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TECHNOLOGY
How to create genuinely valuable mobile apps
Nathan Baranowski
The other week , I was in a restaurant that lets you both order your food and then pay through its app . Being of a techy persuasion , I decided to give this a go . And while the process worked , I felt it rather detracted from the restaurant experience . It made the whole thing a bit faceless and impersonal .
Granted , this quasi-self-service experience will appeal to some – perhaps if you ’ re in a hurry , as you can now order and pay with the latest app from a well-known coffee shop . But it also illustrates how important it is to think holistically when you ’ re creating an app . Who is it offering value to ? How does it offer value ? How does it impact on other parts of your customer experience ? And most importantly , will it encourage people to continue using it and keep engaging with you ?
WHAT MAKES A GREAT APP ? When you release an app , you ’ re asking potential users to make an investment of their time to go to the app store , download your creation , possibly set up an account and then start using it . In return , you need to make absolutely sure it offers them something genuinely useful . If you don ’ t , it only takes a few seconds for them to send your app to the bin – and with it some of your brand ’ s hardearned reputation .
So , what makes an app truly valuable ? Firstly , great apps enable you to do something you couldn ’ t otherwise do . For me a great example is a star gazing app I ’ ve had since my iPhone 3 . It ’ s a well-designed augmented reality ( AR ) stargazing app which I would only get from having a pin hole star chart or Sir Patrick Moore sitting next to me whilst I look up at the night sky .
Secondly , great apps make people want to use them again and again . While it may be appealing to invest lots of time and money into creating something that delivers a ‘ wow ’ factor when you launch it , if it isn ’ t useful once the initial excitement has died down , it ’ ll be consigned to the ‘ gimmick ’ pile . What makes an app sticky is ultimately making it part of users daily life . Just take a look on your smartphone and tablet at the apps you have installed and question when you last used them . Great apps stick to you because they provide you with a unique experience , service or need and they do it well .
THINKING ABOUT MOBILE ? If you ’ re thinking about releasing a new mobile app , or are looking to improve your existing one , why not drop us a line to talk through your ideas ? We ’ re completely vendorindependent , and take pride in understanding your needs and making sure you get exactly the right technology solution to meet them .
E : nathanb @ ojosolutions . com
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22 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2017