Process optimization 3.0

The world of bits and bytes is becoming increasingly mobile: year after year, more smartphones and tablets are now sold worldwide than fixed PCs. Because the smart lightweights have taken mobile life and work to a new level: they are highly powerful, weigh less and less and are intuitive to operate. Switch on and go is the motto here. The fascination with these small technological wonders is great: in the first few months after the launch of the iPad in 2010, for example, Apple sold a new device every two seconds, and the trend continues unabated.

For the under-25 generation in particular, it is hard to imagine everyday life without mobile devices: as digital natives who have grown up with digital media since early childhood, the Internet is a natural part of their communication - more than 86 percent of them use it every day, a large proportion of them now also on the move and increasingly in a professional context. At the latest with the entry of digital natives into professional life, companies must deal with the increasing use of mobile devices in everyday business.

Mobile Business Solutions

Mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular not only in private life, but also in the world of work. As is often the case, the Americans are leading the way: according to a study by Good Technology, 50 percent of the top 100 US companies already use mobile devices.

Digital natives in professional life

use the iPad for business processes. 80 percent of the top 500 are already developing or designing their own mobile solutions. Companies in Europe have also recognized the trend and in recent years have increasingly relied on business processes via smartphone or tablet. The use of smart devices is no longer limited to sales, where it originated in order to replace the portable, yet much more cumbersome notebook. In principle, the most diverse business areas are suitable for processing via iPad or Androidphone, so mobile processes can not only be initiated while on the road, but can also be located directly in the production workshop or the research lab. In particular, documentation or CRM solutions gain noticeably in efficiency through processing by means of a custom-fit app.

However, not all business processes can be transferred to the mobile world without difficulty. Rather, it is first necessary to determine whether the respective work step is even suitable to be mapped on a tablet or smartphone. And an app that is primarily developed because it is chic to work on the move rarely brings any added value. Instead, the preliminary considerations should include creative thinking: In what ways can processes be changed by transferring them to iPhones or iPads so that they are not simply mobile and networked, but can also be carried out more effectively than before?

New ways in process optimization

The first thing to do is to overcome existing thought barriers and dare to rethink. A striking example of this is the retail sector: The fact that cash registers at which customers pay for their goods can also be replaced by iPads may seem surprising at first glance, but it brings with it a number of advantages. For example, the number of those shoppers who are able to

Mobile processes in the workshop

The number of customers who change their minds at the checkout and abandon the purchase process is usually relatively high. If the responsible salesperson checks out directly via iPad after successfully advising the customer and his or her purchase decision, significantly fewer purchases are lost. Consequently, the checkout process is not simply copied by transferring it to mobile devices, but its flow is changed and thus made more efficient. Language barriers, which are not uncommon in internationally operating companies, can also be overcome with the help of mobile applications that rely on clearly understandable images and sliders instead of text.

Other quality of work

Mobile business processes therefore hold enormous optimization potential - if you know how to use it for yourself. Generally speaking, the quality of work is simply different for employees on tablets or smartphones.

This is because processes mapped on mobile devices are significantly more user-friendly than work steps carried out via stationary computers. In addition, the identification of the users with the devices is significantly higher; after all, they are not just work devices, but can also be used for entertainment purposes, which means they are simply more fun than conventional company computers and thus increase the motivation of the employees. Many companies are taking advantage of this effect by encouraging their employees to use their own end devices for work applications as well: "Bring your own device" is the buzzword here.

Well-founded consultant know-how

Despite all the positive effects, companies are often skeptical about switching to mobile business processes. "Do we really need it? Is the switch even worth it in the long run? And will it put our company data at risk?" These or similar are the typical questions that companies usually ask themselves beforehand. This makes it all the more important for them not to simply have a company app built quickly, but to rely on the expertise of a consultant who thinks from the company's point of view during development.

One expert in this field is the Augsburg-based software developer alphasystems: The service provider has been designing and implementing innovative IT solutions for business process optimization for around 25 years. For several years, the focus has been on the development of mobile business solutions with a connection to internal business processes.

Thanks to their many years of expertise, alphasystems' consultants can usually quickly convince those with reservations. They accompany the entire optimization process from the analysis of existing processes to the conception of suitable solutions to the joint implementation in the company. The solutions are usually based on the iOS operating system, i.e. they are used on the iPad. In addition to the high prevalence, this is also due to the fact that the company's internal data protection requirements can best be implemented with this system. Especially since iPhones and iPads can be excellently controlled remotely: The company can not only regulate how employees can use the device and which software they can install, but in the event of an emergency, the devices can now also be completely destroyed remotely to prevent data loss.

Clarify security exactly

in the event of loss or theft. Nevertheless, it is essential for mobile business processes that the sovereignty over the processed data remains within the company itself. In concrete terms, this means that sensitive information should remain on an internal company server so that only a minimum of data is stored directly on the devices themselves. Intelligent synchronization processes make this possible and allow functional work without risk.

Once the security issue has been clarified, companies can benefit from the positive effects of mobile business solutions without later regrets: The simpler handling of processes leads to more motivated employees and visibly better results in everyday work. With the courage to rethink and the right service provider at their side, companies can only gain from shifting selected processes to mobile devices.