Small business owners might assume that creating a completely bespoke software app is only something that large organizations can justify and afford.
In reality, this is often not the case, as even up and coming companies will be able to reap the benefits of building a custom app.
So what are the advantages that come with building a custom app for your small business? Let’s take a look at some of the main talking points from a small business perspective.
Overcoming unique challenges
Firstly, an app that you design and control in-house will let you put together something that solves problems no other piece of software is capable of encompassing.
This could be an industry-specific issue, or even a hurdle that affects only your organization. Whatever the case, building a custom app is all about putting your business in the driving seat and tackling conundrums efficiently.
Building your brand
Not all apps are made for internal use alone, so with a customer-facing solution you have the opportunity to improve brand recognition and to attract new audiences.
Brand-building is a multifaceted discipline in the digital era, and having your own app to offer existing and prospective users will put you on a level pegging with larger rivals.
You can even use this as a means of integrating your app’s features and data with other software platforms and services. You will need a robust API platform to achieve this, and you will also need to be monitoring your database server to ensure the performance of your SQL ecosystem is up to scratch. This hard work will be worth it in the long run when your app gains you recognition and respect among consumers and business decision-makers alike.
Boosting loyalty
Small businesses need to reconnect with customers and bring them back to make repeat purchases. You may already have customers who are loyal to you and your brand, and an app can help to remind them that you are there for them.
Adding in unobtrusive yet timely alerts and notifications is a great example of this. You can even provide people who have your app installed with special prices and discounts when the time is right, incentivizing their engagement further.
Collecting data
A good business app will pump out information about how it is being used, which in turn can inform all sorts of decisions you make within your organization.
Some of the analytical insights will be into the workings of the app itself. By delving into usage stats, you can pinpoint problems with the design of the software and take action to improve its usability.
Some of the data will be specific to the function of the app. Whether it is for handling e-commerce orders, tracking inventory levels or helping employees in the field, having an app that acts as a central repository for mission-critical information is seriously advantageous.
Streamlining communication
Another aspect you can factor into a custom app for your business is communication. This could be between colleagues, or it could be with customers. Regardless, by using the app as a portal for communications, you can make it leaner and less fragmented.
Furthermore, it lets you control how communications take place. Rather than having to field questions from customers via a range of platforms, you can push them all down the same path; preferably a path which you have the resources to helm optimally.
You might use the app to let customers open support tickets and send messages to team members directly, improving satisfaction levels. You might link it to an SMS service so that staff can receive updates while out and about. You could even include a live chat function for real-time responses to queries.
Providing platform-specific functions
Apps which are built to run natively on a given software ecosystem or device type are often more consistent and user-friendly than their alternatives.
For example, having an app that is available for smartphones and which is designed to work with the input and screen size limitations of these handsets is sensible. The alternative is relying on a web app that has to cater to the lowest common denominator in terms of hardware, browser compatibility and system resource usage.
Platform-specific apps can also leverage particular hardware components, such as built-in cameras, to offer creative features to boot.
Turning heads
Last of all, you should not underestimate the power of a custom app when it comes to impressing people. And this is really only something that small businesses can hope to be a head-turning asset.
Even with all of the changes that have taken place over the past decade, most people will be surprised and dazzled by a small but ambitious organization that has a bespoke app available. This of course applies to customers, but can also be relevant when thinking about attracting top talent to join your workforce.
Concluding thoughts
By this point, you likely recognize the value of building a custom app for your small business, but there are some other things to bear in mind.
First, the challenge of creating an app has to be dealt with. If you do not have the ability to do this in-house, then you will need to outsource the design and development to a third party, which has to be factored into your budget.
Next, there’s the need to keep your app up to date and bug-free over time. Even all the testing in the world will not iron out every possible permutation of problems post-launch, so the maintenance of an app is worth weighing up.
Finally, there’s the issue of security and compliance. If your app handles financial transactions, processes private customer data, or does anything else that could have implications from a cybercrime perspective, it has to be made to be resilient to any threats that exist, and to adhere to industry regulations.
If you still feel that a bespoke app will empower your small business, then there has never been a better time to get started.
About the Author
A growth hacker at heart, Jess helps SaaS companies rapidly scale their inbound leads through lean marketing strategies. She views content marketing and advertising as the perfect concoction of growth, and loves to write about her insights and experiences.
