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Mobile Apps news and press

CES 2021: The Time for New Tech is Now

This year, we attended the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show – virtually.  The largest showcase of technology in the world was condensed into a Zoom-like event.  But the impact of CES was as high as ever, illustrating not only the impact of technology on business and consumers alike, but also the way the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated trends every business needs to take note of.

During their annual presentation on tech trends, CTA economists shared data on how consumers and businesses adopted new technology at a rate unseen before.  While each of these listed below were in growth mode, the fact that the eCommerce trend accelerated what was expected in the next ten years in eight weeks tells the story.

And it also serves notice to all business owners that if they don’t adapt to new technology ASAP, they risk being left behind.

As you can see, this isn’t so much a change as just a massive acceleration of things that have been happening for years.

Many small businesses have responded.  A survey from OnePoll of 1,000 small business owners found that close to one-third (31%) said embracing new technologies helped their business during the pandemic, and one-quarter (25%) said the pandemic accelerated their adoption of new technologies.  And this covers customer interaction as well as enabling work from home and eCommerce. 

Throughout CES, it was clear none of this is a fad, but a permanent shift in the way businesses interact with their customers, even after the pandemic disappears.  New habits and expectations are being formed right now. If your business has been considering investing in new technology, the time is now to invest.

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B2B Apps news and press

4 Ways An Internal Company App Can Help You Grow

An internal app provides a new method of communication and organization within your company. App development requires time, money, and attention, so what makes it worth the effort? Here are few ways it can provide tangible and intangible benefits to any growing business.
1. Communicate Easier
If all your employees don’t spend the majority of their time working within earshot at the company’s main office, you probably struggle with communication. As a company grows, it generally has  more people on the road, servicing customers, working in branches, working remotely, and using flexible schedules. All that translates to some difficulty reaching everyone and keeping them on the same page.
An internal app provides a singular way to reach everyone no matter where they are. Because an app is specific to your company and can often provide “push” notifications, you’ll have more confidence that everyone is up to speed. Even if staff is in the same office, you may find that retention and engagement is improved when everyone uses the same platform instead of a myriad of different methods to converse.
2. Get Things in One Place
Do your employees use a variety of software, apps, programs, and portals to do their particular jobs? Then wrangle most – or all – of these into a centralized system that everyone can access with just one login and one platform.
With a single app portal, you can customize the interactions based on your specific employees’ needs and learning style to make it more intuitive. And you can expand or contract the connections through your app to offer new work tools or to discontinue ones that are out-of-date.
3. Encourage Technology Use
If you have some employees who find it hard to embrace new technology, an app is the perfect way to encourage this adoption. Structure the app to be user-friendly and focus only on the most important functions that you need at the beginning – perhaps employee notices, scheduling, and payroll information. Have regular and personalized training sessions to help everyone learn how to use the app easily.
As employees learn to use the app and to see the benefit within their own lives, add more features. This may include group project organization, departmental communications, or software people can use in their jobs. Many employees will see that technological changes help them work more efficiently or become less frustrated with mundane tasks like getting approvals from management.
Once the app is something employees are accustomed to, use similar thought processes and platforms to introduce other modern technological tools like a customer-facing app, paperless offices, and remote work options.
4. Introduce Virtual Work
An app is an excellent way to start moving your company toward a more mobile and technology-friendly future. Mobile work options allow people to remain efficient even when they’re not in the office and they provide more ways to organize your business.
A sales team, for instance, can use the app to coordinate people on the road and those working behind the scenes And rather than maintain individual offices for sales staff who need to come in just to complete paperwork, you save the space and equipment by allowing them to do many of those functions from home or the road. It may even allow some employees to shift to an entirely remote schedule.
Internal apps are a new idea for many businesses and their employees. But they help you stay on top of the competition and move at the pace of modern business. At JACAPPS, we know that this can be a challenging transition time. We’re here to make it work both for you and your staff. Call today for an appointment.

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App Everywhere Mobile Apps news and press Push Notifications

3 March Madness Bracket Apps That Will Keep You on Top!

March Madness can be some people’s favorite time of the year! It allows them to connect with family and friends and cheer on their favorite basketball teams! With march madness starting we think it would be fun to share with a few of our favorite bracket apps that easily keep you engaged with the games!

