4 critical points to consider when deciding an offshore web application development company

You have a great product idea, and already done with the market research part for your startup. Additionally, you are backed by a good amount of testimonials speaking nice about your product. So, what next? 

It is time now to hire a great web development team in place. You can either hire expert freelancers, or probably opt for a professional offshore web application development company. Confused which option is more feasible? 

We would obviously suggest you the second option, not because we are a professional company ourselves, but it is a more cost effective option wherein you have a guaranteed complete product. What to look for in a professional outsourcing company while hiring them? We have assembled together a list of points for selecting the best offshore development company. 

a. Check the work done in the past 

Do have a look at the portfolio of the company, whom you have approached. Analyzing their portfolio what kind of clients they have worked in the past and the kind of work they have done. Try to imagine whether your idea fit the enterprise level applications leading to a minimum viable product. 

b. Do see their contribution in online communities 

Check their involvement in the blogging communities, and see to it where they have contributed their valuable information. If they have been proactively involved in connecting with thought leaders, expert bloggers, and industry experts, then they better know what products work, and in which ways they should be accordingly designed. 

c. See in what ways they provide support 

This is what you will need all the time when in a fix. Check whether the company provides an all round support in terms of phone, email, or in person. 

d. Scrutinize their website 

This is probably one of the important points to take into consideration. See to it that their website is perfect from all respects, and ensure that it reflects the same in your own website. 

Choose only after you are dead sure! 

As such there are multiple parameters to consider while short listing the best choice for an offshore web application development company. However, the above four points are probably the most critical ones to look at, making your work a lot easier in going for a right option with your web applications.

Indispensable Principles of a User Centered Mobile App Design Approach

An aesthetic mobile application development company follows a process with different stages, all of which leads to single common purpose i.e. “user centered mobile experience”. In simple terms it means, solving user problems through seamless interface. 

How to go about implementing a user centered design into your mobile app? Let us find out. 

It always starts with the user 

App abandonment is a common problem with most apps abandoned on first glance, or probably few uses. The best way to deal with this situation is to understand the pain points of users, and address their needs directly. Drawing maps of user journey through the app, and sketching user personas for product discovery, can aid you in doing this. 

Carving out personas of users 

You need to answer questions like when, where, what, and who, for understanding the demographics of your users. Answering these questions help you with providing behavioral tendencies of users. In addition, it also provides insights on product UI/UX considerations. 

• Who are your actual users or target audience? 

• What are the expectations of users from your app? 

• Where are those places for using your app? 

• When during the day is your app used? 

Mapping the journey of users 

Journey of a user depends upon the user persona held in store. For every user persona, it always starts with defining goals, and then creating a route for users to reach there. Looking from a design perspective, user journey plays a critical role in providing UI/UX foundation, getting users from point A to point B. 

Conducting additional research on brand and users 

After analyzing the product discovery, mapping the journey, drawing user persona, it is time now for some more research on brand and users. Checking out what the app feels like, with a deeper understanding of tone and personality, enhances your brand value. Moreover, sensible design decisions can be a result of having a deeper dive into the life of end users. Both these factors, helps to prioritize design elements, delivering a wonderful experience altogether.

5 Base Strategies To Nail Down Your eCommerce Mobile Apps

What differentiates top eCommerce apps from that of the stereotype ones? Well, they are just getting everything right. They deliver what customers exactly need. They are there, when consumers want them. The key to success here is treating your customers, as if treating your own family members. Take care of consumers, and they will take care of your business. Nevertheless, these five nailing tactics within your mobile application development help you in getting your eCommerce ball rolling right away. 

1. Keeping customers on your hands 

Customers always strive for an out of the box customer service. They like to be given attention, especially when they have a whole lot of queries or problems to solve. You must have seen this all over the place. Customer representatives should be available for an online chat, always ready to hear from people. Whether, first time visitors, or existing customers facing issues, listen to what they have to say, and act accordingly as fast as you can, to deploy best service. 

2. Let your customers find you 

You need to be found in order to reach your customers. Google is quite certainly playing a critical role helping you in this. You cannot imagine how useful the location data turns out to be, especially when it comes to offers tracking, and enhancing regional sales. Valuable insights result in devising strategies that helps to increase sales. 

3. Rewarding customers for their contribution 

Loyalty offers and promotions always motivate customers come back for more. The more you introduce it, more you will be able to retain customer loyalty, by presenting yourself as established, accessible, and much better than competitors. 

4. Close deal with polite words 

You might have seen options like “No thanks, I am not interested!”, when you do not want to proceed further with the purchase. It is an indirect way, wherein customers are slamming your doors and saying “No thanks. I have lost interest in buying this product. I am happy with what I have, and not interested anymore to buy the latest offerings.” This way you are forcing them to be impolite. The best way to go about dealing with this scenario is, introduce them the reviews of existing customers, put across lucrative exit offers, do up selling, offer them discounts for wholesale buying, provide them discount coupons, or more. 

