What are the advantages and disadvantages of having bespoke mobile app development for your business?
Extensive mobile app development means there are apps to cover just about anything: shopping, travel, keeping fit, gaming, entertainment, and much more, but there are also many business-based apps covering areas such as productivity, planning and communication.
Many of these are ‘generic’ apps by significant names in their fields – for example, those created by search giant Google – but certain mobile apps for business are made in a bespoke fashion specifically for individual companies and organisations by a mobile app development company.
Bespoke Mobile App Development for Business
Bespoke mobile app development involves designing an app from the ground up, usually by app development specialists, based on the requirements of the business concerned. The business’s customers may use the app to help build and maintain relationships, provide information, and sell.
Other types of apps are business-centric and are used by the organisation’s staff and maybe contractors. They cover areas such as remote on-site reporting, project management, data provision, access to a staff portal, and more.
Business app development has opened up a new world of functionality and productivity.
Should Businesses Have Their Own App?
While the use of apps is ever-growing, there are aspects to consider before taking the plunge and finding suitable expertise by searching for ‘mobile app development London’ or similar:
Advantages with Apps
Staying ‘front of mind’ with customers or staff – your app on someone’s home screen can help reinforce you as the answer to their needs when they require what you offer, especially if your app is helpful in other ways.
Data capture – valuable data from apps concerning use, activity and buying habits can be gathered.
Communication – it’s easier to interact with your staff with an app, including the immediacy of attracting their attention and maybe prompt action through, for example, push notifications.
Productivity – app-based interactions can streamline communications with staff and outside contractors. Then, you can ditch labour-intensive paper-based reporting.
Disadvantages with Apps for business
Cost – Naturally, developing an app carries a price tag, but your app could boost your bottom line by improving productivity (if it’s a business app) or enhancing customer engagement and increasing sales (if it’s a customer-based app).
Also, working with an experienced mobile app development company means they can appraise you of what’s possible within your budget and develop your app accordingly.
Complicated – developing an app isn’t as easy as it may appear, but trusting an experienced software development company will ensure that much of the heavy lifting is done for you.
Updating – your app will require regular updates in line with revisions from platform providers such as Apple (iOS) and Google (Android). Again, companies providing mobile app development services know this and would put a package together incorporating ongoing updates.
As you can see above, all the potential disadvantages of having an app can be addressed by using the services of experts in developing mobile apps for business.
Costs of Building A Mobile App
It depends: An app can have as many or as few elements as the business requires, which will affect development costs.
Apps range from basic information sources to fully featured types providing e-commerce facilities, so clearly, costs will vary depending on their functionality. You may consider ‘doing it yourself’ with an interface such as Microsoft Power Apps, although help from a developer with these would pay off in the long run.
Will it be a multi-platform app that is usable on Android, iOS, Windows and more or just a single platform? This will influence the price, whether you search for ‘iOS development London’ or ‘Android app development London’ if you’re based in or within reach of the capital and are looking for mobile app development services.
Can A Mobile App Boost Business Growth?
Most definitely!
As mentioned above, your business-focused app could improve productivity amongst your workforce, increasing your ultimate profits. With customers, by keeping your business ‘front of mind’, making it easy to interact with you, reinforcing your brand, and gathering useful usage and buying habits data, your app can help drive sales and, therefore, growth.
Talk to an experienced mobile app development specialist to maximise the potential benefits apps can give your business.
FAQs
What’s the key to effective business app use?
- A coherent mobile strategy is vital. Just ‘having an app’ and hoping for quick gains isn’t the best approach – understand it’s a longer-term process.
- Your app should be carefully developed and tested by your audience and refined as necessary using reliable data and feedback.
- Choose one mobile platform you’d ideally like to focus on first.
How do you choose the best app developer?
Talk to the company and clearly outline your goals in developing a mobile strategy.
Ask if they have experience in your area of business and how they’d go about creating an app for you. Are you kept involved throughout the process? How is communication handled through the development stage? How is testing undertaken?
What functions should an app feature?
Be guided by your app developer. It’s easy to want ‘all the bells and whistles,’ but it may be counterproductive to have too much on your app. Your app expert understands how people interact with apps, what behaviours customers in your particular marketplace usually exhibit, and how best to stimulate user engagement without putting people off.