I finally heard it. I knew it was coming. A senior exec at an unnamed major brand recently said to me: "My company's gotta have a desktop app." As I heard these words, I was instantly propelled back to 1993, when the halls of corporate America rang with the phrase, "our company's gotta have a website."
Most of us recall that first conversation, many years ago, that we had with someone about the new "World Wide Web" phenomenon. I had mine back in 1990 with my brother David.
After several years trolling around the command-line based internet in the 1980s, I was off in Europe playing pro basketball when one day we got on the phone. He began telling me about how the internet had a new "GUI" (or Graphical User Interface) that was based on common software typesetting protocols.
I was familiar with these mark-up languages because I had been editor-in-chief for a time of a pre-web publication called "Informative Networks on Computers" at the University of California. I published both an online version (distributed via both email and Usenet groups) and a print version, programming the layout myself using protocols very similar to what later became "HTML."
Not being a genius, it never occurred to me to try to think up a way to put my nicely laid-out print version onto a computer screen, and thus I did not become famous for inventing the web. But, that was my first recollection of what, in 15 years, has completely reordered the way most of us conduct our lives.
The internet application is the new website. My latest fave: CNN Pipeline. Their General Manager, David Payne, encouraged me to check it out. Like ESPN Motion, I found it easy, quick, intuitive, well-executed, and habit changing -- all hallmarks of a good desktop app. Already a fan of MSNBC's video service, I now have two good choices when it comes to national and international on-demand news video.
While desktop apps have caught on in the online publishing world, what impresses me of late are the consumer brands that have jumped into the fold. The halls are ringing, "we've gotta have a desktop application," and it's déjà vu all over again.
I've used the Roche/Tamiflu Desktop Flu tracker for more than a year. Clean stuff. Southwest has the downloadable Ding. Astra Zeneca's got a good one. And the U.S. Post Office is promoting their software. I heard their spot on the radio the other day. They nailed the copy, which basically went like this: "No URLs to remember. No browsers to open. Just a click or two, and you've got a post office on your computer."
The desktop land rush by brand advertisers is officially on. Many companies want a personal relationship with their customers, and being just a quick click away accomplishes a couple things. Your brand is front and center. You can reach and re-reach your loyal consumers and pull-in the fringe to get them hooked on what you offer.
More than that, many companies have a precise demographic target they need to make sure they reach, and they do not want spillover. Take alcoholic beverage brands. They are compelled to stay away from kids and teens, and are likely sensitive to getting some of their messages out to unintended targets. For them, an app is a way to segregate your target base more cleanly.
Take another demographic group: the elderly. If you want to reach adults 55+ via the computer (and many in that age group are there now -- using it as an email communication lifeline and more), what better way to target the AARP set than to have an easy, hyper-simple, ever-present tool that makes a website seem like rocket science in comparison. I went to the official government Medicare site today. No application available for download yet, but what a great place to make that happen.
There are downsides of course. Getting the emotional commitment to download a piece of software is no easy feat, so cost of acquisition requires thought and investment. Plus, giving someone an application is like launching a satellite. Once it's out, you better hope you came up with all the contingencies to keep it in orbit flying safe and smooth, because it's tough to land it and fix it. And, like the early days of the web, there will be many embarrassing misses in design, ease of use, and functionality. It's tough to get even a fairly loyal customer who gave up on it once to download it again later when you've got the kinks worked out. Add to that things like "system resource allocation" issues, interaction with the OS and many other crucial details unique to the software world, and consider your self warned: it requires a completely different sophistication in your ranks to make sure what gets installed on your customers' computers is rock solid.
There is a lot more wisdom about doing it right with a desktop app than I could ever share here, but let me leave you with the most important thought: at WeatherBug, we've been in the web publishing business since the early 1990s, and millions of people around the world regularly get our weather through our web offerings. We worked hard to nail the web first before we ever layered in a secondary offering with a desktop application. We passionately continue to refine and improve what we publish on the web every day. Make sure your website sings beautifully before attempting to take it to the next level with an application.
Of course, just like in the early days of the web, our industry is bound to see many desktop apps that deliver horrifically embarrassing, brand killing, heart wrenching failures to the masses. But we'll have plenty of winners as well.
Welcome, once again, to the brave new world.
Andy Jedynak is the senior vice president and general manager of WeatherBug, which is owned by AWS Convergence Technologies Inc. Jedynak began at AWS in 1999 and is responsible for WeatherBug's Consumer Division. He has directed the growth of WeatherBug from a concept in 2000 to become a top online weather property in 2006. Prior to joining AWS in 1999, Jedynak spent nine years at NBC working within a number of disciplines, including manager of new media.
