Applications for business: types and development plan. How to start your own online game development business

What Apps Do Successful Leaders Use? We looked into the smartphones and laptops of 20 businessmen and made a list of the most popular services that help to work and live.

It's hard to imagine everyday life without apps that help you work efficiently and achieve your goals. Planning flights, booking hotels, calling a taxi, as well as chatting in instant messengers and arranging important appointments on the calendar - all these and other useful mobile programs have become indispensable attributes of today's highly effective people.

Slack

The service positions itself as a "killer for Skype and intracorporate e-mail." In test mode, the service began to work in 2013, and then fully entered the market and found its regular users.

Price: Is free

“The first convenient messenger for intra-team communication. A breath of fresh air after suffering with Skype. There is integration with a sea of various services used by the team on a daily basis, for example, with Jira, with Bamboo, ”- Mikhail Vaysman Trinity Digital.

"Our corporate chat, which we use in the team, and it also has a very convenient and not heavy mobile application, unlike its competitors, such as Skype," Sergey Suchkov, CEO of Radario.

Price: Is free

“The best cloud notepad. All text things are exclusively in it. Synchronized and available everywhere”, - Dmitry Zorkin, CEO Shower agency.

“I write down thoughts and ideas, I work with them, I keep notes. It is convenient that the application is synchronized with the Apple Watch. Maxim Desytykh

Price: Is free

“The tool is ideal for small teams, but I also use it for personal tasks. The essence of the service is the movement of tasks across the board, roughly speaking, from the “need to be done” column to the “done” column. I use this service for different teams (different boards for marketing, project management, project teams). The number of people in the group is from two to eight. We assign responsible persons for each task, from one to three people (it is already difficult to follow further). If the task is complex, then you can break it down into smaller ones using a checklist. At the same time, the simplicity of the service does not cause rejection of employees (which is precisely the problem with most teamwork tools)”, - Sergey Tokmakov, expert of the Kontur.Retail project of the SKB Kontur company.

Convenient to-do list in your pocket. Helps you remember your ideas, tasks and meetings. Allows you to share lists, collaborate on a project, or plan a vacation.

Price: Is free

“For planning and setting tasks for my team, I use the Wunderlist task manager - it has a fairly simple but convenient interface. In it, you can track tasks that have been disbanded by departments, and comment on the process of their implementation, receiving notifications by mail, ”- Sergey Suchkov, CEO of Radario.

“The discovery of the year for me was the Wunderlist app, which is available on all platforms, including MacOS, iOS, Android, and even works as a Chrome extension. This is a very simple task scheduler that divides them into groups, the ability to connect other people to tasks, and also create recurring tasks, for example, for every day or week, ”- Denis Beklarov, founder of mobile magazines JORNL and Business Fun.

asana

Another task scheduler suitable for maintaining the efficiency of both remote and traditional offices. Clear functionality, clear progress tracking.

Price: Is free

“We use a whole range of collaboration tools in the company, Asana is one of them. Saves time and promotes productive work, - Maxim Desytykh, creative director of mobile solutions for business Redmadrobot.

Skype

A popular messenger for corporate communication. It can slow down and freeze, but copes with its task. Conference calls, a quick discussion of ideas in a group or an ordinary chat with colleagues - all in one application.

Price: is free

“I use the Skype application to communicate with manufacturers and customers, which saves on roaming and generally reduces communication costs,” - Mikhail Pesterev, CEO of CityNature.ru.

A convenient posting scheduler for several social network profiles at once, such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare. You can download it for free, but the use will require some investments.

Price: have paid content

“The Hootsuites app helps me keep track of feedback. With its help, in real time, I view reviews on Facebook, Twitter and Vkontakte about working with our company. The only minor disadvantage of the application is that the plugin for the Vkontakte social network is paid, - Mikhail Pesterev, CEO of CityNature.ru.

mediametrics

Today, the smartphone has become a universal weapon that helps in the daily routine to do all the things. It is especially indispensable for businessmen. Therefore, we decided to put together this topper - the best mobile applications for business.

TOP 11 mobile applications for business

So, business people, your must have selection.

1. Financial managers.

Zen money;
Money Wiz 2;
Financisto;
Xero.

No one will dispute the relevance of financial work and personal accounting. Especially in a difficult economic situation in the country. The level of financial literacy is considered a trend, a necessity and “advancement”.

The Zen-money application has gained great popularity, and we will get to know it better.

To ensure a comfortable and high-quality life, you need to earn and spend finances wisely. This applies not only to personal life, but also to working financial issues.

Service Zen money will assist:

in the formation of accounting for revenue and expenditure;
help you create a budget
will conduct debt obligations;
automates banking operations, electronic money transfers.

Agree, when the financial component is in full view - you can quickly analyze past spending for the rational use of money in the future.

The program is able to interact with bank transactions, webmoney transfers, etc. Simply put, any money transfer or banking operation will automatically appear in your Zen-money financial report.

The service can be used both online from a desktop computer and by downloading the application for iOS and Android. It is convenient that access to the account can be obtained everywhere.

Capabilities:

budget planning for a complete picture of the relationship between income and expenditure;
accounting of all finances within one system;
selection of profitable offers for deposits;
work via smartphone;
confidentiality - anonymous registration without mandatory verification and presentation of documents, data packets are transmitted using the HTTPS protocol, which protects against Internet scammers.

At the momentZenmoney.comthe most convenient financial accounting service. Of course, there are a huge number of similar programs, but not everyone has the functionality and level of comfort in use that Zen-money offers. Although, if you are a fan of the classics, you can use the good old excel and fill out tables instead of making money.

Another important pointZenmoney.comoffers a very interesting implementation of the formation of a common, for example, family, budget. Other users who do not manage the overall budget have access to some accounts, but with limited editing options. However, they can easily use their accounts without restrictions.

