Mobile App Developers In Charlotte, NC

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Charlotte, in North Carolina, is a populous and exciting city. It currently has a population of approximately 899,000 inhabitants and is ranked as the third fastest-growing city in the United States. Not bad, considering it had little more than 11,500 inhabitants in 1890. 

But where does this bustling metropolitan area get its name from? Surprisingly, it owes its name to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a German princess who became the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland in 1761. And even the local public school education agency is named after this Queen.

While Charlotte boasts a fascinating past, it’s also a city set to succeed now and in the future. And that’s because it’s a major financial hub, with Bank of America, Truist Financial Corporation, and Well Fargo & Company having headquarters here.

Furthermore, all these financial institutions have embraced mobile app technology wholeheartedly. And to serve their clients efficiently, quickly, and safely — all three institutions have released mobile apps of extraordinary quality.

However, Charlotte’s not only a wonderful home for banking giants but also for other key players. Adecco Staffing, American Airlines, Atrium Health, Daimler Truck North America, Duke Energy Corporation, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Lowe’s, Novant Health, and Wal-Mart all have a strong presence here.

All these companies, and even smaller businesses and startups, require the services of reputable mobile app developers to remain competitive. And since NS804 has an office in Charlotte, we can conveniently offer our expertise and services locally.

But what should businesses expect from one of the leading mobile app developers in Charlotte, NC? Below, we’ve compiled a list of what we can provide to all our clients.

1. Cross-Platform Development Experience

One of the perks of working with NS804 is that we’re a cross-platform mobile app developer. And beyond that, we also specialize in native app development, which means that we can deliver maximum performance to both your iOS and Android apps. Moreover, we ensure that the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) remain native to the target platform.

2. Custom Apps That Suit Your Business

NS804 develops apps predominantly for small and mid-sized businesses, including startups. And we have a deep understanding of what makes these businesses tick and what kinds of apps will help them succeed. Should a store owner need a retail app to serve clients, we’re able to build a custom app that’s crafted to the store owner’s specifications.

3. Expert Implementations

Whether you need to integrate a relational database or implement an application programming interface (API), you’ll need the expertise of a professional studio. These implementations are complex and can pose a significant security risk if not done correctly. So, never go it alone, and instead, rely on the expertise of a professional developer to handle these tasks for you.

Why Mobile App Developers In Charlotte, NC?

If you’re located in Charlotte, then it’s better and more convenient to work with a developer established in your city. But more importantly, you need to work with a mobile app developer that’s built a reputation for professionalism and quality. Contact NS804 today to learn how we can help you create phenomenal apps that will help boost your business!

10 Mobile App Development Questions, Answered

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Mobile app development strategy is now a priority for most businesses. That’s because of the rapid uptake of mobile apps that has transformed the mobile app landscape.

However, for most businesses, small and large, successfully bringing an app to the market demands substantial research and strategic planning. So, there are several questions to consider when you begin the mobile app development journey.

Understanding these ten questions will help you identify the best mobile app development strategy for your enterprise.

1. Is a mobile website sound enough?

Your business objectives will guide your decision to design a mobile app or a mobile website. For instance, if your objective is to offer mobile-friendly content to a wide range of people, a mobile website can be an ideal choice.

Mobile websites present a great way to put valuable content in the hands of your target audience. Unfortunately, mobile website users have exceedingly high expectations of functionality and quality that sometimes these websites cannot deliver.

2. How feasible is my idea?

Most small and medium-sized enterprises struggle with this question. They wonder about the feasibility of their app idea, often struggling to understand whether they should put huge budgets on app development and maintenance.

Well, the best way to know whether your idea is feasible is to test it. You have to design a prototype, take it to your target market, and see whether there’s something valuable in it.

There’s no way to know whether your app idea will succeed if you haven’t taken it to the field of real prospects or at least seen how apps of similar nature have performed before.

3. Who is my target audience?

Most businesses and individuals fail to know who exactly is their target audience when developing an app. Always know your app’s end users before kick starting the app development process.

To know your target audience, conduct a comprehensive study of your app’s user demographics. Focus the research on identifying the users’ buying habits, age, challenges, and locality. In addition, research on how much time they spend on devices, their preferences, and interests.

4. What’s my mobile app category?

Knowing your mobile app category will significantly help you cut your mobile app development costs. While knowing your app’s category is a no-brainer, your app should be designed in such a way that it can fit into any categories available in both Apple Store and Play Store.

Knowing your app category will reduce your competitive research time. In addition, knowing the primary and secondary categories will help you narrow down the most appropriate or potential clients for your app.

5. How can I validate my app idea?

This is a question that’s asked by most mobile app developers. Individuals and businesses that want to integrate mobile apps into their digital strategy wonder how they can actualize their dreams and validate their ideas.

The answer to this simple question is: you can validate your idea by using a prototype, a Proof of Concept, or a minimum viable product. Alongside validating your idea, a Minimum Viable Product allows for client and stakeholder participation, eliciting new ideas and revealing new areas of improvement.

The prototype or minimum viable product ensures that the entire team contributes to the project through the product life cycle stages. So, if you want to increase the chances of your app’s launch and eventual success, using a proof of concept POC or a minimum viable product may help you attain that goal.

6. How will my app make money?

This is a question most individuals struggle to answer. So, making money with your app depends wholly on your app monetization strategy. Selecting the right monetization strategy or a combination of strategies will help optimize your app’s performance and usage.

As you seek to monetize your app, look for a model that will generate income without compromising on your app’s overall performance and functionality. For example, the subscription monetization model works based on music and video subscriptions, while the in-app purchase model is perfect for products and free-to-play games.

Carefully consider how you monetize based on your market research, user base, and product. Doing this will not only guarantee profitability but will substantially increase your success.

The most common app monetization strategies include:

  • Subscription
  • Freemium
  • In-App purchases
  • Pay per download
  • Advertising base

It’s important to note that regardless of your app’s monetization strategy, it’s not an afterthought. Your initial plans must capture your app’s idea and its monetization strategy.

