In the late 90s, something happened that revolutionized the world we live in. The arrival of mobile phone applications transported us into a world with endless possibilities and even now, it is rather difficult to believe the word “app” was unrecognizable only a few decades ago. These days individuals, businesses and organizations cannot do without making use of mobile apps on a daily basis. If you have not incorporated mobile applications into your SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise), then you have next to no chance of moving ahead of others in the business game.

Running a small or medium-sized business in today’s economy is hard enough without the pressure of competitors breathing down your neck. You have to be versatile, smart and very efficient to be on top of the food chain. Unknown to many, mobile apps afford business owners a chance to be all these things and more.

Let’s discuss ways in which mobile phone applications can take your SME to heights unreachable to even the most solid competitors:

“Lazy-Friendly” Business

Say what you will about how easy life has been since the introduction of technology; the fact remains that it has made the average human lazy. When it comes to the average attention span, needless to say, goldfishes may fair better than we do. Any top business mogul would agree that customers want instant satisfaction with little or no effort on their part. This is why it is important to show your customers that you can make life a lot easier for them.

There is no better way to do this than with a functional mobile app. While the use of company websites maintains some level of relevance, nothing beats flipping out a phone and tapping on an app to enjoy useful services. With mobile apps, your business is literally one tap away from customers.

Always In Sight, Always In Mind

If you know anything about human psychology you understand the power of visual stimulation and its influence on our decision making. Imagine having the logo of your enterprise pop into view every time a customer scrolls to their home screen.

With this simple feature, customers unconsciously develop a great deal of familiarity with your enterprise not to talk about the increase in the chances of them browsing through your app on impulse. Once you have your app in a lead’s phone, there is every chance that your business would come to mind once they are in need of products like yours. It gets better. Reception to your advertisements and marketing tools would be greatly amplified so long as the customer sees your application every day.

The Most Unbreakable Bond

Having your application installed on people’s phones is all you need to create a direct link between your enterprise and them. Good communication is priceless in marketing and there’s no better way to notify customers of new sales deals, provide them with marketing materials, and receive essential data.

It has already been established that mobile phone apps are super-effective marketing tools, however, this goes both ways as it can also serve as a platform for customers to reach you. Feedbacks, suggestions, complaints, and questions are just some of the factors that can improve the quality of products and services your business provides. Research has proven that 9 out of 10 customers prefer a business with a strong communication network to one without.

Take Out The Competition!

Just in case you are thinking the mobile app strategy may be too popular, you will be shocked to find out that as of 2017 only 20% of the world’s businesses owned their own apps. This figure is steadily increasing, hence, now would be a good time to invest in building one for your SME.

Presently, the number of enterprises with apps is still small enough so that they are perceived to be of greater quality by customers. That perception coupled with better accessibility and marketing ability is all you need to blow away your competitors.

Customer Loyalty Is A Possibility

Customer loyalty is arguably the scarcest commodity in the world of business. One minute they are happy and satisfied, the next they are gone; lost to some other seller. This is as a result of the great level of commercial noise out there. You can hardly walk two blocks without coming across adverts on billboards, newspapers, banners, flyers and the internet.

The creation of customer loyalty reward programs on your mobile app to provide customers with exclusive deals and special offers is sure to build a lasting bond between your SME and its customers. For even better results, embed survey features in the app to know which rewards are preferred and gather useful information on how best to improve your business.

Conclusion

So there you have it. Now you understand why mobile phone applications are a must-have if you want to dominate your field and grow your business into the gigantic enterprise you’ve always dreamed of. Sometimes it’s not just about having the best ideas, but about having the best tools.