between departments or the provision of efficient and timely customer care. Client-oriented apps allow individuals to choose and order your products or services quickly and conveniently, wherever they are. 

Benefits to Gain

Mobile apps have a range of indisputable advantages over standard websites. Even if your platform is advanced and streamlined, it can hardly deliver the specific benefits of a smartphone app. Here is why:

Sales

The ultimate goal of any business is to boost revenue. Whether you are in the service or manufacturing industry, stimulating sales is the means to do it. Research shows that the increase is often considerable.

A conventional way to increase sales is through discounts and special offers. With mobile apps, customers are instantly notified about any such bonuses through push notifications. Some firms even harness the power of geolocation, tailoring their announcements to capture the interest of customers in close proximity to their retail outlet. 

On the other hand, the convenience of mobile access means payments require a few taps. The modern consumer is no longer willing to stand in line waiting to be served. They want to place orders and pay for them instantly. 

Another phenomenon accounting for the trend is multitasking. People are used to completing several tasks at once. Nothing facilitates this more than portable gadgets with Internet access. While you may still stick to newsletters, an email may land in the spam folder or be read after the offer has expired.

Communication

Through apps, it is easier to collect information from customers and analyze their profiles. For example, you could reward them for submitting feedback on the products they purchase. Through apps, companies run polls and surveys, while users gain a chance to report any errors instantaneously. All this translates into stronger customer loyalty and trust in your brand.

Business Process

Through applications, employees may exchange information with one another. Team leaders may easily track their members’ performance, and assign tasks while on the go. Monitoring, data exchange, and statistics aggregation are all simpler.

Marketing 

An app will allow you to share promotions, discounts, or bonuses with customers. Not only can they book a table or order food from their smartphone. They may do so for less money, or acquire rewards. Push notifications may be personalized to deliver exclusive offers tailored to individual needs.  

Where to Begin

It is reasonable to come up with special versions for the two most popular smartphone systems - iOS and Android. Successful brands are constantly reengineering their software in order to keep up with new tech trends and channels. Here are the most basic considerations for business app development. 

Develop Native or Non-native Apps

Nativity means an app is device-specific. Such apps are designed to work on iOS or Android only. These are installed on smartphones and tablets and are launched from there. The other category, also known as hybrids, includes web-enabled apps. This means they are accessed through a web browser on a portable device. 

Do It In-house or Outsource? 

If your staff includes employees with sufficient competence for app development, they could work on the software in-house. Otherwise, you ought to hire a third-party developer and provide them with detailed requirements. Make sure your app looks professional. A badly designed and malfunctioning piece of software is a major put-off for consumers.

What Mobile Features Are Key? 

It is essential to include functions that are really useful for customers. An app should not be overloaded with options that users consider redundant. Research the needs of your clients and meet them via the app. This boosts traffic and customer loyalty.

What Is Your Pricing?

The most appealing apps are always free for download. Subsequent use may require subscription or in-app purchases, based on the services you offer. All pricing schemes today fall into three categories: premium, freemium, and subscription. Naturally, shopping apps are free for download and use. Language apps, music players or photo editors, for instance, are often unlocked for the recurring subscription. 

Harness the Power of Social Media

The power of social media is immense. It connects you to a vast audience that may include potential clients. Common channels of promotion are paid ads, user-generated content (e.g., Instagram stories describing the use of your products) and influencer marketing (e.g., promotion through popular bloggers in a relevant field).

Therefore, enhance the effects further through the promotion of the app on Facebook, Instagram, and other wildly popular networks.