Sea Tow
Setting Sail with a Customer-Friendly Mobile App
An international marine assistance provider, Sea Tow Services International, Inc. operates more than 120 independently owned franchise locations in the United States, Europe, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico.
Members Were Buoyed With An Outdated App
Sea Tow had an existing mobile app, but the user experience wasn’t fine-tuned to Sea Tow users, and it lacked features such as an in-app purchasing option to buy or renew a membership, which resulted in significant losses for the company.
Members wanted an app that could intuitively track tides, provide weather information, and most importantly, call for help in the event of an emergency.
Navigating to a Better User Experience
Sea Tow engaged us to build an app that better fit the needs of its business and users while simultaneously providing an enjoyable in-app experience. We created a cross-platform mobile application for iOS and Android that is designed to be the ultimate mobile boating tool, making boating safer and more enjoyable by providing the confidence that help is just a click away.
An elegant and intuitive interface showcases tidal information and the weather forecast to help plan any boating trip. The app features an accurate compass, speedometer and current latitude/longitude for navigational assistance. It also includes a “night mode” graphic display to keep night vision sharp without disrupting navigational focus. However, the most important feature is the real-time GPS-based call for assistance. Boaters in distress can reach help with a simple swipe.
The solution was built using Xamarin because of its ability to easily handle the extensive custom user interface that was implemented across iOS and Android. The ability to use custom components meant that the app could incorporate personalized features and points of interactivity, without compromising user experience on any device.
In 2015, Sea Tow saw a 30% increase in mobile subscriptions. The app has been recognized and awarded “Best Leisure Mobile Application” by the Mobile Web Awards.
Results
Smooth Sailing Ahead
The app now provides in-app purchasing to renew or buy a membership. This integration has provided huge gains for Sea Tow, and in 2015 Sea Tow saw a 30% increase in mobile subscriptions.
By prioritizing the user experience in the design, Sea Tow’s new app not only meets users’ needs, but does so in a way that is familiar and easy to use. The app has also been recognized and awarded “Best Leisure Mobile Application” by the Mobile Web Awards.
