Your company is going nowhere fast if you're not taking advantage of mobile apps. Lightning-quick changes in today's business environment can only be supported by the latest technology designed to boost productivity regardless of the user's location. This is why apps are experiencing their heyday: Mobile users spend 25 percent more time interacting with their apps than in 2016, and there has been a 15 percent jump in global downloads over last year.
This is largely due to another broad trend. The percentage of remote workers has vaulted a staggering 115 percent since 2005 (not counting freelancers), running parallel to the explosion in mobile device use. Seventy-seven percent of all Americans have a smartphone and more than half of the U.S. population owns a tablet. For many workers, these mobile devices are their most useful links to their business or work. Remote employees increasingly rely on their devices for more work-related issues, juggling an average of nine apps a day (30 a month).
Even when workers aren't remote, apps play an important role. In the professional services field, for example, it's commonplace to go visit clients' offices and project sites on a regular basis, while business trips are often a necessity.
Increasing work productivity is directly related to mobile app use, but constantly switching from one app to another can be a real time waster. This is why the right software makes all the difference to you and your business.
Apps boost business and life balance
There is no denying the increase in business productivity and engagement that is derived from apps. In an article in Harvard Business Review, Joe Panapinto, senior vice president and director of strategy at Genuine Interactive, noted that mobile apps serve to boost productivity in four ways:
- Control: Everybody works from the same updated documents. Moreover, users respond more quickly to any communications and can make changes in real-time.
- Consistency: there are only two possible operating systems on phones, and any software updates are available to everyone for instant installation at the same time.
- Creativity: Apps encourage use of phone capabilities, like cameras. Plus, when employees can work in different places ranging from the beach to a client's headquarters, the necessary software is available the moment when inspiration strikes.
- Credibility: Fast response times, on-time work, and a professional appearance mean that quality mobile tech is key to your company's reputation.
Apps do more than simply boost productivity though. They also help workers better manage a work-life balance, which recent studies show is increasingly important to tech-savvy employees. This is because you do not need to run back to the office to send that invoice, file your timesheet or check on your current expense report - you can simply open up your app on your train ride home and quickly take care of business. Since your workflow is not nailed down to a single location, getting tasks finished is as simple as carving out the time to actually do the task, not travel.
The core of productivity
One of BQE's raisons d'etre is boosting work productivity, and our CORE solution supports the mobile workforce by incorporating the value of different app capabilities into one easy-to-use platform. Common business needs, such as billing, report filing and expense tracking, are placed at your fingertips, without the need to waste time looking for the "right" app.
The marriage of technology and business is one of mutual support - and it will be long-lasting. Taking advantage of the best software solutions for your business will not only result in stronger productivity gains but also a happier team.
