According to a 2014 research report from the Aberdeen Group states that Aberdeen’s 2014 Business Management and ERP Benchmark Survey found that Best-in-Class organizations are 2.4 times as likely to provide mobile access to ERP. The reason mobile ERP solutions are so important to these top performers is because they realize that ERP software is used to run their business from end-to-end and giving the people who rely on this software the ability to access it from anywhere provides a number of benefits that include:
- Improved worker productivity
- Increased sales and revenues
- Improved customer service
- Improved competitive advantage
- Decreased costs
However, there is more to rolling out a mobile ERP solution than just pushing out an app to interested users. The process takes careful planning and your strategy needs to include some very important factors.
Security
The number one consideration in any mobile strategy needs to be security. Since work is being done outside of your company’s firewall and other technical security controls your ERP data becomes harder to protect.
Compatibility
Right now, Android and iOS dominate the mobile landscape; and Windows is making significant gains. Your ERP solution may not support applications for all three of these operating systems leaving you to decide if you want to only provide access to supported devices or look to developing your own device app or web app to give everyone access.
Who really needs mobile access?
While the benefits of mobile ERP access are well documented, you may find that not every person or every job function really needs to have constant access to your ERP solution. Take a good look at how people can benefit and when they might use mobile ERP applications. If that person/role can benefit then you should considered opening the door to them. If you can’t make a good case, then you may be better off restricting mobile ERP use for them.
Connectivity
In a perfect world, everyone’s mobile device will have a solid, constant connection. However, anyone who has ever used his or her mobile device for data knows this isn’t reality. Connections are dropped, sessions are interrupted and sometimes you have to start all over again. This could be problematic if a user is updating records and finds that due to connectivity issues, their work is lost.
User experience
The most notable difference between a mobile handheld device and a workstation is the screen size. Sitting at a desk, your users have a large amount of screen real estate to work with, a keyboard and a touchpad or mouse. Using something as small as a smartphone doesn’t provide all of these luxuries. If the app is difficult to use or doesn’t provide adequate functionality, then people are going to eventually give up on it.
While these may seem a bit discouraging to anyone investigating a mobile ERP solution, they shouldn’t be viewed as roadblocks. It is likely that one, or more, of these will materialize when rolling out your mobile EPR strategy if you have the right people and partners in place you can easily address them.
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