The last thing any individual or business wants is to invest in a product that has no long-term returns on investment. So, carefully define your app’s monetization strategy straight from the beginning.

7. Hybrid, native, or web?

Selecting web, native, or hybrid can make or break your app’s mobile strategy. In addition, deciding to build your app as either a native, hybrid or web involves many factors for consideration.

Benefits of Native Apps

  • Deliver the best performance
  • They’re interactive, intuitive, and smooth
  • Allows developers to access the full feature set
  • A superior user experience
  • Approved by its operating system, ensuring compatibility, quality, and security.

Advantages of Web Apps

  • Web apps are relatively easy to maintain
  • They’re less expensive upfront
  • Do not have to follow standard OS protocols
  • Web apps can survive in all operating systems and platforms
  • Updates are not done from a centralized store – web apps update themselves automatically when the app loads

Advantages of Hybrid Apps

  • Only one codebase is needed for hybrid apps
  • Hybrid apps have access to a device’s internal API
  • Hybrid apps don’t need a web browser

The initial cost of a native app may be higher. However, you’ll save money and time in the long run.

8. Should I outsource my mobile app development?

Many companies have many items to consider when starting with mobile app development. One of these questions is who’s going to build the product.

Outsourcing mobile app development comes with flexibility, experience, and expertise, alongside an in-depth knowledge of new trends in technology.

9. Are there similar apps in the industry?

Competition holds a special place, not just in developing a new mobile app; but also in determining or predicting the future of that specific app. The first step in the competitive analysis is to know whether there are any competitor apps in the market.

Obtaining this information will not only help you know what elements or items your app must have, but will give you insights on what you should consider in the future to remain sustainable.

10. How do I protect my app idea?

One of the most commonly asked app development questions is how to protect your app idea. Well, the truth is that you have control of your app until it’s launched in the market. However, once launched, competitors will copy whatever attributes they see fit. And some competitors may duplicate the entire app idea.

So, while you’re at the ideation towards conceptualization stage, you can protect your app idea by signing a non-disclosure agreement NDA with the app development companies you’re involved with.

At the end of the day, the best way to protect your app idea is to work on it before your competitors do. And working on it means constantly adding new features and looking for new ways to improve the app’s overall functionality.

NS804 – Masters in App Design, Development and Deployment!

NS804 is a leading and trusted provider of mobile app development. With vast experience in app design, development, and deployment, NS804 has helped thousands of clients meet their app development goals.

NS804 offers expertise from inception to completion, helping you transcend the app development journey.

Contact NS804 for timely mobile app design, development, and deployment.

4 Ways Service-Based Contractors Can Benefit from a Mobile App

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In industrialized economies, service-based contractors grease the wheels in the market segments in which they compete. They allow enterprises, large and small, to outsource vital business processes to function more smoothly and cost-effectively. And that’s great, but how do contractors reduce their costs while increasing efficiency?

A way to change gears and turbo charge any service-based business is with a mobile app. And why that’s the case is because a mobile app helps automate various crucial tasks. Thus, reducing or cutting out staffing overheads almost entirely. Furthermore, a mobile app never sleeps and provides service around the clock.

And if you’re a contractor, all this may sound very enticing. But a mobile app doesn’t only help automate things, as it’s also capable of so much more. Below, we’ll go into greater detail about what mobile apps can do for service-based contractors.

1. Reporting Tools For Contractors Working Out In The Field

Let’s consider for a minute that you run a data center maintenance service in your area. And you have several technicians that drive out to these data centers, many of which are out of town. Now, you want all these technicians to keep you informed and report on all the maintenance work done at these sites. Preferably, you’ll want to have all reports submitted as quickly as possible to inform the client of any issues that will impact business.

But how do you do this without having your technicians come to the office or engage in costly phone calls?

Well, the most efficient way is by implementing powerful reporting tools in a mobile app, which may run on a tablet or smartphone. And this app may also include a checklist, which technicians need to check off to show that they’re working within established maintenance protocols. Furthermore, technicians can conduct security audits and report any breaches and discrepancies.

Once they input this information, the app will immediately send it to your servers and update the client’s maintenance report in real-time. In case of a breach, you can respond immediately by sending out a cyber security specialist and notifying your client. The quicker you respond, the higher your chances of dealing with a security breach and keeping your client’s data safe.

2. Enhance Collaboration With A Project Management App

It matters not if you’re running a data center maintenance or a packing service, as you’ll be dealing with customer demands, deadlines, and staff management issues. So, you’ll need tools that make collaboration a breeze, regardless of whether your staff comes to the office, works remotely or both.

A well-designed custom project management app will empower you and your staff to make the right moves. It should have an easy-to-understand user interface (UI) that your non-tech-savvy employees can navigate easily. But user-friendliness isn’t what this app is all about, as it will also need several vital features.

It should have a task tracker that can handle multiple projects, even thousands, if necessary. Moreover, it should accurately track and record the following: assigned staff, client information, due dates, project status, task descriptions, and task priorities. To better organize tasks, use a Kanban board combined with advanced filtering features to sort through multiple projects quickly.

And it’s necessary to implement a timer that accurately tracks the duration of all tasks. You may record this information and make it available in a timesheet. It will also help you determine the completion of projects, bill clients, and pay staff. Furthermore, you can integrate multiple payment processing platforms such as PayPal and Stripe for all digital transactions.

So, you can effectively turn your project management app into a central hub for handling the most crucial business processes. And when you grow your service-based business and need additional features, you have options. You can either add these to your project management app or develop another app that integrates with your existing systems.

3. AI Chatbots Apps Make Contractors Available 24/7

Clients hate it when they can’t reach their contractors on the phone or have to wait for an email response. They expect to speak to a company representative immediately to help them with any issues they may encounter. But as we all know, that’s not always possible, especially if the contractor is small in size without enough staff on hand. Or can’t afford to hire a call center to handle all incoming calls.

However, neither is a good excuse as to why contractors of any size can’t respond to their clients. Not only is this unprofessional, but it will also cause clients to reconsider working with contractors that don’t seem helpful.

