Through my time working on Here I Am I have made sure to keep an eye out for apps wherever I go. If you look closely, many businesses have QR codes scattered around their vicinity to urge customers to download an app. Sometimes this is accompanied with an app exclusive deal, other times it is to view unique content. Whichever way it is presented apps are one of the best ways to engage with loyal visitors.
A crucial step of inviting users onto an app is ensuring the process is simple and easy. The more steps that exist, the more likely it is for a user to lose interest and not get on the app.
This was on display this past week when I went to download a new app that my doctor’s office uses to check-in and schedule appointments. The invite was located at the bottom of an email and had a unique offer of being able to check-in before I arrived at the office. This grabbed my attention, so I started the process.
After clicking on the link and downloading the app – it asked me to type in the code that I received from my doctor. I did not remember receiving a code so I closed out of the app and went back to my email to go searching for it. After a minute or so of unsuccessful searching, I noticed there was an option to login in via email.
I went back to the app to try this option, eager to check in to the appointment a day early, but the email did not work either. I was given a prompt that the office needed to add it to their system before proceeding.
After five minutes, and two roadblocks, I lost interest in this app, and I am overall tech savvy! Plus, I had a strong desire to learn more about the app. Without this desire and need, I likely would have given up far sooner.
Ease of registration for the user is a key component when researching apps for the church. The process should take minimal steps, be easy to follow, and include the least amount of switching between apps as possible. Users should not have to switch from their email to their app and back again to get started.
At Here I Am we strive to make the process simple an intuitive, all users need to do is download the app, search their church, then enter their name and phone number to get started. No switching between apps, or searching for codes in an email. Remove extraneous steps and keep it simple!