The #1 mobile app platform worldwide
App of the Week - White Harte Pub
Oct 18th
In Woodland Hills, California thirsty travelers can find a little piece of merry old England called the White Harte Pub – a British pub so legit that British people actually frequent it!
And the only way to make it more glorious (aside from getting the Premier League to make the season longer) was to put out a full-featured app.
Now, thanks to Bizness Apps, the White Harte Pub is that much closer to perfection.
What can users do with the WHP app?
• Check out the diet-wrecking menu
• Peruse a full beer and wine list (18 beers on tap, for lovers of fresh draft suds)
• Review the event calendar
• Get directions to the pub (best to go on foot, yeah?)
• Submit photos using the “Party Cam” tab
• Get notified about specials and events
• And more!
Does beer taste better when you drink it under the Union Jack?
Find out at the White Harte Pub, but grab the app here before you go!
Grow Your App Reseller Business Through Simplification
Oct 17th
A complicated organization suffers from a number of problems. First, there tends to be a lot of waste. Second, it’s hard for team members to focus when there are too many projects to attend to. And third, it’s stressful to work in a disorganized environment.
For that reason, we recommend that app resellers regularly review their business from top to bottom to find ways to streamline and simplify operations. The result isn’t just a more pleasant company to work for, but a more effective organization that is poised to make the most of new opportunities that come its way. After all, if your attention is being pulled in too many directions, it becomes less likely that you’ll have the awareness and energy to spot opportunities and seize them.
To help you get started, here are our favorite simplification tips:
Review expenses
Obviously, you’ve got your eye on revenue and sales, but sometimes business owners can become a bit distracted when it comes to careful review of expenses. Put all business expenses on a separate credit card, use a free tracking app like Mint, and set aside time each month to go through your expenses line by line. We promise that at least one person reading this article will find something out of place or unexpected.
Not only should charges be reviewed to find things that are amiss, but it’s also good to go back and review certain expenses yearly to see if they’re still the best deal available (e.g. insurance). Saving money this way is often as good as booking a sale.
Eliminate offerings
Bizness Apps is a fairly straightforward offering, but if you’re offering other services packaged alongside it and those services aren’t performing well, it may be best to eliminate them. In business, it pays to focus on your most profitable activities and to let unprofitable business lines go in order to improve focus on core products.
Review marketing materials
Once marketing materials are created, some go into perpetual use for years without ever being reviewed again. Review your materials regularly to ensure that they’re still current and don’t reference things that have been eliminated or that have expired. Better yet, switch things up by using planned campaigns that change quarterly (if not more often).
One of the biggest things to pay attention to is hyperlinks. If links in your marketing materials (ads, emails, direct mail pieces, etc.) are outdated, you’re shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to generating new sales.
There are many other ways to simplify your business, but the key is this – the more focused you can become on your most profitable activities, the more successful your business will be. Some owners try to be all things to all customers, but a business that does one thing very well will beat those businesses every time.
Have a favorite tip? Leave it below so that your fellow resellers can share their methods and provide feedback!
Why the Bizness Apps Membership Tab is So Awesome
Oct 16th
The majority of apps created with Bizness Apps are designed to be used by as wide a user base as possible. But for some organizations and businesses, it’s preferable to publish an app that is only usable by a specific group of people. For example, a fraternity might want only members to have access to an app. Or a fitness studio might want an app to be usable by existing clients only. Or a government entity or group might want to create an app just for its own personnel.
The membership tab is a way for you to set a username & password for users to access your app. This feature can be a great way for exclusive groups to create mobile apps for their audience.
- Fitness Clubs
- Organizations
- Fraternities & Sororities
- Local Governments
- Internal Business Apps
- Chamber Of Commerce
- And many other industries
Whatever the reason, the Bizness Apps membership tab can help you lock down your app and restrict access to just those users you select. With a secured app, you can keep your app restricted just to those users that you want to have access. This enables you to employ a number of features that you might not otherwise offer with a public app.
Setup is fairly simple. Once you access the membership tab from your Bizness Apps dashboard, you only need to make a few selections, and the feature will be setup instantaneously. It then works via a simple login and password that is shared with all desired users. When they launch the app, all they have to do is enter the general login information, and they’ll be able to use app thereafter.
That’s it!
For step-by-step instructions on how to set things up using the membership tab, click here.