So how do we solve this problem and provide clients with a 24/7 response channel? Well, a mobile app can act as a viable communications channel. And if we implement AI chatbots within the app’s messaging service, clients can have their queries answered by these chatbots immediately. In fact, AI-powered chatbots will seem so convincing that many clients won’t even realize that they’re not conversing with actual humans.

Furthermore, the beauty of chatbots is that they’re incredibly versatile. You can make them conversational so that they can be more engaging. Alternatively, they can operate as virtual assistants and be very informative to help clients with deeply technical issues.

And from a development standpoint, all the major technology companies have a chatbot or virtual assistant platform. Apple has Siri, Google has Dialogflow, and Microsoft has Azure Bot Service.

4. AR & VR For Interactive Training Sessions

Perhaps your company offers online and offline training services to clients. But you want to stand out by providing them an interactive and meaningful experience they won’t get anywhere else. And the best way to do this is with augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) mobile apps.

You’ll opt for an AR app if your training sessions require interaction and representation of the real world. For example, you may be training a client’s employees to detect and repair gas leaks on actual gas pipes. The AR app will aid them in correctly identifying the fittings, piping, and tubing as they pass the smartphone camera over these. And on the smartphone display, a description of the part with a visualization of the tooling and repair methodology will pop up.

But you may opt for a VR app if you need to simulate various dangerous scenarios related to gas leaks. Perhaps, you need these employees to fix gas pipes located in areas with highly combustible materials nearby. But you don’t want to put these employees in harm’s way, so it’s preferable for them to receive training in a virtual environment that’s completely safe.

The VR app will show a realistic 3D representation of the test environment with the pipe fittings. And each employee will wear a VR headset made exclusively for smartphones, such as the Samsung Gear VR. Then, the app will use a smartphone’s accelerometer to track head movements and the VR device’s controller to execute actions. For most employees, the experience won’t seem much different from playing a game from a first-person perspective.

The Bottom Line

Service-based contractors have become indispensable in modern economies. They help businesses of all sizes achieve their goals by providing services that are beyond the capabilities and scope of these businesses. And with the right kind of mobile apps, contractors can meet and surpass the expectations of even their most demanding clients.

Contact NS804 to learn how we’ll help you create outstanding mobile apps for your service-based contract business!

How Can Mobile Apps Help Improve Company Culture?

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Company culture can make or break a business. And that’s because company culture consists of the formal and informal behaviors, values, and systems that impact customers and employees. But it’s easy to ignore or misunderstand these facets of an organization since few people can tell apart these behaviors and values at face value.

Yet we can easily identify the organizations that have a good company culture, and here’s how? We look out for companies with good customer service, high employee retention rates, solid financial results, and boast a culture of innovation.

Another way to identify good company culture is by surveying the staff of an organization. And we’d ask them the following: How well do they communicate with each other? What is the decision-making process like within the organization? Does the organization acknowledge and fairly reward staff contributions? And how are employees hired, promoted, and laid off? 

Surveying an organization’s customers makes sense too. And we’d want to know the following: How well does the company respond to customer complaints and feedback? Do the products and services of the company meet or surpass expectations? And does the company delight and surprise customers with innovative products and services?

Think of how customers and employees perceive a company such as Apple. We’re willing to bet that it’s mostly positive, even though it isn’t perfect. But more likely than not, expect Apple to improve company culture constantly to stay ahead of the curve.

Now, you may be wondering what all this means for your organization. Actually, it means far more than you’d think, especially if you bring mobile apps into the equation. We look into how mobile apps can improve company culture in more detail below!

Improve Company Culture With Powerful Communication And Collaborative Tools

Your employees may have multiple email accounts and use several communications tools to get work done. But that’s an administrative and security nightmare, especially if you have staff coming into the office and working remotely. Furthermore, they may use desktop PCs and various mobile devices to complete daily tasks, increasing the complexity of your systems. 

Relying on third-party vendors to provide essential productivity software makes sense if you’re a startup. But you’ll eventually reach a roadblock since you’ll likely find this software doesn’t scale with your needs or lacks features essential to a growing company. Then, there’s the case that not all your productivity software integrates well with your existing or upcoming systems. 

That’s why you’re better off working with an experienced developer such as NS804 to create a custom solution for your needs. Together, you can build a mobile app that provides staff with a tightly integrated mobile app for communications and collaborative purposes. And you can allow them to log in with a secure two-factor authentication (2FA) or even passwordless authentication.

Your staff will become more productive, as they will no longer rely on disparate pieces of software to get work done. They can work within a singular all-in-one solution with a cohesive user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). Furthermore, they won’t have to wait for a third-party vendor to release features and updates when they’re most needed. And there’s a risk that new features may take months or years to arrive, and sometimes — never!

But with a custom mobile app, this isn’t a problem. You can add new features on short notice and have these implemented to your specifications. And staff will feel confident knowing they have access to the most productive tools tailor-made for them.

A Mobile-First Approach Enhances Company Culture

We mentioned earlier that you could be using desktop PCs and mobile devices. There’s also the possibility that you could be relying on web apps for some of your mission-critical business processes. If that’s the case, it’s a messy approach that will make your systems and staff workflows more inefficient than they should be.

But the good news is that you can streamline all this with a mobile-first approach. The latest smartphones and tablets are powerful enough for most business tasks. And if you opt for native app development, your mobile app will boast high performance and speed on these devices. Thus, it’s no longer necessary to have most, if not all, of your staff using desktop PCs or laptops. 

And if you have staff that works outside the office or remotely, they’ll appreciate using lightweight devices with small form factors. Also, consider those employees that don’t feel comfortable or like using desktop PCs or laptops at home. Either because they feel intimidated by these or need a break from the computer screen and desk when not in the office.

But a smartphone or tablet feels more accessible, especially to non-tech-savvy employees. And with an intuitive mobile app, they can get work done while sitting on their couch, back porch, or while waiting for an order at their favorite restaurant. Knowing that they can quickly complete tasks on the go and in any environment helps improve company culture and staff satisfaction.

