According to a survey by Mobile Helix, a majority of enterprises think they’d experience 40% more productivity if they moved their enterprise apps to mobile. Strikingly, only 32% of those companies feel they have the skills necessary to pull off development.
The disparity comes down to having budget dollars to invest in mobile infrastructure, access to cutting edge mobile app development tools, and resources capable of executing their mobile vision.
Even when budget and resources are within reach, it’s difficult to justify your mobile application strategy. That’s why we broke it down into 4 simple steps.
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Step 1: Assess Quantitative Cost Savings
When working to build your case for an enterprise mobile application, you’ll want to clearly articulate the quantitative cost savings that your mobile app presents. This is the foundation of your argument and, if solid enough, can make some of the later steps less arduous.
Examples of quantitative mobile app development cost savings include printing and distribution, content updates, and hardware replacements. Let’s take a closer look at how these numbers can drive the discussion:
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- Printing and Distribution Costs: Enterprise mobile applications make collateral access simpler. You’ll need to print collateral less often, including catalogs, brochures, and slicks. Also, depending on how you deliver these documents to your clients and customers, the business may see significant pocket change from the money you’ll save on postage.
- Costs to Update Content: We’ve all experienced the dreaded outdated content offer or professional asset. It’s embarrassing when it comes up internally and it’s potentially detrimental to the business if an employee is sharing old strategies and processes with customers. Having an enterprise mobile app allows assets to be updated in real time, instantly. Use your saved time to improve other areas of the business or create brand new collateral.
- Hardware Costs: Mobile apps open a world of equally mobile possibilities. Consider the iPad; this mobile device may replace a more expensive one, like a PC or laptop, and be more sales-friendly in the field thanks to improved battery life and touch-screen capabilities.
Step 2: Assess Qualitative Value of an Enterprise Mobile App
Quantitative cost savings are great, but they require the support of conditional benefits before they can propel a project forward. The qualitative value of the mobile app is particularly important, in fact, because mobile projects often improve processes dramatically.
Some value comes in the form of integration, others in process automation or shorter sales cycles. But the list of potential touch-points is substantial:
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- Automating Processes: Process automation is one thing that sales and marketing teams will always rally behind – it means less headaches and more productivity. This is a great way to justify mobile app development cost—everyone wins.
- Increase in Revenue from Shorter Sales Cycles: One of our global manufacturing clients reported 30% more face time with clients when using their enterprise mobile app. This was possible because sales teams had the ability to speed up orders and shorten resolution time with digital, on-the-go materials.
- Employee Efficiency: A mobile app, depending on how it’s developed, can give employees access to content while offline. This means no more dead time in the work day should a person be off-site or traveling.
- Better Internal Communications: It’s important for teams to be able to communicate easily. Enterprise mobile solutions encourage communication through centralized system updates, simplified email access, up-to-date calendars, and fast messaging applications.