The number of smartphones in the world has increased exponentially over the last decade. The number of homes without at least one smartphone has decreased significantly. In the case of developed countries, it is almost non-existent. Suffice to say that for almost all businesses, a majority of their target audience can be reached through a smartphone. And the same can be said of pumps of all kinds, from industrial slurry pumps to household water pumps. And mobile apps are the best way to connect to them. But how do you grow your pump business using mobile apps, when most people are averse to buying a pump online? Let’s explore this.
Showcasing your products on mobile apps
Sure most of your customers won’t make their purchases online. Even then, they’ll still be looking over products online. They’ll be comparing products of different brands. They’ll be looking for a product most suited to their needs. And when it comes to pumps, their needs are much more objective than someone looking for a table for their living room. Because of this, the decisions are often made much more before the customer enters your showroom.
So here’s one area where you can get that extra edge. For starters, improve your online presence, make your brand available online. Make information about your products easily accessible. And unfortunately, PDFs containing lengthy product documentation are not cutting edge.
Customers are looking for an experience as close to in-store purchase when they’re purchasing online. Of course without the travel and the hassle. They want to be able to find what they want easily. They want the experience when you talk to an expert. Here’s where an app will be useful. As mentioned earlier, there isn’t much in the way of preferences when it comes to choosing a pump. Customers don’t really care if its egg-shell white or if its lighter shade. They have a very specific requirement. So it’s really easy to give expert advice without experts, all within an app.
Mobile apps for in-store purchase?
And even for in-store purchase, an app will be useful. A showroom simply cannot showcase all the configurations a manufacturer produces. And you don’t want a customer to go to your competitor, just because the specific model they were looking for wasn’t available at the moment. But if you have a great mobile app, your sales people can show all the relevant data easily and close the deal.
Many organisations are investing in AR and VR apps to assist their customers. While this mainly applies to home decor businesses, it sure can go a long way in convincing customers in the pump industry too.
Because your customers are making a huge long term investment, and they want to know you’ll be there.
Having an amazing online presence gives the perception of being available, being accessible. As you may be aware, for a specialised product, after sales support is very important. And through a mobile app your customers can instantly connect with your team. This builds a good brand reputation.
And your mobile app can be a one-stop shop for all customer needs. For example, they can access step-by-step instructions on installation, usage and maintenance. They can contact your team for assistance, they can order spare parts, register their products for guarantees and warranties.
In fact many manufacturers are following this approach, both B2B and B2C. Through a single mobile application, they’re able to streamline their entire sales operation.
Automation is the name of the game
With the advent of industry 4.0, customers are looking for connected devices. If its for home usage, customers want their electronics to be compatible with their smart home systems. In case of industrial systems, customers are looking for detailed analytics about performance, usage, maintenance, and more. The industrial internet of things is taking the manufacturing industry by storm.
Either way, connected products are the way to go. A custom IoT app, particularly for industrial pumps, will go a long way for consumers who may otherwise have to look for separate IoT solutions for their processes. And the app will keep on giving value to your customers long after the purchase. This will be an extra incentive for your customers to move to your brand and stay there.
And of course, all the benefits of a single customer app apply here too.
Streamlining work inside your organization with mobile apps
As mentioned earlier, having a mobile app can streamline your entire sales process. Employees can handle customers and their orders much more efficiently. Employees can be trained and onboarded much more quickly in all positions in your organisation. And this is just for the sales.
Most organisations still rely on a huge amount of paperwork for their day to day activities. The process can be significantly simplified through a couple of mobile apps. More than preventing paper wastage, it will be much easier to analyse and find out any bottlenecks or process issues. And many repetitive tasks can be automated by going fully digital.
