Is Your Business Ripe For A Mobile App in 2023?

Like it or loathe it,

Mobile phones are critical to the success of today's Small Business. Mobile Phones have become so important that they are often referred to as Mobile Devices.

Think about this for a minute between reading.

How many times did you use your Mobile Phone during that pause?

Mobile Devices have become extensions of our selves and an integral part of our daily life in the world of business. Mobile devices have also changed the way we do business.

With Mobile App development on the rise, there is no better time than now to ask whether your business is ripe for a Mobile app? In this article I intend to discuss what exactly entails the creation of a Mobile Application and whether its worth allocating budget towards Mobile App development. Mobile App creation is not a quick fix or a magic bullet, Mobile Apps require just as much care, attention and planning as any other major business decision.

Mobile Applications are usually characterized by,

You guessed it the overall structure and potential use in your business by your customers or employees which may be the result of Mobile Device integrations with existing land based/internet offerings from your business. Mobile Applications can vary dramatically in complexity but the most common Mobile apps created for small businesses tend to facilitate easy access to information such as: Financial statements, shop inventory and staff rosters without having to use multiple systems. Mobile Apps can also be more complex in nature and may contain video, photo or audio capabilities along with Mobile device integrations which allow the Mobile app to push information such as orders from your Website / Online provider directly to a specific Mobile Device.

While Mobile Applications have existed since Mobile Devices came into fruition over a decade ago,

It wasn't until Mobile Devices began to permeate all levels of our society that Mobile App development truly started taking off [at a rate most pundits thought would never occur]. With market predictions outnumbering Mobile Apps being created by 3:1 , Mobile Apps are still considered an emerging technology among Small Businesses who will typically rely on their existing online presence for customer access and interaction. This may change in the future with Mobile Apps becoming more accepted and Mobile Device hardware capabilities increasing, Mobile Devices will likely become more prevalent for use as a primary business tool by Small Businesses.

Before we discuss the benefits of Mobile App creation I believe an important question needs to be addressed…is my business ready for a Mobile App? If your answer is Yes then you would probably be sitting along side renowned companies such as : Staples, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Toyota Motor Sales USA, Citi Mobile® which have Mobile Apps in place.

• Staples
• Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
• Toyota Motor Sales USA
• Citi Mobile®
• Wells Fargo...

Which have Mobile Apps in place.

If your answer is No, don't fear Mobile App creation has multiple components to it so either you or an employee can learn how Mobile Apps are created.

You may be thinking that a Mobile App for my business will look exactly like the aforementioned companies....

While they all have their own style of Mobile App with different objectives its not inconceivable that yours could look similar but what about those who might think Mobile Apps aren't for them?

This is by far the most prevalent reason why businesses should consider Mobile Application development processes,

Due to small businesses being just as much in need of Mobile Applications as larger enterprises. Large Enterprises usually require Mobile Apps to help connect the fragmented Mobile experience between Mobile Devices and their land based or online services.

Mobile Adoption for Small Businesses is not necessarily seen as a problem, Mobile Devices are used by small businesses just as much if not more than large enterprises but this is simply because they do not see Mobile Apps as something that will increase the connectivity of Mobile devices with [at least] one other service which could be either land based or online in nature.

A very important consideration when creating a Mobile Application for your business is *Your customers needs*, there may be portions of your customer base who own Mobile Devices yet do not have access to an internet connection all the time because of low data plans or terrible service from data plan providers. Example: AT&T seemingly does not support the iPad 3 with their Mobile Mobile data plans as it does not appear in any of their plan offerings and Mobile Data on an iPhone [via WiFi] will result in the same issue unless you purchase separate add-on packages for use within your home. Your customers need may range from ease of viewing information without having to log onto a land based system or simply viewing information such as Brand Promotions directly on their Smartphone rather than looking towards their computer when they are at work. In order to gauge your customers needs you may want to create a  Mobile App which provides your Mobile device user base with a Mobile Site [if you do not have one] as well as Mobile Analytics from your Mobile Website traffic. Mobile Analytics will provide you with information such as Mobile Device type, Operating System, and connection information which can aid in the development of your Mobile App.

A Mobile Application may also be beneficial to small businesses due to its ability to help increase customer satisfaction.

Mobile Apps are great at helping customers get an accurate and satisfying view of what services or products they may be interested in while being able to shop for them straight from their Mobile Devices without having to redirect themselves on a land based service or poorly optimized website that isn't mobile friendly. A very important aspect when developing a Mobile APP is that it should be used for either backend functionality or functions that are Mobile friendly.

Typical small businesses that can afford a mobile app have more than 10+ employes, or 10,000 + customers that are recurring.

But most small businesses don't have the 6 figure budget to hire an in house Mobile App developer.  So what they can do is outsource Mobile App Development cost to a Mobile App development company. But choosing the right Mobile app outsourcing partner is not easy, it requires some research and vetting of Mobile app developers.

There are quite a few benefits in going with Mobile App Development Outsourcing vs Mobile App Development In-house for small businesses.

One obvious benefit is that you save on your operational costs, since you don't need any infrastructure or resources from in-house for development. Secondly, given the fact that an IT Mobile App development firm has dedicated mobile app developers who work exclusively on your project, there will be no communication gap or miscommunication issues when it comes to developing and launching your Mobile app. This also means that there would be no delays if you want to develop a Mobile App for your business. The cost of app development for an MVP (Minimal Viable Product) is about 1/3 of the overall cost to build all the features you'd like for your app to have in the future.

The most common Mobile Apps today are

• Mobile Apps for eCommerce
• Businesses that have multiple locations
• Portfolio Mobile Applications
• Mobile Banking applications
• Mobile Inventory Apps
• Fitness & training apps
• Social networking apps
• Travel apps

Don't allow the unknown to deter you. Get a comprehensive understanding of the potential costs associated with your mobile app project by using our Mobile App Cost Calculator. Armed with this knowledge, you can make well-informed decisions and strategize effectively to maximize the return on your investment.

At Frenchy Digital, we're more than just a service provider - we're your partner in this journey towards digital transformation. Our team of experts is ready to help you develop an app that not only meets your business needs but also sets you apart in the marketplace.

Reach out to us today and let's embark on this exciting journey towards digital transformation together. Embrace the future, because with Frenchy Digital, the future is within your grasp.