Here are 3 March Madness bracket that’s that will keep you engaged:
  1. CBS Sports

CBS Sports app allows you to create your own bracket or create a bracket with your friends and family! During the games, the CBS app will send you notifications on how your bracket is doing. But wait, that’s not all, the CBS app also allows you to go in and look up scores, rankings, stats, watch the games live, and more. The CBS app creates the ultimate March Madness experience.
Download the CBS app here: Android and iOS
 

  1. ESPN Tournament Challenge

ESPN Tournament Challenge app allows you to create a free bracket app to stay in tune with your family and friends. There are push notifications that keep you informed on how your teams are doing. This app is completely free! But there’s more… this app also allows you to enter to win different prizes!
Download the ESPN Tournament Challenge app here: Android and iOS
 

  1. NCAA March Madness Live

Not only is NCAA March Madness live one of the best apps to watch the basketball games on, but it also has a great system for your brackets! It allows you to play with friends and family or you can even play against celebrities!! This app goes far beyond just brackets, it brings you live game streams, behind-the-scene videos, highlights, and also allows you to opt-in to push notifications to stay on top of scores when you can’t tune into the game!
Download NCAA March Madness Live app here: Android and iOS
 
Mobile has made life easier for you to stay engaged with your family, friends, and co-workers! Check out these cool March Madness apps to stay in up to date with your basketball teams!
As always, we’d love to talk mobile with you! Contact our sales team to set up a conversation to learn more about your brand’s mobile strategy! Contact us at sales@jacapps.com or 248-353-9030

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App Everywhere Mobile Apps news and press Push Notifications Radio

7 Basketball Apps That Are Nothing But Net

Are you a basketball fan that loves to stay up to date on your favorite teams?! With March Madness coming right around the corner, we thought it would be fun to share our choices for the best apps to keep us on top of the games when we are on the go!
 

Here are 7 mobile apps you should be using this March Madness season:

 

  1. NCAA March Madness Live

Not sure what television station your basketball game is on? No problem! NCAA March Madness Live has every game available to watch! This app goes far beyond just live game streams, it offers behind-the-scene videos, highlights, and also allows you to opt-in to push notifications to stay on top of scores when you can’t tune into the game!
Download NCAA March Madness Live: Android and iOS

  1. CBS Sports

CBS Sports app can do it all! No matter where you are are what you are looking for, CBS Sports app has you covered! This app offers you breaking news, blogs, game coverage, and sending you to the right place to catch your favorite games!
Download CBS Sports: Android and iOS

  1. Fanatic

Are you away from friends and family and looking to watch the game with people?! Don’t worry, Fanatic app has the answer for you! This app allows you to comment and connect with people while watching the game! What’s better than being able to connect with your fellow fans and cheer on your favorite teams?!
Download Fanatic: Android and iOS

  1. Thuuz

Getting stressed out because there are so many games going on and you are unsure on which ones to watch?! Thuuz has the answer for you! This app rates games on a scale from 0-100 and tells you whether a game is worth watching. Additionally, you can have the app track your favorite teams and players and it will notify you when its time to tune in!
Download Thuuz: Android and iOS

  1. WatchESPN

ESPN being one of the top sports stations has all the latest news and updates for you! Nothings better than being on the go and being able to log in to ESPN and get the latest news, highlights, scores, and more. ESPN app is a must have for the 2019 March Madness season!
Download WatchESPN: Android and iOS

  1. TuneIn Radio

Are you on the road and can’t watch your favorite basketball games?! No problem, TuneIn Radio has the answer for you! This app allows you to listen in to your favorite live game broadcasters! TuneIn Radio helps you not miss a second of the game!
Download TuneIn Radio: Android and iOS

  1. theScore

Are looking for more than just watching the game? theScore app gives you in-depth information and deep stats for serious basketball followers! Stay in the loop with by opting-in to push notifications to get all the updates on scores, big plays, injury reports, and more!
Download theScore: Android and iOS
 
As always, we’d love to talk mobile with you! Contact our sales team to set up a conversation to learn more about your brand’s mobile strategy! Contact us at sales@jacapps.com or 248-353-9030

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B2B Apps Mobile Apps news and press Push Notifications

Why Do You Need Push Notifications?

