What’s Your App’s Best Feature?

Just as if you were identifying your own personal best feature, or perhaps that of a loved one, sometimes it can be useful to make the same recognition in your mobile app. While doing so is not always a simple task, recognizing your app’s best feature will provide many great benefits to your mobile enterprise, including aiding your marketing team, as well as other aspects such as your PR and customer service departments. With that said, it goes without saying that a person’s best feature is usually different than that of a mobile market offering, however, you technically could have a personality trait and technological feature that are the same. More often though, your app’s best feature will be something like its GPS capabilities, or its privacy protection, while a person’s best feature will be their eyes, hair, or something along those lines.  In order to help you accurately identify exactly what your app’s best feature is, here are some simple suggestions on how to do so. 

Making A Distinction

When identifying your app’s best feature, the first step is generally to make a distinction between good features and bad features. Then, once you have a handful of your app’s good features, you will be able to more accurately pick out which is truly the best. This is also a helpful method for picking out the bad features of your mobile app that you can subsequently improve down the road. And who knows, then, one of those features that originally proved to be horrible might end up some day being the best. There are very few methods of identifying your app’s best feature that are more reliable than first making a distinction between its good and bad features. Once you do so, the rest is pretty much down hill from there. In other words, it is much easier to decide on your app’s best feature when picking from five good ones opposed to choosing from a mixture of a dozen both good and bad features. 

Getting Customer Feedback

Another extremely useful method of identifying your app’s best feature is by taking the word of your customers. After all, the people that use your app most often are much more likely to have an accurate opinion of what its best feature truly is. For such reason, you should undoubtedly use this to your advantage.  Listening to the mobile device users that download your app and use it on a frequent basis is not only a reliable method of figuring out which feature is best, you can use such an opportunity to gain additional feedback for your app in order to make improvements in the future. Also, you can compare which feature you think is best with which your loyal user base does. Making such a comparison provides valuable information to many aspects of your mobile enterprise that can be used to make future decisions pertaining to all of its apps. 

Conclusion

Whether it is listening to the most frequent users of your mobile app, or by first making a distinction between its good and bad features, it is important to take as many aspects into consideration when identifying your app’s best feature. In other words, if you can use both of the aforementioned methods of identifying your app’s best feature, it will only provide you with a more accurate method of doing so.

Drivers for Government Mobility

Any democratic government is elected by the people, consists of the people, and is intended to work for the people. Therefore, it is important that the government’s ways of working are aligned to that of its people. It should keep a close tab on the current circumstances, situations and trends that impact the lives of the junta that is governed by them, and evolve its policies and procedures to address the same. Therefore the mega trend of mobility cannot be ignored by the powers that be. It has to be considered in the decision making for the government technology. Thee are many drivers for mobility in government today.

 

1. Mobility Can Bridge The Digital Gap:

 

When the e-government initiative was first introduced, a lot of people thought that it would not be able to penetrate the low-income population and might fail. This notion has since then been proven wrong. There are people today who feel similarly unenthusiastically about the mobile initiative of the white house. However, the data says otherwise.

 

Smartphones are cheaper than laptops, and it makes them a good computing choice for people who cannot afford one. As per the Pew Internet & American Life Project report, 34 percent of adults in the US, with household income less than $30,000, own a smartphone. This is a 12 percent increase over the previous year numbers. There are at least 5 different state governments currently implementing a variety of mobile apps for use by the local residents.

 

2. Mobility Can Change Relationships Between Citizens And Government:

 

The features of the mobile devices offer many functionalities that are not available through the online portals. These include the geo – positioning system (GPS), the camera, and other sensors like the accelerometer and gyroscope. These features add context awareness to the communication, which is another thing unavailable to the web users.

 

Applying for benefits and services creates questions and requires documentation. Mobility can streamline this process. Governments can mobile-enable portals and use these value added features to help leapfrog personalization and improve convenience. Research reveals that this move from standardized to personalized service is a key shift for governments to more cost-effectively deliver public service outcomes that citizens want.

 

3. Mobility Can Make the Agencies More Proactive Than Reactive:

 

For the public services to be meaningful, they cannot be reactive. If you have to have a complaint or resident communication before you act, the service model is wrong. The governments services should be insight driven, and to drive insight, there needs to be an integration and collaboration of the systems across agencies. This collaboration can drive the required proactive behavior.

 

With the help of smartphones and tablets, the on – the – ground data collection becomes much easier. From Law enforcement to emergency response teams to public surveyors, all agencies find use for the mobile data collection systems, whether on the smart devices, or as an in – vehicle system. This data can be instantly uploaded on to the central servers where it is accessible by the analysts and other teams, who can act on the information.

