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Will an E-Commerce Website grow my business?

Tue, 30 May 2023 19:45:24 GMT

Should I sell online using an E-commerce Website??

I. Introduction

A. Definition of e-commerce

B. Importance of online presence

II. The Benefits of E-commerce for Business Growth

A. Increased Reach and Global Market Access

1. Breaking geographical barriers

2. Tapping into international markets

B. 24/7 Availability and Convenience

1. Catering to customers' preferences

2. Seamless shopping experience

C. Enhanced Customer Engagement

1. Personalization and customization

2. Utilizing customer data for targeted marketing

D. Cost Efficiency and Scalability

1. Lower overhead costs compared to physical stores

2. Ability to handle high transaction volumes

E. Analytics and Insights for Business Optimization

1. Tracking and analyzing customer behavior

2. Data-driven decision making

III. Overcoming Challenges of E-commerce Implementation

A. Building Trust and Credibility

1. Securing online transactions and data protection

2. Establishing a reputable brand image

B. Managing Inventory and Logistics

1. Implementing efficient inventory management systems

2. Streamlining shipping and fulfillment processes

C. Competition and Differentiation

1. Standing out in a saturated market

2. Utilizing unique selling propositions

D. Website Optimization and User Experience

1. Responsive design and mobile compatibility

2. Simplifying navigation and checkout process

E. Digital Marketing and Promotions

1. Creating effective marketing campaigns

2. Leveraging social media and SEO strategies

IV. Success Stories: Businesses Thriving with E-commerce

A. Case Study 1: XYZ Inc. - Expanding Market Reach

B. Case Study 2: ABC Store - Increased Sales and Customer Retention

C. Case Study 3: QRS Boutique - Growing Brand Awareness

V. Conclusion

A. Recap of e-commerce benefits

B. The future of e-commerce and business growth

C. Final thoughts on leveraging e-commerce for success

Article: "Will an E-commerce Website Grow My Business"

Introduction

In today's digital era, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses of all sizes. E-commerce, which refers to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet, has revolutionized the way businesses operate. In this article, we will explore the potential of an e-commerce website in growing your business and discuss the various benefits it offers.

The Benefits of E-commerce for Business Growth

Increased Reach and Global Market Access

One of the most significant advantages of an e-commerce website is the ability to break through geographical barriers. Unlike physical stores that are limited by location, an online store allows businesses to reach customers globally. By embracing e-commerce, your business can tap into international markets, expanding its reach and potentially increasing sales opportunities.

24/7 Availability and Convenience

In the digital realm, customers expect convenience and flexibility. An e-commerce website provides precisely that. With a 24/7 online presence, your business can cater to customers' preferences, allowing them to browse and make purchases at any time that suits them. This convenience fosters customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to increased sales and repeat business.

Enhanced Customer Engagement

Personalization and customization are key components of successful e-commerce strategies. An e-commerce website enables businesses to gather valuable customer data and utilize it to personalize the shopping experience. By understanding customers' preferences and purchase history, you can offer tailored product recommendations, targeted promotions, and personalized marketing campaigns, ultimately fostering stronger customer engagement.

Cost Efficiency and Scalability

Compared to brick-and-mortar stores, operating an e-commerce website offers significant cost advantages. The overhead costs associated with physical stores, such as rent and utilities, are eliminated or significantly reduced. Additionally, e-commerce platforms often provide scalable solutions, allowing businesses to handle high transaction volumes without the need for additional physical space or staffing.

Analytics and Insights for Business Optimization

Data is invaluable in the world of e-commerce. An e-commerce website provides access to comprehensive analytics and insights that can drive business optimization. By tracking and analyzing customer behavior, you can gain valuable insights into shopping patterns, popular products, and customer preferences. Armed with this information, you can make data-driven decisions, fine-tune marketing strategies, and optimize your product offerings to maximize sales and customer satisfaction.

Overcoming Challenges of E-commerce Implementation

Building Trust and Credibility

In the digital landscape, building trust and credibility is vital. Customers need to feel secure when making online transactions and providing their personal information. Implementing robust security measures, such as SSL certificates and secure payment gateways, is crucial to instill confidence in your customers. Additionally, establishing a reputable brand image through consistent branding and excellent customer service helps build trust in your business.

