Enterprise mobility and the challenge of app expertise for CIOs

This transition has been enabled by a range of technologies, and employee-facing apps in particular have become an increasingly attractive option for businesses with a high proportion of field-based workers.

Previously, many of these workers had to rely on paper-based forms to capture essential business data, with many then needing to return to the main office to complete administration tasks.

Relying on outdated paper-based processes is not only inefficient, time consuming and costly, but can also result in inaccuracies and inconsistencies when collecting data, and greatly increases the risk of important documents being damaged or misplaced.

Enterprise apps offer an effective alternative to these archaic paper-based processes and are becoming a safer and more reliable means of capturing data and aiding communication between employees and senior managers.

However, despite the benefits of employee-facing apps, many companies are still struggling to successfully implement them as part of their enterprise mobility strategy. In many cases, this is due to a lack of in-house app development expertise.

So, how can CIOs overcome these issues in order to ensure employees consistently have access to the right tools to enable them to work as efficiently as possible?

Tackling the skills shortage

Previously, the majority of in-house software development has focused on web applications, with businesses tending to recruit for this particular skill set as a result. So with apps now becoming increasingly sought after, and mobile development requiring a totally different set of skills, many IT teams are now finding themselves without the necessary app development expertise in-house.

According to a recent report by Experis, mobile skills are the most in-demand for businesses looking to hire within the IT industry. Therefore, whilst the obvious solution is to attempt to recruit externally for these positions, because these skills are in greatly needed, candidates with the right expertise can come at a premium.

Hiring external talent can therefore be extremely costly and can mean that businesses who do not have the budget available to do so can miss out on the benefits that apps could offer to their remote and field workers.

A mixed-sourcing approach

CIOs may instead try to combat this lack of expertise by outsourcing the development to an external agency or purchasing ‘off-the-shelf’ products. However, this can also be a costly exercise and present a number of other challenges, including ensuring that the products are integrated with the business’s backend systems and tailored to meet the specific need of the end users. 

Finding ways to upskill existing tech teams could be a more cost-effective, long-term solution for CIOs. One way to achieve this is by embracing a mixed-sourcing approach. By outsourcing some of the creation process to external specialists, and allocating some development to in-house teams, businesses can keep costs lower while enabling their internal team members to gain the knowledge needed for future projects.

No-coding technology

Alternatively, it is now becoming possible for businesses to develop their own enterprise apps without the need for internal or external coding expertise. No-coding app development tools are now available that can allow businesses to create their own highly specialised mobile apps using a simple drag and drop app builder, without the risk and cost typically associated with software development.

This process enables CIOs to be more agile and more responsive to changing business requirements. By using this kind of software, CIOs can action feedback from employees about the effectiveness of the app far more quickly, as the app does not need to be redeveloped.

Thanks to the ongoing digital skills shortage, recruiting talent with mobile app development expertise is likely to be an ongoing struggle for businesses. However, thanks to constantly evolving technology, there are a range of options available that can make successfully implementing effective employee-facing apps an achievable goal for CIOs, regardless of their budget or team structure.

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Notes to editors:

For further press information please contact –

Olivia Brown at PR Agency One – olivia.brown@pragencyone.co.uk – 0161 871 0551

Or

Tom Opper at PR Agency One – tom.opper@pragencyone.co.uk – 0161 871 9140   

About WorkMobile®

Manchester-based WorkMobile® is an award-winning mobile data capture service that replaces paper forms. Using the API, data captured may be integrated into back-office or ERP systems and further extended into a bespoke workflow solution that includes a variety of management information reporting options.

WorkMobile® was founded in 2001 as eSAY Solutions Ltd and rebranded as WorkMobile® in 2011. The business now turns over £1.3million.