All signals in the market point to 2016 being a big year for building mobile apps in enterprises. Further evidence appeared in eWEEK recently in the article, “Enterprise Mobile Apps Gaining Momentum in 2016.”
The article begins with 2015 mobile app development status and 2016 market predictions from John Jackson, vice president at IDC. Jackson explains that in 2013 and 2014 the average enterprise with over 1,000 employees had 3.5 apps for workers, surprisingly low to IDC analysts. In 2015, IDC expected the rate of mobile apps developed within enterprises to dramatically increase, but the figure remained “shockingly low” in 2015, with the average enterprise only adopting 5.8 apps for workers. However, Jackson explains that he expects the game to change in 2016:
“One factor in 2016, though, that could increase the adoption of mobile apps in enterprises is the always-present pressure of competition, said Jackson. ‘It's becoming the case that if your competitor out-mobilizes you, then you have problems.’ With that in mind, ‘progress at some level is a slam-dunk in 2016,’ said Jackson.”
Tom Ritter, Vice President of IT, Caraustar Industries
The article then profiles three companies moving to mobilize their business. Alpha Software customer Tom Ritter, vice president of IT at Caraustar Industries, is one of the IT executives profiled in the piece:
Tom Ritter, vice president of IT at Caraustar Industries, which manufactures and sells 100 percent recycled paperboard packaging products, told eWEEK that his company is planning to begin deploying mobile apps for about 1,500 employees starting this year.
A key benefit of mobile apps for Caraustar would be to assist production managers in the company's 90 manufacturing plants around the nation, so they can be on the production floor monitoring tasks rather than sitting at desks in offices away from the action, Ritter told eWEEK.
So far, Ritter and his team are exploring the kinds of apps that could be helpful and determining what tasks can be most effectively managed on a mobile app, such as production reporting, order status and apps that boost production efficiency.
Ritter then warns: "If you don't do it, your competitor is going to do it.” He explains that a mobile app that allows salespeople to look up customer information and take orders on site at the customer location will greatly streamline the process and improve customer service:
"You're removing steps from the process. We're going to make doing business with us easier for customers, too."
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