Аutomation is a driving force for business growth. It improves efficiency, saves time and money, and frees employees to pursue more important tasks. While desktop software can offer all those advantages, mobile apps as an alternative is often pushed into the background. Automation provided by mobile applications can add the same value and cater to mobility as well. They can not only solve internal company bottlenecks but also widen the sales funnel and create a separate channel for brand awareness.

Automation via an app may be for you if you are experiencing one of the following stumbling blocks:

• Overwhelming number of routine tasks
• Administration consumes a lot of time
• A lot of wasted time due to employee daily commute
• Loopholes in functionality in available automation software, or lack of thereof
• Poor client communication because of lack of staff or no access to digital tools

How different are apps form desktop software when used for automation?

The main differences stem from the degree of capability for mobility and convenience of use. While software is the more popular choice, it can receive input only from stationary points, meaning that employees can access it from their workplace or home. For jobs that require more mobility, software may not be the best solution.

Mobile applications can automate without restricting staff mobility. They can be accessed from any point, thus they can become highly adaptable automation tools covering a wider range of processes in a business. In the least, they can be a valuable part in symbiotic relationship with any existing CRM system.

 

 

 

What can mobile apps automate?

Let’s briefly review the areas they can influence:

Customer service

Customer service can greatly benefit from app management. It can find use in services such as registration, payments, feedback, delivery, inventory management, and so on. A mobile app, for example, can have features that automatically categorize and arrange lists, send notifications, allocate important payment data to appropriate slots. It does this and much more without jeopardizing security.

Example: The restaurant business provides the most obvious example. A mobile application can automate sales, ease the delivery process, and provide customers with self-serve portal. On the other end, restaurant staff can expediently receive order details; while clients can receive benefits such as tracking geo-location of active orders and other perks.

Administration

Administrative processes benefit greatly from automation. Apps can be an excellent supplement to any existing software, adding mobility and uninterrupted access to administrative resources to the whole package. They can do their share by automating repetitive tasks. Apps can be linked with the main database and apply updates to it, either with a push of a button or automatically, keeping everything going at a higher efficiency.

Example: We can draw an example from healthcare. Imagine you have an app that schedules and organizes meetings between patients and doctors in local GPs and also offers alternative a communication platform for lighter cases. Such an app would save a lot of time on waiting and needless appointments.

Marketing

Mobile apps can be excellent automating tools not only for internal business processes but external ones too. For example, apps can automate the marketing spearhead such as advertising and various marketing campaigns, including mass e-mail and lead generation.

Example: AdCharge is an app that can be merged with other apps to show out-of-app ads to users after every incoming call. The unique concept, with better conversion rates, shows that automation via an app can also be an innovation in some fields – in this case, in mobile advertising.

Inventory management

In some types of work, on-site mobility for staff is key. Such is the case with stores, warehouses, shipping depots, and so on. In such cases, mobile automation solutions might be a much better choice. An app can help with keeping records of stock in order, shipping, restocking, schedules, and staff communication. Overall, it can increase the competitiveness of a company.

Example: Say you manage a large clothing store with lots of orders and a big number of items in your inventory. A mobile app can help optimize the whole model by tracking item count and automating the re-stocking process. It can also organize existing stock and process billing.

How can we help?

Speedflow provides development of personalized mobile applications that can help your business address automation challenges. Optimize your business with a quality mobile app tailored to the last detail!

 

 

To share your goals with us, write to info@speedflow.bg or fill out the form in our mobile app development page. We are eager to hear from you.

The domino effect of digital transformation worldwide takeover is strongly felt in most areas of business. The more it spreads, the bigger the pressure on others to implement it, else they risk getting left behind.

Booking apps showcase this digitalization trend on a much smaller scale. They have already replaced telephone bookings as a simpler alternative that allows users to find and book a service or event and pay later. They are on their way to becoming complete platforms that realize the whole process with just a few taps on the screen.

According to data from Criteo, smartphone bookings account for almost 40% of the total number of bookings made in 2018—this has something to do with online bookings still being the preferred method for making a booking. However, for same-day bookings, almost 80% were made via a booking app and this says something: booking apps are on their way to the summit—and they will get there, if not today, then tomorrow.

One thing that still stalls businesses from expanding their channel by adopting apps for their booking needs is their development cost.

This article will break booking apps down to their features and give a rough estimate for each feature. This way, readers will get an understanding of how much it will cost them to have a booking app developed. Enjoy, comment below, and contact us for your app project!

 

I. Basic Features

1. Admin Panel

The Admin Panel is a mandatory part of a booking app. It gives admins the tools to manage their app and its users. A well-structured panel enables admins to manage payments, bookings, and notifications. They can also monitor all business operations processed through the app on their dashboard.