2. Messengers.

After a survey in Russia, one of the most popular messengers was named. They became WhatsApp. The application was installed by 71% of people in Moscow alone, and 59% of users in the whole of Russia.

3. Email clients.

bluemail;
myMail;
Gmail Mail;
Yandex Mail.

gmail is an email client from the world famous Google, which has gained popularity thanks to its services and programs, including a search engine and YouTube hosting.

The advent of Gmail blew up the Internet back in 2004, and a decade later, the resource was already firmly at the top of the popularity list with an audience of 420 million users.

By the way, did you know that it is Gmail that owns the development of convenience in browsing messages - chaining all letters from one user into a chain ?!

Gmail has also begun to implement protection using the HTTPS protocol, making correspondence safe and secure. Well, if you really secure your data, then use an additional level of protection in the form of a two-step authorization with SMS confirmation.

The resource is also famous for its generosity - a large amount of space on its cloud storage.

It is impossible not to pay tribute to the filtering of spam messages. It is Gmail that has the best spam cutter in the entire web. Garbage will not clutter up your inbox.

Among the advantages it is worth noting:

stable operation of the server;
conducting chat correspondence without the use of third-party programs;
forwarding messages from other mailboxes and servers;
maximum functionality;
relationship with other Google products.

4. Cloud storage.

Dropbox;
Yandex.Disk;
Google Drive.

Without a doubt - Google Drive again ahead of the rest. And he took care of competitive advantages, and users never cease to please.

Google Drive was chosen as a cloud storage due to its advantages over competitors:

stable operation on multiple platforms without loss of speed;
15 GB free storage space with the possibility of expansion at a very affordable price

If you conduct an experiment and upload two 85MB files to Google Drive and a competitive server, for example, Dropbox, at the same time, after 20 seconds. a download report will come to Google and only after 1 min. 30 sec. from Dropbox.

Google has taken care of all smartphone owners, almost everyone, Windows, Android and iOS support the application.

Among the notable features of Google Drive, one can single out the ability to create both file folders and presentation forms, pictures, tables through the web interface.
For the convenience of users, an additional widget is provided with the function of quickly calling “favorites”, taking photos and working with documents. Able to change the cache size within 25-125MB.

What will you get by installing Google Drive as a business application?

safety of use;
encryption;
the ability to share and collaborate;
reliability;
administration functions;
support 24/7;
simple and intuitive interface;
integrated search;
everything to work in a team;
collaborative editing in real time;
change messages;
the ability to use all Google services for more productive work results;
effective business tools;
videoconferencing.

Google's goal has been achieved - the release of its own unique product that can be useful for each of the users.

Work when and where it is convenient for you - working materials are always within reach.

5. Task manager / notepad.

TickTick:To do ;
Todoist;
Trello
Evernote;
OneNote;
Google Keep.

Evernote- a unique product that is designed to create, store, place notes with their possible synchronization to each device.

Notes must be accessed using a web browser.

Storing information in this application is very convenient due to the numerous functions in the form of organizing, storing, later using.

Within the resource, the user is offered 60MB of free space where files can be stored.What types of notes can you create?

A simple textual informational manuscript to which you can attach photos, screenshots, audio recordings and even copies of web pages

Evernote provides two scenarios for using it:

Create shopping lists, daily plans, weekly goals, yearly goals, or simply lists of literature that you would like to read.
You can create an electronic library: take a photo, add quotes, notes, notes, etc. to it.
Work with the Evernote Web Clipper plugin. Did something interesting catch your eye? Use the plugin, save the material, its fragment or link.
Share interesting things with friends and acquaintances.

Evernote has another very useful feature - the ability to send a note, file or photo to social networks.

6. Guide / maps.

redigo;
MAPS.ME;
City Maps 2 Go;
Google maps.

MAPS.ME Pro - cards that can work offline. after downloading the installation files

The appearance of the application is fully consistent with the spirit of modern cartography.

Maps are absolutely balanced - the developers made sure that the application did not have anything superfluous, including unnecessary functionality

In terms of fast loading, stable operation and no lags, the application is worthy of praise. The presence of an effective search through POI - a couple of seconds and the map gives the necessary information.

It is possible to save the places needed by the user.

Navigation is rather conditional, which the developer warns about. The application aims to provide the user with the ability to uninterruptedly use the maps, regardless of whether there is a network connection or not.

MAPS.ME Pro will be able to share your location.

The quality level of the cards corresponds to a clear detail, and there is no charge for additional cards.

Special thanks to the developers, from time to time they continue to update the application and add more new and requested features. The program is rightfully a faithful companion on the road.

The application is available both in a free version with a reduction in several functions, and in a paid version. However, all the main features of the program are available in both versions.

MAPS.ME Pro download is also available in App Store and Google Play.

7. Text editor /PDF/Excel.

Office Suite Pro + PDF;
WPS Office;
Microsoft Office Mobile;
Documents To Go.

WPS Office performs the following tasks:

the application combined "Presentation", editing and tables;
development is focused on smartphones and Android OS;
compatible with all MS products;
reads almost any file, including PDF, XLS, PPT, DOC, etc.;
WPS Office will open documents saved in popular cloud storages;
synchronization of documents from a PC via file roaming and Kingsoft Cloud;
the ability to send documents over the DLNA network, Wi-Fi;
sending documents via email and text message;
safe work is provided with autosave and encrypted documentation;
keyboard compatibility (USB, Bluetooth);
wireless printing;
language support - more than 45 languages.

The WPS Office program provides its users with maximum functionality with the implementation of full support for the formatting and spelling service and many other functions familiar to us from the familiar MS Office.

When creating tables, presentations, documentation - the program works perfectly. There is a function for creating notes in the form of a file (txt), where you can add tablets, geometric shapes and pictures.