For Businesses, There’s No Such Thing As “Too Small for Mobile”
Oct 15th
If you’re a small business owner, the last thing you’re looking for is another expense. But when this leads you to ignore the fastest-growing and most cost-effective channel for connecting with your market, you’re going to run into problems.
We’re talking about mobile – apps, websites, advertising – it’s a world that simply can’t be avoided, at this point. And mobile isn’t just for big businesses. In fact, it’s ideal for small businesses. Mobile apps and websites are inexpensive, and provide a lot of leverage and reach for your dollar. If you’ve been putting off “going mobile,” now is the time to check it off your list.
I’ve already got a website and have a decent Google rank. Why should I care about mobile?
Because you might be invisible to 31% of searchers.
That is, roughly a third of searchers use mobile web browsing primarily. And if your website isn’t mobile-optimized, these people are turning back the second they hit your page, and browsing to a competitor that has a mobile-friendly web presence. And the data show that they tend not to return to give you a second shot.
What’s worse for non-mobile businesses is that a growing number of people use mobile exclusively. Just like a landline telephone, many users no longer find it necessary to bother with a desktop separately from their mobile device. When it comes to tablets especially, some users feel that there’s just not be enough advantage to be gained by having a computer in addition to their mobile device.
For that reason, it’s essential to get started with mobile now, while there’s still some time to move with the trend (instead of lagging behind it). From a competitive standpoint, businesses that are first on mobile will gain an advantage over latecomers.
I don’t know about mobile. I’m not even interested in learning. I just want to run my business. Is there an easy way to go about it?
Yes. Us!
For a single low subscription fee that beats almost any other deal out there, we can offer a beautiful, functional, easy-to-manage mobile app and website for your business. You can customize it with loads of features that are well suited for use in almost any industry. You can keep things basic and stick to simple features like one-touch calling, or you can offer a robust suite of useful functions like mobile reservations, order placement, and customer service messaging.
It’s all up to you, and it’s all super-user friendly. Don’t let the mobile world run you over. Connect with Bizness Apps and join up the easy way.
App of the Week - Fire and Ale
Oct 14th
The only thing better than pizza is getting a deal on pizza, right?
With the Fire and Ale app, that’s just what you’ll get.
Fire and Ale was once a place that sold two things: Fire and Ale. But after a number of tragic drunken arson incidents located suspiciously close to Fire and Ale’s location, they switched things up. Now they sell wood-fired pizza and a host of other delicious menu items, plus craft beer and cocktails to wash it down with.
The number of drunken arson incidents is way down, we’re happy to report.
They also have sweet outdoor fire pit, sports on TV, live music, and a big room for parties. Fire and Ale almost had it all. And now, with their app, they are complete.
Here’s a run down of the features:
• Directions to the restaurant from anywhere on Earth
• Exclusive coupons (don’t miss out!)
• View the menu
• Participate in the loyalty program
• Learn about special events
• And more!
Fire and Ale urges you to eat, drink, and be merry. Grab the app and get in on the fun!
Hungry in Sherman, IL? Click here to get to know the deliciousness of Fire and Ale.
Reseller Customer Service Is What Keeps Our Partners Strong
Oct 11th
At Bizness Apps, delivering neat technology is a lot of fun, but customer service is honestly what we focus on more than anything else. And while we have customers that work with us directly, we also have our network of white label resellers. We think of them as another customer base that we try to serve with the same level of zealous support that we provide to our traditional customers.
So far, we’re doing pretty darn good (although that little 2% remaining gives us a reminder that we could always do a bit better if we want to hit 100% satisfaction).
Customer Service Culture
Customer support isn’t just a department, with us. The way we look at it, the whole point of the business is customer support. Therefore, everyone is, in one way or another, a customer support rep. No matter what role they have in the company, they need to keep customers and resellers in mind and consider how their decisions will impact them.
But all that stuff is just words, right? Well, we also walk the walk, because each person in the company actually has to perform some direct customer support, from time to time. Even the CEO!
When you guys talk, we listen. All of us.
The Tools of the Trade
Our most important tools are our ears, of course, but we have some neat technology that helps us kick things up a notch.
First, Desk lets us figure out what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to our customer service efforts. Then, a program called Everage also lets us monitor customer activity and figure out how to serve them better. With insightful analytics, we don’t have to guess when it comes to our customer service. We get good data and can work from the facts to identify areas for improvement. This information can then be included in our training efforts so that we can continuously try to get better.
The Qualities that Count
A good customer service rep needs patience, communication skills, empathy, and a genuine desire to help people achieve better outcomes. When a company identifies with its customers, it becomes better able to find ways to help the company and the customers at the same time.
