A Guide to Developing the Right Business App

Developing the right app for your business can seem daunting. There can be a lot of technical knowledge required, and even if you have all this, how can you be sure that your app will cover everything you need it to.

This article is going to take you through the steps you need to take in order to develop the right app for your business’s needs.

Considerations Before You Start Developing

Before beginning your app development journey, it is important to make sure you consider a few different factors that will impact how your app is developed, and what features it needs to be the right fit for your business.

Business Issues:

This is one of the most important considerations to make when beginning your app development journey. A good business app will solve your business’s key issues, making day to day life easier within your business.

Budget

When considering building an app in your business it is important to make sure that you go into your project with a budget in mind. Apps can be extremely costly, so ensuring you have a budget makes sure your app remains profitable.

App development costs can vary greatly depending on what features your business app requires. An Australian study shows that developing costs can range anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000. Some of the factors that impact the cost of developing an app for your business include:

The Type of App: For example, marketplaces, artificial intelligence, and security-heavy apps will cost more than simple web applications that link directly to a website.
Features: The complexity and number of features you want your app to have can alter your app’s price. Having a high number of complex features will mean developers have to spend longer working on your project, ultimately increasing your costs.
Platforms Supported: Building an app that is available on both iOS and Android takes more work from developers, increasing your costs.

Developing an app for your business is not the cheapest investment you can make, but it has been proven to drastically improve business operations and customer relationships.

Due to the cost of developing a new app, it’s important that you work with a developer who is experienced and has your best interests at heart. This developer will also understand the constraints of your budget. Often times if you find the wrong developer there can be hidden costs, but a good app developer will be upfront about all costs to you.

Training

Once your new app has finished development it is important to make sure that all your employees are proficient in using it. Rolling out a new app to your staff could take some time, so it is important to make sure time is spent on teaching them how to maximise their use of the app. Some ways to make sure your staff gets the most out of your investment is to take on board some of the following steps:

Make training a priority.
Set clear and realistic deadlines and rollout methods.
Use training incentives for employees to use the new software.
Pick the right format for training.

Generally speaking, once your employees are trained on the new software, your business will see an increase in productivity. Apps streamline and communicate data for you, meaning your business’s day-to-day activities are actioned on faster.

Before starting your development journey, it is important to ask yourself if you, as a business, will have the time and capabilities to roll out the new software?

Deciding on What Type of App Your Business Needs

There are many different kinds of business apps. Some are developed for customers to use, while others are created to streamline internal business tasks. These apps are used by employees, and often include features like data entry, timesheeting capabilities, accounting systems, inventory, and POS to name a few. Going into your development journey you probably already have an idea of whether you want your app to be for customer access, or for employee access. This gives you a good starting point to reach out to developers. However, deciding on the features you want your app to have will help a developer give you an accurate quote.

Customer Centred App Features

Registration.
Advanced Search capabilities.
Personalised Customer Experience.
Voice Assistant.
Multiple Payment Methods.
Product/Service Reviews.
Order Management and Returns.
Push Notifications.
Wishlist.
Augmented Reality.
Detailed Product Information.

Employee Centred App Features

Collaborative Features.
Relevant Business Analytics.
Learning and Training Features.
Timesheets.
Unique Login Access.
Data Entry.
Accounting Systems.
Location Services.
Clock-in/Clock-out Capabilities.

Once you have an idea of what kind of app and features you want to be developed then you are in a good position to look for a developer.

Finding the Right App Developer

Now that you have a clear idea of your app and its features it is time to start finding the right app developer for you. Spending time researching and understanding the developer options you have will help you in the long run. By spending quality time researching, you ensure you do not get stuck with a dodgy developer.

Here are some important steps and considerations you should make when trying to find the right developer for you:

Find Out Their Location: Sometimes the distance between you and a developer can impact your project. If your project is extremely time-sensitive it may be best to find a developer in your area. Working over different time zones can lead to delayed communication.
Make a Shortlist of Options: Making a shortlist helps you decide what your best options are. From here you can research each developer deeper.
Perform a Background Check: Check to see what previous clients of theirs have said in testimonies. Going through their portfolio can also help you decide if they are the right choice for you.
Get in Contact with Them: You have checked your developers backgrounds and now it’s time to reach out to them. During this time, it is good to ask about their teams and what the development timeline will look like.

If you are looking for an Australian app development country, The Mobile Apps Man is here for all your development purposes. Consider beginning your development journey with us today.

Conclusions

In order to select the right app developer for your project, you need to make sure you have a budget outlined, have time to train staff, have somewhat of an idea of what kind of app you want, and understand the features of your business app needs to be successful, and make sure you do your research to find a great developer.

The app development journey can seem daunting, but the right app developer will make your experience great!