Staying Connected With Customers

While it’s a wise choice to develop a custom app to improve staff efficiency, you should also consider your customers. And think of how you will build an effective and sustainable communications pipeline to connect with them. Now we know what you may be thinking, “Why not use Facebook or Twitter to stay in touch with customers?” 

While social media platforms do a reasonably good job at connecting businesses and customers, they have several shortcomings: 

  • Firstly, you don’t have ownership of these platforms and are subject to their terms and policies, which means you could lose access to your account for reasons within or beyond your control.
  • Secondly, you’re only a business in a sea of businesses on these platforms, so it’s challenging to stand out or prevent your customers from discovering competitors with a few clicks. 
  • Thirdly, you can’t create your own UI/UX and messaging functionality and are strictly reliant on what each social media platform provides, which may not meet your expectations and requirements. 
  • And finally, you can’t directly contact users that engage with your business unless they specifically provide you with their contact details and email addresses.

From a business standpoint, relying exclusively on social media to stay in touch with customers isn’t a good move. You’re better off building an email list via your website, especially if you want to build long-term relationships with customers. But a website isn’t the only avenue to help you accomplish this goal, as you can also utilize a mobile app. 

Furthermore, a custom-built mobile app allows you to present your products and services exactly how you want. And you can keep your UI/UX and identity on-brand and tailor your messaging features so that they’re satisfactory to you and your customers.

The Bottom Line

As a business leader, one of your key goals is to improve company culture. While this isn’t easy, you can accomplish much by utilizing the methodologies and tools that will impact customers and employees positively. And the good news is that one or more custom-built mobile apps can bring about changes that can radically transform your organization for the better. Contact NS804 today to learn how we’ll help you create mobile apps that mean business!

9 Things You’ll Only Get With Custom App Development

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Custom app development seems challenging, but it’s the best way to create amazing applications. While templates promise an easy and quick turnaround for mobile app developers, these seldom deliver optimal results. Businesses and professional developers don’t want to release apps that look and feel second-rate. Instead, they prefer to release apps that improve their reputation and enhance user engagement. We provide several reasons why you should custom develop your next app below.

1. Completely Custom Look Unlike Any Free Templates

When developing an app, it’s often a good idea to consider the options available to you. Do you build it entirely from scratch by taking the custom app development road? Or do you use free templates that will radically reduce initial cost and time factors? The latter may seem more enticing, but it’s not the wisest choice if you want your app to stand out.

Ideally, you want your app to be a showcase for your unique brand. You want your User Interface (UI) & User Experience (UX) to comply with the Visual Brand Language (VBL) that defines your company. Free cookie-cutter templates won’t do your brand justice, as the colors, shapes, and typography won’t match with your VBL. Thus, you’ll ultimately cheapen your brand and cause users to either question your design choices or disengage altogether.

But if you choose the custom development option, then you can make your app shine. Your application will fit your company’s existing product range, which reassures existing customers and makes it appealing to new users. Moreover, the development team won’t need to modify and shoehorn the boilerplate code and free templates. That gets messy, quickly! Instead, they’ll build the app from scratch and enjoy the benefits of a cleaner and more maintainable project.

2. Extend Specific Business Functions

Another benefit of developing a custom mobile app is that it’s easy to add or extend functionality. In particular, you’ll want to extend specific business functions that facilitate more efficient customer interactions. 

At first, you may decide to release a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) to test the waters. Then, once your app gains traction, you’ll want to add functionality that will bring users closer. These could include in-app purchases that allow users to buy products and services, a point system to build customer loyalty, and social media integration to allow users to share your company’s content in a fun way.

3. Give Users Something New

We can’t stress enough how important it’s to keep users engaged. Even after a successful launch, your app can quickly lose traction if users become bored. After all, they have tons of other cool and innovative apps to choose from in the App Store and Google Play. 

Make sure to keep your app fresh with regular updates and by adding new features that excite users. Always listen to feedback since users often request features that will enhance their experience. However, only add new functionality that fits your custom mobile app and business goals. For example, some users may request the addition of Augmented Reality (AR) functionality. But this won’t work well with your e-commerce app and unnecessarily drive up development costs.

4. Increased Compatibility

Mobile devices and systems continuously evolve, which means that appreneurs should keep up with the latest developments. If we take a quick look at the global mobile operating system market, Android’s leading with a 72.48% market share while iOS comes second at 26.91%. This bit of information may entice you to support the Android platform for your upcoming custom mobile app. 

But which Android OS should you support since there are so many versions? 

According to AppBrain, Android 10 leads with a 34.2% market share, Android 9.0 (Pie) at 23.1%, and Android 8.0-8.1 (Oreo) at 17.1%. By supporting these versions, you’ll inevitably increase compatibility with the most current devices and systems. It’s also worthwhile updating your older apps to run well on recent generations of operating systems.

5. Improved Security Features

In recent years, a plethora of high profile hacking cases has made the news. And with the COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, more people are working from home than ever before, which has only increased the rate of hacking attacks. Thus, businesses and individuals have become increasingly sensitive to these types of incursions. 

There’s nothing worse for your reputation if hackers use your app as an attack vector to illegally access users’ mobile phones. That’s why the custom app development process should always encompass the most effective security features. Include two-factor authentication that users can enable, giving them extra protection and peace of mind.

6. The Latest Custom Mobile App Features

Take the time to simplify your UI & UX to make your app more accessible to a wider demographic. Furthermore, include customization features whereby users can easily change background images, colors, and fonts. Don’t forget to add a night mode to protect users that suffer from light sensitivity. And include an offline mode so they will continue using your app during Internet outages.

7. Make Changes When You Want

Your app won’t remain static. It’s a dynamic product that will undergo change during the development process and after its launch. However, templates and platforms often hinder these changes since they come with existing assets and code. Therefore, development teams have to waste valuable time modifying code and templates to suit their needs. 

But this isn’t a problem with a custom solution that’s more cohesive. Developers know how every piece of their application operates and to implement changes without introducing new bugs or breaking it altogether.

