As the joke goes, the average mobile phone has more computing power than the Apollo 11 spacecraft, and we primarily use it to send cat pictures. But they're capable of much more than that, especially when paired to robust mobile apps. A custom app can be tailored to nearly any pain point in your manufacturing business, which has implications for everything from your workflow to marketing automation for manufacturers.
Your sales team is second to none, and your social media strategy is a strong point of entry to your sales funnel. Now what? Provide reinforcements. One of the most common points of friction in the sales process is customers who want more information. Put it in their hands so your sales conversations can be more productive!
At one time or another, we've all cringed at the variety and amount of data collected by applications. Rather than fighting the tide, embrace it; the data you collect from customer inquiries and in-app behavior is your secret weapon in understanding your customers to serve them better. Integrating app data collection with your CRM (within the limits of ethics and the law) can give your marketing efforts a real shot in the arm.
But what about after the sale? After all, this is often where your customers' questions are just getting started. Getting support materials—manuals, troubleshooting guides, and even a link to your customer support ticket system—into app form removes friction for both you and your customers because it empowers your clients with the resources they need to solve problems fast but still leaves the door open for direct support from you when a problem can't be solved on site. That leads to the kind of goodwill (and customer testimonials) that are priceless.
For many manufacturers, proper maintenance is key to your products working properly and meeting performance benchmarks. Here, a well-designed app can fulfill two purposes at once. By alerting customers to service intervals or dips in performance, you can build a habit of timely maintenance; at the same time, however, if the app is also alerting an authorized service center or the manufacturer, you can ensure that the parts for maintenance and repairs are on hand to minimize customer downtime. This also helps OEMs with just-in-time manufacturing or delivery for parts that may be in lower demand.
You may have read this far and wondered what some of these use cases have to do with marketing. Remember, marketing is based as much on reputation and a personalized customer experience as it is on things like search engine optimization or effective brand messaging. Apps help businesses respond to their clients, and responsive businesses get better word of mouth. While that's not the kind of thing to which you can easily assign a dollar value, it's a vital part of your marketing efforts.
At this point, you likely fall into one of two camps. You may wonder whether your business can benefit from mobile app development, or you may have an inkling that it can help but have no idea where to start. In either case, reach out to Cain & Company and we'll help you make an informed choice.
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Robin ChandlerMarketing Coordinator & Copywriter |
