Devices Plus Apps Open a World of Opportunity
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They allow users to browse the web, remotely check email and navigate across GPS maps at their convenience. The number and capabilities of these devices is growing phenomenally and at an ever-increasing rate.
Beyond the latest hit game titles, such as Angry Birds, there is a far more serious side to these devices and the impact they can have on a business. The increasing prevalence of these devices, especially within the last 12 months, and the potential business opportunities this translates into, has already started to be recognised by many companies. This wave of smart devices presents a new and exciting medium for consumers and potential customers to engage with businesses from wherever they are, 24/7.
One of the strongest features of the iPhone and iPad is the AppStore – a massive library of applications that the user can easily select, purchase and install directly onto their device with minimal effort. It allows anyone to develop apps that, after being uploaded into the store and reviewed by Apple, can be distributed across the whole of New Zealand, or the entire world, via iTunes.
Depending upon the nature of your business, this can translate into millions of potential users.
If you need to modify the content in your application (assuming it is not being pulled from some external database or datasource), the process is very similar to creating a new app. After being submitted, the updated version will be reviewed by Apple prior to being distributed to all users who currently have the app installed.
Apps fit into two main categories – paid and free applications. Paid applications are ones in which the consumer pays for entertainment, functionality or expert content. Free applications were previously only distributed as lite versions of products to enable the user to try out the features before buying. Now it is considerably more common for free applications to be used as marketing or promotional material or provide another medium for consumers to connect with a business.
Consumers gain from increased convenience – they are able to order food, record their favourite shows or order a taxi directly from their iPhone. Businesses gain from increased customer loyalty, an increased competitive advantage, improved brand recognition or improved process efficiencies. Customers no longer have to wait on hold or trouble customer service representatives if they are able to quickly and easily find the information for themselves.
At each of these moments the consumer becomes empowered to help themselves and service their own needs. Another distinct advantage of an unpaid application for a business is that there are no fees from Apple involved with the distribution of the app through iTunes.
There is also a third, less common, class of application – corporate applications. These apps are distributed via a special enterprise developer account outside of the standard app store channels and are primarily used for internal line of business systems. It is entirely dependent upon your business model which class of app would best meet your needs.
For publically available applications it is important to consider the app as an extension of your business. Just as consumers may gain a negative view of a business from a poorly designed or poorly functioning website, the same is also true for applications. Consumers will quickly form a view of the business based on their app – be it good or bad. It is also important to note that the expectations users will have for an app differ significantly from those they will have for a website.
iPhone and iPad users expect a rich and dynamic experience and apps that provide basic company details and contact information or just mirror the company website will be quickly deleted and forgotten. Engage these users correctly, however, and you will potentially gain thousands of users with direct access to your business at their fingertips, and attract consumers who may have never heard of or considered your brand.
The range of smartphones and tablets, such as the iPhone and iPad, represents an exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs and businesses. If planned and implemented well these apps can have significant benefits – including attracting and retaining customers, improved efficiencies and brand awareness.
The key to unlocking the potential of this new medium, and potentially thousands of consumers, is determining how it can best be applied to provide an engaging experience with your business.
Courtney Smith
ASC Software
