Why You Should Get Ready with Your Mobile Apps Now to Adjust to the Realities of COVID-19 for Your Business Beyond 2020

Most industry experts are of the opinion that coronavirus will bring a lasting change in how consumers want to be served even after the protocols are lifted. The lockdown, quarantines, and social distancing protocols have accelerated trading over the internet and as the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, this comportment will provide greater opportunities for the e-commerce businesses to boom over the next few months and years.

COVID-19 is a Major Setback for Businesses with Physical Stores and Outlets

This pandemic has significantly changed consumer behaviour. The highly contagious nature of the virus has instigated a huge fear of contracting the disease and social distancing norms are quickly becoming the new normal habits of everyday life. As a result, an increasing number of people are now preferring online shopping instead of physically visiting a store to buy essential goods and groceries.

The impact of this changed behaviour of customers on small and medium-sized businesses that rely majorly on physical stores and outlets for their sales and operations is devastating. Many of these businesses lack the infrastructure to operate through digital channels. With more customers expecting now to communicate with and make purchases from businesses through digital platforms such as a website or a mobile app, these small and medium-sized businesses will continue to face a major setback if they fail to adapt and adjust to the new shopping patterns.

So, SMBs that are not yet online players need to rethink how to do business during the pandemic and thereafter as customers are likely to choose not to walk through their doors to make purchases any time soon. Having a thoughtful and well-planned digital presence in the form of e-Commerce websites and mobile apps can play a critical role in surviving through this vulnerability that is here to stay way beyond 2020.

This is the Right Time to Step Up the Digital Game for Your Business

The COVID-19 crisis has already made online grocery, consumer packaged goods, and essential goods shopping a mainstream part of the daily life of people across the globe. The growing demand for accessing every necessity online and getting it delivered either at the doorstep or picked up from the store or curbside will create similar consumer expectations from other industries as well.

Additionally, the coronavirus will dramatically change the entire shopping game as consumers who were not previously into online shopping are also now preparing to embrace it. There have been several reports suggesting a significant surge in the rate of downloading e-commerce and delivery apps during this time. In the USA alone, Instacart downloads from February to mid-March after the outbreak of COVID-19 has increased around 218% according to a report published by Statista.

You should note that the more comfortable these new online consumers become with the digital medium, they will keep coming back for more. To cater to the growing demand, retail businesses will have to ramp up even faster to make their respective conversion rates immune to the pandemic crisis. This is why retailers have to adapt quickly and take action immediately to keep up with the long-term challenges to survive their businesses.

Remember that, this testing time can break your brand if you fail to meet the new expectations and needs of your customers who are increasingly looking for digital solutions for their daily necessities. So, you have to ensure smooth, fast, and contactless experiences for your customers through secure and efficient e-Commerce and m-Commerce solutions as fast as possible.

How Mobile App can Secure the Future of Your Business

Even before the pandemic hit the world, different studies and market research were already in place predicting that online shopping, online transactions, and accessing delivery services through mobile are going to increase considerably with the swelling number of smartphone users every year. According to a survey by PwC, smartphones are edging out computers as the preferred device for online purchases.

A report by Oberlo forecasted that by 2023, more than 22% transactions will be done online for an estimated $6.5 trillion global e-commerce retail sales and this figure will continue to increase.

But this pandemic has escalated the use of mobile apps and websites to make purchases and get home deliveries, thereby giving rise to the possibility of dramatically surpassing the estimations and forecasts of the various reports published earlier. This game changing trend will continue to last not only till the lockdown exists but for several months beyond 2020 as people will continue to maintain social distancing and look for the increasingly convenient and contactless shopping alternatives through smartphones and online devices from the safety of their homes.

Retailers can partner or collaborate with third-party delivery-based services to maintain their supply chains. However, nothing can get better than connecting with the customers directly with your own custom-made native mobile app to address the specific needs of your customers and your business.

You will be able to strengthen your reliability during this crisis, retain your loyal customers with custom offers and deals, and attract new customers with your efficiency.

