It can be easily argued that a productive London mobile app developer is more important than a London-targeting website with high conversion rates. The fact is, there are more mobile-only internet users than any other group. In other words, it is essential for businesses to make an iOS or Android London app a top priority.
However, upon selecting a London mobile app developer or mobile app development company in London — freelancer, small agency or large agency — it is critical you monitor and evaluate their work and progress. There are 10 mistakes a London mobile app development firm can make that will render your app useless or, worse, cost you money.
1. Pricing/Billing Ambiguity
Get the billing and pricing cleared up prior to signing a contract, and certainly prior to the start of development. Ask London mobile app developers for a costs breakdown into the following elements:
- Business model
- Cost of each app type you can choose from: Table/List, Database, Dynamic, Games
- Cost of app per platform (iOS, Android, etc.)
- Design costs
- Post development costs: customer support, admin features, etc.
Make certain the pricing and billing breakdown meets your standards for clarity.
2. Missed Development Deadlines
While there may be set-backs — there always seem to be — be wary of a London app developer(s) that constantly and consistently misses deadlines. That is an indication that the job is being hurried, which reduces quality. If need be, re-evaluate deadlines.
Missed deadlines, for some reason, are typically associated with changes in pricing and billing. Missed deadlines should be one of your greatest concerns because they are symptoms of a bigger problem.
3. Poor UI/UX Design
You should expect a mobile app that is easy to operate, intuitive and has an appealing user interface. The three things to consider when evaluating a London mobile app are: whether or not it has too many features; whether or not it is difficult to find on a device; and whether or not it has a slow launch or delayed response.
Simplicity and speed are essential to any app. The faster it functions on a mobile device and the easier it is for a user to get what they want — in as few steps as possible — the more successful the app will be.
4. Lack of Originality
You and the mobile app developer in London — or the individual developing the app — should search for similar apps with the same features from the time the app concept is agreed upon until launch. Unoriginality is as much a guarantee of failure as poor UI/UX design.
It will be very difficult to create an app that has zero overlap with another, but if it has one or two features that are unique and improve user experience, you may be onto something.
5. Same Functions as a Desktop UX
If an app is merely a mobile platform version of a PC application, it is of very little value, “[a]pps are actual applications that are downloaded and installed on your mobile device, rather than being rendered within a browser.” Make certain the feature are, again, original.
It is OK — even necessary — for a mobile app to have the same end-action objective as a PC app, but the means of getting to that end-action must be different.
6. Failure to Test
Test, re-test and test again. If a person downloads your app and it fails them, they will never download it again. There are no second chances in the world of mobile apps.
While it is difficult for you to monitor a London mobile app developer’s testing, you can ask questions that will tell you whether or not they are, actually, testing. For example, you can ask if the app is being developed in a sequential manner and, if so, does it function properly from launch to the point of development.
7. Launching on Inessential Platforms
First and foremost, above all other platform apps, develop an iOS and/or an Android app. The rest are secondary. Do not ever pay to have apps developed for another platform prior to having iOS and Android apps unless there is a very specific marketing philosophy as to why.
Developing an app on a variety of platforms is the easiest way for London developers to make money — off of you — quickly; in reality, there is not much of an advantage in multi-platform launches outside the big two.
8. Failure to Fix Bugs Post-Launch/No Post-Launch Support
Make certain the contract you sign includes pricing and billing for post-launch support. If you cannot fix the bugs an app has — and they always have bugs — you are dead in the water.
Trying to find someone who can fix the bugs another London mobile app developer created is time-consuming and their work will be extremely costly.
9. Failure to Market
If a London mobile app developer does not have an app marketing campaign, regardless of how well the app they produce functions, it is very unlikely the app will gain any traction. Mobile app marketing is absolutely critical. It will not sell itself.
10. Guarantee High Mobile App Retention Rates
Nine out of 10 people who download an app stop using it within a month. You should expect very high turnover rates. Even a 95 percent turnover rate should not concern you.
What should concern you are low download rates. If people are not downloading the app and trying it out, then you have a problem. The problem can be with the marketing or the app itself, but either way, a problem exists.
