3.1. Tool-centric apps
Most companies develop their apps as tools to provide
users with utility. Tool-centric apps can be
extremely diverse. The main goals of tool-centric
apps are to identify the motivations and requirements
of consumers in using/buying products and to
develop services to assist consumers in these processes.
For example, L’Oreal’s The Color Genius app
(Figure 3) allows users to take a photo of their outfits
and identify a look as for day or night; the app then
proposes an on-trend combination of make-up products
that suits a user’s outfits. The Colgate Dental
Advisor app includes a toothbrush timer to teach
recommended brushing techniques and allows users
to set reminders for their next dental appointment.
Heinz’s Food In A Minute app provides a database of
700 recipes that can be searched by ingredients or
names. Each recipe contains one or more Heinz food
products as a reference for users. The Johnson &
Johnson Wound Care ResourceTM app provides a
series of tools to make wound care easier. It allows
users to keep a diary to track the progress of their
wounds, and recommends a set of wound care products
based on the type, location, and condition of
the wound.
From the business perspective, most tool-centric
apps present their products in direct or indirect
ways. The Color Genius, Food In A Minute, and
Johnson & Johnson Wound Care ResourceTM apps
present their products as recommendations to consumers,
which is regarded as indirect customer
relationship management, whereas the Colgate
Dental Advisor app lists the company’s products with
detailed classifications and descriptions, which is
considered to be direct communication.