Page 38 - Optus Future of Business Report 2013

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Enriching the app experience
Organisations seeking to enrich the mobile customer experience
could consider moving from simple, static or informational apps
through to interactive and ultimately transactional apps, such as
those that allow a customer to manage their own account or buy
products and services.
Based on our qualitative research, suggestions for apps that may
help meet customer expectations for the future include:
• Utilities apps to view meter readings
• Water analysis for businesses to monitor their chemical output
• Bill paying and account management
• Help desk, tutorials and real-time updates to help students
manage their time
• Sizing guides for retail
• Apps for stock control and in-store logistics
Organisations may consider a five-step
approach to successfully start
developing mobile apps:
1. Identify opportunities: Business processes such as customer
self-service and job quoting or payment systems for field workers
could benefit from mobilisation, but it’s important not to
mobilise for the sake of technology alone.
2. Assess business impact: All those involved in the app
development and who may benefit from its introduction should
be brought on board. Assess the cost to develop and support
the app; changes to internal processes and systems the app
will create; and the costs that will arise from these cultural and
structural shifts.
3. Prioritise apps: Many parts of the business may make
competing calls for apps, so it’s important to carefully assess
how their business benefit aligns with the organisation’s goals.
Complex apps that take too long to integrate could miss their
window of opportunity, so it may be better to start with an
entry-level app to get it into the hands of users swiftly and
then evolve it as time, budget and demand progresses.
4. Determine how you will develop the apps: Consider engaging a
third-party specialist to write the app for you if you don’t already
have these skills in-house.
5. Plan for the future: Mobile apps may bring cultural and
structural changes to the organisation, and require increased
IT support and monitoring. Apps evolve over time and in concert
with internal IT systems, partners and customer demands.
Measure return on investment and budget for regular updates
to keep the app relevant and meeting its objectives.
A ‘MANAGE YOUR
ACCOUNT OR
SERVICE’ APP
AN INFORMATION
APP TO
RESEARCH THE
ORGANISATION
AN APP FOR
PURCHASING OR
PAYING FOR
PRODUCTS/
SERVICES
A NOTIFICATION
APP TO PROVIDE
ALERTS ABOUT
NEW PRODUCTS/
SERVICES
A LOYALTY OR
COUPON APP
A BOOKING OR
TICKETING APP
MOBILE APPS IN
DEVELOPMENT/PLANNED
AMONG BUSINESS
MOBILE APPS CONSUMERS
EXPECT TO BE AVAILABLE
IN 3–5 YEARS
INFORMATION
SOCIAL
INTERACTION
BOOKING
OR SCHEDULING
MANAGE YOUR
ACCOUNT
OR SERVICE
LOCATION-BASED
SERVICES
SERVICE
TRANSACTION
MOBILE
PAYMENTS
MOBILE
PURCHASING
CUSTOMER
SERVICE
68%
59%
50%
43%
41%
40%
37%
31%
29%
34%
33%
30%
26%
23%
21%