Functions to use in any file other than a text note:

drawings and inscriptions above the text, on top of it;
file encryption by setting a password;
export to PDF format;
saving documents in the cloud or on a gadget;
free use of the rich functionality of the program.

8. Readers.

Moon Reader;
FBReader;
coolreader;
Nomad Reader.

FBReader is available for download on iPhone, Android and other platforms.

The reader deals with all popular formats, including lesser known ones.

The online library combines catalogs that are free and those that require payment. You can download and purchase books directly from FBReader.The application allows you to customize the color, font, paging methods and other settings that can make reading comfortable and enjoyable.

FBReader is a cross-platform reader that is supported by many systems. The only downside is that the app is not available on iOs. However, the developers assured users that they are already working on this flaw and soon "apple" users will also be able to enjoy the convenience of this program.

The main difference of the program is the absence of useless function buttons. The reader's gaze is directed only to the pages of the book.

What FBReader can do:

works quickly, without freezes and bugs;
Comprehensive system parameter setting is available;
book synchronization;
automatic hyphenation;
quick view of external dictionaries;
support for most dictionaries;
equipped with the ability to work on both YotaPhone screens;
books can be downloaded and purchased online.

9. Clean and protect your phone.

CM Security;
Avast;
AVG;
AVIRA;
ESET;
Kaspersky Lab.

CM Security is a free antivirus program with a low weight and excellent functionality.

The program is built on a dual engine, where one is local, the other belongs to the cloud. The application is also equipped with additional functionality: a set of security features, call and SMS blocking, Internet protection.

The developers have provided the application with technology for multi-level protection, which will guarantee the absolute safety of the gadget here and now. CM Security was able to gain its popularity due to the speed of work. As the developers assure, scanning will take no more than 4-6 seconds. By the way, CM Security is a “blood relative” of another equally well-known Cleanmaster utility. Both programs are developed by the same team.

Unique features of CM Security antivirus:

AppLock is a technology that provides basic security functions (blocking data, applications and protection against unauthorized purchases);
search for acquaintances in the CM Security network;
protection of the gadget from loss and theft;
determining the location of the phone;
remote activation of the siren;
remote blocking of the device;
Android system scan and other types of checks;
and other functions where you should pay attention to cleaning up unnecessary garbage, blocking the subscriber, protection while surfing the Internet.

CM Security is a truly unique product that is a worthy counterbalance to heavy programs. The application does its job perfectly on any gadget. In addition, CM Security has full support for the Russian language.

10. Timekillers.

2dots;
duet;
Catch Balls;
stack.

Pair dot duet in Duet for Android, iOS.

Let go of your mind and give in to your instincts - that's what the popular timekiller Duet demands.

A rhythm-arcade-type game in which you have to manage a pair of balls of different colors. The task of the player is to avoid the collision of two balls by all means. The rules of the game state that in order to win, the player will need the ability to keep his calm and nerves, avoiding everything.

The game has crazy dynamism, short 20-second levels and a lot of illogical traps. A strong advantage of the game is in its musical sound.

Atmospheric-exciting music by Tim Shiel.

11. Scanners.

ABBYY Text Grabber + Translator;
CamScanner;
Scanner Pro by Readdle;
turboscan.

ABBYY FineReader is a mobile application that everyone has heard of at least once. The utility is designed to perform scanning/recognition/recognition of printed material. For many years, ABBYY FineReader has confidently held the leading position in its segment.

The developers have made sure that the use of the utility is simple, logical and efficient.

Laid access to 45-60 languages, plus the ability to immediately edit the scanned text and transfer the result to other programs. If the text is in a foreign language, you can use a machine translator, but with a decent level of quality.

Scanning will greatly depend on the quality of the gadget that is shooting.

The program itself is quite simple and understandable, but reliable and stable. The functions laid down by the developers perform perfectly, but what else do you need from a mobile scanner?

Business applications for successful and business people is a selection that will help simplify the workflow, save energy for something new and profitable, or provide assistance.

Here are collected mobile applications for business that have earned the trust and attention of users, have become popular. However, the selection is not absolute truth. What works for one person will harm another. I'm sure each of you will be able to add a few more, no less interesting, options.

We test and share our impressions.

Do you have something to add on the topic of the article, feel free!

In 2017, small businesses with their own mobile app remain unique. He is actively exploring the mobile sphere, but is still at the beginning of his journey. This is stated in, which covers 355 enterprises. Entrepreneurs answered questions about the goals of creating mobile applications, the resources spent and development plans. We have translated, adapted and published the study for you. The information will be of interest to owners of small and medium businesses, as well as mobile developers.

Reading time - 7 minutes.

Small businesses have come to realize that mobile apps are a business tool.

42% of small businesses have created a mobile app. We expect this number to increase to 67% by the end of 2017.
The main reason for building a small business app in 2016 is to improve the customer experience.
Approximately half (49%) of small businesses have committed in-house resources to support mobile app development.

Number of enterprises with their own mobile applications.
Demographic factors: the age of the leader and the size of the company.
Resources used to build applications.
Recommendations.

Number of enterprises with their own mobile applications

At the time of the study, 42% of small businesses have already created a mobile application. 67% of small businesses plan to develop a mobile app by the end of 2017. More than 50% of enterprises expect profit growth by the end of the year.

Number of small businesses with their own mobile apps

This indicates an increase in the interest of small businesses in mobile applications compared to last year. Our 2016 survey found that 54% of small businesses had no intention of developing their own mobile app. In 2017, only 35% of enterprises abandoned plans to create a mobile application.

Why do small businesses need their own apps? Goals.

Small businesses are developing mobile apps to take their business to the next level.

Our data and surveys of industry experts have shown that there are two main reasons why businesses create native mobile apps:

Return on investment (ROI) by improving the quality of customer service.
Convenient features of mobile applications.

