Tag Archive for: Mobile App

Have a Mobile App Idea? 7 Steps to Take First

Apps represent a big business to most sectors and industries – from healthcare and manufacturing to retail and hospitality. Most apps are continuing to grow by leaps and bounds.

In May 2022, there were approximately 5.6 million apps across Google Play and App store. In addition, consumer spending on mobile apps grew by 19% in 2022 to $170 billion, highlighting the impact and potential of mobile apps in global consumer spending.

Although mobile apps represent a huge potential to enterprises seeking new digital solutions, today, going from app concept to actual implementation is a multi-stage process that requires careful planning.

This post will discuss some of the first steps to take if you have a mobile app idea:

Before we delve deeper, it’s important to note that the app development process is different for each app. This process changes from one app to another. However, although different app verticals present discrete concerns and unique issues, some factors cut across all apps.

This article investigates the critical first-step factors every mobile app developer must consider.

1. Market competition

The first step to conceptualizing and building your mobile app is to do due market research. Not only do you need to understand the app market in general, but you need to understand your niche or target market – also called the app vertical.

For instance, you’ll realize that launching a gaming app is quite a different process than creating a tour and travel app. In addition, developing a hospitality app is different from developing a manufacturing app.

The difference comes because the audiences, preferences, and priorities of the target market are discrete. While healthcare consumers want suggestions on the best healthcare insurance policies, travel and tour users want suggestions to the best destinations – sunny beaches, wildebeest migration, historic sites, and jaw-dropping altitudes.

So, it’s important to examine two factors:

  • Competition. Studying and understanding your competitors helps you know if there’s any room in the market. It helps you know how you can stand out from the competition. Competitive research will highlight what works, what doesn’t, what needs to be done, and where your app can have a meaningful impact.
  • Target market. Which target audience will your app serve? This is the most basic, yet the most foundational factor you need to consider when building your app. Defining your app’s persona is quite integral to your app’s success.

Ensure you have an end-to-end understanding of your market and target audience before proceeding to develop and launch the app.

2. Funding options

Of special concern is understanding your funding options. Try to map out your finances and know which sources of funds will drive your app. It’s important to remember that while financial situations and funding sources differ greatly, you need funds for your app to exist.

While there are various funding options, you must determine which option to select. Will you give part of your equity to investors? Or can you bootstrap the app idea long enough to lift it above the ground? You may also consider whether contests are too risky for your unique app idea.

Some several funding options to consider include:

  • Personal network. It’s advisable to reach out to family and friends to put together money for your initial investment.
  • Private investors. Scrutinize private investors with a vested interest in your app, or look for local enterprises willing to optimize your hyper-local delivery app.
  • Funding contests. If your app’s idea is strong enough, participate in funding contests to win capital and evaluate your app’s feasibility.
  • Venture capital. If your app is in the developmental stages, consider venture capital to give it a lift off the ground.
  • Bank loans. Although banks provide loans, they have stringent funding requirements. You can optimize bank loans if you’re sure your app has a huge success potential.
  • Crowdfunding. If all options fail, turn to the internet to find users or potential people interested in investing small investments in your product.

Knowing how and where to source your funding is a critical first step for your app.

3. Set budget

After weighing potential funding options, it’s time to set your budget. When setting your budget, ask whether you can bootstrap the development process long enough on a tight budget or whether to spend investor money on hiring an app development team.

It’s also important to ask yourself whether you’ll conduct a multipronged marketing campaign or a word-of-mouth campaign. Knowing your budget will help you set realistic goals regarding app development and app implementation.

USE OUR APP COST CALCULATOR TO ESTIMATE THE COST TO BUILD YOUR APP!

4. Monetization options

All apps must have an end goal behind them. For most, boosting sales and creating revenue streams is the main reason most people develop apps.

There are a variety of options to monetize your app. However, understanding the nuances behind every method is the only way to pick the right monetization option.

E-commerce apps have it easy here because selling merchandise is the most obvious monetization option. However, you must know whether you’ll need to run in-app ads or whether you’ll charge for every download.

Will you rely on in-app purchases or will you charge a subscription fee? Exploring all these monetization options is the best way to select an option that best compliments your app’s strategy.

5. App development options

As you consider your monetization strategy, consider the alternatives to app development. Will you hire a professional app developer or outsource a development team for your project?

There are many app development options and each has its advantages and disadvantages. In addition, there’s a budget for every option. For instance, a fully custom development can be expensive and time-consuming while a simple, no-code application can be inexpensive, but it will limit your app’s features and customization capabilities.

6. Minimum viable product (MVP)

Test your app’s feasibility using a minimum viable product (MVP). A minimum viable product helps you gauge your app’s overall capabilities and feasibility without fully developing it.

Think of a minimum viable product as a prototype or a sketch of the end product. An MVP can help you test your app with a small audience and learn what features they’re responding to. In addition, using an MVP may help you know what you need to rethink.

An MVP gives you something to show to potential investors.

7. Protect your app

Last but not least, know how to protect your app long before launching it. Whenever you have a great and unique app idea, the first question that comes to mind is, ‘how will I protect it and keep people from stealing it?’

Frankly, it’s a great question and a reason to consider the following options:

  • Share selectively. It’s imperative not to overshare your app’s idea even if you’re searching for funding. Carefully vet the people you’re planning to work with long before you brief them about your idea. This selective sharing applies to everyone, from investors to programmers.
  • Use NDAs. It’s imperative to deploy non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) whether you’re hiring a programming team or looking for investors. Always use NDA to guard the confidentiality of your app.
  • Trademark your business. It’s advisable to register and trademark both your brand logo and your business name to ensure you legally own both in case of any compromises or intellectual property theft.
  • Copyright. Your trademark is directly related to how your business and brand name are registered; a trademark will protect the intellectual property rights of your business.

As you’re now armed with the right roadmap to follow while creating your app, you can forge your idea into a reality.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!

NS804 – Turning Your App’s Idea into a Reality

Always remember to contact NS804 for app development questions and solutions.

NS804 provides end-to-end app development solutions, whether you want an IOS app, an Android, or a hybrid app.

6 Ways a Mobile App Can Be an Enterprise Cost-Saving Tool

Mobile apps are increasing in popularity and adoption. Almost 48% of small businesses have adopted mobile apps, thanks to smartphone adoption and internet penetration rates.