Managing Inventory and Logistics

Efficiently managing inventory and logistics is a critical aspect of successful e-commerce operations. Implementing inventory management systems can help you keep track of stock levels, streamline replenishment processes, and prevent stockouts. Additionally, optimizing shipping and fulfillment processes is essential for providing prompt and reliable delivery to your customers, ensuring their satisfaction and repeat business.

Competition and Differentiation

The e-commerce landscape is highly competitive, with numerous businesses vying for customers' attention. To succeed, you must find ways to stand out from the crowd and differentiate your brand. Developing a unique selling proposition (USP) that highlights your business's distinctive features or offerings can help attract and retain customers. Whether it's exceptional customer service, eco-friendly practices, or exclusive product lines, emphasizing what sets you apart can give you a competitive edge.

Website Optimization and User Experience

A well-optimized e-commerce website is crucial for a positive user experience. Responsive design that adapts seamlessly to various devices and screen sizes ensures that customers can easily navigate and make purchases from your website, regardless of the device they use. Simplifying the checkout process and reducing friction points can minimize cart abandonment rates, increasing the likelihood of successful conversions and sales.

Digital Marketing and Promotions

While having an e-commerce website provides access to a global customer base, it's essential to proactively market your online store to drive traffic and sales. Creating effective digital marketing campaigns tailored to your target audience, utilizing channels such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and email marketing, can help raise brand awareness, attract new customers, and encourage repeat purchases.

Success Stories: Businesses Thriving with E-commerce

Case Study 1: XYZ Inc. - Expanding Market Reach

XYZ Inc., a small fashion boutique based in a suburban area, experienced remarkable growth after launching an e-commerce website. By going online, they were able to reach customers outside their local vicinity, expanding their market reach and sales potential. Through targeted online marketing campaigns and leveraging social media influencers, XYZ Inc. successfully established themselves as a reputable brand and significantly increased their customer base.

Case Study 2: ABC Store - Increased Sales and Customer Retention

ABC Store, a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer, decided to complement their physical stores with an e-commerce website. The addition of online sales proved to be a game-changer for their business. The convenience and accessibility of their online store not only attracted new customers but also led to increased sales from their existing customer base. By implementing customer retention strategies such as personalized recommendations and exclusive online promotions, ABC Store achieved higher customer loyalty and repeat business.

Case Study 3: QRS Boutique - Growing Brand Awareness

QRS Boutique, a niche jewelry brand, faced tough competition from larger players in the industry. However, by focusing on their unique craftsmanship and utilizing digital marketing techniques, they successfully grew their brand awareness and customer base. Through captivating visual content on their website and social media platforms, QRS Boutique showcased the intricate details of their jewelry pieces and connected with their target audience. The e-commerce website acted as a gateway for customers to explore and purchase their exquisite products, resulting in increased sales and brand recognition.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an e-commerce website has the potential to significantly grow your business by expanding your market reach, providing 24/7 availability and convenience, enhancing customer engagement, offering cost efficiency and scalability, and providing valuable analytics for business optimization. While challenges such as building trust, managing inventory, standing out from the competition, optimizing user experience, and implementing effective digital marketing strategies exist, success stories from businesses across various industries demonstrate the immense benefits of embracing e-commerce. With careful planning, a well-executed e-commerce strategy can position your business for long-term growth and success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A WEBSITE IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE?

ciaran.harkin@eazi-apps.com (Ciaran Harkin) — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 15:53:33 GMT

Yes we believe so... As the world evolves and develops, we are always looking to improve our businesses.

As the old ways are starting to fade away and companies slowly begin to transition to the digital side of the world. Some businesses are still stuck in their own ways and still in the “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” phase, but how many of them would change their ways if they knew the importance of having a website?

We understand that the online world can be scary and overwhelming for some of us, but with the professionals at Hark Digital, it’s our job to make sure you’re getting the best of the best in the digital world. We’re here to develop, transform and progress your digital side of the business. With that being said, we want to talk to you about the importance of having a website and transforming your business online.

Having a website isn’t just a platform to showcase your services/products; it’s much more than that. It’s a 24/7 online presence allowing anyone, anywhere and anytime accessibility. There’s no more waiting around for office hours to open; a 24/7 customer support such as FAQ’s and chatbot can provide customer support is a tough job for any business at any time. However, providing customer support online is easier and more cost-efficient than hiring personnel.

