Mobile apps are an integral part of modern-day lifestyles and a dominant factor for people to make any purchasing decision. Businesses across the globe have started leveraging the capabilities of top-notch technologies to keep their customers satisfied with smart and intuitive mobile apps. According to a recent study(Source), Americans check their phones 262 times a day, once every six minutes. Moreover, they spend more than 5 hours(Source) daily exploring mobile apps, and their time on mobile devices has constantly been rising. This has made mobile apps much more popular among businesses in the US, and business administrators are making good use of this trend. This post will talk about the impact of mobile apps on businesses in the US, and how fruitful it can prove to be to launch an app for your own business.
Convenience & Flexibility- The Most Appealing Aspect of App Usage
There are umpteen benefits that mobile apps offer to any business. The ease at which people can access any product or service and that too, as and when required, has made mobile apps the best way for businesses to reach out to wider audiences and keep them engaged. In addition, technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, IoT, and Blockchain have further added to the worth of mobile apps making them much more efficient, smart, secure, and intuitive.
Businesses in the US (especially the small ones) adopted the “mobile app-first” approach to making the maximum out of their digital presence. Mobile apps have certainly opened the doors of creativity for businesses allowing them to target a wider audience and eventually turn them into paying customers.
How Mobile Apps Proved to Be a Triumphant Factor for Businesses in the US?
Here are some major impacts of mobile apps that have added to the success of US businesses over the past few years. With the US standing in the third position, after China and India, in terms of smartphone penetration rate, businesses in the US have proactively leveraged the use of smartphones to maximize their profits and brand value. Here are some major benefits that mobile apps brought to US businesses:
Reduced Costs with Increased Customer Engagement
As US consumers started spending more time on smartphones than their desktops, businesses in the US started exploring technologies to approach mobile app development with greater affordability and flexibility. The cost to develop an app was much less than the value that it generated for businesses. This made mobile apps a much more convenient and better platform for businesses to keep their customers engaged. Push notifications proved to be the best way to keep users engaged and informed about the latest product launches and industry-specific news.
Offered Data-driven Approach to Businesses
Businesses started getting valuable insights into consumer behaviors and their purchasing patterns based on the app data. This helped companies to personalize their products/services and offer more satisfaction to users. Data Analytics started getting much more attention even from small businesses to remain competitive and enhance their user base and profitability. Businesses that focused on data quality succeeded at a rapid rate by improving their services. Mobile apps have now become the most economical way to collect customer data, unlike earlier scenarios where businesses had to merely depend on surveys, web tracking, and data brokers for information.
Customization Became a Trend
With more businesses opting for mobile apps to reach out to a wider audience and boost their profitability, customization emerged as a critical aspect of remaining competitive. Using the app’s user data, businesses started focusing on customers’ preferences and started offering services accordingly. Businesses started eliminating consumers’ pain points in making online purchases through custom mobile app development. Most businesses started developing apps that were tailored to the specific needs of their target audience. From features to app design and development, everything was crafted carefully to meet maximum consumer needs and preferences.
Brought Creativity into the Mainstream
Mobile apps enabled global businesses to come up with their best creative ideas and innovations to bring customers closer. Many businesses targeted the same audience offering the same products/services. Mobile apps allowed them to develop a distinct vision to stand out from the crowd. Businesses in the US also improved their brand visibility and accessibility by leveraging mobile apps and being more thoughtful and specific regarding customer expectations. Mobile apps gave businesses the required attention, interest, and action, that they dwelled for from various other resources.
Facilitated Responsive Customer Support
Technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning further added to the level of customization that businesses in the US offered via mobile apps. This significantly impacted customer service, which was much more fortified and made more responsive than ever. Companies from all across the globe are leveraging AI-powered chatbots and other tools to offer instant solutions to customers’ queries in a personalized way. According to a HubSpot report, over 68% of consumers are even willing to pay more to a brand that is known for its active and responsive customer service.
Helped Brands Develop Trust among Customers
Mobile apps proved to be the most effective medium for US businesses to develop relationships with customers by keeping them engaged and informed. Amazon app is exemplary in building customer trust through the various features and functionalities that an app can provide. Apps proved to be a much more effective and convenient way to keep users informed and reward loyal customers. It became a medium for businesses to express their gratitude toward customers and tempt them to stay loyal to them.
Enhanced Marketing & Promotional Activities
Mobile apps have now become the best social platform for businesses to market their new product launches to newer audiences as well as to existing ones. Apps started providing valuable leads to businesses by engaging prospective customers to install an app. In addition, apps allowed marketers to monitor app usage statistics and employ promotional strategies accordingly to yield optimum results from marketing campaigns. Advertising on an app is much cheaper than any other digital platform. Small & medium businesses benefited a lot from marketing via apps that proved to be both affordable and effective for them. Small businesses can launch marketing campaigns quickly and pivot easily among multiple campaigns with the help of mobile apps.
Businesses Adopted an Omnichannel Approach
Businesses in the US (especially retail & eCommerce) started adopting an omnichannel sales approach with the help of mobile apps. This facilitated consumers to purchase anything online from anywhere using their smartphones. Retail apps leveraged the most out of this approach. Modern-day consumers are accustomed to omnichannel experiences with mobile apps being a popular touch point in the entire process. Integration of online and offline channels offered a new way for businesses to offer frictionless shopping experiences and improve brand loyalty by catering to customers’ growing needs.
Endnote
With smartphones becoming more and more ubiquitous, mobile app development is certainly going to witness several innovations and advancements considering the growing craze for mobile apps. Apps have become the most convenient way to connect to customers, improve reputation, and increase sales. The role of AI-powered app development will also be a significant factor to consider if businesses want to remain competitive and retain their existing customers.
Author Bio: Amelia Swank is a sr. web and app developer, currently working with SunTec India, a well-known software development company. She is passionate about technology and has written several articles to spread her knowledge of web and application development. Amelia is always keeping an eye out for the newest trends, inventions, and changes in the IT industry, and is eager to share her insights with those who are interested in the field.
