Summary: Many companies already understand that mobile is the next big thing, but they’re not sure how it can help them. If you’re still wondering how to take advantage of mobile apps, here are a few great examples that might spark some ideas.

One of the most common questions I hear businesses ask about mobile: “How can we use mobile apps?”

Sure, mobile works for some companies, but can it really help us?

Many companies still struggle with this question. They understand that mobile is the next big thing. They see other companies using mobile apps.

But, they just don’t know how it applies to them.

If you’re struggling with this, here’s a tip that will help: Look at mobile apps as extensions of your current software, not as a separate standalone app. If you could extend certain aspects of your existing software to a mobile device, which would you choose? How would that help your business?

Would you like to see some examples of this approach in action? Here are 3 ways other businesses have extended their current software to mobile devices:

1. Midland Medical streamlines their receiving process
A medical supply distributor based in Nebraska, Midland Medical automated their inventory receiving process using mobile apps. In the past, employees logged new inventory on paper, and then manually entered the data into their system.

How are they using mobile?
They created a mobile web app that integrated with their existing system. Now, using off-the-shelf smartphones and bluetooth scanners, employees instantly scan new inventory directly to their database.

2. Emhart Glass extends their ERP system to iPhones
When word came down that Emhart Glass would be adopting iPhones, their web application development specialist got busy. He wanted to have a mobile solution ready when that happened.

How are they using mobile?
He built mobile web apps that pull data from their ERP system and put it on the company iPhones. It displays important data like sales figures, client info, and more. Now, salespeople have everything at their fingertips, whenever they need it.

3. Trinium Technologies extends their dispatch system to mobile devices
Trinium Technologies provides enterprise systems for intermodal and multi-modal trucking companies. When mobile apps started gaining steam, they searched for ways to extend their transportation management system to mobile devices.

How are they using mobile?
They built Trinium-MC2–a mobile web application that lets truck drivers communicate with their Trinium dispatch system directly from any smartphone or tablet. Dispatch instructions can be sent, received, acknowledged, and completed by the driver on their smartphone or tablet. This new mobile application helps Trinium’s customers improve data accuracy and timeliness—both essential elements in the trucking industry.

Want to learn more?

Would you like to extend your enterprise apps to mobile devices? We recently held a webinar that walks you through the process, which you can view here: On-Demand Webinar: Instant Mobile Solutions for Existing Systems.

Of course, if you have any questions about extending your existing systems to mobile devices, feel free to let us know. We’ve helped other companies achieve that same goal, and would be more than happy to help you. If you need help, just fill out this short form and let us know what you have on your plate.