As technology cruises along at record speeds, brands are realizing the need to integrate mobile apps into their business plan. Often this means relying on external experts to develop something that is very much reliant on internal processes, details outside techs may not be able to translate properly to consumers. Businesses are missing the mark when it comes to truly engaging their customers through mobile apps. Is it time for these companies to think outside the branded app box?
Perhaps. Some big brands are seeing the benefit in pairing with other commonly used apps to get more exposure and offer customers convenience. United Airlines combined with Apple Passbook to allow passengers the option to export boarding passes, look up flight information, and even purchase tickets through other third party apps like Orbitz. This is a smart move considering users often only use branded apps for very specific purposes. By pairing with more commonly used apps, brands can bypass other companies by offering convenience that others don’t. Users would much rather access a single app than download a multitude of branded apps for a one or two time use.
By offering consumers the ability to access your brand, products, and services through a third party app you can likely increase your sales and conversion rates greatly when it comes to mobile transactions. We are already seeing the beginning stages of consultation across a plethora of industries (think options such as Apple Pay or Google Wallet for banking or Boxed for shopping). It may be time for your brand to reevaluate your mobile app options.
Read the full article here: http://fortune.com/2015/06/24/branded-mobile-apps-fall-short/