8. Match Your App And Business Goals 

Always consider your business goals when embarking on the development process. And ask yourself what you want to achieve with your upcoming app. Very likely, there’ll be an overlap between the direction of your app and your business goals. But you’ll only be able to achieve great results with a custom solution since it’s hard to find templates that will match your business goals down to a tee. Keep your vision focussed, and build your app in a way that makes it entirely your own.

9. Professional App Developers

It’s easy finding freelancers on various job boards and freelancing platforms to develop your app. But is that a good idea? Well, if you’re working on a hobby project and just want to test the waters, hiring a competent freelancer could be feasible. But if you’re developing an app for your business and expect professional results, then you’ll need to work with an agency.

Freelancers will often play up their list of credentials to attain work. And while some freelancers do good work, they seldom stick around to offer support after the project ends. This leads to problems, especially when you need to fix bugs after you’ve launched your app. You’ll find that the freelancer has moved on to the next project and isn’t available for fixing bugs. 

Agencies, on the other hand, are far more accountable to their clients. They have a reputation to uphold and must comply with various laws and regulatory bodies to stay in business. Any reputable agency won’t leave clients high and dry if they experience issues with a finished app upon or after release. They’ll offer their advice, expertise, and support during and after development. And if you’re seeking mobile app development in Virginia, then don’t hesitate to contact NS804 to assist you with your custom app development endeavors.

5 Tips for iOS & Android App Development

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Both iOS and Android have had an enormous impact on the business, entertainment, and tech sectors. And both platforms have been embraced by developers and users alike for over a decade. The good news is that the popularity of these platforms will unlikely diminish in the foreseeable future. Therefore, it’s still worthwhile pursuing app development and investing the necessary resources into applications that will excite users eager for new experiences.

1. The Latest Trends in App Development for 2021

 

Nobody can deny that 2020 was an eventful year, and much has happened in the app development space. Some of the latest trends in mobile app design include advanced animations, convenient voice search, robust aesthetic with rounded corners, and universal device UX. 

But in 2021, expect app developers to kick it up a notch with improved design and powerful features. Some of the niceties users should expect; bolder and more colorful visuals, data-oriented design, embossed typography, Face ID integration, hand-drawn illustrations with more natural-looking graphics, and virtual reality (VR). Make sure to take advantage of these trends for your upcoming app to impress and retain users. 

2. Supporting iOS and Android

 

In the second quarter of 2020, Apple led the US smartphone segment with a market share of 46%. Samsung came in at a close second with a 25% market share, with LG in third place at 12% and Lenovo Motorola at 7%. Generally, US consumers are satisfied with Apple’s and Samsung’s smartphone offerings. However, given Apple’s higher penetration in the US, you may want to focus on this platform initially to save on development costs if you’re targeting the American market exclusively.

But if you’re planning on releasing your app globally, then you’ll want to support Android. As of October 2020, Android has gained almost 73% of the global smartphone OS market. While it’s a compelling platform, it’s also incredibly fragmented. It’s challenging to offer all Android users the premium experience that they can get on Apple devices.

Unfortunately, most Android users don’t own powerful smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy Note20, which can provide a comparable experience to the latest iPhones. The hard truth is that the majority of Android devices in circulation are cheap and underpowered. Manufacturers such as Alcatel, Huawei, and Xiaomi regularly release budget mobile devices for the lower end markets. Today’s high-end apps experience performance issues on these phones due to their low memory and weaker CPUs

3. Leveraging Results on iOS

 

Make the most of Apple’s popular platform with these handy tips:

Integrate easy payment options – If you wish to sell products, services, or in-app purchases in your upcoming app, then you should make the payment process frictionless. Integrate Apple Pay and express checkout functionality to make life easier for your users.

Engage users regularly – Ensure that your app has push notifications to notify users about the latest products, promotions, and updates. Better yet, segment notifications to target your users more effectively. For example, you should send notifications to active users, inactive users, and subscribers to make your messaging more personalized. 

Gain and track app reviews – Your App Store Optimization (ASO) strategy will be a determining factor in the success or failure of your app. You’ll need to gain and track those vital appreneur system reviews from your users by implementing a Call-to-Action (CTA) and app review tracking API.

4. Leveraging Results on Android

 

Take your Android app development to the next level with these methods:

Utilize contactless payment options – Nowadays, many smartphone users enjoy the convenience of contactless payments. Integrate Google Pay and Samsung Pay into your upcoming app, and enable their respective Near Field Communication (NFC) features.

Implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) – With over 3 million apps in the Google Play store, it’s getting harder for new apps to stand out. But many successful and top-rated rated apps, such as Google Assistant and Swiftkey Keyboard, are renowned for their excellent AI.

Keep your app relevant – The Google Play algorithm doesn’t respond kindly to uninstalls and user churn. That’s why you should regularly send push notifications and emails to inactive users, encouraging them to try your app again after implementing features and optimizations that they want.

5. Finding the right partner for mobile app development

 

Developing an app that will find success on both platforms and showcase the latest trends in mobile app design is harder than it seems. However, you don’t have to go it alone if you find the right partner. Experienced developers such as NS804 can help you create an app that will cut through the noise.

Furthermore, we can craft an effective CTA that will convert users and gain those essential appreneur system reviews. We can also help out with nasty edge cases, such as dealing with an app rejection from Apple.

Must-Have Features For Contractor & Construction Mobile Apps

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You’ve been in the contracting or construction business for many years now. You have an excellent track record with your clients and a good reputation in the industry.

Now, you’re looking to expand your operations by developing an app that draws from your extensive knowledge and experience. You also recognize that offering a useful, branded app to contractors, project managers and others, you’ll help set yourself apart from the competition.

A branded app for your business can even serve as a tool for recruiting new employees. This is because the most talented individuals in the labor pool will recognize when a business takes steps to use technology to run more efficiently.

An app designed to improve service for busy customers as well as help your team collaborate with less friction will definitely be attractive to potential recruits.

Must-Have Features on Mobile Apps for Contractors

You and your fellow stakeholders are ready to develop an app for your contracting or construction company.