Mobile tools as a tool to improve the quality of customer service

A year ago, small business owners said that “sales growth” (39%) and “service improvement” (30%) are the main reasons for developing a mobile application. In 2017, their motivation is shifting in favor of improving the quality of service (36%), ahead of "sales growth" (34%).

Goals of creating mobile applications

Goals of creating mobile applications by year

The shift occurred due to the increase in the number of small businesses in the mobile application market. Competition is growing and fuels the desire of business owners to create a useful mobile product for users, orienting them towards the quality of service.

Increasing profits with mobile applications. Peculiarities.

Small businesses prefer mobile apps to be profitable. The two most requested features for these mobile apps are social integration and mobile payments.

Most requested features in small business mobile apps

Most requested features in small business mobile apps by year

The influence of demographic factors on the creation of a mobile application

The efforts of business owners who plan to develop a mobile app are focused on improving the business, but the likelihood of developing an app depends on demographic factors, including the size of the company and the age of the owner.

Company size

85% of small businesses with less than 10 employees do not have their own mobile app. Half of the enterprises with more than 10 employees have mobile applications.

Owner's age

Small businesses with owners under the age of 45 are twice as likely to develop their own mobile app (52%) than those with owners over 45 (26%).

Resources for developing mobile applications. Expert opinion.

Another factor that matters for creating a mobile application is the company's internal resources allocated for development. Most small businesses combine internal and external resources when developing mobile applications.

Insiders have made several arguments that a combination of internal and external resources works best.

Employees of the enterprise (internal resources) know customers better and understand what business problem needs to be solved.
The external team has more experience in the design and development of mobile applications, knowledge of new technologies and trends.

Every owner dreams of creating his own application for mobile gadgets, even if he does not talk about it.

Just imagine, people can, after a couple of taps on the screen, place an order with you or consult with the operator.

And how much is the image component in the words “We have our own mobile application for business”. It's all very cool. Just not as easy as it seems.

For those who are just starting a business and do not plan to build their entire business on one mobile application, this article will be useless now.

Since it is necessary to start a mobile application for those who already have a stable sales stream, with which you will strengthen the application.

fashion or necessity

50% of people come to our (this) blog from mobile applications. Moreover, their share is growing every day.

And this once again indicates that "mobilization" is advancing at a frantic pace. Therefore, many sites create, however, which we did with our blog.

But even if mobile devices absorb all traffic, this does not mean that everyone needs to create their own mobile application for business.

Therefore, you need to be clearly aware that not everyone needs your application, and perhaps even in the future it will not be necessary.

To understand the need for business applications, you need to determine for yourself and understand how much it will increase the company's profits.

After all, there are two main goals pursued by the creation of mobile applications:

Sales growth
Service enhancement

Moreover, the most interesting thing is that according to the latest analytics, the second point prevails over the first.

And this once again confirms that companies come to the creation of their service only after they have reached stable sales, and not vice versa.

This is if you define global goals, if you divide them into sub-goals or separate tasks, then you can form more interesting conclusions that will help you understand why you need your application. I will give some examples from the world and our clients.

Detachment from competitors

Each of us wants to find the “blue ocean”, to find our own. Perhaps it is the mobile application that will help you do this.

For example, the global company Uber (taxi) abandoned the classic operators and created an application where people can order a car in a few clicks.

Moreover, in the course of the order, they see where which car is located and after how much they will have.

You can do the same. Only you must clearly weigh all the pros and cons in advance.

As you may have noticed above, taxis have a fairly massive market. Therefore, if your target audience is rather limited, you should think again.

Although you do not have to consider the application as the only channel for interactions with you. You can make it optional, to tune out from competitors.

WE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN 29,000 people.
TURN ON

Selecting and ordering a product

An elementary task for which mobile applications for business are created.

We can especially notice the implementation of such a task in clothing stores. Through them, it is more convenient for people to choose and order goods.

We can see an application with the same task at bulletin boards, for example, Avito.

One of our clients also decided to create an application for this task, only by changing the concept.

Namely, it produces photo wallpapers and sells them through dealers (retail stores).

And since not all photo wallpapers are available from dealers, he bought tablets for each store, where he downloaded an application where the client can choose current sketches right on the spot and place an order through the dealer.

Loyalty program

It is rare when a company creates an application for itself with the task of increasing customer loyalty.

Most often, these are ready-made applications to which you connect for an additional fee. But if you are one of those who like to keep everything under their control, then this is your choice.

For example, we implemented a mobile application for a coffee shop chain, where visitors could track their accumulated points and make a table reservation.

But for one tracking of points and ordering tables of the whole application, there is a lot, so additional functionality was introduced, which, through push-up notifications, notified the client about new promotions.

This is another task for which you can make an application - to distribute new promotions and offers.

Moreover, at the coffee shop, we did it smartly, namely, when a person was within a certain radius from our establishment, he received an alert with a promotion valid for an hour. Here is such an interesting example for small businesses.

Work organization

When selling a franchise, another client of ours realized that for the organized work of all franchisees, he needs a common system where they can manage their orders and regulate all technical issues.

Thus, he created an application that every employee of the company installed on his phone.

In this application, each employee sees his own panel and performs all work actions in it.

For example, he accepted an order or fixed a marriage. Firstly, it is convenient, secondly, it creates a common eco-system for all franchises, and thirdly, this approach increased profits by reducing time costs.

Ancillary service

I love such long and strategic actions. You create a service that is not directly related to increasing profits

Your company, but who helps customers in solving their problems. The principle of operation is this, for example, you create a service for modeling the design of apartments. That is, you give the client to create the design of his apartment himself. Dot?

Not! Comma. During the process, users will understand that the design is not so easy to make and what thoughts will come to their mind?

Contact the design studio. More precisely, contact the design studio that created this wonderful application.

Just do not forget to make capture forms so that the client understands that you are not only a founder-creator-ideological inspirer-a good person, but also a designer.