 

4. Increased Productivity And Satisfaction:

 

According to a February 2012 CDW-G report on federal mobility, almost all the federal IT team members say that they have mobile devices deployed for their agencies. Another interesting fact is that nearly ninety percent of the employees who were actively using the smart devices for work related activities, felt that they made them more productive. According to them, the productivity was most obvious when they were travelling for work. Also, almost seven tenths of the employees believed that an increase in mobile adoption in the government agencies would improve the citizen related services.

 

It is clear, that mobility rings in productivity, proactivity, and employee satisfaction. We would all like to see our government become more mobile.

 

 

Why Mobile Applications Fail

When you consider the world of mobility, the application ecosystem is like the air that the inhabitants breathe in order to survive. If you remove mobile applications from the equation, the ‘smart’ devices will lose their brilliance, becoming overpriced feature phones at best. The application economy is what keeps the ‘smartness’ in, allowing these shiny rectangles to achieve far more than just call people. Even in the enterprise domain, the popularity of the mobile devices is because these pieces of code can do wonders in terms of automating and mobilizing so many workflows in the organization.

 

However, there are a lot of businesses, whose mobility journey does not bear the results that they thought they would, and this leads to heartburn, wasted effort and money, and most importantly, the derailing of business objectives. Why does this happen?  To get an answer to that question, we need to dig deeper, and see the impact of the failures, to analyze what expectations were missed.

 

Impact 1 – Business Disruption

 

The biggest impact of the unavailability or failure of technology is the impact on the business. There have been numerous reports of the workforce not being able to fulfill their job tasks because the mobile application did not work. This implies that actual business downtime occurred because of the reliance on mobile applications. It is also not surprising, that the impacted teams were not limited to the ones using the application. Other teams and functions in the value chain were also rendered unproductive.

 

Impact 2 – Missed Deadlines

 

Consequent to the downtime experienced, the deadlines of technology and business initiatives get impacted. When the stakeholders are unavailable to share data or to collaborate, or are busy completing missed tasks, the rest of the team is left unproductive, causing delays, and misses.

 

Impact 3 – Loss of Promised Agility

 

A lot of enterprises buy into the mobile dream because they want to be agile and efficient. The mobile application they so painstakingly build, or pay to have built, is supposed to drive faster innovation and collaboration amongst the operations teams. However, with the application not living up to the expectations, the results are typically much farther from the promise. The people in the field are left high and dry, while the operations managers have to resort to email to allocate work.

 

Impact 4  - Renouncement of Apps

 

Lastly, with the broken promises, failed projects, a frustrated workforce, and an embarrassed development team in its wake, the errant applications are abandoned, and the cost written off. This generally is followed by a period where the proponents of mobility in the organizations being unable to meet the gaze of colleagues.

 

Reasons For Failure:

 

Now that we understand the widespread impact of a failed mobile application, exploring the reason(s) for the failure is very important. The 2 most common reasons why most of the failed mobile application initiatives fall short are:

 

1. Lack of coherent strategy: The teams that own the project operate in a functional silo, and are not a part of the larger, enterprise wide strategy. Therefore, the vision of the project did not factor in the impact and integrations with other functions and processes.

 

2. Integration with backend systems: More often than not, enterprise applications require integration with a number of internal enterprise systems. These integrations need to be planned, designed, implemented, and most importantly, maintained well. A number of times, the integrations stop working when something changes on the internal system.

It has been said before, and it will be said again success of any project lies in planning more than it does in execution. So, in order to avoid failure, plan well, and include the stakeholders early.

What Is Your App’s Competitive Advantage?

A competitive advantage, for lack of a better explanation, is something that your company, or one of its products, offers that no other does. In the case of a mobile app, a competitive advantage is not unlike any other product bought or sold around the world. Mobile apps have competitive advantages just as do lawn mowers, cars, or even juice blenders. While these products offer tangible competitive advantages such as faster acceleration in a car, or more precision cutting on a lawn mower, a mobile app has more intangible advantages, such as easier interface navigation, or more enjoyable interaction. If you are unsure of what your mobile app’s competitive advantage is, there is always the chance that it simply does not have one. In such case, you should feverishly try to develop one, as your app will never become one of the top sellers in its market without at least one competitive advantage. To help you do so, here are some ideas to develop your app’s competitive advantage.

