Make sure you understand who the end user is – and overlay this with insights and data on how they already shop, search and behave in your other sales channels as this will impact how they interact with your app. Key demographics, such as age and geography, will have a significant impact on the user’s interface expectations.

Consider also what your offering will deliver and to whom – are you looking to entertain, educate or streamline a process for the user? – and stick to these objectives. All too often brands can overcomplicate apps, so simplicity is key; customers want a minimum number of clicks and brand consistency when interacting with your application.

Today’s connected consumers expect high levels of personalisation – they expect to receive tailored push notifications and communications based on their purchase history, location and frequency of buying. Adjust the app to consider context, location and timing, so it highlights information and actions relevant to where the customer is and what they are doing at that moment in time. For instance, during pre-flight check-in perhaps show the customer information and actions about their flight, whereas post check-in, provide details about the destination airport transfers, the hotel or resort.

It’s also critical to ensure the app is agile enough to incorporate smart personalisation – there’s little point sending a customer a promotion when they’re just about to miss a flight or have just posted a negative review about a hotel. Ensure all your communications are integrated so consumers are sent the right things at the right time – it may sound logical but everyone has experiences of ‘personalisation gone wrong’, which can have a long-term impact on their experience with a particular travel brand.

Continuous improvement is also a key requirement in ensuring your app remains relevant and adds value to the customer journey. In the same way you would track how shoppers interact with your e-commerce site, monitor how consumers are using your apps – identify functions they most commonly and least frequently use, as well as any dropping off points. Taking the opportunity to incorporate customer feedback will help you continually hone the app to their needs and deliver additional value to drive conversions and deliver brand engagement.

Rowan Welch is account director – travel at Black Pepper Software, whose clients include Thomas Cook and Tui