Availing government services has become even simpler! Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally launched Umang, a state and central government services app, on 23 November with a sole purpose of reaching to the citizens in the most convenient and time-saving way.

Anyone can sign up on the app for services from the Employees Provident Fund Organisation, the Central Board of Secondary Education, Bharat Bill Pay and others. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) along with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) have developed the app, the name of which expands to Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance.

This App acts as a one-stop-shop for all government services. One can find CBSE exam centers, calculate crop insurance premium, access soil health cards, book OPD appointments at government hospitals and view lab reports and whatnot. A total of 162 services from 33 state and central government departments. You can link your Aadhaar card, sort services by type and can even check notifications from various services with just one tap.

It is indeed a great initiative where the government brings the services closer to the citizens. There are many other similar apps available in the Digital Store like MyGov App, Narendra Modi App; but Umang is the most recent and the advanced app that offers a lot at once.

It is the era of digitization. Not because of Demonetisation but because of Modernisation. When big companies go digital, why would government stay behind? We have witnessed how quickly our External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj responded to citizens with grievances on Twitter and heard stories about how our former Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu, solved problems of many passengers before they even finished their journey when they sent him a complaint tweet. Everyone today is trying to reach the maximum number of people. It plays a vital role in Market Image Building. It not just enhances government brand equity but also casts a positive light on the leaders itself.

Our whole point is ‘customer engagement’. It is all about reaching the customer and listening to them and trying to solve their problems. Brands don’t work for themselves. They work for people. The first aim should be solving the problem. People know that you have a product but how is that product going to solve their problems. When brands connect their products to the audience and showcase the benefits, then they get what they need–traffic and conversions.

It’s about how easy it is for your consumers to reach you. Take Umang for example, everyone knows where to go to avail a government service; still, providing the app and making the entire process simpler and user-friendly counts. It counts big time!

Today it has become immensely important to understand your target audience and to reach them especially when they have a problem. The best and the trendiest way to do so is to have an app where people can ask, talk and book your service anytime anywhere. Your brand must be available right in front of them. Your consumer should be able to contact you from the comfort of their home. If you won’t be available, then someone else will.

So no matter how small or big business you own and what services or products you provide, if you think not having your own business app is not going to cost you anything then think again. Smartphones are man’s best companion today and if you are not available there then are you really visible to your consumer?

Thinking about having your business app?
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