In 2022, almost half of all small enterprises had a mobile application to connect with new and existing customers. This figure represents a 10% jump from the previous year.

In addition, almost 28% of small businesses that did not have a mobile app reported that they had plans to adopt one to support future business growth. These statistics point to the growing popularity of mobile applications in the contemporary business landscape.

Trends in Mobile App Adoption

The rising popularity and the growing adoption of mobile apps come from a combination of factors. For instance, reported findings indicate the following:

  • Mobile apps will generate $935 billion in sales in 2023
  • Apple app store has almost 2 million apps for download
  • There are 3 million apps available for download in Google Play Store
  • 22% of millennials open an app 50 times a day
  • 5 hours are spent opening mobile apps every day

In addition to these statistics, findings show that in 2022, only 13% of businesses did not intend to release a mobile app, compared to 26% in 2021.

 

USE OUR APP COST CALCULATOR TO ESTIMATE THE COST TO BUILD YOUR APP!

Benefits of Mobile Apps

There’s no denying that the increased adoption of mobile apps comes because of several reasons:

  • Faster operation. Mobile apps are way faster than websites and web browsers
  • Personalized experience. Mobile apps have one-on-one support
  • Online and offline. Mobile apps have both online and offline capabilities
  • Instant updates. Mobile apps provide instant updates and notifications
  • Branding possibilities. Mobile apps have a huge potential for branding
  • User interaction. Mobile apps extend enhanced user interaction
  • Robust features. Mobile apps embed many features that enhance their usability

Despite the far-reaching implications of mobile apps in the contemporary business landscape, a key reason enterprises adopt mobile apps is due to their cost-cutting capabilities.

6 Ways a Mobile App can be a Cost-saving Tool

1. Inventory management, control, and tracking

Published statistics note that the inventory carrying costs will total approximately 20% to 30% of the total inventory value. Essentially, inventory carrying costs are calculated as a percentage of a business’s total inventory at a specific time and in a particular period.

Mobile apps make it easy to track inventory costs. Mobile apps make it easy for shop floor managers to check inventory levels, process payments, and analyze daily activities. In addition, mobile apps help organizations check the day-to-day inventory activities in real time.

2. Employee visibility

Employee costs are a critical expenditure. Employee costs cover salaries, overheads, recruiting, equipment, pensions, and employer national insurance contributions. Managing and monitoring your employee costs can help you achieve cost-saving opportunities.

Mobile apps facilitate employee tracking and help in team management. Mobile apps help managers to get the most appropriate worker to the job in real time. In addition, it helps managers to know an employee’s whereabouts in case of a disaster – and track time accurately.

3. Shipment and logistics tracking

Shipment issues are bound to occur in any organization. Items are likely to be damaged or destroyed during a shipment. Shipping costs are sometimes unreasonably high, and lacking knowledge about international shipping continues to take a toll on most companies.

In addition, shipping route disruptions and the stress of route disruptions continue to affect organizations of different sizes and scales. Harsh environmental conditions and lost items further derail the free movement of goods and deliveries. Luckily, mobile apps offset some (if not all) of these challenges.

GPS tracking apps allow visualization, optimization, and updating of routes, saving shipping time and fuel costs. Real-time visualization helps trucks and shipments to avoid challenges related to route disruptions and costly damages.

4. Measuring asset performance

A popular saying states that what cannot be measured cannot be improved. Measuring is a critical part of improvement and service performance cannot be achieved if it can’t be measured.

Luckily, mobile apps provide more opportunities to evaluate asset performance. Mobile apps ensure that assets run at full performance through shorter maintenance and shorter response times. Mobile apps further provide visibility in machine and plant performance, helping shop floor managers monitor plant health through predictive maintenance.

5. Mobile CRM

Customer relationships are the lifeblood of any successful enterprise. Successful organizations are anchored on superior customer service, allowing organizations to be at the forefront of customer adoption and retention.

Mobile apps have bridged the gap between customers and support. Today, more than ever, organizations are connecting more with consumers, thanks to mobile apps. One way that mobile apps help to reduce customer contact time is through real-time chat support.

Mobile apps allow enterprises to collect and process meaningful information. Customer feedback can be collected and processed in real time. In addition, mobile apps help to address customer disgruntlement since concerns can be received and processed without wasting time.

6. Replace manual processes

Did you know that mobile apps have reduced labor-intensive business processes? Going paperless helps with environmental responsibility and conservation and opens cost-cutting opportunities, allowing enterprises to invest their money in more meaningful business processes.

Mobile apps provide automation capabilities, reducing manual processes to cut costs and save time. In addition, going paperless not only reduces the often paper-oriented tasks, it significantly reduces the risks associated with manual entries.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!

How Mobile Apps Transform Business Processes

Against the backdrop of business process improvement are huge obstacles and customer-facing challenges that must be solved. Luckily, mobile apps have helped offset most of these challenges through better and more improved digital capabilities.

Mobile apps help with systematic data processing and management. Today, organizations collect and analyze significant amounts of data in real-time and use this data to make improved business decisions.

In addition, mobile apps provide improved marketing of new product offerings. Before, organizations used offline media to reach their target audience. Traditional offline media included newspaper ads, mail advertising, billboards, and TV advertisement.

Today, mobile apps have reduced traditional advertising costs with new and improved marketing models. Mobile apps have increased customer reach because over 6.8 billion users have smartphone devices. In addition, approximately 5.1 billion people globally have an internet connection.

If you consider the growth of remote working, you realize just how important mobile apps are in this transformation. Work-from-home is a new standard for most countries and across diverse industries.

The U.S. Congress adopted a new directive that shifted the standard work week from 40 hours to 32-hour work-week, providing room for an efficient workforce. Achieving work-life balance has been a pressing issue for most workers. However, with the rising adoption of smartphone devices and the infiltration of mobile apps, organizations are today achieving work-life balance and creating efficient workforces.

Therefore, looking at mobile apps, you realize the cost-saving opportunities they have provided to individuals and organizations. From digital marketing to remote working, mobile apps continue to free e-commerce and revolutionize the digital marketplace.

