The Last Guide to Enterprise App Development You’ll Ever Need
13 Dec 2021
ContentMichael Signal
Table of Contents
Do you have trouble keeping track of everything your employees do? If everyone seems to use different tools to manage projects, you might want to think about enterprise app development.
By creating a unique app for your business, you can streamline everything. That way, you’ll be able to view all of your employees’ tasks in one place.
Read on to learn more.
Enterprise App Development Basics
Enterprise app development involves creating an app from scratch that your company will use. Unlike apps for the public, only you and your employees will use the app.
Developing an app for your enterprise can also give you more control over your workflow. If you use third-party tools, you may have access to the features you want.
But you’ll have to rely on the developers of those programs for updates. And you won’t control the company if it decides to completely close or stops offering the program you use.
By working with mobile app developers, you can ensure you’ll have a system your business can use for years. You won’t have to rely on other companies to help run your business.
Advantages of Enterprise App Development
If you still aren’t sure if enterprise mobile app development is worth it, consider the benefits. You and your team can enjoy a much better experience at work.
But there are some benefits you may not see as clearly. To ensure that you make the most of your enterprise app, you should know what the advantages are and how they can help.
Here are a few things you should know.
More Efficiency
When you develop an app for your business, you can control what it includes. Maybe you currently use a specific project management tool, and that tool has what you need.
But the tool also has a bunch of extra features that you and your team don’t use. Those features can get in the way and slow you down, making it harder to get good work done.
However, if you hire an enterprise app development company, they can create the perfect tool for you. That way, you won’t have to worry about features that you don’t want.
More Flexibility
Another advantage of using an enterprise app is that you can change it whenever you want. If you decide you do need an extra feature, you can ask your developer to implement the change.
The same thing applies if there’s a feature that you no longer find useful. A developer will remove the feature so that it doesn’t slow the app down.
Your app can be exactly what you want, and you don’t have to compromise. That will offer you more flexibility and control as you grow and scale your company.
Better Performance
Not only can an enterprise app help you, but it may also help your employees. When they have access to the perfect app, they can perform better on their work.
That can help improve employee productivity as well. And when employees feel more productive and perform better, they may enjoy more satisfaction at work.
More employee satisfaction can also help your entire company. You might have a lower employee turnover rate, which can save you a lot of time and money on hiring new people.
Improve Processes
All of the other advantages can help improve the processes you and your team use. Depending on your goals, you can streamline or completely automate certain processes.
You won’t have to pay a ton of money each month to access those premium features like you would on a third-party app. While app development will cost money, you can improve the processes you want.
Whether you want to automate something or not, streamlining will lead to better performance from everyone. And you can all enjoy working a little bit more.
More Insight
The more insight you can get into your company and its operations, the better. You can use those insights to figure out what you can change to improve your procedures.
Plus, your app may be able to provide insights as they occur. That way, you can track productivity and other metrics in real-time, so you won’t have to wait to view those things.
If you notice a drop in productivity, you can fix it right away. You won’t have to let your company go too long before you resolve small problems.
Disadvantages of Enterprise App Development
While enterprise app development can be a good thing, it’s not for every business. Before you jump into creating an enterprise app, consider the drawbacks.
Then, you’ll be able to decide if the advantages are worth dealing with the disadvantages. And you can find an app developer or company that can help you work past the cons of using your own app.
Here are some of the most important disadvantages to consider.
Security Issues
When you develop any app, enterprise or not, you have to think about the security. If you use a third-party tool, you don’t have to worry about handling that.
But developing your own app requires some thought about how you’ll keep everything secure. You’ll have to work with a developer to make sure the app doesn’t have any risks for security breaches.
And if one occurs, you should have a plan for how to patch the breach. Then, you can keep your data safe and prevent hackers from obtaining confidential company information.
Business Changes
You also need to think about how your business may change over time. The app you develop and launch now may not be the app you need in a few years.
As your business changes and adapts over time, you’ll need to update your app accordingly. Of course, an app development company can help with this.
