The advent of Smart Phones (esp. IPhones) has not only revolutionized the mobile Industry but it also has laid a launching pad for Mobile Enterprise apps. Initially apps were developed for fun and were more generic. Later the ERP players started to see the potential of this newly invented platform and started developing some useful apps. But now there has been a further need to make the applications of mobile more Industry specific. Just like IS-Utilities or IS-Retail, it has become very imperative to have another module called IS-Mobile Apps.
The reason why I tell this is that each Industry has its own set of unique business processes that can utilize mobility in its own unique way. Some processes require a remote data entry; some require ordering parts and some require the management charts and Labor utility diagram. Certainly there is a need for these apps to reach next level and address the needs of different Industries.
Although the process quality varies from Industry to Industry some characteristics like faster and better Decisions, easier tracking, and shortened replenishments etc. remain common in most of the Industries. The success of any Industry depends upon the flow of information in both outward and inward directions. In both cases, the Enterprise applications via mobile devices has tightened processes, increased responsiveness and improved decision making.
When we go in depth in each Industry business process that we tend to see the bigger picture:
Government: Mobile apps could be used to enhance public safety, law enforcement and Municipal activities thus enabling decisions to assess situations and optimizing recovery.
Financial Services: Responsiveness to customer needs and new opportunities are primary driving factors in this Industry. Hence it is very important to give representatives in the field to access real-time data on their clients’ portfolios during customer meetings.
Manufacturing: The Integration between ERP and SCM improves the overall responsiveness by enabling the manufacturers to adjust their Production Planning based on changes in their inbound Supply chain.
Health Care: Prescription management process that includes inputting patient data and making the real time patient data available.
Transportation and Logistics: Apps for Scheduling, dispatching and route planning are imperative for this Industry.
Legal: Access to case files and motions can be developed as apps.
Construction: Updating and accessing key information of Project data at client site through apps can be vital.
Hence apps can be developed for each requirement of a particular Industry. The above points are just tip of ice berg. One has to study the business processes of each client to map them to mobile apps.
