No matter what kind of business you own — a small beach stall, a city grocery supermarket, or a large retail chain — you simply need customers to love your brand. Even with a first-class level of customer service and high demand for products, something may be missed. It is impossible to completely predict the reaction of customers and to satisfy their needs 100%. Feedback should be in non-stop mode.
COMPLIANCE WITH COMPETITIVE REQUESTS
No matter how trite it may sound, but all your competitors already have applications. And we are talking not only about large «sharks» of business but also about medium and small companies. Consumers prefer to purchase products in companies that are represented on the mobile Internet. The modern development of communications has reached such a level that customers happily combine offline purchases with simultaneous «online surfing» of the company’s website. Small businesses just need to focus on convenience for users, which will create a pool of loyal audiences and gradually attract new customers.
INTERACTIVE
The mobile application provides much greater opportunities for interactive communication with the client. For example, a large network of beauty shops Sephora in 2015 released the Beauty Board Feature application, which allows you to «try on» the make-up online. This application, based on reviews and recommendations, also allows you to select a list of customers with similar facial features and track which brand products they use. The famous brand Urban Outfitters, which produces clothing, created the Urban On application, which allows you to receive rewards directly during the shopping trip. Each store has access to a free Wi-Fi network and a unique QR code for each Urban On user, which is scanned at the time of purchase. By installing the application on your mobile device, the user receives a 10% discount, and scanning his code allows you to take part in a competition to draw gift cards worth 500$. This experience allows customers to get pleasant impressions from the buying process and gives the brand uniqueness and detuning from competitors.
LOYALTY
The coupon system is a huge motivation for customers to buy something, and applications allow you to have access to these coupons 24/7. Impact on customers occurs without interruption. Offering customers discounts on products when downloading an application, you place them on the brand, and they feel their benefit from exclusivity.
Freedom of choice always attracts consumers. And freedom in choosing products at competitive prices adds even more loyalty to brands in the eyes of customers. The Walmart brand, which is the world’s largest retail chain, provides its customers with the Savings Catcher app, which gives access to the most affordable prices. The bottom line is that the buyer with the help of this service requests the necessary goods and receives information about similar products of competitors. The consumer is provided with a list of points of sale where you can purchase a similar product at a better price.
These services give users a sense of their exclusivity and brand value. They will return to the brand again and again.
CONVENIENCE
Customizable search engines allow customers to find exactly what they are looking for, anywhere and anytime. The Home Depot, an American retailer that is the largest retailer of tools and building materials on the planet, makes shopping incredibly easy and fast. The application provides the buyer with information about exactly where in the store (on which shelf, stand) the necessary product is presented and whether it is available. Geo-targeting, in turn, filters information about the availability of goods, depending on the location of the consumer. The buyer can choose the nearest store to make purchases.
Another convenient opportunity to increase sales is to provide a list of recommended products for the user through the application based on consumer preferences. Exploring the activity of customers inside the application, their actions regarding purchases, you can create a detailed «portrait» of each client and offer the product that will interest him. And this is a direct way to further increase brand loyalty and increase sales.
RESUME
You can bring to the market a unique selling proposition, play an atypical scenario, add additional services that will somehow overlap with the specifics of your company’s activities. There is no framework in this case. The main thing is that the actions within the application meet the needs of users and increase brand loyalty, which in the future will inevitably lead to an increase in sales.
