Whether you are shopping in the mall or spending the evening at the park, the impact of mobility can be witnessed no matter where you go. No longer must you wait to get home before uploading that sweet birthday party photo onto Facebook – your mobile device now allows you to capture the moment and share the memory instantaneously.
Nevertheless, the use of mobile devices is not limited to just social and personal contexts. Pew Research Center found that “Nearly two-thirds of Americans are now smartphone owners, and for many these devices are a key entry point to the online world.”
From downloading music to making a purchase, people are turning to mobile devices and using them as a tool to get things done. Companies and businesses are realizing the trend too. Many are working around the clock to streamline their mobile strategy and development. Below are 5 of the top mobile enterprise trends for any company that wants to excel in their enterprise mobility:
1. Going Mobile First and Beyond
It’s no joke that we have become a mobile dependent society. More increasingly than ever, companies are adopting a mobile first strategy to fine-tune web design and user engagement. But mobile first is no longer the minimum. It’s the norm, and more! As Larry Page, co-founder of Google, shares, “We are no longer in a mobile first world, we are in a mobile only world.”
Whenever companies think about marketing, designing, and user interface, they need to go beyond the mobile first strategy and focus on developing a comprehensive mobile plan that integrates enterprise mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud technology.
2. Striking the Balance between User Experience and Security
User experience is more than having aesthetically-pleasing designs. Security, which focuses on protecting your user’s identity and confidential information, is closely connected to the user psychology. Breach of data is costly and can erode user confidence. This is why all mobile apps, according to Network Computing, “must be treated as essential parts of an enterprise security ecosystem, extending from the device to the cloud or data center.”
The moral of the story? Equip your mobile apps with user authentication, environmental and biometric sensors, and other security management systems and devices to safeguard your customer’s and your company’s reputation.
3. Making Your Website Adaptive and Responsive
Prior to the mobile revolution, the mindset of most designers is desktop first and mobile second. That is no longer the case. Company websites should be designed with mobility in mind first. This means using more animated elements, scrolling, and subtle color palettes to keep your users not only focused on, but interacting with your content.
4. Staying Updated and In Touch with the Market
Mobile development requires continuous delivery and improvement. It’s a never-ending job. According to Oracle, mobile apps are always updating. In fact, 87 percent of enterprises update or release mobile apps every six months or less. A solid enterprise mobile strategy requires your team to continuously collect user data, analyze consumer trends and behaviors, fine-tune existing features, and release better versions of your apps to stay on top of the game and in sync with your customers.
5. Integrating Online and Offline Marketing Strategies
Your users may not always be online. The fact they have their smartphones with them is enough for you to pull in some generous leads from offline materials. As Social Times shares, in addition to developing task-specific mobile apps, companies should integrate offline tools like QR codes in their brochures and flyers. That way, your users can always get in touch with you with a simple scan.