In short, when our customers succeed, we succeed. And when it comes to our resellers, this goes double. We’re here for you guys, because without you, we probably wouldn’t be here.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Software Updates / Progress Report
Oct 10th
Hello everyone,
Here at Bizness Apps we take our clients’ feedback very seriously and have received requests for a while to improve our communication on product updates & bug fixes. At Bizness Apps, we are working on improvements and issues everyday — and to keep you in the loop we have created an update forum for you to view recently fixed bugs & product improvements daily.
Keeping you consistently updated is our top priority so you can continue providing the highest quality mobile apps and mobile websites to your clients.
With that being said, here is your first official “progress report.” The “Update” forum is now available inside your reseller dashboard to view at anytime and will be updated often as we continue to improve our platform. I hope you like this update and please feel free to send any feedback to [email protected].
Thanks to all of you who have made Bizness Apps the #1 mobile platform worldwide.
Stephen Heisserer
VP of Product
Bizness Apps Web Platform
Sep 30, 2013 to Oct 9, 2013
Push Notification - first character bug (Fixed)
Android
Sep 30, 2013 to Oct 9, 2013
Info tabs showing same information (Fixed)
Android Push Notes with Website URL (Fixed)
YouTube Videos Android Website tab (Fixed)
Added Romanian localization
Galaxy Note home screen tabs (Fixed)
Events v2 — Embedded calendar issue on S3 (Fixed)
Email population quotes (Fixed)
Around Us – latitude / long issue (Fixed)
Header background issue (Fixed)
Flickr integration not working (Fixed)
Android Tablet Sub-Tabs (Fixed)
Fixed issue (Gallery Tab - image preview stretching)
HTML5 / Mobile Websites
Sep 30, 2013 to Oct 9, 2013
Cannot change success message text color in Email form tabs (Fixed)
HTML5 background image (Fixed)
Email Form Tab (Fixed)
All items are unavailable (Fixed)
Food Ordering / Merchandise Tab time zone issues (Fixed)
iPhone / iPad
Sep 30, 2013 to Oct 9, 2013
iOS 7 Loyalty Tab Stamp Bug (Fixed) – our Developers have already implemented a fix for this issue. Therefore, simply republish your app and mention the reason (iOS 7 Loyalty Tab Stamp Bug) and Bizness Apps will update your app free of charge
Upcoming Upgrades - iOS 7
We will be releasing a new iPhone source code that will include iOS 7 bug fixes and some minor appearance updates within the next month.
Go here for more information - http://biznessapps.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1295997-ios-7
Long-term Upgrades - 2014
We are currently working on a “Native” overhaul that will be a complete rebuild/redesign of our Native iPhone / Android app.
This redesign will take full advantage of the iOS 7 UI components, increasing user engagement and social integration opportunities. As you can imagine, this is a large effort that touches every view in our product. Our goal is to get this to you by early next year. Here are some sample images.
Additional Information
LIVE Code Push Schedules:
Bizness Apps Web Platform: LIVE code pushes will be Monday & Thursday every week
Android: Live codes pushes are instant as soon as the issue is “Fixed”
**Preview App Updates will be Every Monday. (Weekly)
HTML5: Live codes pushes are instant as soon as the issue is “Fixed”
Would love to hear your feedback, so please let us know what you think.
Enjoy!
Resellers - Get Free Small Business Leads with Bizness CRM
Oct 10th
Every business needs customers. But sadly, they don’t generally come lining up at your door begging to buy from you. Instead, you need to find a way to reach out to your target audience and make the necessary connections. This can take a lot of hard work, but with the right tool, the workload can become a lot lighter.
Enter Bizness CRM, a tool for generating small business leads that we provide free of charge to our app resellers!
With Bizness CRM, the process of tracking down leads becomes a lot simpler. It can be used in conjunction with other marketing efforts, or it can be used as a standalone channel for locating customers. With a helpful tool like Bizness CRM, a lot of the administrative work is done for you, freeing you and your team up to focus on selling.
Getting Started With Bizness CRM from Bizness Apps on Vimeo.
What is Bizness CRM?
Bizness CRM is a customer relationship management app that lets you locate small business leads, and track your sales efforts as you make appointments and attempt to close deals. It’s easy to use, mobile-accessible, and your account can support multiple users, making collaboration seamless.
How do I get leads with Bizness CRM?
