Imagine this scenario: you downloaded an application from the app store, and you signed in to use it, but you ran into issues when you first interacted with the app or maybe the app failed and crashed. What would you do in such a case? I would uninstall the app, review it poorly on the app store, and look for a different app to download, and probably you would do the same in this situation. Studies show that users tend to uninstall an app within minutes if they are dissatisfied with its performance or if they do not like it and businesses lose thousands of dollars a month due to the number of uninstalls. This is what makes the global mobile app industry highly competitive.

There are billions of users and millions of available apps, and businesses have a lot at stake when they are competing to win users and their loyalty. They can lose users, money, and credibility in the market if the app does not meet user expectations. From the customer’s perspective, if any app that has been installed is not productive anymore, or offers slower performance and fewer features than other similar apps, or does not give customers the desired results then why would they keep the app? This is a reason why businesses strategize and invest in the application maintenance and support of their mobile app to keep it running flawlessly and up to date.

What does Application Maintenance and Support mean?

Software maintenance and support refer to the range of services that ensure a software application continues to perform smoothly and error-free after deployment. These application maintenance and support services include the process of fixing smalls bugs and complex issues in the system, diagnosing the system to detect quality and performance issues, and upgrading the system to include additional modules.

To guarantee the best performance to the users and increase the size of the userbase, businesses require efficient support and application maintenance services. Professional mobile app development companies offer support and maintenance services as a part of their custom development service as well as a standalone service for existing applications. To find out more about it, see: https://www.goodcore.co.uk/services/application-maintenance-and-support/.

Let’s find out some of the best practices for application maintenance and support services that you can follow to keep your app in the best shape and your customers satisfied.

Best Practices for the Maintenance and Support of Your Mobile Application

Efficient maintenance and support of your app help you stay updated with the latest hardware and software changes and allows you to improvise the user interface and experience. It also gives you the chance to identify vulnerabilities in the system and update the security of the app. With the help of support and maintenance, you can save yourself from any unforeseen mishaps or downtime in the long term.

Here are some of the best practices you can follow:

Bug Fixing

The app development process involves a stage dedicated to testing and quality assurance of the app to identify bugs in the code, but some bugs and errors go unidentified despite thorough testing. Bugs, no matter how small and insignificant, can ruin the user experience majorly. If the bugs are not identified and fixed timely, they can lead to loss of revenue for the business. The best practice is to invest in application support services that can promptly fix bugs and errors. Have a system where you can timely communicate the issues to the support team via call, email, or a ticketing system and have them resolved promptly.

Scheduled System Maintenance

Apart from regular bug fixing, it is important to have scheduled system maintenance to check the performance and security of your app periodically. Make sure your service provider offers the option for scheduled maintenance on a quarterly or yearly basis. You can plan a day for system maintenance ahead of time and communicate to your users regarding any expected downtime during the process.

Performance Monitoring

The ultimate goal for you is to offer the best user experience and that is why it is important to monitor the overall performance of your app. This includes monitoring the loading speed, average response time, lags, crashes, and the number of installs and uninstalls. The support and maintenance company must focus on these important aspects to evaluate the performance of the app and suggest changes that can be implemented to improve the performance. This way you can retain users and maintain the standing of your app in the app marketplace.

Upgrading Software and Hardware

Each year new models of mobile and tablet devices enter the market that come with different specifications and features. Some devices have bigger screen sizes and new design changes that should be taken into account when it comes to the maintenance and support of your mobile app. Take Apple for example, they come out with a range of new devices and a new iOS version every year. These devices are advanced and include new features and functionalities. To make your app compatible with the latest changes it is crucially important to have a maintenance and support strategy that factors in all the hardware and software changes. This way your app can stay relevant and continue to offer a seamless user experience. An outdated and incompatible app can be damaging to your business reputation and revenue.

Adding New Features and Modules

To survive in the mobile app industry it is important to have an app that is liked and used by users. If your app does not offer the features and functionalities that are useful for customers and meet their demands, then they will ultimately switch to competitor apps that offer them more. Therefore, it is important to evaluate users’ behaviour and keep track of the demand of the users. Pay attention to the suggestions and feedback provided by users and update your app to add new features and functionalities they want. A good support and maintenance company will guide you about the process of adding new features and will take care of it for you.