Build, don't break

Building a house is a tedious process (I think so), but developing an application is an exciting act.

True, one cannot do here with creativity, it is necessary to provide for many technical issues. Therefore, now we will decompose all the actions that include the development of mobile applications for business into stages and determine the cost of creation.

Step 1. Determine the platform

In developer circles, it's common to ask: "Native or cross-platform application?".

You need to decide whether you will make an application for all platforms or just one. Now there are three popular platforms in the world: iOS (+apple watch), Android and Windows.

The agony of choice is very exhausting. The most popular iOS platform. BUT! You don't need the most popular one, you need the one your customers use.

Most likely it's either iOS or Android. To understand this, go to and see from which platform customers come to you most often.

Average time : 1/2 day

Step 2. Functionality

I intentionally skipped step 0, where we have to select an application task, since we discussed it earlier.

And until you find the answer to this question, you can skip step two. If you don't know what you're doing, then you don't know what you're doing.

You need to decide on the functionality, at least the main one, and preferably with everything.

If you had no experience in development before, then focus on analogues, including foreign ones.

If there are no analogues, then God bless ... Schedule a brainstorming day and think. Not an hour, not a time, but a day. You can't think of everything quickly.

How much to think...

Average time : 1-2 days

Step 3 Prototype

A prototype is your future mobile application in a schematic design (not in a design).

I like to call it the heart of the project. Because prototyping is one of the most complex and intellectual jobs. Therefore, run from those companies that offer to create it for free.

In our article, we described the process of developing a prototype.

The sequence is very close. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you study this material. A prototype is needed for both the designer and the programmer. Explanations in words will not work.

I will summarize all the requirements for two thoughts. First. You need to create a prototype where the consumer, through a minimum of actions, will get to the required page or complete the desired.

Second main idea. Nothing extra, just what is needed. Otherwise, the client will replace your application with another one due to “nerves”.

Smart phrase. Building an app that works is easy. And to make an application that will perform its task is difficult.

Average time : 1 week

Step 4. Design

In the article about you and I, we decided that design does not affect sales.

Most importantly, it should be comfortable and enjoyable. Let's stop on the word - convenient. I'll give you a few tips on how to achieve perfection in this.

We use large elements. Management is done with fingers, namely it is not so easy to get into small objects + not everyone has good eyesight.
Distance between objects. If there are active objects close to each other, you may encounter accidental pressing of other buttons.
Simplicity. You do not need a large number of elements and details. We do everything in the most discreet colors. Advice is not mandatory, but necessary for many.

I know dozens of apps with amazing design and zero popularity. And I also know dozens of applications with a terrible design and wildly popular.

Important. Design is important, but convenience and utility are more important.

I want to highlight the application icon as a separate item, it should be easy to find among other icons.

It should stand out and encourage you to click on it. With 5-10 icons, this is not so important, but people install more and more applications every day, which means it is important for us to be head and shoulders above everyone else.

Average time: 1 week

Step 5. Programming + fixing bugs

The process is shrouded in darkness for most of the inhabitants. Because if people still know the HTML code on which websites are written, then the code on which Swift / Java / XML applications are written is heard by entrepreneurs for the first time.

This imposes an additional amount on development, since there are much fewer such specialists. And I'm not talking about good specialists.

The task of the programmer is to put the design on the code. In ordinary life, this is comparable to placing a tent on rails, after which it only takes shape.

This process is not fast. It is logical that the more complex the design and functionality, the more difficult the process and the longer the time.

An integral part after development is checking for bugs (problems). Without them, nowhere.

The human factor in this work takes place. Moreover, it is necessary to check not only the technical component, but also the visual display on different devices.

Average time: 2 weeks

Step 6. Publishing the application

Placing your creation in the apple, android and windows markets is not free. This case costs from $25 to $300.

The cost depends on the platform and on the person hosting the application (legal or natural).

But this is not the most difficult thing, you need to sign the application with a digital certificate and correctly fill out the application in special sections.

On Applestore it's "iPhone Developer Program", on Android it's "Google Play Console".

When publishing, you will need to add your icon, which we developed at the design stage, you will also need to add a description and a few screenshots, and preferably a video with screenshots.

This information needs to be prepared “tastiest”, since it is on it that they will decide whether to download or not.

You can opt out of hosting on these platforms, but then you will encounter a lot of problems when transferring applications to your customers.

Up to the impossibility of installation on your devices. Therefore, it is better to consider this a mandatory measure by default.

On a note. On Google Play, app moderation takes about 2 weeks, android moderators are more loyal. But in the App Store, moderation takes about 1 month, but it is very difficult to pass it.

Average time: 2 weeks

Step 7. Marketing

Many entrepreneurs believe that the main thing is to create an application, and then everything will be fine.

But this is the same as opening a business and hoping that customers will come to you. Just creating is not enough, you still need to attract subscribers.

This is where marketing and all its tools come into play. The most obvious way is to translate your site visitors with the words “10% discount when ordering through the app”.

This trick is used by almost all companies that have a visited site.

Otherwise, you need to use classical methods that are no different from those that you use to attract customers to your company. Our blog and our articles will help you. Start with these.

You will learn:

What mobile applications will be useful for your company's customers.
Where to order the development of a mobile application for your business.
How to promote a mobile application for business.
How to develop business through internal mobile applications.

Does an ordinary entrepreneur who has no idea about mobile marketing need applications for business? Today, a significant number of people (more than one third) in the post-Soviet space are active users of modern digital gadgets: tablets, smartphones. In the West and in Asian countries, there are even more such people, and the mobile application market is developing at a tremendous pace.

All mobile applications used for business can be divided into two groups:

Programs that meet the internal needs of the company.
Applications that solve business problems: increase in sales, increasing loyalty, marketing goals, branding.

