Customer Centricity and App Development – A Perfect Match
Published: 2022-05-30 19:09:18


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Customer centricity isn’t a new concept, per se. Instead, it’s a very old concept that business owners and thought leaders have recently breathed new life into.

The term literally refers to [putting the customer at the center](https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/the-human-touch-at-the-center-of-customer-experience-excellence). But it’s more than just a buzzy way of saying “customer-first” or “service-oriented.” Customer centricity puts the consumer relationship at the nexus of every business decision, every design choice, every conversation.

Think of it this way: A customer-centric business doesn’t please customers to make a sale; they make a sale so that they please customers. Everything leads back to customer satisfaction – even sales. By prioritizing customer satisfaction over other, traditionally more important metrics (like sales, conversion rates, revenue growth), a business can ensure long-term success, retention and loyalty.

This article explores how app development plays a critical role in facilitating customer centricity by applying emerging technologies and human-focused design principles. 

## App Development and Customer Centricity

As businesses increasingly move into digital and mobile spaces, maintaining a customer-centric approach has become more challenging. How do you empathize with, listen to, and guide a customer without a human face in the room? That’s where quality app developers prove indispensable.

App development is the key to a customer-centric approach. By bringing to bear intuitive UI, emerging technologies and engaging design features, app developers can forge deeper connections between companies and their customers.

**Customer-First Approach Built Right into the UI**

It starts with creating apps that people want to use: simple, cleanly designed apps that intuitively guide the user. Good mobile app design goes beyond aesthetics; it considers the relationship between the app and its users. Check out the portfolio from this [app development company in Toronto](https://theapplabb.com/) for examples of stunning UI spun from a customer-centric approach.

**Leveraging AI-Powered Bots to Deliver the “Delight Factor”**

“Customer delight” is the process of surpassing consumer expectations by adding value in unexpected places. It can be as simple as providing quick customer service to a query, or as complicated as offering personalized product recommendations. It’s the role that a particularly passionate customer service rep would play in a brick-and-mortar store. In a digital space, companies can leverage AI to deliver the delight factor by implementing chatbots.

**The Endless Possibilities of AR/VR Technology**

Forward-thinking app development companies also [use AR/VR technology](https://bigthink.com/the-future/immersive-technology/) to deliver customer delight. Clothing retailers can use AR to allow customers to “try on” clothing. A hotel might leverage VR to offer room tours for prospective patrons. In either case, these immersive technologies craft an experience on the way toward sales – because, often, where customer satisfaction is concerned, the journey is more important than the destination.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are several other opportunities for customer centricity in the app development process (Blockchain for greater security and transparency, speech recognition for accessibility, etc.).

If you’re a company looking to reach out to its customers in a more meaningful way, the best place to start is with a quality app developer. The best app development companies won’t just make you a product – they will bring you closer to your customers.