Discover how our silent auctions app can benefit even your least tech savvy guests
It is indisputable that as a society we are becoming more and more accustomed to using smartphones and other forms of technology.
In fact, 89 percent of adults in the US now own and use a smartphone.
Yet, despite the incredible speed at which the world has become more familiar with technology, there are still people out there who aren’t entirely comfortable navigating all the various electronics that now seem to be a permanent part of everyday life.
For businesses who are looking to host fundraising events that incorporate technology-based solutions, tech aversion is a problem that has to be considered. Which is why we’ve set out to answer the following question in this post:
How can event organizers ensure that guests who aren’t completely comfortable with various forms of software can still participate in their fundraising activities?
Here’s How Bid Beacon Accommodates Users With Tech Aversion:
1. Guest Bidding Capabilities
During the development of our mobile app, we considered the fact that not all silent auction attendees will want to create a Bid Beacon account. We did not want auctions to lose potential attendees because they weren’t comfortable with setting up a permanent account.
That’s when we decided to incorporate guest bidding. This feature allows event organizers to log in for their attendees and place bids without the attendee needing to go through the process of setting up an account.
This is particularly useful since only 21 percent of American adults aged 65+ use a computer, and only 59 percent of those aged 50-64 use one.
These numbers show that there is still a significant portion of the population that isn’t as comfortable using technology. Thus, the need for user friendly software solutions is crucial.
2. Unstored Payment Information
It’s not uncommon for those experiencing tech aversion to be hesitant about putting their credit card information or other sensitive information into a mobile app. After all, there are plenty of stories out there regarding this type of information being compromised by tech companies, and that can be highly concerning.
Conveniently enough, the Bid Beacon app does not store any payment information. In fact, you don’t complete payments via the app at all.
Instead, users simply use the app for the bidding portion of the evening. From there, the highest bidders are automatically contacted via the app about the items they’ve won and the total cost. They can also tap the “View Results” button to view the same information..Payment is arranged outside of Bid Beacon in whatever way is most convenient.
This approach adds another level of security to your silent auction that participants appreciate.
3. User-Friendly Design
When your event guests are new to mobile apps, they need a user experience that is straightforward, and that eliminates confusion as much as possible.
This is why we focused on creating a user friendly software solution.
We incorporated features that make it simpler for users to navigate the Bid Beacon app, like iconography and a powerful in-app search function. These features make it easy for users to understand what a specific button does, and allow them to readily search for any item they may be interested in bidding on, without having to navigate manually through the app to find it.
Our priority is to ensure that users can get to the information they require quickly without encountering any roadblocks.
We pay close attention to user design and how it impacts the usability of an app. And we know how big of a difference these small features can make.
In fact, 52 percent of users say that a bad mobile experience will make them less likely to engage with a company. For users who already experience some level of tech aversion, this number can be even higher.
By implementing these three user friendly software strategies, Bid Beacon is making our app more usable and accessible for all fundraising participants, regardless of if they are tech savvy or not.
Because a convenient and seamless silent auction experience should never be delivered to just a select few.
