Mobile enterprise is general term to describe a corporation or large organization that supports critical business functions and use of business applications via wireless mobile devices. In a mobile enterprise, employees use mobile devices to do any or all of the following: access email, manage documents, provide customer relationship management, conduct enterprise resource planning, fill out invoices, work orders, purchase orders, etc. and manage a corporate calendar and address book. These are the most common applications though many other corporate mobile applications are also used by organizations around the world.
A mobile enterprise generally implies aggressive use of mobile technology facilitated by Internet-based data transmissions. As long as wireless network connectivity is available, enterprise databases can be remotely accessed and updated from anywhere in the world, at anytime, with any device equipped with a Web browser and by anyone with permission to access such services. A mobile enterprise leverages existing Internet infrastructure and TCP/IP installations. In a mobile enterprise, mobile clients are at parity with other traditional clients such as laptop and desktop computers. The emphasis is on expedient data interchange and communication; little or no emphasis is placed on the method of access.
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A mobile enterprise is generally accepted to confer benefits in the areas of higher workforce productivity and employee satisfaction. Faster decision-making is another often cited benefit that results from employees having access to real-time data at the point of action, for example, during a meeting. Use of mobile applications in the workplace can increase worker productivity by as much as 45 percent.[1]
According to an article in CRM Guidebooks:
A recent Yankee Group survey “Anywhere Enterprise–Large: U.S. Mobility and Applications Survey” identified that businesses can realize the following advantages from mobile business apps:
- Increased field selling time: 28 percent
- Eliminated redundant activities: 27 percent
- Increased win rates: 26 percent
- Reduced sales calls costs: 25 percent
- Increased forecast accuracy: 25 percent
- Decreased administrative time: 24 percent
- Decreased sales cycle: 23 percent[2]
The mobile enterprise depends entirely on the Internet as its infrastructure. The system breaks down when a user cannot connect to the Internet. The system does not work in places where Internet service is not available. The system is disrupted whenever the Internet suffers a disruption such as when underwater data cables are damaged by earthquakes as in the case of the 2006 Hengchun earthquake or 2008 submarine cable disruption in the Middle East that disrupted internet service between the Middle East and Europe.
Security concerns are a major impediment to mobile enterprise adoption. Because mobile devices are easily lost or stolen, companies must be proactive about creating and enforcing security technologies and policies to protect their data and networks from unauthorized access.
As for all mobile applications, bandwidth economy is a major consideration. Simplicity and minimalism is of utmost importance to reduce upload and download time for best user experience.