It’s hard to pinpoint a trend that’s had more of an impact on the enterprise today than mobility. More than ever before, businesses are looking to take advantage of mobile devices and natively-built mobile applications to streamline processes, boost efficiencies, and improve engagement with employees and customers. Part of the enterprise mobility movement is the surge in flexible and remote working models that have sprung up across industries and also contributed to the rising adoption of BYOD models. Recent studies show mobility underscores this fact.
For instance, findings by SAP tell us that 82% of executives believe that mobile is the face of digital transformation and 80% of executives say workers cannot do their jobs without smartphones. (Source: SAP). Other studies tell us that enterprise mobility and BYOD is expected to rise to $73.30 billion in 2021, from $35.10 billion in 2016. (Source: Markets and Markets). Regardless of what numbers you look at, the message is clear: mobility in the enterprise is no longer optional, it’s mandatory. But what do you do if your employees are already using smartphones, tablets, and laptops to work remotely? Could you be doing more with mobility in the enterprise? What’s next?
Because few of us have a ‘blank check’ when it comes to spending, companies need to zero-in on where their mobility dollars will have the biggest impact, instead of trying to ‘lightly’ cover all their bases. Let’s review innovative ways businesses are adopting mobility for fresh ideas on how to deliver the biggest bang for your buck.
A win-win – Making employees more productive and happier!
Enterprise mobile devices and apps can help drive employees’ productivity in several ways. Mobile options can empower employees to get work done even when they cannot be at the office and in front of a computer. Not only that, organizations that can support mobile apps and initiatives that are more attractive to potential employees, including younger high-performance workers who may value the work/life balance mobility options deliver. Plus, depending on what industry you’re in, mobile access or a mobile application can also significantly improve workforce productivity by giving teams access to the tools they need, when and wherever they need them. Take, for instance, a general contractor that needs to review and coordinate with trade partners regarding change orders or RFIs. With an iPad that directly links to a project management application, teams can review changes in real-time in the field. That keeps the lines of communication open and helps eliminate errors, or re-work that’s required later.
A look at custom mobile apps
In another example, an organization may be using several different enterprise applications that need to be tied together. A business could be using an enterprise resource planning tool, Salesforce for CRM, and Marketo, for example. And, they may even be using a home-grown application for scheduling technicians out in the field. A custom mobile app can provide workers with a single app that touches on all of these platforms and supports a highly-efficient mobile workflow. While this is a significant undertaking, in this case, a custom mobile app can result in huge efficiency gains, increased profitability and enhanced workflows, just not possible without this sort of integration.
Don’t overlook mobility management
As mobility continues to transform how employees get things done, managing these mobile devices has also become an essential piece of the mobility puzzle. Many in the industry see mobility Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) evolving further to support the growing role of mobility. Sometimes called Unified Endpoint Management (UEM), insiders say this a way companies should be thinking to unify and centralize how they manage devices. The idea is that a unified view of how mobile workers are using mobile tools will pay big dividends. Teams that can analyze and interpret these mobile data sets can optimize the way that people work, improve workflows, and make tasks more efficient. UEM also includes laying the groundwork for supporting traditional mobile devices plus ‘connected things’ like IoT devices.
Building out your mobility pipeline
The effective use of mobile devices is a major differentiator and competitive advantage for enterprises today. Start by evaluating the ‘biggest impact’ moves that will empower employees with new ways of working. Building out a strong mobility pipeline will help companies get to optimal efficiency faster. Taking a thoughtful and coordinated approach will also deliver the biggest benefits for the long-term and have you realizing the full potential of mobility at work.