Browsing the internet has increased significantly in recent years, with 53% of the population now using mobile devices to access the information they want. With the figure so high it certainly means your business should have a strong presence on-line showing you off to your best advantage.

If you want your business website to be more user friendly you may have considered creating your website in a responsive design which will allow any user to see your website perfectly no matter how they are viewing i.e. on a smart phone such as an apple iPhone or a large screen internet TV which can buy from John Lewis.

As well as making your website user friendly for all devices you may have also considered creating an app as well, but before you make this decision consider the following question.

Who will use my app?

If you are planning on creating an app which completely emulates your website then reconsider. There is little point in spending money on something which offers no additional benefit to your customers. You will only lose money.

You should also consider whether your customers need to access your information whilst they are on the move. If they do then an app may be of use to them. Put yourself in their shoes and think about the following: will the app be useful to them whilst they are on the move in different locations? Will it be useful to send them notifications whilst they are on the move? Will the use of their mobile camera be helpful?

If the answers to these questions are more yes than no then you should investigate this further. And ask yourself the following questions; will your app provide your customers with an enhanced serviced? Will your app allow your customers to access information whenever and wherever they need it to help them solve problems? Would your app provide additional functionality to your website?

If answering the above questions has made you think more seriously about creating an app for your business, keep in mind the following:

• Your app should enhance your customers experience of your business
• It should provide additional information to your website
• Give your client more functionality for them to interact with you
• Provide resources for them to solve problems

Why not research apps which companies who have already developed an app to help you understand what you would like your app to do. For instance Gandlake have created an app to help their clients interact more effectively with their customers, which has helped improve their customer satisfaction rates.