Development of an admin panel is one of the most laborious stages of making a booking app. It is the command center, so to say, where app owners can add or extract value from their service. A cheaper option exists to purchase and integrate a pre-compiled, third-party admin panel, which can offer a skeleton set of functions but not without its downsides. Such panels are fused together with third-party interest, which means annoying ads, lack of transparency and fees.

Development time estimation: 120-160 hours

Estimation: $4200-$5600

 

2. Notifications

Notifications play an important role in the transaction process for all sides involved. Without notifications, users can get confused about the status of a transaction or a booking, which can cause unnecessary complications to what should be a straightforward process. Ideally, users should receive confirmation about made or canceled bookings, payments or changes in the schedules of their chosen events. Additionally, notifications are useful on the admin side as well, for the same reasons.

Once again, this feature can be purchased from third-party sources and can be integrated into the app. However, the same concerns apply. They have quite a few disadvantages, including the need for a separate technical support channel and sometimes untested security. Notification systems built from scratch by our developers offer better security and business-targeted features.

Time: 30-40 hours

Estimation: $1000-$1500

 

3. Search engine

Barring the cases where organization of database entries and UX are impeccable, your booking app would benefit greatly from an integrated search engine. This feature allows app users to navigate your app content and find the places and services they want, and then make a reservation for them. The more complex it is, the easier the app users will orient themselves, however, at the price of additional costs for the development.

Consider the proportionality between the depth of the database and the price for the development of this feature. The bigger the database, the more accurate the search algorithm has to be to save users’ time—which, in turn, means more code writing and more skill is involved, affecting the final price. It’s all relative to your app’s content and user needs.

Or, in other words: Relevancy + Content + Native capabilities = Optimized search experience

Time: 20-40 hours

Estimation: $700 – $1500

 

4. User registration system

Registration enables the user to create and manage an account within the app. While not a vital feature, apps that offer user registration often perform better. Registration is valuable because it brings a positive impact to user retention. It can also strengthen marketing efforts for acquiring new users by making available information about already registered users.

The registration process can consist of one way of signing-in or several. At its basic form, users can register with just their e-mail and password. Additional options of registration can be integrated such as the use of social media account or other accounts. The more options there are, the smoother the registration process for users!

Once again, addressing the alternative third-party registration systems, the same previously mentioned disadvantages apply.

Time: 38 hours

Estimation: $1300 – $1800

 

5. UI/UX design

 

 

While an app with extensive, useful features can earn a great reputation among the more practical of us, a beautiful and practical design undoubtedly wins the hearts of all of us. This is why good developers spend a lot of time fiddling with the station to accommodate the right UX and UI design. Excellent design makes your app stand out, but it is not cheap. So, while you can also go for a bare-bones design, we always recommend pushing it one step further.

Time: 100-120 hours

Estimation: $3500-$4200

 

6. Payment gateway API

Some service providers still rely on old methods such as ‘book and pay on location’. They have the right to do that if it works for them. However, digital transformation is pushing for more simplified and quicker solutions. Sooner or later, they, too, will have to get on board or will risk being left behind. This is also true for payments, and, for apps, this means integration of a custom payment gateway via API.

Development of such a system is tricky and arduous. It can take up to 3 weeks depending on what functionality is needed and how long the non-development processes take (bank accounts, legal side, etc.). Cheaper options are available as well, as purchasing pre-made payment gateways, but, most often they initiate additional fees for every transaction or pester users with ads, and their security is a big question as with most such solutions.

Time: up to 120 hours

Estimation: $4200-$5000

The total cost of the development of a booking app with basic features thus ranges from $14900 to $19100.

 

II. Additional Features

In addition to the app mainframe, a number of smaller features can be integrated to make the app richer and more valuable to users. For example:

• Currency and language settings
• Visual Calendar
• Social media integration
• Review and feedback system
• Recommendations engine

With this, we invite you take the following test. Select the features you want for your app, fiddle with the combinations and receive a rough estimation for the finished product:

III. Booking App Cost Calculator

Do not be discouraged by the results! This is a very rough calculation. At Speedflow, we take into account all client’s plans and requirements and turn great ideas into stunning apps for competitive prices. Our professional team of Android and iOS developers are backed by talented designers, Quality Assurance professionals and others. Speedflow offers mobile app and web development, server solutions, web design and other services. To inquire about your app development project and receive a quote that reflects the price more accurately, please write to info@speedflow.bg

We invite you to have a look at our latest video: an overview of Speedflow Bulgaria’s mobile app development services.