It’s not only just a way for your customer/client to have access to your business. It’s an excellent way to gather data consumer insights; analytic tools to allow you to identify who your typical customer is, how they found you, what they like, and adapt your business to maximise purchases through your site.

88% of consumers who search for a type of business on a mobile device call or go to that business within 24 hours.

The main reason for any business to have a website it to generate leads and increase sales. B2B companies with a lead generation website and who write regular blogs, generate 67% more leads versus their competition. 60% of smartphone users have contacted a business directly using the website "click to call" option. Global online retail sales are growing and expected to hit 21.8% of all retail sales Worldwide.

The many things a website does is cut costs and help you save money. Having an online present as well as simply displaying information, you can also use your website to sell goods & services directly to consumers, in some cases removing the need to use “brick-and-mortar” stores which involve large operating costs (staff wages, rental, utilities to name just a few). Eliminating these overheads will also allow you to lower your prices, giving your business that real competitive edge. Now, who doesn’t like saving money?

There are many other facts on why it’s important to have a website in today’s day and age. We believe we can help you develop an excellent website that can help you generate more sales and leads.

If that interests you, contact us today, and we can give you a fair and affordable quote.

Let us help you leave your mark in the digital world….

SEO NORTHERN IRELAND

ciaran.harkin@eazi-apps.com (Ciaran Harkin) — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:13:08 GMT

SEO Northern Ireland

For starters, SEO stands for "Search Engine Optimisation" SEO is a process of improving the quality and quantity of website traffic to a website or a web page from search engines.

In a simpler term, it means the process of improving your website to increase its visibility when people search for products or services related to your business in search engines like Google, Bing and others. The higher ranking and better visibility your pages have in search results, the more likely you are to garner attention, attract prospective and existing customers to your business.

So how does this work?

Search engines such as Google and Bing use bots to crawl pages on the web, go from site to site, collect information about those pages, and put them in an index. The index is like a giant library where a librarian can pull up a book (or a web page) to help you find exactly what you're looking for at the time.

Once that is done, algorithms analyse pages in the index, taking into account hundreds of ranking factors or signals, to determine the order pages should appear in the search results for a given query. In our library analogy, the librarian has read every single book in the library and can tell you exactly which one will have the answers to your questions.

We then make the changes and do what we need to do to help rank your page the highest on the internet search.

Why do I need it? Here are a couple of reasons why:

- SEO helps to boost your credibility, a site that ranks high on search engine results pages is typically considered high-quality and trustworthy by search engines, and this in turn boosts the credibility of your business.

- It supports content marketing, original content and SEO work hand in hand; by creating helpful content for visitors, including text, images and videos, your site will rank better in search results. But SEO can support your content marketing efforts too.

- It can help you reach more people; while many marketing campaigns tend to focus on a defined target audience, SEO can help you attract anyone with intent at a given point in time, no matter what stage of the buying funnel they are in. If you target keywords rather than demographics as you might with PPC or social advertising, you can attract more prospects who may be interested in doing business with you.

There are many other reasons to why you need an SEO strategy In your digital marketing plan. 70% of marketers see SEO as more effective than PPC. 61% of marketers say improving SEO and growing their organic presence is their top inbound marketing priority.

As a digital specialist, we believe everyone should have an SEO strategy plan with their website. So, if you have a website and need an SEO strategy plan, then contact us today! We're ready to help you get to number 1 spot on the google search page!

How Can A Mobile App Help My Sports Club?

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 15:07:35 GMT

New Title

I'm sure many of you have heard the term "mobile first" being thrown around, as a lot of companies are starting to make their websites more responsive and mobile-friendly. But what about apps for sports clubs? Apps can be used by your club members to keep up to date with fixtures, results and news from your team, as well as access online shop facilities if you sell merchandise. If you're worried about the cost of developing an app or getting it properly set up then don't worry! There are solutions available that can help you get started on building your own app at a little cost or effort required.

Messaging within the app

Messaging within the app is another way to communicate with people. For example, you can use messaging to communicate with players, parents, coaches and sponsors. You could also use it to communicate with people who are not members of the club or even your team.

