Complete Guide to Role of Mobile Application in Business Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is the biggest buzzword today. But, many industry leaders fail to realize the potential impact of digital enablers compared to aspects like a digital roadmap, strategy, implementation, etc.  

Specially, the introduction of innovative technologies like IoT, AI, ML, and RPA has shifted the eyeballs of enterprise heads from identifying the significance of mobile applications and their growth.  However, failing to engage with a leading digital transformation services might also impact the digital transformation initiatives and enterprises must consider this. 

The role of mobile applications as a key digital enabler can’t be taken lightly as they provide a massive advantage to any enterprise across verticals. This post brings out the importance of having mobile apps in a digital transformation strategy and how it helps enterprises accelerate productivity, growth, and RoI. 

Before getting started, let’s quickly take a look at what the digital transformation hype is all about and why you should worry. 

What is digital transformation?

Thousands of definitions already available on the web on Digital Transformation has made this term even more baffling. According to experts, digital transformation isn’t just about transforming one or two processes. It is all about transforming the complete business by reinventing the existing model, process, people, and technology for delivering seamless customer experience. 

Growth of digital transformation in the enterprise landscape

As per a MarketWatch study, the global digital transformation market is expected to grow from US$ 445.4 Bn in 2017 to US$ 2,279.4 Bn by 2025 at a CAGR of 24.3% between 2018 and 2025.

The global market for digital transformation has been segmented on the basis of components, which include solutions and services. The solution segment is further divided into mobility, big data & analytics, artificial intelligence, IoT, and others, and the services segment is further divided into professional services and managed services. (Source: marketwatch.com)

Mobile app as a key enabler in digital transformation

Some industry experts often see mobile applications as an independent entity rather than a key enabler in digital transformation. This makes a huge difference. Smart leaders include mobile apps in the digital transformation strategy to reinvent the way they work. 

The chart below encloses details on digital transformation growth by solutions, and it is apparent that mobile app development growth will be staggering in the next few years, along with Cloud computing, Analytics etc. 

(Source: grandviewresearch.com)

Role of a mobile app in digital transformation landscape

Why mobile is the face of digital

The advent of smartphones has transformed the business landscape drastically and has paved the way for new opportunities. Companies cannot do more than leveraging mobile platforms to stay tuned with customers. 

With the mobile-first approach widely pronounced across the globe and customers relying heavily on mobile devices, including mobile applications as part of business strategy is the best option to beat the competition and engage with customers. 

Understanding the importance of enterprise mobility

The reason why most companies invested in enterprise mobility is to connect users with activities from anywhere and anytime. Especially, enterprise mobile applications play a critical role in improving the efficiency of staff and company and this is the reason why enterprise mobility can’t be separated from digital transformation.

Mobile app and employee engagement

As per different studies, the connected workforce performs amazingly and better engages with customers, and in fact, goes a step ahead in satisfying customers thoroughly. A minor improvement in employee engagement rate contributes to bigger profits. Also, mobile applications help employees connect with business activities from anywhere. 

Here are the key benefits of using mobile apps for employee engagement.

• Connected workforce
• Easy to reach staff for advice, inspiration, solutions
• Lesser IT headaches
• Saves time
• Improves process efficiency, productivity
• Improves customer engagement and retention

This is the reason why many CEOs add mobile apps to the digital transformation strategy and they’re right by doing so.  

Mobile app and customer experience

Digital transformation is all about improving customer experience. How do you think you can provide personalized messages to customers and stay tuned with them 24/7? Of course, with mobile apps, your business can. 

Mobile apps help businesses engage with customers better and help marketers to identify customer touchpoints to create personalized messages for improved sales. Mobile applications along with chatbots have redefined customer service as they help users with instant answers to queries or requirements. 

In short, having mobile apps as part of the digital transformation program improves overall customer experience significantly. 

Here are the key benefits of using mobile apps for customer experience.

• Facilitates communication
• Improves customer loyalty
• Promotes sales of the company
• Enhances customer engagement
• Offers competitive advantage
• Increases branding
• Increases visibility

Mobile app and operational efficiency

On the other hand, managing business–vendor-customer operations becomes easier with mobile apps. Not just that, the apps help sales and marketing staff to perform the operations on-the-go thereby increasing the RoI. 

Field sales can perform the actions from anywhere, anytime, and update sales data in real-time to improve sales cycles. 

