A lot of businesses have trouble getting started with mobile app development because it’s typically considered an “IT” initiative – everyone is looking to IT for guidance and recommendations on what we can do with “mobile”, because they feel it’s technical. Here’s an insiders secret: mobile apps aren’t about the technology, instead they’re really about ideas and creativity. In this post, I’ll share 5 ways to get started with mobile apps today. Don’t hesitate to use these ideas, and share some of your own, because the hardest part of building mobile apps for your business is finding the right idea to run with.

Communications Hub

The first app idea for your business is a communications hub. You can give your employees a mobile hub for company communications, news, and announcements. In a different twist on this same idea, build a customer-facing hub that aggregates industry news. If you’re adventurous, you can even offer premium access to articles, case studies, and industry analysis for subscribers.

Surprise your C-Level Executives and Management

App idea #2 is a series of mobile dashboard apps that integrate with your existing ERP, Sales Management, Accounting, HR, and IT systems. With these apps, you can give your decision makers access to critical KPIs and reports on the go. You can even integrate mobile technologies such as notifications to push information radiators and data directly to the people that matter.

“Game-ify” the Tedium

App idea #3 takes the worst part of your staff’s day (expense management and time tracking) and turns it into a game. The problem with most tracking systems is their lack of convenience. This app idea is all about accessibility, usability, and making it fun. You can work with a user experience expert to “game-ify” these tedious tasks. Another idea is to allow employees to collect points and cash them in for rewards if they enter time and expenses on-time.

Arm Your Sales Force

App idea #4 is for your sales force. Build an app to give them access to their clients, contacts, and sales pipeline on the road. It’s easy to integrate with your Sales Management and CRM systems.

What if you had an app that helped your sales force maximize their day? Suppose a meeting lets out early – what if they could find nearby customers they haven’t been able to connect with lately? You’ve just helped solve that nagging question of “what’s next” and “who can/should I connect with quickly”?

Enrich Your Corporate Culture

App idea #5 can effect your entire organization – HR often gets flooded with requests for benefits and personnel information. What if your employees could answer common HR-questions with their mobile device? It’s easy to build a mobile HR and benefits portal to access this information on-the-go. You can even enrich corporate culture by adding employee news, reminders, and built-in notifications of company events.

What is Your Business Doing?

I hope you’ve learned something today and are inspired to get started with mobile apps. I’d love to hear some of your ideas and how you’ve gotten started with mobile in your business.