Does my business need an app?

With mobile technology ever developing with new advances, the potential to have an app for a business is growing. Having a clear, clean and concise mobile application which the audience can access at the push of a button is extremely appealing for both user and provider. 

Apps can be developed at any time to help a business deliver a service for, or communicate to, their target market. A recent example of this can be seen with British Airways, who have announced that they plan to introduce a digital vaccination passport, ahead of the proposed resumption of international travel in May.

Sean Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of British Airways, said: “At British Airways we are preparing for the meaningful return to international travel in the coming months. This means doing everything we can to simplify the journey for our customers, allowing them to travel with confidence and create the best possible seamless, frictionless experience in a new COVID-19 era.”

This move by British Airways should be commended as their actions appear to be all about helping their clientele travel with as few complications as possible. 

There are a number of reasons for and against having an app, both in terms of what it can offer a business and a user. Here are some reasons to help you consider whether an app is what you need:

Pros:

• Direct and personalised communication: Your audiences are able to receive information at the touch of a button. An app provides a great opportunity to offer users a personalised experience, helping to create strong brand awareness. 
   
• Improve customer engagement: Customers are able to respond to offers and get in contact quickly with any problems they have. The quicker and easier they are able to send their message can only be a good thing and will keep them engaged with your app. 
   
• Beat your competitors: Are the competition ahead of the game and have they got an app already? If the answer is yes then how can you counteract this challenge? If the answer is no then there could be a strong chance for you to gain an advantage if an app will offer something not already on the market. 

Cons:

• The cost of different platforms: With the development of so many different technologies it is not just a case of one app fits all. If you want to be able to reach all of your audience through a mobile app you will have to make one for iOS, Android and even a windows or Google app may be required. Having more than one app can slow down communication.
   
• Ongoing updates: Having an app will require you to stay well on top of any updates that may be required for it to keep operating effectively on each platform. And just like a website it will need new content added to it to keep users interested and updated with what your business is doing.
   
• No certainty of success: As with any marketing strategy there is no guarantee it will work. Simply putting your app on the market and expecting people to download it is not enough. It will need to be promoted effectively, telling your audience that they can download the app, how that can be done and why they should get it. 

Ultimately creating an app for a business should be done for a specific reason that offers value for your customers. Following the crowd and doing it as a gimmick will only prove costly in the future as users will quickly realise they don’t need it. 

Here at BBI Brandboost, we are able to provide a high quality app development service. Our operations team code, create and can implement solutions for your company, keeping in line with your ethos and brand identity. If you feel an app is what you need, then we would be delighted to hear from you.