The most common are internal applications, for example, for business automation (restaurant and hotel business, shopping centers) or optimization and efficiency of collective activities:

applications that allow you to share work documents;
programs for internal communication: instant messengers, trackers;
mobile versions of corporate social networks;

The most common mobile applications for clients

Mobile loyalty program. Such applications are increasingly being used as a replacement for loyalty cards.
Applications in addition to the company's online services: mobile showcases, online catalogs, shops; applications for buying tickets; online banking; goods delivery status trackers.

The usual schemes that work on websites and in traditional online stores, unfortunately, are not applicable in the mobile sphere. This is the main obstacle to the active use of applications for marketing, branding and sales promotion.

It is unlikely that a client will download a program with a company's business card to his phone when all this is easy and accessible in a mobile browser. This seriously complicates the work of many enterprises wishing to develop in the IT field.

When is the right time to think about developing a mobile application for your business

Of course, not every company necessarily needs mobile applications for business. However, in some niche markets, smartphone programs will be very useful in terms of increasing customer loyalty to increase sales. These are areas such as:

tourism (search for hotels, resorts, booking tickets, interactive maps);
medicine (online appointment with a doctor, a list of services and prices, calling a doctor at home);
automotive business (rental, car wash, dealer networks);
catering establishments: restaurants, cafes, etc. (promotions, menus, delivery orders);
beauty industry (recording to specialists, interactive price list, information about services);
delivery services and shops (product catalogs, ordering, price list);
services sector;
fitness (class schedule, prices, online recording, reviews);
leisure (maps, online ticket applications, rooms, tables, etc.).

Before ordering the development of a mobile business application, you should calculate whether it will bring the benefits you expect. After all, such a program can either help the development of your business, or not bring any results.

If you are sure that a mobile application will increase sales, then you should carefully approach the search for a performer. Answer the questions:

What exactly do you want to develop an application for?
Will your business customers be interested in it, will they use the application? For example, mobile applications are unlikely to work if the majority of consumers are pensioners.
Can you recoup the costs?

It is not enough just to develop a mobile application for business. Its promotion plays an equally important role.

In other words, you will need to actively grab the attention of customers. To do this, you need to plan costs.

It's not just the design and functionality of your app that matters. The quality of the product and the service provided must also be at the same level. Pay attention to advertising, do not let customers forget about the product, improve the application regularly.

It's no secret that many users are often annoyed by regular updates, because they complicate the work with the program. You should conduct a thorough analysis of whether your product needs the development of a business application.

5 Cool Apps for Executive Creativity

Read an overview of five cool creative apps that any manager will need in the CEO e-zine article.

Development of a mobile application as a tool for business development: advantages

Sales increase

Any business is created with the aim of making a profit, and marketing tools also serve this purpose.

Mobile applications for business are aimed at increasing the company's sales by attracting and retaining the target audience. Built-in features such as a loyalty program or push notifications help motivate customers to buy your products or services. In addition, they can notify about discounts and promotions.

Leaving the house, a person tries not to forget about the keys, phone and wallet. Thus, the business is inside the phones of customers and remains in their pockets. The contact of the company with customers is due to the fact that they use the mobile application. The scale is amazing. Never before in the history of mankind has advertising been so accessible.

Detachment from competitors

Many companies use a variety of means to advertise their business: flyers, radio spots, SMS mailing lists, Internet sites, social networks. If we look in the App Store and Google Play, then most likely we will find no more than ten business applications in one city or an entire region. Competition in this area is almost zero.

Let's say a resident of Voronezh wants to arrange pizza delivery to his home from his phone. Google helps him find a mobile app that is automatically downloaded to his smartphone. Through a computer, this does not happen as quickly (due to higher competition) as through a program in a phone. The Yandex company announced its readiness to set up advertising packages in Yandex. Direct" for mobile applications.

Business promotion using smartphone programs can occur not only through various marketing activities on the Internet.

To expand the number of its consumers, the company can give special bonuses for the fact that the client uses the application. Few people use such a tool, and people have a very good attitude towards bonuses and discounts, everyone loves them. Mobile devices today are available to the vast majority of the population. With the help of the application, promotions are launched, which helps to compete with other enterprises and increase the loyalty of the target audience.

For example, a company, in order to attract attention, gives a lifetime discount of 10% on its products or services to someone who installs a mobile application. Another bonus can be a free cup of coffee in a cafe in exchange for a demonstration of an application downloaded to a mobile device. In this case, all parties are satisfied: in a cafe, the buyer is likely to order something in addition to his coffee, which will bring profit. In addition, the consumer will be grateful for the gift, and the company will have one more loyal customer.

Loyalty

How to win the sympathy and trust of customers? The secret is simple: be useful and indispensable to your customers. Loyalty programs can help develop various bonuses and gifts - customers, as a rule, love this very much. This will boost sales and encourage repeat sales. So, for example, a variety of promotions such as “Every fifth cup of coffee is free”, “Every 10th dinner is a gift” can be held in a cafe. This will make a person visit your establishment again and again in order to get the coveted bonus. The program in the smartphone will record visits, and the cafe will increase the number of loyal customers.

Another advantage of the mobile application for business: you no longer need to fill your wallet with numerous customer cards. The desired program is in your phone, which is always with you.

Building customer trust through push notifications

Phased development of mobile applications for business

Stage 1. Business analysis of the target market. This stage is designed so that the customer can understand for himself and determine why he needs an application for business, for what purpose he will use a mobile tool for communicating with his customers. Even before creating a TOR for the program executor, the customer should reflect on some important questions:

What is your main goal in developing and launching a mobile application for business?
Do you plan to make sales using your business application?
What exactly does your target audience look like? Who can join its ranks?
Is there competition in the field in which you want to work with the application, and how serious is it?
Are your customers already using any apps? Your competitors' clients? Are there apps that both use? Will customers be ready to move from their programming to analogue?
How much money do you need to spend to create and promote your business application?

