March 26, 2020 | 10 min read
Welcome more sales and more time.
If you want to extract more ROI from this decision, let me suggest another step: set out a roadmap for the move from the old app to the new application.
After months (or years!) of Shopify App Store field testing applications, you thought it’s time you wanted a custom app designed just for your shop. No more sloppy grappling with workflows. Say goodbye to the hideous transfer of data that is losing more time than it saves.
Like every business coach would tell you, failure to schedule means failure to plan. So, as you move to a powerful, made-for-you private app, take the time to think clearly about what you need to do with the app–even before you start talking to it.
Instead of getting overwhelmed by any new app feature you see, getting clear about what’s important to you and your customers is crucial for the success of the app and your business.
I’ve taken several of my clients through the process of deciding what features can give their company the best possible help and growth potential. Here is a version of the checklist which I use whenever I build a new App
Important is the Checklist
I use this list as a starting point for my discussions with new customers who want to create a custom app for them, whether it is completely original or similar to a public app (click here for more information on Shopify-compatible app types). Before you start talking to developers, I recommend that you complete this checklist so that your discussions can be more thorough … and exact.
A. Get the crystal clear PURPOSE
Starting from scratch, it’s easy to get excited about all that you could build into your app. I usually ask these points to my clients to keep the focus.
- 1. Requirement of this App for yourstore
- 2. The level of success in Business
- 3. Targeting specific ROI
Knowing precisely what linchpin features your company needs to run smoothly and profitably will help you recognize the functions that require more oomph (and those that are just fine without more backup).
Developers generally like clean, efficient apps, so if we don’t have to add a lot of extra bells and whistles, that’s what we really prefer. Being able to answer the above questions confidently will help the developer invest more time in the right areas, creating possibly better solutions than you imagined.
When you zero in on the features that you really need, you can then go the extra step of setting goals or measurable outcomes. Using these metrics at project start would help concentrate the results and success, contributing to successful practices.
B. App interaction With Shopify
This may sound like computer nerd territory, but it is a realistic problem in fact. I’m not asking you to know which APIs are required but how you want to work together with Shopify and your store to get orders placed and delivered.
Such points I ask can vary depending on what you want the app to do, but these are examples you can use. When you are designing a product-impacting app you may ask:
- No of Selling Products
- No of items your are offering
- Consistency of Item Upgradation
If the order or fulfillment app is going to work, the points may be:
- No. of Commands issued
- Items required for order fulfillment
- Does the app need to communicate immediately
A more general issue to consider is how many visitors your store receives each week. Larger stores will need more server support, and knowing that it helps to create accurate estimates of costs right off the bat. Such questions are relevant, as part of a private app’s maintenance cost is dependent on hosting costs. Of course, smaller apps are cheaper to host than larger ones, but as the deciding factor, it’s crucial not to start with cost.
Regardless of all the features, often a bigger app will have a bigger ROI, and settling for a smaller app to save money could cut your profits. Getting good traffic data and your use of Shopify can allow your developer’s right-size device to optimize work and benefit.
C. User of the App
Before I begin thinking about the needs of my clients for a specific program, I often ask them who should use its key features. Understanding precisely which users will be communicating with the app would significantly aid the design process.
The questions I ask to my clients like Can owners and admin staff use this to monitor store functions? Does it have a front-end feature to assist clients in identifying goods and making a purchase? Will this app be running in the background to update data or integrate with functions from third parties?
Knowing who’s going to get its hands on the results of the test helps create a positive user experience and environment.
D. Write up the construction costs
There are also many costs associated with a private app, and budgeting is important for all of them.The main costs will be the overall development costs, which include the payments for a developer to set up the software and all the functionality. A quality developer should give you a good understanding of what’s included in his proposal on these costs, especially if you have the details outlined in the above points. The next expense layer is on routine maintenance. Many of these may be paid to the developer to repair bugs, upgrade protection, or make small adjustments while you use the app in real time. Make sure you’ve got a specialist lined up to make these adjustments before the app goes live so you don’t face a crisis-stricken shutdown and dwindling sales.
Setup your Plans :
Streamline your process by using the above steps to get the good benefit in your online business. We have mentioned the necessary tools for qualitative and effective development without significant effort. So now it’s only up to you how to make it work for your specific tasks.