NS804 – Reliable Mobile App Development Partner

NS804 supports organizations throughout the different lifecycle stages of mobile development. NS804 works closely with many stakeholders (app developers, business owners, and marketers) to develop highly customized apps. Our vision is to bridge gaps in mobile app adoption by businesses and customers.

Reach out to us for mobile app development solutions.

Every Mobile App Development Strategy Should Have These 6 Things

Today, the number of smartphone users surpasses 6 billion. Indeed, this number will increase by several hundred million in the coming years. Further statistics predict a drastic growth in interconnected devices, with a speculated 7.4 million households in the United States alone expected to have interconnected devices like smartphones, wearables, and tablets by 2025.

It’s not a surprise that most homes, offices, and commercial establishments have started responding to this growth, with most enterprises seeking to reinforce their brands with a mobile app. Soon, most people will shop entirely using mobile phones.

Already, online carts have taken over as the next frontier for shopping. More and more retail outlets are seeking to leverage online shopping trends. Today, there are more than 3 billion shoppers, a significant increase in the last few years. Indeed, reliable statistics show that today, 29% of the world’s population are digital buyers.

Although enterprises, mostly brick-and-mortar stores are turning digital, a successful transition demands a digital transformation strategy. They understand that developing a mobile app is not enough, a mobile app development activity must be accompanied by a development strategy that responds favorably to existing market needs and fulfills customer purchasing habits.

USE OUR APP COST CALCULATOR TO ESTIMATE THE COST TO BUILD YOUR APP!


Here are six things every mobile app development strategy must have;

1. Target audience

Although your business already has its target customers or market, your mobile app must also know who precisely to target. You cannot simply develop a mobile app without your customers in mind. Your customer-facing app must have an ideal user in mind.

And your mobile strategy must incorporate this particular element of any mobile app. Defining your user profile as part of your mobile app development strategy helps you to know their buying habits, their shopping patterns as well as their pain points.

Identifying your target users helps you to know what app your customers will not only find useful but equally irresistible. However, remember that if you’re developing an employee-facing app, you must identify which employees are interacting with the app. Ask yourself what features this app will incorporate to allow your employees to work away from their desks.

What type of an app will your employees find to be both a time-saver and a productivity booster? Identifying what precisely defines a great app in terms of user profiling is a key metric for any mobile app development strategy.

2. Market research

Scanning your market to identify your competitors, their advantages, prices, and products is a key element of your overall mobile app development strategy. Conduct a market scan to know what exactly to capture in your new digital solution.

Always remember that no action is without research and no research without action. With this mantra in mind, you’ll be able to develop an app that best answers your customers’ concerns and fills critical gaps in the market.

Perform thorough market research before your coders start laying down your app’s foundation. In addition, ensure you scrutinize your market before your mobile app development partner embarks on the process of coding.

The importance of conducting market research is to mitigate any risks. It helps you know what features your product needs to help satisfy customers’ needs. In addition, it helps you know what problem you’re solving and how to get there.

Here are the steps to conduct market research:

  • Define your opportunity and problem
  • Develop your marketing research plan
  • Collect relevant data
  • Analyze data and findings
  • Put your research into action

You can leverage many tools like Google trends, social mentions, and Attest, and answer your public to get a good grip on your market and your customers. Your primary goal should be solving glaring problems using your app.

3. Customer experience

Most people develop an app without customers in mind. Remember that your customers come first in any mobile app development strategy. They are the focal point of your mobile app development strategy.

Ensure that your mobile app has a superior customer experience and an intuitive interface. In addition, target to render a flawless user experience that expands your market reach by making the app easy and fast to use.

Customers should not struggle with primary features such as search, shopping, messaging, customer support, and offline capabilities. Ensure that you develop both a seamless interaction and a superior user interface and user experience.

Some steps to develop a superior interface include:

  • Keep your interface simple
  • Create consistency using simple UI elements
  • Be objective in page layout
  • Use colors and text strategically
  • Use typography for hierarchy and clarity
  • Think about potential defaults
  • Ensure the system communicates what’s happening

The mobile app must have intuitive navigation for a superior customer experience.

4. App development approach

Having a superior user experience is a key element. However, the mobile app development approach is of paramount importance. Ensure that your app is easy to use and can allure different classes and categories of users.

Your mobile app development approach comes first. You must select an experienced and seasoned team to do the job. Your mobile app development team will know what needs to be done, how, and why.

However, remember that you can either build the app yourself (in-house) or outsource the app development efforts. An analysis of over 200 studies found that 85 of these studies talk about outsourcing as an effective method to reduce costs.

The benefits of outsourcing mobile app development include;

  • Helps achieve a high level of security
  • There’s a smooth workflow
  • Round-the-clock services
  • Better productivity
  • Innovative ideas
  • Speeds up the development
  • Reduces costs
  • A talented pool of specialists

In addition, you access the latest tools and technologies, ensuring that you enjoy the best-in-class app development.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!


5. Monetization scheme

Remember that the end goal of any mobile app is to monetize your products and offerings. Enterprises are rapidly endorsing mobile app development solutions to increase their revenues and profits.

Brick-and-mortar enterprises are seeking digitization to maximize the many opportunities that come with going digital. Therefore, your mobile app development strategy must have monetization in place to yield the best results.

That’s why it’s advisable before launching your mobile app, to do thorough marketing and advertising to ensure it’s well-known by those it targets to reach. Understanding the where and when of pay thresholds is a critical component of your mobile app development strategy.

A well-developed app strategy sets the correct benchmarks that will help you estimate and zero in on the targeted number of downloads. That’s why mobile app marketing can significantly and directly affect your revenues, allowing you to generate leads and close sales.

Framing your app’s monetization scheme and developing a monetization framework will ensure that your app effectively reaches out to new customers and generates the desired sales.

6. Data security

Last but not least, define your data security protocols. Data is the new engine because it helps enterprises understand customers’ shopping habits and make meaningful decisions from collected insights.

However, you cannot understand your app’s reach, overall potential, and future capabilities without basing these evaluation decisions on data. So, ensure that your app has the relevant features to collect and analyze data, including click-through rates, customer conversion rates, download rates, and purchase numbers.

Alongside data capabilities lies a fundamental question of data integrity and customer privacy. As you embark on your app development you must remember that privacy and confidentiality are at the center of successful app adoption and use.