Push notifications can make a huge impact on your company’s success. But first, before we get into why you need push notifications, you may ask, what exactly is a push notification?
Push notifications, also know as push messages are a brief message or alert that is sent to a user’s notification panel through a mobile app and allows you to reach a large audience at one time. Push notifications are a great marketing tool that enhances your mobile app because it allows you to engage with your users in real time.That said, there are many reasons why you need push notifications.
 

Here are the top 4 reasons:

1.Push notifications enhance the user experience
Aside from using push notifications as a marketing tool, push notifications can be used to improve your user experience. This can be as simple to sending messages to notify your users about news, sports and weather alerts, contests and programming events.
2. Push notifications increase engagement, acquisition, and retention
Push notifications as a marketing tool have one of the highest open rates. Since push notifications don’t happen as often people are more likely to opt-in. Sending out the right number and highly relevant messages increases your customer engagement.
3. Push notifications allow you to notify your users based on topics
Topic based messages help you decided when to send certain messages. Since you don’t want to slam your users with too many notifications, topics help decides when to send certain messages.
4. Push notifications allow you to create targeted messages to your users
To create successful push notifications, you have to make sure that each notification speaks to your audiences. It’s easy to send targeted push messages because with permission your app will have access to your user’s profile.
We offer push notifications that are affordable, easy to use, and give you what you need without having to pay for a lot of features you don’t need. In the past year, other push messaging providers have really cranked up their prices, making this important function unaffordable for many.  We can provide you with a great system that’s not only affordable but designed with broadcasters in mind.
If you want more information about jācapps’ push messaging system, contact Sari Zalesin at Sari@jacapps.com

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B2B Apps Mobile Apps news and press Podcasting Push Notifications Radio

New Comedy App Announcement: The Bob & Tom Show

Laugh Your App Off With New Comedy App for “The BOB & TOM Show”, Bringing the Funny to Your Fingertips

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, February 26, 2019 — The BOB & TOM Show , a favorite of millions and one of the longest-running and highest-rated radio programs in America, announces the launch of its new comedy app, created by award-winning mobile strategy and development company jācapps. The BOB & TOM Show app offers BOB & TOM fans the ease of listening to the show on their local station, as well as one-touch access to the BOB & TOM Comedy Channel, called “BOB & TOM 24/7”.  “BOB & TOM 24/7” features The BOB & TOM Show live every weekday morning, plus classic highlights, bits, songs and segments from the show’s rich archive of digital audio content. “BOB & TOM 24/7” also lets listeners replay the latest BOB & TOM Show.

The new app is loaded with listener-driven features that bring the funny to listeners’ fingertips, enabling them to easily join and become a BOB & TOM VIP and giving them access to The BOB & TOM Show Podcast and to The BOB & TOM Show Comedy Archives, a treasure trove of laughs from the packed BOB & TOM Show vault. The BOB & TOM Show app also allows BOB & TOM fans to watch the program live each weekday morning via a multi-camera, live video simulcast that adds another dimension to The BOB & TOM Show experience.

John Kesler, Chief Operating Officer, The BOB & TOM Show, said: “jācapps created a custom app that is simple to use, elegant looking, and a way for our fans to interact with the show, while enjoying an affiliate’s stream.”

Fred Jacobs, President, jācapps and Jacobs Media Strategies, said: “It’s a rare brand like BOB & TOM that has so much deep, rich content – perfect for a premium mobile experience. Working with their outstanding digital team, we’re excited about this new app. Now their listeners can enjoy the show any time and anywhere, and never have to worry about missing anything.”

The BOB & TOM Show is exclusively distributed by Westwood One and airs live weekday mornings from 6am-10am Eastern on 103 stations across the U.S. and on the American Forces Network worldwide. Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, The BOB & TOM Show features comedy, news, sports, lifestyle content, and interviews with today’s top actors, celebrities and newsmakers. The show is America’s leading media outlet for the best and developing comedians on the circuit, and also features live performances from musicians from all genres of music.