 

A Reduced Selling Price

 

One of the easiest competitive advantages to develop is that of a reduced selling price. If you can offer the exact same, or remarkably similar, features compared to another app in your market, but do so at a reduced price, then you will have very easily created a competitive advantage. It you realize that your app is without a competitive advantage and is already on the market, the easiest, and in most cases, best way to create such an advantage is by reducing its selling price. This way you do not have to change anything about your app, all you really have to do is plan its finances accordingly.

 

A New Feature

 

Offering a new feature that your competition is lacking is another useful method of creating a competitive advantage for your mobile app. If you can do so without your competitors copying it, then it will be even better. While you basically have zero control over this aspect of your competitive advantage, the fact that you originated the feature will constitute as enough of an advantage. For example, a new feature serving as a competitive advantage could end up being something related to your individual industry, or it could be a feature as generic as your app’s welcome screen. The point of creating a competitive advantage for your app is not meant to be something overly complex, it simply must be something that your app offers that no other does. While it will certainly help your cause if that “something” entices users to the point of choosing your app over all others, you can still create less impressive advantages that add up in the minds of users. This is ultimately how you develop a loyal base of customers.

 

Conclusion

 

While it may initially seem unusual to create a competitive advantage for your mobile app, however, in actuality, a mobile app is not unlike any other business. Businesses have competitive advantages, and so should your mobile app. Whether it is a reduced selling price while offering the same features as every other app in its market, or simply offering a new feature that no other has, your app will most certainly need a competitive advantage if it wishes to become a top seller. So, if your app currently does not have a competitive advantage, look to the aforementioned tips to find one quickly.

How To Create An App That Sells Itself

As fun as marketing a mobile app can be, creating one that sells itself is much more versatile. And while it may seem like pure luck to be able to create an app that essentially requires zero marketing efforts from your company, doing so can actually be fairly easy to achieve. To help you do so, here are some tips on how to create an app that sells itself.

 

Be Innovative

 

Often times it is the most innovative new apps that bring something enticing to the mobile market, and subsequently make it possible for them to be able to sell themselves. If you take a look at any innovative app that first introduced a function or concept to the mobile market, you will likely also notice that its founding company spent significantly less on its marketing budget compared to most similar apps. For instance, take the Sleep Cycle app. It is the first app to track user sleep patterns and quality by merely using the built-in technology from devices like the iPhone. This app is truly innovative, and consequently requires very little marketing efforts from its designer. Mainly, the app sells itself through word-of-mouth, which may seem like an unnecessary, and perhaps even unrealistic, expectation for an app to have, however, it is certainly something to strive for.

 

It's All In The Name

 

A major part of your mobile app selling itself is in its name. If it is has a boring, plain and unenthusiastic name, then not only will users have no idea what its purpose is, but they most certainly will not be enticed to buy it. For such reason, when naming your mobile app, you should most definitely aim to give it a name that reaches out to users. More specifically, you should give your app a name that makes mobile device users want to investigate its use, which will in turn further their consideration about downloading it. In this regard, the name you give to your mobile app does not necessary even have to make since initially, so long as you eventually explain what its significance is once a prospective user investigates.

 

Make An Awesome App

 

Without question, the most proactive thing you can do to offer an app that sells itself to the market is to create one that people want to use. While some apps remain mediocre but get by with their excellent marketing efforts or stellar sales team, more often than not, it is the apps that are well-crafted and extremely useful that sell themselves. If your goal is to offer such an app to the mobile market, then you should most certainly aim to create a well-designed mobile app.

 

Conclusion

 

Making an app that virtually sells itself sounds like an exceedingly unattainable feat. However, it most definitely is achievable if you work on creating a useful app that anyone with a mobile device will be practically begging to download. What’s more, if you can create such an app that is also innovative compared to the others in its category, then you will increase the app’s natural marketability that much more. Lastly, giving your app a name that is unmistakable in the industry, and subsequently provides an easily identifiable presence in its market, will surely increase its ability to sell itself. In this sense you may also consider creating a separate brand for your app.

Making Your App Unique

Mobile apps are seemingly as abundant as the number of mobile device users in the market. While this may or may not be true, the fact that there are so many of both makes it increasingly difficult to come up with unique apps that no one has ever thought of. Making sure that your mobile app is truly one-of-a-kind can be more difficult than it initially seems. Whether your app is for simple enjoyment, such as a game, or has a more complex nature such as an app geared specifically for the working professional in their daily tasks, you should regardless try to make it unique. While it may seem as though there is little you can do besides come up with a distinctively original idea, there are additional things you can do to make your mobile offering truly unique. To help you do so, here are a couple ideas to consider.