Stage 2. Development of an agreed solution. An important step at the initial stage is the preparation of technical specifications. If the customer does not have a ready-made TOR, then the contractor can provide him with a brief for filling out and further work on this document. The next step is prototyping and user profiling to evaluate the finished product. After the TOR has been prepared, the tasks have been agreed with the designer, and the profitability assessment has been carried out, you can proceed to the actual process of developing a business application.

Stage 3. Preliminary assessment of the development cost. At this stage, an assessment is made of how long the work on the application will take, which specialists should be contacted.

The final price will not necessarily coincide with the preliminary calculations. Ultimately, the cost of the application may turn out to be either more or less than what was expected. The terms of reference can help determine the amount for developing a business application most accurately.

After all the preliminary steps, the process of creating a program is taken under control by a responsible specialist who monitors the progress of work and answers all questions.

Stage 4. Prototype design. To demonstrate how the program works, you need a prototype, or, in other words, an application model. It can be static or interactive: with active buttons and navigation options. This is the job of an analyst. His task is to think over the logic of the program and the role of the user in it (user story). Marketing department will help to make adjustments to the idea in accordance with the characteristics of the target audience and the tasks that will be solved using the mobile application.

At the end of his work, the analyst discusses the models with the customer, corrects some points and passes the baton to the designer. The tasks of the latter include choosing the style and design for the application.

Stage 5. Development of the first release of the product. In accordance with the terms of reference, the developers release a pilot project of a mobile application for business. If it's complex, then it's best to create an MVP first - a minimum viable version of the program that will allow you to understand how customers will react to your product. The analyst will help you figure out the necessary set of functions for the application. If necessary, you can create a control server and an API service for transferring data between the server and the program.

Stage 6. Testing. Testing a business application is a necessary step in the process of creating a quality product. It can be performed on simulators and on real devices. The main goal of this stage is to make sure that the operation of the application with the hardware and software platform will correspond to the planned model.

Stage 7. Publication. A new application is published, as a rule, in the personal account of the customer of the Google Play Market and App Store services. To create an account in the Google Play Market, you need to make a registration fee of $25. In the AppStore it will cost $99 and it will take 2 weeks to confirm the registration. In addition, the App Store fee is annual.

Stage 8. Technical support. At the request of the customer, additional services can be provided: application technical support, release of new versions for updated mobile operating systems, marketing and advertising services. In addition, you can place applications in the App Store or Google Play on customer accounts. All this is done for a fee.

How the mobile application accelerated the work of employees and the company

Where is the best place to order the development of a business application

There are different options for where you can go if you want to order the development of a business application. It can be a company that specializes in such services, or an individual freelancer, or you can develop a program yourself. What to choose is up to you. All of these options have both advantages and disadvantages.

Finding a freelancer for such work is no more difficult than finding a specialist to create a landing page. It is important that he be able to program on the platform code. By working with a freelancer, you can significantly save your costs (from 20 to 40%). But at the same time, there is a high probability that there will be problems when fulfilling an order: freelancers do not always strictly comply with the deadlines and requirements for work.

The profile company will cope with the order perfectly, however, it will cost a lot. Refinement of any element or making the slightest changes will also be paid. And without them in this activity can not do. As a result, for a lot of money you will receive high-quality services.

You should expect about $10,000 (at the most rough estimate) to develop a full-fledged business application. The customer pays:

work of specialists on the technical task. It is important for both parties to understand what exactly the application will be created for;
the appearance of the product;
programming and creating a working model of the application;
product testing. Work to correct possible errors.

The final cost of the project will be determined by the scale of those issues that must be resolved when using the program.

In addition to all the above options, there is the possibility developing a business application using the constructor. This method is more suitable for simple programs with a small set of functions.

Flipcat.net (Russian).
Mobiumapps.com (Russian).
Russia.ibuildapp.com (Russian.
Brightmobile.ru (Russian).
Goodbarber.com (English).
Appmakr.com (English).
Kickappbuilder.com (English).

All these services are paid: English ones are more complicated and more expensive, Russian ones are easier and cheaper. Each site has a free trial option, so you can experiment to determine which of these resources is right for you.

What to consider when developing applications for business

The cost of services for creating a mobile application for business is much higher than for developing a web application or website. And, as a rule, sites pay off better than mobile programs.
Mobile applications for business are investments with an eye on the future. It may seem that such programs do not play a decisive role in terms of competition today. But keep in mind that the mobile device market is developing very quickly and it is important to keep up with it in order not to lose leadership positions.
Statistics show that on average, there are approximately 26 mobile applications for each mobile device today, 10 of which are social networks, instant messengers, weather and mail services. The remaining places are for your programs or competitors as games and other services. As you understand, business card applications remain without a chance.
The mobile phone today is the personal space of the user. In the same way that people don't want to fill their pockets with junk and useless materials, they don't want to load their phone's memory with information ballast. Therefore, develop a quality and useful product in order to win the trust of your customers.

Based on the results of these points, we can build a logical chain: Customers love free apps → Programs provided free of charge will pay off through advertising → You can invest in the creation, development and promotion of useful and free branded applications for business that will not contain third-party advertising.

For example, a drinking water supply company can order a calculator to determine the water balance in the human body or a fitness program. If you're in the business of selling children's products, you might consider creating a product with useful information for parents or educational games for children.

If we talk about the quality indicators of the application for business, then these are the following points:

no failures;
number of daily and monthly audience;
retention.

The last point can be attributed to the most important, since it shows how many customers are ready to use the application on a regular basis. It is not easy to achieve a high level of this index. As a rule, about one third (26%) of people are not interested in the application and remove it from their mobile device. Even if half of the users continue to work with the program, this will be considered a good result.

How to promote a mobile app for business

Method 1. Market Demand Optimization.