You’re eager to begin brainstorming about what it should offer to end users. But before you begin consulting with a software company, here are some must-have features when building out your contractor or construction mobile app:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Integration

CRM capability in your app will help members of the sales team keep track of all their leads and guide them through the process of converting them into paying customers.

Typically, the app will add API integration with a CRM system, such as Salesforce. This will improve the ability of the sales team to add new contact details on the fly through the app. Integrations like this are essential for optimizing processes.

Keep in mind: if your company cares enough to maintain a system like this, you should have greater success when it comes time to recruit new members in your sales department. They’ll want to work at a place that follows industry best practices using state-of-the-art software for nurturing leads down the sales funnel.

Quickly Generated Quotes

An app that includes various templates for the typical work that your team uses to generate quotes will be invaluable. Customers benefit from speedier quote generation and employees will be able to get more work done from the time saved.

The nature of ordering work this way also makes it easier to close sales to prospective customers who are already on-site. Compare this to the standard practice of allowing leads to actually leave the site so you can try and follow up with them later.

By taking advantage of face time with the motivated individuals checking out your site, you increase the likelihood of adding them to the ranks of happy, loyal customers.

Cloud Computing

To ensure the safety and security of all the data your users will be creating and storing with the app, you’ll need to have a disaster recover plan in place in case of a problem with servers in your data center.

You can modernize your operations by including a cloud computing feature in the app, which allows users to automatically backup their data wirelessly. The information will be stored redundantly and securely on multiple servers in different regions so your work can continue with little delay in case of any disaster.

NOTE: While “redundant” typically carries a negative connotation, it’s a positive term in cloud computing. It means there are more measures in place to ensure that your app functions properly at any given time.  

Calendar Functionality

Being able to see at a glance all current and upcoming jobs on the smartphone’s touch-sensitive screen makes the calendar one of the most-used features in contractor and construction apps.

Employee Scheduling

Many people want an app that allows them to check on the availability of various employees as well as details about their sick days or requests for vacations. Real-time employee management makes life easier for managers who need to stay on top of the workforce.

Your app can be more effective when it includes clock-in/clock-out features and the ability to tally workers’ lunch breaks. The data can all feed into your QuickBooks account or any other time tracking software.

You may also require more robust security to prevent employees from “clocking in” for a friend who happens to be late. An app that collects this level of information on a regular basis will be invaluable for managers who are tasked with generating weekly reports on employee attendance or when evaluating workers during fitness reviews.

Subcontractor Agreement Management

Working with subcontractors will go more smoothly when you include some templates for the agreements that you typically extend to them before starting on a new job.

Having these agreements accessible in your mobile app – along with other frequently used documents – will save time by decreasing the time to locate and fill out the documents. It can even save money if you configure the documents to be stored electronically – removing the need for printing.  

Dynamic To-Do Lists

You don’t want your team to waste time writing down tasks on scraps of paper (or their hands) because it’s not a very efficient (or reliable) way to organize efforts. Digital to-do lists in the app can be modified on the fly and workers can copy details from one list to another for greater timesaving.

This feature can also be set up for team collaboration – so a note made by someone on a job site can be seen immediately by someone in the office, allowing for quicker response times and improved communication.

Map Features

For most contractors, your app won’t be very useful if it lacks some maps capability. For instance, Google Maps with access to Google Street View will be an invaluable feature in your app to get a comprehensive look at a potential site, including access routes and potential obstacles.

Mapping can also help you operate more efficiently with alerts about traffic issues, share job site or meeting locations with coworkers or clients, and help you keep track of the number of job sites you have in any given area and how you can efficiently expand your territory.

GPS Navigation

In addition to mapping, you can leverage turn-by-turn navigation using the smartphone’s built-in GPS services to give directions to worksites. You can even tie the day’s schedule to locations that your team must get to, plotting the most efficient routes between them.

Click-to-Call or Text

An app that makes it easy to connect with sales leads will increase the volume of promising candidates while saving you time.

You can design the app so icons will appear as shortcuts to connect with sales teams, a foreman, manager or customer service rep by phone or via text message (such as a text with standard details based on a template). Your employees can also use click-to-call to reach out to current customers as well as prospects.

Imaging Features

The ability to take photos and videos and make notes for instant sharing with all key players is a prominent feature for many contractors. Images can be made instantly available to any stakeholders through the app to save time and effort and much more.

Safety Checklist

Adapt your printed safety checklist to a digital format for use in the smartphone app. This will make it a snap for employees to document that procedures were followed according to industry best practices.

Offline Mode

Your app should be able to sync crucial data on the device so it can be used even in areas with no cellular data network or Wi-Fi. Work should not come to a halt simply because of a glitch in the communications channels.

This is especially helpful for contractors and construction workers who have frequent jobs in rural areas or near dead zones.

Android, iPhone or Both?

Depending on the nature of your business and existing computer network, you might have a reason to develop your app just for Android smartphones or just for iPhones.

But companies with a bring-your-own-device policy are better off developing an app suitable for both Android and Apple. If you are providing work phones to employees, though, you may be able to decide on just one platform.

Choosing Features for Your Mobile App

It’s clear that a customized mobile app built to your exacting specifications can help you do more with your existing resources.There’s no time like the present to get started with brainstorming and outsourcing the app’s development.

For best results, make sure to work with experts who have a proven track record in the world of construction and contracting. This ensures you will get the best return on your mobile app development project.

NS804 has worked with contractors and can help guide you through the process. To learn more, contact NS804 online or at 804-616-3546.

How Customization Would Improve The Top 10 Construction Apps

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The initial popularity of the iPhone has led to a proliferation of apps being developed for all purposes, from entertainment to business (you may recall Apple’s early catchphrase, “there’s an app for that”). Now, of course, there are apps available on Android and Windows mobile phones as well.

However, in a bid to satisfy the masses, many developers create apps that are beneficial in general, but sometimes lack certain features or aspects that would make them more suited for power users.

This is true for most industries, including construction. Any construction company looking to deliver better results to customers by empowering its team with state-of-the-art software and technology will want to consider developing a customized app.

