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Key takeaways
- Five years of App Store, the enterprise journey has evolved from a frenzied scramble to ‘jump on the bandwagon’ to a more strategic approach aimed towards achieving clear organisational outcomes
- Businesses that place internal importance on digital are those reaping the rewards in terms of bottom line success; apps can be a key enabler on this digital journey
- There are still undiscovered opportunities for Australian enterprise businesses and SMEs to use mobile and other technologies for future business success
Five years ago today, new iPhone owners flocked to the App Store to buy and download the latest apps. Starting with weather and the stock exchange, consumers’ needs and wants quickly became ever more complex and unpredictable. Soon enough, apps were a source of information, entertainment, connection and convenience – presenting an opportunity for businesses to hone in on niche market trends.
To celebrate the App Store’s fifth birthday, Apple is giving away five games and five apps for a limited time to its customers. Elsewhere, Groupon has a deal for an app building course, suggesting the mechanics behind the app are becoming a matter of mainstream consumer interest and engagement. This suggests an opportunity for businesses to internally engage staff members, as well as present innovative ideas through apps which are noticed and noted by users.
From ‘bandwagon’ to business opportunity
There’s no doubt that the industry was shocked into stepping onto the app ‘bandwagon’ five years ago, and for some it meant spending money on apps just to have a presence rather than thinking about customer engagement and branding.
The App Store itself enjoyed a grace period of market dominance, until other contenders entered and dispersed organisational resources across Apple, Android and other app platforms. Businesses were then called upon to ensure app spending was directed towards achieving clear organisational goals and outcomes.
So, what do we make of the business journey in the context of apps? As highlighted by John Riccio in his article about having a digital mindset, those organisations that are the best internal users of technology are those who are reaping the rewards in terms of bottom line success. This includes engagement with apps by staff for the purposes of flexibility, customer response and the ability to look to this tool to gauge industry trends and feedback.
Uncovering undiscovered ‘app-ortunities’?
On the app and technology front, there are still opportunities waiting to be uncovered. There have been recent discussions around how Australian SMEs are using apps and other digital platforms, as well as exactly what’s needed to educate and support these businesses to use mobile and other technologies for future business success.
With ever more variables, industry players and market competition for enterprises to contend with, the next five years will certainly be an interesting journey. Where do you think apps fit into the next five years for your your organisation?
The post Celebrating five years of App Store – A look at the enterprise app journey appeared first on Digital Pulse - Disruption, Innovation and Industry Change.