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Is it necessary to develop a mobile application?

Certainly, everyone is aware that mobile environment is a gold mine for business. Nowadays, more than 60 % of people use smartphones for online purchases and mobile applications. But how to understand whether your business needs a mobile application on IOS and Android or whether it is enough to develop an adapted to mobile devices website.

First of all, the main question is whether users will download your application on their smartphone. In the era of smartphones, users prefer to limit themselves with the number of applications on their mobile phones, due to the overall oversupply of various mobile applications, as well as the lack of memory and the slowdown of the smartphone. To make your app succeed think whether you can do something more useful for others via app than there is today in IOS and Android stores to make users download this app on their smartphones.

Mobile business applications can be divided into several types:

• for the internal needs of the company;
• to optimize marketing, branding and increase sales.

Main purposes of using app for business:

Additional Business Automation.

Increasing the teamwork productivity. For example, creating a shared access to files, an information database for staff, a chat room for internal communication, a task management system, projects, orders, a goods catalogue, including inventory with the accounting system, tracking staff routes through GPS and for other purposes.

The main purposes for which applications are used for commercial purposes.

• Ancillary trade. If your site has a regular success and your goal is to increase sales by providing your audience with more convenient technical solution to attract customers to your resource, to communicate more quickly and easily to your audience, mobile app is definitely for you;
• Use the mobile app as a supplement to the company’s online services: showcases, catalogues, ticket purchase apps, internet banking, commodity delivery status tracker, etc.;
• Creating a mobile loyalty program.

What determines the cost of a mobile app?

If you come to a conclusion that you need a mobile app the next step will rather be to find conscientious developers. You will certainly be faced with the issue of pricing in custom-made development, and that is normal. But there’s one thing about the mobile app development: there’s a big variation in prices on the market. There are several main reasons: different hourly rate, development team elements, rarely for a good result it can be done by one developer.

Having received a price offer for the project development strongly recommended not to base solely on price. Specialists do not charge a ceiling, most often the cost of creating a mobile app depends on the number of hours needed for development and the work scope, including application design. Assessment is based on the initial brief that consists of three blocks:

• list of the most cost-effective components in app development;
• the number of platforms and devices supported;
• customization of interface and animation elements.

Professional IT agencies take customer brief seriously and try to get as much information from the client as possible in order to make the most accurate estimate in hours. Than the number of hours is multiplied by the cost of the specialist’s hour of work and we get the budget required for the project development.

The most expensive items to develop:

• large amount of data, screens and actions in application significantly increases the work of project designer and layouter;
• backend is the server part of the system that stores the database and the business logic of the project and transmits them to the client part in accordance with the API;
• administrative panel. With its help you manage the content, users, reports and other system data;
• several types of users in the application - for example, if you make an application like GETT, you will have a customer and an executor, thus it is necessary to develop an interface for each of the parties;
• modern smartphones are equipped with hardware components such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, pulse sensors, NFC chips, bluetooth sensors, barometers, their use adds a new cost item to your development;
• the most popular AR and facial capture are the most expensive of all components. We recommend you to assess your material abilities before the development;
• often a mobile app needs integration with third-party libraries, frameworks and services like payment systems, accounting software, CRM and chat rooms;
• number of devices and operating systems supported. Often customers treat this item as something trivial and expected, but it is worth considering that development of both iOS and Android applications increases the cost of development, and adaptation to tablets can increase the cost by up to 75%, not to mention the support of older iOS and Android versions can increase development costs 1.5 times, as older versions have performance limitations, are not updated and are not developed. We recommend not to chase all solutions at once, but to start with the most popular models and then, through analysis, to refine the applications if needed.

Food ordering and delivery app

If your food ordering and delivery service is successful, an additional key to success will be the development of a mobile food delivery application. It is convenient for the client to give his address and geolocation once and then, making further orders, simply select the dishes from the menu. In addition, you can always specify the route to your nearest establishment. This is a great opportunity to bind clients, increase average check and number of hits, through personal discounts and special offers for application users. Success examples are zaprest, mishloha, bolt.

Your app allows:

• Create an order from the available menu;
• Add favourite food to selected items;
• Add or remove ingredients from a dish individually;
• Specify the route to the nearest restaurant of your network;
• Track order delivery;
• Set up a private account that allows a client to be guided by the order history, personal and payment data;
• Carry out actions that can increase the clients loyalty to your company;
• Implement a bonus program that can increase profits by tying the customer to the establishment.

Online Store application

Mobile applications for stores allow customers to visit your shop more often, order goods from the catalogue more quickly, gain access to exclusive content and be the first to learn about novelties and discounts via applications. For stores it is a great opportunity to consolidate business success in the market and increase the percentage of spontaneous purchases, attract new customers to the brand. The giants Ebay and Amazon will be successful examples

Your application can consist of:

• Main page with menus and most popular products;
• Product category page;
• Product page;
• Shopping cart;
• Ordering;
• Private account, that allows client to be guided by the order history, personal and payment data;
• Courier companies integration will allow your clients to track their orders conveniently;
• Accounting program integration will allow to show available in stock products in present time;
• Online service will reduce labour costs. Сorrespondence can be in parallel with multiple clients while calls not.

Applications for travel companies

Success in tourism-related activities depends mostly on regular service clients. Mobile application is essential in tourism. It allows customers to book a ticket, hotel, and contact a personal agent more quickly, that in turn increases ticket sales several times. It is no doubt that far more convenient buy a ticket using a smartphone, than to waste time looking for travel agencies, visiting register and waiting lines.

Your application can consist of:

• Convenient tickets, hotels and car rental search;
• Warning when the tickets price of necessary direction goes down;
• Loyalty program that will give client points for purchased services;
• News feed and travel tips;
• Private account, that allows client to be guided by the order history, personal and payment data.

Taxi application

When was the last time you stood by the road and waved in the hope of catching a taxi? Mobile applications work well in the taxi ordering industry and well known UBER will be an example, it works successfully in many countries of the world. You can make an order quickly and conveniently, indicating your wishes and preferences. Moreover client can track a car location using card and pay for trip with credit card via app.

Your application can consist of:

• Taxi hire based on personal preferences;
• Delivery order if you need to send a packag;
• Ordering scooters, bicycles, flowers works the same way;
• Private account, that allows client to be guided by the order history, personal and payment data;
• Loyalty program that will give client points for purchased services;
• Feedback system will allow your clients to be more confident in your services quality.

Sports studios applications

Application will help to learn more about your club program. Clubs can provide free content to users in the form of video training and useful nutrition tips, as well as a virtual club tour. With the app people can find the training schedule, make appointment to a coach and save money via the bonus program. It will help club to stand out against competitors, attract new customers and reduce the number of those who forget about training.

Your application can consist of:

• Free content as a video training;
• Nutritional tips;
• Virtual club tour;
• Schedule and training appointments;
• Loyalty program that will give client points for purchased services;
• Club pricing policy.