It’s useful to look at the mobile apps noted in a recent report on the top apps used in construction. Customization of each of these kinds of apps – or rolling many of these features into one custom app – could improve the ability to function optimally and deliver the most value for construction companies.

Here are the ten apps, plus suggestions for improving functionality through customization:

1. CCS Safety

The CCS Safety app for Apple and Android devices was developed by Capital Construction Solutions and costs $4.99. An optional monthly fee of $0.99 fee per user gives you access to an administrative website.

How It Could Be Improved

Your foreman can use the CSS Safety app to document incident reports, produce safety reviews and make notes on existing hazards.

But to boost employee engagement and promote safety, you could customize an app like this to include a recognition program for crews that have the best safety records.

2. Construct

Developed by Construct LATAM, this free app is available for Apple and Android devices. Use it to delegate tasks to workers, who will be alerted instantly with a notification via the app. The app helps you keep track of work quality and its security feature lets you quickly delete project details with a single click.

How It Could Be Improved

Customizing an app like Construct to include analytics would let you identify which workers are producing the highest quality results and which of them may need some retraining to get back in gear. Checklist for QA further refines the analytics piece to provide a report card to each laborer.

3. Latista for Construction Management

Latista Technologies developed its free Latista app for Apple devices. Meant for project managers and designed to foster improved collaboration, this app helps you mark up issues on the project drawings while out in the field.

How It Could Be Improved

Your construction company might benefit by customizing an app like Latista to generate notifications that would automatically transmit details about a project markup by text message or email to people who are not physically at that location.

4. Mobile Inspection

The free Mobile Inspection app, developed by Cityforce for use with Apple and Android devices, offers a way to make customized checklists as well as punch lists, so you can interact with multiple safety inspectors more efficiently. The ability to rank checklists from site to site will help you identify emerging safety trends.

How It Could Be Improved

A construction company could benefit by customizing an app like Mobile Inspection to include instant links to appropriate safety videos for your crew to review on the spot whenever major violations are discovered.

5. My Shiftster

My Shiftster is a free time management app developed by Newmetrics for use on Apple and Android mobile devices. Recognizing that managers need an easy way to keep tabs on the availability of each employee, Newmetrics created this app to help them handle late and sick notifications as well as review requests for vacations.

How It Could Be Improved

For this app, it would be useful to include a way for your employees to identify opportunities to trade shifts. The app could sort out which employees would be the most ideal for schedule adjustments, which will be a relief to workers who want to balance work-life while causing as little inconvenience as possible for the company.

6. Procore Construction Management Software

This free app for Apple and Android devices was developed by Procore Technologies to facilitate better productivity and collaboration among construction workers. When you have to manage details about a project from remote, a handy app to help you organize it all makes a big difference in workflow.

Procore’s app helps individuals compare details between projects. When dealing with multiple locations, it’s important to keep things properly updated, of course. This app helps you integrate different notes made about a particular project.

How It Could Be Improved

A great way to customize it would add reminders to update projects if no one has accessed its information within a set period of time, which you would determine on a case-by-case basis. Doing so would ensure that project information is updated in a timely manner.

7. Quick Service Estimates and Invoices

Created by Logical Engine as a free app for use on Apple devices, Quick Service Estimates and Invoices is valuable for helping you cut down on paperwork. Use it to produce estimates and then instantly email them.

How It Could Be Improved

When work is done, you use the app to generate invoices and make receipts for customers. This app requires you to enter company information on the fly. If customized, developers could include a feature that lets you import customer information directly from your organization’s customer relationship management (CRM) database.

8. ShareMyToolBox

Offered for free for use in Apple devices and developed by Viewpoint Construction Software, the ShareMyToolBox app is an interesting tool to help construction sites boost productivity. It accomplishes this by helping workers share what tools they have brought with them, so everyone can see what’s available to use.

You will see a range of information, including links to the user manual and as many as 6 images of the tool in question. However, just because an app exists, it doesn’t mean everyone will use it all the time. That is, unless you provide an incentive.

How It Could Be Improved

You could customize an app like this to include a rewards program that recognizes the employees who share the most and who are the most conscientious about the depth of information they do share about available tools.

9. Sightspace 3D

A $39.99 app for Apple and Android mobile devices, Sightspace 3D is a design app from Limitless Computing that supports construction teams that happen to use 3D computer aided designs and Trimble SketchUp.

How It Could Be Improved

You would use this app to determine the look and placement of fixtures, materials and entire buildings as you examine the situation for errors made by the construction team. You would want to customize this app to take advantage of other 3D formats, to integrate better with design tools and protocols already in place at your company.

10. SKYSITE

The SKYSITE app is available for Apple, Android and Windows devices. Developed by ARC Document Solutions, its cost is determined by the number of end users in your organization. It’s a cloud computing-based document management platform designed to let your team manage data for construction sites in real time. You can use it to examine and manage documents as well as search for or distribute them from any location.

How It Could Be Improved

Here, customization to improve the app for your organization could be in the form of special templates that are unique to your company and the types of projects you typically bid on. These templates would be based in the cloud for uniform access and usage by all concerned parties.

Get All Of These Features In One App With A Customized Mobile App

Whether you’re using one of these apps or all of them, there’s no doubt that some level of customization could help improve the way these programs help your operations. But the ultimate way to take advantage of mobile app customization is to have all of the features – from each of these apps – rolled into one single application.

Instead of having to bounce back-and-forth between apps and instead of being forced to deal with apps that almost do what you need them to, you can have one ultimate application that does exactly what you need – nothing more and nothing less.

If you’re currently using one or more of the mobile apps listed above and it’s not quite meeting your needs then it’s time to consider a customized mobile app. If you’re just shopping around to see what apps might help your company, that’s also a great time to get more information about customized mobile apps.

Get started now by taking this quiz to see if you could use a mobile app for your construction company:

To learn more about how NS804 can help you build the perfect custom construction mobile app, contact us at 804-616-3546.  