 

About The BOB & TOM Show

The BOB & TOM Show is a hilarious blend of comedy, talk, news, and sports and is one of the longest-running and highest-rated radio programs in America, airing live weekday mornings from 6am-10am ET. Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, The BOB & TOM Show is a favorite of millions and features news, sports, lifestyle content, and interviews with today’s top actors, celebrities and newsmakers. The show is also America’s leading media outlet for the best and developing comedians on the circuit. More than just a comedy show, The BOB & TOM Show also features live performances from musicians from all genres of music. The BOB & TOM Show is now heard on over 100 radio stations from coast to coast and the American Forces Network worldwide, in addition to The BOB & TOM Show podcast. Parodies, songs, bits, and more are produced by a large staff of writers, musicians, performers and misfits. In addition, The BOB & TOM Show has released more than 60 comedy albums, CDs and DVDs, and expanded its brand with popular live comedy show tours. For more information about The BOB & TOM Show, visit: www.bobandtominfo.com or contact Todd Alan at talan@westwoodone.com or at 212.735.1107.

 

Download the new The Bob & Tom Show app through iTunes or Google Play!

If you are interested in us, the apps we’ve built, or a product of your own, contact us at sales@jacapps.com or 248-353-9030

Categories
B2B Apps Mobile Apps news and press Podcasting Push Notifications Radio

New Comedy App Announcement: The Bob & Tom Show

Laugh Your App Off With New Comedy App for “The BOB & TOM Show”, Bringing the Funny to Your Fingertips
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, February 26, 2019 — The BOB & TOM Show , a favorite of millions and one of the longest-running and highest-rated radio programs in America, announces the launch of its new comedy app, created by award-winning mobile strategy and development company jācapps. The BOB & TOM Show app offers BOB & TOM fans the ease of listening to the show on their local station, as well as one-touch access to the BOB & TOM Comedy Channel, called “BOB & TOM 24/7”.  “BOB & TOM 24/7” features The BOB & TOM Show live every weekday morning, plus classic highlights, bits, songs and segments from the show’s rich archive of digital audio content. “BOB & TOM 24/7” also lets listeners replay the latest BOB & TOM Show.
The new app is loaded with listener-driven features that bring the funny to listeners’ fingertips, enabling them to easily join and become a BOB & TOM VIP and giving them access to The BOB & TOM Show Podcast and to The BOB & TOM Show Comedy Archives, a treasure trove of laughs from the packed BOB & TOM Show vault. The BOB & TOM Show app also allows BOB & TOM fans to watch the program live each weekday morning via a multi-camera, live video simulcast that adds another dimension to The BOB & TOM Show experience.
John Kesler, Chief Operating Officer, The BOB & TOM Show, said: “jācapps created a custom app that is simple to use, elegant looking, and a way for our fans to interact with the show, while enjoying an affiliate’s stream.”
Fred Jacobs, President, jācapps and Jacobs Media Strategies, said: “It’s a rare brand like BOB & TOM that has so much deep, rich content – perfect for a premium mobile experience. Working with their outstanding digital team, we’re excited about this new app. Now their listeners can enjoy the show any time and anywhere, and never have to worry about missing anything.”
The BOB & TOM Show is exclusively distributed by Westwood One and airs live weekday mornings from 6am-10am Eastern on 103 stations across the U.S. and on the American Forces Network worldwide. Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, The BOB & TOM Show features comedy, news, sports, lifestyle content, and interviews with today’s top actors, celebrities and newsmakers. The show is America’s leading media outlet for the best and developing comedians on the circuit, and also features live performances from musicians from all genres of music.
 
About The BOB & TOM Show
The BOB & TOM Show is a hilarious blend of comedy, talk, news, and sports and is one of the longest-running and highest-rated radio programs in America, airing live weekday mornings from 6am-10am ET. Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, The BOB & TOM Show is a favorite of millions and features news, sports, lifestyle content, and interviews with today’s top actors, celebrities and newsmakers. The show is also America’s leading media outlet for the best and developing comedians on the circuit. More than just a comedy show, The BOB & TOM Show also features live performances from musicians from all genres of music. The BOB & TOM Show is now heard on over 100 radio stations from coast to coast and the American Forces Network worldwide, in addition to The BOB & TOM Show podcast. Parodies, songs, bits, and more are produced by a large staff of writers, musicians, performers and misfits. In addition, The BOB & TOM Show has released more than 60 comedy albums, CDs and DVDs, and expanded its brand with popular live comedy show tours. For more information about The BOB & TOM Show, visit: www.bobandtominfo.com or contact Todd Alan at talan@westwoodone.com or at 212.735.1107.
 
