Increasing Customer Satisfaction with a Great Mobile App Experience

We are engrossed in a world of technology, software, and cloud access, and yet, despite how much technology affects our daily lives, there are very few direct feedback mechanisms like a mobile app’s rating in the Apple or Google Play app stores. Customers do not need to be invited to take a survey, or forced to make a phone call or compose an email — they just go to the app store and express their level of satisfaction with a tap. Did you know that 80–90% of mobile apps are abandoned after just one use, according to Business of Apps. So, keeping customers engaged and ensuring they are satisfied with the value of your app is no easy task. Unfortunately, even if customers love an app, they may not leave a review which is why it is important to have a well-rounded strategy for keeping customers satisfied and advancing your app’s features.

This is especially true for household mobile payments apps like our MyUsage app.

Customers are more protective when it comes to apps that handle their personal financial information. They may be hesitant to download an app with a low rating due to concerns of privacy and security. In fact, research shows that mobile users won’t even consider downloading an app that’s rated lower than 3-stars.

Key components of ensuring customers love our mobile app

The MyUsage app has a 4.7 star rating with over 8,000 reviews. How do we keep our customers satisfied?

1. Solve a need

The MyUsage app allows customers to manage their daily utility usage and payments anytime, anywhere. They can track their daily usage as the month progresses and stay on top of payments. This app resonates with customers because there has historically been a lack of transparency with the monthly bill in the Utility industry reducing customers’ ability to plan and manage their household budgets accordingly.

2. Build a technically sound app

Slow performance, crashes, and bugs are all reasons for users to immediately delete an app. Ensuring that our initial releases are as bug-free as possible with a dedicated mobile app team has been critical. However, due to the sheer volume and variations between mobile phone brands and operating systems, some crashes and issues are inevitable. Device compatibility will always remain a tremendous challenge. Having dedicated support and technical experts that can identify and respond quickly to issues is a must.

Customers seek out applications that are simple, yet effective. Often, the act of simplifying is much more challenging than building out “do-it-all” functionality and overly detailed interface options. We have had to be very discerning in terms of anticipating the features users might want while avoiding too many extraneous features which results in confusion and increased complexity. The MyUsage app is simple to use, but still includes many features such as…

• Daily usage in terms of dollars and kWh
• Tracking usage versus temperature
• Viewing balances and electronic bills
• Next bill estimation
• Highly personalized and customized notifications
• Quick click payment functionality
• Scheduled and automated payments
• Outage reporting

…and much more!

3. Add a personal touch

Apps may be one-size-fits-all, but they shouldn’t feel that way to the user. Elements of customization including personalized dashboards, the ability to save payment methods, and control over notifications and alerts helps meet each specific customer’s needs.

Providing customers with the option to pay that best fits their lifestyle is key to achieving a personalized experience. In today’s environment, the more immediate and touchless the better.

Utilities bills are typically due once every 30–35 days, but some people have unpredictable incomes or are paid bi-weekly. Providing visibility into bills before they are due and offering options for making payments that meet customers’ needs and lifestyle is critical.

4. Make it easy to use on the go

Apps are meant to be used on the go. If an app is too complicated or difficult to navigate, users will quickly find a better option that works anywhere. As a native mobile application, MyUsage supports push notifications which provide instant alerts for things that users care about including high usage notifications, energy efficiency tips, and bill due reminders. MyUsage works behind the scenes for its users so they don’t have to worry about their utilities.

The MyUsage app enables users to set up customized push, SMS, IVR, and e-mail notifications so they only receive alerts that matter to them in the manner that they want to receive them. Mobile bill payment apps are all about empowering customers to take control of their finances and notifications must support and enhance that experience.

Taking full advantage of feedback

It is not easy developing and maintaining an app that ensures customers are satisfied and has high mobile app ratings in both the Apple and Google Play stores. The positive reviews tell us what we are doing right, but just as important is paying attention to the negative reviews and figuring out how to continually enhance the product. There are few direct feedback mechanisms as useful as app store ratings. When we do receive a negative review, we take it as constructive criticism. Angry users can be rude or unkind, but there may be something helpful in their review and as part of our support program, we always try to respond and help them resolve any issues. Reacting quickly to solve their problem and respond to their concerns improves our app along the way!

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Sources:

• https://apps.apple.com/us/app/myusage-mobile/id324701313
• https://www.businessofapps.com/insights/top-reasons-why-mobile-apps-fail-to-make-a-mark-in-the-market/#:~:text=As%20surprising%20it%20may%20sound,three%20days%20of%20its%20installation.
• https://appradar.com/academy/aso-intermediate/app-reviews-and-ratings