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Mobile Apps 4 min read
Does Your Business Actually Need A Mobile App?
Apps can transform how customers interact with your business, or become an expensive distraction. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Having an app sounds impressive. But an app only makes sense if people will actually download it, open it and keep using it. Before you invest, it’s worth asking a few honest questions.
Signs an app could be worth it
- Customers interact with you repeatedly, weekly or monthly, not once a year.
- You manage bookings, memberships, orders or loyalty that would be easier in an app.
- Push notifications would genuinely help customers, not just market to them.
- Your team relies on manual processes that a custom tool could streamline.
Signs it probably isn’t
- Customers usually buy from you once or rarely.
- Your website isn’t yet doing its job well.
- The main reason is that competitors have one.
The best app is one your customers would be disappointed to lose. If you can’t picture that, start with your website.
Consider the alternatives
A fast, mobile-first website with online booking, a customer portal or saved accounts can deliver much of the value of an app at a fraction of the cost. Many businesses start there and build an app once demand is proven.
If you do build, start focused
Launch with the one or two features customers will use most, measure how they use them, then expand. A focused app that works beautifully beats a bloated app that does everything poorly.