Tracking Existing & Current Investments With A Mobile App

This article is contributed by Eddie Steiner

As individuals and companies rely more and more on mobile communications devices such as smartphones and tablets, so the number of apps that are available has increased, carrying out everything from banking transactions to finding the nearest coffee shop.

Today's consumers are demanding apps that are well-designed, user-

friendly and perform well. Maximising mobile user experience or ‘ux' is essential if the app is to achieve its key objectives, which are to generate new business, enable easy access to stored information, and to monitor the progress of transactions in real-time.

Not so long ago, it was only larger financial institutions, such as banks and multi-national investment companies, that could afford to design and implement secure online access software for their clients. However, as the mobile app industry has matured, there are now numerous software development companies specialising in designing reliable, high quality, bespoke, affordable applications with ux at their core.

Today, small investment companies that fail to develop an app for mobile devices across multiple platforms will find themselves at a serious disadvantage. It has never been easier to acquire a bespoke app designed to source new investment opportunities and monitor existing investments in real time, from almost anywhere in the world and at any time of the day or night.

The first step for small investment firms that decide to introduce a mobile app is to identify a company they can work closely with to design and develop the most effective solution. A quick search of the internet will reveal literally dozens of app developers, so it will be necessary to spend some time checking out which areas they specialise in and obtaining a list of previous customers who are prepared to provide references. Ideally, speak to friends or business colleagues who have employed such companies in the past.

A software development company such as Worry Free Labs, LLC will first ascertain precisely what type of customer experience is required. In the case of investment companies, the app user is likely to be a ‘hunter'- someone looking for specific information or to carry out a predetermined task. The design of the app will therefore be focussed on features that enable him or her to achieve their desired objective with the minimum number of steps. Remember, time is of the essence in the world of mobile apps.

While there should be a common theme in terms of company branding that ties it in with stationery, website and advertising, the app should not be so customised that its interface diverges so far from the norm that it becomes difficult to use. The effect of swiping a screen, pressing a button and touching an icon should be exactly what the user has come to expect.

The actual mechanics of producing an attractive, user-friendly, efficient and professional looking app are well known. The difficult part is ensuring that the software designer has a clear understanding of precisely what the app is intended to do. The design process may take longer than anticipated and it could be necessary for several iterations of the app to be developed before the final version goes live. However, publishing an app that does not perform as expected would be the worst possible result for all concerned.