According to a survey conducted by Endurance, 71% of small businesses believe that having an app would positively impact their business, but 78% of them still don’t have one. Today we will investigate the reasons for this discrepancy.
There’s no denying the power of a mobile solution for your customers. Both you and your customers are busy, and we’ve transitioned from doing everything in store, to online, to on our smartphones. This global study reports that consumers view apps as productivity tools and 85% prefer mobile applications to websites.
Naturally, there are obstacles to overcome when developing a mobile presence. Here are three common reasons why small businesses do not develop a mobile app.
Price
For something that may be free to download, a mobile application can cost a lot of money to develop. With the significant number of applications on the market, it is important to develop a high-quality solution that caters to the needs of your consumers. This can become very expensive, which for many, just isn’t possible. It is important to note that any solution should not be released quickly or lack the necessary features as poor quality may lead to frustrated customers. 79% of consumers say they will give an application a second chance and only 16% will give it more than two attempts. It’s important to figure out a balance between cost and quality that works for you and your target market.
Time
Scoping, planning, developing, and implementing a mobile application for your business requires many complex stages and requires a significant time investment. Chances are, most small businesses don’t have the skills or time to pursue these activities. Fortunately, there are talented teams to help them through the process, but finding the right one is crucial. In addition, testing and development can take over six months on it’s own. Even after it is created, your job isn’t done yet – it’s important to constantly make improvements and updates to optimize user experience.
Promotion
Now that you finally have your mobile solution live in the app stores, how do you get consumers to use it over your competitors? Despite the amazing features you offer, marketing is an essential part of the it’s success. From social media to customer referrals, there are many ways to effectively get it noticed for free or with a low budget. For starters, you can read our blog on how to promote your mobile app.
The bottom line is, mobile development requires a significant investment of both time and money. Here at Gata Labs, we believe in the importance of supporting local businesses. When you partner with Gata Labs, we work with you to find a cost-effective solution that overcomes these barriers and fits your needs. If you’d like some advice on creating a mobile solution for your business, feel free to Contact Us.