Download the new The Bob & Tom Show app through iTunes or Google Play!

If you are interested in us, the apps we’ve built, or a product of your own, contact us at sales@jacapps.com or 248-353-9030
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App Everywhere B2B Apps Mobile Apps news and press

Improve the App Security for Your Healthcare Applications

In the healthcare industry, patients are increasingly requesting access to their own healthcare information. Clinics can benefit from providing their patients this information, with one caveat: it has to be kept secure.
Application-level security can be used to protect data accessed through mobile phones and other devices, but it also needs to be used with the right technology and the right security habits.
App Security vs. Device Security
Device-level security only protects the device, like a phone, while application-level security protects the information.
For example, when data is stored on an individual’s device (such as a smartphone), it can become compromised if the smartphone itself is breached. Anyone who accesses the smartphone can download this information. If nurses or doctors are accessing patient information through their own smartphones, their smartphones could present a security risk.
Application-level security keeps all patient information on a secured native app. Even if someone accesses an individual’s phone, they still can’t access information unless they are able to log into the native app.
Three-Factor Authentication
Three-factor authentication requires someone to give multiple pieces of information in order to log into a system. Traditionally, two-factor authentication requested something the person knew (their password) and something the person had (such as their device or an email address).
Three-factor authentication takes this a step farther by also requesting a biometric factor, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition.
New smartphones can use three-factor authentication because they already have iris scans, facial scans, or fingerprints saved on them. While it’s not a good idea to enable three-factor authentication by default (because not all devices can support it), having it as an option gives patients more control over their security.
Provide Complete Data Encryption
All stored data needs to be encrypted, including patient information. Otherwise, if the server’s information itself is compromised, patient information may be compromised as well.
Backed up data has to be kept as securely as live data, as compromising backed up data is just as dangerous.
Data should also be encrypted when it is being transferred, or it could be viewed if a patient is using an unsecured internet connection.
Require Lengthy, Complex Passwords
Password recommendations have changed over the years. Longer password phrases are now preferred over short but complex passwords. As an example, “p4ssw0rd!” is not as good as “The password is swordfish.” This change is because it’s easier for a computer to guess a short password, even if that short password is seemingly complicated.
In addition, a long password phrase is more likely to be remembered and less likely to be written down compared to a short, complicated password.
Keep Information Restricted to Different User Types
A general healthcare app may have multiple types of users (such as patients), healthcare providers, and administrators. Data should always be restricted to those who absolutely need that information.
Patients should only be able to see their own information, healthcare providers should only access the files that they need to access, and administrators should be restricted to administrative duties.
Healthcare is extremely specific regarding the types of information that can be allowed to be known, even within the healthcare facility itself.
Restricting data isn’t just about compliance, it’s also about security. If a single account is compromised, only the data it is allowed to access will be compromised. If it can view all of the data, then that would mean all the patients would be impacted.
The healthcare industry has very unique security requirements, in addition to issues of regulatory compliance. If you’re interested in developing a healthcare app but concerned about your patient security, deal with an app company that specializes in building secure applications. Contact jācapps to find out more.

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App Everywhere B2B Apps Construction Mobile Apps news and press