The process is simple. First, head to Bizness CRM’s Lead Generator tab and select your desired lead criteria (location, keywords, etc.). A list of small businesses in your chosen area that fit your chosen criteria will appear. Then, chose the leads you want from the results, and each one will be imported into your sales pipeline. This becomes your working list of initial leads.
From there, you can contact leads, make appointments, track progress, and hopefully close some deals! Taking notes is easy, and all the contact info you need is automatically imported when you select leads to bring into your pipeline.
The rest is up to you.
Are you talking about cold calling?
We are, but don’t be scared. It’s how Business Apps was built, after all.
By connecting with leads over the phone, you’ll suffer a lot of rejection, but the conversational practice will allow you to fine tune your pitch and you’ll also learn a great deal about what matters most to customers. Listen well, and you’ll soon have your first sale.
After that, the next one is easy.
Good luck!
For more detailed instructions for getting started with Bizness CRM, click here.
Resellers Can Create Websites for Free with Bizness Web
Oct 9th
The foundation of any business online is a solid website. For that reason, we don’t leave our app resellers to go it alone when it comes to building theirs. Instead, we offer our app resellers a free tool that makes building a website easy: Bizness Web.
Site Creation
The site creation process with Bizness Web is very straightforward. Using a step-by-step creation and customization wizard, you can have a site up and running in short order. Our drag-and-drop interface also means that no coding is necessary. Everything is kept simple.
To begin, we offer a number of ready-made templates, including templates for app companies. After selecting the template you prefer, you can then customize your site with your own images and text. Most importantly, you can build forms to take in visitors’ contact info so that following up on leads is easy.
Publication and Revision
After your site is complete, you can publish it with the push of a button. If you already have a domain you’d like to use, we can easily load the site to it. Or, if you prefer, you can use an [insert name].biznessweb.com hosted domain. Once published, review your site to make sure that everything is setup the way you want it. If you need to make any changes, your site can be edited at any time through your Bizness Web dashboard.
Benefits of Bizness Web
Bizness Web sites are mobile optimized and SEO friendly, so your prospect audience is maximized. They also integrate well with social media outlets, making promotion seamless, and feature analytics that help you understand where visitors come from and what they do on your site.
And of course, they’re totally free to our app resellers!
If you have the skills, creating a custom website on your own can be a rewarding project. But even if you need a simple placeholder site to put up while building your masterpiece, Bizness Web is a quick way to get your business up and running.
When you’re ready to get started, click here for a step-by-step guide to building a website with Bizness Web.
4 Mobile Commerce Facts that Will Make You Want In
Oct 7th
Mobile commerce may seem like a cool extra channel for generating sales, until you learn more about it. Then you see that it’s quickly becoming the main channel for generating sales online and connecting with customers. In fact, if trends continue, there may come a day when m-commerce is referred to more simply as just “commerce.”
Okay, that’s overselling it. But m-commerce is a big deal, and we’ve got four facts to back that claim up. Read on, but be warned – once you hear more, you’re going to want in. The opportunities are just too darn tasty.
1. Mobile commerce will reach almost $40 billion by the end of the year
Wow. Is that for real?
Yes. Yes it is.
Mobile commerce is a massive, booming market, and it’s increasing all the time. If your business doesn’t have a piece of it, you may be losing total market share as others arrive to the party ahead of you.
And it’s a pretty big party.
2. Everyone has a mobile device
And not just that, a huge amount of people have smartphones (roughly half of adults in the U.S.). This means that you’re not addressing a small slice of the market when you invest in m-commerce, you’re addressing the majority of the market.
Again, these trends show that m-commerce is not an extra, supplemental channel for producing sales, but one that is fast-becoming the central channel in the digital marketplace. Of course, not all products and industries are impacted by this fact equally, but if you haven’t checked out the data for your business recently, it’s high time you did.
3. If you offer “store mode,” customer engagement increases fivefold.
Yep, engagement is five times higher if your app has store mode. Even when people visit your location in person, they’re still visiting you on mobile. You just can’t get away from it. It’s everywhere. Literally. But there’s good news:
It’s a huge opportunity!
If your customers love mobile, then it pays for you to love mobile as well. And facts like this show just how much it pays. Your mobile dollar can go very far indeed.
4. Some shoppers only use mobile devices
This is the most compelling fact, in our opinion. Some shoppers can’t be reached on desktop devices anymore – they only connect via mobile. If you haven’t gone mobile, these customers are simply on another planet from you.
