Have an “open door policy” for your customers

Growing up, did you have a neighbor who always left their door unlocked or somewhat open? Wasn’t that place always more welcoming than the other houses? A place you felt invited into and welcomed?

As an independent app developer, you have several advantages over larger, more established companies. Being honest and making sure that customers know your “door” is virtually open will go a long way in your quest to be a successful app developer. Your customers will appreciate the fact that you are speaking personally and as yourself.

You don’t have to take our word for it though

The good folks over at 37Signals have talked about the advantages of being honest and personal. They suggest that the benefits of being a small developer are very obvious when you compare the communication style of a large company with an individual developer or a small team. If you’ve ever had to sit on the phone with a mobile phone carrier, for example, you know exactly how frustrating it is to deal with the standard customer service process. Not only do you typically have to jump through hoops to get help, you get the clear sense that you’re only going to get canned responses.

That lack of personality ensures that there is distance between the customer and the company; a lack of a real relationship. As an independent developer, you can create real, trusting relationships with your customer. When your customers know that they’re dealing with a real person, just trying to do their best, they are more lenient and understanding of any problems that arise. Investing the time and effort into your open door strategy is the best way to ensure that you stand out against your larger, less personal competitors.

Of course, we think that the Apptentive app communications system for easy in-app feedback is a great way to open your door and welcome consumers to communicating with you. If you haven’t taken the 5 minutes it takes to implement in your app go register and try it today!