Role of Marketing Apps in Business

Introduction

The millennium heralds scientific advancement in information, communication and technology. The smart phone, a mobile running on an operating system and with advanced computing capacity, is one such development. Smart phones allow installation of applications in their memory. These applications vary in nature and use. The applications are commonly referred to as apps. In addition to scientific advancement, this century also brings new ways in doing business and handling transactions.

Traditional ways of carrying out business are being faced out as new ways sprout on a daily basis. An example is the use of apps by big businesses. Companies create apps that are tailored to meet the needs of their clients and post these apps in sites and online market places where their customers can access and download the apps for installation in their mobile phones. Such apps come with the specifications of the business and are to serve the client for an intended purpose through their use. Owning a functional app by a business is therefore important in ensuring the general success of a business.

Real Time Communication with Clients

Apps run on smart phones and OS platforms such as Android, Blackberry OS, Mac OS, Symbian and Microsoft/Lumia. Due to the advanced nature of hardware on mobile phones with these platforms, apps ensure greater functionality to the users. For instance, these apps have standard pages, web pages and links to optimized sites for mobile users. Due to the high processing speeds of mobile phones with apps, then access to the apps functions is much faster. This allows a business having an app to design it in such a way that it allows real time communication with clients in the form of pop ups, instant messaging, audio and even video. This tool ensures that provided a client has installed an app of a specific business and is connected to the internet, then the client can have access to personnel handling the business or the business owner/team have access to the client. Communication in real time is very important as it ensures that the information is passed from the source to the recipient immediately. This can be very useful to a business owning an app when they want to reach out to their customers on a very short notice.

Data Collection

Apps allow collection of data dynamically generated in servers when processing information (Aktas, 2010). A company with an app can easily collect data on consumer use or preferences. Such data when taken for analysis provide useful information about user behavior and patterns. For instance, a business which is a music store can come up with an app that notifies clients on upcoming albums and even shows from artistes. The app may have a provision for voting and rating by the clients, and even submission of opinions.

In addition, when posting upcoming shows on the app, there can be provisions where the clients who wish to attend the shows can post an attendance confirmation. This data helps the show organizers when planning for the event as they have a rough estimate of the expected turnout. The music store can also use this info to propose sales of preferred albums to different clients through emails or text. This will generally increase sales as the clients feel that that they are a part of the business on a daily basis. The data about consumer behavior if used well can provide a powerful tool to the business owners and shareholders.

Interactive Interfaces

Apps are built with interactive user interfaces that are easy to understand and use. These interfaces have varied objects such as textboxes, dropdown menus and command buttons. The interfaces provide an interactive way of relating with clients by the business owners as they are enticing and aesthetically pleasing (Aktas, 2010).

Brand Reinforcement

Through the use of apps, companies are able to reinforce brand loyalty. They do so by having provisions in the app that cater specifically for the reinforcement of a certain brand or product that the company has. Pictures of brands needing reinforcement may be posted on the app where customers can see. This exposure also creates lasting impression on the minds of the customer.

Customer Care and Support

Apps allow business to reinforce their customer care and support to clients. Through apps, clients of a business having challenges and problems may easily access the customer care support by the business. For instance, an app by a business may be designed with a real time access to customer care support through instant messaging, video calling or voice calling. This may be incorporated in the app through a direct and special link to the customer care support. In addition, a business may include a support section in their app where clients post queries and problems. This section is to be managed by a team of administrators in charge of customer care. The team may respond to the queries of the client through writing solutions and course of actions that will be displayed on the client’s side when they access the app. This is a very powerful tool in business as it will ensure customer satisfactions since all needs of the customers are put into consideration.

Advertisement

Apps give rich opportunities to advertising campaigns. This advertisement may be internally, where the business posts advertisement within the app about a new product or service that they have. The advertisement may also be external. In this case, the business can give room to external advertisement to be posted on their apps. This acts as a good revenue source of advertisement as the business will realize residual income from this venture. The ratings of an app are what give it high advertisement returns from external advertisements. This happens when an app by a business is downloaded by many users and therefore has a greater market reach due to the high number of users. Advertisements in apps may occur in the form of pop ups, alerts or banner spaces within the app. Other forms include posting links that redirect the user to the advertisement page of the content being advertised.

