Does My Business Need a Mobile App?

In the not-so-distant past, business owners were asking themselves a similar question, but about

websites. Now having a website is a given, expected by all consumers, and any business owner would be crazy to forego having a website.

Currently, we’re approaching another tipping point where mobile applications are establishing themselves as dominant over mobile websites, and perhaps even over full websites.

If you’ve been contemplating whether to spring for an app or settle for a mobile version of your full site, here are a few things to consider.

Aren’t Mobile Sites a More Cost-Effective Solution?

If you already have a website, converting it to a mobile-friendly site may be a cost-efficient option for your business. That being said, a mobile site is nothing more than a streamlined version of your current site.

An app, however, can have additional functions that your mobile site cannot, and it can even take advantage of features in your user’s phone, like GPS location, the camera, etc. If your business can benefit from integrating with the phone’s existing features, then clearly a mobile site alone won’t cut it. Moreover, apps can function offline, so if you want your users to have access even when they don’t have an internet connection, then again, an app is right for you.

Finally, apps have a more significant hold on people than mobile sites. Studies show that people spend upwards of 80% of their time in apps, and less than 20% on mobile sites. And the amount of time people spend daily on their phone’s browser just keeps decreasing–steadily.

How Will an App Benefit My Business?

The ability to integrate with a phone’s features is just one of the many benefits of having an app.
An app can:

• Act as an outlet for your business’s events, promos, or other news
• Reduce your costs by automating certain processes
• Drive traffic to your main site or brick & mortar store
• Differentiate you from your competition
• Drive revenue by making your product/service more readily-accessible (And create even more revenue if you monetize it with in-app advertising)
• Encourage deeper engagement & foster brand loyalty
• But most importantly, an app gives your business presence. Permanently. 

Once someone downloads your app, your brand has staked its claim to a prime piece of real estate. Whether someone uses your app frequently or not, your business is always just a swipe or click away. Plus your app icon (typically your logo) will be visible on their homescreen multiple times a day, ensuring that your business is always on their mind, consciously or subconsciously.

How Do I Design My App?

If you think your business can capitalize on one or more of these benefits, then it’s time to start designing your app! As you go through each stage of development, keep these questions in mind:

• What do we as a business want to achieve on our end? What functions will this app have?

• How will these functions benefit my clients? What will you be offering your clients that enhances their experience and makes their lives more convenient?

• Is there a person in my organization that knows how to build an app? If so, do they know how to build the kind of app you need? If you aren’t sure, this is where a consultant could come in handy. Jason, our business development manager, coaches people on questions like this often, and he can help you determine what’s best for your business.

• Who should I commission to design and build my app? To ensure that your app functions correctly and doesn’t get stuck in development limbo, it’s important to choose your developer carefully. Shop around, not just for the most cost-effective solution, but for a company you feel comfortable developing a relationship with. Business owners should take part in designing their apps, so you need a developer that will value your feedback. You also want someone that will stay with you long-term. Needless to say, designing, building, testing, launching, & updating an app is an ongoing process. 

At SPAN Technology, we specialize in mobile app development across all platforms. Whether you’d like a mobile site, an app, or both, we can build you a cost-effective and slick solution that both you and your clients will benefit from.

For a free consultation, or an informal chat, contact our business development manager Jason at 704.954.8420, or email him at jason@spantechnologyllc.com.

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Revolutionize Your Business for Success with Span Technology

Are you wanting to evolve your business and be part of the technology revolution happing all around us, and are just unsure of what road to take? Well my dearest reader, hop in the Delorean and start up the flux capacitor, because where we're going, we don't need roads.

It is not a road or path that you need to go down, a simple phone call is all that is needed to set up your business for the fast paced technological world we have found ourselves in. You must be thinking by now - where is this going..but I did like the Back To The Future reference. Man, that was a great movie -  and yes, it was an awesome movie, but where I'm going with it all is...

