Why Businesses Need Apps to Succeed in 2024

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There’s virtually an app for anything these days. 

Now, businesses are joining the party as we enter 2024. But is it worth it, though? Are there benefits to having an app, or is it just another trend that’ll fade in a few years?

Find out in this article why businesses need apps to succeed in 2024.  

Wider Audience Reach

Mobile users worldwide are projected to reach 7.41 billion by 2024. In 2022, that customer pool, which consists of people of all ages and demographics, accounted for 142.6 billion apps and game downloads, and the figure is poised to increase in the coming years. 

So, why do businesses need apps in 2024? 

They need apps because many of their customers are on the internet and love using applications. Businesses that want to access those customers must provide an avenue to reach them, and apps create that link. 

Whether for food delivery, e-commerce purchases, or the best sporting apps, millions of potential customers surf the Apple App Store and Google Play Store daily for apps that solve several of their problems. By having their apps, businesses can put themselves in front of this audience to grow their customer base. 

For example, Florida has a large population of sports fans and bettors who are always on the lookout for reliable betting apps. In recent years, online betting has become increasingly popular, and with this rise, the need for reliable betting apps has become more important than ever before (source: https://bestsportsbettingflorida.com/betting-apps/). Similarly, in a bustling tech hub like San Francisco, there’s a high demand for innovative transportation apps. With its dense urban environment and tech-savvy population, apps that offer unique transportation solutions, like electric scooter rentals or car-sharing services, are highly sought after. These apps not only provide convenience to residents and visitors navigating the city but also present a sustainable alternative to traditional transportation methods. The success of companies like Uber and Lyft in San Francisco underscores the potential for new and existing businesses to tap into this market through user-friendly and efficient apps.

Easier Operations

Unlike internet browsers, which are used to access diverse web addresses, apps are dedicated to specific purposes. So, when a business launches its app, it’s like creating a specific digital shop or business place. When a customer logs on to that app, the business has its full attention, making many things straightforward. 

Picture it this way: 

Customers can get into a business’s store with one click and access their desired products or services without hassle. Furthermore, they can integrate with credit card networks in a few clicks and easily make payments. And when they’re displeased with a product or service, they can express their displeasure via live chat options as though they were venting to a friend. 

Apps also help businesses coordinate their internal operations effectively. The customer service agent who received a customer complaint a few seconds ago can easily forward it to the IT person, who’ll check with finance before moving forward. And in no time, they’ve gone full circle to inform the customer that their issue has been resolved. 

Seamless Communication

Sure, apps make sending and receiving feedback easy for businesses and customers. But they also offer more communication benefits. 

For one, businesses can avoid the highly competitive email channel by sending marketing offers via the app. Most business apps leverage push notifications to establish a direct communication line between the brand and its customers. This way, businesses can inform customers about anything from new product launches and special offers to recommendations and query updates. 

The best part is that there is no time restriction. This communication line is always open since applications are available 24/7, so long as there’s an active internet connection. So, the marketing team can leverage this availability in scheduling certain promotional messages for periods with higher conversion chances. For instance, top betting apps might send customers juicy odds hours before the game.  And it goes both ways. Customers can also reach out at any time, knowing someone is at the other end of the line. 

Improved Customer Experience

Now, what customer wouldn’t want all that? 

Apps allow businesses to improve the customers’ overall experience with the business. When the customer unconsciously uses a business’s apps, the business can gather invaluable data about their preferences and needs. This insight gives the business a better understanding of its customers, ultimately helping it shape its offerings for an improved customer experience. 

The business can deliver greater customer satisfaction by making its operations and interactions with the business seamless and productive through streamlined processes and prompt communications. 

In addition, an improved customer experience leads to greater brand engagement. And, you know what they say, “A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.” 

Personalization

Personalization is necessary for business success in today’s competitive digital business climate. It sells the idea that you know the customers, care about them, and, more importantly, have what they need. 

Every touchpoint with the customer must communicate this idea to get their attention amidst many options. Reports show that 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. 

And how can businesses deliver personalized interactions when they don’t have enough information about the customer?

That’s where apps play a vital role. They allow businesses to collect enough data about the customer. This data can help customize offers and interactions related to other customer needs. 

Brand Image and loyalty

There’s just something about a business’s app that communicates trust, professionalism, and credibility. Customers imagine the cost of maintaining a social presence on the app stores, the associated social proofs, and the better user experience, and they subconsciously conclude the business can be trusted.  

This doesn’t apply to existing customers alone; new customers who keep seeing that brand color and identity know that such a business is a tested and trusted solution provider in a certain niche.  And on the flip side, a business with no app gets the opposite perception. 

Communicating this level of trust by offering personalized interactions, seamless communications, and easier operations turns new customers into returning ones. Businesses need apps to build their brand image and foster customer loyalty. 

Profit

When they can do all the above, profit-making becomes inevitably recurrent. 

All those factors come together to make customers happy. Happy customers are always willing to give businesses their money and attention because they’re certain of results. 

Conclusion

In 2024, merely having an app won’t be the reason for a business’s success. Instead, what the app does for the customers will help the business succeed. 

When used correctly, apps will help businesses tap into a wider audience to build a larger customer base. They’ll also make the processes for achieving that easy and effective. And for the customers, apps will facilitate smooth communications that’ll help businesses personalize their interactions for an excellent customer experience.