Your app development strategy must capture the right protocol to protect data and ensure maximum privacy and confidentiality. Security is a fundamental consideration for your app.

Define how your data will be protected. How will customers know that their data is in safe hands? How will they be assured that their credit and financial information is protected?

NS804 – Bridging Gaps in Mobile App Development Strategy

At NS804, we are seasoned developers of superior mobile app solutions. Whether you’re looking for an Android app for a small enterprise or seeking a robust iOS app for a large multi-international, we have all it takes to design, develop, and maintain an app for businesses of different sizes and scale.

So, whether you need an Android, iOS, or hybrid app, whether it’s customer-facing or employee-facing, we have you covered.

Contact NS804 for questions and solutions on mobile app development strategy.

5 iOS App Development Insights to Consider First

IOS mobile app development refers to the process of creating applications solely dedicated to Apple’s endpoints – iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Apple’s wearables. Developing for iOS is intended to be an easy and smooth process. That’s because every IOS app must perform and function seamlessly across different Apple endpoints.

So, when embarking on an IOS development exercise, here are some insights to consider first:

1. Programming Languages – Objective-C or Swift

It’s first critical to know that IOS apps are written in a specific programming language, either Swift or Objective C.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!

2. Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

Creating applications for the iOS platform typically requires an integrated development environment, mostly the XCode or text editor like Sublime Text. Sublime Text functions similar to an integrated development environment and can be used in IOS app development.

3. Design Blueprint

Before embarking on an iOS mobile app development, you must first create a clickable prototype or an app blueprint. This blueprint can be a wireframe that allows you to see and test interactions, interfaces, and on-screen elements.

Once you create your app’s blueprint, it allows you to carry out value throughout your development process successfully. An app’s blueprint in the form of a wireframe allows you to plan out every aspect of the app’s development. Most importantly, this wireframe will let you see any issues or problems you’ll encounter throughout your development.

The benefits of a design blueprint include the following:

  • It gives you a picture of the app to share with your team and stakeholders (clients, marketing department, design department, etc.).
  • It allows you to share your app idea with potential stakeholders and investors.
  • It saves you costly expenses by allowing you to see and locate possible issues and problems with your app idea.
  • It gives you an accurate estimate of your development expenses before you commit to developing the entire iOS application.

The app blueprint articulates the scope of your mobile app development – from inception to completion.

USE OUR APP COST CALCULATOR TO ESTIMATE THE COST TO BUILD YOUR APP!

4. IOS Development Guidelines

Apple has specific guidelines it requires developers to know and follow before they submit their applications. Make sure you know these exact technical guidelines at the front end of the process before you begin your development.

Key guidelines for iOS development include:

  • Your app names must not be limited to only 30 characters.
  • Your app must not capture or include any objectionable content like offensive, upsetting or insensitive content.
  • Medical apps designed for healthcare must provide verifiable data, and accurate information and use verified or measurable methodologies.
  • iOS apps must meet rigorous safety and security standards.
  • All iOS apps must meet the minimum security and privacy standards to protect users’ information and data.
  • iOS apps must work independently without requiring the installation of other third-party software.

In addition, choose your app’s development method before embarking on any iOS development process or project.

5. Research

Developing for iOS goes beyond just the nuts and bolts of mobile app development, which refers to the nitty gritty of mobile app development. iOS app development demands that you do thorough research to understand your target audience and their most pressing needs. In addition, ensure that you follow the above steps and familiarize yourself with any technical requirements or guidelines before starting on your first iOS app.

Contact NS804 for all your IOS development needs.

Why Today’s Companies Need the Right App Developers to Scale

With everyone owning smartphone devices, mobile apps have become increasingly crucial in navigating the online space. Most consumers, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are experiencing the internet using mobile devices, making mobile apps significant in navigating the internet.

So, even though many of us can still experience the internet using our computers and laptops, mobile apps provide leverage in navigating the online space and reinforcing relationships between brands and their target markets.

Truth be told, you’re likely to interact more with your favorite brand using mobile phones than any other device. That’s because mobile devices or smartphones are portable, accessible, and cheaper to maintain than any other endpoint device.

That’s precisely why most enterprises are migrating to smartphone-oriented marketing and advertising. Today, more than ever, companies urgently seek mobile apps to strengthen and reinforce their online presence.

And this is precisely why your company needs the right mobile app developers to scale. Other reasons you need the right mobile app developer to scale are discussed below.

1. Customer Loyalty

Enterprises or brands that operate in highly competitive marketplaces need an extra advantage to scale. Enterprises in highly saturated marketplaces must inject extra effort to scale and cultivate customer loyalty.

Mobile apps offer this advantage: they help increase repeat business by improving referral rates. With a mobile app, it’s possible to cultivate customer loyalty in discrete ways. You can send referrals, you can initiate a subscription-based model whereby promotions and offers are sent to customers in real time.

Further, mobile apps offer convenient two-way communication between SMEs and their target customers. With mobile apps, it’s possible to receive customer feedback in real-time and send information or responses using the apps. This communication advantage makes mobile apps classic alternatives to traditional business-to-customer communications.

2. Revenue Windows

Traditionally, the avenues for revenues were offices and physical stores. With time, revenue windows transitioned to websites and online stores whereby businesses could scan product and service information online. However, today, accessing customers doesn’t mean door-to-door access. Rather, it means availing product and service details in a predefined workflow using a mobile app.

Mobile apps offer an incredible, yet convenient medium to access customers, whether online or offline. There are mobile apps that can function with an internet connection, and others can send notifications about promotions, product offers, and referrals offline.

So, enterprises seeking additional revenue windows are nowadays leveraging mobile apps. And that’s why you need the right mobile app developers to scale.

3. Consumer Insight

Today, getting to know your customers’ shopping habits, sketching their preference personas, and obtaining feedback is a passive task. It’s time-consuming, tedious, and has overhead costs for companies.

So, obtaining customer feedback is either disregarded or considered an explicit task by companies and brands. Luckily, with the right mobile app developers, you can collect, collate, and even leverage this big data to make informed business decisions.

The right mobile app developers enable you to design tools that will collect big data, including customer shopping habits, referral rates, personas, expectations, and pricing options. And anytime, tailor this data to suit your business needs and market expectations.

