Imagine if you were looking for somewhere to eat and saw a sign at a restaurant that said, “We do not offer WiFi here. Pretend like it’s 1990 and talk to your neighbor”. What would your reaction be? Business-wise, the implications will be that some customers might deliberately go to the restaurant next door which offers WiFi in order to be able to browse as they wait for their order or post selfies on Instagram as they savor through a meal.

There have been pictures trending on social media depicting mothers busy with their phones while carrying their babies and not even paying attention to them.

Recently I came across a picture of a young woman carrying a few months old infant on her lap while using her foot to secure a baby-bottle in the infant’s mouth, as she is busy scrolling through her smart-phone. Now I know this was probably meant for some humorous innuendo; but for some reasons, this is typically where the society is today.

Mobile Apps get you closer to people far from you but they take you away from the ones sitting next to you. It is estimated that on average, a third of people’s waking hours are spent on their mobile devices. Matrimonial relationships are very much affected these days than ever in the human history, and a good number of reasons for that can be attributed to the ‘mobile app’ frenzy. Seriously though, we charge our phones daily but let our marriages die. If your smart phone receives more daily charging than your spouse, then you’re spending way too much time talking to the wrong people.

On the other hand, Mobile Apps have gained so much popularity in the past decade, opening doors to the world of diversified marketing channels, academic proficiency, enhanced communication means, soul-mates (re)union and online dating, entertainment, sports betting, and a long list of other things most of us can relate to. As the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day. So, we cannot throw out the baby with the bath water. The significance of mobile apps in this century is perceptible in various fields of our lives. It is so much easier to check something on your mobile device and respond to important emails without needing a laptop or a desktop. The ease that mobile apps give is immeasurable.

Freelance writers and journalists, bloggers and vloggers, teachers, are all indebted to the developers of these apps. Teachers can share class activities and reading materials, with their students via mobile apps. And also, students can interact with their teachers and other students by asking questions and debating on topics. It makes me wonder why some kids still hate school while I didn’t have this privilege when I was schooling! What I find fascinating is how much children and teenagers are technical savvies when it comes to operating mobile devices; and a good number of them experiment with coming up with their own mobile apps. With the likes of Ethan Duggan who has developed more than five apps in his mid teenage years, one can only be impressed by how innovation is on a whole new dimension.

In a country like Tanzania where the economic backbone is agriculture, farmers now have thousands of ways to reap the benefits of technology from the palms of their hands. If you decide to take farming to the next level, then give thanks for the fact that you exist in the 21^st century, and here’s why: Some agricultural mobile apps can forecast weather conditions in your field and determine what amount of rain is sufficient for your crops. You can even gauge the profitability of your venture by entering your fertilizer expenses, labor, machinery, crop protection etc and you get alerts on whether you are going to be spending more than your revenues. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

There is so much untapped potential in developing mobile apps for business operations and marketing. If you can reach your customers 24/7 your business is on the winning side -no doubt. Customers get updates of product developments, new stock arrivals, rewards and discounts, the launching of a retail shop in their neighborhood; plus they also get to have a fun and productive experience with your brand.

Before having way too many expectations with what a mobile app can or cannot do for your business, it is better to see an ICT consultant in order to give you a realistic picture of how a mobile app can support your business growth. It all depends with the features you include. So you may have a good mobile app idea but the features are not ideal for you.

If you debate about whether to have a website or a mobile app, a good ICT consultant will also help you make that decision. Often times than not, businesses need both. After all, an average person with a mobile device has 26 applications installed. On the contrary, there are millions of websites to compete with online!

If this article got you contemplating on whether or not mobile apps are your friend, keep in mind that, when people use their mobile devices, they aren’t ignoring you. They are busy with their lives. And the way to stop feeling ignored is to get busy with yours –with or without a mobile device.

Okay, if you read this far, give yourself a gigantic thumbs up. You can now put your mobile device down and get a life. LOL! I am just kidding. How could you have come across this jabbering if it were not for it? …..on a serious note though, look up and greet the real world.