Transactions

Apps allow efficient and convenient transaction of business. They reduce costs of transacting business when used efficiently. Apps allow timely transactions. An example is where a business such as an insurance firm creates an app to be used by their clients. In the app, the firm ensures that clients can see existing policies, new policies, and insurance rates. The firm also ensures that there is a provision for clients to buy any of these policies directly without having to visit their offices or through agents and policy resellers. The customer will appreciate this efficiency and convenience that comes with the app. They will view rates and even buy policies remotely at the convenience of their homes without any hassle. This ensures that they save time to perform other duties.

Records Keeping

A business enjoys increased efficiency in their records when using apps. This is because apps record every detail, saves the log file and uploads this information to a remote server with a data base for data storage. The records may include sales and purchases by customers or actual payment records from customers. The records are seldom with any errors and can be used in future for references by the company if need arises.

Contact Database

A business app harnesses the contact details of clients. The business ensures this by giving a provision for the clients to fill in their contact details and personal information when downloading the app (Hopkins & Turner, 2012). These details are saved by the company in their databases (Hopkins & Turner, 2012). This information is useful to the company. For instance, the company can use the information and demographics when conducting product promotions. Such data such as age and sex will enable the company conduct appropriate product promotion to the respective clients. The contact details make it easy for the company to reach out to its customers through sending them emails, texts or even calling them. Contacts are a very important aspect of a business as they ensure that both parties are always in touch.

Customer Interaction and Referral

Companies make applications with the aim of having the largest market outreach through the use of these applications. It is the expectation and dream of every company to have very high volumes of users downloading and actively using the applications made by the company. The businesses encourage this through tailoring the apps they build to certain specifications that allow the same. Apps are built to allow interaction of involved parties. Businesses are now making apps that allow users to interact with fellow users, ask questions, communicate and share information on various aspects in regards to the company (Salz & Moranz, 2013). This interaction happens in chat rooms, pages or direct messages by clients.

In addition, the apps come with functionalities that allow a user to send invites to friends and family to join the platform. These referrals build a company positively. Referrals provide a very powerful advertisement avenue regardless of their traditional nature. Most individuals prefer buying from or associating with companies that they have heard about from family and friends or have seen the goods and services of such businesses from other people and heard praises. These referrals help build the image of a company through a strengthened online community.

Customer Access to Information

The majority of the business apps give customers access to a database of inventories with prices of goods and services. This helps the client a lot when budgeting and planning their finances (Salz & Moranz, 2013). In addition, apps give clients a fast access to the contact database of the business. Clients can easily and quickly access the contact information of the business when they need such. Through the app, administrators can give directions on the location of the business to clients who may be wishing to visit the business premises. The apps can also give clients notifications and access to information of upcoming events, launches and meetings.

Conclusion

In the volatile business domain today, apps are becoming an increasing necessity to the survival and growth of a business. This is because apps provide dynamic ways of transacting daily business. They have proven to be effective in some business cases. Apps are relatively easy to construct and maintain by company administrators. They give a company pride and prestige when they successively realize a strong online community through the use of the app. A serious business should therefore consider having an app set up. If in existence, the companies should ensure that their apps always have dynamic content, are interactive and engaging giving users a whole new experience all the time.

References

Aktas, A. (2010). Analysis of current mobile marketing applications selected best practices and future development. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH.

Hopkins, J., & Turner, J. (2012). Go mobile: Location-based marketing, apps, mobile-optimized ad campaigns, 2D codes, and other mobile strategies to grow your business. Hoboken,

NJ: Wiley.

Salz, P. A., & Moranz, J. (2013). The everything guide to mobile apps: A practical guide to affordable mobile app development for your business. Avon, MA: Adams Media.