4. Customer Service

Today, more than ever, companies are using mobile apps to tailor positive customer experiences. Mobile apps enable companies to obtain meaningful data to improve customer communication and address customer disgruntlement.

With a mobile app, you can access customers’ shopping habits, build rapport, and even tailor your business practices according to customers’ expectations. Mobile apps provide a medium for reinforcing your customer service simply because you can rely on these apps to boost conversion rates and positively impact your customer relationships.

5. Brand Positioning

Today, when you launch a new product or business, you want your target customers to follow it by hearing its name and associated product line. This expectation was the same for enterprises that launched before the advent of technology.

It’s the wish of every company to build a positive brand experience seamlessly. Mobile apps satisfy this simple expectation. Companies seeking to strengthen their brand positioning are seeking new, innovative ways of doing so.

Mobile apps provide increased visibility. Everyone with a smartphone can go to the app store or play store and download your app. Previously, this was not possible. As a company, you had to pay marketing and advertising agencies thousands and sometimes millions to get this much-desired visibility.

Traditionally, companies relied on different types of referrals to gain visibility: word-of-mouth referrals, email referrals, and social media referrals. Online reviews also stood as a classic way to refer clients. Today, you can reinforce your brand positioning by simply building a responsive mobile app that answers your customers’ most pressing needs – cost, quality, price, or even convenience.

6. Convenient Shopping

A mobile app allows customers to shop and place all their products in an online cart. The right mobile app developers can help you develop an app that will answer your customers’ online shopping needs and questions.

The convenience of comparing different products in a one-stop shop, making purchases, and tracking the delivery of the purchased product is an unmatched shopping capability. Luckily, mobile apps provide this convenience.

The right mobile app developers will integrate all your product details and avail a provision for credit card billing, dispatching, and tracking the dispatched products. The right mobile app provides the convenience and accessibility needed to shop for products and services anywhere in the world.

And as a company, scaling means allowing your customers to shop wherever and whenever they want. Whether vacationing outside town, working in their offices, or just sitting at home, a mobile app can actualize all their shopping needs.

Your target customers can access their products and services in the comfort of their homes or office just with a click of a button.

7. Loyalty Programs

If you believe in the saying, ‘once a customer, always a customer,’ you’re better off with a mobile app for your company. Companies that trust in return business invest in tools and solutions that guarantee return business.

So, mobile apps provide better, more improved capabilities for return business. Retaining your target customers and giving them a reason to return is the key to creating brand loyalty and customer loyalty.

Therefore, a mobile app that facilitates and manages customer and business loyalty will help you scale beyond expectations. And enterprises that are willing to invest in a one-time solution can unlock countless possibilities.

How to Find the Right Mobile App Developer?

Finding the right mobile app developer is not an easy task. So, here’s a brief guide to identifying and seizing the right developer for the job.

  • Interest. Find a developer interested in your company and your brand, not just in mobile development. You must identify a company and a developer willing to sit down with you and map a development strategy that resonates with your business goals and expectations.
  • Portfolio. Find a developer who has credibility and reliability in their respective industry. To do this, evaluate their portfolio and identify whether they’ve worked on similar projects previously. In addition, have a look at customer testimonials and see what brands and companies say about them.
  • Design-orientedness. It’s advisable that you make the design your priority. When selecting the right mobile app developer, ensure they are app design and deployment experts. Usually, it’s important that you ask for a minimum viable product MVP which is a reflection of the actual product. Most trusted and reliable developers will offer an MVP to ascertain their ability to accomplish the job and meet the client’s expectations.
  • Relationship-centred. Remember that mobile app development is not a one-stop project. The app will need to be designed, deployed, and monitored. Your app will often need marketing and advertising to ensure it reaches the target audience. So, when selecting the right mobile app developer, choose someone you can build a relationship with.

The communication process is also a critical factor to consider when selecting your developer. Ensure that your mobile app developer has constant and reliable communication channels, including phone numbers, website chats, and email communication.

NS804 – Maestros in Mobile App Development

NS804 has cultivated a strong brand in mobile app development. NS804 provides superior mobile app development solutions tailored to your individual needs and requirements.

Contact NS804 to scale your company with a superior mobile app.

How the Right Mobile App Development Can Improve Productivity

Mobile apps have emerged as innovative solutions in enterprise management. Organizational leaders view mobile apps as classic solutions for solving long-standing, traditional management problems.

The right mobile app can save you costs in personnel management, simplify business process development, and streamline organizational operations. In addition, mobile apps can help you keep in touch with your customers and reinforce your brand positioning.

However, of all the advantages achieved by innovative mobile app solutions, productivity is the most critical. Organizations are now tapping into mobile apps to bolster their organizational efficiency and productivity.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!

So, how can the right mobile app development improve your productivity? Below we discuss some ways mobile apps are helping bolster organizational effectiveness and productivity.

1. Deadlines

Mobile app solutions provide alerts and notifications, helping you keep track of deadline-centric projects. Embedding alerts and notifications in your mobile apps will help employees keep deadlines and stick to set schedules.

Mobile apps will notify all your shop floor employees of due projects, thus keeping track of project milestones. In projects that require tracking such as construction, real estate, and manufacturing, having the right mobile apps will foster productivity by notifying and alerting employees on upcoming deadlines.

2. Monitoring

Monitoring your employees is critical in ensuring efficiency and overall workplace productivity. When not monitored, employees can fail to meet set expectations, leading to a loss of client trust and reduced productivity.

The right mobile app development guarantees better employee monitoring. Managers nowadays are adopting productivity suites like Windows 11, Slack, Teams, and Google Docs to keep track of their employees’ work.

Productivity apps enable employers and managers to monitor their employees. Constant monitoring ensures that managers focus on individual employees and can keep track of teams.

3. Security

Productivity can be impaired without the right security protocols. Lack of security measures and guidelines leads to potential threats that affect completed works. In addition, security loopholes affect mission-critical data, leading to delays in project deliverables.

Mobile apps are embedded with the right security infrastructure, allowing you to monitor and track important information and mission-critical data. In addition, mobile apps keep consumers safe and secure by guaranteeing data integrity and improving business process outcomes.