Let’s elaborate on how a mobile delivery app or an e-commerce app can help your business at this time and in the coming years.

1. Get Noticed to Attract Leads and Customers

Since people are staying at home most of the time, they are spending more time online and constantly searching for services that can efficiently deliver all their necessities as and when they need. You must have noticed that the skyrocketing demand for home deliveries after the lockdown had repeatedly compelled even the big e-commerce businesses to temporarily stop taking orders, take orders in slots, or delay deliveries as well. All of these circumstances left consumers frustrated making a way for new players in the market to fill in the gaps for such services. And consumers have willingly shown interest in trying out new businesses to meet their needs.

As a result, a mobile app that can help access reliable services during this time and is strategically designed with a great user interface and offers an impressive user experience is, undoubtedly, the best way to connect with your prospects and leads.

You simply need to make sure that your mobile app caters to the services people want now and it functions without errors. A well-designed and developed mobile app will ensure you perform better than your competitors and convert more visitors into loyal customers.

2. Secure Revenue for Your Business

Mobile apps convert sales 2-6 times better than websites and at this time the conversion rate is far higher than usual because of COVID-19. If you can serve your customers’ needs and meet their expectations with your high-performance mobile app during this pandemic, you can achieve more conversions and generate steady revenue flow. With a well-executed and functional app, you can boost and maintain brand credibility and attract targeted prospects more to try out your services. This will help increase sales by getting your visitors faster into your sales funnel and significantly increase the brand value of your business.

3. Foster Customer Loyalty

With many established services failing to perform as per expectations and wider availability of alternative options, consumers are opting for any service that is capable of providing what they need. This poses a threat to maintaining customer loyalty during this COVID-19 outbreak, be it an established business or a new one. If you can emerge as a trustworthy brand with a personalized mobile app that functions and performs well at this time, you will be able to foster brand loyalty among both existing and new customers. Besides, you can also expect your customers to be your brand advocates.

Leidsens can Help You: Here’s How

We have proven experience of more than fifteen years in designing and developing custom coded websites, e-commerce and mobile apps for B2B and B2C clients from various industries. Our team comprises of highly experienced professionals and ace project managers who think smart and work hard to build innovative and futuristic custom web and mobile applications for Android, iOs, Windows, and other operating systems with a major focus on UI and UX.

At Leidsens, we are committed to providing impactful out of the box tailored digital solutions for your business through proven and novel design strategies. When we say we are different from the rest, we say it responsibly. Here’s what makes us stand out:

We are experts in modern web and mobile frameworks.
Our team is abreast of the latest developments in the industry.
We create reliable custom coding solutions to address your business needs.
With us, you get a complete solution package starting from concept, development to launch, support, and maintenance.
We merge data and build world-class applications that are creative, groundbreaking, functional, and engaging along with seamless and secure payment integration.
We ensure superior and well-optimized high-performing solutions on time through our expertise, proven techniques, and cutting-edge technologies.
Our goal is to make the digital transformation of your business more efficient, accessible, and cost-effective.

The Takeaway

Getting digitally equipped with a mobile app right away might seem to be a bold and risky move. But the change in consumer behaviour during this uncertain time points out that the shift to online shopping for both essential and non-essential items will continue till the coronavirus remains a threat.

Smart retailers who do not want to go out of business during the pandemic should, therefore, start positioning now to sail through the crisis and secure their future by driving sales online. It’s time you should immediately redesign your strategy and move forward with your e-commerce and mobile app projects to quickly adapt to the changing consumer needs.

In fact, moving to all-online is a new must-do for businesses since consumers are always on mobile and they need help to get safely and effectively what they want, avoiding crowded checkout lines and counters.

So, this is just the right time to build your native mobile apps as it is going to pay off big time.
Make your business future-proof with effective e-Commerce and m-Commerce solutions. Start working out your plans as fast as possible since you can’t afford to lose your customers to your competitors.

Get in touch with team Leidsens today if you want to build prompt, secure, and affordable mobile app development solutions for your business!