Optimization refers to the exclusive name of the application and the presence of keywords in its description. In addition, the number of downloads and a place in the customer rating are important to get into the top. Remember to keep your business app up to date: outdated versions are removed from both search and catalogs.

integrate advertising into popular programs;
break down the target audience into categories by interests, choosing the most famous and popular applications;
put your banners on them.

Google AdWords will help you with these tasks.

Method 3: Content marketing. Tell the world about yourself. Find out which resources your customers spend the most time on and place your guest posts there with information about the pros and features of your application. For this you need:

upload video,
create audio podcasts,
shoot videos for special purposes,
be active on social media.

Try to use content marketing thoughtfully and comprehensively, using the various opportunities that it has: guest posts, SMM, video marketing, etc.

Method 4. Working with opinion leaders. Influencers can be great helpers in promoting your product. Any audience has a few people whose point of view and value judgments are listened to by the majority. In this case, it is important for you to achieve a high rating of your application from opinion leaders, and then, naturally, thanks to their stories and impressions, many others will learn about your product very quickly.

Method 5. Promo site. The official representation on the network (whether it is an independent promo site or a separate page within the main resource of the company) will be of great help in promoting your mobile application for business. The effectiveness will be affected by the type of program: a start-up or an information element of a large company.

Thanks to the promo site, you will have new opportunities to promote the mobile application. For example:

visualization of application features;
creating instructions for using mobile programs;
contextual advertising; targeting in social networks;
WOW effect.

Today there is no shortage of ways to promote mobile applications for business, it is very important to use them wisely.

How to grow a business through internal mobile applications: 3 successful examples

Example 1. Retail.

Vkusvill chain grocery stores developed a mobile database and 1C:Enterprise and implemented it into an automated system. The pilot version of the program was created within 2.5 months, exactly the same amount was spent on finishing the working version.

The application is used in stores in order to send reports. For example, in a situation of some kind of malfunction, an employee of a retail outlet takes a photograph of the breakdown and sends it to the main office.

Thanks to the presence of the image, any explanation becomes redundant. The program also allows you to control product quality, returns, write-offs, etc. With the help of a mobile application scanner installed at the goods receiving warehouse, information is sent directly to the database.

The owner of the network claims that thanks to the use of this product, millions of rubles are saved per month. We also managed to save on the development of the program due to the fact that it was created on the basis of 1C. In another specialized company, the application would cost much more.

Example 2. Production.

The AtomEnergoMash Technologies plant installed an iOS-based application and 1C: Production Enterprise Management, which is used by about 100 people working in the workshops. The company produces, among other products, components for nuclear reactors. These are huge products, resembling a very large truck in their dimensions. The manufacturing process is fully automated, but for security reasons, workers cannot use computers directly in the shops. The solution was a mobile application for business. It is able to find components by barcode, scan, open access to technological cards. Using this program, employees receive tasks and report on their implementation.

Example 3. Wholesale trade.

The company selling medical equipment "CS Medica Povolzhye" uses in its work a mobile application based on "1C: Trade Management 8" and "1C: Enterprise Accounting 8". In particular, this program is actively used by sales representatives of several divisions of the company. The application performs various functions: reserving products in the warehouse, receiving and registering orders, filling out advance reports. The introduction of the software product allowed sales representatives to conduct 20% more meetings with clients.

Another example of a successful implementation of a mobile application for the internal work of a business

Alexey Svetishchev, Head of Information Technology Directorate, Velobike, Moscow

The work of our company is aimed at ensuring that bicycles and empty seats are always available at the stations. More bikes - more customers, more stations and free places on them - more satisfied consumers who do not need to wind extra kilometers in search of a station with a free place.

In order to solve our main tasks, we had to carry out work to improve the logistics of bicycles and identify the optimal ratio of the number of bicycles and free places at the stations. We managed to cope with this with the help of forwarding drivers. They have been using the mobile application for business since 2016, which saves time and improves the quality of the park. I will share with you more information about our application and the features of its functioning.

Each driver is assigned a specific city sector. His tasks include driving around the bike stations within this zone, inspecting and evaluating the bikes visually, putting them in order, washing off dirt or inscriptions. Send those bikes that are damaged to be repaired. The driver can also move bikes from one station to another as needed. Each of the listed operations must be reflected in the driver's report.

Before installing the application based on 1C:Enterprise 8, we used an Excel spreadsheet and an accounting program. But the previous reporting methods did not suit us, primarily because they could not cope with large amounts of information. An Android-based mobile application was installed on special data collection terminals, which are very similar to a smartphone in terms of size and functionality. The device is equipped with a barcode reader and a built-in navigator function. The cost of one such terminal is about 35,000 rubles.

Before starting his duties, the driver receives a terminal from the dispatcher, enters the application and logs in. Being at the station, he chooses in the program the operation to be performed.

If this is a standard operation like "bring the bike in order", then the driver simply selects it among those listed in the application. For extraordinary tasks (for example, “getting a drowned bike”, “finding a bike abandoned in the city”, etc.) there is a special section “outside the station”.

For example, a driver works with the "move" operation: he picks up a bike from one station and transports it to another. After selecting a task in the application, he scans the barcodes of the bikes that he will move. Already on arrival at the desired station, he marks the operation "set" and again reflects the barcodes of bicycles by scanning. In this way, information about the location of specific bicycles is stored in the database.

Database updates occur every five minutes. This process runs flawlessly, quickly and conveniently.

Absolutely every bike, station and car is equipped with barcodes. We needed them for the operation of previous terminals - analogs of the current ones. We used them only in the warehouse to account for incoming or outgoing bicycles.

The impact of the application on the quality of the business was reflected in the following results.

1. The speed of decision-making has increased. Information from the terminals is transferred to the database used by the dispatcher. In addition, there are two maps showing the number of all bicycles and the location of the drivers. Until recently, information was received twice a day, now everything is

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