How can cutting-edge software help grow your business

Today, customers spend a huge proportion of their time on mobile technological devices, from smartphones and smartwatches to tablets and laptops. In their increasingly fast-paced routines, there is less tolerance for timewasting and a smaller margin for error. Clients no longer want to be put on hold in the telephone queue and they no longer want to faff around with paper receipts. Instead, they want a quick, customisable service with an easily accessible online record – one which keeps their data protected. But do not fear, for where there is an increasingly tech-savvy digital generation, there is a growing market for innovative client interfaces that can build your business sky-high.

The food sector is one area in which software services are rapidly evolving. Last time you went to Wahaca, they might have recommended that you add their Quickpay app. If you said yes, you will probably have had a hassle-free payment process. But behind the ease of being able to split the bill with your friends, and avoid an all-out burrito brawl, is some extremely smart marketing savvy. On top of allowing you to settle the bill quickly and leave at your leisure without awkwardly attempting to hail the waiter, this app also connects with Google Maps and City Mapper, enabling it to lead you towards your nearest restaurant and thus encouraging client loyalty. Furthermore, it offers information on the franchise, and the ability to tap into the chain’s music system is yet another lure for customers.

Another industry undergoing change is hair and beauty. Though going to the salon is a very ritualistic person-to-person encounter, characterised by the classic “going anywhere nice this summer?” query, this doesn’t have to mean using an outdated, paper client database: specialised software enables you to keep complete, personalised records in one place, so you can remember exactly what your customers like and give them top quality service. The software can also enable you to keep a complete history of past appointments and purchases and promises advanced client data protection. And for clients who are increasingly immersed in a photo-friendly world, the programme allows you to keep a before and after gallery so that they can admire their transformation and show it to potential new customers: a game-changer.

When it comes to fashion, one company who are leading by example are retail-giant John Lewis. Although long-established, the brand is having to make just as much of an effort to stay afloat as the high street takes a nosedive in favour of online shopping. The Personal Style Edit on John Lewis’ website enables you to input all your colour preferences, body shape and physical attributes in order to match you with the best clothes from their catalogue. Essentially a virtual personal shopper, the feature recognises the online migration of their clientele and offers a way to maintain the ease of digital purchase whilst achieving a higher success rate for customer satisfaction. Shoppers are less likely to return items and more likely to recommend a service which they feel is more tailorable to them.

Simple but oh-so-effective, these smart pieces of sustainable software enable businesses to stay on top of their industry and attract new clients in an increasingly competitive environment.

Rosamund Kelby