How Going Mobile With an App Could Boost Norfolk Businesses in 2020

This year is already gearing up to be an exciting one for businesses in Norfolk and the chances are that many organisations are already giving serious thought to how they can develop their offerings and enjoy new levels of success across the months ahead. One topic which will no doubt be on the agenda of many companies will be how they can leverage technology in new and innovative ways, including whether it is time for some firms to finally embrace the benefits of going mobile.

Making a difference

There have been plenty of intriguing news stories across Norfolk in recent months regarding how mobile technology is making a difference to many lives. The fact that 58 per cent of First Eastern Counties bus users now purchase mTickets, which are bought via a mobile app and scanned on the public transport services. Furthermore, there was also news of the University of East Anglia-backed Safepoint launching a lone worker safety app, which allows people to log key information about their jobs on a central system. If they do not then mark a task as completed, an alert is triggered for an employer to check on the individual.

These are both great examples of the benefits of mobile technology and, whether you’re a local business wanting to raise your profile or an entrepreneur with grand plans to build a venture with international reach, there is plenty of evidence that the right app could prove very beneficial.

A big part of our lives

A new report released by mobile market data provider App Annie has put a spotlight on the huge role that smartphones and tablets now play in many of our lives, with the study estimating that the average person spent 3.7 hours on mobile devices in 2019. The research also found that consumers downloaded around 204 billion apps across the year, spending around $120 billion on them in the process.

But which apps are proving particularly popular with consumers? Gaming is one area which has thrived on mobile in recent years, with so many different experiences now available at the touch of a button. Not only are strategy games like Supercell’s Clash of Clans easily accessible on mobile but has also developed in-game news sections to support players and keep interest high. Meanwhile, online casinos have also embraced gaming on the move, for example Betway offer an optimised mobile portal and an app to customers featuring everything from slot games to the likes of roulette and blackjack. The App Annie report stated that mobile gaming is now the most popular form of the pastime and pointed to the fact that major franchises like Call of Duty and Mario Kart had moved into the area as evidence of its continued success. Such findings could prove interesting reading for local software developers, as well as brands considering the idea of using a casual game to promote their services.

The App Annie study also suggested consumers are migrating more financial activities to mobile, while apps are also used for research when they are undertaking shopping too. It also suggested that this year could be the biggest year for mobile yet, particularly with new innovations like 5G set to push the capabilities of such devices to a whole new level.

Small business benefits

All of the findings from that report suggest that consumers are using mobile apps now for a range of different activities. However, while larger organisations may be in a stronger position to develop such pieces of software, should smaller firms be spending valuable time and resources on going mobile too?

According to a study undertaken by Clutch at the start of 2018, the answer is yes. The research found that more than 40 per cent of small businesses have a mobile app, while another 30 per cent intend to build one in the future. Examining the key benefits that such firms get from embracing apps, the research found that 26 per cent regard the option of mobile payment as the most valuable feature offered by their software. Other key features included the possibility to communicate directly with customers and the ability to create a customer loyalty program. The latter point perhaps raises a fundamental point which could be worth bearing in mind if you are looking to develop a mobile app – it is generally best to target existing customers. While the Clutch research found that 28 per cent of small businesses create mobile apps to attract new customers, the organisation warned that this was not good reasoning for an app as drawing people to it would require a significant level of marketing. Instead, a better approach would be to consider how an app could support communication with those you already have a relationship with, which is why loyalty schemes may well be a good idea to explore.

A chance for real success

Businesses of all sizes across Norfolk will be looking at so many different areas as they seek out new ways to develop their services across the rest of 2020. However, with research showing how so many of us are spending more and more time on mobile devices, firms should be thinking about how they can get involved in that area. The businesses that find the right idea and approach when developing mobile apps could go on to have significant success in the future.