There are infinite opportunities to improve businesses with enterprise mobile apps; they come in many shapes and sizes and are different for every company. Enterprise apps are revolutionizing the mobile landscape by improving workforces across ALL industries. And if you are not already implementing the use of internal apps, you’re missing out on a lucrative opportunity to improve employee productivity, increase operational efficiency and connect with customers.
I’ve found that many people I talk to about the potential of internal apps often underestimate the value because they haven’t been educated on the opportunities they offer for improvement. At the end of this 3-part series, you’ll understand the value of enterprise apps, read case studies of successful apps and be able to implement a strong enterprise mobile app strategy.
What are enterprise apps?
Let me first address a question I’ve received in the app development industry on a regular basis: what are enterprise apps? Adobe defines enterprise apps as mobile applications specifically developed for large companies to do the following: help increase worker productivity, perform tasks, equip employees with tools and information and connect with customers and stakeholders. Fundamentally, enterprise apps increase operational efficiency and improve communications.
But, there are many different approaches to achieving these outcomes with enterprise apps. As mentioned before, each company has a different set of challenges they face, each with a different solution. Maybe you are trying to optimize your employee training or recruitment process. What about improving sales enablement for your field service teams? Do you want to enhance your customer service? An enterprise app is the tool you need.
Take for example the Contractor app we built for Rheem Manufacturing. The traditional HVAC and water heater company sought to deepen 3rd-party contractor’s relationships with the customer to upsell more products. The solution? A mobile app to equip contractors with access to all the resources they need to sell Rheem products: product videos and information, warranty and financing information, installation and troubleshooting checklists, company news, and order forms to make the sale. With these resources readily available within their mobile device on the job, contractors are empowered to provide the customer everything they need to make an informed purchase decision and result in exceptional customer service.
The Results Are In
Companies that invest in enterprise mobile apps are seeing on average a 35% ROI according to a recent Adobe report. And the top 3 advantages they see? Increased productivity (51%), better communication (47%) and reduced costs (31%). Enterprises recognize the need to gain a competitive advantage and see the benefits of focusing their mobile strategy on internal processes.
Not only are these internal apps generating ROI, but company departments are leveraging more and more apps based on the excellent results they provide. Sixty-seven percent of businesses are now using enterprise apps and of those, 62% have increased the number in the past year alone. But the software landscape is ever-changing, and it is a challenge to keep up with the trends and determine what strategies are working and what aren’t, which is part of what we do at stable|kernel. In addition to the design and development of mobile products, we offer project management services, strategy and discovery to guide our clients through each project. With our industry expertise, we build a roadmap for the product and work in an agile environment to determine the best possible outcome for every project, factoring in the element of an evolving landscape.
Why now?
There’s no doubt that mobile is both the present and the future. But the challenge has become how best to leverage this ubiquitous device. The enterprise sector has been able to crack the code and tie the need for mobility to the need to access business information, producing remarkable results. Mobile information can be accessed anytime, in an instant. Market trends are also driving the need for enterprise apps with companies citing the need for improved communication (55%), an increasingly mobile workforce (54%) and the increasing importance of user experience (44%) as the top trends.
The consumer-facing app has proven to be a struggle that many companies, large and small, have fought to overcome. The competition is fierce with almost 5 million consumer apps in both Google Play and Apple app stores. They offer customer engagement, loyalty and at times a necessary utility – but the reality is that only a small percentage of these apps have endured the test of time in providing value. Most companies have struggled to find that secret sauce in creating an app that truly serves a purpose and succeeds in acquisition of users, engagement and retention. The first generation of mobile apps was the consumer-facing app, but the second and present generation is the enterprise app.
Now, successful businesses are turning to enterprise apps for solutions.
In my next article, I’ll provide a couple case studies that make the argument for the implementation of enterprise apps to improve operations and reduce costs.
