If you are a contractor or remodeler, you may think that the latest mobile revolution has not really affected your business. When it comes to the construction and design of someone’s home, the process itself hasn’t changed much in the past few decades. Even so, with the ubiquity of smartphones and apps comes the potential for some dynamic new ways to approach your business. If you don’t know where to start, there are some companies that have already done some of the work for you, listing many of the best app development companies so that you can find the perfect fit for your business. Read on to find out about four types of apps that will prove that your smartphone could be just as helpful as a hammer on your next remodeling job.
Use apps for holding consultations
One way to consider embracing apps in your workflow is by holding consultations with your clients. Many mobile apps allow for video chatting with others, meaning that you can save on travel time to meetings with your customers while simultaneously expanding the radius of the geographic area you serve. Another way you may want to use an app to help spice up your consultations with clients is to seek out a new meeting space.
Use apps for sharing your designs
Another great way to use an app in your contracting business is to better communicate your designs by smartphone. Say, for example, you’re a flooring contractor in Portland and are looking for a solution that allows your customers to better visualize how different materials like hardwood, carpet, or laminate, will actually look in a customer’s home. This need may be best served by creating a custom, augmented reality app that uses pictures taken by your clients to showcase different design options. Several app development companies have experience in this space, such as the Washington D.C. company Cubix or Palo Alto’s Intellectsoft.
Use apps for project management
Project management is another valuable aspect of your business to improve with smartphone app technology. Many companies with this expertise can custom-tailor a project management app to your specific needs and challenges. Even better, most companies offer interactive prototypes, meaning that you can test your app quickly and provide feedback on each iteration to ensure it meets your needs. Additionally, developers who specialize in cross-platform development can create apps that work on iOS and Android devices, as well as tablets. This saves you valuable money by eliminating the need to upgrade each employee's device to a specific make and model.
Get an app to help with invoicing
One of the nicest surprises that comes with researching an app developer is discovering that many of these companies have already created a software solution to fit your need. This is just the case when it comes to invoicing customers, as top-rated company Reinvently’s app, Gotap, is a solid choice for handling subscriptions, payments, and payment methods in one convenient package. Of course, many developers will be able to create a custom solution, too, if you are interested in reskinning or crafting a similar app to one that already exists. For contractors and remodelers who have yet to dip their toes into integrating apps with their business, selecting a pre-existing app is a handy way to test the waters.
Whether for reasons of efficiency or because of cost, apps and app developers can be a major boon for contractors and remodelers looking to take their business to the next level. Sourcing from a list of tried-and-true options is a great way to begin the process of discovering the ways that some of the best app development companies can revolutionize your company. From consultation and design to project management and invoicing, start thinking about the ways that an app can take your business to the next level.