Span Technology is the perfect solution you have been trying to find. We can build the mobile/tablet app you have invisioned to take your business to the next level and customize it to your exact specifications. Want to know how we do it? Well, let me tell you...

You first discuss with our Business Development Manager - Jason (learn more about him and Span Technology) what you are looking for in a mobile/tablet app. Then we will pass your specifications on to our development team. Our talented program architects lay out the foundation of your application and then we work together, meticulously going over every detail before our expert programmers develop your custom application. Last step is testing and fine tuning your application. Then, it is time to launch your new custom created app to the world. Jason will be your guide and development liaison through the entire process, so you get exactly what you want. From the foundation up, we work together to build and bring your idea to life. 

But, you know, app development isn't the only trick we have up our sleeves. Oh no my friend, there is so much more. Website development and SEO services are also available. Even if you have an existing website, we can redevelop it with the modern, sleek look of your dreams. Now, we're not just going to leave you with an amazing webite; we will also work closely with you to assist in creating effective online marketing strategies and SEO services. You really get it all with Span Technology. 

The best feature that Span Technology can offer you, isn't really a feature at all. It is the personal one-on-one relationship we develop with you. Don't you want to know who you are working with? Well we do too, and can't wait to start working with you. Give us a call at 704-954-8420 and let's start building your dreams together. 

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An Interview with Jason: Business Development Manager for SPAN Technology

When you consider the time, money, and ultimately the trust that it takes to hire a software developer, it’s important to know who you’re doing business with before you commit. 

That’s why I sat down with Jason, Business Development Manager at SPAN Technology, to get to know him and the company better. 

Sara Jane: Jason, thank you for taking the time to sit down with me today. I just want to dive right in and get to the hard-hitting questions- the question on everyone’s mind.

Jason: Good, let’s get nitty gritty. I’m ready.

Sara Jane: Okay, here goes…Are you a cat person or a dog person, and why?

Jason: (without hesitation) Dog person. I used to be a cat person, but then I changed when my wife got our shih-tzu . A dog actually needs you, wants you, shows you affection. All a cat ever wants is for you to feed them, so over time you start to feel like you’re being used.

Sara Jane: True, a cat will love you and leave you. But that’s one of the things I love about them, their independence. I’ll try not to hold it against you too much. We’ve still got nine more questions to go, wouldn’t want it to be awkward.

Jason: Of course, let’s move along. 

Sara Jane: Okay, so tell me a little bit about SPAN Technology in a nutshell. What do you do?

Jason: Well, to sum it up, we develop web or mobile-based applications, so whether you need something for the frontend of your business, like an app, or the backend like an administrative program, we can do design and develop that with you.

Essentially, anything your business needs as far as application development goes, that’s what we do. And even once the product launches, if you need SEO or web-based marketing, we’ve got that covered also.

Our team has a multitude of experience creating cloud-based technologies, so we’re excited to take that experience and open it up to everyone.

Sara Jane: Well that leads into my next question perfectly, so you guys do have quite a bit of experience?

Jason: Absolutely. Naga Palanisamy, one of our co-founders has over 20 years of experience in this industry just by himself. Now as a company, we’ve been around since 2009, and in that time, we’ve developed 13 products with over 200,000 users worldwide.

Predominantly these products have been mostly business products, like cloud-based business management programs and software for E-filing of IRS taxes. But the best part is that each product has taught us more than the last.

Sara Jane: Interesting. What, for example, have you learned developing these products?

Jason: Time and time again, we see the value of customer feedback. We don’t take it lightly.

We know that products are ever-changing, you never release a finished product. A finished product is a dead or dying product. The customer will always have, and continue to have, input that makes the product better.

That’s why we look at our relationship with businesses as a partnership rather than a one-time transaction that ends at launch. Because we know your clients will have improvements to add that you didn’t even think of during development. So when that feedback comes in, we’ll still be there to help you implement those changes and keep your product dynamic and relevant to your users. 