5. Convenient replacement or refund policy 

When users buy from you, they are not confident regarding how the products will turn out to be. They only feel safe when they know that they can replace or return the item, in case of any defects, or products not matching to the expectations. When assured with the buying safety, they will not mind buying from you, without any fear. In such a scenario, free shipping or shipping under nominal charges work wonders for the customer.

Why you should be using “Google Keyboard” on your iPhone or iPad?

Google quite recently released its newest Google Keyboard, known as “Gboard”, for iOS users, with Android to follow sooner. Before we discuss the importance of this keyboard on iPhone and iPad, let us first understand what exactly a “Gboard” is. Google Keyboard is a customized keyboard, offering a more simplistic approach of entering text, which you will not encounter with the traditional iOS stock keyboard. 

You might find it same as the stock version, when it comes to standard swiping gestures, or typing part. However, where it really outperforms, is the addition of a new Google key, to the top left corner of the keyboard. How is this button path breaking? Well, you can search stuff on Google, while you are inside your chat app. In fact, you can even send the search results in the form of a message, while you are chatting. 

Imagine, sending search results within conversations, and that too with great amount of ease, just like any other simple text message. Whether you think from a personal or a professional perspective, this button works like magic, and helps you simplify your tasks largely. Think about it. You are chatting with your friends, and you want to share movie reviews instantly. Alternatively, you are chatting with your client, and you want to share your flight or hotel details for an upcoming business meeting. This is the power of Gboard, ensuring users with a smooth typing experience. 

If still not convinced on how Google Board could be a difference maker, especially when it comes to mobile apps development, let us quickly go through these 5 reasons to help you realize the immense potential: 

• A built-in Google search bar, for surfing options on Google by entering your queries, and send the same in your chat conversation. 
• The keyboard offers predictive emojis, which are already present on the keyboard, without going through a list of them. Just type a key, and all the related emojis show up on the keyboard. 
• Glide typing is something present on almost all stock iOS, or Android keyboards. However, Gboard offers an amazing accuracy, without correcting the word by going back every time. 
• Get suggested GIFs you have already searched in the Google bar, by tapping on an emoji icon. You do not need to go to the gallery or your Internet browser every time to get the relevant GIF. 
• With Google keyboard, you have customization options available, enabling you to access location based settings, find the weather details, or search for your favorite places. You can even search contacts, without leaving the conversation, and can remove the emojis option if you do not want them to be seen.

Role of sorting and filtering in redefining the app search functionality

A designer often faces the challenges of incorporating data sorting and data filtering options within a mobile application design. These options are inevitably important for users to narrow down their search, and get relevant results within no time. Effective options are the ones, letting users go through a painless search, and reach their expected results without much effort.

There are a few designing ways in which you can enable best in the class filtering and sorting options integrated within your app.

Filtering through a partial onscreen slider 

Herein, the filters slide over and overlap the original screen, as soon as the filters are tapped. They lay over the actual screen, and you can close it anytime you want. There are many apps already using it. However, for examples, check out the Etsy, or Amazon app.

Where it is useful?

Such design can be used when there are not too many filtering options to deal with. It is possibly the best way to display search results efficiently.

Filtering through a full screen onscreen slider 

Very similar to the first design, with the only difference of filters occupying the entire screen by completely replacing the original screen, as soon as they are tapped. They appear and take the place of actual screen, making room for an expanded real estate, for filters. There are many apps already using it. However, for examples, check out the Kayak, or AirBnB app.

Where it is useful? 

Such design can be used when there are many filtering options to deal with, because of more space available. It is possibly the best way not to let the users distract from the context.

Sorting 

Sorting is not confided by any constraints like filtering. It does not limit users with the search results being shown up. Most popular and basic sorting options are - alphabetic order, reviews and ratings, and price. However, you can insert sorting options of your own, changing the way results are displayed. As examples, you can check out Kayak or TripAdvisor apps that uses a slideover approach in sorting, while HostelWorld app uses a full screen approach in sorting.

Where it is useful?

Sorting is important if you want your app to work on extremes. This is like finding out something with the cheapest price, or costliest price. Or, something with best reviews, or worst reviews.

The Impact of Ratings or Reviews on Android Mobile App Design and Development

There are millions of apps on Google Play Store reviewed and rated on a daily basis. Whether positive or negative, user feedbacks always play a vital role in letting users decide what is suitable to download on their smartphone. Right from technical issues to features and functionalities, ratings and reviews deliver users just about everything that they expect to hear during android application development. 

