Business Process Automation Insights

9 Benefits of Mobile ERP Apps

Written by Chelsea Carter | May 23, 2020

According to research completed by IDC, business productivity suffers 20-30% on average—not because people aren’t working productively, but because of systemic inefficiencies within operations itself. Common challenges like business silos, poor systems integration, lack of communication, bottlenecks, and lack of business intelligence plague many organizations, driving costs up and revenues down.

Mobile ERP (Enterprise Resource Management) apps like the NetSuite ERP system solve many of these problems by giving leadership and employees the tools they need to succeed.

1. ENHANCE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

In many industries, a delay in one department can leave employees either scrambling to fix the problem or, worse yet, waiting with nothing to do until the issue is resolved. As an example, if materials to make widget X don't arrive, that assembly line cannot run until it does. Perhaps leadership could have scheduled people differently if they had known, or other backup solutions could have been implemented, but management didn't know until the last minute.

A NetSuite ERP system enhances supply chain and intra-departmental communication, so that leadership throughout the organization is in the loop in real-time. Leaders have greater foresight and can proactively plan rather than respond to bottlenecks and other disruptions at the last minute. What's more, because the NetSuite ERP is mobile, they can do this from anywhere they have an Internet connection.

2. IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY

With mobile ERP system apps, employees and leaders spend less time hunting down the information they need to do their jobs so that they can stay focused on production. For example, if delays in the supply chain or production do occur, the customer care team, vendor management, and marketing team have the same up-to-date information so that the right messages for partners and customers can be crafted to maintain positive business and public relations.

3. STREAMLINING THE SUPPLY CHAIN

Inventory, supplier data, contracts, transport, delays -- NetSuite ERP mobile app collects and organizes all of it in one place so you can see the supply chain as a whole. Business leaders within an organization have the tools and up-to-date information they need to better understand the flow of the supply chain and how small changes can optimize it.

4. IMPROVING DECISION-MAKING SPEED AND ACCURACY

With a Cloud ERP, decision-makers have real-time data at their fingertips. You can view current KPIs, stay informed about supply chain disruptions, or verify that everything is on-schedule to make faster, data-driven decisions from anywhere in the world.

5. STRENGTHENING BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS

When you run a tight ship, that reflects on your partnerships with vendors, employees, customers, and other stakeholders. A cloud ERP that is integrated and designed to meet your business needs helps everything run more smoothly.

For example, when using a mobile cloud ERP, you can give vendors better lead times, so you have fewer last-minute rush orders that may cause strain in the partnership. They can also get paid on time because the finance department knows when orders are received and payments due without someone having to submit purchase orders manually. And because it's mobile, if an individual needs to confirm shipment, they can do it right where they are instead of waiting until they get back to their desk.

6. ADVANCED SEARCH ENGINE BUILT-IN

What benefit does a company-wide integrated technology have if you cannot find what you are looking for when you need it? If an ERP system is cumbersome or difficult to use, it has less value to your company. The time you might have saved you actually would lose trying to navigate the system. For this reason, a mobile cloud ERP system has search built right in so that employees can quickly find the information they need to perform their jobs.

7. WORKING ACROSS DEVICES WITH EASE

Did you know that 87% of employers now expect employees to do some work on mobile devices? And 72% have a bring your own device (BYOD) policy, while 26% provide mobile devices to improve workflow. Not surprisingly, 88% of highly-engaged employees have some control over when, where, and how they work compared to their counterparts. The U.S. workforce is increasingly mobile, and you need a way to support that mobility.

Cloud ERP systems like NetSuite are not just mobile-friendly. They are mobile-first. NetSuite understands the importance of mobile devices in modern workflow and ensures that all capabilities work as seamlessly as they would on a desktop computer. Because of this mobile-first mindset, many companies are increasing the number of employees who are primarily mobile when it makes sense for their roles rather than having everyone stuck in a cubicle.

8. BETTER CONTROL

With a cloud ERP, you can review, approve, request re-evaluation, share, and initiate various operational actions throughout an organization with one tool. Because of this, you always know that you are in the loop, wherever you are, and you can quickly shift from one role to another according to the many hats you wear.

9. BUILDING REPORTS AROUND BUSINESS NEEDS

Customization is essential to get the most out of any business tool. If a tool doesn't have the function and reporting capabilities teams need, they create workarounds, and it takes longer to understand what a tool is telling you. NetSuite ERP offers maximum report customization so that data is presented in a way that makes the most sense for you.

Setting Up a Mobile Cloud ERP System

ManoByte helps organizations streamline operations, centralize communications, and turn data into real-time, actionable business intelligence through integrated, mobile ERP technology. Please take a moment to see how we've streamlined operations and promoted revenue growth for clients like you.