Mobile device proliferation and perpetual connectivity are creating tremendous opportunities for employees to work whenever and however they choose. With device options ranging from smartphones to tablets as well as desktop and portable notebook computers and even wearables, users have more choices than ever for how they work depending on the activity, task, location and personal preference.
As devices proliferate and more people adopt them for personal purposes, enterprises must find ways to integrate mobile apps into the workplace. Not only do enterprise apps bring more flexibility to the business and lead to higher employee efficiency, they also increase responsiveness and overall sales and revenue.
As the need for mobility in the workplace goes from a “nice to have” to a “need to have,” IT departments must embrace a device agnostic approach, meaning any device of choice (Laptop, Smartphone, Tablet, Wearable, etc.) must work with the various business systems, without requiring any special adaptations.
The ability to work on any device is crucial as more employees no longer sit behind a desk to work nine to five, but are on the move, traveling, and working from home, requiring the same access to the data they can normally access on their desktops. Simply put, enterprise mobility is the ability to do your work without being dependent on your location or traditional computer.
More companies are now taking initiatives to promote the usage of mobile apps in the workplace. The ‘bring your own device’ policy is a great example of such initiatives. With 6.5 billion people connected with one or more devices, mobility solutions are bound to grow.
See the chart below on how enterprise mobile apps are being used in organizations:
Key Benefits of Enterprise Mobile Apps:
- Increased Productivity – When users can access data in real-time, communicate across teams and input quality data via voice-to-text, video, photo and receive push notifications and alerts on important project information, they are more likely to get more work done and collect more accurate findings.
- Eliminate Paper-Based Processes: One of the biggest problems of using paper-based processes is that the data quickly becomes outdated as soon as it is printed. When data is accessible on a mobile application, it is more likely to be accurate because it updates in real-time.
- Access Legacy Systems From Any Device – Users can access the same data and tools from the ERP and CRM systems they are accustomed to using on their desktop computers more efficiently on their mobile devices.
- Increase Sales & Customer Success – When users can give their customers the information they need when they are meeting with them, instead of waiting to give them an answer when they get back to the office hours or days later, they are more likely to drive the sales process and improve satisfaction.
- Improve User Flexibility – When users can work from any location, at any time and on the device of their choice, they are more likely to get more quality work done on their own schedule.
- Cut Down Costs – Enterprise mobile apps enable companies to do business remotely for their on-site clients and save money that is spent on traveling to on-site locations. This reduces the cost significantly and results in cost-effective products and services.
