Smartphones and mobile BI apps are quickly becoming the most important tools for business employees. In some industries, smartphones have already become more predominant than laptops, particularly for employees in the field. Initially used simply for email, smartphones now host numerous company-specific applications that enable users to manage everything from travel planning and expense reporting to CRM and BI.
The latter two applications, in particular, offer more than convenience by providing access to real-time company data. Mobile BI apps, specifically, enable managers, directors, and executives to stay informed and up-to-date on the status of their departments while on the road. As more and more dynamic applications emerge, business people are responding positively by adopting these new solutions in droves.
Recent reports state the BYOD and enterprise mobility market size is estimated to grow from $35.10 billion in 2016 to $73.30 billion by 2021. Business leaders and employees alike want more mobile-first solutions, and increased mobility has proven to make both parties more efficient.
Having critical company information that mobile BI apps give to you anytime, anywhere is becoming a necessity. When thinking about mobile BI apps, most users expect to be able to accomplish the basics like viewing reports, looking at KPIs, and setting up alerts. But as we know, BI is all about actionable data, so it is necessary that mobile BI apps provide more than static views of reports and dashboards. Users also need the ability to drill into, interact with, and analyze the data within their mobile BI apps.
Executive Power with Mobile BI Apps
Imagine a director of development who is traveling the day after a new product release. With mobile BI apps, he could review the company’s call center data to check for a spike in calls. Instantaneously knowing the call volume enables him to make an informed decision on the urgency of a bug fix, for example. Or think of a traveling sales manager who may want to know if there is an increase in sales after announcing a surprise online discount. Accessing that data in real-time equips him to determine whether extending the sale is a wise choice. For complex decisions that require input from multiple people, mobile BI apps enable all required parties to pull up identical data and look at it simultaneously regardless of their individual locations. The value of accessing this type of information instantly from the palm of your hand, regardless of where you are, is exponential.
Gain a Competitive Advantage with Mobile BI Apps
Early adopters of mobile BI apps will gain a significant competitive advantage. Small businesses, which are typically agile and can adopt new technologies quicker than their larger competitors, are in a particularly opportune position. Consider the value of remote navigation through BI dashboards:
- Securely view dashboards – obtain real-time status information without the need to connect a laptop and log into a VPN.
- Filter, zoom in, drill down – look up sales details specific to the regional rep that you’re going to meet.
- Export to PDF – export a live report that needs to be reviewed for access during your upcoming flight that doesn’t have WiFi.
- Set favorite/most-used dashboards – with the ability to schedule data updates at any frequency you choose, you can quickly refresh your most critical dashboards for up-to-the-minute information.
If you haven’t yet taken advantage of these benefits, take a look at ClicData’s mobile BI offering via a free trial on an app specifically for your mobile browser. Our dashboards are fully responsive, adapt to any size screen and send instant alerts with attached dashboards.