Club administration

Club management software helps sports clubs with the following tasks:

Membership management: keeping track of members, billing them for membership fees, and communicating with members. This can be a complicated task if you're managing a large club with many different types of memberships. For example, some people may pay in cash while others use their credit card; some may have joined recently while, others have been around since the beginning. Club management software will help you track of who is paying what and its due so that your club can stay on top of its finances. Also, if someone decides to cancel their membership, they'll be able to do so smoothly through the app--not worrying about sending out paper forms or chasing down checks!
Payment processing: collecting payments from members or other sources (like vendors) using secure methods like Apple Pay or Venmo. You'll also receive notifications whenever money comes in so that nothing slips through the cracks!
Newsletters: creating newsletters for both internal communication (like announcing events) as well as external communication (like advertising). Using an app makes this process much easier than printing off PDFs every time one needs updating. All content resides within one central location where updates are made easily via smartphone rather than having multiple versions floating around everywhere else."

Push notifications within the app

Push notifications are an excellent way to keep your members updated, and they can be used for a wide range of purposes. Use them to remind members about upcoming matches or events in the venue, or even competitions that are taking place elsewhere. You can also use push notifications as a way of inviting members to join new groups, or reminding them about any social events you have planned.

As well as sending push notifications through the mobile app itself (which will be useful if you want people to see them straight away), it’s possible for you to send push notifications directly from your website instead. This is particularly useful if you want people visiting your site from home or work computers to get notified instantly – especially if they don’t have access to their phones at those times.

Online shop

A mobile app can be a great way for your sports club to make money.

You can sell official merchandise, such as branded t-shirts and hoodies. You can also sell tickets to games, events and other sports matches.

It's also possible to sell tickets to other clubs, venues or locations such as cinemas or restaurants if you're into that sort of thing!

Team management

Manage team members
Easily add, remove, and transfer players to and from teams.
Keep an eye on each player's availability for training and matches.
Manage the availability of a whole team (or multiple teams) at once by setting availability rules that apply to every player in the group. For example: "Select All" to set all people’s weekly availability as free or busy; then select a few people who are available on Saturday mornings while making everyone else unavailable during that time period. You can also choose specific days of the week when you want to block out certain activities—for example, Mondays will be blocked out so no one joins in on football practice that night!

Match fixtures, results and league table

It's vital that you're able to schedule matches and events as well as track the results and league table. This helps you keep your team or club organised.

It's important to be able to communicate with players, coaches and parents by email or text message so they can easily receive information about training sessions, fixtures, results and league tables.

Squad player profiles

Creating squad player profiles is a great way to recognize your team's achievements and foster a positive team spirit. The profile can include the player's name, position, stats (such as goals scored or tackles made), bio (including their career highlights), videos of them in action, photos of them with their teammates at social events, and tweets they've sent out that mention the club. That way you'll be able to keep track of who on your squad is doing well!

Social media feed

Social media is important for sports clubs. You can use social media to promote your club, and your players. You can also use it to promote your sponsors by creating a hashtag or logo that they can share on their own pages and promote that way. You could also do this with events, merchandise or any other aspect of the club that you want people to know about. Social media is an excellent way to interact with fans and followers who may not be involved in the same way as others in the club, but still want to show support.

Sponsors / third-party advertising space

Sponsors can use the app for advertising their business.
Sponsors can use the app to promote their products.
Sponsors can use the app to promote their brand.
Sponsors can use the app to promote their services.
And, sponsors may even want to buy space on your app for promoting an event they are running or some other promotion that would benefit from reaching a large audience of sports enthusiasts like you!

Fixture alerts / reminders

Fixtures are a key part of any club's life, whether they're for sports teams or local youth groups. Fixture alerts and reminders can help you organise your events and make it easier for members to sign up.

Post fixtures on the app
Post fixtures on social media
Send fixtures via email
Send fixtures via SMS

You could even go one step further by using push notifications within the app itself. This means that whenever a new event is created, users get an alert on their smartphones straight away!

A mobile app can really help manage your sports club

A mobile app can be a great way to communicate with your members, help manage teams, and manage finances and sponsorships. It can also help manage social media and the website.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are so many ways a mobile app can help your sports club. The question is, which of these features is most important to you? The answer will depend on the type of sport and how big your club is. If you’re looking for something simple and customizable, we recommend starting with the messaging feature. This will allow members to chat with each other or even schedule meetings right from their phones without having to log onto an online platform.

