Key Takeaways
- An increasing number of businesses are investing in these solutions, leading to significant growth in the enterprise application development market’s revenue.
- Enterprise apps streamline business operations by automating repetitive tasks, managing data, and enabling real-time communication among employees.
- Cross-platform development is crucial for enterprise apps to reach users on multiple devices. It allows for faster development and deployment across different operating systems (iOS, Android, etc.), while maintaining consistency in performance and user experience.
- Enterprise mobile app development requires a strong focus on security, as they handle sensitive organizational data. This includes implementing encryption, monitoring for vulnerabilities, and following industry-standard security practices.
Every business wants to gain a competitive advantage, improve corporate efficiency, and uncover revenue-generating opportunities. With more and more organizations gunning for the same piece of the pie, companies need to arm themselves with a custom mobile app for enterprises that’ll make them disruptive players.
The global enterprise software market is expected to reach $295.20B by the end of 2024, leading to $401.60B by 2029. Any organization that fails to catch up with this technological shift stands to lose out in the race for greater agility and profitability.
Are you ready to make the leap? With Acropolium’s expertise in mobile app development, we’re giving insights on all things enterprise apps. Learn about the challenges you’ll encounter, and the reasons you ought to forge ahead anyhow.
We will break down the factors you need to consider before jumping right in, and the enterprise mobile app development features you’ll have to keep in mind. See real-life examples below!
What is enterprise mobile app development?
Enterprise application development involves creating mobile software for businesses, enabling seamless interaction among partners, employees, and customers. These apps handle large databases, complex workflows, and high security, requiring rigorous auditing for deployment due to their use in managing sensitive organizational data.
More and more businesses invest in such products, with the enterprise application development market seeing a remarkable increase in revenue.
Different types of mobile enterprise applications
Enterprise applications cover many different business processes and could fall under any of the following types.
Marketing automation
Marketing automation software streamlines the marketing workflow and improves the efficiency of your sales funnel. It lets you market on multiple channels, nurture your leads, and speed up the path to conversion.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
Usually SaaS-based, ERP software involves a suite of applications that integrates the main business processes. It provides cross-departmental visibility that lets you explore various scenarios and improve overall efficiency.
Its central database pulls inputs from different departments, including human resources, accounting, and supply chain management.
Customer relationship management (CRM)
CRM software consolidates data that allows you to improve the way you manage your interactions and relationships with existing and potential customers. It helps you find new leads, turn them into customers, and provide service that engenders loyalty.
Automated billing system
An automated billing system streamlines your billing processes by automating functions, such as invoicing, dunning, and payment collection. You can integrate this software with your ERP, CRM, and payment gateways.
Payment processing
Playing an intermediary role between businesses and financial institutions, payment processors authorize card transactions and secure the transmission of data and transfer of funds. The service provider may also offer equipment for accepting card payments, customer support, and PCI compliance assistance.
Messaging and collaboration systems
Collaboration software provides the tools your team needs to efficiently work together on projects. It facilitates project management, task scheduling, file sharing, and communication. Some systems include not only messaging tools but also audio and video conferencing capabilities.
Call center and customer support
The call center system routes messages and calls to the right agents and makes the context of the customer concern readily available. Without software to assist your team, you’ll have a slew of customers waiting on hold and agents scrambling to answer queries.
Email marketing systems
Email marketing software is equipped with an automation tool, email builder, and scheduler to help marketers efficiently plan, execute, and monitor email marketing campaigns. Marketers can use its reporting and analytics tools to track key metrics and make improvements to their strategies.
Enterprise application integration (EAI)
With no automated communication linking the apps together, employees have to manually enter data and make sure the changes are reflected across the platforms.
Providing a middleware framework, enterprise application integration (EAI) provides the necessary link to keep data flowing efficiently between the applications.
Business intelligence (BI)
Business intelligence leverages software and best practices to make sense of data and use the insights to optimize performance and decision-making. It arms organizations with tools that keep them informed of the state of their business with easy-to-read charts, graphs, reports, and summaries.
HR management
Tools for HR management help the HR team manage their daily tasks and overall goals. It automates repetitive tasks and fosters collaboration, providing applicant tracking, performance management, and employee management.
Why you need a mobile enterprise application
You already know an enterprise app can help speed up your business operations. Now let’s get down to the details and examine just how the solution can benefit your company.
Reason 1. Transaction control
If you’re running a business with an e-commerce payment system, you need a mobile app to help you record, track, and manage transactions. The software can set notifications for payment deadlines, aggregate transaction data, and provide actionable insights.
