By now, many enterprises are experiencing the competitive advantages that mobilizing core business processes can provide. Having relevant information at hand, when and where it’s needed, has proven to increase time to sale, improve corporate compliance and even save lives, among other benefits. However, while some enterprise mobile apps do allow users to retrieve critical data with on-the-go access to CRM and ERP systems, many fall short at delivering the next-generation experiences that are beginning to define the digital workplace of today, no less those that will fuel the future of work, tomorrow.
Currently, many enterprise apps are now fast performing; offering intuitive user experiences; device and OS ubiquity, multiple form factors and simplified workflows. Overall, workers can access and consume information when they want and how they want it. But while Gartner estimates growth in enterprise app adoption, apps continue to lose more than 25 percent of users after just one use. That’s alarming, considering enterprises are delivering a much better mobile app experience than in years past.
What’s prompting such a disconnect is that the enterprise’s perception of ‘mobile’ isn’t truly modern or up to the expectations of users who now expect consumer-like user experiences. When compared to the experiences now afforded by consumer apps, such as those driven by AI and machine learning, the enterprise really isn’t close to being a hotbed for modern mobile.
As enterprises continue their digital initiatives, they must redefine their definition of mobile and look to invest in more modern approaches, or risk losing talented workers and competitive advantages to organizations that do. Here’s what a ‘modern’ mobile enterprise looks like.
What the shift to a ‘Modern’ Mobile enterprise looks like:
I. Shift from supporting a single platform to embracing omni-channel solutions – A truly ‘modern’ mobile enterprise indulges its workers with apps that have multi-form factors and work with any OS. With BYOD now the rule and not the exception, enterprises never truly know what devices are being used. This should prompt organizations to find ways to simplify and streamline omni-channel app design, development, deployment, and management. Hard-coding apps for multiple devices is no longer an option. Doing so is too expensive, slow, and complex to manage. Apps should be designed for ubiquitous compatibility, without the need to use device specific programming languages that require unattainable resources and cause a deployment backlog.
II. Shift from thick apps to micro apps-Micro apps deliver the ultimate experience in speed and productivity. They allow for rapid mobile enablement of common organizational workflows including employee timecards, multi-system approvals, corporate directories and more. Think less screens; not more. IT leaders must start thinking of apps as quick task based activities that can be accomplished in a few taps and not attempt to force an entire application onto a mobile screen. Such a workflow-specific mindset would enable anytime, anywhere access to the data that is critical to the user at the right time, allowing them to get in and complete their task during a ‘mobile moment’, while waiting in line or on-the-go.
III. Shift from device security to apps that are inherently secure – Embracing a ‘modern’ mobile mindset makes it easy for technical and non-technical teams to deliver the ultimate experience in speed and productivity without sacrificing security. Its time to shift from providing secure devices or even antiquated app wrapping and think about how to secure apps from the start. For example, app security that is context aware would enable secure apps to detect location or connection while also blocking specific data as needed; rather than not allowing complete access to the app.
Through a templated approach to security, enterprises can collaborate directly with Security and Operations (SecOps) teams within one centralized platform, maintaining preset security standards for encryption and data protection, among other extremely important security criteria.
IV. Shift from one size fits all to personalized and intelligent apps-Intelligent, consumer-like apps are now essential to expedite business transformation and for worker productivity, efficiency and satisfaction. But what constitutes an intelligent enterprise app? For one, such apps are contextually aware, meaning they are conscious of geography, providing specific alerts and information based on location. Intelligent apps also offer actionable insights, which help workers transform data into tangible business value. Finally, intelligent apps are intuitive enough to spark ‘right time’ moments, in which there is an inherent ability to deliver the right information to the right user(s) at the right time(s).
Simply mobilizing and modernizing enterprise apps no longer constitutes a ‘modern’ mobile strategy. Enterprises that can embrace this reality, and redefine their app infrastructure to support omni-channel experiences, micro-apps, security and intelligent apps, will be the ones set up to succeed in the digital workplace for a long time to come.
Blog originally published on Enterprise Mobility Exchange.
