App users becoming more demanding

With more mobile devices emerging, it should be no surprise that most consumers have already adopted this hardware for their activities. In addition, users have also started utilizing programs that are relative to their lives and help them streamline their everyday tasks. This trend is quickly leaking into the enterprise space, with many employees hoping to leverage their devices and programs for their work processes as well. However, with the dangers that shadow IT can impose, many organizations are going the route of creating apps or approving specific programs for business use. While this effort is admirable, if the software does not appeal to the staff, it will be even harder to regulate mobile operations.

Performance is key to app success
Whether making a business app or approving of a third-party product, if the chosen resource does not reflect the ease and convenience users have in their consumer apps, they will inevitably choose their own programs. According to a survey by AppDynamics, performance is essential to app adoption, as evidenced by the fact that 90 percent of respondents have abandoned inadequate programs. Developers have a lot to live up to as 65 percent of participants noted that their expectations are steadily increasing. In addition, nearly half of all users stating that they are becoming less forgiving when they encounter issues in a program. These changing views show the effect of the consumerization of IT: Staff are starting to look for programs that are more akin to the ones that they're used to in their personal lives.

While developers can attempt to create an program that reflects consumer apps, it will not be the same due to the need for additional security and essential features. However, by leveraging available component suites, app builders can deliver a quality program that will have the tools employees need to be more efficient and successful.

"The bottom line is that organizations must deliver a reliable, consistent mobile experience to grow and protect increasingly important mobile device revenue streams and customer interactions, even under the most demanding situations," AppDynamics CEO Jyoti Bansal said. "Key to this is having the necessary depth of application intelligence in real time so that any problems can be anticipated or rapidly solved.".

Consider features that are in demand
App projects often rely on the ability of developers to accurately create a user's ideal product complete with the tools they require. The features presented will be dependent on what type of program is being made. However, one aspect that many users want are push notifications. These automatic updates are often utilized in consumer apps and are considered to be useful reminders in expediting necessary processes. According to the Good Push Index released by Urban Airship, just over half of mobile app users choose to allow push notifications.

In addition to this, location tracking is enabled by 60 to 80 percent of users, allowing relevant real-time information to be delivered. This type of trend supports the efforts for automation, streamlined operations and innovative processes. With push notifications, employees can receive messages at a moment's notice regarding company functions, empowering them to make critical decisions on the fly. For organizations in the retail and manufacturing sectors, this will be essential to managing inventory and ensuring that customers receive the best service possible. As more businesses set out to create useful programs, it will be important to consider staff needs and incorporate those demands into the app's features.

"Users obviously value apps' location-based functionality to earn the opt-in, just as the best apps do with push notifications by explaining its value and using it in personally relevant ways," Urban Airship CEO Scott Kveton said.