10 Mobile Apps Contractors Use To Boost Business

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The proliferation of the Internet and mobile technology is driving the current “on-demand” economy. Customers in this type of economy expect to receive a high-quality product or service as soon as they need it.

Uber was one of the first businesses to successfully provide on-demand services, and is best known as a personal transportation services. But, Uber also allows customers to outsource basic life tasks such as buying groceries and laundry. This was accomplished in part by providing Uber drivers and customers access to the same mobile website and also providing both with unique interfaces.

Today’s on-demand economy has also changed the business operations of independent contractors, also known as freelancers in some industries. Contractors are more likely to compete for projects that are beyond their normal scope by outsourcing work to a third-party.

A Mobile App development can be a highly effective way for contractors to eliminate these middlemen, allowing contractors to connect with potential clients more directly, complete recurring tasks more efficiently and much more. This strategy generally increases the quality of service and return on investment.

How Contractors Are Starting To Use Apps

Uber’s early success in an on-demand economy also gave rise to similar businesses such as Taskrabbit, which provides household services. Heal is a similarly run company that allows healthcare providers to make house calls to patients. The success of these businesses makes it clear that on-demand services are useful for both general and specialized industries.

For example, Amazon Home Services was launched in 2015, and currently shows listings for over 900 professional services. Users simply specify the search criteria for a particular service to obtain a list of contractors offering that service.

These middlemen can be beneficial to both contractors and clients, but they also have some disadvantages. For example, home repair contractors often fail to acquire a significant portion of their business from these services, since their customers tend to choose a contractor based only on price.

This hiring behavior can reduce the quality of work and increase upsells of additional services to increase profit. These contractor “matchmaking” sites also standardize competition, making it more difficult for contractors to distinguish themselves from their competitors. For example, the contractor profiles on Angie’s List must all fit the same general parameters.

How Contractors Can Gain A Competitive Advantage With Mobile Apps

Mobile apps provide a promising option for allowing independent contractors to gain a competitive advantage while ensuring that customers receive high-quality work. These apps can save customers time and money, and increase the value of individual brands for a range of professional services.

Mobile apps can also create another channel for local contractors to contact new customers when they’re combined with a company website. This benefit is particularly useful for local contractors, who often rely on referrals and word-of-mouth.

Mobile apps provide contractors with a single platform for broadcasting their brand and integrating communications with their customers such as email, newsletters, and social media. Contractors can even use a mobile app’s push notification to immediately contact loyal customers with incentives.

Other features such as calendars can prevent missed appointments and double bookings, in addition to facilitating the coordination of team members. Mobile apps can also include a payment system to invoice customers and help ensure they pay on time. These features are particularly helpful for independent contractors, who are routinely paid late.

Apps That Contractors Are Using Today

1. SiteMax

SiteMax is a cloud-based site management system that increases a contractor’s accountability and transparency, thus establishing trust with clients. Features include custom site reports, digital timecards, digital purchase orders, progress photos and 24-hour weather reports. These capabilities allow contractors to incorporate their current paper processes into a single electronic process.

2. Snappii Mobile Apps

Snappii offers a collection of mobile construction apps. These apps can optimize the workflow between the office and field, which reduces paperwork and increases operational efficiency. The most popular of these apps include Change Management, Daily Logs, Equipment and Inventory, Project Management and Safety Inspection. Contractors can also convert existing paper forms into a digital format and customize them to meet specific needs.

3. FACS

FACS is a cloud-based software suite that includes several project management solutions for construction projects. It also allows users to customize their workflow for their particular needs. FACS is primarily intended for project managers, but it’s also useful for contractors, owners and employees who need to eliminate project delays caused by outdated document management systems.

4. CommittedCost

CommittedCost is an online software solution that manages project costs. It uses committed field costs and daily progress reports to estimate the project’s final costs. CommittedCost tracks all of the costs for a project, including procurement, engineering and on-site costs. Contractors can begin using CommittedCost very quickly since it doesn’t require installation or IT expertise.

5. Knowify

Knowify is a suite of tools for dispatch management and contract jobs that are specifically designed for residential remodelers. It helps users to operate in a paperless environment and improves their insights into job performance. Knowify’s many capabilities include contract management, project management, project estimates, invoicing, scheduling and time tracking. It also synchronizes with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online.

6. Lessons Learned Database

Lessons Learned Database helps contractors learn and apply the lessons learned from an after action review or similar event. It provides a repository for information captured during a review and maintains it for future use. This capability is valuable because such information is often lost after a review or never used for future projects.

7. ControlBoard

ControlBoard is designed to solve problems in commercial construction such as the scheduling, dispatching and tracking of resources. It directly addresses resource allocation for a specific project and time period, rather than simply planning project activities. Contractors can begin using ControlBoard within 30 minutes to improve their resource scheduling.

8. dapulse

dapulse is a project management solution that helps team members collaborate more effectively. It increases productivity by helping users to focus on a project’s most critical tasks. dapulse also shows users the status of each task at a glance. Additional benefits of dapulse include improving operational efficiency by reducing meetings and emails.

9. Bridgit Closeout

Bridgit Closeout provides construction contractors with a punch list, allowing them to complete projects on time and on budget. It’s typically used by general contractors on commercial, multi-family, education and hospitality projects. Bridgit Closeout includes a mobile app that lets contractors use photos to quickly log tasks, which can greatly reduce the time spent tracking critical issues. This mobile app also automates the communication between contractors and subcontractors, keeping team members accountable and in sync with each other.

10. CoConstruct

CoConstruct is intended for builders and remodelers who need to design custom projects. It’s an all-in-one tool that allows them to estimate the project’s cost by entering data only once. This data can then move through the various phases of a project’s workflow, including specifications, proposals, bids, change orders and budgeting. CoConstruct can also move project data to and from QuickBooks.

Finding The Right Mobile App For Your Business

Many contractors will be able to find a helpful mobile app in the list above. Just remember that just like every business is unique, so is every app. If you want to optimize the way your business operates and find the perfect app for your business, contact NS804 to learn about customized mobile apps for contractors.