Most people hate the idea of being forced to install apps to access services. However, installing an app is often a key element of many products. Companies love it. Installing an app is often the first step of a smart connected products’ setup.
Heady.io’s recent survey results shows even if 91% dislike being forced to install apps in order to do business with a company, almost half of us still do it and women are especially annoyed by the requirement for an app. It is not something that men enjoy more than women, but women are slightly more likely to find this business practice “extremely irritating.”
Like Heady’s CEO Rahul Kosla puts it: “You wouldn’t propose to move-in with someone on your first date. Apps are a long-term commitment.”
- 19% said they’ll install it.
- 28% claim they will download the app.
- 38% of respondents say they could download the app
In a way, this is good news to brands: at least half of the cases they request are granted. The app install step could be seen by brands as a way to differentiate serious customers from casual customers, because the people who install it are more likely than not to become paying customers. The downside is a missed opportunity for potential customers as they have created an entry barrier to their products. This also means that they’ve pre-affected future customers who may now less likely to consider selecting a different product from the business in the future.
Generally speaking, from a business perspective, forcing users to jump through hoops can be risky, but the potential benefits can outweigh the negative effects. It’s easy to understand that a mobile web page visit of a user doesn’t result in “action”. But businesses that get an app installed gain access to their customers’ lives. Businesses have the ability to reach customers at any time, get additional user data like location and tailor communications depending on what permissions users grant an app.
Essentially, they are walking around with you in the pocket. That is, of course, a valuable trait. However, consumer friction is real: on average, 78% of users abandon transactions when businesses ask for an app to do business. It’s interesting to note that 87.1% of those aged between 18-24 have stopped a transaction when an app is a requirement. This compares to just below 70% for those over 55.
Not installing apps is saving consumers billions.
30% of customers saved more than $100 last year by avoiding a purchase decision that required an app. Another 30% saved between $20 to $100. If you average that over hundreds of million of consumers, it quickly adds up to billions dollars in lost revenues for businesses. You have to take these results with a grain of salt, since the survey is based on a considerable small sample of 412 individuals(all of the respondents were U.S. citizens. 57.2% of them were female and 42.8% male).
To summarize:
- 68% of smartphone users feel frustrated when they need to install an app to complete a transaction.
- 77.9% said they abandoned a transaction due to not wanting to install the required app.
- 33% of people say that they have saved at most $100 in the last 12 months by not using these transactions.
These app statistics highlight key issues for businesses in mobile applications:
- It may cause frustration among some customers if your app is required to be installed before they are familiar with your business.
- You could lose value due to abandoned transactions as a result of required app downloads.
- However, the demand for mobile apps continues to rise.
Take all of that together, and you’ll see that there is a growing demand for businesses to tap this unmet demand. Businesses that create seamless online experiences that help instead of frustrate will be noticed.
Progressive Web Apps
Progressive Web Apps are supported by all major mobile oprating systems for several years now. They have matured and allow businesses to have a friction-free and organic transactions with their customers: customers can interact with them, without needing to install the app:
- Progressive Web Apps doesn’t require customers to download your app in order to complete their transaction.
- Customers will be able get to know your company and your app before they commit to install a Progressive Web App. This will make it more likely that they’ll continue to use the full app for future transactions.
Progressive Web Apps can be a great way to distinguish your brand from your competitors in a world where an native app is not enough. They allow you to leverage the functionality already built into your mobile presence, to increase transactions, brand awareness, and customer engagement.
For businesses who don’t yet have a Progressive Web App but are interested in creating customer-centric experiences, now is the best time to design, build, and launch an Progressive Web Apps.
Are you ready for your customers to have the smoothest mobile experience possible? Get in touch with us and learn how our qonnect platform provides you with progressive web apps. Businesses like call a BOX already use our platform and it works well :-).
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2021/02/15/91-of-us-hate-being-forced-to-install-apps-to-do-business-costing-brands-billions/?sh=305f0f7f5da8
https://www.heady.io/blog/market-study-mobile-customer-experience-issues-highlight-use-cases-for-ios-app-clips