4. Visibility

Research shows app users spend an average of three hours on their mobile phones daily. That means that gaining the visibility of your potential clients is a critical aspect of being productive. So, mobile apps provide enterprises with the potential to capture and retain existing customers.

In addition, mobile apps enable organizational leaders to gain visibility on work progress. Projects, schedules, and management sheets need to be constantly fast-tracked. The right mobile app is a source of enterprise visibility, enabling you to take control of all your due projects – anytime and anywhere.

Gaining visibility of your enterprise operations is critical to being and remaining productive.

5. Personalization

Did you know that personalization is the next frontier of productivity? Well, mobile apps allow you to engage with your suppliers, managers, customers, and other stakeholders one-on-one.

USE OUR APP COST CALCULATOR TO ESTIMATE THE COST TO BUILD YOUR APP!

This narrowed interaction provides better management and fast-tracking of your business supplies and overall operations. Being in control means personalizing your mobile app so you can communicate and interact with your business stakeholders more closely. Mobile apps allow businesses to be more agile and flexible by personalizing customer interactions.

6. Branding

Reinforcing your brand enables you to take control of your marketing and seize new markets. Organizations view mobile apps as classic opportunities to foster their brands in new market segments.

The fact that young consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are adopting mobile apps at a rapid rate means that businesses can be more productive when they target emerging consumer niches.

That means organizations will spend less time and less money targeting emerging markets; and thus optimize their marketing spending. In addition, building your brand by targeting an emerging group of consumers allows you to save money while creating value.

7. Communication

A critical part of remaining productive is improving your internal and external communication. For instance, the emergence of new communication apps such as Slack, Google Chat, and Microsoft Teams helps managers to reinforce internal communications with their workforces.

In addition, these apps provide senior managerial leaders with the ability to fast-track schedules. The right mobile app development can help reinforce your internal communication, especially when monitoring progress and fast-tracking deadlines.

Communication is undoubtedly the secret ingredient of efficiency and productivity in any project lifecycle process.

8. Scheduling

Organizations and enterprises that work on fast-turnaround projects need efficient scheduling to meet project deliverables. For instance, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) sub-contract electrical manufacturing contractors to keep track of part components.

So, to sustain component demand from OEMs, electrical sub-contractors rely on strict schedules. Scheduling apps like Skedulo streamline the efficiency and productivity of teams and individual workers, helping organizations meet project deliverables promptly.

The right mobile app development can help you achieve optimal productivity levels solely by helping you build and maintain strict schedules. In addition, the right mobile app development can save you from the problem of missed deadlines and failed work.

9. Portability

Wireless devices enable employees to move around and work remotely without carrying bulky documents and paperwork. Organizations embracing new technologies such as big data, virtualization, and cloud are slowly enhancing operational efficiency.

The right mobile app development can help you to be more agile; because data can be transferred and processes automated. In addition, workflows can be delegated to the right parties and fast-tracked with ease.

The right mobile app development provides capabilities in remote working, helping your organization to be more efficient, transparent, and obviously, more productive than your competitors who rely on manual processes and paperwork.

10. Availability

Improved worker availability improves overall workplace productivity because employees are connected every time, regardless of where they’re. The right mobile app development can uphold your organizational data and make it available anytime when needed.

Ensuring data and employee availability guarantees better workflow. In addition, creating an accessible computing environment for all your employees ensures that deadlines can be met and projects tracked in real time. Faster tracking and accessibility of enterprise-critical resources guarantee improved productivity.

11. Performance

Did you know that the right mobile app development can help you track employee performance? Mobile tracking guarantees better team management because performance lets you know whom to keep and whom to let go.

The right mobile development can help you track key metrics – response time, maintenance, and costs. In addition, you know what specifically to improve and what to cut down.

Mobile apps rely exclusively on big data, making improved decisions based on real-time, actionable data. Performance measurement is important for organizations looking forward to tracking workforce performance. And organizations cannot accurately track performance without the right tools and technologies.

The right mobile app development can improve your workplace productivity in the following ways:

  • Customer relationship management
  • Inventory control and management
  • Vehicle and shipment tracking
  • Competitive positioning

The right mobile app development unlocks limitless opportunities for productivity, allowing your workplace to remain prepared even during unprecedented emergencies.

NS804 – A Potent Cocktail of Workplace Efficiency and Productivity

NS804 provides superior apps that help employer organizations schedule and track projects. NS804 works with a pool of software developers and engineers to deliver classic mobile app development solutions.

Organizations that seek to improve workplace efficiency and overall productivity can rely on tested-and-proven app development solutions. At NS804, we believe that gaining an edge in a highly competitive and saturated marketplace demands leveraging the right tools, including mobile app solutions.

Contact NS804 for innovative mobile app solutions needed to bolster your productivity.

5 Problems You Can Solve with the Right Mobile App Development Strategy

Mobile app strategy refers to deploying the right mobile app to deal with overarching business challenges. Organizations of all sizes and sophistication look at mobile apps as the next frontier of enterprise innovation. So, mobile apps are being adopted to reach a wider market, achieve customer satisfaction and retention, and of course, respond to competition.

You can solve several enterprise challenges and needs with the right mobile app development strategy. Below we look at some of the most pressing challenges you can solve with the right mobile app strategy.

1. Data collection and data analysis

Did you know that consumers are today using mobile apps to shop? Well, the young generation of consumers has quickly adopted mobile app shopping as an easy and convenient model of accessing goods and services from e-commerce stores.

So, with the right mobile app development strategy, you can zero down into this emerging segment of tech-savvy consumers. A mobile app development strategy will help you collect critical data like shopping habits, shopping patterns, likes, and interests in new product categories.

Innovative companies know that the right mobile app will help you collect incredible data sets that you can use to make informed business decisions.

2. Customer service

Customer service is a critical component of your overall business strategy. With the right customer service, you can attract and retain customers with little cost. The right mobile app strategy can help you collect consumer feedback – complaints, disgruntlement, feedback, and recommendations.

This information is critically underpinning in making the right decisions about the quality and scope of your customer service. So, with the right mobile app strategy, it’s possible to identify the most pressing customer needs and make informed decisions from this data.

 

USE OUR APP COST CALCULATOR TO ESTIMATE THE COST TO BUILD YOUR APP!

