Running a Mobile App Dev Business – Creating a successful mobile app is a lot of work. In addition to coming up with a great idea, you also need to design and develop the app, create compelling content, and promote it so that it can reach your target audience. Once your app is finally live, you still need to continuously monitor its performance, provide app updates, and make sure it is meeting users’ needs.
It’s no wonder that many businesses choose to partner with an experienced mobile app development team to handle all of these tasks. While it takes a significant investment of both time and resources to create a successful mobile app, the rewards can be well worth it. A successful app can generate millions of dollars in revenue and help you build a loyal customer base.
But for those looking to gain a greater understanding of what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to not only building but marketing and maintaining a mobile app, this guide will provide all of the information you need.
The Hidden Costs of App Development
Running a Mobile App Dev Business – When most people think about the cost of developing an app, they focus on the initial price of hiring a developer. However, the hidden costs of app development can quickly add up, making app development a fairly costly business expense.
First, there are the ongoing costs of maintaining and updating the app. As new operating systems and devices are released, developers will need to update their business app to maintain device compatibility. In addition, security patches and other updates will also be required on a regular basis to protect both your business as well as your customer base.
Secondly, there are the costs associated with marketing and promoting the app. In order to reach a wider audience, developers will need to invest in advertising and PR campaigns. Alongside this, there are also the indirect ‘costs’ associated with app development, such as opportunity costs. By redirecting resources towards developing an app, businesses may be missing out on other opportunities for growth.
When all of these factors are taken into account, it is clear that the true cost of developing an app can be quite significant.
Now that we’ve outlined the financial aspects, let’s take a deeper dive into the essential business functions of running a mobile app.
Software Maintenance
Running a Mobile App Dev Business – Software maintenance is the process of ensuring that a software application remains operational and effective over time. This includes tasks such as updating software to keep up with changes in technology, fixing bugs and security vulnerabilities, and adding new features to meet the changing needs of users.
Whilst this may not be the most glamorous task, software maintenance is essential for keeping a business app running smoothly. Neglecting maintenance can lead to problems such as outdated software, security vulnerabilities, and data loss.
By investing in software maintenance, businesses can avoid these costly problems and ensure that their applications remain an asset, rather than a liability.
Servers
Running a Mobile App Dev Business – Apps don’t run in a vacuum – they need a server to host them and ensure that they are always available. Without a server, your app would be offline most of the time, making it inaccessible to your customers. Alongside hosting your app, servers also provide the processing power and storage that are vital for the health and operability of complex apps. Servers also offer security features that help to protect your app from attacks.
In short, without a server, your app would be significantly less functional, reliable, and secure. With all this in mind, it becomes clear that server performance is crucial for any business that wants to succeed online.
Staff
Running a Mobile App Dev Business – There are a wide variety of business apps available, and the specific staff required for running a business app will depend on the app itself. That being said, there are some general staff requirements that are common to most business apps.
First, someone will need to be responsible for managing and updating the app on an ongoing basis. This person will need to have a good understanding of the app’s features and how they can be used to improve the business. Alongside this person, you should also task another staff member with the responsibility of ensuring that the app is secure and compliant with all relevant industry regulations. This person will need to have a good understanding of data security and privacy laws. There should ideally also be someone on your team who’s responsible for training employees on how to use the app. This person will need to have patience and good communication skills, alongside some technical skills.
Other potential roles that you may need to fill include customer service positions, these being individuals who are tasked with assisting app users in the event of an emergency or a pressing customer concern. Which brings us to our next point!
Help Desk
Running a Mobile App Dev Business – A help desk is essential for running a business app because it provides a central place for users to report issues and request help. By consolidating all user feedback in one place, help desks make it easier for developers to identify and promptly fix problems. In addition to this, help desks can be used to track app usage and performance over time. This data can be used to improve the app by making it more user-friendly or fixing bugs that are causing crashes.
Help desks also offer an opportunity to upsell users on new features or upgrades. By offering personalised assistance, help desks can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. In short, a help desk, and the staff required to work your help desk, are all essential expenses for businesses hoping to operate their own business app.
Marketing
Running a Mobile App Dev Business – Any business app, no matter how good it is, will not sell itself. In order to be successful, you need to market your app to the right people. This means creating a marketing strategy that takes into account your target audience, your budget, and the most effective way to reach your customer base.
For example, if you’re targeting young adults, you’ll need to use different marketing channels than if you were targeting senior citizens. It goes without saying that businesses with a particularly limited budget, must develop a solid understanding of how best to allocate your resources with regards to marketing your app well before you implement any kind of marketing campaign.
Regardless of your budget or even your industry for that matter, marketing is an absolutely essential component of running a business app. Without a well-developed marketing strategy in place, you’ll find it very difficult to generate interest in your app, and thus see a return on your investment in its development.
Running a Mobile App Dev Business – As you can see, there are a lot of moving parts and processes involved in developing and maintaining a business app, and not all of these processes can be outsourced to experts. For this reason, it’s imperative that business owners weigh up their company’s own pros and cons when making the decision to develop their own business app. Identifying factors like your major market barriers and limitations and also potential growth areas now may help ensure that your investments into app development are as secure and well-informed as possible.
Ingrid Maldine is a business writer, editor and management consultant with extensive experience writing and consulting for both start-ups and long established companies. She has ten years management and leadership experience gained at BSkyB in London and Viva Travel Guides in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a depth of insight into innovation in international business. With an MBA from the University of Hull and many years of experience running her own business consultancy, Ingrid’s background allows her to connect with a diverse range of clients, including cutting edge technology and web-based start-ups but also multinationals in need of assistance. Ingrid has played a defining role in shaping organizational strategy for a wide range of different organizations, including for-profit, NGOs and charities. Ingrid has also served on the Board of Directors for the South American Explorers Club in Quito, Ecuador.
