There is a huge market out there for business application development, but recently, the trend of developing mobile applications for businesses is also catching on. If it were only a passing trend, wise business leaders know better than to invest in it, but that does not seem to be the situation in this particular case. Every big name out there seems to have at least one, if not multiple mobile apps ready and available on all major mobile platforms, indicating that it’s not a trend, but a profitable venture.
Beyond a Trend: Business Mobile Apps are a Profitable Investment
As is the nature of business, trends are not followed without a set goal. Even if a company’s decisions turn out to be wrong in that regard, it doesn’t take away from the fact that they did have a plan that hinged on certain aspects of the investment which did not work out as planned. However, as we are discussing mobile business apps, it should be well understood that this is not a trend at all, but the next step of evolution in business mobility.
Every business should have customised, relevant apps today in order to improve mobility, accessibility, ease of use, marketability and several related aspects of their trade. While it is an advisable step today for some segments, having a mobile application is going to become the de facto standard for every industry in the very near future. It has become the default standard in multiple industries already of course, as the companies working in those segments (manufacturing, supply chain, public transportation, retail, etc.) are now looking for special features in their apps to give them the competitive edge over others.
For example, Appetiser Apps from Australia is an app development team associated with developing unique apps for the likes of Lego, Europcar and even Samsung. The reasons why international MNCs choose to work with them is because their adoption of agile project management and continuous customer support provides clients with that much-needed edge over the competition.
Identifying the Specific Advantages of Having a Dedicated Business Application
It is somewhat complicated to identify and enlist the various advantages of investing in a mobile business application without being specific towards any particular industry. Therefore, there will be references from time to time towards a few key sectors which stand to benefit the most from business apps, with a general focus on universal advantages of the natural, evolutionary step for business mobility.
Online Retail Businesses Rely Heavily on Mobile Apps for Sales
A large section of the market thought that desktops and laptops are going to become obsolete, only to be overtaken by their mobile counterparts running on Android and iOS. Such predictions from a few years ago, did not turn out to be true as desktops and laptops continue to hold their own positions in certain sectors as irreplaceable devices that must also be taken into account while creating a marketing plan. However, there is also no denying the fact that mobile devices did take over a huge portion of the market from their less mobile counterparts. Due to that, a number of retailers or eCommerce websites do not just find mobile apps to be convenient, they are highly dependent on them for meeting a large section of their total revenue target.
The mobility factor enables eCommerce websites to identify, target and market to the right customer base pretty much all the time. If the customer wants to buy something while he/she is on the move, they do not have to wait but can simply use the retailer’s mobile app to order what they need or want. This enhanced ability to never lose sight of your target customers or lose a sale due to their location has proven to be a tremendous advantage in retail.
Some Businesses Rely Entirely on Mobile Apps
How would Uber or any of the multiple app cabs available today, function without their respective mobile apps? They won’t be able to function for obvious reasons, and that is why all app-based private/public transport facilities are entirely dependent on their respective mobile applications.
Every Business Can Use the Increased Exposure
As far as marketing and branding is concerned, just the presence of an application alone is enough to bolster that, even if the app does not serve any direct purpose in revenue generation. The applications can also collect target customer data, provide them with the right push notifications the right time and help the customers stay in touch with the company via their app.
The features and the specific advantages of having a dedicated business application must be sufficient enough to justify the investment necessary as well. On the flip-side, if the necessary investment feels too high in respect to the expected ROI, then the project will need to be scaled down in order to match an appropriate budget. Cost-efficiency never loses meaning in business and that applies to app development as well.