Reason 2. Process automation
Enterprise apps can reduce the need for paperwork through automation modules. Retrieving data from online records will be quick and easy. With mundane tasks covered, people in your organization will have more bandwidth for strategic work and big-picture thinking.
Reason 3. Employee monitoring
An enterprise app allows you to move the whole workforce to a single SaaS platform that’s accessible anytime and anywhere. You can use the software to track the progress of your employees, receive updates and feedback, make announcements, share information, and transfer files.
Reason 4. Data management
An enterprise app can help you organize, transfer, and manage data at scale. From supply chains and financial forecasts to product development and marketing, the software provides the data processing and analysis for improved decision-making and operational efficiency.
Reason 5. Employee onboarding
With the aid of an enterprise app, your organization can boost new hire engagement without overburdening the HR team. The software can handle the introduction to business processes, completion of onboarding forms, digital signing of documents, training, and certification.
Reason 6. Supply chain control
An effective integration of big data inputs from suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, warehouses, transporters, and customers will ensure effective supply chain management. Thus, an enterprise app can provide real-time data and analytics that will help you efficiently manage the flow of information and products in the supply chain network.
Reason 7. Customer support
With an enterprise app, you can organize, manage, and resolve customer concerns. Your clients can have direct access to a knowledge base that provides instant answers to basic inquiries or contact representatives with relevant expertise.
The challenges of mobile app development for enterprises
Sure, rewards await you when you create an enterprise mobile app. But there are obstacles you need to overcome before you achieve results.
Shifting business needs
Businesses evolve, and by the time an app is delivered, new requirements may render its functionalities outdated. Developers must ensure the system is flexible and scalable, ready to pivot as necessary.
Exposure to security risks
Business mobile app development involves sensitive data, exposing the company to potential security breaches. Work with developers who have embedded security experts to find and fix vulnerabilities, ensuring encryption, secure system migrations, hack detection, data backup, and authorization.
Integrating with backend resources
Integrating your enterprise mobile app with existing backend services can be challenging, especially with outdated systems. Collaborate with developers who can offer a complete integration testing plan to prepare for contingencies.
Slow application development
Enterprise app development can be time-consuming, but using reusable components, modules, and web app architecture toolkits can speed up the process. A dedicated team also helps maintain momentum.
Finding appropriate resources
Tech talent is scarce, leading some companies to hire underqualified freelancers. Instead, work with experienced development teams who have successfully handled similar projects.
The need for post-release support
Even after launch, enterprise apps need ongoing tech maintenance. Ensure the development team is experienced in automated microservice testing, as well as committed to fixing bugs, and updating the system post-release.
Now let’s get down to the steps that’ll get you closer to your goal of having a winning enterprise app.
Enterprise apps must-have features
When turning to custom enterprise mobile app development, you should have a clear picture of the perfect functionality that will cover your user needs. Here are the essential features your product can’t do without:
- User-friendly interface
- Scalability
- Integration
- Security
- Customizability
- Real-time analytics & reporting
- Cloud compatibility
- Mobile access
- Workflow automation
- Collaboration tools
- Compliance management
- Backup
- User support
- Performance monitoring
1. User-Friendly Interface
A user-friendly interface ensures that all employees, regardless of technical expertise, can easily use the application. It includes a clean layout, consistent design, and responsive features that adapt to different devices, providing a smooth user experience.
2. Scalability
Scalability allows the app to grow with the business, handling more users, data, and transactions without losing performance. A flexible SaaS architecture supports expansion, enabling the app to maintain high reliability as demand increases.
3. Integration Capabilities
Enterprise apps must integrate seamlessly with existing systems like CRM, ERP, and third-party tools. Enabled with the help of APIs, these integrations enable smooth data flow across departments, eliminating silos and ensuring consistent, up-to-date information throughout the organization.
4. Security
Security is crucial for protecting sensitive data. Essential features include encryption, multi-factor authentication, and role-based access control. Regular updates and compliance with industry standards are also vital for maintaining a secure environment.
5. Customizability
Customizability allows the enterprise mobile app to be tailored to specific business needs. This includes configuring workflows, adjusting settings, and creating custom modules, enabling the app to align with unique processes and goals.
6. Real-Time Analytics and Reporting
Real-time analytics and reporting enable businesses to track performance and make data-driven decisions. These tools should support custom reports, data visualization, and monitoring of KPIs to provide actionable insights.
