It started with the Palm Pilot, the first PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and has evolved to the iPhones that we have today. For over 25 years people have been using handheld devices to keep organized with their day to day tasks and stay connected when they are away from their desks. Just in the last few years the way that people do business when they are away from their desks is changing. People have shed laptops for easier to carry tablets or smartphones, and have not lost anything in terms of productivity when making the transition from laptop to mobile. Why you ask? The power of the applications being built for mobile devices.
Many businesses equip their workers with mobile devices, such as a mobile phone or tablet, with mobile applications installed. The power of these mobile applications help businesses cut costs, improve productivity and improve the bottom line. There are two types of mobile applications to consider when contemplating the creation of a mobile application for your company.
Consumer Applications - Many consumers use mobile apps everyday to engage with their favorite brands, as well as shop with their favorite brands. When creating a mobile application for consumers you must keep in mind a few things. Functionality is very important. If your app doesn't work right, no one is going to use it. Also, similar to functionality, your app must do something of importance to the customer. Whether it be make a purchase from your online store, use a tool that will help your customer with tasks, or a fun game, your app must have some value to the customer in order for it to be worthy of a download. An attractive user interface is another big one. Make your app look pretty. There are far to many apps in the app stores that are just down right ugly. Don't add yours to that list.
Internal Process Applications - Apps created to improve processes when employees are away from their desks are becoming more and more prevalent. A main reason for this is because employees are bring their personal devices into work with them every day. Employers have found that their employees are becoming more productive when out of the office with the use of mobile applications in these areas. Here are a few areas where internal process applications really shine.
These are two of the most popular types of mobile applications utilized in the workforce today, mainly because their benefits are clear cut and easy to measure. Now the question is "How will this help my company?" I have the answer for that, and I will be breaking it down by industry in my next blog post "Mobile Strategy 101 - Industries Adopting Mobile".