Why You Need SEO In 2022

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 13:57:37 GMT

Why You Need SEO In 2022

It's no secret that search engine optimization (SEO) has become an essential part of any business' marketing strategy, especially when it comes to digital marketing. But how much do you know about SEO? Here we'll cover SEO benefits.

Cost-effective

SEO is an investment that pays off. The fact that SEO is low-cost doesn't mean it's a bad option. It's just different from traditional marketing, and you need to keep your mind open to new ideas and strategies if you're going to succeed in the modern world of business. If you're looking for a way to get more customers or more traffic with limited resources, SEO might be just what you need. There are plenty of ways that companies can use search engine optimization (SEO) to their advantage without spending millions on TV ads or billboards.

Increased site usability

A big part of SEO is improving your site's usability. Improving the user experience (UX) is important for search engines and users alike. Having a site that is easy to use, find, and navigate makes it more likely that visitors will return to your website. The better you can optimize your website for both people and search engines, the more likely you will attract traffic from all sources!

Increased traffic

If you have a website, you’re likely interested in increasing traffic. In fact, it's probably one of the most important factors determining whether or not your site is successful. It can be difficult to make sure that your site gets enough traffic and helps you reach your goals— especially if you're just starting out. But there are a few things you can do to increase the number of visitors coming to your website:

Increase organic search engine results for relevant keywords on Google, Bing and other search engines.

Get backlinks from reputable websites linking back to yours (the more authoritative the website linking back to yours, the better).

Invest in an SEO expert

Measurable results

SEO tends to be much more affordable as long as you have someone managing your website on a regular basis; this way, you won't need someone constantly monitoring how many times people visit your site and click on certain links within it.

It’s also important not just for comparison purposes but also because it can help inform future decisions about whether or not something is working (or failing). For example: if we didn't track our progress carefully over time, we'd never know whether our efforts were successful until months later.

High return on investment

SEO is one of the most cost-effective marketing methods. It can be done in-house, or by a professional SEO agency, and it’s a long-term strategy.

SEO doesn’t produce quick like a PPC campaign or social media boost would; instead, it takes time to build up your page rankings and increase visibility. This means you need to be patient when working with an SEO expert, but trust me—it will pay off in the end!

Search engine optimisation cost

While SEO is a process that needs to be monitored and updated, it can be an effective long-term investment. In fact, you should factor in the costs of SEO before launching any website or app.

Businesses need to factor in search engine optimisation costs when creating their marketing strategy because they will not only help them reach new customers but also increase brand awareness and improve customer retention rates.

What this means for businesses is that you don’t have to worry about getting your product or service out there on the internet because people will find it anyway, whether or not it has been optimized for search engines like Google (or Bing).

Overall

Search engine optimisation is a necessary investment that can help you reach your business goals. So, if you want to stay competitive in today’s digital world, then SEO should be part of your marketing strategy. You should also consider hiring an SEO expert to help implement effective SEO strategies for your website or blog.

At Hark Digital, we offer SEO services worldwide; for more information about digital marketing strategy, google searches, link building, SEO audit, local SEO, SEO campaigns and SEO efforts.

How much does an app cost in the UK?

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 14:33:54 GMT

How much does an app cost in the UK?

When it comes to making an app, there isn’t a standard price or a ‘one price suits all’ solution - this is because all app developments have a different price range when creating separate apps.

Is it a CMS app or a bespoke build? Is it PWA or a native app? Is it compatible with apple/android users or just one device? Is the app going to have e-commerce? There are so many different factors to an app which can lead to different quotes.

These multiple factors determine whether you spend £1,000 or £100,000 on an app, but don’t let the large amount worry you, this is usually for more complex apps for larger companies. A simple app can and will cost less.

How do App developers calculate the cost of an app? Firstly, we have to take into consideration how long it will take for them to develop your ideas, the more features mean the longer it takes and the more it would cost.

This can all depend on your goals for your app and the budget. If your budget is high, this can result in you receiving a very complex and in-depth app. However, sometimes a high budget isn’t realistic and we understand this, we recommend starting at the £1,000-£2,000 range and then adding more features at a later date.

