Phone Apps for Irish Businesses
Author: MikeKearney
Apps are coming!
Actually that's not right. Apps are here and they are here to stay but they need to be democratised. They are either not understood or misunderstood by the majority of businesses and even if you have seen the light and can find someone who will develop one for you, you will probably have to take out a small mortgage to afford it! In these times of banking paralysis, that's definitely a non-starter!
Not understood or misunderstood? How do ya mean like?
I'm looking at this from a business perspective. Up until recently, most apps have been gimmicks and games aimed at the younger consumer. So the phenomena has largely been ignored by business's large and small, especially small. But, it's like this. Ten years ago or so, most businesses didn't have websites. Hard to imagine now isn't it? I was around then and it's true. Go back another five year and most people didn't have mobile phones. I was around then too! What I'm saying is this; in the not too distant future, all businesses will have their own App and not just for the iPhone either - cross platform Apps will emerge as standard to dovetail with Google's Android and whatever else comes along. It's all happening whether its understood, misunderstood, wanted or unwanted.
Just like websites and mobile phones, very soon, every businesses will find it hard to remember a time when they didn't have an App to inform their customers, assist their customers, sell to their customers, direct their customers, save their customers time, save their customers money, make their customers laugh and basically engage with them every which way.
Some would have us believe that Apps will go away. No they won't. The arguments I have seen are usually based around one negative misconception, as follows. If you build an App and put it in Apples App Store no one will find it and buy it 'cos there are 180,000 (at this time - April 2010). Fair enough, but three things spring to mind. Firstly, if you promote your App to your desired audience, through traditional channels such as your web site, by email, PR and advertising, maybe people will actually find it! Secondly, it won't be all about Apple and the App Store. Theirs is a relatively small slice of the overall phone market and the others are already catching up. Thirdly and most important, most people will not be trying to develop the "killer App" or even an App that they want to sell. The majority of businesses will simply want a showcase App or something that helps people find them or their products or imparts some useful information. Ahh, I hear you say, then surely they can just use their mobile browser and go the that businesses website! Well, sure they could but if we know one thing, it is that consumers will seek and follow the path of least resistance to get what they want, be that products, services, information or fun. And, hot on their heels will be the go-ahead businesses who want to make that happen for them. Apps are useful, easy and fun to use and lot's of people are buying the iPhone just because of Apps. You snooze you lose!
Maybe people don't need to understand anything. If we use my web example as a rule, most people haven't a clue what makes a site work or how the www even exists, it's all a bit like trying to figure out how the galaxy was made! We don't need to understand the how and why of it. Just know that it's there and coming to a consumer near you soon. You just need to accept that fact, engage and stay ahead of or in the game.
In this vision of the not too this future, the fairy cake maker, the carpenter, the solicitor, the estate agent, the children's entertainer and all points in between will all have an App but one more event needs to happen to light the touchpaper on the App revolution in Ireland. You've guessed it. Prices need to drop. Good old Ireland!
We (appIreland.com) saved a business over €29,000 (you read it right) on a €30,000 (yes, it's still right) budget on an App they were having developed. They were being ripped off. You don't have to be. Sorry for the plug, but talk to us!
What's that smell? It wouldn't be touchpaper burning would it!!
Mike Kearney is founder of www.appIreland.com
Quality Apps at low prices.
Actually that's not right. Apps are here and they are here to stay but they need to be democratised. They are either not understood or misunderstood by the majority of businesses and even if you have seen the light and can find someone who will develop one for you, you will probably have to take out a small mortgage to afford it! In these times of banking paralysis, that's definitely a non-starter!
Not understood or misunderstood? How do ya mean like?
I'm looking at this from a business perspective. Up until recently, most apps have been gimmicks and games aimed at the younger consumer. So the phenomena has largely been ignored by business's large and small, especially small. But, it's like this. Ten years ago or so, most businesses didn't have websites. Hard to imagine now isn't it? I was around then and it's true. Go back another five year and most people didn't have mobile phones. I was around then too! What I'm saying is this; in the not too distant future, all businesses will have their own App and not just for the iPhone either - cross platform Apps will emerge as standard to dovetail with Google's Android and whatever else comes along. It's all happening whether its understood, misunderstood, wanted or unwanted.
Just like websites and mobile phones, very soon, every businesses will find it hard to remember a time when they didn't have an App to inform their customers, assist their customers, sell to their customers, direct their customers, save their customers time, save their customers money, make their customers laugh and basically engage with them every which way.
Some would have us believe that Apps will go away. No they won't. The arguments I have seen are usually based around one negative misconception, as follows. If you build an App and put it in Apples App Store no one will find it and buy it 'cos there are 180,000 (at this time - April 2010). Fair enough, but three things spring to mind. Firstly, if you promote your App to your desired audience, through traditional channels such as your web site, by email, PR and advertising, maybe people will actually find it! Secondly, it won't be all about Apple and the App Store. Theirs is a relatively small slice of the overall phone market and the others are already catching up. Thirdly and most important, most people will not be trying to develop the "killer App" or even an App that they want to sell. The majority of businesses will simply want a showcase App or something that helps people find them or their products or imparts some useful information. Ahh, I hear you say, then surely they can just use their mobile browser and go the that businesses website! Well, sure they could but if we know one thing, it is that consumers will seek and follow the path of least resistance to get what they want, be that products, services, information or fun. And, hot on their heels will be the go-ahead businesses who want to make that happen for them. Apps are useful, easy and fun to use and lot's of people are buying the iPhone just because of Apps. You snooze you lose!
Maybe people don't need to understand anything. If we use my web example as a rule, most people haven't a clue what makes a site work or how the www even exists, it's all a bit like trying to figure out how the galaxy was made! We don't need to understand the how and why of it. Just know that it's there and coming to a consumer near you soon. You just need to accept that fact, engage and stay ahead of or in the game.
In this vision of the not too this future, the fairy cake maker, the carpenter, the solicitor, the estate agent, the children's entertainer and all points in between will all have an App but one more event needs to happen to light the touchpaper on the App revolution in Ireland. You've guessed it. Prices need to drop. Good old Ireland!
We (appIreland.com) saved a business over €29,000 (you read it right) on a €30,000 (yes, it's still right) budget on an App they were having developed. They were being ripped off. You don't have to be. Sorry for the plug, but talk to us!
What's that smell? It wouldn't be touchpaper burning would it!!
Mike Kearney is founder of www.appIreland.com
Quality Apps at low prices.
Article Source: http://www.a1articles.com/article_1512679_15.html