When done right, apps become an extension of your business right in your customers’ hands. The app builds their trust as you interact with them, provide them with useful information, support their daily activities, and answer their questions. Done wrong, the app doesn’t do these things for your customers, and instead of becoming an advocate for your business, the app becomes a detriment to you and your good name. How can your app developers stay on the positive side of the scale?
Be Serious About Security (Not Just Serious About Talking About Security)
Everybody talks about security, but the massive numbers of data breaches proves that most of them are full of garbage. Customers will never again trust a business that allows their sensitive data to fall into the wrong hands.
Lots of organisations are giving lip service to ‘security’ these days, but according to the news headlines, not many are backing it up with real and tangible action. We’re batting about a data breach per week. Quit talking about security and start doing something about it. True security in mobile apps comes only from building it in from the very beginning. Don’t begin designing an app or even establishing a database for it until you’ve put top-notch security elements in place.
Make It Easy for Users to Contact You Directly
Make sure your customers have a lifeline in there to toss to your company in case they need additional help.
Your app can likely do most or all of what your customer service reps can do for your customers. But allowing a direct connection between your app and your business assures that the customer who gets lost or confused or upset has a direct line to a real person to help them. In an age when most businesses expect people to deal only with computers, giving your customers a human lifeline doesn’t just instil trust, it builds true endearment.
Build Intuitive Features (But Support Out of the Ordinary Requests)
A great UX is all about creating an intuitive navigational system for your app. But app developers need to realise that not all of the users will come looking for one of the standard items. What happens to users who come looking for answers that lie outside of the app? Empower the app with a means for directing users elsewhere to find information if this is necessary.
Be Transparent About What You’re Doing With Their Sensitive Info
‘Why are you accessing my contacts?’ ‘Why do you need to track my searches?’ ‘Why do you want to post to my social media pages?’ A lot of users are lost before they ever set up the app, because you’ve asked for a bunch of permissions and they aren’t sure why you want or need these things. Make it clear why you’re asking for particular permissions, and don’t ask for what you really don’t need.
Allow Them to Opt Out of Data Collection Practices
Some businesses develop apps for no purpose other than collecting marketing information on users. This rarely results in a useful, practical app that is popular with consumers, and is never a good way to build trust. Let users opt out of your tracking and reporting activities. It’s better to have a committed brand advocate who trusts your company and enjoys your app than it is to have yet another stack of consumer data on your hands.
Go Easy With Those Alerts & Notifications
Alerts and notifications can be helpful. But too many notifications, alerts at the wrong times, and alerts about things that are meaningless to the user just lead to mistrust and even animosity towards you and your app. Keep alerts relevant, meaningful, and to a minimum to instil trust in your users.
To get started on your app and begin building trust and loyalty in your customers, visit the expert app developers at Glance today.
