A Comprehensive Guide to Enterprise Mobile App Development in 2024

With the markets becoming competitive every day, it is challenging for businesses to stay ahead. In order to take the lead, a number of aspects, like allocating the right resources, managing projects, and building strong relations with customers, need to be considered.

But the question is, how do companies manage all this? The best solution is enterprise mobile application development. These mobile apps are equipped with various features to streamline different tasks like projects, managing workflows, tracking performance, and much more.

Developing an enterprise app requires hiring mobile app developers who are skilled in building apps in your niche. 

This blog is a complete guide to what an enterprise app is, its various types, benefits, and the steps for enterprise mobile app development. Let's begin by understanding enterprise application development.

What is Enterprise Mobile App Development?

Enterprise mobile application development is the process of designing, developing, and deploying mobile apps specifically customized for a business. The process includes the integration of enterprise-level features, security protocols, and seamless integration with existing business systems.

Enterprise mobile apps are a great tool for startups, small businesses, and large-scale companies as they can assist in various tasks like customer engagement, task management, resource alignment, and data management. A report has stated that enterprise mobile apps help boost work productivity by up to 34%.

Hence, collaborating with the top mobile app development company can help businesses build an enterprise app that meets specific goals and objectives.

Types of Enterprise Mobile Apps

Before you begin with enterprise application development, you must look at its various types. Common types of enterprise mobile apps include:

• Enterprise Resource Planning App (ERP)

ERP is a mobile app that integrates several business processes and functions, helping companies manage and streamline operations more efficiently. These apps include various models for financial management, human resources, supply chain management, and customer relationship management.

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

CRM apps are designed to help companies manage and optimize their interactions with customers. These are some of the widely used enterprise apps, and the reports have shown that about 91% of businesses with more than 11 employees use CRM software for better engagement. These apps enable sales, marketing, and customer service teams to deliver a personalized experience.

• Human Resource Management (HRM)

HRM is another popular type of enterprise app designed to automate various HR processes. With features like employee onboarding, performance management, payroll tracking, and expense reporting, CRM apps make HR tasks quite easy and quick.

• Project Management Apps

Project management apps are mobile apps that help individuals and teams to plan, organize, and execute various projects effectively. These apps enable task management, progress tracking, and resource allocation in one place. Businesses use project management apps to enhance project status visibility, make data-driven decisions, and improve efficiency.

• Collaboration and Communication Apps

Collaboration and communication apps provide a centralized platform for tasks such as instant messaging, video conferencing, document collaboration, project management, and knowledge sharing. These tools help remote and hybrid teams stay connected, coordinate their efforts, and enhance productivity by facilitating efficient communication, task management, and collaborative workflows.

• Supply Chain Management Apps

Supply chain management apps help businesses optimize the entire supply chain operations. These apps help the team manage everything from demand forecasting to inventory, procurement, logistics, and order fulfillment under one software. Supply chain management apps can be used by companies of all sizes, from small e-commerce businesses to large multinational corporations.

Why Should Businesses Invest in Mobile App Development for Enterprise?

Handling business operations manually can be a tough task. On the other hand, businesses can boost productivity and manage tasks adequately with an enterprise application. Some major benefits include:

Improved Employee Productivity and Engagement

Enterprise apps help streamline workflows, provide real-time access to information, and provide seamless communication among employees. This process leads to increased productivity, better task management, and higher employee engagement.

Enhanced Communication and Collaboration

Enterprise apps also facilitate effective communication and collaboration by providing various features like instant messaging, video conferencing, file sharing, and task management. This further helps remote and distributed teams stay connected and work more efficiently.

Secure Data Management

Another benefit is that enterprise mobile applications offer a secure and centralized platform for handling sensitive business data, documents, and information. It helps mitigate the risks of data breaches and ensures compliance with industry regulations.

Increased Operational Efficiency

By automating various business processes and integrating with existing enterprise systems, enterprise apps can help optimize operations, reduce manual tasks, and improve overall efficiency.

Competitive Advantage

Investing in an enterprise app gives businesses a competitive advantage by providing unique features, streamlining workflows, and boosting the overall employee and customer experience.

Enterprise Mobile App Development Process

Creating an enterprise mobile app requires following a step-by-step process. From identifying the goals to design and development, below is the complete development process.

• Define Business Goals

The first step in mobile enterprise application development is clearly defining the business goals. It includes identifying the specific challenges or needs for creating the app. Whether you want to improve employee communication, streamline workflows, or enhance user experience, the objectives should be clear.

Once you have listed the business goals for enterprise app development, the next step is to understand the market. This includes learning about the target market, analyzing market trends, and determining any gaps in the market that the app can close. 

