Mobile applications are increasingly viewed as a business-differentiation tool to increase customer engagement, reinforce brand value and provide better customer service, and delivering a high-quality user experience and improving mobile app performance are top business priorities, according to the most recent annual survey of global enterprises by mobile application platform provider Kony Solutions in conjunction with MGI Research.
The results indicated many companies are still in the early phases of adoption and are taking a practical approach to new technologies and standards, with enhanced application performance (72 percent) and multiplatform mobile application support from a single code base (67 percent) weighing in as top requirements. These took precedence over managing bring your own device (BYOD) (46 percent) and greater use of HTML5 (26 percent).
The State of Mobile Apps survey also explored 2012 mobile budget priorities, finding that 48 percent of respondents plan to increase budgets for multiplatform development tools over the next 12 months. More than 200 survey respondents also reported their top technical concerns are support for open standards and multiplatform mobile app support–especially for hybrid apps, which are expected to be the biggest gainers in the next 12 months over native or HTML5 apps.
“From increased attention to the user experience and planning bigger investments in multichannel offerings, this report demonstrates that more organizations are adopting a mobile first mindset. It also confirms something our customers have long known–mobile is a key driver of business success, and an essential channel for increasing customer loyalty and improving customer service,” Harold Goldberg, Kony’s chief marketing officer, said in a prepared statement. “While it’s crucial to stay at the forefront of trends such as BYOD and HTML5, it is clear that a multichannel, hybrid approach is what enterprises are looking for to stay ahead in today’s mobile environment, ensuring that they can future-proof their mobile strategy and position their organizations for continued growth.”
The survey revealed that customer service apps (55 percent) are the top applications in development this year, with respondents indicating that enhancing customer engagement (87 percent) and increasing competitive advantage (79 percent) are key business drivers. Survey results also indicated that many companies are still challenged by mobile apps, with about 6 percent reporting a huge failure in their mobile app development and more than 21 percent reporting either below average or disappointing return on investment (ROI) from mobile apps.
To read the original eWeek article, click here: Mobile App Development Key for Driving Business: Survey