 

Examine Your Competition

 

By examining the competition, you will be able to tell what features that your app can improve upon, and which it should forget all together. Additionally, you will be able to decide how you can bring your own twist to apps that already exist. Subsequently, this will give you the opportunity to make a truly unique offering to the mobile market. Too often apps simply replicate other mobile offerings, and consequently flood the market with repeat apps that no body wants. Not only is this a recipe for disaster for your company, but even if your replicated app is somehow profitable, it still brings nothing new or valuable to the market. If you want to create and offer a truly unique mobile app, you must take every precaution to either improve upon another idea, or come up with an entirely original one of your own.

 

Offering An Entirely Original Idea

 

Perhaps the easiest way to produce a unique app is to come up with an entirely original idea. In terms of ease, coming up with the actual idea may not be the simplest process, but it is easy in terms of alternatively having to sift out duplicate ideas. Additionally, coming up with an original idea for an app is also the only method of guaranteeing that your app is not duplicated in anyway. What’s more, it promises that the only way there will be any other app like yours is if it comes after you made the initial market offering. Throughout the process of creating an app based on an entirely unique idea, you will have the opportunity to entice users along the way with teaser sneak peaks on social media, and perhaps even your website, if applicable. In this way, you will ensure that your idea is documented and the mobile industry knows that your idea was first, in case any other mobile enterprises copy it.

 

Conclusion

 

Offering a truly unique app to the market is very difficult, but assuming your app has a useful function, then you are practically guaranteed sales. Not only do mobile device users love new ideas, but even more, they love new ideas that they can use and that will subsequently benefit their lives. Hopefully the aforementioned process of offering an entirely new idea will lead you to attempt such a mobile offering for your company. Doing so will surely increase the revenue and profitability of your presence in the mobile market.

Leading Your Mobile Enterprise

It is estimated that there are now more mobile devices in the world than there are people. With such a statistic weighing on the minds of leaders of business, the time to capitalize on the popularity of mobile devices has come. As the leader of an enterprise, it falls on you to harness the potential of the mass amount of mobile devices and users in the world, and subsequently appeal your product to them. As an enterprise leader, you are required to wear many hats — it is your job to keep everyone happy, and make sure your app maintains a healthy reputation for your company. Most mobile enterprise executives are natural born leaders, but even the most proficient leader needs to brush up on his or her skills now and then. For those feeling a bit rusty with their leadership skills, here are a few tips to get back on track.

 

Be Charismatic

Being a "Charismatic" is a valuable title for a leader to hold. It is the ultimate sign that you are outgoing and personable with your enterprise. In some ways, natural charisma in your role as a leader is nearly impossible to acquire. In fact, many people believe that charisma is a trait that leaders are simply born with, and cannot learn. With that said, you can certainty make a conscious effort to be charismatic in your everyday actions as a leader of your enterprise. For instance, you can actively check-in with your customers and employees, giving them a personable and outgoing impression. Additionally, you can create a persona for yourself when in the public’s eye. While at industry functions and events you can become the most charismatic version of yourself, even if you aren’t like that in your personal life.

Do Not Micro Manage

Depending on the industry expert, you may find different advice about micro managing your enterprise and its mobile offerings. Some say micro managing as a leader is fine, and even effective, while others say it is ineffective and a waste. Ultimately, the decision is yours, and while there have been plenty of successful micro mangers, such as Apple founder, Steve Jobs, and Starbucks CEO, Howard Schulz, attending to duties that you have hired employees to take care of, can be an incredible waste of your valuable time.

Learn To Delegate

Fending off the urge to micro manage your mobile enterprise is the first step in learning how to delegate tasks to your subordinates. If you can accomplish that, you will automatically have become a more effective leader than many enterprise executives aiming to be successful leaders. Being able to tell subordinates what their job is and how to do it, is essential to your business' success. So, next time you are faced with designing the login interface of your company’s next wildly popular app, give the job to one of your trusted subordinates, but make sure they get you to sign off on it.

Conclusion

Whether you are leading a mobile enterprise with numerous successful mobile applications under its belt, or looking to merely develop a mobile app for your existing business enterprise, being an influential leader for your company is paramount to its success. By developing yourself into a more charismatic leader — learning to delegate tasks instead of micro managing — you will be able to optimize the efficiency of your operations and streamline productivity. While these steps certainly won’t be accomplished overnight, they are meant to be stepping-stones to becoming the leader your company needs.