All studies show that getting a new customer costs 10 times more than retaining them. For any company, having customers loyal to your brand is the best way to be sustainable, increase your turnover and increase your growth.

In this sense, Smartphones have revolutionized the way in which companies relate to their customers and retain them. But the most important thing is that, thanks to mobile applications, they have become the solution to many of the needs of their users.

Good examples of this are companies such as McDonald's or Dominos Pizza, whose mobile applications have become an essential tool to communicate offers and promotions of their products and engage users.

Do you know, for example, the case of McRib from Mc Donald's? This sandwich is a mythical product that the multinational launched in the eighties -with marinated pork rib, onion and other ingredients- and that, in 2005, became a limited product that is only offered seasonally in some establishments. select. This caused followers to publish maps on the internet where the establishments in which they were available were located, generating great expectation and achieving virality.

Mc Donald's, aware that the McRib has become a magnet for the brand's followers, released a mobile application a few years ago, the "McRib Finder" where customers can see where the product is available and even the stock that stays in real time.

Interesting right? Stay because in this post I am going to tell you how an App can help you to retain your brand's users, increase their commitment and give you a great competitive advantage over your competition.

Why an App is the best tool to retain customers?

Despite the fact that Apps have become one of the best tools for customer loyalty, the reality is that there are still many businesses that ignore their power.

But, why are mobile applications so powerful to attract and retain potential customers? There are many advantages for the user and for the business that undoubtedly help this brand-client connection to occur, such as:

1. Always up-to-date customer data. No need to resort to the classic boring endless forms that scare customers away. Mobile applications allow you to customize the fields that the user must complete and include those that have the greatest value for him and for the brand, and even complete a registration in one click with the Facebook or Gmail sign in.

2. Connect with your users effectively. Thanks to push notifications, you can send direct and quick messages to your users with information relevant to them, discounts, reminders ... These actions add a lot of value to the user, because in addition to receiving benefits that may interest them, you save your client from having to take tedious phone calls or having to keep an eye on your email account.

3. Quick and easy management of reservations, purchases and food orders. Performing these actions from a mobile App is very simple and helps to eliminate possible friction. This type of service through an App, brings enormous value to users, since it saves time and money. In some of the studies on the use of the Apps, there is sure to be some data that reinforces that people prefer to do their own transactions online

Mobile devices have revolutionized the way brands communicate with their customers, helping to create stronger and more lasting relationships thanks to features that improve efficiency and respond to specific needs.

If we refer to the importance of building relationships, it is because, thanks to these functions of mobile applications, companies have managed to express an interest that goes beyond the need to sell or obtain an economic benefit: concern for the customer.

This does not mean that the sale is not vital for the business, but the true profitability of a client is obtained by strengthening long-term relationships, making him see that behind his purchase, there is a brand that cares about him and not about your money.

App functions to retain customers

For the mobile application of your business to attract new users and retain them, it is very important that the App is useful. For them you can ask yourself the following questions:

What value does your mobile application bring to the customer? Is it easy and intuitive to use? What needs do you cover and what processes do you improve through this tool? Does it meet the expectations you had raised during its launch?

All these questions determine if the application brings value to users in the interaction with your business.

As we have commented, the key is to establish long-term relationships with the client, so it is necessary to encourage them to use the App on a recurring basis. For this, you must have a well-defined loyalty strategy and a set of functions in the App that allow you to carry out such a strategy.

Next, I am going to tell you which are the most powerful functions of our CMS to retain customers through your business App:

Push Notifications with Geofencing

It is one of the most powerful functions of the mobile application; Essential to strengthen the relationship with customers and attract new users. You can spread personalized messages, special promotions, events, etc. in certain geolocated areas.

Imagine the potential of this function, which allows you to send a message to a specific user when they pass through an area that you have defined, such as a competitor's premises, or a few meters from your establishment.

Also, it is very important to know how to manage them properly and adapt them to the profile of each user. For example, determine hours in which the user is not disturbed, such as at night, or that the messages are aligned with her interests.

Push notifications have numerous benefits for businesses:

• Customer retention and loyalty
• Instant Message, at the moment
• Higher opening rate of these messages compared to mail
• Geofencing

Remember that the excess of push notifications can have an opposite effect to what you want to achieve, making the image of your brand negative and the client blocking this type of communication.

GPS coupons

The GPS Coupons function is another of the most effective ways to retain customers through a mobile device. Thanks to our advanced CMS, discount codes can be created for any type of product or service.

The important thing is that the coupon system is flexible to adapt to any type of business. You can configure these coupons for a fixed amount, for a percentage, activate them only on some products or for the total purchase of the customer. You can also include an expiration date or that can only be redeemed in certain locations.

The possibilities are endless, and the effectiveness of these coupons in attracting and keeping users is proven to be very high.

Groups

This function offers very interesting possibilities for small companies, schools, clinics or any business that wants to give its users an exclusive service.

You can enable a user registry, to access, for example, courses, subscriptions or a private club.

You can also use this function to create groups of users with a similar profile, and segment your products and services specifically for each target.

Share

It allows users to share the URL of the App in a couple of clicks, and customize the message that will accompany the link.

Social media

We cannot forget Social Networks as one of the main channels to promote your App and retain users.

Thanks to this function, you can now share your mobile application on your social networks, and also disseminate all the important news that have to do with your App.

From a new discount period, to the arrival of new products to your e-commerce.

In Essence

As you can see, it is undoubted that the mobile device is the best loyalty tool that exists at this time. Thanks to the Apps we can communicate with clients directly and bi-directionally, reduce friction, tailor messages to specific profiles and, most importantly, we can measure results.

The discount coupons and tickets that flooded our wallets are already a relic of the past. Now with mobile phones, we can have all those coupons and loyalty cards at the click of a button, offering our customers added value.

After this analysis ... Who doubts the power of Apps to retain customers?