 

3. Better internal communication

Did you know that mobile apps provide not just the opportunity to boost customer service, but equally reinforce your internal communication? Mobile apps allow you to communicate directly with your customers and your workforce.

Your customer service team can directly keep in touch with customers solely through direct messages. Innovative organizations understand that the employee monitoring process is quite critical but equally complex and time-consuming.

Thus, innovative organizations are adopting mobile apps to streamline and empower internal communication. The right mobile app development strategy can help you keep in touch with your employees on the most crucial business issues – marketing, customer service, complaints, innovation, research, and development.

4. Remote working

The ability to work remotely is not a capability you can derive from just any digital resource. Investing in the right mobile app strategy helps you to create a remote workforce – because tasks and processes can be initiated and closed solely through mobile apps.

As the world moves digital with new technologies such as virtualization, it’s critical that you embrace this shift. A mobile app development strategy that recognizes the need for remote working is all you need to adopt a remote lifestyle, not just for you, but also for your workers.

5. Customer engagement

Digital enterprises understand that the secret to digital success is customer engagement. A mobile app can build unmatched capacity for customer engagement. Leverage mobile apps to constantly engage with your customers through posts, new promotions, and advertising campaigns – smoothly and seamlessly.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN APP DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TO GET A CUSTOMIZED QUOTE!

NS804 – Reinforcing Your Digital Strategy and Transformation

NS804 enables enterprises to adopt a paradigm shift in digital transformation. NS804 provides superior mobile app solutions that are tailored to individual business needs.

Contact NS804 for mobile app development solutions – android, IOS apps, and hybrid apps alike.

These are The 14 Things Customers Want in an App

Designing a mobile app is not enough. Your mobile app must be able to communicate and interact with customers in meaningful ways. Think of a mobile app as a chatbot that talks to customers, responds to their questions, and executes commands.

So, your mobile app must go beyond physical appeal and encompass deep functionality and usability.

This post looks at several things your customers want in your app.

1. Rich experience

You must offer a unique customer experience for your app to capture the right audience and to be downloaded everywhere. Without thinking carefully about your target audience and their needs, you may duplicate a mobile browsing experience in an e-commerce app.

So, ensure you do thorough research to identify how to offer the best user experience. Look at ways to do things differently and offer unique and rewarding experiences.

2. Intuitive and easy navigation

Your app must be navigable to catch the right audience and retain them. Creating an intuitive and navigable app means incorporating simplicity, eliminating clutter, and being selective about the most crucial features you want to include in the front interface.

Documented research shows the number one reason users gave for deleting an app was that they didn’t use it. But if you find users using your app regularly, that doesn’t guarantee that your app is safe from being deleted.

14% of app users admitted to deleting an app they found hard to use. The overall usability and intuitive navigation are key features users look for in mobile apps. And mobile developers must always be on the lookout for how to deliver superior mobile experiences.

3. Simple check-out

Nothing is more strenuous to online shoppers than the check-out process. Users find check-out processes poorly designed and difficult to navigate. Sometimes, check-out processes threaten to compromise users’ personal and financial information, especially when credit card information is not well-processed or the debit card is debited twice.

So, ensure that you seal all the check-out loopholes and make the check-out process easy and seamless. Indeed, reputable online shopping stores ensure that customers only key in their credit card information once during their first purchase.

The system automatically recognizes this credit card information anytime the user makes future purchases. So, ensure that your customers do not have to key in their credit card details anytime they purchase from your app.

4. Personalized experiences

Everywhere you go, online stores and business organizations strive to make their online customer shopping experiences more personal. So, it should be no surprise that personalization is a critical element of mobile shopping.

In an e-marketing survey, more personalized mobile and mobile app experiences were the leading user expectation for the future. And to stand out in the mobile app space, businesses must put personalization at the center of their mobile app development strategy.

5. Simplicity

You can do many things to your mobile app as part of your mobile app development efforts. However, unless those cool things align with the needs and wants of your target audience, you may end up doing more wrong than good.

So, cramming your mobile app with features that are not important for the end users may end up compromising overall usability and functionality. We all know that users crave intuitive app navigation, which means simplicity is vital in maintaining this simple and navigable capability.

You must make a simple, usable design a key guiding factor of your design.

6. Demo

Although your customers will not tell you, giving demos of products and services in your app will do more good than bad. Often, demos provide solid proof that a product exists and works as demonstrated.

So, ensure that your app can support product demos.

7. Tracking

If your website doesn’t provide order tracking capabilities, ensure that your mobile app has this functionality. Greater transparency and quick shipments are critical for your customers. So, your mobile app must have an order or product tracking feature that allows them to keep track of their products wherever they are.

8. Returns

All customers yearn for a convenient and flexible experience anytime they buy – before, during, and even after buying. Companies like Zappos incorporate easy returns within the app.

9. Reviews

Customer reviews are the epitome of proof, especially in online shopping. Social proof is a great way to boost sales, especially if your customers offer honest, unique, and transparent reviews about your products and services.

So, your customers want social proof that your products are authentic and credible. This certainty comes from giving positive and accurate reviews and integrating these reviews into your mobile apps.

10. Support

If you will offer discounts, demos, and returns in your app, support is not optional – it’s mandatory. Giving support means including direct lines to live chats and customer service to ensure your clients’ experiences remain perfect and untarnished.

The emergence of customer support systems has provided immense capabilities to address most of the recurring customer service issues. However, it’s important to note that offering live support through chats or even phone calls is a good way of keeping in touch with your customers – and ensuring they get the best customer service.

11. Security

Online and data security is a critical element and requirement for every online user. Every user needs online security anytime they want to use a new app. It’s advisable to take verified and prior measures to protect your app from malware attacks and hackers who may want to steal your customers’ information.

Remember that when you’re launching your app and when your app is taking off, hacker attempts and malware attacks may scare away potential users – and fail a promising app.

12. Image resolution

This attribute of a mobile app is overlooked, although it is a critical element of any design work. All your images must be crystal clear and with the perfect resolution.

A good image resolution is equally as important as easy and simple navigation. Proper picture display keeps the audience engaged. The quality graphics and fine detailing on your app help bring users closer to your app, making their stay worthwhile

13. Flexibility

All customers want to use your app in virtually all operating systems – be it ios or android. So, ensure that your app can operate in all operating systems and eliminate any restrictions.