• Choose the Right Platform

The next step is choosing the appropriate platform for your enterprise app. When choosing the platform, you must consider factors like the target audience and the app's purpose and functionalities.

For instance, if the majority of employees are iOS users, you should prioritize app development for the Apple app store. When choosing the platform, you must also consider factors like development cost, maintenance, and features.

• Budget and Timeline Calculation for App Development

Whether you want to build an app for iOS or Android, for both users, considering the mobile app development cost and timeline is one crucial step for enterprise mobile app development. It is important to set realistic timelines and deadlines for efficient resource utilization.

On the other hand, if you want to hire mobile app developers, acknowledging the cost is vital. You can look at the cost of various companies to identify who offers the best price and can complete the project within the timeline.

• Technical Specifications

Another important aspect of mobile app development for enterprises is choosing the right tech stack for product development. This step includes

Identifying Functional and Non-Functional Requirements: Companies should consider specifying the application logic, data models, and user interfaces that will make up the essential features of an enterprise mobile application. They should also give non-functional criteria like security, scalability, and performance a lot of thought. 

Gathering Integration and Data Requirements: Next, organizations should also determine the databases, systems, and third-party APIs they want to integrate with their corporate solution and evaluate the capability and compatibility of each.

• Build a Roadmap for UI/UX

It is equally crucial to design an app that is easy to navigate and engages the users quickly. In order to make sure the app is user-friendly, visually appealing, and fits the needs of its intended audience, it is necessary to define its general look, feel, and flow. 

Key elements in the UX/UX include creating wireframes, mockups, and prototypes to visualize and test the app's functionality. Further, to provide a flawless user experience, businesses should also take accessibility, usability, and navigation into account.

• Consider the Enterprise App's Features

Other than the app's design, choosing the right features is vital for better engagement and fulfilling the app's goals. Entrepreneurs must identify the key user needs, pain points, and business objectives that the app will address. Some powerful features that can be added to the app include:

• Secure Access and Data Protection
• Real-time Data Sharing and Analysis
• Intuitive User Experience
• Messaging and Collaboration Tools
• Cloud Storage and Integration
• Process Automation
• Smart AI-powered Support

The app's features should be prioritized based on strategic importance, user demand, and technical feasibility to ensure that it delivers maximum value.

• Develop the App

Once you have the design and features ready, the next step is building the enterprise app. It requires technical skills and expertise to follow agile methodologies, with iterative sprints and frequent testing. Building an in-house team can cost a high amount of money.

Hence, one of the best solutions for enterprise app development is hiring a mobile app development team. When looking for the right company, you must look at their experience, knowledge, tech stack, and experience.

• Conduct QA Process

In order to guarantee that the app meets all the criteria, such as usability, dependability, and performance, a strategic QA approach is required. This procedure starts early in the development cycle and continues throughout the app's lifecycle, including post-launch updates. Its key aspects include functionality, usability, performance, compatibility, and performance testing.

• Maintenance and Support

Maintaining and supporting the enterprise mobile app is a crucial ongoing step in the development process. This involves monitoring app performance, fixing bugs, updating features, and ensuring compatibility with new OS versions and device models. Regular maintenance helps keep the app secure, functional, and aligned with evolving user needs and market trends. 

Providing responsive support to address user queries and feedback is also key to driving long-term adoption and success of the enterprise mobile solution.

Hire the Top Developers for Enterprise Mobile Application Development

Mobile enterprise application development requires skills, knowledge, and technical expertise. With Your Team In India, you can hire the top 1% of certified developers across India.

Our developers are highly trained in the latest technologies for various industries. From Android app development to building a cross-platform app, you can hire just the right developers with YTII.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is enterprise mobile app development?

Enterprise mobile app development is the process of creating software apps that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of businesses and organizations for internal or external use on mobile devices.

What are the steps for enterprise mobile app development?

The steps for enterprise mobile app development are:

• Define business goals and objectives
• Choose a platform
• Consider budget and timeline
• Choose the technology
• Build the UI/UX
• Pick the app features
• Develop the app
• Conduct QA process
• Maintain and update the app

How does an enterprise app differ from a personal app?

Enterprise apps are not your typical apps. They are designed to cater to the specific needs of a business or organization, focusing on functionality, security, and integration with existing systems. On the other hand, personal apps are more about individual use and entertainment.

Why is enterprise app development important for businesses?

Enterprise app development is a crucial tool for businesses, offering significant benefits such as improved efficiency, enhanced productivity, and better communication among employees. It also streamlines processes and boosts customer engagement, making it an essential investment for any business.

How do you choose the right platform for your enterprise app?

To choose the right app platform, consider factors such as target audience, features required, budget, security needs, and existing IT infrastructure.