Most app development agencies provide you with an app estimator to allow you to fill out all the information and get a quote. This is something which we do at Hark Digital and highly recommend, as its budget-friendly and tailored to all the features you desire.

Insulation has never been more important

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 20:52:21 GMT

Contractors need to digitally transform

With an energy crisis underway, 50% of the population staring at fuel poverty and increasing widespread prices, has there ever been a more important time to consider the thermal efficiency of your property?

An odd question from a digital engineering question? Well this is aimed at those insulation companies who are not yet quite down the road when it comes to digitising their sales and operations processes.

Now more than ever, the demand needs for insulation companies to become more affordable, reliable and faster in their delivery.

Hark Digital has been working with a number of organisations linked to the insulation sector, covering both the UK and Ireland, advertising the number of solutions available to homeowners and landlords including sprayfoam, eco-bead and fibre wool insulation. Not only have we supported in bringing these services to consumers in need, we have also helped to automate lead generation and sales functions for these organisations, making them more efficient in processing orders.

We have also worked with distributors and manufacturers, making their relationships with contractors more digital by providing online ordering systems and apps that automate and digitise compliance requirements.

If you are an organisation involved in the insulation sector, and want to future proof your operations or sales functions, we invite you to make contact so we can share some of our learnings and recommendations.

If you would like to learn more about our work, please visit us at www.harkdigital.co.uk or email us at info@harkdigital.co.uk

What is Digital Engineering?

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 20:46:55 GMT

Its more simple than it sounds

It’s a big question and depending on where you sit, the answer will always change. Digital engineering encompassed a lot, and it could be argued is now becoming interweaved with the more traditional forms of engineering:

· Mechanical

· Manufacturing

· Chemical

· Electrical

· Civil

· Software

Ultimately, like all of the above, the output from the process is to solve a problem. Digital engineering solves a number of problems for individuals, organisations and companies. Examples could be:

Integrating and making more efficient, an organisations’ library of booking methods for say an event
Allowing a company to take payments online, and automatically introduce recurring monthly payments, with all required documentation signed electronically
Enabling an individual to integrate their online bank account with their budgeting app, or with their smart fridge for example

All of the above examples start with a problem that is to be solved, and through a mixture of digital solutions, engineer a process to solve that problem.

What has this got to do with Hark Digital?

I’m an engineer at heart, having studied Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Queens University Belfast. With that engineering mindset, and learning later about the power of digital automation, it became clear that the mindset is so important for small and medium businesses, who normally go to small software or marketing houses for anything digital in nature. Although that is fine, for automation to truly work and drive massive efficiencies through your business, or new revenues, an engineering mindset is required which is based on:

· Defining the problem properly to be solved

· Identify the solutions already available to control costs

· Identify and spec properly, any customer solutions that may be required

· Process map the transactions your systems need to make

· Map what bit needs to speak to who

· Map the integrations required and test them rigorously

· Future proof the build

· Secure the application or website

· Ensure the application or website performs and speaks in a language that fits your industry and users

· Test, test and test performance

· Ensure the usability and performance are measurable for reporting purposes

· Ensure it answers the problem or question originally raised

Its through this mindset that we are able to develop websites and applications that look good, but more importantly perform well and solve the problem originally posed. For more information on ourselves, our values and our projects, please visit Hark Digital or email us at info@harkdigital.co.uk

About the author

Ciarán Harkin studied a Masters in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, before moving into the aviation sector. From there he has led large scale, global operations in telecommunications, automotive and construction. He is currently the Managing Director of QASSS Ltd , a company specialising in remedial solutions for the construction sector. He is a founding director of Hark Digital, launching the company following seeing the lack of digital transformation in some of the sectors he worked in.

Hark Digital Launches new website for Dispute Assist

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 20:40:28 GMT

A new website for a new brand in dispute resolution

Although probably not well known as yet, Dispute Resolution is starting to raise its head in the UK. You have heard of an ombudsman right? Well the sector is much bigger than just the ombudsman.

Hark Digital was instructed by QASSS , the company behind the new Dispute Assist brand hitting the sector, specialising in disputes within the construction and renewable energy sector.

