Mobile App Development

Why Would I Need a Mobile App?

Not every business needs an app but there are some compelling reasons why an app could be a big win for your business:

1. You want to improve customer engagement. Apps provide a more immersive and direct experience than websites. Push notifications, loyalty programs, and in-app messaging all drive deeper engagement.
2. Your competitors have apps. If your competitors are (literally) in your customers’ pockets - and if you’re not, it means you’re at a disadvantage.
3. You offer a product or service people use frequently. Any product or service that should be available on-demand has the potential to drive engagement through an app. Food delivery, fitness coaching, scheduling, banking, data collection, billing and much more. If your product or service is used regularly, an app makes access faster and more convenient.
4. You want to understand your customers better. Apps can track behaviour, preferences, and usage patterns far more effectively than most websites.
5. You’re launching a new product or service. If your business is the product (like a marketplace, social platform, or tool), a mobile app is generally a core part of the offering.
6. You provide and product or service that require on-site visits.

Mobile apps are great for field workers to provide timely access to company data or processes.

What steps are involved in creating a mobile App?

If you think an app would help grow or streamline your business, we recommend the following approach:

1. Define Your Goals Clearly

   Start with the “why?” Are you increasing sales? Streamlining communication? Offering a new experience? The clearer your goals, the better your app will be.

   Ask Yourself:

   • What problem is the app solving?
   • Who is the target audience?
   • What are the must-have features?
   • What are the nice-to-have features?

2. Choose the Right Platform: iOS, Android, or Both?

   With app development, you only need to worry about two platforms – Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. iOS users tend to be more affluent, but Android dominates global market share and is very popular in developing countries. This may be a factor in choosing what platform to target.

   Despite the availability of modern tools to make it easier to develop apps for both platforms, this can be non-trivial especially if the app requires access to hardware components like the camera or other operating system services.

   If you’re developing an app for internal use, it may make sense to choose one platform and develop for that to ease development costs and improve maintainability.

3. Find a Development Partner

   You essentially have 3 options when looking for a development partner:

   • Freelancers: there are plenty of freelancers around the world and choosing a freelancer is a trade-off between cost and risk. A freelancer might be a good choice for a small project but would be a very risky approach for anything bigger.
   • Development companies: whilst more expensive than using freelancers, development companies are much lower risk especially if you can find one with good references. Development companies are a good balance between avoiding the risks associated with a freelances and the cost of having an in-house team.
   • In-house team: in-house development teams are generally the lowest risk but also come at the highest cost. In 2025 in-house teams are a luxury only enjoyed by medium and large enterprises.

   When looking a development partner find one that:

   • Has relevant experience in what you are trying to achieve and isn’t afraid to prove it.
   • Can handle all aspects of the process including User Experience (UX) and User Interfaces (UI) design, development, and testing.
   • Has familiarity with the relevant app store and app store approval processes. The approval processes are becoming more complex due to privacy laws and transparency about what the App can do.
   • Offers ongoing support for an agreed period.

4. Design First, Code Second

   A good user interface is a must-have in app development - it's the difference between an app people tolerate and one they love. Ensure you work with a UI/UX designer and engage your target users to discover what works best.

5. Consider Developing in Phases

   You don’t have to build everything at once. You can start with the ‘must-haves’ - the core features you need to launch, test, and learn. You can later add additional features based on real user feedback. Ensure your development partner is on this journey with you, however, there are costs associated with each release into the app stores.

6. Test Thoroughly

   Before launch, test on multiple devices and screen sizes. Use non-technical users to catch bugs and gather early feedback.

7. Launch & Promote

   Publishing your app in the App Store or Google Play is just the beginning. Develop a strategy on how to market your app via:

   • Email campaigns
   • Social media
   • Paid ads
   • In-app referral programs

   If it’s an app for internal use, educate your users and engage with them on feedback and your future plans for the App.

8. Maintain & Improve

   It’s important to remember that apps are living products. You can’t just create an app and then forget about it. You’ll need to fix bugs, release updates, and respond to user feedback regularly.

   A well-designed mobile app can boost your brand, streamline operations, and unlock new revenue streams — but only if it solves a real problem and provides genuine value to users.

   Don’t build an app just to say you have one. Build it because it makes your customer’s or employee’s life better — and your business stronger.

What does it cost to develop an app?

The cost of developing an app varies based on the functionality required and to what extent your development partner is involved in the process. When engaging with a development partner, it’s essential to discuss costs involved and your level of tolerance for variation.

Software development projects are notorious for exceeding time and budget and it’s important that requirements are well-documented, and expectations managed from the outset.

When is a custom app more cost effective than an off-the-shelf one?

There are instances in which an off-the-shelf app can meet your requirements but if your business is the app (e.g. Uber or Airbnb), or you want to promote your brand, or have business-specific requirements, you will almost certainly need a custom app.

Unlike desktop and web applications, mobile apps tend to offer less functionality and therefore off-the-shelf apps are less likely to be customisable to meet a specific requirement.

If you’re considering an off-the-shelf app, make sure you define your requirements and assess whether it meets them. Ask your target users if it meets their needs also.

How do I choose a development partner?

Choosing the right development partner is key as this will be an ongoing relationship. It’s important to find someone with app development experience and, ideally, someone who has worked on similar projects previously as they will have some insight into what you’re trying to achieve along with potential pitfalls.

Another really important factor is app security and an understanding of how to ensure your app can’t be compromised or used to access personal information. It could ruin your reputation and your business.

Apps used for business frequently integrate with other business systems and having confidence that your development partner has the competence and skills to undertake potential complex integration may also be a critical factor in choosing an appropriate development partner.

CIBIS brings extensive expertise in app development, web portals, and systems integration, supporting both public-facing and internal business applications. We have successfully delivered solutions for iOS and Android platforms and are well-versed in the Apple and Google app approval processes.

Our ISO 27001 certification for Information Security Management Systems demonstrates our commitment to rigorous security practices. With this combination of technical capability and certified risk management, clients can be confident that the complexities and risks associated with custom app development are thoroughly addressed from the outset.

Contact CIBIS for more information about Custom App development.