How can a mobile app for limo customers drive new business?
A limo app should exist only in service to your customers! This means that the app should be something the customers deem useful enough to take up space on their phones.
As you must know, there are quite literally hundreds of thousands of apps currently available, and many of them are free. Many people's Androids and iPhones are bursting to the seams with apps that they use and very often, don't use. I often find myself having to clear off old apps that I no longer have a need for, and this takes time! The longer I have my Android/iPhone, the more I scrutinize the new apps.
Customers should be able to do things they need like, such as:
View your rates for all types of services
Book trips with you with as little friction as possible
View past trips and receipts
Everything else is probably just noise!
As a limo operator, your customers need to be able to do simple things, such as viewing your rates for all services offered. They need to book trips with you without hassle. Lastly, they probably need to view past trips and receipts. Everything else is just time-wasting noise! Giving the limo customer what they need to know and doing it in the most efficient manner is key. When researching and contacting a limo provider, the potential customer is looking for only a few key pieces of information and that's what you want to give them.
So, now, let’s say you have the app built and released to the apps stores. It must be time to profit, right? Wrong!
The biggest misconception most limo operators have is that a mobile native app will help them get new customers. This is wrong… unless you are a national brand like limos.com, Uber, Groundlink. No one knows your app and no one will download it. Unless of course, they already know you and like your business.
This means a mobile native app can help you improve business is in 2 ways:
Better customer retention: If you have an app that provides the convenience that tools like Uber provide, why should they consider leaving you?
Better customer lifetime value: With this app, customers are now even more likely to use you for more services. Perhaps they only used your service for airport runs… now, perhaps they consider you for other services like nights out, etc.
One thing to take into consideration is the cost of creating a personalized app. Prices generally start at $10,000 and go up from there. Not to mention, having to find a reputable company to build the app, with people that know what they’re doing. Also, it could take months to get an app actually completed and working properly.
As people require newer and better technology, it makes sense to look for hand-held apps to continue in popularity. People simply want to be able to multitask in today’s busy world!