It acts as a direct communication channel that enables users to participate in app improvement process, enhancing the app even more and more until you see a perfect app in place. In past few months, Google has made conscious efforts to let the feedback system get even better, improving overall android apps design experience boosting the Play Store popularity. Let us see the updates Google brought about quite recently that developers could make use of through their Development Console: 

Checking the ratings over time

Developers can observe changes in app ratings from old to new version, against time in terms of monthly, weekly, or daily ratings. 

See a breakdown of ratings

Developers can analyze ratings based on Android version, app version, and type of device, language, and country. 

Have a look at the review highlights

With too many reviews to check, this lets developers see common grounds for reviews in favor or in against for your app. 

Device metadata can be scanned easily

Developers can identify what problems users are facing while using their apps, based on the computers metadata such as screen size, CPU, RAM, and more.

A detailed analysis of the review text

By clicking on a certain review, developers can visualize what users are actually saying about an app, especially when relating to specific keywords or topics. 

Give updates or replies to the reviews present 

Now developers have a great amount of flexibility to provide their replies or updates to the app reviews provided by users. This provides a perfect bridge for direct communication allowing developers to clear doubts or misunderstandings created through any technical issues or complex features, which are not complicated really.

Importance of customer feedback for your mobile app

Creating a mobile app is not something that can be achieved within days. 

Too many months of hard work go behind creating a mobile app that does not even guarantee the success. 

In most cases, even with ample time and money, an app is not able to taste the fruits. There could be many reasons behind it. Lack of intuitive design, partial functionalities, difficult to handle are just few of them. 

Most mobile apps development companies see an app from a technical perspective rather than looking it from a usability perspective. Hence, the app seems to lack one or the other parameters, and turns out to be different from what is expected. 

Taking the customer feedback

What exactly to do in order to fulfill customer expectations?

How to understand what your customers wish for?

The answer is customer feedback. Getting a user perspective is very important in order to understand what kind of app will work the best. How to go about taking customer feedback through your app? 

• Install a customer feedback feature inside the app so that customers can directly input their feedback. This can be found in the main menu or profile settings present on an app. 

• Let users know where to leave feedback in the app review itself on the App Store. The users who are interested in checking out your app will open up the details and read the App Preview Notes. 

• Have a popup prompt in place that will ask users about their opinion once they close the app. As an example, if a user closes Urbanspoon App, he/she is asked “Do you love Urbanspoon?” and the answer is to be given in YES or NO. 

• If you do not want to prompt users directly, you can even conduct polls or surveys within the app to get their opinion on certain set of questions. As examples you can consider: 

1. What features you expect in the next App Update? 
2. What are your thoughts on new features recently introduced? 
3. How likely you prefer to recommend this app to your friends? 

Acknowledging feedback of customers

Every piece of feedback, positive or negative, be taken seriously, and those reviews should be worked upon immediately to enhance the application. Both praise and criticism should be valued and even validated to enhance the app. 

Taking follow-ups with the customers is vitally important for increasing customer engagement and turning them into loyal fans. Thanking customers will keep conversation open and allow open discussion to take place where users can solve all their doubts without any hesitation.

10 quick tips for using CTAs to increase mobile app downloads

A Call to Action is a very important element of custom mobile application development meant for smartphones. It tells users what to do if they want to proceed with getting more information, or purchasing products and services. Without a clear CTA, a mobile app is useless, whether meant for iOS, Android, Windows, or others.

When users arrive on an app, what they see is a CTA. CTAs lead users to different actions helping businesses crack sales and generate revenue. A download CTA tells user to download your app. A subscribe CTA tells user to subscribe to the mailing list and be informed with the updates. What things to keep in mind while going for CTA design? Let us find out.

• Use words that grab eyeballs at once such as Get it now, Trial version, Download now, Start playing, and lots more.

• CTA present at both the top and bottom of the pages help users to move within the app faster without having to explore information unnecessary for them.

• Do not place CTAs in pop-ups as that might annoy users.

• A separate CTA should be present for free and paid version of the app. Users prefer to go for free version first, and if satisfied would switch to paid version. Words like “Free version”, “Pro version”, and “Paid version”, does the trick.

• Creating urgency in users such as “Use it free only for a limited period” or “Available free for 15 days” will attract majority users.

• Providing super discount or lucrative offers will lure users tremendously. You see it all the time on travel apps such as “10% off on hotel and flight bookings”, etc.

• Keep language as much simple as possible. Too many words, especially when overwhelming to understand, might irritate users right away.

• Dimensions of a button are important when you consider the visual impact of a CTA. Too large is frustrating to see and too small is hard to look at.

• Make use of images as well as icons in the CTA. It provides a pictorial representation of what the CTA will do and will let users to go for action.

• CTAs with contrast colors allure users for taking action as they can differentiate CTAs with ease. It helps them make decision by acting upon CTAs, which are useful.