Caveat Emptor Buyer Beware, Business Applications (Apps)

Today there are 1.17 Billion websites in the world, of this only 17% are active.

That’s just short of 1 Billion websites receive zero visits in a given year.

That leaves 200,000 websites to do all the web work, of that 60% are searched are on mobile.

27% of all websites are NOT scale-able, meaning they cant be displayed effectively on Mobile.

Its no secret that were all addicted to our smart phones but is business utilising this opportunity?

A staggering 95.4% of all Facebook users access the Fb App through their smart phones.

Apps are the future they say, or are they?

Past studies show that 88% of time spent on smart phones is inside apps not surfing websites. Apps are a natural part of our being we use them for sleeping, fitness, food ordering and we use them at home, work, while eating even lying in bed. Apps have become part of our being. While that sounds promising for app developers it can be a trap for business.

Can all businesses benefit from developing an App? We think not, in fact while the app revolution continues to grow at an astonishing 60 Billion downloads per year to around 300 billion in 2022, apps are not for everyone or every business. In fact business needs be cautious.

As 90% of apps are free to download from the Google play store & Apple Ios when combined this with development costs historically costing ten of thousands it maybe a burden. Even now that app development prices are falling you still need to be absolutely sure of what you are doing. The growth of Mobile Apps is driven by downloads and usage and retention by consumers.

This means it is vital to have a vital UX and UI if you want people to use your app.

While the upside for business is immense, by reducing customer waiting times, engaging users with push notifications, quick responses for customers, personalised experiences and Apps that put you in direct contact with your customers be sure of what your app can do for your business!

Among the most successful Apps for Businesses are;

Task-Resolution Apps that make it easier for customers to use the products or services your company provides from a distance. An app for shopping, a tool for car owners to control their autos remotely (BMW), or a tool for remote workers to access consumer databases.

Using Loyalty Apps can be a terrific method to increase client loyalty. As a result, in return for those advantages, customers continue to use the brand.

Even without openly providing incentives, your business can benefit from Entertaining Apps. With their respective Coca-Cola Freestyle and Red Bull TV apps, Coca-Cola and Red Bull do well.

Customer service apps act as a link between customers and brand staff. Customers are able to report issues they are having and find answers.

Content apps use their content in a digital environment, such as recipe books.

Looking to drastically increase your profitability and business processes? The missing piece may be a smartphone app, however please do your your homework to be sure it can be a benefit, not a burden.

Rob is B2B’s Client Experience Officer who built his own 1st website back in 1995 for his own small business. Rob has a keen interest in making digital affordable for small business.