The project involved the creation of a new website that had to facilitate a number of new processes for the brand including:

· Enabling organisations to sign up to Dispute Assist online, from their mobile devices

· Enabling organisations to subscribe via a number of different payment options

· Enabling organisations to utilise the service online

· Enabling buyers to raise disputes via the website

· Provide industry information via its Compliance Hub

· Enabling consumers or organisations to purchase directly, a range of inspection services from Dispute Assist

The above represents a very digitally led approach from a Dispute Resolution services provider. One that is focused on efficiency, ensuring that both businesses and consumers receive outcomes to their disputes as quickly as possible.

We are proud to say that the website is being used by some major clients associated with Dispute Assist, and we are constantly testing its functionality to meet the demands of Dispute Assist , their clients and their clients’ buyers.

Why Trade Associations should be considering apps

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 20:17:10 GMT

Mobile apps for Trade Associations is becoming a trend

I write this as the former Managing Director of a series of membership bodies within the home improvement sector, covering everything from fenestration, to roofing, to renewable energy.

Until I started up Hark Digital and we moved into a world of mobile applications, I had not realised some of the real efficiencies being missed out on by trade associations or membership bodies. Parallels can also be drawn to distributors who have networks of contractors. In either scenario, there are pools of members/partners who require information, the ability to communicate with you and of course access to any benefits or functions that the trade association or membership body are providing.

Even the most basic of in-house functions can still often be found to be quite manual such as membership application processes, annual compliance processes or ordering things.

Some organisations are now starting to make the change with the British Institute of Kitchen, Bathroom and Bedroom Installations (BiKBBI) being one of the most recent. Not only does the app provide a differentiator for the institute, but the functionality helps to drive efficiencies for both themselves and their members.

If you head up a membership body or trade association, take time to decide if any of the following functionality could drive some internal efficiencies for you, particularly as its becoming harder to retain members in the face of uncertain times, never mind putting up your membership pricing:

Digital application processes
Digital compliance processes
Event booking processes
Newsletter distribution
Announcement and key updates distribution
Documentation libraries
Digital helpdesk
Ordering systems in payment gateways
Contact options including webchat, email and phone
Internal communication feeds (like LinkedIn or facebook for your members)
Integration with current systems

All of these can be developed within apps quite easily and put into the hands of both your own colleagues and every member. These apps not only drive internal efficiencies but also potentially new revenue streams.

How much does an app cost for a membership body?

It depends on a few things:

1. Do you want the app to be able to be found in the Apple or Google Stores?

2. Do you want to be able to send out ‘Push Notifications’ to your membership?

3. Do you want a desktop version of the app as well?

4. What level of functionality you need and what integration you might require.

Depending on the answers to those questions will result in your developer recommending you developing a native mobile app, or a progressive web app. The later is cheaper than the former, as it is not found in the Apple or Google Stores, but hosted privately.

In general native mobile apps will start from around £3,000.00 + VAT , with monthly hosting starting at around £69.00 + VAT. Pricing above this number purely depends on the level of customisation required for your organisation. Using a simple ROI calculator should show the return on this investment being quite rapid, whether its based on time cost savings, operating cost savings or through new revenue opportunities.

Progressive web apps are cheaper, normally starting at around £1,500.00 + VAT , with monthly hosting at around £49.00 + VAT.

How long does it take to develop an app?

It shouldn’t take long. Again depending on the customisation involved, you could be looking at a fully developed and branded app being ready in 6 weeks. The longest part can be in relation to the publication processes for the like of Apple.

Why Hark Digital?

Well there are plenty of developers out there. There is no doubt. But there are very few who have direct experience in running membership organisations. That means a developer who understands first-hand the dynamic between trade association and member. That need to show value to the membership, whilst also controlling your own cost base. A developer that can speak the language of both your association and your membership. This helps in the execution of the launch, ensuring there is early adoption of the app and therefore the fastest rate of return on the investment. We know that it can be a challenge to get the membership to adopt change. That’s why the language used is so important and along with a high level of personality and credibility.

For more information on our apps, please visit us at Hark Digital or email us at info@harkdigital.co.uk

About the Author

Ciarán Harkin is the former Managing Director of membership bodies including HIES, one of only two renewable energy codes in the UK. He was responsible for servicing and representing a membership of over 600 companies. He is the current Managing Director of QASSS Ltd, a support services company for the construction sector, working for major UK retailers and installation companies, finance lenders, insurers and trade associations.

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