But you need to make sure you will be able to update your app so that you don’t have to start from scratch again. Think about how you can mitigate the risk of your app not growing with you and your company to make it last for years.
Scaling the App
Maybe your business will stay very similar in terms of the features and design you’ll need in an app. But that doesn’t mean your business won’t get bigger or change in other ways.
When you use third-party tools, you can usually scale with them by upgrading to a premium tier. However, you’ll need to work with a developer to scale your own app.
While that still gives you control and flexibility, it can be more expensive. And you may not be able to make those changes as soon as you need them, so you’ll have to plan ahead.
Team Engagement
You may be the boss, but you still have to deal with the fact that your employees may not all want to switch apps. If someone has created a productive workflow, they might not want to use an enterprise app.
To help with this, talk to your employees before you start developing an app for your business. Ask everyone what they do and don’t like about the current system.
Give them time to warm up to the idea of a new app, and share how it will help them. Some people may still resist the idea, but giving people notice will allow them to understand why the change is happening and how they’ll benefit.
Return on Investment
When doing anything for your business, you have to consider the return on investment (ROI). If the ROI will be negative, you may not want to develop the app.
You can still do it, but you might need to change the plan so that it has a better ROI. For example, you may want to start with a more basic app so that it’s not too expensive or time-consuming.
Everyone will be able to use the app and learn how it works in less time. After a while, you can always add more features, but you don’t want to waste a ton of money or time just to have your own app.
Development Process
When considering if enterprise app development is right for you, consider the development process. Even if you hire out for this task, understanding the process is crucial.
You’ll know how everything works and what to expect along the way. Then, you can plan for the launch of your app and make sure the switch goes smoothly.
Here are a few things you can expect during the app development process.
Build a Team
First, you’ll need to build a team of app developers and UI/UX designers. You can do this by hiring full-time employees, but you may want to outsource it to an app development company.
Either way, consider how many people you want to work on the app and what programming languages the developers will use. Think about if the team can even make the type of app you want.
Developing an enterprise app can be different from developing an app you’ll sell to the public. Don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions to make sure you hire the right people for the job.
Use Good Design
As your development team starts to turn the app into a reality, you need to make sure the design is good. Consider if it is easy to navigate and how the features work.
If the design is difficult to use, your team’s productivity may suffer. The same is true if the design is good but has a high learning curve.
You should test the app or have someone on your team test it. Then, you can make sure the app works how you expect before you launch it to your entire company.
Maintain the App
As with any app, the enterprise app development process doesn’t stop when you launch. You’ll need to update the app to patch security issues, add features, or simply keep up with operating system updates.
If you go too long without an update, you and your team may experience problems. Your app might be too slow, or it could be incompatible with your device.
Be sure to plan for updates each year or every few months. Then, you will be able to continue using the app, and you can make sure it has the features you need at that time.
Paying for the App
Another thing to consider about enterprise app development is the cost. Whether you have employees work on the app or hire a separate company, you will need to pay something.
Consider your business budget to determine how much you can afford to spend on your app. If you don’t have enough money to create the app you want, think about expenses you can cut from the app or other parts of your budget.
You may not need a ton of features at first, so you can save money for the first round. As your app improves productivity and performance, you may see an increase in revenue to invest back into the app.
Or you might decide that you need to cut costs outside of the app. Maybe you decide to downsize to a smaller office, or you have everyone work from home.
Choosing an Enterprise App Development Company
If you decide to hire an app development company, you need to know what to look for. First, think about the team the company has and the experience of the developers.
Ask what programming languages they use and if they’re able to develop an app for multiple platforms. You may also want to consider the timeline to determine if you can launch the app when you want.
Before you hire anyone, make sure to get a quote for the project. Then, you can make sure your business can afford the investment.
Enterprise App Development Done Right
If you’re ready to ditch third-party software, you should consider the enterprise app development process. Making an app for your business can be great, but it has its share of risks and costs.
Be sure you know what you want your app to do and how much you can afford. Then, you can hire a development team to bring your idea to life.
Are you ready to develop an app? View our app development services and book a consultation to learn more.
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