Sara Jane: So what differentiates SPAN Technology from other software developers? Why should I choose you guys?

Jason: This goes back to what I was saying about relationships. With SPAN Technology, you won’t be working with a company that looks at you like just a number. Every client we take in, we view as a partner. Your ideas are important, and we want to realize that in a cost-effective manner.

Some people are scared off by pricing for developing proprietary software, but we can work within any budget and help show you the most profitable way for your business

Plus you’ll like me. No, I’m kidding. But seriously, you will. I give you the Jason Promise. 

Sara Jane: So charming. Well, since we’re already talking about you, what is your role as business development manager?

Jason: Since this is a relatively new venture, I wear many hats, not only going out to find businesses that need our services, but also increasing brand awareness.

For us, brand recognition is key right now. The challenge is that our products are known world-wide, but no one knows us–the “man behind the curtain” if you will–outside of the faces of our products. So we are starting from the ground up, telling people who we are and showing them the team behind the products they already know and love. 

Sara Jane: “Man behind the curtain,” nice Wizard of Oz reference. So we’re in the midst of a mobile app boom that doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Would you say every business needs a mobile app?

Jason: Yes. Because mobile is king. Over 80% of the world’s population has a mobile phone, and that percentage will only increase. As long as mobile technologies are an integral part of our society, businesses will need to continue developing mobile applications to keep up with the times.

And for businesses that don’t have an app yet, that mobile application is often the key to reaching a previously untapped client-base they may not have even realized was there before.

 

Sara Jane: I feel like this next question will say a lot about you as a person. What’s your desert-island device, the piece of technology you absolutely couldn’t live without.

Jason: Hmm, as an owner of multiple gaming consoles, tablets, and laptops, that’s a tough question. But I suppose I’d have to say my phone.

It would allow me to keep in touch with people– or even to call the National Guard to get me off the island. And then while I’m waiting for rescue, I could still play games, watch movies, and listen to music.

Sara Jane: I feel like that’s cheating, but I’ll allow it.

Jason: It’s called a life hack, Sara.

Sara Jane: Touche. Okay, to give me more insight into your soul, what’s your favorite movie of all time?

Jason: Again, an extremely difficult question. I love movies of all kinds. I guess you could call me a cinephile.

I suppose I’ll say...Contact, a film from the 90’s with Jodie Foster & Matthew McConaughey. It’s about discovering intelligent aliens in the universe, so it has a pretty humbling message to it: that we're small. Even though we tend to look at our society as the center of the universe, we are very tiny. Plus Contact delves into the tension between science and religion. It’s very thought-provoking...the critics didn’t get it.



Sara Jane: Sounds like it’s right up my alley, then! Okay, now this last one is a bit more serious. It’s for anyone out there reading this who is still on the fence about you.

Jason: Hit me.

Sara Jane: Hamburgers or hot dogs?

Jason: Bacon.

I mean, I love hamburgers, hot dogs, and just about every other kind of meat out there. But bacon...you can put bacon on anything, and it only makes it better.

Sara Jane: I see, so for you bacon is a seasoning like salt or pepper.

Jason: Well I see it more as a condiment. Most people use ketchup or mustard, but my favorite condiment is bacon. It goes with everything.

Sara Jane: Well, Jason. Those are all of the questions I have for you today, which is good, because I really don’t see how we could top that last one.

Thanks so much for your time, it was a treat getting to know you better, and I think the readers will agree.

Jason: Absolutely, it’s my pleasure as well.

Well, there you have it: an inside look at the brain of Jason, Business Development Manager for SPAN Technology. If you’ve got an idea, or maybe just a series of questions, he’s your go-to guy for answers, and for a few laughs too. 

You can reach Jason via phone at 704.954.8420, or fire him a message at jason@spantechnologyllc.com. To learn more about SPAN Technology and the services they offer, visit spantechnologyllc.com.

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