7. Cloud Compatibility
Cloud compatibility offers scalability, accessibility, and cost-efficiency. Cloud-based apps allow remote access, automatic updates, and built-in disaster recovery, ensuring data safety and app availability.
8. Mobile Access
Mobile access ensures that users can work on smartphones and tablets. A mobile-friendly design or dedicated mobile app supports on-the-go productivity, with offline capabilities when needed.
9. Workflow Automation
Workflow automation streamlines repetitive tasks, increasing efficiency and reducing errors. Automating processes like invoice processing or data entry frees up resources for more strategic activities.
10. Collaboration Tools
Collaboration tools facilitate communication and teamwork, providing instant messaging, and file sharing, and video conferencing features. These tools enhance productivity by keeping communication within the context of the work being done.
11. Compliance Management
Compliance management tools help ensure the app adheres to relevant laws and standards. Features like automated checks and audit trails support legal compliance, protecting the business from penalties and building trust.
12. Backup and Disaster Recovery
Backup and disaster recovery are instrumental in data protection. Regular automated backups and a solid disaster recovery plan ensure minimal downtime and quick restoration of operations in case of an outage.
13. User Support and Documentation
Comprehensive user support and documentation are vital for maximizing app usage. Access to a knowledge base, tutorials, and live support options ensures users can resolve issues quickly and work more efficiently.
14. Performance Monitoring
Performance monitoring tracks the app’s operation, identifying issues before they affect users. Alerts, notifications, and regular reports help maintain a high level of performance and provide insights for continuous improvement.
How to ensure the security of an enterprise mobile application
Here are the top ways to ensure your data stays secure throughout the development and ongoing use of your enterprise app.
Address the OWASP top 10
Ensure your tech team integrates the OWASP Top 10 into the software development life cycle. This checklist provides insights into the most pervasive security risks, such as sensitive data exposure and injection attacks, helping developers build resilient apps.
Implement proper logging
Even with thorough security audits, bugs can remain. Proper logging during mobile enterprise app development helps troubleshoot issues quickly if a cyberattack exploits a vulnerability. Tools like Blackfire, New Relic, and Tideways track backend performance, storing easy-to-parse information for faster fixes.
Perform real-time security monitoring
While classic web application firewalls (WAFs) are essential, they should be fortified with a runtime application self-protection (RASP) tool, a modern security technology designed to stop attacks on enterprise apps and data.
Keep your app fully encrypted
Go beyond basic HTTPS encryption. Protect both data in transit and at rest to guard against threats like man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks and server-based intrusions.
The success of your enterprise app development rests on your choice of frontend/backend developers. So, learn to choose wisely.
Our expertise in enterprise mobile development
At Acropolium, our 20+ years of experience in the field has allowed us to provide companies with tech solutions that help them reach their business goals. Whether you need an upgrade to reengineer your existing software or a digital transformation of your legacy business, we’re the enterprise app development company you’re looking for.
We offer full-cycle software development, which covers all the processes that take you from the initial idea to the final product. We can also augment your in-house capacities with a dedicated team.
We’ll study your software requirements closely to determine which work option suits you best. You may benefit from a low-code solution where we use modules and development toolkits to cut down costs and delivery time, or you may require a custom mobile app for enterprise to be built from scratch.
Here is some of the work we’ve done for our clients:
Cross-platform e-learning platform development
We developed an e-learning portal to streamline the education process for tutors and students via a mobile and web application. By integrating video streaming and interactive course materials, we helped the client increase user engagement by 85%.
Also, automating document generation cut administrative overheads by 65%. Finally, a user-centric design and cross-platform compatibility expanded the audience, leading to a 40% rise in user registrations.
Blockchain-based EHR software development
Our developers delivered a blockchain-based EHR tool. Despite very tight deadlines, we provided the client with a comprehensive software with mobile accessibility that improved interoperability with other medical tools. At the same time, the improved UI/UX enhanced user satisfaction and tool adoption rate, while the tool was fully compliant with industry regulations.
Conclusion
It’s clear to say that you need an enterprise app to stay ahead of your competitors, bring down costs, and boost your profitability. Although you’ll encounter challenges when developing enterprise applications, the solution brings ample benefits to make it all worth your while. Besides, the right preparations can make the journey a lot smoother.
More importantly, working with the right team can help guarantee a generally stress-free and successful voyage. From food and hospitality app development to logistics and fintech software, Acropolium has got you covered.
Ready to explore your options? Our team of experts is ready to receive your inquiries, offering a flexible, subscription-based cooperation model. Reach out to us here!
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