Improve Your Construction Business with a High-Quality App

Running a construction business requires tracking a large number of materials, workers, bids, and jobs as efficiently as possible. Thankfully, there are many construction phone applications available on the market to streamline this process. Even better, companies that create apps can design high-quality apps that work for a specific construction business.
What Are Construction Apps?
Construction apps are applications that can be run on various types of phones and tablets that track multiple elements of a construction job. Apps of this type are becoming popular on many job sites because they help to improve the efficiency of a building job.
For example, managers will no longer have to continually call employees to let them know when they are building and what type of job they are doing next. Instead, managers can send their employees an update using a construction app.
Which Types of Construction Apps Are Available?
Construction apps come in many different styles and provide a diverse range of benefits. For example, some apps focus on the creation and tracking of job bids. These types of apps provide construction companies with a detailed reminder of the nature of their proposal, who received the plan, and all of the elements of the bid, such as labor and materials.
A large number of apps focus on home and building design. Some of these small, but high-powered, apps take building plans and create a 3D model that builders can use to show their clients. Other design apps include real computer-assisted drafting (CAD) features that allow builders to come up with detailed and high-quality plans on the fly.
Just as importantly, employee-tracking apps provide construction businesses with an easy way of following all of their jobs without being on multiple sites. For example, these apps will let you know what workers are on a job site, when they clocked in for the day, when they took breaks, and when they clocked out. As a result, you can be apprised of their progress at all times.
And some construction apps are designed specifically for a single type of business. For example, roofing apps allow roofers the ability to plan a roof design, track the material costs, and follow bids. While there are a large number of these specialized apps available on the market, many businesses have professional app design companies create new ones just for them.
What Features Are Best in Construction Apps?
When designing construction apps, builders should ask for a broad variety of features that help their app stand out from others. For example, a good app should track the costs of all building materials and be adaptable enough to input the names of dozens of employees. In this way, construction managers and business owners can more easily track their expenses.
Construction apps should also have at least some design capability for the builder. Even employee-tracking apps benefit from a small number of design capabilities, so owners can use their apps for multiple purposes and avoid having to spend too much money investing in various app options.
Lastly, a suitable construction app can link multiple app accounts in a way that allows every employee to input information, track their houses, and adjust some aspects of their work schedule. Connected apps help to make relevant information easy to find for a construction group without oversharing and bogging down workers with excessive details.
If you are interested in designing your own app instead of using one already on the market, contact jācapps today to get more information about the app-design process. We will help you get a high-quality construction application that works right for your company.

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App Everywhere B2B Apps Mobile Apps news and press

5 Ways That an App Can Boost Your Customer Service

Mobile apps can be one of the best ways to reach customers and keep them. However, smaller companies often do not fully understand the value of an app as part of their overall customer service plan. How can a good app boost your customer service and make you invaluable to your clients? Here are five ways.

  1. It Is Always Open

Your business probably is not open 24 hours a day to serve customers whenever they have needs. But your app can always be open for business. An app provides an easy portal for customers to make late night or early morning orders, to manage payments on their own schedules, and to complete transactions when customers are on the run.
Today’s consumers expect to be able to conduct business on the road and on their terms, so they are more likely to open an app than to pick up the phone or drive by your location. Being there for people right at the tap of their finger builds customer loyalty, and in the modern, competitive era, you need loyalty more than ever.

  1. It Frees Up Personnel

The more that customers can do themselves, the less they have to contact and tie up your employees. When customers can order directly through the app, they do not have to interact with sales personnel. But the app can still offer new products or suggest additional services just like an employee would do. If they have questions, employees can answer these through email, text, or phone calls at an appropriate time rather than always playing defense.
By installing simple transactions on the app, your service people will also be free to focus their efforts on high-maintenance customers, complex service issues, and customer base development.

  1. It Provides an Outlet

Businesses increasingly have to deal with customers who take their complaints public. This can become a PR nightmare, and a bad review has effects well beyond that one transaction. If your customer cannot get an easy resolution to their disappointments, concerns, or complaints, they will likely turn to talking with other people or using social media to air grievances.
An easy-to-use return option in the mobile app as well as simple ways to initiate contact or get updates on complaint resolution will help prevent public shaming.

  1. It Offers Easy Solutions

A well-equipped app should help customers handle minor issues, questions, and changes on their own. The less effort they have to put into finding solutions, the better they will think about your company.
What types of problems should a mobile app easily solve? These could include things like changing billing information or shipping addresses, reporting and receiving updates about problems with goods, or initiating returns. Anything customers can fill in themselves should be on the app and not your own data entry employees. You save money and they save time.

  1. It Directs Customers

The app is a great way to direct both new and existing customers to new products and services. Customers can go to pages where they can see new items or be offered reorders on goods they already buy or they can be directed less assertively by using suggestion on what to do next. Or, use the app to push notifications to drive sales or launch new products. Any way you do it, an app is a new way to grow customers.
Whatever improvement your customer service needs, an app can help by shifting the load off personnel as well as giving customers an easier experience — both when problems exist and when they don’t. Start creating your custom business app today by visiting jācapps. Our app pros will help you make your life simpler and your customers happier.