Customers will likely benefit by being able to access products and services anywhere anytime.

The key to exceeding your customers' expectations is in their hands.

The world and all the technology in it may be advancing at a rapid pace, but certain things have remained constant despite all these changes. Case in point: Customer acquisition — it continues to remain challenging to this day. Thankfully, all the progress has given us some insights into how companies can tend to this particular problem. And the most relevant solution is the delivery of better customer experiences. One might say that that goes without saying, but more often than not, companies underestimate just how important a role A-grade customer experiences can play in the larger scheme of things. Image Source: Unsplash.com But how can one provide better, high-quality customer experiences in this highly digital age? The answer is quite simple — mobile apps; the fact that they are so ubiquitous, and people today use them for pretty much everything in their day to day lives makes them crucial for companies as well. Why? Because they can be leveraged as mediums to engage with customers even when they are not actively engaging with the business at that point. In addition to that, they can also be used to keep the customer updated with the latest offers, updates in the product portfolio, and exclusive discounts among so many other things. To help make a stronger case for the use of mobile apps to achieve better customer experiences, let’s take a look at some of their other benefits for any business. 1. Understand customers’ journeys : Tracking a customer’s journey is a quintessential part of providing a substantially enhanced customer experience because it allows companies to understand their reasons for engaging with the business, and more. And what better way to keep an eye on your audience’s interactions with your business than a mobile app? 2. Makes business customer-centric : Now, once companies can acquire an in-depth understanding of their customers’ journeys, they can get started on ensuring that their respective strategies can seamlessly focus on the customers that they seek to serve. It is by adapting the app to customers’ preferences in the context of mobile experiences, thus delivering experiences tailored for them. 3. Improved marketing strategy : Knowing what your customers like or don’t like when it comes to their mobile experiences also plays a vital role in shaping a company’s marketing strategy. Now, how does that work, you ask. It is quite simple really — the insights gained can be used to put together a marketing blitzkrieg that is bound to be useful since you now know what works with your customers and what doesn’t.

Best practices for retailers' mobile apps gleaned from an evaluation of 15 apps in the US and Europe.

Mobile should not be considered as a self-service channel but should become the centre of customer engagement, instead of retail or contact centres.

Sean Keith, director of new business development at Eagle Eye, writes that it's clear mobile retail apps provide a platform to engage an increasing number of shoppers at crucial moments in the shopping journeys. But retailers need to consider the costs involved and the utility that effective retail apps provide.