That’s because there are many operating systems available for smartphones. So, make your app available on most of these operating systems to maximize your app’s output.

Always remember the different screen sizes and resolutions of different smartphone devices before uploading your app to keep your audience satisfied and engaged.

14. Notifications and updates

Last but not least, your app must contain notifications and updates. Notifications act as information networks that update customers on payment information, new products, demos, offers, and other important information.

In addition, notifications and updates help keep your app more relevant and fresh to your customers. You can keep your target audience engaged and notified of new features using notifications like SMSs, email, and social media.

You will keep your audience engaged and satisfied if you add revisions to your app.

NS804 – Keeping Customers Engaged by Acing Your App’s Performance!

NS804 is the leading provider of custom mobile app design and development. NS804 provides design and development solutions tailored to your unique business needs.

So, whether you’re a start-up, a medium-sized enterprise, or a large corporation, you can rest assured that NS804 will provide superior mobile app design solutions that answer your customers’ more pressing questions.

Contact NS804 for time-to-value mobile app design and development solutions.

What Should You Do When Your Mobile App Fails?

Mobile app failure can cost your business consumer trust, loyalty, and financial decline. Think about all the app conversion failures, customer communication breakdowns, and sales declines you will experience if your app fails today.

So, in this post, we discuss the most common causes of app failures and what you can do in case you’re in such a mess.

Let’s delve.

Causes of Mobile App Fails

Mobile apps can fail because of many reasons. Outdated apps that do not respond to new operating systems or meet new operating requirements are likely to fail, especially at the onset of new OS launches.

So, ensure your app is updated and maintained to respond to emerging or evolving technology trends in the market.

Apps can also fail because of bugs and viruses. Freely existing malware can target apps that lack the proper security infrastructure or architecture, thus compromising your app’s integrity. Hackers target consumer personal and financial information, meaning they’re likely to target your app to access consumer information.

So, hacker targeting through malware, bugs, and even ransomware are some examples that may lead to app failure.

Your app can also fail for many other reasons. For instance, you may fail to do adequate market research before the app launch. That means you won’t access the target consumers, and your app will fail to meet its expectations.

What Should You Do When Your Mobile App Fails?

So, here’s what to do in case your app fails:

1. Identify the root cause of the fail

It’s first important to diagnose the issue and identify the root cause of the failure. Most failures occur due to bugs, poor design, unappealing interfaces, and outdated operating systems.

So, identify the cause of the failure before proceeding to act further.

2. Correct what you can

Sometimes, the app fails for obvious reasons – failing to research more about your audience. If you discover that you did not conduct due research, ensure that you work towards improving this.

Ensure that you correct what you can before proceeding to outsource expert help.

3. Contact experts

Mobile app design companies offer mobile app design and development solutions – from inception to completion. Mobile app designers are likely to diagnose virtually every issue in your app, including failures, lags, and even inefficiencies.

In addition, by working with experts, you enjoy supplementary services like app navigation, user interface, and user experience.

You gain an end-to-end understanding of app design and usability by working with mobile app design companies. Also, monitor your app’s performance and ensure it brings in the desired conversions.

NS804 – The Solution to Mobile App Fails!

At NS804, we believe that one of the leading reasons for app failures is the lack of enough app testing. The mobile app design work is a sophisticated process that demands careful planning and expert execution.

At NS804, we have worked with diverse clients on simple and complex projects. So, we understand the end-to-end process of developing a superior app. We can help diagnose and correct any mobile app failure.

Contact NS804 to enjoy superior mobile app development and diagnosis solutions.

 

Make Your App Simple to Navigate with These 6 Design Tips

Mobile app design is not all about looks and beautiful aesthetics. It’s sometimes about how easily users can communicate and interact with your app.

Think about app design as a concept that merges looks and interaction – aesthetics and functionality. And app navigation is like interactions or a conversation with an app.

So, making your app navigable is critical to the overall design work.

Here are six design tips to make your app simple to navigate:

1. Thumb navigation

Research has suggested that 49% of app users use only one thumb to navigate the phone’s interface. When designing, remember that your app will be used in numerous ways.

So, ensure that when designing, you place the most crucial features at the bottom of the app. This way, users can reach these features when using the phone with a hand or two.

2. Bottom tab bar

Many reputable apps, including LinkedIn and Instagram, place their primary features on the bottom tab bar. For instance, Instagram’s core functionality tabs are accessed through the tab bar, making switching between features easy.

So, when designing an app, ensure you do the following:

  • Avoid using icons of different colors at the bottom
  • Avoid scrabble icons at the tab bar
  • Show only the most frequently used destinations

You can always display a badge at the tab bar to show new information.

3. Card-style design

Cards are critical elements to use in your mobile interface design because they can display actionable features. The card-style design allows content to reveal itself to the targeted audience, making navigation easy and fast.

The card-style design further gives users the fun feeling of swiping left and right. For instance, the Google Primer App allows users to tap on each card and swipe the cards away anytime they are done reading what’s written on each card.

4. Avoid clutter

It’s advisable to keep your app clean and succinct. And by avoiding clutter, you make the app cleaner and easy to navigate. In addition, by removing clutter, you prioritize content, and the space, whether white or black, contributes to readability.

5. Full-screen navigation

Full-screen navigation means you don’t save any space on your screen. This type of navigation can be beneficial and equally powerful for some mobile apps. The full-screen navigation is simply a navigation platform that lists all the navigation elements, and it’s great for simplicity and coherence if you select the colors properly.

6. Search box

Your users can feel locked in a dark room if you omit search navigation. Ensure that you incorporate a magnifying glass icon at the top of the app to give your users the liberty to search for whatever they want.

Adding a search box means liberating your users and letting them explore every nook and cranny in your app.

NS804 – App Navigation Made Easy!

NS804 is a trusted provider of superior mobile app design solutions for Android and IOS. NS804 seeks to provide clients – individuals, businesses, corporations, and organizations – with clean interfaces and functional apps that answer difficult questions.

In addition, NS804 apps meet the criteria of simplicity and functionality allowing consumers to enjoy all that an app has to offer.

Contact NS804 for superior mobile app design in Richmond Va.