We understand that investing in a mobile app may be a financially hard-hitting decision but the benefits of having one are hard to ignore.

Over 200 billion app downloads happen every year. Smartphone users predominantly use mobile apps to access the Internet. Over $492 billion is generated annually by apps.

Strikingly, this seems to be just the beginning. Researches are in agreement that mobile apps are set to penetrate more and more aspects of modern-day life in the coming decade.

Businesses are not the first, and will not be the last, to come to terms with this realisation. More and more of them are taking advantage of the value-boosting, revenue-producing qualities of mobile apps. Companies recognize that apps can increase their profit, provide a global reach and cater to their customer relations.

Apps’ appeal has not remained unnoticed for people with ideas worth spreading too. People are increasingly engaging with development of apps to spread social awareness for things they care about or to promote welbeing and other lifestyle improvements.

Gaming is, by no means, trailing behind. The app gaming industry has laid serious claims on the market share. According to Statista, gaming apps generate a whopping $53 billion a year, a figure which is set to rise to $60 billion by 2023.

The benefits of having a mobile app are way too many to ignore. We merely ask you not to brush them aside without proper consideration.

To gain an overview insight of our mobile app development services, please take a look at our latest video:

If you want to join this revolution and are looking for a quality app development team, Speedflow Bulgaria has the know-how and excellent prices to help you do it.

To discuss your project with us, please write to info@speedflow.bg

The span between technological leaps is getting shorter. It is now mere months that separate new advancements, especially in IT. For app developers who want to stay successful, keeping a close eye on the ravenous progress of technology and identifying the possibilities each leap presents is crucial. This is why we are going to take a look at the best 7 mobile app development trends that are taking 2019 by storm, starting with the most-anticipated breakthrough of recent months:

 

1. 5G Wireless

5G will trampoline a host of new technological advancements that will penetrate multiple industries. The mobile app development world will hold an honorary front seat when 5G kick-starts these changes.

 

 

Faster, cheaper and more stable than 4G, 5G will support better content, namely 4K video, VR and augmented reality, and a lot of other heavy-content elements.
With the appearance of 5G, developers will arm-wrestle with problems such as efficiency in phone memory usage, security, app loading speed, and others.

 

2. Instant Apps

Instant Apps are essentially Android apps that can be hosted on a cloud server, resulting in increased efficiency, loading speed and user-friendliness.

They hold particular appeal for developers because the both processes of creating them from scratch or adapting them from a normal app are quick and cost-efficient as well as produce bigger value for the end-user.

 

3. Augmented and Virtual Reality

According to Statista, the VR market will bypass the $160-billion mark in 2023. This figure is substantially based on the expectation that the emergence of 5G will skyrocket the augmented and virtual reality industry. And this view is hard to refute.

It is not surprising that mobile developers’ focus has shifted towards app development incorporating this type of content. VR and augmented reality improve user experience and contribute to visually stunning apps.

 

4. IoT – Internet of Things

Although IoT is not a new concept, it exerts a strong influence on app development. It means: devices being interlinked and remotely controlled via a third-party device, like a smartphone for example.

In today’s competitive market, the more connected a device is to others, the better differentiated it is from the competition. The same goes for the app’s interconnectivity capabilities.

The possibilities of IoT apps are endless. Automation, simplification and efficiency are a small part of what an IoT-capable app can offer businesses and individuals.

 

5. Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is increasingly employed by mobile developers to save memory on users’ smartphones and encourage data exchange in a safe environment. Cloud storage supplementation offers a number of advantages, including making the app faster and eliminating the need for downloading it.

 

6. App Security

 

 

With mobile device usage continually on the rise, it would make sense the emphasis in app development would fall onto security. As more and more users shop via their mobile phones, mostly through apps, developers are using every trick in the book to protect users’ sensitive data.

At present, mobile app security is the defining feature that differentiates the professional developer from the amateur one.

 

7. Cross-platform gaming apps

Today, single-platform games, for a variety of marketing reasons, are still the status quo. But it’s highly likely that this traditional approach will soon give way to cross-platform development gaming apps.

Cross-platform gaming apps cut development costs and reduce the time in the development of app frame. We expect to see this approach to extend to not only gaming apps in the future.

 

These are just 7 of the mobile app development trends at present. And although each carries ramifications that could lead to more complex technology, the emphasis remains on simplification of user experience. We don’t expect this to change any time soon.

If you want to be part of the fast-developing technological world, you can do it with an app. Our team is well-versed in the development of native and hybrid apps with stunning design and functionality. Interested? Contact us at info@speedflow.bg