Can’t decide whether you should get a dedicated mobile application developed for your business? Well, we heard you and put together this article where you’ll discover the importance, advantages, and disadvantages of having a mobile app in this modern business era.
People across the world downloaded around 204 billion mobile apps in the previous year, notes a Statista finding. That clearly indicates how mobile apps have become an integral part of our lives today. From shopping and productivity to fitness and gaming apps, the mobile app market is continuously thriving.
Know more: How To Build Successful B2B Apps: Guide For Mobile App Developers
Therefore, it comes as no surprise if businesses across industry verticals, large or small, want to venture into this growing market.
But How Can Mobile Applications Enhance Your Business?
In today’s fast-paced world, everyone is constantly on the move. That’s why the businesses now have to reach their prospects and clients where they are. Instead of the old tactic of making them reach you. And mobile apps help you do exactly that.
In fact, 80-90% of the time spent on mobiles is dedicated to apps, highlights a comScore report.
With a mobile app, your business is up 24/7. You can let your existing clients and prospects access the information they want when they need it the most. That helps create brand awareness, build trust, retain customers, and increase both goodwill & revenues.
However, like all things, mobile apps too, have their own share of positives and negatives. Let’s look at them in detail.
See more: How to Make a Budget-Friendly Mobile App?
Pros of Having a Mobile App
1. It’s a Convenient Tool
Mobile apps spell convenience – for not only the customers but also your employees.
Earlier connecting to any business was a hectic task for a customer. We all remember the efforts it would take to search the firm’s number and call or contact them via mails or personal visits only. However, with mobile apps, a business’s services/products can easily pop up on a 4-inch smartphone as per the customers’ convenience.
On the other hand, an organization can also get an app to streamline their internal workflow. There are many project management apps out there, such as Asana and Trello, that are not just convenient but also make collaboration simpler for your in-office and remote employees. All while increasing their productivity.
You can also get a customized app built based on your goals.
2. It’s Available Continuously
What if one of your clients needs your services urgently but they fail to reach you since you were closed for the day? It would drive them away to your competitors.
Such a situation can be easily avoided through well-executed mobile app ideas.
A mobile app can be made available every hour of the day, all days of the week. In fact, you can also incorporate the offline feature, making it all the more customer-friendly.
Know more: Successful Analysis of Mobile App Needs and Features
The continuous availability – whether for requesting products/services, raising issues or offering information – instills confidence about your brand among your clients while helping your employees manage requests more effectively.
3. It Provides Increased User-Engagement
Mobile apps become a platform letting users get in touch with businesses according to their will. There is no pressure to download, use or even start the communication on the app. This freedom, combined with the ease of accessibility and prompt connect, encourages users to prolong the time spent on your app.
Moreover, you can boost app user-engagement strategically. For instance, ensure that your app has a simple but attractive interface and unparalleled performance, asks for essential permissions, sends the right notifications, and offers targeted, personalizes offers.
Check this: Steps to Successful Mobile App Development: How to Turn Your App Idea into Reality
4. It Boosts Profits
With convenient and uninterrupted access to your business via a mobile app, the level of customer satisfaction would rise to a great extent. That’s a prime factor which triggers increased demands for your products or services. A boost in product/services’ demand means an opportunity to gain considerably higher profits.
Additionally, you can also place ads on your app for generating some more revenue. However, be careful to only partner with businesses your userbase would find relevant.
5. It Offers Cloud Synchronization
Cloud synchronization, probably one of the most prime benefits of mobile apps, can help you seamlessly edit and access the data, no matter where you are.
See more: Why Businesses Should Switch to Cloud-Based Applications?
Other than that, if you are a small business or a start-up, you can opt for a free cloud-based app, such as G-Suite, for your everyday operational needs. That greatly helps you cut cost while availing similar features to licensed software. You may have to spend some money on additional features, but that cost is still bearable.
Cons of Having a Mobile App
1. It’s Costly
While a dedicated mobile app brings in many benefits in the digital era that today’s businesses have to operate in, the cost of mobile app development is quite high.
That’s because there are multiple factors to consider, including the type of an app, your business goal, its functionalities and features. Additionally, you might have to get a different version of the app built for different operating systems like Android and iOS. All of it increases the developers’ efforts, increasing your app budget.
2. It’s Complex
The process of developing an app is not a cakewalk unless you’re a techie. Also, it takes more time for an app to be up and running than a website. The decisions in terms of the app’s design, features, objectives, user actions, support, as well as the content that would go up on it, are extremely vital. One wrong decision and your app might not click with the users.
Furthermore, having an app for your business is an ongoing process. You’d have to continuously adapt to the users’ changing demands, needs and feedback, which is quite challenging and adds to your workload.
Check this: iOS development- Layout considerations to make attractive app visual design
Conclusion:
Mobile apps have the power to turn things brighter for your business. There are disadvantages as well, but the benefits outnumber them as we explored above. So, what should you do?
Before you decide to get an app built, conduct a thorough assessment of your business requirements and whether the app would be able to meet them besides bringing additional value. If it does, reach out to an expert mobile app development firm to get started right.
Author bio:
Varsha Solanki is a Digital Marketing Strategist at Space-O Canada, an app development company. She has 3 years of experience in the Information Technology industry. She spends her time reading about new trends in Digital Marketing and the latest technologies.
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