When is a mobile app required?

Enterprise-based mobile apps have proven their value…as a category. However, individually, many don’t measure up. Why? They were created without much regard to objectives and strategies. They were created to silence a squeaky wheel in the organization: “we need a mobile app!”
Who in your organization is screaming for a mobile app? Why do they want it? Chances are it’s because “every other organization has an app, we should too.” Bad answer. An app should address a business objective. It should be a tactic that fulfills a strategy. I once downloaded an app from a bicycle manufacturer only to find that it was a slide show of photographs. That’s it. Photos of bikes. No product features, no widgets, no nothing. Big let down.

How to determine when.

An app should be a solution with a novel benefit. Don’t take your website and convert it to an app. Your customers don’t need that. That’s what your website is for. You need to be able to say, “our app will do X, Y and Z and a mobile app is the most impactful, cost-effective or efficient way to accomplish those goals.” If you cannot say that, then an app may be a waste of resources. An app, should ultimately create a unique way to engage customers – to allow them newfound access to products or services or information that simplifies or extends their abilities. If you cannot make things better/faster/easier for your audiences with your app you need to rethink the whole app thing.

What is your opinion? Have you discussed an app for your organization? What were the prevailing arguments for and against? Ultimately, we can help. Just give us a call and we can help sort through the app confusion.