Whether it's a fresh startup or a well defined company, whether it is tech-based or not, all successful business are taking their services to the mobile device market. From international companies like Uber and eBay, to local companies such as Takealot.com and SnapScan. They all share one thing in common, they provide their users with the ability to use their services through a mobile platform. This article is here to outline some reasons why this is the case and to what benefit is it for your company or fresh startup idea.
Availability
Today, almost every human on planet earth has access to a mobile device. Whether it be a cellphone, smartphone or tablet. Companies are providing people with access to such devices, for extremely competitive prices, allowing almost everybody to get their hands on a smart mobile device. Take a look at a local company like Zest Mobile, they released a Android based smart phone that is extremely well priced and available to all on the market.
In the end, transferring or opening up your services on the mobile market will in turn increase sales/productivity as it is something everyone has access to and carries with them everywhere they go.
Customisation
With world renowned platforms such as iOS and Android, just to name a few, a company is able to have a fully customised application developed for a vast amount of platforms. Allowing such an application to be accessible and usable on every mobile platform that is out there.
This ability to develop an application tailored to your industry needs, gives you great power. But again, with great power comes great responsibility. A responsibility of:
- Creating a user friendly and intuitive user interface.
- Creating a simple yet eligant user experience.
- Refining the application to allow easy updates and bug fixes.
- Providing a user friendly support forum.
- Seamless interfacing with existing platforms of your service.
These are just a few of the responisiblities a company, our its outsourced developers must take into conisderation when developing a mobile application that they want to be successful.
Global
Mobile platforms open international doors to your company. All the well known software platforms are not only used in South Africa. Therefore, your company is able to provide their services world wide if they wish.
Take a look at eBay for example. Their mobile platform, allows for their products to be purchased online through a mobile device almost anywhere in the world. Giving those without access to a computer, the ability to purchase goods directly without any hassle.
Safety & Security
Mobile platforms have really grown through the years. With powerful encryption tools, authentication methods and privacy tools, companies are starting to rely more on the mobile devices as a safer means of transfering data safely or performing high security tasks. An example, is how all major South African banks have turned to mobile applications to provide a safe and easy way to do online banking.
Companies, like SnapScan, are going a step further and are providing a completely online mobile payment system that can make use of any bank credit cards to make secure payments without the worry of card cloning, card theft etc.
Cost effective
Mobile applications allow the customer to receive or make use of your service for a very low cost. This makes it more appealing to your customer and in turn promotes your services or products.
Think of companies like Uber. Here in South Africa they have generated quite a hype. Providing a full web and mobile based ride booking platform means that they can eliminate costs of personnel for receiving booking enquiries/reservations, managing these enquiries/reservations and managing administrative tasks. In turn, Uber can then provide their customers with cheaper ride options since their costs become less.
Time Saving
One of the biggest benefits to offering your services/products on a mobile based platform, is that time is saved in a major way. There is no need for a customer to have access to a computer, no need for your staff to manually generate invoices, no extra time is wasted on administrative tasks that can be automated. All in all, each of these factors are among some of the reasons why having access to a mobile service/product allows you to shave off time.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, these are just some of the positive aspects for going mobile. It is still up to you, as a business, to decide if your market is heading this way. You need to always make sure you keep a fresh and updated approach towards your clientel. This helps you to always stay ahead of the game.
Viewing this article and some of the positive points being raised, doesn't mean that you can instantly develop or have a mobile application developed for your company. It takes proper planning, case studies, user interactions, innovative ideas and good design and development strategies to ensure that when you go mobile, you go at it the right way.
If you have any further queries regarding mobile development or would like to have a mobile application developed, please feel free to contact our information department. At Futre, we are able to design and develop mobile applications (Web based & Native) across multiple mobile platforms.