How businesses utilise mobile applications
How businesses utilise mobile applications
Companies are on a relentless quest to automate processes, streamline employee tasks, attract new customers, and secure a more substantial share of the mobile sales pie. Let's explore this further with some real-world examples.
Retail
Businesses of all sizes, from massive retail chains to cosy corner stores, share a common goal: getting to know their customers better, keeping them engaged, and moving beyond the endless pursuit of new clients. To make this happen, companies are bidding farewell to those old plastic loyalty cards and embracing a more modern approach – integrating loyalty systems right into your smartphone.
Did you know? 84% of shoppers make impulse buys. But here's the kicker: having a handy mobile loyalty system can boost this statistic even higher.
Here's a typical scenario: Alex goes to an electronics store to grab some headphones for himself. Yet, as he strolls through the aisles, his gaze falls upon a toaster – the very one his friend had been eyeing. Lucky for loyalty cardholders, there's a tempting 25% discount on that toaster today. So, Alex grabs the headphones and the toaster, heads to the checkout, and the cashier asks for the loyalty card – which Alex, unfortunately, left at home. He decides to pass on the toaster this time, vowing to get it next time when he remembers to pack his plastic card.
But in the mobile world, your loyalty card is always at your fingertips, residing right within your smartphone app. No chance of leaving it behind, but plenty of opportunities to score discounts on your essential purchases. Just open the app, flash the cashier your barcode, and watch the purchase price shrink.
Fine-tuning business operations with mobile apps
Mobile business process automation is an extraordinary means to streamline those mundane daily tasks and make life a tad simpler.
Imagine this scenario: a sales representative or manager dedicates approximately 65% of their workday to data entry and other minor duties that don't directly contribute to generating profits.
But in the mobile world, a mobile app steps in to automate these repetitive tasks. Once a user inputs data into the mobile app, it seamlessly transfers to Google Docs or CRM systems. This leaves employees with more time to focus on activities that genuinely bolster the company's bottom line.
E-commerce
Companies in the e-commerce sphere often resort to mobile services to distinguish themselves from the competition and captivate users' interest.
Typical scenario: Kate is on the hunt for a writing desk. She pulls out her smartphone, punches in a search query on her mobile browser, and is greeted with a multitude of links, each offering promising deals. She clicks through them, peruses products, and meticulously compares offers from various sellers. This month, you decided to skip the contextual advertising game, so your brand didn't snag those top search result spots. As a result, Kate didn't recall your name and ended up purchasing her desk from your competitors.
But in the mobile world, last year, Kate purchased a wardrobe and decided to install your mobile app. When the need for a desk arose, she promptly remembered your app, tapped on its icon, and quickly found what she needed. In just ten minutes, she completed her order without even contemplating alternatives via her mobile browser.
With your mobile app, customers interact exclusively with your business, leaving no room for competition to snag their attention and hard-earned cash.
Education
Professionals are often juggling various information sources, devices, and gadgets while working with students. An app presents a seamless user experience, saving precious time on repetitive tasks.
Again, consider the typical scenario of a schoolteacher: marking attendance in a journal, transferring data to an Excel spreadsheet on a computer after classes, and at month's end, manually preparing individual reports for each student, followed by email dispatch to parents.
Now, envision the mobile world: the teacher marks attendance using a mobile app. This data seamlessly flows into the school's records system, generating reports for each student, automatically dispatched to parents at the designated time. Instead of a multitude of actions, the teacher's role boils down to attendance marking – the rest unfolds effortlessly without their active involvement.
Medicine
Mobile technology empowers medical facilities to evolve into modern, patient-centric spaces. Medical establishments equipped with a mobile app offer patients a more convenient means of scheduling appointments.
Imagine this all-too-common scenario: David's fever spikes, prompting him to seek a doctor's appointment. His attempts to reach the clinic via phone result in initial frustration. Only in the late evening does he finally manage to connect, only to be informed that appointments for the following day are fully booked. David reluctantly schedules his appointment for another day, left to tend to his symptoms with self-treatment in the meantime.
Now, picture the mobile world: armed with his smartphone, David accesses the clinic's app and promptly books his appointment online. The app displays real-time schedules for doctors, complete with profiles and specialties, allowing him to select the ideal specialist and appointment time – all without the hassle of phone calls.
Construction
For construction companies and developers, a mobile app serves as a tool to retain customers and guide them toward making a purchase.
In a common scenario, a property developer embarks on the construction of a new residential complex, eager to sell apartments swiftly. They invest heavily in a landing page, pour millions into online advertising, and accumulate a handful of rather expensive leads. These leads then necessitate follow-ups via phone calls, as prospective buyers aren't always ready for an immediate commitment. They require periodic reminders, a process that demands more effective approaches than mere call centre conversations.
But in the mobile world, alongside the landing page, introducing a mobile application can be a game-changer. Once users install it, the property developer maintains constant communication. Push notifications offering discounts, invitations to view apartments, live video feeds from construction site webcams – all serve to keep prospective buyers engaged. What's more, the app's analytics allow for message optimization, making them less intrusive and more valuable. Such an approach resonates more effectively with potential buyers compared to traditional interactions with a sales manager.
Industry
Industrial enterprises harness mobile applications for dispatching and real-time control, enabling employees to remotely manage engineering systems across single or multiple facilities.
Visualise the following scenario: the head electrician at a factory needs to determine when scheduled maintenance of electrical panels across different workshops should occur. To achieve this, they need to communicate with subordinates, gather equipment data, and enter it into a computer program for calculating the optimal start date.
However, in the mobile world, workshop employees use an app to consistently update information about electrical panels. Through the app, they scan the panel's code, record the work date, and document the repairs performed. This data is securely stored on the company's server or in the cloud, easily accessible via a unified report. The head electrician can simply open this report within the accounting software or on their smartphone, gaining instant insights into the status of all panels across the factory.
Conclusion
Companies across diverse sectors leverage mobile services to tackle an array of challenges – from automating mundane tasks to outshining competitors. Whether you choose to follow the established trend or forge your unique path, it's vital to grasp the factors influencing the cost of mobile app development and explore avenues for potential savings.