With workflow applications and process management applications, the operational efficiency of organizations has increased rapidly, leading to increased RoI and growth. 

Here are the key benefits of using mobile apps for operational efficiency. 

• Prevents costly errors
• Reduces overhead costs
• Saves time
• Reduces IT spend
• Improves customer service

Digital transformation benefits

Digital reinventions offer a plethora of benefits to enterprises. I have named a few below. However, to achieve the same, creating a well-defined digital strategy is mandated. Let’s take a peek at the benefits. 

Digital transformation – mobile app technologies & trends 2021

Digital transformation is growing strong and so are the trends and technologies. I have compiled the list of the latest trends for 2021 below. 

• Customer Experience
• Analytics
• Data governance (big data)
• IT will become the “new†business enabler
• Internet of Things
• Conversational Artificial Intelligence & ML
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA) 
• Multi-Cloud computing and Everything-as-a-Service (Xaas)
• Partnerships and acquisitions
• Digital privacy

Digital transformation using mobile app use cases 

Mobile apps along with advanced technologies like IoT, AI, ML help enterprises transform the way they work. Here are some of the use cases of mobile apps in transforming using digital solutions. 

Digital transformation in Manufacturing 

Mobile apps play a quintessential role in improving manufacturing productivity. Leveraging the power of mobile apps coupled with advanced technology like IoT, AI, etc., the manufacturing industry can help operators and supervisors perform the floor operations on-the-go and accelerate productivity. 

The applications help operators access machine data in real-time and share it with supervisors. Similarly, supervisors can access the operator data from anywhere and share it with managers. This improves visibility across the floor and enhances productivity. 

Digital transformation in Construction

Asset tracking is challenging for construction companies, but using a mobile app the difficult process of tracking assets can be simplified, and also reducing the asset cost (at least 30%) associated with the process is always possible. This also expedites project delivery. 

Generally, mobile applications are used along with IoT, RFID, Barcode, NFC, Bluetooth technologies to track and manage assets better within the construction project zone. 

Digital transformation in Retail

Order delivery management is often complex and creates bottlenecks for most retail companies. Automating the process through mobile apps has enabled the customers to enjoy a hassle-free order and retailers can enjoy a streamlined delivery process that improves customer experience. Automation has helped retailers to serve customers better and faster. 

Digital transformation in Logistics

Logistics companies manage the flow of things from procurement to delivery. The process is complex and involves packing and transportation of the goods and materials, warehousing, material handling, maintaining and managing the inventory or stock, the flow of information through the supply chain management, and much more. With a mobile app in place, managing such cumbersome processes becomes easy.

Digital transformation in Healthcare

Mobile apps have taken the healthcare industry by storm. The conventional consultation, medical claims, medical advice are completely seamless to patients because of medical applications. Patients don’t have to visit hospitals often and can get advice using their smartphones. 

Also, they can get reports on mobile devices through applications. Simply put, apps help healthcare centers deliver amazing patient care in addition to hassle-free patient records management. 

Digital transformation in Media

The media industry is excelling by adding mobile applications to its transformation strategy. With the help of mobile applications and automation, the media industry is able to share data in real-time from any location fast and accurately. On the other hand, the applications power users with the options to upload photographs, videos of interesting happenings to media networks in real-time. In short, the applications are helping both the industry as well as the users. 

How a leading manufacturer transformed its field sales operations using a mobile application

One of our clients had a large volume of secondary sales teams set out for meeting customers on a day to day basis. A massive challenge confronted by both the primary and secondary sales team was accelerating the cycle and updating sales data swiftly. 

The paper-based communication & reporting, manual call reports, and other sales-related task updates were time-consuming and exorbitant. This resulted in reduced employee productivity and efficiency, leading to an overall delay in sales cycles.

As a full-stack mobile app development company, we developed a simple, easy to use, secure, powerful mobile, and web application. The Android App for sales executives allows to digitize the complete process, the web platform for the senior executives allows to track all the Sales personnel’s daily activities and the sales closures in real-time, in addition to enabling real-time Punch-In and Punch-Out for the call entries with Geo Tagging & Timings for field sales executives.

The client is enjoying the below benefits. 

• 50% Reduced reporting and tracking time
• Effective management of sales data
• Improved sales cycle
• Enhanced field sales activity

So, have you ever considered mobile apps as part of the digital transformation journey? If not, it’s a high time you have to. Don’t know how to get started? Let’s talk.