Article

Best practices for developing, deploying a mobile app for your brand

Your app is an extension of your brand, and an app with sub-par design or functionality can do serious damage to that brand.

January 21, 2015

By Paul Glomski, Co-founder and CEO of Detroit Labs

A $35 billion-a-year industry in the US, pizza is ingrained into American appetites in a way that makes it both a gastronomic and an economic institution. A big part of the reason for that success is because, perhaps more than any other segment of the restaurant industry, pizza-makers have long made it priority to provide their customers with an ordering and dining experience that is not just delicious, but is also alluringly convenient. Good food at a good price — and it’s easy. That is the value proposition.

With that in mind, it’s unsurprising that many pizza businesses are taking online ordering to the next logical step: Mobile applications. Mobile apps provide a simple and streamlined way to improve the customer experience and enhance revenue generation. When designed and deployed correctly, a mobile app can plug into an existing e-commerce strategy — a particularly appealing feature for business owners. But pizza makers looking to maximize their “app-ortunities” need to fully appreciate the benefits of creating and launching an app, and to attain a comprehensive understanding of the accepted best practices for creating effective and compelling apps — including budgeting, design and development considerations, and vetting app developers.

Tangible benefits

A great app confers a number of tangible benefits at both ends of the transaction chain. Hungry customers can place orders within minutes — even seconds — with detailed ordering information literally at their fingertips on the screen of a phone or other mobile device. The best apps include powerful features, such as the ability to store customer favorites and past orders, and the ability to save payment information and delivery addresses. Together, this information enables customers to save time and order with less hassle than ever before — facilitating more spontaneous orders in the process.

Apps also present a unique promotional platform for specials, sales or new products, making them a natural vehicle for upselling. When customers are prompted and asked if they are interested in sides or a dessert, and a picture of some delicious breadsticks or a molten chocolate cake is on the screen in front of them, order totals inevitably go up. And with push notifications and alerts a built-in feature on most apps, businesses can ensure that customers will see the latest information on deals or promotions with a level of certainty that coupon books or mailers simply cannot provide.

Questions and answers

Before any app design or development work is performed, businesses need to answer some important questions. What do you want your app to do for your business? How will it help you achieve your business goals? What does success look like? What features are essential for your app, and how will those features impact the customer experience?

Everything from aesthetics to technical details will resonate on some level with users, and the process is not one that should be rushed or “half-stepped.” The stakes are high. Your app is an extension of your brand, and an app with sub-par design or functionality can do serious damage to that brand.

Dollars and sense

A key part of the pre-development planning process involves budgeting, which requires making some strategic decisions about the scale and capabilities of your future app. Cost depends on many factors, but keep in mind that it’s better if your app does a handful of things very well than to have a larger number of features that are buggy or unreliable.

Custom single-platform apps for iOS or Android can easily run $100,000 or more, with higher-end apps sometimes generating seven-figure price tags. This is obviously a significant expense, but it should be viewed as a potentially lucrative investment. As Domino’s Pizza’s experience has shown, the return on that investment can be extraordinary: the Domino’s app has been downloaded over 11 million times, and more than 40 percent of the company’s US-based revenue comes from digital orders.

Development dynamics

Arguably the most important pre-development decision you will make is which developer you choose to create your brand’s unique mobile app experience. While generic app solutions are available at a more affordable price point, they are unlikely to make a significant or lasting impact without including some of the personal touches that make your brand unique. Additionally, generics typically have fewer customization options, potentially limiting key features required for a successful pizza ordering app.

When searching for the right app developer, prioritize candidates who engage with your business and ask thoughtful questions about your business objectives. Avoid salesmen, focusing instead on those who begin with an open and honest discussion about what you need and how to get you there. Check references and past work closely, looking for relevant experience (ideally in the pizza industry), while also reviewing design style and functionality specifics.

Be realistic about the investment in time and money that the app development process will take. Mistakes can be costly, and avoiding “do-overs” by getting it right the first time is essential. Appreciate the fact that developing an app from initial concept to app store debut can take up to three or four months. Budget time and money for future refinements, integrating user feedback and tech updates into updated versions of the app.

For pizza industry brands, mobile apps are an ideal fit. They present significant opportunities for boosting both sales and customer satisfaction—helping to keep your business competitive in an industry that is rapidly “going mobile.”

Paul Glomski serves as co-founder and CEO of Detroit Labs, a Detroit-based mobile development company and maker of iPhone, iPad, Android and vehicle apps. The firm has partnered with national brands like Domino’s Pizza, Chevy and DTE Energy to dream up, design and build beautiful, intuitive apps. 

Photo provided by Wikipedia.